Anna and Johanna by Geraldine Elschner and Florence Koenig

Anna and Johanna 
by Geraldine Elschner and Florence Koenig
Published February, 2018
Prestel Publishing
Hardcover
Picture Book
32 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Although one is the daughter of a wealthy Dutch family and the other a household servant, Anna and Johanna become friends. Born on the same day, they celebrate their joint birthdays by making gifts for each other. But then a letter arrives that changes their lives forever. Told against the backdrop of the 17th-century Dutch city of Delft and its thriving commercial and artistic culture, this story of an unlikely friendship echoes the themes of Vermeer's luminous depiction of domestic life. Florence Koenig's brightly colored illustrations evoke Vermeer's style through the city's multifaceted landscapes, from misty mornings by the canals to busy households preparing for a special day. Young readers will be fascinated by this uplifting story of friendship inspired by Jan Vermeer.

My Thoughts

This beautiful book was translated from the original French version. Each page looks like a painting in a museum. You can actually see the brush strokes on the page. I found this fictional story, inspired by two of Jan Vermeer's paintings, to be quite interesting. Readers will like the twist in the story and the satisfying ending. 

I really like how this book ties art with story. It would be fun to show two paintings to students and have them create a story using the images for inspiration. 

The back matter tells more about Vermeer, how works and more about the two paintings that inspired the book.

The book is not a short picture book to read and I struggled a bit with the font size and style. While it is listed for ages 4-8 I would recommend it for slightly older readers ages 6-10. 

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Katie Reviews Books

Kiss the Book

Nature's Lullaby Fills the Night by Dee Leone

Nature's Lullaby Fills the Night 
by Dee Leone
Illustrated by Bali Engel
Published Feb. 6, 2018
Sterling Publisher's
Hardcover 
40 pages
Poetry
Review copy provided by publisher.

Goodreads Summary
Night falls, and the world sings a lullaby in this beautifully imagined picture book. The lush illustrations and gentle, rhyming text will lull young readers to sleep.
Shh—listen. Can you hear the quiet, loving sounds of the nighttime world? From moths fluttering their powdery wings, to a nightingale’s sweet trills, to swaying willow trees softly shushing, shushing everyone to sleep, this rhythmic, rhyming lullaby will soothe and calm little ones. The tender, nature-filled bedtime scenes sweep across land, sky, and sea, with animal parents everywhere tucking in their children. A final scene featuring a mother and her baby brings the whole story back home.


My Thoughts
Wow! Just...wow! This book is gorgeous. The poetry is brilliant and the illustrations are just perfect. I felt sleepy just reading it myself. 
The reader travels through nature at night and is treated to the sights and sounds of animals, trees, flowers, and oceans. The accompanying illustrations are done using dark blue backgrounds that fill the page. Soft moonlight illuminates night creatures and landscapes, giving the reader a glimpse of nighttime activities.

Here is the opening stanza.

Moths with powdery wings so soft
gently stir the air aloft.
Their flitter-flutter lullabies
barely whisper, "Close your eyes". 
Leone, Dee 2018.

Trust me, you will want to add this breathtaking book to your poetry or bedtime book collection. It will appeal to a wide range of readers and listeners. 

Check out the beautiful book trailer.

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I would like to thank Sterling Publishers for offering a giveaway of this book.

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Spotlight On: Claymates by Dev Petty

Claymates
by Dev Petty
Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge
Published June, 2017
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
40 Pages
Fiction
Hardcover
Obtained from public library

Goodreads Summary

Meet the claymates: two balls of clay that can become anything--even best friends! 

What can you do with two blobs of clay? Create something amazing! But don't leave them alone for too long. Things might get a little crazy. 
In this photographic friendship adventure, the claymates squish, smash, and sculpt themselves into the funniest shapes imaginable. But can they fix a giant mess before they're caught in the act? 

Quick Thoughts

Oh my word! This book is so creative and so much FUN! These two balls of clay discover that they can be anything they want to be and in the process they become friends. I would highly recommend Claymates for grades Pre-K-4. 

Kids will love it and adults will love rereading it. Just make sure to have some clay ready so they can create "something wonderful". 

Check out this great book trailer!

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Publishers Weekly
Kirkus

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! by Mike Lowery

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! 
by Mike Lowery
Published Sept. 6, 2016
Workman Publishing Company
112 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Draw your way through the story!

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! is a rip-roaring adventure tale starring Carl, the friendly narrator who happens to be a duck, and the reader, who is drawn right into the story—literally. Together, they embark on the very important mission of finding out who has been stealing all of the pizza in town. Could it be the Dread Pirate Slobberts, the meanest, nastiest pirate ever to sail the Seven Seas? And, more important, how are they going to get all that pizza back?

Armed with a well-sharpened pencil and their imaginations, and following Carl’s prompts, readers fill in the blanks on each page until the story is complete. The result is a sturdy, one-of-a-kind book—starring you!—that’s as much a joy to read over and over again as it was to make.

My Thoughts

I wrote about the first book in the "Doodle Adventures" series this summer. Mike Lowery has created a fun way for kids to interact with the story. These book are perfect for kids who need to find a different way to interact with the text and kids who just love to sketch and draw. How fun to be allowed and even encouraged to draw in a book! The use of muted yellows and oranges allows for the child's illustrations to be seen and to feel like they were meant to be in the book. 
With the holidays coming up, I would highly recommend this series for book fans and budding artists ages.

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Middle Grade Mafia

Geek Dad

Mike Lowery has illustrated dozens of books including Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guides. Visit hie website here. 

Visit the publisher's website for more info about this series. 

Painting Pepette by Linda Ravin Lodding

Painting Pepette 
by Linda Ravin Lodding
Illustrated by Claire Fletcher
Published June 2016
Little Bee Books
Fiction-Picture book
40 pages
F&G copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Join one little girl named Josette as she searches 1920s Paris to find the best artist to paint a portrait of her stuffed-animal rabbit, Pepette.

After seeing all the fine portraits of her family in her house in Paris, Josette decides that her stuffed-animal rabbit Pepette needs a portrait of her own. The two of them set off for Montmartre, the art center of 1920s Paris, to seek out an artist to paint Pepette’s portrait. They encounter Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse, who all try their hand at capturing the rabbit.

Picasso gives Pepette two noses and three ears—which doesn’t sit well with Josette. Dalí gives Pepette very droopy eyes—so Josette says "no thank you" and moves on. Chagall paints Pepette flying through the clouds. Josette points out that Pepette doesn’t fly and is afraid of heights—so they decide to keep going through the square. When they meet Matisse, he paints Pepette pink, with lots of colorful dots and splashes covering the canvas. It’s a beautiful piece of art, but it’s not Pepette.

Giving up, Josette and Pepette make their way home. Josette is upset that no one was able to no one was able to capture the true essence of Pepette. Who could capture her soft gray ears, her heart-shaped nose, and all her wonderfulness? And then it comes to her—she, Josette, is the perfect person to do this.

My Thoughts

This story of Josette trying to get just the right portrait of her beloved stuffed bunny Pepette is very endearing. She considers him part of the family, deserving of his own family portrait. I know many children who have a special stuffed animal or toy that can relate to her feelings. 

I thought the concept of different famous artists trying to create a portrait in their signature styles was very clever. Imagine walking around Paris and having Matisse paint a picture for you! It would help young readers if an adult could show them the work of these artists so they can see the connections. A brief authors note at the back discusses the artists and the Parisian quarter of Montmartre.

The illustrations by Claire Fletcher are wonderful. Water colors and looser lines create light scenes that make one feel like they are walking in Paris in the springtime. 

After reading Painting Pepette, I can imagine children wanting to create paintings of their own special objects. It would be fun to experiment with different styles and displaying the artwork in a "gallery". 
I would recommend Painting Pepette for grades k-4.

Image from Amazon-https://www.amazon.com/Painting-Pepette-Linda-Ravin-Lodding/dp/149980136X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469364116&sr=1-1&keywords=painting+pepette

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Shelf Awareness

Publishers Weekly

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs by Mike Lowery

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs 
by Mike Lowery
Published May, 2016
Workman Publishing Company
112 Pages
Advanced copy provided by publisher


Goodreads Summary Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs! is a lighthearted fantasy where the reader first draws him- or herself into the story, and then continues by following prompts and adding more illustrations and doodles. Set in space, the book invites the reader to join Carl, a duck and member of a super-secret international group of explorers, on a journey in search of a very important grail-like object. The book is sturdy paper over board with beautiful cream paper—perfect for defacing! And by the end, the reader will have co-written a tale to return to again and again, and show off to family and friends.


My Thoughts Fun, fun, FUN! Kids are going to love this book!  The reader is the hero and he or she adds artwork to make a one-of-a-kind adventure. This would be a great book to draw in resistant readers (pun intended) because of its graphic novel/comic format and fairly sparse text. The plotline is silly enough that young ones will find it hilarious. AND they get to write in it! 

                                                                                                                                                                                          Pages 20-21 from advanced reader's copy. 
I would recommend Doodle Adventures: The Search for Slimy Space Slugs for readers ages 5-9 and for anyone who would enjoy creating a story. 

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Middle Grade Mafia 
Unleashing Readers
Kidliterarti

Mina's White Canvas by Hyeon-Ju Lee

Mina's White Canvas 
by Hyeon-Ju Lee
Published 2015
Peter Pauper Press
38 Pages
Fiction-Picture Book
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

When young artist Mina looks up at the cold winter sky, she is struck with an idea. And as she draws with her crayon, something magical begins. Her canvas expands to the snowy world beyond -- a world in which Mina uses her creativity to help others, forge new friendships, and make memories to warm the heart for seasons to come.

My Thoughts

This gorgeous book reminds me of Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson which I LOVE! It is a sweet story of how Mina uses her crayon (which can draw in many colors) to escape the boredom of a gray, gloomy winter day. It takes her on an adventure through the snowy forest where she meets several different woodland creatures, each with a problem which she helps solve using her artistic ability and her special crayon. 

The illustrations are beautiful, soft and often appear to be colored in crayon. With lots of white space for snow, the colorful scenery, animals and Mina pop from the page. I can see little ones wanting to look at this one very closely.

I would highly recommend Mina's White Canvas for any K-2 classroom or school library. 

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Publishers Weekly

The Parenting Patch

Puddle Jumping

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-A Review of The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist

My Friend Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a weekly link up to share Nonfiction Picture Books. Please visit her amazing website.

The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist
by Margarita Engle
Illustrated by Aliona Bereghici
Published April 28, 2015
Two Lions Publishing
Picture Book Biography
Poetry
Review copy provided by Blue Slip Media



Goodreads Summary

Louis loves to watch birds. He takes care of injured birds and studies how they look and how they move. His father wants him to become an engineer, but Louis dreams of being a bird artist. To achieve this dream, he must practice, practice, practice. He learns from the art of John James Audubon. But as Louis grows up, he begins to draw and paint living, flying birds in their natural habitats.

Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874–1927) is now known as the father of modern bird art. He traveled with many scientific expeditions all over the world. His best-known works—paintings for habitat exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History in New York—are still beloved by visitors today. His art helped to encourage wildlife conservation, inspiring people to celebrate and protect the world of wings.

Poems by Newbery Honor–winning author Margarita Engle and illustrations by Aliona Bereghici capture the life of Louis Fuertes and the deep sense of wonder that he felt when he painted the sky.

My Thoughts

This book is simply gorgeous! Aliona Bereghici's water color and ink illustrations accompany Margarita Engle's poetic verse in the most beautiful way. Told in first person point of view, the verses chronicle Louis Fuertes' life as a bird-lover and artist. As a small boy he took care of animals in a makeshift "hospital" under the porch. He traveled the world studying and painting until he became one of the most important nature artists of our time. Each verse has its own feeling and voice. My favorites are the descriptive verses about the places he visited as an artist, Alaska, the Caribbean, and South America, depicting gorgeous native birds, scenery. 

I love how this book shows Fuertes' passion and dedication even as a young child. He practices and practices his drawing and painting to develop his craft. This is a valuable lesson for children who, often think that important and influential people are simply born that way. 

Children will love The Sky Painter for its illustrations, its poetry and for Fuertes' story. I would highly recommend it for grades 1-5. 

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See what others have to say about The Sky Painter by following the blog tour. 

Mon, Apr 20     Library Fanatic

Tues, Apr 21     Kid Lit Frenzy

Wed, Apr 22    Unleashing Readers

Thurs, Apr 23   5 Minutes for Books

Fri, Apr 24     Teach Mentor Texts

Sat, Apr 25     Booking Mama

Mon, Apr 27    Sharpread

Tues, Apr 28   The Children's Book Review

Wed, Apr 29   Cracking the Cover

Thurs, Apr 30   A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust

Fri, May 1     Archimedes Notebook