Picture Book Review: My School Stinks! by Becky Scharnhorst, illustrated by Julia Patton (2021)

Quick Booktalk

In a series of diary entries a young boy relates his shocking experiences attending a school for wild animals. 

About the Illustrations

Each two-page spread in this book consists of an image of the boy's diary entry on lined paper, accompanied by a scene that illustrates some incident mentioned in the entry. The color scheme is pretty subdued considering all the excitement that goes on in the story, and sometimes it is hard to know where the reader's eye is meant to be drawn first. Though the contrast between what the text conveys and what is shown by the pictures is meant to provide the story's humor, the illustrations are too subtle on many pages to make that work. 

Story Time Possibilities

Though there is lots of physical action on each page to engage the reader, the details are too subtle to be seen by more than a handful of listeners sitting pretty close to the adult who is reading aloud, so this book is only going to work in a small-group story time setting. I do think it could be used to help break the ice with kids who are nervous about the first day of school, since wild animals attending school is pretty silly and laughter is a good way to deal with tension. For homeschooled kids like mine, the interest will be more in the animal humor than the school aspect.

Readers Advisory

This book would be fun to pair with There's a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor by Wade Bradford or May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers and Beni Montresor, as both books involve animals in an unexpected environment. Because of the format of the story and the understated humor, I think it's best for independent elementary readers who can take the time to carefully observe each illustration individually. Some kids may find that the book tries to get too much out of what is essentially one joke, but for others the humor will strike just the right chord. For me personally, this wasn't quite a hit; I just never quite felt immersed in the world of the story. 

Disclosure 

I received a finished review copy of My School Stinks! from Penguin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. 

Picture Book Review: Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! by Cori Doerrfeld (2021)

Quick Booktalk

Following two little girls from the time they meet to the time one of them moves away, this book highlights the new opportunities presented by every goodbye. 

About the Illustrations

The pictures in this book are in a style that would be suitable for a graphic novel, though most pages do not have speech bubbles or other graphic novel elements. Since the text is more abstract, the specificity of the illustrations is what really carries the story. The characters' personalities and their friendships comes through visually even when the text is more philosophical and vague. Though a few pages have details that are better seen up close, for the most part the bold lines and contrasting colors can engage the eye at a distance as well. Readers who keep score regarding diversity will be pleased to note a variety of skin tones and clothing styles in the background of many of the pictures.  

Story Time Possibilities

I like this book for a variety of themes: hello and/or goodbye, opposites, friendship, moving, etc. The text on each page is minimal enough for toddlers and young preschoolers, but the subject matter as a whole makes it best suited to a pre-K or young elementary audience. There are quite a few scenes set in school that also make this a natural choice to read to a class on the first day of a new school year to help break the ice.

Readers Advisory

The most obvious uses for this book are either to comfort a child after a difficult goodbye or to make children feel at home in a new situation,  Other books that would pair well with this one include Timothy Goes to School by Rosemary Wells and Rosie and Rasmus by Serena Geddes, both of which involve making new friends and saying goodbye. It also made me think about Duck and Penguin are Not Friends by Julia Woolf, which has a similar illustration style and gives a different take on friendship. 

Disclosure

I received a finished copy of Goodbye Friend! Hello Friend! from Penguin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Ergo by Alexis Deacon, illustrated by Viviane Schwarz (2021)

Quick Booktalk

Ergo, a chick who has not yet hatched, is at first content to think she is the entire world until curiosity prompts her to look beyond the walls of her shell.

About the Illustrations

The pictures are very simple, consisting mainly of Ergo's face making different expressions. The boldness of the lines and the yellow and gray color scheme help these illustrations to stand out even at a distance. They also have a cartoonish look to them that emphasizes the humorous moments of the story in which Ergo slowly discovers parts of herself, and then realizes that not everything is a part of her. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because the illustrations can easily be seen at a distance and because the text involves lots of emphatic outbursts of excitement, this is a strong story time contender. Though it's really about bigger issues than a baby bird hatching,  it would still fit well with an egg theme or bird theme for preschoolers and early elementary schoolers. I think it could also make for some interesting discussions among older listeners about thinking outside of boxes, taking chances, and expanding horizons. 

Readers Advisory

Ergo reminds me a lot of Ollie by Olivier Dunrea and I think it would be interesting to read the two together, as Ergo gives the perspective from within the egg and the characters in Ollie view the same situation from without. I think this book may also appeal to readers who have enjoyed Jon Klassen's books. This story isn't unsettling and has a more definite message than most Klassen books I've read, but the use of the picture book medium to explore existential questions is very similar.

Disclosure

I received a finished copy of Ergo from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Family Story Time, 12/4/19 (Clothing Theme)

This story time was all about things to wear.

Opening Song:  Story Time is Starting

Book: The Mitten by Jan Brett

Flannel Board Song: One Red Mitten

Book: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Song: Monkeys on the Bed

Song with Ukulele: Stop and Go

Book: A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman

Rhyme: What is He Wearing?

Book: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Closing Song: Story Time is Over