Review of The Ship in the Window, written by Travis Jonker, illustrated by Matthew Cordell

The Ship in the Window

written by Travis Jonker
illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Viking (Penguin Random House), 2024. 40 pages.
Review written September 6, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

First, I have to give a disclosure: The author of this book, Travis Jonker, is a friend of mine, or at least a librarian acquaintance. When we see each other at library conferences, we smile and say Hi! So — I’m for sure going to like his books, and I continue to be excited for him that he’s writing books that are getting published.

But let me tell you about his latest. The illustrator is Caldecott Winner Matthew Cordell – so you know it’s going to be good!

The story is simple. Who among us hasn’t looked at an intricately crafted miniature ship and wondered if it could actually sail? In this book, the participants find out!

The story opens in wordless pictures before the title page. We see house close to the shore, and then inside the house, a man is carefully crafting a miniature ship. We see a boy by his side, looking on, and if you look closely, you’ll also see a mouse.

When the story opens, we get the viewpoint of the mouse, Mabel, who lives in the house with the man and the boy – and the magnificent untouched ship in the window.

Mabel knew it was the man’s prized possession because she had watched him spend months building it, carefully perfecting every last detail.

He wouldn’t even let the boy help.

Mabel wonders if it could sail like a real ship. She daydreams about being the captain of this ship. She can see that the boy shares in her wondering.

And then one night, the door gets left open, and Mabel sees her chance to find out!

This book is about Mabel’s adventure that night and what happens when the man discovers the ship is gone. (His alarm is expressed, but the ending softens it beautifully.)

This is simply a lovely little book about imagination and adventure. And new friends.

TravisJonkerBooks.com
MatthewCordell.com
Penguin.com/kids

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing, by Amy Hest, illustrated by Erin Stead

Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing

by Amy Hest
illustrated by Erin Stead

Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2024. 40 pages.
Review written July 18, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

Ahh. This picture book gives me a happy sense of peace.

It’s a quiet story of a grown-up bear and a young bear going fishing. The story is simple, the pictures are charming, and the nice repetition makes it delightful for beginning readers or young listeners.

Here’s how the book begins:

One day Big Bear says to Little Bear, I’m just in the mood for fishing.

Me too, says Little Bear. Just in the mood.

Big Bear and Little Bear pull on baggy blue pants for fishing. And boots. They stuff their feet into tal black boots. Their coats are yellow with pockets and hoods.

Now they are ready for fishing.

That all sounds good. But the first word on the next page is:

Almost.

Three times they think of something more they need — poles; nice, warm blueberry scones; and a book with stories.

When they are finally really, truly ready to go fishing, they make their way to their fishing boat, pulling the wagon with supplies, get into the boat, and row out into the lake.

I love the page once they get there:

Big Bear and Little Bear dip their poles in the lake.

Fishermen sit very still, whispers Big Bear.

Oh yes, Little Bear whispers back. Very still.

Sunshine sparkles up the lake.

Fishermen are patient, whispers Big Bear.

Oh yes, Little Bear whispers back. Patient.

And so they wait. And wait. And of course they need a break for nice, warm blueberry scones, as well as for reading from their big book of stories.

Okay, my repeating good lines simply doesn’t do the job without Erin Stead’s cozy illustrations. If you have a young child in your home, you need to check out this book and read it together yourselves! I guarantee, you’ll be charmed.

amyhest.com
erinstead.com

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Review of How Old Is Mr. Tortoise? by Dev Petty, illustrated by Ruth Chan

How Old Is Mr. Tortoise?

by Dev Petty
illustrated by Ruth Chan

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2022. 36 pages.
Review written July 26, 2022, from my own copy, signed by the author at ALA Annual Conference
Starred Review

Here’s a silly picture book about an old tortoise who just wants to eat cake on his birthday. But his friends want to know how many candles to put on the cake before anyone gets a slice.

So then they try to figure out how old Mr. Tortoise is. There are some silly guesses. Some ideas based on what he remembers. And finally, he remembers that he moved into his fancy enclosure on his hundredth birthday and was given a new succulent each year as a gift after. When you also add in the ones he’s eaten, they can finally figure out how old he is.

But the cake won’t fit that many candles! Will Mr. Tortoise ever get to eat cake?

This book has a nice little bit of math to make me happy and to get kids thinking about numbers. But my favorite part of that is what I just discovered — under the paper cover, the book shows a great big cake (instead of the cover image) — and I counted and it has the right amount of candles. (Unfortunately, on the library version, the cover will get taped down and you won’t get to check.) Ha! Though I just counted the candles pictured on the endpapers (apparently leftover after the cake is mostly eaten) — and there are again exactly the right amount. Nice touch!

But even without the math, it’s a happy story of friends and a birthday and cake! What’s not to like?

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*Note* To try to catch up on posting reviews, I’m posting the oldest reviews I’ve written on my blog without making a page on my main website. They’re still good books.

Review of Rainbow the Koala, by Remy Lai

Surviving the Wild

Rainbow the Koala

by Remy Lai

Henry Holt and Company, 2022. 108 pages.
Review written May 4, 2022, from a library book

This is part of a new graphic novel series fictionalizing the lives of baby animals in actual situations of environmental danger.

Rainbow the Koala is, no surprise, almost unbearably cute. It features a tiny baby koala still living in his mother’s pouch. (Did you know koalas are marsupials like kangaroos?) As Rainbow grows up, he learns from his mother to always climb trees when in danger.

Before long, she sends him out on his own. He has trouble finding water because the forest is drier than ever. He has some encounters with humans in his efforts to survive.

But then a terrible wildfire strikes. Rainbow does what he was taught and climbs as high as he can. Amazingly, he survives — and this story is based on the story of a little koala found high in a eucalyptus tree after the fires of 2019-20 in Australia.

There’s another book in this series, Star the Elephant that tells about a little elephant whose home is threatened by deforestation. The graphic novels are easy for young readers to understand, and oh my goodness, these books are cute.

remylai.com
mackids.com

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*Note* To try to catch up on posting reviews, I’m posting the oldest reviews I’ve written on my blog without making a page on my main website. They’re still good books.

Review of Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates, by Cheryl B. Klein, illustrated by Abhi Alwar

Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates

by Cheryl B. Klein
illustrated by Abhi Alwar

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021. 36 pages.
Review written December 11, 2021, from a library book
Starred Review

Here’s a funny picture book that teaches great things about conflict resolution and seeing another perspective.

We begin with a picture of two hamsters, one running in a wheel. The dark brown hamster introduces himself:

I’m Henry.

That’s Marvin.

We’re roommates. We’ve been roommates for two hundred and five days.

Henry is not happy about being Marvin’s roommate. Marvin talks all the time, and always wants attention. When Henry tries to hide in the bedding, Marvin finds him.

Henry’s perspective:

He’s ALWAYS TALKING,
while I’m NICE.

I don’t bother HIM.

Why won’t he do the same for ME?

Hamsters make TERRIBLE roommates.

On the two hundred and sixth day, Henry has had enough. He blows his top. He pours out his anger and tells Marvin to leave him alone.

Henry thinks it’s wonderful. Then Marvin very sadly apologizes:

I’m sorry.
I wish I knew you wanted quiet.
I talked to you because I like talking and I wanted you to talk to me.

Henry has a lot to think about. He realizes that different hamsters like different things. The two roommates are able to work out when it’s good to talk and when they should have quiet.

And they actually have fun together! I like when Henry tells Marvin he really is fast on that wheel.

It’s a child-size story on an important topic, infused with lots of humor. It’s a good story, but it will also give kids plenty to discuss.

cherylklein.com
abhialwar.com
penguin.com/kids

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*Note* To try to catch up on posting reviews, I’m posting the oldest reviews I’ve written on my blog without making a page on my main website. They’re still good books.

Review of Orris and Timble: The Beginning, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok

Orris and Timble

The Beginning

by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Carmen Mok

Candlewick, 2024. 80 pages.
Review written May 8, 2024, from a library book
Starred Review

This is the start of a new beginning chapter book series by Kate DiCamillo, and it’s tender and sweet and brilliant.

Orris the rat lives in an old abandoned barn. We see his treasures: A red velvet slipper, a yellow marble, and a sardine can. The sardine can is for “Imperial Sardines” and has the picture of a fish wearing a crown and saying, “Make the good and noble choice!!”

That phrase haunts Orris when he discovers a young owl with his claws caught in a mousetrap nailed to the floor, crying for help. Owls eat rats, so at first Orris leaves the owl struggling and goes back to his own home. But in spite of himself, he wants to make the good and noble choice.

I like the way when Orris decides to save the owl, whose name is Timble, Orris is obviously frustrated with himself and says, “For the love of Pete!”

And this book tells, in simple but evocative language, how Orris rescues Timble, and how this becomes the beginning of their friendship.

This book is lovely – beautifully illustrated and with a warmly relatable story as we see Orris make the good and noble choice despite great fear – and then reap the consequences.

katedicamillo.com
carmenmokstudio.com
candlewick.com

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Review of Lucky Duck, by Greg Pizzoli

Lucky Duck

by Greg Pizzoli

Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. 40 pages.
Review written April 30, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

Lucky Duck has the feel of a classic picture with elements from the beginning that are important in the end. And it shows that luck is all in your perspective.

As the book opens, Susan Duck is complaining about her bad luck because the skates she ordered are two sizes too big.

But then a wolf comes to her door in a tuxedo proclaiming that it’s her lucky day! She’s won a big, shiny, new soup pot!

This gets Susan feeling lucky for a few hours – until her kitchen light bulb burns out. But then the wolf comes by and says she’s won lots of onions – perfect for making soup!

And so it continues. Susan Duck has a set of banal little things go wrong, making her feel unlucky. But after each one, the wolf comes by with another “prize” – which happen to be ingredients for soup.

The astute reader will figure out where this is going. But when the wolf declares himself ready for duck soup – suddenly each one of the things that went wrong works together to thwart the wolf in silly but effective ways.

And Susan Duck ends the day feeling lucky indeed.

This is the sort of picture book that makes me miss doing preschool storytimes. I can just hear the kids shouting warnings as I read it. Any kid who has this read to them is lucky indeed.

gregpizzoli.com
rhcbooks.com

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Review of Big Bad Wolf’s Yom Kippur, by David Sherrin, illustrated by Martin Morón

Big Bad Wolf’s Yom Kippur

by David Sherrin
illustrated by Martin Morón

Apples & Honey Press, 2023. 36 pages.
Review written January 5, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

Oh, this book is too much fun! Thanks to Betsy Bird’s end-of-year lists at her Fuse #8 blog for alerting me to this gem.

Now I always love a little fracturing with my fairy tales, so I’m delighted with this book about Yom Kippur even though I’m not Jewish. And what’s not to like about a holiday that encourages you to ask forgiveness and change in good ways?

So this is a story of Yom Kippur — as experienced by the Big Bad Wolf, of fairy tale fame.

At the start, his neighbor Raccoon asks forgiveness for rummaging through his trash and invites him to the synagogue for Yom Kippur.

Seeing all his neighbors in one place wasn’t a terrible idea. It would be like a lunch buffet for a big hungry wolf.

But Big Bad Wolf gets some surprises at the synagogue, including a bear hug from the rabbi (who’s a bear) and having to remind himself that he’s a Big Bad Wolf, so he shouldn’t enjoy it all too much.

But later encounters that day… with Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, and then Three Little Pigs, get the wolf acting much differently than the reader expects… with nice results. I won’t spoil it for you, but this book is delightful fun with a sweet message about being kind.

If your family celebrates Yom Kippur, this is a perfect book to introduce the holiday to your kids. If your family doesn’t celebrate Yom Kippur, this is a perfect book to introduce the holiday to both you and your kids. And silly fractured fairy tale fun, too!

davidsherrin.net
applesandhoneypress.com

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Review of Juan Hormiga, by Gustavo Roldán

Juan Hormiga

by Gustavo Roldán
translated from Spanish by Robert Croll

Elsewhere Editions, 2021. First published in Spanish in 2012. 64 pages.
Review written July 31, 2021, from a library book
Starred Review

This long picture book is more suitable for young elementary school students than for the preschool crowd. I hope they can find it in its lovely picture book packaging.

Juan Hormiga is a lazy ant. He’s incredibly good at napping. But he’s also good at telling tales about his grandfather, an intrepid adventurer.

Juan Hormiga knew all of those stories, and he knew how to tell them, and, best of all, he could do it just as if he’d lived through them himself.

A fun part of this book is that when the text describes Juan Hormiga telling the stories, the accompanying illustrations show an ant having hair-raising adventures. On the page quoted above, we see an ant falling “Plaf!!” from a swinging vine into deep water.

But one day Juan Hormiga decides to go off on a journey of his own, like his grandfather. After he leaves, there’s a heavy storm that floods the anthill.

The ants discuss what must have happened to Juan Hormiga. He was headed for the river, which turns into an angry beast when it rains. Surely the current swept him away and he drowned.

Poor Juan Hormiga. As brave as he was, to meet an end like that.

A hero through and through. Juan Hormiga was braver than anyone in this anthill since his grandfather.

Astute readers will no doubt guess that’s not actually what happened. And the quiet fun that happens when they discover the truth.

This book celebrates the power of story, but also shows how tales can grow if not tempered by truth.

elsewhereeditions.com

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Review of Some Dinosaurs Are Small, by Charlotte Voake

Some Dinosaurs Are Small

by Charlotte Voake

Candlewick Press, 2020. 28 pages.
Review written September 3, 2020, from a library book
Starred Review

Here’s a picture book that would be perfect for Toddler Storytime (if I ever get to do those again!). It’s short and sweet, with not a lot of words on a page. It has pictures of dinosaurs and a fun kicker at the end.

The book begins with a happy little dinosaur in a jungle with a basket.

Some dinosaurs are small.

They have tiny flat teeth for munching through fruit and leaves.

On that second spread, we see parts of big dinosaurs behind the trees. Sure enough, what comes next is:

Some dinosaurs are BIG.

The little dinosaur is clearly in danger from the big dinosaurs. They steal the food from his fruit basket and are still hungry.

But the punchline, drawn out over several spreads, is:

Some dinosaurs . . .

are simply . . .

E N O R M O U S !

And the little dinosaur caps it off with the words, “Hello, Mommy!”

A kid may be small, but this is a fun reminder that they’ve got grown-ups looking out for them. And it’s got dinosaurs!

candlewick.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

What did you think of this book?

*Note* To try to catch up on posting reviews, I’m posting the oldest reviews I’ve written on my blog without making a page on my main website. They’re still good books!