Lynne Cherry

There are some wonderful poems in this collection. Many, of course, are about the worries, annoyances, grievances, heartbreaks and losses of childhood. Some focus on envy, competitiveness, and self image. There are also lovely poems that address—among other things—pet cats, good friends, and the smell of early springtime.

I particularly liked the “Fairy Tales” section of the book in which Viorst has well-known heroines address, in the first person, the reality of their situations. show more When the prince who’s searching for the owner of the glass slipper visits Cinderella, for example, she has reservations:

I really didn’t notice that he had a funny nose.
And he certainly looked better all dressed up in fancy clothes.
He’s not nearly as attractive as he seemed the other night.
So I think I’ll just pretend that this glass slipper feels too tight.

As for the Little Mermaid—she poignantly reflects and regrets:

I risked more than my life to make him love me.
The prince preferred another for his bride.
I always hate the ending to this story:
They lived together happily; I died.

But I have some advice for modern mermaids
Who wish to save great sorrow and travail:
Don’t give up who you are for love of princes.
He might have liked me better with my tail.

While some of Viorst’s cultural references are now dated, there’s still much emotionally relatable and humorous content in this poetry collection for kids. Recommended. show less

Author/illustrator Lynne Cherry traces the history of New England's Nashua River in this engaging natural history picture-book, chronicling the many changes in human activity that have affected the health of this fluvial ecosystem. From the days in which it ran clean and clear - so clear that the pebbles on the river-bed could be seen from above, thus explaining its original native name, the Nash-a-Way, or "River With the Pebbled Bottom" - through its first harnessing (in order to power show more mills) during colonial times, and then its use as a dumping ground for waste during the Industrial Revolution, Cherry charts a trajectory that leads ever downward. Until, that is, the 1960s, when an activist named Marion Stoddart decided she had to do something...

Chosen as one of our September selections over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "ecosystems," A River Ran Wild is part history, part science, and all parts engaging. I appreciated the contrast drawn between the Native American way of interacting with the natural world, and the European (and then Euro-American) way - complementary versus adversarial - as I think this clarifies why environmental degradation was allowed to take hold, and to continue for so long in this country. The artwork is lovely, and I enjoyed looking at both the larger paintings on each two-page spread, and the decorative borders, with the many animals and items mentioned (or hinted at) in the narrative. All in all, an excellent picture-book examination of the the history of one river, one which offers some sobering facts, but also some inspirational figures! I think I need to learn more about Marion Stoddart... show less

The gentle dragon Valerio and the wise unicorn Allegra live in friendship and harmony with one another, and with all of the creatures of Ardet Forest, in this ecological fairy-tale from Lynne Cherry, an author/illustrator who has explored similar themes in such titles as The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest and A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History. When the expansionist King Orlando finds his way into their peaceful world, however, the forest soon becomes an unsafe show more place for all those who call it home. Can Allegra and Valerio alter the course of events by convincing the king's daughter, Princess Arianna, that the forest is worth preserving...?

One of our April selections, over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "mystical/magical creatures," The Dragon and the Unicorn was clearly selected because of its titular characters. The story is sweet, although a little too wordy, and self-consciously didactic for my taste. I agree with its message, but found the delivery of that message rather awkward and heavy-handed. The artwork, on the other hand, was lovely! I really appreciated the fact that Orlando and Arianna were African in appearance - it's nice to see a fantasy picture-book featuring non-European characters! - and thought the overall effect of the larger paintings was beautiful. The decorative borders, around the paintings, and the smaller inset illustrations, within the borders, were also lovely. show less

The Dragon and the Unicorn is a fun fantasy story that also tells a morality tale about caring for the environment. Valerio the dragon and Allegra the unicorn are best friends who live in a beautiful, pristine forest over which they keep watch. But one day, humans arrive. They begin cutting down the ancient trees to build a castle for their king, leaving Valerio and Allegra sad and worried for all their forest friends. Then the king’s knights come into the forest and nearly trap Allegra, show more who they believe has magic in her horn. With Valerio’s help, she escapes and they hide. Allegra is wise, though, and knows that the humans are afraid of them and the mysteries of the forest, so she takes a chance on befriending the young princess, showing her all the wondrous and magical things there are amongst the trees and teaching her how important it is to care for all of them.

I’ve always loved animals and nature, including mythological beasts like dragons and unicorns, so The Dragon and the Unicorn was a truly enchanting tale for me, as I imagine it would be for most children as well. I love that it gently teaches children about caring for the plants and animals around us and about the magic that can be found in all of nature. I also appreciated the diversity represented in the story by having a Black royal family. Valerio and Allegra are gentle creatures who watch over the other inhabitants of the forest. The young princess Arianna is kind and caring, while her father, King Orlando, is simply frightened and misguided. The illustrations are stunning and rich in details with intricate vine-like borders around the pages that make the reader feel like they really are in a forest. I could’ve spent a great deal of time just perusing all of the pictures. This is a truly beautiful book that would make a great addition to any child’s library and which has found a spot on my own keeper shelf. This was my first read by Lynne Cherry, but I now very much look forward to checking out her other works. show less