This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Oh the fish book!  I've been biding my time to feature a Jon Klassen book and then he up and wins the Caledcott Medal this year so I had to act!

Like most picture book lovers, we're big fans of Jon Klassen at our house. Both I Want My Hat Back and This Is Not My Hat are among E's nightly requests and usually get read in quick succession.

Just open the cover, take in those endpapers and let yourself fall in love with a book. This Is Not My Hat tells the tale of a little fish who swipes a little blue hat from a sleeping big fish (or so little fish thinks).  Little fish thinks he's gotten away with the perfect crime and makes for the place 'where the plants grow big and tall and close together'.  He thinks he can hide here unnoticed.  He thinks no one saw him swim away. He does admit it's wrong to steal, but he thinks it's actually kind of ok because the hat fits him better anyway. Unfortunately for him, he thinks all the wrong things.

Big fish is on his tail all the while and cunningly follows the trail of little fish bubbles into the plants. He emerges victorious wearing his hat.  Klassen is clever here and though we don't see the action, we know that little fish has been gobbled up.

It's a fitting moral that's refreshingly subtle in how it's presented. The final pages of the book only feature illustrations and it gives the reader a chance to talk about what's just happened. It's like a silent film and it works like magic here.  You watch this story happen as much as you read it.

E kind of figured out for himself that the little fish gets gobbled up in the end.  I realised early on that he associates this book with a nursery rhyme called Slippery Fish where sea creatures gobble each other up.  I think it makes for a healthy does of artful reality. E's even found a small plastic blue bowl that he's taken to wearing on his head just like little fish's hat. Thankfully so far there are no big fish following him around. Congratulations John Klassen and thanks for a beautiful book!

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and Eric Litwin

 

This week we bring you Pete the Cat.  According to The New York Times (best seller children's picture book list) he's already a huge hit in America.  It was only a matter of time before Pete and his songs made their way into our home. E was given this book as a Christmas gift and I was a little tentative at first.  The narrative wasn't quite my cup of tea at first glance and I was unsure if the songs would engage E.  Could I be more wrong? 

Pete the Cat is the cool dude of picture books and if his skateboard and surfboard aren't enough proof then just check out his songs.  E can't get enough and I've been indulging his interests pretty heavily via this book and the free online song downloads (more on that later).

Pete has a favorite shirt with four groovy buttons.  He's got a song that he sings about said buttons and it's his theme tune for this story. One by one the buttons pop off, but instead of crying Pete just keeps right on singing.  Even when the last button pops off it does nothing to deter Pete's chilled out mood because, guess what, he's still got his belly button!  Yes folks, this feline has got a belly button (just like E as I've been told numerous times) and he starts singing his song about that button instead.  He even sums it up with a fitting moral: 'stuff will come and stuff will go ... we keep on singing.'

I love Pete's attitude and I'm a sucker for cats with human attributes.  E is especially entertained by how each button pops off in dramatic fashion (see the cover illustration) and he loves to count them.  Counting, numbers and basic math are actually big themes in this story and there's a lesson for your young reader each time a button pops off.  

For a taster of Pete the Cat and his antics visit his extensive website at HarperCollins. We spend a fair amount of time listening and singing to his songs and I'm sure it won't be long before another of his adventures enters our home library.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

I've been waiting for months to talk about this American classic. Today seems like an opportune moment as the snow blankets my home state of NC and continues to fall outside my window here in London. It's a pleasure to share this Caldecott award winner with readers who may be new to Keats' book and Peter's stories, and it's a chance to remind other readers of why this book is such a favorite.

Peter wakes up to discover snow outside his window. He puts on his snowsuit and spends the day discovering how much fun it can be.  His feet make funny footprints in the snow and it crunches as he walks.  He makes tracks with a stick, snow angels and a snow man. He is endlessly enchanted and entertained by it. Peter even tries to bring a clump home in his pocket and learns the disappointing lesson that snow melts indoors. It causes him to dream a sad dream that all the snow has melted away. However, he is cheered the following day to wake and discover that the icy white landscape outside his window is the same as the day before, beckoning him out to play and make new discoveries.

The Snowy Day is a perfectly simple story and E and I talk a lot about what Peter gets up to outside in the snow. E engaged with Peter from the beginning ... as did I.  However, it's the trademark style of Keats' illustrations that strikes a chord with so many readers. They are collage like, bright and warm. The various snow scenes are drawn from different perspectives which to me makes them more interesting, slightly abstract and that bit more challenging for the young reader.

There has been much written about this book due in part because it features an African-American main character. The author page on the Penguin website puts it into context: "Long before multicultural characters and themes were fashionable, Ezra Jack Keats crossed social boundaries by being the first American picture-book maker to give the black child a central place in children's literature." First published in 1962, The Snowy Day celebrated its 50th birthday in 2012 and remains a firm favorite. 

If you like Peter as much as we do then I recommend you read, A Letter for Amy.  We're having lots of fun with that one too. 

For more about Keats and for tips from teachers visit the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.

p.s. Apologies to any regular readers for the blank post that was distributed earlier! Pete the Cat will feature next week.

A New Home for a Pirate

It's the new year and 'Ho, ho, ho hearties' is the rallying cry at my house. E is on pirate overdrive and that includes one of our favorite books at the moment, A New Home for a Pirate.

Jed is an unlikely pirate.  He looks the part, all his family are pirates and he lives on a a pirate ship, but what he longs for more than anything is 'a house that stands still with a view from a hill.' Jed decides to abandon ship as it were and set off in search of a new home.  His family give him their blessing and  help Jed to pack all the necessary goods for his adventure: one long rope, pirate hat, great-grandad's wooden leg, cutlass, spotted handkerchief, clean underpants and a toothbrush among other things.  It's a clever list as the items are clues to how Jed's search for a house unfolds and the motley crew of characters he meets along the way.

Jed waves goodbye to his family and takes off on his bike. It's not long before he meets a bird who's nest has been destroyed.  Jed promptly volunteers his pirate hat for an alternative nest and invites the bird to join him on his adventure.  Next, he meets a sheep tangled in brambles and Jed uses his cutlass to set him free.  The pattern repeats as Jed helps one new friend after the other by using his pirate paraphernalia. E really engages with the text as each time Jed helps a new friend he exclaims, 'Shiver me timbers! I've got the very thing.' And each time he learns what they're looking for he adds to his mantra until his quest for a house on a hill includes a 'a stretching-high tree in a field (bramble-free) and a doormat where Old Dog can lie'.

This is a hearty old tale that swings along with Jed's rhyming mantra and by the end he and his crew make a trade on a house belonging to a farmer who longs to be a pirate. I read this one aloud to E's nursery class (a mix of 2-4 year olds) and they listened intently and shouted excitedly in equal measure. I can't think of a better recommendation.

For more about Ronda Armitage and Holly Swain visit the publisher's website.

Rundherum in meiner Stadt (All around in my town)

It's been a busy time around our house with the recent Thanksgiving holiday and I've got a stack of books waiting to review. I thought I'd start with one I unearthed at my local charity shop: Rundherum in meiner Stadt, or All Around in My Town. This book is already very popular with E and I had to wrangle it away from him at breakfast to have a closer look. It's a textless picture book so don't let the German title throw you. You do not need to speak or read German in order to enjoy this slightly oversized board book that's loaded with charming pictures and generous detail.

First published in 1968, Rundherum in meiner Stadt features seven double page spreads of uniquely German yet wholly universal scenes. It takes E a while to get past the cover due to the fire engine and city tram on the front, but once that first page is turned it's a feast for the eyes. A bit like Richard Scarry's Busy Town, the scenes unfold to reveal everyday comings and goings of town life.  Construction sites, industrial shipping docks, city parks and fair grounds are all given fair dues in this cheery picture book. If you look closely you can also follow the changing of the seasons and spy on the private lives of the town residents. There are layers of detail to be discovered in these illustrations and countless little conversations to be had around them too. Just this morning E and I've been talking about brick laying, ducks, swimming pools, band practice and carousels all in one breath.

German author Ali Mitgutsch has written a range of titles for children including several other board books in a similar style to Rundherum in meiner Stadt. Though this is a vintage title it looks to be available at all the big online book sellers and presumably though special order from smaller book stores.
   

Big days out and about: Potato Needs a Bath and Poppy Cat

photo by Douglas McBride

E and I had a big week last week and attended two events in London town. The first was a children’s play at the Southbank: Potato Needs a Bath. I just can’t get it out of my mind.

What a complete pleasure to sit cross legged on a little red carpet and join Shona Reppe on her journey in this one woman, many fruit and vegetable performance. I was amazed by the visual and textual cleverness of this production and E didn’t budge one inch the whole 35 minutes.


Potato is in dire need of a bath and the one human character in the show, Maris Piper (aka Shona Reppe), shows us exactly why as her fingers get muddier and muddier each time
she tries to coax Potato from the little dresser drawer he calls home. She spends her time readying the other fruits and veg for her party and one by one she introduces us to Plum, Onion, the naughty twin cherries, Peach and ‘Madam Aubergine’ amongst others. It’s completely brilliant and funny and just plain smart. Each piece of produce has its own personality and the props are realistic if not actually edible. There are no wimpy little faces drawn on them, nor does Reppe try to overly animate them, instead she treats them with respect and builds an entire make believe world that you long to stay in all day.

Potato finally does get his bath but as to what happens at the end, well, I won’t spoil the surprise. If you ever have a chance to see Shona Reppe perform then go, go, go. Don’t waste time reading about the production, just book your ticket and know you’re in for a treat. E adored it and his 4 year old companion loved it too.

Another highlight of our week was an invitation to join Poppy Cat for a special breakfast to celebrate the launch of two new books: All Aboard! and Blast Off!. Poppy Cat began as a character in a book series created by British author and illustrator Lara Jones. Poppy Cat is now also the main character of a television series and is quietly earning a reputation as a girl hero (albeit a feline one). She leads her troupe of animal friends on fantastical adventures, she wears pirate hats and she flies rocket ships. It’s not in your face and yet it’s a refreshing change to see a female character at the helm of a set of exciting stories. E was on his feet for most of the lively story time and clearly thought that this giant Poppy Cat (pictured) was the real deal. Who am I to spoil his fun? Poppy Cat's new books are published by Campbell Books.

I Love to Sing by Anna Walker

I Love to Sing is a wonderful introduction to Ollie, his little dog Fred and the cheery calm of Anna Walker's children's books. Her whimsical illustrations are a joy to behold and they bring Ollie and Fred to life without fuss or distraction. 

Ollie is one of those great characters that doesn't fit into any particular mold. He's kind of a zebra come rabbit that walks on two legs, has a soft sweet smile and like most children, loves to sing. He sings while sitting on the stairs with Fred, he sings in the park and he even sings in the bath while drinking a cup of tea. E finds this scene particularly hilarious and it's normally cause for a lot of shouting and pointing as he exclaims, 'teapot in the bath ... look, teapot in the bath mommy!'. 

Ollie's joy from singing in all sorts of places is the narrative thread that gives the story its flow. The text is refreshingly sparse and tinkles along with a gentle rhyme. The book is laid out in a series of scenes and ends with Ollie declaring that his most favorite place to sing is in his bed with Fred. It's a very handy ending for a bedtime story and the other books we have about Ollie follow the same pattern. 

I'm somewhat new to Anna Walker's work and was pleasantly surprised to find a whole treasure trove of books, illustrations and information on her website. The other stories about Ollie and Fred are part of the I Love series and include titles like: I Love Christmas, I Love Birthdays and I Love to Dance. I encourage you to get to know Ollie and maybe meet some of her other characters too: http://annawalker.com.au/annas-books/item/i-love-to-sing.html.