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.
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.
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.
