Spring/Summer 2008 has brought
a strong collection of titles for the younger reader of picture
books.
Our
Library
By Eve Bunting. Illus. by Maggie Smith. Clarion Books. This charming book by veteran children's author Eve Bunting tells the story of an enterprising group of animals, led by a very resourceful raccoon, who join together to solve a problem: their beloved community library must shut its doors due to lack of funds.
Raccoon and his friends check out a multitude of how-to books to help them find a solution. "They read by day" and "they read by night" and hold fundraisers in order to approach an irritable older beaver (with a sweet-tempered grandson); the animals propose to move the library to a patch of his land.
After some delay, the older landowner
does agree (and Bradley Beach Books has it on good authority
that bad-tempered beavers are very rare), and the library is
moved to its new home, where it receives heavy and enthusiastic
use by everyone, including the beaver benefactor and his grandson.
Illustrator Maggie Smith does a very thorough job of bringing
the plethora of animal characters and activities to life on every
page. (Although in all honesty, Eve Bunting must have met a few
sour, officious librarians; thankfully, they don't appear in
this book.) Recommended. (Ages 4-8)
Written and illustrated by Jennifer
J. Merz. Clarion Books. A little girl, her mother, and a red
wagon full of stuffed animals walk on city streets to the playground
in this exuberant picture book for younger readers, illustrated
with very tactile torn- and cut-paper artwork. Ms. Merz's mice,
beavers, bunnies, and squirrels, in particular, are warmly appealing.
Playground Day!, though, is almost hyperactive with insistent
activity. A quieter, more contemplative interlude would have
been appreciated by at least one reader. (Ages 3-6)
Written by Marilyn Singer. Illus. by Carll Cneut. Clarion Books. ...And if Playground Day didn't provide enough of a cacophony, City Lullaby steps up to supply even more clamorous noise and activity! This rhyming counting story about crowded city life for young picture-book readers is written by veteran children's author Marilyn Singer (the author of Didi and Daddy on the Promenade, reviewed here several years ago), who specializes in books for the younger portion of this age group.
City Lullaby is crisp, professional, and good-natured,
as are the tilting, listing, European-style illustrations by
Carll Cneut (another children's-book veteran), done in too many
bold primary colors for my taste. But as a lifelong big-city
dweller, thank goodness my experiences haven't resembled anything
in City Lullaby! (Ages 3-6)
Written and illustrated by Catarina Kruusval. R & S Books. Author/illustrator Catarina Kruusval tells a story about a little girl named Franny and her seven animal friends: a crow, a bear, a bunny, a giraffe, a dog, a hedgehog, and a kitten, in this import from FSG's Swedish affiliate, which specializes in titles for the younger picture-book reader. Franny likes to be in charge--but it seems that her animal companions possess better judgment than she does.
When Franny decides to take the group out for a tea-party picnic, she insists on walking in front of the animals. Before too long, a minor mishap occurs: the kitten and the hedgehog tumble into a hole, unnoticed by Franny, who had raced down the hill ahead of them.
After the two are rescued, the group continues home, but this time, Franny makes sure to go last. Catarina Kruusval's gentle, composed pastel drawings illustrate the text charmingly (the plump little hedgehog is adorable). (Ages 2-6)
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