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HERMAN'S LETTER

Hibernation, dedication and one long-distance friendship that will never be forgotten: a must-have when a friend moves away.

Best friends Herman and Henry pledge to stay that way through letters when Henry has to move.

Pink raccoon Henry is the first to tap out a note on his typewriter to his best buddy, bear Herman, when he settles into his new digs. Unfortunately, a quick mention of Henry’s new friends sets off a fit of jealous pique. Herman is so jealous that he cannot face writing back. Despite the lack of response, dedicated pal Henry keeps writing. Finally, something in Henry’s letters stirs Herman, and he finally writes back. Unfortunately, the post office has already started its hibernation, and sleepy bear Herman is left to deliver the letter in person. Henry’s letters are presented beneath lift-the-flap envelopes, adding realistic fun to the straightforward story. Humorous illustrations, including one especially funny thought bubble in which Herman imagines the fun that Henry is having with his new friends, are rendered in pencil and marker, with Henry’s bright pink fur popping from the pages. Herman is shown in darker colors, often in the rain or with smoke swirling about him. Occasional panels are mixed with full-page spreads, allowing readers to see all the places Herman goes in order to deliver his important letter.

Hibernation, dedication and one long-distance friendship that will never be forgotten: a must-have when a friend moves away. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4088-3675-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014

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HOME

Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.

Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”

Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.

Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014

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NOAH CHASES THE WIND

An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way.

A young boy sees things a little differently than others.

Noah can see patterns in the dust when it sparkles in the sunlight. And if he puts his nose to the ground, he can smell the “green tang of the ants in the grass.” His most favorite thing of all, however, is to read. Noah has endless curiosity about how and why things work. Books open the door to those answers. But there is one question the books do not explain. When the wind comes whistling by, where does it go? Noah decides to find out. In a chase that has a slight element of danger—wind, after all, is unpredictable—Noah runs down streets, across bridges, near a highway, until the wind lifts him off his feet. Cowman’s gusty wisps show each stream of air turning a different jewel tone, swirling all around. The ribbons gently bring Noah home, setting him down under the same thinking tree where he began. Did it really happen? Worthington’s sensitive exploration leaves readers with their own set of questions and perhaps gratitude for all types of perspective. An author’s note mentions children on the autism spectrum but widens to include all who feel a little different.

An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 14, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-60554-356-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Redleaf Lane

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015

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