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Recent Picture Books: Good, Better, Best




Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat - This book just won the Caldecott Medal last week. I noticed it on our library shelf today and snagged it. I liked it alright, it's a picture book biography of an artist from the 80's, a contemporary of Andy Warhol. I wasn't familiar with Jean-Michel Basquiat or his work, and the book was fine, but it didn't move me particularly. *shrug* The book is definitely well done and made me want to look up the artist and his original work. Author Javaka Steptoe credits Jean-Michel Basquiat with opening an era of inclusion and diversity in fine art, which is noteworthy, but this isn't mentioned in so many words until the end notes. If I was going to buy a picture book bio of a lesser-known artist tonight, I'd pick A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin over this one. But of course Basquiat and Pippin aren't interchangeable. Glad this book was made. I tried a couple of times to read it to my kiddos, but they were uninterested. I wonder how much of that was the book, and how much of that would be different if I was already super enthusiastic about Basquiat.




Nanette's Baguette - The latest from Mo Willems This one is fun (are you surprised? So many of Willems books are!) And focuses on the "ette" rhyme. It was made richer for me because I have heard about the tradition of the French to begin permitting their children to walk to the corner bakery for the daily baguette. I love this little video about visiting a French Bakery. Never been to France, myself. The cut paper diorama illustrations were very fun and dimensional, and the story line was nice with a fun twist. It was especially fun to read with my six-year-old, Levi because he loves baguettes and when we eat at any given bakery that is usually what he chooses. He could relate to crunching into a tasty baguette.




Ada Twist, Scientist - I grabbed this one off the "new" shelf at the library and brought it home, because it was obviously related to Rosie Revere, Engineer. I read Rosie on Lindsay's recommendation and liked it. I have to say I liked Ada Twist, Scientist even better! Maybe it's because I'm married to a chemist and not an engineer? Anyway, I thought it was very fun and beautifully illustrated. I found myself thinking, "This is definitely a book for nerdy parents." :) The rhyme scheme was wonderful, nothing stilted or forced about it. I loved Ada's big brother, who wasn't ever mentioned in the text that I remember, but who adds so much to the story.  When I finished it, three-year-old Jubilee asked me to read it again right away and I was happy to oblige. Her favorite page was of Ada's explosion in the classroom (mentos and soda, it looks like). I definitely recommend this one.

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