Kazuno Kohara

A young witch-girl moves into her new house at the edge of town in Kazuno Kohara's Ghosts in the House! (The Haunted House in Britain), promptly setting out to "neutralize" its ghostly inhabitants. Soon those whispy white critters have been put to "good" use: as curtains, sheets and table-cloths...

Like the friend who put me onto this - I wouldn't like to say she recommended it, as her reaction was rather mixed - I was immediately drawn in by Kohara's Halloween-appropriate artwork, with its show more bold, block-like illustrations in black, orange, and gauzy white. The story is simple, with only a few words per page, and will keep young readers (and listeners) involved. Although I can see why some other reviewers were dismayed by the (possible) subtext of Ghosts in the House!, with its narrative of "the other" being forced to change, I read it as pure wish-fulfillment fantasy, in which the wild and frightening is domesticated. And I mean "fantasy" in the psychological sense: something transgressive, transformative, and most definitely not meant to be true. show less

Kazuno Kohara does the most adorable, simple picture books - but with substance! They're not just fluff.

Last year I added this book to my 1st Grade Library Visit program and it was a huge hit with the kids. Appropriately, my 1st grade visits are always the end of October.

The story begins with a special library that opens only at night. The little librarian and her assistant owls are having a peaceful, if busy, evening when the rush begins - squirrels looking for somewhere to practice their show more band concert, a wolf crying because her story is unhappy, and finally a turtle who doesn't want to leave until he finishes his story. Finally, the animals are gone and it only remains for the librarian to pick out a special bedtime book for the owls.

Kohara's distinctive illustrations are two-color creations with thick, black lines. They're almost like woodcuts, but for younger kids. This book is told in yellow and blue, which is perfect for that just slightly shivery feeling of scary for the really little kids without being really frightening. Cute animals, towering bookshelves, and trees give the library a welcoming, exuberant feeling.

One of the things I love most about this book, and what makes it perfect for my library visit tours, is what an excellent job Kohara does of capturing a modern library with space for everyone. First, there's the fact that it's open at night to accommodate the animals who can't come during the day. When the squirrels are noisy they aren't asked to leave - they're shown to an activity room where they can practice. The little librarian always has a helpful response to whatever questions are thrown at her and she stays cheerful and friendly throughout her busy night.

Verdict: This is a perfect book for a toddler Halloween storytime or to welcome new friends to the library, assuring them there is room for everyone! Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781596439856; Published 2014 by Roaring Brook Press; Purchased for the library show less

There once was a little librarian with three owl assistants who ran a library that opened only at night and served all kinds of animals. This is the story of one night at that library, in which the little librarian and her assistants find practice space for a noisy band of squirrels, help a tortoise get a library card, and more.

This is a fun book that still manages to teach small children about the types of things that are available at their local library. For that reason, I brought it along show more with me for outreach at some local preschools, where even the youngest children (age 3) listened attentively and enjoyed the book.

The illustrations are unique and appealing, although a bit difficult to describe. The entire book has a background of a bright yellow and all of the illustrations are black or blue. The effect is of illustrations that "pop" off the page. The pages are neither sparse nor cluttered, providing accurate visuals to accompany the text with just a few extra details. show less

Summer in the big city is hot, and little long-haired dachshund Hot Dog has had enough! His owner takes him to the beach so they can have a little break.

A lovely picture book with minimal words. There are so many children’s books idolizing suburbia that I’m cautious about those that discuss the negatives of living in a city, but at the end of the book Hot Dog is happy to be back at home after his nice day at the beach. Plus, they take the train to the beach! What a treat.