My last collection of books was a wonderful mix of amusing picture books and novels for older children. I told you about the YA anthology in my last post, so this time we’ve got two picture books and a middle-reader, all of them a bit on the whimsical side.
The first one has winsome illustrations of a bus with a bunny face.
Bunny Bus
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Illustrated by Lesley Breen Withrow
This is a cute little book about learning to share the load, rather than letting someone else take all the burden. The drawings of the various animals in the story are whimsical, especially the bunny bus, which looks like a small bus with rabbit ears and a big smile, which exposes her rodenty front teeth. More and more animals call for her to stop and take them along. She’s happy to do it, even though she knows she has more than enough to fill her bus. Finally, the bus goes BOOM and strews carrots, candy and Easter Eggs all over the place. The passengers realize they have caused Bunny Bus to break down, so they give her a bath and share the load. Some of the rhymes are a bit forced leaving the reader wondering what the author meant, but children probably won’t notice, and the message is well told.
BIBLIO: 2017, Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers/Macmillan Publishing Group,
LLC, Ages 4 to 6, $16.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-374-30225-2
The second has a message of what fun reading is and how being gentle and unselfish are so rewarding.
Prince Ribbit
Jonathan Emmett
Illustrated by Poly Bernatene
This is a wonderfully silly take on the story of the frog who turns into a handsome prince. Lucinda and Arabella love reading fairy tales, especially ones where the princess ends up winning the handsome prince. One day a frog from the nearby pond hears the girls read the story of the princess and the frog prince. What a sweet deal that would, he thinks, and he hops out of the pond and close to the sisters. Unfortunately, the two girls scream and carry on. But their younger sister, Martha is enchanted. What a cool thing to have a talking frog as a friend. Arabella and Lucinda change their tune when Prince Ribbit explains he is, indeed, an enchanted prince. They pamper him with soft beds, delicious food and lots of other treats, but he doesn’t turn into a prince. In the meantime, Martha has been reading books of fairy tales, lots of them. Turns out the books are fun to read, but she also learns how to set the frog and her sisters straight. With some nudging from Martha, Arabella and Lucinda decide the thing to is smother him kisses, which doesn’t do a thing for Prince Ribbit. Sadly, he takes off his golden crown and fancy clothes and hops back to his pond, but Martha is sorry to see him go. She begs him not to go, then picks the frog up and gently kisses him. In a cloud of pink smoke, the frog turns into a handsome prince and sweeps Martha off her feet. Of course, not everything you read in a book is true. Children and their grownups will want to read this book over and over again.
BIBLIO: 2017 (orig. 2016,) Peachtree Publishers/Macmillan Children’s Books/Pan Macmillan/Macmillan Publishers International Limited, Ages 4 to 7, $16.95.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1-56145-761-8
The middle-reader is a charming story of being a good friend and believing in possibilities.
The Infinity Year of Avalon James
Dana Middleton
Avalon James and her best friend, Atticus Brightwell, turn ten. Atticus’s grandfather told them just before his grandson’s birthday that age ten is their Infinity Year in which they would have a magical power. So, they keep waiting for the magic to appear. Avalon hopes her magic will help her ward off any mischief her nemesis, Elena, has planned for her, but nothing seems to change and Elena keeps taunting her. Not that Avalon hasn’t done her share of taunting back. Avalon also hopes her magic might be that her dad writes to her again. In the meantime, Avalon is working on an ancestry project with another classmate and practicing for the school-wide spelling bee. But, as the year progresses, Avalon’s magic makes no appearance, and she’s getting worried. But after Halloween, Avalon is convinced she can “mind-talk” to animals. And it turns out she’s right. Her power helps her save Atticus from a charging bull by calling him to chase her instead of the already hurt Atticus. The friends’ Infinity Year comes to an end when they turn eleven, but they are stronger for all that has happened to them during their tenth year. This is another good book for discussions about bullying children and trying your best to not seek vengeance.
BIBLIO: 2016, Feiwel and Friends/ Macmillan, Ages 8 to 12, $16.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Middle Reader
ISBN: 9781250085696
ISBN: 9781250085689
Next week, I’ll tell you about the fifth book in this batch.
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