PPBF: Carousel Cat

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Carousel Cat, by Robert J. Blake

Carousel Cat

Written  and illustrated by Robert J. Blake


Philomel, 2005
Ages 4-8, 40 pp


Themes:
Cats, Summer, The Jersey Shore!


Opening:
I want to tell you a story about a cat.
Just an ordinary cat, until the day it did an extraordinary thing.


Synopsis:
The Carousel Cat centers around a stray orange cat and a carousel operator for a shabby merry-go-round on a forgotten stretch of boardwalk. The operator, named Dan, and his friends, the strong man and the fortune teller, meet every day to have lunch and ride the carousel until the boardwalk attractions are forced to close. When the cat disappears and a fire breaks out, Dan and his friends rush to the rescue, but it may be the cat who is the hero of the day.


What I Love:
I was initially attracted to this book because it was immediately clear the illustrations were based on Asbury Park, New Jersey, less than a half mile walk down the boardwalk from my cousin's place. But the detailed illustration style drew me in and the fun adventure story kept me coming back. You don't have to be familiar with the surroundings to enjoy the summer vibe and the colorful charaters in this story.

Blake's normally realistic painterly style is replaced with a different approach: highly detailed illustrations paired with black and white drawings which appear ripped right from the artist's sketchbook. The mix of detail and energy draws readers into the story to pore over every page.

Perfect to kickstart your summer reading.

Download and color a Jersey postcard from USA Printables

Bonus: 

1. Imagine yourself in the story: visit the revitalized boardwalk at Asbury Park or stroll through the quaint Victorian streets of neighboring Ocean Grove, New Jersey.


2. If you aren't on the east coast to ride ten of the oldest merry-go-rounds in the US, you can check the interactive map of registered rides on carousels.org for a carousel near you.

3. Instructions for a preschool-level paper carousel craft can be found on Pinterested Parent or try the more complicated spinning merry-go-round centerpiece on Oh Happy Day!

4. Shindigz offers suggestions for boardwalk themed games, food, and decorations to host a spectacular summer party, or for a simpler carnival theme, view the party pics on Hostess With the Mostess.

5. Check out these and other Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Laura

Reviewed by Wendy

Reviewed by Jarm

Reviewed by Maria

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Joanne

Hilarious emergency preparedness
with Scaredy Squirrel

More boardwalk adventures in
Mira Forecasts the Future

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, June 8, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

PPBF: Pocket Full of Colors

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Pocket Full of Colors,
a picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair

Pocket Full of Colors
The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire 

Written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville
Illustrated byBrigette Barrager

Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2017
Ages 4-8, 48 pp, ATOS 4.3


Themes:
Art, Biography


Opening:
Under a wide blue sky,
on a red dirt road,
in a lemon-yellow house,
there lived a girl named Mary.

Other children collected marbles or dolls,
but Mary collected colors
of every shade and every hue.

Synopsis:
This streamlined biography introduces readers to Mary, a little girl who loved to paint and collect colors in her heart. It follows her to California and a short stint at the Walt Disney Studios, where she was misunderstood and restricted. It briefly notes she worked as a successful artist in New York. Then culminates with her creation of the It's A Small World attraction for the 1964 World's Fair.  An author's note is included.


What I Love:
I have long wanted to write a picture book biography of Mary Blair. Naturally, someone else's doesn't match the vision and scope I imagined for my own book. Regardless, I bought this sight unseen when it was released, knowing the admiration the creators had for Blair's legacy.

While the illustrations certainly reflect the vivid, midcentury style of the subject, the text is straightforward, flooding the prose with a multitude of color names and almost treating the colors as a character, yet not quite as original as Mary Blair herself. The story hits the tips of a few icebergs in Blair's life, like her transformative trip to South America and her marriage to watercolorist Lee Blair.

I think this is an important biography which may lead readers on a journey of discovery to find the whole story and will, I hope, inspire female creators to persevere in marketplaces where they are underestimated.


Bonus: 

1. Discover more about Mary Blair's art, influence, and merchandise on her official website and on Oh My Disney. You can also catch film of Mary herself sketching and painting in the Disney film Saludos Amigos. See also the post on Phyllis Loves Classic Movies.

2. Mary Blair has been featured in a beautiful short film, "Mary," by the students and staff of Gobelins, was inducted as a Disney Legend in 1991,  and even received her own Google doodle.

3. The Art of Education has compiled a half dozen ways to teach color theory to kids, a perfect compliment to the subject of this biography.

4. I love this School of Decorating article on helping kids choose a color scheme. I think some of the advice goes for any kind of kid-centric decision-making.

5. PinupGirl Clothing has exclusive use of Mary Blair fabrics. I am sure there are plenty of mom's who would love to get ahold of these prints for kids, too.

6. The artist's most enduring legacies may be the original It's A Small World attraction at Disneyland or the seven-story mural at the Contemporary Resort outside the Magic Kingdom. Read about the history and creation of It's A Small World on Designing Disney and at The Enchanted Manor. Design Observer and Cheapskate Princess have posted beautiful images of the mural. Just one more excuse to visit the Happiest Place on Earth if you're in Anaheim or The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

7. After a hard day of play, treat the kids to a viewing of Disney's Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, or Cinderella. See if they can spot Mary's name in the credits and have crayons  and colored papers handy to duplicate her crazy, color-saturated backgrounds and designs. It's like a museum visit in your living room.

Concept art for Peter Pan
Concept art for Alice in Wonderland
Concept art for Cinderella

8. For further reading, check out the reprint collection of Mary's work for Little Golden Books or The Art and Flair of Mary Blair, by John Canemaker.

9. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Pat

Reviewed by Leslie

Reviewed by Kirsten

Reviewed by Joanna

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Joanne

And two more reviews from Wander, Ponder, Write:

The Flying Girl,
Aida de Aeosta biography 

Miguel and the Grand Harmony,
A Coco story

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, May 25, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

PPBF: Adrift At Sea

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick*

The true story of Tuan Ho,
told by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch and Brian Deines

Adrift At Sea
A Vietnamese Boy's Story of Survival

Written Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch and Tuan Ho
Illustrated by Brian Deines, bio

Pajama Press, 2017
Ages 6-9, 40 pp


Themes:
Immigrants, Cultural Diversity, Vietnam


Opening:
When I come home from school today, a jug of water and bags of dried food sit by the door.
Ma gathers me in her arms. "Are you leaving me now too?" I ask.

Synopsis:
The Ho family live in Vietnam in the 1980's. This is the story of how Tuan and his sisters made a daring escape from that country, were lost at sea, and survived. The book includes photographs and details to inform the reader about Tuan Ho's family members, making the journey very personal. The author's note gives facts about the Vietnam War and the subsequent struggles of refugees.


What I Love:
This book is a beautifully written account of a harsh emigration from a young boy's perspective. The author includes sensory details to heighten the experience. The fine art paintings are beautiful, evoking a strong sense of realism.

I did think the book needed a bit more context for young readers. The enormous cast introduced in the first few pages was also a bit confusing. The solid back matter could be used by adults to provide a framework and summary before reading the story to children. There were places where I wished the art was more illustrative. I think the artist could have used some spreads to heighten the tension, reinforcing what was unsaid in the text. Yet the art was breathtaking, definitely creating a sense of mood on every spread.

Overall, this book is a much needed and honest picture of something many immigrants experience. Despite its shortcomings, I recommend Adrift at Sea for use in homes and classrooms.


Bonus: 

Culture map from Kids Press Magazine

1. Try kid-friendly recipes for fried rice, noodles, or summer rolls from A Week in the Life of the World.

2. Duolingo is my favorite app for learning languages. Try a few minutes of Vietnamese for free, and you'll be hooked.

3. Fluent in Three Months adds language games to get your kids moving and articulate.

4. Print and color Vietnamese paper dolls from education.com.

5. In case you missed the other CYBILS Award finalist reviews, I've included the links below:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle
Shark Lady
Dazzle Ships
Danza!
What Makes A Monster?

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

A Different Pond, family life
of Vietnamese immigrants

Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories,
Folk Tales

The Little Refugee,
Vietnamese Emigration

Maya Lin, Vietnamese architect

When Jesse Came Across the Sea,
Jewish immigrant story

The Wall, German escape story

Light in the Darkness,
African Escape story

The Name Jar,
Korean-American story

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, May 11, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

PPBF: What Makes A Monster?

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick*

What Makes A Monster?, by Jess Keating

What Makes A Monster?
Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures

Written Jess Keating
Illustrated by David DeGrand

Alfred A. Knopf, Penguin Random House, 2017
Ages 6-9, 48 pp


Themes:
Animals, Science, Fears


Opening:
Don't high-five the AYE-AYE. Also known as "the demon primate," the aye-aye has a dangerous tool on hand. Or rather, its hand is a dangerous too.

Synopsis:
Like its predecessor, Pink Is For Blobfish, this book highlights animals by theme, with large photos, detailed scientific facts, and light-hearted trivia. What Makes A Monster? examines dangerous and scary creatures, from Komodo dragons to prairie dogs. The author carefully chooses animals we think of as scary and others we think of as cute or harmless. She includes varied back matter to make her points that we are usually afraid of what we don't understand and many of our animal-related fears are unfounded.


What I Love:
While not as clever as the previous book, I think WMAM? will engage readers because of the sensational nature of both the material and the format. Non-fiction books which present scientific facts in a humorous way are always popular. While I was disappointed by the lack of variety in the animals and thought the message was sometimes heavy-handed, I learned plenty of new things and "remembered" some animal facts I had forgotten. And kids will love this. That's what counts, after all.


Bonus: 

You could buy actual edible Jellyfish,
but I prefer this pita version from JDaniel'sMom

1. For more than you ever thought you could know about the author AND artist behind What Makes a Monster, visit Design of the Picture Book's entertaining interview. And for more zaniness, read Colby Sharp's 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-sentence interview with Jess Keating about Pink Is For Blobfish.

2. CelebratePicture Books has done a beautiful Q & A with the author an and in-depth look at her books and process.

3. Layers of Learning posted a bird anatomy worksheet, and Enchanted Learning has one for ant parts: perfect to go along with the Greater Honeyglide and the Zombie Ant found in the book.

4. You'll find all the picture book nominees for the CYBILS Award on Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Here's what you may have missed so far:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle
Shark Lady
Dazzle Ships
Danza!

5. I'm always disappointed when the photographers whose work goes into a picture book are forgotten. Get inspired by 13 year-old Josiah Launstein, nature photographer on Shutterbug. Then take these tips from Mother Nature Network and try your hand and capturing some critters on film.

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Andrea

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Joanna

Reviewed by Andrea

Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Stacy

Reviewed by Joanna

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, May 4, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I was asked to review a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

PPBF: Danza!

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick*

Danza! A biography of Amalia Hernández, by Duncan Tonatiuh

Danza!
Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México 

Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Abrams BFYR, 2017
Ages 6-10, 32 pp, 980L


Themes:
Dance, Cultural Diversity, Biography


Opening:
Amalia (ah-MAH-lee-ah) Hernández was born in Mexico City in 1917 and everyone assumed she would grow up to be a schoolteacher like her mother and her grandmother. Even Ami (AH-me), as everyone called her, expected that.

But one afternoon while her family was on vacation, Ami saw a pair of dancers in a town square. They stomped and swayed to the live music. The danzas that they performed had been danced by the people of that area for generations. Ami was hooked. She made a decision: she was going to become a dancer herself.

Synopsis:
Amalia Hernández is an overlooked figure in the history of entertainment. She was a dancer, teacher, and a collector of folk dances from her home country and around the world. She pioneered new styles of dance and incorporated cultural influences in her productions. She founded a prestigious ballet company, effectively cementing the importance of Mexican and folk dances in the collective consciousness. This book takes Amalia from her exposure to dance as a young girl, through the many high points of her life, and ends with her lasting legacy.


What I Love:
This book is written with scrupulous research and obvious respect, though the text is sometimes thick and overburdened with Amalia's many accomplishments. It is presented for ages 6 and up, but I think younger readers will have a difficult time grasping the details in the book. It can instead be used to introduce the very young to an exciting Hispanic personality and an important art movement. And older readers can enjoy the subject's amazingly full life and her ability to influence society. Unfortunately, the writing is sometimes less like a story, than an encyclopedic account. However, the book's significance and the omission of Ms. Hernández's broad accomplishments in most other places, makes this a picture book to try.

The author's choice to illustrate in a classical style adds to the book's message that Mexican tradition has much to offer. The nature of the art style is sometimes at odds with the theme of the book: Tonatiuh's art is fluid, but stiff at times, while Hernández's art was all about energy and movement. Tonatiuh does an excellent job of including even more facts into the back matter, facts which would have distracted from the linear nature of the story.

Danza! is a lovely and remarkable book which many people will find inspiring.


Bonus: 

A Mexican dancer to color, from Crayola

1. Patricia of Wander, Ponder, Write has also reviewed this book for Perfect Picture Book Friday.

2. The Adelante Movement has published more information on the life of Amalia Hernández or check out the page on Danzantes Unidos.

3. You can learn the names and details about ten important traditional Mexican dances on CultureUp, as well as seeing a video for each.

4. PinBureau posted an inspiring article on the local Ballet Folklorico groups in the Phoenix, AZ area. Why not explore your town for a company near you?

5. In case you missed the other CYBILS Award finalist reviews, I've included the links below:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle
Shark Lady
Dazzle Ships

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Vivian

Reviewed by Beth

Reviewed by Erik

Reviewed by Patricia

Reviewed by Maria

Reviewed by Joanne

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, April 27, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I was expected to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

PPBF: Dazzle Ships

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick*

Dazzle Ships, by Chris Barton and Victo Ngai

Dazzle Ships
WWI and the Art of Confusion 

Written Chris Barton
Illustrated by Victo Ngai

Millbrook Press, Lerner Publishing, 2017
Grades 2-5, 36 pp
990L, ATOS 6.10


Themes:
WWI, Art history, Biography


Opening:
One of the ships on this page is painted in sneaky, stripy camouflage.
You probably can't even see it?
Oh. You can see it?
Hmmmmmmm.

Synopsis:
Dazzle Ships is my favorite kind of non-fiction. It covers history biography and a bit of legend. The book introduces important concepts about the First World War by focusing on the devastating effect of German torpedoes on British ships and the desperate attempts by Norman WIlkinson to convince the navy to use reverse camouflage. The highly-imaginative illustrations dazzle with their interpretation of countries as characters, the creative colorschemes, and the almost graphic novel-like storytelling.

Modern dazzle ship recreation via 1418Now, Scotland

The method of painting dazzle ships to confuse the enemy periscope sighters and the desperate plight of the civilians of the British isles are all thoroughly explained.

With additional notes and a timeline included in the back matter, this book provides the ideal doorway to exploration of a larger subject.



What I Love:
Dazzle Ships is a delight. The subject matter and the artist treatment are both unique. The author includes a well-rounded picture of history in an interesting way which will capture both newbies and history buffs. While the illustrations are extremely stylized, the artist uses them to make the story crystal clear. Some may not like the fantastic treatment, but I think her idea is genius.

The one drawback was the way the author revealed the doubtful results of the dazzle painting, almost as an afterthought in the last page of the story. While I appreciate the author's honesty, I think he could have presented in a different way. As a reader, I was caught up in dazzle fever, just like the British and Americans. When the author reveals the whole idea may not have made a difference, I wonder why I even bothered to read the book!

Just tweaking the tone of his revelation would have swayed me to give this book the full five stars. Nevertheless, I think in the hands of a parent pr teacher, an inquisitive child is going to be fascinated, to learn to think outside the box, and to be inspired to change the world.

You'll find all the picture book nominees for the CYBILS Award* on Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Here's what you may have missed so far:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle

Shark Lady

Bonus: 

Striped inside and out, t
his cupcake recipe from Eats Amazing
could be turned into dazzle ships!

1. The Best Children's Books has compiled a tidy list of picture books and middle grade choices centering on the Great War era.

2. Animal camouflage would be a fascinating study to go along with this book. For some top picture books, try Secrets of Animal Camouflage, by Carron Brown, Animal Camouflage, by Sarah Dennis and Sam Hutchinson, Animals Undercover, by Madeleine Fortescue, Hidden in Plain Sight, by Elsie Belback, and What Color Is Camouflage?, by Carolyn Otto and Megan Lloyd, to name a few.

3. Find more about wartime camouflage on Kiddle.

4. There's more to the man who designed dazzle ships than a commission from the British Navy. Meet the artist on The Vintage Poster and at Darnley Fine Art.

5. In case you missed the other CYBILS Award finalist reviews, I've included the links below:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle
Shark Lady

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Susanna

Reviewed by Kathy

Reviewed by Kristen

Reviewed by Jarm

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Joanne

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, April 20, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.