Children's Book Review - Clink, Kelly DiPucchio, Matthew Myers (Ill.)

 

Clink

 

Kelly DiPucchio, Matthew Myers (Ill)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: Once a state-of-the-art robot, Clink is now obsolete. As his late-model robot friends leave one by one, he wonders if he’ll ever leave the store.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

So Clink, a toaster-slash-radio robot, has had his fifteen minutes of fame, and now he’s rusty and decrepit. His shiny new robot friends find homes with excited children, and no one even looks at Clink anymore. So one day Clink just shuts down completely. Powers off. Over and out. Poor little guy.

But then, a little boy who likes fixing things—and dry toast—comes in and takes Clink home. 

This isn’t an original plotline, nor is the writing stellar, but one thing saves it from Averageville: the illustrations. I loved these illustrations! They’re humorous and full of color and detail. I was smitten.

We all have those toys that were way better than the ones that come in shiny new boxes at Christmastime. That old doll that was raggedy and didn’t cry or have sleepy-eyes or hair that grew or the ability to wet a teeny weeny diaper? That doll was better. We didn’t know why, but we didn’t question it either. The heart loves what it loves. 

And, finally a book for boys! There are lots of girls books (because girls are encouraged to be bookish?), and there are lots of animal books and books that appeal to both genders, but I have a hard time finding “boy” books. This is a good one.

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Yes.

You might also enjoy:

Too Many Toys by David Shannon

Children's Book Review - And Then It's Spring, Julie Fogliano, Erin E. Stead (Ill.)

And Then It’s Spring

 

Julie Fogliano, Erin E. Stead (Ill)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: A boy and his dog decide to plant a garden, and they wait and they wait and they wait for the brown to change to green.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

This is a great book. For adults, at least. Unless a child is keenly aware of the seasons (and lives in the proper part of the country) or has spent time planting a garden, this may not do much for them.

But for me, this was a great book. It perfectly depicts that feeling northerners like me feel each year, namely, that spring can’t come fast enough. And it’s brown, brown, brown, then, suddenly one day, green!

The illustrations are lovely. There is an picture of a bear scratching himself with a sign that is hilarious and worth the price of admission!

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Yes.

You might also enjoy:

Sick Day for Amos McGee (same illustrator)

Children's Book Review - Big Plans, Bob Shea & Lane Smith

Big Plans

 

Bob Shea, Lane Smith (Ill.)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: This boy has big plans. Big Plans. BIG PLANS.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

Oh my gosh, I almost died laughing!

This book perfectly encapsulates a child’s quirky imagination and big ideas. It has the heart and irreverence of Olivia, but I think Shea takes it up a notch. Everyone knows a little boy (or girl) just like this. Excitable, ambitious, zealous. Incorrigible. And probably right.

The font is sized according to each proclamation, and the yes-man bird who follows him around is always there for ego boosts—as if he needs them. This is one of those rare books that entertains on all age-levels. Parents will be delighted.

(The available preview pages on Amazon are no indication of how wonderful this book is.)

Hilarious, I’m telling you.

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Yes, yes, and YES.

Children's Book Review - Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg, Lori Motensen, Michael Allen Austin (Ill.)

 

 

Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg

 

Lori Mortensen, Michael Allen Austin (Ill.)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: Cowboy Clyde has one chore left: give Dirty Dawg a bath. But Dirty Dog gives chase.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

This one has it all: a cowboy, a dirty dog, a bathtub under the stars. It also has a great metered rhyme that doesn’t get boring or feel cheap. And the illustrations are wonderful. And there is a nice resolution.

I think this will appeal to little ones both who love baths and loathe them.

A well-done read.

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Absolutely.

 

Children's Book Review - A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip Christian Stead

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

 

Philip Christian Stead, Erin E. Stead (Ill)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: When Amos the zookeeper calls in sick, the zoo animals show up to tend to him.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

I put off reading this one for a long time because I tend to avoid books that are health-related. I finally gave in, and, of course, I’m glad I did. There was little ado over the sickness and the compassion with which the animals responded—each with his own particular gift and personality—was a reflection of the gentleness with which Amos administers to them daily. Love is reflected in love.

This tender story was also funny and the illustrations are well-rendered and charming.

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Yes, enthusiastically!

Top Ten Tuesday (New-to-Me Authors)

This week's topic: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013
This is a somewhat harder list to put together if you only read nonfiction, esp. memoirs. Most folks only write one memoir! So, I tried to choose authors I would eagerly anticipate and read more books from. A few are already on my 2014 TBR shelves or have books on my short list of books to buy.

 

Jen Lancaster (The Tao of Martha)

Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express)

Pamela Druckerman (Bringing Up Bébé)

Aminta Arrington (Home is a Roof over a Pig)

Alyssa Harad (Coming to My Senses)

Sally Bedell Smith (Elizabeth the Queen)

Jennifer 8 Lee (The Fortune Cookie Chronicles)

Jen Hatmaker (7)

Monica Wood (When We Were the Kennedys)

Josh Hanagarne (The World’s Strongest Librarian)

Children's Book Review - My Name is Elizabeth!, Annika Dunklee, Matthew Forsythe (Ill.)

My Name is Elizabeth!

 

Annika Dunklee, Matthew Forsythe (Ill.)

Category: Children’s Picture Book

Synopsis: Everybody tries to shorten Elizabeth’s name—until she corrects them.

Rating: *** (3-star scale)

Comments:

This is a cute book. I’ve never really had to deal with people trying to shorten my name, but I deal constantly with people calling me “Becky” instead of “Carrie” (?) and people totally flubbing my last names. The only person who consistently gets it right is my mother. That’s right, not even my husband does. So I can kind of relate to poor little Elizabeth.

I don’t know if a lot of little kids will identify to this, but I’m not sure that’s how/why little kids build connections with books anyway. It was funny and charming. The pictures are adorable in a retro sort of way. And Elizabeth is feisty in an Olivia sort of way. (I heart Olivia.)

Plus, she has a pet duck. You’ve gotta love that!

Would you recommend this to a friend?

Sure.

You might also enjoy:
Elizabeth the Queen