There are a very few things in this world I love most: mermaids, Molly Idle's illustrations, Molly Idle's cherubic little chubby faces, Molly Idle's mThere are a very few things in this world I love most: mermaids, Molly Idle's illustrations, Molly Idle's cherubic little chubby faces, Molly Idle's mermaids. I have been looking forward to this book since the moment I heard it announced and I am so relieved to not be disappointed by it!
This book is filled with so many good messages about environmental responsibility, self-regulation, social-emotional learning, and friendship. This book is gentle and sweet and sure to be a favorite for many young readers. But, mostly, let's just talk about the illustrations. Coral, Filly, and Manta are three distinct looking mermaids who all have a signature Molly Idle-ness to them. The color schemes are gorgeous and to see how all three mermaids come together to create the reef is an awesome visual literacy clue to point out to young readers.
Completely satisfied with this sweet ocean tale....more
Beautiful oil and acrylic illustrations can't quite save this one for me. The text is rhyming but too sparse and a little nonsensical. The message of Beautiful oil and acrylic illustrations can't quite save this one for me. The text is rhyming but too sparse and a little nonsensical. The message of inclusion is sweet, but as other reviewers have mentioned - animals need to eat other animals to survive. And, if this is an extended allegory, I'm not sure I want to know who we're calling foxes? I loved these illustrations but I think the message was a little heavy-handed....more
I changed my opinion on this book several times within reading it. It is tonally similar to Marion Dane Bauer's Stuff of Stars or Christian Robinson'sI changed my opinion on this book several times within reading it. It is tonally similar to Marion Dane Bauer's Stuff of Stars or Christian Robinson's You Matter and unfortunately will never reach quite the same level of prestige.
The illustrations are sort of classic Flying Eye Books illustrations (I was not surprised to learn that the illustrator is from Europe) but are hip boutique, instagram friendly. I appreciated that the author is from Tasmania and did the calligraphy of the poem himself, and this could be a nice bedtime story because of the swaying, rhyming text. ...more
A fabulously unique picture book biography for a fairly strange subject matter for a children's book. Like many, I best know Flannery O'Conner for herA fabulously unique picture book biography for a fairly strange subject matter for a children's book. Like many, I best know Flannery O'Conner for her short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" which absolutely traumatized me in college. So I was unsure what we could learn about F.O.C. that would be... not... that? I was pleasantly surprised, then, by this book filled with stunning oversized spreads and a peek into the life of a charmingly eccentric woman....more
I've missed other Sophia books, but I'm a sucker for books about art so this one was a big winner for me. I can think of a whole class of Art History I've missed other Sophia books, but I'm a sucker for books about art so this one was a big winner for me. I can think of a whole class of Art History 201 students who should probably have read this before they started spouting their opinions. ...more
Loading...
