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About the 2011 Books
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I CAN BE ANYTHING
As we all know most youngsters have vivid imaginations. They can think of all sorts of things, and often may wonder about growing up. What will they be when they are adults - a fireman? A nurse? A soldier? A model?
I CAN BE ANYTHING is an affirming, encouraging book reminding young ones that the possibilities are limitless. They can be anything they want to be. Jerry Spinelli's lilting rhymes answer the question, "What will I be when I grow up" with such imaginative suggestions as "Pumpkin grower, Dandelion blower;" "Deep-hole digger, Lemonade swigger," and more.
Many will elicit smiles while all remind of the infinite possibilities life holds.
Bold colored exuberant illustrations by Jimmy Liao accompany each rhyme, always emphasizing the joy in whatever is being done.
I CAN BE ANYTHING is a fun book that youngsters will choose to return to again and again.
- Gail Cooke
DAFT BAT
Is Bat batty-or does she just see things a little differently?
The trouble begins when Bat moves into the neighborhood. All the animal children want to welcome her with a special gift-but then Bat shocks them by asking for an umbrella.to keep her feet dry! Soon, it's clear to everyone, from little Lion Cub to tall Giraffe Calf, that she always gets things upside-down and wrong-way-round. Only when Wise Owl suggests a change of perspective does everything become clear to Bat's young friends. And kids get to share Bat's unique viewpoint, too, when they flip the book over to read the upside-down text in this cleverly formatted book.
"Breaks the mold in form as well as content."-Sunday Times Adorable animals, and an important lesson charmingly taught, will make this story a favorite.
RUNNING SHOES
Sophy, who lives in modern-day Cambodia, is unable to attend school because it is eight kilometers away, and she has no shoes. After a census-taker from the city befriends her, sending her a pair of running shoes, Sophy courageously runs the distance to attend classes. Although her courage is further tested when she discovers she's the only girl in school, she puts her classmates in their place by beating them in foot races. When the census-taker returns the following year, Sophy expresses her dream of becoming a teacher. There's not much plot here, but the writing is beautiful, and the unfamiliar setting will intrigue many young listeners. Cultural items not mentioned in the text can be found in the uncluttered pictures, which feature characters with distinct personalities. This is a good example of a story with a universal message (finding courage to follow one's dreams) as it provides a window into an unfamiliar place and way of life. Grades K-2. --Randall Enos
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