Robin Smith
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Review of Another Way to Climb a Tree
Another Way to Climb a Treeby Liz Garton Scanlon; illus. by Hadley HooperPreschool, Primary Porter/Roaring Brook 40 pp.8/17 978-1-62672-352-8 $17.99Lulu likes trees. No, Lulu loves trees. Lulu climbs the tallest trees in the neighborhood with the widest branches and the stickiest sap. Lulu’s tree-loving joy jumps off the pages through...
Review of The Ring Bearer
The Ring Bearerby Floyd Cooper; illus. by the authorPrimary Philomel 32 pp. g4/17 978-0-399-16740-9 $16.99Mama is getting married, leaving Jackson to worry about his place in the new arrangement. What will he call Mama’s new husband? How will it work out with a new sister?...
Review of Poems in the Attic
Poems in the Atticby Nikki Grimes; illus. by Elizabeth ZunonPrimary, Intermediate Lee & Low 48 pp.5/15 978-1-62014-027-7 $19.95 gOn a visit to her grandmother’s house, a little girl finds her mother’s stash of childhood poems in the attic. The poems written by the mom in this story are tanka poems,...
Review of A Perfect Day
A Perfect Dayby Lane Smith; illus. by the authorPreschool, Primary Roaring Brook 32 pp.2/17 978-1-62672-536-2 $17.99Just what is the definition of a perfect day? Well…it depends on your perspective. All the animals in Bert’s backyard are having the best day. Cat enjoys being in the flowerbed in the sunshine. “It...
Review of Life on Mars
Life on Marsby Jon Agee; illus. by the authorPreschool, Primary Dial 32 pp.2/17 978-0-399-53852-0 $17.99 gIt’s Only Stanley (rev. 5/15) was a star-crossed (canine) love story that ended on the moon. Now Agee brings readers to the Red Planet. What would you bring along on a trip to search for...
The YMA Phone Calls
So, I had to stay home again. I wasn’t in any of the little rooms where it happened, nor was I in the giant room where it was announced. Blech. I was, however, in a queen-sized bed with all manner of wireless devices surrounding me. I was prepared. And a...
Announcing the 2017 Calling Caldecott winners
Our Mock Caldecott vote has concluded. Thanks to everyone (if our numbers and math are correct, over 600 of you—a record number) who participated. There may be hope for us all if we all still care this passionately about picture books.The winner of our Mock Caldecott, with a phenomenally high...
2017 Ballot #1 results — and ballot #2 now open
The three of us watched the voting in real time yesterday and last night, and woke up early today to check numbers before the balloting closed at 9 am. This is a really exciting time for us, but it can also be heartbreaking as we see some of our favorites are...
Laying out the voting rules, 2016 edition
Okay, you know the drill. The Real Committee will meet in less than two weeks to make their final decisions. How in the world are they going to do it? I DON’T KNOW. We had a horrible time putting our ballot together, and we didn’t have hours of discussion and...