The Buck Stops Here

The Buck Stops Here

Alice Provensen 2013

Alice Provensen's biographical collection of U.S. presidents.  Oversized and tucked with tidbits of information, it's a handy companion when learning United States history.

The Little Blue Cottage

The Little Blue Cottage

Kelly Jordan

illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle 2020

 How I would love to have a summer cottage on the water!  Especially one as sweet as the one pictured by Jessica Courtney-Tickle.  This story is about a little girl who visits her family's cottage every summer, closing it up and leaving it when autumn comes.  Summer after summer she grows up looking out over the water, swimming, fishing, and spending time with her parents.  Soon the cottage is left to itself and falls into disrepair.  But guess who comes back to it, all grown up and with her own family now?

I LOVE this window seat!

The Wizard of Oz illustrated by Charles Santore

 There are probably hundreds of versions of the classic The Wizard of Oz (and we have several).  The introduction of this book explains how the artist Charles Santore was from Philadelphia, studying at what is now The University of the Arts. You can see the influence of Pyle and Wyeth in his illustrations and they have a feel of that Golden Age about them.  "Charles Santore has interpreted the story as grand opera.   And no other artist has so beautifully blended Baum's naturalism with the fantasy..." (Michael Patrick Hearn).

The Wizard of Oz 

L. Frank Baum

illustrated by Charles Santore 1991

In the original story Dorothy's shoes are silver.

This picture has such a Wyeth "Christina's World" feel to it!

Tom's Midnight Garden Graphic Edition

 We are in the midst of a big home project which is requiring me to empty one of the bookcases in the girls' room.  It's impossible not to get distracted pulling all those wonderful books off the shelves.  I keep rediscovering treasures like this graphic version of one of my favorites. 

Tom's Midnight Garden is certainly a special book.  I'm not surprised that the illustrator Edith has re-read it many times through their life!  I prefer the original novel, but this is definitely a fun version, especially if you enjoy graphic novels (which have been growing on me).

Tom's Midnight Garden

A Graphic Adaptation

Philippa Pearce

illustrated by Edith 2018

  

If You Want to See a Whale

 A story celebrating imagination.  With sweet, simple drawings by Erin E. Stead to match the sweet, simple words.  I feel like this book represents the early 2000's trend in children's picture books to make stories that are sparse, a little bit vague, abstract, with simple text that belies a deeper sentiment.  When they're done well, like this one, they're quite nice!

If You Want to See a Whale

Julie Fogliano

illustrated by Erin E. Stead 2013