About The Book Fairy
A career Children’s Librarian, the Book Fairy (a.k.a. kittenpie) has worked in library systems in both New York and Toronto. She’s thrilled to have another place to share the books she loves without creeping people out the way she does at the bookstore.
In the Forests of the Night
shelf candy canada
(Jan.05.10)
Nighttime. A time for sleep... or for adventure on the sly, in whispers and tiptoes. Either way, it makes for lovely bedtime reading.
A Book of Sleep, by Il Sung Na
Animals sleep in different ways - some standing, some on the go, some with their eyes open. This theme is not new territory for a young child's book, but somehow this book manages to convey quiet, wonder, and just a little humour, all at the same time.
The illustrations are marvelous. They seem simple at first glance, with a bold animal against a deep blue sky, until you realize that the textures and little corners of the pictures are filled with little doodles, tone-on-tone flowers and Z's from the sleeping animals. I love the little details that give it a little wink towards the sweet and funny, too - the giraffes sleeping with their heads resting on clouds must be my favourite page, though the startled-looking fish runs a close second.
An unusual-looking book, this is a fun and interesting alternative to the more standard fare in this area, and definitely good bedtime material (unless your child claims to be the owl).
Once Upon a Twice, by Denise Doyen, ill. Barry Moser
I was drawn to this book immediately, as Barry Moser is one of my favourite illustrators. Add to that comparisons to Jabberwocky, and you have my attention.
This is most certainly a book for an older child - I would say age 5 or 6 at minimum, but it could be read to (or by) someone quite a bit older, too, for it is more sophisticated than you might guess at first glance. The story of a mouse who steps out of line in the middle of the night to smell a rose and then runs off from the pack and into danger despite the advice of the elders, it is both fable and warning (as all old tales seem to be).
It is the language that sets this book apart from a regular story, though, and draws those coveted comparisons. It is the language that makes magic from this moonlit message of caution and elevates it into something that feels ancient and makes it beg for reading aloud. Doyen has bound together words and played with them like a master poet and storyteller, and coupled with the deep, rippled shadows and shades of Moser's illustrations, the effect is simply stunning.
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