Chiildrens Books

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

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Title: I Want My Hat Back

Author and Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Published: 2011

Main Characters: A bear, a rabbit, a pointed red hat and several woodland characters.

Short Synopsis of the Story: A bear has lost his hat. He politely asks several woodland creatures that he passes whether they have seen his hat or not. One particular woodland character, a rabbit (wearing a pointed red hat) rather strongly denies that he has stolen the hat and quickly dismisses the bear. Later on the bear rather sadly lies down on the ground and worries he may never see his hat again. One woodland creature comes up to him and asks him what the hat looks like. The bear says it is red and pointed and only then is struck with the thought that he has seen the hat recently on someones’s head! He travels back to the rabbit and accuses him of stealing the hat.

Next we see the bear sitting down with the hat back on his head. A passing squirrel asks the bear if he has seen a rabbit. The bear protests very loudly that he has neither seen nor eaten a rabbit. He asks the squirrel not to ask him anymore questions.

Conclusion: I enjoyed the part of the story where the rabbit and the bear protest too loudly especially when they are in the wrong. This made me laugh. However, the fact that the bear had eaten up the rabbit to retrieve his hat was a hard story to deliver to my three year old. When I told her, she very aptly responded with,”Did he need to eat the rabbit up?”

Did he indeed?

Library Haul-Week Thirteen -2015

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Week 13 is the week that Spring was supposed to arrive. Instead we had snow in Massachusetts. Admittedly, not knee deep, masses and masses of snow. But enough snow to remind us that the idyllic springtime picture of daffodils, violets, cherry blossom, green buds on trees and chirping birds was a far cry away. On a positive note, cold temperatures are conducive to staying indoors and enjoying books and movies.

We brought home books for Little M- namely The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and video content in the form of Bambi. This was a re-watch, clearly Little M liked this movie enough to want to see it again.

For me this week was hit and miss- I followed up my recent reading of Christianna Brand’s wonderful mystery novel ‘Green for Danger’ with its Criterion Collection movie counterpart. As (nearly) always the movie failed to live up to the original book. One of the major problems was that the book was still very fresh in my memory- I remembered all the subtle nuances of plot and had already even etched out how the characters looked in my mind. One of the major characters had been omitted and also a major love story completely wiped away and this thoroughly upset me. Do read the original book if you get a chance and have an inclination for reading crime fiction. I loved the book so much that I even painted the cover in my journal.

‘Nightingale Wood’ by Stella Gibbons was a beautiful, 1930s Cinderella story told to perfection. Read the full book review here. Cannot wait to read EVERYTHING else by her starting with Cold Comfort Farm. I will leave you this week with an attempt at sketching the cover of Green for Danger in my journal. Cheerio!

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The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

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Title: The Story of Ferdinand

Author: Munro Leaf

Illustrator: Robert Lawson

Published: 1936

Main Characters: Ferdinand the bull.

Short Synopsis of the Story: The story is set in Spain. Ferdinand the bull is a placid creature. When his fellow bulls are busy playing aggressive games and fighting with one another, nothing pleases Ferdinand more than to sit  quietly by himself and enjoy the scent of the flowers. One day when Ferdinand is much older, several men arrive form Madrid to pick a bull for the fighting. They try to pick the most aggressive bull. On that particular day Ferdinand gets stung by a bee and jumps up and down like crazy. The men from Madrid think he will be the perfect bull for the bullfight and pack him into a cart to be taken to Madrid. On the day of the bullfight, the stadium is packed with excited onlookers. The Banderilleros, Picadores and Matadors enter the stadium and are shivering with anticipation and fear. At last Ferdinand emerges into the ring and to everyones surprise sits down quietly and sniffs the fragrance of the flowers in the ladies’ hair. There is no bull fight that day and Ferdinand is escorted back home where he continues to lead a peaceful life.

Favorite Part of the Story: The message of non- violence is an important one to be taught to children from an early age but I think the concept of bull fighting was beyond the scope of my three year olds understanding. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read to go back to in a couple of years I think.

The Day the Crayons Quit

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Title: The Day the Crayons Quit

Author: Drew Daywalt

Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Published: 2013

Main Characters: Duncan, The different colored crayons.

Short Synopsis of the Story: One day during class, Duncan goes to opens his crayons and discovers a stack of letters with his name written on them. Each of his crayons has written him an individual letter airing their grievances regarding Duncans usage of that particular crayon. Duncan in an effort to please each and everyone of his crayons draws a beautiful picture incorporating all the colors of his crayons.

Favorite Part of the Story: The beautiful picture drawn in crayons at the end of the book is perhaps the highlight of the story. All the colored crayons mentioned in the previous pages makes a special contribution to the picture which is characterized by wild animals, sea creatures, boats, wizards, locomotives, and even a special appearance from Santa Clause himself! Of special interest are the green sea, the yellow sky, orange whale and other anomalously colored entities.

My three year old listened with fascination to the individual stories each of the crayons had to tell, the descriptions and pictures of the characteristic objects that the particular crayon in question is used to illustrate. For example red  is used to draw apples, strawberries, fire engines and Santa’s costume.

It is a nice lesson in color for small children, and a visual treat for children and adults.

Moreover, it reminds us that artistic creativity knows no boundaries. We have the artistic license to paint green seas, orange whales and pink sea monsters.

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban

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Little M and I are working our way slowly but steadily though the Time Magazine’s Top 100 books for Children. We particularly enjoyed Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban.

Title: Bread and Jam for Frances

Author: Russell Hoban

Illustrator: Lillian Hoban

Published: 1986

Main Characters: Frances (the Badger), Mother Badger, Father Badger, baby sister Gloria and schoolfriend Albert.

Short Synopsis of Story: Frances the Badger is a picky eater. When her Mother gives her eggs for breakfast she chooses to eat her favourite food- bread and jam instead. She prefers to eat the same for dinner that night in lieu of breaded veal cutlets with string beans and baked potatoes. In fact, Frances is so in love with bread and jam that she exchanges her school lunch of chicken salad sandwich for bread and jam.

Her parents decide to teach her a lesson. The next day for breakfast, lunch and dinner Frances is given nothing but bread and jam. Faced with no alternative Frances comes to the conclusion that although she loves bread and jam she does not want to eat it at every meal.

The turning point comes when at dinner that night Frances cries and asks for spaghetti and meatballs instead of bread and jam.

Favourite Part of the Story: The illustrations in this book are just adorable. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of food in this story. Especially the section where Frances’s friend Albert unpacks his elaborate lunch at his school desk and eats every part of it with great relish.

He took a bite of sandwich, a bite of pickle, a bite of hardboiled egg, and a drink of milk. Then he sprinkled more salt on the egg and went around again… He ate his bunch of grapes and his tangerine…He set the cup custard in the middle of the napkin on his desk… He shut his lunch box, put it back inside his desk, and sighed. “I like to have a good lunch,” said Albert.

Conclusion: My three year old loved the story and kept pointing to the pictures asking to hear about the food descriptions again and again. Four out of five stars.