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s_n_arly's reviews
730 reviews
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
4.0
This is a wonderfully silly book. Although I'd heard of it previously, I hadn't read it as a child. It's a nice introduction to tall tales for children who are very literal-minded. It's provided a number of fun discussions about natural disasters, weather and food.
The illustrations are more cartoon than art, which is fine for this book. The text doesn't rhyme and reads aloud easily.
The illustrations are more cartoon than art, which is fine for this book. The text doesn't rhyme and reads aloud easily.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
2.0
I read this once as a kid (mostly because it was hugely popular at my grade school, which seemed to mean I should read it) but didn't really remember it very well. It didn't make much of an impression then.
It's not that great a book, and I'm unsure why its popularity has endured. The main character is having a horrible day. The events make for decent talking points with kids, which is the redeeming quality that allows me to give this a two star rating.
The illustrations are okay, but not fabulous. They seem to reinforce the narrative line that the main character is a terrible whiner. The book is dreadful to read aloud because of its appalling lack of punctuation. The author had apparently never heard of commas and adores run on sentences. Fortunately, my kids don't request it very often.
It's not that great a book, and I'm unsure why its popularity has endured. The main character is having a horrible day. The events make for decent talking points with kids, which is the redeeming quality that allows me to give this a two star rating.
The illustrations are okay, but not fabulous. They seem to reinforce the narrative line that the main character is a terrible whiner. The book is dreadful to read aloud because of its appalling lack of punctuation. The author had apparently never heard of commas and adores run on sentences. Fortunately, my kids don't request it very often.
Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls by Jane Yolen
4.0
A nice collection of strong female folk tales from around the world. Once again, Jane Yolen has assembled a fine collection of stories, each a little different (though some are similar), and each well told.
I've had this book on my wishlist for a while and my 4 year old got it for her birthday. Hooray!
The point of this collection is to focus on strong female characters. Each story has a female protagonist who somehow manages to save the day. Contrary to the title, some of these girls end up in situations that should cause distress, but they don't wait for a knight or prince or big brother to come save the day. They save themselves. They save their families. They save their villages. They save their kingdoms.
In the afterward, Jane Yolen notes that stories with strong female characters have been around for a while. None of these tales are new. But that they have often been hidden or overlooked. It's definitely time for strong girls to step out of the shadows and be recognized.
My only quibble is that given the level of the stories, there probably should have been a few pictures scattered throughout. They can help focus the younger listeners a bit.
I've had this book on my wishlist for a while and my 4 year old got it for her birthday. Hooray!
The point of this collection is to focus on strong female characters. Each story has a female protagonist who somehow manages to save the day. Contrary to the title, some of these girls end up in situations that should cause distress, but they don't wait for a knight or prince or big brother to come save the day. They save themselves. They save their families. They save their villages. They save their kingdoms.
In the afterward, Jane Yolen notes that stories with strong female characters have been around for a while. None of these tales are new. But that they have often been hidden or overlooked. It's definitely time for strong girls to step out of the shadows and be recognized.
My only quibble is that given the level of the stories, there probably should have been a few pictures scattered throughout. They can help focus the younger listeners a bit.
Jane and the Dragon by Martin Baynton
5.0
This is another terrific library find. This is a strong female protagonist story, the kind of which we can not get enough of in our house.
Jane is in training to be a lady-in-waiting, like her mother, but she really wants to be a knight. Since this isn't expected, nearly everyone finds the idea hilarious. The primary theme is finding the courage to pursue your heart's desire, even if it isn't what's expected. It also carries a more subtle message about the inadvisability in looking askance at those who choose (or have been chosen by) a different path.
The language is not overly simplified, but flows nicely and reads aloud well. The illustrations are fun, though I'm unsure how she manages all that hair.
Cautionary note for parents with new readers - this book uses British spellings (practise and armour), so it may confuse some children.
Jane is in training to be a lady-in-waiting, like her mother, but she really wants to be a knight. Since this isn't expected, nearly everyone finds the idea hilarious. The primary theme is finding the courage to pursue your heart's desire, even if it isn't what's expected. It also carries a more subtle message about the inadvisability in looking askance at those who choose (or have been chosen by) a different path.
The language is not overly simplified, but flows nicely and reads aloud well. The illustrations are fun, though I'm unsure how she manages all that hair.
Cautionary note for parents with new readers - this book uses British spellings (practise and armour), so it may confuse some children.
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie
4.0
My son is in a Mandarin immersion program, so we try to pick up Chinese folktales when we can find them. It's amazing the cultural grounding you can get from these stories.
The similarities between Yeh-Shen and Cinderella suggest a shared origin, however the tale of Yeh-Shen significantly predates the earliest documented telling of Cinderella. The similarities and differences made for nice discussion with my 4 and 6 year old.
Instead of a fairy godmother, we have a magic fish guardian. The slippers are gold instead of glass. There's no pumpkin or mice, so it's not as precious as the most recent versions. I find the Disneyfication of fairy tales a bit overly sweet for my tastes.
The ending has a bit of the Brothers Grimm about it so if you have a problem reading stories to young children that involve the demise of the bad guy, you may want to read the last page before reading this to your kids.
The similarities between Yeh-Shen and Cinderella suggest a shared origin, however the tale of Yeh-Shen significantly predates the earliest documented telling of Cinderella. The similarities and differences made for nice discussion with my 4 and 6 year old.
Instead of a fairy godmother, we have a magic fish guardian. The slippers are gold instead of glass. There's no pumpkin or mice, so it's not as precious as the most recent versions. I find the Disneyfication of fairy tales a bit overly sweet for my tastes.
The ending has a bit of the Brothers Grimm about it so if you have a problem reading stories to young children that involve the demise of the bad guy, you may want to read the last page before reading this to your kids.