Bunjitsu Bunny's Best Move (Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny)
John Himmelman
ISBN: 9780805099713
Isabel the bunjitsu is back, and better than ever with a new collection of black-and-white-and red illustrated stories.
Read October 2015
I am seriously in love with these books. In this round, we learn about the gift of failure, to avoid letting your opponent set the terms of your conflict, and lots of small child-sized life lessons (although honestly most adults could learn a thing or two from Isabel, her friends, and her teachers about how to live your best life). The stories are short, and the "lessons" are a bit more preachy than in the first book, but they're still not treacly or saccarine or false-faced. Isabel remains a flawed character, as do her friends and teachers, which is nice to see in this sort of story. Most of the concepts are centered around jujitsu ideals and concepts, but equally, most of them are applicable to the wider world and to personal development as well. An excellent read for the earliest of bunjitsu!
Showing posts with label John Himmelman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Himmelman. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2016
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Tuesday Storytime: Summer Reading Program: Heroes!
We're in June, and the Summer Reading Program has started (even if the programs for older kids don't start until after school lets out on the 16th). I'm starting the local Heroes themes early for my Storytime kids, because if I'm going to be doing Storytime anyway, I might as well have it be themed for the summer. :)
Without further ado, Heroes!
Superworm
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
ISBN: 9780545591768
Silly rhymes and sillier illustrations, with a Wizard Lizard and a community of creeping creatures.
Superworm helps out his friends in lots of ways - he's long and stretchy and imaginative. Sadly, his do-gooding draws the attention of the grasping Wizard Lizard and his hench-crow, who put him to hard labor digging "treasures" from the dirt. Sadly, no treasures are forthcoming, so Superworm is set to become crowfood, unless his friends can rally and rescue him. I love that despite the title, most of Superworm's saves are of the mundane and silly variety, while the un-super friends are the ones to make the wild plan and defeat the big bad. This one is on the list for the big kids later in the summer as well.
Chickens to the Rescue
John Himmelman
ISBN: 9780805079517
SC Picture Book Award for 2008-2009 school year. Saturday-morning-newspaper comic style.
LOVE this book and the rescue chickens. It's so deadpan and perfect, and the illustrations are just wild. It's like the less talkative version of The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate The Wash in that really all I have to do is show the page and everyone gets what's going on instantly. Lots of laughs from kids and adults. On my permanent favorites list, and it's fun to have the chickens recognized as heroes.
Fireman Small
Wong Herbert Yee
ISBN: 0395689872
Colorblocks and smudged edges work with repetitive rhymes to keep the mood light and smooth.
I've used this book for lots of themes, usually firemen or other "community hero" ideas. It's really sweet, it's an excellent book for the end of storytime, and it's a very sweet and low-key introduction to the concept of firefighters and what they do, and how a kind community treats them.
Without further ado, Heroes!
Superworm
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
ISBN: 9780545591768
Silly rhymes and sillier illustrations, with a Wizard Lizard and a community of creeping creatures.
Superworm helps out his friends in lots of ways - he's long and stretchy and imaginative. Sadly, his do-gooding draws the attention of the grasping Wizard Lizard and his hench-crow, who put him to hard labor digging "treasures" from the dirt. Sadly, no treasures are forthcoming, so Superworm is set to become crowfood, unless his friends can rally and rescue him. I love that despite the title, most of Superworm's saves are of the mundane and silly variety, while the un-super friends are the ones to make the wild plan and defeat the big bad. This one is on the list for the big kids later in the summer as well.
Chickens to the Rescue
John Himmelman
ISBN: 9780805079517
SC Picture Book Award for 2008-2009 school year. Saturday-morning-newspaper comic style.
LOVE this book and the rescue chickens. It's so deadpan and perfect, and the illustrations are just wild. It's like the less talkative version of The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate The Wash in that really all I have to do is show the page and everyone gets what's going on instantly. Lots of laughs from kids and adults. On my permanent favorites list, and it's fun to have the chickens recognized as heroes.
Fireman Small
Wong Herbert Yee
ISBN: 0395689872
Colorblocks and smudged edges work with repetitive rhymes to keep the mood light and smooth.
I've used this book for lots of themes, usually firemen or other "community hero" ideas. It's really sweet, it's an excellent book for the end of storytime, and it's a very sweet and low-key introduction to the concept of firefighters and what they do, and how a kind community treats them.
Monday, April 13, 2015
New Arrival: Juvenile Fiction: Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny, by John Himmelman
Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny
John Himmelman
ISBN: 9780805099706
Black and white and red drawings show off fierce (but zen) bunnies learning the way of bunjitsu.
Brilliant. I saw this because it came through the library, but I bought myself a copy, and I'm getting one for my friend, a black belt in Ki-Aikido who has a young daughter. It's a brilliant way to explain the purpose and mindset behind the less-offensive of the martial arts.
Isabel is a great bunjitsu-kai, and she can kick harder, punch straighter, and tumble better than "anybunny" - but she also knows that the power of bunjitsu isn't in strength or fighting, but in using wisdom and knowledge and compassion to create a situation where a fight becomes simply unnecessary.
Himmelman is really good (like Jon J. Muth good) at teaching moral lessons without being preachy or "moralizing" at the reader. Isabel is a great illustration, and a great character. Her posture and her expressions, although done in thick outlines and blocky chunks of red, clearly show her emotions, from frustration to frazzled patience. She isn't perfect, but she tries to do her best. She practices and works at her bunjitsu, and plays happily with her fellow students. She's not a teacher or an "example" but a fun little bunny who has interesting martial-arts-based, real life based, small child level adventures.
I can't wait for the next installment: Bunjitsu Bunny's Best Move, coming out this fall!
John Himmelman
ISBN: 9780805099706
Black and white and red drawings show off fierce (but zen) bunnies learning the way of bunjitsu.
Brilliant. I saw this because it came through the library, but I bought myself a copy, and I'm getting one for my friend, a black belt in Ki-Aikido who has a young daughter. It's a brilliant way to explain the purpose and mindset behind the less-offensive of the martial arts.
Isabel is a great bunjitsu-kai, and she can kick harder, punch straighter, and tumble better than "anybunny" - but she also knows that the power of bunjitsu isn't in strength or fighting, but in using wisdom and knowledge and compassion to create a situation where a fight becomes simply unnecessary.
Himmelman is really good (like Jon J. Muth good) at teaching moral lessons without being preachy or "moralizing" at the reader. Isabel is a great illustration, and a great character. Her posture and her expressions, although done in thick outlines and blocky chunks of red, clearly show her emotions, from frustration to frazzled patience. She isn't perfect, but she tries to do her best. She practices and works at her bunjitsu, and plays happily with her fellow students. She's not a teacher or an "example" but a fun little bunny who has interesting martial-arts-based, real life based, small child level adventures.
I can't wait for the next installment: Bunjitsu Bunny's Best Move, coming out this fall!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)