Independent Reading: Flop to the Top

Flop to the Top by Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing

Wanda is a superstar, complete with fans (unwilling siblings), a red carpet, and glamorous clothing. When the selfie she takes with her dog Wilbur goes viral, Wanda is dismayed to find that the crowds of fans aren’t there for her, they’re there for Wilbur! As Wilbur skyrockets to stardom, Wanda gets left behind.

Furious that her rightful fame has been stolen by her lump of a dog, Wanda goes after him, trying to convince the world that Wilbur is not the funny, cool one, rather she is. But soon jealousy morphs to genuine concern for her beloved pet, and Wanda seeks reconciliation. This one is funny, sweet and quite modern.

Picture This / Independent Reading: Two Mice

Two Mice by Sergio Ruzzier

This simple picture book is told in two word phrases that begin the numbers one, two or three. Much of the story is told through implication and illustrations. The words say “two mice, three cookies.” We can see in the illustration what it means when there are not an equal number of cookies for the each mouse, or what it means when there’s only one rower in the boat. The reader sees that the mice’s “two trees” look a lot legs and then see it confirmed on the next page with “three tears,” as the mice get carried away by an eagle. I love the simplicity of it, the pattern of repeating the numbers in different contexts, the humor, and the sweetness of the ending. The illustrations are colorful, warm and appealing. It’s all very kid-friendly, including the small size, perfect for small hands. I’m rooting for this one to win a Geisel.

Independent Reading: The Princess in Black

The Princess in Black by Shannon & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Princess Magnolia is having tea with Duchess Wigtower when her monster alarm sounds! After convincing the duchess it was only a bird she heard, Princess Magnolia trades in her frills for black and heads off to save innocent goats from a giant blue monster. Can she save the goats and keep her identity secret from the prying eyes of a nosy duchess?

In the author bio, Shannon and Dean Hale say, “Sometimes our daughters wear princess dresses and play tea party, and sometimes they don capes and fight monsters. We wanted to write a character who does both, too!” And what a fun way to do that. I loved it. It’s funny and charming and tongue-in-cheek. Her trusty steed is a black pony disguised as Frimplepants, the sparkly unicorn. When Princess Magnolia fights the monster, her acrobatics are accompanied by “princess pounce!” and “twinkle twinkle little smash!” LeUyen Pham’s illustrations are half the fun, with priceless facial expressions and funny details.  The monsters eat bath tubs and pick their noses. The action sequences pack a punch. Very fun, very funny, and pitch perfect.

Independent Reading: Penny and Her Marble

Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes

Penny is out with her doll, Rose, when she spots a pretty blue marble on the lawn of her neighbor's house. She picks it up and takes it home, loving the color, the smoothness and how it rolls. But then she sees her neighbor, Mrs. Goodwin, looking at the spot where it was sitting, and Penny realizes she didn't ask permission to take it, and that now it's missing. She hides the marble in drawer, but she starts to feel guilty. What will Penny do?

This is the third Penny easy reader from Kevin Henkes. I thought Penny and Her Song was boring, I liked Penny and Her Doll, and Penny and Her Marble is easily the best of the three. It's sweet, funny, and childlike. One of my favorite moments is when Penny can't eat the peas and oranges on her plate because they remind her of marbles. In the end, Penny decides to put the marble back where she found it. She's sad to lose the marble, but she feels much better giving it back. When she runs into Mrs. Goodwin, she learns that Mrs. Goodwin intended for someone to find the marble and keep it, so Penny keeps the marble happily (instead of guiltily). Penny and Her Marble has some substance to it--the kind of moral dilemma that many children face at one time or another--and along the way the story is entertaining and the illustrations pleasant. I wouldn't be surprised to see this on the Geisel list.

Henkes's depiction of childhood imagination was spot on and sweet.

Independent Reading: Benjamin Bear

This year the second independent reader by frenchman Philippe Coudray was published in the US. I wasn't familiar with his work, but when I read 2013's Benjamin Bear in Bright Ideas! I knew I had to get my hands on his first book, Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking. So here's a review of the two, which are of equal appeal and high quality.

Each page is a comic featuring Benjamin Bear and his ideas and logic. The comics are low on words, big on critical thinking. How does Benjamin Bear find his way out of a maze? His fruit rots, and he follows the trail of ants. When a sheep complains to Benjamin Bear that he's hot, Benjamin shears the sheep's coat, but then he says he's cold! What does Benjamin Bear do? He knits the sheep a sweater out of the wool. I love these! They're funny and clever, and they require the reader to think. Fuzzy Thinking was nominated for the Eisner Award and has won many prizes in France. Coudray has published many more l'Ours Barnabé books in France, so I hope that means there will be many Benjamin Bear Books to come.

Independent Reading: Rabbit & Robot

Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell
Buddies, Rabbit and Robot get together for a sleepover. The orderly Rabbit has made a list of the things they will do that night: 1. Make Pizza 2. Watch TV 3. Play Go Fish 4. Go to Bed. But Robot doesn't like some of the things Rabbit has prepared. Much to Rabbit's dismay, Robot starts improvising. How will the night turn out?

In this lighthearted story of friends having fun in spite of differences and unforeseen obstacles, Cece Bell has created a story with sweetness, humor and themes, reminiscent of Arnold Lobel's classic Frog and Toad books. Rabbit is organized and easily upset, while Robot takes initiative in his logical, resourceful way. Rabbit has very carefully prepared lettuce, carrots, and peas for their pizzas, but Robot doesn't like those toppings! Robot likes nuts and bolts. So what does he do? He dismantles the table and chairs to get his favorite ingredients. Similar situations follow, each as charming as the last. This is a stand out this year in the independent reader genre. I hope that the subtitle indicates that this is the first in a series. See a preview at Amazon.