☀️ 🏖️ 🌊
Celebrate the JOY of summer with some great new picture books to tuck in your beach bag and enjoy together for some fun in the sun!
Animal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell
 |
| ISBN: 9781536226249 Walker Books US | $19.99 USD |
My thoughts: This is a fun book of song lyrics and you can literally (pun??) get lost in the lyrics and even more so when you upload the songs digitally (Listen on Youtube) and catch yourself enchanted as your ears are tickled by the various genres. Delicious cuteness, charm, fun, craziness, absurdity, and did I say "fun??!"
Enjoy the crazy and absurd art that is evocative of old 33 LP albums. Colorful. Rich with animal craziness. Humor.
Of the songs I've listened to thus far I believe "Sometimes the Soup is Salty" is my favorite with "Nancy Is In the Neighborhood" a close second. Obviously, I've got a few more to imbibe in. I encourage you to have fun with this one!
About the book: From the inimitable creator of El Deafo, this all-ages alphabet book is also a hand-wrought, high-fidelity, hilariously tongue-in-cheek homage to the golden days of album cover art.
Cece Bell loves music and collecting old record albums, her introduction explains, especially albums featuring animal artists. The bouncing harmonies of the Barbershop Beagles, the elegant crooning of the elephant Ella Fontaine, the hilarious rhymes of the Hip-Hop Hedgehogs—all are represented in this quirky ABC book that draws on the creator’s personal collection of albums, memorabilia, and lyrics dating between 1944 and 1984, the heyday of album design. With wry, witty text, silly and sumptuous sound play, and biographical end matter on all twenty-six musical acts, the book commands and stands up to repeated readings. Bright, zany art—all painted and lettered by hand—a stellar design, and an album-size trim make it a collector’s item in its own right, sure to grace the coffee tables of vinyl- and design-loving adults even as it tickles young funny bones. A hootenanny hosted by the creator of the Newbery Honor Book and Eisner Award winner El Deafo, Alphabet Albums also quietly reminds us just how much music can mean to everyone.
Bros by Carole Boston Weatherford & illustrated by Reggie Brown
 |
| ISBN: 9781536220414 Candlewick Press | $17.99 USD |
My thoughts: This is a highly impactful book featuring only black boys who are in a neighborhood enjoying doing just about everything - walking, riding, playing, singing, praying - from the beginning of the day until the end of day. There isn't a lot of text. Short two word sentences or phrases and the illustrations speak volumes.
And while the book is produced by a highly secular press, it even mentions "We pray." as part of their day showing their unity of purpose and brotherhood.
Although the book has only young black boys, the same friendship and joy is true of any race or people group. They should bond together to enjoy and go through each day in unity of purpose with peace and joy.
I really like this book and encourage school and other libraries everywhere to add this title to their collection.
About the book: A celebration of childhood from an award-winning author, this upbeat day-in-the-life of a bunch of friends was inspired by the #BlackBoyJoy meme that spurred a movement.
From sunrise to sunset, a group of young Black boys joyously spend the day together as they live their best lives freely in their community. With confidence and a touch of swag, these friends do everything with one build a time machine, tend to the community garden, roleplay in the park, read, take a group selfie, and play basketball. With simple, spare text from celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and colorful, playful art from Reggie Brown capturing the pleasures of boyhood and friendship, Bros affirms the truth that Black boys deserve and are worthy of a childhood full of joy and free of risk, just as much as anyone. Timely and buoyant, it’s a story sure to be enjoyed by anyone who knows what it is to be surrounded by friends with a day of adventure ahead of you.
Found by Sam Usher
 |
| ISBN: 9781536234947 Templar Books | $17.99 USD |
In Found we have a generational connectivity story about a boy and his granddad. I personally believe it is highly important that sons and fathers, grandsons and granddads (as well as daughters and mothers, granddaughters and grandmothers) have quality time together. There is such a wealth of living and relationships to be gained.
Usher's illustrations are happy, simple, and awash in bright as well as soft watercolors. Be sure you thoroughly peruse the pages for full enjoyment. The day begins with the boy waking in high anticipation of a day at the beach with granddad. This particular beach has a rock/cliff type beachfront - not broad sandy shore and sand dunes. Granddad is in full dress - long pants, shirt, tie, sweater but he does roll up his trousers.
Sandcastles, ice cream, and a baby seal tangled in netting. (A bit of a lesson in care of sea critters) and then a bold sea journey to take the seal home. The illustrations explode in joyful imaginative fun.
I think Sam Usher has another hit! Other Usher titles in this series: Free, Wild, and Lost.
About the book: The fourth title in a quartet of imaginative picture books in which a boy and his beloved granddad discover the wonder of the natural world
A boy and his grandad pack up their provisions and head out for the beach. But their day takes a different turn when they go for a swim and find a baby seal caught in a net. The rescue leads them out to sea on a thrilling underwater adventure!
Madame Badobedah and the Old Bones by Sophie Dahl & illustrated by Lauren O'Hara
 |
| ISBN: 9781536220414 Walker Books US | $18.99 USD |
My thoughts: A pure delight in a frou-frou imaginative story. Told in "parts" that lend to read-aloud "chapter type" book for young listeners. Lots of delightful pictures to entertain and capture the imagination and lend themselves to minute inspection for bits of frou-frou and fun.
The little girl and Madame Badobedah are both residents of the Mermaid Hotel and they have a sweet relationship based on a beautiful friendship. And they have wonderful imaginative adventures. A super story of generational relationships.
A superb book for read aloud time with young children and even older children that will sit long enough to be read to. Break the reading sessions up into the "chapters" so the anticipation can grow.
NOTE: I personally object to the use of the word "darn" in a child's book.
About the book: The fabulously eccentric (and secretly kind) Madame Badobedah returns for another escapade in this call to adventure—and ode to female explorers and pioneers—from Sophie Dahl and Lauren O’Hara. Secret word: hotel
Mabel lives with her parents in the Mermaid Hotel, where she keeps an eye on all the guests, particularly her friend, the endlessly fascinating Madame Badobedah. Madame Badobedah, who considers herself part of a long tradition of daring women such as Amelia Earhart and Zora Neale Hurston, has pirouetted through pyramids, swum with mermaids, and helped a triceratops with a toothache. Just opening one of the drawers in her dressing table full of mementos elicits tales of banshees and curses and an exciting new a reverse jewel heist! On a mission to return a priceless “borrowed” emerald, Mabel and her adopted godmother don their best spy costumes and head to the Natural History Museum, where they might just meet an old—very old—friend. But as Mabel discovers, no one is too young or old for adventure, because it’s adventuring that makes life worthwhile. In concert with Lauren O’Hara’s fantastical illustrations, Sophie Dahl spins a tale of intergenerational friendship that shines like Madame Badobedah’s found sea a colorful treasure.
Previously reviewed by "Vera".... Madame Badobedah by Sophie Dahl & illustrated by Lauren O’Hara
GIVEAWAY
1 copy of: "Madame Badobedah and the Old Bones"
Begins July 31
Ends August 30 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT
Open to USA addresses only.
DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's book prize is provided and mailed directly to the winner by Candlewick Press, Wal, publisher, or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment here at Chat With Vera. If you need to contact me directly, please use the "Comment Me" email associated with this blog and posted in the sidebar.