It seems that books in which trees come to life are always good. (I'm basing that generalization on three books that come to mind.) This one, Bunny & It seems that books in which trees come to life are always good. (I'm basing that generalization on three books that come to mind.) This one, Bunny & Tree, plays out like a book version of a silent film. I think Buster Keaton would have enjoyed this book, as it shares some imaginative elements with his way of setting scenes and telling stories.
The story of Bunny & Tree moves forward at a gentle pace, reminding me of stories from an earlier time, free of flash and spectacle. I imagine this would be a lot of fun to read with a small child, as the illustrator has included many details that make you turn back to figure out on which page a certain thing first started happening (one red leaf appearing on the airplane, for example). That gives the book not only a gentle pace but also a sense of timelessness. I'm glad books like this still find a place in the publishing machine. Kudos to the editor who saw this one and loved it, and to all at the publisher who put such care into the production....more
Perfection. The illustration style is gorgeous, and the story really resonates with me: a piano-playing bear who finds comfort with a book-reading zebPerfection. The illustration style is gorgeous, and the story really resonates with me: a piano-playing bear who finds comfort with a book-reading zebra. It makes perfect sense to me....more
I love the unexpected mechanics of the book—it's a wide, landscape-oriented tome that opens up from the bottom instead of from the right side. The artI love the unexpected mechanics of the book—it's a wide, landscape-oriented tome that opens up from the bottom instead of from the right side. The artwork is fine, especially the pages that feature a lot of shadowy, woodsy darkness. But the story . . . yes, I know the point is that we're supposed to see who people truly are, not who we fear they are from a distance. But what exactly is going on? People are flying kites and dancing around a fire in the woods at night? The kites get stuck in trees, and so another group of people fixes the kites with a bunch of brooms they happen to have brought into the woods? I just didn't understand, and not understanding made me feel stupid....more
Good art, good concept—a children's book that explains the water cycle by following one drop of water from the sky to the earth and back to the sky. TGood art, good concept—a children's book that explains the water cycle by following one drop of water from the sky to the earth and back to the sky. The words didn't grab me. What I realize, reading a stack of well-reviewed picture books from last year, is that even though the words in such books are minimal (and maybe even because of that), they bear a significant weight. The words have to be really good, not just descriptions of what's happening in the story or on the page. Picture-book writers have a nearly impossible task, and few succeed....more
Beautiful, gentle illustrations perfectly convey the movement of a murmuration of starlings, even in on a static, two-dimensional page. Especially fasBeautiful, gentle illustrations perfectly convey the movement of a murmuration of starlings, even in on a static, two-dimensional page. Especially fascinating was the progression of pages that, Escher-like, turns two starlings into millions. I did wish the color of the sky changed a bit more through the book, suggesting the feeling of moving through a day. And the words feel almost as though they hinder the illustrations—and what words could match the majesty of the visuals? Such visuals need poetry, not descriptions of what’s happening on each page....more
This picture book celebrates the simple pleasures of creativity and learning, within the specific context of a child and his grandfather. Their relatiThis picture book celebrates the simple pleasures of creativity and learning, within the specific context of a child and his grandfather. Their relationship feels nostalgic, bringing to mind the way grandparents are celebrities to their grandchildren—not for international fame, but for knowing little secrets about the world and for having the time to show interest in their grandchildren.
Violeta Lópiz’s verdant illustrations remind me of the glass box artwork of Dustin Yellin; I imagined her images as having that depth and dimension.
The cat does not figure into the book nearly as much as I’d expected from the title....more
This is the second book in a row that I've read about a cosmic body and learning how to glow. Must have been a real theme in 2023. In this one, a boy This is the second book in a row that I've read about a cosmic body and learning how to glow. Must have been a real theme in 2023. In this one, a boy travels to the sun and receives a bit of sun inside him, which in the book is not as dangerous as it actually would be in real life. The illustration style takes me right back to picture books from the 1970s; I enjoyed seeing that kind of style in a new book. The story is a little bit Giving Tree, a little bit Goodnight Moon, but not as sentimental as those. It's just a simple pleasant, story of a good day in this boy's life....more
This begins as a darkly hilarious children's picture book about a black hole who wonders why all his friends in the galaxy disappear when they get tooThis begins as a darkly hilarious children's picture book about a black hole who wonders why all his friends in the galaxy disappear when they get too close to him. (This includes astronauts.) Then it falters at the end, as it tries to present an encouraging message about . . . remembering people we've lost in the past? It's tenuous....more
I needed some cheering up, so I put aside the academia and picked up this book. But I didn't laugh. So either this isn't one of the funnier entries inI needed some cheering up, so I put aside the academia and picked up this book. But I didn't laugh. So either this isn't one of the funnier entries in the series or I am beyond cheering up....more
Classic Peanuts from the very first years is the pinnacle of comic strips. The humor anticipates much that was to come later in strips such as Calvin Classic Peanuts from the very first years is the pinnacle of comic strips. The humor anticipates much that was to come later in strips such as Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side. Charles Schulz was incredibly perceptive and found the perfect tone in having preschool kids voice grown-up struggles with social life and self-understanding. As I read this volume, I was frequently sharing specific pages with people who would share my appreciation for the absurd beauty of them. I have too many favorites to be able to pick out just a few to mention in a review. Best to pick up the book and read just a few pages at a time....more
I love when an author can subvert the picture-book format and make something unexpected and intriguing out of it. My favorite example is Chris Van AllI love when an author can subvert the picture-book format and make something unexpected and intriguing out of it. My favorite example is Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, and David Macauley’s Black and White is now another favorite. The book invites multiple ways of reading and rereading, and though it suggests connections among all the stories presented, there is no twist or reveal at the end that gives The Answer. Such fun!...more
Jon Scieszka’s “retelling” of Alice in Wonderland is dreadful, but the point of this book is the illustrations: original concept art by Mary Blair, whJon Scieszka’s “retelling” of Alice in Wonderland is dreadful, but the point of this book is the illustrations: original concept art by Mary Blair, which was a big influence on the look of the Disney film. Blair’s work is fantastic (even on its own, apart from the connection to the movie, which I also love). This book could easily have been just the illustrations, with no verbal text at all....more
After watching Wes Anderson’s brilliant film version a couple nights ago, I wanted to return to the book, which I haven’t read for some years. I was sAfter watching Wes Anderson’s brilliant film version a couple nights ago, I wanted to return to the book, which I haven’t read for some years. I was surprised by how closely the film follows the book, and also interested to see the many ways that the film Wes Andersonified the source material to fit his oeuvre.
Roald Dahl’s original story is short, funny, and endearing. It was one of his earlier children’s books (preceded only by James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Magic Finger). His trademark style is there, but it feels a little restrained. Anderson in some ways magnified the Dahl-ness of it for the film version.
The main distinction between book and film is each creator’s concept of fatherhood. Dahl loves a caring, engaged, “sparky” father, and Anderson almost always features an arrogant, self-absorbed father (though in this case, Mr. Fox learns his lesson and becomes that kind of father—we hope!—by the end of the film). Both versions of this story work perfectly....more
What Pet Should I Get? looks and feels a lot more like classic Seuss than Horse Museum, another posthumous publication, does. The manuscript dates froWhat Pet Should I Get? looks and feels a lot more like classic Seuss than Horse Museum, another posthumous publication, does. The manuscript dates from the 1958–1962 era that includes so many of Geisel's all-time classics (the main characters in this book are the same brother–sister duo from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish). The publishers have chosen to use the same color palette from his books of that era, and the result looks great.
The problem is that the text obviously hasn't been worked and re-worked to the extent that Geisel would have done had it gone to publication in his lifetime. As the information in the back of the book explains, Geisel "estimated that for a typical sixty-four-page book, he would produce over a thousand pages of text and images. He revised his text over and over and over again." This publication feels like a not-quite-finished draft (which it is). When it shifts from real-life animals to silly Seuss creations, then it starts to feel right; but there's a little too much mundane content in this version.
As with the more recent Horse Museum publication, my favorite part of this book is that extra material in the end, giving us a glimpse into Geisel's life and work. I especially love the photograph of Geisel on a beach, drawing one of his animals in the sand. Also as with Horse Museum, I felt that what I'd really like to see is a facsimile of the original manuscripts, more than the posthumously completed pages....more
I'm a big fan of Dr. Seuss and was excited to see what Random House had done to finish this unpublished manuscript. The final product is pretty good, I'm a big fan of Dr. Seuss and was excited to see what Random House had done to finish this unpublished manuscript. The final product is pretty good, but little about it feels like Dr. Seuss to me. I like the idea of introducing kids to art through looking at one object in a number of different styles and eras, and though some pages seem a bit reductionist in how they generalize about entire styles or artists, the overall theme is helpful for people of all ages: "Look it over. Think it over. Talk it over." I appreciate the value placed on artists' intents, viewers' perceptions, and social interaction around art. It's a surprisingly well-rounded perspective for a children's picture book.
The end of the book includes information about each of the works presented, and an explanation of the original manuscript. I enjoyed the brief glimpses of Seuss's original sketches and wished Random House might have reprinted all of them, perhaps with annotations....more
It's clever and amusing, but something about the humor here just doesn't quite rise to the level of "ultimate classic." Good Italian Job reference at It's clever and amusing, but something about the humor here just doesn't quite rise to the level of "ultimate classic." Good Italian Job reference at the end, though....more
The Iron Giant is one of our favorite movies, and I remembered from the special features about it that it was inspired by a book by Ted Hughes. For soThe Iron Giant is one of our favorite movies, and I remembered from the special features about it that it was inspired by a book by Ted Hughes. For some reason I hadn't ever sought that book out, but in the library the other day we happened to notice this copy of it on the shelf, and I grabbed it immediately.
It's clear where Brad Bird got some of the basic ideas for the film version, but the book and film are different enough that they can be regarded as independent entities. As I read the book, I wasn't distracted by thinking only about the movie.
The book has the slow, unusual pace that often appeals to me in children's literature. It's meandering, thoughtful, and unexpected. Its conclusion is surprisingly poignant and beautiful.
This edition is illustrated by Laura Carlin, and I love the varied illustrations that interact with the text, and the construction of the book itself, that features some cut-outs and some larger, fold-out spreads. I particularly enjoyed the two-page spread on pages 72–73, showing the disassembled pieces of the Iron Giant, en route to Australia for the final confrontation with the space-bat-angel-dragon. (I told you it's different from the movie.)
This is a really wonderful book to just sit with and savor. I wish we'd discovered it much earlier....more
This is a really nice way to move through Advent together as a family. The readings are short and simple, and they highlight the connected story of thThis is a really nice way to move through Advent together as a family. The readings are short and simple, and they highlight the connected story of the whole Bible really well (following the "Jesse tree" format). The pop-up tree and ornaments for each day are really beautiful. This set would be perfect for a family with kids who are around ages 3-5, but it's wonderful for any ages....more
Really nice story, told in a calm, laid-back style accompanied by evocative watercolor illustrations. It only hints at the bigger issues regarding conReally nice story, told in a calm, laid-back style accompanied by evocative watercolor illustrations. It only hints at the bigger issues regarding concentration camps, but it brings up a number of unique questions about memory, emotions, and musical communication....more
This is a somewhat bizarre but thoroughly fantastic take on The Monster at the End of This Book, one of my (and my children's) favorites. Great art, fThis is a somewhat bizarre but thoroughly fantastic take on The Monster at the End of This Book, one of my (and my children's) favorites. Great art, fun text and lettering. This is one of the best Star Wars books (and "everything's canon" now, so . . . ), a perfection of the always reliable "ridiculous Vader" theme. If my kids were still small, I'm sure we'd be reading this together a lot.
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