The Only Child
Guojing
ISBN: 9780553497045
The author draws on the lonely memories of a childhood as a Chinese "only" to create a fantastical cloud-land fable of isolation and being lost.
Guojing includes a short preface that tells how as a six year old child, she got lost traveling between her parents and grandmother's houses. In reality, the forlorn author trekked through the cold until she found familiar landmarks, making her way safely back to her family on her own. In her imaginative wordless picture book (almost a graphic novel in the format of the panels and narrative pacing) a much-younger-seeming child has the same initial experience, but instead of a boring trudge down empty roads, this child wanders into the forest and is aided by a beautiful elk, then introduced to a magical land in the clouds where otters float on clouds, and the insides of blue whales are inky universes filled with stars and wonders.
Interstices show the worried parents setting off in search (cued by a delightfully pithy letter "Gone to visit Grandma" left behind) and worriedly fretting as the bus travels along, before jumping back to the fantasy world up in the clouds. Adventure time over, while the tired roly-poly child sleeps, the magical elk journeys back to the real world to find her home, and when she awakes, leads her straight into the arms of her family.
Beautiful and haunting and sweet, and oh-so perfectly captures that universal poignant feeling of isolation and loneliness.
Showing posts with label wordless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wordless. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
New Arrivals: Wordless Picture Book: Quest, by Aaron Becker
Quest (sequel to Journey)
Aaron Becker
ISBN: 9780763665951
Wordless Picture Book
This follow-up to the beautiful Journey has our newly established duo thrust into an adventure when a King pops through a portal (drawn by his own bright orange magical wand) gives them a map, and is dragged back through by soldiers - dropping his wand in the process. The map shows a rainbow of colors building as it passes through different locations, and now we're on a whirlwind quest to retrieve the magic color wands before the evil troops can get to them.
Beautiful and imaginative, and a lovely adventure story in fantastical locales with larger-than-life characters. The ending especially makes me think longingly of how I would read and re-read Narnia as a child, wishing that it were real.
Simply stunning. I truly hope he continues the adventure!
Aaron Becker
ISBN: 9780763665951
Wordless Picture Book
This follow-up to the beautiful Journey has our newly established duo thrust into an adventure when a King pops through a portal (drawn by his own bright orange magical wand) gives them a map, and is dragged back through by soldiers - dropping his wand in the process. The map shows a rainbow of colors building as it passes through different locations, and now we're on a whirlwind quest to retrieve the magic color wands before the evil troops can get to them.
Beautiful and imaginative, and a lovely adventure story in fantastical locales with larger-than-life characters. The ending especially makes me think longingly of how I would read and re-read Narnia as a child, wishing that it were real.
Simply stunning. I truly hope he continues the adventure!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
New Arrivals: Wordless Picture Book: Snowman's Story
This one is a real sweetheart, very retro.
Snowman's Story
Will Hillenbrand
ISBN: 9781477847879
Soft-edged pastels? watercolor pencils? lead us through a wordless tale of theft, ingenuity, and forgiveness.
This is a very sweet book to look through, and I wish I had the talent to use wordless books for storytimes.
Forest animals have gathered all the necessary ingredients for their magic, and they've made a Snowman to read them a story this wintry evening. After everyone's asleep, rabbit has a sneaky idea - and off he runs with the book! Snowman and furry friends in hot pursuit, they solve a series of "going on a bear hunt" level obstacles, and chase down rabbit at home, where the book is being enjoyed by a slew of rabbitlings. Awww. The book is returned, forgiveness granted, and a new set of animals (including the rabbit family this time) snuggles around Snowman for another story.
Snowman's Story
Will Hillenbrand
ISBN: 9781477847879
Soft-edged pastels? watercolor pencils? lead us through a wordless tale of theft, ingenuity, and forgiveness.
This is a very sweet book to look through, and I wish I had the talent to use wordless books for storytimes.
Forest animals have gathered all the necessary ingredients for their magic, and they've made a Snowman to read them a story this wintry evening. After everyone's asleep, rabbit has a sneaky idea - and off he runs with the book! Snowman and furry friends in hot pursuit, they solve a series of "going on a bear hunt" level obstacles, and chase down rabbit at home, where the book is being enjoyed by a slew of rabbitlings. Awww. The book is returned, forgiveness granted, and a new set of animals (including the rabbit family this time) snuggles around Snowman for another story.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
New Juv Arrivals: Shipbuilding, Leeches, and adorable crafted worlds
Got some new arrivals today, and some interesting ones in the batch!
The Shipbuilders
Colonial People Series, by Cavendish Square
Ann Heinrichs
ISBN: 9780761400059
(entire series possibly useful for Mill Story)
nonfiction: colonial life, colonial trades, historical work and crafts
Really in-depth overview (for a juvenile book) of the shipbuilding process from a lot of different angles. Covers the reasons behind colonial shipyards developing, to the various craftsmen (usually men) involved in the processes, to detailed descriptions of some of the processes (sawyering, rope-making, and sail-making were highlighted), to implications of the trade on the Revolutionary War, to developments in ironsides and steam ships, to modern replica and recreation work.
Lovely illustrations and modern photographs of re-created ships. The use of photos instead of old line drawings for the majority of the illustrations really makes the concept more lively and clear; a very good choice.
Includes a glossary of terms, a resources page, and a comprehensive index of terms, subjects, and illustrations.
Leeches Eat Blood!
Disgusting Animal Dinners Series, by PowerKids Press
Miriam Coleman
ISBN: 9781477728819
nonfiction: life science, "eww, gross" subjects
So, did you know that leeches and worms were in the same family? I didn't. Other nifty leech facts - the big sucker is actually their head, but it's only there to keep the leech attached. Their actual mouth is in the small sucker on their rear. Ok, eww. Factual, freaky, and matter of fact about these repulsive and fascinating little creatures, and even a nice coda about their modern use in science due to their nifty anti-coagulant spit. Have to say, having done both, I'd rather a medicinal leech than a medicinal mosquito! At least the leeches don't leave nasty itchy spots. There is a delicate balance maintained between presenting information and glorying in the eww gross a leech impulse, and I'm impressed by that.
Hank Finds an Egg
Creator, Rebecca Dudley
ISBN: 9781441311580
Wordless picture book: scenes entirely created, posed, and sequenced by the creator.
This is an adorable book. A plushy little anthropomorphic animal (looks like a cross between a teddy bear and a monkey) is wandering an old-growth forest and finds an egg beneath a tree. It immediately spots the nest above, and spends an afternoon trying to return the egg, but failing (basket isn't high enough, neither are the stumps gathered, neither is the ladder constructed) and it camps overnight with the egg until morning, when the parent of the egg arrives to make the delivery much easier. Immediately afterwards, the hatchlings emerge, providing new friends for our sweet protagonist. The jacket flap and the title indicate that our little friend is named Hank, but without that info, the stuffed cutie (and the feathered parent and subsequent hatchlings) could be anyone or any gender.
The Shipbuilders
Colonial People Series, by Cavendish Square
Ann Heinrichs
ISBN: 9780761400059
(entire series possibly useful for Mill Story)
nonfiction: colonial life, colonial trades, historical work and crafts
Really in-depth overview (for a juvenile book) of the shipbuilding process from a lot of different angles. Covers the reasons behind colonial shipyards developing, to the various craftsmen (usually men) involved in the processes, to detailed descriptions of some of the processes (sawyering, rope-making, and sail-making were highlighted), to implications of the trade on the Revolutionary War, to developments in ironsides and steam ships, to modern replica and recreation work.
Lovely illustrations and modern photographs of re-created ships. The use of photos instead of old line drawings for the majority of the illustrations really makes the concept more lively and clear; a very good choice.
Includes a glossary of terms, a resources page, and a comprehensive index of terms, subjects, and illustrations.
Leeches Eat Blood!
Disgusting Animal Dinners Series, by PowerKids Press
Miriam Coleman
ISBN: 9781477728819
nonfiction: life science, "eww, gross" subjects
So, did you know that leeches and worms were in the same family? I didn't. Other nifty leech facts - the big sucker is actually their head, but it's only there to keep the leech attached. Their actual mouth is in the small sucker on their rear. Ok, eww. Factual, freaky, and matter of fact about these repulsive and fascinating little creatures, and even a nice coda about their modern use in science due to their nifty anti-coagulant spit. Have to say, having done both, I'd rather a medicinal leech than a medicinal mosquito! At least the leeches don't leave nasty itchy spots. There is a delicate balance maintained between presenting information and glorying in the eww gross a leech impulse, and I'm impressed by that.
Hank Finds an Egg
Creator, Rebecca Dudley
ISBN: 9781441311580
Wordless picture book: scenes entirely created, posed, and sequenced by the creator.
This is an adorable book. A plushy little anthropomorphic animal (looks like a cross between a teddy bear and a monkey) is wandering an old-growth forest and finds an egg beneath a tree. It immediately spots the nest above, and spends an afternoon trying to return the egg, but failing (basket isn't high enough, neither are the stumps gathered, neither is the ladder constructed) and it camps overnight with the egg until morning, when the parent of the egg arrives to make the delivery much easier. Immediately afterwards, the hatchlings emerge, providing new friends for our sweet protagonist. The jacket flap and the title indicate that our little friend is named Hank, but without that info, the stuffed cutie (and the feathered parent and subsequent hatchlings) could be anyone or any gender.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Picture Book Bonanza 2/3: Molly Idle's Flora and the Flamingo, David Wiesner's Mr. Wuffles!
Flora and the Flamingo
Molly Idle
ISBN: 9781452110066
Read February 3, 2014
Wordless Picture Book, Lift-the-Flap Picture Book
This was a cute story, but I think that the combination of wordless AND lift-the-flap pushed it a little too far into 'trying too hard' territory for me. Also, the book is pretty much entirely pink (with a flamingo, I can't rightly blame it for that, but I also hold that I'm more critical of it because it's pink). Flora is a pear-shaped person in a swimming cap, suit, and swim-fins on her feet, and the flamingo is - well - a flamingo. Flora is also attempting to copycat said flamingo, who isn't entirely happy about her attempts. Things get a little rocky when the flamingo performs a maneuver that ends Flora up in the drink, but amends are made, leaving girl and bird to dance and splash together in harmony. Not entirely to my taste, but I especially liked the cherry-blossom borders on the pages, the amount of character representation possible with a pair of black swim fins, and Flora's expressive eyebrows.
Mr. Wuffles!
David Wiesner
ISBN: 9780618756612
Read February 3, 2014
Wordless Picture Book
Have to say from the start that this is NOT my favorite of Wiesner's works (that one for me goes to Flotsam for general amazingness, or to Hurricane for personal impact) but that said, this one is a cute romp. Mr. Wuffles is a grumpy black cat who, like all cats, prefers toys that aren't toys. Unfortunately for some very seasoned travelers, they are the newest "toy." After Mr. Wuffles damages their spaceship, they must join forces with the denizens behind the cupboards, learning each others' languages (actual languages, which can be actually learned by the reader - this part made me think of Weslandia and Dinotopia) and developing blended technologies to help with the rescue/escape/taunt the cat mission. I love the bugs - they're very William Joyce's Leaf Men in shape and plot function, but more expressive. The aliens are adorable, and I love their determination and fright when faced with Mr Wuffles in all his enormity. Technically, this isn't a wordless picture book, as the aliens and bugs do speak, but I'm willing to give it some wiggle room for a nifty idea and a lovely presentation. The last panel, with the additions to the bugs' wall of history, was killer.
Molly Idle
ISBN: 9781452110066
Read February 3, 2014
Wordless Picture Book, Lift-the-Flap Picture Book
This was a cute story, but I think that the combination of wordless AND lift-the-flap pushed it a little too far into 'trying too hard' territory for me. Also, the book is pretty much entirely pink (with a flamingo, I can't rightly blame it for that, but I also hold that I'm more critical of it because it's pink). Flora is a pear-shaped person in a swimming cap, suit, and swim-fins on her feet, and the flamingo is - well - a flamingo. Flora is also attempting to copycat said flamingo, who isn't entirely happy about her attempts. Things get a little rocky when the flamingo performs a maneuver that ends Flora up in the drink, but amends are made, leaving girl and bird to dance and splash together in harmony. Not entirely to my taste, but I especially liked the cherry-blossom borders on the pages, the amount of character representation possible with a pair of black swim fins, and Flora's expressive eyebrows.
Mr. Wuffles!
David Wiesner
ISBN: 9780618756612
Read February 3, 2014
Wordless Picture Book
Have to say from the start that this is NOT my favorite of Wiesner's works (that one for me goes to Flotsam for general amazingness, or to Hurricane for personal impact) but that said, this one is a cute romp. Mr. Wuffles is a grumpy black cat who, like all cats, prefers toys that aren't toys. Unfortunately for some very seasoned travelers, they are the newest "toy." After Mr. Wuffles damages their spaceship, they must join forces with the denizens behind the cupboards, learning each others' languages (actual languages, which can be actually learned by the reader - this part made me think of Weslandia and Dinotopia) and developing blended technologies to help with the rescue/escape/taunt the cat mission. I love the bugs - they're very William Joyce's Leaf Men in shape and plot function, but more expressive. The aliens are adorable, and I love their determination and fright when faced with Mr Wuffles in all his enormity. Technically, this isn't a wordless picture book, as the aliens and bugs do speak, but I'm willing to give it some wiggle room for a nifty idea and a lovely presentation. The last panel, with the additions to the bugs' wall of history, was killer.
Picture Book Bonanza, 1/3: Aaron Becker's Journey, Brian Floca's Locomotive
Journey
Aaron Becker
ISBN: 9780763660536
Read February 3, 2014
Wordless Picture Book
This is a beautiful book. It ranks up there with Weisner's best. It is a much more textured and evocative furthering of the Harold and the Purple Crayon tale (with perhaps a cameo of a slightly grown Harold at the end?) following a young girl who creates a lush imaginative world from her red crayon. Adventures, perils, rescues, and finally, a friend. Just delightful. I love how the different landscapes evolve into each other seamlessly, but are totally and completely different, each from the next. It really furthers the sense of a daydream or a half-awake dreaming memory, where things make sense in the dream, and only when you wake do you realize how disparate and segregated the segments actually were without your imagination and mental focus holding them together into a pattern and a plot. I love that this creates that same magical feeling without being pretentious or cutesy about it.
Locomotive
Brian Floca
ISBN: 9781416994152
Read February 3, 2014
Read February 3, 2014
Nonfiction Picture Book
Super-dense text packs every page, with sparse sepia-toned artwork grounding the visuals and providing context for the storyline and imparted information. Reminds me very strongly of Fleischman's The Matchbox Diary, but less emotionally impactful (not a bad thing, just a difference in the type of story being conveyed). Love the glut of information on the endpages, and the nifty little details like using the "convenience" on the train only while it's in motion, as it wasn't polite to do your business while the train was stopped at a station because the convenience was simply a hole, and you didn't want to make the station nasty. The multiple fonts and colors and sizes got right up to the line of being overdone, but never stepped over for me, but the verseform did me in a bit. If words are written like lines of poetry, I'm old-school enough to want them either in iambic pentameter, or to rhyme. Nevertheless, that is a small niggle indeed for a beautiful and crammed book of an interesting and exciting part of American history.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Cinder-Eyed Cats, Eric Rohmann
In a strange land where sailing ships float yards above the oceans they traverse, a young boy heads off to a tropical island, where he amuses himself by creating sand sculptures - until dusk settles, the Cinder-Eyed Cats appear, and everything turns flamboyantly magical.
Fish leap from the ocean and swirl around in an aquatic version of Max's wild rumpus, and the cats gambol around with perpetually intrigued expressions. Dawn arrives too soon, bringing the fish back to their watery home, the boy back across the water in his flying sailboat, and the cats sprawled lazily along the shore, waiting for another night of magic.
Paintings are very reminiscent of David Wiesner, especially of Flotsam and Tuesday, and the ocean-theme is especially delightful, as I am now living away from the seaside, and miss it terribly.
Fish leap from the ocean and swirl around in an aquatic version of Max's wild rumpus, and the cats gambol around with perpetually intrigued expressions. Dawn arrives too soon, bringing the fish back to their watery home, the boy back across the water in his flying sailboat, and the cats sprawled lazily along the shore, waiting for another night of magic.
Paintings are very reminiscent of David Wiesner, especially of Flotsam and Tuesday, and the ocean-theme is especially delightful, as I am now living away from the seaside, and miss it terribly.
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