Fats here.
It’s Monday, What are You Reading is a meme hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers (brainchild of Sheila at BookJourney). Since two of our friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have been joining this meme for quite awhile now, we thought of joining this warm and inviting community.
Last Week’s Review and Miscellany Posts
We are also inviting everyone to join our new Reading Challenge for 2014 called Check Off your Reading List Challenge (CORL 2014). Click here to read the guidelines and to sign up! If you have already signed up for this challenge, here is the January-March linky where you can link up your reviews or updates from your reading list.
Carrie Gelson of There is a Book for That is also hosting #mustreadin2014.
In keeping with our theme, I’m sharing these adorably illustrated picturebooks about two unforgettable girls who are princesses in their own rights.
Princess Says Goodnight
Written by: Naomi Howland
Illustrated by: David Small
Published by: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Book borrowed from Sumter library. Book photos taken by me.
Does she look out from her tower
just to count up all her sheep?Will she make a wish upon a star
before she goes to sleep?
In this charming picturebook-in-verse, a little girl pretends she is a princess and imagines the things a princess would do before she goes to bed. Does a princess practice her curtsies down the hall? Does she get a frothy glass of milk with chocolate cream eclairs?
Naomi Howland’s short, rhyming verses are brimming with descriptive words that would appeal to children’s vivid imagination. There is a playful rhythm to these lines that would make little girls think of themselves as princesses themselves.
David Small is no stranger to Gathering Books. In 2012, Myra has posted thorough reviews of Imogene’s Antlers, The Gardener, and The Library, all of which have been illustrated by David Small. Princess Says Goodnight has the same charming illustrations as these picturebooks. There is movement in his drawings that make Howland’s verses jump to life.
Will Princess hang her tiara
on the bedpost overnight?Does she get a bedtime story
before turning off the light?Yes she does, and a big kiss, too.
And then she says,Goodnight!
The Queen of France
Written by: Tim Wadham
Illustrated by: Kady MacDonald Denton
Published by: Candlewick Press
Borrowed from Sumter library. Book photos taken by me.
When Rose woke up that morning, she felt royal.
Tim Wadham’s picturebook tells the captivating story of a little girl whose “make-believe basket” tranforms her into royalty. Adorned with royal crown and jewelry, Rose becomes the Queen of France. The Queen of France goes around the house and talks to Rose’s parents.
“Hello. I am the Queen of France. Have you seen Rose?”
“No,” said Rose’s mother.
“I wonder where she could be,” said the Queen of France.
“Hello!” she yelled. “I am the Queen of France… By the way, have you seen Rose?”
“No,” said Rose’s father. “I thought she was in the garden.”
Unable to find the person she was looking for, the Queen of France decides to go to Rose’s room. She takes off her royal accessories, puts it back in the make-believe basket, and becomes Rose again. She then sets out to find her mother and ask her if she has seen the Queen of France. I’m sure you would have guessed by now what her mother tells her. This cycles throughout the book, with progress and variation in narrative details that I leave for you to find out.
This is my favorite part in the book:
“I would like to trade places with Rose,” said the Queen of France. “I am tired of being queen. I will be your daughter, and she can be the queen.”
“Your Majesty,” said Rose’s mother, “I am sure Rose would love that… Rose’s father reads stories to her every night… Will anyone read to her in the castle?”
“My servants can read to her anytime she likes,” said the queen.
“Well, there is one other thing,” said Rose’s mother. “Whenever Rose gets hurt, I kiss her better. Will there be anyone in the castle who can kiss her scrapes for her?”
“The Royal Physician will attend to her,” said the queen.
“Well then,” said Rose’s mother, “I suppose she will be fine. Her father and I will miss her very much.”
The queen thought about this. “Just how much will you miss her?” she asked.
“I will miss her infinity times infinity,” said Rose’s mother.
“That is a very large amount,” said the queen. “If you would miss her that much, I’m afraid we cannot change places. Rose would have liked being queen, though. You never have to clean your own room. Well, good-bye.”
I enjoyed reading about Rose and her alter ego, the Queen of France. I like the dialogue exchanges between the latter and Rose’s parents. What I like most about Tim Wadham’s debut picturebook is how it showed parents’ involvement with Rose’s pretend play. Pretend plays are mostly child-centered. Parents’ active participation allows them to teach their child social values by incorporating these values into plays.
Kady Denton’s illustrations, done in ink, watercolor, and gouache, are softer in texture and lighter in color compared to David Small’s illustrations above. Yet, both artists’ illustrations are adorable and add to the already colorful personae of our two lovely princesses.
Currently Reading…
I have Sally Gardner’s Maggot Moon as part of our Saturday CYBILS special and I included Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children in my reading list this month.
What about you, dear readers?
What have you been reading this week?
Gathering Books 
Welcome to Monday reading, baby girl. I’m glad that you figured out how to do the photo collage. Easy-peasy right? I just scheduled a review for make-believe princesses. I have a feeling one of the books I have there would be a good companion text to Howland and David Small’s picturebook. David Small is so prolific, isn’t he? Looking forward to knowing your thoughts about Maggot Moon.
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Yeah, I did! I got hyped up when I saw you post it the first time. Something I’ve been curious about when I visit other blogs and see their gallery. I look forward to seeing those princess books. I have to check for other David Small books in our library. I’m almost done with Maggot Moon. It’s… Well, I’ll hold my thoughts for now. Hehehe.
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Beautiful Books!
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They are indeed. Thank you, Sheila!
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Have you read James Thuber’s Many Moons? I think it’ll go well with your theme. I was trying to think of different, not-so-common titles. If you have time to read a middle reader novel, Frank Beddor wonderfully reimagined Wonderland in his Looking Glass series.
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Hi Earl, we’ve actually read and reviewed Many Moons by James Thurber previously (https://gatheringbooks.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/caldecott-medal/) – I found the book lying unloved in a thrift shop in Las Vegas. I also enjoyed Thurber’s The Wonderful O and The 13 clocks (both NYRB books), we’ve also reviewed that here: https://gatheringbooks.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/nyrb-reading-week-a-2in1-special-james-thurber’s-the-13-clocks-and-the-wonderful-o-as-illustrated-by-marc-simont/
Regarding the Looking Glass series, I think I have the first two novels, but not the third one. It’s YA right? Will look into that one. Thanks for all the recommendations!
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Yes, I have read Many Moons! It was such a treat! I enjoyed reading it. I also have the entire Looking Glass Wars series but I’ve only read the first book. I love anything that has to do with Alice in Wonderland. =)
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I havent heard of these titles, I will have to check them out. I hope you enjoy your books this week.
This is what we are reading this week.
Leydy @OUaT & RCE
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Looks like a fun collection of books. Enjoy!
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Thanks Pat!
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What a cute collection of books! I will recommend all of these to my baby sister! AND BTW, I love Oscar Wilde! 🙂
Here’s our It’s Monday! post
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Awww, that would be sweet! I love Oscar Wilde, too, Kimi! I was so happy I found this story collection. It never occurred to me that he wrote stories for children! =)
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Maggot Moon sounds interesting, Fats. I loved The Selfish Giant – I’m sure that’s included in the Oscar Wilde collection.
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I’m so close to finishing Maggot Moon, Tara. I liked the book as soon as I picked up from the shelf. Yes! In fact, that’s the first story in that collection. I don’t know if he wrote an actual book for children and not just short stories. I would like to see and read one for sure! =)
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I’ve heard good things about Maggot Moon, but really wanted to say thanks for the two Princess books-they both look terrific & I have two young granddaughters who will love them. I especially enjoyed the ‘pretending’ going on in the second book, Fats. Young children will love that so much! Thank you!
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The mere mention of Maggot Moon is making me all giddy! I was tempted to write my thoughts about it before I was even halfway into it, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself! And you’re welcome, Linda! Princess Says Goodnight is very short, and The Queen of France is absolutely adorable! =)
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I love the princess picture books! Having two boys has not lead me down the princess path too often but always great to have titles for our school library. There are several “princesses” in grade 2 this year! Thanks for the recommendations!
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Awwww, that sounds so cute, Adrienne! That’s awesome to share these stories with your grade 2 princesses! I’m sure your two boys will grow up to be like brave and valiant princes! *wink* =)
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