start: âA is for Apple / B is for Ball / C is for Cat.â And then, âD is for Moose. ... Originally published in Spa
The Reading Chair
Picture My Day, by Séverine Cordier and Cynthia Lacroix. 2011. Toronto, Ontario: Owlkids Books. [Published in France in 2010 by Editions Escabelle.] Translated by Lesley Zimic. 176 pp. ISBN 9781926973302. Ages birth to 4. This adorable pint-sized browsing book will fit nicely into adult- or child-sized hands and offers 176 pages of objects and names to delight readers. But far from being a dense or impenetrable tome, it’s readily accessible. Objects are grouped thematically, portraying the daily routines of a family of five. There are sections on getting dressed, brushing teeth and combing hair, playing with toys, and preparing dinner. The book ends with a bath, family reading time, and saying goodnight. For the three children in the family, there is sibling rivalry, projects and play with mom and dad, and time spent both indoors and in nature. The book doesn’t need to be browsed cover-tocover in one sitting. It can be read in increments, and children can revisit their favorite sections. Isabel Baker, MAT, MLS, is president of The Book Vine for Children, a national company dedicated to getting good books into the hands of preschool children and their teachers. Isabel has worked as a children’s librarian and is currently a presenter on early literacy and book selection. Miriam Baker Schiffer, MFA, is a writer in Brooklyn, New York. She consults on book selection for The Book Vine, in McHenry, Illinois. This column is available in an online archive at www.naeyc.org/yc/columns. ®
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We appreciate the variety of information presented. For example, the “Time to Eat” section features the following pages, among others: utensils and kitchen tools (with children on the opposite page carrying dishes to set the table), a view of healthy dry goods, a parent’s place setting as well as a child’s, a showcase of various animals and the dishes they contribute to a meal, and a diagram showing eight fruits in their whole state, how they appear when cut, and what the seeds, peels, pits, and rinds look like once the fruits are eaten. The tactile paper feels pleasing and organic to the touch, and while the illustrations seem delightfully simple, the color palate is rich and varied, and interesting details abound. The book can be incorporated into numerous classroom extension activities, including one on sorting.
Go, Go, Grapes! A Fruit Chant, by April Pulley Sayre. 2012. New York: Beach Lane Books. 32 pp. ISBN 9781442433908. Ages 2 to 7. Sayre expands to other areas of the plant kingdom with this sequel to her successful vegetable chant book, Rah, Rah, Radishes! A Vegetable Chant. Now focused on fruits, she shows the same gift for rhyme and rich word choice. (“Grab a guava. Live for lime. Pucker up, pal, it’s lemon time!”) In fact, it’s her strength picking just the right words that enables Sayre to use more interesting language without sacrificing comprehension. (“Glum? Go plum.”) Both books feature photos from local farmers’ markets. Go, Go, Grapes! also includes imported fruits from faraway growing regions, such as dragon fruit, durian, and persimmon. Some fruits are cut open, exposing surprising shapes inside (kiwi, lychee, mangosteen, pomegranate). The chant and photographs beg to be extended. But be prepared to have fruits on hand for tasting to accompany any classroom extension activity, because this book will make readers salivate. Note: Please see page 86 for an interview with April Pulley Sayre.
Young Children • November 2012
Z Is for Moose, by Kelly Bingham. Illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Greenwillow Books. 32 pp. ISBN 9780060799847. Ages 3 to 7. Zebra’s job is to direct all of the animals, objects, and characters that are featured in this alphabet book. Everyone is lined up and ready to go, which gets things off to a predictable start: “A is for Apple / B is for Ball / C is for Cat.” And then, “D is for Moose.” Wait … what? Moose is on the wrong page! While Zebra tries to maintain order, Moose accidentally makes a mess of the alphabet roll call. He bumps into Elephant while trying to move himself over a few pages to M, blocks most of the page featuring Hat, and jumps into Kangaroo’s pouch, asking, “Now?” Moose’s eagerness turns to hurt and anger when he gets to M and finds that Mouse has been brought in to replace him. Zebra exhausts himself defending the remaining pages of the book, until Moose resigns himself to tears, and Zebra finds a creative way to include him after all. Moose’s antics will entertain readers, who must use their alphabet smarts to figure out what’s supposed to be happening on each of the pages where Moose has wreaked havoc. This participatory read-aloud book takes the alphabet to the next level not only by requiring some detective work, but by presenting the 26 letters in the context of a story about having compassion and looking out for a friend. The illustrations by Caldecott winner Paul Zelinsky suit the story well. They are less detailed than usual, allowing for plenty of movement on the page and for readers to focus their attention on the frenzy created by Moose.
Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett. Illustrations by Jon Klassen. 2012. New York: Balzer + Bray. 40 pp. ISBN 9780061953385. Ages 3 to 7. When young Annabelle discovers a box of yarn and begins to knit, everyone around town criticizes the manyhued sweaters she creates. Rather than get discouraged, she gives the sweaters as gifts, winning over her detractors. Oddly, her box never runs out of yarn, and Annabelle finds a way to be generous to everyone. For the man who prefers tank tops and shorts in winter, she makes a cap. She knits covers for the houses and mailboxes. And that box still doesn’t run out of yarn. A quirky plot makes this story immediately
Young Children • November 2012
intriguing. And it even seems like a natural turn of events when a sartorially obsessed archduke from overseas hears of her magic and steals her box of never-ending yarn. The book’s delightful resolution (which involves the return of the box and the knitting of more sweaters, this time for the trees) reinforces its message that love, generosity, and optimism will always conquer negativity. The success Annabelle achieves with her quiet but steadfast personality is reassuring. And one can’t help but feel the metaphorical warmth generated by her knitting. Readers may spot the resemblance between one of illustrator Jon Klassen’s animal characters in this book and the main character in I Want My Hat Back. Klassen builds on his success from that work and brings new depth and feeling to the page in this story.
Jimmy the Greatest!, by Jairo Buitrago. Illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. 2012. Berkeley, CA: Groundwood Books. [Published in Spanish in 2010 by Random House Mondadori (Bogotá, Colombia).] Translated by Elisa Amado. 48 pp. ISBN 9781554981786. Ages 4 to 8. Originally published in Spanish, this poetic translation tells the story of a small-time boxer, Jimmy, from a seaside town in Latin America, who has big dreams. In subtle, respectful ways, the author reveals the town’s poverty and Jimmy’s generosity of spirit in the face of adversity. (“Here’s Jimmy. He’s the guy with the shoes.” And pages later, “In his heart Jimmy was already a boxer, even though there were no boxing gloves at the gym, and someone there, maybe by mistake, had taken his shoes.”) Readers see Jimmy’s dedication and how he looks up to his two role models, the local boxing teacher and Muhammad Ali. And they see the satisfaction Jimmy derives from his work. All of this makes for a moving story, but where this book is most original is in the final pages, when Jimmy realizes he may never get a big match in the big city. Instead, he dedicates himself to running his mentor’s boxing gym, creating a local library, and being a role model for future boxers. For Jimmy, being a great boxer doesn’t mean having to leave home. Success comes from being a stronghold in the community and working every day to serve the place where he is from. This inspiring story leaves readers with a strong sense of place, thanks not only to the beautiful text, but to the folksy illustrations of a sandy oceanside town, the colorfully if sparsely dressed residents, a landscape littered with shack-like homes, and a rich blue ocean that constantly offers the promise of escape, as well as a reminder of the beauty that is there already. Copyright © 2012 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at www.naeyc.org/yc/permissions.
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