The Purple Ribbon

The Purple Ribbon

Sharelle Byars Moranville

illustrated by Anna Alter

I found this one at the thrift store and it turned out to be a sweet story.  (Sometimes with thrift store books the cover and synopsis look promising but when you get them home and read them they're real duds!).  Madeleine was the first to read it and said it was a keeper!  The story follows a mouse named "Spring" and how she ends up living in an old car with her mouse babies.  The purple ribbon is a beloved heirloom that ties Spring to her family and new little children.  This is a good chapter book for those looking for "gentle" stories for young readers.

It was a Dark and Stormy Night

It was a Dark and Stormy Night

Janet and Allan Ahlberg 1994

Taking it's cue from Edward Bulwer-Lytton, this book is all about story telling, the sillier, the better.  When a young boy is kidnapped by a band of brigands, he's instructed by the Chief Brigand to entertain them with a story.  But no one can agree on how it should go, or how scary it should be, and whether there should be bears or not.  A bit long for a picture book, but lots of fun to read!

George Shrinks

We had fun this summer sending a copy of this book to friends along with some "mini" versions of goldfish, pretzels, and nilla wafers.  Sometimes small can be so much fun!  This was one of our first William Joyce books and it's easy to see why we fell for him.  The illustrations have an appealing retro vibe and the story is creative, following George as he inexplicably shrinks.  He still has to do all the chores his parents left for him and we get to see how he cleverly manages it in his new diminutive size.

George Shrinks

William Joyce

A Note of Explanation

A Note of Explanation

Vita Sackville-West

illustrations by Kate Baylay

2018

This book is an absolute gem!  Apparently Queen Mary (1867-1953) had a miniature dollhouse complete with a library filled with actual printed books.  This lost story by Vita Sackville-West (also a friend of Virginia Woolf) tells of a spirited fairy who inhabits the dollhouse and causes all sorts of intrigue.  The illustrations are divine and are very reminiscent of the great Kay Nielson.  It's wonderful that such a story was discovered and re-printed.   And the real-life story of the dollhouse and all that it contains is incredible! 

Definitely read about Queen Mary's dollhouse here!

Cinnamon

Cinnamon

Neil Gaiman

pictures by Divya Srimivasan

2017

I'm definitely a fan of Neil Gaiman, though I don't love all his books.  (Coraline and Neverwhere are favorites). This book is a great pairing with the illustrator Divya Srimivasan.  I thought this might be based on the Indian Folktale:  The Brahmin Girl that Married a Tiger but it certainly is not!  I think this is what Gaiman does so well- takes common elements of folk and fairy tales, but twists and weaves them into his own original story.  He doesn't simply retell a story, instead, he leaves you with a feeling of something old and familiar but also mysterious and slightly dark and dangerous.   

In this tale, a young Indian princess is blind and does not talk.  Her parents offer "a room in the palace, a field of stunted mango trees, a portrait of the Rani's aunt executed on hardwood in enamels, and a green parrot, to any person who could get Cinnamon to talk".   They are certainly surprised when a fierce tiger shows up for the task!  And he teaches Cinnamon in an unexpected way.  The ending does not wrap up as most princess tales do, but is satisfying none the less.

Anna's Summer Song

Summer is well underway.  The days have been hot and humid and the cicadas are in full chorus.  Lena Anderson's pictures, each featuring a flower or plant are full of Summer feelings.  The poems by Mary Steele are fine, (some better than others) describing such summer things as honeysuckle scent at night, ferns in the rain, and cornflowers by the road.  Some books are just easily appealing, like long summer days...

Anna's Summer Song

Mary Q. Steele

pictures by Lena Anderson 1988

The Provensen Book of Fairy Tales

The Provensen Book of Fairy Tales

compiled and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen

1971

The Provensen's have illustrated some fine books.  This collection of fairy tales has many full page illustrations showcasing their work.   In the introduction they explain that the stories are literary versions of the fairytales.  All the classics are here.

How beautiful is this contents page?!

If you are a fan of the Provensens, this is a must have!