Kirsten Hall

The forest animals are dazzled by the appearance of a shiny golden leaf one spring day, and compete with one another to possess it. A warbler manages to scoop it up first, but her efforts to show off lead to its loss, as it is snatched by a chipmunk. A mouse steals it next, only to have it purloined by a deer, who then loses it to a fox. Eventually all of this competition leads to the disintegration of the leaf, much to the animals' dismay. Will the leaf reappear the next spring? And if it show more does, how will the animals react...?

The Gold Leaf is a beautiful picture-book, one that pairs an engaging story from author Kirsten Hall, whose grandfather was responsible for the gold leafing on many of New York City's famous buildings, and gorgeous illustrations by illustrator Matthew Forsythe. Forsythe's work here is soft-edged, capturing the sylvan enchantment of the forest world being depicted, while the gold leaf itself is depicted with a shiny gold substance. The story, in which the gold leaf is a fleeting thing of beauty, one that should be savored but cannot be kept, reminded me of Robert Frost's famous poem, Nature's First Green Is Gold, which I have always loved, although Hall gives her tale a more hopeful conclusion than Frost. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books featuring beautiful artwork and a beautiful text. show less

American author Kirsten Hall and French-Canadian illustrator Isabelle Arsenault join forces in this beautiful picture-book tribute to the honeybee. In simple, poetic text, the activities of the bee, as it works toward producing honey, are set out. From gathering nectar from the flowers to filling the honeycomb, the honeybee keeps busy, always flying around, always buzzing, always working. Most of all, though: always helping the world's pollination process...

As is clear from Hall's afterword, show more the subject of honeybees and their important role in maintaining ecological balance is dear to this author's heart, something that comes through loud and clear in her text. The narrative reads very well - "Four tiny wings; / they buzz and they sing. / They're clapping and flapping; / the busy bee's lapping" - and manages to be both informative and beautifully descriptive. The artwork, done in ink, gouache and pencil, is absolutely gorgeous! Everything from the color palette and the general composition of each page, to the use of lines to indicate motion, is very well done indeed. That moment when the narrative forcefully names the bee, and there is a massive two-page painting, is a wonderful example of text and image working together as they should, building a sense of excitement and wonder. Highly recommended, both to my fellow Hall and Arsenault fans - I admire both, myself - and to anyone looking for picture-books about bees. show less

American author Kirsten Hall and English illustrator Jenni Desmond pair up in this poetic picture-book examination of snow birds - avian creatures who do not migrate south during the winter. From the blue jay to the snow bunting, the great gray owl to the cardinal, each bird is featured on a two-page spread, with a brief poem, plentiful onomatopoeia and beautiful artwork. An afterword gives more information about each type of bird profiled...

Snow Birds is the third picture-book I have read show more from the wonderfully talented Hall, who is (full disclosure) a personal acquaintance and friend, and the fourth from Desmond. I found it delightful, enjoying both the brief but clever poems and the lovely visuals. I don't know that I'd ever given much thought to the birds that stay around in winter, but as someone who has always lived in northern climes, I certainly appreciate their presence during that season. Recommended to young animal lovers and bird watchers, and to picture-book readers looking for works of natural history that are both poetical and educational. show less

Playing on the familiar son, The Kids on the Bus, this book spins into the world of emotions...and I mean that literally.

Shaped as a school bus, this book immediately embraces the theme and sets the mood. Every page flows with a verse fitting to the song, making this a book which can be sung along. At first, only a few kids enter the bus, and with each turn of the page, more get on. Before flipping, though, the reader is asked 'How Are You Feeling Today?' A wheel then allows the reader to show more spin emotion faces—visible in a round opening above the bus driver's head—until they reach whatever emotion they believe is being displayed on the bus at that moment.

Even at first glance, this book gives a cute impression. The school bus form draws in and the animal-children are vibrant and full of excitement. The atmosphere is a very pleasant one the entire way through. The illustrator also makes sure to pack in diversity and needed politeness. So, it's a nice 'feel good' read, perfect for young listeners. Add the text, which can be easily sung in thought of the original song, and it's also a wonderful read-aloud, which is sure to grab young listeners' interest.

The point of this book is to teach young listeners to recognize emotions...or so it would seem. The idea of placing the different (and simple) emotion faces on wheel, which the reader spins, is a lovely touch. Young listeners will enjoy spinning it around and around. The emotions include mostly positive ones with only an 'angry', which hits when the bus driver gets a bit over-whelmed with the giggling on the bus. I did find this a little odd and would have liked to have seen a more solid reason for the driver's anger. But then, all the kids on the bus know is positive. Other emotions like being sad or worried aren't included, which was also a shame. Still, it's a cute book which is sure to have young listeners flipping through again and again.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the sing-along ride. show less