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She Yelled. I Screamed…She Pulled my Hair!

AN UNFAIRY TALE

Little girls who are willing to work a bit for their understanding are likely to enjoy this wonderfully illustrated story...

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In rhymed couplets, this debut book displays the challenges of sharing with a little sister.

Narrated by Phoebe—who has a sister, Audrey—this first story in a planned series begins in summer, when heat is making the girls so irritable that they are no longer kind to each other. Every time Phoebe asks Audrey to share their teapot, Audrey yells, Phoebe screams, and Audrey pulls Phoebe’s hair. Soon, Phoebe grabs and then throws the teapot, hitting Audrey’s foot. Without saying sorry, Phoebe heads for the shade of a tree and voices aloud her wish for Audrey to share. Immediately, a winged lady appears and reveals a sharing spell that involves giving Audrey leaves from a magical tree, coupled with kisses. Phoebe expects everything to be easy now that she has a magic spell, but it takes perseverance—as well as magic, a whole lot of leaves and kisses, and a change of seasons—for the sisters to finally get along. The text doubles as a playground for graphical elements by Leshay and James Renald: The word “burn” is on fire, while “shake” imitates quivering. The impressive black-and-white photographs invite deeper attention, but they can sometimes feel separate from the story. For example, depending on mood and angle, Audrey looks so different that young readers may find it difficult to figure out whom to follow. At times, the text is also confusing, as when Audrey rather randomly tells a stuffed bunny it can’t have a car—“No car for Woo Wabbit!” Still, as part of a read-along, the uncommonly artful photos plot a refreshing path toward a heartfelt message.

Little girls who are willing to work a bit for their understanding are likely to enjoy this wonderfully illustrated story with its successful treatment of text as graphics and some fresh ideas about sharing.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: 978-0-9899988-3-3

Page Count: -

Publisher: Again Again Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 3, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015

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TALES FOR VERY PICKY EATERS

Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)

Pub Date: May 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Clarion Books

Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011

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  • New York Times Bestseller

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BECAUSE I HAD A TEACHER

A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.

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A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.

This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.

A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 1, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Compendium

Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017

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