Picture Books I Read in 2010

Cover of How to Speak Moo!

Many of these books I read aloud multiple times for the children in my story times.  I put in bold the ones I loved. I underlined ones that kids seemed to especially like.  Listed alphabetically by title.

Picture Books, Easy Readers, and Board Books

1. 10, 9, 8 by Molly Bang (board book)
2. Aarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks
3. Alison’s Zinnia by Anita Lobel
4. Alistair’s Elephant by Marilyn Sadler
5. Baa for Beginners by Deborah Fajerman (funny)
6. Bad Baby by Ross MacDonald
7. Bad Frogs by Thacher Hurd
8. Band of Dirty Pirates by Harvey Damian (easy reader) (some 10 year olds liked this one)
9. Barefooted Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade by Deborah Diesen  (My kids didn’t like it.  But a mother apologized for its state since her young son had lovingly chewed on it.)
10. Beach Tail by Karen Williams (mothers liked this one)
11. Bear in the Air by Susan Meyers  (charming)
12. Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson  (food stories go over well)
13. Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker  (funny)
14. Big Chickens Go to Town by Leslie Helakoski
15. Bing: Get Dressed by Ted Dewan  (very popular)
16. Bing: Go Picnic by Ted Dewan  (but my copies are falling to pieces)
17. Bing: Make Music by Ted Dewan  (and they are out of print, *sigh*)
18. Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler
19. Brave Potatoes by Toby Speed
20. Bug City by Dahlov Ipcar
21. Bunny Bungalow by Cynthia Rylant
22. Burger Boy by Alan Durant
23. Cat & Mouse: A Delicious Tale by Jiwon Oh (quirky)
24. Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black  (makes mothers nervous)
25. Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
26. City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
27. Click, Clack, Splish, Splash by Doreen Cronin
28. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
29. Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
30. Come on Rain by by Karen Hesse
31. Cool Cat, Hot Dog by Sandy Turner
32. Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
33. Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka  (not many adults share my adoration for this book.)
34. Crocodaddy by Kim Norman
35. Curious Garden by Peter Brown
36. Dancing Dinos by Sally Lucas (easy reader)  (lively)
37. Dear Fish by Chris Gall
38. Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
39. Dibble and Dabble by Dave Saunders
40. Dinosaur vs. the Potty by Bob Shea (kids appear to be put off by this hilarious book.)
41. Do Little Mermaids Wet Their Beds by Jeanne Willis
42. Do’s and Don’t by Todd Parr (board book)
43. Dog Breath by Dave Pilkey
44. Dollhouse Fairy by Jane Ray
45. Duck & Goose, it’s Time for Christmas! by Tad Hills (board book)
46. Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
47. Duck is Dirty by Satoshi Kitamura (board book)
48. Duck on a Bike by David Shannon (funny)
49. Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills
50. Ducks Disappearing by Phyllis Naylor
51. Ella, Of Course by Sarah Weeks
52. Elmer by David McKee
53. Eloise at the Wedding by Margaret McNamara
54. Everything I Know About Pirates by Tom Lichtenheld
55. Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers (very popular)
56. Five Little Pumpkins by Ben Mantle (board book)  (3 year boy likes this one)
57. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlingson (charming)
58. Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas by Julia Rawlingson
59. Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlingson (charming)
60. Floop’s New Umbrella by Carole Tremblay (easy reader)
61. Flotsam by David Wiesner (Caldecott Medal) (wordless)
62. Froggy Eats Out by Jonathan London
63. Froggy Eats Out by Jonathan London
64. Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
65. Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup (pirates and santa – they couldn’t go wrong)
66. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal:  A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman  (clever but hard to follow)
67. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann
68. Golem by David Wisniewski (Caldecott Medal)
69. Hallelujah Flight by Phil Bildner  (interesting history, poetically written)
70. Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey (funny)
71. Harry on the Rocks by Susan Meddaugh
72. Harry’s Box by Angela McAllister
73. Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster & Chris Raschka (Caldecott Medal)
74. House in the Night by Susan Swanson (Caldecott)
75. How are You Peeling by Joost Elffers
76. How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food by Jane Yolen
77. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen
78. How to Catch an Elephant by Amy Schwartz
79. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
80. How to Speak Moo! by Daborah Fajerman
81. Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
82. Hungry Coat by Demi
83. Hush, Hush! by Margaret Wild (board book)
84. I am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater (quirky)
85. I Hate Reading by Arthur Bacon, Henry Bacon
86. I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges
87. I Love My Mom by Anna Walker (board book)
88. I Love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck
89. I’m Dirty! by Kate McMullan
90. In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting
91. Inspector Hopper’s Mystery Year by Doug Cushman (easy reader)
92. Interrupting Chicken by David Stein
93. Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick
94. Ivy Loves to Give by Freya Blackwood (charming, especially the illustrations)
95. Jazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson
96. Jeannette Claus Saves Christmas by Douglas Rees (clever)
97. Joe on the Go by Peggy Anderson
98. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Caldecott Medal)
99. Jump Frog Jump by Robert Kalan (board book)
100. Just Like Mama by Lesléa Newman

Books I read in April 2010

Bargain Bride was a surprisingly entertaining novel about a very young woman struggling to survive in Oregon.  Babymouse: Queen of the World was cute story about a mouse gaining integrity but not as remarkable as I had been lead to believe.  I was charmed by The Worry Web Site in which student type out their worries anonymously and their teacher helps them solve their problems.  It was much lighter in tone than it could have been and for which I was thankful.

Old Pig is the best picture book about death I’ve ever read.  It’s painful and soothing at the same time.  And the watercolors are just perfect.  Ella, Of Course is a delightful tale about girl who loves her umbrella.  Sheep is a Shop is a funny book and I loved how it was resolved.  Bug City is weird but cool.  I adore Peggy Rathman and Officer and Goldie is just right as a funny, touching story.  Black and White is more of a graphic novel than a picture book and worth reading although I can’t sum it up well.

• Babymouse: Queen of the World by Matthew & Jennifer Holm. (graphic novel)
• Spider-Girl: Bedeviled by Tom Defalco (graphic novel)
• Bargain Bride by Evelyn Lampman (juvenile novel)
• The Worry Web Site by Jacqueline Wilson (j)

Picture Books

• Old Pig by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks (p)
• Ella, Of Course by Sarah Weeks (p)
• Joe on the Go by Peggy Anderson (p)
• The Wedding by Iza Trapani, Eve Bunting (p)
• Goldilicious by Victoria Kann (p)
• Max and the Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells (p)
• Sheep in a Shop by  Nancy Shaw (p)
• Sheep Out to Eat by Nancy Shaw (p)
• Bug City by Dahlov Ipcar (p)
• Silver Rain Brown by Mary-Claire Helldorfer (p)
• My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson, art by Penny Dale (p)
• Psst! by Adam Rex (p)
• Jazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson (p)
• Little Pea by Amy Rosenthal (p)
• Burger Boy by Alan Durant (p)
• Letters from a Desperate Dog by Eileen Christelow (p)
• Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann (p)
• Officer and Goldie by Peggy Rathmann (Caldecott art)
• Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges (Caldecott art by Trina Schart Hyman)
• Black and White by David MacAuly (Caldecott art)
• Golem by David Wisniewski (Caldecott art)
• Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Caldecott art)
• So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George & David Small (Caldecott art)
• The Three Pigs by  David Wiesner (Caldecott art)
• My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann (Caldecott art)
• Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Caldecott art)
• Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster & Chris Raschka  (Caldecott art)
• Flotsam by David Wiesner (Caldecott art)

Links

Statistics male and female in children’s lit awards. link

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• Meet Caldecott Medal winner Jerry Pinkney (timeoutny.com)
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Prince Rabbit by A. A. Milne

Also “The Princess Who Could Not Laugh.”

I loved this book as a kid but couldn’t remember the name.  I searched lists of books by A. A. Milne but didn’t recognize the title because I was looking for ”fairy tales’ something.

The charming illustrations were done by Mary Shepard who also illustrated the Mary Poppins books.

Prince Rabbit is about a talking rabbit who competes for a throne with a human nobleman.  Prince Rabbit is very quick-witted which helps him succeed in the tests.

For instance, one of the tests is to answer what seven times six is.

Prince Rabbit knows the King is trying to fix the contest and make his human opponent win.  The other man says the answer is 54.

Prince Rabbit’s turn is next. He says:

Your Majesty, there are several possible answers to this extraordinarily novel conundrum.  At first sight the obvious solution would appear to be ‘forty-two.’ The objection to this solution is that it lacks originality.  I have long felt that a progressive country such as ours might well strike out a new line in the matter.  Let us agree that in the future seven sixes are ‘fifty-four.’

But I liked “The Princess Who Could Not Laugh” even better.  For one thing, it had a girl character.

The king in this story loves jokes but his daughter never laughs and he becomes determined to find a way to change her.  He offers her hand in marriage and half the kingdom to any man who can make her laugh.

The chief suitors/contestants are Count Hippo and Count Rollo.  The Princess favors Rollo, especially since Hippo just wants the kingdom.  But neither of them can make her laugh despite some funny jokes.

In rereading it, I found a passage that I really liked.  It’s a bit sentimental but, well, why not?

Nothing is so pleasant as to tell a funny story to somebody whom you love, to watch the smile coming on her face, and to hear her sudden laughter, and then to linger with her, your laughter catching new life from hers, in happy enjoyment of the joke.

Miss Potter (2006)

The life story of the creator of the Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter.

Miss Potter

This is a perfect biopic.  It gives you a sense of why she was important and how she approached her work and still included the human element.  I don’t think I’ve liked Renée  Zellweger better in any other movie.

Potter’s illustrations are animated in the movie to give a sense of how real they were to her.  The animation also adds humor and whimsy to the story. It makes sense that she should feel so close to her creations since she and her family have rather cold relations.

She attempts to publish her tales but gets little encourage from publishers or her family. One publishing house agrees to publish Peter Rabbit and fortunately, she is put into the care of  untried editor, Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor).  He does all he can to make her vision for the book come to pass. He likes Potter but he also believes in her work which I enjoyed.

I found out that she was an admirable woman in many ways, and the world is better for her living in it.

The movie is simply a delight to watch, for the Lake District scenery, the costumes, the charming actors, and the sweet story.

P.S.  My favorite of the Potter tales was Jemima Puddle-Duck.

History in the Movies goes over what is historically accurate and what is not.

Wikipedia lists a few more.

Romeo’s Ex and Drama!

Nightingale by Jerry Pinkney (2002). This was a beautiful picture book version of the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale but set in Morocco. There is a little girl with more than her share of common sense in the story. The symbol of death is a little creepy but otherwise a lovely, lovely book.

Drama! the Four Dorothys by Paul Ruditis (2007). This is a cute mystery with a teenage detective Bryan Stark. He attends the elite Orion High School filled with Hollywood’s progeny. The egos are so big that the school’s musical production features four leading ladies. The mystery is so-so as the Dorothys are incapacitated one by one but Bryan’s amusing observations more than make up for it. It’s the first in a series.

Romeo’s Ex by Lisa Fiedler (2006). This is Rosalind’s story in which we find out that she was much smarter and more mature than Romeo. She finds a worthy man but not without death, revenge and a painful amount of self-destructive behavior by everyone involved. Not for the fan of the romantic Romeo & Juliet.

Improper English by Katie Macalister (2003). A young American woman Alexandra goes to London to write a romance novel. She regales everyone from her cabdriver to her landlady with her progress. The problem is, the stuff is awful. It’s abysmal. In fact, Macalister could have eased up on us a little.

Alexandra does meet a handsome man there, named Alexander. He, understandably enough, shudders whenever she approaches him with her manuscript in hand. Not bad but I like Macalister’s vampires better.

Mrs. Crump’s Cat

Cover of Mrs. Crump’s Cat

Mrs. Crump’s Cat by Linda Smith and David Roberts (2006).

Mrs. Crump finds a wet cat on her doorstep but the cat manages to make itself at home despite Mrs. Crump’s efforts to rid herself of it. I must note that her efforts to get rid of the cat include buying it cream and a “shiny red pet dish.”

It’s an entertaining short story for grownups but I don’t know that children would relate that much to an lonely, middle-aged woman.

How to Catch a Star

How to Catch a Star (2004) written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers is a charming fable about stars and finding friends. It begins, “Once there was a boy and the boy loved stars very much.” It reminded me a lot of James Thurber‘s classic, Many Moons. The illustrations are slyly humorous and I would be happy to read it aloud a hundred times, if need be.

Avi’s Silent Movie

Cover of Silent Movie

Avi’s picture book Silent Movie (illustrated by C. B. Mordan) is quite a treat for movie lovers and sequential art fans.

According to the title page, the illustrations are ink on clay-board, and to my uninformed eye, it looks like woodcut. It is a stark experience at first but I grew to think of it as the flickering of the early films.

The story is melodramatic and entirely appropriate. A young boy and his mother voyage to New York City to join their father and husband. But very little goes as expected….

Traction Man is Here!

Traction Man by Mini Grey (2005)

Traction Man is a Christmas gift to an imaginative boy. He has an outfit for each of his feats of daring which include battling Wicked Professor Spade and guarding the toast. He befriends the Scrubbing Brush during their encounter with the Poisonous Dishcloth. All goes well for Traction Man until he faces his worst foe ever: the boy’s grandmother knits him a pair of UNheroic green pajamas!

Cinderella by K Y Craft

This is a traditional Cinderella with beautiful illustrations.  I just love it.