LitBit Speaks

Little Bird learned a new word! He loves it so much that he's bursting to share it with all of his friends. BLARK! BLARK! BLARK! The only problem is, this isn't a very nice word. Little Bird doesn't realize it, but this word might even hurt someone's feelings. What word will Little Bird learn to make things better? Little Bird's Bad Word  has to be one of my favourite picture books of 2015. Not only does it teach a lesson, but it's adorable and does not fall prey to an overly didactic writing style. The illustrations are also cute and portray emotion without a large amount of excess detail. The colours are relatively muted, and Grant manages to show a wide range of expressions with small details. Just look at the cover, for instance, and you will see what I mean! Little bird is truly excited, and yet you can see so much shock and acknowledgement of the delicacy of the situation from the father, with just that one big eye facing the reader. ...

Delightfully odd, is perhaps one of the best ways I've heard to describe this unique tale of reluctant friendship between an unlikely duo. When a skunk first appears in the tuxedoed man's doorway, it's a strange but possibly harmless occurrence. But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It's not clear--but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature's attention, only to find himself missing something. . . This is a lovely tale of two characters who turn out to be rather lonely, or at least lonelier than they might think. As the man attempts to run away from the skunk in wilder and more creative ways, he doesn't realize how much he needs someone who cares enough to stick around. . . until he finally eludes the skunk and throws a party. And it i...

Princess Pinecone knows exactly what she wants for her birthday this year. A BIG horse. A STRONG horse. A horse fit for a WARRIOR PRINCESS! But when the day arrives, she doesn't quite get the horse of her dreams... Instead she gets, well, this little guy... LOOK AT THAT LITTLE FACE!!!!  LOOK AT THOSE BIG EYES!!!!! How could Princess Pinecone be disappointed in this fabulous specimen?! This is a story of strength in many forms, of love and acceptance, of bravery and cozy sweaters. In the kingdom of warriors, Princess Pinecone is her parents' special little girl, never recognizes as the warrior she wishes to be. Her parents try to help her see her dreams come true, but her parents are super intuitive in the ways that the princess would like. The illustrations are in true Kate Beaton style, full of warmth and whimsy and a little bit of charm. If the story itself doesn't keep you giggling, the pony itself won't let you stop smiling with each turn of the page...

Just a note that I'm incredibly sorry I haven't been able to stay more current with my reviews as of late. I have become overwhelmed with working on my dissertation and keeping up with selection committee reading. But I assure you that no matter what is going on in life, I will keep trying to bring your attention to adorable, hilarious, creepy, thought-provoking, and sometimes downright disturbing literature. You're welcome! Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy this review of I Don't Like Koala ! What’s not to love about a cute, cuddly...creepy toy koala? This is the story of a boy and the stuffed animal he just can’t seem to shake. Adam does not like Koala. Koala is a little creepy. Adam tries explaining this to his parents. He tries putting Koala away—far away. He tries taking Koala on a long, long walk. Nothing works. Will Adam ever be rid of Koala? I know what everyone's thinking. How could this kid seriously NOT like a koala? I mean really....

Sometimes Tim feels invisible at school-until one day, when Tim meets Sam. But Sam isn't just any new friend: he's a blue whale, and he can't find his way home! Returning Sam to the sea is hard work, but Tim is determined to help. After all, it's not every day you meet a new friend! I saw a poster recently, for an author/illustrator visit to the fabulous Kidsbooks in Vancouver. The event was to highlight Cale Atkinson and his new book, To the Sea . All I had to see (sea) was the cover, and I just HAD to buy it. So I did. And I was not disappointed. I am a huge fan of large, adorable animals with smiley faces, and well, Atkinson's illustrations fit that description, and with a great story to boot! Poor Tim feels totally invisible at school and around his peers, and if this wasn't sad enough, one day he came across a blue whale stranded in the playground! No, I know you're thinking "That's impossible!" But it's totally explaine...

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel. Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives. And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight. I... Uh... I'm not sure what I just read. Wait, I don't mean that in a bad way! I just... hmmm... Okay, so first of all, if you're a traditionalist when it comes to form, you will probably find your brain spinning a bit. There are chap...

Tommy bounces, and he leaps. Tommy clomps, and he bulldozes. Nothing tires Tommy out, and his family can't keep up! But then his sister has an idea: could tap class be just right for Tommy? This exuberant picture book, written by Broadway dancer Tim Federle, with illustrations by Mark Fearing, stars one very energetic kid who finally finds his place in the spotlight. Tommy can't stop moving. He can't stop bopping or bouncing or clamoring or clomping or stoping or hurdling. Tommy's parents are tired, and so is his sister. They try EVERYTHING to burn off Tommy's excessive energy so they can finally sit down for a minute. (A number of other reviewers claim Tommy is ADHD, which is a possible reading for sure, but I won't make the claim in this review since it's not made explicit in the text that he has been diagnosed with anything in particular.) In any case, Tommy's sister eventually suggests that Tommy try tap dancing. He's not an immediate fan...

Clara is taking the bus to her grandma's house by herself for the first time. To her delight, the other riders – an assortment of animal characters – are friendly, fascinating and funny. There is plenty to see on this adventure, with lots of satisfying details in the illustrations (including the changing headlines on a newspaper, which sometimes hint at what's to come), proving that it really is the journey that counts. (First published in France as  L'autobus. ) Though the story itself is simple, there is much to find throughout the book in terms of allusions to other older, beloved fairy tales and stories. One of the most obvious examples is the Little Red Riding Hood  parallel, with Clara taking a basket and her little red sweater on the bus to visit her grandma. Of course, she also runs into a wolf on the bus, though the wolf is a child in this story, and becomes Clara's friend for a portion of the journey. She also encounters a bear, a pickpocketing fox, ...

Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play today. Nothing that Sparkles suggests--making crafts, playing checkers, and selling lemonade--goes well with the leaping, spinning, and twirling that Ballet Cat likes to do. When Sparkles's leaps, spins, and twirls seem halfhearted, Ballet Cat asks him what's wrong. Sparkles doesn't want to say. He has a secret that Ballet Cat won't want to hear. What Sparkles doesn't know is that Ballet Cat has a secret of her own, a totally secret secret. Once their secrets are shared, will their friendship end, or be stronger than ever? I am in love. Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great  seemed like it would be impossible to beat, and I don't know that it has been. But it has most definitely been matched in many ways with this new book by Bob Shea. Ballet Cat  features a cat and a pony, and the two friends are trying to figure out what to do. The pony doesn't know how to share hi...

I recently had the privilege of meeting Mac and Jory at the American Library Association in Chicago this year (2015), and was inducted into the International Order of Disorder (so cool!!). I can only assume they were their own inspiration(s) for the two pranksters in The Terrible Two . It would make a lot  of sense! In any case, before I get too far off track about Mac and Jory's shenanigans, here's my review of The Terrible Two!  (Oooh, that rhymed!) Miles Murphy is not happy to be moving to Yawnee Valley, a sleepy town that’s famous for one thing and one thing only: cows. In his old school, everyone knew him as the town’s best prankster, but Miles quickly discovers that Yawnee Valley already has a prankster, and a great one. If Miles is going to take the title from this mystery kid, he is going to have to raise his game. It’s prankster against prankster in an epic war of trickery, until the two finally decide to join forces and pull off the biggest prank ever seen: ...

Today's review comes to you from Keith Reynolds. Keith has previously reviewed for this blog. He lives and works in Vancouver, BC, and can be reached online via Twitter (@slothra). And now, here is his review of Anything Could Happen ...                                                                                                                      I made the mistake of not listening the titular track of this novel when I was writing this review, until my second attempt. In fact, I think I may have done myself a disservice by not having a dedicated playlist to the afternoon it took me to read through it. Tretch lives in a very small town where everybody's in everybody else's bus...

This is a story of a boy who loves his dog. And a dog who worships his boy. (Which can lead to misunderstandings.) Meet Sid. He's an ordinary kid. He's far from perfect. But to Murphy, Sid's faithful dog, Sid is the whole world. Murphy thinks Sid is the absolute best, and that he's in charge of everything. Sid loves Murphy right back, but he can't help but wonder what Murphy would think if he realized the truth: Sid's just a kid, and Murphy's just a dog, and neither one can control the world. Though deceptively simple at first glance, Weingarten has written a story for children that dares to tread into the realm of existentialism and the possibility of a divine being. Sid and Murphy's relationship is used to mirror humanity's search for meaning in the world and beyond. The book starts of as a simple story of love between a boy and his dog, but eventually Sid begins to wonder: If he's not as powerful and omnipotent as Murphy thinks he is...

When seventeen-year old high school newspaper editor Jake Powell, fresh from Alabama, lands in New York City to attend Columbia University's prestigious summer journalism program, it's a dream come true. But his father, a fundamentalist Christian preacher, smells trouble. And his father is rarely wrong. Jake navigates new and unfamiliar ways "up North." Starting with his feelings for a handsome Jewish classmate named Sam. What Jake could keep hidden back home is now pushed to the surface in the Big Apple. Standing by his side are a gorgeous brunette with a Park Avenue attitude and the designer bags to match, a high school friend who has watched Jake grow up and isn't sure she's ready to let him go, and an outrageously flamboyant aunt whose determined to help Jake finds the courage to accept love and avoid the pain that she has experienced. The Good: This book is important. The subject of religion and especially conservative Christianity is incredibly...

Please, nobody judge this blog post. First of al, I am beyond sleep deprived, and secondly, I am writing this review on an airplane at 35,000 feet. Needless to say, I wish I was in a better frame of mind, but I am rapidly falling behind on my reviews, so let us move on and talk about Nicholas Oldland's Walk on the Wild Side ! One day, a bear, a moose and a beaver go for a walk in the mountains. To make the hike more exciting, they decide to race to the top. But soon the friends fall into deep trouble. Who will give up their chance for glory to save the day? I think one can get a pretty good feel of the impending adventure from the cover page. Illustrated in a naive childish form, Oldland captures readers immediately in child-like mindset. One of the really intriguing bits about this book, is the fact that there are no outlines on the characters or landscape, and yet the solid colours keep the beaver, bear, and moose from bleeding into the background. It's quite a fun sty...

Rodeo Red and her hound dog Rusty are happier than two buttons on a new shirt 'til Side Swiping Slim shows up. Red's sure anyone who hollers that much'll be hauled to the edge of town and told to skedaddle, but her parents are smitten. When Slim sets his eye on Rusty, Red'd better figure out a way to save her best friend in all the world. Can she bargain with a varmint? This beautiful book presents a brief snapshot of life for Rodeo Red. Red is a cowgirl. She spends time with her hound dog, Rusty. The narrative uses some good ol’ colloquial cowboy dialect, which keeps the story light and fun. Rodeo’s lovin’ life, until a new varmint shows up in the house (a baby), and the attention that Red used to enjoy, is no longer exclusively hers. Red’s exaggerated language makes for hilarious juxtaposition throughout the book, bringing out lots of laughs and humorous moments of disconnect between word and image. And speaking of image, it’s impossible to read this book wit...