by William Jaspersohn & photographed by William Jaspersohn ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1994
An invitingly detailed portrait of the Guilford (Connecticut) Free Library, from photos of books the author enjoyed there as a boy and of its still-active former director to descriptions of the latest technology; from nitty-gritty details like fines and spine labels to a full range of materials and services—all generously illustrated with excellent color photos of staff, programs, people chosing and reading books, a behind- the-scenes look at book processing, and such intriguing details as how finger puppets are attached to a special glove (velcro). Jaspersohn even distinguishes between ``library staff'' who check out books and librarians; all that's missing from this admirable survey is book selection (and more adult concerns such as budgeting and social issues). Attractive and up-to-the-minute, just the thing to hand a teacher planning a class visit—or a new trustee. Creatively, from Petunia to Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library, the ``Additional Reading'' listed is all fiction. (Nonfiction. 5-10)
Pub Date: March 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-395-55723-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1994
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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by William Jaspersohn & photographed by William Jaspersohn
by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Mark Siegel ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020
This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends.
A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on “Step 1 / Search for an Idea— / a shiny one.” During a walk to the library, various ideas float in colorful thought bubbles, with exclamation points: “playing soccer! / dogs!” Inside the library, less-distinct ideas, expressed as shapes and pictures, with question marks, float about as the writer collects ideas to choose from. The young writer must then choose a setting, a main character, and a problem for that protagonist. Plotting, writing with detail, and revising are described in child-friendly terms and shown visually, in the form of lists and notes on faux pieces of paper. Finally, the writer sits in the same field, in a new season, sharing the story with friends. The illustrations feature the child’s writing and drawing as well as images of imagined events from the book in progress bursting off the page. The child’s main character is an adventurous mermaid who looks just like the child, complete with afro-puff pigtails, representing an affirming message about writing oneself into the world. The child’s family, depicted as black, moves in the background of the setting, which is also populated by a multiracial cast.
A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-5666-8
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Valentina Toro
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by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Dylan Meconis
BOOK REVIEW
by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
by Cynthia Rylant & illustrated by Cynthia Rylant ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1995
Rylant's debut as a picture book illustrator (not to be confused with her board book debut as a collagist in The Everyday Books, 1993) offers sweet comfort to all who have lost loved ones, pets or otherwise. ``When dogs go to Heaven, they don't need wings because God knows that dogs love running best. He gives them fields. Fields and fields and fields.'' There are geese to bark at, plenty of children, biscuits, and, for those that need them, homes. In page- filling acrylics, small, simply brushed figures float against huge areas of bright colors: pictures infused with simple, doggy joy. At the end, an old man leans on a cane as he walks up a slope toward a small white dog: ``Dogs in Dog Heaven may stay as long as they like. . . .They will be there when old friends show up. They will be there at the door.'' Pure, tender, lyrical without being overearnest, and deeply felt. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-590-41701-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1995
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard
BOOK REVIEW
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard
BOOK REVIEW
illustrated by Cynthia Rylant
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