January 22, 2009 at 8:37 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, anthologies, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books)
Title: Magical Tales From Many Lands
Author: (retold by) Margaret Mayo
Illustrator: Jane Ray
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
ISBN: 0-525-45017-3
Summary: An anthology of stories about magic from around the world.
Butterfly’s notes: These tales feature strong heroes and heroines who stand by their morals and learn from their mistakes. I absolutely loved this anthology as a child; it is one of my personal favorites. There is something about Jane Ray’s illustrations that really brings the stories to life.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, fairy tales, mythology and legends, fantasy, anthologies, picture books
Leave a Comment
January 22, 2009 at 10:17 am (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: Babushka Baba Yaga
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-22531-5
Summary: The forest creature Baba Yaga is considered to be an evil witch, but she feels misunderstood. Wishing for a grandchild of her own, she disguises herself as a babushka (grandmother) and offers her help to Natasha, a single mother whose son has no babushka. But, when Baba Yaga’s foster grandson is scared by tales of the forest witch, she flees lest he discover the truth about her. Only when danger threatens her foster family does the Baba Yaga reveal her true identity.
Butterfly’s notes: There are many tales about the Russian witch, Baba Yaga Bony Legs. This story shows a much softer side of the Baba Yaga that is compeltely loveable. You can’t help but sympathize with her as a social outcast and rooting for her in her disguise as a babushka. I love the drawings too!
For a more traditional Baba Yaga story, try reading Baba Yaga Bony Legs in Magical Tales From Many Lands.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales, profound messages
Leave a Comment
January 22, 2009 at 10:00 am (Judaism, ages 10-12, ages 7-9, picture books, religious)
Title: The Keeping Quilt
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, Inc.
ISBN: 0-671-64963-9
Summary: Patricia tells the history of her own family’s immigration to the United States from Russia by following a beutiful quilt as it is passed from generation to generation.
Butterfly’s notes: I love watching family custom change with the times in this book. The story of the Keeping Quilt always makes me think of my own ancestors and what their stories might have been like. It is particularly nice that the illustrations are all in black and white, but the quilt is alive with colors.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, Judaism, picture books, religious
Leave a Comment
January 21, 2009 at 5:06 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, funny stories, picture books)
Title: Some Birthday!
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0-671-72750-8
Summary: Little Patricia is upset when her father seems to have forgotten about her birthday. Not only is there no evidence of presents, cake, or a party, her father suggests the family try to get a photograph of the Monster at Clay Pit Bottoms! Patricia is scared, but she tries to be brave and tough it out with her brothers until they come face-to-face with the Monster!
Butterfly’s notes: I love Patricia Polacco’s artistic style. This book is an ordinary story, but a funny and cute one.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, funny stories, picture books
Leave a Comment
January 21, 2009 at 3:26 pm (Judaism, ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, picture books, religious)
Title: Mrs. Katz and Tush
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-08122-5
Summary: Larnel makes friends with the neighborhood widow, Mrs. Katz, by bringing her a kitten to keep her company. They name the kitten Tush, and soon Larnel is visiting often. Mrs. Katz tells him stories of her own personal history, a history of immigration, opression, and Jewish tradition. This is a unique Passover story.
Butterfly’s notes: A good book for learning about immigration and for introducing children to Judiasm. I love the character of Mrs. Katz, she is a lovely old lady!
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, Judaism, picture books, religious
Leave a Comment
January 21, 2009 at 2:39 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Thank You, Mr. Falker
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-23166-8
Summary: Trisha enters kindergarten extremely excited about the prospect of learning to read. But as the other children in her class learn letters and numbers and begin putting sentences together, Trisha is left behind. Convinced she is dumb, Trisha resins herself to a life without reading. But when she meets Mr. Falker, the kind young teacher of her fifth grade class, her life is about to change. Mr. Falker not only promises to teacher Trisha to read, he sees in her wonderful qualities that she had begun to doubt herself.
Butterfly’s notes: Almost everyone has had a teacher in his or her life as inspiring and thoughtful as Mr. Falker. Kids troubled by dyslexia like Trisha will benefit from hearing that they aren’t alone. I love the illustrations and the metaphors Polacco uses in this book.
Categories: ages, 7-9, ages 10-12, picture books, profound messages
Leave a Comment
January 14, 2009 at 9:39 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: I Can Hear the Sun: A Modern Myth
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-22520-X
Summary: Stephanie Michele, animal caretaker at Lake Merritt, befriends Frondo, an orphan boy from the settlement house in town. In Frondo, Stephanie Michele finds a kindred spirit; they both have a way with animals and they both listen to the sun for wisdom. Together with a few of the “regulars” at the park, they form a strong friendship. But, when the people from the settlement house propose to send Frondo away, the friends are faced with a harsh reality.
Butterfly’s notes: The characters in this book are all unwanted by society, but they form friendships based on their mutual outcast status. Patricia Polacco refers to I Can Hear the Sun as a “modern myth”, and it is just that. It is a story with strong characters, true friendships, and a mystical but bittersweet ending. Since the author often bases her stories on her own experiences or those of her family, this book is particularly intriguing. What real-life thing could have happened to her that would prompt a fantasy like this one?
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales, profound messages
Leave a Comment
January 8, 2009 at 7:58 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: Squids will be Squids
Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith and Molly Leach
Publisher: VIKING
ISBN: 0-670-88135-X
Summary: Quirky fables about loveably obnoxious animals and things.
Butterfly’s notes: Ridiculous morals that will have you laughing follow each story in this unique, absurd book.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales
Leave a Comment
January 8, 2009 at 4:03 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, nature, picture books)
Title: The Mushroom Hunt
Author: Simon Frazer
Illustrator: Penny Dale
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 1-56402-500-4
Summary: A family goes on a walk in the forest looking for different kinds of fall mushrooms.
Butterfly’s notes: Beautiful autumn illustrations match the sweet story about the mushroom hunt. Extra information about mushrooms can be found in the margins.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, nature, picture books
Leave a Comment
January 8, 2009 at 3:51 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages)
Title: I Wish I Were A Butterfly
Author: James Howe
Illustrator: Ed Young
Publisher: Voyager Books
ISBN: 0-15-238013-2
Summary: A small cricket is feeling depressed because the frog at the edge of the pond told him he was ugly. He wishes her could be a butterfly, because they are beautiful. The other insects give him council to help him realize that he is beautiful in his own right and has other charms all his own.
Butterfly’s notes: Everyone has wished at some point or another that they could be different. This book is about learning to recognise our own inner beauty and value ourselves for what we are.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages
Leave a Comment
« Older entries
