Tag: Non-Fiction Monday

Book Review: Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night

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December 20, 2010

8:00 am

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Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the NightDark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poetry is a tough sell sometimes, but who could resist a poem that begins with the words “I am a baby porcupette”? Or an owl-shaped poem about the nocturnal hunter from the perspective of its prey? Sidman pairs each poem with a short explanatory section giving facts about the animal or plant described. Each double-page spread features a gorgeous relief-painted illustration. The details in Allen’s paintings are incredible; sharp-eyed readers (or listeners) will enjoy spotting the tiny red eft creeping through the pages. Serving as an introduction to various poetic forms as well as different night-time creatures, this is a lovely selection for read-aloud one-on-one or in a small group.

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Book Review: Hanukkah Around the World

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December 6, 2010

7:00 am

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I picked this one up at the library to put in a holiday display, and I ended up bringing it home to share with Little Miss. At not-quite-four, she’s a bit too young to be very interested in the stories, but she enjoyed the illustrations and the short recounting of the story behind the celebration.

Hanukkah Around the WorldHanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After a few introductory pages about the holiday story and symbols, and a two-page spread on how to play Dreidel, brief vignettes describe family celebrations of Hanukkah in Israel, the United States, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Italy, Australia, Poland, and Tunisia. Each story is accompanied by a note about the Jewish community in that country and a recipe (all of which look delicious), plus full-color painted illustrations. The stories are a little contrived, and explanations of things like why Hanukkah is celebrated in the summer in Australia would have been nice. Personally, I was mystified by the “Hanukkah Wheel”. Is this an East Coast thing? Still, the book is a visually appealing glimpse into Jewish customs around the world. Great for browsing, and likely to spark interest in further reading (and cooking).

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Check out more fantastic children’s nonfiction in the round-up at  The Reading Tub.