Heather Kinser
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Double Header: Weeds and Caves

9/23/2016

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Here are two books to love: "A Dark, Dark Cave," by Eric Hoffman and illustrator Corey R. Tabor, and "Weeds Find a Way," by Cindy Jensen-Elliott and illustrator Carolyn Fisher.
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"A Dark, Dark Cave" follows two kids into a cave, deeper and darker, and just the right amount of scarier...until...

...NOPE, I'm not telling. Except to say that there's a sweet surprise in the middle of this book that makes everything alright, and it arrives at that delicious moment when the suspense (of a really gentle, kid-friendly kind) is almost too much to take. How delightful to be surprised not just at the end of a story, but mid-way through. I have to admit, despite the visual clues, I didn't see it coming. I also want to mention that the illustrator gets the tone just right. Where the words are a little bit scary, the pictures are a sweet adventure story for young readers.

I love a good rhyming book, and this one works wonderfully well. The skillful, simple rhyme scheme and repeated refrain--"a dark, dark cave"--are perfect for this story.

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Next, on to...weeds, wonderful weeds! Who appreciates these pesky plants more than little children? That's just one reason why "Weeds Find a Way" is a wonderful book.

Reason number two? It's beautifully poetic--a pleasure to read aloud. Listen to this--"Weeds find a way to grow: by the side of a windy road, in a crack in the cellar of a creaky old house, in a tangle of tree roots a the top of a spine of stone." Love, love, love it!

Reason number three? It's nonfiction! Intriguing facts about weeds are conveyed here with a storytelling sensibility. It's a heaping spoonful of sugar over factual, scientific content, presented in a perfectly kid-accessible way.

Reason number four? Lush, whimsical illustrations with sweet characters (a girl and her dog) and a soft color palate punctuated with fun red accents.

Read these two treasures with a child--and enjoy!

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Brave Backgrounds in "A Nation's Hope"

9/7/2016

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I recently read "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis." It was curiosity about Newberry Award-winning author Matt de la Pena (recently honored for his work on "Last Stop Market Street") that drew me to this book. But I walked away from it with a sense of awe over the illustrations. Kadir Nelson is the artist who created these gorgeous visuals.
Nelson's illustrations are superbly composed, glossy, dark and deep, and brimming with understated empathy. In particular, it was a brave choice to depict dark skin against dark backgrounds, as Nelson does several times with stunning success. The color palate in this book is a pleasure to experience--from the muted, pock-marked green walls of the boxing gym, to the stark white of the mat, to the blackest of blacks at the boxers' backs as they fight in the ring.
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