Diary of a Wombat

I had heard about Diary of a Wombat written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley for years now. I’ve been told that I had to read it. I’d heard how wonderful it was. But the book wasn’t what I was expecting. I was expecting this modern classic to be sweet. Judging by Bruce Whatley’s adorable wombat on the front I was expecting cute and sweet. What I didn’t expect was to laugh so hard I snorted. I didn’t plan to giggle with each page. This book is a joy.

The simple story is told from the point of the view of a wombat as it “trains” its human neighbors how to get along. Some pages are as simple as Tuesday which is mostly made up of sleeping and eating grass. That is until the wombat discovers the family next door. After destroying the flat, hairy creature at the door (welcome mat), the wombat demands a reward. After it gets a carrot, it quickly learns how to demand them (chewed through the door). And  the trouble for the family is just beginning. The wombat digs burrows in the garden, chews up gardening equipment, pulls laundry off the line, and generally makes a pest of itself.

This book has a marvelously dry sense of humor. I was so shocked when the book turned funny that I read a line and literally snorted. The humor snuck up on me. I love how droll French’s wording is. After the wombat grows tired of carrots, it demands something else. “Demanded oat AND carrots. Only had to bang large metal object (garbage can) for a short time before they appeared”. Or where she demands a reward for destroying their welcome mat. Each page brings new mischief and a new interpretation by the wombat. It is not exactly subtle but the dry sense of humor is right up my alley.

Bruce Whatley creates an adorable character who looks at the world through sleepy eyes and is more than happy as long as it’s getting its way. The book is filled with white space which leaves tons of room for playing with the pictures and the words. We see the welcome mat, but French never reference it directly. It’s only the flat, hairy creature that is invading the wombat’s territory. I love the triumphant look on the wombat’s face after the battle. Most of the time though it just looks sleepy and cute. Whatley’s acrylic illustrations are a mix of detailed expressions and blurred edges. Most of the illustrations are of our hero but that is really all we need with the book. An adorable book that made me laugh. 

Toot and Puddle

The first time I saw the name Holly Hobbie on the book Toot and Puddle, I thought it was a mistake. Actually what I thought was “I had a doll with that name when I was young” and “I remember greeting cards with that character”. I thought the author had borrowed the name. Instead the author is the one who created the namesake character. Holly has been in the business of creating memorable characters for quite a while. I loved my Holly Hobbie doll but Toot and Puddle, the pigs living at Woodcock Pocket, completely stole my heart.

Toot and Puddle is actually a series of books. There are 11 stories so far and Holly does seem to be stopping anytime soon. Toot and Puddle are adorable pigs who share a house in the woods. Puddle is a homebody, content to bake and cook in the kitchen, wallow in a good bath, and play in the snow. Toot is a traveler, constantly seeking out new places and friends. The book follows the adventures of each during the course of a year. Toot’s story is told in the postcards he sends home to Puddle along with full page illustration of his adventures. On the other side, we get to watch Puddle enjoying his favorite parts of the season. So when Toot is spending winter in Africa with the hippos, Puddle is ice-skating and playing in the snow at home. Both are having a wonderful time, doing the things they love.

The story itself is very basic, often just telling what each character is doing. Toot’s story gives a bit more detail since his are told through postcards. The writing is wonderful on that account. The postcards sound like what people typically send on postcards. Puddle’s story is often told in little snippets. But you really don’t need the text for Puddle’s story. The images say it all. Holly’s watercolors are amazing! She manages to create lovable characters through her detailed illustrations. It’s the little things that make a difference in her art. Every part of the house is lovingly created and I was floored at how beautiful her images are. I want to live with Toot and Puddle. The house, the grounds, and Toot’s locations are created in adorable detail. There is a warmth to these places. Plus the characters themselves seem to radiate warmth and joy. We can see the obvious happiness on both of the character’s faces as they do the things they love. But we can also see the connection between the two friends. In only 32 pages we see two very different friends who have one of the strongest friendships I’ve ever seen in a children’s book. Whether it’s traveling to exotic destinations or just baking a soufflé, these are some wonderful pigs.

The Quiet Book

The first time I saw the cover for The Quiet Book I knew I had to own it. I skimmed through the book in the bookstore but didn't have the cash to buy it. It was a tense couple of days before I could get back to the store and pick up my own copy. I was worried they would be sold out. I'll freely admit that I judged this book by its cover. And it didn't let me down. If you don't own a copy of this quiet, gentle book, you need one.

There is no true plot to The Quiet Book, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Renata Liwska. You'll note that their names don't show up on the front cover. Another example of quiet. In some ways the story follows a group of woodland creatures (focusing on bunny) from morning until night as they experience all the different types of quiet. Starting with "First one awake quiet" and ending with "Sound asleep quiet", this book touches on every inventive moment for quiet you can imagine. Each phrase is only a fragment but the words, combined with the illustrations, speak volumes. One of my favorites was "Pretending you're invisible quiet" as we see a little bear covering his eyes, as he stands next to the nurse who is getting ready to give the bear a shot. That is immediately followed by "Lollipop quiet" as we see the creatures who had to get shots sucking contentedly on a lollipop. The mix of words and images is perfect.

Liwska's illustrations are sweet, enduring, and beautiful in their own way. She uses pencil to create the characters, who have a bit of an unfinished quality, and then colors them digitally. This slightly rough look give her creatures their fur and feathers. I loved looking at the tiny lines that make up these charming scenes. Each character is imbued with tons of emotion. I felt so bad for moose at the beginning of the book, as we see her sitting on the stairs with the words "Last one to get picked up from school quiet". There are happy quiets and sad quiets and sweet quiets. But each quiet is captured beautifully.

Each page seems to have one side that is very simple, with lots of white backgrounds and few words. The other side is filled with images and a bit of a longer phrase. I'm not sure if it was intentional but I like the juxtaposition. One scene has a barber shop with a very sad little porcupine getting his hair cut off. The whole picture is filled with color and the phrase at the bottom is "First look at your new hairstyle quiet". This is opposite the same porcupine at home with his mother's concern at the haircut. But the words at the bottom are "Sleeping sister quiet". I could just imagine the hushed comforting. Such a tender scene. In fact all the pages are tender and sweet and gentle and quiet. A beautiful book. So wonderful. For me it was a must have.

The Dog Who Belonged to No One

It is obvious from the cover alone that The Dog Who Belonged to No One, written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Amy Bates, is going to be adorable. Just the image of the smiling but scruffy looking dog tells you that this is one story that will tug at your heartstrings and make you go Awwww. The cover is not lying. This is one of the sweetest and cutest stories I've read in a while. I even got chocked up at the end.

The story alternates between the little dog that no one wanted and a little girl named Lia who makes deliveries for her baker parents. We see how the little dog tries to be helpful and friendly and how the girl works all day. Both the dog and the young girl are sweet and helpful but both are very lonely. The dog sleeps in the street and dreams of a warm porch. The little girl lays in bed and dreams of finding a friend. One night as a storm brews, the little girl races for home after her last delivery. At the same time a little dog is desperately trying to outrun the storm. And of course they both end up on the same porch, Lia's family's porch. After they both dry off, the girl and the dog become fast friends and they live happily ever after.

I'm sure that I've read this story before but I've never heard an adoption story told with such heart. The section about how the little dog tries to outrun the night because it doesn't want to be alone is just heartbreaking. The shared joy when they both, warm and dry, decide to adopt each other was enough to bring tears to my eyes. In fact, Hest manages to make us smile and cry numerous times in the book, which is impressive for a mere 32 pages. The story is told as alternating pages and it is only as we get close to the end that we see how the friends will finally meet up. There is a wonderful spread at the end where we can, through words and pictures, see how the two will come to the same spot and finally meet up. A sweet story, told well.

The illustration, by Amy Bates, are done with pencil and watercolor and are simply stunning. There is no other word to describe how beautiful and captivating the images are. I was completely in love with her depictions of the dog, which range from heartbreaking to cheery (a scene with the dog sleeping in an alley, made me tear up a little). It is the kind of depiction that would make anyone want to adopt this little dog. The setting, a small town in the late 1800s, is well captured. Little details like the storefronts and the costumes make it very believable. Bates uses a fall palette and mixes in some leaves to make it seem like winter is just around the corner for both of these characters. Bates manages to mix absolute adorableness with surprisingly detailed.

It is rare to find a book that tugs at the heartstrings quite as much as this one has done. I was in love with the dog and the girl from the beginning. And although I could see how it would end from the very start of the book, the beauty and the sweetness of the story made the journey more than worth it. One of my new favorite books. I'll be picking this one up immediately.

A Mama for Owen

The moment I saw the cover of A Mama for Owen, I knew I had to read this book. Is there anything more adorable than this mismatched pair? Then I heard the premise of the story and I rushed right out to pick it up. Not only is this an incredibly sweet story written by Marion Dane Bauer, but it is matched with incredibly adorable illustrations by John Butler. Oh and did I mention it's based on a true story?

The story follows Owen, a young hippopotamus who lives with his mother and family on the Sabaki River in Africa. Owen follows his mother everywhere and they often play hide-and-seek. When he is tired, he snuggles with his mother to take a nap. But his easy life is short lived. A tsunami comes and Owen and his family are washed out to sea. Owen survives and is swept back into shore, but no where near his river. His family is lost. Owen is unsure what to do until he finds a shape on the beach that is the same color as his mother. He settles down next to the lump and tries to fall asleep. The object is none other than a tortoise named Mzee. Mzee lets the young hippo curl up and slowly becomes a substitute mother for Owen.

The story is a fictionalized account of a true story that occurred right after the 2004 tsunami. In the real story the young hippo, who was less than a year old, was washed out to sea by the wave and when he was found was brought to a wildlife preserve and there met Mzee. But I think the changes made were perfect for this story. The tale could be very sad but Bauer infuses humor in to lighten the story. She describes Owen's mother (and Mzee) as "grayish-brown--or was she brownish-gray?" She adds images like Owen following his mother's stubby tail or playing hide-and-seek with Mzee. One of my favorite pages was one of the later ones. I love the humor of these lines. "And whenever Mzee takes a nap, tucked away inside his brownish-gray--or is it grayish-brown?--shell, Owen waits and waits and waits until he can find Mzee once more. Bauer does a wonderful job of creating a soft gentle rhyme of lines along with some pretty wonderful characters.

But it was John Butler's illustrations that originally drew my eye, and give this book the softness and cuteness that made my heart melt. Owen is simply adorable with his large soft eyes and innocent expressions. Mzee is a warm and sweet character who readers will fall in love with. His smiles and easy-going-nature will make readers cheer for this unlikely pair. The illustrations are done in acrylic paint and colored pencils and have a perfect palette. The book is filled with gentle yellows and oranges and everything is blended to produce soft images. The backgrounds are often just bits of color but the characters are much sharper. Emotions are clearly distinguishable on ever page. I have to admit that I got a bit chocked up reading this book. And with good reason. This is an incredibly sweet story and that fact that it is true, only makes it that much more wonderful. A great read-aloud and a perfect find for any animal lover.

Grumpy Bird

Last week Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast (a must read children's book blog) did a column on Jeremy Tankard. His new book Boo Hoo Bird was released recently and they were talking about how wonderful the new book was. I liked the look of Tankard’s artwork, with its deep brushstrokes and bright colors. So when they mentioned his previous Bird book I had to go pick it up. Grumpy Bird has the same great colors, unique backgrounds, and fun characters. But it also has something else, a fun story.

The story follows Bird who wakes up grumpy. He’s too grumpy to eat or even to fly. So he decides to walk. As he’s grumpily walking he passes each of his forest friends who decide that walking would be fun. They don’t even mind Bird’s sarcastic and angry responses to them. They just keep walking along behind him. Finally Bird realizes what they are doing. He stops and the play games. Bird forgets that he is grumpy and everyone eventually has a good time. The story is simple, but the dialogue was surprising for a children’s book. Bird is not always nice and sometimes snaps at his friends. And I found that incredibly refreshing. Children will love the repetition of the animal’s question “what are you doing?” and will enjoy seeing what Birds response is.

If the words are fun, the images are just fantastic. Tankard mixes photographs, broad brush strokes, bright colors, and simplistic but adorable characters. Bird in all his grumpiness is very cute. The other animals are sweet looking and done with minimal lines. Raccoon is defined with his mask and ringed tail. Fox looked a little like a cat except he is red. But somehow the simple characters make everything that much sweeter. Even Bird. The backgrounds are some of the most unique I have ever seen. Tankard uses photographs for the far background with painted brush strokes over the top. Close items, like bushes or trees, are heavy ink and very simply done. On top of all this is a wash of color that is almost startling. Tankard uses oranges, yellows, greens, and browns for each of the pages and these are almost always bright. With the bright backgrounds, the red, blue, white, brown, and orange characters stand out well particularly since the characters are outlined in black. This kind of art is fantastic, producing sweetness and brightness for a grumpy subject. The mixed media is inspired and I’m truly in love with Tankard’s style.

This is an adorable book that any child would be sure to love. I found myself going back again and again to enjoy the artwork. I was constantly missing little details that I would find later. A brilliant book, both in subject and artwork. I look forward to checking out Boo Hoo Bird as soon as possible. Grumpy Bird left me anything but grumpy.

Dogfish

If I wasn't already in love with the pictures in Dogfish, I would have still fallen in love with the story. This has to be one of the cutest stories to be published in the last couple of years. The book, written by Gillian Shields and illustrated by Dan Taylor, is the wonderful story of a young boy who realized just how wonderful a pet can be. Even if it's just a goldfish. 

The full story is about our young narrator who wants a dog. He sees that everyone else has a dog and wants one. Instead he only has a goldfish. And the goldfish can't fetch a stick, go on walks, or play with him. But Mom gives the boy all kinds of reasons why he can't have a dog. The boy is sad, mom is sad, and the goldfish is sad. Until the mom suggests that the boy want what he has. The boy trains his goldfish to catch sticks. He takes him for walks. He plays games with him. And suddenly he realizes just how wonderful it is to have a goldfish for a pet. 

The story is cute and clever. When the mom questions how they would keep a dog, the boy always has a clever response. The author doesn't take the subject to seriously though. I love lines like, "These are our sad looks" showing the sad boy and the sad goldfish. There is sadness and happiness in this absolutely adorable book. Children will be cheering for the boy and the fish. Shields manages to capture the thoughts of a child well. 

The illustrations are rounded, simple, and adorable. Everything in the illustrations is soft and so cute you want to pinch their cheeks. The page spreads are colorful and filled with multiple illustrations. Taylor uses texture to create very tactile images. All the images are digital but Taylor is careful to make sure that we see them as almost hand-drawn. The boy's hair is made with what look like pencil marks that have been digitally created. But it is the roundness of the illustrations that make them so wonderful. Children and adults will absolutely love these pictures. This is Taylor's first book but I hope to see many more. His design work is modern, refreshing, and cute. This is an adorable book that any child would love. 

Oliver Finds His Way

If I had to list one of my new favorite illustrators it would be Christopher Denise. This is somewhat surprising to me since I tend to like darker images and his work just brims with cuteness. I was introduced to him by Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast and since then have been searching out all of his work. Last week I took out Oliver Finds His Way, written by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Christopher Denise. 

The story is simple. It follows Oliver, a little bear, who chases a yellow leaf and ends up getting lost in the forest. He cries for a bit and then realizes that it won't get him anywhere. So he decides to roar. He roars loudly and from back at home he hears Mom and Dad roaring back. He follows the sound all the way home to "tumble-down hugs" and safety. A cute story but Denise's illustrations make this book one of the most adorable I have ever seen. Oliver shows emotion on every page and each one of them is unbearably (hehe) cute. Even the spread of him crying is cute enough that I wanted to frame it. The story is set in the Northeast in the fall so each page is filled with color. The trees practically burst off the page with reds, yellows, and browns. But those are all overshadowed by a small bear who is just one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. 

This book is perfect for younger readers because of its story of lost and found. And Oliver seems so lovable that you can't help but want to protect him. This book has a wonderful story but the illustrations are what will make me purchase this book. A tiny incredibly adorable bear in a beautiful Fall woods. Perfect.