I never knew that moles were adorable until I read Moletown by Torben Kuhlmann. (You may remember him from such posts as this one or this one.) I also had no idea that they would work as a perfect stand-in for humans. Kuhlmann once again knocks it right out of the park with this story of urbanization and industrialization. It's a sobering look at the way humanity has taken a seed of an idea which seemed perfectly innocent (or inevitable) and turned it into something suffocating and terrible. Yes, the advent of the modern age has done much to improve the lives of humans but it has also destroyed landscapes and wiped out entire species. Once again, this is a great way to open up a discussion with kids about a topic which they most likely only cover in relation to the atrocities inflicted upon Native Americans (if they even go into detail about that). It's so much more than that and I think it's important that kids start to think beyond their own small worlds. Of course, you have to decide if you think this is age appropriate but I think it would be good for second graders at the very least. 10/10 for awesome illustrations and a really awesome storyline that is sure to get little people (and the adults in their lives) thinking.

I mentioned before that I went a little crazy over Torben Kuhlmann's books (go here for my review of Armstrong). So it should come as no surprise that I gobbled up Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse which as the title suggests is the story of the first solo flight across the Atlantic...by a mouse. This is kind of an alternate (and obviously fictional) historical account of aircraft engineering and one mouse's determination to be the forerunner in the field. Once again, the illustrations are sensational and evoke a sense of wonderment and delight. It's the end of Kuhlmann's books which I think are my favorite because he ties in the truth (Charles Lindbergh) to the fictional tale. He gives a brief history of flight which is a great way to get kids excited about an historical topic which might seem a bit 'old school' to them. The mouse must continue to persevere against all odds (there are dangers inherent to being a mouse on a mission) to achieve his dreams. This is a great message for all ages! Torben, you've reached the top 5 of my favorite graphic novelists. Congrats to you, sir. 10/10

 

 

Every year at the New York Public Library a list of the Best Books for Kids is crafted. I had a peek at this year's list and grabbed a few to read and review for the blog. Don't be surprised if you see a lot of picture books in the coming weeks. :-)

 

When I saw the illustration style of Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon by Torben Kuhlmann I knew that I had to get that book into my hands. By the time I got through the first couple of pages I was looking up the other books by him and requesting them to be sent my way. I understand that each person has a different idea of what is aesthetically pleasing to them and that not every person will find particular styles of illustration appealing. With that being said, I cannot see how someone could read anything by Kuhlmann and not instantly fall in love with his artistic technique and his unique storytelling style. His fascination with the way machines work and how industrialization has changed the course of history has led him to create fictional stories about real advances in technology using animals such as mice and moles. There's certainly an element of anthropomorphism being used here but the animals also exhibit those traits specific to them (the mice meet at a cheese shop for example). This is another author/illustrator whose work is so gorgeous that I want to hang it on my walls. This story specifically deals with a mouse who is mesmerized by the moon. He dreams of traveling there so that he can prove to the other mice that it is not made of cheese. There are obstacles to overcome not least of which is that it's dangerous to be a mice who wants to break the mold (and build a rocket that can actually get him into space). It's a story of perseverance, determination, and rocketry. I highly recommend this to little ones who are curious about how things work and that dream of one day being astronauts...or to people who just really love mice. 10/10

Armstrong – Die abenteuerliche Reise einer Maus zum Mond (Torben Kuhlmann) Erschienen: 25. Juli 2016 Seitenzahl: 128 Verlag: NordSüd Verlag Hardcover: 19,99 € ISBN: 978334103483 Der Autor Torben Kuhlmann ist ein deutscher Kommunikationsdesigner, Illustrator und Bilderbuchautor. Er studierte Illustration und Kommunikationsdesign an der Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg. 2014 veröffentlichte er sein erstes Buch, Lindbergh - Die abenteuerliche Geschichte einer fliegenden Maus im NordSüd Verlag. Dieses Buch ist das Produkt seiner Abschlussarbeit an der Hochschule. Torben Kuhlmann lebt in Hamburg. Armstrong – Die abenteuerliche Reise einer Maus zum Mond Amerika in den 1950er Jahren. Armstrong ist eine kleine wissbegierige Maus, die jede Nacht den Mond beobachtet. Unglaublich weit weg kommt er ihm vor, aber unglaublich interessant. Sein Fernrohr zeigt ihm jeden noch so kleinen Krater. Seine Artgenossen interessiert das herzlich wenig, sie sind dem Käsekult verfallen. Doch Armstrong kann sich nicht vorstellen, dass der Mond wirklich aus Käse sein soll. Wirklich nicht. Als dann auch noch die Mäuseluftfahrt revolutioniert wird, scheint für Armstrong ein lang gehegter Traum in Erfüllung zu gehen. Er will der Frage nach dem Käsemond endlich auf den Grund gehen. Armstrong will die erste Maus auf dem Mond werden. Und zwar um jeden Preis… Fazit Ein unglaublich schön gestaltetes Kinderbuch, welches bereits durch seine traumhaft gestaltete Coverillustration anspricht. Armstrong ist ein niedlicher Protagonist, der den Leser sofort gefangen nimmt und mit auf die Reise nimmt. Armstrong hat nur ein Ziel: Er will zum Mond. So wie es in der Realität sein Namensvetter Neil Armstrong 1969 geschafft hat, welcher der erste Mensch auf dem Mond war. Im Rahmen des Kalten Krieges und dem Wettlauf im All zwischen den beiden Supermächten USA und UdSSR konnten sich die USA nun scheinbar an die Spitze setzen, nachdem einige Versuche den Mond zu betreten, auf beiden Seiten schief gingen. Auch die Maus Armstrong hat einige Schwierigkeiten und muss einige Rückschläge auf dem Weg zum Mond hinnehmen. Der Schreib- und Erzählstil des Buches war locker, leicht und trotzdem spannend. Die Illustrationen unterstreichen die kurzen Textabschnitte und lassen das Buch absolut nicht langweilig werden. Einige Überraschungsmomente im Buch, schaffen es die Aufmerksamkeit des Lesers für sich zu behalten. Vor allem der Mut und die Abenteuerlust des kleinen Mäuserichs, der sich durch nichts aufhalten lässt, fand ich beeindruckend. Die einfachen Sätze und die vielen kleinen Details im Buch, machen die Geschichte komplett und lassen sie zu einem wunderschönen Kinderbuch werden. Mit viel Witz und Charme wird die amerikanische Geschichte von Neil Armstrongs Mondlandung 1969 für Kinder dargestellt. Das Sachbuch ist nicht nur schön illustriert, sondern hält sich auch gut an historische Wirklichkeiten. Alles in allem ein tolles Bilderbuch, welches mir wirklich gut gefallen hat und ich mit meinen Kindern auf jeden Fall lesen würde. Ein Buch was Mut macht und Lust auf weitere Abenteuer.

by Torben Kuhlmann

age range: 7 to 10 years old

NorthSouth Books

 

Armstrong is a little mouse who wanted to show the rest of the mice that the moon wasn't a ball of cheese. He works untiringly to understand the concepts involved in space travel, and after that in creating a safe rocket ship. Despite the obstacles Armstrong never gives up, until his dream comes true. 

 

This is a picture book for older kids who are independent readers. It can also work for reading aloud to some younger kids interested in the topic since the text is not extremely challenging, but in this case I see its length as an issue. In any case the quality of the book is worth a try. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful. The story is full of them, detailed and expressive. I also includes many rocket sketches that I really loved. I read Moletown by Kuhlmann some time ago, and I am still impressed by his talent as an illustrator. At the end of the book "A Short History of Space Travel" is included. A book to own. 5 stars.

 

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.