Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood introduced by The Man in the Moon

The Man in the Moon (The Guardians of Childhood) by William Joyce; published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing Division, New York; 2011.

Look up in the night sky.  Do you see the moon?  Did you know it wasn’t always there?  And do you see MiM?  What, you’ve never heard of MiM?  Perhaps you’ve heard him called the Man in the Moon.  In William Joyce’s picture book introduction to the Guardians of Childhood, his multimedia illustrations tell MiM’s story as eloquently as his text.  Joyce’s creativity seems boundless as his imagination soars to the night sky with detailed maps, fascinating characters, and a wild tale of good vs. evil.

I adore this book.  There is no condescension or watered-down fairy tale here.  Oh no.   As in the first chapter book in the series (Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King), there is humor and tension, dark and light.  This is a series that will have something for every member of the family.  I hope that families read the picture book together then share the chapter book together, perhaps one chapter a night.

So, as a librarian, I am happy to recommend both books to patrons.  In fact, around Christmastime, I was talking to a patron who had a preschooler and a second-grader.  She was checking out this book for the preschooler but I recommended they read it all together.  I then recommended the chapter book as bedtime story leading up to the Christmas holiday.  How embarrassing!  The chapter book is not yet in our collection.  Well, the patron returned after Christmas and said that they loved The Man in the Moon so much that they bought Nicholas St. North and put it under the tree for the second grader.  They did indeed read the chapter book together between Christmas and New Years Day and gave both books a big, unanimous thumbs up.  They’re looking forward to the next books as am I.

According to Simon & Schuster’s blog for booksellers, The Inner Sanctum, there will be seven books in both the picture book series as well as the novels.  For the sake of families reading together, I hope William Joyce can keep creating rich stories in all 14 books.  You can visit The Guardians of Childhood’s dedicated website at http://theguardiansofchildhoodbooks.com/.

Seek out Magic Eyes of Little Crab

Magic Eyes of Little Crab by Dr. Mike Lockett; illustrated by Sun Lotto; published by Heritage Schoolhouse Press, Normal, IL; 2010.

With a magic chant and a “Pop! Pop!” Crab can send his eyeballs into the sea to discover beautiful colors and an array of creatures.  Jaguar is jealous of Crab’s vision and wants crab to help him see below the sea.  Even after Crab advises him of the dangers, Jaguar demands that crab “Pop! Pop!” his eyeballs.  Uh-oh!  Crab’s warning is realized!  How will Jaguar get his eyes back?  And what price will Jaguar and Crab pay for their mistakes?

I joyously admit that I read this to myself then listened to the accompanying CD.  Then I listened again and again.  On its own, Dr. Lockett’s retelling of this folk tale is entertaining and makes a good read aloud for parents, teachers or librarians who do justice to stories by using voices and sound effects.  But, in my experience, those with storytelling talents are few and far between.  For me, the brilliance of this book is the inclusion of a recording of Dr. Lockett telling the tale.  His vocal skills paired with perfect music and sound effects elevate this book to the sublime.

However, Dr. Lockett’s storytelling isn’t the only factor that elevates this book.  Sun Lotto’s rich illustrations (mostly computer generated) express emotions.  Watch the eyes of the Jaguar, the Crab and even the sea creatures.  And be sure to linger over the underwater visions; children will want to identify all of the creatures spoken of in the story.  Lotto has added a new dimension to the story.

Another bonus of this book is that it is created in two languages.  Flip the book over and you have a Chinese version.  The CD includes a Chinese storyteller as well an English version.  So I believe that this book will appeal to older children (even teens and adults) who speak English or Chinese and are learning the other language.  I imagine this book in the collections of high schools that offer Chinese language courses.  Of course it belongs in the libraries of ESL teachers as well.

In the case of Magic Eyes of Little Crab, the components are each well done and could stand on their own.  In this case, story, pictures and audio combine to create a memorable tale that will be cherished.

Aside from being a great book/audiobook for gifting, I think librarians could use the companion book and audio CD to teach volunteer readers how to read aloud.  During my years in an elementary school library, I tried to teach parent volunteers to read slowly and with exaggerated emotion.  Never worked.  Maybe they didn’t consider me and “expert.”  However, since Dr. Lockett is a professional storyteller, his example on the CD is ideal for training parents, grandparents, or any volunteers, how to read a book out loud to children.

Also, librarians may choose to use the book with the CD during story times so they can introduce gestures to the story and lead the children in participating in the story.  Imagine children’s “claws” imitating Crab and then Pop! Pop! go the eyes.  Ah, my imagination is running away with me!  What a terrific way to participate in story time without having to hold the book or read along!

More information about Dr. Lockett, visit his website at http://www.mikelockett.com/.

(Note: A free copy of this book was provided by the publisher for me to review forStories for Children Magazine. I include the review here, with some additional thoughts.  Please note that all books I review for Stories for Children Magazine are donated to a local tutoring program for homeless and marginalized families.)

The pied piper of…Harlem!

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem, written and illustrated by Colin Bootman; published by Carolrhoda Books, Minneapolis; 2009.

The end pages introduce us to the Harlem Renaissance, probably around the end of the era in the early 1930s by the look of the automobiles.  Indeed, as the story opens, we find ourselves in Harlem, a neighborhood overrun by rats.  One night, a mystery man disembarks a train with a steel drum.  His music is hypnotic, for humans and rats alike.  The Steel Pan Man reaches an agreement with the Mayor: He’ll receive $1 million if he can get rid of all the rats.  Sure enough, his sweet music charms the rats out of town, but leaves the biggest rat behind, Mr. Mayor himself.  With the promise broken, the music starts anew, the sweetest music yet, and the Mayor is unable to stop dancing and he fulfills his promise to the Steel Pan Man.  The story ends with both Mayor and mysterious stranger disappearing, never to be heard from again.

Like the end pages, the illustrations help tell the story.  Faces, especially, will help children fill in the blanks.  The little bits of humorous elements on each page will delight everyone who looks at this book.  Bootman’s story is a riff on the Pied Piper of Hamelin story.  He has really done a fine job of updating the story and creating a multi-cultural rendition.

Like I recommended with a variety of Cinderalla stories retold, I would include this in a display or pathfinder about various version of the Pied Piper story, maybe even for St. Patrick’s Day!

The One with All the Hair: What a great subtitle!

Twice Upon a Time: Rapunzel (The One With All the Hair) by Wendy Mass; published by Scholastic, New York; 2005.

Rapunzel’s tale is told from two perspectives—the Prince Benjamin’s and Rapunzel’s—and is in the form of diary entries.  It is a riot to read the he-said-she-said stories and compare their respective perspectives (not to mention the fairly accurate portrayal of teen-speak).

I’d use this to discuss the concept of “two sides to every story.”  I think I’d also compile a set of books about Rapunzel for children who’d like to read more about her (and maybe include the Barbie movie version of the story).

Little Red Hen updated

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Amy Walrod; published by Dutton Children’s Books, New York; 1999.

This fractured fairy tale is a retelling of the Little Red Hen story in which she attempts to get her friends to help her bake bread (or cake, depending on the storyteller) but the lazy beasts won’t help—until it’s time to eat.  Sturges puts a modern twist on the tale by switching the bread to pizza and having Hen visit the grocery store rather than grow the wheat.  Walrod’s mixed media images help tell the silly story with outrageous images of Hen and her friends struggling to get the pizza made (and eaten).

I can think of innumerable pizza stories to put together along with activities for a take-home or educational box.  Older children could compare and contrast the various “Little Red Hen” folktales.

Those darn monkeys stole my caps

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina; published by Scholastic, New York; 1940 (and 1968).

Slobodkina retells a Siberian folktale about a cap salesman who is outwitted by a tree full of monkeys and cleverly outwits the monkeys. Her old-world illustrations, in jewel-tones, support the folktale beautifully.

I’ve used this book in read alouds with early elementary students and have them respond to the story (“No caps!”), stomp their feet and “tsk tsk tsk” along with the peddler.  Although the story is almost 70 years old, the tale is still endearing as the children feel the frustration and relief along with the peddler.

It’s a classic.

Goldilocks and the three (snow) bears

The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett; published by Scholastic, New York, 2007.

Jan Brett’s retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is endearing, entertaining and educational. We get a glimpse of Eskimo life in an igloo. As always, the watercolor and gouache artwork highlights the story. Her use of margins to summarize and foretell keeps all eyes focused on the pages for read-alouds.

Brett’s website includes a plethora of related activities including streaming video that can supplement the reading of this tale.

Red Riding Hood really gets around!

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China translated and illustrated by Ed Young; published by Philomel Books, New York; 1989.

Young’s pastel images are dark and shadowy, lending an ominous air to the scary story of Lon Po Po, the wolf who tried to trick the children but ended up with a shattered heart.  The illustrations at the beginning of the story are in narrow panels, as though looking at traditional Chinese story panels.  As fear of the wolf grows, so do the panels; but then they shrink again as the children defeat the evil wolf.  I would use this in an exploration of the different Cinderella stories from around the world (with older elementary students) or in a box or pathfinder with the same theme.