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EMILY STEW

Name: EMILY STEW
Author: Thomas Rockwell
ISBN: 978-1-59643-336-6

WITH SOME SIDE DISHES

by Thomas Rockwell and illustrated by David McPhail ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2010

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From the deliciously twisted mind that first advised a former generation of elementary readers How to Eat Fried Worms comes a wildly inventive poetic portrait of a riveting character who’s made up—rather literally—of a stew of contradictions. Moody and prone to the most erratic behavior, Emily is depicted in these playful rhymed vignettes as an eccentric yet eminently recognizable and likable young creature: “Emily Rose / wouldn’t wear clothes”; “Emily Phlox / hated clocks”; “Emily Grief / could get no relief.” McPhail’s pen-and-ink spot art helps capture the defiant Emily as she asserts her individuality in scenes ranging from dancing with a fish to being eaten by a tiger (which, happily, banishes ennui). The poet’s sophisticated silliness engages the imagination while offering the occasional wry philosophical observation—“Does a clock ever know what a moment means?”—that gives readers of all ages pause. Much more than nonsense verse, it’s a revealing window into budding autonomy that is sure to delight children and parents alike. Final art not seen. (Poetry. 9-11)

Pub Date: March 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-59643-336-6

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

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A BIRD OR TWO

A STORY ABOUT HENRI MATISSE

by Bijou Le Tord ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1999

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Less a story than an analysis of Matisse’s art, particularly after his move to Nice, this companion to A Blue Butterfly (1995), on Monet, also combines visual recasting of selected works with poetic commentary: “To his color palette he added the bluest sapphire blue he could imagine. And with it he painted the Mediterranean Sea.” Using a free style of brushwork that evokes Matisse’s own joy and energy, Le Tord alternates her versions of his art with scenes of the man himself, always nattily dressed, always industriously making art. This perceptive personal tribute will enhance readers’ appreciation for Matisse’s work; they won’t mind going elsewhere for biographical details, and reproductions of his actual paintings, sculpture, and collages. (Picture book. 8-11)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-8028-5184-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Eerdmans

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
SAINT FRANCIS SINGS TO BROTHER SUN
adapted by Karen Pandell & illustrated by Bijou Le Tord

- BOOK REVIEW
A BLUE BUTTERFLY
by Bijou Le Tord & illustrated by Bijou Le Tord

- BOOK REVIEW
PEACE ON EARTH
edited by Bijou Le Tord & illustrated by Bijou Le Tord

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HERE COMES MOTHER GOOSE

edited by Iona Opie ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1999

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This oversized companion to the much ballyhooed My Very First Mother Goose (1996) will take toddlers and ex-toddlers deeper into the playscapes of the language, to meet Old King Cole, Old Mother Hubbard, and Dusty Bill From Vinegar Hill; to caper about the mulberry bush, polka with My Aunt Jane, and dance by the light of the moon. Mixing occasional humans into her furred and feathered cast, Wells creates a series of visual scenarios featuring anywhere from one big figure, often dirty or mussed, to every single cat on the road to St. Ives (over a thousand). Opie cuts longer rhymes down to two or three verses, and essays a sly bit of social commentary by switching the answers to what little girls and boys are made of. Though Wells drops the ball with this last, legitimizing the boys’ presence in a kitchen by dressing them as chefs, in general the book is plainly the work of a match made in heaven, and merits as much popularity as its predecessor. (Folklore. 1-6)