Review Thursday: Children's Books

Masterpiece (2008) Elise Broach.

Marvin, a rather unusual beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for a human named James. His work is so delicately detailed and exacting that it could substitute for the real thing. That’s the whole problem. The two unlikely friends work together to recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For those who like rousing art mystery adventures, such as those written by Blue Balliett, this is just the ticket. Add in an interspecies relationship to match Beverly Cleary’s Mouse and the Motorcycle and you have a sure fire winner.

First Dog Fala (2008) Elizabeth Van Steenwyk.

For President Franklin Roosevelt it was “love at first lick” when he met his new Scottish terrier, Fala. From puppyhood through the five years he lived in the White House, whether Fala was chasing butterflies on the White House lawn or running loose in the streets of Washington D.C., he was a dedicated companion during the terrible years of WW II. With the interest in presidential pooches running at a fever pitch, this will be an easy sell. The fact that the reader will learn a good deal about President Roosevelt makes it appealing on more than level.

The Black Book of Colors (2008) Menena Cottin.

Raised black drawings on black paper illustrate the color impressions of Thomas, a blind boy who "likes all the colors because he can hear them and smell them and touch them and taste them." The pages facing the illustrations have print and Braille text and there is a Braille alphabet at the back of the book for those curious about trying to read with their fingers. Tactile pictures and richly sensual language combine for a uniquely pleasurable reading experience. Stories in Braille are rare in public libraries; all the more reason to experience a book that embodies a commitment to disability awareness and accessibility.