Me and Momma and Big John

Me and Momma and Big John
by Mara Rockliff
illus. by William Low
32 pages; 3-7 years
Candlewick, 2012



themes: family, beauty, being part of something bigger than yourself

"Momma's first day on the job, she comes home late, trudging up the stairs as if they laid that heavy stone right on her shoulders. She is gray as ashes, from her headscarf to her boots..."

Momma is a stonecutter, helping build the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in NYC. She works for weeks on a single stone, and when she and her son, John, finally visit the Cathedral, he can't see the stone. But he does see the beauty of the stained glass, hears soaring music filling the Cathedral, and gets to meet the other stone cutters. In the end he decides it's OK if other people don't know which stone is Momma's - because he'll know. It's one of the stones high above the people, touching the sky.

Beyond the Book

Take a virtual "architecture tour" of St. John the Divine. You'll see images of construction, interior chapels, columns, and more.

 Part of the beauty of Cathedrals is the light within. Illustrator William Low captures that light and beauty in his paintings. You can, too - create tissue paper stained glass to hang in your window.

There might be gargoyles on the Cathedral. You can make your own gargoyle with a paper plate and some other materials from around your house.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.

Monet Paints a Day

Monet Paints a Day

by Julie Danneberg; illustrated by Caitlin Heimerl

32 pages; ages 6 - 9

Charlesbridge, 2012

It's 1885 and Claude Monet is on the beach painting a giant stone arch. He paints fast, to capture the light, moving from one canvas to the next as the sun moves across the sky. Author Julie Danneberg writes in a loose style that reflects both the impressionistic paintings of Monet and the movement of the sea: Monet ruffles his brush across canvas; water ruffles against the shore.He flutters and dabs his brush as sea foam flutters above the surf.

While Monet pays great attention to the details of color and movement, he doesn't pay enough attention to the rising tide. He is caught by the rising tide, and his easels and paintings washed out to sea.

While fiction, this story is based on a true incident. Danneberg scatters excerpts of Monet's notes and letters, sometimes tucking in a small text box with information about Impressionism. There's a trove of resources at the back for those who want to dig deeper into history - or just want to pick up a paintbrush.

Bedtime is Canceled!

Bedtime is Canceled
by Cece Meng; illustrated by Aurelie Neyret
32 pages; ages 4-8
Clarion Books, 2012

As a journalist, I get press releases all the time - releases meant to be passed on to the editor, sent to the typesetter, rushed into print. Usually we know exactly where these important announcements are coming from, and verify their veracity before they hit print.

But what if a girl and her brother scribble a note that reads: Bedtime Is Canceled.
And what if the parents don't believe it and the note ends up in the trash, and the wind gets hold of it and it loop-de-loops across town onto the desk of the night reporter who probably needs another cup of coffee... and what if it ends up splashed across the front page in bold headlines:
BEDTIME IS CANCELED
...and what if Everyone believed it?

Would you take advantage of that situation to play hide and seek all night? Flashlight tag? Eat spaghetti by moonlight? This is just plain fun reading... and maybe a cautionary tale to those who read tabloids without a soupcon of skepticism.
Review copy provided by publisher.