| Mom's View: Children's Book
Reviews by Paula Behr Our Nest, by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Jill McElmurry, Candlewick Press, for ages 3 to 6 Getting the kids to bed can be really chaotic and books can ease some of this nighttime commotion. More than one tumbling toddler and prancing preschooler has been soothed by a tender story. With comforting words nestled into the pages such as quiet duck and safe ducklings, Lindbergh's lulling poetry is a good choice for any bedtime brouhaha. We are soothed even further by the concept of all things being tucked into a cozy nest -- the nest of a comfortable bed, a cat in a pile of clothes, deer in the grass, boats in the harbor, the earth as a nest for the ocean, and outer-space as a nest for the sun and the stars. This ever-widening focus, from home to universe and back home again to the nest of a loved-one's arms, shows children a world that offers love and comfort and safety. Positive messages like this are wonderful to carry along into the nest of the dream realm. Silk Umbrellas, by Carolyn Marsden, Candlewick Press, for ages 8 to 12 Peer into Thailand's culture and into a world where providing for a family's survival usurps the possibility of pursuing one's own dreams. Eleven-year-old Noi wants to paint silk umbrellas to sell at the market, yet a factory worker's life looms large and monstrous, ready to swallow her hopes of being an artist. With brevity and skilled dialogue, Marsden serves up an abundant platter of emotional and intellectual food for the young mind to munch. Noi's rich emotional life, her hidden inner-world, will resonate with the young readers who recognize their own layers of emotion that sometimes hide beneath a quiet exterior. The springboard for these emotions, complex topics such as child labor and the hidden costs of factory-produced goods in terms of the quality of human life, are handled with a gentle touch. Even with the soft-spoken nature of the writing there is an underlying tension. Will Noi fall into the ranks of people unable to fulfill their dreams or will her life story be a triumphant tale of painted silk umbrellas? Paula Behr is a journalist and mother of two. She is dedicated to finding and sharing children's books with gentle and loving messages. Contact her at cyberbehrs@earthlink.net Copyright © Paula Behr 2004 |
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Aug 2004 |
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