Review by New York Times Review
A CHILDREN'S BOOKS EDITOR once asked me what kind of books were needed most in libraries. My immediate response was, "Beginning readers!" Then I had a question: Why aren't there more available? The editor's reply was just as fast: "Because they're too hard to write." That's tough to argue with. The vocabulary matters (so-called sight words, which are short, commonly used words that are typically memorized, are a hallmark) but so does sentence length and structure; compound sentences can confuse new readers. The plot needs to be established quickly, and there should be predictable elements to help a child decode the language. And lest one think, "That doesn't sound too hard," there are also design factors to consider, including the font, the number of lines per page, the amount of space between words and lines and the placement of illustrations. It's also a category of children's books that has had quite the evolution, beginning with those simplified readers in the 1930s ("Dick and Jane" being the most notorious) and on to the more verbally and narratively adventurous Dr. Seuss and James Marshall. In recent years Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie books, featuring a comical pair of mismatched but devoted friends, have been perhaps the most popular. But at long last, just as Willems is winding down that beloved series, the beginning-readers category is showing some exciting new developments. Bob Shea's new "Ballet Cat" series features two precocious best friends, Ballet Cat and Sparkles, who is a pony, though somehow about the same size as Ballet Cat. In the first book, "The Totally Secret Secret," the two pals are having trouble compromising on what to do. Ballet Cat, of course, wants to play ballet. Sparkles would rather do something else but is afraid he'll lose Ballet Cat as a friend if he expresses his true desires. While readers may see parallels with Elephant and Piggie, they'll soon realize that they are very much in the world of Shea, the author and illustrator of the "Dinosaur vs." picture book series. Besides Shea's familiar manic style, featuring characters drawn with thick, crayonlike black outlines on brightly colored pages, there is more innocence, and a cinematic feel, with a lot of physical action. (The Elephant and Piggie books, by contrast, have a Woody Allen-esque quality: wry, sophisticated humor with a heavy dose of malaise and angst.) As Sparkles grows increasingly scared to let on that he doesn't want to play ballet, the text gets smaller and the "camera" zooms in on Sparkles' concerned face until the big secret is revealed. But Ballet Cat has one of her own: In a twist that readers may see coming, Ballet Cat shares that she loves Sparkles even more than ballet. With order restored, the two begin a game of checkers. There are many visual clues to help early readers, but they'll also be likely to fall for these two sweet friends who want nothing more than to be together. Similarly graphic, but much simpler in style and tone, is Emma J. Virján's series kickoff "What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig." Bordered panels throughout give a basic graphic novel feeling; however, when the action in the story calls for it, the borders dissolve and the colorful illustrations dramatically extend to the page's edge. Pig puts on a flamboyant red wig and gets in a boat, where she is quickly joined by many animal friends. Pig quickly panics about the possibility of the boat sinking and kicks everyone out; they swim to an island with a castle. You know what happens next: Pig misses her friends and invites them back ... to a bigger boat. With its frequent use of sight words and a story line that builds on itself, this is a great choice for absolute beginners and - bonus! - it has a true story arc, with a plot about friendship and cooperation. Searching for pig snouts hidden in the illustrations is an added delight. Another pig that will win fans was created by the prolific author, poet and artist Douglas Florian. The hero of "Pig Is Big on Books" reads them everywhere: home, school, the bus. He reads all sizes of books, he reads alone, and he reads in the company of others. But what's a pig to do when he can't find a book to read? Of course, he creates his own book ... in fact, he created this book! The lightly handled alliteration and rhyme, along with the monosyllabic and repeated vocabulary, will help fledgling readers decipher the text, and the winning narrative arc emphasizes problem-solving and the importance of reading - even as a communal activity. But the art may be the true star here. Florian's highly detailed yet painterly illustrations were created with gouache watercolor, colored pencil and collage on primed paper bag. The result is lovely, textured illustration that begs readers to touch the page. "In, Over and On! (the Farm)" also beckons the inexperienced reader. The text, contained in speech bubbles, is extremely spare and heavy on sight words. In each of the three "chapters," Ethan Long explores a different pair of prepositions: For instance, in "I Am On," the pig is on the tractor and is joined by the cow and the goat. When the tractor rolls down the hill, the farm animals are ejected from the vehicle and "now we are off." A large flap at the end of each chapter adds a tactile element while giving visual clues to the text, which is helpful when a new reader is struggling to identify a word. This would also be an excellent read-aloud to toddlers, especially with Long's graphic, bright, highly contrasting illustrations. One rising trend in early readers is the use of comic book elements in the artwork. It's a format extremely well suited to beginners, as speech bubbles clearly separate the text from the illustrations, and the paneled structure moves the story along in a natural way that gives essential visual clues to what's going on. Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing's "Flop to the Top!," part of TOON Books' Easy-to-Read Comics series, is a strong example of this trend. A note from the publisher explains why this one is for a slightly more experienced reader (a larger vocabulary and time shifts in the story line). Davis and Weing also have something to say about emotions and relationships. Wanda is a young narcissist determined to become a "star," at the expense of her family's happiness and comfort. The hilariously deadpan family dog, Wilbur, takes the brunt of Wanda's self-involvement. But when Wilbur unintentionally rises to fame - and abandons the family to go party with Sassy Cat - Wanda is bereft and must confront her past offenses. There is a lot going on here, including an underlying commentary about social media use, celebrity obsession and struggles with emotional expression. But Wanda's over-the-top personality juxtaposed with Wilbur's inscrutable countenance lightens the mood and saves the story from becoming too moralistic. Here's hoping Sassy Cat gets her own book next.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [August 23, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
As he did in Up, Tall and High (2012), Long uses animals in silly situations to illustrate concept words in this case, the prepositions in, over, and on. In the book's first vignette, Hen is frustrated that she can't get in her coop when it starts to rain. Why, pray tell? Pig, Goat, and Cow are already inside at least they are until Hen yells, Everybody out! and reclaims her nest. Next, Hen is sad that she can't jump over the fence like Goat, or fit under it either. Not to worry, though open the gatefold and readers will see Cow guide Hen around the obstacle. The final vignette demonstrates the words on and off through the antics of Pig, Goat, Cow, and a tractor. Long uses digitally colored ink line drawings to create comical scenes in vibrant colors, as well as two gatefolds and a lift-the-flap feature. Text is relegated to speech bubbles, using minimal words to maximum effect. This playful approach to prepositions will inspire both laughter and learning.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-In three brief chapters, readers are introduced to humorous situations involving a hen, pig, goat, and cow with an emphasis on the concepts of "in and out" in chapter 1, "over and under" in chapter 2, and "on and off" in chapter 3. The resolutions to the farm animals' various prepositional troubles are hilarious. The cartoon illustrations with bold black outlines, speech bubbles, spare text, and funny expressions add to the humor. With one well-placed flap and two gatefolds, the title will be laugh-out-loud fun for both preschoolers and those beginning to read on their own. The title is a natural match for the author's Geisel Award-winning title Up, Tall and High (Penguin, 2012). VERDICT A hilarious title that will be enjoyed by preschoolers and early readers alike.-Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this easy-to-read story, a chicken, goat, pig, and cow jump in, on, and over coops, fences, and tractors on a farm. Winner of a Geisel Award for the preceding Up, Tall and High, Long uses silly situations, well-placed liftable flaps, and bold illustrations (filled with thick lines and cartoonish characters) to offer a highly engaging lesson on directional prepositions. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
