Senor Parrot's Perch

Birds

by Kevin Henkes
illustrated by Laura Dronzek

Published by Greenwillow Books, 2009
ISBN: 978-0061363047

Birds is an excellent new picture book by well known and loved children’s and YA author Kevin Henkes, and illustrated by Laura Droznek, his wife. Henkes and Droznek previously collaborated 10 years ago on their book Oh!

Henkes‘ text and Droznek‘s illustrations mesh perfectly in this beautiful book which is told from the perspective of a young girl. The text is simple, straightforward, and witty. The illustrations remarkably express and expand everything that is written. When I was reading this book to my youngest daughter tonight as I was putting her to bed, I wondered how someone other than Henkes himself could express through the illustrations the book so well. Learning just this evening that Henkes and Droznek are married explains a lot.

I quickly searched the internet looking for more pictures from the book so I could show just how beautiful it is, but I couldn’t find any other than the cover and these two. When you’re in the bookstore, look for Birds and turn inside to the pages where the text reads:

If clouds were birds,
the sky would look like this.
Or this.

The illustrations for these two pages are exquisite; I want them for my wall.

Droznek has also illustrated several books by George Shannon.

Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys and Gulls

By Lucy Nolan

Illustrated by Connie McLennan

ISBN: 978-1-934359-96-9
Published by Sylvan-Dell Publishing, emphasizing Science and Math through Literature

Twinkle, twinkle, starfish dear,
hiding in the shallows here.
Just beneath the waves you lie,
like a star tossed from the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, starfish dear,
hiding in the shallows here.

Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys and Gulls, written by Lucy Nolan and illustrated by Connie McLennan, is a collection of� fun and entertaining parodies of many favorite Mother Goose nursery rhymes. But the rhymes inside Mother Osprey are parodies with purpose. Math and counting skills, science and history are all lessons taught in these poems.� Don’t think “Boring” when you see that this book teaches hard subjects like math or science. The rhymes and illustrations are pure enjoyment in themselves.

Most of Lucy Nolan’s rhymes are pure silly fun that kids will enjoy listening to over and over and even memorizing; the rest vividly illustrate a point in time from history. An appendix in the back adds more facts and explanations that the parent or teacher can use to draw young listeners further into a teaching moment. A map shows where each of the habitats is located.

Twinkle,� Twinkle starfish dear, quoted above, places the starfish in its natural habitat and opens up rich opportunities for discussing the shallows and beaches along a rocky coast. What other animals life nearby? What do they eat? What eats them?

But Lobster Pies is just plain silly:

Old Mrs. Wise
made lobster pies all on a winter’s day;
her greedy son
grabbed every one
and took them clean away.

What a surprise
for Junior Wise
lay inside that croaker sack.
When he sat on a bench
to eat a pinch,
the lobster pies pinched back!

Nursery rhymes satisfy at many levels: they’re great fun to listen to, with their rhymes and the rhythm of their meter. They’re pleasing for the strength of their imagery. They easily capture a child’s imagination, slipping into their memories and never losing their ability to bring enjoyment. Children seem to never tire of repeating them over and over and the verses are a natural invitation to singing. Nursery rhymes teach children language skills and the repetition packs information into their young, developing brains and they help develop their ears for word use and phrasing.

Mother Osprey is a perfect gift for your child or your child’s classroom teacher, whether in preschool, kindergarten, or the early grades. The rhymes are a perfect starter to get children to focus on some part of the environment, or a place. They introduce elements of nature in an interesting way, which leads naturally to a discussion of what is in the rhyme.

Historical fiction, done well, is a doubly fun reading experience. I generally don’t read much historical fiction, but over last Christmas vacation I read a mystery/detective novel set in 11th century Japan by I.J. Parker, Island of Exiles.
The details of Japanese life of this period are so vividly woven into the story that it was as if I had been transported into this amazing new world in my entirety. I’m eagerly waiting when I have a chance to read an earlier book in the series that is already sitting in the pile on my desk. (These are not kid’s books, nor necessarily appropriate for young adult either, which are the genres that I usually comment on).

Why the sudden musings about historical fiction? This morning I read an excellent review at Caribousmom of a book by Michelle Moran, Cleopatra’s Daughter. This novel explores the life of Selene, one of the ill-fated twins born to Cleopatra and Marc Antony. The cast of characters immediately brought I, Claudius, by Robert Graves to mind. From the review, it appears that Moran has studied her history well, providing ample detailed� material to provide sufficient context for the reader to understand the times. But Caribousmom points out that these details are so well integrated into the story itself that they are almost superfluous.

It really sounds like a great read. Michelle Moran is� a popular author of other historical novels set in mysterious ancient Egypt. She’s got a background in archeology and doubtless the appreciation ancient worlds and mastery of detail she’s known for have aided her story telling.

Caribousmom’s review can be found right here.

The youngest is eagerly reading now. She had steadfastly�resisted before. She enjoyed guessing words, but not memorizing them, not actually reading. She hated sounding words out, and when she did, it was “guh…aww…tuh…guh-aww-tuh…got!” �Every single word! �Her reading ability appeared to slip to what it had been nearly a year ago.

But school has started and now she’s motivated. Now she wants to read.

We bought a set of BOB books, the first set. It was sort of a start-over point. I hate the pictures, but my daughter finds humor in them. It turns out to have been a good decision. These books have the sort of repetition of sounds and word groups that helps her recognize the words more quickly. She catchess her mistakes more quickly, �she is gaining speed and confidence, she is reading with less effort and that has sparked in her quite a bit of enthusiasm for reading more. Each book in the set builds upon the one before it. �So, I repented my disdain for the BOB books and I have become an ardent convert. And, best, my girl carries them around and reads them on her own.

The Book Smugglers reviewed Rapunzel’s Revenge today, and as is usual with them, their review was thorough and excellent, and they loved it. (Here’s the link to my review of Rapunzel’s Revenge). Reading their review, they let it be known that Team Hale (Shannon Hale, her husband Dean Hale, and not-at-all related Nathan Hale) have competed their sequel, Calamity Jack.

Oooohh, I thought, as my oldest daughter wandered into the kitchen for breakfast while I was reading The Book Smugglers’ review, she’ll will be excited to know about this! So I tell her, with an excited tone, and show her the cover image The Book Smugglers had posted. “Oh yeah, I knew”, she says. “How did you hear?”, says I. “I heard it a long time ago. I’ve known about that for a long time.”

Well, it didn’t really burn my toast, but I do hate being the last to know. (So, do I tell her that the newest graphic novel in the Kat & Mouse series, �Kat & Mouse Volume 4 (Kat and Mouse (Graphic Novels)),� is out in September? She’s been waiting for over a year and given up hope.)

Anyway, if you haven’t read Shannon Hale’s (and team Hale’s, to keep it short) graphic novel, Rapunzel’s Revenge, go out and get it today. It’s really aimed mostly at girls, but boys might get a few kicks out of it, too.

And here is a bit of the lowdown from the publisher on Calamity Jack, this snagged from The Book Smugglers review:

Jack thinks of himself as a criminal mastermind with an unfortunate amount of bad luck. A schemer, a trickster �maybe even a thief? But, of course, he�s not out for himself he�s trying to take the burden off his hardworking mum�s shoulders. She�d understand, right? He hopes she might even be proud. Then, one day, Jack chooses a target a little more ��giant� than the usual, and as one little bean turns into a great big building-destroying beanstalk, his troubles really begin. But with help from Rapunzel and other eccentric friends, Jack just might out-swindle the evil giants and put his beloved city back in the hands of the people who live there �whilst catapulting them and the reader into another fantastical adventure.

The Midwest Bookseller Association is made up of 240 or so independent, local booksellers. Annually they vote for their favorites in several categories. Today they’ve announced their award winners. Always, these are excellent picks.

At the awards dinner, to be held late this September, there are usually autographed copies available to the member booksellers. If you want to get your hands on one of these, go to your local bookseller, not Barnes and Noble, Borders, or other national chains, and find out if they’re members of the Midwest Booksellers Association and if they are going to attend the fall trade show in St. Paul, Minnesota this year. Ask, beg, or whine if they can get an autographed copy for you-you’ll need to pay, of course. They may even take your own copy to get it signed. Local booksellers are the best. In Madison, I like Booked For Murder.

These are their choices for this year:

2009 AWARD WINNERS

Fiction

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

David Wroblewski
(Ecco/HarperCollins)

Nonfiction

Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting

Michael Perry
(HarperCollins)

Poetry

Swimming With A Hundred Year Old Snapping Turtle

Freya Manfred
(Red Dragonfly Press)

Children’s Picture Book

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken

Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by Harry Bliss
(Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins)

Children’s Literature

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Dave McKean
(HarperCollins Children’s Books)

2009 HONOR BOOKS

Fiction

A Reliable Wife

Robert Goolrick
(Algonquin Books/Workman Publishing)

Nonfiction

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
(Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group USA)

Poetry

Yellowrocket

Todd Boss
(W.W. Norton & Company)

Children’s Picture Book

Snow

Cynthia Rylant, Illustrated by Lauren Stringer
(Harcourt Children’s Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Children’s Literature

Savvy

Ingrid Law
(Dial Books for Young Readers/Walden Media/
Penguin Group (USA)

Image: Ameyoko by Hisaharu Motodam Post-apocalyptic Tokyo envisioned by , via Bldg Blog

Summer continues with no time for reading today, or over the next month. So I’m making a list.

Wars and rumors of wars is a hallmark of the start of the end of time. What will the world look like then? The Book Smugglers has a fantastic review of several books dealing with the post-apocalypse. Wars aren’t the only cause of the apocalypse, these days, we also have environmental catastrophes, and these are covered here, too.

I can’t affirm any of what they say because I haven’t read any of these books, but they are each on my look for list for a closer look and, most likely, an enjoyable read. They also do an admirable conjur of Rod Serling to add fun to the bucket of books they discuss. Head there� for a very interesting list.

The post-apocalypse in literature is an interesting genre. It synthesizes the fears and hopes we have for life as we know it now, and what it will be if we don’t leash the worst of our human nature.

I haven’t been getting anything done on my own reading because there is so little time. If I can read for 10 minutes, that’s like a vacation. I’m into 4 books right now, so that’s 5-10 minutes in one of those per day.

But I sometimes get a few minutes to read a review, so I thought I’d post a snippet or two of some that interested me. And, I won’t always be so insanely busy. Each of these books is going on my reading/buying list after seeing these reviews.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Reviewed by Margaret Smith�at the MorningSun.net, this is the story of recovering vampires. With the help of Father Ramon, these vampires are struggling to end their blood-sucking ways. Then they find one of their members murdered.

And so a murder mystery unfolds, drawing the others together, threatening to tear them apart (literally � there is a werewolf in the picture, among other hazards) and perhaps making their condition more bearable � if they survive a staking, that is.

Witty and fast-paced, with morbid wit that evokes the spirit of Agatha Christie, �The Reformed Vampire Support Group,� by Australian author Catherine Jinks, is among the more original of the crimson wave of vampire novels for youths and teens in the wake of the “Twilight” series.

But, rather than going the romantic or melodramatic route, the book takes the less-than-serious approach. The vampires are able to regard their state with a sense of humor about pretty much everything, including stereotypes about Dracula and velvet capes.

House of Dark Shadows: Dreamhouse Kings Book I

by by Robert Liparulo.
This intriguing review is from the one and only Library Lounge Lizard, whose blog I’ve not visited before today. I liked this review, and it made me want to really get my hands on this book. Here’s a bit of what the Library Lounge Lizard has to say about House of Shadows: Dreamhouse Kings Book I:

What we have here is an intense and gripping novel for teens. There were times in the book that I found myself reading so fast to find out what happens that I ended up having to re-read parts because I knew I probably missed something, I had to make myself slow down a little! The house itself is an absorbing setting, rich with details that definitely add to the overall creepiness factor. But the heart of this story is the King family themselves. Wonderful character development had me caring and concerned about what happened to each and every one of them.

So if you haven’t guessed yet, yes I loved this book, Mr. Liparulo is a great writer! It is well paced enough to keep you turning the pages and there are some genuine surprises here! There is just enough gore and violence to keep it PG-13 but enough to make you grimace a time or two. With the well rounded plot this book has wide appeal but is a sure hit with middle school boys who are often a difficult audience to please!

The Secret Shortcut

by Mark Teague.
Here we have a review by Laurie Mayhew from Examiner.com. She selected this on the pretense that it makes a good book to help our young’uns to set their minds back to school. There are no such books! But there are fun books that concern school. Here’s one. This is some of what Laurie has to say:

This is a hilarious tale about Wendel and Floyd who always show up late for school. With aliens and pirates to circumvent, it is no wonder they are late. But their teacher, Mrs. Gernsblatt, has had it with their crazy excuses. They need to be on time . . . OR ELSE!
They start out early with the best intentions and decide to take the secret shortcut to be certain to get there on time. Jungles and crocodiles and rope bridges stand in their way, but they are determined to make it on time.
Will they make it? The hilarious result is squishy but satisfying.

Mark Teague is a big favorite at our house. And since Back-to-School shopping is the rage with Mom and the girls, I can slip this in. Laurie gave me the excellent, albeit false, excuse that this will prepare them for returning to drudgery. I can bet, too, that if it weren’t about 4 miles to their school, they’d like to walk there after reading this book, if the cover of The Secret Shortcut is any clue.

This last book has a boat on the cover, therefore it meets all criteria for being a good book. But there’s more. The review is written by the author’s daughter, so you know the reviewer loves, I mean reeeaaaally loves this book. Unfortunately, the review is reeeaaaally short, too. I would like to know more, but the cover, reeeaaaally is enough for me. I’m sure your reeeaaaally tired of this so here is the info:

Pirate’s Passage

by William Gilkerson

Reviewer Anna Gilkerson says nice things about her dad’s book. But don’t rely just on Anna. Pirate’s Passage won the Governor General�s Award for Children�s Literature in 2006. That makes it one of those Canadian books. Anna says:

The old bias goes: pirates were the bad boys who robbed and pillaged the innocent. In William Gilkerson�s beautifully illustrated page turner, �Pirate�s Passage,� the story follows young Jim and his mysterious mentor Captain Johnson in 1950�s Nova Scotia. A rich education coated in adventure�ideal for children or adults who find themselves in need of some sea-worthy fun-yet-educational-yet-fun reading.

She also tells us, that this book was made into a 10-part animated feature with Donald Sutherland as the voice of the Captain, who is the one telling the tale. I’m salivating over the cover of this book. I’m itching to find a copy of this film. This is going onto the top of my wishlist/gotta read list. You can tell, I’m like Ratty. Nothing beats messing around in boats.

And go here to Gilkerson’s website to read some more about this book, as well as some of his others.

The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

It’s been a tough ride on the roller coaster for Pluto. Once the favorite planet of children, now ingominiously referred to as a dwarf planet, the status of Pluto had become something of an astronomer’s political football a few years back. In a day and age when we’re supersizing our meals, we are downsizing planets. How this came to be is richly detailed, albeit somewhat one-sidedly, in Neil deGrasse Tyson‘s very entertaining and informative book entitled The Pluto Files:The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet.

It is a very aptly titled book. It’s irreverent, funny and enlightening. It is also a great example of how science can be discussed on a layman’s level. Tyson’s sense of humor and pugnacious spirit shows on every page in clearly written prose. If it’s something you need to know to understand the topic, Tyson is very able to explain it in a way you can understand.

Covering the history of Pluto from the early search for Planet X through it’s (more…)

The London Eye Mystery

By Siobhan Dowd

How does someone vanish into thin air? Magicians make beautiful women disappear. Harry Houdini made an elephant disappear. David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear. All tricks. All illusions. But what about when your cousin disappears? Almost from before your very eyes. And he doesn’t reappear?

Ted and Kat, his older sister, wait on the ground while their cousin Salim rides the great London Eye, an enormous Ferris Wheel like ride that towers over everything nearby. Salim never appears. He’s vanished. A mysterious man had given his ticket to Salim. Then, Salim had jumped to the head of the long, snaking line waiting to board the London Eye. Ted and Kat saw him enter the car. No one saw him again.

Together, Ted and Kat work to solve the mystery of their vanished cousin. The twist is that (more…)