How to Teach a Slug to Read

Kirkus Review (January 15, 2011)


Pearson is a slug intimate, having previously charted the course of two Slugs in Love (illustrated by Kevin O'Malley, 2006), so who better to explain, exactly, the best way to teach a slug to read? It is really quite elementary, starting with opening the book (make sure it has slug characters), read it to the slug, point out repeating words, help sound them out, get a vocabulary list going, underline favorite words and, you bet, "[r]ead your slug's favorite poems to him as many times as he wants. Read him other books too!" This slug's favorite is Mother Slug's book of poetry, with such old gems as "Mary had a little slug, / His skin was smooth as silk" and "Whatever can the matter be? / Sally Slug has climbed a tree" and "Sweet Sammy Slug / Slides through the town." Slonim's upbeat illustrations give readers a sense that they are there with the slugs, flipping the pages, while the interjections from the slugs-"Sl-uh-uh-g! Hey, I can read SLUG!"-convey, with a light hand, the joys of reading. And though it isn't cricket to diminish a slug's capabilities, readers can't help but feel that if a slug is up to the task, well then, maybe someone else in the room is, too. (Picture book. 4-8)

The Friendship Doll

School Library Journal (August 1, 2011)


Gr 4-6-Larson brings her talent for historical fiction to this story of one of the 58 handcrafted, child-size dolls Japan presented to the United States in 1927 as a goodwill gesture. Fans of doll stories will be enchanted by the way Miss Kanagawa changes the lives of five children of varying circumstances over a span of decades and learns to feel love despite herself. The theme of being kind to others could come across as didactic in less-skilled hands than Larson's, but the initial contrast between the doll's moralizing, superior tone and her actual disregard for humans lightens the mood considerably. The story is not solely lighthearted, however; heavy topics such as death, grief, and aging are addressed in a straightforward yet remarkably affecting manner. The book's background is meticulously researched, with the era of the 1920s-'40s evoked through slang and radio-show references, and authentic Japanese cultural details are thoughtfully described. An author's note explains that some pivotal plot points are fictionalized, but the true story of the Friendship Dolls is so intriguing that readers may be moved to learn more. A little research shows that the author cleverly constructed the narrative to match Miss Kanagawa's real-life fate, a detail that will delight historical-fiction enthusiasts. The idea of a doll becoming more human through its interactions with children may not be wholly original, but that is part of the comforting appeal of this lovely tribute to a little-known piece of history.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Me...Jane

Booklist starred (March 15, 2011 (Vol. 107, No. 14))


Preschool-Grade 3. Little Jane loves her stuffed animal, a chimpanzee named Jubilee, and carries him everywhere she goes. Mainly, they go outdoors, where they watch birds building their nests and squirrels chasing each other. Jane reads about animals in books and keeps a notebook of sketches, information, and puzzles. Feeling her kinship with all of nature, she often climbs her favorite tree and reads about another Jane, Tarzan’s Jane. She dreams that one day she, too, will live in the African jungle and help the animals. And one day, she does. With the story’s last page turn, the illustrations change from ink-and-watercolor scenes of Jane as a child, toting Jubilee, to a color photo of Jane Goodall as a young woman in Africa, extending her hand to a chimpanzee. Quietly told and expressively illustrated, the story of the child as a budding naturalist is charming on its own, but the photo on the last page opens it up through a well-chosen image that illuminates the connections between childhood dreams and adult reality. On two appended pages, “About Jane Goodall” describes her work, while “A Message from Jane” invites others to get involved. This remarkable picture book is one of the few that speaks, in a meaningful way, to all ages

Wiener Wolf

Publishers Weekly (May 2, 2011)


Crosby (Little Lions, Bull Baiters, & Hunting Hounds) turns in a tight, polished performance in this story of a dachshund that answers the call of the wild (and then redials). Crosby's paintings display a thorough understanding of his hero's boredom-and sense of adventure. Wiener Dog lies belly up in his dog bed, watching as Granny slops another can of wet dog food into his bowl; one can almost hear him groan. So when he runs away and befriends a pack of wolves, life seems ideal. "He had a new backyard and a new water dish and new squeaky toys," Crosby writes as Wiener Dog runs through the forest, drinks from a stream, and tussles with adorable wolf cubs. Ideal, that is, until the climax of the wolves' hunt; it occurs offstage, but is clearly bloody. "Yikes!" says Wiener Dog. Crosby employs an array of techniques in his visual storytelling, from the way Wiener Dog appears to run right out of spot illustrations to the hilarious contrast between the turtleneck sweater-wearing dog and the slavering wolves. This wiener's a winner. Ages 4-7. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Cat Secrets

School Library Journal (January 1, 2011)


K-Gr 2-For anyone who has ever suspected that cats have their own secret society, this amusing book proves it. Three felines prepare to read Cat Secrets, a book so precious it's kept in a protective glass case. But first they need to make sure that there are no noncats around, and begin their investigations. They break through the fourth wall and directly challenge readers to meow, purr, and stretch. They take some convincing, and are so preoccupied with readers that they do not see a mouse sneaking around them, angling to snatch the book himself. The cats' willingness to read their secrets aloud hinges on one final test (taking a nap), which they proceed to do, giving the mouse free access to the tome. Czekaj's cartoons done in a palette of primary colors and with expressive use of speech bubbles and eyebrows make this a comedic gem. The book has obvious appeal as a read-aloud, with its instructions and large-format cartoons, but it has the intimacy of a story to be read independently. Emerging readers who have cut their teeth on Mo Willems's similarly chatty "Elephant and Piggie" series (Hyperion) will feel more than capable of tackling this book.-Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Extra Yarn

Booklist starred (December 15, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 8))


Grades K-2. This understated picture book is certain to spark the imagination of every child who comes upon it, and what could be better than that? Annabelle lives in a black-and-white world, where everything is drab, drab, drab. So imagine her surprise when she finds a box filled with yarn of every color. Armed with the yarn and knitting needles, she makes herself a sweater, but after she finishes, she finds that she has extra yarn left over. After knitting a sweater for her dog, her classmates, and various (hilariously unsurprised) bunnies and bears, she still has extra yarn. So, Annabelle turns her attention to things that don’t usually wear wool cozies: houses and cars and mailboxes. Soon an evil archduke with a sinister mustache “who was very fond of clothes” hears about the magic box of never-ending yarn, and he wants it for his own. Reading like a droll fairy tale, this Barnett-Klassen collaboration is both seamless and magical. The spare, elegant text and art are also infused with plenty of deadpan humor. Klassen (I Want My Hat Back, 2011) uses ink, gouache, and digital illustration to fashion Annabelle’s world out of geometric shapes, set against dark, saturated pages, and against white as the town comes to colorful, stitched life. Quirky and wonderful, this story quietly celebrates a child’s ingenuity and her ability to change the world around her

Say Hello To Zorro!

Kirkus Review starred (February 1, 2011)


Being a dog, Mr. Bud leads a dog's life. It is most gratifying: eat, walk, nap, nap, nap, eat, walk, movie, sleep-"and everybody stuck to the schedule. No exceptions." Then young Zorro, a pug, joins the family and threatens to make a hash of things. Zorro comes equipped with his own toys, his own moods and-forefend!-his own schedule, but it turns out to jibe with Mr. Bud's, and that common ground launches their friendship. Goodrich has a delightfully economical and humorous voice: trim yet filled with barely contained emotion-kind of like a dog. "One day, right at greet and make a fuss time... / there was a stranger. / And there was trouble" (the fateful confrontation takes place over three pages). In the background, in a lighter typeface, are the voices of humans, largely ignored. And the artwork is arresting, done in watercolors of enormous personality and quality. Mr. Bud is a mutt and mostly nose; Zorro is all face: expressive, raccoon eyes and a mouth that speaks volumes if not words. Goodrich catches them in classic dog behavior-supine with legs akimbo, charging out the door before it is fully open, expectant with chin on the edge of the bed-and he graces them with the kind of appeal that you really want to see them again.(Picture book. 4-8)