A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by Nancy Willard

Willard, Nancy. A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers. Illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 1982. 48 pages. pap. $7.00. ISBN 978-0-15-293823-9.

Annotation: A collection of poems describing the unusual guests visiting an imaginary inn run by the poet William Blake.

Summary: A menagerie of guests visits the imaginary inn run by the well-beloved poet William Blake. Nancy Willard, inspired by Blake’s work, created a cast of characters that would feel right at home in the inn. Among the whimsical guests is the Man in the Marmalade Hat, the King of Cats, two sunflowers, a wise Cow, and a Tiger. They all have an excellent time participating in and telling of their adventures.

Evaluation: The fanciful verse and the London-inspired illustrations complement each other. The artwork is drawn with detail in shades of yellow, gray, and brown. It is a short but pleasant read. Recommended for ages 6 to 12.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Non-Fiction, Poetry, William Blake, Imagination

Awards: 1981 Golden Kite Honors Award - Fiction, 1982 Newbery Medal Award Winner, 1982 Boston Globe-Horn Award Winner, 1982 Caldecott Honor Award

One Boy by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. One Boy. Roaring Brook Press, 2008. 48 pages. Tr. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-59643-274-1.

Annotation: A young boy draws artwork in this clever counting book that plays with words within words.

Summary: Part counting book and part word concept book, Laura Vaccaro Seeger plays with words within words. Using die-cuts, new words are revealed or covered that relate to a word on the previous page. One young boy paints pictures using objects that increase by one with each painting. Numbers from one to ten appear on every other page. The paintings at first seem unrelated, but the end of the book reveals a connection when it shows that the pictures are all the artwork of the young boy.

Evaluation: With creative wordplay and precisely positioned die-cuts, this simple picture book is transformed into an artistic treat with the bright, eye-catching colors. Youngsters learning to count will benefit as will beginning readers who are learning new vocabulary words. Recommended for ages 2 to 7.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Fiction, Counting, Imagination, Die-Cut, Art

Awards: 2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award, 2009 ALA Notable Books for Children

Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli

Patricelli, Leslie. Higher! Higher! Candlewick Press, 2009. 32 pages. Tr. $15.99. ISBN 978-0-76-363241-0.

Annotation: A little girl soars higher and higher into a world of fun as her father pushes her in a playground swing.

Summary: A little girl and her father are enjoying a day at the park on the swings. With each push, the girl tells her dad that she wants to go even higher. The girl swings past a giraffe, a high-rise building, a mountain climber, and an airplane. At her apex, she meets an alien child in outer space whom she high-fives. She safely descends back to her father and wishes to be pushed again.

Evaluation: The brightly colored acrylic paintings add cheerfulness and whimsy to the day at the playground. The repetitive and very simple text (only six words are used) will appeal to the youngest listeners. This is a good book to spur the imagination. Recommended for ages 2 to 5.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Fiction, Imagination, Recreation, Family

Awards: 2010 ALA Notable Books for Children, 2009 Boston Globe-Horn Award- Honor Picture Book

Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day by Pat Mora

Mora, Pat. Book Fiesta! : Celebrate Children’s Day/ Book Day/ Celebremos El Dia de Los Ninos/ El Dia de Los Libros. Illustrated by Rafael Lopez. Harper Collins Publishers. 2009. 40 pages. Tr. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-128877-7.


Annotation: Joyful children invite other children from many cultures to join them in a book fiesta to celebrate the wonders and imagination of reading.

Summary: This bilingual book in English and Spanish has children excited about celebrating the joys of reading. Started in 1996, Children’s Day/Book Day is officially honored each April 30th but every day can be a book day. Multicultural children are seen reading their favorite books with friends and family in a variety of settings including in a hot air balloon and on a submarine. Kids are encouraged to think of ways they can enjoy reading.

Evaluation: The vibrantly colorful acrylic paintings complement the simple text. The positive message about the joy of reading and the multicultural nature of the children is inviting for all. Recommended for ages 3 to 10.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Fiction, Holidays & Celebrations, Books & Libraries, Imagination

Awards: 2010 ALA Notable Books for Children, 2010 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award Winner