Women of Camelot

Women of Camelot

Mary Hoffman

illustratted by Christinia Balit 2000

Engrossing tales told by the women associated with the legends of Camelot and King Arthur.  Makes a nice companion to Le Morte d'Arthur and is an intriguing way to tell the classic legends through the eyes of the women involved.  I also really liked Balit's Klimt-like illustrations (we have her illustrated version of Egyptian mythology as well.)

Eureka!

Eureka!

Poems about Inventors

Joyce Sidman

illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez 2002

 This book is a really unique combination of poems, biographical information, and artwork about famous inventors.  Starting off with the invention of the first clay pot by primitive peoples, through the centuries to the computer age.  The poems are solid, not mere children's ditties, and are excellently crafted.  One poem titled "Do Ya Know 'Em?" gives rhyming clues to match the inventors with their inventions.  A really enjoyable read!

The Winter Noisy Book

Margaret Wise Brown did a series of "Noisy" books and we have a couple.   If you're facing some grey, dull winter days, Charles Shaw's colorful pictures will pep you up! 

The Winter Noisy Book

Margaret Wise Brown

pictures by Charles G. Shaw 1947

 We follow the little dog Muffin who is hearing all the sounds of winter.   The scrunch scrunch scrunch of fathers coming home in the rain, the click of someone turning on the light, the pop and roar of a fire in the hearth, and finally a steady whispering sound of the snow coming down.  Even though our old copy is a little beat up, Shaw's startling artwork positively explodes off the page!

(This one has to be held together with tape!)

Vintage Cars and Trucks and Machines

 This is a fun collection of vintage books (mostly Little Golden Books) about cars and trucks and other machines.  Published between 1950 and 1973,  you can see the progression of vehicles and even the jobs that have changed over the years (like the coal truck, delivering coal to heat people's homes).  I always find it neat to think that the little children reading these books back then would have recognized those jobs and trucks.  While reading them now, they become partly a history lesson and isn't that fun?! 

 

Wheels and Noises

Mary Elting

pictures by Elizabeth Dauber 1950

Machines

William Dugan 1961

 Go, Trucks!

David L. Harrison

illustrated by Bill Dugan 1973

Cars and Trucks 

Richard Scarry 1959

I find this picture humorously annoying.  Notice how the text is about a family vacation and the mom is in the trailer washing dishes while the dad is relaxing with a book!  

How about these great endpages?!