David Zeltser

On the night before his eighth birthday, a young boy is surprised to be given a book by his parents. Surely they must realize that he prefers toys and games, he thinks. But then, as he is struggling to fall asleep, a sound brings him to the window and he is even more surprised to see a massive lion outside his house. The lion, whose name is Fortitude, takes him on a magical nighttime journey to the New York Public Library, where the enchanted books reenact scenes from the boy's favorite show more stories, read to him by his now-deceased Grandpa. They even reenact the storytime sessions that grandfather and grandson once shared. This reminder of his beloved elder recalls the wonder of reading for the boy, who, when questioned by his parents the next day, maintains that he will keep the book he has been given...

A beautiful book, one which pairs a sensitive and thought-provoking story about the power of reading with gorgeous artwork, The Night Library is the third title I have read recently to feature Patience and Fortitude, the two stone lions who stand guard outside of The New York Public Library's 42nd Street Astor Hall. The previous two, Josh Funk's Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude and Jessica M. Boehman's The Lions at Night, were each interesting, in their way, but I think this one is outstanding! Author David Zeltser highlights how influential childhood reading can be, and the all-important role of family members in fostering a literate environment for young people. He also explores how the death of a loved one, in this case the boy's grandfather, can interrupt that process. He never explicitly states that the boy stopped reading because his grandfather died, but there is a strong implication that this is the case, and that without the encouragement of this beloved elder, he begins to get out of the habit of picking up books for pleasure. The story therefore functions, not just as an exploration of reading, but of the grieving and healing process, after the death of a loved one. As could be expected, the artwork by Raúl Colón is simply beautiful, with a gorgeous dream-like quality that perfectly matches the story. I think this may be my favorite yet, of Colón's books!

All in all, a wonderful book, whether one is looking for a story featuring Patience and Fortitude and the New York Public Library, or for a tale exploring the power of reading, and the loving bond between family members. show less

Ninja Baby was a very active, self-sufficient infant. She made changing time a hand-to-hand combat practice session, had infiltration of movie night down to an art, and knew how to kick the pants of applesauce. Then her parents came home with Kung Fu Master (AKA, a baby brother), and suddenly she wasn't the center of attention any more. Did Ninja Baby really want to be alone, as she'd always thought, or was being part of a family a better option...?

A cute ninja take on one of the classic show more early childhood experiences - i.e.: adjusting to family life with a new sibling - David Zeltser's Ninja Baby is an entertaining story, one greatly enhanced by the droll artwork done by Diane Goode. The illustrations here, done in pen, ink and watercolor, won quite a few chuckles from me, as they expressively captured the eponymous ninja heroine's hi-jinks. Recommended to all young ninjas, as well as to anyone looking for new-sibling stories that are humorous and heartwarming. show less

A young boy is given, to his obvious displeasure, a book for his birthday. That night he is visited by a lion who takes him on an adventure to the NYPL through the reading room, past the adult books, which "can be difficult to grasp” to the children’s library where the books play out their favorite stories. The books present an image of the boy’s grandfather, who has passed, made out of the memories of stories his grandfather shared with him.

The written word was man’s first show more achievement of immortality, but for me, the memories of sharing the written words with a loved one far outweigh what they say. It is a joy that can be passed down generation to generation and as the young boy in this story found out, can even transcend the sadness of grief.

This story floats on the artwork, a kind of dreamlike state of muted colors that only reinforces the idea that this book should be shared. show less

Science, especially physics RULES! Let's admit it, we all hate homework. It’s so much more fun to play and star gaze. Abby is just like us. But her dad is a physicist who is writing the rules on how to create a black hole. Abby is so awesome that she pulls of the impossible and creates her own black hole, that promptly eats her homework. The story is lovely, but feels a little short. Almost like it ended too soon. What happened to her black hole when she decided to stay, or when she went show more to school, etc. show less