--- title: "Reading Everywhere: picture book" url: https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture book/ description: "Children's and YA book reviews. Library stuff. Possible overuse of the word AWESOME!" --- # Reading Everywhere: picture book - [About](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/about-me.html) - [Review Policy](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/review-policy.html) - [Frequently Visited Posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/frequently-visited-posts.html) Showing posts with label picture book . [Show all posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/) Showing posts with label picture book . [Show all posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/) ## Tuesday, January 22, 2013 ### [Introducing My Kids to a Classic: Richard Scarry](https://readingeverywhere.com/2013/01/introducing-my-kids-to-classic-richard.html) I gave my four-year-old his first Richard Scarry book last weekend, and as I'm sure you can guess, he loves it. He's obsessed! There's so much to look at! I bought him [What Do People Do All Day?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394818237/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0394818237) because I remember reading when I was little. It's funny how the illustration of pigs laying bricks and the cross-section of a ship can bring back an exact snapshot of a moment from my childhood. Scarry, Richard. What Do People Do All Day? (Abridged). 64 p. 1968. Random House. Hardcover $14.00. ISBN 9780394818238. I love the way this book enhances our daily walks to the park-- my son is now on the lookout for manhole covers, which he understands connect to the sewers, and he can tell you all about how the builders put a water heater in a new house. I also appreciate how the vignettes explaining various job functions demonstrate how we all do our part to contribute to society. This book gives my son and me a lot to talk about-- not just about the wide variety of jobs people do, but also about how we can all help each other by working together. And my two-year-old daughter just loves the illustration of the ballerina cat. Because mommy takes ballet! And of course I'm every bit as graceful as that dancing cat... or at least my daughter thinks so. My only objection to this fine tome? No examination of the inner workings of the Busytown Library. Ah, well. What was your favorite Richard Scarry book? Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [7:00 AM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2013/01/introducing-my-kids-to-classic-richard.html) Labels: [children's](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/children%27s) , [picture book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book) ## Friday, September 7, 2012 ### [Book Review: Red is a Dragon, by Roseanne Thong and Grace Lin](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/09/book-review-red-is-dragon-by-roseanne.html) Thong, Roseanne & Lin, Grace. Red is a Dragon . 40 p. 2001. Chronicle. Hardcover $15.95. ISBN 9780811831772. Having been a fan of Grace Lin's work for years, I'm so pleased to introduce her work to my children. I'm hoping they will become equally devoted fans. We've started with [Red is a Dragon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811864812/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0811864812&linkCode=as2&tag=readineveryw-20) , which was illustrated by Lin, and written by Roseanne Thong. Thong's text and Lin's illustrations complement each other beautifully to celebrate the wide variety of colors found in the world around us. What I love most about this book is the way it presents a uniquely Asian American identity. Some pages introduce elements of Chinese culture, such as incense, a festival with firecrackers and a dragon, or dumplings. Other pages are more universal, with images such as a taxi cab, sand castles at the beach, or flowers in the garden. The text includes Auntie and Grandpa, subtly showing the importance of extended family in Asian cultures. My children are half Vietnamese, and I really value the way this book speaks to my children's Asian-American experience just as naturally as we incorporate both sides of their cultures into their daily lives. Books can be a mirror of our own experiences or a window to another world-- and this book is both. It doesn't appeal to my children just because they're Asian-American; children of all cultural backgrounds can enjoy it. The reader might learn something new, see something familiar, or just enjoy the vivid colors and bold, lively illustrations. Whichever way a young reader approaches it, they will surely regard this book as the treasure that it is. Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [7:00 AM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/09/book-review-red-is-dragon-by-roseanne.html) Labels: [book review](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20review) , [children's](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/children%27s) , [picture book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book) ## Thursday, January 26, 2012 ### [Book Review: A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/book-review-ball-for-daisy-by-chris.html) Raschka, Chris. A Ball for Daisy. 32 p. Schwartz and Wade. 2011. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9780375858611. As a teen services librarian, I have to admit I was less tuned into the potential Caldecott contenders than Newbery or Printz, so I didn't register an immediate reaction when [A Ball for Daisy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037585861X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=037585861X%22) was announced as the 2012 Caldecott Medal winner. I knew Chris Raschka's work, but hadn't read his latest. So when I pulled it off the library shelf, and thought, "A wordless picture book about a dog and her ball? Okay, looks adorable, but..." I have to admit, on first glance, I wondered what made this book stand out above the rest. I was skeptical-- would it have substance? And then I read it, and I found the substance. The plot is straightforward: Daisy the dog loves her ball beyond all else... until the day another dog accidentally pops it. But this deceptively simple story grows deeper with each re-reading. It's a story of a dog and her ball, yes, but it's also a story of loss, acceptance, and healing. Raschka's thoughtful use of color and bold, unrestrained brush strokes convey a vivid spectrum of emotions, from pure joy to confusion and grief. There is genuine heartbreak in the sequence of drawings where Daisy puzzles through the loss of her beloved ball and finally realizes that it's gone. According to [this NPR article](http://www.npr.org/2012/01/23/145656652/caldecott-winner-chris-raschka-discusses-his-book) , > The story was inspired by Raschka's son, who had a beloved ball that was destroyed by a dog. "[It happened] when he was 4 ... and it was such a devastation for him," Raschka says. "It's kind of ... the first time he experienced something he loved ending, and that he couldn't get that back." Raschka depicts so clearly the pain of that first, incomprehensible, irrevocable loss. Happily, Daisy's story is resolved in the end as she learns to love anew, and the reader is left with a sense of satisfaction and relief. And ultimately, it's such a relatable story. Who among us hasn't lost something? I tested this as a read-aloud with my three-year-old, and it was a big hit with him. We talked about how Daisy felt about her ball, how she felt when she lost her ball, and so on. Not only did my son like the cute doggy and her ball, but reading this book together and supplying our own words for the story presented a valuable opportunity for discussing emotions and identifying how body language can transmit certain feelings. Reading this book with my son, I felt like hugging him a little tighter. As his mother, I want to spare him the sadness of losing something he loves, but I know can't. It will happen eventually. And when it does, I can take heart from Daisy's story-- how she learns to move on and embrace the next good thing in her life. I highly recommend [A Ball for Daisy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037585861X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=037585861X%22) . I could read it again and again. Good choice, Caldecott Committee. Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [7:00 AM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/book-review-ball-for-daisy-by-chris.html) Labels: [caldecott](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/caldecott) , [picture book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book) , [review](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/review) ## Thursday, January 19, 2012 ### [Book Review: Martha Doesn't Say Sorry, by Samantha Berger & Bruce Whatley](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/book-review-martha-doesnt-say-sorry-by.html) Berger, Samantha & Whatley, Bruce. Martha Doesn't Say Sorry! 48 p. Little, Brown. 2009. Hardcover $15.99. ISBN 9780316066822. If you have a three year old, you NEED this book. Believe me, I know. It tells the story of a spirited young otter named Martha who, as you can guess from the title, is kind of a pain in the rear. She stirs up all kinds of trouble and then has a little trouble with apologies. NOT COOL, MARTHA. But, of course, she does learn the beauty of a nice, clear "I'm sorry" in the end. Whew! Now, why is it that kids love watching other kids do something bad and get in trouble for it? Toddler schadenfreude, I tell you. Our little guy picked out this book all on his own, and he finds Martha's naughtiness hilarious. He totally gets that she's doing bad things, and he delights in commenting disapprovingly on her behavior. ("Marfa not say sorry.") The story may seem didactic to an adult, but it's wonderfully simple and straight to the point, reinforcing the importance of an apology at just the perfect level for a small child's understanding. The illustrations add a layer of levity to the text that children and adults will both enjoy. The book's title is repeated quite a few times in the narrative, making for a fun-filled interactive reading experience. When you read it aloud, trail off with "Martha doesn't say..." and let your little one fill in with an exuberant "SORRY!" This works well for enhancing the participatory elements of a preschool storytime, too. I love it-- [Martha Doesn't Say Sorry!](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055X69RU/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0055X69RU) is a crowd-pleaser that teaches an important lesson. Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [7:00 AM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/book-review-martha-doesnt-say-sorry-by.html) Labels: [children's](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/children%27s) , [picture book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book) , [review](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/review) ## Friday, December 9, 2011 ### [Book Review: Stars, by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee](https://readingeverywhere.com/2011/12/book-review-stars-by-mary-lyn-ray-and.html) Ray, Mary Lyn and Frazee, Marla. Stars . 40 p. Beach Lane Books. 2011. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9781442422490. This beautifully illustrated, simply written picture book calls children to notice the stars, to feel comforted and strengthened by their presence-- even when they're invisible. The narrative underscores the importance of having something to believe in. It also encourages creativity and imaginative play, and invites children to look beyond the literal and see stars in different places all around them. For me, the highlight of this book is Marla Frazee's artwork. Always expressive and endearing, her coloring technique reminds me of Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaire's work, as the drawings seem to glow from within. There's an illustration of three children cozily huddled in a hollow tree trunk that's positively spellbinding. If it were made available as an art print, I would buy it immediately. (I'd like an art print of the cover illustration, too, please.) The richness of Frazee's artwork emerges with each reading of this book. Details and characterizations reveal themselves to the delight of a child who loves to make visual connections, and the brilliance with which Frazee depicts the vastness of the sky is stunning. Ray's text is spare and lovely. The concepts are easily relatable for a child, and an adult will enjoy the deeper themes reflected. It occasionally seems a little aimless to me ("Because a star is different from a rock."), but there are moments of pure beauty. I love the way the book begins: > "A star is how you know it’s almost night. > > As soon as you see one, there’s another, and another. > > And the dark that comes doesn’t feel so dark." This book has become a welcome part of my three-year-old son's bedtime routine. He asks for it every night, and I'm more than happy to cuddle up and read it with him. I've heard Caldecott buzz for this one, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a sticker on its cover next year. Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [1:51 PM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2011/12/book-review-stars-by-mary-lyn-ray-and.html) Labels: [children's](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/children%27s) , [picture book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book) , [review](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/review) [Older Posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/picture%20book?updated-max=2011-12-09T13:51:00-08:00&max-results=20&start=20&by-date=false) [Home](https://readingeverywhere.com/) Subscribe to: [Posts (Atom)](https://readingeverywhere.com/feeds/posts/default)