Benny and his little brother are back in another droll low-key adventure. Tired of being indoors, the two irrepressible pigs head for the mudhole—the very spot their mother has warned them against. Of course, all their friends are there. When bully Rafe pushes Benny's brother into the muck, Benny is envious of their friend Klara's solicitous response. His solution? He falls in too. On their way home, the brothers realize that their muddy state will reveal their disobedience, but luckily for them a rainstorm hits and washes away the mud, leading their mother to cosset rather than chastise them. The straightforward plot unfolds smoothly, enhanced by the author's direct, confiding tone. Shades of brown dominate Landström's simply drawn and cleverly composed illustrations. Individual characters, named and unnamed, sport plenty of personality and action is clearly indicated with a few strokes of the pen. Listeners already acquainted with Benny and his brother will enjoy this new adventure; others may be inspired to look up their earlier escapades. Brisk and engaging. (Picture book. 3-6)Read full book review >
Thank goodness: Swedish sheep Boo and Baa make their return to America after a six-year absence. This time they have yard work to do. They've raked the leaves, but they find that the wheelbarrow squeaks. After they oil it, it seems to meow. The smiling, wide-eyed duo discover a cat trapped in their tree. Sardines won't lure it down. They can't get it to cross a plank to the upstairs window. Boo attempts a rescue only to get stuck in the tree himself. When Baa tries to save him, they both end up flying through the air. Good thing that huge pile of leaves is there to break their fall. Preschoolers will love spotting the cat before Boo and Baa, and they'll laugh out loud at the slapstick rescue attempts. Bright watercolor illustrations and a sprightly translation, not to mention the full-sized format, make this perfect for story times. (Picture book. 3-7)Read full book review >
The hens revolt when Rooster gets too big for his britches in this droll barnyard spoof. Responding to timid complaints that their assigned spots at the feeding trough are smaller than his, Rooster calls in two beefy "booster roosters" to help him crow the hens into submission. In response, the hens enroll in a self-esteem-building course that gives them the courage to face him down—whereupon he stalks off in a huff to work on an "important project." The sunny, simple illustrations play up the comical contrast between the plump hens and their bantam-sized, fiercely self-absorbed trough mate, and will draw at least as much laughter as the tongue-in-cheek plot. Fans of Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo (2000), illustrated by Betsy Lewin, and other Animal Farm offshoots, will be particularly amused. (Picture book. 6-8)Read full book review >
A budding friendship begins, grows, and blossoms between two most unlikely characters: a shy mouse named Wallace and a confident, lively neighbor named Albert. Wallace has a penchant for lists and lives his life in lock-step with all that is delineated and predictable. In contrast, Albert is creative and spontaneous, seizing any opportunity to take off on an uncharted course, "smelling the roses," and enjoying painting, music, travel. Wallace does whatever is on his "to do" list, without deviation, whereas Albert welcomes the excitement of an adventure. An adventure according to Albert is anything that isn't planned. Yet thanks to Albert, Wallace does discover a new joy. A departure from his list leads Wallace to a departure of another sort: a frantic trip to the airport to warn his friend of stormy weather. The trip is aborted, but not without the realization that life can bring unanticipated pleasure and friendship. Cartoon characters move through the story with vitality and humor a young reader will relish, and a parent strapped with the routine and mundane will appreciate. (Picture book. 4-7)Read full book review >
Benny, a round little pig, learns that wanting and getting are two very different experiences in this charmingly illustrated chuckler. Lindgren and Landström first introduced Benny in Benny's Had Enough! (1999). Here, he wanted a little brother and he got a little brother, but to his dismay, all this new piglet does is scream and scream so "He is already tired of his little brother." Benny grows even more dismayed when he sees his brother receive serenity by way of the binky, the cuddly term commonly used for pacifier, which is forbidden to Benny. The metaphorical bulb lights up in Benny's head, and he hatches a slightly diabolical plan for switching his toy for the desired binky. Benny makes his escape. "He is happy. The binky is good." He sprints through the town happily sucking on the binky, but it isn't too long before Benny's adventure turns into misadventure and he learns that the binky may well be best suited for babies. With a nod to the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, this is a quaint tale. In simple, straightforward language, Lindgren speaks unpretentiously to her audience. Landström's adorable artwork offers unique and pleasing perspectives and is painted in golden tones with splashes of muted pastel. This is an obvious choice for toddlers with a new member of the family to contend with. (Picture book. 3-6)Read full book review >
In this very brief, tongue-in-cheek Swedish import, young Will (Will Gets a Haircut, 1993) has a fine day at the beach with his motherespecially after rain drives away any witnesses and he learns how to float and paddle about. The text runs only a line or two per page beneath deceptively simple cartoons; Will's expressions and silent commentary form an amusing counterpoint to his mother's chat. Low-key, but a charmer. (Picture book. 4-6)
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The colorful cap is Will's pride and the delight of the admiring friends he willingly lets try it on. It's useful, too: the long duckbill visor protects him from the sun and even the rain. But, then, alas! Water wilts the visor, causing Will to trip; Mama, however, soon bandages his hurt knee and inadvertently improves the cap by ironing it through a newspaper that imprints the word ``Sport'' on it. The simple, well-paced drama here is perfectly childlike; the cartoon-style illustrations have the vibrant energy and humor of Quentin Blake, with a refreshing Scandinavian flavor. (Picture book. 3-7)
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Mr. Bohm, whimsically depicted as an oddly shaped little man with vacant spectacles and an anxious brow, likes to ponder childlike questions: Why does the dog choose that tree? Could a fish be taught to live on land? In the spirit of inquiry, he puts a herring in an aquarium and, by degrees, takes the water out, kindly keeping the fish moist as he shows it how to crawl. The fish gets quite adept; Mr. Bohm even takes it on walks, but one day it slips through a hole in the pier and returns to the water. Can it still swim? Mr. Bohm wonders... Inspired by a 19th-century anecdote, the wry story makes most sense on its philosophical level, though children will enjoy the foolish queries. Set in simple, deftly designed and painted backgrounds, Landstrîm's amiably caricatured gentleman is endearing. An offbeat tale, worth trying with children who also like to wonder. (Picture book. 4-8)
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