Jim, Who Ran Away From His Nurse and Was Eaten by a Lion by Hilaire Belloc

The title pretty much gives you the whole story. Jim is well cared for, but runs away during a visit to the zoo and a lion eats him. The book is very well executed, with the text running through flaps and fold-outs very fluidly. The illustrations are adorable, appealing to modern sensibilities while retaining a stylistic feel appropriate for the time when kids commonly went on outings with nurses.

There is a warning on the cover stating: 'Contains a dangerous beast and a miserable end'. It should also mention graphic images, as the book do not cut away during the devouring of unfortunate Jim. It's a book I'd expect from Edward Gorey were he still around and writing. Quite delightful for those who can stomach it.

"Now just imaging how it feels when first your toes and then your heels, and then by gradual degrees your shins and ankles calves and knees are slowly eaten bit by bit. No wonder Jim detested it."

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by Scott

Darwin by Alice B McGinty

Darwin's interest in the natural word is peaked as a young boy. As he grows up he continues to explore and document his discoveries. He notices animals of the same type having different characteristics, which leads him to the theory of evolution.

It's nice to find a biography that can read as a picture book, as this does. The illustrations (as done by the Caldecott winning illustrator of Snowflake Bentley) support the feel of an 1800's world quite nicely, and excerpts from Darwin's actual notebooks and letters give an insight to the man himself.

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by Scott

Anthology for the Earth edited by Judy Allen

This is a lovely collection of images and the written word, including contributors from Isaiah to Quentin Blake. There is a wide diversity of well matched illustrations with each portion of text. Some light and comedic, some a bit heavier. Some are very short and others cover a few pages. It can be read sequentially for an overall arch, or flipped open for a quick read. There is also a wide demographic covered, from aboriginal iron mines, to a boy peeking through the hedges in his backyard.

by Scott

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The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams

Dennis' mother has left, and his dad spends a lot of time driving his truck for work. When Dennis discovers a magazine at the market with a woman on the cover who reminds him of his mum he buys it, even though it feels a bit odd to buy a ladies magazine. Looking through the pages he realizes that he likes all the fashion, and when he ends up in detention with Lisa, the most beautiful girl in school, they strike up a friendship around this. He has a crush on Lisa and though reluctant, eventually goes for her plan of trying to pass as a girl foreign exchange student for a day. He's ultimately found out, and his soccer team has to band together in an unexpected way if he's going to be allowed to play in the most important game of the season.

The well developed relationships could be a bit overbearing were it not for Williams' wit in writing. The characters all feel quite genuine, and the a-typical protagonist makes for a fresh story. This book demonstrates the need to stay open minded about others, and yourself. Quentin Blake's illustrations (of Roald Dahl renown) feel right at home in this off beat novel.

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by Scott

The Greatest Snowman in the World! by Peter Hannan

Charles want to make the most of the snowfall, so he convinces his friends to help him make the greatest snowman in the world. Keeping their minds open they are able to create a truly unique snowman, when disaster strikes. The sun has come out and their creation is being ruined! They rush it to the freezer, but it melts before they can save it. Then Charles has another idea, for truly the best snowman in the world!

A wonderfully inventive book, with vibrant visuals that perfectly accompany the exuberant text. I would have loved this book growing up, and I love it as a grown up. And for those kids who might be disappointed when there isn't enough snow to make a snowman, it provides the perfect solution.

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~by Scott

The Boys by Jeff Newman

Told entirely through picture, this is a poignant story of a boy who's left out of the other kids games. He finds it easier to fit in with three old men who sit on the bench and watch, rather than get involved. Eventually, the old men decide that just sitting and watching isn't enough. They revert to their childhood antics in order to include the left out child.

Beautifully illustrated in a retro style. The zany pictures would be enough to keep children entertained for viewing on their own. They would likely miss the overall arc of the story, so it's a great opportunity to engage a child in discussion about feeling left out.

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by Scott

The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan

I picked up this book because I saw it was part of the Julie Andrews Collection, and it completely lives up to the elegance and refinement you'd expect of Julie Andrews.

A curse has been placed on The Land of Enchantment by the evil Herrikan, and now no one can enter or leave, not the spirits of the dead, or Santa Claus to make his yearly visits. But his daughter Holly has discovered that she has a part to play in removing the curse, and finds a way to a Victorian-esk New York where she spreads the joy and goodness you'd expect from a relative of Santa. She ultimately confronts Herrikhan and removes the curse.

With graceful and detailed illustrations to accompany the lyrical text, this is one of the best balances of image and word that I've come across. It feels like it's been around for generations, while at the same time being a refreshingly original Christmas story. The climax was a bit too cliche for my liking, but that did add to the sense of timelessness.

This is my favorite Christmas story, children would love hearing it read aloud.

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Also simplified into a picture book, [Holly Claus: the Christmas Princess] (still nice, but not nearly as good as the full version)

by Scott

The Pirate Cruncher by Jonny Duddle

One night outside a tavern where a crew of pirates are hanging out, a mysterious fiddler shows up with a song of treasure! The pirates muse over what their wealth could buy them during the voyage, and disregard the fiddler's warning about a monster. When they arrive at the island they find quite a surprise, and so will the reader!

This book has delightful illustrations, and fun text. It's a bit like a graphic novel with speech and thought bubbles attached to specific pirates, and the parrot (which seems to be the only member of the crew with common sense). The surprise ending is alluded to in the pictures for the observant reader, and even without it this would be a book worth recommending.

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by Scott

A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World's Religions Seen Through the Eyes of Children by Laura Buller

An accessible overview of the worlds main religions and their primary celebrations. The use of actual children, introduced through the chapters, creative a very nice personalization. They chose favorite parts of the various celebrations to share with the reader.

Nice photographs complimented the descriptions very well. This is a good, non-agenda driven introduction to world faiths, from Christianity, Islam and Judaism to lesser know religions like Jainism, Shinto, and Baha'i.

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by Scott

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

Lucy Bear has found the most perfect pet, a child! She begs for permission to keep him, but soon realizes that even though her new pet is a lot of fun, he isn't as perfect a pet as she thought. Ultimately she learns that the most perfect place for her 'perfect pet' is with his own family.

The simple illustration style brings a lot of charm to this book, and the presentation is a great way to teach kids to leave animals where you find them. Even disregarding the moral, it's a very entertaining book.

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by Scott

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

There is another London, where the garbage left at the curb disappears to. Other things tend to seep between these worlds: ideas, pollution, and two girls who happen to be part of a prophesy. But things go rather awry, prophecies are falling apart, and quests are veering outside of expectations. An unexpected hero has to learn to think for herself to save Un Lun Dun.

The characters are pretty simple, the story is very rich, full of quirks Lewis Carroll would be proud of. There is more of a story through-line than Alice's Adventures though, and a more structured world that allows the reader to predict what might happen, and be surprised over and again when they don't go as planned. Though it lives in the YA section, it's completely appropriate for kids as young as 8. I'd take this book over Gaiman's Coraline any day.

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by Scott

T is for Terrible by Peter McCarty

A Tyrannosaurus feels bad that he is so terrible. He can't help stepping on flowers with his big feet, it doesn't work when he tries to eat trees. He just is what he is.

A simple story with beautiful soft illustrations. The Tyrannosaurus is a very sympathetic character, and I really like that the author didn't change his nature to make him fit in. Sometimes you just feel alone, and that others can't understand your differences.
...and maybe being terrible isn't so bad.

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by Scott

The Buffalo are Back by Jean Craighead George

When the Midwest was settled, some major damage was done to the ecosystem. The plowing of the tall grasses left the land susceptible to wind damage, the bison and Native Americans were eradicated. This book talks about the damage done, keeping the focus on the grasses and bison, and shows how we were able to repair some of the damage. It ends on a promising note with the re-introduction of bison and native grasses to areas of the Midwest.

Accompanied by very nice artwork, the story is simple enough for young kids to follow. It unfolds dramatically with well crafted text and ends on a very positive note, encouraging ecological responsibility without being blatant or overbearing.

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by Scott

The Fledging of Az Gabrielson by Jay Amory

Az is considered a freak by most of those who know him, because he has no wings. In a futuristic setting, where everyone lives in cities above the clouds, this is notable and it means that Az is the perfect candidate for a special job the government has in mind. Az is sent to the surface, where nothing is supposed to have survived, and discovers an entire civilization essentially working as slaves for the Airborn. Az has some very important decisions to make, as do those he encounters on the surface.

A fast paced adventure with enjoyable characters and a sprinkling of morality mixed in makes this the perfect book for those that have worked through the more popular series such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

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by Scott

The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao

A large blue stone lives happily in a forest for a very long time, until an artist has the stone broken in two so that half can be used for a sculpture. The book chronicles the journey of that broken stone as it transforms again and again, but still holds the simple desire of returning home. Ultimately it does go back to it's forest, and it's other half, to live again for countless ages, though in a very different form.

The simplicity of the story matched with the depth of the illustrations makes this one of my all time favorites. The vibrant colors are captivating, and you can immerse yourself in them so easily because the story feels like it's already a part of you. Find it, read it, love it.

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by Scott

My Great Big Mamma by Oliver Ka

A little boy notices that his Mamma has changed. She seems sadder, and doesn't eat the things she likes anymore. When he finds out she's going on a diet he worries that he won't have a soft lap to sit in, or anyone to have fun baking and eating treats in the kitchen with, so he decides to go on a diet too to show his Mamma just how silly it is.

A charming story about self-image, and learning what's most important in life. The rounded images with soft color accentuate the feel of the book nicely.

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by Scott

The Frog Bride by Antonia Barber

A prince unexpectedly becomes betrothed to a frog. His mother is not happy with the situation and sets up a series of tasks (which only a true princess could pass). The other potential brides try to copy the the successful frog, but they have disasterous results. The author sets the tale in Russia, and makes it feel like that's where it's always belonged. The lavish illustrations by Virginia Lee are well suited to the classic fairy tale elements.

A charming twist on the Frog Prince story.

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by Scott

Disasters: Natural and man-made catastrophies through the centuries by Brenda Guiberson

A collection of tragic events throughout history, from smallpox to hurricane Katrine. The author also explores why each disaster was so bad, and how it might have been prevented. Includes a nice diversity in the subjects covered as well as illustrations including drawings, photographs, and maps.

Arranged chronologically, each chapter deals with one tragedy. Individuals involved with more than one event are cleverly interwoven which links the time line together. Typically the author uses an individual as a focus for each event, lending a more personal feel.

Not for light readers, but very insightful and compelling.

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by Scott

Leon and the Spitting Image by Allen Kurzweil

Leon's 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Hagmeyer, is ruining everything. She uses sewing as a motto for life and her assignments all consist of crafting stuffed 'animiles' which mysteriously disappear once they've been graded. Leon, with a few other students, decides to investigate 'The Hag' and uncover whatever sinister scheme she may be running. By the end of the book, the students and the teacher have both learned more about each other, and have new found respect.

Full of quirky humor and off-beat adventure, this is a thoroughly entertaining read. It does require some suspension of disbelief when Leon stumbles on a way to craft a doll of his teacher which will control her movements, but it doesn't really detract from the style or core message of the story. A good book for those who appreciate the works of Roald Dahl.

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by Scott

Also check out this interview with Allen Kurzweil!

"Stand Back!" said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" by Patty Thomas

I grew up with this book, and it's just as entertaining as I remembered it! All of the jungle animals are terrified when the elephant gets an itch in his snout, because the last time he sneezed he caused all sorts of trouble. Zebra lost his striped, the birds were all blown away, pretty much everyone had a hard time. So now they plead with Elephant not to sneeze, but how can he help it! Finally mouse provides the solution, but then things still don't turn out like anyone expected.

Very clever rhyming text makes this story flow and kids will be eager to join in the chorus of jungle animals asking elephant to "Please don't sneeze!" The detailed illustrations full of action will also provide plenty to keep kids of all ages engaged, even though the story is quite able to entertain on it's own.

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by Scott