I loved how Frantzen pulled together the research to paint a picture of what everyday eating would have been like. The detailed history of little thinI loved how Frantzen pulled together the research to paint a picture of what everyday eating would have been like. The detailed history of little things like apples and pears was detailed and well-sourced. A terribly boring book if you're not really wondering about these things. But if you ARE wondering about what it was like to eat in medieval times this book gets right down to business. ...more
I love how Rohmann uses the frame to create a sense of size. This is a large format picturebook, with a huge foldout near the end. But still, Rohmann I love how Rohmann uses the frame to create a sense of size. This is a large format picturebook, with a huge foldout near the end. But still, Rohmann makes sure we see that there is always something more outside the frame--that we are only seeing small bits and parts. Very consistent with the limited knowledge we have about these giants. The spread with the giant eyeball peering out of the right side of the frame, and the words strung in among the tentacles was spellbinding, as was the foldout starting with a murky view through the ink. I loved how the basic anatomy of the giant squid was presented as a cinematic narrative, moving quickly into the point of view of the squid's prey. This was a good example of complementary informational art, offering an experience in both words and pictures that is more than what one could get simply by looking up the info. ...more
The words here were little more than a rehash of what anyone can find on the Internet (see the Wikipedia article on Project Y), plus a few adjectives The words here were little more than a rehash of what anyone can find on the Internet (see the Wikipedia article on Project Y), plus a few adjectives to add a veneer of cloak & dagger. Jeanette Winter's flat folk-art style was a good choice for the 1940s material, and the contrast of always leaving the main figures in shadows, even when framed by super colorful surroundings, emphasized the ethical dilemmas scientists faced on the project. Her full-page atomic explosions, framed in slate gray were chilling, completely departing from the dry historical narrative. Everything was suddenly a fury, with all the secrecy and human work suddenly unimportantly relegated to a tiny corner and then disappearing into darkness. Nice storyboarding on both their parts! Yet a book like this should do more with the text to find something very different in narrative from what can be seen in the first 2-3 search hits online. ...more
Christie's impressionistic illustrations drew me in. It was especially noteworthy to see him paint the figures deep African black, where the highlightChristie's impressionistic illustrations drew me in. It was especially noteworthy to see him paint the figures deep African black, where the highlights on the skin are blue. The storyboard clearly helped me see the balance between 6 hard work days and one day free. I don't know what benefit it gained from rhyming, and the text broke rhythm in a couple places because of word choice. The relationship between words and pictures was mostly 1:1, with the pictures adding tone and detail but no added narrative. As a slice of history this is a wonderful way for me to inhabit the inhumanity of the time, yet to imagine these brief hours of humanity. About right in its award mentions for 2016,, but probably based on an issues approach to art rather than the picturebook as an art form. Definitely good as a picturebook, but not better at this art than few others from last year....more
Without any narrative thread in the writing, or much of a visual narrative, this book is a mere rearrangement of Wikipedia material (seriously, I checWithout any narrative thread in the writing, or much of a visual narrative, this book is a mere rearrangement of Wikipedia material (seriously, I checked). Boo. This is my number one problem in informational book publishing right now. The title did not lead me to understand that Janeczko intended the book to be a review of US spies in the US (including some important surrounding characters and events), although he clearly stated this in the introduction. It would be better to know the angle on the topic. Also, the cover suggests more of a film noir detective than a spy, and the book is more about codes and cryptography than it is about operatives in conflict with one another. All said, I sat and read the whole thing. Because it is in chronological episodes, it was like being led to interesting Wikipedia articles I probably wouldn't have looked up on my own. But I still don't think this kind of information should get published in hard copy without the writer putting some special moves on the information to make it something more than what I can just find on the internet. ...more
A great fictional approach to a remarkable slice of history with little source material available. The most fascinating part was the direct citation oA great fictional approach to a remarkable slice of history with little source material available. The most fascinating part was the direct citation of the Missouri law. Its wording and the plot that revolves around it brings the story under Shklovsky's defamiliarization. The shock of seeing something like this encoded in law makes a familiar kind of story suddenly strange. And that is the primary source, not the fiction!
On the first page the writing is a bit off. If the narrator is reflecting back from a future point of view, there aren't many clues to lead there, and the pictures don't match that. If it's supposed to be present tense, his words read like someone who has already had several years of school--which he hasn't yet....more
Just when I thought no one knew how to do a complementary picture-text relationship this book came along and restored hope! Perkins's illustrations eaJust when I thought no one knew how to do a complementary picture-text relationship this book came along and restored hope! Perkins's illustrations each move the story forward in different ways from the words. Nicely done....more
The appropriated art throughout the book incorporates scans of the primary source document Bryan found in hisI would vote Sibert medal for this book.
The appropriated art throughout the book incorporates scans of the primary source document Bryan found in his research. This is a genre-buster, because it is so closely based on the estate sale ledger that it is hard not to think of it as informational--direct history. But it is also historical fiction, because he has to imagine the biographical sketches he writes out for each of the people he focused on. In writing the historical-fiction, he writes in such a way that I want to go back and look at the primary source.
The art work Bryan makes gave me a poignant everyday slice that goes beyond the sweeping swathes people often paint in historical fiction. However, I wished he had focused some writing or painting on the difficulty of the documented moment, when the master died and the wife liquidated all assets to return to Britain. Most likely, relationships established over decades were then severed and the people faced an uncertain immediate future. The cruelty implied in the document gets glossed over in telling who they were just up until then. ...more
So this is a very nice biography, and Colon's illustrations are marvelous as usual--texture, color, depth, control of static and dynamic lines. It's aSo this is a very nice biography, and Colon's illustrations are marvelous as usual--texture, color, depth, control of static and dynamic lines. It's all we have come to expect. And Burleigh's writing is good, focusing on just the one slice of what he wanted me to think about. That's not the best part...
The moment that blew me away was halfway through the book, where Burleigh wrote, "[Y]et a portrait of the ocean floor was coming into view. But there was even more. Listen." And then I turned the page and there was an expansive wordless spread of a seascape with the mountains and trenches showing through transparent water with a tiny steamship making its way across the surface.
What a brilliant moment of counterpoint, where the words say 'listen', but the pictures say 'look' and the narrative stops for a beat while the sea changes from a line drawing to a deep and living image on the next page. This was seamlessly postmodern, without the usual wink & nod, drawing clear attention to play with frame and to the relationship between narrator and narratee.
Did Burleigh storyboard this, or was this a contribution of Colon's? It seems more like Burleigh wrote the words to move on to his discussion of plate tectonics. But even so, his breakaway from the written page by writing "Listen" was ingenious word choice. I was almost expecting there to be rushing sound coming off the page when I turned it. The whole book wasn't like this, but it was so amazing to find a caesura like that in a picturebook that I went back and changed my 4-stars to 5. I'll have to get a copy of this book for sure. ...more
The title is correct--it is a book about the airport! Each spread is worth a long look to see how Brown put together competing narratives in pictures The title is correct--it is a book about the airport! Each spread is worth a long look to see how Brown put together competing narratives in pictures and peritext (not necessarily counterpoint, but definitely complementary storylines). The main story is not super interesting (more of an informational book). Instead it's the illustration that makes it an experience. I've always loved this kind of busy page, going back to the early Busytown books by Richard Scarry (such as Best Word Book Ever), or many of the panoramic books by Anno Mitsumasa. It's the same enchantment as seeing a nice railroad set with the full panorama of miniature people and objects from the real world. ...more
The engaging illustrations are consistent with everything I've seen from Flying Eye publishers so far. Davey's graphic style is a good match for monkeThe engaging illustrations are consistent with everything I've seen from Flying Eye publishers so far. Davey's graphic style is a good match for monkeys, and I could tell he enjoyed finding ways to capture the defining characteristics of each kind of monkey. He covers a lot of territory!
Aside from illustration style, what could distinguish an informational book about monkeys from all the rest? This was a very basic informational approach to a book about monkeys, and the writing is in the same vein as almost any topical book--think DK Eyewitness or Capstone. It's not the kind of book I would want to spend an illustrator on if I were editing or publishing today, unless the book were written with some sort of unique slice through its topic. When kids are searching for information on monkeys like this writing provides, they aren't likely to reach for an illustrated picturebook. A narrative line could work, or following a specific news story, or a specific or quirky slice through the topic. ...more
This was one of the earliest titles in the Scientists in the Field series. In some decisions, the editors were still finding their way, but in other wThis was one of the earliest titles in the Scientists in the Field series. In some decisions, the editors were still finding their way, but in other ways they set the tone that has made these books interesting across decades. The best thing about this book is the specific story line about wildlife forensics tracking down a specific Yellowstone elk poacher. It's a clear journalistic story, and it follows a direct line of investigation down to the conviction of the poacher.
It was 2000, so the poacher's name was changed to protect his family. This was the editors' mistake, this information was already widely available on the internet even then. It took me less than ten seconds to learn his actual name. 1. The editors are not identified clearly, and their ongoing work after these early books became indispenible in maintaining the strengths of the series. They might be in the acknowledgments, but are not called out as the editors. 2. There aren't as many photos of the actual scientists at work as I have become used to from more recent books in this series. The photographers did a great job, but this story was already 7 years old by the time the book came out. For some of the more recent titles they get photographers and writers on site as the story is unfolding. 3. The text boxes on wildlife forensics in general felt distracting more than enhancing, maybe because of the graphic design and the quantity. There was too much general information, and not enough to go specifically with the story. Many large full color pictures had little or no connection to this story, and dominated the design of multiple spreads. It made it feel like they were unsure what to do. ...more
Scientists' actual daily work with photos from the field--all top-notch as usual. But the best books in this series have a strong narrative line, a spScientists' actual daily work with photos from the field--all top-notch as usual. But the best books in this series have a strong narrative line, a specific story unfolding through the book. This one is more about the usual effort to shift people's perceptions about bats from negative to positive. ...more
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