Stay away from Simon!

by Carol Carrick

Illustrated by Donald Carrick

The kids doesn't feel comfortable when Simon is around. The reason is not really clear. Simon is poor, and he doesn't go to school, he is not very smart, he can't even learn how to read or count. But this can't be a reason for them to dislike him. The real problem is all this gossip around Simon. Those stories people makes up when is scared of something or someone different. The outcome is the kids judging Simon unfairly. Lucy among them.

Trying to runaway from Simon, Lucy gets her and her little brother Josiah into trouble. They are lost in the middle of a snow storm. The situation will turn even more frightening when she realized Simon is still behind them. But Simon is there to help them, and will safely lead them to their home. Lucy realized then how unfair she has been, and how dangerous gossip is.

I loved the last image of Lucy holding Simon hands. So touching!

*This review is part of my project Characters with character.

Seven Brave Women

by Betsy Hearne

Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen

Before reading this book I thought it was about a selection of seven women well known in history. It actually is about women from the author's family who had shown to be brave in some way or another, and have had an imprint in the author and her family. These grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and even great-great-great-grandmothers emigrated, were midwives, artists, doctors, missioner, harpists, architects, etc. They were brave in the decisions they made and the way they lived their lives. As the author says in the introduction, they "made history by not fighting in wars". Elizabeth had the courage to cross mountains and the ocean to give her children a better life. Betty was the only woman in a "men's school". Helen took care of sick poor women in India.

Although this is a picture book, the text is not intended for little ones, but I'd say the age range is from 6 to 10 years old.

The colorful illustrations are done in oil paints on gesso, and mainly focused in each woman. I liked the detail of a bird gathering them with a pink ribbon along the book.

*This review is part of my project Characters with character

The Glorious Flight

Across the Channel with Louis Blériot

by Alice and Martin Provensen

This is the story of Louis Blériot, who was the first person to fly across the English Channel in the early 1900s.

After seeing the first air ship crossing over the city of Cambrai, in France, Louis Blériot decides to build a "flying machine". It took him many years and many attempts, but he never gave up. In 1909, after many crashes, the "Blériot XI" succeed in crossing over the channel in 37 minutes.

Every attempt to create the flying machine is recorded in this book with a picture that illustrates how each new invention looked like, from the first "draft" too small for a person to sit in it, to the airplane that finally crossed the channel.

Louis Blériot's is showed persevering and positive during the whole story. He not only had to learn how to build a plane, but he also needed to learn to pilot one. He never says he failed, but he "almost flew", "he is learning", "he is getting lots of practice". In every page is also possible to see his family, friends and community supporting Blériot in this challenge.

I find the illustrations very interesting and appropriate. They look like old photographs but with some color.

Children between 5 and 8 years old will enjoy this book. I'd say this is a good option to introduce the younger ones to non fiction books different from the usual "counting" and "alphabet" ones. Inventions is always a good way to introduce history and science to the little readers.

*This review is part of my project Characters with character

The Empty Pot

Story and illustrations by Demi

A Chinese Emperor will make his successor to the throne the kid who success in showing him  the best flower bloomed form the seeds he gave away to all the children in the land.

Ping did his best taking care of his seed, giving to it the best soil and water, but the flower never sprouted. Ashamed Ping brings an empty pot to the palace. All the children of the land have beautiful flowers to show.To his surprise the Emperor choose him his successor since the seeds were cooked and Ping was the only who told the truth.

Some of the points I found specially interesting in this story:

The Emperor looking for an honest person to be his successor. I liked the fact that honesty was placed over many other attributes like beauty or physical strength.

Ping's father encourages him to show the empty pot to the Emperor standing for his work. He says: "you did your best and your best is good enough to present to the Emperor."

Ping was not only honest, but dedicated when taking care of the seed, and courageous when presenting himself at the palace.

The illustrations are beautiful and full of color. They are visually different from most children's book pictures. Each page has an encircled image that remind me of Chinese porcelain plates. The traditional drawings suggest a traditional story, which gives a sense of wisdom contented in the pages of the book.

*This review is part of my project Characters with character

Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen

By DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

This story doesn't has a elaborated plot with a mystery to reveal or a problem to solve. It's more of a description of how a little boy lives the experience of going to the Soup Kitchen where his uncle works. The boy eager to know what is the Soup Kitchen about and why someone would want to work there.

Uncle Willie shows him how the organization receive donations form stores in the neighborhood, how the people of the kitchen work with dedication to cook the best meal they can offer, and kindly serve the 121 people who shows up in the kitchen that day.

The boy meets the Can Man, a homeless woman he had seen sleeping on a bench, and George, who used to eat at the Kitchen Soup and now volunteers there.

The illustrations are realistic, done in watercolors and colored pencils, full of details the kids will love to discover.

This story really shows caring people organized to serve the hungry, in a community effort to take care of each other.

*This review is part of my project Characters with character