Although it’s been a while since we had a
Fantastic Fiction for Kids post I’m thrilled this week to be able to bring you another post in the series all about brilliant picture books which share a common theme, which this week is
independence.
Today’s contributor is
Stephanie Burgis. Stephanie was born in the US but has ended up in Wales via Vienna, Pittsburgh, and Yorkshire. She’s a full-time writer, having published almost thirty short stories for adults. Her first published novel,
A Most Improper Magick came out yesterday in the UK! Many congratulations to you, Stephanie! Stephanie’s husband is also an author, and he and Stephanie have a young son, who I’m sure gets read to a
great deal what with 2 writers as parents!
Now, without further ado, let me hand you over to Stephanie:
One of my [Stephanie's] favourite parts of parenting so far has been getting to discover great new books together with my son. Even before he was born, I’d started collecting some of my old favourites from my own childhood, but for this post I wanted to talk about three books we discovered together and both love. The linking theme is independence: all three of these books feature characters going out into the wide world without their parents, dealing with strange adults and facing the unknown, just like every little kid eventually has to do.
I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen
Baby Owl ventures out into the woods at night, carrying his stuffed owl with him. He’s not scared…or at least, he won’t admit he is, despite all the interfering adults who keep on startling him by popping up out of the darkness to worry about his feelings.
My son and I laugh and laugh when we read this book. The writing is sharp and funny, the pictures are hilarious, and I love that at the end, when Papa Owl whispers: “It’s okay to be a little bit scared of the dark,” feisty Baby Owl immediately says to his stuffed owl: “He means you, Owly.” Baby Owl is not about to learn any silly moral lessons himself…but his story is wonderfully reassuring, as well as funny, for little kids to read. (And as a parent, I’m intensely grateful for picture books that make me laugh on the hundredth re-read!)
Okay, it's Friday. You've been working hard all week. Your brain is fried. Here's a little brainteaser pick-me-up to get you through the day. What I like about this book is how unbelievably simple it is in concept and so darn cute! A marketer's dream, it even comes with it's own
website. "Duck!Rabbit!" came out last Spring, so maybe you are already familiar with it. It won tons of awards and was on the New York Times bestseller list. But hey, that makes it even more fun to revisit, especially since Easter is right around the corner. Written and illustrated by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, this book asks the BIG QUESTION...are you a DuckPerson or a RabbitPerson?
Although this book is just one simple line drawing, Tom Lichtenheld's illustrations are quite colorful and fun. He was trained as an art director, but fell into the picture book world purely by accident. Inspired by a letter from his nephew asking him to draw him a picture of a pirate, Tom ended up drawing 20 pages of pirates which eventually became the book "Everything I Know About Pirates."
His latest book is out this Spring and is called "Bridget's Beret." A story about a little girl who is an artist, this one was inspired by his neice. When Bridget accidently loses her beloved beret, she gets a serious case of artist's block. You can see the adorable sketches for the first half of the book
here. His
website is also worth a look. Full of information on his process.
Have a great weekend!
It's been a while since we've seen any ducks from Lily, so here are a couple for good measure...
It may not be the most extreme perspective, but for me, it is a fun perspective.
A little late this week... but definitely very muddy *:)
I have been working to finish a picture book for
Stemmer House Publishers. And while I was in the midst of it my older wacom tablet began to behave badly. Why? Well after 5 years of heavy use the overlay became very scratched up from the pen nibs which were wearing down.
I had to choose between getting a CINTIQ much earlier than I could afford or trying out the
Wacom Intuos 4. I chose the latter and I am delighted with the new large tablet. It is sleek, large enough for me to be happy with, and even has little lighted keystroke buttons. So if I press a button I actually Know what it will do. The new pen is a joy as well. It comes with a holder that has a secret compartment for the pen nibs...ten in all. My favorite is the black and white tipped one. With the new tablet and the pen it really feels like your brush or pen is gliding across real paper. MMmmmmm what a nice addition to a digital artist's supplies*:)
Another reason for my decision, my Macintosh screen is much larger than the cintiq, so I rationalize that I will be more at home with the tablet ... at least for now.
I didn't really intend to create a duck character, too - But there he is. Right now I'm just calling them "Duck n Dog" in my head.
The Duck and the Kangaroo by Edward Lear, illustrated by Jane Wattenberg
Combine Lear’s classic poem with funky, modern collages and you get a winner of a picture book! Duck is bored living in his pond. He wishes that he could travel the world the way Kangaroo does so he asks Kangaroo to carry him on his back. But Kangaroo has one major concern about the plan, Duck’s wet, cold feet would be awfully uncomfortable. Duck has already solved this problem by getting knitted socks and a cape to keep himself warm. So off they hop, the two friends around the world three times.
Lear’s poem would make a great pairing with his other more famous The Owl and the Pussycat. This poem is silly, wild and rather surreal, which matches well with Wattenberg’s illustrations. Her collages incorporate Lear’s own art and that of others, creating a cohesive and fascinating blend of old and new, all in vibrant color. Duck’s wide-eyed view of the world enhances the humor of the poem, as do other small touches like the rainbow of knitted socks perfect for webbed feet.
A wild and funny book that will find a niche of eager readers looking for something joyous and surreal. Just hop along with the story and you will find a real treasure of a friendship by the end. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
Reviewed from library copy.
"Come little ducklings," Mama called.
"Paddle on the water with me."
The five little ducklings squeezed close in the nest.
"No, Mama, no!" they cried. "We're too scared!"
"You can do it," Mama said, "I know you can."
Overview:
Mama Duck tells her five little ducklings, Widdle, Waddle, Piddle, Puddle, and Little Quack that it's time to leave their soft nest. She coaxes them to come out on the water with her, and they are afraid. But with a little encouragement from Mama Duck, one by one the little ducklings face their fears and jump into the water. Little Quack is last to go, but he is "just too scared." Can he be brave?
For Teachers and Librarians:
Little Quack is a sweet story about having courage and trusting in yourself. Your little guys will delight in the whimsical, brightly painted illustrations. They will cheer on each little duck as they heed their mother's gentle encouragement to "Paddle on the water with me." The children will easily make the connection between trusting in yourself and facing your fears, and will delight as each duckling splishes, splashes, splooshes and sploshes their way into the pond. A fun bonus is the "Quack-U-Lator" that runs along the bottom of the pages: a simple introduction to addition that they will enjoy chanting along with each time it appears.
For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:
Little Quack is fun to read aloud with your small fries. They will be entranced by the bright, expressive illustrations, so be sure to linger a while after reading each page to let them drink in the pictures fully. They will love the different personalities of each little duckling, and will identify easily with having to face something new. The Quack-U-Lator is a fun introduction to addition - be sure to let them follow and chant along as you read it each time.
Wrapping Up:
Little Quack is bright, colorful, fun, and reassuring. It subtly teaches the little guys to trust in themselves, and throws in a little bit of easy math to boot. What's not to like?
Title: Little Quack
Author: Lauren Thompson
Illustrator: Derek Anderson
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Baby-Preschool
Publisher and Date: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2003
Edition: 1st
Language: English
Published In: United States
Price: $15.99
ISBN-10: 0689847238
ISBN-13: 978-0689847233
Pluviophobia is the fear of rain. Poor lil' duckling - rain is an everyday thing.
Kristi Valiant
http://kristivaliant.blogspot.com
www.kristivaliant.com
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1 Comments on Fantastic Fiction for Kids – Independence, last added: 8/2/2010
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Nice list!