BOOKENDS
UN-BRELLA, by Scott E. Franson. Roaring Brook, $15.95.
Ages 4-8.
It's all well and good to talk about the power of imagination, but another
thing entirely to show it working its wonders. In Scott E. Franson's remarkable
picture book, "Un-Brella," a swimsuit-clad tot plunges into a cold and snowy
day, accompanied only by a remarkable umbrella. Under the brolly's magical
protection, snow melts away to reveal flowers, balmy pond water and a plethora
of warmth and greenery. Months later, when the snow has melted and the air is
summery, the same little girl bundles up in her winter clothes and her umbrella
covers her path with thick ice and abundant snow. The last image of the book
shows the child and her snowman companion peering out the window at a new kind
of weather: rain. Franson's computer graphic style has a charming handmade feel
to it. Rather than make the mistake of so many other CGI picture books and
becoming too smooth and seamless, these images have texture, depth and
high-spirited energy. Completely wordless, this book makes for a storytime
delight that doesn't have to say a syllable.
I'M NOT SCARED, by Jonathan Allen. Hyperion Books for Young Readers,
$14.99. Ages 1-4.
The last thing you should call Baby Owl is scared. His stuffed animal Owly
- now there's a scared fellow (as Baby Owl will be quick to inform you). After
running into Badger, Bear and Bat, Baby Owl is incensed at their suggestions
that he shouldn't be out at night. After all, he's an owl. That's when he's
supposed to be out. After a temper tantrum of the adorable variety, our
diminutive hero runs into his Papa, who comforts "Owly" and tells him that it's
OK to be a little scared of the dark. "Papa means you, Owly," Baby Owl
clarifies quickly. Now fully contented, the fuzzy little guy falls into a
peaceful sleep. This companion to last year's wonderful "I'm Not Cute" marks a
triumphant return of everyone's favorite grumpy nocturnal denizen. Simple
pictures and thick black lines serve to heighten Baby Owl's wide-open eyes and
nervous glances. An ideal bedtime story.
THAT RABBIT BELONGS TO EMILY BROWN, by Cressida Cowell. Illustrated by Neal
Layton. Hyperion Books for Young Readers, $16.99. Ages 4-8.
It's one thing to have a very special toy of your own. It is another thing
entirely to demand someone else's toy. Yet that's the situation young Emily
Brown finds herself in when Queen Gloriana the Third (a local tyrant of
equivalent age) decides that Emily's stuffed bunny Stanley must become her own.
Emily, for her part, is having none of it. She will not trade Stanley (called
"Bunnywunny" by the queen) for golden teddies, talking dolls, rocking horses or
all the other toys in creation. She'd rather spend her time pretending to
explore the Great Barrier Reef or climbing the Amazon Forest than give up
Stanley's companionship. Unfortunately, she doesn't anticipate the queen's
special commandos stealing the innocent rabbit in the night.
Storming the castle, Emily Brown finds the queen in a tizzy over the horrid
"improvements" she and her servants have given Stanley. Feeling pity, Emily
advises the queen on how to create her own special friend, and her advice
proves to be superb. Cowell's story treads that delicate line between sweet and
silly, never becoming too much one or the other. Her tone is pitch-perfect
every step of the way, and the story is ideal for any child with a special
companion of his or her own. Using a combination of mixed media, crayon,
marker, photography and more, illustrator Neal Layton matches Cowell's words
point for point. From the worn threading on Stanley's tummy to the copious
tears of the moody queen, this book is a delight to both the eye and the ear.
