April 2003 Children's Books Reviews

Silent Movie
by Avi, C. B. Mordan

Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books

ISBN# 0-689-84145-0
Suggested Retail Price: $16.95 or as low as $2.35 from Amazon.com!

This interesting little book is made up to look like a day at the movies. Not a theater of today, but as they were many years ago. Long before movies had words like Technicolor, Panavision, or IMAX. The story is just like an old movie with characters in a family from the Old Country who are good and loving, and a villain who was truly evil. The black and white images show the family coming to America. They were alone in a big city. There are close-ups of the mother and her son. Their faces are filled with both joy and grief. As the story unfolds, there is excitement and melodrama as only a "silent" movie could portray.

Popcorn!
by Elaine Landau, Brian Lies

Charlesbridge Publishing

ISBN# 1-57091-442-7
Suggested Retail Price: $16.95 or as low as $11.35 from Amazon.com!

Here is a book that is a tasty treat for children between the ages of 6 and 10. Americans love popcorn! Every year we eat about a million pounds of the stuff. This book was written so that this popular snack will finally get it's proper due. Everything you could possibly want to know about popcorn is in this bright and colorful book. Popcorn is ancient and probably came from North America and Mexico originally. Why does it pop? That's simple, it's the water trapped in the kernels. Some Indians believed that there were spirits in the kernels and that they were angry and burst out when it got too hot. A lot of information in contained in this attractive and simple book which includes a few recipes to try.

Pictures at an Exhibition
by Anna Harwell Celenza, Joann E. Kitchel

Charlesbridge Publishing

ISBN# 1-57091-492-3
Suggested Retail Price: $19.95 or as low as $12.20 from Amazon.com!

Many adults are quite familiar with this beautiful music written by Mussorgsky. For a younger generation though, this is a wonderful new experience for children aged 8 to 11, or about 3rd through 6th grade. The exhibition was a presentation by Mussorgsky's friend, the artist Victor Hartmann. When Hartman died suddenly, Mussorgsky created this splendid music. The sounds are very Russian, which a style I very much appreciate. John Kitchel has created delightfully colored renderings to accompany the gallery tour.

This is a unique experience, and it really is stunning.

Pablo Picasso: Breaking All the Rules
by True Kelley

Grosset & Dunlap

ISBN# 0-448-42862-8
Suggested Retail Price: $5.99 or as low as $3.67 from Amazon.com!

This is just one of an excellent series about artists that is called "Smart About Art." With all of the cutbacks in school budgets across the country, there is not much money for what is considered a luxury, and unfortunately, "Art Appreciation" is just not usually included in the elementary curriculum. This series of books is a great way to learn about many of the most famous painters in our past. It's up to the parents to provide this information for their children fill in the blanks that schools are leaving.

The first page is a letter from the teacher giving the children the general subject of a paper they must write. They must tell her why they selected the artist they chose, and what questions would they ask this artist. The last thing is to write about will include what they learned. From here on, the little book is filled with the young authors' answers to the above questions. The answers and comments are from the minds of the children, and each page is filled with colors and childlike writing.

This is a very colorful and brightly-illustrated little booklet that is filled with information and the artwork of both the student and the artist. Absolutely smashing, and a terrific addition to your child's bookshelf and general education.

Face-To-Face With the Cat
by Stephane Frattini, Jean-Louis Klein, Marie-Luce Hubert

Charlesbridge Publishing

ISBN# 1-57091-454-0
Suggested Retail Price: $9.95 or as low as $4.52 from Amazon.com!

Along with the good photographs of cats that the title promises, there is a lot of intriguing information about the feline world. The kitties that are pictured here are just plain cats, and guaranteed to make you smile. Little ones will enjoy the pictures and the information about these special cats. The answers to many questions are simply explained. Find out about the cat's unusual eyes and some of the things that they do, like purring, and how they do it. This cat lover enjoyed the pictures a lot, and wants to share them with someone small.