Short reviews of new children's books (ages 6-10)
Steve Brock
For ages 6-10:
GREAT GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE, written by Rumer Godden, illustrated by
Valerie Littlewood. Greenwillow Books, 1350 Avenue of the
Americas, N.Y., NY 10019, (800) 843-9389, (201) 227-6849 FAX.
Illustrated. 76 pp., $18.00 cloth. 0-688-11319-2
REVIEW
The beloved English author of books for both children and adults
has written a story of a young Japanese girl confronting the
traditions of her elders. When her Mamma and Papa tell her that
she will be spending three months with her Old Mother and Great
Grandfather in the country, city-bred Keiko throws a tantrum. On
top of being away from the stimulating city, the seven-year-old
girl must put up with her boy cousin, who is one year younger. The
grandparents live in a traditional home, and Keiko walks through it
with chagrin. "No carpets! No chairs!" she exclaims. The noisy
child finally learns to listen to the sounds of nature, to respect
her Grandfathers works of art, to make toys, to listen to stories
instead of her radio, and to move through the world with grace. A
rich and warmhearted tale, with colorful and expressive illustra-
tions. Highly recommended. Rumer, also known as Mrs. Margaret
Hayes Dixon, was awarded a Queen's Birthday Honor earlier this
month, for her services to literature.
SHADOWS OF NIGHT: THE HIDDEN WORLD OF THE LITTLE BROWN BAT, written
and illustrated by Barbara Bash. Sierra Club Books for Children,
200 West St., Waltham, MA 02154, (800) 759-0190, (617) 890-0875
FAX. Illustrated. 32 pp., $16.95 cloth. 0-87156-562-5
REVIEW
To many children, the bat is a symbol of fear. I remember a time
when I was young and I was awakened by a noise at my window. It
was a small bat that was flying against the glass. Of course, I
thought it was trying to get in and kill me. This book presents
the life of the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), as a female
gathers with hundreds of other pregnant bats. When she is ready to
give birth, she turns head-up and catches the baby (called a pup)
with her tail membrane. As the females go out to hunt at night,
the hundreds of pups cluster on the ceiling. The young bats can
fly at three weeks and are ready to leave their shelter shortly
after. Bash relates how bats fly, communicate, hunt, hibernate,
and how they hold "conventions". This is an instructive and highly
recommended introduction to this misunderstood species. Bash
missed, however, listing the organization that is working to create
an increased understanding of this beneficial creature. For
children who may be interested in bat preservation, conservation,
and knowledge, they may contact: Bat Conservation International,
P.O. Box 162603, Austin TX 78716, (512) 327-9721, (512) 327-9724.
PORTRAITS OF WOMEN ARTISTS FOR CHILDREN SERIES: FRIDA KAHLO, ROSA
BONHEUR, MARY CASSATT, all by Robyn Montana Turner. Little, Brown,
and Company, 200 West St., Waltham, MA 02154, (800) 759-0190,
(617) 890-0875 FAX. Illustrated. 32 pp., $15.95 cloth. Kahlo is
0-316-85651-7, Bonheur is 0-316-85648-7, Cassatt is 0-316-85650-9.
REVIEW
This series is an important contribution to children's art
education. Each book provides biographical information with more
than thirty color and black-and-white photographs of the artists
and their works. "Frida Kahlo" (1907-1954) gently documents the
tragic and painful life of the Mexican icon, her inspirations, her
self-portraits, her life with Diego Rivera, and her first solo
exhibit in her native land. Photographs of her works include
"Frida and Diego Rivera," "The Two Fridas," and the surreal
"Roots." "Rosa Bonheur" (1822-1899) details the career of the
French painter and sculptor of animals, her use of large canvases,
her push for sexual equality, and her feelings about the American
West. While there are almost as many pictures of her done by
others as there are reproductions of her works, her masterpiece
"The Horse Fair" is included. In "Mary Cassatt" (1847-1926),
Turner outlines the Pennsylvania artist's association with the
French Impressionist movement, her exhibitions with them, the use
of her sister and other family members as models, and the recurring
themes of mother and child and the bath. Several of Cassatt's more
famous works are missing from this volume (notably "A Woman in
Black at the Opera"), though "The Boating Party" is on the cover.
The use of these books is limited by the lack of a bibliography or
list of recommended readings, otherwise, they are recommended.
Another book in the series is: "Georgia O'Keeffe."