Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Jack’s assignment for Miss Stretchberry’s class, room 105, is to keep a poetry journal and use what he learns in class to write his own poems. What results is a one-way conversation in free-verse as Jack by turns makes fun of and grows to appreciate poetry and its connection to his own life, largely through the work of Walter Dean Myers. Out of this conversation, influenced by the works of Robert Frost and William Blake as well, comes the story of Jack’s dog Sky and how he died, and a letter to his favorite poet Walter Dean Myers that results in a live school visit from the author. Jack’s initial aversion to poetry in general is realistic, as is his eventual understanding of its relevance and ability to give words to the deepest of emotions. Dog lovers will be sure to choke up. The free-verse style also makes the 85-page book a quick read and great transition for those younger readers moving into chapter books.

For a thoroughly entertaining time, you can see a reader's theater production of Love That Dog performed by authors Sharon Creech, Avi, Sara Weeks, and Mr. Walter Dean Myers himself online here.

"Jack's gradual appreciation of poetry is both natural and believable, and the sentence parsing required by the book's format will be a refreshing aid to beginning chapter book readers, whose fluency is threatened by word-by-word reading. The format, generous with white space, allows the book to reach the often-required one hundred pages without containing large chunks of text.” - Horn Book

"Creech has created a poignant, funny picture of a child's encounter with the power of poetry. Readers may have a similar experience because all of the selections mentioned in the story are included at the end. This book is a tiny treasure.” - School Library Journal

Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George

Illustrations by Lauren Stringer

A collection of 32 short poems describes each of the different origami figures that a young boy folds over the course of a day. Most are short and bare, in the spirit of the haiku if not the form, but still manage to be clever and humorous. Most of this book’s appeal lies in Stringer’s illustrations, which tell a story where the text does not. The bold acrylic paintings depict the boy waking up, eating breakfast, getting dressed, playing with other toys, taking a bath and getting ready for bed again in the background of his intricate paper creatures. The attention paid to painting the exact folds of each creation is impressive. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the boy’s black and white cat in every other illustration, peeking over his shoulder at the crinkle of paper, and opportunistically attacking the origami ostrich that blows off the table. Details of continuity such as this are a treat for children to find on each new page. A bibliography at the end provides suggested resources if readers would like to learn the art of origami themselves.

"The vividly colored acrylics depict the boy actively engaged in play with his creations, and the details that Stringer provides infuse the verses with both energy and humor. Her illustrator's note offers insight into her own efforts to master the art of origami" - School Library Journal

"There are no step diagrams, so this engrossing collaboration is more a motivator than a teaching resource--but Stringer supplies a list of classic titles for beginners at the end, and (librarians: be warned!) the square, brightly colored endpapers make tempting, oh so tempting starter sheets." - Kirkus Reviews

The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse

Illustrated by Wendy Watson

In WWII era Warsaw, a young girl has escaped the Ghetto and is hiding in plain sight, living as a Polish girl. “Polish words float from my lips and I am almost safe, almost invisible…I look like any child.” She and her older sister work as part of a resistance that has plans to smuggle a shipment of food to those still inside the Ghetto, but at the last minute they find out that the Gestapo knows about the shipment and plans to meet the train with dogs who can sniff out the smugglers. But the little girl thinks of a solution – she thinks of all the stray cats in Krasinski Square that she plays with regularly. The resistance gathers up the cats in bags and baskets, and releases them at the train station. The dogs give chase, and the smugglers escape among the chaos, successfully getting the food into the Ghetto. The story manages to touch on the cruelties and terror of WWII without using unnecessary details that might overwhelm very young readers. This small girl’s understanding of war and what it means to be an orphan is reflected softly in how she sees the stray cats she plays with. “They belonged once to someone…They purred…nuzzling the chins of their beloveds. Now they have no one to kiss their velvet heads.” Illustrations are light and warming watercolors that allow Watson to suggest at the ruined city in the background, but to focus on the hope conveyed by the girl and her cats. This would be great to share with older picture book readers who have had an introductory lesson about WWII. An author's note shares where Hesse came across the idea for this imaginary story, as well as some details of historical background.

"The play of light and the naturalness of the cats' poses are almost a comfort in a story that adults sense as keenly distressing, and that beckons for adult interpretation or guidance. What is clear is the immediate poignancy of these cats and the author's evocative language in describing them...They could be the Polish Jewry of the Warsaw Ghetto.” - School Library Journal

"Simple, graceful words and pictures make this adventure story a taut and moving one. Watson's illustrations -- watercolor, ink, and pencil -- reveal the girl's sensitivity and delicacy, while the artist's depiction of the cats seems to pay homage to Wanda Gág's Millions of Cats." - Horn Book

Penny Lee and Her TV by Glenn McCoy

Tell me if this sounds familiar. Penny Lee loves her TV soooo much that she keeps it on day and night, eating her meals in front of it, and doesn’t really have many friends other than those in her 300 favorite shows. Penny Lee’s dog Mr. Barkley wants Penny’s attention though, and hasn’t quite given up on her, so when she wakes up one morning to find her TV cold and dark, Mr. Barkley takes charge and leads her outside to go down to the repair shop. Along the way they just so happen to get distracted by playing jump rope and hide-and-seek, flying a kite, swimming in a pond, fishing, visiting the library and more, so the repair shop is closed by the time they actually make it there. Penny Lee might get mad, but she has had enough fun with Mr. Barkley that she decides she might not miss her TV so much for just one more day. The twist? After Penny Lee goes to sleep, Mr. Barkley “fixes” the TV by putting the batteries back in the remote. The exaggerated and colorful cartoon art will make anyone laugh, and while you might have to explain the joke at the end to younger readers they will appreciate the humor of a dog rollerblading with his little girl. The end papers – full spread pictures of a TV screen being turned on and then off – are a cute touch as well.

"The cartoon art is lively and engaging. At the beginning of the story, the television takes center stage in every scene. Later, it is smaller and in the background, showing its diminishing role in the girl's life. This is a humorous and entertaining tale that kids and parents alike will enjoy.” School Library Journal

"McCoy's caricatures amuse with large heads, bulbous noses and ever-expressive furrowed brows and round eyes. However, the premise of a kid tricked out of her taste for TV may resonate more with parents than with children." - Publishers Weekly

Rabbit's Gift by George Shannon

Illustrated by Laura Dronzek

It’s the middle of winter, and Rabbit ventures outside to find some food before it snows again. He is lucky enough to find two turnips and rolls them home, but decides that one is plenty for himself. Rabbit decides to give one turnip to his friend Donkey, whom he worries hasn’t enough to eat, but when Donkey isn’t home Rabbit leaves the turnip by the door and scurries away. Donkey returns to find the gift, and decides she has enough of her own food so she passes the turnip to Goat, who passes it to Deer, who decides to give it to Rabbit. In the end, all share the extra meal. The bright, heavy acrylic paints used in the illustrations give Rabbit and his friends a warm and bold look, and Dronzek does a good job giving them facial expressions while not over-anthropomorphizing them. Pages of text are bordered by a turnip-patterned banner with the Chinese symbols for the different animals, which are explained in the author’s note. Shannon also shares the folktale roots of this story found in many cultures including Chinese, Japanese, French and Spanish. I always enjoy animal stories, and the warmth and simplicity of this one made me truly smile.

"The uncluttered illustrations, many framed in purple to compliment the purple of the turnip, perfectly capture the action of the story. The expressive faces of the animals are charming, and the thickly applied colors add a richness to the pictures that make them seem cozy despite the wintry backdrop.” - Booklist

"This folktale, with versions found in many cultures, is well told and richly illustrated. The appealing acrylic art supports the simple text and enhance the story. This title also includes an author's note and Chinese calligraphy glossary. A terrific seasonal storyhour selection.” - School Library Journal

Too Many Frogs! by Sandy Asher

"
Illustrations by Keith Graves

Rabbit is just settling into his big purple chair to read himself a story, as he does every night, when a “knock-knockety-knocking” sounds at his door. It’s Froggie, who invites himself in to listen to Rabbit’s story with rapt attention and thankful enthusiasm. He returns on several subsequent nights to hear more stories, and makes himself progressively more at home with each visit, fixing snacks and making himself comfy with a pile of pillows. With each visit Rabbit becomes more and more annoyed that his privacy is being invaded and cluttered with so much mess, but he endures until, one night, Froggie shows up with his whole family. Rabbit kicks the family out and returns to his solitary and quiet reading, but it isn't long before he realizes that, just maybe, he liked it better the other way, and invites everyone back inside. Graves’s illustrations pop with color, and the exaggerated cartoon effect masterfully complements the text and conveys the full meaning of what the words only hint at. Rabbit's annoyance and horror is evident on his face at every turn, while Froggie’s genuine enthusiasm for reading is shown in his wide smile and bug-eyes. The story conveys a lesson on friendship without being heavy-handed or didactic.

"The humorous, repetitive text is well matched by the funny, expressive illustrations. Persnickety Rabbit is appropriately anxious and irritable, while Froggie and his family exude bug-eyed cheerfulness. A good choice for storytimes.” - Booklist

"The humorous illustrations create empathy for Rabbit but also for Froggie, who is genuinely delighted to listen to a story. The varied facial expressions lend credence to the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words"...the horror on Rabbit's face is priceless. A fun story that celebrates reading and standing up for oneself.” - School Library Journal

How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet

Droofus the dragon was separated from his family as a baby, and perhaps that’s just as well, because he is not quite an ordinary dragon. He would rather make friends with the animals of the forest than eat them, and this he does in solitary peace until he is fully grown. Then one day while out flying, Droofus is spotted by the king who decides he must have the head of a dragon for his great wall. Droofus manages to evade the king’s knights, but is discovered by a kindly farm boy who befriends and decides to hide the great dragon from the king and anyone who would turn the him over to have his head cut off. Droofus is of course eventually discovered and all seems lost when the king comes up with an innovative compromise that lets everyone live happily ever after. Bill Peet is a classic and much loved children’s book illustrator and author of such titles as The Caboose Who Got Loose, Buford the Little Bighorn and Chester the Worldly Pig, and his distinctly colorful and cheerful cartoon illustrations are just as vivid in this book. Droofus’s bright blue, scraggly exterior and crooked grin help to remind readers that appearances are not everything.

“Droofus is quite an extraordinary dragon. His sympathy for other animals turns him into a vegetarian and makes him quite safe to have around…Children will enjoy this amusing combination of fantasy and realism, and especially the cheerful illustrations of a likeable dragon.” – School Library Journal