Motes from the Windowsill, May 1998
Wendy E. Betts
Reviewed in this Issue:
Planes; Trucks; Boats; Trains written and illustrated by Byron Barton
A Song for Little Toad by Vivian French. Illustrated by Barbara Firth
What Use is a Moose? by Martin Waddell
Some Smug Slug by Pamela Duncan Edwards. Illustrated by Henry Cole
* Zelda and Ivy written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
We Just Moved! by Stephen Krensky. Illustrated by Larry DiFiori
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
Making Cards; Making Presents by Penny King
National Audubon Society First Field Guides
Roller Coasters or, I Had So Much Fun, I Almost Puked by Nick Cook
Someone to Love by Frances Lantz
NOTES FROM THE WINDOWSILL ISSN 1078-8697
An electronic journal of book reviews. Copyright 1998 Wendy E. Betts.
Reproduction for personal and non-commercial use is permitted only if
this copyright notice is retained. Any other reproduction is prohibited
without permission. Mail w...@armory.com with comments or questions.
All reviews by Wendy Betts unless otherwise noted. For info and archives,
see http://www.armory.com/~web/notes.html
Vol. 6, No. 4 May, 1998
Board Books
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_Planes_; _Trucks_; _Boats_; _Trains_ written and illustrated by Byron
Barton. 1986; HarperCollins, 1998 (0-694-01166-5; 0-694-01164-9;
0-694-01165-7; 0-694-01167-3) $6.95 each
These respectful looks at vehicles are just right for nourishing
a natural fascination with "things that go." The brightly colored and
precise, boldly outlined objects have a cozy, toy-like feel which seems
to bring them to a child's level; simple texts give just the right kind
of basic information, leaving plenty of room for discussions and
discoveries. As all board books should be, these are fun to share. (2-5)
Picture Books
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_A Song for Little Toad_ by Vivian French. Illustrated by Barbara
Firth. Candlewick, 1996 (1-56402-614-0) $12.95; 1998 (0-7636-0347-3)
$5.99 pb
None of the other animals approve of Old Mother Toad's croaking
lullaby for her Little Toad. The sheep thinks she should sing a soft
and soothing Baaaa; the duck thinks she should sing a cheerful
Quackitty quack! But the more Mother Toad tries to follow their
advice, the more wide-awake Little Toad becomes. Finally he tells
her, "sing me my own song. You have the most beautiful voice in all
the whole wide world."
Both silly and sweet, this is an enjoyable and soothing read-aloud.
Any parent who's felt overwhelmed by helpful advice will enjoy its
gentle message, and children will respond to the rightness of the
ending. (I couldn't help but think of being sung to by my mother,
whose lullabies were also rather like croaking--and the most beautiful
in the world.) I think the pastel watercolor illustrations would
have been more attractive if Firth hadn't chosen to dress the toads
up, for a quite peculiar effect, but other than that the pictures work
nicely with the story, especially their frames of twining flowers and
vines. (3-6)
_What Use is a Moose?_ by Martin Waddell. Illustrated by Arthur Robins.
Candlewick, 1996 (1-56402-933-6) $14.99; 1998 (0-7636-0461-5) $4.99 pb
When Jack makes friends with a moose, he asks his mom if the moose can
stay with them. "I'm sure mooses have uses," he says. But when the
moose tries to drive a car, or cook a meal or help around the house,
all he does is make a mess! Furious, Jack's mom orders the moose to
leave, but then discovers he did have a good use after all: being
loved by Jack. A frenetic comedy of errors, this story also makes a
delicate statement about the value of unconditional love. Animated
pen & ink and watercolor illustrations use thin, elongated shapes and
wiry, erratic lines to stress the humor in the story, particularly the
lanky, goofy-looking moose. Observant readers will find an extra,
wordless little story in the endpapers, in which the moose has a comic
adventure with a fish--and demonstrates his tender heart by letting it
go. (3-8)
_Some Smug Slug_ by Pamela Duncan Edwards. Illustrated by Henry Cole.
HarperCollins, 1996 (0-06-024789-4) $14.95; HarperTrophy, 1998
(0-06-443502-4) $5.95 pb
Taking a very playful look at natural history, this story describes
what happens when a slug slithers up a slope, completely ignoring the
warning screams of a sparrow, shrieks of a spider and snickers of a
skink. But the self-satisfied slug is in for quite a surprise, when
the slope turns out to be a giant, hungry toad. An almost-completely
alliterative text is a fun introduction to that form of wordplay, as
well as a great vocabulary-builder; beginning readers may find it an
exciting challenge. Cole's watercolors are faithful depictions of
nature, with the addition of some expressive smiles for the smug slug
and the satiated toad. (4-9)
_Zelda and Ivy_ written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky.
Candlewick, 1998 (0-7636-0469-0) $15.99
Zelda and Ivy are two fox children, and since Zelda is the oldest, she
naturally is in charge: instructing Ivy on how to be the fabulous fox
on the flying trapeze by balancing on the tip of her tail, cutting
IvyÕs fur in the latest style (although Ivy really prefers it plain),
and telling her about magic fairy dust that grants wishes. But being
oldest means responsibilities too, as Zelda finds when Ivy uses the
magic dust to wish for a silver baton just like Zelda's. Told in
three short stories, this is a warm, funny and very true-to-life
depiction of the complicated relationship between older and younger
sisters. The attractive gouache illustrations use plenty of
comfortable, homey colors and the distinct personalities of the two
sisters shine through in every expressive drawing. * (5-8/5-8)
Beginning Readers
-----------------
_We Just Moved!_ by Stephen Krensky. Illustrated by Larry DiFiori.
Scholastic, 1998 (0-590-33127-2) $3.50 pb
Whimsical, unexpected illustrations give a delightful twist to this
familiar story about a common childhood situation. As a young boy
talks about moving to a new house, we see that his former house was a
castle, and that packing involved putting lots of armour in wagons,
while bringing the family pets meant taking alligators out of the
moat. The new house, the boy tells us, has a nice view (from the
towers), a modern kitchen (a kettle burning over a huge fire) and some
nice new neighbors (giants). The juxtaposition of the straightforward
text and the drawings is very funny, yet also accurately conveys a
sense of the mixed, unsettled feelings moving often brings. But the
mood is generally positive, and by the end of the book, the new house is
"starting to feel like home"--perhaps made more cozy by the friendly
ghosts that are curled up on the floor by the boy's bed. (4-7/5-7)
Middle Grade Fiction
--------------------
_The Ballad of Lucy Whipple_ by Karen Cushman. Clarion, 1996
(0-395-72806-1) $13.95; HarperTrophy, 1998 (0-06-440684-9) $4.95 pb
Cushman's third historical novel departs from the world of medieval
England for a very different time and place: California during the
gold rush. But thankfully, the change of setting hasn't changed
CushmanÕs vivid, earthy prose or her skill at creating a real and
memorable heroine.
California Morning Whipple, the daughter of Western-dreaming
parents--her siblings were named Butte, Prairie, Sierra, Golden
Promise, and Ocean--doesn't share the family dream in the slightest.
When her father dies and her mother finally moves the family to Lucky
Diggins, California, California the girl's first reaction to the
"majestic, noble, imposing, magnificent" land is "Awful. Just awful."
There's no school, no library, not even any houses; like everyone
else, the Whipples will live in a tent.
Quickly deciding she must change her name--"in California it was not
just a name. It was a place, a passion, a promise"--California
becomes Lucy, "because it was not beautiful but ordinary... It was a
very Massachusetts name." And Massachusetts is where Lucy longs, with
all her heart, to return. But despite her best efforts, the hardships
of life in Lucky Diggins keep her secret store of pickle crock money
from growing enough to pay for her passage home. Though she refuses
to accept life in Lucky Diggins, Lucy is forced to put aside her
dreams and her books to help the family. She finds herself making
friends, particularly with Lizzie, a wild, tough girl from an abusive
family, and Bernard, an escaped slave, both of whom show her some new
ways of looking at the world. As the Whipple family struggles through
hard times and painful losses, Lucy, who has always valued safety
above everything else, learns the value of freedom. In a delightfully
surprising ending, she comes to understand what home really means, and
achieves her real heart's desire at last.
Through LucyÕs pungent, heartfelt narrative, Cushman tells a colorful
story that brings the Gold Rush setting to life. At its heart though,
is a theme that was also the center of her Medieval story _Catherine,
Called Birdy_ and is equally meaningful in today's world: that
children don't often have many choices about their lives. This time
around, Cushman manages to find a satisfying resolution that offers an
understanding of both the importance of family and the necessity of
following your own dreams. (10-14)
Middle Grade Nonfiction
-----------------------
_Making Cards_; _Making Presents_ by Penny King. Carolrhoda, 1997
(1-57505-205-9; 1-57505-206-7) ) $12.95 each, library binding
These crafts book for kids are notable for having projects which are
simple to make, yet produce really sharp looking results. Kids who
are easily frustrated or intimidated by crafts will appreciate the
tangible rewards they'll get for their efforts: heart-shaped candle
holders, a snazzy decorative mirror, even an easy pop-up card.
Readers can copy the projects as shown, but there's also room for
creativity. Some projects will require buying materials and most call
for some handiness with scissors. (7-12)
_National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Insects_; _National Audubon
Society First Field Guide: Birds_; _National Audubon Society First Field
Guide: Wildflowers_; _National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Rocks
and Minerals_. Scholastic, 1998 (0-590-05483-X;0-590-05482-1;
0-590-05486-4; 0-590-05484-8) $10.95 each, pb
These elegantly designed little books are an excellent beginning
course in observing the natural world. Each book has four sections: a
general introduction to the topic, a discussion of identification
techniques, a field guide to different species, with descriptions and
photographs, and a reference section, which includes a glossary,
special tables, an index and a list of resources. Quite a lot of
information, in rather small print, is packed into these books, but
there's still room for numerous striking photographs, which give
the books both an adult, professional look and an appealing
accessibility. (8-13)
_Roller Coasters or, I Had So Much Fun, I Almost Puked_ by Nick Cook.
Carolrhoda, 1998 (1-57505-071-4) (no price given)
Local pride demands that I mention this book, since it includes a
photo of the all-time greatest Santa Cruz landmark, the Giant Dipper.
Luckily, it also happens to be informative and fun. Descriptions of
the history and science of roller coasters, interesting topics in
themselves, are further enlivened with lots of eye-catching pictures,
postcards and photographs, with subjects ranging from the very first
roller coasters to the bizarre effects of gravitational forces on the
human face. Coaster fans will also appreciate tips from experts on
how to get "that sick feeling," even on the tamest ride. (8-13)
Young Adult Fiction
------------------
_Someone to Love_ by Frances Lantz. Avon, 1997 (0-380-97477-0) $14.00;
1998 (0-380-77590-5) $3.99 pb
Narrated by fifteen-year-old Sara, in the form of letters to the
unborn "mystery baby" her parents plan to adopt, this is a compelling
story about family ties being created--and tested. Sara, who is
continually chafed by her parents' restrictive and materialistic
lifestyle, has mixed feelings about her potential sibling, seeing it
mostly as an ally against her parents, but also fearful that it will
take all of their love. Then she meets Iris, the girl who will be the
baby's birthmother--and who seems to be Sara's most rebellious,
romantic fantasy come true. "All Mom and Dad saw then they looked at
Iris was a statistic--another unwed, pregnant teenager. They didn't
see what I saw--a wild girl on a motorcycle, living life on her own
terms, experiencing things her small-town parents couldn't even
imagine." Deciding that, "together, I think we've both got a chance
to break free," Sara encourages Iris to plan on being part of the
baby's life, despite her parents' fears and commands. But when her
interference brings the situation to a crisis point, she discovers
that she understood almost nothing about Iris's life--or Iris.
_Someone to Love_ is an interesting example of the use of an "unreliable
narrator"; Sara doesn't lie, but her naivete and prejudices keep her
from facing facts that she unconsciously reveals to the readers. It's
not as strong a narrative as it could be, partly because of the flip,
overtly superficial style common to first person young adult novels
and partly because it doesn't create strong characterizations: the
other characters remain pretty much the one-dimensional people that
Sara perceives them to be. But despite some flaws, this story is
carried by its originality and its sheer drama, which touches on some
very basic and powerful emotions.
* indicates a book the reviewer feels is outstanding in its genre
--
Wendy E. Betts, Editor, "Notes from the Windowsill." web at armory.com
"among them was a particularly hideous little monster, a so-called
book grump...these little spirits normally spend their lives grumping
about books. Research has not yet determined why such creatures exist."