Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan

 Never be late for a parade.
Never forget the password.
Never ruin a perfect plan.

It's all about the rules. But what if the rules feel completely arbitrary? What if your older brother is the only one who gets to make them up all summer long? And what if he's the only one who can save you when the darkness of winter comes rushing in?

 
I'm glad I read Betsy Bird's review of Rules of Summer immediately after I read the book. I went back and did another read through and I never would have garnered that meaning on my own had it not been for Betsy's insights. I feel like I need an interpreter every time I read a Shaun Tan book, or at least someone who is more adept at reading symbolism than I am. His books completely perplex me, but I also have an intense desire to talk about them with someone to try to figure out all the weirdness.

I liken Shaun Tan to the illustrator version of Neil Gaiman. I know Gaimnan's work is brilliant, but it's a little too creepy and weird for me and I just don't get the appeal. That is my exact feeling about Tan's work as an illustrator. I know it's brilliant, but it just doesn't resonate with me the way I feel it should.

Rules of Summer might be a good book to read with students on the first day/week of school to give them something deeper to reflect on than the traditional "What I did on my summer vacation" assignment. Since the first line of the story is "This is what I learned last summer," that line coupled with the book's strangeness could be a catalyst for students to go beyond the typical "I went to Disney World and it was fun" response, and turn it into something much more detailed and thought-provoking. 


Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan
Published: April 29, 2014
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 48
Genre: Fantasy Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade/Young Adult 
Disclosure: Library Copy

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Tea Rex by Molly Idle

Dear Mr. Rex,

It has been so long since I have seen you.

Do drop by on Friday afternoon for a cup of tea.

Your friend,
Cordelia

When children play "tea party" it is very often one of the few times you observe them behaving quietly and minding their manners. Which is why Molly Idle's Tea Rex is such a fun, hilarious read. The children in the story are minding their manners and following all the proper proceedings of a dignified tea, but their guest, Mr. T-Rex, can't help himself. He's trying to very hard to be mannerly, but he just can't help what he is: a carnivorous beast.

And yet, despite being a carnivorous beast, there is something so endearing and almost gentle about Mr. Rex. It isn't presumptuous to say that readers of all ages will fall in love with him. The second person point-of-view and "fish out of water" main character immediately put me in mind of my favorite picture book of all time, Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick. I could see using this book as a mentor text to have students write their own "fish out of water" stories.

Books similar to Tea Rex:
Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein
Teach Your Buffalo to Play Drums by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein
Dragons Love Tacos by  Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira, illustrated by Poly Bernatene


Tea Rex by Molly Idle
Published: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book/Fantasy
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Purchased Copy

The Adventures of Mark Twain by Huckleberry Finn

This biography of Mark Twain is not like any other biography you'll ever read. It is told from the point-of-view of Twain's most famous fictional character, Huckleberry Finn. Narrated in Huck's distinctive, unlearned voice, this book is sure to surprise and delight big kids and little kids alike. I might be so bold as to say that I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of nonfiction text more than this one. I spent most of my time reading this book laughing out loud and sharing entertaining passages with my husband who was watching TV and had to pause the DVR on many occasions just so I could read out loud to him.

Despite the fact that Huck is telling the story of Mark Twain and trying to showcase Twain's accomplishments, Huck is really stealing the show here with his humor and lack of learnin'. With passages like this, it's no wonder this book is rife with teachable moments, whether it's  real-life grammar lessons or a lesson on voice in writing:

Livy was always askin' Sam to talk about his days on the Mississippi. Maybe it was this that got his rememberies up. There's no knowin' for certain, but in the end his famousest book is about times when he was a boy.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (wherein I plays a very important part myself, if it don't seem like peacockin' to say so) tells about the doin's of a boy, sorta like Sam was way back.


The Adventures of Mark Twain by Huckleberry Finn by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Barry Blitt
Published: March 8, 2011
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 48
Genre: Biography
Audience: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Disclosure: Library Copy

Mozart Finds a Melody by Stephen Costanza

For the first time in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's life, he can't think of a single melody to compose - and he's on a deadline! It's now Monday and he must have a piano concerto composed and ready to perform by Saturday!

After doing all he can think of to find inspiration for a melody (including standing on his head and playing the violin in the bathtub), Mozart is at a loss - until his beautiful pet starling begins chirping in protest, wondering why her master hasn't fed her yet.

To Mozart, the starling's chirping sounds beautiful and melodious, just the theme he needs for his brand new piano concerto! But when Mozart opens the cage to feed his lovely pet, she flies away. Now Mozart must search the city high and low for his muse, discovering melodies and themes along the way in the street noises of Vienna.

Taking inspiration from a true story about Mozart, Stephen Costanza takes liberties with actual events to create this charming picture book about the famous classical composer. Equally as charming are Costanza's muted yet dreamy illustrations, accompanied by a tad bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure.

This book could be used at the beginning of a school year to show students how inspiration is all around us, we just have to be paying attention. Even the genius of Mozart needed a little help from time to time.


Mozart Finds a Melody by Stephen Costanza
Published: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade
Disclosure: Library Book 

Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Scott Magoon

Chopsticks are best friends. They've been that way forever. But one day one chopstick gets broken and must spend some time away from the other. While one chopstick explores new and different ways to be useful, the other chopstick must remain immobile while he's on the mend. Will Chopsticks continue to be friends after one has explored a new and different world, or will he leave his best friend behind?

In this adorable companion to the book Spoon, Amy Krouse Rosenthal's lovely story explores the dynamics of friendship and what happens when one friend goes away and the other must stay put. In addition, she also crafts her writing to allow teachers and students to discuss literary devices such as personification and play-on words. I particularly love that the kitchen whisk was the one who "whisked away" chopstick to get him medical attention - or that "no one stirred, not even spoon" while they were waiting to see if chopstick would be OK. 

In addition to Rosenthal's clever writing, Scott Magoon's smile-inducing illustrations just might get you talking and making friends with your own kitchen utensils. I know I will never look at my kitchen whisk the same way again. Even though I've always been a fan of whisks, I have much greater respect for them now. :)

Don't think that because this is a picture book it is only for little kids. Because of Rosenthal's deft use of personification and puns, this would be a great book to read to older kids as well. I will definitely be reading it to my 6th graders in the near future.

Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Scott Magoon
Published: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade