BookSprouting Review: The Radish and the Shoe by Louise Jalbert

The Radish and the Shoe by Louise Jalbert

Reading Level: Ages 5-8

Paperback, 32 pages

Published: January 1991 as The Diverting Tale of the Radish and the Shoe, Re-issued February 2006

Estimated Price: $9.45 USD

The Radish and the Shoe are the best of friends and love living together in their home, a book, which they also share with the elusive letters, who busy themselves all day with making words. The cast of characters of this beautifully illustrated story is as creative as the poetic narrative: after their home is destroyed by a belligerent pair of scissors, the radish and shoe must rebuild their book, little by little, and do so by composing a new story and cooperating with the letters.

I was originally drawn to this story after reading the back flap of the book in which author and illustrator Louise Jalbert describes how she was inspired to pen (and paint) a tale for children. Jalbert had been dissatisfied with the poor selection of literature geared towards kids and believed that authors should be creating stories that give more credit to the power of a child’s imagination. The book’s elegant illustrations reinforce the importance of imagination when reading: artist Jalbert uses abstract watercolor paintings (as well as calligraphy) to tell her story.

5 out of 5 sprouts

BookSprouting Review: The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper

The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper

Illustrated by Gabi Swiatowska

Reading Level: Preschool-2nd grade

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published: March 2007

Estimated Price: 16.95 USD

I hate to give away too much about the plot of a book but The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper is about...the golden rule! The story consists of a sweet dialog between a young boy and his grandfather after they see the rule graffitied across a wall. My favorite part is when the grandfather explains the different ways the golden rule is described in religions from Christianity to Buddhism. Gabi Swiatowska's illustration are beautiful and add an almost dream-like quality to the innocence of the text. Empathy, respect, and general consideration for the well-being of others is encouraged in this sweet and simple story. Scenarios ask the reader to consider how one should treat a new child at school and whether wars would exist if we all lived by the golden rule, making this a perfect tool to teach a vital lesson. After all, as the book explains, it all starts with us!

4 out of 5 sprouts

BookSprouting Review: Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson

Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson

Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

Reading Level: Baby-preschool

Comb binding, 40 pages

Published: July 2007

Estimated Price: 16.99 USD

There's not much I can say about Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson. The book is sweet as icing but as dense as sponge cake. Plot: Grandpa wishes to bake Grandma the largest cake ever for her birthday. Why? To show his love. Final result? Town party. It's fun to see the large quantity of ingredients that are needed for this feat and the batter that must be mixed and baked in the back of a pick-up truck, but I'm not sure how many times it will be read with each time keeping the humor and interest of the listener. The illustrations are amusing and perhaps 'take the cake' in this book. Found in the back pages is a recipe to make your very own 'whopper cake' guaranteed to fit in your oven. A nice touch I admit, but not enough for me to recommend this book.

2 out of 5 sprouts

Booksprouting Review: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback Reprint, 304 pages

Published: May 2007

Estimated Price: $6.95 USD

Elsewhere is the story of just that: a Bizarro World in which people grow younger with each passing year, mermaids swim lengths in the oceans, and dogs speak with humans. But before you dismiss this book as a knock-off of Peter Pan, know that Elsewhere is not a magical land that one enters through a wardrobe or by tapping the bricks in Diagon Alley; Elsewhere is where we go after we die.

Author Gabrielle Zevin offers readers a fresh imagining of the afterlife in her novel. Instead of writing about the often-iterated ideas found in life-after-death musings (moral judgment, the role of God), Zevin focuses her story on Liz, a recent arrival to Elsewhere following a fatal hit-and-run accident. Only 15 years old, Liz is understandably shaken at the idea of leaving her life, family, and friends. She struggles with accepting the loss and is bitterly convinced that there is nothing for her in her life-after-life. Her reluctance to let go proves to be a strong metaphor for grieving others and it almost seems as if it is not Liz herself who has died, but her loved ones.

While Zevin’s story deals with death, it is much more concerned with moving on and living - albeit in a world a little different than the one we know. The concept of aging backwards in Elsewhere allows for peculiar and humorous situations (think old men eagerly awaiting the years in which they will have a full head of hair again, and characters who must re-learn how to be a child after living for so long as an adult) that will have readers smiling.

5 out of 5 sprouts

Booksprouting Review: Just Like Heaven by Patrick McDonnell

Just Like Heaven by Patrick McDonnell

Reading Level: Ages 4 -8

Hardcover, 44 pages

Published: October 2006

Estimated Price: $14.99 USD

Patrick McDonnell, author and illustrator of the Mutts comic strip, tries his hand at picture books in Just Like Heaven. Mutts character, Mooch the cat, awakes one day from his afternoon nap to a cloud of fog. Believing himself to be in heaven, Mooch explores his surroundings and comes to the realization that the good things he has in life aren’t much different from those found in the afterlife. McDonnell’s heaven-on-earth idea creates a delightful premise that asks the reader “What would you do in heaven?” and such is showcased by Mooch’s adoption of a new attitude and his courage to hug an intimidating-looking dog. While Mooch’s exploration of the afterlife and his appreciation for his own life provide a pleasant (and profound) message to readers, the dark and simple illustrations, which might seem more at home on a newspaper funnies page than in a children’s book, might not appeal to kids looking for bright and fun pictures.

3 out of 5 sprouts

BookSprouting Review: Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman

Something From Nothing

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover-Reprint, 32 pages

Published: October 1993

Estimated Price: $18.95 USD

This gem of a book may be difficult to find, but I assure you, it’s worth the hunt. Although not an original story, this Yiddish folktale has taken many versions. Still, Something From Nothing rules over them all. The story is about Joseph and his grandfather’s gift to him when he was born: a blanket. As Joseph ages, the blanket takes many forms as it too ages and must be altered. When finally the blanket is lost entirely, Joseph is crushed and even his grandfather admits that he cannot make something from nothing. Joseph’s decision of how to continue after his loss is something truly remarkable and heart-warming. The quaint illustrations tell stories in their own right that will have children marvelling over the sweet little nuances long after they have read the text. Each depiction contains the richness of the old-world and is an excellent tool in teaching or celebrating Jewish culture and traditions. The story is one of appreciation for the simple things in life provided by the loved-ones who mean the most to us, which is a thing to remember in this day of forgetfulness for what truly matters.

4 out of 5 sprouts

BookSprouting Review: Imagine a Night by Sarah Thomson

Imagine a Night by Sarah Thomson

Illustrations by Rob Gonsalves

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover, 40 pages

Published: June 2003

Estimated price: $18.99 USD

Imagine a Night is a creative book that will show your child how to take the ordinary and make it magical through their own imaginations. The extraordinary and haunting illustrations of Rob Gonsalves steal the show as he turns a beautiful albeit simple setting into something absolutely enchanting. A farmer playing a violin to his field of sunflowers may be charming in its own right, but look closely and you’ll see how the sunflowers slowly metamorphose into women with yellow bonnets and green, leafy dresses. A word of caution to those with skittish children, the illustrations are described as “ghostly” and “haunting” for a reason; some of them are a bit eerie even to this no-nonsense 21-year old! The text is whimsical as it encourages children to look beyond the mundane to what possibilities might lie beyond. After all, sometimes lullabies are not only needed for fussy babies, but for “leaf and stem / and dreaming root.”

4 out of 5 Sprouts

BookSprouting Review: Dogabet by Dianna Bonder

Dogabet by Dianna Bonder

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published: March 2007

Estimated price: $16.95 USD

Dogabet is the newest book by Canadian author/illustrator Dianna Bonder and her third addition to the alphabet book category. Zany, alliterated descriptions accompany richly detailed, full-page illustrations of dog breeds from A to Z. Although some of the vocabulary may be difficult for most adults to define (e.g. “ideograms”), some well-placed, tricky adjectives like “gluttonous,” “dapper,” and “vivacious” are sprinkled throughout the text, gently adding beautiful words to your child’s growing vocabulary. Each illustration is bursting with hidden images that coincide with the featured letter, allowing for continued fun even after you’ve read through the book. Dogabet would be a delightful addition to any child’s library.

3 out of 5 Sprouts