Dec 29 2011

Little Red Cap by Brothers Grimm,Lisbeth Zwerger (Illustrator)

We haven’t discussed a Lisbeth Zwerger book here in a while so as we head toward 2012 lets sneak in one more book.  I picked up Little Red Cap – the story most people know as Little Red Ridding Hood – recently and, not surprisingly, I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Children’s Literature review:

This is a reissue of the book that originally was published in 1987. It is a version of the beloved tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Once again, children become acquainted with the charming little girl who always wears the red cap that was given to her by her grandmother. One day while on her way to visit her ailing grandmother, she meets the sly and cunning wolf in the forest. He persuades her to wander off the path and gather some flowers for her grandmother, while he rushes to grandmother’s house and gobbles her up. He then pretends to be grandmother and also devours Little Red Cap. Of course, the brave and clever hunter saves both the old lady and Little Red Cap. Zwerger’s beautiful illustrations are an ideal accompaniment to the text as they portray the characters (especially the wolf) with depth and emotion. All libraries should add this to their fairy tale collection.

Unlike some of the other volumes I have covered, this one is perfect for reading out loud. The pages alternate between text – without any unique fonts – and illustrations.  Zwerger offers her reliably evocative and playful illustrations that compliment this classic so well.

As noted above, the wolf  is particularly charming with a variety of facial expressions to match his deviousness as he tricks the innocent, and naive, Red Cap. Keep Reading

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 1 • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dec 28 2011

Skellig by David Almond

I picked up Skellig by David Almond at Half Price Books for a dollar.  I believe I was vaguely aware of it being a young adult classic (the edition I picked up is the Printz Honor hardback after all) but it sat on the shelf for quite a while as I stumbled on numerous references to its quality and meaning to read it.  Finally the mood struck and I read it.

Description:

Cover of "Skellig"

Cover of Skellig

Ten-year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage . . . What is this thing beneath the spiderwebs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael’s world changes forever. . . .

I really should have read this book a long time ago.

It is a simple and yet powerful story of friendship, family, compassion and faith. It is written with directness and yet somehow also manages to be mysterious and keep the magic just off stage – and thus the reader yearning for more – until the end. Almond doesn’t insist that the story be “explained” or that everything be wrapped up neat and tidy by the end – the mystery is allowed to be just that, a mystery.

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By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , ,

Dec 26 2011

Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto by Gianni Rodari, Antony Shugaar (Translator)

I first heard about Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto from Shelf Awareness and decided to pick it up on Kindle.  I was unaware of the book’s history – this is the first English translation of what has been labeled  ”one of Italy’s most beloved fables” – but something about it intrigued me (lighthearted, fables, young adult, etc.).  It turned out to be an easy read and rather witty in places but somewhat inexplicable as well – but fables often have this quality I suppose.  The line drawings add to the silly and almost absurd feel.

A modern fable for children and adults: a story of one man’s quest for eternal life and how finds it in the most extraordinary of ways—in the grand tradition of Saint-Exúpery’s The Little Prince

When we first meet 93-year-old millionaire Baron Lamberto, he has been diagnosed with 24 life-threatening ailments—one for each of the 24 banks he owns! But when he takes the advice of an Egyptian mystic and hires servants to chant his name over and over again, he seems to not only get better, but younger.

Except then a terrorist group lays siege to his island villa, his team of bank managers has to be bussed in to help with the ransom negotiations, and a media spectacle breaks out . . .

A hilarious and strangely moving tale that seems ripped from the headlines—although actually written during the time the Red Brigades were terrorizing Italy—Gianni Rodari’s Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto has become one of Italy’s most beloved fables. Never before translated into English, it’s a reminder, as Rodari writes, that “there are things that only happen in fairytales.”

What makes the story interesting is adroit blending of the all too believable with the incredible – the fabulism and humor blended with the more serious aspects like media spectacles  and the threat of terrorism. The characters interact in humorous but totally believable and understandable ways. We recognize the stock type characters (dedicated butler, lazy but greedy nephew, board of directors and their secretaries, and the townspeople) and enjoy the humor of Lord Lamberto’s new-found youth.

When the band of Lamberto’s take over the island and issue their demands the story takes a turn toward the even more incredible but at the same time very serious.

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By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , , ,

Dec 25 2011

The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, Jon J Muth (illustrator)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I thought I might take a moment today to share a book I bought this year.  I am a big fan of Jon J. Muth. We have a number of his books and my children particularly enjoy reading his zen stories featuring Stillwater the panda (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties & Zen Ghosts).

So when I stumbled upon The Christmas Magic while out shopping I knew I had to get it. And rather than wrap it as a gift I brought it home and we read it for bedtime stories in preparation for Christmas.

As Booklists notes, this is not your classic Santa:

Children get a different Santa than they are used to in a book that focuses on the quiet preparation that leads to Christmas. Far, far north, this Santa Claus is not a jolly old elf, but rather a thin, subdued fellow in a blue suit. There’s no Mrs. Claus—well, Santa darns his own socks—nor are there busy elves. Just reindeer called home from a snowy wilderness who are fed parsnips and berries before their long journey. Alone, Santa readies his sleigh and visits a room with toys, where he picks one for each boy and girl in his book. Finally the night “thrums with magic,” and Santa embarks on his vast journey. It’s the air of magic and mystery, which prevails in both text and art, that will capture children’s interest and allow them to accept a Santa who is not the norm. This is primarily true in the majestic outdoor spreads that are all stars and snow and sing of unknown possibilities. But even the cozy indoor scenes have a slightly unsettling feel that will intrigue readers. A new take on an iconic figure.

The story is simple but whimsical and mysterious. It hints at the magic and beauty of the north.  Muth’s wondrous watercolors bring the story to life. Santa is kind and full of joy even without the extra weight.

The snow and stars are so enchanting that you wish you could climb into the story and experience the crisp winter nights where each snowflake seems to sparkle and the stars are bright and clear.  The deer are soft and friendly, like beloved companions who cheirsh the seasons as much as Santa, even as they sport wide grins in a couple of the illustrations.

If you are looking for a Christmas picture book with a different take on Santa this is a great choice.  A wonderful story with beautiful art sure to be enjoyed for many, many seasons.

 

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , , , ,

Dec 22 2011

Dakota Christmas (Kindle Single) by Joseph Bottum

As noted yesterday, Dakota Christmas, the Kindle Single by Joseph Bottum, was something of a surprise hit.  As a magazine writer and editor Bottum had written a number of Christmas pieces over the years and as a result was contacted by Amazon about the possibility of mining this material as part of the Kindle Single program.   The 7,500-word piece met with unexpected success:

“Dakota Christmas” has struck a chord. One recent week it was No. 1 for sales in Amazon’s Kindle Singles and in nonfiction, and No. 1 for all sales in all books on Amazon in the categories of Christmas, memoirs and religion.

As I write it is the #2 Kindle Single just below Dean Koontz and about Stephen King.

So what is Dakota Christmas?

A memoir of childhood Christmases on the South Dakota plains. By turns sweet and comic, sentimental and serious, Joseph Bottum’s “Dakota Christmas” is an instant Christmas classic. In this beautifully written account of the mad joys and wild emotions of Christmas for children, Bottum captures the universal spirit of the season even while he recounts his memories with a sharp particularity that brings them alive for readers.

It is rather hard to describe actually.  It is a memoir and an exploration of a holiday with all its cultural and emotional nostalgia and detritus; an exploration of memory and childhood and an essay on the Christmas essay. I think the key lies in the “universality through particularity” noted above.  It is in describing and thinking about his own experiences with Christmas that Bottum in turn flushes out our own experiences, memories, emotions and conceptions.

The writing is literary, the author has a 10,00 book library he is finally able to shelve in one place now living in South Dakota, and richly detailed.  His detailing his unique experiences and relationships almost automatically causes the reader to explore his own past.  He recalls the toys, books, food and music of the season – and the events, places and people; he recalls the details but struggles to feel the emotions in quite the same way.  A Bottum notes, memory is in many ways our least reliable tool but really our only tool for this task.

Throughout is the thread of place and the plains of the Dakotas are a character themselves.  And it is in this place that Bottum is reminded of the underlying meaning and truth of the season.

Readers with a similar background will find the essays nostalgic and full of cultural touch-points. Those with a different background will enjoy an evocative tour through a different time and place.  Anyone with a fondness for Christmas will enjoy an interesting exploration of the holiday through a variety of perspectives. I am not sure what makes an “instant Christmas classic” but think “by turns sweet and comic, sentimental and serious” is a great description of this enjoyable collection of essays.

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , ,

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