Lois Ehlert (1934–2021)

Fox longs to travel to the moon in this bilingual picture book retelling of a traditional Peruvian folktale from author/illustrator Lois Ehlert. Convincing Mole to accompany him and some birds to take his grass rope and hang it over the that celestial body, Fox begins to climb, followed by his talpine friend. Mole's subsequent fall, and the ridicule he experiences at the hands of the other animals drives him underground, where he remains, a burrowing creature. And Fox? Some say you can still show more see Fox in the moon...

Adapted from a tale called The Fox and the Mole, found in Enriqueta Herrera's collection, Leyendas y fabulas peruanas, the story in Moon Rope is told in English by Ehlert and translated back into Spanish by Amy Prince. It is an engaging pourquoi tale, explaining both how moles came to be how they are, and why you can see a fox (in this tale, anyway) in the moon. It's fascinating to think of the different figures various human cultures have spied in the moon, from the fox seen here to the rabbit that Chinese folklore sees in that heavenly orb. This phenomenon is known as pareidolia—the human tendency to perceive patterns or meaning where there is none—and in the west, tradition supplies a man in the moon, with numerous cultural references to this figure. In any case, I enjoyed the story here, and thought that the collage-style illustrations, inspired by Peruvian decorative motifs, were striking. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone seeking Peruvian stories. show less

It's hard to look at this book and not immediately grab your scissors and colored paper! There is so much depth to some of the collages, moreso than I remember from some of her Ehlert's other work. This book shows us gorgeous pictures of animals with some fun poetry that describes what we are seeing. I don't know that I'd read it aloud all at once, but it seems like it'd be great for a daily dose of reading when doing a life science unit. Students could look at a few animals each day, and show more perhaps it could be a springboard for further research. Students could discuss why the markings are there, from both the picture and from any clues in the poem. Especially where the poem doesn't suggest purpose for an animal's markings, it would be fun to make up some stories. I could see this being fun for an early elementary science lesson, to keep science colorful and fun, and to build curiosity. Like most of Ehlert's work, it's also great inspiration for some art projects. show less

A group of field mice plan their harvest feast, hoping all the while that the scary cat - whom they have NOT invited! - will stay away. When that feline comes calling however, our little murine heroes are prepared, saying Boo! to the very creature which frightens them, and scaring her away. Now they can enjoy their autumn plenty...

Although neither Halloween nor Thanksgiving are ever mentioned explicitly in author/illustrator Lois Ehlert's Boo to You!, I think it would make a fun picture-book show more for either holiday. The visual and textual elements - jack-o-lanterns and saying "boo!," the gathering of autumn plenty for a feast - definitely reference this time of year. The rhyming text is simple and engaging, while the collage artwork, made with a number of found autumn objects, as well as cut paper, is fun and appealing. Recommended to Lois Ehlert fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books that can be used at both Halloween and Thanksgiving. show less

I strongly resisted even looking at this book for a long time. Picture book biographies (or autobiographies) do not circulate well (or at all) at my library. Neither does anything on art unless it's a craft or how to make things type of book. I was wrong. I can admit it. I should have known that Lois Ehlert was not going to lose sight of the interests of her primary audience; young children.

The endpapers are a colorful collage of photographs, found objects, and colors. The collage continues show more onto the title page and incorporates the title and author. The first page says, in large, bold, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom letters, "Don't read this book" and then in smaller print "unless you love books and art" and lovers of art and books have a feast waiting for them in the following pages.

In simple, honest language, Lois Ehlert talks about her ideas for books, where they came from, and how she created the art. There are sketches and drafts and finished artwork, craft ideas and guidelines on creating your own art, stories from her childhood, and so much more. Although the book is twice the length of the average picture book, it's not hard to see even a very young child being engrossed in the colorful pages and bits and pieces of Lois Ehlert's art and life.

Verdict: This isn't a book you want to plow straight through; rather, it's ideal for dipping into and choosing a few pages to sample. Give it to kids to pore over, read snippets in storytime (I'm planning to feature it at my We Explore Favorite Artists series in the fall) and make sure you shelve it in the picture books where Lois Ehlert fans will discover another book to treasure.

ISBN: 9781442435711; Published 2013 by Beach Lane Books/Simon and Schuster; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list show less