Toni Buzzeo, Author, Library Media Specialist

PICTURE BOOKS

Bella & Bean by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Aileen Leijten. Atheneum, 2009. 978-0-689-85616-7

Bella is a poet. She spends her days in a tiny brick house up the hill from Spoon Pond dreaming up delicious words and fashioning poems at her tiny desk near a window with a view. Bella is also a mouse, as is her best friend Bean. Unlike Bella, however, Bean is a mouse actively alive in the wide world, a wearer of jingly hats, a wiggler of cute little toes, a planter of flowing snow bushes. Bean tries to wrangle Bella’s attention away from the words floating through her mind and onto paper to no avail. Nevertheless, Bean’s interruptions drift their way into Bella’s consciousness and onto the page. The two friends end their day honoring Bean’s love of nature and Bella’s love of words by composing a joint poem at the side of the pond, beneath the stars. This charming picture book, illustrated in graphite pencil drawings painted in Photoshop, is a testimony to the strength of friendship between two souls whose response to the world is completely different, but whose love and respect for each other is not diminished by those differences. Read this in conjunction with a friendship unit in schools or to launch poetry-writing activities in the classroom or library. Suggested Grades: PreK-Second

Crocodaddy by Kim Norman, illustrated by David Walker. Sterling, 2009. 978-1-4027-4460-0

Author Kim Norman is a master of the rhythmic rhymed verse! I TRIED to read this book silently, but failed. It absolutely begs to be read aloud and so I did--many times--to whomever would listen. The conceit here is a game played by the first person narrator and his daddy on a hot summer day at the pond. In the water, dear old dad morphs into Crocodaddy, at least in the duo’s imagination, and there begins the fun as the fearless son launches the hunt with the delightful challenge: “Crocodaddy,/ Crocodaddy,/ swim away fast./ This day’s swim/ could be your last!” From the dock to the croc’s back to the deep waters of the pond, croc and boy interact in splashing fun that is illustrated in large acrylic illustrations perfect for sharing at storytime.Suggested Grades: PreK-Second

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. Holt, 2009. 978-0-8050-8696-6

Berry’s five charming ducks, who have previously dunked and skated their way into many hearts (mine included) return here to take a camping and fishing trip. Setting up tents proceeds succesfully as do the initial fishing endeavors. However, the weight of the “big one that got away” proves too much for even five little ducks joining forces. No worries, though. A blazing campfire warms up the soaking wet ducks and provides an alternate use for those fishing poles. Toasted marshmallows, anyone? The adventure closes with a dark-night scare but a five-duck-pig-pile in one tent calms all fears. Nakata’s delightful watercolor and ink illustrations add to the fun of this spring title, released just in time for summer camping and fishing adventures! Suggested Grades: PreK-Second

Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry! by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Bruce Whatley. Little, Brown, 2009. 978-0-316-06682-2

There is not a single preschool, elementary, or public library that will not want a copy of this completely charming and utterly on-point picture book about the resistance to and need for apologies! Martha, an adorable otter clad in pink dress and headband, does many nice things such as giving hugs, sharing her snack, making presents, and reading stories. But Martha doesn’t say sorry—no matter how bad her behavior is (think kicking, throwing, and even direct attacks with pancake batter, paint, or excessively loud noises). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), Martha’s mother, father, and baby brother respond to her refusal to apologize by withholding cookies, piggyback rides, and hugs. Bingo! As it turns out, that adorable little otter does say sorry—loud and clear! The illustrations here are large and uncluttered, the font large, the text simple. You’ll find frequent uses for this book with young children and they are likely to pick it up on their own, as well. Very Highly Recommended. Suggested ages: 3-6.

Punctuation Celebration by Elsa Knight Bruno, illustrated by Jenny Whitehead. Holt, 2009. 978-0-8050-7973-9

Teaching punctuation will be easier, more creative, and enormously more fun once teachers have Punctuation Celebration in hand. A Punctuation Field Day is the frame story that introduces the various punctuation mark “players,” including period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe, quotation marks, colon, semi-colon, parentheses, elipses, dash and hyphen. A double page spread dedicated to each punctuation mark includes a rhyming verse defining the mark and its use as well as a poem appropriately utilizing the mark multiple times. Bright illustrations in gouache and cut paper lend personality to the cast of characters, marks and silly humans alike. This clever book will be a welcome addition to every elementary classroom where teachers will want to post the explanatory poems--and perhaps challenge students to memorize them—and surely invite students to create their own usage poems. School libraries may want to consider purchasing two copies. Suggested Grades: K-Fifth

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking, 2009. ISBN: 978-0670011100

The relationship between seniors Lia and Cassie, former best friends, forms the spindle from which this deeply affecting novel is spun. Anderson doesn't flinch in the face of horrific subject matter--severe eating disorders, self-inflicted cutting, suicide and resulting unrelenting guilt. Her main character, Lia, is utterly believable as she records her thoughts and edits them with cross-outs that allow us to witness the skewed reality she endeavors to hide, even from herself. And the constant reporting of her weight as it falls lower and lower--100, 95, 90--in response to her miniscule caloric intake totals for each day read like a terrifying free fall we are powerless to break. Adult readers will flinch and long to withdraw even as the narration compels them to continue reading. Teens will recognize friends, classmates, and, perhaps, themselves in Cassie and Lia's story. A mélange of brutality and sensitivity, this lyrical novel will undoubtedly serve as a cautionary tale for those latter students and a testament to the power of Anderson's talent as she captures it all on the page. Essential reading. Suggested ages: 14 and up.

Home Biography Speaking Books Shop Curriculum Guides and Links Children's Book Reviews Author and Illustrator Visits Site Map E-Mail		Children's Book Reviews READ Reviews of 2008 Titles READ Reviews of 2007 Titles READ Reviews of 2006 Titles Reviews of 2009 Titles PICTURE BOOKS Bella & Bean by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Aileen Leijten. Atheneum, 2009. 978-0-689-85616-7 Bella is a poet. She spends her days in a tiny brick house up the hill from Spoon Pond dreaming up delicious words and fashioning poems at her tiny desk near a window with a view. Bella is also a mouse, as is her best friend Bean. Unlike Bella, however, Bean is a mouse actively alive in the wide world, a wearer of jingly hats, a wiggler of cute little toes, a planter of flowing snow bushes. Bean tries to wrangle Bella’s attention away from the words floating through her mind and onto paper to no avail. Nevertheless, Bean’s interruptions drift their way into Bella’s consciousness and onto the page. The two friends end their day honoring Bean’s love of nature and Bella’s love of words by composing a joint poem at the side of the pond, beneath the stars. This charming picture book, illustrated in graphite pencil drawings painted in Photoshop, is a testimony to the strength of friendship between two souls whose response to the world is completely different, but whose love and respect for each other is not diminished by those differences. Read this in conjunction with a friendship unit in schools or to launch poetry-writing activities in the classroom or library. Suggested Grades: PreK-Second Crocodaddy by Kim Norman, illustrated by David Walker. Sterling, 2009. 978-1-4027-4460-0 Author Kim Norman is a master of the rhythmic rhymed verse! I TRIED to read this book silently, but failed. It absolutely begs to be read aloud and so I did--many times--to whomever would listen. The conceit here is a game played by the first person narrator and his daddy on a hot summer day at the pond. In the water, dear old dad morphs into Crocodaddy, at least in the duo’s imagination, and there begins the fun as the fearless son launches the hunt with the delightful challenge: “Crocodaddy,/ Crocodaddy,/ swim away fast./ This day’s swim/ could be your last!” From the dock to the croc’s back to the deep waters of the pond, croc and boy interact in splashing fun that is illustrated in large acrylic illustrations perfect for sharing at storytime.Suggested Grades: PreK-Second Duck Tents by Lynne Berry, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. Holt, 2009. 978-0-8050-8696-6 Berry’s five charming ducks, who have previously dunked and skated their way into many hearts (mine included) return here to take a camping and fishing trip. Setting up tents proceeds succesfully as do the initial fishing endeavors. However, the weight of the “big one that got away” proves too much for even five little ducks joining forces. No worries, though. A blazing campfire warms up the soaking wet ducks and provides an alternate use for those fishing poles. Toasted marshmallows, anyone? The adventure closes with a dark-night scare but a five-duck-pig-pile in one tent calms all fears. Nakata’s delightful watercolor and ink illustrations add to the fun of this spring title, released just in time for summer camping and fishing adventures! Suggested Grades: PreK-Second Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry! by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Bruce Whatley. Little, Brown, 2009. 978-0-316-06682-2 There is not a single preschool, elementary, or public library that will not want a copy of this completely charming and utterly on-point picture book about the resistance to and need for apologies! Martha, an adorable otter clad in pink dress and headband, does many nice things such as giving hugs, sharing her snack, making presents, and reading stories. But Martha doesn’t say sorry—no matter how bad her behavior is (think kicking, throwing, and even direct attacks with pancake batter, paint, or excessively loud noises). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), Martha’s mother, father, and baby brother respond to her refusal to apologize by withholding cookies, piggyback rides, and hugs. Bingo! As it turns out, that adorable little otter does say sorry—loud and clear! The illustrations here are large and uncluttered, the font large, the text simple. You’ll find frequent uses for this book with young children and they are likely to pick it up on their own, as well. Very Highly Recommended. Suggested ages: 3-6. Punctuation Celebration by Elsa Knight Bruno, illustrated by Jenny Whitehead. Holt, 2009. 978-0-8050-7973-9 Teaching punctuation will be easier, more creative, and enormously more fun once teachers have Punctuation Celebration in hand. A Punctuation Field Day is the frame story that introduces the various punctuation mark “players,” including period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe, quotation marks, colon, semi-colon, parentheses, elipses, dash and hyphen. A double page spread dedicated to each punctuation mark includes a rhyming verse defining the mark and its use as well as a poem appropriately utilizing the mark multiple times. Bright illustrations in gouache and cut paper lend personality to the cast of characters, marks and silly humans alike. This clever book will be a welcome addition to every elementary classroom where teachers will want to post the explanatory poems--and perhaps challenge students to memorize them—and surely invite students to create their own usage poems. School libraries may want to consider purchasing two copies. Suggested Grades: K-Fifth YOUNG ADULT NOVELS Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking, 2009. ISBN: 978-0670011100 The relationship between seniors Lia and Cassie, former best friends, forms the spindle from which this deeply affecting novel is spun. Anderson doesn't flinch in the face of horrific subject matter--severe eating disorders, self-inflicted cutting, suicide and resulting unrelenting guilt. Her main character, Lia, is utterly believable as she records her thoughts and edits them with cross-outs that allow us to witness the skewed reality she endeavors to hide, even from herself. And the constant reporting of her weight as it falls lower and lower--100, 95, 90--in response to her miniscule caloric intake totals for each day read like a terrifying free fall we are powerless to break. Adult readers will flinch and long to withdraw even as the narration compels them to continue reading. Teens will recognize friends, classmates, and, perhaps, themselves in Cassie and Lia's story. A mélange of brutality and sensitivity, this lyrical novel will undoubtedly serve as a cautionary tale for those latter students and a testament to the power of Anderson's talent as she captures it all on the page. Essential reading. Suggested ages: 14 and up.