picture book

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Thumbs up for Sam Saves the Day, Island Rescue, and For Rent by Charles E. Martin. Children’s.

I remembered these from my childhood and it took me ages to track them down, because I didn’t remember the author’s name. It was nice to see them again, so there must have been something little-me connected with in the art, but when viewed with adult eyes I don’t think I would choose to give these to a child over other books with cleverer stories.… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for The Paper-Flower Tree and Nu Dang and His Kite by Jacqueline Ayer. Picture books.

I have a policy of not reviewing books by people I know, though in this case, I only know the author’s daughter, so I will let myself rave about these books. I have no idea if the mixed-media illustrations would appeal to today’s kids (the taste of today’s kids mystifies me; why on earth do they love Elephant and Piggie so?).… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for Dumplings for Lili by Melissa Iwai. Children’s.

An absolutely adorable, colorful book about Lili, who is sent from apartment to apartment fetching ingredients to help her neighbor grannies as they make their various types of dumplings. It kept a wiggly four-year-old entertained, made her mom get misty-eyed for a life led in an apartment building full of supportive grannies (well, me too, really), and answered my problem of how to keep my bao from sticking to the steamer (cabbage leaves!).… >> Read more