Cinderella or Cinderella or Cinderella - All the Same

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci. S&S, 1998.

Immediate connection with the narrator appearing before the title page. The fabulous voice is already rich and engaging, then add the surprise of the narrator being the “fairy godmother,” well!

Such a different take from Yeh Shen (a Chinese Cinderella retelling by Ai-Ling Louie), yet Yeh Shen is so much more culturally rich. It’s a truly different version of a classic tale, not a retelling of one with a switch in cultural setting.


I had this complaint about a Halloween version as well, Cinderella Skeleton. It was the same old story but with skeletons and undead vs. humans. I know we all just adore Pinkney (the illustrator) and San Souci is better known than Ai-Ling Louie, but honestly, the writing and originality of this tale pale compared to Yeh Shen; even the illustrations are lacking in the artistry of Ed Young’s paintings. If a culturally rich adaptation of a classic tale is going to be on a required reading list for any MFAC program, I think it should be Yeh Shen.

ChuggaChugga ChooChoo!

Freight Train by Donald Crews. Greenwillow, 1978.

Conceptual, informative, this little book teaches object permanence (through the tunnel cut away) and prepositions like through and by, and it uses real train terminology. It has a certain energy and excitement to it—forward momentum and rhythm of a train.

You Mean Women Won Rights? News to Me.

If You Lived When Women Won Their Rights by Anne Kamma. Scholastic, 2006.
Now here is a compelling and well-told story! Kamma never loses her narrative thread, she includes quotes and details, and she keeps the details to those that ground the story or move it forward. She, in short, finds a plot and develops it. Aside: This is exactly what I want to do with my project.

Anyway, the language is simple and straightforward, yet it doesn’t sacrifice artfulness for a sterile informative tone (like some hideous books on sea turtles I read first semester), rather the tone is engaging, the voice consistent. An important book!

Another Reason My Yard is Full of Holes

How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty. 1970.

Second person, a how-to booklet on digging to the center of the earth and beyond. Fact meets fun. The fantasy element combined with scientific detail make this a favorite and true classic. But hey, my copy didn't come with a CD!

That aside, my kids frequently dig holes around the yard, and they truly are trying to break through to the earth's core. So far we've gotten not much beyond two feet. But hey, when you're only four feet high, that's not bad!

On a Tightrope

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. Roaring Brook, 2003.

I love Mordicai Gerstein. I have since I got his book on Noah for my children. His art, his prose, his creativity—delicious. This story is likewise gripping and written in the same tender tone. Gerstein keeps the story moving forward with a clear dramatic arc. Philippe had a goal, obstacles to that goal, and a plan to achieve it. Well done to Philippe and Gerstein!

Jesus and Baseball

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki. 1993.

Triumphant!

Easy to read text that can be read independently by most first/second graders and Mochizuki's is an important voice in a history that has seldom been captured. Both elements combine for an important book.

On craft: the voice is rather bland, but it’s also not laden with “cultural identity” which in this case makes the boy sound like every other American child. Important to the story, I think, because his "every-kid-ness" highlights the injustice of his interment.

I wish I lived on Neighborhood Street!

Night on Neighborhood Street by Eloise Greenfield. Dial, 1991.

The illustrations feel sort of 1970s (which is odd given the pub date); makes it seem dated. The poems, however, give snapshots into life, like the “Little Boy Blues” which is a play on the musical blues and the Mother Goose rhyme. It’s tender and lovely with strong rhythm. “The Seller” and various other poems make me wonder if this book is for children or adults, though. There’s a sophistication that might be over the picture-book-reader’s head.

I love Snuggly picture books!

Max’s Dragon Shirt by Rosemary Wells. Puffin 1991.

I had a horrid time finding any Wells book I hadn’t already read 100+ times. Fish LOVED Yoko and the various Max and Ruby books. I’d have to say Yoko is probably the loveliest of the Wells books with it’s gentle rhythm and touching relationships. So much is communicated and it’s a pleasure to read. The Dragon Shirt is funny and just a little silly. I love how Wells takes the child’s world seriously, smilingly, and employs a tender, gentle tone. Her books are so ... snuggly! Holly Hobbie in her Toot & Puddle books does the same.

Traditional African Tale

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe. 1987

Any MFA in Children's Writing must have this book on it's required reading list -- such an important tale. Uniquely South African and full of stunning, authentic illustrations. This morality story is much like an Aesop’s fable. The kind girl is favored over the nasty one. The plotting is tight, the storytelling clear with a voice like a classic folktale. A favorite.

Beautiful Snowflake Bentley

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. 1998.

Martin brings Bentley’s love and obsession to the child on a mitten-full of snow. Imagine a book about photographing snowflakes making the reader cry. But Martin does it, gently and in a voice I’ve had the privilege to hear in person! The copies of Bentley’s actual photos at the back of the book show the crisp beauty and incredible detail that fueled his passion. Inspiring.

Oh, and if you ever have the pleasure of meeting Jackie Briggs Martin, she's as lovely as her book. I want to adopt her as my mom.

What's that on your Head?

Imogene’s Antlers by David Small. Crown, 1985.

The fun begins on the first page when Imogene finds she grew antlers in the night. Right away, Imogene proves she’s a creative, fun-loving child. What child doesn’t have difficulties that feel as big as antlers? In a satisfying way, Imogene turns her predicament into a triumph, only her mother and principal remaining disturbed. The humor comes from the incongruent responses, and clever visual irony boosts the laughs.

Alternate to Lonely Fireflies

In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. Henry Holt, 1991.

Bright, bold illustrations, rhyme and alliteration, bugs and snakes that naturally capture a child’s imagination ... perfection. I would have loved to have this in board-book format for my own children when they were young. Similar to one of Carle’s (the Lonely Firefly, I think), but simpler/makes more immediate sense.

Little Black Sambo vs. Sam and the Tigers

Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman. 1925.

I have this story in a set of old blue storybooks from the 20s. My grandmother read it to me when I was a girl. It was my absolute favorite then, and I still enjoy it now. It’s considered to be absurdly racist, primarily the stereotyped illustrations, but it’s a great story! I would much rather have my children read The Story of Little Babaji, however, since the tale itself is Indian originally.




Sam and the Tigers by Julius Lester. 1996.

A brilliant rewrite of Little Black Sambo. What child can not laugh at Sam, Sam and Sam? With clever and lively illustrations, it’s a modern classic. Not to harp on The Story of Little Babaji, but I'm going to harp a bit. That little book captures the elegant simplicity of the Sambo story, but returns it to a more accurate context. So, if you're looking for a funny spin on Sambo, Sam and the Tigers will do fine. If you're looking for a culturally sensitive replacement for Sambo, I'd go with Babaji.

Oh, No! She's Missing!

Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard. 1977.

Clever storyline, simple and fresh illustrations. I expect parents took issue with a story about naughty children and a teacher who is called a witch back in the day. It’s standard fare now, though. I mean I have Heckedy Peg on my bookshelf, along with books about farting dogs and dumb bunnies. Interesting write-up about this book and its origin in Anita Silvey’s 100 Best Books for Children. Far too lazy today to comment more. Fun book and Pie, Fish and I loved the CD/book combo in this particular release.

Fiction Meets Nonfiction: Quack!

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey.

Natural science and strong plot combine to make a classic.

This is a cute story about a mother duck seeking the best home for her ducklings. Facts about molting, duck predators, food sources come to life with simple, happy illustrations that use many varying angles and perspectives. Repetition of names makes for a fun, if lengthy, read-aloud.

On Symbiosis and Stuffed Bunnies

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2004.

Symbiosis of text and illustration.

Little Trixie loses her stuffed Knuffle Bunny on an errand with Daddy to the Laundromat. In the excitement of having her bunny returned, Trixie says her first words: Knuffle Bunny. This book is heavy on parent-appeal, some of which will be over the head of most children—the accuracy of a parent’s frustration over a tantrum, the bra in the laundry basket. Yet it’s a satisfying and fully-developed story that incorporates text (speech bubbles) into the illustrations that are made up of black and white photographs and sketchy illustrated people.

Overlong Crocodiles

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber. Houghton Mifflin, 1965.

This book is fairly obviously the personification of a child in Crocodile form. The mean neighbor doesn’t like Lyle the Crocodile and wants him in a zoo but through events, Lyle ends up rescuing him and his cat from a fire, thus solving the problem. It’s quaint and the personification allows the author to stick Lyle in a zoo for a time (can’t have a child getting sent off to a cage) while keeping the young reader engaged in Lyle’s antics which are so similar to a child’s own.

I found it a bit too long to read aloud comfortably. But I tend to, uh, skip parts when I read aloud.