Review by New York Times Review
The creators of early reader books face a daunting task: They must appeal to the more sophisticated sensibilities and humor of kids old enough to start reading on their own, while still using language simple enough to be read by them. It helps if the book is bursting with rich art and nuanced story lines, like these three new ones - all gems of the genre. In BABY MONKEY, PRIVATE EYE (Scholastic, $16.99, ages 4 to 8), Brian Selznick and David Serlin explore a format similar to Selznick's groundbreaking novels like "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" and "Wonderstruck," which played with the interaction of words and pictures. "Baby Monkey" is heavily illustrated and has minimal text that is simple and repetitive, perfect for new readers ready for a "big kid" book. It's small in dimension but hefty at 192 pages, with chapters, a hilarious index and a faux bibliography. The story begins in cinematic fashion, almost like a movie trailer: "Who is Baby Monkey? He is a baby. He is a monkey. He has a job." It's a nice setup for the lighthearted story and (pardon the pun) monkeyshines to follow. Selznick's black-andwhite illustrations lend a gritty film noir feel - a delightful contrast with the adorableness of Baby Monkey. Over five chapters, Baby Monkey solves five different mysteries, after taking care of necessities like napping, snacking, note-taking and something really tough - like putting his pants on. The final mystery is sweet and satisfying, and as in Selznick's previous books, the illustrations are a marvel. The details in Baby Monkey's office change with each mystery; a key at the end invites you to go back and study the illustrations. Sara Varon ("Robot Dreams," "Bake Sale") is a master at creating endearing, uncommon narratives, and her latest, NEW SHOES (First Second, $17.99, ages 6 to 10) is no exception. The story is told simply, with clean lines, a gentle palette and straightforward language. But the reader is also asked to confront surprisingly sophisticated topics, and the result is a book as charming as it is unexpected. Francis, a calypso-music loving donkey, is a shoemaker in a South American village. Francis receives the assignment of a lifetime: making a pair of shoes for his favorite singer, Miss Manatee. When his supplier fails to bring the necessary tiger grass, Francis must venture into the jungle. There, he encounters ethical challenges like the finite resources of tropical jungles and the need to see beyond our own experiences when meeting someone unlike ourselves. Ultimately Francis must rethink everything about making shoes - a veritable existential crisis, but Varon is never heavy-handed or didactic, keeping the narrative at the fore. Mo Willems's Elephant & Piggie books are heavy hitters of the early reader genre, and in the new Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, the two stars show up in books by other authors. The latest is IT'S SHOE TIME (Disney-Hyperion, $9.99, ages 4 to 8) by Bryan Collier ("Hey Black Child," "Between the Lines"), an exuberantly funny and surprisingly touching tale about what it means to be a pair. It's Daddy-and-Me Day, and our young protagonist must pick the right shoes for the big occasion. Her shoes clamor for attention with ridiculous puns, but the closet is thrown into a frenzy when she picks out two shoes that are not a matching set. The shoes left behind by their mates set off to convince the girl that the pairing is wrong. When the shoes catch up, they see the girl's father, too, wearing mismatched shoes. As Elephant and Piggie exclaim in the conclusion, the shoes might not match, "but they did go together!" The silly, pun-filled text should keep young readers in stitches, but they may also ponder whether or not things need to look the same to belong together. Beneath its joyous surface, this book's sole - er, soul - runs deep. ? VICTORIA Jamieson is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels "Roller Girl" and "All's Faire in Middle School" and the Pets on the Loose chapter book series.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [February 18, 2018]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* This new entry in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series offers a clever premise, witty wordplay, and intriguing art. Introduced by Elephant and Piggie (who also appear in several interspersed cameos), Collier's story features a young African American girl selecting just the right shoes to wear on an outing with Dad. The girl and her anthropomorphized foot coverings, ranging from pointe shoes to sneakers to bedroom slippers, narrate the story in succinct word-balloon captions (We are afraid . . . Knot!). Each pair of shoes begs to be picked, and her final decision one boot and one flip-flop causes great consternation (WE are not a pair), leading to humorous commentary: You are not a banana either. Collier's artwork makes use of vivid colors, resulting in shoes that seem to jump off the page. A few black backgrounds effectively convey the darkened closet, and variously hued speech balloons help beginning readers keep track of individual speakers. Comic panels and motion lines are used occasionally, but most pages use traditional picture-book conventions. Collier's final spread depicts the girl and her dad (wearing equally mismatched footwear) standing in a maze that pays homage to Willems' Pigeon. Buy multiple copies and prepare for a stampede.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Anthropomorphic shoes clamor to be selected by a girl preparing for a "Daddy-and-Me day!" They are dismayed that she picks a boot and a flip-flop, "You did not choose matching shoes!" The shoes follow her out the door and realize that her choice is okay when they see that her father is wearing two different shoes, too. This tale of love and individuality is peppered with puns: the high-tops say, "That was sneaky!" and the left sneaker says to its mate, "You are right. You are always Right." Elephant says, "OH NO! LEFT LEFT RIGHT!" He laughingly says, "Both the GIRL's and the DAD's shoes did not match!" And Piggie replies, "But they did go together! JUST LIKE US! We make a fun pair." Collier's distinguished art portrays a brown-skinned girl who, throughout the story, bears expressions of contemplation, joy, and finally tentativeness as she greets her father. Dad chips through the ice with his greeting, "Hi, you! Nice shoes!" His brown boot, yellow low-top combo brightens the mood of his daughter, and readers, too. The cast of footwear is expressive, sporting unique eyes-flip-flops wear sunglasses, slippers' sleepy eyes are slits, and they all have wry smiles. This is a fabulous addition to the "Elephant and Piggie" series. VERDICT This book is just right for beginning readers and won't be left on the shelf for long.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Witty wordplay, snappy dialogue, and rich watercolor and collage illustrations combine in Collier's first early reader. A young African American girl chooses which shoes to wear for a day out with her father. A varied cast of googly-eyed footwear vie for her attention: "PICK US!" The series' hallmarks--a limited, repetitive word bank; color-coded speech bubbles; appearances by Gerald and Piggie; and an inherent page-turning quality--are all present and well executed. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
