Walker, Alice. Why War is Never a Good Idea. Illustrations by Stefano Vitale. HarperCollins Publishers. 2007.

I bought a copy of this wonderful book when it first came out, and on this Poetry Friday, it seems appropriate to shout out an excerpt.






"Though War is Old
It has not
Become wise
It will not hesitate
To destroy
Things that
Do not
Belong to it
Things very
Much older
Than itself."

How sad that we cannot find a way to eliminate war. May peace and justice come to our Earth!

Lowry, Lois. Crow Call. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Scholastic Press. 2009.

A sensitive and lyrical text, “even the occasional leaf that falls within our vision does so in silence, spiraling slowly down to blend in with the others” is beautifully interpreted in realistic watercolor and acryl-gouache illustrations. Based on Lois Lowry’s own childhood experience, this exquisite picture book reveals how a young girl gets reacquainted with her father who has just returned from soldiering overseas during World War II. They take a walk in their small town, and visit the local diner that is wonderfully rendered to capture the feel of the forties in muted sepia colors. The father displays an exceptional understanding of his daughter’s need to buy a man- sized flannel shirt she sees in a store window; a shirt that will surround her and keep her safe and warm on their forthcoming hunting trip. As they begin their walk through the countryside with the man carrying his gun, the young girl is not quite sure she trusts her daddy, the hunter. The child poignantly asks her father if he was ever scared during the war and he answers honestly yes; then she confesses to being a little scared and she does not even have to specify what she is afraid of. He teaches her to call the crows so he can shoot them, but pretty soon she is running around and laughing as they swarm around her. Her father also smiles and ends up not using his gun at all. By the end of the book, the young girl is holding hands with her daddy. The illustrator has a great skill in portraying people: the various individualized faces are distinct. One unusual illustration shows the little girl and her father traveling in the front seat of their vehicle: their faces stare dramatically at the reader out of the front windshield.

Review copy received free from publisher

Crandell, Rachel. Hands of the Rain Forest: The Embera People of Panama. Henry Holt and Company. 2009.

Lovely color photographs spotlight the artistic skills and lifestyle of the Embera People of Panama: children at school, wood carvers, basket weavers, and a man making a dugout canoe. Simple descriptive sentences identify the activities featured in the photographs. A map appears at the front of the book opposite an introductory paragraph that provides a brief background about this remarkable culture. A glossary with pronunciation guidance is included. This is a perfect multicultural book to share in an elementary school classroom. Disclosure: One of the women who are weaving is topless.

Bogan, Paulette. Lulu the Big Little Chick. Bloomsbury. 2009.

A young chick decides to explore the greater barnyard world: Lulu leaves the henhouse wearing a scarf and carrying her bag, and she declares, “I am big and I am going far, far away”. Delightful watercolor and ink illustrations are filled with expression and action: a double spread shows a chicken that sits nestled in some hay knitting a hen shaped project while another sits reading a book about hens; in the background a pig dances on a fence. Moma hen is wearing an apron and spectacles and caresses Lulu with her big wing. The colors are bright and the animal features are full of personality. Lulu becomes fearful as she meets up with other animals in the barnyard and suffers some mishaps, then a scary crow flies overhead screeching caw, caw; fortunately, Mother Hen swoops in and gathers Lulu safely in amongst her feathers. In a sweet ending, Lulu declares that next time she leaves she will take her mother with her. The inside cover pages display amusing purple sepia toned pictures: in the front adult hens exchange chortles over Lulu’s head; inside the back cover, Mother Hen sits comfortably in a chair sipping a drink with a straw.

Bang, Molly. All of Me!: a book of thanks. Scholastic Inc. 2009.

A bi-racial child in this colorfully illustrated book enumerates the parts of the body to be thankful for: “Look at my fine feet! Thank you, feet, for holding me up when I stand, and when I walk, and when I jump!” The voice seems somewhat elevated for a toddler. Some very nice features in this book include: a very appealing cover, a cuddly cat that is the child’s constant companion and the expressive mixed media illustrations that are bright and full of motion. One delightful double spread shows the child engaging in a series of actions and emotions: jumping with exuberance, exhibiting a temper tantrum, and finally sitting peacefully in a meditation pose next to his equally calm cat. A grand double spread shows a small town, a starry sky, and a whale splashing in the ocean and the text reads, “And right now I also know that I am part of this whole world – this universe! All this is my home. I am ALIVE. And this whole universe is inside…all of me!” An author’s note that appears on the back inside cover describes how she created this book.

Askani, Tanja. A Friend Like You. Scholastic Press. 2009.

This book contains a charming series of photographs of rescued animals whose natural curiosity leads them to become comfortable enough with one another for a wonderful pose. Each double spread includes a full page photograph that is accompanied by a sentence or phrase on the opposite page: a white squirrel sniffs a small owl and the text says, “Are you a friend?” A stone marten climbs a dog’s head to sniff his nose and framed on the opposite page are the words, “Something just tells me we are going to get along.” The concluding pages introduce the author, and identify the animals pictured in the delightful photographs. These would make perfect greeting cards since the sentiments and photographs are so cute.

Thompson, Lauren. The Christmas Magic. Pictures by Jon J. Muth. Scholastic Press. 2009.

A lovely watercolor and pastel illustration shows a slim Santa wearing bunny slippers standing at a window gazing out at the snow with a baby reindeer standing behind him – and the text reads, “Then he knows that the Christmas magic will soon be here” Indeed this quiet story describes a Santa who prepares for Christmas by brushing and feeding his reindeer, polishing his red sleigh, and carefully selecting a special gift for every girl and boy. When the magic evening arrives: Santa and his reindeer rise up into the starlit night. This is not the jolly “ho, ho, ho” Santa who greets children at the mall but instead a contemplative Santa who readies himself to deliver toys when “the night begins to thrum with magic, the kind of magic that makes reindeer fly”.
A sublime cover makes Santa look like the wizard he truly is. This is a treat to behold.

Reviewed from Publisher copy

I always love to read so I look forward to reading during the three free days that come with the Thanksgiving holiday. I give thanks for authors and their wonderful books!

Emberley, Rebecca. There Was An Old Monster! Orchard Books. 2009.

I can hear the words of the classic song of “There was an old lady Who Swallowed a Fly” compete for dominance in my head as I try to read the first verse of this amusing variant, “There was an old monster who swallowed a tick. I don’t know why he swallowed the tick ‘cause it made him feel sick.” In the next verse, the monster swallows some ants, “He took a big chance when he swallowed those ants ‘cause man those ants had him dancing in his pants.” Participatory possibilities abound and include the fun of repeating the following set of sound words “Scritchy-scratch, scritch, scritchy-scratch. Vibrant colors, abstract shapes, and a constantly shifting perspective integrate in clever, jazzy illustrations that stand out dramatically from glossy black paper: the multicolored, horned monster with mismatched eyes manages to swallow successively larger creatures in his amorphous black tummy even a big brown bear, “Now this old monster he felt like he was dyin’ so the next thing he tried to swallow was a lion. All of a sudden there came a great ROAR! And that monster was no more! Listen to the chanted version downloadable from www.scholastic.com/old before sharing with others.

Review copy received free from publisher

Child, Lauren. Who wants to be a Poodle I don’t. Candlewick Press. 2009.

This is a charming spoof for girls ages 4-8 that describes how a toy poodle is consigned to a life of luxury, “The little poodle lived in the lap of luxury with every creature comfort just a manicured paw away” but really yearns to get her paws muddy. Her owner, Verity Brulee loves her little poodle that she has named Trixie Twinkle Toes Trot-a-lot Delight but refuses to risk getting her costly shoes ruined in the rain so they stay indoors, Verity looking through shoes catalogs, and Trixie chewing on “her pink velvet ribbon”. When Trixie howls in frustration one night, Verity takes her to a vet who finds nothing wrong but a slight sore throat; later some bad behavior merits first a visit to a soothsayer and finally an appointment with a pet psychiatrist. Varied font sizes meander playfully amidst the colorful and clever mixed-media illustrations comprised of wallpaper, newspaper print, fabric, and small objects like a hair brush and tiny jewels. Recommend to readers who likewise appreciate the Eloise books.

Bourke, Anthony (Ace) and John Rendall. Christian the Lion. Henry Holt and Company.

This delightful picture book documents a young lion cub’s life first in London, England and then in Kenya where he is gradually trained to hunt for himself so he can be safely returned to life in the wild. Two young men rescue Christian from Harrod’s Department Store where he was part of a window display and bring him home to live with them above their furniture store. However, when Christian grows too large to be a pet, they arrange for him to be returned to the wild by George Adamson, who along with his wife Joy raised Elsa the lioness. Brief snippets of text accompany many endearing photographs: Christian riding in a sports car with his two friends, pulling clothes out of a drawer, looking at some baby chicks, and playing ball. There is a postscript about a visit that the two men make to see Christian a year later; he still recognizes them. Originally published as a 96 page book in UK in 1972, A YouTube clip brought this story back to the attention of a world wide audience, and now a movie is being made.

Arnosky, Jim. I’m a Turkey! Scholastic Press. 2009.

This is an amusing “spoken word song” about a turkey named Tom who describes his family, “I’m a turkey, they call me Tom, I got a turkey dad and a turkey mom. I got a turkey brother and sister, too.” He declares that he is a member of a flock, and that they communicate just not in words, “We putt and peep and squawk and squabble – talking turkey. Gobble, Gobble.” He chants, “But we must be careful, can’t be hasty, ‘cuz lots of critters find us…TASTY! Not all the rhymes scan equally well. The acrylic paint illustrations are realistic like those rendered in his book, “All about Turkeys” (Scholastic Press, 1998); although they convey personality as well: one illustration shows Tom peering around a tree, “Always on the lookout”. A free audio rendition by Jim Arnosky is available on the Scholastic website to download to a MP3 player.

Lipson, Eden Ross. Applesauce Season. Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. Roaring Brook Press. 2009.

This cozy picture book describes how a family makes applesauce one fall: washing the apples, cutting them up, cooking them on the stove, putting the warm cooked apples through a food mill. There is a wonderful picture of everyone standing over the stove and smelling the applesauce as it cooks. The inside cover pages picture different types of apples and a recipe for apple sauce is included.

Murphy, Jim. Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting. Scholastic Press. 2009.

This talented author provides extensive information about the events leading up to the start of World War I, the horrific first few months of battle and the incredible Christmas Day Truce of 1914 between German and British soldiers along the Western Front. This unofficial cease-fire between enemy soldiers despite directions to keep fighting from their commanders blossomed amid devastation as soldiers mired in trenches met in the no man’s land between them and exchanged little gifts of food and sang Christmas carols in two languages. An author’s note explains how he chose the focus for his writing. Supplementary materials include a time line, some suggestions for further reading and research, detailed documentation, and an index. Reproductions of art and photographs visually attest to the horrors of warfare, and maps locate battle lines. This well-researched book will capture the attention of many middle school children who are studying this time period.

Hollyer, Beatrice. Our World of Water: Children and Water Around the World. Henry Holt and Company In association with Oxfam. 2008.

Zadie Smith writes in her forward to this beautiful photo-essay that many people “forget what a miracle water is. We forget that it supports everything that lives…” She asks the reader to give some careful thought to the stories of the children in this book who demonstrate how valuable water truly is for all of us. Lucas lives high in the mountains of Peru. His family gets water from a glacier, one that is rapidly disappearing due to climate change. His family has no hot water from a tap but must heat it up on a stove. Khadija Sow lives in Mauritania on the Atlantic Coast. She knows not to waste water because the supply is scarce due to lack of rain. She says,” The sea is water, but we can’t drink it.” One picture shows her washing clothes in a small plastic container. Barfimoh lives in Tajikistan which is a very mountainous country. Her family must take their donkey and two large containers to fetch water “from a spring at the bottom of a steep hill.” Dahlys Ang who lives in Los Angeles is learning in school how to conserve water even though it flows plentifully from the tap. Gamachu Boru is from Ethiopia, and his story illustrates the difficulty of living with a scarcity of water; his mother must walk “three hours twice a day to fetch water from the nearest pond.” Saran is from Bangladesh where at certain times of year, there is so much rain, the rivers flood the land. His story describes the importance of water for living but unfortunately it does not mention water conservation. Facts about water, and a few facts and a glossary of terms specific to each country are provided at the end of the book.

Banks, Kate. What’s Coming for Christmas? Pictures by Georg Hallensleben. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2009.

A sweet anticipation of “something was coming. You could see it in the way the snow whirled and twirled, making hills and bumps. In the way the children lay in snowbanks making angels” unfolds quietly in text and illustrations. A contrasting refrain opines, “But no one noticed the trail of footprints that wound around the barn. Or the bushy-tailed squirrels huddled outside the door. No one, no one, no one.” This pattern of something coming and then something not being noticed continues until a surprise ending introduces a baby animal born in a barn. Gorgeous paintings illuminate peaceful winter scenes outside, children playing in the snow and cows meandering home to the barn while inside a family prepares to celebrate Christmas, children decorating a tree and baking cookies. Brown, blue and white tones reflect the quietness of a world silenced by snow and yellow, orange and red swathes vibrantly convey the warmth of a home lit by bright lights, and a glowing fire. This is a lovely book that offers a contemplative view of the Christmas celebration.

Aylesworth, Jim. The Mitten. Illustrated by Barbara McClintock. Scholastic Press. 2009.

This is a lovely collaboration between a talented author and a gifted illustrator. This retelling is thoughtfully fleshed out, “Once upon a time there was a happy little boy who loved to play. Yes, he did. In the spring, he loved to climb trees and peek in at baby birds.” There is warmth to the retelling that is reinforced by the charming and colorful old fashioned illustrations. Some of the ink, gouache and watercolor illustrations are double spreads while others appear more as small sequential vignettes that depict a cheerful rosy cheeked little boy: throwing snowballs, riding a sled and then being comforted by his grandmother when he misplaces one of his mittens. This is a lengthier retelling than Jan Brett’s “The Mitten” (Putnam, 1989) so it is not appropriate for most story times but it is a nice book to share one-on-one.

Hopgood, Tim. Wow! Said the Owl. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2009.

One young owl takes a long evening nap, and then stays up during one colorful day. Pink introduces the dawn, the sun shines yellow, and white clouds drift across a “bright blue sky”. The curious owl repeats “WOW!” as the colors of the day unfold before her eyes. The rain clouds are gray but a rainbow appears as the sun shines through the rain drops. Owl watches delightedly as the sun sets, and a sliver of a moon appears. She says one final “WOW!” as the “nighttime stars” arise. Then she stays “awake ALL night long, just like little owls are supposed to do.” This simple story rolls along gently introducing the seven spectrum colors of the rainbow. Pair with Don Freeman’s “A Rainbow of My Own” (Viking, 1966).

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. Amulet Books. 2009.

From the first diary entry, “For me, summer vacation is basically a three-month guilt trip. Just because the weather’s nice, everyone expects you to be outside all day “frolicking” or whatever”, readers will identify with this story. I can just see kids heaving a big sigh of relief as they hear someone else voice their thoughts. Jeff Kinney has thoroughly captured the feelings of a young person at odds with his parent’s idea of how to enjoy a vacation. This book is chock full of humor: the young boy Greg Heffley describes in his journal entry how his mother buys and buries some sea shells at the beach for his younger brother to find, “Well, I wish I didn’t see that, because it made me re-evaluate my whole childhood”. Children and adults will laugh aloud as they read this delightful “memoir” by a middle school-age boy. For months, our library has had waiting lists for this humorous fiction series.

If you came to my blog because you thought I reviewed a book called, "City of Silver"
I need to clarify that I very much enjoyed the book but the review words were not mine. I enclosed them in quotations because I did not think I could improve on the description, and posted it on Virtual Bookshelf. Much to my surprise, a link to my post appeared on my google reader.

I am almost finished reading a fascinating historical fiction book, "Devil's Brood" by Sharon Penman. It is about King Henry the Second, and his tempestuous relationships with his three older sons. Eleanor is the main character but the King and his sons provide the main drama with their constant disagreements. This is a dense read that is endlessly enthralling. I had to go to work this morning, or I would have finished the last few pages. Recommended highly!

Reviewed from library copy.

Hale, Shannon. Forest Born: The Books of Bayern. Bloomsbury. 2009.

Rin, Razo’s younger sister, leaves the forest to find herself, and learn about the bigger world outside that of her childhood. She has discovered that she has a special ability to understand the language of trees but it takes her carrying out a daring rescue mission to reveal the significance of her “gift”. The evil Selia, previously met in “The Goose Girl” kidnaps Tusken, the young son of Isi, and imprisons his mother, Enna and Dasha, and it is Rin who makes the courageous journey into Selia’s castle to rescue them. Hale is always an inventive author, however, the richness of language I so admired in her earlier works is not as evident in this latest tale. The Bayern world is endlessly robust in locations and characters.

J. Patrick Lewis poem from his book, "The Bookworm's Feast

Two Good Books

If you were a book,
What book would you be?
Alice in Wonderland?
Life in the Sea?
If I were a book,
I'd be Rumpelstiltskin,
'Twas the Night Before Christmas,
Or Huckleberry Finn.
If we were two blockbuster
Books on the shelves,
We'd tingle our spines
Reading us to ourselves....
Then we'd do the same thing
All the other books did-
We'd wait to be borrowed
By some lucky kid.

Yeah Cybils

Check out this fantastic idea implemented by Adrienne(http://www.watat.com)at her library.

Page, Gail. Bobo and the New Neighbor. Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books. 2008.

Bobo, a big white dog loves many things: “getting his picture taken”, “taking long walks”, “saying hello to the mailman” “sharing good things like cupcakes” and meeting new friends. When Bobo helps bake some cupcakes, and burns them, he is instead sent out to bring in the laundry; he puts on all the clothes as he takes them off the clothesline. When he arrives back at the door, his owner thinks he is the new neighbor who she has invited for tea. This misunderstanding drives the rest of the story. This sweet story does not break any new ground but it is laced with humor. The acrylic paint illustrations are large and colorful, perfect for story time.

Today

Today’s Librarian: Hip, Delusional, and Doomed

Posted using ShareThis

Today is a beautiful clear day in Northern California so I'm offering a crisp Ogden Nash poem entitled, "The Duck".

The Duck
Behold the duck.
It does not cluck.
A cluck it lacks.
It quacks.
It is specially fond
Of a puddle or pond.
When it dines or sups,
It bottoms ups.

The 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers

Masterpiece
by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Henry Holt / 978-0805082708
$16.99 HC / Ages: 8-12

The 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Picture Books




A Visitor for Bear
by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Candlewick / 978-0763628079
$16.99 HC / Ages: 4-8

Imagine if the world could all live in peace.

Advocate, Advocate, Advocate for your library!!!

Abby (the) Librarian makes a powerful statement about the importance of children's librarians educating the public about the services we provide in our communities. Please read it.



http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/09/advocation.html

This is very important information.

Quality Of Early Child Care Plays Role In Later Reading, Math Achievement

ScienceDaily (2009-09-17) -- Using information from the longitudinal study of early care and youth development, researchers found that children who spent more time in high-quality child care in the first five years of their lives had better math and reading scores in middle childhood. Researchers also found that low-income children who attended high-quality child care programs before the age of five performed similarly to their affluent peers. These findings have implications for the role of child care in the creation of anti-poverty policies. ... > read full article

Visit Barefoot Books, and savor their wonderful collection of books and other resources for children.

National Book Festival

Hooray for the National Book Festival.

Miller, Heather Lynn. Subway Ride. Illustrated by Sue Rama. Charlesbridge. 2009.

Energetic staccato phrases or short sentences describe various subway systems around the world, “Down , down, down. Step down below to see the world. Now off we go!” Each two page spread reveals an aspect of the subway: the underground tunnels, musicians playing at a station, a train rushing through. A brightly colored ticket pass identifies the location of each subway. A digital collage of watercolors is suffused with intense lustrous colors. The same multicultural group of children travels through the different subway stops. The author includes an addendum that provides a brief paragraph citing a unique aspect about each subway system: for example, the Moscow Metro is decorated with stained glass and mosaics.

Topic: Reading Meme

Do you snack while you read?
I chomp on rice crackers or a popsicle. The first cup of coffee is very nice.

What do you like to read?

Primarily historical fiction and mysteries.


Do you look up unfamiliar words?

Only, if I need to in order to understand the text.

What are you currently reading?
Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason

What is a favorite book you just bought?
Jerry Pinkney's newest book, "The Lion and the Mouse"

Do you read only one book at a time?
I read only one book at a time, unless I am also reading a nonfiction book for my bookclub.
Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Early morning in my living room, next to a row of floor to ceiling windows.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

"Running the Amazon" by Joe Kane

Sophie's First Birthday Party

Click here to view these pictures larger

Copied from School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3—This collection of lively truck-themed "Mother Goose" rhymes is filled with humor, although not all of them are equally nimble for reading aloud. Replacing the familiar lines for "Little Miss Muffet" are the words: "Little Dan Dumper sat on his bumper,/Taking his break for the day./Along came Pete Loader,/who revved his loud motor,/And frightened Dan Dumper away." The words for "Three Blind Mice" change to: "Three LOUD trucks./Three LOUD trucks./See how they ZOOM./See how they ZOOM./They all jumped over/the muck and goo./They skidded and screeched/and their mufflers blew./Did you ever see/such a crazy crew?/As three LOUD trucks./Three LOUD trucks." Fresh noisy lyrics for "The Wheels on the Bus" are great for singing exuberantly in storytime, "The siren on the truck goes whoop, whoop, whoop…." The digital illustrations are colorful, energetic, and playful: the vehicles have personality plus. One flashy spread shows all of them and their sound words from "The Wheels on the Truck," and another picture shows the ice-cream truck parked on a moon made of ice cream. This effervescent picture book will zoom off your shelves.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

My wonderful granddaughter is one year old today!!! She is an absolute joy!!!

Rodriguez, Rachel. Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt and Company. 2009.

This luscious book results from a perfect partnership of skills: the lyrical text and gorgeous illustrations are irresistible. The use of present tense brings the reader an immediacy and familiarity to the subject. The story begins, “In a small village in Spain lives a boy named Antoni Gaudi.” Gaudi is a sickly child who “can’t always run and play with his sister and brother” so he “has time to notice. With wide eyes, he observes the world. All around him is light, form, and the Great Book of Nature. He will read from it all his life.” This brief picture book biography introduces an introspective boy who becomes a uniquely creative architect; many of his creations are “UNESCO World Heritage sites”. Paschkis’ gouache illustrations are wonderfully colorful and beautifully expressive reflections of Gaudi’s artistic accomplishments. An author’s note provides additional interesting details about this remarkable person, and lists some web sites and a select bibliography. Every library will want to own a copy of this lovely book.

Smith, Lane. The Big Elephant in the Room. Disney Hyperion Books. 2009.

This amusing story is a great way to explain the meaning of a common expression. One donkey asks another, “Can we talk about the big elephant in the room?” His friend immediately launches into a defensive mode, naming all the possible things he might have done wrong. The delightful conclusion will have kids rolling on the floor with hearty giggles. The comical illustrations are perfect reflections of the text.

“Wear the old coat and buy the new book.”

- Austin Phelps

Copied from the periodical, School Library Journal
K-Gr 4—This delightful cumulative story is based on the English folktale "The Apple Dumpling." Granny Smith has everything she needs to make apple pie except for apples, so she picks a basket full of plums from her tree and sets off to see if she can trade them for the missing ingredient. One woman takes the plums to make jam in exchange for some feathers, two children are happy to receive the feathers and give her some flowers, and so on, until she finally ends up with a basket of shiny apples. Granny invites all the people she met back to her house where they help her make the pie and then eat "every last crumb." The outstanding baked clay and mixed-media illustrations are expressive, colorful, and detailed: there is a wonderful picture of Granny standing in her kitchen reading a recipe and realizing that her apple crate is empty. An author's note, information about the illustrations, and a recipe are appended, and fun activities are available at a dedicated Web site. Told with folkloric flair, this scrumptious tale is perfect for reading aloud to a broad range of ages. Pair it with Linda White's Too Many Pumpkins (Holiday House, 1996) or include it in an apple-themed unit. Every library will want a copy.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

Bruna, Dick. Miffy the Artist. Tate Publishing. 2008.

Miffy visits an art gallery where she views a variety of artwork comprised of different shapes and colors. Then she goes home, takes out crayons and paper, and creates her own artwork. When Miffy hangs up her pictures, she has her own art gallery. Simple declarative text and rich primary colors stand out on bright white paper. This is a cute, positive message about creativity for preschoolers.

It is really sad that one current trend is to devalue other people's paid work. Each of us wants to be paid what we believe we are worth but we often devalue the work that other people do. I work as a children's librarian, and I enjoy promoting reading, and helping children find resources they need for school. Our library system has traditionally maintained a clear line between jobs that volunteers could do, and those that staff could do but now that line is being blurred: some of our management level people are encouraging volunteers to answer patron reference questions. I do not think it is right to start on a slippery slope of replacing paid staff with volunteers. Librarians have earned master degrees. We develop experience and skills to help our patrons. I believe that our work should be valued.

Reading Rainbow has been a fabulous reading promotion tool for 26 years. My kids and I watched the series, and now I buy copies of individual episodes for our library to lend. I am sad to hear that no new episodes will be produced but this is a valuable resource to keep in circulation.
Thanks to LeVar Burton for being such an engaging advocate for children's books.

This is one of my favorite poems, and I share it with children when they visit the library.

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

Arnold Lobel