Khoa Le (1)

Harry's reluctance to get a haircut leads to trouble in this cautionary tale from Vietnamese author/artist Khoa Le, as a pair of doves, mistaking his untidy head for a likely home, take up residence there and build a nest. Soon the doves have a family, and Harry finds himself exiled from singing class when his avian companions' noise gets to be too much for his teacher. When a tree begins to grow out of a seed in the doves' nest, and a whole flock of birds take up residence, the young boy show more has finally had enough, appealing to his mother, who finds the best solution for him, and for the tree.

Originally published in Switzerland as Noé l'ébouriffé, and translated into English by the San Rafael-based publisher Insight Editions, this appealing little confection of a picture-book reminded me a bit of David Small's classic, Imogen's Antlers, which also featured a child protagonist with something unexpected growing out of their head. Of course, in Harry's case the nest and tree are the result of his own refusal to groom properly, making The Boy With the Big Hair more of a didactic cautionary tale than Small's book. I enjoyed Khoa Le's story here, but it was her artwork that really appealed to me, with its vivid but subtle color palette, its cute (but not too cute) cartoon-style characters, and its general feeling of magic. My only complaint, and I felt the same way about Le's The Cloud Princess - the only other story I have read from this talented author/artist - was with the use of a holographic lenticular cover, which added very little in my opinion. Leaving that aside, this was a sweet story, one with gorgeous artwork, that I would recommend to anyone looking for tales about children who are reluctant to brush their hair and/or get haircuts, as well as to anyone who admires Khoa Le's artwork. show less

The Cloud Princess wonders about life on the Earth in this original ecological fairy-tale from Vietnamese artist Khoa Le, eventually venturing down to see it herself after hearing it described by Miss Sun. Enchanted by the beauty of what she sees, the Cloud Princess descends lower and lower, until she begins to feel lightheaded, and begins to disintegrate into tiny rain drops. Ascending again, lest she be completely undone, the heavenly princess nevertheless retains her interest in the show more Earth, visiting again from time to time and bringing the Spring Rain with her...

Originally published in Switzerland as Princesse des nuages, this lovely picture-book was translated into English by the California-based Insight Kids. It isn't clear to me, even after doing some research, whether it was also published in its creator's native Vietnam, where she apparently lives and exhibits her work. Leaving that aside, the text of The Cloud Princess is simple and engaging, combining fairy-tale elements reminiscent of mythology - anthropomorphized celestial beings, for instance - with scientific concepts such as rain coming from clouds. The artwork is beautiful, with a vibrant color scheme and sweet, somewhat cartoon-like figures. I was charmed by this first book from Khao Le and, as I understand other titles have recently been translated, plan to seek out more of her work. show less

Celestial sisters, the Sun and Moon ruled the sky together, until jealousy came between them, and they began to wonder which was more important, and more beloved by the people below on earth. Deciding to switch roles as an experiment, Sun shines at night, keeping everyone awake and withering the plants, while Moon shines during the day, depriving everyone of the warmth and light they need as they go about their daily activities. In each case, the children plead with the two sisters to return show more to their usual role, eventually assuring them that they are equally important.

An original fairy-tale about the importance of balance, Sun and Moon Sisters is strongly reminiscent of various folk-tales I have read, and offers children a gentle lesson about the importance of both the sun and moon to our earthly existence. Although Khoa Le is Vietnamese, this lovely picture-book was originally published in Switzerland, as Lune et soleil. I have not been able to determine, with this, or with the previous titles from this talented artist that I have read, whether her books are also available in her native country. Leaving that aside, this was a beautiful volume, one that presents an engaging tale and gorgeous artwork. Recommended to anyone looking for original stories about ecological balance, or who just enjoys beautifully-illustrated fairy-tales. show less

This is a book that starts off sad, a baby polar bear wakes up alone in a storm without his mom. It turns into adventure with a few friends including a little girl who all come to help him. It would be a good book for anyone to show kids the affect of climate change. I personally enjoyed the book for its message but it seemed a little too predictable even for a kids book.