January 15, 2010

• Interlude

  Many of the books in this order were replacements of much loved classics that had seen better days:

  Katy and the Big Snow – Virginia Lee Burton

  Glad Monster, Sad Monster and Go Away, Big Green Monster – Ed Emberley

  The Amazing Bone – William Steig

  Herb the Vegetarian Dragon – Jules Bass and Debbie Harter

  If I Ran the Circus, Yertle the Turtle and I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew – Dr. Seuss

   

  Nestled between the replacements were two books that are going to be classics in their own rights some day.  That’s my prediction anyway…

  Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth made me laugh out loud.  Older siblings are expected to love and adore their younger siblings but Sophie cuts right to the chase and explains EXACTLY why they shouldn’t.  And she’s not kidding.  Even when those younger monsters get a little older and might actually be kind of winsome there’s a perfectly good reason not to tell anyone you might LIKE the little thing.  Robert Neubecker’s India ink illustrations are digitally colored and wonderfully expressive.  The relationship between text and illustrations will make this one a keeper!

  I’ve already raved about Jerry Pinkney’s almost wordless The Lion and the Mouse.  It’s still my pick for the Caldecott Medal.  There are many other fine, fine almost wordless and wordless books that were published in 2009 and Susan Gal’s Night Lights is one of them.  Few words are needed as one little girl and her dog explore the light that only exists when the sun goes down: the porch light, lantern light and firelight to name just a few. The charcoal and digital collage illustrations focus the light in the same magical way that night does.  Light and shadow are so expertly depicted, that on this foggy winter’s day I got a little taste of summer and it feels wonderful.  This is Ms. Gal’s first foray into picture books and I certainly hope it isn’t her last.

  And so it goes.

  • 1:34 pm
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