Review of Mirror Mirror

We Read
Mirror Mirror
by Marilyn Singer, Illustrated by Josée Masse
Dutton Children’s Books, An imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

What Parents Will Love About Mirror Mirror
Like the popular book, The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs, Mirror Mirror expands and warps the classic fairy tales we all know and love. Unlike TTSOTTLP, Mirror Mirror is told in verse. The poems don’t rhyme, they are written in playful, emotive voices that capture intriguing aspects of each character.

I’m pretty in love with all of the poems, but a couple favorites include ‘The Sleeping Beauty and the Wide-Awake Prince’ in which both Beauty and her Prince are disappointed with the roles they play in their fairy tale, and a thoughtful piece about Rumpelstiltskin and the unnamed heroine titled ‘Do You Know My Name?’

And, don’t forget Follow Follow, the equally wonderful companion book to Mirror Mirror!

What Kids Will Love About Mirror Mirror
The tongue-in-cheek tone and verses–sometimes questioning the original tale itself–will resonate with kids, who are usually pretty eager to dismantle the status quo. (Or maybe that’s just Lee? Anyone? Help, please.) If your children are older, encourage them to try writing their own reversible rhymes. Or, if they’re young, consider this a good opportunity to begin imparting the lessons learned from hearing the many sides of the same story.

Where We Acquired Mirror Mirror
The Library

Retail Price for Mirror Mirror
Dutton lists this book at $16.99 usd, but at the time of this post, Amazon is selling the hardcover edition at $13.06.

Book Buying Tag

This “tag” I found floating around Youtube. I liked it, but I’m not really a vlogger, so I thought I would convert it into a post-able format!

1. Where do you buy your books from? 
Most of our books I buy in store from local booksellers. I feel very fortunate to have access to amazing independent stores, as well as a few used-book stores/sections that I also adore. I love to browse the shelves and handle books in person. Otherwise, there are a limited number of e-books I do buy for my kindle. Usually I save these for book series, or non-fiction reads.

2. Do you ever pre orders book, and if so do you do this in store or online?
While I do have a watch-list of titles I am waiting on, I generally do not pre-order.

3. On average, how many books do you buy a month?
That depends on the month, and more specifically the amount of income left over after bills. As little as none to upwards of a dozen.

4. Do you used your local library?
Yes! I love the library and it is where we acquire the bulk of the reading material in our house! (check out my Top Five Reasons to Love Public Libraries) I know there are some people that don’t like to return books, especially ones they have loved, and therefore are put off by the library. However, borrowing from the library can be a great screener to help decide which books you absolutely need to own in your collection, and which you were happy to enjoy (or not) and then put back into circulation.

5. If so- how my books can you/do you borrow at a time?
Our library allows 150 items to be checked out at one time. Usually my queue hovers around 25 books out at once, a mix of fiction/non fiction for me and my husband, as well as children’s books for my son.

6. What is your opinion on library books? 
They are great! I wish some people took better care of them.

7. How do you feel about charity shop/second hand books?
Love them! My favorite stores have a policy that allows customers to donate books in exchange for store credit.

8. Do you keep your read and TBR pile together/on the same book shelf or not? 
Yes, my shelves are chaotic, but well loved.

9. Do you plan to read all of the books that you own?
That is my intention.

10. What do you do with books you that you own that you feel you will never read/felt you did not enjoy?
As for books I didn’t enjoy, sometimes I keep them, or else donate them to used collections.

11. Have you ever donated books?
Yes, see above.

12. Have you ever been on a book buying ban? 
Self imposed if money becomes tight, but the library keeps me well stocked so that we are never lacking in reading material.

13. Do you feel that you buy too many books?
Not at all! Books are very important to myself and my family. I am glad to support the authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers, and everyone involved in the life of a book. Beside our basic necessities, there is no other purchase I feel as good about as buying books.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

We Read:
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Written by Robert Frost, Illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Published by E.P. Dutton (reprinted with permission of Holt, Rienhart and Winston, Publishers)

A classic Frost poem converted to picture-book form and illustrated. This was one of my fathers, and my, favorite poems growing up. Maybe one day it will be one of Lee’s favorites, too.

What parents will love:
When Lee was still a few months old, we were bored and stuck indoors all winter. I used to wrap him in a sling and traverse our tiny apartment, reading aloud Howl by Alan Ginsberg to pass time. Though poetry is considered a form that goes above children’s heads, as a parent and writer, I disagree. Frost especially is one poet whose work can be digested at many ages, and with each new read, fresh insight can be gained. A toddler may only be able to appreciate the textured, downy snowflakes he describes, while at five years old they may wonder what kind of promises the speaker of the poem intends keep.

What kids will love:
Not all poems rhyme (perhaps not even most poems!) but Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening has rhyming stanzas, which little ears almost always enjoy. And, to accompany the rhymes, the pictures are lovely in greyscale and some minimal color. The illustrator also does something neat by hiding animals like rabbits, squirrels, birds, deer, and foxes throughout the book. Ask kids to be interactive and count how many animals they are able spot on each page!

Where we acquired this book:
Library

The Diggers

Quick Update:
Well, it has been a month since my last post. Quite a delay, but it’s been busy since this mama started working part-time at a large, local library! It’s been exciting, and my queue has already been filling with tons more books to review! So, let’s get to it.

We Read:
The Diggers
By Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Antoine Corbineau
Published by Parragon Books

Lately, my son has been obsessed with trucks. The infatuation is confusing, since neither my husband nor I are autophiles. We drive hand-me-down cars, and when asked what kind of vehicle I drive, I consistently answer, “red.” But, we do live in a city where we are surrounded by buses, fire trucks, police cars, ambulances (as I write this, I can hear a distant siren), and construction vehicles.

So, imagine our excitement upon receiving The Diggers book from Parragon (THANK YOU), starring a yellow digger truck. For the record, it’s actually called an excavator, and yes I did have to look that up.

What parents will love about this book:
You know those sweet, classic books Goodnight Moon, and The Runaway Bunny? The same author, Margaret Wise Brown, penned The Diggers. That made me excited about the book before even cracking the cover. But I think parents will also enjoy the loose rhyme scheme, as well as the design which is just really neat; for example, on one page the text wiggles it’s way down into the holes being dug in the story. Personally, I think it’s cool when the graphics go the extra mile to boost the writing.

What kids will love about this book:
Trucks, and dirt. Adults may roll their eyes but kids love them, and The Diggers has both in plenty. Besides, I can’t really make fun because when I complain to my mother about umpteenth time Lee has forced me to re-read a truck book or has me watching youtube videos of fire trucks responding to emergency calls on loop, she is happy to remind me that when I was a child, I told my parents that I wanted to grow up and be a truck driver. *sigh*

Good to know:
Although author Margaret Wise Brown died in 1952, she left behind over 70 unpublished manuscripts! This is why some of her books are recently printed, or just forthcoming.

Our experience:
While adults are more willing to seek variety and balance in their lives, kids tend to stick with what they know and like. For Lee, that happens to be trucks–all of which, be it a fire truck or excavator, say “Wee-ohh” by the way. So, I’m grateful to have The Diggers in my arsenal, a snappy story with fun art for those days when I just can’t take naming parts of a backhoe any longer.

Pirateria

We Read:
Pirateria
written and illustrated by Calef Brown
published by Atheneum Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster

“At Pirateria, we put the “arg” in “bargain!”

So I know that, in real life, pirates are not cool. Not even a little bit. But I’m not talking about those pirates right now. I’m talking about the make-believe, swashbuckling, yo-ho-ho-ing, parrot on the shoulder, eye patched and peg legged kind of pirate… the kind of pirates who shop at Pirateria: The Wonderful Plunderful Pirate Emporium.

What parents will love about this book:
Pirateria is a ton of fun to read aloud! It doesn’t really have a traditional story arc, and it’s less of a tale and more an in-rhyme romp through the created landscape of Pirateria, the bazar in which Brown’s pirates come for all their sea-fearing needs…. including: treasure maps, grog mugs, eye patches in a variety of colors (including swashbuckled huckleberry, plunder plum, and moby white), and footwear that can be found in Pirateria’s Yo Ho Hosiery department.

What children will love about this book:
I think one of the reasons kids like (fictional) pirates, is because they don’t play by the rules. They take what they want, go where they want, and never say sorry. For youngsters under the constant watch of adults telling them what to do and how to behave, a pirate’s life is probably a dream. More than that, it’s a cool way to help kids think past the cannon and start asking questions like… “Where do pirates shop? What would they put in their grocery cart at the market? Why do they love striped shirts so much?” Those are the kinds of questions  Pirateria can, and will, engage!

Good to know:
New York Times bestselling author Calef Brown is everywhere… okay, well when you go and checkout his website (calefbrown.com) it sure seems like it. In addition to writing and illustrating ten children’s books, his resume also includes editorial, entertainment, and corporate illustration, over a dozen lectures, and teaching credentials.

Our Experience:
Pirateria is a great read! Lee is barely two, and is just learning his own name, so I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a clue what a pirate is or how to appreciate the more creative elements of the text; but, the art is gorgeous and engaging for even the youngest eyes, and he sat very nicely through several readings of this for me, so I think he liked it! And, I’m such a fan of the illustration that I might see if there’s a way I can order some prints for Lee’s room of Calef Brown’s other work, featured in his online gallery.

When Pigasso met Mootisse

We Read:
When Pigasso met Mootisse
by Nina Laden
published by Chronicle Books

Okay, okay, so it might seem pretentious, but when I saw this book on the shelf I HAD to take it home with us. I’m not especially art savvy, but I do love my art museums. Plus, I spent four months in Barcelona during college, so I admit to having a soft spot for Picasso.

In the book, When Pigasso met Mootisse, two artists move across the street from each other, but conflict arises when they begin to judge one another too harshly. Eventually though, they solve the dispute and learn to appreciate their differences.

What parents will love about this book:
This book represents two of the great modern artists–Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse–as farm animals. What is NOT to love? It’s quite clever, and PUNny (haha?) enough to keep adults happy while reading. It’s also a great way for parents to open up a dialogue about creative problem solving, using the example of Pigasso and Mootisse who apologize to one another by painting murals.

What children will love about this book:
I think the pictures in this book will excite kids. They may, or may not, be old enough to appreciate the jokes, but the illustrations are bright, bold, and interesting to even young children–Lee included. Kids could help point out differences between Pigasso’s jagged apple trees, and the soft, swirling clouds above Matisse’s yard. Or, they could try to draw out their own representation of Pigasso and Mootisse’s art.

Good to know:
In the back of the book the author adds “The True Story of Picasso and Matisse”, which gives some background on the artists themselves.

Both Nina Laden’s parents were artists (a sculptor/Oscar-nominated special effects makeup artists, and a painter).

Laden studied under Tobias Wolff at Syracuse University.

Our Experience:
I’m happily surprised by how much Lee enjoys this book! It’s more text heavy than is technically age appropriate for him (though, I could care less about that), but he’s been obsessed with flipping through When Pigasso met Mootisse all week, and stares wide-eyed at the bright, colorful pages. I think it also helps that he believes Mootisse the bull is actually a lion, because he’s developed a habit of roaring whenever he reads this. Go figure.

This 1998 edition is older than some of the books we’ve been reading recently, but arguably like the artists themselves, it’s timeless!

The Book with a Hole

We Read:
The Book with a Hole 
by Hervé Tullet

I’m using the word “read” liberally for this post. There are words in this 96 page children’s book, but they are far outshined by the black-and-white drawings, and the gaping hole through the center of the spine.

What parents will love about this book:
This book keeps kids entertained–it’s interactive without being irritating (no electronic sounds or ripped popups). And, I can’t speak for all kids, but this book keeps my son occupied far longer than any other book we have encountered yet. I definitely owe Hervé Tullet for the long stretches of silence I’ve enjoyed while Lee flips through The Book with a Hole.

What children will love about this book:
It’s different and totally fun. They can literally insert themselves into the story! It’s a fresh take on what a great, traditional book has to offer: you use your imagination. Invent a different tale for each page, or if your child has the attention span, turn each page into a different chapter of the same narrative. It’s up to them. In this book your child will go to space, build cities, become a monster and an octopus and get served for dinner and tons more!

Good to know:
Hervé Tullet was born in Normandy, has won multiple awards internationally for his children’s books, and worked previously in art design.

Our Experience:
Lee received this book as a gift for his first birthday, and he has been loving it since. The older he gets, the longer his patience for it lasts and the more he enjoys it. I see this book getting lots of love in this house for a long time to come!

On Meadowview Street

We Read:
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole

(reading in the car, while waiting for Daddy)
click to enlarge

I picked this book up from a display shelf at the library because, for some reason, it looked familiar. While I’d never actually seen On Meadowview Street before, it was written and illustrated by Henry Cole, whose artwork was featured in a book I previously reviewed, And Tango Makes Three.

On Meadowview Street is the story of Caroline, who moves into a new house in a new neighborhood where all the lawns are plain, well kept, and boring! Caroline notices a wildflower and protects it from her father’s mower, only to have her “preserve” eventually take over the yard and then the street, until Meadowview is worthy of its name.

What parents will love about this book:
The story is sweet and simple. A girl wants to make a home for the flowers, butterflies, and birds, and she does. It’s not long, as most of the story is told in pictures. It doesn’t hit you with heavy rhetoric about getting back to nature, although that’s essentially the subtle message.

What children will love about this book:
It’s great for kids to see other children–in books, movies, and in life–incite positive change in the world, no matter how big or small. Caroline is an activist, and by example alone she inspires a change in her neighborhood, which is pretty cool. I think it’s important for kids to know that they can make a difference, and that their thoughts and actions matter.

Good to know:
Henry Cole is a former elementary school science teacher.

Our Experience:
On Meadowview Street is a really pleasant read, and we were able to do some talking about all the things that can grow and thrive in the garden. Of course I did most of the talking, as usual, but I think Lee had fun pointing out birds and flowers on the page. Maybe one day we can even start our own nature “preserve!”

The Something

We Read:
The Something by Natalie Babbitt

Mylo the monster isn’t afraid of robbers or ghosts, but he is afraid of Something.

The Something was another lucky library find. I was immediately attracted by its mysterious title and cover art–the furry monster combing out his elbow hair, surrounded by ivy. Lee helped me locate it, hidden in the bins of smaller books the librarians keep within childrens’ reach.

If you’re looking for interesting kids material, I suggest checking out the books kept in book bins or displayed on low shelves. Librarians know these are the books that will get chewed in little mouths, and torn by little hands, so they tend to put older, less well known titles there… meaning you have a solid chance of finding something new to you!

What parents will love about this book:
The portrayal of the (monster) mother-son relationship in the book is disarming and even humorous. The mother, “who liked to explain things”, tries to talk her son Mylo through his vague fears, but unsuccessfully. Instead she brings him modeling clay, which makes her (HER not him) feel better about the situation. But still, she is supportive of Mylo and his art as he tries hard to create an image of the something from his nightmares. I think there is something to be admired in her loving, hands-off approach.

What children will love about this book:
For kids who are anxious or afraid, I think this book could be great. It teaches kids that they don’t always need Mommy or Daddy to make everything all better, but that they can make things better all by themselves.

I think kids will also get a kick out of the ending, in which–SPOILER ALERT–Mylo’s Something turns out to be a little girl, whose own Something is the monster, Mylo!

Good to know:
If you’re thinking the author sounds familiar, you’re not wrong. Natalie Babbitt is the author of the novel Tuck Everlasting (later made into a movie with Sissy Spacek and Alexis Bledel).

Our Experience:
If I’m not doing a great job of describing why this book is so lovely, you’ll have to excuse me. This was a new read for me and I’ve been totally swept up into the story and its images. There’s something quietly beautiful and odd about this one, I can’t help but be drawn in. Definitely a book we’ll be returning to again and again as Lee grows!