I'm finally back on my feet after a two-week long cold, and I've jumped into the winter wilderness with three books focusing on the chills and thrills of wintertime.
Pablo in the Snow
Teri Sloat, illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet
ISBN: 9781627794121
Winter is Here
Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
ISBN: 9780062747198
Winter is the Warmest Season
Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 0152049673
Showing posts with label Lauren Stringer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lauren Stringer. Show all posts
Friday, January 25, 2019
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Tuesday Storytime: Snow Day
An impromptu storytime on demand with a leftover non-specifically-Christmas book from last year, and a couple of books liberated from upcoming planned storytimes.
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
based on the song by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith
as sung by Peggy Lee
illustrated by Tim Hopgood
ISBN: 9781627793049
I actually sang this one, and I didn't notice too many winces from the grownups, so I think I did ok. A lovely slightly-overlarge picture book with full spreads of beautiful stylized colorful winter landscapes full of cheerful people and animals. The kids were mesmerized, at least partially by the oddity of singing the text of a picture book, and the families knew the song well enough to come in and sing with me on the repeated title line "walking in a winter wonderland." Very cute experiment, glad it worked!
In the Snow
Sharon Phillips Denslow, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri
ISBN: 9780060596835
A lovely nonfiction, naturalistic book, focused on the types of birds and small wild animals that come for seeds and nuts left in the snow for them by a caring child. It seems VERY short, but it feels much longer when it's being read - I'm not sure why.
Snow
Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9780152053031
I've done this one before a few times, and I love the lyricism and gentleness of this tender heart-of-winter story that uses snow as the lynch-pin. Our narrator tells us all about the different types of snow (all good, in this story) and the different lovely things that are done in and with and during the snow. It's sweet and peaceful and a little bit sad in a way that goes straight over little kids' heads, but hit the adults right in the feels. This is always a good one to end on.
Now I just have to find replacements for next week!
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
based on the song by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith
as sung by Peggy Lee
illustrated by Tim Hopgood
ISBN: 9781627793049
I actually sang this one, and I didn't notice too many winces from the grownups, so I think I did ok. A lovely slightly-overlarge picture book with full spreads of beautiful stylized colorful winter landscapes full of cheerful people and animals. The kids were mesmerized, at least partially by the oddity of singing the text of a picture book, and the families knew the song well enough to come in and sing with me on the repeated title line "walking in a winter wonderland." Very cute experiment, glad it worked!
In the Snow
Sharon Phillips Denslow, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri
ISBN: 9780060596835
A lovely nonfiction, naturalistic book, focused on the types of birds and small wild animals that come for seeds and nuts left in the snow for them by a caring child. It seems VERY short, but it feels much longer when it's being read - I'm not sure why.
Snow
Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9780152053031
I've done this one before a few times, and I love the lyricism and gentleness of this tender heart-of-winter story that uses snow as the lynch-pin. Our narrator tells us all about the different types of snow (all good, in this story) and the different lovely things that are done in and with and during the snow. It's sweet and peaceful and a little bit sad in a way that goes straight over little kids' heads, but hit the adults right in the feels. This is always a good one to end on.
Now I just have to find replacements for next week!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Tuesday Storytime: Rain and Mud
Fun set of books today again!
Waiting Out the Storm
Joann Early Macken, illustrated by Susan Gaber
ISBN: 9780763633783
Sleepy pastel landscapes make for a reassuring and refreshing background for a sweet sentimental storm story.
Mother and daughter are out working in the yard when they are interrupted by an approaching storm, and the book text is the dialogue between the two as the child is anxious or curious about the storm, and mother responds reassuringly and mostly factually. I appreciate that this book has the duo retreating inside to wait out the storm, as most rain books focus on children headed outside to play in the rain, and not all children (or parents) are comfortable with that scenario - it's very nice to have the other impulse (to nest up and wait out the storm in comfort) recognized and celebrated.
Mud
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 19780152024611
Faux-naive blocky dark muddy artwork make the short narrative more stark and powerful.
This one isn't a perfect fit for a rainy-day narrative, because here we have the mud as a direct reaction to the spring thaw (which we really don't even get in South Carolina anyway) but it was so perfect and dirty and muddy and playful that I couldn't resist. A bit too much time is spent leading up to the mud (in my opinion) but once it shows up, it's a perfect medium for playful but powerful wordplay and dark evocative artwork that draws out the amazing browns and reds and greys in the dirt and mud. It ends on a sweet note, calling for the spring and the green to arrive.
Raindrop, Plop!
Wendy Cheyette Lewison, illustrated by Pam Paparone
ISBN: 0670059501
Super-cute drawings are bright and lively and colorful, with a cheerful count-up-and-down rhyme.
This was a surprise favorite book out of this set - I expected I would like Waiting Out the Storm more, but the relentless cheerfulness and sprightly rhyme (and the length - perfect for middle or end) makes me really happy to have discovered this one. This is my first time reading it for storytime, but it feels familiar and comfortable to read and to progress through. That's a real bonus for anyone reading aloud, and I was delighted at how comfortable and smooth the read was. Our story is simple; along with a count-up from one to ten, we follow a young girl playing outside in a sprinkle of approaching rain, then with "too many raindrops..." we head back inside the house to count back down through a bath and snack, before heading back outside into the newly revealed sunshine. Super cute, super easy to read, and super simple. Absolutely a great storytime read.
Waiting Out the Storm
Joann Early Macken, illustrated by Susan Gaber
ISBN: 9780763633783
Sleepy pastel landscapes make for a reassuring and refreshing background for a sweet sentimental storm story.
Mother and daughter are out working in the yard when they are interrupted by an approaching storm, and the book text is the dialogue between the two as the child is anxious or curious about the storm, and mother responds reassuringly and mostly factually. I appreciate that this book has the duo retreating inside to wait out the storm, as most rain books focus on children headed outside to play in the rain, and not all children (or parents) are comfortable with that scenario - it's very nice to have the other impulse (to nest up and wait out the storm in comfort) recognized and celebrated.
Mud
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 19780152024611
Faux-naive blocky dark muddy artwork make the short narrative more stark and powerful.
This one isn't a perfect fit for a rainy-day narrative, because here we have the mud as a direct reaction to the spring thaw (which we really don't even get in South Carolina anyway) but it was so perfect and dirty and muddy and playful that I couldn't resist. A bit too much time is spent leading up to the mud (in my opinion) but once it shows up, it's a perfect medium for playful but powerful wordplay and dark evocative artwork that draws out the amazing browns and reds and greys in the dirt and mud. It ends on a sweet note, calling for the spring and the green to arrive.
Raindrop, Plop!
Wendy Cheyette Lewison, illustrated by Pam Paparone
ISBN: 0670059501
Super-cute drawings are bright and lively and colorful, with a cheerful count-up-and-down rhyme.
This was a surprise favorite book out of this set - I expected I would like Waiting Out the Storm more, but the relentless cheerfulness and sprightly rhyme (and the length - perfect for middle or end) makes me really happy to have discovered this one. This is my first time reading it for storytime, but it feels familiar and comfortable to read and to progress through. That's a real bonus for anyone reading aloud, and I was delighted at how comfortable and smooth the read was. Our story is simple; along with a count-up from one to ten, we follow a young girl playing outside in a sprinkle of approaching rain, then with "too many raindrops..." we head back inside the house to count back down through a bath and snack, before heading back outside into the newly revealed sunshine. Super cute, super easy to read, and super simple. Absolutely a great storytime read.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Tuesday Storytime: Snowy Landscapes
We've doubled down on the wintry weather - after a delightful and decently warm Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, we woke up this morning to 19 degrees! Brrrr!
Snow
Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9780152053031
Stringer's beautiful gentle paintings make this sweet lyrical ode to snow nearly transcendent.
Rylant takes us through sweet vignettes of modern children and their (diverse) families as they encounter different types of snow. The end of the book plunges swiftly into poetic stillness, which was aaaaalmost too much for the crop of littles today, but we managed it. Despite the down-tempo ending, the entire book is heartwarming and beautiful and evocative.
Red Sled
Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Chris L. Demarest
ISBN: 9781590785591
Demarest's chunky lively scenes and bright happy expressions really carry the minimalist poetry.
Thomas uses the form of a chiasmus (a sort of mirrored, repetitive, poem - most likely used to aid memorization of epics) to present the tale of a father and son going on a night-time sledding run. The text is therefore very short (even the words used are crisp and simple), so Demarest creates illustrations with punch and movement to carry the momentum of the story through the page turns. The pairing is suprisingly powerful, making this an excellent middle book - short and punchy and fun.
Big Snow
Jonathan Bean
ISBN: 9780374306960
David is very excited about the incoming snow-storm, and "helps" his mother around the house.
I enjoy the realism of the energetic kid "helping" mother by starting various chores and getting distracted and running off halfway through (leaving mom to pick up the mess, of course) but I think that the inclusion of the dream sequence involving a snowstorm mess in the house makes for an intense and not quite congruent interlude especially since it comes so close before the comparatively anticlimactic and unmemorable actual ending. Despite that, it's a cute read, and a great snow day story.
Snow
Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9780152053031
Stringer's beautiful gentle paintings make this sweet lyrical ode to snow nearly transcendent.
Rylant takes us through sweet vignettes of modern children and their (diverse) families as they encounter different types of snow. The end of the book plunges swiftly into poetic stillness, which was aaaaalmost too much for the crop of littles today, but we managed it. Despite the down-tempo ending, the entire book is heartwarming and beautiful and evocative.
Red Sled
Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Chris L. Demarest
ISBN: 9781590785591
Demarest's chunky lively scenes and bright happy expressions really carry the minimalist poetry.
Thomas uses the form of a chiasmus (a sort of mirrored, repetitive, poem - most likely used to aid memorization of epics) to present the tale of a father and son going on a night-time sledding run. The text is therefore very short (even the words used are crisp and simple), so Demarest creates illustrations with punch and movement to carry the momentum of the story through the page turns. The pairing is suprisingly powerful, making this an excellent middle book - short and punchy and fun.
Big Snow
Jonathan Bean
ISBN: 9780374306960
David is very excited about the incoming snow-storm, and "helps" his mother around the house.
I enjoy the realism of the energetic kid "helping" mother by starting various chores and getting distracted and running off halfway through (leaving mom to pick up the mess, of course) but I think that the inclusion of the dream sequence involving a snowstorm mess in the house makes for an intense and not quite congruent interlude especially since it comes so close before the comparatively anticlimactic and unmemorable actual ending. Despite that, it's a cute read, and a great snow day story.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Tuesday Storytime: First Snow (Happy 2016!)
Can you believe it's freaking 2016 already? It's just unreal. I'm still not certain when I'm actually going to feel like a grown-up, let alone this weird middle-age development.
Anyway, over the weekend it finally realized that in winter it is supposed to be cold, so we're into proper winter weather, for a proper winter storytime.
First Snow
Kim Lewis
ISBN: 1564021947
Atmospheric colored pencils of windswept wintry landscapes and expressive faces.
Sara, Sara's teddy, and Mommy are up early and out into the fields to feed the sheep before the first winter snow. This is a slow-moving atmospheric story, focusing on the feel of the land and the air as a snowfall approaches, and on the earthy rhythms of farm life, close to animals and nature. The astute or experienced storytimer will recognize that Sara's teddy is brought along to provide a bit of narrative drama, but it is gentle and quickly solved, even by picture book standards. Sweet and gentle, just like a first snow.
Dream Snow
Eric Carle
ISBN: 9780399235795 (with battery-operated sounds and lights on the final page/endpaper)
Carle's signature collage pastiche and bright colors in a dreamlike not-quite Santa Claus story.
I had pulled this book a while ago, and was tempted to use it for my Christmas storytime, but the farmer in the story is never actually identified as Santa, even though just about every child will make that connection based on the illustrations. Our farmer has a simple life; animals named One through Five, a single tree (named Tree) and simple tastes. He dreams of snow covering the animals (achieved in the book by a series of clear overleafs with white "blankets" turned to reveal what animals One through Five actually are) and when he wakes, the snow has truly fallen. He realizes that he's forgotten something, and dons coat and hat and gloves and boots (and here is where the Santa reference materializes) grabs boxes and a sack and rushes outside to put presents under Tree. At this point, if you like, you can press the battery-button and the stars "twinkle" and a short chiming mysterious melody plays.
Winter is the Warmest Season
Lauren Stringer (Red Rubber Boot Day)
ISBN: 0152049673
Exuberant acrylic paints vibrantly reveal the warm heart of winter.
You may think that Summer is the warmest season, but Ms Stringer will have you convinced by the end of this lovely book that you were quite wrong. Her lyrical and evocative text (in large letters, and not much of it per page) draws attention to all the warm delights that winter brings: grilled-cheese sandwiches, roaring radiators and fires, warm cats and glowing candles, cozy blankets and cozier snuggles. This is one of my favorite reads, and the language just flows beautifully along with the bright and cheerful page-spreads, just busy enough to reward close attention without losing focus or attractive composition. I think I read this at least once a year, and I'm happy to do so.
Anyway, over the weekend it finally realized that in winter it is supposed to be cold, so we're into proper winter weather, for a proper winter storytime.
First Snow
Kim Lewis
ISBN: 1564021947
Atmospheric colored pencils of windswept wintry landscapes and expressive faces.
Sara, Sara's teddy, and Mommy are up early and out into the fields to feed the sheep before the first winter snow. This is a slow-moving atmospheric story, focusing on the feel of the land and the air as a snowfall approaches, and on the earthy rhythms of farm life, close to animals and nature. The astute or experienced storytimer will recognize that Sara's teddy is brought along to provide a bit of narrative drama, but it is gentle and quickly solved, even by picture book standards. Sweet and gentle, just like a first snow.
Dream Snow
Eric Carle
ISBN: 9780399235795 (with battery-operated sounds and lights on the final page/endpaper)
Carle's signature collage pastiche and bright colors in a dreamlike not-quite Santa Claus story.
I had pulled this book a while ago, and was tempted to use it for my Christmas storytime, but the farmer in the story is never actually identified as Santa, even though just about every child will make that connection based on the illustrations. Our farmer has a simple life; animals named One through Five, a single tree (named Tree) and simple tastes. He dreams of snow covering the animals (achieved in the book by a series of clear overleafs with white "blankets" turned to reveal what animals One through Five actually are) and when he wakes, the snow has truly fallen. He realizes that he's forgotten something, and dons coat and hat and gloves and boots (and here is where the Santa reference materializes) grabs boxes and a sack and rushes outside to put presents under Tree. At this point, if you like, you can press the battery-button and the stars "twinkle" and a short chiming mysterious melody plays.
Winter is the Warmest Season
Lauren Stringer (Red Rubber Boot Day)
ISBN: 0152049673
Exuberant acrylic paints vibrantly reveal the warm heart of winter.
You may think that Summer is the warmest season, but Ms Stringer will have you convinced by the end of this lovely book that you were quite wrong. Her lyrical and evocative text (in large letters, and not much of it per page) draws attention to all the warm delights that winter brings: grilled-cheese sandwiches, roaring radiators and fires, warm cats and glowing candles, cozy blankets and cozier snuggles. This is one of my favorite reads, and the language just flows beautifully along with the bright and cheerful page-spreads, just busy enough to reward close attention without losing focus or attractive composition. I think I read this at least once a year, and I'm happy to do so.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Tuesday Storytime: Mud Puddles
In case you missed it, South Carolina has been suffering from some pretty intense rainy weather. We're in good shape in the Upstate, but thousands of people are without power or water, and it's literally been raining for over a week now. The sun was out today, but I've got some lovely rainy-day books, and wanted to give kids a lighter and more optimistic counter narrative to the news they're seeing every night of flooding and evacuations.
Muddigush
Kimberly Knutson
ISBN: 0027508439
Marbled-paper collages look almost like Japanese papercuts. Language is intensely poetic.
This one is a bit of a challenge to read, because the language here is just straight up poetry. I love all the onomatopoeia going on, and the rhythms of the wording are just lovely. Here's a bit:
The riverbed slime
is shivery and quivery,
bubbly and wiggly,
cold and jiggly.
Spread it, pat it,
till it's shiny and flat.
Smack and whack that
smucky mush
smacky mush
squooshy slooshy muddigush!
So fun to read.
One Duck Stuck
Phyllis Root (Oliver Finds His Way), illustrated by Jane Chapman (Bear books with Karma Wilson)
ISBN: 0763603341
Counting up to ten in the swamp with animals trying to help a duck with his foot buried in mud.
This is a fun and quick counting book. There's lots of text, but it reads very quickly, and even with lots of expressive pauses, it still just hums along. ONE duck is stuck, and then TWO fish come over and try to help, then THREE moose, and so on. My favorite part is the different creative ways the animals try to help - all failing until ten types of animal have assembled, and all work together to rescue the poor duck. Cute, fun wordplay, simple but bright and vibrant paintings, and a good message. Also mud.
Red Rubber Boot Day
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 0152053980
Previously reviewed here.
Still one of my absolute favorite rainy-day books. It's just such a perfect marriage of luminous paintings and child-focused interest. There's only so much a creative child can do inside when it's raining before they just have to go outside and run around in the wet. Super short, super attractive, and an absolute joy from start to finish.
Muddigush
Kimberly Knutson
ISBN: 0027508439
Marbled-paper collages look almost like Japanese papercuts. Language is intensely poetic.
This one is a bit of a challenge to read, because the language here is just straight up poetry. I love all the onomatopoeia going on, and the rhythms of the wording are just lovely. Here's a bit:
The riverbed slime
is shivery and quivery,
bubbly and wiggly,
cold and jiggly.
Spread it, pat it,
till it's shiny and flat.
Smack and whack that
smucky mush
smacky mush
squooshy slooshy muddigush!
So fun to read.
One Duck Stuck
Phyllis Root (Oliver Finds His Way), illustrated by Jane Chapman (Bear books with Karma Wilson)
ISBN: 0763603341
Counting up to ten in the swamp with animals trying to help a duck with his foot buried in mud.
This is a fun and quick counting book. There's lots of text, but it reads very quickly, and even with lots of expressive pauses, it still just hums along. ONE duck is stuck, and then TWO fish come over and try to help, then THREE moose, and so on. My favorite part is the different creative ways the animals try to help - all failing until ten types of animal have assembled, and all work together to rescue the poor duck. Cute, fun wordplay, simple but bright and vibrant paintings, and a good message. Also mud.
Red Rubber Boot Day
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 0152053980
Previously reviewed here.
Still one of my absolute favorite rainy-day books. It's just such a perfect marriage of luminous paintings and child-focused interest. There's only so much a creative child can do inside when it's raining before they just have to go outside and run around in the wet. Super short, super attractive, and an absolute joy from start to finish.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Tuesday Storytime: Dancing
I found so many nice dancing books that just didn't quite fit my last dance storytime that I figured I could do a second round, and here we are!
Again, we were a little on the long side, and man did we have some active (and loud) kids today. Lots of energy, maybe a bit less on the attentive side. :)
Miss Lina's Ballerinas and the Prince
Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Christine Davenier
ISBN: 9780312649630
Very Eloise/Madeline drawings, lots of ballet terms and poses, tongue-twisting repetitive names.
I was torn between the original (Miss Lina's Ballerinas) and this one, because the original has no boys at all, and I try not to have books that exclude one gender or population entirely, but the original ALSO has a much better flow and storyline than this one. I went with this one in the end for representation, but honestly, the group was so crazy today, and we had so many latecomers that I don't know that any of the kids even followed the story that closely. I do still want to do Miss Lina's Ballerinas, but I'll wait a while, and perhaps save it for a class or a special event - hurrying through the names nearly killed me.
Deer Dancer
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9781442434219
Reviewed here.
Again, with such an energetic group, I'm not sure how much of the story got through, but at least by the time we got to this book, everyone was mostly settled in and were paying attention to the pictures (which are amazing). I love the flow of this story, but it wasn't well suited for the energy levels today.
Giraffes Can't Dance
Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees (Dinosaurumpus)
ISBN: 184121681X
Vivid colors, similar to Dinosaurumpus, just sub-out jungle animals and add a dash of pathos.
Gerald the Giraffe is headed to the annual Jungle Dance, but he really can't dance, and the other animals aren't very polite about informing him. He heads off into the moonlit night to be sad and alone (did I mention pathos) but a friendly cricket helps him find his own music and his own dance, and eventually the other animals also realize that he's got flair. Short and snappy, gets right to the point, and the illustrations are wild and zany, even when the text is sad or quiet, so the kids have lots of bright colors and vivid compositions to look at. This was the best tonal fit for my group's energy levels today, and I wish I'd had a whole set of books like it to match their energy.
Ahh well, if I knew the future, there'd be lots of other things I'd do instead of rigging my storytime books.
Next week: either lions or penguins, haven't decided yet.
Again, we were a little on the long side, and man did we have some active (and loud) kids today. Lots of energy, maybe a bit less on the attentive side. :)
Miss Lina's Ballerinas and the Prince
Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Christine Davenier
ISBN: 9780312649630
Very Eloise/Madeline drawings, lots of ballet terms and poses, tongue-twisting repetitive names.
I was torn between the original (Miss Lina's Ballerinas) and this one, because the original has no boys at all, and I try not to have books that exclude one gender or population entirely, but the original ALSO has a much better flow and storyline than this one. I went with this one in the end for representation, but honestly, the group was so crazy today, and we had so many latecomers that I don't know that any of the kids even followed the story that closely. I do still want to do Miss Lina's Ballerinas, but I'll wait a while, and perhaps save it for a class or a special event - hurrying through the names nearly killed me.
Deer Dancer
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 9781442434219
Reviewed here.
Again, with such an energetic group, I'm not sure how much of the story got through, but at least by the time we got to this book, everyone was mostly settled in and were paying attention to the pictures (which are amazing). I love the flow of this story, but it wasn't well suited for the energy levels today.
Giraffes Can't Dance
Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees (Dinosaurumpus)
ISBN: 184121681X
Vivid colors, similar to Dinosaurumpus, just sub-out jungle animals and add a dash of pathos.
Gerald the Giraffe is headed to the annual Jungle Dance, but he really can't dance, and the other animals aren't very polite about informing him. He heads off into the moonlit night to be sad and alone (did I mention pathos) but a friendly cricket helps him find his own music and his own dance, and eventually the other animals also realize that he's got flair. Short and snappy, gets right to the point, and the illustrations are wild and zany, even when the text is sad or quiet, so the kids have lots of bright colors and vivid compositions to look at. This was the best tonal fit for my group's energy levels today, and I wish I'd had a whole set of books like it to match their energy.
Ahh well, if I knew the future, there'd be lots of other things I'd do instead of rigging my storytime books.
Next week: either lions or penguins, haven't decided yet.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Tuesday Storytime: Winter
Even though it rarely snows down here, I feel like it's important for storytimes to show different places and different experiences. These are three fun, wintery, snowy-day stories to show how different the seasons can be.
It's Winter!
Linda Glaser, cut-paper scenes by Susan Swan
ISBN: 0761317597
Extremely detailed, slightly stylized scenes with bright contrasts focus on the natural world in winter.
A perky (possibly asian) girl is our host for this tour of winter in the Northern USA, beginning with late autumn and the first snow-fall, and ending with the barest beginnings of spring snow-melt. We see a few human-centric activities (catching snowflakes, sledding, making snowpeople) but the focus is on the natural world and what the animals and environment is doing. The illustrations are crazy-detailed, with a stylized edge to them that makes them just sharp enough to avoid being cutesy. Really good overview for the length, and an excellent jumping-off-point.
Hibernation Station
Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus
ISBN: 9781416937883
Adorable fuzzy woodland creatures (and the odd frog) dress in jammies and attempt to cozy up.
This one is short and sweet, with much of the interest in the busy overstuffed illustrations (very similar in feel to Jan Brett) that show the various animals failing at falling asleep for the winter in their cramped communal log. After much whining, protesting, last minute complaining, and general unhappiness, the bears (the conductors) marshal the troops, rearrange the sleeping quarters and roommates, pass out last-minute snackies, issue kisses and hugs and snuggles, and get everyone tucked in properly for the winter. Did I mention that it was adorable? I've done this one before, and I'm sure I'll do it again. This one also got picked to go home to older siblings, which is always nice to have happen.
Winter is the Warmest Season
Lauren Stringer (Deer Dancer)
ISBN: 0152049673
Plump, cozy, fluffy illustrations show why winter is actually warmer.
This is a favorite, and it went over just as well today as usual. Several kids caught the title, and were instantly disagreeing with the premise. They enjoyed the slight cozy subversion. Our narrator (gender ambiguous) walks us through their reasons why winter is warmer: from hot cocoa to fuzzy mittens to cats who deign to sleep on laps now that the windowsills are too cold. These are usually contrasted with summer activities or analogues, so cold summer pools contrast with hot winter baths, and cold jelly sandwiches with toasted cheese. A great ending to the storytime, and a fun read overall.
It's Winter!
Linda Glaser, cut-paper scenes by Susan Swan
ISBN: 0761317597
Extremely detailed, slightly stylized scenes with bright contrasts focus on the natural world in winter.
A perky (possibly asian) girl is our host for this tour of winter in the Northern USA, beginning with late autumn and the first snow-fall, and ending with the barest beginnings of spring snow-melt. We see a few human-centric activities (catching snowflakes, sledding, making snowpeople) but the focus is on the natural world and what the animals and environment is doing. The illustrations are crazy-detailed, with a stylized edge to them that makes them just sharp enough to avoid being cutesy. Really good overview for the length, and an excellent jumping-off-point.
Hibernation Station
Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus
ISBN: 9781416937883
Adorable fuzzy woodland creatures (and the odd frog) dress in jammies and attempt to cozy up.
This one is short and sweet, with much of the interest in the busy overstuffed illustrations (very similar in feel to Jan Brett) that show the various animals failing at falling asleep for the winter in their cramped communal log. After much whining, protesting, last minute complaining, and general unhappiness, the bears (the conductors) marshal the troops, rearrange the sleeping quarters and roommates, pass out last-minute snackies, issue kisses and hugs and snuggles, and get everyone tucked in properly for the winter. Did I mention that it was adorable? I've done this one before, and I'm sure I'll do it again. This one also got picked to go home to older siblings, which is always nice to have happen.
Winter is the Warmest Season
Lauren Stringer (Deer Dancer)
ISBN: 0152049673
Plump, cozy, fluffy illustrations show why winter is actually warmer.
This is a favorite, and it went over just as well today as usual. Several kids caught the title, and were instantly disagreeing with the premise. They enjoyed the slight cozy subversion. Our narrator (gender ambiguous) walks us through their reasons why winter is warmer: from hot cocoa to fuzzy mittens to cats who deign to sleep on laps now that the windowsills are too cold. These are usually contrasted with summer activities or analogues, so cold summer pools contrast with hot winter baths, and cold jelly sandwiches with toasted cheese. A great ending to the storytime, and a fun read overall.
Monday, September 29, 2014
New Picture Books! Deer Dancer, by Mary Lyn Ray & Lauren Stringer
Oh what a pretty book.
Deer Dancer
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer (this duo also did my favorite Red Rubber Boot Day)
ISBN: 9781442434219
This is such a sweet book. A girl practices her dancing in a woodland glade, and is delighted when a deer stops by. After a ballet class doesn't go as well as she would like, she's back to the glade to practice, and an impromptu pas-de-deux blossoms between the two dancers in this magical space they share.
I'm not quite as thrilled with this one as with Red Rubber Boot Day, but it is beautiful and lyrical and expressive and filled with green growing life and joy. Should be lovely for storytime with Miss Lina's Ballerinas (Grace MacCarone & Christine Davenier, ISBN: 9780312382438) and either Amazing Grace (Mary Hoffman & Caroline Binch, ISBN: 9780803710405) or Dancing in the Wings.
Deer Dancer
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer (this duo also did my favorite Red Rubber Boot Day)
ISBN: 9781442434219
This is such a sweet book. A girl practices her dancing in a woodland glade, and is delighted when a deer stops by. After a ballet class doesn't go as well as she would like, she's back to the glade to practice, and an impromptu pas-de-deux blossoms between the two dancers in this magical space they share.
I'm not quite as thrilled with this one as with Red Rubber Boot Day, but it is beautiful and lyrical and expressive and filled with green growing life and joy. Should be lovely for storytime with Miss Lina's Ballerinas (Grace MacCarone & Christine Davenier, ISBN: 9780312382438) and either Amazing Grace (Mary Hoffman & Caroline Binch, ISBN: 9780803710405) or Dancing in the Wings.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Tuesday Storytime: Rainy Days
I was away at a class this time around, so one of my lovely Clerks gave the storytime. I didn't know we were slated for nasty weather when I picked these out for her last week, but given the rain last night, and the epic storms heading our way for today and tomorrow, I'm feeling a little prophetic!
Listen to the Rain
Bill Martin, Jr, and John Archambault, illustrated by James Endicott
ISBN: 0805006826
peaceful minimalistic paintings against a white backdrop
I love this book for storytime. It's a perfect onomatopoeic verbal representation of a storm, with all the rhyming and similar words getting repeated and emphasized. It's also a lovely combination of lyric and artistic minimalism and synthesis. I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to read it, but I wanted something for my Clerk that would flow and read smoothly for someone with not as much practice at Storytime. This one is perfect for that, and that's why I picked the theme.
A Letter to Amy
Ezra Jack Keats
ISBN: 0670880639
Ezra Jack Keats, y'all.
I don't like this one quite as much as The Snowy Day, but it's up there. Peter wants to specially invite a special friend to his party, but there are some difficulties. First, she's a girl, and that's a little weird. Secondly, he wants to actually MAIL her an invite, to make it more special, but his day is just not going well - a storm blows in, and gets the letter wet, and then something even worse happens! Poor Peter - will his friend even show up for his party now? Love this man, love his books. Another good "easy read" for an inexperienced Storytimer.
Red Rubber Boot Day
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 0152053980
saturated colors, close-focus, daily life, textural brushwork
I hardcore love this book. I don't care that the author and illustrator aren't famous picture book people. They are amazing and I want to send them all the love for this perfect perfect stompy rainy-day I've run out of things to do inside can I please go outside into the fresh rain-wet perfect new green day and play in the puddles book. I like this book so much I went out and bought a copy for my home library and I don't even have a kid yet to read it to!
I miss my kids so much when I can't do my Storytimes so I'm really looking forward to next week: Oversize Animals.
Listen to the Rain
Bill Martin, Jr, and John Archambault, illustrated by James Endicott
ISBN: 0805006826
peaceful minimalistic paintings against a white backdrop
I love this book for storytime. It's a perfect onomatopoeic verbal representation of a storm, with all the rhyming and similar words getting repeated and emphasized. It's also a lovely combination of lyric and artistic minimalism and synthesis. I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to read it, but I wanted something for my Clerk that would flow and read smoothly for someone with not as much practice at Storytime. This one is perfect for that, and that's why I picked the theme.
A Letter to Amy
Ezra Jack Keats
ISBN: 0670880639
Ezra Jack Keats, y'all.
I don't like this one quite as much as The Snowy Day, but it's up there. Peter wants to specially invite a special friend to his party, but there are some difficulties. First, she's a girl, and that's a little weird. Secondly, he wants to actually MAIL her an invite, to make it more special, but his day is just not going well - a storm blows in, and gets the letter wet, and then something even worse happens! Poor Peter - will his friend even show up for his party now? Love this man, love his books. Another good "easy read" for an inexperienced Storytimer.
Red Rubber Boot Day
Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
ISBN: 0152053980
saturated colors, close-focus, daily life, textural brushwork
I hardcore love this book. I don't care that the author and illustrator aren't famous picture book people. They are amazing and I want to send them all the love for this perfect perfect stompy rainy-day I've run out of things to do inside can I please go outside into the fresh rain-wet perfect new green day and play in the puddles book. I like this book so much I went out and bought a copy for my home library and I don't even have a kid yet to read it to!
I miss my kids so much when I can't do my Storytimes so I'm really looking forward to next week: Oversize Animals.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)