Category: Children’s Book Review

The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore | Children’s Picture Book Review

Posted December 5, 2022 by Jana in Children's Book Review / 1 Comment

The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore | Children’s Picture Book ReviewThe Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore
Published by Farrar Straus & Giroux on November 1, 2022
Genres: Holiday - Christmas
Pages: 40
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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This lovely and lyrical picture book, based on a real Icelandic tradition, brings all the sparkle and anticipation of Christmas--and of the joys of reading--to the page.

The northern lights dance,
snow blankets the ground,
it's the Christmas season--so the Book Flood begins!

People plan and they dream,
and they visit the shops
for books to give loved ones, and families, and friends.

And when Christmas Eve comes,
they'll share magical stories,
curl up by the fire, and read, read, read, read...

With gorgeous artwork and a diverse cast of characters, Emily Kilgore and Kitty Moss's The Christmas Book Flood is a surefire holiday classic.

It’s been quite some time since I reviewed a children’s picture book here on the blog, but I couldn’t pass this one up when I saw that it centers around one of my favorite Christmas traditions and has absolutely stunning illustrations! The Christmas Book Flood or, Jolabokaflod, is a WWII Icelandic tradition that I’ve always been in love with. Paper was one of the very few things that were not rationed in Iceland during the war, so people gave each other books as gifts for Christmas. It’s become a tradition that bookish people all over the world have grabbed on to themselves. The idea is to give each other books on Christmas Eve and then stay up all night reading with hot chocolate. My friend group and I celebrated this last year and drew names from a hat. Then we mailed each other books and treats. We had planned to do a Christmas Eve Zoom session and read in companionable silence, but some people were not feeling well and some were too busy with family so we ended up not doing that. But it was still so much fun to receive a couple books to read on Christmas Eve. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reading in bed by the light of my Christmas tree. So, of course, this picture book was made for me! And I LOVE it.

The book begins in Autumn, and the illustrations are sprinkled with fall leaves and pumpkins. I could feel the crisp, fall air. The anticipation of the Christmas Book Flood is palpable and the people walk along the dirt streets in their sweaters by the light of the Norther Light dancing overhead. Then the tradition is explained. The book says that “reading is magic–when you have the right book.” I couldn’t agree more! The books explains how much thought people put into selecting books for their loved ones, which I thought was so sweet. I turned the page to a cozy little village street speckled with bookshops and snowflakes, and my smile grew even larger than it was before. I could hear the crunch of the snow as the people on the pages walk past twinkling lights with their packages in tow after a long day of shopping.

How beautiful is this illustration? I’d love to visit this magical bookshop. The illustrations show a cute little girl searching for the right book, when she finally finds one just in time! Her joy is exquisite, and the page turns to reveal a magical scene from inside her imagination. Hot air balloons, a castle, and a sea monster fill the page. Then we turn the page again to reveal a family opening their gifts together and eating festive baked goods. “They pore over treasures and marvel together: new worlds and adventures, etched across pages bound between covers.” What a pretty line. I was delighted to see how this family celebrates together. They pile the floor by the Christmas tree with pillows and blankets and read together. Even their pets have books! Those who can’t read are perched on the laps of those who read to them instead.

This book is beautiful and festive oh, so cozy! The illustrations are full of color and texture, the writing is just lovely, and the love and happiness found within the pages absolutely drips right off of them. I was immersed in this cute little Icelandic town and could practically hear the voices of the townspeople deliberating over their book choices. Upon closing the book I immediately pre-ordered a copy for my personal collection as well as my mom’s. I highly recommend this book to anyone, old or young, who enjoys books and Christmas! And if you choose to celebrate Christmas this year with your own Christmas Book Flood, this would be a beautiful choice to give your loved one, maybe paired with a cute mug and some hot chocolate! Make room for The Christmas Book Flood next to Clement C. Moore’s Twas the Night Before Christmas on your yearly Christmas Eve bedtime story line-up!


The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story by Judy Sierra | Children’s Book Review

Posted September 18, 2017 by Jana in Children's Book Review / 0 Comments

The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story by Judy Sierra | Children’s Book ReviewThe Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story by Judy Sierra
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 1, 2000
Pages: 40
Format: Hardcover
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In the Spice Islands, where clove and nutmeg trees grow,
a girl named Damura lived long ago.


Damura is a beautiful girl, as kind and lovely as the little green parrot that perches on the nutmeg tree. But Damura's stepmother and stepsister mistreat her. They force her to rise before dawn, carry out all the chores, and sleep on the floor. One day, while down by the river, Damura calls out to the creatures of the wild for help. Rising from the waters, an ancient crocodile answers the call. This unusual fairy godmother, aptly named Grandmother Crocodile, outfits Damura in a sarong of gold, with slippers to match, and sends her to the palace to dance for the prince. Once he sees her, the prince knows that she will be his bride.

But the fairy tale isn't quite over. Damura's wicked stepmother and stepsister are so jealous that they push Damura into the river, where she is swallowed by a crocodile. Too bad they didn't know about Grandmother Crocodile....

The Gift of the Crocodile, a tale from the Spice Islands in Indonesia, offers a colorful and dramatic twist on the universally adored Cinderella story.

*spoilers, because I’m basically telling you the entire story because I love it so much!*

This version of Cinderella takes place in the Spice Islands in Indonesia. Cinderella’s name is Damura in this tale, the fairy godmother is actually an ancient crocodile named Grandmother Crocodile, and Damura talks to her animal friends like the little green parrot who sits on the branches of the nutmeg trees. In this tale, a widow gives Damura a doll with the stipulation that she talk her father into marrying the widow. She is successful. Her life becomes miserable, though, as she begins to realize she traded her happiness for a doll. She becomes a servant and is very badly mistreated. One day when she is washing her family’s clothes in the river she loses her sarong and calls upon the wild animals to help her. Grandmother Crocodile surfaces and agrees to get her the lost sarong if she agrees to watch her baby crocodile.

Grandmother Crocodile comes back with an even more beautiful sarong because Damura deserves that one and not the old, ragged one. She returns home with her new sarong, but her stepmother takes it away and demands to know how she got it. The stepsister decides to try and get her own and goes down to the river to summon Grandmother. She is rude and mistreats the baby crocodile while Grandmother goes to find her sarong. The crocodile returns with a sarong filled with leeches, which sends the stepsister running home in tears.

When the prince invites all the young women to dance for him, Damura is forbidden to go. But… with the help of Grandmother Crocodile, she goes clothed in a beautiful gold sarong and riding in a horse and carriage. She was to return these things to Grandmother before she went home. She danced beautifully, but then had to rush out when the rooster crowed. The prince tries to follow her, but is left only with one of her slippers. A messenger comes to try the slipper on the young ladies, and it flew right onto Damura’s foot. Even though she is shabby and poor, the prince selects her to be his bride. The next day her stepmother and stepsister, both very jealous, offer to reconcile with Damura over a boat ride on the river. They are not sincere, though, and push her overboard in to the mouth of a crocodile. They run back to the palace and shout that Damura has been eaten, in the hopes that the prince would marry the stepsister. The prince runs to the river to summon Grandmother Crocodile. He tells her what happened, and she scolds her crocodiles, insisting that the guilty party spit Damura out. Grandmother licks Damura’s face and brings her back to life. She tells all the other crocodiles to never touch Damura, the prince, or their children, but instructs them to eat the stepmother or stepsister if they ever see them. The two flee into the forest, never to be seen again. Damura and her husband lived happily ever after.

 

The Indonesian style illustrations are very pretty, and there is an author’s note about the origins of this tale at the back of the book, as well as the history of the island it takes place on. This adds credibility to the story, and makes it of high quality. I love this blend of Cinderella and a traditional Indonesian folk tale. It’s a very unique, entertaining, and culturally educational story that would make a wonderful addition to anyone’s fairytale library.


Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter by Diane Stanley | Children’s Book Review

Posted September 15, 2017 by Jana in Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 0 Comments

Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter by Diane Stanley | Children’s Book ReviewRumpelstiltskin's Daughter by Diane Stanley
Published by HarperCollins on May 28, 2002
Genres: Fairy Tale, Retelling
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
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Once upon a time a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.

According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.

Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?

In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.

How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.

Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.

We learn that Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter’s name is Hope, which is such a fitting name for her because of what she does for the kingdom. She brings them hope in the form of golden coins so that they can make their own living. When Hope is kidnapped by the king and forced to turn straw into gold in her mother’s old tower, she decides to be smart instead. She knows the kingdom is poor and struggling, so she tricks the king into hiring the townspeople to “grow” or “knit” gold for him. The fields fill up with wheat and the townspeople end up bundled up in golden clothing. These people end up loving the king so much that he discovers that is better than gold. He tears down the protective wall around the castle and builds houses for the poor. All of a sudden, the kingdom is prospering. The king is so happy that he decides to make Hope his wife. She suggests the alternative of becoming Prime Minister instead, so that she can keep an eye on everyone. A feminist fairytale, indeed.

The illustrations are very fun, and sometimes even funny. I really enjoyed read this story, and love the unique spin that was placed on it. I’ve never been much of a fan of the traditional tale of Rumpelstiltskin, but I did find this fractured version to be fresh and fun, with teachable moments and good messages. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fresh spin on an old classic.


The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale by Laurence Yep | Children’s Book Review

Posted March 16, 2017 by Jana in Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 4 Comments

The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale by Laurence Yep | Children’s Book ReviewThe Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale by Laurence Yep
Published by HarperCollins on January 9, 1999
Genres: Classic Novel, Fairy Tale, Retelling
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
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When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, only Seven, his youngest daughter, will save him—by marrying the beast.

Publishers Weekly praised "Yep's elegant, carefully crafted storytelling" and Mak's "skillfully and radiantly rendered illustrations" in this captivating and luminous Chinese variation of the beauty and the beast tale.

The Dragon Prince by Laurence Yep is the Chinese version of Beauty and the Beast, and is so rich in culture. Inside the book the author includes his source notes, explaining that this tale is a Southern Chinese version of the classic. He also thanks Truly Shay for helping him translate several tales for him. Immediately, I felt confident that this book would be of very high quality because of the proof of research.

This tale is written in a way that sounds natural when read aloud, and the text is very traditional and stylistically magical. The story includes cultural elements that seem true to the area in which it takes place, including the fact that it’s about a rice farmer and his daughters, a serpent for a beast (that becomes a dragon), the term bride prince is used, and the palace is located in an underwater garden under the ocean’s surface. The story takes an interesting spin, and Seven’s (the Beauty equivalent) sister attempts to drown her and take her place. The prince can tell, though, and searches to find his lost Seven. They live happily ever after.

Elegant silk robes, jade cups, and gold plates are illustrated. The illustrations themselves are reminiscent of Chinese style, with bright colors, Chinese architecture and clothing, and a stylized dragon. The prince speaks of the traditional Chinese custom of brides visiting their families after their wedding.

 

Oh my goodness, I love this version of Beauty and the Beast so much. The Chinese culture, colors, and design influences make it not only entertaining, but a rich, educational, vibrant tale that anyone would love. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves China, Beauty and the Beast, beautiful illustrations, and learning about other cultures!


Beauty and the Beast by Marianna Mayer | Children’s Book Review

Posted March 15, 2017 by Jana in Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 1 Comment

Beauty and the Beast by Marianna Mayer | Children’s Book ReviewBeauty and the Beast by Marianna Mayer
Published by Aladdin Paperbacks on September 1978
Genres: Classic Novel, Fairy Tale
Pages: 48
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
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Generations of children have been fascinated by the story of the girl named Beauty, who grows to love a fearsome beast by learning to see and cherish his kindness, generosity, and intelligence. In this acclaimed, best-selling version of the classic tale, first published in 1978, Marianna Mayer's evocative imagery and Mercer Mayer's exquisite paintings transport readers into a world of pure magic and mystery.

I really, really loved this beautifully illustrated version of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. I can’t believe it’s out of print because I would LOVE to own a copy for my personal library. Anyway, this book was actually the very first time I read what the traditional tale was like rather than the Disney version. I felt that it was nicely simplified into a storybook for young children, although it might be a bit too long for the tiny littles to focus on. The story starts off with the words, “There once was a…”, reflecting traditional oral storytelling style. There are repeated refrains in this story of the beast pleading Beauty to marry him, and her refusing. There are also repeated story elements of Beauty having various dreams. The words are traditional in nature, and are not like how people speak today, so even though it’s a picture book I think readers of all ages would be drawn to it for one reason or another.

What really set this book apart for me, though, were the illustrations. I can’t believe the same person who wrote and illustrated the Little Critter books also illustrated this one! Mercer Mayer is truly a chameleon. The illustrations are very detailed and ornate, and match the colorful vocabulary and magical tone of the writing. Here are a few of my favorites. It was hard to not share more!

All in all, I loved this version of the story! I found the text to be more enjoyable than the original French tale, and the illustrations made for a very enjoyable reading experience. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of Beauty and the Beast, both young and old. It’s a lovely edition that I’m sure any collector would love to own as well.