I made another one....Madelene's Elephant!

I did it again. I made another mosaic for another dear friend's kid.  Dang you people like to party hardy! Want one for your own bunchkin or one of your propagating friends? Ask me. I might, rabbit. I might.

My Size 5s, illustrator, Kristina Krati

As you know I've been writing my children's stories for a while now, but it's only since I found my illustrator Kristina Krati that I can finally move forward. I searched on Freelancer.com for a while to find someone, but always gave up. Then I found Kristina. 

Her rich, layered style has been achieved by very few of the most successful children's book illustrators. I've seen this style a few times, but very few. Once I approached her about my book, and she submitted the concepts to me, I realized that I could finally pursue the books. She completely understands my goals visually and within just a few drawings she's taken the book to a whole other level. Her seasoned technique and skills run deep and are unmatched. I now feel assured that with Kristina's experience and vision I have all the tools to make this book and my Happy The Dog series' a success.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies, Houghton Mifflin Books (2008)

As you can imagine this book called my name. A somewhat haunting and mysterious cover that's set in THE LIBRARY? I could not leave it behind. 

Lies depicts exactly what I imagine all libraries to look like. Huge, stone mansions with giant windows warmed by glowing lights inside. Towering dark wood staircases and bookshelves that scale the walls. The library is old and beautiful and a little scary, too. Perfect for bats!

 And, do these bats love the library? They wait anxiously every year for the one night they can sneak in through an open window. The older bats get lost in their favorite books. Others study and learn while the young ones live for their story time and making shadows on the walls.

This refreshingly sophisticated book steadily and swiftly inspires wonder and imagination using immaculate rhyming. It is absolutely perfect. No hiccups, no missteps. This is how a rhyming book is written.

Lies, the master of this rhyme, also draws the book. Take a look at the cover above. I've never noticed bats wings/hands before. Spectacular!

Mosaic giraffe for baby Fiona!

Mosaic Giraffe under a tree!

 
I made this! 

Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees (2009)

Or, as I like to say, "the rumpus among us."

I picked this book up for one reason and one reason only...Guy Parker-Rees. He's the illustrating genius behind the beloved "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andraea. Yes, we know all kids love dinosaurs, but here they'll get the happiest dinosaurs you'll find. 

The story is about a dinosaur rave and the whole story builds and builds like a brilliant pop song. It's really well done, but frankly, for me, it's all about the illustrations. They take this story to exactly where you hope it will go! Dinosaurs from everywhere gather together for a big giant raving bash.

The T-Rexs', the Stegosauraus' and Hadrosaurs' spin (that spinning T. Rex just is stuck in my head) and dance altogether. Plus, the gorgeous purples, magentas, oranges and pinks make it's feel like it's longest most spectacular sunset. They party till dawn crashing hard into a giant pile of leathery, dusty thick-skinned love. You can tell they had a ball!

It is all love, my friends. And you will feel it, too! Believe me, this time it won't be the kid asking, it'll be you wanting to read it! 

SHOES by Elizabeth Winthrop, Illustrated by William Joyce, (1986)

I got this one at a thrift store because I couldn't resist that adorable cover! Truthfully, you never really know how good the book is until you get it home. But, this 1980s picture book extraordinaire can go toe to toe with any modern picture book. 

The story is sweet, the rhyming easy, and, once again, my kid easily finished the rhyme.  But, the illustrations take this rhyme to another level. The kids sort of remind me of the Little Rascals in the sense that they are so adorable and beautiful to look at that you can't stop staring at them. The illustrations of low shoes and high shoes is wonderful.

You and the kid will take forever to turn the page.

SHOES is a definitive classic. No matter what your style or size SHOES will be a perfect fit! Awwww.....

The NeverEnding Story (1984) - MOVIE review

Two words: Wolfgang Petersen. 

I didn't know. I had no idea. While the rest of you already saw this when we were teenagers in the 80s, I did not. Unless, it was "Class," "Young Doctors in Love" "Trading Places" or every movie HBO played a million times, (can you say "Sgt. Pepper's" with Frampton and the Bee Gees?) the world of sci-fi fantasy storytelling escaped me.

But with a 3 1/2 year old who loves all things muppet-like and scary, I figured it'd be a good choice. But, when I saw that Volf-y directed and partly wrote it, my head almost exploded.

Your physical reaction to something like art speaks volumes about the piece. Like, during Woody Allen's "Husbands and Wives," I remember standing up and pacing when the Judy Davis character rejects Liam Neeson. I remember some shouting. I remember some cursing. It was me and my friend, Judy, experiencing it so viscerally, that our reaction was physical.

Which is sort of how my kid reacted. She sat upright and leaned towards the tv the ENTIRE movie! But that's how compelling it is...from start to finish. I've never seen her react like that and she worships Shrek. But, admittedly, Shrek the movie loses her in moments. Though we love him so.

I don't recall any moments in this film feeling too cheesy or sappy or dated. Though I realize it must have some of that, but it's so well done I didn't notice. In fact, I'll bet Volf-y would do an AMAZING job with Roald Dahl's BFG.

BRILLIANT!

I Love You Stinkyface By Lisa McCourt, Cartwheel. (2003)

 

This picture book has long been in our reading rotation. Great premise. A little boy looks for reassurance from his mother that she would still love him even if he were an alien, or if he had a repellent smell or an iron lung. It's an excellent way of illustrating unconditional love. Got it.

The scenarios escalate in absurd detail and he wonders aloud if he were a sea creature who couldn't leave the water or he'd die would his mother stay with him forever. You do start to think, well that'd be a drag, but you are the love of my life, so, I suppose, yes. 

But soon he goes over the top..."but mama, but mama, what if I'm an alligator who east the neighborhood kids and I blame it on you? Would you still love me then?" Or, "but mama, but mama, what if I have agoraphobia and never leave the house so you have to care for me till you die? Would you still love me?" That's when you start thinking, good question.

So, you turn the tables. You ask the kid, "What if I had elephantiatis of (pick your body part?) Would I still be welcome on parents' night?" Or, "what if mommy and daddy dressed and spoke like frontiersmen and we talked about our ox and plow to everyone? Could we still come to your ball games?" I don't know either.

Of course, we do love this book and every iteration of it. We have them all, but when you read it so many times this is where your mind goes. Well, now it certainly will, but you'll appreciate it on a whole new level!

Have You Seen Chester? by Andrew Murray, Harper Collins Publishers (2003)

 

Just the name Chester makes me happy. And, that face? Actually, the cover is of Buddy the dog who beats up Chester the cat so much that Chester just leaves. He's like, "I may be brave, but the a-whoopin' I get ain't worth it. I'm gone."  So when Buddy the dog starts to miss Chester and feel guilty he runs away to find Chester and bring him home. 

And, I must say, it's such a dramatic plot twist that I was shocked. Kids, pets, parents don't run away in picture books...they escape, they move, they hide, but running away? Shocking. 

Great edgy premise, violence, runaways, late night shenanigans,  but the illustrations really make the story. It's all in that Chester's face and body language. His giant body with skinny little arms. The angry look of ultimate defeat on his face, "I lose, you win. Grreat!" In fact, his face sort of reminds me of the boss on Parks & Rec. You know the guy with the mustache who is SO GOOD that you look at him for 2 secs and you're totally in? 

Alas, I digress. Of course, the story ends happily ever after, but there's great drama till then. Plus, you will use a million different voices to say, "Have You Seen Chester?" Now this one we got at the thrift store...recycle, reuse! Well, actually, I'm just cheap. But, I washed it.

Don't You Feel Well, Sam? by Amy Hest, Illustrated by Anita Jeram, 2007, Candlewick Press

 

Where do I even begin with Sam, Mrs. Bear, Amy Hest and Anita Jeram? This simple and brilliant story about Mrs Bear tending to her sick little baby bear, Sam, hits me deep. So lovingly written and drawn, we get to share the intimacy between Sam and Mrs. Bear as she comforts and nurses him through the night. She coaxes him into taking his medicine, comforts him with stories and gives him hope of snow falling all to make him feel even if just a little bit better. It fills me with love.

If I could just live in their world for one night waiting for the snow, dozing till morn, then building snowmen with them I'm sure it would cure all that ails me.  Everything looks and feels so safe and full of love. Your kid will feel it too!

The best part is that this is just one of a few stories about Sam and Mrs. Bear. Each one as loving and intimate as the other. You'll find yourself trying to read it in a loving voice. Of course, is it any coincidence that there is no mention of a Mr. Bear? 

Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean, HarperCollins, 2009

 

This story is as brilliant as the title is strange. It's so compelling and engaging and the rhyming so good, you and your kids will be singing, "my crazy hair," before you know it!

It's a journey into one man's literally crazy hair. This very abstract and dream-like story threw me at first, but once I stopped trying to figure it out it became fantasy-like. You could say, "I let my hair down."

In fact, the rhythm reminds me of another kids book, In The City, by Jacob Lawrence and Susan Goldman Rubin. For some reason whenever I read it I hear the cool cat jazz cymbal in my head and I have to read it to the beat like I'm a cool smooth cat. If we met, you'd quickly see I'm not.

Plus, everywhere I look now I see Neil Gaiman kids books and novels. Perplexing. DO NOT MISS THIS.

Won Ton by Lee Wardlaw, ill. Eugene Yelchin Henry Holt & Co., (2011)

 

This Haiku tale follows a bony little kitty-cat from the shelter to his new home. He's as suspicious of his new surroundings as he is excited about them. 

Told from Won Ton's perspective we watch him resist everything new...his bed, his food and even his new name.  He's a bit snarky which I love and even a bit tougher than he needs to be, but ultimately we get to see the big softy that he is. My favorite moment is of course is his moment of surrender when he and his new owner lay belly to belly. It makes me smile just thinking about it!

A bony kitty

At first resists his new home

Then makes it his home.

Sixteen Cows by Lisa Wheeler, Harcourt Inc. (2002)

 

Kids love cows. That milk-making farm animal is so instantly recognizable by the tiniest of kiddies that they are quite beloved. Plus, everyone can moo.

Anyway, this story, about two singing cattle ranchers whose herds accidentally get all mixed up by a tornado, forces a seemingly predestined meeting between Cowboy Gene and Cowgirl Sue. They fall in love, marry and permanently blend their moo-d. I mean, brood!

But what makes this very simple story so brilliant is the rhythm of the rhyme. It's perfect sing-song rhythm makes the story easy and fun to read three times in a row or 50.

What's more is I've overheard my kid reciting the cows' names to herself. So, it's clearly impressed her in all the right ways. And, of course, as with all rhyming books, I make the kid complete the rhyme herself.

You may know this already, but they really can do it. Shoot. I didn't know. Now I do. And, I like it.

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs Missing Treasure! by Giles Andreae, Margaret K. McElderry Books (2008)

 

We all love Giles Andreaede and his brilliant Captain Flinn adventure series. This was our first of the collection. No rhyming here, just so well written that my daughter fell hard for it from the age of two. Cap'n Flinn and friends enter a hidden door at the museum and tumble down into a world of pirates, dinosaurs and treasure maps! They free hostages, battle dinosaurs and safely return missing treasure all in an afternoon. 

No brainer for Cap'n Flinn and Mr. Andreae. It  is a pleasure to read and reread. Even a year and a half later it remains a favorite. Plus, I learned how to say Giganotasauras. Try it! You'll feel so smart! But, I know you already are.

Can You Make A Scary Face by Jan Thomas, Beach Lane Books (2009)

 

 BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT!

Huge surprise! The cover art appealed to me though I didn't care for the title. It didn't sound like enough of a story and I certainly didn't expect the reaction that came from my 3 1/2 year old.  As we lay in bed reading she ripped off the covers, jumped up and responded with glee to every command. "Stand up," "Sit down," etc. Perplexing.

What's great is that it's easy to remember, so anytime, anywhere you can "play" the book...at the airport, at Thanksgiving, at the doctor's office. Get other kids involved, parents, random passersby...make it a worldwide sensation! (Sorry, delusions of grandeur again.) I also like having a little insider joke between just the two of us. The outsiders think, "Man, those two are so fun."

I won't yet go on about Jan Thomas' other books, particularly, The Dog House. Watch for that review soon. "Nevermind! Don't wait! Just go check 'em out now. Yeah I'm talking to you!"

BAILEY by Harry Bliss, Scholastic Press (2011)

 

Bailey the dog is a student at the local elementary school. He loves school and is beloved by classmates and teachers. While he is completely invested in his classes (check out his boisterous performance in music class) he is also burdened by his natural canine instincts. For example, he chases a bird and misses the school bus. He eats his own homework.

But what I really love for my kid is that there is so much to see on each page. We read the page then stare at the pictures looking for the details...the clock on the wall, his closet neatly organized with collars. He keeps a stick in his locker. At lunchtime, he digs thru the trash. I know. Spectacular.

It's easy for my kid to point out all the other things going on in the picture because the pics are so large. It just adds another layer to the story. Two for one. Love it!

Everyday school activities cleverly overlapping with classic dog behavior make this story a sweet and charming tail! I mean TALE! I know. I'm hilarious.

We are Troubled Schoolgirl!

 

We love the library and librarians!  They have EVERYTHING! We find treasures from years past! We don't need books from 2013. My kid's almost 4. There are years upon years of great books to find.

We go to the library, plant ourselves in the children's section and pick the most interesting books. 

Did you know you can take home 30 books and no one bats an eye? Plus, you can return them with no receipt and no questions asked. What the what?! Yup. The library rules.

Now we are giving you an ongoing list of our favs!