Long-Long's New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!  Welcome the Year of the Dragon.  

In celebration of the year of the dragon, check out Long-Long's New Year by Catherine Gower and illustrated by He Zhihong (c. 2005).  He Zhihong paints her exquisite pictures on silk and rice paper, a technique which brings Gower's story to life.

Long-Long and his grandfather go to market to try to sell their fine, fresh cabbages hoping to earn enough money to properly celebrate the Spring Festival.  Grandfather encounters several road blocks, and in the meantime, kids enjoy watching Long-Long's resourcefulness.  Born in the year of the dragon, Long-Long is aptly named since long is the Chinese word for dragon.

Visit http://books.google.com.na/books?id=y77UqWdsVowC&pg=PT32&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false to view He Zhihong's exquisite illustrations.

When Winter Comes

I've raved over Susan Gaber's illustrations here and here before.  Check out another of her illustrated books (c. 2000) with words by Nancy Van Laan.

Kids are mesmerized by When Winter Comes!  Nana reads it to her class each winter.  And my child came home from kindergarten a few weeks ago, exclaiming that her teacher read "one of my favorite books to the whole class today!"  Yep, I think that teacher's pretty brilliant (especially as her students were just returning from winter break) because you see this read has quite the calming effect (like the gentle cadences of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening).  Catch a glimpse of it in the rhyme and repetition:

Where oh where do the leaves all go
when winter comes and the cold winds blow?
(next page)
The leaves go tumble
tumbling down.
Snow is their blanket.
Their bed is the ground.

So check it out, and tell me, which part do you like best: the soothing rhythm of VanLaan's rhyme or Gaber's soft snowy acrylic paintings or just the complete cozy, snugly, fireside experience of reading it to your child?

Martin's Big Words

Doreen Rappaport weaves together her words and Dr. King's words in the Caldecott honor book, illustrated by Bryan Collier, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (c. 2001).
 
Martin said 'love'
when others said 'hate.'

'Hate cannot drive out hate.
Only love can do that.'

William Shakespeare

" . . . winter tames man, woman and beast."

William Shakespeare

is published in sharing the seasons: A BOOK OF POEMS selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by David Diaz (c. 2010).

Honey Bear's Snowy Adventure

 Hmmmmmm, well, our edition is entitled Honey Bear's Snowy Adventure.

However, it looks like amazon.com and the library now release this story under the title Little Honey Bear and the Smiley Moon (c. 2006).  Both editions are written by Gillian Lobel and illustrated by Tim Warnes.

So, either way, Honey Bear is such a FUN book to read aloud!  I really enjoy "doing" the four different voices.  Maybe it's that snack at the end or maybe it's because it's another moon story or maybe it's just because it's a tale about fear being resolved with the appearance of Mommy: whatever the reason, it's a simple adventure the kids keep coming back to hear again and again.

Owl at Home

title page

You remember Arnold Lobel, right?!  He's the creator of our dear friends Frog and Toad.

Well, you must, must, must check out this cozy and funny winter read, an I CAN READ book entitled Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel (c. 1975).  Let me give you a glimpse of my favorite illustrations:

beginning the chapter entitled The Guest

beginning the chapter entitled Tear-Water Tea

Now, don't you just want to visit owl?  You can!  Owl at Home is especially perfect for your budding reader or for that young reader who wants an advancement.  The kids just love Owl!  Our house is filled with laughter whenever we read this together.  To tell the truth, Owl is a bit daft, but his daftness evokes the frolicking laughs that children enjoy.  I could go into a more thorough explanation of each of Lobel's five stories, but suffice it to say, Owl at Home is an experience you won't want to miss!

end cover

January

Find "January" in A Child's Calendar, a collection of twelve of John Updike's poems that describes a child's journey through the seasons from January through December  (c. 1965).  Caldecott award winning artist Trina Schart Hyman illustrated the collection (c. 1999).

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Laurel Long leaves her readers with a new, Medieval interpretation of the traditional carol in The Twelve Days of Christmas (c. 2011).  Each majestic spread becomes a beautiful re-envisioning of the traditional carol.  At first glance, this beautiful, Renaissance inspired fairy tale world appears serene.  Yet look for all the movement while finding the hidden images that recapture each verse's previous stanzas.

Christmas Is Here!

I'm looking forward to seeing more from this brilliant new artist, Lauren Castillo.  Check out her webpage: http://www.laurencastillo.com/  and blog: http://www.laurencastillo.blogspot.com/  

My new favorite Christmas book, Christmas is Here! by Lauren Castillo shadows a family taking a winter walk through the falling snow.  Quickly they encounter a Nativity tableau.  Castillo slows the business of the season into a halting encounter of peace.  Feast on her silently striking ink and watercolor illustrations.  Meditate on Luke 2 and the Wonder of this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

Peter Spier's Christmas!

I've found Peter Spier's books difficult to obtain.  However, if you can get your hands on a copy of Peter Spier's Christmas! (c. 1983) -- it's well worth the hassle!

Everyone in my family is riveted by Spier's illustrations that chronicle the cycle of the Christmas season, beginning with empty tree farms and ending with a weather-beaten tree lot.

We forget that this is a wordless book because Spier's illustrations take on a life of their own, telling their story so well.  It's fun to hear the different dialogues the kids come up with as they peruse the book.  The painstaking detail in each illustration begs to be reviewed again and again.

I'm amused by these next few grocery shopping illustrations.  Spier uncannily captures the experience quite accurately.

This book takes on a whole new meaning when you open it as a parent.  I especially love the Christmas Eve sequence and the mound of dirty dishes preceding the satisfaction of a clean kitchen.

The elements on each page are so recognizable; perhaps my strong attachment comes from the personal feeling that Spier depicts my childhood Christmas story.

So as you prepare and decorate during this Christmas season, feast your eyes on Spier's fascinating illustrations.  And have a very Merry Christmas!