Book Review #82

 Snowmen at Halloween 

Author: Caralyn M. Buehner

Illustrator: Mark E. Buehner

Publisher: Dial Books, 2019

ISBN: 978-0525554684 

Reading Level: 3 - 7 years 

 

Main Characters: A boy, his sister, and snowmen.

 

Plot: It begins to snow in Autumn. A boy and his sister dress up five snowmen for Halloween. The kids go off to a party and trick-or-treating. When they return, their imaginations come to life and the snowmen go on a Halloween parade, carve pumpkins, and more.  

Settings: A small town covered in snow.

 

Genre/Theme/Style: Halloween, Children's Seasons, Picture Books, and Snowmen.

  

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

 

Why 4 Roars? It was cute, but it might confuse younger readers that do not live in places where it snows in Fall. The snowmen also melt in the story, which might upset some younger readers.

 

Critical Analysis: The book is a rhyming book and is not scary for small children. The illustrations are great fun and my favorite part of the book.  

 

There are hidden pictures on each page and the answers are in the book jacket. Children will love finding those, and it adds another element to the story.  

 

The snowmen melt in the end and leave the children a message of Happy Halloween.

 

"Someone will be telling tales about a snowman ghost. I’ll bet spooky stories is what snowmen like the most!" 

 

Connections: Snowmen at Halloween Read-A-Loud

Book Review #81

 Farmhouse

Author: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022
ISBN:‎ 978-0316528948
Reading Level: 4 to 8 years

Main Character: The main "character" in the book is the Farmhouse.

Plot: The Farmhouse is home to a large family. Time takes its toll on the house, the family grows up and leaves, and it becomes unlivable. Then, Sophie Blackall tells its story.

"A love letter to the joys of country living and family life as well as the importance of treasuring the past and all its stories."

~ School Library Journal

Settings: “Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse.” ~ Sophie Blackall

Genre/Theme/Style: Children's 1900s American Historical Fiction, Multi-generational Family Life, and Children's Farm Life.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars? I absolutely loved this book! It is not another sad cliché about a house that nurtures a family and then becomes old and forgotten. Sophie Blackall did something very creative in collecting things from the farmhouse to allow it to tell its own story. The illustrations are such an important part of this piece of work.

In all honesty, I thought it was just another pretty, children's book until I began to read it. Then, I became fascinated with how it was created. Do not let the simple appearance of this book fool you. It is actually something special. You really do have to see this book for yourself!

"Genuinely captivating...A meditation on the creative process...Multifaceted and arresting...Irresistible."~ Booklist

Critical Analysis: This is a unique compilation of art that happens to tell a story. A story that resonates with children and adults. It really does make you want to run off and live on a farmhouse.  Maybe not one with twelve children, but certainly one with multi-generational family members that help give one a sense of family life at its very best. 

Connections: Sophie Blackall Introduces Farmhouse