"Readers familiar with this book will delight in a fresher-looking version, but overall and despite good intentions, it does not completely rehabilitate the original's flawed depictions of Indigenous peoples. (sources, resources) (Informational picture book. 5-12)"
Curious, shaggy-haired twins Tony and Tiny learn about the history of popcorn while waiting for a pot of kernels to pop.
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"A lovely, simple reminder to pause and notice this life. (Picture book. 4-8)"
A white-bearded grandfather imparts his gentle wisdom to his grandchildren—a girl and a boy—as they meander through a placid green space.
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A case of stage fright nearly thwarts Andy and Sandy's act in this latest installment of dePaola and Lewis' early-reader series.
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"A beautiful but minor effort from two immensely talented creators. (Picture book. 3-6)"
A parent-child pair observes the coming of night and the reactions of various (mostly domesticated) animals and their offspring.
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"Good to meet you, Andy and Sandy. (Early reader. 5-7)"
DePaola and Lewis' new early-reader series features a boy and girl who become fast friends in the first book and go on to have adventures there and in the second book, too.
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"Adults who have been through the ordeal of a fixer-upper may appreciate the ending more than kids, but everyone will enjoy the fun. (Picture book. 4-7)"
A new tale from dePaola is always a reason to cheer, and this riff on "Jack" tale variants will bring smiles.
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"Every page is infused with joy and color, and sweet touches like the ladybug that sits on the letter G on the cover delight. (Picture book. 4-8)"
DePaola takes two pieces of the Old Testament (the Benedicite and Psalm 148) and transmutes them into a simple song for all Creation.
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"Treat young readers and listeners who enjoyed Kevin Hawkes's North Country excursion Wicked Big Toddlah (June 2007) to these further glimpses of a distinctive regional culture. (Picture book. 7-9)"
In affectionate tribute to rural New England, his home for the past 35 years, dePaola offers four short character tales, one per season, with six even shorter tourist anecdotes interspersed: "Have you lived here your whole life?"
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"It's quite a powerful story, and will give its audience time and space to grapple with the question of the title. (Autobiography. 8-12)"
The latest in the 26 Fairmont Avenue series, in which the beloved writer and illustrator recounts his childhood in vignettes almost every child can recognize and derive comfort from, turns rather dark as life sometimes does, even for small children.
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"While the stories from his childhood will interest younger readers, most of the volume will be of more interest to dePaola's adult fans and those doing author studies. (Nonfiction. 10-adult)"
DePaola offers a montage of Christmas memories from his earliest days as a toddler in a high chair, captured in home movies, right up to his current celebrations in his home in New Hampshire.
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"As in DePaola's other stories that incorporate his childhood memories, this classroom is a peek back into an earlier time, with boys in knickers and girls in dresses and hair bows, but the emotions of a budding thespian remain the same. (Picture book. 5-8)"
DePaola recounts another anecdote from his childhood in this school story that explores the concept of "stealing the show."
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"DePaola's characters are as roly-poly and humorous as always, however, and his legions of fans will love Santa's big family, warts and all. (Picture book. 4-7)"
Santa Claus invites his entire extended family to Christmas dinner in this longer story, told partially through text and partially through speech balloons in the illustration panels.
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"A note about the saint and a dedication to a number of notable foodies complete this utterly charming work. (Picture book/biography. 6-9)"
Using acrylics and gesso to make his beautiful, cheerful, and warmhearted images that are so familiar to children, dePaola recounts the story of St.
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"This child cherished his life—even the scary parts, like the presence of polio or the giant Ferris wheel—and young readers will find enormous resonance with their own experiences across the decades of time. (Chapter book. 7-10)"
Another in the utterly engaging series in which dePaola recounts his own childhood; this one ends on a somewhat darker note.
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"Thank goodness for friends—and Tomie dePaola. (Picture book. 3-6)"
The indefatigable dePaola (Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story, p. 1307, etc.) offers a holiday story adapted from a chapter of his 1977 Four Stories for Four Seasons.
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"An enjoyable read-aloud, this is a fine addition to the author's growing collection of stories set in Mexico. (Picture book. 6-10)"
Placing this Cinderella variation in upper-class Mexico in the last century, dePaola (A New Barker in the House, p. 409, etc.) has framed the story in a more realistic vein than usual.
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"There's always a place for dePaola's work; older children, or those intent on connecting the words to the beautiful pictures, will find their attention amply repaid. (Biography. 7-10)"
DePaola's inexhaustible wellspring of creativity is never more evident than in ecclesiastical subjects, and in this biography of the twin saints, Benedict and Scholastica, he has outdone himself.
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"Which it is—delivering modeled behavior in light, positive ways, and fleshing out his puppy protagonists with artfully presented differences and similarities, he has crafted a tale that all brand-new grade-schoolers will effortlessly absorb and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-7)"
The ageless dePaola casts two of his own Welsh terriers in this carefully constructed series kickoff.
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"Focusing more on the challenges of meeting someone who speaks a different language than on adjusting to a new sibling, this latest episode in the Barkers' adventures is a welcome, timely addition to the series. (Picture book. 4-8)"
The Barker family (Meet the Barkers: Morgan and Moffat Go to School, 2001) is back, and they're adopting a child.
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"Those who open the loving doors of the little house on Fairmount Avenue will want to stay for a long time, at least for some of Nana's flaming plum pudding. (Fiction. 6-9)"
DePaola's fourth volume in the popular 26 Fairmount Avenue series is as charming and engaging as its predecessors.
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"Don't miss 'La gloria di Strega Nona' on the back cover, where Strega Nona does a Botticelli Venus with Big Anthony and Bambolona tossing flowers. (Picture book. 4-8)"
There's an inexhaustible sweetness to dePaola's Strega Nona stories, and this is no exception (Night of Las Posedas, 1999, etc.).
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"Seldom either shy or down for long, he is or becomes a friend to everyone here, and like the unsympathetic teacher who relents after being presented with a magnificent homemade valentine, readers will find his buoyancy irresistible. (Autobiography. 7-10)"
Picking up his memoir where 26 Fairmount Avenue (1999), left off, dePaola presents a kindergartner's-eye view of his new house, growing family, and increasingly busy life.
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"Richly hued, luminescent illustrations radiate from the pages; an introduction and author's note provide additional information. (Picture book. 4-8)"
A wondrous occurrence, an ancient tradition, and an elderly nun's abiding faith are the basis of this moving Chirstmas tale from dePaola (26 Fairmount Avenue, p. 629, etc.).
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"Generously illustrated with vignettes and larger scenes, this cheery, well-knit narrative proves that an old dog can learn new tricks, and learn them surpassingly well. (Autobiography. 7-9)"
The legions of fans who over the years have enjoyed dePaola's autobiographical picture books will welcome this longer gathering of reminiscences.
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"Although the storyline—equating the cutting of hair with sacrifice, as it was for O. Henry's young couple and Alcott's Jo—is not entirely new, dePaola's work transports readers to the innocence and austerity of a timeless Mexican village. (Picture book. 4-7)"
DePaola's signature rounded characters and folk-influenced palette invigorate this slim Mexican folktale.
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"This cheerful addition to the dePaola canon has plenty of Italian words to roll off the tongue, and abundant, limpid colors to delight the eye. (Picture book. 4-8)"
The followers of Strega Nona and her consistently befuddled sidekick Big Anthony now have his "biography" from birth to that fateful meeting on a hill in Calabria.
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"It strains the series to work in that New Orleans backdrop, but readers will still be hoping for another glimpse—on any continent—of Bill and Pete. (Picture book. 4-8)"
The adventures of Bill the crocodile and his sidekick Pete the plover (Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile, 1987, etc.) continue with this trans-Atlantic rescue of Bill's little cousin Jane Allison.
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"So why is Shapiro not given credit up front? (Picture book. 2-6)"
Although Shapiro's name does not appear on the jacket, it is his elemental and immediate poem about animalsincluding humansand the sounds they make that is set to dePaola's handsome illustrations.
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"Fresco-style artwork—the colors washed and clean—accompanies this testament to friendship, fidelity, and generosity; fittingly, the story radiates warmth. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)"
The indefatigable dePaola (Strega Nona, p. 1160, etc.) weighs in with another of his entertaining historical interpretations.
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"As always, dePaola's illustrations convey a wide range of emotions through expressions and gestures, imparting a glowing sense of the security and love that surrounds this large family. (Picture book. 3-6)"
A loving look back by dePaola (The Mother of Jesus, 1995, etc.) that draws directly on his childhood in an extended Italian and Irish family.
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"The interesting conceit behind these illustrationsto take children's book figures and place them in formal icon-like posesworks well. (Picture book. 4-8)"
A strongly religious book featuring 15 scenes from the life of Mary.
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"140, etc.) has always had a way with the retelling of folktales—getting them straight without getting them sentimental—and he shines again here with this Mexican story, as do the bold swaths of color that illuminate his painting. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-8)"
Lucida and her mother are recruited by Padre Alvarez to weave a new blanket for the figure of Baby Jesus carried in their village's Christmas procession.
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A Mexican trickster tale in which wily Rabbit outwits Coyote several times before escaping him permanently by climbing to the moon—which explains why Coyote is wont to howl at it.
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"Still, Ewart's illustrations are prettily evocative of old Persia, and perhaps the tale will pique interest in this ancient art form. (Picture book. 4-8)"
Children who've been told of the diamond's legendary hardness may question the ease with which this one is shattered.
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"Fans of the good witch won't want to miss this predictable but appealingly mellow sequel (the witches part amicably, and Anthony never knows quite how he helped), while dePaola's comical, beautifully composed illustrations are a pleasure. (Picture book. 4-8)"
When fashionably dressed Strega Amelia visits, Strega Nona welcomes her, but her hospitality is poorly rewarded.
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"A delightfully offbeat vignette of boyish mischief reinforcing the bond between generations; dePaola's handsomely designed illustrations have unusual warmth here, subtly expressing the characters' affection. (Picture book. 4-8)"
Another autobiographical story from dePaola, this time about his grandfather, who ingenuously explains that "We're named after each other, Tommy.
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The villagers sadly tell the circus troupe that crops have failed, and so they've no money; also, the young people have all gone away, and they're not celebrating Christmas.
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A brief, straightforward summary of the known facts about the saint's life, illustrated in dePaola's usual accomplished manner with simple, stylized figures and a pleasing variety of frames bordered with gold bands that unify the whole.
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Lazy Jamie O'Rourke doesn't lift a finger, even after his wife hurts her hack digging the "praties" they depend on; but he does catch a leprechaun, who gives him a seed that grows into a potato so large that it takes the combined efforts of the village to dig it and, subsequently, to eat it—"until no one wanted to see or hear of potato again."
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An ebullient collaboration between the fine historian whose many books include Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus? (1981) and one of America's favorite illustrators.
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"Like the happiest of Christmas mornings, an inviting treasure trove of the familiar blended with the new. (Nonfiction. 3-11)"
Fifteen carols plus two new songs with music by Yolen's son, Adam Stemple, who also did the arrangements; a baker's dozen of Yolen's appealing poems; nine legends, retold with disarming simplicity; comparative information on several kinds of Christmas traditions (food, plants, animals, carols, gift-giving); even a brief verse play—all appropriately introduced by the ninth chapter of Luke.
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A slight story that makes a valid point, wrapped in an elaborate junior roman à clef: Uncle Satie (a cat) and his "companion," Ffortusque Ffollet, Esq.
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A selection of the best. known stories from the Creation to the Resurrection, nicely rounded by concluding with 1 Corinthians 13 and a psalm of praise.
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"The kids will lap it up, as they do TV cartoons of the same undemanding quality."
The popular author sets a predictable story among cavemen, adds dinosaurs, and terms the result a fairy tale—certainly a loose term at the best of times.
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"These are good, popular poems from the usual obvious sources, and this makes an attractive collection for browsing or sharing with a young child."
A pleasant, undemanding collection of 86 poems, most of them already familiar, in large format with generous use of white space.
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"Certain to be one of the prolific author-illustrator's most popular."
A perfect collection of 32 carols, mostly familiar, with words and music printed large enough for sharing around the piano and with simple arrangements suitable for accompaniment or part singing.
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"Lively and fascinating, this will be a delightful surprise to any child who stumbles on it as part of an assignment; it is sure to open minds to the interest and relevance of history."
No one writes history for children better than the latest Wilder Award winner; funny, pungent and impeccably accurate, her contribution to the plethora of books written for the Constitution's bicentennial should be at the top of everyone's purchase list.
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"For memorable storytelling, however, it will never replace the collections done by Rockwell and Rojankovsky."
This collection of favorite stories for the youngest appears as a companion to the author/illustrator's Mother Goose, which was published last year.
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"As usual, dePaola's cheerful, color-filled pictures add humor to the story."
Strega Nons (Grandmother Witch) is back, with a fine read-aloud for the holidays that also gives some details of Italian Christmas customs.
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"A know-it-all youngster by any name is a trial, turning ostensible friends into foils, and a fat giant with only food on his mind isn't redeemed by a bon-bon recipe bonus."
The Giant's Farm, decides little giant Dab, should be named Fe-Fi-Fo-Farm—and that's the crux of the first story.
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"Or maybe the problem lies in lackluster George himself; in any case, Fritz fails to project a personality that can make up for the shortage of history."
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