3 Picture Boooks by Leo Lionni

It's Mine: This book is for PreSchool-Grade 1. In this story three frogs spend their days quarreling among themselves and claiming the earth, water and air as theirs. It's mine, each one claims. Then one day a toad comes to them.

"I live on the other side of the island," he said, "but I can hear you shouting 'It's mine! It's mine! It's mine! all day long. There is no peace because of your endless bickering."

When it rains so much the land disappears, they are saved by the toad. They have learned their lesson and get along. The story is cute and will remind you of some young ones you know. I love the way Lionni creates the simple pictures for his books. He used collages of marbled-textured paper, in vibrant colors against a bright white background.

Frederick: This is a cute story of a little mouse, Frederick, who dream and writes poetry while the other mice are laying in food for the winter. When asked what he is doing he replies:
"I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days."
"I gather colors, for winter is gray."
"Oh no, I am gathering words. For the winter days are long and many, and we'll run out of things to say."

So when winter rolls around and all is gray and bleak, it is Frederick who feeds their souls with the supplies he gathered. This book is a Caldecott Honor Book; an ALA Notable Children's Book; and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. It is wonderful for teaching about the importance of creativity. The language is simple and engaging, the illustrations are simple and full of texture.

A Flea Story: This is a cute story about friendship, differences and adventure. The main characters are never seen, only speech bubbles with their words point to where they are. The two fleas have different personalities and different outlooks on life but are able to remain friends. You can see their differences on the front cover of the book:

"I want to go there!" "I want to stay here!"

Once again the illustrations are cut paper in wonderful colors and textures.

I have read several of Lionni's books over the years and have come back to some of them time after time. I decided for this post to read three of his books that I hadn't previously read. I wish I'd read these sooner they are all three charming.

The Mystery of Grace by Charles De Lint

About the book: Three years after his last major adult novel, Charles de Lint returns with a new tale of magic, loss, and redemption, his first book set in the Southwest. Centered on a remarkable female protagonist and entirely self-contained, this is a modern contemporary fantasy as invented band pioneered by de Lint himself. Altagracia—her friends call her Grace—has a tattoo of Nuestra Señora de Altagracia on her shoulder; she's got a Ford Motor Company tattoo running down her leg; and she has grease worked so deep into her hands that'll never wash out.
Grace works at Sanchez Motor Works, customizing hot rods. A few blocks around her small apartment building is all her world—from the grocery store where she buys beans, tamales and cigarettes to the library, the little record shop, and the Solona Music Hall. Which is where she meets John Burns, just two weeks too late.
Grace and John fall for one another, and that would be wonderful, except that they're both haunted by unfinished business. Before their relationship can be resolved, they're both going to have to learn things they don't know about the world of the living and the world beyond. About why it's necessary to let some things go.

My Thoughts: This is the first one of De Lint's books I've read and I liked it. I found the story and the characters intriguing. It was different from most of the UF that I read in that it wasn't a thriller at all. It was about the afterlife, a seemingly doomed love story, all revolving around the power of faith. There was just a touch of spice, nothing too hot, and had very little violence. The end of the story was a little too open ended for me, though. I like to know what happened. I will read more of De Lint's books

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge

urban fantasy, contempory fantasy, fantasy, ghosts, afterlife, witch, magic

The Little Painter of Sabana Grande By Patricia Maloney Markun

From the back: Fernando longs to paint during the dry season vacation from school. Only after making his own colors does he realize he has no paper on which to paint. His resourceful solution to the problem, with family and community support, is to paint on the adobe houses of his village. Cultural details abound in the presentation of home life, and the flora and fauna he paints. The story, based on a memory of the author while living in Panama, includes a glossary."

My thoughts: My class enjoyed this story and enjoyed creating their own drawings of nature. I liked the look into another culture. This book was an Américas Award Commended Book

Challenges
100+ Reading Challenge
Books Around the World Challenge
RYOB Challenge

Children’s literature, Panama

The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

About the book: In this retelling of The Three Little Pigs set in the American Southwest, the cherished porkers are transformed into javelinas, the hairy, swinelike creatures also known as peccaries. Their pursuer, no longer the wolf of traditional lore, becomes Coyote, that ubiquitous Southwestern trickster. In her first book for children, Lowell spices the story with elements of Native American, Mexican and Old West culture. Javelina No. 1 builds his house of tumbleweed, while his brother relies on saguaro ribs. Twice Coyote huffs and puffs and the lightweight dwellings fall, but the peccaries are saved by their resourceful sister, who has had the foresight to build her home of stout adobe bricks. This clever and flavorful change of scene puts a diverting spin on an old favorite. Harris's lively, finely detailed illustrations, with the bristling, pink-nosed peccaries clad in cowboy outfits, amusingly contrast the villain's vigorous wiles with the title characters' cozy domesticity.

My thoughts: Loved it! The story was cute, the illustrations were great. Used this one in class and the kids did a venn to compare it to the traditional version. Funny note: One of my little girls said "It was the GIRL pig who was smart!"

View the author's site here.

Challenges:

100+ Reading challenge

RYOB Challenge

children's literature, children

Just the Two of Us by Will Smith

About the book: "Just the two of us, Building castles in the sky; Just the two of us, You and I." Will Smith--- musician, actor, and father--brings us a moving celebration of fatherhood. Smith's heartfelt lyrics and Kadir Nelson's vibrant paintings capture the beauty and intensity of a father's love as his child grows from a boy into a man. This poignant portrait will resonate with fathers and sons everywhere.

My thoughts: After I read "Love You Forever" to my class one of my students brought this to me to read. It is a sweet book

about a father's love for his son. The father prays that he will be a good dad, knows it will take time and work. He encourages his son to live with "Dignity, integrity, honor..." and "Always tell the truth, say your prayers, hold doors, pull out chairs, easy on the swears..." I liked it and like it even more now that I have viewed the youtube video of Smith singing it. It felt awkward to read, but I see now that is is due to it being a rap. Maybe next time I read it will come out better.

See the author sing the story on youtube. I'm not a rap fan but I like this.

children's literature, children's book

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

I read this book to my class every year in February and always tear up at the end. This book is a simple and poignant story that shows life as a circle and you get back what you give. It is about the lifelong bond between parents and their children.

It ties in nicely with the character word Love, which our counselor presents to the school in Feb. for the love family members feel for each other. Second grade teachers at my school (all 7 of us) have built a unit around this story including vocabulary, comprehension, character building, etc. The kids always enjoy it and laugh at the antics of the boy.

I was frankly shocked earlier today when I read some reviews at Amazon to find lots of people who didn't like this book. If they take this story as literally as they seem to, then I feel that the joy of lots of other children's books must be lost to them as well.

Read here to see what the author has to say about this book & why he wrote it.
Listen to the author TELL this story (& several others)
See a preview of the book here.

children's literature, child, children, children's book

Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch by Barbara Park

ABOUT THIS BOOK
Something very wonderful is happening to Junie B. Jones. And it’s called—hurray, hurray!—she’s getting to be a professional lunch lady! And that means hanging out with Mrs. Gutzman in the cafeteria. And standing behind the counter. And even wearing a real actual hair net! Who knows? Pretty soon she could be the boss of the whole entire lunch operation!

My thoughts: I love Junie B. Jones, I love reading these books to my class of second graders and they love to hear them. Junie B. (never just Junie) is charming, funny and irrepressible. She is also a hand full at school and at home. I suggest you read some of these books to your kids. If your kids are grown up, read them to yourself, you won't be sorry. Boss of Lunch will probably rank up there with my favorites in the Junie B. series.

children's literature, childrens book

Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock? by Jean Fritz

From the back: For years, Plymouth Rock sat on the beach without getting any attention. But in 1741, the people of Plymouth decided it was an important landmark, because the Pilgrims must have stepped on it when they arrived in the New World, and its adventures began. The rock was moved, dropped, broken, moved again, and cemented back together before finally being enclosed in an impressive monument, ensuring its place as a solid piece of American history!

My Thoughts: This is one of the books I read each year at Thanksgiving time to my class. I enjoy the different view it presents. The kiddios enjoy looking up Plymouth Rock on the computer and seeing pictures of it after reading this.

Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin

From the back: Mrs. Jane Tabby can't explain why her four precious kittens were born with wings, but she's grateful that they are able to use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous city slums where they were born. However, once the kittens escape the big city, they learn that country life can be just as difficult!

My Thoughts: I read this little book to my kids almost every year. it always catches their imagination. they can't wait to read the next chapter. I love it myself!