The End

 

 The End

David LaRochelle

illustrated by Richard Egielski 2007

This book has been on heavy rotation for Charlotte.  It's a clever way to tell a story- from the end to the beginning!  It starts off with "And they all lived happily ever after."

And then, "They lived happily ever after because...", and the story of a prince falling in love with a clever princess, a giant unhappy about his dessert, and a runaway tomato is told in reverse.  I love the pictures and the tag line on the flap:  "You've never had so much fun going backwards!"

The Big Green Umbrella

If ever one needed an umbrella, it was Monday.  Rain ALL day long.  Madeleine loves the rain and I love it too, but only for a day or so, then I start to miss the sun.  But Monday was a perfect rainy day- just a steady stream that dripped from our gutters and tiptoed across the roof.  Inside the house it was dark so we had to switch on lamps and since our furniture is old (and mostly flea market/trash-picked) the damp weather always bring out a slightly musty smell (which I actually don't mind so much). 

 

The Big Green Umbrella

Elizabeth Coatsworth

pictures by Helen Sewell 1944

Charlotte wasn't into this book as much as I was.  I loved the story.  The Thomas family lives in Delaware in the 1800s and are known by their big green umbrella.  It can keep their whole family dry on rainy days as they walk to church or along the River.  "But one day the umbrella seemed to grow tired of its life in Newcastle," and it decided to fly away on the wind.

Goodness knows what thoughts the umbrella had been thinking during all the long hours behind the door!  But when the moment came, the umbrella acted!

It ends up aboard a clipper ship bound for China.  And then it passes into the hands of Peach Blossom, a Chinese merchant's daughter.  The story ends with the umbrella eventually being returned to the surprised Thomas family.

Little Lit

Little Lit

edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly 2000

Here's an interesting collection of fairy tales that's been illustrated by different artists in comic form.  Madeleine is a big fan of comics/graphic novels so she was the first to really appreciate this.  William Joyce is in here and I was surprised (but pleased) to see Barbara McClintock as well.  I'm not a fan of all the art styles, but I really appreciate the many visual variations and the stories are good.  Charlotte's been asking to read this one a lot lately.  Her favorite stories are "Sleeping Beauty", "The Hungry Horse" and "The Fisherman and the Sea Princess".

Little Gorilla

I swear I don't know where the time goes!  Days turn into weeks, there's one activity after another, and the next thing I know another month has gone by.  We just celebrated Charlotte's birthday and though I have a house still filled with dirty dishes, leftover cake and meandering balloons, I feel like maybe now I can catch a breath.

The night before Charlotte's party we read this book about an adorable little gorilla.  All the animals love him, even after he grows into a very big gorilla.

 

Little Gorilla

Ruth Bornstein 1986

 

(Look at that!  Little Gorilla was turning 5, just like Charlotte!)

What Charlotte found in the backyard

How perfect after reading our book Gem, Charlotte found a toad in our very own backyard today.  She thought it might be a girl and named it "Elizabeth".  She also wondered if it was the same toad we found last year.  Toad's can live a long time so maybe, who knows?

Gem

Gem

Holly Hobbie 2012

Our friends Soren and Silas were over this week and we "read" this book together.  The charming wordless pictures show the story of a little toad and his adventures.  Soren and Charlotte got quite a giggle out of it. 

Last summer we had our own toad explorer in the backyard.  We held him and passed him around, admiring his bumps and big eyes, then we set him free.  I hope he comes back for another visit this year.

The Hidden Bestiary

The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious, and (maybe even) Magical Creatures

Judy Young

illustrated by Laura Francesca Filippucci 2009

In keeping with a hidden animal theme, here's another square book (making scanning for this blog tricky) that has great illustrations.  A 19th century explorer has discovered a broken case and something missing at the "Finchhaven Museum of Extraordinary Curiosities, Oddities and Improbabilities".  It's up to you to help find the hidden clues in the pictures from his travels around the world.  As he tracks down the animals on his list you must determine "Is it alive?  Is it extinct?  Did it ever exist?"

I love that this museum picture looks like The Wagner Institute!