Tag Archives: katie zeigler

Wednesday: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

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In a world of disposable goods and overflowing trash barges, it’s nice once in a while to come across a beautiful, award-winning book that touts the merits of saving and re-using. Long before recycling was even cool, the titular Joseph understood that when things become old, you shouldn’t just throw them away. You can create something new and wonderful out of them!  In Simms Taback’s Caldecott Medal book, “Joseph Had a Little Overcoat”, based on a Yiddish song from Taback’s childhood, Joseph wears his overcoat until it gets so old and shabby he must make it into a jacket. When that jacket loses its luster, Joseph makes it into a vest. And so on and so forth until all that’s left is a button which has its own clever uses. Stunningly illustrated and easily singable, Taback’s book is a beautifully crafted fable that will hopefully raise new conversations with our children about the beauty of finding value in something old.

KT Blue Art Class: Museum Masters

Audrey Huettl

Sue and Joe Huettl

(925) 683-3964

(925) 451-3265

sjhuettl@comcast.net

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Monday: Henry Hikes to Fitchburg

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First of all, oodles of thank yous to Victoria for recommending this book to me. It is indeed a treasure and one I am so excited to add to my list of favorite books…Meet Henry – a bear who embodies the spirit of Thoreau and who, in his big hat and red coat, decides to walk the long journey to Fitchburg. His friend, a rather sophisticated city-dweller, opts to take the train and from there we are lucky to witness their differing paths. Much like his namesake, Henry admires the beauty of the walk – the creatures, the flowers, the blue sky. While his locomotive-bound friend misses all the wonder of the adventure by just not stopping to see it. Never before has a children’s book author so effectively brought the true meaning of “Walden” to a young audience and D. B. Johnson’s book is the perfect introduction. Sit with your child, savor that moment of closeness and read this book with your eyes wide open. You’ll find the treasures within just as I did.

 

Friday: Diary of a Worm

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There are rare occasions when a children’s book makes me laugh out loud. Roald Dahl does it for me. As does Shel Silverstein. And now Doreen Cronin has added herself to that esteemed list with her book, “Diary of a Worm.” Wanna know the line that literally made me snort? It’s the June 15th entry in the little worm’s diary in which  he writes, “My older sister thinks she’s so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. ” You chuckled didn’t you? Admit it. Want more? Go get this book immediately and be ready to giggle the day away with your kids. Love it love it love it. 

Thursday: Halibut Jackson

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Certain people are just shy. Some people would rather just sit quietly in the perimeter. For Halibut Jackson, the reluctant titular hero of David Lucas’ book, shyness manifests in camouflage. He has crafted clothes to match any possible scenario – so he literally blends in with his surroundings…the sun, the grass, the flowers. And he’s quite content to exist in his chameleon-like world until he gets an unexpected invitation to a birthday party at the palace. Determined to disappear into the splendor of the palace walls, Halibut sews an outfit that is both ornate and bejeweled. But when Halibut Jackson arrives, the tables are quickly turned and a lesson in being unique is quickly learned. A wonderful story about overcoming the need to blend in…and the beauty of standing out.

Tuesday: Big Rabbit’s Bad Mood

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Face it. We’re all in a bad mood sometime. Grumpy. Cranky. Oogie. And everyone has a different solution. Mine usually involves lots of See’s candy and reruns of Golden Girls. But for Big Rabbit, his bad mood is seemingly unstoppable. He tries eating chips (a tactic I’ve tried on occasion)…he tries making a salad (nope, that doesn’t help)…he tries watching television (apparently Golden Girls isn’t on)…he even tries doing something quite nasty with boogers. But to no avail. The bad mood just keeps coming and coming and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Even his friends can’t help – since they’re apparently all off doing wonderful things with each other. But when the doorbell rings, could Big Rabbit’s bad mood be a thing of the past? You’ll just had to read Ramona Badescu’s fabulous book and admire Delphine Durand’s utterly charming illustrations to find out.

Monday: Clever Jack Takes the Cake

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When poor little Jack is invited to the Princess’ birthday party, he can’t imagine why. What could he possibly bring as a present that would please the Princess? But Jack is a clever, resourceful little guy, and he bakes the Princess the most beautiful, delicious cake the world has ever seen and sets off by foot for the fiesta. Tragedy strikes in the form of crows, trolls, bears…a whole menagerie who eat and ruin his gorgeous cake. So when Jack finally arrives, empty-handed, at the party, he has nothing for her but the tale of the hungry forest creatures and the ill-fated baked good.  Surprisingly, his story, told so vividly and entertainingly, is the Princess’ favorite present. Which just goes to show you that a good story beats out a cake any day of the week. (Unless of course it’s a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting in which case we may have to make some adjustments…) Author Candace Fleming and illustrator G. Brian Karas have created a wonderful tale of the power of the spoken word. A treasure for the entire family!

Wednesday: Christina Katerina and the Box

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Two things I adore about Patricia Lee Gauch’s book, “Christina Katerina and the Box”…1) Miss Christina Katerina has an endless imagination when it comes to old refrigerator boxes and 2) her friend’s name is Fats Watson. Seriously, anyone who has a friend named Fats Watson is alright in my book. You must remember those days when a new appliance arrived and you were so excited to get your hands on that big empty box and turn it into a fort or a castle or a race car? I do…I loved it when my mom would cut little holes for windows and I’d have a new little cottage all to myself. Christina Katerina is just the same – and despite the fact that Fats ends up ruining or collapsing or sitting atop each of her creations, she never stops until the box literally melts as Fats hoses it down. But fear not, Fats makes up for his ways by bringing over his mother’s old washer and dryer boxes. And it’s off to the high seas for Christina and Fats in their cardboard sailboats. A delightful and imaginative romp of a story.

Monday: Don’t Let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table

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When I was at summer camp at the age of 9, if anyone put their elbows on the table, the counselors would say “Mabel, Mabel, if you’re able, take your elbows off the table, this is not a horse’s stable, this is a decent dining table.” Trust me, it was awful. And, to this day, if my elbows start to make that climb toward the table, that horrible refrain rings in my ears.  Fast forward more years than I care to admit, and there’s a new Mabel in town. A  better, elbow-free Mabel who LOVES to say grace at the table.  Vanessa Brantley Newton, the author of the wonderful “Let Freedom Ring”, has captured the joy of family and tradition in her hysterical book, “Don’t Let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table.” In it,  the titular Auntie Mabel and her family are sitting down to a big, delicious dinner but before they can dig in, Auntie Mabel must say grace. And for anyone who has ever been at a table where the grace just doesn’t seem to end, and your food gets cold and yet the blessings just keep on coming, this is the book for you. Mabel’s grace stops at nothing…Brussel sprouts, the President, anyone and everything worthy of thanks make it into Mabel’s grace. It’s an adorable and hilarious take on the tradition of grace that will have you giggling into your napkin.

Tuesday: Shark vs. Train

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When the PBS kids’ show, “Dinosaur Train” debuted, a dear (and hilarious) friend of mine quipped that the producers just sat down in a room and mashed together two words that would immediately appeal to little boys and then made a show out of it.  Having now watched Dinosaur Train ad nauseum, I think it also has to do with the fact that they had an entire episode on poop.  I was reminded of that same concept of the little boy title mash-up when I came across Chris Barton’s “Shark vs. Train.” I mean, really? A shark versus a train? What little guy could resist that just based on the title alone?! Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to read this original and clever book and find that , despite its WWF-esque title, it is WONDERFUL. Shark and Train are pitted against each other in a variety of battles: high diving, burping…the only one where neither wins is the video game competition since, as Train says, “sure would help if we had thumbs.” The book is fast-paced and hilarious and each subsequent battle is funnier than the last. This is my new favorite little boy read..

Friday: There Was an Old Lady

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There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, but perhaps it was so she could have her story told in this exquisite, unbelievably gorgeous, whimsical, magical book.  Jeremy Holmes, an artist is every sense of the word, has recreated this classic story in one of those most amazing books I’ve seen in a long time. We all know the story – lady, fly, spider, bird, cat…her untimely death after nibbling on a horse….But this oft-told tale is suddenly made new under Holmes’ talented hand. it’s like the Old Lady met Edward Scissorhands at a party and they got together and made this book. It’s edgy and interactive (the old lady’s coat comes off as a book cover and her eyes close at the end) and one of those rare books that also qualifies as fine art. Love it.

Ages 2-6. Visual and musical gimmicks enhance Carle’s signature bright, textured collages in this holiday-cum-counting story. A white-bearded farmer lives the simple life with a few animals that he names One through Five. Children don’t find out which number matches which animal, though, until they follow the farmer through a visually clever dream. “It’s almost Christmas, and it hasn’t snowed yet,” says the farmer. But as he sleeps, he envisions snow falling, covering each of his animals, while the text counts along–“The snowflakes gently covered One with a blanket”—a plastic sheet printed with snow overlays each page, concealing the collage images until readers lift the page and discover that One is a horse, Two is a cow, etc. Dream becomes reality when the farmer awakes to a white world and hurries outside (dressed in Santa coat and boots) with presents for the animals and ornaments for a tree that, thanks to a changeable battery pack, plays a chiming tune at the press of a button. Although this is more an exercise than a story, Carle fans and toddlers learning the basics will still enjoy the gentle text and creative design features.