35. The Light That Shines Forever

The Light That Shines Forever: The True Story and Remarkable Rescue of 669 Children on the Eve of World War II. David T. Warner. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In the final months of 1938, the shadow of war was spreading across Europe. HItler's armies had marched into the borderlands of Czechoslovakia, forcing Jewish families, among others, to flee their homes and seek refuge inland.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book for older readers--mid to upper elementary aged students through adults. This is the story of Nicholas Winton and his rescue of six hundred plus Jewish children. While he couldn't rescue or save whole families, he could get hundreds of Jewish children out of the country and living with host families. He did what he could in the months that he could. 

My thoughts: The story has been told in other books about the war (and holocaust). It certainly is a story worth sharing in this new format. The illustrations are beautiful. I definitely found both narrative and illustrations engaging. I would definitely recommend this one to readers of most ages. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

30. A Most Clever Girl

A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice. Jasmine A. Stirling. Illustrated by Vesper Stamper. 2021. [March] 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Jane loved stories--long ones, short ones, worn and new. 

Premise/plot: A Most Clever Girl is a picture book biography of Jane Austen. The narrative has a specific focus: how did Jane Austen find her voice? or to word it a different way, how did Austen find her own unique narrative style? The book focuses on her love of READING and WRITING and sharing stories with family and friends. Along the way, readers learn a bit more about Austen's family and the times in which she grew up.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. Probably my favorite thing about this picture book is that it includes Austen quotes throughout the narrative. The words that appears in italics are from Austen herself. (Adults can find the sources for these quotes in the back matter.) I also appreciated how this picture book provides context for reading and appreciating Austen's novels.

Is it really written for children? Or is it written for adults? I think that's a fair enough question. I do think there are plenty of adults who love, love, love Jane Austen who have daughters (and sons), granddaughters (and grandsons), nieces (and nephews). I could see this appealing to Austen fans regardless if they have children in their lives.

I am not someone who thinks that picture books are ONLY for children. I'm not. I think readers of all ages can read and enjoy picture books. I think you never outgrow a good story.

Have you read this one? What did you think about it?

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Madeline

Madeline. Ludwig Bemelmans. 1939. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In an old house in Paris/ that was covered with vines/ lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

Premise/plot: Madeline is a children's classic set in Paris, France. It stars a brave little girl, Madeline, who has to go to the hospital with her appendix.

My thoughts: I love the setting of Madeline. I do. The illustrations of this one are lovely. The rhyming is nice. But the story itself--when you really stop and think about it--is a bit odd. As a child, I never really stopped to think about where they lived. Was it an orphanage? Were all the girls orphans? Is that why sometimes they were very, very sad? Was it a school? I also never really understood--then or now--why the other girls wanted Madeline's scar?!

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Love and the Rocking Chair

Love and the Rocking Chair. Diane and Leo Dillon. 2019. [October 15] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Many years ago, a young couple stood in a sea of chairs, searching for just the right one. "Look at that chair over there. It's perfect for the baby's room," the young woman said.

Premise/plot: Love and the Rocking Chair celebrates generations of a family and the legacy of a rocking chair passed on through the years. The book opens with a young couple expecting a baby and looking for just-the-right rocking chair. The chair is used when he is a baby and as he continues to grow. It is a chair he chooses to use in his own nursery when he's all grown up and expecting a child of his own...

My thoughts: Love and The Rocking Chair is a picture book for older readers. Dare I say it's a picture books written specificially with adults in mind?! It's a lovely book, don't get me wrong. But it's a book packed with sentiment and wisdom that only age can truly appreciate.

Love and the Rocking Chair is a bittersweet read. On the one hand, captured within this gem of a book are scenes of a family through the years. Babies being rocked. Toddlers being read to. Children imagining and playing. Children growing up, getting older, moving on, etc. On the other hand, it captures some heartbreaking moments as well. The husband/father getting old/sick, the wife/mother and the son standing together by a casket mourning. The wife/mother/grandmother wishing that her husband could be by her side to see his granddaughter. It's TOUGH, TOUGH I tell you on the heart strings.

It captures what life is--the way things are, the way things will always be in this world. LOVE is always present. Every single spread captures what it means to love and be loved. That's a difficult thing perhaps to capture in a meaningful way.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Voices from the Underground Railroad

Voices from the Underground Railroad. Kay Winters. Illustrated by Larry Day. 2018. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Tonight's the night.

Premise/plot: Jeb and Mattie are two slaves that have decided to run away. Their stories are told in verse. The perspectives alternate between the two. Occasionally readers hear other voices as well from men and women working on the underground railroad.

My thoughts: I would definitely recommend this picture book for older readers. It is a compelling story told completely in verse. The back matter includes an author's note and extensive bibliography. The illustrations are lovely.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Did You Hear What I Heard?

Did You Hear What I Heard? Kay Winters. Illustrated by Patrice Barton. 2018. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Breakfast is a flurry. Eggs in a hurry. People pop up like the toast.

Premise/plot: Kay Winters has written a collection of school-themed poems. This collection covers the whole school year--beginning to end. You'll find poems appropriate to share with students any time of year.

My thoughts: I liked this one. Poetry collections are interesting to review. Usually you find poems that you love and poems that are more meh. I definitely would say I found poems I enjoyed in this picture book. I didn't love each and every poem. But that's not really to be expected.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean. Dean Robbins. Illustrated by Sean Rubin. 2019. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Lights flashed. A rocket rumbled. Alan Bean's dream was about to come true.

Premise/plot: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon is a picture book biography of Alan Bean. The book shares how he was a pilot and astronaut who learned to paint...not just what he saw, but what he felt. He would take the photographs he took of the moon and translate them into artistic paintings of what he felt like being on the moon. Whether you're interest--as a reader--is in space or space travel OR art--I think this one has much appeal.

My thoughts: I definitely loved this one. I loved the text. The narrative is engaging.

The Earth looked breathtaking from the cockpit. The white clouds above. The green fields below. The blue all around. Alan wished he could paint what he saw. He found an art class to teach him about patterns and forms. Alan dabbed his brush on the canvas to paint a vase of flowers. His flowers didn't look exactly real, but he didn't want them to. They were brighter and bolder than real ones because he let his imagination take over. The painting showed how stunning the flowers looked through Alan's eyes. How they made him feel.

I really loved the author's note. The author's note includes more information about Alan Bean. It also shows Alan's photographs side-by-side with his artwork. This book provides several quotes by Alan Bean. And overall it seems well-researched. (There's even an in-depth timeline of space exploration.)

The book focuses on his adult life--his training to be an astronaut, his moon mission, his work as a painter.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Bark in the Park

Bark in the Park! Poems for Dog Lovers. Avery Corman. Illustrated by Hyewon Yum. 2019. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:

Afghan Hound
Although he's noble and aloof,
He's still a dog, so he still says, "Woof!"

Basset Hound
For things she can smell,
She's a comer and goer.
She's much like a Beagle,
But longer and lower.

Beagle
The beagle is bent
On tracking a scent.
He follows his nose
wherever it goes.

 Premise/plot: A collection of poems about dogs/dog breeds. Each poem is short. Some poems are just two lines; other poems are all of four lines. All rhyme--for better or worse.

My thoughts: I like the idea of liking this one. I do. But sometimes I wish authors knew that poems don't always, always, always have to rhyme in order to be poetry. Sometimes poems come across as forced. You can always tell when a poem chooses a word just because--only because--it "rhymes."

That being said, there were definitely quite a few poems in this one that I really enjoyed.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Because

Because. Mo Willems. Illustrated by Amber Ren. 2019. Hyperion. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Because a man named Ludwig wrote beautiful music--a man named Franz was inspired to create his own. Because many years later, people wanted to hear Franz's beautiful music--they formed an orchestra. Because a man had practiced since he was a kid--he was asked to join.

Premise/plot: A young girl's life is changed forever when she attends a symphony. Half the story focuses on the before--the many, many becauses that lead up to that magical moment. Half the story focuses on the after--again using many, many becauses. Essentially the premise is MUSIC IS FOOD FOR THE SOUL. Also that it only takes a moment for a life to be changed.

From that moment on, the girl learned everything she could about music--because it fed her.
Soon, she started to write music, too--because, like Franz, the young woman had something to share.  

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. It is a BEAUTIFUL picture book. It had me at hello--with the end pages. Though to be fair, there is something about the cover of this one that says READ ME, READ ME. Though to be honest, I would have read this one anyway no matter what the cover looked like BECAUSE it's MO WILLEMS.

I thought this one was beautifully written. This one is perhaps a bit more sentimental than most of Mo Willem's previous books. Willem may perhaps be best known for two super-popular series: Elephant & Piggie and Pigeon. There is something almost lyrical about the text of this one--pure magic.

I also thought this one was beautifully illustrated. I'll never know if the illustrations alone would have hooked me--swept me up, up, and away--because I also fell head over heels in love with the text. But together magic is made in this one.

I would recommend this one FOR ALL AGES. The symphony that inspired her was playing Schubert's Symphony No. 8.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10



© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

HIdden Figures

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race. Margo Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling. Illustrated by Laura Freeman. 2018. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math. Really good.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book adaptation of the story first told in an adult nonfiction book--Hidden Figures. It follows the lives of four human computers--Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden. The focus being on their contribution to the space race and the challenges they faced as black women at a time when they would face discrimination for being black and for being female.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved Hidden Figures. The book and movie were fabulous. I highly recommend both. I'm glad to see this story is being adapted for all ages and audiences. The illustrations are wonderful. The book received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 2019.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Margaret McNamara. Illustrated by Esme Shapiro. 2018. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

July 4, 1854, Washington
My dearly beloved Elizabeth, for I hope that is what you will be called, if you are born a girl, my daughter who is your grandmama, has asked me to devote this day to writing a letter to you, about my very long and fortunate life. I am not much given to letter-writing nowadays, nor was I ever inclined to write about myself, yet you may perhaps find much to interest you herein.

Premise/plot: It is a picture book biography of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. The framework of this one is that Eliza herself is telling her own story via letter to her yet unborn great-granddaughter. (This much is fact: the last year of Eliza's life--1854--her granddaughter was expecting a child.) The book spans her whole life--well, up until 1854.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I do think it is a picture book for older children; perhaps I'd even go so far as to say it's a picture book for adults. There is a LOT of text. I think for those that love, love, love the musical Hamilton and for those that also enjoy reading, this one is worth seeking out.

I liked the text; I liked the illustrations. But I didn't "love, love, love" either. I am glad I read it. It is nice to read picture books that touch upon history now and then. 

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

So Many Sounds

So Many Sounds. Tim McCanna. Illustrated by Andy J. Miller. 2018. Abrams. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Listen! Do you hear a sound? Noises come from all around. Soft and gentle, loud and clear, oh so many sounds to hear!

Premise/plot: This concept book is written in rhyme. It focuses on the sense of hearing. What sounds does the little boy--our hero--hear throughout the day and into the night?

My thoughts: I love, love, love, LOVE the text of this one. It is LOVELY. It is rhythmic. The descriptive writing is excellent. 

Teapot whistles.
Toaster pops.
Bacon sizzles.
Pancake flops.

and

Sneakers stamp, and classrooms bustle.
Pencils scratch, and papers rustle.
Whispers, giggles, shouts, and slurps,
Munching, crunching, gulps, and burps.

I absolutely love the text as I've mentioned. I wasn't as crazy about the illustrations. In fact the scale of the illustrations bothered me a good deal. The arms of all the people are very large and out of proportion. Hands/arms don't go down to one's ankles. They just don't.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Balance the Birds

Balance the Birds. Susie Ghahremani. 2018. Abrams. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Here come the birds! Half on the left side, and half on the right. This is how the birds balance!

Premise/plot: Susie Ghahremani is the author of Stack the Cats which I reviewed last year. Like Stack the Cats, Balance the Birds is a math-related concept book for young readers. The concept being taught is weight, size, and logic.

My thoughts: I liked Stack the Cats well enough. It may be about math, but it was also about cats. 

I didn't dislike Balance the Birds. I think that's important to point out. I just didn't love it.

The illustrations are super-bold and colorful. Perhaps a little too colorful for my poor eyes. I think I would have liked this one a little more if the background(s) were different. If they were a shade of sky--white, gray, blue--for example. Instead of sky, we have bright red, bright yellow, light turquoise, dark turquoise.

I did like how the tree is a scale--readers can tell if the birds are balanced by paying attention to the tree.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Just Like Us! Cats

Just Like Us! Cats. Bridget Heos. Illustrated by David Clark. 2019. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Cats have retractable claws, razor-sharp teeth, and tails for balancing. Humans don't. But in some ways, cats and people are alike.

Premise/plot: Just Like Us! Cats is a nonfiction picture book about cats. You should know, however, this isn't so much focused on house pets as it is wild cats, big cats, prehistoric cats. It is packed with information. Each two-page spread provides one to two paragraphs of insight.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it featured photographs instead of cartoon-like illustrations. The text was informative though.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever. Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter. Illustrated by Maria Tina Beddia. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: A is for Aisle. The bread aisle has not been cleaned in aeons, and nine tiny beasts meet to have a feast.

Premise/plot: This book is not your traditional alphabet book. It is choosing to highlight words that "misbehave" in one way or another. Usually misbehaving words start with silent letters or break phonic rules in some way. Some letters are trickier to find examples for than others. Some choices make total sense--others not so much. There is a glossary and word pronunciation guide at the back of the book.

More examples:

• C is for Czar. Shhh! The fascinating czar is secretly part Czech.
• E is for Ewe. Eileen the ewe was so euphoric the wolves were eaten, she even gave the eulogy.
• G is for Gnocchi. The gnome yells, "Waiter! There's a bright white gnat nibbling on my gnocchi!"
• I is not for Eye. We asked the pirate if he has two eyes, and he said, "aye, aye!"
• K is for Knight. The noble knight's knife nicked the knave's knee.
• N is not for Knot. N is for naughty children who will sing a solemn hymn when autumn comes to an end. 
• P is for Pterodactyl. Ptolemy the psychic pterodactyl struggles with psoriasis. 
• T is for Tsunami. The charging tsunami washed away all of Tchaikovsky's tchotchkes. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. Granted, I am an adult. I'm not sure this is a picture book for actual children. As in children who are just beginning to read and sound out words. I'm not sure how it would work as a read aloud for a group. Perhaps it has some potential there! If you are planning to read it aloud, I'd recommend practice. (It's always a great idea to pre-read a book before reading it aloud anyway.)

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story About an Accidental Invention (Really!). Barry Wittenstein. Illustrated by Chris Hsu. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Once upon a time, in 1917 actually, a cotton buyer named Earle Dickson married his beloved, Josephine, and they lived happily ever after. The end. Actually, that was just the beginning. The newlyweds expected to live a quiet life in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Instead, Earle and Josephine ended up changing the world, one boo-boo at a time.

Premise/plot: This is a nonfiction book about the inventor of the band-aid. There is a personal story behind this invention.

My thoughts: I found this one to be a compelling read. I'd never thought about the person who invented band-aids. Like most, I imagine, I have taken them for granted never giving a moment's thought to WHO invented them and WHY. (Not to mention the WHEN and HOW). I am thankful for the invention--as a book lover prone to paper cuts they're an absolute necessity--and thankful for the book.



© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Joy

Joy. Corrine Averiss. Illustrated by Isabelle Follath. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Fern loved Nanna. She loved her butterfly cakes, her mantelpiece mice, and her cat, Snowball. Most of all, she loved her smile. But recently, Nanna had stopped baking cakes, the mice were dusty, and Snowball was more like a ball of fuzz. Worst of all, Nanna hardly ever smiled.

Premise/plot: In Corrine Averiss' Joy, Fern, our lovable narrator, goes on a mission--a mission to CATCH or capture joy. She wants to give this captured-joy to her grandmother--her Nanna. Will her hunt for joy succeed? Perhaps. Fern finds herself surrounded by whooshes of joy all over the place. But how do you capture a feeling? How can you give it away?

My thoughts: I really loved this one the first time I read it. I love it when picture books focus on the oh-so-special relationship between child and grandparent--in this case a girl and her grandmother. I loved, loved, loved seeing Nanna's huge SMILE when she was talking to her granddaughter. "You bring me all the joy in the world just by being you." It's SUPER-SUPER sweet.

I didn't love it quite so much the second time I read it. I don't suspect--I know--that I am now overthinking things. Is Fern genuinely worried about Nanna's mental and emotional health? Is Fern being empathetic and compassionate or selfish? Does Fern just want her fun playmate back? Does she just miss the butterfly cakes? Why are the butterfly cakes mentioned first in the things she loves about her grandmother? Doesn't she realize that there will be a time when her Nanna no longer is able to bake cakes?! Doesn't she realize that she's blessed just to have her Nanna around? The cakes are ultimately meaningless. It's Nanna that matters. Not what Nanna can do for her.  She probably doesn't. Fern is in a happy little innocent bubble. She's taking everything for granted. And perhaps that is the way it should be.

But what really bothered me the second time around were the illustrations. Nanna is in a wheel chair. Fern is pushing her chair through the park. The last spread shows Nanna and Fern relaxing on a blanket at the park. Surrounded by multiple cakes. No chair in sight. How did Nanna get down on the ground? How will she get back up again? Getting grandparents back up off the floor--even if they've never spent time in a wheel chair--usually isn't easy. I got down here but how am I going to get back up again. This conversation happens. It's real. So I'm worried even if Fern isn't.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Polar Bear Wish

The Polar Bear Wish. Lori Evert. Photographs by Per Breiehagen. 2018. Random House. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Long, long ago, so high in the mountains and close to the stars that on clear nights you didn't need a lantern, lived an adventurous girl named Anja.

Premise/plot: A girl makes a Christmas wish. Did her wish come true? Or did she have a fantastical dream?

My thoughts: This is the fourth book in the Wish series. This is the first that I've read. Perhaps if I had a previous attachment with Anja or Erik--the (human) stars of this one--then I might have appreciated it more. I thought it was odd. Perhaps surreal is the better word choice. I think some readers will enjoy it very much. This reader didn't really "get it." But picture books are incredibly subjective.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations/photographs: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Allie All Along

Allie All Along. Sarah Lynne Reul. 2018. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: SNAP! Allie's crayon broke. I blinked. She was suddenly...furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, sooo ANGRY. She stomped, smashed, crashed, and threw a tantrum, a fuss, and a fit.

Premise/plot: Allie's brother helps her calm down and work through her many, many feelings in Sarah Lynne Reul's picture book Allie All Along. [For the record, I am guessing that it is her brother; it could just as well be a friend. Though a friend might be more likely to run far, far away until the storm is over. This person knows Allie and her moods very well.]

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I haven't loved a book about fits this much since reading FINN THROWS A FIT a few years ago. I'm not sure which of the two I'll end up liking more--only time will tell.

I loved the writing. I loved the concept. I loved the shedding of emotions. I loved the coping skills.  I loved the illustrations. It's a relatable book start to finish. And the ending is oh-so-right.    

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Quiet

Quiet. Tomie dePaola. 2018. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "My, oh my," the grandfather said. "Everything is in such a hurry."

Premise/plot: One thing I love about picture books is that often what you see is what you get. This is a story celebrating quietness and stillness. A grandfather is on a walk with his grandchildren and a dog. Once the grandfather points out how 'everything' is in a hurry, they all take turns pointing out the busyness they see in nature as they walk along. But soon it is time to sit down and rest, to slow down their minds and bodies, to just be still. Just as nature can be busy, it can also be restful.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I agree with the conclusion--the moral, if you will--of this one: To be quiet and still is a special thing. There is a timelessness to this one which makes it somewhat unique.  I think Mr. Rogers would approve of this one!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews