“Wreck This Picture Book: How to make a book come to life” by Keri Smith is a different kind of picture book. We just watched the movie, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and it was fabulous. I was reminded that Abbie Hoffman wrote the book titled, “Steal this Book.” I think he might have liked this book.
Smith explains that books that aren’t read are lonely and bored. They wait for someone to read them and take them on adventures. She encourages children to explore this book, to ruffle its pages and smell the unique book smell it has. Readers will rub the book, touch the pages with fingers, noses, elbows, and perhaps even toes (yuck). They might (horrors!) fold the pages. What they will never do again is take a book for granted.
The illustrations are bold and eye-catching. Bright colors against white space; Smith cleverly uses recycled materials like cardboard, old magazines, fabric, nails, cork, old lids, newspapers and more to create a collage of color. Even the book jacket opens to instruct readers on how they can build their own cork people (It’s assumed that the adults in their life can supply the corks.)
This is a unique and joyful picture book that will delight readers. It encourages kids to be involved, active participants in reading. It’s main point is that a book has no meaning or use unless somebody reads it, so you, the reader, make the book whole.
Please note: This review is based on the final, hardcover book provided by Dial Books for Young Readers, the publisher, for review purposes.
“I Am Every Good Thing” is by celebrated author Derrick Barnes and illustrator Gordon C. James. The combination of metaphor and brilliant colors and powerful brush strokes make this a book that calls for reading and rereading again and again. Each reading of the prose and examination of the illustrations will elicit new observations and new discussion. This is definitely a book aimed at boys, and most of the illustrations are of Black boys, adorable boys, with bright colorful backgrounds. They are swimming and hugging little sisters and peering through microscopes and in space suits exploring the deep blue. The constant metaphor will cause teachers to salivate at the perfect text for teaching students what poetic language can be. “I am good to the core, like the center of a cinnamon roll. Yeah, that good.”
unabashedly aimed at girls. (There is a previous book, “A Boy Like You.”) In this book, the message is that every girl is unique, and every girl’s desires and looks and clothes and talents are unique, too. It’s about having empathy and friendship, and working hard whether it’s at fixing things, lifting weights, or studying the moon. It’s about following your dreams and picking yourself up when things go wrong. The illustrations are of diverse children with diverse skin colors, including some girls who are disabled and some who wear hijabs. The message is:
