PRINCESS ZELDA AND THE FROG by Carol Gardner

Gardner, Carol. Princess Zelda and the Frog. Photography by Shane Young. New York: A Feiwel and Friends Book, 2011. ISBN 978-0-312-60325-0. $16.99 US / $19.50 CAN.

Princess Zelda and the Frog is a retelling of the classic tale The Princess and the Frog, but in this version the princess and the frog are bulldogs in costumes. Princess Zelda has everything she could ever want, except a full night’s sleep. She wears silk dresses and sleeps in a silk bed. One day, she drops her golden ball into a mud puddle. She doesn’t know how to get it back, so she makes a deal with the frog, who fetches her ball in return for her letting him eat off her plate, drink from her goblet, and sleep on her bed. Princess Zelda reluctantly agrees to the frog’s demands. In the morning the frog turns into a handsome prince and Princess Zelda gets a good night’s sleep.

I like the names in this book: Princess Zelda, Queen Lucille, and King Sour-Mug. The frog has a lot of nicknames for Princess Zelda; he calls her Sparkles, Silky Pants, Sweet Cakes, Princess Perfect, and Sweetums. He repeatedly refers to her as his BFF, or Best Friend Forever. He calls out:

“Oh, BFF, please let me in!
So I might see your lovely grin!
Remember the promise you made to me
Please let me in---We’re meant to be!”

At the end of the book, Princess Zelda, waking up from a good night’s sleep, says to the prince:

“Oh, BFF, you were so right.
I used to toss and turn at night.
But with you snoring next to me,
It’s plain to see we’re meant to be!”

The costumes Princess Zelda wore highlight that she is a very pretty princess. I find it interesting that through the majority of the book Princess Zelda wears purple. On a few pages, she wears pink. In the last three pages, she wears red and gold. The frog has only one costume until the end of the book. At the end of the book, he is wearing red, blue, white, black, and gold.

Overall, I liked Princess Zelda and the Frog. I like dogs. I would dress my dog in costumes if she’d let me.

Carly Krewitsky

DOG LOVES DRAWING by Louise Yates

Yates, Louise. Dog Loves Drawing. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 2012. ISBN: 978-0-375-87067-5. $16.99.

“Dog loved books!”

So begins the story of Dog, a pooch who loves books so much, he owns his own bookshop. There is nothing Dog enjoys more than sharing and reading books. He gets a big surprise one day when he receives a curious package in the mail... a book with no words or pictures! With his pens, brushes, and colored pencils, Dog embarks on a lively journey, making new friends and creating his own adventure along the way. Reminiscent of the classic book Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, Dog Loves Drawing is cute and charming, and the author’s pencil and watercolor illustrations and doodles are absolutely adorable. Readers will be delighted to see how Dog makes his own world of fun and will likely be motivated to do the same!

Jenny Weisenborn

EMILY AND CARLO by Marty Rhodes Figley

Figley, Marty Rhodes. Emily and Carlo. Illus. Catherine Stock. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-58089-274-2. $15.95

Emily and Carlo is the story of a shy, smart young woman and her closest companion. It begins in 1849 in Amherst, Massachusetts, where sad Emily is given a large, black Newfoundland puppy. Emily names the dog Carlo, and with him "by her side, Emily [has] the confidence to explore the world around them." In fact, Emily takes Carlo everywhere and, during the sixteen years she is accompanied by her "shaggy ally," they are only apart for a few months when Emily has to go to the city for health reasons. The time does come, though, when Carlo can no longer be there. Following his death, Emily writes a heartbreakingly short letter:

Carlo died.
E. Dickinson
Would you instruct me now?

As a dog-lover and someone who has been closely accompanied by my own "shaggy ally" of nine years, Romeo, this story deeply resonated with me. The text itself is carefully thought out; Marty Figley has aptly integrated historical research, quotes from Emily Dickinson's own material (indicated by italics), and a bit of creative imagination to construct a memorable read. My enjoyment was only furthered by Catherine Stock's beautiful watercolor illustrations. There is a lovely combination and interplay of closely detailed work and broad, pastel, splashes of color. This book might seem light and whimsical, yet it adds substantive value to an aspect of Emily Dickinson that I was not aware of. This is an excellent early introduction that makes a complex and often mysterious author that much more identifiable for readers.

Stephanie Ashley

CHATO'S KITCHEN by Gary Soto

Soto, Gary. Chato’s Kitchen. Illus. Susan Guevara. New York City: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1995. ISBN 0-399-22658-3. $16.99. Ages 6-11.

This creative tale spun by famous author Gary Soto is a warm, inviting picture book about unlikely friends. Chato is a low-riding cat in “East Los” (East LA) who loves to eat birds. While he is sneaking up on a sparrow, he spots a family of mice moving in next door. He invites them over for dinner, planning to eat them. After much discussion, the mice decide to join Chato for dinner. Much to Chato’s surprise, the family of mice brings a dog with them. Chato is scared of the dog at first, but Mami mouse convinces him that their canine companion is friendly. In the end, the cats, mice, and dog enjoy a delicious meal together.

Chato’s Kitchen is a fictional picture book. It is written in English, but has many Spanish words sprinkled throughout. These italicized words bring the reader’s attention to colloquial Spanish phrases, terminology, and traditional food. They bring a distinctly Latin flavor to the book which allows the reader to enter into Chato’s urban East Los Angeles world. The Spanish words are written in the same font and size as the English words, and they appear in italics in the text. The font size is clear, visible, and legible on every page. The English words are written in academic language, but the Spanish words are Mexican slang intended to draw readers into the main character’s experience as an East Los Angeles cat. The words are inoffensive, and teachers could still use the book for a lesson. If a bilingual teacher felt that any one word would offend a certain population, it would not be difficult for that teacher to simply translate the word to a less offensive English word.

This book has wonderful illustrations. It allows the reader to comprehend the way the barrio looks and helps aid in story comprehension. Drawings are more literal than abstract, and therefore language learners would be able to follow the plot of the story by looking at the pictures. The book does not rhyme, and there is little repetition, but it would be a good study in descriptive language and adjectives. The rich descriptions and adjectives pull the reader into the world that the author intended to expose. The first page of the book contains not only a glossary but also an explanation of the traditional Mexican food that Chato makes for the mice.

The writing is of a thoughtfully calculated and extremely high quality, and the characters are carefully selected to depict interactions between different types of people as represented through cats, dogs, and mice. The plot is one that young readers can understand, and older students can discuss the interactions between different types of people in Los Angeles. Overall, this is a high-quality piece of literature that can introduce students of any ethnic background to a vibrant community much like their own. Social studies themes abound in this book. Teachers could do a lesson on ethnic foods served in the students’ families or a study on different ethnic groups in Los Angeles.

 Gary Soto is a well-known author of books and poems for children and adults. He has won many awards for his various literary works, including being a finalist for the National Book Award, the Bess Hokin Prize and the Levinson Award. In 1999, he received the Literature Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the Author-Illustrator Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association, and the PEN Center West Book Award for Petty Crimes (www.garysoto.com). This book is part of a series of picture books featuring Chato. The other books are titled Chato and the Party Animals and Chato Goes Cruisin’ (which was voted one of the "Ten best illustrated books” by the New York Times in 2005).

Reviewed by Rachel McLemore


This review is part of the Special Section: Books in Spanish, featuring a collaboration with Policy and Language Studies students at San Diego State University. Read more about it here.

DOGS DON'T DO BALLET by Anna Kemp

Kemp, Anna. Illus. Sara Ogilvie. Dogs Don’t Do Ballet. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4169-9839-6. $15.99 US.

Biff, an adorable pug who “is not like other dogs,” has one mission—he wants to do ballet. He is not interested in normal doggy stuff. In fact, he has no interest in characteristic canine behaviors like weeing on fire hydrants, scratching his fleas, or playing fetch. He’d rather watch ballet. Not only does Biff want to watch ballet, he wants to be a ballet dancer. This desire sends him on a journey. He follows his owner and sneaks down the street, aboard a bus, and then finally peeks through the window of a dance studio. Unfortunately, the ballet teacher, Miss Polly, sees Biff and he is thrown out. Biff, though, doesn’t give up. When the Royal Ballet comes to town, he again follows his owner and her father all the way to the symphony hall. It’s a beautiful evening, but suddenly there is a terrible accident and the prima ballerina trips, falls off the stage, into a tuba, and can’t go on. Biff though, comes to the rescue in pink tutu-ed glory and saves the performance to great applause and yells of bravo. This delightful story ends with, “Dogs DO do ballet. Bravo, Biff!

I had more fun reading this book than I have had in a long time. After all, there is a pug who wears a pink tutu and takes theatrical ballet poses at any opportunity: “Plie! Jete! Arabesque! Pirouette!” Angela Kemp’s smartest move, though, is that Biff’s owner is not named. This allows another reality to take place where the reader (or listener) imagines what it would be like to have a dog who wants to do ballet. It personalizes the book.

Testifying to the success of Dogs Don’t Do Ballet is the way readers consistently try to see the next page before it is turned. Most words are easy to recognize but there are a few that pose an enjoyable challenge to the early reader. Dogs Don’t Do Ballet is a success—a book I haven’t minded hearing more than once!

As much as Kemp’s storyline is enjoyable, it’s possible that Sara Ogilvie’s illustrations are what make the book. They are painted with beautiful hues in a loose, sketchy style that adds greatly to the movement throughout the book. Biff and his owner’s personalities bubble off the page in their large imploring eyes and lively postures. One of Ogilvie’s greatest strengths is her ability to portray believable expressions throughout. I found myself reacting to Biff’s hopefulness, the father’s disinterest, and the orchestra, audience, and father's shock at seeing Biff dance away on the stage. Other delightful details are Ogilvie’s attention to fashion, which I started to notice on my third reading. Biff’s owner is often wearing red galoshes and a red knit cap with a little bit of a dress peeking out beneath a brilliant blue coat. Also, keep an eye out for details such as little purses, buttons on boots, the father’s comfy slippers, and, of course, tutus throughout the pages. This is a book I look forward to guiding future students through.

Stephanie Ashley

Review: A BALL FOR DAISY by Chris Raschka

Raschka, Chris. A Ball for Daisy. NY: Schwartz and Wade (Random House), 2011. ISBN 0-375-85861-1. $16.99.

I’ve been an admirer of Chris Raschka’s work for years (see other reviews here). My favorite remains Arlene Sardine. Raschka is a Caldecott Medalist, and I think he’s a front-runner again with A Ball for Daisy.

A Ball for Daisy is wordless. You will thoroughly enjoy the artistically-rendered story of the delightful Daisy’s love for her big red ball. Whether she’s chasing it, rolling it on her paws, wagging her tail simply at the sight of it, cuddling with it on the sofa, or happily off with her helpful mistress to the park to play with it, Daisy is cheerful; her joy makes the reader smile.

But this day at the park—not so good. An interloper in the form of a little brown poodle snatches the ball before Daisy can get to it, carries it smugly a few feet, and then, unintentionally, bites it too hard (how does the reader know it’s an unintentional act? The illustration shows us; the poodle is as surprised as anyone when the ball pops). Daisy is as deflated as the ball. Raschka’s palette introduces a dab of purple to the former happy reds, yellows, and soft grey-browns of Daisy’s world. With empathetic humor, the following pages depict Daisy’s attempt to resurrect her toy and her mistress’ attempts to get her through her loss.

But—at the park a few days later the brown dog and his mistress reappear to give Daisy a present: a brand new ball, this one blue. Everyone’s happy? You bet.

With just his brush and a few strokes, Raschka conveys emotionally-resonant scenes, using not only color but outline and face/body expressiveness. To me, thus, this is an ideal picturebook, not only for its artistry but for much that is depicted through the art, such as the thoughtful but also fair replacement of the punctured ball by the poodle’s owner. Without Raschaka’s use of a single word, the gamut displayed of Daisy’s feelings speaks to readers, helping develop their “mirror neurons,” crucial to learning compassion.

Could there be more books about Daisy forthcoming? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Alida Allison

Review: I GOT TWO DOGS by John Lithgow

Lithgow, John. I Got Two Dogs. Illus. Robert Neubecker. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2008. ISBN 1-4169-5881-9. $17.99. Includes CD of Lithgow reading (and howling) the story.

John Lithgow is one of the few celebrity authors whose books are truly exceptional; he’d be a children’s author even if he weren’t a star of stage, screen, and TV. With this carefree, yodeling ode to two dogs, Lithgow lauds his tried and true dogs, true friends who’ve indeed tried everything and, though very different, have found the perfect balance between them. Fanny is little, old, and slow, and Blue is mid-size, young, and quick. Nevertheless, they have things in common, for example, “Neither of ‘em ever learned a single trick.” Their owner loves ‘em, that’s clear—and audible-- on the attached CD. I bet Lithgow’s own dogs yodel along when the CD is played in their house.

Neubecker’s exuberant, very funny illustrations pair perfectly with Lithgow’s humor. Double-truck, pastel pages portray the dog duo giving and getting affection, “happy… huggy,” their pink tongues lolling, their endearing doggy eyes usually utterly focused on something like… a sock or a squirrel. Fanny and Blue are the quintessential dogs, “loyal and true ooo ooo ooo,” and readers will love them too ooo ooo.

Alida Allison

Review: HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ by Tad Hills

Hills, Tad. How Rocket Learned to Read. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2010. ISBN 0-375-85899-4. $17.99 US/$20.99 CAN

Rocket, a black and white spotted dog, has no interest in learning to read. He simply wants to nap under his favorite tree! But a little yellow bird’s clever use of suspense propels Rocket to want to learn to read. The story follows Rocket’s experience as he learns his letters, sounds out words, spells new words, and finally, reads on his own.

The book has a well-balanced mix of easy spelling words like “dig,” “wag,” “sun,” and “melt,” and more difficult story words. The text is far enough above a beginning reader’s instructional level that it would need be read to the child, but includes many spelled-out words, so the child participate in the story-telling as well.

The author has an ironic sense of humor. For example, when Rocket learns that napping is not allowed at school, he moves his nap to a nearby bush. Many reluctant students may identify with Rocket’s impulse!

Hills’ illustrations are bright and cheerful. Each page is filled with bright outdoor colors, and the changing of the seasons is beautifully represented, particularly Hills’ depiction of “mud,” the harbinger of spring. Rocket’s facial expressions, while simple, are unfailingly endearing. Overall, the story is delightful, both for reluctant and eager early readers.

Marisa Behan