weekly Weekly Reader review #4: a dog-eared favorite

The tone is just right in Doris Burn's Andrew Henry's Meadow. (1965, reprinted in 2005) "Combining a delicious understanding of childish longings and a gift for comical understatement, she creates a picture book sure to become a dog-eared favorite of both parents and children." This one makes my "100 Best Picture Books of All Time" list.

Oldies but goodies: Mrs Christie's Farmhouse

This is another one of those picture books that never should have been allowed to go out of print. Mrs. Christie and Rachel move to the country and teach the King (who is capital O Organized) a thing or two. Caroline Browne's lean, flowing text and more than competent, detailed illustrations make this a GOOD book. Doubleday, 1977.

Cowboy Country

If there's such a thing as a gorgeous book for boys, surely this is it. Ann Herbert Scott's "laconic, wonderfully well-honed descriptions" tie together Ted Lewin's "splendid watercolors...in glowing impressionistic detail. Authentic information, presented with real artistry." Kirkus Reviews

weekly Weekly Reader review #3: Grandfather's Cake

What we have here is lots of animals, bears especially, tons of action, and a modest moral dilemma; in other words, the things that David McPhail went on to perfect, following this 1979 title. Grandfather's Cake is still a very good, short read-aloud for five to nine year olds, and one more reason to keep old Weekly Reader hardcovers in your library. P.S. Make sure the "tremendous BOOM" rocks the room.