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Righty and Lefty
by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Reviewed by Bill Capossere
Righty and Lefty are two feet belonging to the same person (shown only from the waist down throughout) who act just like
a pair of near-in-age siblings kept close (at times too close) together. Though they have different interests—Rightly loves shoes,
Left galoshes; Righty is a get-up-and-go morning foot while Lefty would like a few moments more under the blanket—just like a set of
siblings the two rely on each other to have fun, fondly compete against one another, dream at times of being an "only foot," and miss
each other when the other is out of sight. There isn't a lot to the story itself, no sense of narrative for instance, but the underlying
dry wit and the clean, uncluttered watercolors surrounded by lots of white space pull you along. It's a strange story, but an oddly
likable one.
Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here!: A Word from Your Baby-in-Waiting
by Barbara Park, illustrated by Viviana Garofoli
Reviewed by Julie M. Prince
What's there to do when you're stuck in a "womb with no view?" This rhyming picture book creation from Junie B. Jones author, Barbara Park, encompasses
all the elements of sweetness and humor young readers can hope for.
Advertised as "a word from your baby-in-waiting," this book does, indeed, tell a fun story from that perspective. Picture a big-sister-to-be reading the
lines, "I've tried hide-and-seek and I don't even peek. But I'm so intertwined, I'm too easy to find." A fit of giggles is almost guaranteed to follow.
Viviana Garofoli's adorable illustrations feature a baby with an astonishingly oversized head tumbling and flipping, shoving and kicking. What should be a
very limited setting expands into a world of imagination where the sky's the limit.
A simply wonderful read, especially recommended for expectant mothers with curious little ones already on the go.
The Fisherman and His Wife
by Rachel Isadora
Reviewed by Rebecca Laney, Becky's Book Reviews
The Fisherman and His Wife is Rachel Isadora's third picture book in a series of fairy tale adaptations. Her previous books include
The Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Princess and the Pea. The Fisherman and His Wife is a Brothers Grimm tale. What makes
Rachel Isadora's adaptation unique? She relies closely on the traditional tale as far as her narrative goes. The difference is in the setting. Isadora's
fairy tale is set in Africa. This is largely conveyed by her bold, colorful illustrations— collage style that has earned her high praise in the past.
For those unfamiliar with the tale, The Fisherman and His Wife is a story about greed. "Long ago there was a fisherman who lived with his wife in
a pigsty by the sea." When this fisherman catches a large fish—a flounder—he spares him when the fish speaks of being an enchanted prince. And
that might have been the end of the story except that the man shares that day's events with his wife. His wife sees great potential. She can't understand
why her husband didn't think to ask the fish to grant a wish. His wife sends him back to the sea to search for the fish. His wife's demand? A hut. Sounds
reasonable. But it's just a very small start in a long list of demands.
The Fisherman and His Wife is a wonderful read, and the illustrations are beautiful. I highly recommend this one to readers who love fairy tales
and fairy tale adaptations.
Four Feet. Two Sandals
by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Doug Chayka
Reviewed by Charlotte Taylor, Charlotte's Library
This book tells of two girls who had four feet, but only one pair of sandals. The girls are living in a refugee camp at the border of Pakistan and
Afghanistan, grabbing and scrambling when the relief workers come with loads of clothing. Lina grabs one sandal, Feroza another. The girls decide to
share the beautiful sandals, each taking them for a day at a time. When Lina leaves for a new home in America, Feroza gives her one sandal back, as a
symbol of their shared friendship.
The illustrations of this book are soft-edged paintings that manage with large brush strokes to show many details of daily life. They have a dream-like
quality that underscores how far this story and this place are from life in America. The land itself is brown and drab—there is not one single
living plant shown in the whole book. The brightness of the refugees' clothes is in stark contrast to the bleakness of the landscape. This is faithful to
the reality of this place, but is perhaps also a symbol, intentional or not, that people can have hope and beauty even when their lives have been
shattered.
This is a picture book for older readers. It deals straightforwardly with difficult issues, speaking of the death and disruption that cause people to find
themselves in refugee camps, showing that life in such camps is sad and difficult, and that girls are not always given the same educational advantages as
boys, If you're looking for a book to read with your children that will spark discussion, and open their minds, this is a good one.
I am not the only one to think so—Four Feet, Two Sandals was short listed for the picture book award category of the Cybils Awards.
Monkey and Me
by Emily Gravett
Reviewed by Rebecca Laney, Becky's Book Reviews
Emily Gravett's newest book, Monkey and Me, is sure to be as big a hit with kids (and adults) as her previous books have been. (She's the
author of Wolves, Orange Pear Apple Bear, Meerkat Mail, and Little Mouse's Big Book Of Fears.)
Monkey and Me will be released in March 2008.
Monkey and Me is fun. Pure and simple, it's just fun. There's no other way to describe it. It's the story of a girl, a young girl with two
pigtails, and her stuffed monkey. (A fun pairing for any picture book in my humble opinion. Then again, I am the proud owner of three stuffed monkeys of my
own.) These two friends are playing together. (Monkeys ALWAYS like to play.)
This book has everything necessary for a successful picture book: repetitive, rhythmic text, a fun premise, interactive opportunities, and charming
illustrations. The refrain of the book—the pattern the story follows—is simple:
Monkey and me,
Monkey and me,
Monkey and me,
We went to see,
We went to see some...
The next two-page spread will reveal what the two went to see. What you might not notice at the very beginning is that the illustrations give subtle and
some not-so-subtle hints about what the two went to see.
That is what I mean by "interactive opportunities." Not only do children get to join in the what-will-soon-be-familiar refrain, they also get to
participate by guessing what animals the two are going to see next. And, as if that isn't enough, kids are sure to want to participate by acting out the
animals movements just like the girl and her monkey. (Who doesn't like pretending to be an elephant, a kangaroo, a monkey, or a penguin?)
Simply stated, I loved Monkey and Me. And I think you will LOVE it too.
Books Reviewed:
Righty and Lefty, by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Scholastic, 2007.
ISBN: 0-4396-3629-2.
Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here!: A Word from Your Baby-in-Waiting, by Barbara Park,
illustrated by Vivian Garofoli.
Random House Children's Books, 2008. ISBN: 0-3758-3852-1.
The Fisherman and His Wife, by Rachel Isadora. Penguin Group, 2008. ISBN: 0-3992-4771-2.
Four Feet, Two Sandals, by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Doug Chayka. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.
ISBN: 0-8028-5296-0.
Monkey and Me, by Emily Gravett. Simon & Schuster, 2008. ISBN: 1-4169-5457-0.
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