Reading level: Ages 3 and up

Add this book to your collection: The Babies on the Bus

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Video courtesy of MacmillanChildrens: “Watch this book trailer video and see The Babies on the Bus sing la la la! The Babies on the Bus is a picture book for children by best-selling author and illustrator Karen Katz. Follow along as this adorable children’s picture book comes alive in this video!”

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Add this book to your collection: The Happy Elf Book and CD

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Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Video courtesy of HarperKids: “Based on his beloved holiday song “The Happy Elf,” Grammy Award-winner Harry Connick, Jr. presents The Happy Elf picture book, a new holiday classic for the entire family, with vibrant illustrations from Dan Andreasen and including a CD of the song “The Happy Elf.”"

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Add this book to your collection: One Love

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©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: October 5, 2011

Cedella Marley, copyright © Peter Dean Rickards

Cedella Marley’s life has always been rooted in music and culture. As the oldest child of Bob Marley, she has dedicated herself to keeping her father’s message and memory alive. She is a musician as well, performing internationally with the three-time Grammy Award–winning Melody Makers, which consist of her brothers Ziggy and Steve and her sister Sharon. She lives in Miami, Florida, with her husband and three sons.

TCBR: What can you tell us about your latest book, One Love?

Cedella Marley: One Love is my adaptation of one of my father’s favorite songs. I kept the spirit of the lyrics, but made a few changes for young readers. I’m thrilled to introduce the spirit of One Love to a new generation.

What age group is it intended for?

Like most picture books the primary ages are between 4 and 8, but kids older and younger will also love the message and illustrations in One Love.

What do you think children will connect with the most?

[I'm] very proud that there is such a diversity in the characters depicted in One Love – every child will find someone who looks like them or a member of their family. And I hope they’ll also love singing along with the book.

Illustration © 2011 by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

To what extent did you collaborate with Vanessa Brantley-Newton when creating the illustrations? Do the illustrations match your vision for the book?

Vanessa and I collaborated very closely and I could not be happier with how she brought my vision of the book to life! She added so many wonderful touches, like the bedspread that has dictionary definitions of the words “happy” and “laugh,” the number 56 on the town house – which was the house number of the home we grew up in, and the appearances of my father throughout the book.

As well as One Love, you have adapted two more of your father’s songs: Boy from Nine Mile and Three Little Birds. With so many legendary songs to choose from, what was it that inspired you to bring these three songs from your father’s great legacy to a new generation?

In The Boy from Nine Mile I wanted to tell the story of my father’s childhood in a way that was accessible to young readers and share the joy and challenges growing up in Jamaica at that time. One Love and Three Little Birds are the songs of my fathers that children most respond to and love to sing, so they were the perfect choices for picture books. I thought the only thing better than hearing a child sing “One love, one heart” or “Every little thing’s gonna be alright” is seeing them reading the book version at the same time.

What are you working on now? Can you give us any hints as to whether you’ll be adapting any more of your father’s songs?

Chronicle and I are working on a new version of Three Little Birds, and my clothing company, Zion Rootswear, is designing the outfits and uniforms the Jamaican Olympic team will wear for the 2012 games. And of course, as the mother of three boys I’m always busy managing their schedules and activities.

Do you have one defining moment in your relationship with your father and his music that you could share with us?

The defining moment actually happened at my birth. I was his first born and I’m told he did not want to put me down. He wrote a song for me shortly after called Nice Time and it became my nickname. People who knew my dad call me Nice Time. The song is a priceless gift and I think every new parent can understand the lyrics,

“Long time we no have no nice time
Do you, do you, do yah, think about that!

This is my heart
To rock you steady
I’ll give you love
The Time you’re ready
This little heart in me
Just won’t let me be
I’m rockin’
Won’t you rock with me?”

If you could offer one piece of advice to parents about raising children to enjoy and appreciate reggae music, what would it be?

I’d love for parents to always fill their homes with all types of music, reggae music, rock, hip-hop, oldies – whatever makes your heart sing. Sing and dance with your children and show them that music is fun. Encourage your children to play an instrument, even if it’s just banging pots and pans together. And see live music when you can as a family. There are so many local festivals, concerts and performances, let them know that music is always available to them.

Which books from your own childhood have most influenced your life?

The Bible. It was a constant source of comfort and wonder for me, and still is.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I’m so happy to have this opportunity to share the message of One Love with you. I hope it inspires you to live the message of “One Love” and do what you can as a family to create a better world.

Illustration © 2011 by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Add this book to your collection: One Love

Check out an excerpt from One Love!

Catch Cedella Marley on her blog tour:

Chronicle Books (10/4/11)

In The Pages (10/6/11)

Booking Mama (10/8/11)

Watch. Connect. Read (10/9/11)

5 Minutes for Books (10/10/11)

Sophistishe (10/11/11)

Sweet on Books (10/12/11)

Cracking the Cover (10/13/11)

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Author Showcase

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 22, 2011

F. Isabel Campoy and  Alma Flor Ada recently published Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos, a bilingual bonanza!

F. Isabel Campoy

F. Isabel Campoy is a scholar devoted to the study of language acquisition. She is a well-known author of numerous children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, folktales, biographies, and art. She is the recipient of many notable awards, including the Reading the World Award 2004, for “Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelitas;” and the Junior Library Guild Premier Selection Award, 2006.

Alma Flor Ada

Alma Flor Ada is an internationally published children’s book author. She is the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the Pura BelprÉ Award, the Christopher Award, the JosÉ MartÍ World Award, and the Museum of Tolerance Award.

TCBR: Hispanic culture and bilingual education are both topics that are important to you. Can you share a little on your background and how you became a children’s book writer?

Alma Flor Ada: Culture prepares us to understand the world around us. All cultures evolve, and no culture is perfect, but knowing our roots gives us a sense of community and belonging. The Hispanic culture, a product of multiple heritages, is very rich and has contributed much to the world and to the US society. Latino children have much to learn about their culture. We hope that as they do they will feel enriched by it. When non-Hispanic children learn about our culture they can develop a better understanding of their Latino peers.

Being bilingual has been one of the greatest assets I have enjoyed in life. I wish the same benefit for all children.

I have a strong belief on the importance of family. When children do not acquire, or lose, the ability to speak the language their parents know best, the language they can share feelings, experiences, dreams and beliefs, the parents’ role as educators is eroded and children miss out what should be a valuable part of their heritage.

Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos is a vibrant rendition of the classic Spanish nursery rhyme, co-authored by F. Isabel Campoy and yourself. Can you tell us about your writing partnership and what connected you both to Diez perritos?

Both of us sang and enjoyed this nursery rhyme as children, Isabel in Spain, and I in Cuba. Later I sang it with my children who enjoyed singing along. At some point my son Miguel made me aware that sad things happened in many nursery rhymes.

Both Isabel and I believe that young children have a right to joy and happiness so, when we decided to adapt Ten Little Puppies for publication we made sure to find better, and not tragic reasons, for the puppies to disappear. And certainly we refused to end the book leaving the protagonist with no puppies and in stead made one of the puppies remain with her.

What age group is it intended for?

There is really no set age for children’s books. We see adults enjoying them as much as children. While, as a reverse counting book, one could imagine it geared to very young children, older children with a love for dogs can delight in Ulises Wensell’s illustrations and the non-fiction information about dog breeds in the back matter.

Illustration by Ulises Wensell

The musicality of the rhyme and the use of counting seem as though they would lend themselves to a positive learning experience for those crossing over from Spanish to English and vice versa. Would you agree?

Definitely. We already know of children who have learned to recognize numbers in both languages thanks to this rhyme.

Poetry, rhymes, and songs are powerful tools in the acquisition of a second language. This is why we have created Música amiga, a set of 10 CDs with a total of 120 songs, in the voice of Suni Paz; and the reason for our books Mamá Goose, Pío Peep, MuuMoo and Merry Navidad.

Are there any special considerations that must be made when creating a bilingual book?

One of the greatest mistakes made when producing bilingual books is to try to have both languages look as similar as possible. The truth is that a good translation is a new version in another language. Similarities frequently end up in false cognates, words that look similar in two languages but do not have quite the same meaning or are not used in the same situations.

Each language version of a bilingual book should be an excellent version in its own right that could be published as a monolingual book.

You have many published books. Which book from your own esteemed list of published titles would you consider to be the most personally rewarding?

Books can be rewarding for many different reasons.

The Gold Coin gave me the reward of the first national award I received, the Christopler award medal, but furthermore I have received, and continue to receive, extraordinary letters for children who have been moved by this book.

My Name is Maria Isabel touches on a problem of great significance for many immigrants, whether to retain or not their original name or change or Anglicize it. People of all ages continue to tell me that this book reflects their personal story, or the story of someone they know well. And according to teachers is one of the books children enjoy most discussing in class. Since it appears in several reading series many children have had access to it.

Under the Royal Palms and Where the Flame Trees Bloom are books of childhood memories and have given me the opportunity to honor my family. Having children and teachers get to know the story of my extraordinary grandparents has been most meaningful.

How much influence would you say your families have on the books that you create?

A great influence. My grandmother awoke in me the love for poetry, folktales, Greek myths and legends; my father the love for everyday stories as well as stories to explain civilization achievements. My mother provided me with as many books as she could, beginning with her own beloved copy of Heidi.

My children became the great inspiration for stories. Many of the books of the collection Stories the Year ’round were inspired by things they said or did. They have been, and continue to be, my best supporters.

And, of course, my nine grandchildren have been a motivation to continue writing, if nothing else to have enough books to dedicate to each and every one of them.

Which books from your own childhoods would you say have most influenced your life?

So many it would be hard to mention. As an only child, among many adults, Heidi was a constant companion. We share a passionate love for nature and trees, she cherished Peter’s blind grandmother, and I my blind great-grandmother. It made me feel we were soul mates. Then I read, and re-read, and memorized Little Women, convinced Jo was my alter ego. Corazon [Heart] by Edmundo D’Amicis made me cry and dream of heroic deeds, as it did for a large number of Latin Americans my age. I was inspired to not give up ever by Story of a Little Princess and was ready to discover my own Secret Garden and make it beautiful beyond what anyone could dream. Nicholas Nickle taught me compassion, while The Three Musketeers, Treasure Island, Ivanhoe, and Salgari’s series on Sandokan, Prince of Malaysia, encouraged me to live life audaciously always striving to bring about justice. At twelve, held in bed by chicken pox and with no new books available, I read an unabridged version of Don Quixote. Unaware of the mystic and the scholarly analysis around the book, I read it for the mere pleasure of it. Laughed a great deal but also cried in earnest and probably discovered, even if not totally aware then, a new alter ego.

Can you give us any hints as to what you’re working on next?

Isabel and I have a forthcoming book Yes! We Are Latinos, which combines free verse portrait of Latino and Latina children of very different backgrounds living in different parts of the country. The non-fiction essays that accompany the portraits tell the history of Latinos.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Books are wonderful friends and their friendship lasts a lifetime. One may lose many things in life, but as long as our memory is intact, nothing will make us lose the friendship we have developed with books.

Books enrich us and give us the opportunity of understanding ourselves, and others, better. From them we can also gain the strength to be more courageous, more generous, kinder, more caring, more authentic… they are tools to learn to live life to its fullness and to be the better person we want to be.

All my best wishes to all who read these words.

Happy readings… Happy trails.

For more information, visit: http://www.isabelcampoy.com/ and  http://almaflorada.com/

Add this book to your collection: Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos

The Author Showcase is a place for authors and illustrators to gain visibility for their works. Learn more …

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Tina Vasquez, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: October 4, 2010

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

by Ann Angel

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 128 pages

Publisher: Amulet Books (October 1, 2010)

Source: Publisher

Janis Joplin was equally known for her offstage antics as she was her expressive and soulful voice, but it’s important not to let the former overshadow the latter. In Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing, will learn about every aspect of Joplin’s life, from her humble upbringings in 1950’s Port Arthur, Texas to her reign as the first queen of rock ‘n’ roll during the turbulent and exciting 60’s.

Through the use of archival photos and interviews with friends and family, Rise Up Singing provides an intimate portrait of Joplin, a pioneer in the male-dominated rock scene of her time. On another level, this all-encompassing book for young adult readers also provides insight into the 60’s sound and illustrates how the music of the time shaped the culture.

Despite her rockstar status and many troubles, Joplin was a relatable figure with an extraordinary blues-tinged voice that would forever chance the face of rock ‘n’ roll in the U.S. and beyond.

Add this book to your collection: Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Phoebe Vreeland, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 16, 2010

MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE ANIMALS

By Bob Dylan (Author), Jim Arnosky (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover: 32 pages

Publisher: Sterling; Har/Com edition (September 7, 2010)

Source: Publisher

I had been trying to introduce Bob Dylan to my four-year-old daughter with entirely the wrong song.  Clearly, dancing around the house together to Dylan’s “Everything is Broken” was a crazy idea.  Recently, Bianca Schulze handed me the new children’s book Man Gave Names To All The Animals—a beautifully illustrated picture book by Jim Arnosky with Bob Dylan’s lyrics as text.  The book includes a CD of the original recording with its jumpy island beat and soft female background vocals.  With the right groove and stunning pictures, a new Dylan fan is born.

Few adult Dylan fans rave about this song from the 1979 release Slow Train Coming, but the song actually lends itself well to a sing-a-long with its simple chorus and predictable rhymes.  While repetitive, it won’t become an annoying ear bug like so many kids songs can. Those new to the song may appreciate the book’s text since Dylan’s signature gruff, nasal vocals are at times hard to understand.  It’s a playful song and children will delight while calling out the animals’ names.

However, the true reason why I am happy to have discovered this book is it brought Jim Arnosky to my awareness.  As a mother of a four-year old daughter I read a lot about pink princesses and cuddly creatures. It’s refreshing to have discovered someone who is passionately committed to connecting children with the natural world. Arnosky has written and/or illustrated over a hundred books about nature—books with titles like Slither and Crawl, Crocodile Safari, and Every Autumn Comes the Bear.

Using nature as the underlying theme, his books are as varied as they are plentiful and appropriately adapted to all ages.  He has reached the very youngest with his “Mouse” series of picture books and the adorable Rabbits and Raindrops and Otters Underwater.  Arnosky writes books for the older child that draw him out into the natural world while engaging in it—teaching outdoor skills, identification, sketching or merely observing—inviting them to “see as an artist would and observe as a naturalist would.” He has been praised for not romanticizing or humanizing animals. Influenced by the great nature writers John Burroughs and Ernest Thomas Seaton, Arnosky has said that their writings enticed him out into the natural world and he hopes his books will do the same for others.

Living and working in a rural Vermont where his family life and vocation join seamlessly, he sets a beautiful example of how one can blend their passion and their livelihood. Arnosky has said, “The life I lead is a reward in itself.” What a positive example of following one’s bliss.

So … while we parents try to steal the time to finish reading Last Child in the Woods, let’s introduce our children to Arnosky’s books. I have faith that his latest book will re-introduce Dylan’s song as a classic children’s sing-a-long.  Yes, it has been done before— there is an earlier book of the same title illustrated by Scott Menchin that is now out of print—however, Arnosky seems to have had a higher vision and it shows in the book.

Man Gave Names to All the Animals opens with Arnosky’s inspiration for illustrating the Dylan song:

“From the first time I heard it, the lyrics created pictures in my mind of a land of primeval beauty, where the sky and earth were new and the animals knew no fear.  I thought this vision would make a dream of a book.”

And, a dream it is! By painting over a dozen animal scenes in a variety of landscapes, he has achieved that primeval feel.  The pages are filled with wild plants: bromeliads and strangler figs, lush palms—and distant volcanoes.  By varying the time of day—the skies are blue, then pink, then starry indigo—he achieves a timeless quality.  A huge variety of animals are gathered together in a rich parade: monkeys grab tails, exotic birds perch on the heads and backs of larger beasts in a peaceful menagerie.  Arnosky is adept at wildlife painting and each animal is given a worthy portraiture. I am amazed at how, with a slight brushstroke of white, Arnosky brings such life to their eyes.

While Dylan’s song names common animals that children are familiar with, Arnosky chose to paint a wilder variety of each beast.  The Highland cow, wild boar and big horned sheep replace typical farm animals.  All the horn, tusk and scraggly hair keep with Arnosky’s vision.  In all, over 170 different species appear in the book.  Kids can have fun naming all the animals framed in the pages.

There are a few pages of such perfect composition I wished they could be murals in some classroom or museum.  I particularly like the nocturnal scene with its deep blue night sky and full moon.  A statuesque silhouette of a bull is set behind a line of chimps and a pair of hornbills.  In the background a gibbon stares blankly at us as he hangs from a strangler fig. The scene gives me the same feeling I used to get from Maurice Sendak’s classic Where The Wild Things Are.

Those familiar with Dylan’s song know that the very last beast is not named.  So, while adults ponder a deeper meaning to those lyrics, our kids can sing joyfully along with Bob.  Arnosky’s art has placed a musical icon on our children’s bookshelf.

Published by Sterling, Man Gave Names To All The Animals is a high quality book.  Peel the jacket off and you won’t ever fret if it gets torn or lost—the hard cover illustration is a stunner.  The CD placement is well though out—almost childproofed into the back book cover.  Pick up an extra copy for a gift and while you’re at it add a few of Arnosky’s other treasures to your child’s bookshelf.  You will be planting seeds for future naturalists.

Add this book to your collection: Man Gave Names To All The Animals

Art from Man Gave Names to All the Animals, © 2010 by Jim Arnosky, Sterling Children’s Books.

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: November 5, 2009

Shoofly is an audiomagazine for children between the ages of 3 and 7, developed by a small independent publisher “dedicated to offering families of young children quality entertainment.” An annual subscription to Shoofly includes 4 issues and a bonus music CD (or MP3 download). Typically, each issue has 4 stories and 4 songs, all are mixed very artfully with poetry and musical elements — the CD’s usually run around 45-60 minutes.

The collection of stories in each issue is an all-embracing mix of original and traditional tales. Some of the traditional tales you could expect are The Tortoise and the Hare, Stone Soup, and Jack and the Beanstalk. The narrations are clear, vibrant, and lively; they certainly hold the attention of little listeners. You can listen to a sample here.

A list of awards and achievements:

• iParenting Media Award
• Seal of Excellence Creative Child Magazine Award
• Parents’ Choice Silver Honor
• National Parenting Publications Award
• Parent’s Guide Award
• EdPress Distinguished Achievement Award

Shoofly can be purchased individually or as a yearly subscription (available on CD or MP3 – 4 Shoofly issues  + 1 bonus music CD or MP3): http://shooflyaudio.com/

_{TCBR’s source of CD: Shoofly Audio}

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: May 17, 2009

Bedtime Sing to Me: With CD!

by Diane Ohanesian (Author),

Nadine Bernard Westcott (Illustrations), Mary Ann Schaub (Vocals)

Reading level: Baby-Preschool

Board book: 11 pages

Publisher: Cartwheel Books; Brdbk/Com edition (January 1, 2009)

What to expect: Sing-a-long, Bedtime, Nursery Rhymes

A wonderful collection of new nursery rhymes written to a nice combination of original tunes and classic favorites. Songs like Twinkle, Twinkle, Count with Me (to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”) and Who Is Sleeping? (to the tune of “Frere Jacques”) catch the attention of preschoolers easily. Others, like Blanket Friends (An original calypso song), are imaginative and fresh –  a couple of the songs are remindful of Laurie Berkner’s sound. The illustrations match well with the words, allowing for emerging readers to connect with the rhymes when listening. This book has been a huge hit at our house and in the car. Thumbs-up!

Add this book to your collection: Bedtime Sing to Me: With CD!

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: April 25, 2009

My Name is Chicken Joe

by Trout Fishing in America, Stephane Jorisch (illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover: 36 pages

Publisher: Secret Mountain; Har/Com edition (April 25, 2009)

What to expect: Animals, Music

My Name is Chicken Joe is not only a fun and nicely illustrated book, it’s a kids music CD with 11 audio recordings that parents will be happy to play over-and-over again. Trout Fishing in America has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, along with many other awards like Parents Choice Gold and American Library Awards — it will only take listening to one of their songs to understand why. The duo that make up the band are Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood, their sound is lighthearted folk. NPR said — “Grimwood and Idlet are the Lennon and McCartney of kids’ music.” I agree, but they could also be tagged as the Dave Matthews Band of kids’ music.

The book covers the story of the first track on the CD, which makes for a fun read-a-long. Chicken Joe is not a chicken as you may believe from the title. He is in fact a cat. The message of this lively tale (and the chorus of the song):

What’s in a name? Call it what
you will but it still won’t change.
Call it anything you want but it’s
still the same. What’s in a name?

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.