Kenneth KraegelReviews

Jameson would ONLY wear green pants. This article of clothing made him feel great—like he could do anything!—and he resisted all attempts to get him to wear a wider array of colors. Then his cousin Armando announced that he and his fiancée Jo were getting married, and Jo asked Jameson to be in the wedding. Elated at first, Jameson was dismayed to learn that he would need to wear a tuxedo—in BLACK! Was there a way to honor his commitment, while also staying true to himself...?

Pairing an engaging and amusing tale of a young boy with decided sartorial habits, who must learn to adjust when confronted with his obligations to others, with humorous artwork that captures the humor of the story, Green Pants is a winsome little picture book. I really appreciate the fact that the story here shows Jameson finding a solution that honors Armando and Jo, while also permitting him some of what he himself wants. I had this sinking feeling, while reading this, that the narrative would allow Jameson to get what he wants, without having to compromise in any way (I've run across quite a few recent children's stories with this flaw), but no: instead he does what it expected of him, during the ceremony and dinner, and then pivots to what he wants during the more relaxed dance portion of the wedding. Although communicated without any fanfare, I think this sends an important message to children: sometimes you can't do what you want, and must consider the needs and feelings of others, and your responsibility to consider what is appropriate in specific social settings. Recommended to young children who always want to do one specific thing—wear a specific item of clothing, eat a specific food, and so on—as well as to those seeking humorous children's stories about give and take and compromise.½

As the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur, six-year-old Henry Alfred Grummorson was looking for adventure, and to prove his worth as a knight. Challenging a dragon, cyclops and griffin in turn, he is dismayed when each of these opponents wish to conduct non-violent and non-lethal combat, from blowing smoke rings to staring contests to chess matches. When he finally seeks Leviathan, the greatest creature of all, this opponent too is ready for a game, but our little hero has decided he has other priorities...

Author/illustrator Kenneth Kraegel, who has produced eight picture books at this point, made his debut in 2012 with King Arthur's Very Great Grandson, and what an auspicious beginning it was! Pairing an entertaining questing-knight story that is both humorous and ultimately heartwarming with appealing watercolor and ink artwork, it would make the perfect bedtime story for little kids who dream of adventure, love tales of knights and derring-do, and also have a sense of humor. I appreciated the theme of friendship at the end, and the idea (implicit in the story) that it isn't necessary to have an adversarial relationship with the world, in order to seek adventure. Recommended to imaginative little kids who long to meet magical creatures and have some adventures of their own.

Children's author and illustrator Kenneth Kraegel spins a smoothly soothing bedtime spell in this rhyming picture book focusing on fungi. His eponymous lullaby describes different kinds of mushrooms, before switching to the idea of a mushroom house where the reader / listener can play all day, before retreating to his cozy mushroom chair and then bed, to get some much-needed rest...

A gentle text that will lull the young listener to sleep is paired with lovely ink and watercolor artwork in Mushroom Lullaby, making it an excellent title to read at bedtime. Truth be told, I requested this from the library based on the cover alone, thinking it was some kind of original fairy-tale, perhaps about little tomte-like beings (or even animals) living in mushroom homes—something that Elsa Beskow might have produced—and I was a little disappointed at first to see it was nothing in that vein. That being said, I ended up finding it very engaging, in its own right, and recommend it as a somewhat unusual but still appealing bedtime book.

we love this funny book about a 6 year old boy who wants an epic battle but continually finds creatures who want to play games.

Henry wants adventure, but sometimes friendship is the best strategy.

A whimsical picture book about dreaming about mushrooms and living in a mushroom! What's not to like! The illustrations are quirky and sort of weird, in the best possible way. Perfect for preschoolers 3-5 yrs old also Kindergarten.

A shape book that kids just won't get. Or maybe they will.

Here's the thing. This book, in my opinion, will not translate well in a virtual storytime. It just won't. I picture kids calling out the shapes and then laughing at all the things that are NOT shapes. Honestly, I think of "The Book with No Pictures" when I read this one....BUT......again, you need an audience to pull it off.

A rhythmic book that starts with a sentence and continues to build upon the tale of different mushrooms. Best told to a younger child.
It begins with
"This is a mushroom
that grows in the park.
This is a mushroom
that grows in the dark
And here is a mushroom made just
for you.....

Simple, creative with lovely illustrations.

First sentence: This is a mushroom. This is a mushroom that grows in the park. This is the mushroom that glows in the dark. This is a mushroom growing on a tree. And this little mushroom is hard to see. Here is a mushroom up high in the sky. Here is a mushroom that never stays dry.

Premise/plot: The jacket copy calls this one "cozy and unique." It is certainly unique. While there are other picture books about mushrooms, they are relatively rare. (The one I'm thinking about are two friends arguing about how to share three mushrooms.) This one is all poem, very little story.

My thoughts: This is an odd read. On the one hand, I am an adult who absolutely LOVES mushrooms. A day without mushrooms is a sad, sad day. I enjoyed the idea of this one. Though I'm not sure what I expected and how this one held up to my expectations. Did I want more of a story? Maybe. Maybe not.The first half is just all poem; the last half is about someone (???) who lives in a mushroom having friends over and hanging out together. Perhaps all poem with no story. Or perhaps all story with no poem. ON the other hand, I've never met a toddler, preschooler, or young child who wanted anything to do with mushrooms--even fictional ones. I'm not exactly sure *who* this one is for???

In Mushroom Lullaby, author-illustrator Kraegel introduces the reader to many different kinds of mushrooms, from "a mushroom that glows in the dark" to one "that never stays dry" and, best of all, "a mushroom made just for you" - a mushroom house complete with a "soft mushroom stair" and a "warm mushroom bed." The illustrations are whimsical and detailed. I enjoyed looking for other mushroom-themed details in the house, including mushroom-shaped finials on the stairway and even a miniature mushroom house sitting on a shelf in the bookcase. A delightful and charming picture book!½

This starts out like a normal book of shapes - a circle, square, and triangle are shown and identified in succession, in bright color with wood grain texture. These are followed by "This is an emu pushing a pancake wagon down a hill." The pattern then repeats, with a couple of simple shapes before a detailed, silly scene, Then, just when the readers think they've identified the pattern, there is a photograph of a pineapple. "Wait. A pineapple? What is that doing here? [page turn] After all, this is a book of shapes."

For the alert toddler with a sly sense of humor (i.e. most of them). Perplexing fun!

2 to 5 years

One of those exceptionally rare board books that reads like a "tag yourself" meme. (#i'm jet pack-wearing rhinoceros #might also be the desert it's skateboarding through)

This review also published at The Children's Book and Media Review

Henry Alfred Grummorson was the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur and he wants to live up to that heritage. On the day that he turns six-year-old, he woke up early and went with his trust donkey, Knuckles, to find an adventure. He goes to fight a dragon, but the dragon wants to have a smoke ring competition instead of fighting, so Henry goes to try the Cyclops. The Cyclops just wants to have a staring contest. The Griffin simply wants to play chess, and the leviathan also just wants to play a game. He decides that because he has come face-to-face with four monsters, he can be pleased with himself and he can also have four new friends.

This amusing book is a good way to introduce children to mythological creatures they might not have heard of before. The art is sometimes very detailed and sometimes looks like a child has drawn it, but it helps the monsters seem friendlier and less scary. The book teaches about how it is better to make friends than it is to fight, while also providing a few giggles at Henry’s attempts to find a challenge he thinks is suitable for him.

diverse picture book (getting dressed; comfort objects (pants/blankets); weddings / preschool ages 4 and up).
* Features diverse characters: Jameson and his family happen to be African-American; most of the wedding party and guests are also black but there is a mix of lighter-skinned and dark-skinned/straight-haired people present as well.
* would work well for a preschool storytime; there are some pages with a significant amount of text, so I would rate this for the older preschool-to-Kinder range (4-6 years). The story is sweet and pretty action-oriented for a book about weddings, and the illustrations are charming and large enough to share with an audience.

This is one of those odd books that could fit into many different areas. Picture book? Graphic novel? Beginning chapter? All of those.

Kraegel's art can be simple or complex and this book combines both. You'll see on the cover the hexagons of a bee hive with delicate details included in each. Central is the mother shrew, who is the protagonist of the story. The story is divided into seven short chapters and the first introduces the mother shrew and her son Hugo, who is sick. They live in a colorful little treehouse in a snowy wood, among many other houses. When she learns that a teaspoon of wild honey from the moon can cure him, Mother Shrew sets out on a brave journey. She faces the great horned owl, convinces him to fly her to the moon, tames a herd of nightmares, visits a vale of butterflies, and finally finds the garden of the queen bee on an island. But will Mother Shrew be brave enough to make it past the bees and will the Queen Bee give her honey? Eventually, she fulfills her quest, but she still has to make it back to earth and face the great horned owl who wants to eat her before she can get back to Hugo.

Kraegel's pointilistic art shows a plump little shrew who is determined to save her son. The frightening owl, creepy nightmares, and dangerous bees don't stop her! Red umbrella in hand, she marches forward, undeterred by dangers and using her wits and her skills to remove the difficulties in her path. The colors and creatures on the moon have an otherworldly, odd look, as they should; the nightmares are elongated horses, the bees are a flock of striped creatures with huge compound eyes, and the butterflies look like giant chunks of felt. Through all the strange dangers marches the ordinary little shrew, her love for her son making her brave. The book is laid out like an over-sized chapter book. Each chapter is only a few pages and fully illustrated, but I wouldn't necessarily call this a graphic novel because there are no panels; it's more of a lengthy picture book or illustrated chapter book.

Verdict: A quiet and gentle book, this will make a beloved read-aloud for kids who like the peaceful and reassuring type of story and for young readers who are sensitive and don't like the intensity of middle grade. I have quite a few of those readers, so this is a good choice for my library and I plan to put it in juvenile fiction and promote it at book club.

ISBN: 9780763681692; Published November 2019 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library

This beautifully illustrated short chapter book is about a mother shrew who travels all the way to the moon to get wild honey to save her son. It's a lovely story that will appeal to kids and adults.

A mother shrew goes on a journey to fetch the only thing that will cure her sick son, Hugo - a teaspoon of wild honey from the moon. Brave, clever, and kind, this shrew shows that there's nothing as strong or determined as a mother's love.

An original tale that follows classic tropes of orphan servant, cruel princess, and kind animals (in this case, giraffes), and the power of music to heal the soul of both singer and listener. Watercolor and ink illustrations.

Delphine worked as a servant girl in Queen Theodora's palace on the savannah. Although she had no friends or family, and had to work very hard, she found comfort in her singing. Then Princess Beatrice came to live with her aunt, the queen, and Delphine hoped she would make a friend. When the royal newcomer proved a rotten annoyance instead, our heroine poured all of her grief into song, finding an unusual source of comfort when a group of giraffes were drawn to her music. Through their visit, Delphine resolved her difficulties with Princess Beatrice, and won a wonderful new role in the palace...

An original fairy-tale set on the African savannah, one in which the servant girl plays the heroine, rather than the princess, The Song of Delphine presents a sweet, heartwarming story about a young girl who uses her talent to remain strong and hopeful, in the face of life's difficulties. The illustrations, done in ink and watercolor, capture the charm of Delphine's surroundings. I found the giraffes particularly winsome! Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about the power of song, the importance of kindness and forgiveness, and/or fairy-tales with an African setting.

Recommended by Stephanie T (https://robbinslibrary.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/2017-best-books-from-robbins-lib...)

Jameson only ever wears green pants - but when his cousin Armando and his fiancee Jo ask him to be in their wedding, he says yes. Then he finds out he has to wear a tuxedo - which means wearing black pants! What will Jameson do? He finds a compromise that pleases everyone. (It helps that he has a major crush on Jo and her eyes like "summer stars.")½

It took me a little while to recognize Kraegel as the author/illustrator of a favorite of mine, the oddly sweet Song of Delphine. This has a similar illustration style, but a very different story although Kraegel definitely adds his own twist to it.

Curly-headed Jameson wears green pants, always. With them on, he can do anything including dance like there's no tomorrow! He's quite skilled at getting rid of any non-green pants and can't imagine he will ever need to change his color scheme. But then his cousin Armando shows up with his fiancee, Jo. Jameson is smitten and thrilled to be asked to be in their wedding. But then his mom breaks the news to him - he will have to wear a tuxedo. Tuxedos are black. Including the PANTS. Jameson is torn between his favorite color and being part of Jo's wedding - until he finally decides what is most important to him.

SPOILER

He wears the black pants. Yep! But when it's time for dancing, he whips them off and underneath...are his green pants! (no, they're not underwear.) There are a number of things I like about this story. One is that Jameson (and his mom) chose not to stick to his own preferences and adapted to what Jo wanted for her wedding. He found a nice compromise even though it involved giving up something he really, really wanted - i.e. wearing his green pants all the time. I liked the message that it was more important for Jameson to do what Jo wanted in her wedding than "be himself" all the time. Like I tell the teens, you have to coexist!

Another thing I like is how the illustrations portray a predominantly brown background. Many "diverse" books have a token black family, surrounded by a sea of white faces. Kraegel's art shows a loving, supportive community and family. There are some white faces in the church crowd at the wedding, but they're a minority, not the focus.

Verdict: Not necessarily a storytime choice, although it might go well with a dancing theme, this is a great story to read with kids to help them think outside the box.

ISBN: 9780763688400; Published 2017 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Green Pants a funny story about a funny boy that loves a certain article of clothing. The book does a good job of NOT stereotyping but capturing the child that lives in all of us. We all remember having that one thing we were obsessed with as a kid. For me it was my action figures and rock collection; for Jameson it was his Green Pants. I like how the book goes about problem solving in a unique way. The book introduces to kids that there's an unconventional way to do anything and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean only a kid would say, 'well I can't wear green pants on the outside....but I can still wear the pants!' Getting their way; without causing trouble, every child's dream.

Green pants was a cute story about a boy who would only wear green pants. There are 2 reasons why I liked this book. This book was very realistic for children. They tend to have something similar to the pants that make them feel as if they can do anything. Children can relate to this book very well, including possibly being in a wedding. Another reason I liked this book was because of the ending. I loved how he chose to wear the tuxedo, but underneath he still had his green pants on. That is something that could be a surprise to some children, but a guess to others. The main idea of this book was that there can be tough decisions to make in life, but sometimes you can make a decision that pleases everyone. Such as wearing your green pants underneath of your tuxedo!