Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

About: It’s just what the title tells you. A little girl lists all the things she’s gotten busted for, most of them targetted at her younger brother — such as, stapling his head to the pillow; gluing his slippers to the floor; telling him his fortune (involving consumption by hyenas), while reading his palm; and freezing a dead fly in his ice cubes.

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Don’t believe me? I’m that self-proclaimed Blogger Who Speaks in Hyperbole, so I don’t blame you. But, really and truly here are two picture books from ’06 that you don’t want to miss.

For the record, I promise I read things other than fiction picture book titles. But oh my, there are more from ’06 to keep talking about, so here we go with two stand-out titles that I’m just getting around to reviewing, one which was just released this past December.

This is a perfectly uncluttered, perfectly simple, perfectly perfect little book that I wish I had made {slapping myself on forehead now}. Seriously, not that it’s so simple that a dolt like me could have created it, mind you. I don’t mean that. I mean that Portis makes it look effortless, though I’m sure it wasn’t. And oh is it clever, too. It is even designed to look like a box, what with its brown cover and back and end papers and its net weight printed on the front and a “this side up” on the back.

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I like to go and visit the blog of author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka (“the JJK blog”) when I have the time. He’s funny and I wanna hang out with him. It’s that simple. I mean, just look at this Christmas tree he and his sister and brother and cousin did up one year (and here are some other creative ones).

I also, of course, get handy-dandy tidbits ‘o information on his blog. I think I squealed when I read that he’s just finished Punk Farm on Tour and that it will be hitting bookstores and libraries everywhere in the fall of ’07 (if you haven’t read Punk Farm, why then there’s a hole in your life. Run now to the nearest library or bookstore and experience it). And he sometimes generously writes about other authors and/or illustrators and their new titles on his blog. Thanks to one of his posts about Cowboy Ned and Andy by David Ezra Stein (published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Books; July 2006), I was eager to go pick up a copy. And what a treat it is to read . . .

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I’ve had a mental list of picture book titles that I want to talk about a bit, but the holidays have kept me from my reviews of them. But the egg nog’s gone, and the James Brown Christmas tunes have been — once again — put back into the stack of Christmas CDs. (God rest his kinetic soul, I might add. And it’s not related to book reviews, but in his honor and memory, I present to you the cover of this, the best holiday CD ever).

So, now that the holidays are over, let’s get right to it — some of the entertaining and for-one-reason-or-another wonderful fiction picture book titles of ’06 that I never got around to. Some of them have been highlighted and reviewed well on kidlitosphere blogs Eisha and I like to frequent, but I’d be all amiss if I didn’t mention them myself.

A Particular Cow by Mem Fox and illustrated by Terry Denton (published by Harcourt Children’s Books; September 2006) — This is a peculiar and quirky little title. But, hey, it works. There is, you see, a particular cow who goes for a particular walk. Usually, on her walks, nothing in particular happens. ‘Til today. The chaos begins when she ends up with a pair of bloomers on her head, bloomers that have fallen from a clothesline. Then, since she’s temporarily blinded, she stumbles into a mailman’s cart. Read the rest of this entry �

I’ve had in my possession for many weeks now (as in, it’s now technically overdue at the library; I hang my librarian-head in shame) The Deaf Musicians by the legendary Pete Seeger and the poet Paul Dubois Jacobs with illustrations by
R. Gregory Christie (published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in October of this year). I’m finally getting around to my review. I can’t let this one slide.

Can someone give me an amen? As a sign language interpreter myself (what I did for a living before becoming a librarian), of course I’m going to be drawn to this book, but with that aside, it works on many levels and for many ages as the snazzy, finger-snappin’, thought-provoking title that it is. Read the rest of this entry �

{Note: Head here to read this week’s Poetry Friday round-up at A Chair, A Fireplace & a Tea Cozy . . . in which Liz awards me a prize for the “longest introduction that has nothing to do with the actual book” and a “bonus link to a video of Choppin Broccoli”!} . . .

So, yes, it’s the last Poetry Friday of ’06. You’d think I’d have some poignant farewell or new beginnings-themed poem for you (anyone else remember the Dana Carvey-era Saturday Night Live and his amusing parody of the acutely untalented but pompous rock star? His name was Derek, and he had a passionate rendition of a really bad song, made up on the spot, called “Choppin’ Broccoli”? In one episode I remember, there’s a medley featuring the “Choppin’ Broccoli” wonder in which he bangs on the piano and randomly sings “new beginnings . . . new beginnings . . .” Alas, I cannot find it online anywhere. And, wow, that is my Best Digression Yet — not to mention I’ve really dated myself now).

Anyway, I feel like for our Poetry Fridays — when it’s my turn, that is — I only review rhyming picture books anymore, but allow me to do it one more time. I’ve been reading, reading, and reading some more for the committee work I’m doing for the Cybils Award (Fiction Picture Books committee), and there are several nominated titles that I’ve yet to discuss but want to tell you about. So, this week for Poetry Friday, I’ll tell you about one Cybil-nominated title that happens to be a rhyming text. It’s a ‘lil charmer, too . . .

The Prince’s Bedtime written by Joanne Oppenheim and illustrated by Miriam Latimer; published by Barefoot Books, September 2006 — It’s bedtime in a faraway kingdom, and one stubborn, little prince refuses to go to sleep. Looking for some sort of cure, the King goes so far as to send forth a royal request: “If anyone knows how to make the prince rest, please come at once to the royal address.” Having already rejected his mother’s silk quilt, the cook’s cookies, and the maid’s hot milk, he stays on his stubborn course and rejects the physician’s medicine; Read the rest of this entry �

I think I’ve mentioned before that post titles are not my strength . . .

Let’s take a moment to look at another new holiday picture book title that will intrigue the wee ones. Originally published in Great Britain in 2005, we now have Tiger Tales, an imprint of ME Media, to thank for the 2006 U.S. publication of I’ve Seen Santa!, written by David Bedford and illustrated by Tim Warnes.

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*(Courvoisier, anyone?)

Indulge me while I take a break for a moment from new holiday titles to write a tribute to what are probably my top-two favorite Christmas picture book titles ever (and that’s a bold statement, as there are so many great ones).

Does it get any better than John Burningham’s Harvey Slumfenburger’s Christmas Present (published in ’93)? I ask again, does. it. get. any. better? I think not. A friend of mine — an educator and former professor of mine as well — used to say that she, as a teacher of young children, wanted every child to be and to feel noticed. I love that. Well, that’s the glory and brilliance of this book — that Santa, though tired, though beat from his one-night world odyssey of gift-giving, takes the time to deliver the one present that he inadvertently missed. Read the rest of this entry �

If you’re not familiar with The Edge of the Forest, a monthly online journal devoted to children’s literature, then let me make your day by telling you about it. Kelly Harold of Big A little a is the journal’s Editor and Webmaster, and every month she and her editorial board and team of contributors bring you book reviews, interviews with blogging authors, a “Best of the Blogs” column, a once-a-month round-up of children’s favorite books, and much more. (And, ooh! ooh! This month, they bring us “Sounds From the Forest,” in which Andrea and Mark of Just One More Book!! talk to Kelly and Anne Boles Levy, the founders of the Cybils Award, about the genesis of the award and how blogging has changed children’s book reviewing today).

Anyway, Yours Truly also contributed a feature in the December issue of this informative online journal. So, if you’d like to read reviews of four recently-published picture books with rhyming text — all nominated for a Cybil Award in the Picture Book (Fiction) category — then, by all means, go here to do so. The featured books are: Estelle Takes a Bath by Jill Esbaum and illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma; Sail Away, Little Boat by Janet Buell and illustrated by Jui Ishida; Stoo Hample’s Book of Bad Manners by none other than Stoo Hample; and The Red Lemon by Bob Stakke. There are also, as usual, many other reviews by other contributors in this month’s journal. Enjoy!

Over at Chicken Spaghetti, there was a recent post about Hanukkah titles. Oh my, what a great list with all kinds of wonderful contributions. Susan started it all with her personal holiday reading recommendation, many great kidlitosphere minds joined in, and then Susan even added an update to the post. If you’re looking for some highly-praised Hanukkah children’s titles from Those Bloggers in the Know, then this post is a great place to look.

And here’s a great new Hanukkah title: Maxie Baum’s I Have a Little Dreidel, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (published by Scholastic in October of this year). Read the rest of this entry �