July 31st, 2010 · Books
Review By JENNIFER GANNETT
With Hug Time, Patrick McDonnell, longtime cartoonist and creator of “Mutts” (as well as the artist behind New Jersey’s animal friendly license plate), has crafted another winner. The sweet rhyming cadence and nicely balanced illustrations happily hook adults and children as they follow Jules the Kitten. Jules is feeling a little down about the state of global affairs and has come up with a solution: to hug the whole world. Caregivers of young children can probably relate to Doozy the Monkey as he helps Jules with his sweater and asks, “hug the whole world, will that make it better?” Jules answers in the affirmative (ah! the certainty of the very young!) and sets out.
Along the way, there are allusions to various environmental themes as we follow Jules through the world and he experiences finding (and hugging) charismatic mega-fauna and lesser-known species as well. A nod to climate change and its impact on polar bears makes its way into the end of the story but before the plot becomes too heavy, we are reminded that change begins with our actions at home, sometimes with just one hug.
An adorable book to share with huggable folks ages 3 and up.
Tags:Climate Change·Jennifer Gannett·Kittens·Monkeys·Patrick McDonnell·Polar Bears·Preschoolers·Wildlife
July 30th, 2010 · Movies
Review By JESSICA ALMY
Revisiting this classic animated film with my little girl, I realized for the first time how much of the plot is one big chase scene. Still, if you can stand that, you’ll find yourself cheering for the Dalmatians as they try to elude Cruella de Vil and her goons.
As the film approaches its fiftieth birthday, it’s amazing to consider how progressive “101 Dalmatians” was for its time. Not only is the movie’s anti-fur message still relevant– especially now that fur trim is so ubiquitous — but people who care about animals will also appreciate that the dogs are considered part of the family. Still, one small part of the plot does seem dated — Roger and Anita (the humans in the film) allow their dogs Pongo and Perdita to mate. With so many lovely dogs in need of homes now, it’s worth giving your kiddo a gentle reminder that the best option in 2010 is to adopt.
Rated G. Ages 5-12.
Tags:1960s Movies·Animal Rescue·Companion Animals·Dogs·Fur
July 29th, 2010 · Books
Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN
The storyline and imagery may seem to border on the chimerical, but what takes place in Amy’s Light is a summertime occasion that adults can recollect with the same childlike wonder, joy and fascination as the main character, Amy. Considering that fireflies live mere weeks (a fact I picked up in the book’s “Did you know?” section), it really is incredibly exciting to see these bioluminescent insects flicker their goods in the evening air.
Set to soothing rhyme, the narrative situates Amy as a young girl scared of the shadows on her bedroom wall. Light emanating from outside her window lures her to the yard, where she captures lightning bugs in a mason jar. Taking them to her room, the glowing insects help dispel her fear of the shadows. At this point, animal ethics come into play as captivity wanes the fireflies’ radiance and Amy…
…ran to the window
Jumping for joy,
took the lid off to see
Amy watched with delight
and the lights became brighter
as they flickered and flackered
now suddenly set free
and flew out of sight.
Overall, this is a whimsical, attractive picture book with a sound message that will inspire your kids to explore nature’s nocturnal gifts. Robert Nutt is not only the author, but also the artist and his picturesque, doctored photographs are simply gorgeous. See a flash video of Amy’s Light and discover other “Connecting Children with Nature” titles through Dawn Publications.
Ages 4-8.
Tags:Carolyn M. Mullin·Early Elementary·Fireflies·Lightning Bugs·Natural Living·Nature·Preschoolers·Respect for Nature·Robert Nutt
July 28th, 2010 · Books
Review By JACQUELINE BODNAR
The reality that most vegetarian parents face when it comes to the way cows are treated is that the vast majority of these animals don’t have it good, to put it mildly. Pumped full of growth hormone and antibiotics, and then hooked up to mechanical milking machines, they live a production-line life that leaves a lot to be desired. But you wouldn’t learn that by reading Cow to your children.
This book focuses on dairy cows on a traditional dairy farm, the kind that no longer exists on a large scale today. The book starts out by asking the question, “What is it like to be a dairy cow?” The answers it provides to that question focus only on the fading image of a traditional farm, filled with loving providers and an idyllic setting.
From grazing the days away, to happy farmers who “gently” clean the udders before milking the cows, the entire book paints a picture that life as a dairy cow is serene and enjoyable. Unfortunately, parents who care about animal rights know this to not be true, and will likely want to steer their child clear of this misleading fairytale image.
Geared to ages 4-8, but not recommended.
Tags:Books to Avoid·Cows·Dairy·Dairy Industry·Early Elementary·factory farming·Farmed Animals·Farming·Jacqueline Bodnar·Malachy Doyle·Preschoolers
July 27th, 2010 · Books
Review By JENNIFER GANNETT
I Heard It From Alice Zucchini: Poems About the Garden spans the course of all four seasons. The poems are narrated by various garden denizens at different places and times in their growing grounds, and the book offers the opportunity to contemplate gardening from a perspective other than that of a human gardener. One of our favorite poems was the first one, entitled “When I Grow Up,” in which we listen in on the chatter of seeds as they envision what lies ahead– especially enjoyable because at the time we were sprouting our own seeds for our small garden. Cinderella fans will enjoy a poetic retelling of an aspect of the fairy tale in this volume.
The enjoyable illustrations round out the short poetry pieces and feature an expressive little fairy in each one. I recommend this book for ages 4 and up.
Tags:Early Elementary·Garden·Gardening·Jennifer Gannett·Juanita Havill·Natural Living·Preschoolers
July 26th, 2010 · Books
Review By HUYEN MACMICHAEL
My daughter and I completely related to adorable Llama Llama and his experiences on his first day of school. The author, Anna Dewdney, manages to describe the minute details and emotions of preparing and going to school for the first time using clever rhyming sentences. Each page consists of colorful and expressive illustrations that show Llama’s feelings of excitement, anxiety, sadness, and joy in his home and school environment. The rhyme, rhythm and pictures all appeal to a child (as well as her mama).
For little attached ones like my daughter who love their mamas so tightly, your child may also especially relate to the lines, “Llama misses Mama so… Why did Mama Llama go?” Ms. Dewdney definitely manages to capture the mommy guilt perfectly with a few lines and images! Thankfully, there’s a positive spin and mommies everywhere can be optimistic that their children can have a good transition into school or daycare. The teachers and children (all depicted as different animals) help Llama overcome his separation anxiety and transition into the social setting. As parents, we can all hope that our children will be treated as compassionately and inclusively as Llama is and that they will also learn to enjoy school experiences. The joyful reunion between mother and child takes place across two pages (my preschooler claims, “this is the part I like!”) and details such as the flying crayons as Llama runs to mama emphasizes the strength of emotions of the moment.
Llama Llama Misses Mama is must-have for any mom and soon-to-be school age child.
Ages 4-8. For activities to accompany the book,visit TeacherVision.
Tags:Activities·Anna Dewdney·Bravery·First Day of School·Huyen MacMichael·Llamas·Preschoolers
July 25th, 2010 · Books
Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN
What’s probably most impressive about this publication is the way in which it was manufactured- as green as can feasibly be. Shunning a dust jacket, using vegetable ink, and printing on paper derived from “responsibly managed forests,” its publisher, the monolith DK, implements the most ethical and environmental processes it can source.
The content isn’t all that bad either. Eco adventurist, David de Rothschild, is the consulting editor, among several other contributors. Shy of being a true encyclopedia, this informative, fact and photo-filled 256-page science book introduces readers to Earth’s biomes (polar regions to temperate forests), their reactions to climate change and human influence, and how kids can help better the serious plight facing flora and fauna. Kudos are due for covering, however briefly, the subjects of factory farming, genetically-modified crops, and fair trade coffee and chocolate. Not once is vegetarianism mentioned, however, and sustainably-sourced, local fish and meat is found on several shopping lists in the “Making a Difference” pages. Also of importance are some of the misinformed statements. One that’s quite troubling (p. 28) indicates where carbon dioxide comes from. The book claims: agriculture (4%), transportation (22%), buildings (31%), and industry (40%). Anyone who’s read the famous 2006 UN Report knows that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.
On a side note, you might be interested in de Rothschild’s other effort — a sea voyage from San Francisco to Sydney, aboard a catamaran made from 12,000 plastic bottles that will traverse the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, “huge, floating clouds of plastic trash caught in a swirling vortex of ocean currents.”
Ages 9-12.
Tags:Carolyn M. Mullin·David de Rothschild·Eco-Friendly Kids Books·Environment·Green Publishing·Nonfiction·Older Elementary
July 24th, 2010 · Books
Review By JACQUELINE BODNAR
Since spiders are probably one of the most feared creatures around, it stands to reason that a book providing a view of things from their side would make interesting reading. And this book does not disappoint!
Diary of a Spider is a personal account of a spider going through its normal routines of building webs, conducting vacuum drills, and showing the fragility of their existence. The book even ends with the spider writing that it would be great if people wouldn’t judge all spiders based on a few that bite.
From the snapshots included in the front and back, including one that shows the spider’s favorite book is Charlotte’s Web, this is an entertaining look at these small creatures which, when we find them in our homes, we scoop up and take outdoors.
This is a cute book for children since it teaches that all creatures should be respected and have the right to live, including spiders. It helps to show their personality, demonstrate that they have interests, and explain that humans and spiders can get along if they try.
Ages 4-8.
Tags:Doreen Cronin·Early Elementary·Jacqueline Bodnar·Living in Harmony with Nature·Preschoolers·Spiders
July 23rd, 2010 · Books
Review By JENNIFER GANNETT
In The Ugly Vegetables, author and illustrator Grace Lin‘s narrator is excited about planting a garden with her mother, but her joy quickly turns to concern as she notices all of the things that her mom is doing differently from their neighbors. Why, she wonders, does it seem that everyone else is doing it differently? Her mama patiently reassures her that they are growing something better than the flowers everyone else is growing– their garden is dedicated to growing Chinese vegetables!
As the summer progresses and it comes time to harvest the garden, the narrator learns that her mom’s garden does indeed yield something more special than flowers. When the lumpy, bumpy vegetables are cooked together in a soup, the neighbors come knocking, entranced by the smell. And, importantly, they bring an abundance of flowers from their own gardens to share. Ms. Lin’s bright illustrations depict a lively communal meal in which even the dog gets her own bowl of Ugly Vegetable Soup.
There are several reasons that this book is a great choice. The unique-to-us vegetables are fun to think about (and pronounce, even if you do not have fluency in any of the Chinese languages). Ms. Lin has skillfully reproduced the nuances of the child’s perspective, from the initial crabiness at doing things differently to the eventual pride that she feels in the fact that the smell of the soup, which wafts throughout the neighborhood, is coming from her house. The celebration of the neighborhood and illustrations of the sharing that occurs in their community are also compelling components of this tale.
The end of the book contains a guide to the vegetables described in the story and a decidedly non-vegetarian soup recipe, (although if you are lucky enough to obtain all of the vegetables, it wouldn’t be difficult to veg up the soup by swapping vegetable broth for chicken broth and seitan, tofu or Gardein for the chicken/seafood if you feel inclined).
Parents may enjoy reading Ms. Lin’s blog, which is aimed at the grown-up demographic.
This book is a great treat for ages 3 and up.
Tags:Chinese Vegetables·Cooking·Garden·Gardening·Grace Lin·Jennifer Gannett·Preschoolers·Vegetables
July 22nd, 2010 · Books
Review By JENNIFER GANNETT
Author and illustrator Eric Carle has an extensive body of work that is well known to those with children or even those who have set foot in the children’s section of any American bookstore or library. A brief forward in 10 Little Rubber Ducks explains that Mr. Carle’s inspiration for this particular book came after reading an article about a container of bath toys washing overboard into the Pacific Ocean while being shipped between Hong Kong and the United States.
The account Mr. Carle colorfully weaves traces the path of ten of the ducks from their manufacture in an Asian factory to their uncharted journeys once they have fallen overboard during transit to America. The first nine ducks appear to fare well, encountering interesting creatures along the way, but the tenth duck has a harder time in the open ocean. Eventually, this last little rubber duck is taken under the wing of a mother duck and bobs along happily as an adopted member of a duck family.
This is a powerful book. It is a traditional storybook filled with vivid illustrations of animals that (like most of Mr. Carle’s work) appeal to young children. At the same time, 10 Little Rubber Ducks gently introduces important concerns surrounding us all– including consumerism, globalization, human rights and environmental issues. One thing environmentally concerned families will want to note that I find hugely disappointing is that each book comes with an embedded battery so that any child (or childish person) can press a spot to listen to the tenth rubber duck quack.
If you are looking for answers or solutions to pressing global concerns, this book does not provide any. If you are looking for a way to plant a seed for later discussions of the aforementioned issues, this book is a good choice. Finally, the fact that it does touch on so many issues but remains a bright, engaging tale gives it enough interest to appeal to a broad range of ages. I recommend this book for ages 2 and up.
Tags:Consumerism·Ducks·Eco-Friendly Kids Books·Environment·Eric Carle·Globalization·Good for Toddlers·Human Rights·Jennifer Gannett·Preschoolers
Review By JENNIFER GANNETT
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