Cinderella
by Barbara McClintock
Published 2005 by Scholastic Press

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 0439561450

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Jacket Notes:

McClintock's warm, humorous, and lucious artwork that reflects the French roots of this classic fairy tale is coupled with her disarming text. Full color.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 10/31/2005

McClintock (Goldilocks and the Three Bears ) salutes the visual styles of Caldecott and Greenaway in her delectable picture books. This Cinderella, based on Perrault's version, takes place in a sumptuous, Versailles-inspired palace where the heroine sleeps "on a thin mattress in the dingy attic" above her stepsisters' brocaded shell-pink boudoir. After the stepsisters depart for the royal ball, Cinderella's fairy godmother appears, draped in seafoam-green ruffles and lighting the dusk-blue evening with a radiant glass orb on a slender stick. Two nights in a row, the godmother conjures a rococo golden carriage, and Cinderella gets not one but two outfits, first a ballooning pink gown with a floral headdress, and then a champagne-gold and lavender number that will floor young fashionistas. McClintock's pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations emulate old-fashioned wood engravings, and the traditional story seems suffused with magic. Yet she adds contemporary touches too, in her balance of fast-moving comics sequences and closely observed moments. Cinderella and the smitten prince "danced all night, chatting with the ease of old, close friends," and at the end, the former chambermaid introduces each of her stepsisters to "a suitable nobleman... They were all terribly sorry about how they had treated her, and everyone lived happily ever after, forever and a day." A splendid (and kind-spirited) retelling of a well-known tale. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

10/01/2005 REVIEW: School Library Journal

K-Gr 4 -McClintock's faithful adaptation combines readable text and enchanting pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations filled with minute details of architecture and dress from the era of Louis XIV. The artist's aesthetic sense is evident in the layout of text and illustrations, for she has carefully placed pages of vignettes-some of them quite humorous-as "breathers" between the larger, more detailed spreads. The smoothly flowing story, lightened by snippets of conversation, has been divided so that each page has more white space and artwork than print. This fresh, appealing version of the perennial favorite belongs in every collection.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

The Gift of Nothing
by Patrick McDonnell
Published 2005 by Little Brown and Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 031611488X

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Jacket Notes:

What can Mooch the cat give Earl the dog when Earl has everything? The answer, of course, is nothing. This simple picture book story features characters from McDonnell's popular comic strip, "Mutts." Illustrations.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 11/21/2005

The stars of the Mutts comic strip, Mooch the cat and his canine friend, Earl, break out of the Sunday funnies into the picture book world. McDonnell applies his spare style, sketching his cheeky characters with only a few deliberate lines. Each has a distinctive feature - Mooch's red ellipse-shaped nose, Earl's Princess Leia ears - that makes them instantly endearing. With plain backgrounds, a limited palette and a small square trim size, the book looks like a blown-up cartoon strip (even the pages have a newspaper-like grittiness). But the story has more depth than the minimalist visuals would suggest. Here, Mooch searches for the perfect gift for Earl. "What do you get someone who has everything?" he wonders. (Earl is the proud owner of a bowl, bed and chewy toy.) Mooch mulls it over (red and black dots and bubbles indicate his deep thinking) and comes up with "Nothing ! He would give Earl the gift of nothing." But where to find nothing? Mooch tries shopping (because "Millie came home from the store and said, 'There was nothing to buy!' "). But alas, "nothing was not for sale." How he solves the problem is pure delight, reminding young readers that the greatest gift is friendship, not things. Both Mutts fans and newcomers will appreciate McDonnell's clever wordplay and lovable characters, who prove that nothing can be everything. All ages. (Oct.)

01/01/2006 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 1-4 -This story features characters from McDonnell's comic strip -Mutts.- Mooch (a cat) wants to give Earl (a dog) a gift, but he already has a bowl, a bed, and even a chewy toy. In fact, -he [has] it ALL.- In a flash of inspiration, Mooch decides to give him nothing, and sets out to find it. Though the kids say there is -nothing to do,- they always seem to be doing something. And even though Millie says -there [is] nothing to buy,- Mooch finds plenty in the stores. In the end, he wraps a big box with nothing in it and presents it to his friend. -There's nothing here,- says Earl. -Nothing-but me and you,- Mooch replies. And that's the point. The text is minimal and the small cartoon drawings are executed in black and white with touches of red and surrounded by plenty of white space. As Mooch ponders over his dilemma, he is engulfed by question marks. The picture of the two friends sitting wrapped paw-in-paw as they enjoy -nothing and everything- is charming. A fine vehicle for a one-on-one discussion of the meaning of friendship and gift-giving.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
by Mo Willems
Published 2006 by Hyperion Books for Children

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 0786837462

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Jacket Notes:

Everyone's favorite Pigeon is back for this interactive bedtime romp, in which he tries to escape his inevitable bedtime. Illustrations.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 02/20/2006

Double agent that he is, Willems reveals proven bedtime-delaying strategies to children and child-wranglers alike. As in hisDon't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! , a fatherly figure cheerfully delivers the title instructions and tiptoes offstage, leaving readers to ponder their baby-sitting assignment. The tantrum-prone Pigeon then marches into the otherwise empty frame, announcing, "First of all, I'm not even tired!" He's in the mood for an all-you-can-eat "hot dog party"-referencingThe Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! -and, in another droll product placement, enlists a greenish Knuffle Bunny doll as a tool for persuasion ("My bunny wants to stay up, too!"). From the get-go, the feathered hero is punchy, with heavy gray eyelids, but soon charcoaly half-circles appear under his eyes, and he is overcome by a gargantuan yawning fit that fills an entire spread ("OK, that wasnot a yawn! I was stretching"). Willems uses voice bubbles and emphatic lettering to suggest the Pigeon's tone of voice, and his solid-color backgrounds progressively dim from soft pink to lavender to a relaxing gray-blue and warm violet, enhancing the growing sense of drowsiness. At last, the hyperactive Pigeon succumbs to slumber, but sleep-resistant and savvy readers will likely plead to read this again. Ages 2-6.(Apr.)

04/01/2006 REVIEW: School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2 -The star ofDon't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (Hyperion, 2003) returns in another irresistible tale. Hurrying away to brush his teeth, the pajama-clad bus driver implores readers not to let his feathered friend stay up late. Youngsters are thrust into the role of caregiver as the puerile pigeon attempts to talk his way out of the inevitable, coming up with requests that range from manipulative (-I hear there's a good show about birds on TV tonight. Should be very educational-) to cajoling (-Y'know, we never get to talk anymore. Tell me about your day--) to classic (-Can I have a glass of water--). Meanwhile, the fowl fights yawns and tries to keep his wide eye open, despite a drooping lid. Defying drowsiness to the last, he finally falls asleep, clutching his stuffed bunny tightly under his wing. Set against comfortably faded pastel backgrounds, the cartoon artwork focuses tightly on the main character, with his comments presented in dialogue balloons. The black-crayon lines speak volumes, as the pigeon's body language and the positioning of his ever-expressive eye humorously convey each nuance of the text. Children will be charmed by this bedtime treat, which will have them laughing out loud at the pigeon-and at themselves.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

If the Shoe Fits
by Gary Soto
Published 2002 by G. P. Putnam's Sons

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 0399234209

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Jacket Notes:

Rigo doesn't like being the youngest brother since he has to wear his older brothers hand-me-downs. But his luck is about to change on his birthday. Illustrations.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 12/24/2001

Soto (Too Many Tamales; Baseball in April) sizes up the eponymous adage just right in this picture-book peek at a large Mexican-American family. As the youngest son in a household of growing kids, Rigo often gets stuck wearing frayed and ill-fitting hand-me-downs. So he's especially thrilled to receive a pair of brand-new penny loafers for his ninth birthday. But when a neighborhood tough makes fun of Rigo's fancy footwear, Rigo hides the loafers away. However, when Rigo needs to wear the shoes a few months later, they no longer fit him. The situation presents Rigo with an opportunity to see hand-me-downs with new eyes when he thoughtfully presents the almost-new loafers to his uncle, who can make good use of them. A realistic, consistently sensitive undercurrent of emotion runs throughout this swift-moving tale, so that it delivers its message with seeming spontaneity. Careful details help develop Rigo as a strong, intriguing character. Widener's (The Babe and I) highly stylized paintings combine creamy color tones and dynamic shapes. The buoyancy of the art, like the intimacy of the prose, enhances the story's liveliness. Ages 5-up. (Feb.)

01/01/2002 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Rigo lives in a crowded house with his four siblings, his parents, and his uncle. Accustomed to hand-me-downs, he is thrilled when he gets new shoes for his ninth birthday. He loves them until a neighborhood kid makes fun of them and takes the nickels from the slots in the loafers. The shoes are stashed away until Rigo needs them for a party but finds they no longer fit. Fortunately, he realizes that his uncle could use them for his new job as a waiter. This is a gentle and honest story about a close-knit Mexican-American family. The uncluttered illustrations use bold colors and clean lines, which make the images simple and strong. It is a supplemental addition with a positive message about sharing.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA