Carin Berger

As a variety of figures drive their diverse vehicles, the narrator of this simple picture-book shouts "Go, Go, Go" in an endless loop. Then a scene of gray smog appears, and the command to "STOP" is given. On a four-page foldout scene, the characters are given new instructions, such as "Catch A Ride, Clyde," and "Ride a Bike, Mike and Ike," and then sent on their way again...

Despite its extremely minimal text, consisting (except for the four-page spread mentioned above) almost entirely of show more the word 'go,' OK Go is a sophisticated picture-book, one which relies on the artwork to expand upon the story. It is clear, on the two-page smog spread, which pairs a huge "UH OH" with a threatening vista of gray and black clouds, that continual "going" has created a ecological crisis. The instructions given to various characters on the final four-page foldout offer the reader helpful hints as to the actions that can be taken to avoid such a dire gray outcome. In addition to appreciating the creative layout of OK Go, with its adept blend of text and image, I also loved the artwork itself. Berger's collage illustrations are always beautiful, and the ones here are really quite lovely, working found (AKA: recycled!) objects, from bits of fabric to scraps of paper, into each scene. Recommended to fellow Carin Berger fans, and to anyone looking for fun picture-books for younger children that encourage recycling and ecological awareness and responsibility. show less

The immensely talented Carin Berger, whose cut-paper collage illustrations are always a joy to behold, returns in this latest picture book, which is by far her most beautiful yet! The minimal text describes the sights, sounds and feelings of the eponymous garden, while the artwork depicts the beauty of the natural world at night, and captures the charm of the little black cat whose presence provides a visual leitmotif throughout. The book closes with an invitation to sleep, having considered show more the many delights of the night garden...

As an admirer of Berger's work, which I first discovered through the lovely autumn picture book, The Little Yellow Leaf, I have been looking forward to In the Night Garden, and I was not disappointed. From beginning to end, it is just an absolute pleasure to peruse! I loved the deep color palette, with dark blues and greens, relieved by occasional bright colors, as it perfectly captures the mysterious enchantment of nighttime vistas. The use of cut paper was (as always with Berger) fascinating, particularly when the paper included bits of text, or of sheet music. The scene with the foxes was charming, and the cat throughout was adorable. Although I don't know that this has the same poignant appeal as Berger's The Little Yellow Leaf, which is probably her best book, from a narrative/storytelling perspective, I do think this one is her best achievement, aesthetically. Just a gorgeous, gorgeous book! Recommended to fellow fans of the artist, and to anyone seeking quiet, gentle bedtime books with beautiful illustrations. show less

Shy, hesitant, not ready to let go, the little yellow leaf persists in holding on until long after the other leaves have let go. It's autumn and the days are changing, they're getting colder and the wind is blowing, it's time to move on. Sometimes it's hard to let go though! Carin Berger speaks to the reluctant learner or to the child who faces changes in their life and shows them in a caring way that life goes on, ready or not, and everything will be alright.
I have felt this same way many show more times in my life. This little book is reassuring for me. I need to trust more in times of transition. This book can be used in the Pre K to grade 2 classroom to talk about the changing seasons, summer to fall to winter, and also to address the changes that are going on in students' lives, too. This book shares a calm approach to a sometimes difficult topic: change. Somehow knowing we're not alone with our dilemma helps. show less

The immensely talented picture-book author/illustrator Carin Berger, creator of such lovely titles as The Little Yellow Leaf and A Perfect Day, returns to the form in this engaging look at collective nouns. The simple text, in which a curious little monkey questions a Puss In Boots style cat about what various groups of animals are called, is paired with gorgeous collage-style illustrations, creating a fun and informative book.

As a fan of Carin Berger's artwork, as well as someone who loves show more obscure animal adjectives - I'm more prone to using species-specific ones, such as sciurine or limacine, but I find collective nouns fascinating as well - I am definitely the right audience for A Curious Menagerie. I found the text engaging, loved learning some new terms - the decorative endpapers here have plenty of examples not contained in the main text! - and thought the collage-style artwork was beautiful. Examples of collection nouns with which I was previously unfamiliar: A Shiver of Sharks, A Gallop of Greyhounds, and A Kind of Kittens. I can't wait to put these to good use... show less