Klassen, J. (2018). We Found a Hat. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763656003
Summary: Part one is about two turtles that find a hat. Unfortunately, there’s only one hat and there’s two of them! They both try on the hat, saying it looks good. Of course, it’s not right if one got to wear the hat if the other did not. So, they decide to leave the hat and forget that they had ever found it. Part two is the two turtles watching the sunset together. One asks the other what they’re thinking about with a response being about the sunset. The question is repeated to the other and they say nothing. Part three is the turtles going to sleep. One asks the other if they’re going to sleep, they say yes. One of the turtles starts heading towards the hat while the other starts to fall asleep. They find out that one is dreaming that they are both wearing hats and looking good on them. When the turtle realizes that they are both wearing hats, they go to sleep.
Analysis: The backgrounds are quite simplistic in the first part then details are added once the story continues on to the next part. The simple shapes of the desert and textures bring emphasis to the plain background. Soon, the background becomes more detailed with a beautiful scene of the night sky full of stars. The story itself was extremely cute and just simply enjoying the turtles talking about the hat with their comments of how it looks good on them brings a smile to your face. The text is nicely spread out and big enough to be seen, bottom half-page double-page, and full-page spreads are controlled by the turtles’ cuteness and simplicity of their day after discovering the hat. The first part can be used to teach about sacrifice, since the two turtles decided to leave the hat alone. Despite liking the hat, they sacrificed their desire for it due to not wanting to leave the other without a hat. Part two shows off a side of friendship of the turtles simply having a chat about the sunset, the calm atmosphere of the conversation matching the sunset that ends another day. Lastly, the part of where one of the turtles got up towards the hat made the reader take in a breath of anticipation. Is the turtle going to take the hat? The reader can take a sigh of relief once the turtle turns back (without the hat) and goes to sleep. This can teach kids to sometimes give up on desires and keep friendships strong.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2016): “...In contrast to the first two books, which relied on a certain conspiratorial menace, this one ends with a moment of grace and a sky full of stars. All three stories are about justice. It’s just that justice doesn’t always mean the same thing.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2016): “In this capper to Klassen's delightfully sly "Hat" trilogy," two wide-eyed tortoises covet a 10-gallon hat. The economy of words, simple shapes, and rich textures highlight the stark beauty of the desert landscape and allow readers to appreciate the understated drama and humor. A surprisingly tender ending-with just the barest hint of surrealism-emphasizes the power of sacrifice and the endurance of friendship.”
Other books by Jon Klassen:
Klassen, J. (2019). I Want My Hat Back. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9781536207576
Klassen, J. (2012). This Is Not My Hat. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763655990
Barnett, M., & Klassen, J. (2017). The Wolf, The Duck & The Mouse. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763677541
Summary: One day, a mouse meets a wolf. But the mouse gets eaten! Soon, the mouse sees the duck inside the belly of the beast. The duck and mouse talk about the surprising things that are inside of the wolf’s belly. They even ate breakfast together. They make lunch together as well. The duck points out that being inside the wolf’s belly meant that there were no worries of being swallowed up. Too bad all the ruckus made the wolf’s belly hurt! The duck tells him that there’s a cure, but it makes the wolf more sick! A hunter almost kills the wolf, so the duck and mouse come out of the wolf’s mouth to scare the hunter. The hunter runs off afraid! The wolf is thankful for what they did and tells them he’ll grant them anything they want. So they stay in his belly.
Analysis: The colors are quite muted, almost being black-and-white tones. The sketch-like drawings are quite animated and expressive. Subtle colors, but still draw in the reader with the setting. The wolf, the duck and mouse are illustrated with big eyes and dimensions that continue to show off the rich textures of the backgrounds. Colors such as the tablecloth or the hunter stand out very nicely. The bottom half-page spreads describe the actions and scenery of the mouse and duck being inside the belly of the wolf. It’s almost funny how the duck actually likes being inside the wolf’s belly, saying that it prevents the fear of being eaten even though it already happened. The mouse agreeing with the duck of how it’s better inside displays the bond they shared of being swallowed up. The scene with the hunter makes the audience watch in wonder if the animals will come out alive. The duck and mouse coming out of the wolf’s mouth was so hilarious that it’ll make the kids laugh at the image. The ending of the mouse and duck celebrating being in the wolf’s belly can teach kids that sometimes you can make a bad situation a good one. It’s also a cute tale that can be used to explain why the wolf howls, it's because his belly hurts!
HORN BOOK (2017): “...Klassen’s mixed-media illustrations are concentrated down to their essences, with colors so subtle the art almost appears black-and-white at first glance; striking tableaux that seem to capture each moment at the very peak of the action propel the story forward.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2017): “...A rare treasure of a story, the kind that seems to have been around forever.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2017): “...Klassen's mixed-media art has a collagelike quality; the main characters and set pieces appear as cutouts placed against richly textured backgrounds of deep browns and black, with golden touches of pink and ocher, adding to the sense that readers are watching a dramatic play unfold. VERDICT Reminiscent of classic animal fables, with this winning team's signature humor and charm, this is a first purchase for any picture book collection.”
Other books by Mac Barnett:
Barnett, M., & Rex, A. (2010). Clock Without a Face. McSweeney’s Publishing. ISBN: 9781934781715
Barnett, M., & Klassen, J. (2012). Extra Yarn. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN: 9780061953385
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2016): “...Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street) gives the school just a hint of visual personification in his flattened, paint-and-collage artwork, as Rex (Moonday) deftly juggles well-placed jokes and keen insights into feeling comfortable in one's own skin;or bricks, as the case may be.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2016): “...Rex's warm and goofy text is brought to life by Robinson's vivid collage illustrations. His signature round-headed, tulip-handed figures are diverse and appealing, from the supportive janitor to the "little girl with freckles" who slowly warms up to school at the same time that the school is warming up to the children. VERDICT A+: an essential purchase that is simultaneously funny, frank, and soothing. A perfect first day read-aloud.”
Other books by Adam Rex:
Rex, A., & Keane, C. (2019). Why?. Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN: 9781452168630
Rex, A. & Park, L. (2020). Unstoppable. Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN: 9781452165042
Rex, A. (2015). Champions of Breakfast. Balzer & Bray. ISBN: 9780062060099
McDonnell, P. (2017). The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His Abc's (the Hard Way). Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316502467
Summary: A cat gets out of bed and out his house. But then runs into an Alligator! The cat runs into a Bear then a Chicken. Oh oh! Now they run into a Dragon! The dragon scares them and out pops an Egg. Then Fire comes out of the dragon’s mouth. They wear Glasses to block the light. All the cat can think about is going Home. They run so much that they start slipping on Ice and going through a Jungle. They even see a King. The princess and king note that the cat is Lost. The cat and the other animals go over a Mountain. They shout No as they go Over the mountain edge. Luckily, they had Parachutes to aid their landing. They ask Questions. They take a Restroom break. But the Sun is going down! They all feel Tired. Then they see the king and princess on a Unicorn! They all get Valentines and Wave goodbye. The king gives the cat a map where X marks the spot. The cat finally gets home and Yawns to catch his Zs.
Analysis: The adorable cat running all over the place is an adventure that readers can all laugh over. The moment the cat wakes up and starts coming across the other animals was enjoyable to watch. The animals were extremely expressive which adds to the comedic effect of the cat running into all sorts of obstacles to get back home. The coloring of the animals made them contrast greatly against the plain white background of each scene they experience. Full-page scenes of the animals sliding over ice or swinging on vines in the jungle really captivates a funny, action packed journey to get the cat home. The only text showing is the alphabet letters in lower and uppercase. Some special text such as when they yell “Nnnnnooooo” can make the reader chuckle at how lively it is or the “Zzzzz” can make one sleepy. A Great way to expose kids to the alphabet as well as practicing inference to predict what happens next with only pictures. It also connects to how the letters run with kids for their lives and soon will develop into words.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2017): “...While most illustrations offer a clear-cut answer to what each letter represents in the sequence, there are a few pages that require some thought; an answer key can be found at the end of the book. -VERDICT A brilliant caper that young learners will want to pore over! A must-purchase.”
HORN BOOK (2017): "I love a book that offers readers so much to do. Beyond figuring out what, for instance, the s is standing for, kids, unguided by text, will have to work out what’s going on in the story, and the narrative trajectory is just Dada enough (a unicorn?) to make it not too simple. The book is not for children learning their ABCs; it’s for those who are now ready, like the little red cat, to run with them."
Other books by Patrick McDonnell:
McDonnell, P. (2006). Art. Little Brown. ISBN: 9780316114912
McDonnell, P. (2016). LIttle Gift of Nothing. ISBN: 9780316394734
McDonnell, P. (2012). The Monsters’ Monster. ISBN: 9780316045476
Ellis, C. (2016). Du Iz Tak? Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763665302
Summary: A little, tiny shoot pops out of the ground. Two damselflies look at it with curiosity. The plant continues to get taller and taller. Bigger and bigger. Soon, other beetles come to see it as well. They watch it in wonder. A pill bug named Icky helps them build a tree fort. Soon every bug is helping put together the fort. Oh no! A giant spider gets on the plant! They all wonder what to do. Then a giant bird swoops down and takes the spider away. All the bugs notice something at the top of the plant. It’s a big, bright, beautiful red flower! The bugs are enjoying their pretty new tree fort. But the flower wilts and the fort is no more. Then, a beautiful butterfly comes out of the cocoon! And winter passes by. Spring comes again with new plants growing.
Analysis: The nonsensical language makes the story fun to guess at what the bugs are saying. The audience reading this can have a blast trying to figure out what they’re saying. The inventive, creative language creates an interesting dialogue within the narrative. Lots of white space brings the reader’s eyes towards the plant growing and the insects surrounding it. The story progresses through the seasons very naturally, introducing the natural cycle of spring to winter and then spring all over again. Due to words being repeated as dialogue by the bugs, the sentences can be decoded using the visual clues of what is happening within the scene. Overall, a cute story of the seasons and seeing the bugs build the fort was fun to look at too. This book is great for emerging readers or ESL readers to help with decoding and also teaching about the cycle of seasons.
HORN BOOK (2016): “...By the final words, “Du iz tak?” we are fluent speakers of bug. Completely scrivadelly, this is a tour de force of original storytelling.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS (2016): “...This is certain to ignite readers’ interest and imaginings regarding their natural surroundings. Following the minute changes as the pages turn is to watch growth, transformation, death, and rebirth presented as enthralling spectacle.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2016): “...Generous expanses of cream-colored empty space emphasize the smallness and fragility of these living beings, who move busily along the forest floor at the bottom edge of the pages. Very gently, Ellis suggests that humans have no idea what wonders are unfolding at their feet-and that what takes place in the lives of insects is not so different from their own. Has there ever been anything quite like it? Ma nazoot.”
Other books by Carson Ellis:
Ellis, C. (2015). Home. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763665296
Ellis, C. (2020). In the Half Room. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9781536214567
Santat, D. (2017). After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty got back up again. Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 9781626726826
Summary: The classical tale of Humpty Dumpty returns in a version by Santat. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall! Humpty is simply sitting on his favorite place on top of the wall. He gets a little famous for his “Great Fall”. After his fall, Humpty was understandably afraid to go up high. Despite being bandaged up and put back together again, Humpty is scared of the same thing happening again. He is later put into a situation where he must climb high up thanks to a little paper airplane. Humpty learns to overcome his fear of heights and is once again sitting on the wall. He wants people not to know him as the egg who fell, but as the egg that got back up again and learned to fly.
Analysis: This wonderful story of the famous Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme comes back in the retelling version of what happens after Humpty’s Great Fall. The aftermath of his fall was an interesting concept since the classic rhyme doesn’t continue on to what happens to Humpty. Seeing Humpty so humane brought on a great personification of an egg character who is witty at the start (saying “I’m sort of famous for that” in reference to his fall) and going through an emotional journey to overcome his fear of heights. The King’s County Hospital is an excellent allusion to “all the king’s men put Humpty Dumpty together again”. Humpty going grocery shopping, bird-watching, and making airplanes make him more relatable to people that might be having a struggle just like he did. The scene of him looking up at the wall, almost wanting to turn away but decided against it and overcome his fear is powerful and emotional. When he gets to the top, he is no longer afraid. He breaks out of his shell and becomes a bird to fly into the sky. An inspiring story to teach children to overcome their fears, to not let things that scare them from holding them back to achieve great things. The illustrations are amazing and the end scene of Humpty flying off as a bird was simply spectacular.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2017): “...When fear is conquered, we don't just endure the experience, Santat contends; we become new beings. More than a nursery rhyme remix, Santat's story speaks boldly to the grip of fear and trauma, and to the exhilaration of mastering it.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2017): “...Many readers might have considered the ascent an adequate end, but Santat indulges in one more high note when the reformed shell cracks anew and releases an exultant bird. VERDICT Santat's precise illustrations and sensitive text combine for more emotional depth than the typical nursery rhyme remix. A terrific redemptive read-aloud for storytime and classroom sharing.”
Other books by Dan Santat:
Santat, D. (2016). Are We There Yet? Little Brown. ISBN: 9780316199995
Santat, D., & Willems, M. (2016). The Cookie Fiasco. ISBN: 9781484726365
Brosgol, V. (2016). Leave Me Alone. Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 9781626724419
Summary: An old woman who lives in a small house lives peacefully in her small village. She has a big family who are energetic and lively. With winter coming up, she wanted to get some knitting done but she can never finish. All her grandchildren play around with her yarn balls and constantly ask her questions on her knitting. All their rowdiness put her at the end of her patience. She cleans up the house, gets a sack of belongings and tells her family to leave her alone. She leaves the house. Then in the forest, she tries to get knitting done but the bear family won’t let her! She goes further away. She goes up to a mountain, but the goat family won’t stop bothering her either. She climbs up the mountain, higher and higher, until she reaches the moon. Even the mysterious green men won’t leave her be! She escapes into a wormhole where she finally gets her peace and quiet to knit. But she was all alone. She picks up her sack and goes back home. And she didn’t say a word.
Analysis: The colors were bright and warm, giving off the lively feeling. Beautiful and stunning scenery too in the half-page spreads. Those that live with a big family can sympathize with the grandma of not being able to get your peace and quiet with lots of noisy family members running about. The part where it states that she’s at the end of her rope symbolized by the end of her red yarn was artistically done well. Her expressions were on par with someone constantly fed up of being interrupted from their task and never finding peace no matter where they go which gives the illustrations a comedic touch. Her journey to get her quiet time was funny and makes readers wonder where she’ll go next to get the quiet she needs to focus on knitting. When she enters the wormhole, the pages change from full color to balck and white to symbolize her isolation from all the noisy things around her. She does her daily routine in silence and got her knitting done, but she is lonely since she is away from her family. In the end, she returns home and her hugging her grandchildren warms your heart. A hilarious journey of a granny trying to focus on her knitting and constantly getting interrupted is a fun journey. But despite wanting to be left alone, the grandma still misses her family and goes home. This can be used to teach kids that sometimes it’s okay to need a little space.
KIRKUS REVIEWS (2016): “...Brosgol's folkloric tale is full of humor and repetition, making it a good choice to read aloud. Her colorfully animated figures, all white except for those ETs on the moon, stand out against the white pages. This contrasts well with her eventual place of seclusion (spoiler alert: a wormhole), where the figures are outlined in white against a black background.”
HORN BOOK (2016): “...After six striking pages of white-line drawings on solid-black backgrounds -- the void -- her knitting project (“thirty little sweaters”) is complete, and all ends happily in a satisfyingly circular way. Repetition and patterned storytelling ground the out-of-this-world elements for a thoroughly entertaining adventure.”
PUBLISHER WEEKLY (2016): “...The fizzy collision of old-fashioned fairy tale elements with space-age physics is delightful, and even the most extroverted readers will recognize that sometimes you just need a little space.”
Other books by Vera Brosgol:
Brosgol, V. (2011). Anya’s Ghost. Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 9781596435520
Brosgol, V. (2019). Little Guys. Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 9781626724426
Willems, M. (2016). The Thank You Book. Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN: 9781423178286
Summary: A pig is hanging out with the elephant, making note that Piggie has a lot to be thankful for. Piggie has a lot of thanking to do! Piggie decides to thank all the people important to them. Elephant thinks Piggie will forget someone important, but Piggie is persistent that they’ll thank everyone. Piggie goes off on their “Thank-O-Rama”. Piggie thanks the squirrels for their great ideas. Piggie thanks the snake for playing “ball” with them. Piggie thanks the Pigeon for never giving up and apologizing for not including the pigeon in their books. Elephant is telling Piggie that they’ll forget someone, but Piggie doesn’t think so. Piggies thanks Mouse, Birdies, Rhino, Hippo’s Big Sister, Barky Dog, Pelican, Bear, Hippo, and Worms for being great friends. Elephant (named Gerald) is upset because he thinks Piggie forgot someone important. Piggie tells him not to worry as his next thanks is a big one, but he thanks Whale for being nice. Piggie thanks Ice Cream Penguin for the ice cream. Piggie thanks Doctor Cat for being a great doctor. Piggie thanks Brian Bat for drawing them. Gerald is really upset! Telling Piggie they still forgot someone important. His hopes go up until Piggie thanks the Flies for cooking with them. Piggie is insistent that they didn’t forget anyone. Once Piggie realizes that they did in fact forget someone, they thank Elephant Gerald for being the best friend a pig could have. Unfortunately, Piggie forgot to thank the reader! They thank the reader and at the end, Piggie knows they are one lucky pig.
Analysis: The drawing style is reminiscent of a comic book character that adds its own charm to the story. The colors are nice and each animal moves animately (especially pIGGIE ON HIS “Thank-O-Rama”. The characters are cute and energetic, that it stand them out from the plain white background. The speech bubbles enhance the text with their dialogue and conversations that Piggie has with the other animals. Speech bubbles make it relatively easy to follow through the story and who doesn’t love talking animals? The back to forth between Elephant and Piggie about Piggie forgetting someone is similar to bickering between friends in real life, it gets the audience loving the atmosphere of the teasing of two friends. Watching Gerald get annoyed that Piggie is forgetting him was fun to see, his expressions matching his mood as he watches Piggie thank everyone else. Piggie thanking Elephant for being the best friend a pig could ever have was a very touching moment. The ending scene of the two sitting with each other was so sweet. Piggie thinking they’re one lucky pig was a great ending to a story about being grateful to those around us and thankful to have the people in our lives, and maybe go off on our own “Thank-O-Ramas” too.
KIRKUS REVIEWS (2016): “...As Elephant & Piggie books go, this isn’t one of the strongest, but it is a validating valediction to fans of the two characters, who have won Willems two Geisel Medals and five Honors. Yes, Gerald and Piggie have ushered countless readers into literacy, but as they rightly note, reading is a collaborative act. Thank you, Gerald and Piggie. We’ll miss you.”
Other books by Mo Willems:
Willems, M. (2010). I Am Going!. Hyperion Books. ISBN: 9781536422214
Willems, M. (2007). I am Invited to a Party!. Hyperion Books. ISBN: 9781536422221
Willems, M. (2011). I Broke My Trunk!. Hyperion Books. ISBN: 9781423133094
Ruzzier, S. (2018). The Party and Other Stories. Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN: 9781452152882
Summary: Chick visits Fox and asks what Fox is doing. Fox is busy reading a book. Chick is wondering how Fox could be reading a book when they’re talking to them. Fox decides to go back to their house to continue to read. Chick asks to come inside for the bathroom, Fox lets them in. But Chick is taking a while! Fox goes to check on Chick, but there’s a mess in the bathroom done by Chick. Turns out Chick is having a party with their friends in Fox’s bathroom! Chick leaves disappointed. In the next story, Fox is gathering vegetables and Chick is bothering them again. Chick makes comments of how Fox doesn’t eat what other foxes eat and wonders if Fox is a real fox. Fox makes a soup and invites Chick to eat. They have a nice dinner together. In the last story, Fox goes outside to set up an easel since they want to paint a landscape. Chick comments that painting a landscape is boring, so Chick offers to pose for a portrait for Fox to paint. Fox tells Chick to sit on a rock, but the rock is too hard. Chick gets hungry and gets a snack then gets thirsty and gets water. Fox ends up finishing the painting, but it’s not of CHick since Chick wouldn’t sit still. Fox promises to paint a portrait of Chick someday.
Analysis: The comic book paneling that gives an easy pacing to each individual story that follows the same two characters. The bright, pastel colors are quite lovely to look at. The dialogue only text in speech bubbles helps the conversation flow easily between Fox and Chick. The text within the story is simple enough to follow for beginning readers. The friendship between Fox and Chick is quite confusing since all Chick does is annoy Fox. Such as the moment of Chick using Fox’s bathroom for a party. This scene could be used to teach children not to do things without their friends’ permission, especially if it’s their own house and to respect when they want their privacy. The other scene where Chick remarks that Fox doesn’t act like a fox can teach kids not to assume things about others because they don’t do what they’re “supposed” to do. Fox’s retort that foxes are supposed to eat little birds like Chick was quite funny. The other moment that Fox replies that they won’t eat Chick (“at least, not today” comment was witty and hilarious). The last part where Chick couldn’t sit still reminds kids to be patient with their friends and to be accepting of their hobbies. The end of Fox promising Chick that they’ll paint a portrait of them someday is a cute, hopeful ending to their friendship story. A definite way to encourage children to start with reading.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (2018): “...The root of their friendship remains an enigma;why does Fox tolerate such an annoying friend? But there's an easygoing, reassuring rhythm to the storytelling, and the simple text and sunny colors should engage nascent readers.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2018): “...Pleasant and cartoonish pastel panels add to this enjoyable read. In the tradition of Frog and Toad and Elephant and Piggie, Fox and Chick will feel right at home in company of these other friendship tales. VERDICT Simple vocabulary, dialogue-only text, and situational comedy make this a winning choice as a confidence booster for children just learning to read. Recommended for picture book collections.”
Other books by Sergio Ruzzier:
Ruzzier, S. (2019). Good Boy. Simon & Schuster Digital. ISBN: 9781481499071
Ruzzier, S. (2021). Fish and Sun. HarperAlley. ISBN: 9781536468748
Ruzzier, S. (2014). Letter for Leo. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Digital.
ISBN: 9780544380936
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