Farmer Snow Pepper; Fly Oddrey Mice; Henrietta, Robot Cat by the Sea
The Farmer and the Clown, by Marla Frazee
As you all may have gathered, I have become a fan of this illustrator. This wordless story carries many of the best qualities of her work, so I loved it even though I might not even have liked it in the hands of someone less gifted. It convinced me to love it, you know?
(421)
Pepper and Poe, by Frann Preston-Gannon
It makes me so happy when a picture book author/illustrator can *greatly* simplify complicated topics (like animals getting used to each other) without ever fudging or fibbing. Plus the illustrations and story are just so full of warm and fuzzy that my heart is still a bit melty around the edges.
(422)
Snow Day, by Lynn Plourde
Fun, enthusiastic story about the titular snow day. Pictures and text matched each other well. This is another story where there's an entire genre of these, I've been reading a lot of them, and just because this one isn't one of my most favorites doesn't mean it isn't pretty darn good. It is.
(423)
Oddrey, by Dave Whamond
Cute, goofy, earnest story about a kid who is different, learning that she doesn't have to become "normal" to be liked. Tried a bit too hard for my taste, but it was still really well-done.
(424)
Two Mice, by Sergio Ruzzier
Such a perfect counting book. Funny, sweet, unusual. Really great.
(425)
Super Fly, by Todd H. Doodler
Heavily illustrated middle grade book a la Wimpy Kid, except about a fly instead of a person. It was pretty funny, as these things go. (Ie, if you hate gross-out humor, I wouldn't recommend it.)
(426)
Written and Drawn by Henrietta, by Liniers
One of the things I most enjoyed about this book was how much you could tell the author loves kids by how he drew the "child" illustrations that were part of it. Turns out it's inspired by his own daughter. I was not surprised. I liked the whole book a lot, not just the kid-like parts.
(427)
Little Robot, by Ben Hatke
I may need to re-read this near-wordless comic book sometime, because I thought that I liked it really well but wasn't AMAZED by it .... except now it's been almost a month and I keep thinking about it. Hm. Amazement stealth attack?
(428)
Black Cat, White Cat, by Silvia Borando
A charming story, but not what the reviewers had hyped it up to be. Sometimes I think I should just quit reading picture book reviews, but then I realize how many truly stellar books I would never see if it weren't for the review that pointed me at them...
(429)
In a Village by the Sea, by Muon Van
This was a truly stellar picture book! Great structure, AMAZING illustrative work, and a touch of the fantastic to boot. There are a lot of different rhythms an excellent picture book can take, but it's still a huge relief when I can tell the author has found one of them, and the book won't be full of that jostly unintentionally-arhythmic business.
(430)
As you all may have gathered, I have become a fan of this illustrator. This wordless story carries many of the best qualities of her work, so I loved it even though I might not even have liked it in the hands of someone less gifted. It convinced me to love it, you know?
(421)
Pepper and Poe, by Frann Preston-Gannon
It makes me so happy when a picture book author/illustrator can *greatly* simplify complicated topics (like animals getting used to each other) without ever fudging or fibbing. Plus the illustrations and story are just so full of warm and fuzzy that my heart is still a bit melty around the edges.
(422)
Snow Day, by Lynn Plourde
Fun, enthusiastic story about the titular snow day. Pictures and text matched each other well. This is another story where there's an entire genre of these, I've been reading a lot of them, and just because this one isn't one of my most favorites doesn't mean it isn't pretty darn good. It is.
(423)
Oddrey, by Dave Whamond
Cute, goofy, earnest story about a kid who is different, learning that she doesn't have to become "normal" to be liked. Tried a bit too hard for my taste, but it was still really well-done.
(424)
Two Mice, by Sergio Ruzzier
Such a perfect counting book. Funny, sweet, unusual. Really great.
(425)
Super Fly, by Todd H. Doodler
Heavily illustrated middle grade book a la Wimpy Kid, except about a fly instead of a person. It was pretty funny, as these things go. (Ie, if you hate gross-out humor, I wouldn't recommend it.)
(426)
Written and Drawn by Henrietta, by Liniers
One of the things I most enjoyed about this book was how much you could tell the author loves kids by how he drew the "child" illustrations that were part of it. Turns out it's inspired by his own daughter. I was not surprised. I liked the whole book a lot, not just the kid-like parts.
(427)
Little Robot, by Ben Hatke
I may need to re-read this near-wordless comic book sometime, because I thought that I liked it really well but wasn't AMAZED by it .... except now it's been almost a month and I keep thinking about it. Hm. Amazement stealth attack?
(428)
Black Cat, White Cat, by Silvia Borando
A charming story, but not what the reviewers had hyped it up to be. Sometimes I think I should just quit reading picture book reviews, but then I realize how many truly stellar books I would never see if it weren't for the review that pointed me at them...
(429)
In a Village by the Sea, by Muon Van
This was a truly stellar picture book! Great structure, AMAZING illustrative work, and a touch of the fantastic to boot. There are a lot of different rhythms an excellent picture book can take, but it's still a huge relief when I can tell the author has found one of them, and the book won't be full of that jostly unintentionally-arhythmic business.
(430)