Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans Simon & Schuster, 1939 54 pages "In an old house in Paris, covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines . . ." Male or female, you recognize those words, don't you? They're the opening to each of Ludwig Bemelmans' iconic Madeline stories, a series of picture books … Continue reading Madeline
The Gingerbread Girl
The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst Dutton Children's books, 2006 32 pages Retellings of classic nursery stories are as plentiful (and sometimes as grating) as the sand on the seashore, but every now and then an author manages to turn out a clever, engaging version of a familiar tale. My favorites tend to be … Continue reading The Gingerbread Girl
Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee by Nikki Giovanni; ill. by Larry Johnson Scholastic, 1994 38 pages Just a few weeks ago, I watched Thomas Balmes's documentary Babies with my husband and daughter. The film follows four babies “from first breath to first steps,” offering a mostly unadorned view into their daily lives. The babies are from very different … Continue reading Knoxville, Tennessee
Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings
Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings by Deborah Hopkinson; ill. by Terry Widener Atheneum BFYR, 2003 40 pages I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley in the 1980s, a good decade for Southern California baseball. My grandparents were Angels fans, but the Dodgers were the team of choice for me and my … Continue reading Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings
Thank You, Sarah
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson; ill. by Matt Faulkner Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2002 40 pages If you attended primary school in the United States, you probably know something about the origins of Thanksgiving--where the holiday originated, and why. What you may not know is that, for much … Continue reading Thank You, Sarah
Precocious Princesses: The Paper Bag Princess
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch; ill. by Michael Martchenko Annick Press, 1992 32 pages In honor of my first blogiversary, I've decided to do something every blogger has to do at some point or another: write a series. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Princesses--they're everywhere. … Continue reading Precocious Princesses: The Paper Bag Princess
Dolls and Dirt: Together at last
Dahlia by Barbara McClintock Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2002 32 pages I still have my first doll, a cloth Raggedy Ann handmade for me by a neighbor. I don't remember much of what I did with her, only that she went almost everywhere with me. Later, I passed her on to my own daughter, who … Continue reading Dolls and Dirt: Together at last
