It's been a little while since I've done one of these. It used to be my habit to draw a Star Wars character as I imagined it looked as a baby every May 4. I quickly ran through my favorites and the exercise has forced me to think more creatively. I hadn't planned to draw one this year but this juvenile Tauntaun found it's way into my doodles this week.
At face value, Otis & Peanut is like a lot of early graphic novels currently on the market. Think Narwhal and Jelly or Shark and Bot. Even the title has the same construction. Now, those other books can be a lot of fun. They're silly and reach beginning readers with their easy to follow text and engaging illustrations. Otis & Peanut has those same elements. This book includes three stories where the pair work through some challenge together. These appear simple but, as with a Frog and Toad story, the simplicity masks a deeper reflection on life and identity. A fear of getting a haircut or the changes that come with moving house are met with funny solutions but also examine change and being true to yourself. And then there's "The Swing", where Otis and Peanut remember a friend who is gone. They discuss grief and how even remembering the good things is painful. This is a sweet, heartfelt story that may be a little emotionally intense for some but is beautiful anyway. Much as with Frog and Toad, this may be a book that will be appreciated by children in a surface way and on a much deeper level by their parents.
This is the sort of book we see occasionally - a woman who defies cultural standards and opens the door for future women to do the same. This one gives us a few unique details. Not only is this a story of sisters, they were raised to be independent and as capable as their brothers. It's no wonder, then, that they decided to travel the country on a motorbike, wearing trousers. It's a simple narrative. The language is easy to understand and none of the content is challenging so it's suitable for young readers.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Katherine Applegate
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Star the Elephant by Remy Lai
Waluk by Ana Miralles
Rating:
Summary (proviede by publisher): Ruby’s story picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa where she grew up is visiting. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories both happy and sad of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.
My opinion: In each of the prior books in this trilogy, Applegate uses an immediate threat as a method for the protagonist to acknowledge and eventually work through trauma from their past. In Ivan we meet the character of Ruby, a tiny elephant who has lost her whole family and faces a life in captivity. She is an innocent who drives Ivan to act. In Bob we see a Ruby who has started to develop more personality. She's found a family and has begun to prove that she is capable of helping. And finally in this book we have Ruby as a complete character. We see her largely as a sunny, positive "kid" but we also see the trauma of her past. We see how her experiences in Africa have driven a deep fear of change into her. The threat here is less immediate. There is no abusive owner, no natural disaster. Just Ruby and her fears. In this volume Applegate completes her trifecta of the affects of trauma on a character and the ways it causes us to behave. Each book provides something different to the reader and is worth reading in it's own right. As with the other two books, this volume talks about animal cruelty in a plainspoken but never graphic way, so be aware of that if you're intending to give this book to an especially sensitive young reader.
More information: The One and Only Ruby releases today!
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
If you could choose anyone in the world to provide the voice of a scrappy little stray dog, who else would you choose but Danny Devito? (I'm given to understand he provided the voice for Bob in the film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan but I haven't seen it yet) Right from the start this audio book is engaging and charming. This volume gives us much more insight into the loveable scamp Bob from the first book, a stray who doesn't trust people and insists he is best on his own. This book shows us a Bob who has found a home but still doesn't fully trust anyone. The immediacy of a natural disaster and intense physical threats forces him to address the hurts of his past and find a way to move forward. This is a nice companion piece to the first book and presents trauma through a different lens.
This is certainly not the first time I've read this book. It is, in fact, the inspiration for the name of this blog. When I first encountered this book after it's initial publication I was blown away by the simplicity and power of the prose. By giving Ivan a straightforward voice, a tone that states things plainly and in as few words as are truly necessary, Applegate gives his lines power. They are more believable as an animal's thoughts and also leave us to draw our own conclusions. They tell us a story of cruelty and pain without becoming maudlin or overblown. The simple statement of fact actually allows the reader to feel the emotional pain more deeply. This is a book that is not only beautiful to read (or have read to you as the case may be) but holds up to repeat reading, allowing us to reflect on different aspects each time. If you have not experienced Ivan yet, do yourself a favor and give this one a listen.
I have a pretty solid roster of finger puppets that I make for craft fairs so I seldom try new designs these days. When I got a good deal on some large pieces of felt, though, that needed to change. Since I don't have a lot of designs using pink and light blue felt and you can only make so many pigs and song birds I'm trying out some new ideas. Here are my first two: a red panda and an axolotl.
I welcome more suggestions for pink and light blue creatures. Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments.
