Picture Book Review: Mermaid Dance by Matthew van Fleet, illustrated by Mara van Fleet (1/18/2022)

Quick Booktalk

In this thick book filled with pull-tabs, a school of merkids learns to dance from the sea creatures it meets.

About the Illustrations 

The pictures in this book are very colorful and sweet, and the characters are a diverse cast of boys and girls of varying skin colors, but the real appeal is in the moveable parts that are activated by pull tabs. Each page as well as the front cover shows a sea creature moving whichever part of its body inspires the merkids' dance moves. For the seahorse, it's the tail; for the narwhal, it's the horn, etc. The tabs and the pages to which the movable parts are fastened are really thick and sturdy, which is what makes the book so bulky. 

Story Time Possibilities

This book seems like it will be really fun in story time, but I'm a little concerned about being able to support its weight and move the tabs at the same time. My story time audience includes my own kids, and I often call on them to help me do things, so for me, it might just be a matter of roping my eight-year-old into holding the book. In other settings, I'd be less inclined to want to invite the kids to pull the tabs just because it opens up a potential logistics nightmare where not everyone gets a turn and there are hurt feelings. I also feel like one rough kid could potentially destroy the whole book. I'm pretty determined to try it in my story time, but your mileage may vary. Potential themes include dancing, sea creatures, the ocean, and, of course, mermaids. 

Reader's Advisory

Though this book is technically a board book, I wouldn't hand it to either of my toddlers, both of whom are supremely rough on books. It's better suited to a four- or five-year-old who understands how to be careful with books and who will be interested in acting out the movements along with the merkids. My friends and I have several four-and-five-year-olds among our kids right now, and I can already tell they are going to love this book. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Mermaid Dance from Paula Wiseman Books in exchange for an honest review.

Board Book Review: Five Little Leprechauns by Jeffrey Burton, illustrated by Tommy Doyle (2/8/2022)

Quick Booktalk

This is a leprechaun-themed rewrite of Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

About the Illustrations

The pictures are very commercial-looking, cartoonish illustrations of three leprechaun boys, two leprechaun girls, their mother, their doctor, and the various locations where they hide. Rainbows, gold, and clover provide the St. Patrick's Day atmosphere.

Story Time Possibilities

I wanted to read this book at story time right before St. Patrick's Day, but unfortunately the rhyme scheme makes it impossible to read aloud well. In the original Five Little Monkeys, the final two lines of each verse rhyme: "Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said, no more monkeys jumping on the bed." This book keeps the word "said" in that same spot, but makes no attempts to rhyme anything with it. The result is very awkward and unpleasant-sounding text. (My eight-year-old tried reading it aloud, and she was not impressed.)

Reader's Advisory

My twins are so hard on board books that I'm probably going to give this to them and let them tear it to shreds in the hopes it might prevent a book I like better from biting the dust quite so soon. I really don't want to read it to them, however, because the rhyme scheme bothers me so much. I do think it will be fun to just talk about the illustrations, though. I do want them to learn the word leprechaun. 

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Five Little Leprechauns from Little Simon in exchange for an honest review.

Family Story Time (Halloween-ish Theme), 10/20/21

Opening Song: Story Time is Starting

Book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd 

Action Rhyme: Scarecrow, Scarecrow (based on Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around)

Book: Give Me Back My Bones by Kim Norman

Book: Web Opposites by Rob Hodgson      

Song: Five Little Skeletons Jumping on the Bed

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider 
We also sang about a great big spider and quiet and loud spiders. 

Book: Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht 

Song: Five Little Pumpkins Round
The pumpkins (from Dollar Tree) were "picked" by finger puppets of a monster, a witch, a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost.

Goodbye Song: Story Time is Over 

Picture Book Review: Mina by Matthew Forsythe (2/15/2022)

 Quick Booktalk

Mina the mouse isn't bothered by much, but when her father brings home a cat he believes to be a squirrel, she can't help but be concerned. Her dad says everything will be okay, but it sure takes a while to get there.

About the Illustrations

This book is very similar in style and color scheme to the author's previous title, Pokko and the Drum. The illustrations contrast the innocence and enthusiasm of Mina's father with the utterly unimpressed attitude  of the cat in a way that injects subtle humor into each picture. Though this book is a bit less dark than Pokko, and a lot less strange than books by Jon Klassen, it has that same understated and sardonic sense of humor, and the pictures capture that nicely.

Story Time Possibilities

The first story time theme that came to mind for me as I read this book was "cat and mouse." It's a unique twist on that age-old rivalry, and it would be fun to build a story time around that concept. While a father and daughter are present in the story, it would feel weird to read something like this for Father's Day,  as the dad comes across as kind of clueless and bumbling. Because the book is subtle, I would consider it only for school-age audiences, or for situations (like mine) where the age range at story time is broad. (I have ages 0 to 10 at my story times and might read it to them.)

Readers Advisory

This book is a little out there. That's not a bad thing in this case; it just means it's not going to be to everyone's taste. I do think it's lighter and less disturbing than Pokko and the Drum, so if you didn't like that one, this one might still work for you. I did notice that the publisher describes this as a story about Mina choosing to trust her own instincts over her father, and I do think that's a message to watch out for. I have a real pet peeve about books (or librarians, or teachers, or anyone or anything) that purposely tries to get between parent and child. Considering the silly context here, though, I don't think there is much cause for concern. I might do a quick debriefing with my kids afterward to discuss why they can trust their own parents, but it depends on which aspects of the story they end up gravitating toward. 

Disclosure

 I received a finished copy of Mina from Paula Wiseman Books in exchange for an honest review.