September 2010
Book Reviews
Go Back to School With Books
Get ready for the joys and challenges of a new school year.
By Mary Quattlebaum
babies/toddlers
You Push, I Ride
by Abby Levine, illustrated by Margot Apple. Albert Whitman, 2010 board book, $7.99
Tots feeling the stirrings of independence will identify with this charming porker, who is busy from the moment he (or she) arises and dons gender-neutral overalls to that all-important good-night kiss. Abby Levine's spare rhyming text and Margot Apple's playful pictures reveal a young narrator aware of his/her activities and how they differ from parental tasks. For example, the opening words, "I shake, you wake," are illustrated with an image of the piglet poking at sleepy, quilt-covered parents. From there, the little character rides, waits and drips while a parent pushes the stroller, talks and rubs. This sturdy board book celebrates budding independence and family connectedness both. Parents and their tykes may wish to emulate this porcine trio by creating their own homemade books about daily routines, shared tasks and separate activities.
ages 3 - 7
Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?
by Tish Rabe, illustrated by Aristides Ruiz. Random House, 2004, $8.99
The Cat in the Hat keeps coming back--and now he's the star of his own PBS series. The lanky feline first appeared in The Cat in the Hat (1957), pranced through sequels by his creator Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel) and has continued, following the good doctor's death, to cavort through Random House's delightful spin-off series, "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That." In turn, these 21 early-reader books, about topics as diverse as money, reptiles, the solar system and health, have given rise to an animated TV program that debuts this month. Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? is a good example of why these books appeal to youngsters and their parents. Written and illustrated in the lively style of Dr. Seuss, this title conveys important information in an entertaining way. Facts about weather, rain, lightning and ice are woven into wacky Seussian lines, such as, "Tomorrow the weather in Gret will be wet."
Miss Fox's Class Earns a Field Trip
by Eileen Spinelli,
illustrated by Anne Kennedy. Albert Whitman, 2010, $16.99
Miss Fox and her class of young critters are full of great ideas and playful math in this third book in the popular series. This time the students' field-trip fundraising efforts often go goofily awry. They squirt Mr. Possum, a visiting author, while washing his car, damage his eye glasses during their class play and cause his tooth to chip on bake sale brownies. All's well that ends well, though, with a Shakespearean gift to the marsupial scribe and his happy acceptance of their invitation to join them on the field trip. Eileen Spinelli's humorous story and personable characters and Anne Kennedy's bright, expressive illustrations will get an A+ from the primary-school set.
What Does a Lion Say?
by the Between the Lions staff. Gryphon House, 2010, $14.95
Are your kids busy with after-school and weekend activities that keep your family in the car? Enliven the commute with more than 75 games guaranteed to tickle brain, tongue and funny bone. The staff of the award-winning PBS program "Between the Lions" gets the metaphorical ball rolling with poem pickles, alphabet fun and silly sports. You can stick to their suggestions or adapt to your own kids' interests. An important bonus: the games help foster a rich pre-literacy environment for the little one along for the ride to an older sibling's soccer game or piano lesson.
ages 8 - 10
The Case of the Rock ‘N' Roll Dog
by Martha Freeman. Holiday House, 2010, $16.95
Known for playful mysteries, Martha Freeman sets her latest whodunit in our nation's capital at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. That's right, the White House. There's trouble brewing in the First Family's home, what with a prankish pooch, a missing historical item and the possibly canceled concert of a swoon-worthy boy band. What are two presidential daughters to do? Cammie and Tessa, whose mother is the first woman president of the United States, turn sleuth and make sense of clues, newscasts and even Astronaut Barbie to avert an "international incident." Readers will enjoy the humorous kid's eye view of national politics and eagerly await the second book in the series, "The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar."
ages 11 and up
No Problem!
by Ken Watanabe, illustrated by Elwood Smith. Viking, 2010, $16.99
Authors Al Gore, Eric Schlosser and Greg Mortensen created acclaimed children's books from their nonfiction titles for adults on, respectively, global warming, the fast-food industry and cross-cultural educational exchanges. Business guru Ken Watanabe joins this august group with, according to the subtitle, this "easy guide [for kids] to getting what you want," which draws from strategies explored in his adult bestseller Problem Solving 101. In clear, accessible language, Watanabe encourages critical thinking by showing readers how to develop a "problem-solving toolbox" and how to deal with challenges by breaking them down into four steps. We all hope our children will learn to make the informed choices that will allow them to thrive in a complex, ever-changing world. No Problem! can help set them on that path.
How to Survive Middle School
by Donna Gephart. Delacorte, 2010, $15.99
David Greenberg, 11, finds sixth grade complicated by a bully, tough teachers and a best friend who suddenly isn't. The only bright spots are his hamster and the Jon Stewart-inspired videos he creates and posts on YouTube, which go viral with the help of a cute, supportive girl. David's funny, first-person voice immediately pulls readers into a story full of well-drawn minor characters (advice columnist dad, sarcastic older sister, kugel-baking Bubbe), believable middle-school dynamics and moments poignant, embarrassing and just plain confusing. Happily, the final pages include a great surprise and a recipe for Bubbe's delectable apple cake, which is David's favorite comfort food.
Mary Quattlebaum is a mother and the author most recently of Sparks Fly High, a colonial American folktale, and Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose, a humorous chapter book. Contact Mary through maryquattlebaum.com, which has information on her 15 award-winning children's books, school presentations and writing workshops.