Tandem Insights

Book of the Week: Knock, Knock!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Gorilla
Gorilla who?
Gorill-a my dreams, I love you!

If you like this knock-knock joke by Tomie dePaola, you’ll be even more tickled and delighted when you pick up Knock, Knock!, the companion title to Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road.  Knock, Knock! features fourteen well known children’s illustrators and showcases their take on the classic knock-knock joke.  Contributing artists/comedians include Chris Raschka, Peter Reynolds, Yumi Heo and David Small.  Children of all ages will be in suspense when reading the setup page and then laugh out loud when turning the page to reveal the funny and sometimes punny punch line.  Not only are the jokes comical, but the creative illustrations and pictures will send readers rolling on the floor laughing.

Book of the Week: The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say MOO

After spending time with quite a few bunny rabbits over the years I was pleased to meet Jonathan Allen’s Little Rabbit.  Knuffle Bunny, Bunnicula, Little Bunny Foo Foo, Peter Rabbit, Roger Rabbit, Edward Tulane, Runaway Bunny, and Velveteen Rabbit never left me wondering “What sound does a rabbit make?”; The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say MOO by Jonathan Allen did. 

In the same style of computer animated artwork which brought to life Owl and Owly in I'm Not Scared! and I'm Not Cute!, Allen introduces us to Little Rabbit and his crew of farmyard friends. 

With simple, large text, students in grades PreK through 1 can easily join in a shout-out-loud storytime.  Readers will appreciate Little Rabbit’s individuality as he helps the other baby animals realize that they are not limited to their own language and can enjoy making other animals' sounds. 

Why not keep the silliness rolling with another animal picture book?  Lila Prap’s multilingual Animals Speak is a fun way to introduce how animals "speak" in other lands.  And in this book, they speak 41 different languages including English, Afrikaans, Farsi, and Romany.

Book of the Week: What Pet to Get?

Growing up in a pet-less house, except for the occasional goldfish, I always wondered what it would be like to have a pet, especially an exotic one.  As a child, my top three picks consisted of the following: an orangutan, a dolphin, and a tiger.  A little boy named Jack also has a pet wish list of his own in the book What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd. 

Excited that his mom agreed that he may have a pet, Jack explores his endless pet possibilities.  Jack suggests that potentially an elephant, polar bear, or even a T-Rex may work.  His mom simply replies that an elephant “might squash the car,” the polar bear may not like the central heating, and the T-Rex wouldn’t be an option because it “has been extinct for sixty-five million years.”  What pet did both mom and Jack agree on?  Well, let’s just say that Jack’s “little” pet named Fang has a fold out page all to his self.  This fun and humorous story with bright, larger-than-life illustrations is a book that young children will enjoy.

Book of the Week: House Takes a Vacation

Ever wonder what’s going on at home while you’re sunning yourself at the beach?  Would you believe that your house is having an adventure of its own?  Hey, who says you get to have all the fun? 

When the Peterson family leaves for their vacation, their house decides that this might be a good time for it to get away from it all.  There is a bit of discussion about this.  Trying to get all the parts of a house to agree on a vacation destination is like getting all the members of a family to agree on where to go.  But eventually, they come to a consensus and take off.  All except the basement, who refuses to rise to the occasion.

The adventure ensues from there, full of puns and silly scenes with a house among oblivious vacationers.  Kids will love the silliness, especially if they are old enough to get the plays on words.  House Takes a Vacation by Jacqueline Davies is sure to be a hit at storytimes.

Book of the Week: Ballerina Dreams

Lots of little girls have ballerina dreams. But what if you have a physical disability that makes it difficult to dance? One physical therapist decided to help these dreams come true, despite the obstacles. This is the true story of five little girls who realized their ballerina dreams.

The students in this special ballet class have cerebral palsy or some other muscle deficiency. A photo-essay format introduces each girl and helps the story come to life as they rehearse for their performance. Each girl has a helper to assist them with movements, but the dancers have learned the steps on their own and will complete them to the best of their abilities. Photos from backstage and of the performance itself, including the audience’s reaction, capture the spirit and determination of these girls, who prove that dreams really do come true.

View this book in the Tandem Library Books online bookstore.

Book of the Week: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy

Fly Guy fans will not be disappointed when they read the newest book of the Fly Guy series, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy.  The early chapter book begins with Buzz and his pet, Fly Guy, on their way to visit Grandma—the old lady.  When Grandma sees Buzz arrive on his bike she runs to greet her grandson with open arms…and mouth.  Before Buzz gets a chance to introduce his amazing pet, Fly Guy is accidentally swallowed by Grandma in their embrace.  In the attempt to save Fly Guy, Grandma swallows a spider, a bird, a cat…and so on.  Being overwhelmed by all of the animals in Grandma’s stomach, Fly Guy shouts, “Buzz!”  After hearing Buzz call back to him, Fly Guy flies his way out of Grandma’s stomach followed by the spider, bird, cat, dog, goat, and cow.

Tedd Arnold’s take on this classic tale is humorous and delightful.  Early chapter readers will enjoy the expressive illustrations and clean text as they cheer on Fly Guy to safety.  In 2006, Hi! Fly Guy, the first  title of this series, received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award for literary and artistic creativity in a beginning reader book.

Book of the Week: Orange Pear Apple Bear

Who knew a book comprised of just four simple words could be so much fun? Try saying it aloud: this title has a lyrical, song-like quality. British author Emily Gravett is one of our favorite authors of late, and her newest title does not disappoint. In Orange Pear Apple Bear, pastel watercolors illustrate variations on the word groupings. Gravett says the inspiration for this book came from reading Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves, which promotes proper grammar. I recently shared this book with a group of preschoolers, who delighted in “reading” along with me by using the pictures as clues.

Gravett’s forthcoming picture book, Monkey and Me, is scheduled for US release in March 2008.

View other titles by Emily Gravett: Wolves and Meerkat Mail

Book of the Week: Knuffle Bunny Too

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Tale of Mistaken Identity 

Mo Willems knows kids, and kids know Knuffle Bunny.

The time is right for a sequel to the smash hit 2005 Caldecott Honor Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. Allow me to set the scene: It’s been two years since the Laundromat Incident. Trixie is now an articulate preschooler; able to communicate in complete sentences and, like most kids her age, talking a LOT. Knuffle Bunny is headed to school with Trixie for show-and-tell. When they arrive, the case of mistaken identity begins to take shape, involving an identical Knuffle Bunny brought to class by another girl. Will it be a showdown, or an instant bonding for the classmates (and the bunnies)? You’ll have to see for yourself.

The funny illustrations match the style of the first book, featuring black-and-white photos of Park Slope, Brooklyn with Willems’s colorful drawings of the human (and bunny) characters added in. As with all of Willems’ books, sly details are thrown in that adults will find hilarious. My favorite part is when the girls argue over the correct pronunciation of “Knuffle,” a nod to actual debate among readers when the first book came out. Willems’ ability to bridge the gap between adult humor and childhood events makes reading his picture books a delightful experience for all.

Click here to view in the Tandem Library Books online bookstore.

Book of the Week: Living Color

Living Color is not only our book of the week, but it is the book of the day as today is its publication date!  Written and illustrated by Jenkins, this picture book delivers what we’ve come to expect from this Caldecott Honor winner: a fun and exciting look at science.  Both eye-catching and inviting Living Color starts the reader out with an introduction about animals and color before entering into the heart of the book- its signature cut-paper collage illustrations, short paragraphs with tag lines, and descriptions of each animal by color- and closes with further information and an animal glossary listing each animal by color with its name, picture, body length, habitat and diet.  A Fall 2007 Book Sense Children’s Pick, Living Color brings to life 66 animals from a red salamander to a pink squat lobster and captures the wonder and art of science beautifully for its target audience of K-3 readers. 

Such an assortment of wildlife, scientific observations and hues in nature will partner well with K-8 science lessons exploring animal color, camouflage, survival, environment and / or behavior.  On his website Jenkins shares his appreciation of science, which Jenkins says “can be defined as a way of thinking about and understanding things”, and calls out the excitement (and sometimes challenges) it brings to a K-12 classroom.  “Ultimately”, he says, “(science) is a very powerful tool”. 

Science is a powerful and important tool for students of any age so please keep eyes open for Jenkins’ next picture book due out this fall:  Vulture Views written by April Pulley Sayre (Henry Holt & Co., October).

View this book on the Tandem Library Books Online Bookstore.

Book of the Week: Hiromi's Hands

This well-researched picture book biography is especially credible due to the fact that Lynne Barasch knows her subject personally: Hiromi Suzuki is a childhood friend of her daughter.

Not so long ago, Hiromi’s father was a hardworking chef at the family’s Japanese restaurant in New York City. He began taking Hiromi with him to the fish market when she expressed interest in the business and the time-honored traditions of sushi preparation. Itamae-san, professional sushi chefs, historically have always been male. “People thought a woman's soft, warm hands would spoil the fish” (Barasch).Growing up, Hiromi respected this tradition but didn’t let it dissuade her from her life’s ambition. Learning from her father, who encouraged her despite the enormous obstacles he knew she would face, Hiromi developed her skills and remained focused on her goal.

Hiromi’s father, impressed by her talent and devotion, gave her a job at the family restaurant. The word got out and soon Hiromi was a celebrated itamae-san in her own right. This story, illustrated with soft watercolors, will fascinate readers of all ages and serve as an inspiration for pursuing one’s dreams. Barasch provides an author’s note as well as sushi terms and techniques to supplement the story.

View this book in the Tandem Library Books Online Bookstore