Bookami

The Houdini Box Written & Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Victor is forever trying to master the tricks of the great magician, Harry Houdini, with little success.  Who knew walking through walls and escaping from locked trunks could be so very difficult?  Victor fears he may never learn magic, but then a chance encounter with his idol allows him to ask many questions and become the keeper of a tightly locked box.  Does this wondrous box hold the secrets for the greatest magic ever performed?

Oh, I love it when great books are reissued, although this one was certainly a no-brainer given Selznick's Caldecott success with The Invention of Hugo Cabret.  Still, if you're looking for a last minute Christmas present for a child obsessed with magic, then this is truly the perfect gift.  A short biography of Houdini has been added to this edition, as has an illustrated magic trick and some additional sketches. And certainly there is no denying that Selznick's renderings are amazing.  So amazing, in fact, that I can't look at the cover for too long.  Selznick has captured the intensity of Houdini's eyes a little too well.  I feel as if they are boring into me.  For children who are too young for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Houdini Box is a wonderful introduction to the astounding art and mind of Brian Selznick.

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff, Illustrated by Felicia Bond

If you give a boy a book, he'll ask you to read it.  When you read it, he'll ask you to read it again.  Soon he'll have it memorized and ask if he can read it to you.  You will say yes and be rewarded with a moment you won't soon forget. 

This has been the pattern of my week, making for a pretty great week.  I read this book to my 3-year-old three times before we even left the bookstore, and it made me realize how different it is to read this series of books as a mom.  I loved the Mouse, Moose and Pig books, but I just thought they were fun reads.  Now I realize there's a bit more to these little charmers.  With their sing-songy, simple text , they make learning to read a lot of fun.  My 5-year-old now knows how to spell cat and cupcake thanks to this book.  He's still working on sprinkles.  The other thing that strikes me about these books is how patient children can be.  The animals are so demanding in this series of books, but you never see the children lose their patience.  I certainly can't say that I'm that serene with the myriad number of requests my children ask of me each day.  Part of me wants to believe that no real child would ever be that calm, but then I see my 5-year-old teaching my 3-year-old how to play a game on his Leapster, and I realize that it isn't a fairy tale.  You see this sort of patience in the Max & Ruby series by Rosemary Wells, as well.  Kids actually do have this skill.  As adults we just need to encourage it in them by remembering to be more patient ourselves. 

Uncle Bigfoot Written & Illustrated by George O'Connor

Uncle Bigfoot has been a huge hit in my household.  The premise is fairly obvious from the title.  A young boy is reintroduced to his Uncle Bernie, who he hasn't seen since he was an infant.  There aren't any pictures of Uncle Bernie in the house, and when he arrives, the young boy is surprised to find that his uncle is a rather large, hairy man with enormous hands and feet. Could Uncle Bernie be the elusive Bigfoot?  The young boy rules this out, though, when he sees how fun and loving his uncle is. 

Certainly the theme that it's okay to be different is evergreen, but the two boys in my house could have cared less about that.  The first thing my 3-year-old did was step on the cover of the book to see if his foot was as big as the foot on the cover.  We also had to see if his hand was as big as the picture of Uncle Bernie's hand in the middle of the book. My 5-year-old thought the picture of the young boy as a Bigfoot was the best part.  He now thinks he wants to go as Bigfoot for Halloween.  So while I certainly don't condone my children stepping on books, I love how this book immediately captured their attention with it's funny illustrations and straight forward story.  Not to mention, the greenish toenails on the cover supplied the gross factor required of all picture books by my two little monsters.

For another fun read, try O'Connor's Sally and the Some-Thing.

Splat the Cat Written & Illustrated by Rob Scotton

So I totally thought I could never adore a literary animal as much as I liked Russel in Scotton's Russel the Sheep, but today I met Splat, and I think Russel may have to move down a spot on my list.  Splat is a really fat and frizzy black cat, heading off to his first day of cat school. As his tail "wiggled wildly with worry," Splat decides to bring his pet mouse and best friend, Seymour, to school with him.  Well as you can imagine, bringing a mouse to cat school causes all sorts of mayhem.  Luckily, being as small as a mouse, Seymour is able to get the door to the milk cupboard unstuck and save both his and Splat's day. For the second day of school, Splat's tail "wiggled wildly with excitement. "

While the cover for Splat the Cat would have you believe that this is just an ordinary cat and mouse tale, every illustration offers something unexpected and whimsical.  Whether it be the alarm clock pointed to "too early" or Splat's little mouse slippers or the cat with a cheshire grin full of braces, I found that I scanned every page multiple times to make sure I hadn't missed anything.  And don't get me started on how perfectly Splat is drawn in this book.  I had a cat that looked a lot like Splat.  When our family first got her, we called her Memory, but by the time she was a year old, we called her Tubby most of the time.  She weighed 19 pounds and it was all in her stomach.  We often wondered how her skinny little legs could hold her up.  So not only thanks to Scotton for allowing me a sweet recollection of my fabulous fat cat, but also for sending the message to kids that for all our worrying, most things turn out all right in the end.

If you enjoy this picture book, you might also like Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes.

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy Written & Illustrated by Mo Willems

With a rather self-explanatory title and the Pigeon's rock star status in the picture book world, I didn't really expect to have much to write about The Pigeon Wants a Puppy.  I bought the book just to enjoy with my boys.  Then, today, I took my youngest to the playground and realized that I have a greater understanding of why the Pigeon is so belligerent and demanding a literary character.  It's because three-year-old kids like my son chase and roar at the pigeons in the park, never giving these feathered creatures a moment of peace.  Seriously, you would think all these kids had become Tyrannosaurus Rexes the way they were chasing and growling at the birds.  I can't deny I sort of thought it was funny, but then it also made me think that the Pigeon should get whatever he wants. Certainly at least a hot dog.  And as far as staying up late, night time is likely his only time away from scary children.  And if he wants a puppy (or a walrus) to love and cuddle, then I say it will likely make him more well-adjusted.  With the way children treat pigeons, it's totally amazing that the Pigeon is ever happy.  We're all very lucky he has chosen to become a funny, charming literary icon instead of a mean-spirited bird pecking at children's toes.

The Blue Stone: A Journey Through Life Written & Illustrated by Jimmy Liao

Synopsis: A stunning, large blue stone is found in the forest.  Half is cut away to become many things throughout many years, all the while desiring to return to its other half.

Review: The Blue Stone: A Journey Through Life is certainly appropriately named.  We follow the sapphire rock as it becomes an elephant statue beloved by a town.  Then it becomes a garden bird admired by a lady.  Next on the stone's journey is a seaside town where it becomes a fish.  Pieces keep breaking away and each time something new is created: a moon for a sculpture, a cat for an orphanage, a juggling ball for a clown, a heart pendant for a first love.  The stone keeps breaking until it becomes dust and can return to its other half on the breath of a warm breeze.  Its life is now complete and happy.  The stone was reinvented many times just as people must renew their outlook many times throughout life, but for younger children I think there is a simpler message to be applied to this charming picture book.  This lovely story makes a great environmental statement.  Every time the reader believes the rock to be broken and of no use, a new artist comes along to fashion something new and meaningful out of it.  With reuse the stone brought many people across many lands great joy just as I imagine this beautifully crafted book will bring great joy to many families across many years.

If you enjoyed this tale, you may also like Zen Ties written and illustrated by John J. Muth.

Big Bad Bunny by Franny Billingsley & Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Synopsis: Little mouse Baby Boo-Boo is tired of being treated like a baby and uses her big attitude and some bunny ears to gain some respect in the Mouse House.

Review: Mama Mouse is tucking in her well-loved children for their naps when she notices that Baby Boo-Boo has disappeared.  She runs into the forest frantically searching for her little one.  Meanwhile Big Bad Bunny is stomping through the woods too.  Big Bad Bunny has pointy, yellow teeth.  Big Bad Bunny has long, sharp claws.  Big Bad Bunny can go anywhere because nothing stops her until she comes to a great, big, huge hill.  Big Bad Bunny is lost, and she starts to howl as loud as a hundred hungry hyenas, and that is how Mama Mouse finds her little one and takes her home for her nap.

What child won't appreciate Baby Boo-Boo creating the persona of Big Bad Bunny to get some respect from her family?  Just because she's the littlest one in age doesn't mean she's still a baby.  Turning into Big Bad Bunny and running away is something she has to do, but then she gets lost and discovers that she may still need help from her Mom after all.  It's lovely for a child to be reminded that their Mom will always be there no matter how big she may get, but I wish there had been a Papa Mouse in the story.  Would a Papa Mouse not have searched just as hard for his Baby Boo-Boo?  I also wish the color palette used wasn't quite so muted.  A Spring picture book with a bunny in it needs to be a bit brighter.  The book does make for a fun read-aloud, though.  With verbs like roar, stomp and chomp, children are sure to want to yell right along with Big Bad Bunny. 

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever Written & Illustrated by Marla Frazee

Synopsis: James and Eamon go to visit Eamon's grandparents for a week at the beach and to attend nature camp. 

Review: A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever is as merry and timeless as Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal.  James and Eamon, best friends, go to visit Eamon's grandparents, Bill and Pam, at the beach for a week during the summer.  During the day, Bill has the boys attend nature camp as he loves everything to do with nature, especially cold places with penguins.  The boys don't exactly love camp.  As a matter of fact, you never actually see the boys at camp throughout the story.  You only see Bill driving them to and from camp with the boys making sarcastic comments in the backseat (see the endpapers for some pictures of the boys at camp).  James and Eamon would much rather stay at Bill and Pam's playing video games, eating ice cream icebergs and banana waffles, and turning their blow-up mattress into a trampoline.  In other words, they don't want to do much of anything.  Heck, they don't even want to change their shorts throughout the week.  For James and Eamon, the best week ever consists of an air mattress in the downstairs bedroom, fun food, and the company of a best friend.  It's just that simple.  Now, where do I sign up for a vacation like that?

LaRue for Mayor: Letters from the Campaign Trail Written & Illustrated by Mark Teague

Synopsis: When a dog-hater decides to run for Mayor of Snort City, canine Ike LaRue decides to hit the campaign trail and run for the job himself.

Review: While by nature I'm more of a cat person (I have two), I can't help but think that a lovely little dog like Ike LaRue would make life a lot of fun. LaRue for Mayor is the third book in which Ike has wowed readers with his cunning intelligence, playful antics and knack for being in the right place at the right time.

In this third book, Mrs. LaRue is in the hospital, and Ike is writing her to complain how unjust it is that dog-hater Hugo Bugwort is running for Mayor of Snort City.  Sure some dogs over-turned a hot-dog cart and disrupted a baseball game, but isn't that just the spirited behavior of a few dogs?  Should Bugwort be proposing a leash law, a curfew and a ban on canines in most public places?  Ike thinks not, and decides to run for Mayor himself. 

With a little help from some of doggy chums, Ike stickers the city with his message and plans to confront his opponent at a rally in Gruber Park.  As Bugwort is shouting down hecklers, though, he becomes dizzy, and it is Ike to the rescue with some rocky road ice cream.  Bugwart is so impressed with Ike's quick thinking, he asks Ike to become his Assistant Mayor.  Ike accepts, and Bugwort promises citizens to have "the most dog-friendly administration ever."

Teague really has created a wonderful picture book that will appeal to both children and adults.  For kids there are bold, brightly colored illustrations of dogs behaving rather mischievously.  For adults there are the contrasting black and white illustrations of Ike imagining his actions to be more grandiose than they really are.  Ike is a small dog with a big personality, and I can't say it any better than to say I LIKE IKE.  I think you will too.

If you like this book, you likely also enjoy the classic Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion with pictures by Margaret Bloy Graham.

What Pet to Get? Written & Illustrated by Emma Dodd

Synopsis: Little Jack decides he wants to get a pet.  He promises his Mom he'll take good care of it.   Now if only he could decide what type of pet to get.

Review: Jack has some pretty big ideas for the type of pet he would like to have.  First, he asks his Mom for an elephant, but she points out that it might crush the car.  Then he asks for a lion, but his Mom worries that a lion might scare the mail carrier.  Next he asks for a polar bear, but Mom notes that a polar bear might not like central heating.  Jack continues to suggest some pretty outrageous and rather large animals.  His Mom asks him to come up with a less exotic idea for their pet.

The larger than life illustrations in this book made it a lot of fun to look at with my kids.  Also, they enjoyed looking at the end pages and guessing which footprint went with what animal.  In addition, the textured appearance of the T-Rex and crocodile was in nice contrast to smoothness of the polar bear and shark. 

This was a fun read-aloud that provided many giggles.  I would suggest not reading it at bedtime, though, as the enormous illustrations and bouncy text riled my kids up a bit.