Category: children

Author: Suniti Namjoshi
Illustrator: Nilima Sheikh
Publisher: Spinifex
Genre: Children / Fables
ISBN: 174219839-2
Pages: 36
Price: $24.95

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Suniti Namjoshi is internationally acclaimed as a poet, and Nilima Sheikh’s paintings hang in galleries all over the world. These two talented artists combine their skills to bring us Blue and Other Stories, a collection of myths and fables.

Five short stories are included in this book. “The Unloved Queen” tells the tale of a girl named Suniti questioning how she received her name. “Blue” shares her love of the color blue and the reactions of those around her to this obsession. “Kingfisher” is a tale of a smart bird and his quirky answers to those seeking his wisdom. “Frog Life” shows us vanity at its highest. And “Bird Woman” presents a girl’s unusual problem and her parents’ creative solution.

These interesting and unique stories are colorfully illustrated to complement the text. Blue and Other Stories is a beautiful work of art, both in words and pictures.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Howard Binkow
Illustrator: Susan F. Cornelison
Publisher: Thunderbolt Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9715390-5-1
Pages: 32
Price: $15.00

Author’s website
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Howard B. Wigglebottom likes to fix things. So when his friend, Ali, is sad, he wants to fix her problems. But he learns from his mom that some things simply can’t be fixed.

Ali’s problem is that her parents are fighting and she is upset. But in this book, Ali never actually says this. We learn it from Howard’s mom when she explains why he can’t do anything about it. And when Howard finally does try to talk to Ali, he immediately falls in the mud and starts splashing around.

Kids certainly are not at fault when their parents are fighting, but that message doesn’t come across very clearly in Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Mud and Rainbows. I would have preferred to see Ali actually tell Howard some of the specifics about her problems, and Howard to respond with careful consideration, rather than simply talking to his mom and declaring, “It’s not your fault.” The discussion section at the end of the book might be helpful to fully explain the concepts in this story, and adult explanations will most likely be necessary.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrators: Jonathan Bean, Carin Berger, Sophie Blackall, Linda Bleck, Renata Liwska, Christopher Silas Neal, Zachariah OHora, Eric Puybaret, Sean Qualls, Isabel Roxas, Melissa Sweet, Dan Yaccarino
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0446-5
Pages: 28
Price: $17.95

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Margaret Wise Brown wrote the much-loved children’s stories Goodnight Moon and Big Red Barn, among others. Goodnight Songs features a collection of her previously unpublished lullabies sung by Emily Gary and Tom Proutt and illustrated by twelve award-winning artists.

Each of these twelve songs on the accompanying CD is featured in a two-page spread, beautifully illustrated by one of these talented artists. Lyrics are also provided to read or sing along. The music is soft, simple and charming in a folk style with varying instrumentation. Mandolin, thumb piano, harmonica, and slide trombone are some of the sounds featured.

Goodnight Songs would be a wonderful book for little ones to enjoy while curled up in bed, just before sleep. It also would make a nice companion on a long road trip, as a soothing aide for cranky and tired travelers. I highly recommend this book for all parents of young children.

You can find exclusive interviews with the illustrators, book trailer, a letter from the editor, and much more at the Goodnight Songs special website.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Howard Binkow
Illustrator: Susan F. Cornelison
Publisher: Thunderbolt Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9826165-6-7
Pages: 32
Price: $15.00

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Howard wants to win. In fact, winning is the only thing that matters to him, and he would even cheat to win. He doesn’t know how to be a team player, and he won’t settle for second place.

But when his coach pulls him out of the game, Howard learns a few things. His teammates are kind to each other, and they enjoy playing without him. And an upset dad in the crowd makes him realize how bad his behavior has been. Maybe it is possible to play the game and not win – and still have fun.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship shows kids the importance of being a good sport, and not focusing so much on winning, in a non-preachy manner. Trophies are nice, but it’s the joy of playing the game that counts, in the end.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Sarra J. Roth
Illustrator: Tracy Bishop
Publisher: Peter Pauper Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4413-1415-4
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

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A young girl decides she wants to try some new things. She attempts to pop a wheelie on her bike, and ends up with a flat tire. She can’t balance on her toes in ballet class. And karate is noisy and makes no sense. Frustrated, she quits them all. But her mother sits her down and asks why she gave up so quickly on her new hobbies.

With a better attitude, she approaches her botched flower painting, and decides to just keep trying. The end result makes her happy enough to even give some of her past flops another attempt. After all, she doesn’t want to be the quitting kind.

Trying something new seldom leads to instant success. Not the Quitting Kind, told in rhyme, reminds kids that it’s normal to feel frustrated and upset when they do poorly at something they’ve never tried before. But when they push through their feelings, they may find they enjoy what they’re doing, and even become good at it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger