Michael Chesworth

Another great book from [a:Renata Bowers|8343260|Renata Bowers|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-a7c55399ea455530473b9f9e4da94c40.png], this time with some extra conflict. Frieda B. sets off to visit the moon, but first, she dreams, then she plans, then she executes, and off she goes!

Distracted by the wonder around her, she inadvertently crashes, causing pain and damage. This is where we see that honesty and kindness are two important aspects of the golden rule, on both show more sides, the offended and the offender. Both aspects are needed, however: honesty without kindness can be rude and brutal, while kindness without honesty can be a sugar-coated lie.

Frieda B. and the moon get the balance right, however, and she goes above and beyond to make amends. show less

I picked this up at the 2014 AHG Leadership Conference where I met the author and I am tickled with just how fun, relevant and accessible this book is.

Last night my 7 year-old daughter and I sat and read this book together, chuckling over the story and the illustrations. Frieda is an imaginative girl, who, as the title provides, rediscovers along with the reader that she is "free-to-be herself" through this gem of a book.

And it seems that these days we need this simple reminder to use, show more embrace, seek and celebrate our imaginations.

Perhaps not every girl will identify with Freida, but mine certainly did, from the freckles on her nose to the bare feet but particularly for the imagination under her wiry hair.

I intend to read it to my daughter again and again. And so it gets five stars. show less

Author Michael Chesworth creates a character to fall in love with in this humorous and beautifully illustrated picture book. Archibald Frisby, is a little boy with "science on the brain," whose resistance to "typical" boy activities gives his mother fits. Prefering physics to football, biology to baseball and mathematics to mischief, Archibald spurns his exasperated mother's attempts to have him assimilate. At her wits end, Mother sends Archibald to summer camp where his worlds collide. show more Remaining true to his passions but like a good scientist, willing to explore unchartered territory, Archibald teachs others and in the process learns about himself. Chesworth's lyrical prose is complemented by his colorful and intricate illustrations. A great book for children as they will learn that fun comes in many different forms and holding steadfast to principles is Archibald's ultimate triumph. show less

The silly puns were entertaining but would go over the heads of little kids. The story was so-so and the resolution anticlimactic. The illustrations were average.

My biggest problem with it is that only one letter is female, a widow. The husband is long lost and the woman pines and sings of him. She says he left a treasure though she doesn't know where. So all of the rest of the letters go find and retrieve it for her. No stereotypes there. Even though lowercase i built the ship, all the show more officers are uppercase because of course everyone also has to know his place.

So we have a woman used only as a plot device and blatant classism. You're fit to lead by nature of who you were created to be rather than who you've become. It's birthright which just irks me. show less