Marvelous Picture Books: The Rabbit Problem

“This book is based on a problem that was solved in the 13^th century by the Mathematician Fibonacci, but it is NOT (I repeat NOT) a book about maths. It is a book about rabbits…Lots of rabbits!” So reads the back cover of Emily Gravett’s marvelous picture book entitled The Rabbit Problem. While advanced mathematics is not usually a basis for a book for children, Ms. Gravett tackles the subject with lots of fun extras and plenty of cute rabbits. The result is a great educational tool that can be enjoyed by very young children and may be useful to older children and adults as well.

The mathematical basis of the book is a problem posed by the mathematician Leonardo Pisano Bigollo, more commonly known as Fibonacci. He wanted to know what would happen if a pair of rabbits were placed into a field, and reproduce using the following rules:

• The rabbits are fully grown at the age of 1 month
• By the end of the second month, each pair produces another pair of rabbits
• Rabbits never die or leave the field, and each pair produces exactly one more pair

Fibonacci wanted to know how many pairs would be in the field at the end of each month and at the end of the year. The result is the now famous sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc. This sequence has many applications in mathematics and also shows up frequently in nature (for more information on the importance of the numbers, see the Wikipedia link at the end of the post).

Emily Gravett decides take us into the lives of these rabbits in the field. The book is laid out as a calendar with each month bringing a new problem or issue that the rabbits have to deal with. As we follow the first pair of rabbits through their year together (and their quickly growing family) we get to see them overcome loneliness, hunger and eventually overpopulation. While it is fun seeing each month get gradually more crowded as more and more rabbits enter the field according to the Fibonacci sequence, where the book really shines is in the extra pop-out sections each month. The rabbit-produced newspapers, cookbooks and other goodies provide endless entertainment and are also can teach the readers a little as well.

The Rabbit Problem is not your typical picture book. It doesn’t revolve around a gripping plot or a moral lesson, and the fact that it even mentions a 13^th century mathematician is unique. What it does have is lots of lessons and lots of extra fun that make this book a must read. Whether you love math (like I do) or you love rabbits (and who doesn’t?), you should take a look at The Rabbit Problem.

Happy Reading!

Bryan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number#In_nature

http://www.emilygravett.com/

New and Noteworthy: Tony Baloney

“Tony Baloney is a macaroni… penguin” are the first words to the fun and energetic story of Tony’s life. Pam Munoz Ryan and Edwin Fotheringham take the reader on the adventures of Tony’s daily life, learning about his likes (fish tacos with parmesan cheese) and his dislikes (trouble), as well as his family life. As the only boy in the family of macaroni penguins, Tony is also stuck in the middle. Tony does not like to play with his twin, baby sisters (also known as the Bothersome Babies Baloney) and his only option is usually playing with his older sister (Big Sister Baloney) who is always the boss. Tony, like most younger siblings would agree on, thinks that it is unfair that he never gets to be the boss and has to be the cat.

When Tony can no longer stand being bossed around by his big sister and his little sisters are getting on his nerves, his pet stuffed animal, Dandelion, starts to act out for him. Tony makes his feelings known through Dandelion and then the two of them retreat to their secret hideout. Dandelion takes on the role as “therapist” as Tony explains why he is so mad and why he started to misbehave. Using italics, the authors signify when Dandelion is giving his advice to Tony and “after Tony Baloney has been in the hidey-space for maybe a year, or twenty minutes”, he goes to apologize to his family. In the end, his big sister shares her role as boss for a little and they include the babies to play as well. And, although Tony doesn’t have to be the cat anymore, his sister gives him a different role (read the story to find out ;-)).

This book is a wonderful story for children as it has so many different points that can be related to different children. It contrasts the differences between the places of the siblings and how they don’t always get along, which any sibling can relate to. And for the only children reading this story, it’s easy to relate to the fact that there is not always going to be someone around that you want to play with. Instead, this is where Dandelion comes in. He acts as an outlet for Tony’s thoughts and feelings, much like many young children have a transitional object that they use when they don’t feel like talking for themselves. He also represents Tony’s conscience and gives Tony the advice that Tony himself already knew in his mind. Most, if not all, families have seen their children get into fights and make up again over and over and it is no different in this loving story of macaronis. Finally, the wonderful element of color added throughout all of the illustrations makes the pictures pop and keeps the child’s eyes entertained. The bright green, blue, red and yellow keep the eyes engaged and leave the reader wanting to read on.

This book is great for intermediate readers who are looking for more of a challenge. With words like Parmesan, exasperating and Bothersome, it is sure to get the child’s mind working. Smartly, I think, the authors used the “alternate” way to spell baloney, instead of its correct spelling. I admit that without the Oscar Meyer commercials I probably still would not know how to spell bologna (and yes, I still sing the song to myself if I need to spell it). The book’s content and age level just does not jive with the age group who can look at “bologna” and know what the word spells and means. Smart choice authors!

This book is a wonderful read for younger ones and, my favorite Baloney’s name is no long OSCAR… it’s TONY!

Happy Reading,

Tori

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Oh The Places You’ll Go, the last book published by Dr. Seuss before his death, is one of those rare books that connect to all ages. Tonight, as the stresses of tests consume my mind, I felt the same sense of possibility that I felt when my mom read this classic to me the night before I went to the first day of second grade.

The book begins with the narrator congratulating and sending off a yellow clothed boy – representative of the reader – to explore. In subsequent pages, the narrator maps out the boys journey, which is full of highs (“You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.”) and lows (“And when your in a Slump, your not I for much fun.”). He faces obstacles such as the temptation to wait, loneliness, and confusion; however, by the end it is clear that despite these challenges, the character (you) will succeed and “move mountains.”

Seuss’s Illustrations, as always, are colorful and whimsical. In this classic Seuss illustration style, the boy flies in a hot air balloon, plays basketball on top of what looks like a tree house that has a base of another house instead of trunk, rows through dangerous waters, and encounters characters including men with crazy facial hair, elephants, and birds. These illustrations make the life lessons accessible to children because they are humorous and full of details to look at.

In conclusion, Oh the Places You’ll Go, remains inspiring. Its message is for all ages. Through humor and whimsy, the important message that life is full of obstacles and success is made clear for children.

Happy Reading!

Michael

Valentine's Day - On the Night You Were Born

In honor of Valentine's Day, I have chosen to review a book that I fell instantly and deeply in love with upon first read; a book whose meaningful message is ultimately all about love.

Nancy Tillman's magnificent picture book, On the Night You Were Born, extols the jubilant celebration of a child's birth, an ode to the "one and only ever you." As the news of the birth travels, sailing "high on a breeze" dolphins, polar bears, and ladybugs rejoice, "...dancing all night..." Tillman's prose, which reads like a softly whispered song, manages to avoid ever feeling contrived or sappy. Instead, authenticity and eminence is woven seamlessly throughout the melodic text, clearly expressing the book's ultimate message, "you are loved" in the most magnificent of ways.

On the Night You Were Born excels not only at delivering a beautifully written poem. Each turn of the page reveals Tillman's radiant and richly colored illustrations. Every painted picture radiates a golden tinged exuberance, featuring an ever-present moon (complete with a smiling face), musical notes, and the occasional hidden message. Tillman's rendering of polar bears, giraffes, and birds contrast beautifully against the night's navy sky - creating a visually dramatic setting for this extraordinary night.


This book is the ultimate bed time story. Every child should read, or be read, this book over and over again until they know undoubtedly how special and loved they truly are. Children will be enchanted by the stunning visual imagery Tillman provides, delight at the illustration's clever details, and be rocked to sleep by the poetic, rhythmic flow of the words, all while being cloaked in the wonder of themselves, and love.

Wonderful Books from the Past: Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak is best known for Where the Wild Things Are. The book had a slightly tumultuous beginning. First, the book was originally supposed to feature horses as the inhabitants of Max's adventure land, until Sendak's editor learned that Sendak was not the most gifted equine artist possible. Still having faith in the project, Sendak's editor suggested that, even if Sendak could not draw horses, he could at least draw "things." Thus, the wild things were born. Humorously, the wild things are all named after and based on caricatures of relatives who frequently visited Sendak's childhood home for supper on Sundays.

Sendak introduces Max, the protagonist of the story, in the thralls of a tantrum that provokes his mother to call him a "wild thing" and send him to sit alone in his room wearing a monster costume and without a dinner to eat. The anger and frustration he feels is met with admiration when his room transforms into a jungle and he travels to the land of "wild things." Crowned "King Wild Thing" by the natives, Max enjoys trouncing around the land with the wild things until a waft of a home-cooked meal sparks a hankering for home, where "someone loved him best of all." When Max returns home, his dinner is waiting in his room, still hot.

All children can relate to uncontrollable rage during an especially critical tantrum, allowing them to identify with Max's wild side. And, for most children, the feeling of the first hug after a fight with their parents borders on bliss every time. This easily-relatable story line allows children to climb into Max's magical boat alongside him. Children empathize with Max's childish rage, travel to the land of the wild things, cause rumpus with the monsters, and enjoy the warmth of the peace-offering of dinner alongside Max. I think the ease with which children can simultaneously relate to the story and relish the richly imaginative qualities of the book and its illustrations make this book an incredible work of children's literature.

Indulge your Wild Side.

Happy Reading!

Elin

New & Noteworthy: A Very Zen Panda

Writer and illustrator Jon J. Muth is renowned for his incredible children’s books; his work Zen Shorts was a Caldecott Honor book, and he has received high praise for other books from the New York Times Book Review. Zen Ghosts, his most recent book, is no exception.

It’s Halloween, and Addy, Michael, and Karl are preparing their costumes when their friend Stillwater the panda shows up and tells them he has someone who can tell them a ghost story. They decide to meet up with Stillwater once trick-or-treating is finished to hear the story. The three children are led by the panda to his house, where they are greeted by another panda who looks startlingly similar to Stillwater; this new panda begins to draw them a story.

The story the new panda draws is not just any story, it is a koan, which are stories that Zen students contemplate along their journey to reach enlightenment. This particular koan is called Senjo and Her Soul Are Separated, and was first written down around the year 1200. It tells the story of a girl named Senjo, who falls in love with her best friend Ochu but is told she has to marry a man of money in their community when her father gets sick. Heartbroken, Ochu escapes to the river on a boat and soon sees Senjo running down the riverbanks. They run away together and marry. Senjo begins to miss her family deeply, so they return to their former village to face the consequences of their actions. Upon their return, Senjo’s father greets Ochu warmly; however, her father insisted that Senjo was ill and had never left her bed since Ochu left. Her father runs upstairs to tell her the news, and she gets out of bed and goes downstairs, where she sees Ochu and the other Senjo. The two Senjos become one.

After finishing the story, the three kids sit with Stillwater and then go home, satisfied with the “ghost story.” I absolutely loved this book. I think it’s rare to find something such a versatile story woven into a children’s book. The concept of duality and split souls is difficult to contemplate, not surprising considering Buddhist monks spent years thinking about topics such as this. However, the way Muth presents it makes it accessible to all levels; a parent reading it can comprehend the depth of the koan, while a child is fascinated by an interesting ghost story on Halloween. It really speaks to what we discussed in class on 2/3: children’s literature takes something from complex to more simple.

Last, but CERTAINLY not least are the gorgeous illustrations of this book. Muth is a fantastic artist, and he really brings to life all of his characters, especially those in the koan. Overall, this new book is not to be missed! I would also highly recommend Zen Shorts and Zen Ties, both of which feature Addy, Michael, Karl, and Stillwater and weave Buddhist culture seamlessly into beautiful stories.

-Kristen Leonard

http://www.allenspiegelfinearts.com/muth.html

Wonderful Books from the Past: The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein is, in my opinion, one of the greatest children's authors of all time. He began writing at the age of twelve, and masterfully illustrated and wrote stories, poems, plays, and songs that appealed to children. His works include A Giraffe and a Half, Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back, A Light in the Attic, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, Runny Babbit, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Who wants a cheap Rhinoceros, and Don't Bump the Glump! As a child, one of my favorite books was Falling Up, a collection of poems written & illustrated by Shel Silverstein in his unique imaginative and humorous style.

The Giving Tree is the story of the relationship between a boy and a tree. It is a thought-provoking tale that both the young and old can appreciate. The narrative follows the friendship of the two as the boy grows up. First, the tree is the boy's playmate, providing him with food to eat (apples!), and an activity to do (climbing the trunk & swinging on the branches). As the boy grows up, the tree continues to give the boy what he asks for. This is a great story to revisit after initially reading it as a child, because the perceptions of the relationship between the boy & the tree change as the reader of the book matures. Some feel that the story is meant to convey the relationship between mother nature & the development of society, while others feel that it is a story of growing up and the different things that you need as you grow. Regardless of your interpretation, you are sure to take something away from this touching tale!

Happy Reading!

Kelley