Millions of Cats Review

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5159YSVG1PL._SL500_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-big,TopRight,35,-73_OU01_AA300_.jpg



Ga'g, Wanda. 2006. Millions of Cats. Ill. by Wanda Ga'g. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN: 0-14-240708-9.

Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga'g tells the tale of a very old couple who aren't happy because they are lonely. One day the woman tells the man that she wants a sweet little fluffy cat and he sets out to find one for her. After walking a very long time he finds a hill covered in cats, "...hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats."! So he decides to choose the prettiest cat to take home to his wife. But one by one he chooses all the cats because he cannot decide which one is best. When he arrives home with trillions of cats his wife tells him that they can't possibly feed so many and they decide to let the cats decide which one they should keep. Soon the cats are fighting among themselves about who is the prettiest and eventually eat each other up, leaving one frightened kitten hiding in the grass. The couple asked the kitten how she survived and she replies that she is homely so she had no quarrel with the other cats who thought they were pretty, so they left her alone. The old woman bathed the kitten, brushed its fur, and fed it milk each day until it grew into a beautiful cat that lived happily ever after with the old couple.


Originally published in 1928 Millions of Cats is a classic picture book that has timeless appeal. The story is easy to relate to and the black ink illustrations are full of detail that draw the reader into the page. Children will understand the loneliness the old couple feels since they have no children at home and can enjoy the journey the old man takes in an effort to please his wife. The solution the couple finds to their dilemma over choosing the right cat relieves them of making a judgement about appearance and results in a winning situation for all. The repeated lines encourage children to read along adding to the experience of the story. 


When viewing the first page of the book, the reader assumes the ink drawings will be rather simple, but upon turning the page a full layout reveals the great attention to detail that helps the reader believe that millions and trillions of cats are living on the hill. Children will have fun examining each page to uncover the variety of cats depicted as the old man tries to make his decision. They will believe that the cats can empty a pond and eat all the grass in a meadow as they travel to the cottage where the old woman waits because cats cover every possible trail. They will feel the old couple's fear as they flee the snarling quarreling mass of cats that threaten to spill out of the boundaries of the illustration. And, surely, they will agree with the old man at the end of the story when he declares the cat "the most beautiful in the whole world."


Millions of Cats is a delightful picture book that continues to engage and entertain children eighty-five years after being published. The only precaution to be taken is to put away the crayons before the children decide to color the lovely black ink drawings.


Wanda Ga'g was awarded two Newbery Honors, one in 1929 for Millions of Cats and one in 1934 for The ABC Bunny. She also received two Caldecott Honors, one in 1939 for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the other in 1942 for Nothing at All. 


Millions of Cats is included in School Library Journal's "One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century" where the book is noted for its "innovative design and strong storyteller's cadence". The New York Times calls Millions of Cats "A perennial favorite."  


A picture book receiving a Newbery Honor is unusual, so I would like to explore the history of Millions of Cats further in regard to why the Newbery committee chose it. This is a good example of a picture book that can be used to engage older children in a literary exploration. We could compare and contrast the Newbery books of the time to discover what made them stand out as compared to other books published then and also discuss why one book becomes a classic when so many others do not.

Amazon. Editorial reviews. http://www.amazon.com/Millions-Edition-Picture-Puffin-Books/dp/product-description/0142407089/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books. (Accessed Septembet 6, 2013.)

Ortakales, Denise. 2002. Wanda Ga'g. http://ortakales.com/illustrators/gag.html.  (Accessed September 6, 2013.)

Amazon.

This Is Not My Hat Review

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31os4V3RGNL._SX260_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg


Klassen, Jon. 2012. This Is Not My Hat. Ill. by Jon Klassen. Somerville: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 978-0-7636-5599-0.

 This Is Not My Hat is the story of a thief; a small fish who decides to take the hat of a big fish while he is sleeping. The small fish knows that it is wrong to steal the hat, but rationalizes the theft by telling the reader the big fish probably won't notice it is gone and that the hat is too little for the big fish. The hat does fit the small fish perfectly and he is sure he can hide form the big fish. Of course, there is one tiny problem; the crab saw what the little fish did and where he went. The crab promises not to tell, but when big fish arrives, crab breaks his promise. Big fish soon returns with his hat while little fish is not seen again.


Jon Klassen combines limited text with narrative pictures to offer a complete story that readers of all ages will enjoy. He reels the reader in immediately (pun intended!) when his little fish admits his theft on the first page. As his story unfolds everyone can relate to wanting something so badly that they act on the impulse while trying to justify it in their own mind. The laughter and tension rises with each page as the illustrations contradict the story little fish is telling himself; "...he probably won't notice that it's gone.", as big fish looks up to see his hat missing. Each step brings big fish closer to finding his hat as he swims into the tall grass where little fish is hiding. What happens then? We are left to guess because all we know for sure is that big fish swims back home with his little hat on his head!


Children will understand the message that stealing is wrong and will surely engage in a conversation about what they believe happened to little fish in the tall grass. Was little fish eaten by big fish? Scared away? Did he deserve what happened to him? What would they do if someone stole their hat? Klassen leaves the subject open for discussion rather than moralizing or expressing his personal beliefs which is uncommon in children's literature. His use of fish as characters removes stereotypes and generalizations that might be present if he had placed human characters in the situation. 


This Is Not My Hat has straightforward text and darkly humorous, engaging illustrations. According to the copyright page, the illustrations were digitally created and in Chinese ink which result in simple yet elegant full page spreads that reveal the story on their own. Klassen's dark backgrounds place all the emphasis on the expressive characters leading to a visual experience that draws the reader even further into the story. Just looking at the eyes of his characters tell a great deal about the story and what will happen next.


The ambiguous ending may be a strength to some, a weakness to others depending on who is reading This Is Not My Hat. I enjoy the conversations that stem from allowing the reader to choose their own ending, but some patrons at my library have been frustrated because they prefer a concrete conclusion. I can understand the parents who are concerned that the implication is that little fish came to a violent end, but again, the invitation to engage in a conversation about that possibility and many others is positive, I think.


Jon Klassen wrote and illustrated I Want My Hat Back which is the 2012 winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book and the New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year.


This Is Not My Hat is the winner of the 2013 Caldecott Medal.

Booklist gave This Is Not My Hat a starred review commenting that, "The simple, dramatic tension and macabre humor that’s right at a kid’s level of deviousness mesh splendidly with Klassen’s knack for tiny, telling details and knockout page turns." Klassen also received strred reviews from The Horn Book, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.



This Is Not My Hat can be used as a starting point for conversations about serious subjects such as theft, honesty, making promises, and violence. Children can be encouraged to explore more picture books that have limited text or are wordless and develop their own storytelling skills. They can also delve into the importance of illustrations and how small details can enrich the story.


Amazon. Editorial reviews. http://www.amazon.com/This-Is-Not-My-Hat/dp/product-description/0763655996/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books. (Accessed September 6, 2013.)

The Three Little Pigs Review

http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9780899192758_p0_v1_s260x420.jpg

Galdone, Paul. 1970. The Three Little Pigs. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0-395-28813-4.

Paul Galdone's variation of The Three Little Pigs is not "cleaned up" or "Disneyfied" in that the first little pig who builds his house of straw and the second little pig who builds his house of sticks both get eaten by the wolf. And in the end, the wolf gets eaten by the third little pig after climbing down the chimney and falling into the cooking pot. However, in telling the tale of the third little pig who builds his house of bricks, Galdone adds to the story by showing how the wolf is always outsmarted by the little pig which leads to the wolf making his deadly mistake in a fit of anger. When the wolf is unable to huff and puff and blow down the brick house, he tries to trick the pig into going to Mr. Smith's farm to harvest turnips. The pig outsmarts the wolf by going to the farm early and already has a potful of turnips when the wolf arrives at the pig's door to go to the farm. The wolf tries again by offering to take the pig to Merry Garden the next day where an apple tree waits to be picked. Again the pig goes early, but this time the wolf arrives as he is climbing down the tree. Little pig distracts the wolf by throwing an apple as far as he can, then runs home when the wolf chases the apple. Once more the wolf suggests a trip to the pig, this time to the fair. Again, pig sees wolf coming as he travels the path home and this time he hides inside the butter churn he has just bought at the fair. The wolf is so scared by the churn rolling down the hill toward him that he runs home. Later when he goes to pig's house and pig laughs and says he was inside the churn, wolf gets very angry. The end result is the little pig having wolf stew and living happily ever after.

Galdone's retelling of the classic folktale The Three Little Pigs remains true to the archetypes of good and evil, presents clear obstacles for the characters to tackle, and includes the classic "once upon a time" opening and "happily ever after" ending. The message to make wise choices is clear from start to finish as the pigs who make poor housing choices come to a bad end while the pig who uses his wits outsmarts the evil wolf and triumphs in the end. Because Galdone stays true to the origins of the story, this version may not be for very young or easily scared children who may be disturbed by two little pigs and the wolf meeting violent ends.

 Galdone's The Three Little Pigs is a classic in children's literature because it is a wonderful combination of storytelling and illustrations. The detailed ink and wash pictures are beautiful and enliven the story because they match the text on each page almost perfectly. The characters are expressive and clearly represent the good versus evil moral thread while the backgrounds explain the action taking place with each page turn.

Paul Galdone was a prolific illustrator of children's books with 300 titles to his credit including many retellings of classic folktales such as The Three Little Kittens, The Little Red Hen, The Gingerbread Man, and many others. He was awarded the Caldecott Honor for two books written by Eve Titus, Anatole in 1957 and Anatole and the Cat in 1958. He was honored posthumously in 1996 with the Kerlan Award for his contributions to children's literature. 

"All in all, a very appealing edition of a beloved story." School Library Journal
"From Walt Disney to David Weisner, this porcine trio inspires many retellings, but this picture book is faithful without being too gory for young readers." Children's Literature - Elizabeth Fronk

Many connections can be made with Galdone's extensive collection of folktales including an author/illustrator study comparing the titles he illustrated for other authors to his own, reader's theater presentations of his classics, and a comparison of the many versions of The Three Little Pigs from a wide variety of authors like James Marshall, David Wiesner, and Steven Kellogg. And, of course, much fun can be had with alternative versions once the original story is known, like The Three Ninja Pigs, Three Little Cajun Pigs, and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, just to name a few.

Barnes & Noble. Editorial reviews. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-little-pigs-paul-galdone/1100250751?ean=9780899192758. (Accessed September 11, 2013.)

Jacketflap.  http://www.jacketflap.com/paul-galdone/122467. (Accessed September 11, 2013.)

Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota. Paul Galdone. http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/CLRC-484.xml.  (Accessed September 11, 2013.)

Where is Tippy Toes? Review

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61yyAxkQMVL._SX260_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg

Lewin, Betsy. 2010. Where is Tippy Toes? Ill. Betsy Lewin. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1-4169-3808-8


Where is Tippy Toes? follows an orange and white cat throughout his day from sunrise to sunset. Everyone knows how he spends his day, but when night comes, his whereabouts are a mystery. The little mouse knows to hide when he hears Tippy Toe's soft tread outside his hole in the wall. Everyone sees Tippy Toes run through the garden to escape the water hose. They hear a sleepy purr when he naps in the dresser drawer and see the messy result when he tiptoes across the kitchen counter through the blueberry pie! But when the moon is full, no one knows where the feisty cat goes, except one little person in a warm, snugly bed.


 Any child who has had or wants to have a pet will delight in turning the pages of Where is Tippy Toes?  to see what the furry feline will do next. Although the family isn't depicted, the household as seen from a cat's eye view is one that most children will relate to with a yard, a messy drawer full of play clothes, and a kitchen counter that Tippy Toes runs across.


Children will enjoy solving the mystery of where Tippy Toes goes when the moon is out as they follow his activities from day to night. His routine reflects the daily routine a young child might experience as the energetic cat plays outside in the garden, takes a nap in a bedroom, and walks through a pie that looks like a tasty dinnertime dessert before finding a perfect place to sleep for the night.


Lewin's gentle rhyming text is perfectly balanced by her lively, bright, watercolor illustrations. The book is inviting and interactive with die cut pages and flaps that are lifted to reveal Tippy Toe's activities as the day progresses into night. Where is Tippy Toes? is fun to share with a group or with a child in your lap because the illustrations are bold enough to see in a group setting, but the interactive pages are delightful for one set of little hands to explore.


Where is Tippy Toes? is a book virtually anyone can enjoy because the rhyming text draws the reader in and the bold watercolor illustrations are a delight to the eye. A lesson in handling the pages carefully will help the book last through many readings as it surely will become a bedtime favorite.


Betsy Lewin was awarded the silver medal from the Society of Illustrators and a Caldecott Honor for Click, Clack, Moo; Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin and an Honor for the Ted Geisel Award for Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman. She has had many books on the New York Times Bestseller list.


Publisher's Weekly reviewed Where is Tippy Toes? in July of 2010 stating that "...smudgy watercolors--traced with bold, chalky outlines--convey Tippy's ever-inquisitive but lovable feline nature..." and suggested that readers who are intrigued about the lives of their pets will enjoy the book. In September 2010, School Library Journal noted, "Rhyming sentences come together with the turn of a page and continue to the satisfying page turn at the end. This cat's sun up to sun down routine makes an excellent choice for those looking for a new bedtime story."


I used Where is Tippy Toes? for an impromptu story time this week when an ESL student came in to register for class and her three children were restless. The children all spoke English well, so language was not an issue. The children enjoyed the interactive nature of the book and asked me to read it again when I finished. Afterwards, we talked about our pets and what we did when they were naughty, like Tippy Toes was when he stepped in the pie. They related to the mischievous kitty and we all thoroughly enjoyed the conversation he sparked. Where is Tippy Toes? could be included in a story time about pets, cats, or bedtime to good effect.


Amazon. Editorial reviews. http://www.amazon.com/Where-Tippy-Toes-Betsy-Lewin/dp/product-description/1416938087/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books. (Accessed September 6, 2013).

Lewin, Betsy. 2013. http://www.betsylewin.com/. (Accessed September 6, 2013).

The Lion and the Mouse Review

http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780316013567_p0_v4_s260x420.JPG

Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. The Lion and the Mouse. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0-316-01356-7.

Aesop's fable The Lion and the Mouse is a reminder that even the smallest creature can have a big impact when the situation requires action. In this well-loved tale, a mouse accidentally disturbs a sleeping lion who surprisingly sets the mouse free. The lion's decision not only saves the mouse's life, but eventually saves the lion's life also. Poachers trap the lion, but the mouse, remembering the lion's kindness, uses her sharp teeth to release the lion from the poacher's net, allowing him to go free.

Jerry Pinkney's almost wordless picture book reveals the story with lush illustrations that fill the page and delight the eye. He uses pencil, watercolor, and colored pencil to capture the vast African landscape showcasing the wildlife of the area. The reader is encouraged to explore each page and absorb every detail as the story unfolds. Even the book jacket captures the reader immediately with the lion's face filling the cover with no title or author information distracting the eye. The lion's eyes lead the reader to look at the back cover where the mouse can be seen in the camouflage of grassland hiding from his predators.

The opening pages of the book highlight the size of the mouse by showing her compared to the lion's paw print and the wide horizon of the Serengeti plain. The story then beautifully unfolds with each turn of the page until the final spread showing the two families, happy and complete, thanks to the shared kindness of the lion and the mouse. The few words that Pinkney includes as part of his illustrations enhance the wildlife experience by expressing the natural sounds of the animals depicted. Be sure to read the artist's note for a look into Pinkney's writing process; it is fascinating.

Jerry Pinkney was awarded the 2010 Caldecott Medal for The Lion and the Mouse as well as the 2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award, 2010 Horn Book Awards Honor Book, 2010 New York Times Best Illustrated Books, and 2010 Indies Choice Book of the Year Winner, New Picture Book. More about his stellar career and interesting story of overcoming dyslexia to be an author can be found at http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html.

The Horn Book

* "By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it... It will be a challenge for libraries to make every gorgeous surface available, but it's a challenge worth taking on."

Kirkus Reviews
"A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop's fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful."

* "Pinkney enriches this classic tale of friendship with another universal theme - family - affectingly illustrated in several scenes as well as in the back endpapers... African species grace splendid panoramas that balance the many finely detailed, closeup images of the protagonists. Pinkney has no need for words; his art speaks eloquently for itself." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)


Aesop's Fables were widely known when I was young, but I'm not sure if they are as loved now, so I will be using them in story times more in the coming year beginning with this one. Many connections can be made beginning with the acts of kindness shared, the moral that all creatures have talents no matter their size, and exploring the morals presented in the other fables. This version also offers the opportunity to delve deeper into the environment and wildlife of the Serengeti. I also enjoyed reading about Jerry Pinkney and would like to share his story with the families I serve. 


Amazon. Editorial reviews. http://www.amazon.com/The-Lion-Mouse-Jerry-Pinkney/dp/0316013560. (Accessed September 22, 2013.)

Barnes & Noble. Editorial reviews. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lion-the-mouse-jerry-pinkney/1101089622?ean=9780316013567. (Accessed September 22, 2013.)