Review: Healing Stories

Picture Books for the Big and Small Changes in a Child's Life

By Jacqueline Golding, Ph.D

M. Evans; 2006; 343 pages

Paperback; Reader's Advisory

Adults

ISBN: 978-1-59077-097-9

A readers' advisory text which suggests various picture book titles, with accompanying bibliographic information and brief annotation, that address major events and developmental milestones in a child's life such as death, natural disaster, and separation anxiety.

My Thoughts:
I appreciated this book for what it was, a fairly specific book of reader's advisory. I think it would especially be useful having it available to parents in the children's section or reference section of the library. However, I would not recommend it as a book for individuals to go out and buy on their own. (Whereas I think that every reader should have a full set of Nancy Pearl's books on their shelves!) I liked that it only included picture books. I also liked that it included annotations. Most times titles alone will not aid a staff person or parent in determining whether the book will address their particular issue or event.

The thing I liked most was the diversity of the texts suggested. Each section included "classic" works, as well as at least one from the last 10 years. (Some were very current considering that the reference itself is a couple years old.) A great example of this is the section on Illness of Another Person. It listed both Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie dePaola (which I remember fondly from my childhood) and Singing with Momma Lou from 2002. Both books deal with aging grandparents.

The Thoughts of Others:
Blair Christolon reviewed this book in 2006 for School Library Journal. He felt that the book would be a great resource for "either for bibliotherapy or for theme-building for storytimes." Favorable comparisons were also drawn between this work and A to Zoo, citing the annotations in Healing Stories as very helpful.

Library Journal also reviewed the work in 2006. Reviewer Kari Ramstrom wrote that "Healing Stories empowers parents to promote development and healing...in a fun, helpful manner. She was disappointed though because while the titles suggested were useful in the categories available, she felt that other topics (such as injury or special needs) should have been included.

Review: Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written and Illustrated By Brian Selznick

Scholastic; 2007; 533 pages

Juvenile Fiction; Realistic Fiction; Caldecott Award

Grades: 3-6

ISBN: 978-04-39813-785

Hugo's father has been killed in a fire, and his uncle has disappeared. Left on his own to take care of the train station clocks, Hugo embarks on a journey of discovery. While repairing a clockwork figure that is his only link to his father, Hugo makes connections with a filmmaker, a fellow orphan, and the world around him.

My Thoughts
This was a very interesting book. It is definitely not a picture book, yet it won the Caldecott Medal...and rightly so. The artwork, though black and white, is amazing. There is depth and detail that is almost photo-realistic. Also, towards the end of the book, the drawings are intermingled with actual stills from old silent films. The pictures are also integral to the text. They are not illustrations, they are the text. I would be reading along, and then there would be a series of 4 or 5 full spread pictures that would pan across a scene, or zoom in on important actions. Each set was like a single frame of a film. It was amazing. Then the text would pick up again, only it wouldn't pick up where it left off, it would pick up where the pictures left off. It was innovative, unique, and totally enthralling.

I think that kids will love this book. The story line is interesting. Since it has a male protagonist, it will appeal to both boys and girls. Also, movies are such a huge part of modern culture that a book that addresses their beginnings will intrigue children. As will the whole notion of clockwork and mechanisms in our technological, micro-chip society. The writing is well done, the pictures are flawless. It will challenge younger readers lexically, but the pictures won't hinder older kids. (The size of the book alone will make any reader, young or old, feel like they have accomplished something upon completion.) I heartily, and without reservation, recommend this book to everyone...child and adult.

*Sidebar: I saw this at my library as an audiobook. Which literally shocked me. I am normally a huge proponent of audio and e books, but in this case I am not. DO NOT GET IT AS AN AUDIOBOOK. The pictures are integral to the text. You will not get the same experience.

The Thoughts Of Others:
Publisher's Weekly's 2007 review found the book to be "an artful blending of narrative, illustration and cinematic technique, for a story as tantalizing as it is touching." They appreciated the use of movies both in the plot and in the illustrations. They saw the book as more of an experience than merely a read.

Kirkus also reviewed the book in 2007. They drew comparisons between the book and silent films, seeing the illustrations as they pan and zoom as traditional film storyboards which often told the story better than text alone ever could have. They also liked that the book was "an homage to early filmmakers as dreammakers."

Review: 10 Trick-or-Treaters: A Halloween Counting Book

By Janet Schulman; Illustrated by Linda Davick

Random House; 2005; 32 pages

Picture Book; Concept Book

Ages: 2-5

ISBN:978-0-3758-3225-3

A group of 10 trick-or-treaters count down as one by one they are scared away.

My Thoughts:

I did not like this book. As far as being a concept book, there are MUCH better counting up and counting down books available. (My personal favorite being Numbears byKathleen Hague.) I do not blame Linda Davick for this book's flaws. The illustrations are adorable, and well done. Rather I blame Schulman's text. It is well known that rhythm and rhyme help children learn and remember. (I still sing the ABC song sometimes as I am shelving books.) Schulman uses rhyme, but not well. As you attempt to read the story, the rhythm is off. There is no consistency which makes it hard since the reader naturally wants to fall into a sing song lilt. Perhaps, if the book were read silently it would not be a problem. However, this book is geared towards an age group of listeners, rather than independent readers.

Positively speaking, the illustrations are VERY well done. They are, in fact, the only positive thing about the book. The "monsters" that scare away the trick-or-treaters one by one are, on closer examination, merely people in masks and costumes. This is a good thing to point out to smaller children if they become afraid. In the end, if you REALLY need a counting book that is halloween themed...don't use this one. Pick up Countdown to Halloween by Pat Palmer!

The Thoughts of Others:
(Apparently I am not entirely alone in my distaste...)

Marilyn Cartout reviewed the book in 2005 for Children's Literature. She also felt the need to make a suggestion of a different title, citing that " a better example and one that can easily pair with this book is Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O'Connell." She did not care for the illustrations either. She felt they looked computer generated and were uninteresting.

On the other hand, Marge Loch-Wouters loved the book when she reviewed it in 2005 for School Library Journal. She praised both Schulman's text and Davick's art. She summed it up as "a not-too-scary treat for the youngest Halloween fans."