over and under the snow

My close friends are having children.  I've spread the word that I intend to contribute to (or manufacture out of whole cloth) the picture book libraries of these little ones.  I realize that my thoughts on the proper curation of picture book libraries = perfect blog material, but I haven't gotten myself 'together' enough on a Tuesday to do a themed post of Top 10 Books for a Baby's Library.  I have thoughts, though... oh! so many thoughts.  It will have to happen soon.  One of the books that would definitely make my list (for girls and boys) is Kate Messner’s nonfiction picture book, Over and Under the Snow.

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white.

But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snowshoe hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter, safe and warm under the snow.

A parent and child cross-country ski through on a winter's day, discussing the various animals that hibernate, burrow and survive winter in their unique snowy habitat.  While they travel along, some animals meet them above ground, while others stay hidden, under the snow.  The book's action is (ostensibly) carried along by an afternoon skiing trip, but the pages focus on the animals in the woods rather than the human travelers observing them.

This book is a beautiful, refreshing entry into the winter-themed picture book canon.  First off, it is really lovely: Christopher Silas Neal's mixed media artwork is fantastic, and brings the wintry, wooded landscape to life.  The contrast of colors and materials show the animals and their habitats in detail, and draw the eye to different parts of the page for each separate scene.  Whether the reader pays any attention to the text or not, he/she is sure to be engaged by the images, for they tell the story very well on their own.

And that's not to say that the text lacks anything!  It's got a great rhythm to it, with just the right mix of repetition, interest and action that the whole comes together into an ordinary/extraordinary adventure.  Add in thought-provoking facts about animal habits, and you have a book that is entertaining, educational, and all-around a work of art.  The mix of fantastic storytelling through art and text will keep the interest of readers of all ages.

Another (small) thing I appreciated about this book is that it references winter without any of the holiday touchstones which might throw kids for a loop.  My friends work in public schools with extremely diverse student populations, and for some of their students, Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays are foreign concepts.  This book is about snow and animals.  The turn of seasons is universal (and unexceptionable)!

Recommended for: anyone looking for a new classic children's picture book to add to their collection, and fans of Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day and Levi Pinfold's Black Dog.

capture the flag

When I picked up Kate Messner’s middle grade adventure Capture the Flag at the Scholastic booth at Book Expo America last month, I knew it would be the perfect book to review on July 4th, the United States’ Independence Day.  I mean, a book about the famous flag that inspired the national anthem is… as patriotic as it gets.

Three kids get caught up in an adventure of historic proportions!

Anna, José, and Henry are complete strangers with more in common than they realize. Snowed in together at a chaotic Washington D.C. airport, they encounter a mysterious tattooed man, a flamboyant politician, and a rambunctious poodle named for an ancient king. Even stranger, news stations everywhere have announced that the famous flag that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner" has been stolen! Anna, certain that the culprits must be snowed in too, recruits Henry and José to help catch the thieves and bring them to justice.

But when accusations start flying, they soon realize there's more than justice at stake. As the snow starts clearing, Anna, José, and Henry find themselves in a race against time (and the weather!) to prevent the loss of an American treasure.

Anna, José and Henry are three of the hundreds of people stuck at a Washington, DC airport during a snowstorm when the world finds out that an extremely old and historic flag has been stolen from the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  Anna, an aspiring news reporter, is determined to get the real story, and she marshals José, Henry, and their 8-year-old friend Sinan into an investigative force.  They must work together, find their way out of dangerous situations, and corral one overactive dog (Hammurabi) to have any chance of saving the day.

The story is mostly told from Anna’s point of view, and Anna, a devotee of Harriet the Spy and longing to be grown up and in the thick of things, is a force to be reckoned with.  Her determination to do the right thing is admirable, and though the reader might find her a little bossy, it’s an understandable ‘let’s save the world!’ sort of bossiness.  José is a reader and a quotation gatherer, and his clear thinking and timely advice often help the rest of the group sort out what they should do.  Henry is addicted to video games, and this (surprisingly) is one of his great assets – because he knows how the spies and thieves in his game act. 

While the characters are drawn with care and the action is non-stop, the mystery itself is fairly easy to solve.  The plot twists may work with younger readers, but preteens to adults should figure out the puzzle quickly.  That doesn’t take away from what the book does well – it is an entertaining adventure/mystery featuring protagonists from different ethnic backgrounds with a historical artifact as a subject and themes of international cooperation.  I imagine it will do very well in upper elementary classrooms as additional reading for American history curricula.

While I didn’t fall in love with the book like I did with The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, I can see where this book fits, and I think it will find a home with lower level readers and perhaps spark a love of reading, history and mysteries in the hearts of those kids. 

Recommended for: fans of The Boxcar Children series, those who enjoy middle grade mysteries, and any child who enjoys museums, history, and a simple caper.

Fine print: I picked up this book for review at the Scholastic booth at BEA.