Chris Van Dusen (1)

“King Hugo’s Huge Ego” is a cautionary tale about a king who brags about himself and is so arrogant that he is cursed by a witch one day. He is outrageous in his behavior and very funny, with highly detailed illustrations that add to the humor of other character's reactions to his behavior. He makes his subjects listen to him pontificate about his outstanding qualities, and their disgusted and annoyed expressions are hilarious and very relatable. When he gets his eventual comeuppance, show more you are made to see his humanity and hope he has a happy ending. Although his curse (whenever he talks about himself in a bragging way, his head grows larger) is silly and clearly unrealistic, it still teaches a lesson about how others feel when you talk about how great you are. This is a good book for kids who are bragging about their academics in front of other students or are boastful in other ways that antagonize them. I enjoyed the fairy tale setting and elements and the way Chris Van Dusen writes using rhyming to tell the story. show less

Out paddling on the local lake one day, Hattie begins singing a little song to herself. Little does she know that the lake monster, a massive creature who lives deep down on the lake-floor, has heard her call. Emerging from the depths, Hudson, as Hattie eventually names him, is a friendly beast who simply wants to join in her song, and make friends. Unfortunately, some of the local adults think he is a danger, and mount an effort to get rid of him. Can Hattie save her new friend...?

I've show more admired Chris Van Dusen's colorful artwork in Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson chapter-books, but Hattie & Hudson is the first book I have read that he both wrote and illustrated. How glad I am that I picked it up, as it is an absolute delight! The narrative is engaging and ultimately heartwarming, while the artwork is vividly colorful and immediately involving. Hattie and Hudson both make for appealing characters, and it is a pleasure to watch them cement their friendship. Recommended to all Chris van Dusen fans, and to anyone searching for fun stories about summertime adventures, and making friends with friendly monsters. show less

Circus Ship by Chris van Dusen

Today, (ok, this evening. whatever) I'm looking at two books I really didn't expect to like or be interested in at all. But I was surprised and delighted by their awesomeness. First, Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen. Now, I know you are saying, "what? how can you not be a fan of the brilliance which is Dusen?" but my only exposure to this exuberant artist was through the one Mercy Watson book, which I read and reviewed for Cybils. You can probably sense a little show more "these pictures are cool, but what are they doing in a chapter book?" vibe going on there. Anyways. So, several people raved about Circus Ship, and it was on the front of the publisher's catalog and all, but somehow the cover just didn't really grab me. Plus, I had found out it rhymed. I am always suspicious of picture books that rhyme. So I waited until another library in our consortium had bought it and I borrowed it....and was wowed. The text has the perfect cadence and rhythm for reading aloud. Not too long, not too short. The rhymes are natural and unforced and skillfully weave dialogue and narrative together. The illustrations....ooooh. Van Dusen's glorious colors are all here, gleaming, sparkling, exploding off the page, even when dimmed by storms and menaced by evil villains. The slightly retro feel of the art skilfully gives the illustrations a realistic historical feel while the exuberant animals and bemused villagers place this fictionalized account of a real event firmly in fantasy land.

Verdict: Highly recommended, added to my order list, and onto the storytime roster!

ISBN: 978-0763630904; Published September 2009 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Crow Call by Lois Lowry, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

The second story is a complete change of pace. I glanced at a few reviews for this and thought scornfully "we don't need any more memoir picture books, let the adults buy them for themselves. I buy books for kids". Plus, although I loved and read often Lowry's Number the Stars, I was deeply scarred by the forcible reading and truly puerile discussion of Lowry's Giver in an unbelievably boring and infantile "children's literature class" in college. Let me simply say that the professor had previously taught third grade and leave it at that. At least it gave me an idea of what high school students suffer in literature classes *shudder*. Anyways.

But the more positive reviews I saw, the more I thought "well, I should at least look at it." So I looked at it and was entranced. This picture book is definitely for older readers and listeners. The lengthy text and nuanced narrative will be difficult for preschoolers or even kindergarteners to follow. But older children who have the patience for a longer story and an appreciation of language will be a rapt audience for this book. The story is evocative and emotional, although the language is plain and almost stark. A small girl tries to reconcile her memories of her father with the stranger who has returned from war. Together, she and her father rebuild their relationship and reconnect. Simple and yet deeply moving, capturing the pain of separation, the fragility of family relationships, and the wonder of the natural world. The pervasive browns, greys, and strong earth tones of the illustrations recreate the somber landscape of early winter but manage to thread the hope of returning life and joy throughout the story.

Verdict: Beautiful and moving, highly recommended

ISBN: 978-0545030359; Published October 2009 by Scholastic; Borrowed from the library show less

I absolutely loved this book. I actually came across it completely by chance. I thought the cover looked cool, so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did because this book is awesome. It's exactly the type of book I would have read as a kid. The illustrations are really off the charts. While the pictures all resemble cartoons, they are extremely lifelike. I could totally visualize most of the illustrations in real life. In addition, the colors are very bright and pleasing to the eye. show more Another thing I really liked was the flow to the story. It reminded me a lot of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham." The story followed an "every-other-line" rhyming scheme, and each rhyme was illustrated to perfection. I'm still impressed by this book, and I think it should be more popular. If there were a theme in the story, it would be to let your creativity run wild. show less