More picture books

 
       Bemelmans, L. (1939). Madeline. New York, NY: Puffin Books
In the city of Paris, live 12 little girls.  They do everything together in a very orderly fashion. That is, except for Madeline.  She’s unique, brave, and knows how to push Ms. Clavel’s buttons.  But when appendicitis strikes, she is whisked away to the hospital, and the remaining girls feel her absence deeply.
                This is a very cute and funny book that can really pluck those heartstrings.  Bemelmans artwork can be simple, yet conveys mood and emotions of the characters quite well.  Most pages have a 3 color scheme, but then some have abundant color and detail.  It’s a very interesting dichotomy. I recommend this and the other Madeline books as well for any young reader.

 
  Scieszka, J. (1992) The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales. New York, NY: Viking Penguin Books
There are many nice tales of princes and princesses, tales of fantasy and wonder.  Those can be collectively called “fairy tales.”  These are not those.  These are “fairly stupid tales.”  At least that’s how Jack the narrator describes them.   Follow jack as he tries to tell the stories that have been put in his charge.  Tales like “Cinderumpelstiltskin”, “The really ugly duckling”, and “little red running shorts.”  All the while having to trick giants, deal with very loud chickens, and dodge the table of contents. 
                Jon Scieszka’s retelling of these classic tales is anything but stupid.  The whole book is witty, imaginative, and incredibly funny.  Lane bryants artwork fits the story to a Tee.  It’s not pretty, but in a purposeful way, and it reflects the characters perfectly.  This book was one of my absolute favorites as a kid, and it still is.  I’d recommend this book for older elementary students for a couple of reasons. First they have to be past the stage where “stupid” is a bad word and only said in hushed tones.  Second, to really enjoy the humor of this book, its best to have some experience reading the original stories they are parodies of.  A very young child might not really understand it.  As long you meet those 2 requirements though, The Stinky Cheese Man is one of the most enjoyable books out there.

 
McDermott, G. (1972). Anansi The Spider. New York, NY. Landmark Production
                Anansi the spider is a prominent figure in the tales of the Ashanti people of Ghana.  In this story about Anansi, he wanders off and gets lost.  While lost, he is eaten by Fish.  His six sons then band together to rescue him, each using their own particular talents
                McDermott tells the story that keeps well in the traditions of the Ashanti.  The wording of the story flows in a way that you can imagine the Ashanti would tell it.  The pictures in the book are vibrant and colorful.  There isn’t a white page in the book.  Even the endpapers are filled with the colorful designs of that region.  Anansi The Spider is a great book for early readers as the artwork tells just as much of the story as does the wording.

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