Chrysanthemum Review

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(More customer reviews)If you were to single out the one picture book author that most successfully puts their finger on the pulse of children's hopes and fears, the award for Greatest Long-Distance Therapist would go to none other than Kevin Henkes. I am a huge fan of "Lily's Purple Plastic Purse" and I found a great deal of enjoyment in "Owen" (though I feel it's not his strongest work). Even "Wemberly Worried" covers a lot of ground by directly confronting the fears of worrywarts everywhere. With "Chrysanthemum", Henkes discusses originality and how being different (even if you're different in name alone) can single you out in both good and bad ways. As a Henkes fan, I consider this book to be amongst his strongest.

Chrysanthemum feels that her name is absolutely perfect. She likes how it looks and she likes how it sounds and she likes that it is her name alone. Everything's going great until Chrysanthemum starts school. Suddenly everyone's making fun of her name. She has a class full of Sams and Eves and Victorias. There doesn't seem to be a place for a girl with as wildly original a name as Chrysanthemum. One student in particular, Victoria, makes it her goal to continually ridicule poor little Chrysanthemum day in and day out. Talking about it with her parents helps a little, but the next day the same thing occurs. It seems that Chrysanthemum is doomed to be unhappy until she meets the music teacher Mrs. Twinkle. Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle. And suddenly everything in Chrysanthemum's life is a whole lot better.

I liked the moral of this lesson and the way in which Chrysanthemum learns that it's okay to be original. I also liked the epilogue in this tale wherein the leader of Chrysanthemum's tormentors abruptly forgets her lines in the school play and our little heroine is vindicated. Call me shallow, but I always enjoy it when the villains in a piece "get their's". This is probably indicative of a singular shallowness on my part. Just the same, the fact that the similarly tormented Molly of the children?s book, "Molly's Pilgrim" never receives any vindication has always bothered me. So kudos to Kevin Henkes for punishing the bad guys mildly! Hear hear!

There are other less personally petty things I like about this book too. I always love a good Henkesian drawing. I love that the parents in these tales are always caring, available, and attentive to their children's needs. In this book I was especially amused by Chrysanthemum's father running to child psychology texts (like "The Inner Mouse Vol. 1: Childhood Anxiety" and "A Rose By Any Other Name...Understanding Identity") to help his daughter. I loved the extraordinarily cool Mrs. Twinkle with her hugely pregnant stomach, ballet shoes, and tail that twists into a musical staff. I loved it all.

If you have a child being teased by fellow classmates for being a little off, this may not be THE best book to offer, but it's pretty darn good. Give it a shot and see what you think. If you love Henkes, you won't be disappointed.

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Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten Review

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(More customer reviews)Adventure Annie was just starting to" rise and shine" when her Mommy popped in her bedroom door to make sure she got up and prepared for her first day of kindergarten. She was full of questions as her Mommy put some Critter Fruit Snacks and some Circus Treat cookies in plastic bags to take to school. She wanted to know if she was going to have a "wild animal zoo adventure" or a "high-flying circus adventure." Mommy didn't think it was very likely, but she was sure that kindergarten would be an adventure itself.
Annie was all prepared for any adventure that came her way and to make sure she put everything from her zookeeper hat to her walkie-talkies in her backpack. When she arrived in Mr. Todd's kindergarten class she was surprised he didn't know who she was because as soon as she arrived she shouted, "Adventure Annie is here!" AND she had the letter A printed right on the front of her shirt. He wanted her to hang up her cape, but that was simply not going to happen. Mr. Todd explained the "Gold Star Rules" and told everyone that each day there was going to be a "Gold Star Deputy." Adventure Annie was determined to win the star, but did she have just a bit too much "adventure" in her to win the award?
Everyone is just going to fall in love with this darling, exuberant little kindergartner, Adventure Annie. This little hustling, bustling little girl will quickly bring to mind another little charmer named Ramona Quimby. She has a zest for life that will make the reader smile at her enthusiastic antics. She has no idea that she's not supposed to rush outside and play on the jungle gym while everyone else is nicely on task. If you liked Ramona, you are sure to quickly fall in love with little Annie Grace, better known as Adventure Annie!

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Take a Kiss to School Review

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(More customer reviews)Digby is a little otter who is starting kindergarten. Well, in fact, he's already started it. He had a great first day of school, actually, but he's nervous about the second day. He's worried he's forgotten everything that he needs to do, and he just wants to stay home with his mom. Of course, that isn't going to work, but his mom has an idea. He can take a kiss to school -- well, a dozen kisses, in fact. She blows a dozen of him and slips them into his pocket. She tells him that if he's ever worried, "take a kiss from your pocket and imagine I am with you." Sure enough, there are times that Digby feels nervous and worried that day. But when he reaches from one of those kisses, it reassures him, and he realizes that he knows what to do.
The illustrations are charming and playful. There's some fun things to look at, particularly during the scene when the various animal characters are all having their lunch. And the ending of the book is delightful.

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A Small Surprise Review

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(More customer reviews)The little bunny looked like a little hobo with his bindlestiff over his shoulder. He was looking at a circus poster with a crudely made sign advertising for jobs. "Jobs available apply within. Small animals need not apply." Gee, he was very small, but he was also very much in need of a job. There were all kinds of BIG animals surrounding him. There was the snake who was so long he looked like he could twist himself in knots, there was a big goofy gorilla with a hat on, a rhinoceros, a lion, a bear on stilts and a wide-eyed giraffe who was really big and tall (and kind of daffy looking). Yep, he was pretty darn small.
He opened up his bindlestiff and pulled out an umbrella, some shoes and a little red ball to put on the end of his nose. "I am too small to wipe my own nose. I am too small to tie my own shoes." The goofy gorilla took a little sympathy on him and tied them for him. He walked across a tightrope, but soon grew tired. Little people and bunnies are like that. He had to have help with his food, but made a BIG mess. One thing he could do was disappear. Where do you think the little bunny who was too little to do much of anything go off to?
This is a comical book for those who, according to the author, "are too small to wipe their nose or tie their shoes or walk far without a rest . . . but not too small to make a BIG impression on others." The book was adorable and it was very amusing to see that the other grownup animals didn't quite know what to do with such a little one. The watercolors are bold and add a lot to this little story. I especially enjoyed the little scenes where the bunny is trying, without much success, to tie his shoes, only to end up on his back. If you have a little one who could use a lot of help, perhaps you are looking at a book that he or she could use your help by reading it to them!

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A triumphant and endearing tale to tickle the smallest listeners.A very small bunny wants to join the circus and is not put off by a sign reading "Small Animals Need Not Apply." Though he is too small to wipe his nose or tie his shoes or walk far without a rest, he is not too small to make a BIG impression on the lion, the orangutan, and the other big animals of this circus troupe. This buoyant little tale is at turns funny, endearing, clever—and just right for the smallest child in any family. The brief text and expressive illustrations are great fun to share with a preschooler.

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