"Painting Pepette" by Linda Ravin Lodding

"Painting Pepette" 

by Linda Ravin Lodding

40 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: A little girl from Paris adopts a small rabbit, Pepette. The girl notices that the walls in her home are covered with painted portraits of each family member, but not Pepette. She decides to wander into town with Pepette to get its portrait painted. The girl and Pepette encounter four famous artists, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse. They all paint Pepette in their own unique style, but none look realistically like Pepette. The girl and the rabbit return home where the girl decides to paint Pepette's portrait herself.

 Evaluation: This book is a work of art, illustrated in beautiful watercolor painting. The book can teach students about different famous artists and what makes their style unique. This would be a good introduction for an art history unit. The theme of "being yourself" is present when the girl decides to illustrate what Pepette looks like.

Appeal Terms: animal, realistic, easy, gentle, art, character centered, vivid, well developed

"Pete's a Pizza" by William Steig

"Pete's a Pizza" 

by William Steig

34 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: Pete is not having a good day because it is raining and he cannot go out to play. Pete's dad decides to make him feel better by helping Pete use his imagination to keep him entertained. Pete lies on a couch and dad pretends that Pete is pizza dough. After kneading and tickling Pete, dad puts some "pizza ingredients" (household items) on Pete and then pretends to bake him in an imaginary oven. Pete thinks all of this is so fun and forgets about his troubles. In the end, the sun comes out and Pete can finally go outside to play.

Evaluation: This book has already sparked many after-reading extension activities for young readers that involve them pretending to be Pete and his dad (sprinkling fake cheese, pepperoni and tomato sauce over someone). I think this book is a good lesson for children to teach them that our imagination is a great gift and we should use it more often. It also teaches children to take a bad situation and make a good one out of it. Everyone can relate to Pete's woes of not being able to go outside, but we can all learn from his father's idea of using imagination.

Appeal Terms: realistic, easy, leisurely, humorous, heartwarming, gentle, family centered

"Look and Find Transportation" by Thierry Laval

"Look and Find Transportation" 

by Thiery Laval

40 pages /  Print / Non-Fiction

Summary: A pull-out, search, and find book for all things transportation. Readers visit an airport, city, construction site, train station, and seaport. Each location has many vehicles, tools and people to find. A great read for anyone that is curious to learn new vocabulary about transportation.

Evaluation: This book is very fun to read and interact with. the pages fold out on both sides to reveal a large illustration. Readers need to find the picture of the new vocabulary on the page, which is great for reinforcing learning. Children learn best when they can see and do something. Many of the new vocabulary words are new for children, but they may have seen them before (for example: "scaffolding". Scaffolding is on almost every corner in NYC where there is construction.). I expect readers to seek out the new vocabulary when they walk around outside. This book is great to share with a partner while they look for the picture of the words on the page. Children love transportation vehicles, so this book will be a hit!

Appeal Terms: realistic, engrossing, leisurely, engaging, fact-filled, life like

"Smart About Sharks" by Owen Davey

"Smart About Sharks" 

by Owen Davey

40 pages /  Print / Non-Fiction

Summary: This informational book has everything "Sharks"! Come explore how sharks live their lives in the oceans and seas. There is much to learn about sharks, inside and out. Where do they live? What do they eat? Do other fish prey on sharks? Which shark can jump the highest? After reading this book, you will be "smart about sharks".

Evaluation: A great resource for young readers to get their fill on this favorite ocean animal. Owen Davey's illustrations are gentle and detailed, making this book readable for all ages. He uses language that a young middle schooler would use ("The Great White Shark is the rock star of the ocean.", "Something to sink your teeth into") and describes scientific terms in easy words. The table of contents and index in the book make it easy to navigate and find specific information on sharks. The color scheme used is very nice too look at, like a well designed website. The illustrations play with the words and information blurbs throughout the book, making it fun to read and explore.


Appeal Terms: animal, engrossing, engaging, fact-filled, realistic

"Press Here" by Herve Tullet

"Press Here" 

by Herve Tullet

56 pages /  Print / Humorous 

Summary: "Press here. Now press here. Shake the book." "Press here" by Herve Tullet allows you to press different color dots on the page and watch them transform into something else on the next page. Dots multiply and change shape, doing all sorts of magical things.

Evaluation: This book invites the reader to interact and engage with the pages in the book. Through the 56 pages, I found myself smiling the entire time. This book is very original and will win over any reader that picks it up. Warning: if you are easily embarrassed, the do not read the book in public. It will have you clapping, shaking the book, and laughing hysterically. The colors used are very simple, just four primary colors. By keeping the colors and design simple, the author can focus more on the fun aspects of the book. This is a book that is better read alone so you can interact with it directly.

Appeal Terms: realistic, humorous, deliberate, easy, interactive, quirky

"A Log's Life" by Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Robin Brickman

"A Log's Life" 

by Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Robin Brickman

32 pages /  Print / Realistic

Summary: "A Log's Life" brings us through the amazing life cycle of tree as it falls, decomposes and gives life to a new tree. Many animals and insects depend on a tree in each stage of its life. The book reads like a story, but it is very educational. Realistic illustrations add to the value of this fascinating book.

Evaluation: This book is an excellent tool for understanding and appreciating nature's greatest gift, trees. A teacher could use this book in a science class to introduce a unit on earth science. The illustrations and text are very meditative, making you feel like you are walking through a shady forest. The message of this book with surely make readers appreciate trees and how many creatures interact with it. The message of rebirth (of the tree) is beautiful and could be used as a metaphor for human life.

Appeal Terms: animal, realistic, engrossing, easy, engaging, event oriented, fact-filled, life like

"Unspoken: A Tale From The Underground Railroad" by Henry Cole

"Unspoken: A Tale From The Underground Railroad" by Henry Cole

40 pages /  Print / Historical

Summary: :A farm girl hears a noise from the harvested corn stalks in the barn. It is a runaway slave that has found a secret hiding place at her family's farm. The girl sneaks food to her each night. Some men come looking for the runaway slave, but the girl keeps quiet. Their secret friendship is a light of hope for the other runaway slaves.

Evaluation: "What would you do if you had a chance to help a person find freedom?"(Henry Cole). This wordless book speaks much more for the humanity that some felt for runaway slaves during the Civil War era. Sympathetic southerners hosted "safe-houses", or houses where runaway slaves could hide. The underground railroad is something everyone should know and appreciate. A gloomy mood is helped my the pencil drawings in the book, each shade and shadow shows the darkness of these times in American history. This book makes us reflect how our actions effect others lives and what sacrifices we need to make when we are faced with difficult situations.

Appeal Terms: historical, realistic, problem, measured, hopeful, sad, heartwarming, inspirational, issue oriented, lifelike, introspective