Here is the second review of the 2011 Colorado Children's Book Award Nominees. The age range is 0-adult.
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
The premise of this picture book is “What do you see: a duck or a rabbit?” A simple book with a more complex idea behind it, “Duck! Rabbit!” that appeals to older readers including adults.
Young readers (1st grade and younger) will enjoy looking at the pictures done in vibrant colors, while older readers will understand what the concept the author is depicting.
A delightful addition to a home library or as a short and fun summer read from your public library.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Review of 2011 Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee
Here is the first review of the 2011 Colorado Children's Book Award Nominees. The age range is 9-12.
The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DeCamillo
The Magician’s Elephant is filled with just the right amount of hope, love and magic to hook and hold readers. Her use of the elephant as the catalyst in the story brought to mind the story I read eons ago The Old Wives’ Tale by Arnold Bennett. He also used an elephant as the catalyst but it didn’t come off as well as here.
DeCamillo’s many characters each possesses a part of us all. I particularly found the character of Vilna Lutz to be the most heartbreaking. The choice he made so many years before continues to haunt him even after all the other characters find the happiness and truth they have been seeking.
The flow and rhythm of DeCamillo’s writing moves her story along swiftly (I read the book in under an hour and a half!), and her words almost ring as you read. Like The Tale of Despereaux, her seemingly simple approach to complex ideas in The Magician's Elephant reaches across to fans and new readers of DeCamillo.
An excellent read for all ages. For younger readers, the elephant will be as memorable as Despereaux.
The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DeCamillo
The Magician’s Elephant is filled with just the right amount of hope, love and magic to hook and hold readers. Her use of the elephant as the catalyst in the story brought to mind the story I read eons ago The Old Wives’ Tale by Arnold Bennett. He also used an elephant as the catalyst but it didn’t come off as well as here.
DeCamillo’s many characters each possesses a part of us all. I particularly found the character of Vilna Lutz to be the most heartbreaking. The choice he made so many years before continues to haunt him even after all the other characters find the happiness and truth they have been seeking.
The flow and rhythm of DeCamillo’s writing moves her story along swiftly (I read the book in under an hour and a half!), and her words almost ring as you read. Like The Tale of Despereaux, her seemingly simple approach to complex ideas in The Magician's Elephant reaches across to fans and new readers of DeCamillo.
An excellent read for all ages. For younger readers, the elephant will be as memorable as Despereaux.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
2010 Colorado Children's Book Award Winners
Looking for great reads this summer for kids? Try these award-winning books:
Picture Books
Winner: Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley, Carol Heyer, and Scott Goto. A boy and a girl have trouble working together when they make things up.
Runner-up: Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery with illustrator Jean Cassels. Two animal friends stay together in order to survive the hurricane.
Novels
Winner: Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn. In this mystery involving the supernatural, a 13-year-old girl tries to identify the person in an old photograph with her mother and her aunt.
Runner-up: How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor. Homeless and in need of money, a girl tries to steal a dog in order to claim the reward, but finds out that's not who she is.
Picture Books
Winner: Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley, Carol Heyer, and Scott Goto. A boy and a girl have trouble working together when they make things up.
Runner-up: Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery with illustrator Jean Cassels. Two animal friends stay together in order to survive the hurricane.
Novels
Winner: Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn. In this mystery involving the supernatural, a 13-year-old girl tries to identify the person in an old photograph with her mother and her aunt.
Runner-up: How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor. Homeless and in need of money, a girl tries to steal a dog in order to claim the reward, but finds out that's not who she is.
The Laughing Dragon Children's Book and Literacy Festival
Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend will be exhibiting at The Laughing Dragon Children's Book and Literacy Festival.
The Festival is being held on
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Glenn Miller Ballroom
CU-Boulder
10AM – 5 PM
FREE ADMISSION
It will be a day of celebrating and promoting children’s literacy with live readings & demos by local children’s and young adult book authors and illustrators; book characters in costume; hands-on arts & crafts; prizes; 60 vendor tables, and more!
This full day of funfilled activities for kids and families includes: book characters in costume; facepainting; games; prizes; hands-on arts & crafts, and live readings from some of Colorado’s top children’s and young adult book authors. Admission is FREE.
Stop by and pick up your recipe for writing your own Medieval story!
The Festival is being held on
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Glenn Miller Ballroom
CU-Boulder
10AM – 5 PM
FREE ADMISSION
It will be a day of celebrating and promoting children’s literacy with live readings & demos by local children’s and young adult book authors and illustrators; book characters in costume; hands-on arts & crafts; prizes; 60 vendor tables, and more!
This full day of funfilled activities for kids and families includes: book characters in costume; facepainting; games; prizes; hands-on arts & crafts, and live readings from some of Colorado’s top children’s and young adult book authors. Admission is FREE.
Stop by and pick up your recipe for writing your own Medieval story!
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