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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: anne wilsdorf, Most Recent at Top [Help]
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1. Sophie's Squash Go to School

Sophie is back and so are Bonnie and Baxter, the two gourds that became Sophie's friends at the end of Sophie's Squash. In her latest adventure, Sophie tests the social waters as she maneuvers the first days of school. Although her parents assure her that school will be fun, Sophie is certain that it won't be. And of course her prediction comes true, especially when some her classmates wonder if Bonnie and Baxter are edible.

Sophie's rough adjustment to school is made even harder by Steven Green. Cheerful Steven isn't a bully. He just wants to be Sophie's friend. But Sophie doesn't want friends and rebuffs his overtures. She already has friends, she tells Steven, and shows him her squash. Sophie fights the good fight against Steven's attempts to become her friend, but she finds the classroom especially lonely after she temporarily says goodbye to Bonnie and Baxter. Now friendless, stubborn Sophie still resists the ever eager Steven. Events come to a head when Steven inadvertently tears Sophie's drawing of Bonnie and Baxter. How Sophie and Steven work out their differences and become friends will delight young readers and show them that "sometimes growing a friend just takes time."

Zietlow Miller's charming story is sure to strike a chord with readers who will soon be facing their own first day of school and all the worries that big event can bring. And Wilsdorf's illustrations are crammed with whimsical details for readers to ponder. Sophie's messy yet creative bedroom alone provides valuable insight into her character.

Sophie's Squash Go to School
By Pat Zietlow
Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
Schwartz & Wade  40 pages
Published: June 2016

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2. Five Family Favorites with Paul Durham, Author of “The Luck Uglies”

My list of family favorites is skewed toward books or series my wife and I have been able to share and enjoy with our two daughters (ages 9 and 6). We have many other favorites, but unlike the characters in my own books, I’m a notorious rule follower. So here are just five that have had the biggest impact so far.

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3. Sophie's Squash: Pat Zietlow Miller & Anne Wilsdorf

Book: Sophie's Squash
Author: Pat Zietlow Miller (@PatZMiller)
Illustrator: Anne Wilsdorf
Pages: 40
Age Range: 3-7

Sophie's Squash is a picture book by Pat Zietlow Miller about loyalty, presented in a quirky, entertaining manner. When Sophie's chooses a squash at the farmer's market one late fall, her parents expect that the squash will become dinner. They do not expect that the squash will become Sophie's new best friend. But Sophie has other ideas. 

This is all told totally deadpan. Like this:

"When it was time to make supper, Sophie's mother looked at the squash. She looked at Sophie." (The squash has a marker-drawn face at this point)

"I call her Bernice," Sophie said.

"I'll call for a pizza," said her mother. 

Despite her parents' best efforts to interest her in other toys, despite the mockery of other children, Sophie remains loyal to Bernice. And when Bernice, inevitably, starts to rot, Sophie comes up with a perfect solution (on her own, I might add). Not to worry - love triumphs over all. 

I like the wry reactions of Sophie's parents:

"Well, we did hope she'd love vegetables," Sophie's mother told her father.

And I love Sophie's loyalty, her deafness to criticism. After some kids point and stare during a library visit, Sophie's mom suggests that she stay home next time. Sophie asks: "Why? She wasn't the one being rude." Indeed.

This book has a similar plot line to The Wheat Doll by Alison Randall,reviewed here. It has the same warmth, but a much lighter, more humorous tone. Sophie's Squash would also pair well with Bob Staake's Mary Had A Little Lampreviewed here.

Anne Wilsdorf's watercolor and ink illustrations are perfect for the story. Bernice is, well, a squash with a face, but she looks lovable. Sophie is frequently belligerent-looking, with annoyed eyebrows, and pigtails that stick up in the air. She's the tiniest bit cartoonish, but her home is cozy and ordinary. And her joy, at the end of the book, simply glows from the page. 

Sophie's Squash conveys a strong message about loyalty and love, but the message is delivered completely within the context of the story. Sophie is a solid character, one who kids will be able to relate to (boys or girls). While Sophie's Squash, with its foliage-strewn cover, is a natural fit for fall, I expect it to be read year-round in my household. [In fact, I was scarcely able to review it, because my three-year-old, after asking me to stop mid-review to read it to her, wanted to take the book with her when she left. I had to promise to read it again later.] Highly recommended. 

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (@RandomHouseKids)  
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

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© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook

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