Beth Ferry

Standing in his field through the seasons of the year, the eponymous Scarecrow is a solitary, friendless figure, one who does not know joy or companionship. Then a baby crow crashes to the ground near his feet, and everything changes. The Scarecrow adopts the hatchling, sheltering him and cheering him on as he grows. But when the crow takes flight, leaving the Scarecrow all alone again, is it the end of their unusual friendship...?

Given my great love of the Fan Brothers and their phenomenal show more artwork, I have been looking forward to The Scarecrow for some time, and picked it up today with a pleasant feeling of expectation. Although I wouldn't describe it as quite the equal of some of their earlier books - The Night Gardener or Ocean Meets Sky are personal favorites - it was quite lovely. The rhyming text from author Beth Ferry is sweet, and her tale heartwarming, while the artwork, created using pencil, ballpoint and Photoshop, was charming. I particularly enjoyed the autumn and winter scenes, as those are my favorite seasons. Recommended to anyone looking for beautiful new picture-books about friendship and/or the seasons. show less

Tiny Cactus leads a happy life, cared for by her little girl, whose endearments for her—"little cupcake," "sweetest little bonbon"—always fill her with joy. Then one day something new and exciting happens, and our cacti heroine sees and hears and smells wonderful things. It's Christmas, and that means shiny decorations, an enchanting tree, and delicious-smelling cookies. Convinced that she too will take part in this holiday, Tiny Cactus waits to be decorated herself, only to find that show more her little girl seems to have forgotten her. Will her Christmas wish come true, will she find herself relegated to the shelf, only able to watch the festivities...?

Having read and enjoyed other books from both author Beth Ferry and illustrator A.N. Kang—in my previous job, I hosted book events for both—I was delighted to discover The Christmassy Cactus, and to track it down! Anthropomorphic cacti are not as unusual in picture book world as you might imagine—thinking here of Simona Ciraolo's Hug Me, or of Carter Goodrich's Nobody Hugs a Cactus—but this may be the first time I've seen a cactus character in a Christmas story. As unlikely as it might feel at first glance, it works perfectly here, as one plant life envies another, but most of all wishes to participate and feel appreciated. Ferry captures those feelings—so relatable for young children—in her engaging text, just as Kang ably depicts them in her adorable artwork. Although I saw the resolution coming, it was still most satisfying! Recommended to picture book readers looking for new and slightly unconventional Christmas stories that have real heart. show less

Evelyn was a little witch who seemed to have everything. But one day she woke up with a feeling that she was missing something, and when she passed the pet shop during her walk through town she realized what is was—a companion! Only able to afford the mystery pet option, she came home with a smooth white egg, and waited for it to hatch. When this didn't go as expeditiously as she had hoped, Evelyn did everything she could to speed up the process, until she realized what was needed: show more time.

Given my fondness for witchy fare—witchy picture books are a pet project of mine—and the fact that I have read and enjoyed other books created by author Beth Ferry and illustrator Charles Santoso, I fully expected to enjoy Evelyn Witch Gets a Pet as well. I was not disappointed, finding the story here engaging, humorous and fun, and the accompanying artwork entertaining. I particularly loved the scene in which Evelyn does research at her local library, and the conclusion, in which the identity of Evelyn's pet is revealed, was charming. Recommended to little would-be witches, and any children who dreams of a pet of their own. show less

First sentence: Dreary.
Weary.
Dim.
Grim.
Drip.
Drop.
Nonstop
Gotta go--rain or snow
Come on, pup.

Premise/plot: There have been plenty of books about rainy days--featuring umbrellas or other rain gear--published through the years. I've never seen a rain-themed book with this big a twist. So the premise, a girl and her dog live in a community where it is seemingly ALWAYS raining, ALWAYS gray. But maybe just maybe change is coming!

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I loved the text. I LOVED, show more LOVED, LOVED the rhythm and rhyme of it. I am very particular when it comes to rhyming books. I can be harsh if the rhythm is off or weird. The lyrical flow--the rhythm--of this one is perfectly perfect in every way. I love the language--the onomatopoeia. I love how relatable it is. Rainy days CAN feel endless and always gray. Literally and figuratively--I think this one works. I also love the repetition. Every time we came back to Come on, pup...I just smiled.

I love the illustrations. I absolutely love the use of limited colors. Thematically, this one just works really well. I love that the illustrations are capable of carrying the story on their own. So little ones who can't quite read yet, can "read" the pictures.

Text and illustrations--both perfectly perfect. This is a picture book. But it needs to be a BOARD BOOK and a PICTURE BOOK. I want this book to say in print forever and ever. show less