Monday, December 30, 2013

New Books for a New Year

One of my new responsibilities for the upcoming year is collection development for our board books and picture books.  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to select new books for our youngest patrons.  I am going to attempt posting a few new book reviews each week.  




Big Snow by Jonathan Bean. 2013.
The perfect book when a child is wishing for a big snow day. Our protagonist interrupting  his mom as she is completing household tasks. He is hoping for a big snow but when the small snow flurries start to fall. As the day progresses the snow becomes bigger and bigger and at one point it evens drifts into the house.  The illustrations show on detail the household and its inhabitants as they go about their day. Every few pages there is a spread of the city streets surrounding the house as the snow accumulates throughout the day. A beautifully done book for a cozy read as snow falls. Check it out at our library


The Nowhere Box by Sam Zuppardi. 2013.
This was one of my favorite new books.  George’s little brothers are constantly pestering him, asking questions and destroying everything he does. He can’t even go to the bathroom alone! But a clever left over cardboard box will prove to be a lifesaver with just a few adjustments.  This box would be George’s ticket to “Nowhere” where he is king of the pirates and a rocket pilot but soon he realizes that being all alone is not all that fun.  As you read this book you reminisce of Where The Wild Things Are  by Maurice Sendak. The same feeling of nostalgia and adventure is found in this book.  The mixed media illustrations look sort of cartoonist drawn with crayons and watercolors. This book is yet another example of the power of imagination and the places you can travel with it. Check it out at our library

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Cub’s Big World by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Joe Cepeda. 2013. 
When cub first discovers the world outside his den the world is bright and big but also exciting and fast, and a bit scary if you don’t have mom nearby.  Cub explores going up the hill and how much fun it is to slide down that same hill until he loses mom. All he can remember is her soft, wet, black nose. He goes after everything that reminds him of her- a black raven, a ermine, and a seal until he decides to go up the hill and tumbles back into mom’s soft  snowed covered body.  The illustrations provide the perfect setting for cub’s excursion into this bright white world,  the bluish tones complement the whites and off-white colors. Check it out at our library.

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My Blue Is Happy by Jessica Young, illustrated by Catia Chien. 2013. 
This book explores what different colors mean to different people. From the perspective of a little girl she presents a full page spread for each color from blue to black. The reader gets two perspectives on each color, for example, the boy next door thinks red is angry but our protagonist thinks red is “as brave as a fire truck and my superhero cape.” Brown can be ordinary or special “like chocolate syrup.”  I appreciated the different an often positive perspectives our little protagonist provides to commonly held ideas.  The acrylic illustrations reflect the intensity of each color page as everything is coated with that particular color.  This picture book lends itself to a quiet cozy reading.  Check it out at our library.