Children's/YA: April's Kittens

Newberry, Clare Turlay. April's Kittens. Troll Associates, 1969.

A book about April, a girl who lives with her parents and cat, Sheba, in a one-cat apartment. However, what happens when Sheba has three kittens?  April's father insists that three cats must go. What will April do when she falls in love with one of the kittens? Does she keep Sheba or the kitten? (original description).

Overall Rating: ****(out of five)

Strengths:

• Story. This story emphasizes one of the most important aspects of family life: compromise.  The best part, however, is that we see compromise from both the child and the parents, which teaches the importance and equality of every member of the family.
• Illustrations. The illustrations of the book are absolutely beautiful.  They are simply black, white, and pink, and their softness is nearly tactile.  You just want to pick up the kittens and cuddle with them.

Weaknesses:

• Story to Illustration Ratio. For small children who cannot yet read, the story is what they hear their parents saying and the pictures they see on the page. I feel as though the book might be more effective for kids who can't read if it had more illustrations.

Children's/YA: It's A Book

Smith, Lane. It's A Book. New York: Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages.

"Can it text? Blog? Scroll? Wi-fi? Tweet? No...it's a book." (excerpt from book cover)

Overall Rating: ***** (out of five)

Strengths:

• Plot. I am strongly in favor of exposing children to the value of books, and though this book highlights all of the things that books can't do, it also highlights what books can do.
• Illustrations.  The pictures in the book are adorable and evocative.  The full page spread without words that shows the jackass (because, hey, that's what donkeys are sometimes called) discovering how engaging a book can be is beautifully illustrative of the magic of the printed word.

Weaknesses:

• One of the Characters is a Jackass. Literally (see above).  And it is introduced as such on the first page, setting up to the book's punchline.  If anyone objects to exposing their children to a less than flattering term used in its correct context, then just read it for fun and don't share it with the kiddies.

Llama Lama Red Pajama

Dewdney, Anna. Llama Llama Red Pajama. New York: Viking, 2005. 30 pages.

"A bedtime story. A good-night kiss. And Mama Llama turns of the light. But is everything all right? NO! At least, Baby Llama doesn't think so. . . .And soon his whimpers turn to hollers. It's an all-out llama drama! Until Mama returns to set things right." (description from the book jacket)

Overall review: **** (four stars)

Strengths:

• Fun to read aloud.  Naturally, children's picture books are meant to be read aloud by the parents, and it helps when the words and rhymes are genuinely fun to say (especially as small children, when they really like books, want them read aloud quite often).
• Illustrations.  The illustrations are simple but enjoyable, sometimes depicting multiple scenes on one page, such as Mama Llama downstairs and Baby Llama upstairs.
• Good story.  It is important for kids to know (especially as they get older) that their parents often have other things that they need to do, and just because they are not with their kids all the time does not mean that they don't love and care about them.  I imagine that most parents will sympathize with Mama Llama's plight of trying to get things done after she has put Baby Llama to bed, until Baby Llama throws a fit.

Weaknesses:

• I find myself unable to think of any weaknesses for this book...hmm.