! a review

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse and Tom Lichtenheld. 2013. Exclamation Mark. New York: Scholastic.



Looking back over five and a half years of reviews on Shelf-employed, I'm shocked and surprised that I've never reviewed a book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal or Tom Lichtenheld.  A bad error of omission on my part I assure you, since several of my favorites are by the talented twosome - most notably,

• Spoon (which never fails to crack me up)
• Little Pea (who, I just found out, has his own theme song!)
• Duck! Rabbit! (one of the best 2-person reads for storytime and a favorite for school visits)
• Cloudette (who is just irresistibly adorable!)

As a matter of fact, it occurs to me that other than Jon Scieszka, Amy Krouse Rosenthal is my most frequent companion on school visits.

In any case, I've had a copy of ! in my bag that I've been meaning to review for months, and now the book has been published and everyone already knows that it's wonderful, but I'll chime in with my agreement.

It is a great and wonderful talent to be able to impart knowledge and compassion in the cloak of humor.  If everyone could do it, we'd all be smarter and happier for it; but not everyone can.  So, when you find an offering by two people with just such talents, Amy Krause Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, grab it, read it, and share it.  You won't be disappointed.

Exclamation Mark was

 "typeset in Brandon Grotesque and Mrs. Eaves.  The illustrations were rendered in ink and other exciting materials."   

See what I mean?  Even the copyright page sounds fun!

Other reviews at

• Waking Brain Cells
• School Library Journal
• proseandkahn

Picture Book Roundup - Catch up edition

I am quite far behind in reading, reviewing, and blogging.  Here are a few new picture books that I feel deserve a mention:

• Marino, Gianna. 2012. Too Tall Houses. New York: Viking (Penguin).

A talented artist and writer, Marino's newest is a fable chronicling what happens when neighborhood one-upmanship threatens the friendship between Rabbit and Owl. Marino's beautiful paintings are expertly colored in a palette of nature's finest hues. The expressive faces of the erstwhile friends add much to this brief tale presented in an appropriately tall book.

• Marsalis, Wynton. 2012. Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! Somerville, MA: Candlewick.  Ill. by Paul Rogers.

Despite my relative lack of musical talent and rhythm (though I can read music and play a few instruments poorly), I am a great fan of music and music education for kids. One day I will write a post about the jazz story time, which I feature each year in April, sharing jazz-themed books and music for preschoolers.  In 2013, my job of choosing books will become much easier thanks to Wynton Marsalis and Paul Rogers' new book, Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! Some musically-themed books are difficult to read aloud, and I'm thankful when a CD is included (Jazz on a Saturday Night and The Jazz Fly come to mind), but this catchy, rhyming book may be easily read - even by those with a limited ability to speak jazz - for jazz may be found in the most common of places,

Big trucks on the highway RRRRRUMBLE!
Hunger makes my tummy GRrruMBle.
The big bass drum goes Bum! Brrrum! BRRRUMBLE!!!!

Another musically-themed book:

• Isadora, Rachel. 2012. There Was a Tree. New York: Nancy Paulsen (Penguin).

A favorite childhood song (a.k.a. "The Green Grass Grew All Around"), accompanied by Rachel Isadora's luscious Africa-inspired illustrations with rebuses to aid kids in singing along.  What more can one ask for?

• Sif, Birgitta. 2012. Oliver. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

In a style that is reminiscent to me of Oliver Jeffers' work, Birgitta Sif writes and illustrates this short and quirky tale of an introspective, thoughtful boy who finally finds a kindred soul. 

• Stevens, Janet and Susan Stevens Crummel. 2012. Find a Cow NOW! New York: Holiday House.

The Stevens sisters (The Little Red Pen, Harcourt) team up again for another delightfully silly story following the antics of the hyperactive herding dog, Dog, as he takes the advice of Bird and travels to the countryside to find a cow. In Are You My Mother? style, he queries the various creatures he encounters.  By the time he actually finds a cow, he's too tired to even ask.  Cute.

November is Picture Book Month!

Check out these great "shelf-talkers" from the folks at Picture Book Month.  

Lots of additional resources available at Picture Book Month.

Spork

Maclear, Kyo. 2010. Spork. Ill. by Isabelle Arsenault.Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

Spork - a touching book that tells the happy story of how a Spork who didn't fit in, found his true place and purpose in life - a positive message with illustrations to charm your heart.


Using minimal colors (the silver tones of cutlery and toasters, the green of cooked peas, and the tomatoey hue of pasta sauce), Aresenault has crafted the darling denizens of the silverware drawer and one Gerber inspired human. "The artwork in this book was rendered in mixed media and assembled digitally."  I'm not sure exactly how that's accomplished, but the finished result is wonderfully, happily, sporkishly delightful!

Don't take my word for it. View a slideshow off the artwork at Isabelle Arsenault's website. You'll fall in love with Spork, too!

And here is author, Kyo Mclear's introduction to Spork.


(I think I'm a fan of cutlery in general. I'm also fond of Spoon.)

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