Mini Reviews [16]

Ida, Always by Caron Levis, Charles Santoso (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Gus lives in a big park in the middle of an even bigger city, and he spends his days with Ida. Ida is right there. Always.

Then one sad day, Gus learns that Ida is very sick, and she isn’t going to get better. The friends help each other face the difficult news with whispers, sniffles, cuddles, and even laughs. Slowly Gus realizes that even after Ida is gone, she will still be with him—through the sounds of their city, and the memories that live in their favorite spots.

Ida, Always is inspired by a real bear friendship.

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Ida, Always left me a sobbing mess, and I struggled to finish the rest of the book. My kids were looking at me like I had two heads. The girls had no idea why I was crying, and my son kept asking me questions that only made me sob harder. This is a truly marvelous book about friendship and love. I think these two bears show us what it means to be selfless and how to mourn the loss of a loved one. Sometimes we need to roar and growl, and other times we need to cuddle and cry. Brilliant book!

Secret Tree Fort by Brianne Farley

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Even a bookish big sister is drawn in by the promise of her imaginative sibling’s spectacular hideaway.

I have a secret tree fort, and YOU’RE NOT INVITED!

When two sisters are ushered outside to play, one sits under a tree with a book while the other regales her with descriptions of a cool fort in a tree that grows ever more fantastical in the telling. What will it take to get the older sister to look up? The promise of a water-balloon launcher in case of attack? A trapdoor to stargaze through? A crow’s nest from which to see how many whales pass by or to watch for pirates? Or the best part of all, which can’t be revealed, because it’s a secret? 

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Secret Tree Fort was a wonderful book! I was able to relate to both sisters, and could understand both of their perspectives. One wants to sit beneath a tree and read (always me), but the other wants to play and use her imagination (sometimes me).

The younger sister tries to invent off-the-wall, crazy, fun additions for her tree house, but nothing makes her sister look away from her book. The ideas just keep getting bigger and bigger until the older sister has no choice but to participate. It was a lovely story about siblings and compromise.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, 

John Schoenherr (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Whoo-whoo-whoo, the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird.

But there is no answer.

Wordlessly the two companions walk along, for when you go owling you don't need words. You don't need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn't an owl, but sometimes there is.

Distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a gentle, poetic story that lovingly depicts the special companionship of a young child and her father as well as humankind's close relationship to the natural world. Wonderfully complemented by award-winning John Schoenherr's soft, exquisite watercolor illustrations, this is a verbal and visual treasure, perfect for reading aloud and sharing at bedtime.

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Owl Moon is one of our favorites! The author has clearly woven magic into the story, because its simplicity only makes it better. A young boy is going owling with his father for the first time. His siblings have shared their experiences, so he explains those tidbits of information, but it's an entirely new experience for him.

It was surprising that a child his age new that he needed to be silent, but was also able to follow in his father's footsteps with barely a sound. It was cold and late, but the boy was determined to look for an owl with his father. Their story is told mostly through thought, and I enjoyed his childlike view of the world. There was so much wonder and excitement over just the potential of seeing a owl. Owl Moon was exquisitely written and utterly compelling.

Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

Synopsis (via Goodreads): "It's a pillar," says one. "It's a fan," says another. One by one, the seven blind mice investigate the strange Something by the pond. And one by one, they come back with a different theory. It's only when the seventh mouse goes out-and explores the whole Something-that the mice see the whole truth. Based on a classic Indian tale, Ed Young's beautifully rendered version is a treasure to enjoy again and again.

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Seven Blind Mice is a really clever book, and my son enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along with the mice.

Despite being blind, the mice choose to brave the unknown in order to determine what they've stumbled across. The mice all come back with different theories, but that's because each mouse only examined one part of the object. When the final mouse leaves to look for himself, he examines the thing as a whole. 

The mice were not able to discern what it was by only exploring pieces; they had to put all of those pieces together to see the bigger picture. I thought this was wonderfully written, and loved listening to my son's theories as each mouse came back with a different answer.