Weekly Readings XIV

January 20, 2015 | Taurean J. Watkins

Welcome to another edition of

“Weekly Readings”

For those new here, Weekly Readings is when your lit. rat reviews books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…

This week, we’ve got three charming dog tales, and a love story set to the backdrop of a dance-off. Essentially we’re talking “Romeo and Juliet” (minus the death), mixed with “So You Think You Can Dance” meets “Dancing with the Stars” (minus the judges for both).

A Perfect Place for Ted

by Leila Rudge

Publisher: Candlewick Press (@Candlewick)

Pub. Date: June 24th, 2014

Ted, like most dogs, wants a home, and after being passed over time and again in the pet store, decides to take matters into his own paws.

With only the green jumper* (*Lingo for “Sweater”) on his back, and a dream in his heart, Ted embarks on a quest to find his “Ever After” home!

He tries getting hired by a circus, but doesn’t make the cut, to being a show dog on the pageant circuit, but isn’t able to stand out from the competition. Finally, he takes a stab at being a guard dog, but isn’t assertive enough…

Ted starts to wonder if there is a “Perfect Place”

for him to call home…

Author-Illustrator Leila Rudge uses a classic watercolor style, warm color palette, and subtle line art to bring Ted’s earnest journey to life.

Despite the potential issues of giving someone a real pet for their birthday or the holidays, dog lovers should have no qualms whatsoever gifting “A Perfect Place for Ted” to the pet parents in your life.

Check Out Our Fan Book Trailer For

“A Perfect Place For Ted”

Gaston

by KellyDiPucchio (@kellydipucchio)

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

(Imprint of Simon & Schuster

[@SimonKIDS] |[@simonschuster] )

Pub. Date: June 3rd, 2014

I LOVE the retro-inspired art style employed by illustrator Christian Robinson, helping stand out from the many hyper-technicolor titles on the book shelf, but speaks to the retro-naunt in me and others.

Kids from adoptive or blended families will find a relatable friend in the titular canine’s story of being comfortable in your own skin (or fur, in his case), even when those closest to you don’t “get it” right away.

(Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” – Platinum Edition DVD cover)

It’s hard not to hear the name “Gaston” without thinking about the machismo meat-head from the Disney version of “Beauty and the Beast”, of whom, in my opinion is among the most normal* sleazebag of the varying antagonists from the 90s’ era.

(*In this context, normal meaning not having powers of some kind)

But happily this Gaston is one I can get behind.

I’m not going to sing it, but…I want a DOG like Gaston…

The Driftwood Ball

by Thomas Docherty

(U.K.) Publisher: Templar Publishing

(U.K.) Pub. Date: January 1st, 2014

In addition to collaborating with his wife and fellow author Helen (See our profile on them from our Picture Book Month 2013 author/illustrator spotlight), author-illustrator Thomas Docherty brings us his most recent solo outing about family feuds, high stakes dance offs, and true love, what more can a lit. rat need?

On one side you’ve got badgers, who are prim, proper and composed, in dance terms they’re like a waltz. Form and technique are everything!

The otters by contrast are cool, casual, and thrive on improvisation, in dance they represent freestyle, with some hip-hop thrown in here and there. Whatever’s fun and flowing!

The Badgers find the otters crude and their dancing unrefined.

The otters think badgers are snobbish, wound too tight, and their dance moves stiff and soulless.

The only thing both species agree on is their love of dancing, but while “The Driftwood Ball” brings the two species together, competition and rivalry keep them apart in every way.

Until Celia (an otter) and George (a badger) meet in secret and have different ideas…

George likes how free and soulful the otters move, and Celia’s enchanted by the composed technique of the badgers dancing, and the two soon learn to dance a little bit like the other, until they create a dance style all their own, and fall in love…

When titular dance-off “The Driftwood Ball” begins, the feuding species are stunned to find Celia and George dancing together, a first for this bitter rivalry charged event, and from there a new normal takes hold that I won’t spoil here…

What I love most about Thomas Docherty is how he tailors his illustration style for each of his books, be they his own, or when visualizing another author’s work.

While there some slight nods to the style used in “The Snatchabook” his previous book (written by his wife, Helen) this book is about movement and a more tropical color palette, versus the Seuss-inspired two-tone impressionistic tone taken in the verse-driven tale.

T.A.A. nominated this book as one of our first “Most Anticipated Reads” back in 2013 (before it’s release) so you may be wondering why it took a year after it published to review it…

The road to reviewing this book is long and complicated, but to give you the abridged version, this book isn’t (YET) out in the U.S., and since T.A.A. HQ is based stateside, your lit. rat didn’t realize that at the time I nominated it this book is still kind of a U.K./Europe exclusive at the time this review is being written…

That’s why I want to give special thanks to my Twitter friend, Anne-Marie (@ChildLedChaos), for sending me a copy from the U.K. You made reviewing this book possible.

I hope “The Driftwood Ball” comes to the rest of the world soon, but while T.A.A. primarily reviews books that are fairly accessible worldwide, our goal is to be as global community as possible, and while many of Thomas Docherty’s older solo picture books solo books are available worldwide, this sadly remains a U.K. exclusive, but when that changes, T.A.A. will let you know.

That said, for our Euro/U.K. T.A.A. fans, “The Driftwood Ball’s a must-read, especially if you’ve got little movers and groovers in your life!

This book earned the honor of being one of our “Most Anticipated Reads of 2014”, and if you’ve the spare cash and patience for intercontinental shipping, this is a book worth importing!

(U.S./U.K. Covers for “The Snatchabook”)

Also, check out our review of

“The Snatchabook” his previous collaboration with his wife and fellow author Helen.

Finally, keep an eye out for their newest book,”Abracazebra” one of our “Most Anticipated Reads of 2015”

UPDATE (1/21/15): I learned from author Helen Docherty that “Abracazebra” has not yet found a U.S. publisher, so it remains a U.K./Europe exclusive for now, I apologize for the transformation

(I’ll not rely Amazon for release info of international titles again!)

But it’s still one of our “Most Anticipated Reads” and I will still review the book as planned, Helen was kind enough to offer sending us a copy! Thanks Helen! When “Abracazebra” does come stateside, your lit. rat will let you know! But I encourage our U.K. fans to check it out.

Mogie

The Heart of the House

by Kathi Appelt

Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

(Imprint of Simon & Schuster)

[@simonschuster] | [@SimonKIDS]

Pub. Date: June 10th, 2014

Kathi Appelt, while best known for her novels “The Underneath“ and the “The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp“

(A national Book Award Finalist) she’s also written numerous picture books, and this is the first your lit. rat has read, and definitely NOT the last!

Illustrator Marc Rosenthal’s charming illustrations uses minimal background detail to highlight our titular furry friend as he offers a friendly paw to one of the many children who misses the days when he ran free in the great outdoors.

On top of being a charming book on it’s own, part of the sales of this book benefits the “Ronald McDonald House” a facility where families with ill and injured children can find a safe haven on their road to recovery, and dogs (like Mogie) are part of the staff as therapy dogs, who in many ways they’re like canine nurses (short of giving shots or cleaning bedpans), offering comfort and a playful distraction from the struggles their young charges face.

One last thing,

TAA CARES, our initiative to help authors and other content creators in need is gearing up for our first featured project of 2015.

Bestselling author Laura Numeroff

(“If You Give A Mouse A Cookie”)

is re-launching her Kickstarter campaign for “Work for Biscuits” a book and multimedia series starring andsupporting service dogs in training and in the field.

If you can, please consider contributing to her funds the first day to help build momentum so the project can successfully fund the second time around.

Even if you can’t spare the cash, please help me and my fantastic fauna team spread the good word, especially if you or the lit. rattlings in your life are Laura Numeroff fans!

If you’re unversed in the concept of crowdfunding, check out my previous posts on the subject as your lit. rat will be embarking this path for my upcoming middle grade novel “GABRIEL“

The Literary Rat’s Crowdfunding Chronicles – Part 1: Overview

The Literary Rat’s Crowdfunding Chronicles – Part 2: Why Crowdfunding?

(You can also chat with Gabriel and his friend Rum on Twitter via @GabrielandRum)

That’s it for Weekly Readings, check back next time!

FINAL NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: If my ramblings convinced you to buy one or more of the books mentioned above, please support T.A.A. by clicking on the affiliate cover images above or links within the review.

Weekly Readings (Many Thanks 2014 Edition)

November 30, 2014 | Taurean J. Watkins

Welcome to another addition of

“Weekly Readings”

For those new here, Weekly Readings is when your lit. rat reviews books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…

This week, in honor of (U.S.) Thanksgiving at T.A.A. HQ, your lit. rat reviews a quartet of tomes celebrating family, friends, and of course, FOOD!

Baking Day at Grandma’s

by Anika Denise (@AnikaDenise)

Illustrated by Christopher Denise (@cadenise)

Publisher: Philomel

(An Imprint of Penguin)

Pub. Date: April 29th, 2014

REVIEW of this book in progress, check back soon!

Here’s the OFFICIAL book trailer for

“Baking Day at Grandma’s”

Now from baking bears to a family of foxes who learn about “The Art of French Cooking” from a brother who knows what’s up in the kitchen-

Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke

by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Illustrated by Henry Cole

Publisher: Philomel

Pub. Date: September 1st 1995

The title may be a tounge twister, but there’s no cofusion about how awesome this book is!

Being the ambitious cook in my family, the cover drew me to this book right away, I’m not quite as experienced in French cuisine as Fosdyke, but I’m making strides this year! (but that’s another story to be shared another time)

I’m new to Pamela Duncan Edwards work, and this was a fun book to get me introduced to her work. Illustrator Henry Cole (Best known for the sadly controversial “And Tango Makes Three”) gives us colorful and spry illustrations and gives special attention the furry pelts of our foxy brood.

While Mom’s taking a Florida holiday, her quintet are left to fend for themselves, and while four of the siblings are keen to put their hunting skills to the test, their brother Fosdyke does his “Julia Child” thing in the kitchen.

When his siblings tease him for taking the frou-frou route, he’d say, “A fox is a fox. Whatever the food.”

On that note, I’d like to give a short history lesson, and no, it won’t be boring!

If you’ve read our last two “Weekly Readings” you know that like weasels, as well as rats such as myself and Gabriel (from my upcoming debut novel), foxes are often typecast as the villains and tricksters in fiction.

While Fosdyke’s sibs are all too happy (at first…) to be the barnyard stalkers, Fosdyke himself has no qualms with cooking with whatever’s easily on paw, and seriously, mushrooms are a BLESSING for those of us who’re omnivores who want to keep their meat consumption in check.

I asked my new acquaintance, and the newest member of our T.A.A. family, Thorne Thistlestop (aka @TheBookishFox on Twitter) and a friend of our Swine-Feline duo “Swinebert & Dempsey” (@Swinebert_and_D) to weigh in on this book-

(Thorne Thistlestop “The Bookish Fox”)

When “The Literary Rat” that my friends, Swinebert and Dempsey have been working with these past couple years, told me about reviewing “Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke” I couldn’t wait to read it!

But being short on cash, I was elated that Bookmobile Sentinel (the traveling library on wheels I work at as librarian) had a copy and I read it during lunch hour.

When I was growing up, you’d be hard pressed to find non-evil foxes in books, even wolves have their share of heroes on the side of good, if weren’t not the petty crooks or full on villains, we’re super-sexualized to the umpteenth degree, and that’s particularly interesting in my case being gay.

my only (non-evil) literary role models were Mr. Fix-it (from Richard Scarry’s World) and Shutta Crum’s “Fox and Fluff” which T.A.A. reviewed a ways back…

From the title on, “Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke” is a fun story combing alteration, unorthodox rhyme, stellar illustrations and wordplay using repetition to clever effect.

Special Thanks to Thorne Thistlestop for sharing his paws-on experience with the book, as well as a bit of himself, so look forward to hearing more from “The Bookish Fox” in the coming months…

Now we go from a “Foxy Gourmet” to robber dogs on hard times-

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam

by Tracey Corderoy (@TraceyCorderoy)

Illustrated by Steven Lenton (@2dscrumptious)

Publisher: Nosy Crow (@NosyCrow)

(Imprint of Candlewick Press [@Candlewick])

Pub. Date: August 6th, 2013

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: This is a re-post of our original review of “Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam.”

Whoever said it’s easier to make a dishonest living never met Shifty and Sam, two dogs with major hard luck in the thievery racket.

For every “Artful Dodger” or “Bonnie and Clyde” there’s a “Laurel and Hardy” of the robber fraternity, and that’s the badge of dishonor these dogs wear. Their “Swag” bag often empty of loot, and as such short on money.

One night, they hatch their most promising plan yet, invite their neighbors to tea, treat them to bite-sized feast, then slip out and ransack faster than you can say “R.S.V.P.”

The only thing is: they can’t afford to get a ready-made spread, and they’ve never baked before!

But hey, desperate times call for learning the precise measurements behind baking, and as a fledgling home baker myself, that’s no idle matter.

Luckily with a cookery book on their paws, and the gumption only desperation can bring about, they surprise themselves (and their guests) with a feast of truly delectable edibles.

“Operation: Trojan Tea Party” didn’t go off without a hitch, but that’s only the beginning of their problems…

Author Tracey Corderoy uses a light rhyming scheme and couplet paragraphs that convey a concise yet complete narrative that nicely blends with Steven Lenton’s illustrations that use color, light and shadows to excellent effect, I truly felt like I was living out a short film as I read through.

While we at T.A.A. don’t condone theft, of course, we do support anyone who changes their ways for the better, and without spoiling the ending, let’s just say “Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam” bring a fresh spin on the often spoken adage “Crime Doesn’t Pay.”

To invoke the words of Jiminy Cricket-

“Let your conscience be your guide.”

Here’s our fan book trailer for

“Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam”

Finally, this lit. rat is PROUD to share a story that will make even the most inexperienced in the kitchen want to rise to the challenge-

Tiny Pie

by Mark Bailey and Michael Oatman

Illustrated by Edward Hemingway

(@EdwardHemingway)

Publisher: Running Press Books

(@Running_Press)

Pub. Date: May 7th, 2013

It took forever to get to this one, which is becoming an unintended theme of my reviews as of late, but as I suspected it was worth the wait.

The story begins at a fancy party.

Given the choice of either early bedtime or stay and be out of the way, Little Ellie opts to stick around for what she thought would be a fun time. While her parents and the big folks are having fun, Ellie’s not, but soon that would change…

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to my share of gatherings that left a lot to be desired, but while I was more apt to be the wallflower rattling on the outskirts of large gatherings, Little Ellie is far from shy, but not only is she not having fun, she’s STARVING!

But everyone’s too busy saying Ellie’s “Too Small” to be here to notice.

Before she gives into despair, Ellie notices a hole in the wall, and being the curious gal she is, peaks inside- She discovers the miniature set of the (appropriately named) “Hole in the Wall Kitchen”cooking show, hosted by a mouse chef, and that alone was enough to get me, and while I’ve not yet seen Pixar’s “Ratatouille” (I’m getting to it, okay?) anything involving food or cooking will always spark my interest.

Illustrator Edward Hemingway’s retro-inspired art style is like this love child between colorized “New Yorker” cartoons with the exaggerated facial features of “MAD” (though a lot more tasteful, in my opinion, no pun intended) creating something that feels old and contemporary at the same time. Not an easy feat to achieve.

Plus, the excellent use of rhyming by our minature culinary friend adds a fun dimension to the story.

“Tiny Pie” is a charming reminder that no matter how small we feel, whether in the figurative or literal sense, nothing worthwhile is out of reach, and sometimes it takes a little gal’s (or guy’s) touch to do BIG things!

Side Note From The Literary Rat: I haven’t gotten the chance to try the recipe at the end of the book yet, but I will, and share my thoughts during our holiday showcase.

Here’s our fan book trailer for

“Tiny Pie”

That’s it for Weekly Readings! See you next time.

Weekly Readings XIII

November 18, 2014 | Taurean J. Watkins

Welcome to another addition of

“Weekly Readings”

For those new here, Weekly Readings is when your lit. rat reviews books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…

This week, we’re taking a walk on the anti-hero side, between robber dogs, dogs on the lam, and weasels who want to take over the world!

It’s just a typical day in the world of fantastic fauna, and your lit. rat (ever on the side of good) chronicles it for you, my precious readers-

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam

by Tracey Corderoy (@TraceyCorderoy)

Illustrated by Steven Lenton (@2dscrumptious)

Publisher: Nosy Crow

[An Imprint of Candlewick Press (@Candlewick)]

Pub. Date: August 6th, 2013

Whoever said it’s easier to make a dishonest living never met Shifty and Sam, two dogs with major hard luck in the thievery racket.

One night, they hatch their most promising plan yet, invite their neighbors to tea, treat them to bite-sized feast, then slip out and ransack faster than you can say “R.S.V.P.”

The only thing is: they can’t afford to get a ready-made spread, and they’ve never baked before!

But hey, desperate times call for learning the precise measurements behind baking, and as a fledgling home baker myself, that’s no idle matter.

Luckily with a cookery book on their paws, and the gumption only desperation can bring about, they surprise themselves (and their guests) with a feast of truly delectable edibles.

“Operation: Trojan Tea Party” didn’t go off without a hitch, but that’s only the beginning of their problems…

To invoke the words of Jiminy Cricket “Let your conscience be your guide.”

Here’s our fan book trailer for

“Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam”

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: I’m also happy to share that another “Shifty and Sam” book is in the works! Your lit. rat will keep you posted as more details are available.

Bad Dog

by Nina Laden

Publisher: Walker Children’s Books

Pub. Date: September 1st, 2000

Often people describe picture books being akin to poetry and song, and “Bad Dog” is a brilliantly executed example.

A misreading of a newspaper ad about “Free Range Chickens” sends a hungry and spirited dog and his fellow canine buddy on a road trip of escalating proportions!

Anyone who’s tried to write in rhyme (including your lit. rat) knows it’s as HARD to do as it is effortless to read the best examples, and Nina’s rhyme scheme* (*by which I mean “pattern”) allows a, without the potential burden of executing a “Madeline” rhyme on EVERY word of EVERY sentence.

If I were a musician I’d be DYING to turn this book into a song. Somewhere between Simon and Garfunkel’s

“A Poem on the Underground Wall” [from their album “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme“] and the theme song for “CatDog.” (Yes, your lit. rat was a 90s kid, what of it?)

Nina’s Colorful illustrations really capture the sense of unleashed abandon (no pun intended) as our canine bros hit the road, dodging the cops, all in the name of fine and free range chicken, or something like that…

“Bad Dog” is despite it’s title, a “Howling Good Time” pun fully intended here!

Last, but FAR from least,

WEASELS

By Elys Dolan (@ElysDolan)

Publisher: Candlewick Press (@Candlewick)

Pub. Date: February 25th, 2014

This was one of T.A.A.’s “Most Anticipated Reads of 2014” during our celebration of “Picture Book Month” in 2013, and your lit. rat’s happy to report it lived up to that title.

While this rat likes to use his powers for good, the titular varmints of this book take pride and revelry in their often typecast role as the mischief makers who will settle for nothing less than WORLD DOMINATION.

A stark contrast to the novel, “The Wainscott Weasel” that we reviewed on T.A.A. recently.

Elys Dolan’s detailed and pop art doodle illustrations make excellent use of the added page real estate that comes with this book’s hefty size an width.

While short on words, this book is LONG on re-read value by giving the pre-reader (and the reader) lots of eye candy to bring more of themselves into the story.

I felt like each page spread was a movie set just waiting to be animated (it could double as a splendid interactive storybook app or dare I say animated special, hint-hint…)

Move over “Pinky and the Brain“, the WEASELS are bringing world domination out of the ’90s and into the 21st Century!

That’s is for Weekly Readings! See you next time.

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: I’m also happy to share that another “Shifty and Sam” book is in the works! Your lit. rat will keep you posted as more details are available.

Weekly Readings X

October 21, 2014 | Taurean J. Watkins

Welcome one and all to another edition of Weekly Readings!

For those new here, Weekly Readings is when your lit. rat reviews books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…

Last week, we did our first leap in to middle grade novels after spending the last two years establishing our picture book reviews, but this week we’re back to picture books.

This week, T.A.A.’s going “Back to School” with some books for the young scholar (or scholars) in your life.

We originally meant to time this with the start of the (U.S.) 2014-2015 school year.

But life and tech happens, and hey, sometimes “Better late than never” is NOT the worst thing in the world! (Just a word to the wise and SANE from your lit. rat)

In this double feature review session, we’ve got a tried and true dynamic duo who’ve earned their honors, and a freshman fighting for the right to read who’d make recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai proud-

A Library Book For Bear

by Bonny Becker

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Publisher: Candlewick Press (@Candlewick)

Pub. Date: July 22nd, 2014

The curmudgeonly ursine and unflappable rodent have been charming and cracking up readers since their inaugural outing, “A Visitor for Bear” WAY back in 2008-

Thankfully, the dawn of the “Great Recession”

didn’t take this duo out with it.

As the title of this recent installment implies, we’re heading to one your lit. rat’s favorite places, but guess who’s not yet jazzed about the concept…

As usual, set in his ways Bear thinks he has all the books he needs at home. (Something my grandma might wish was my mindset, given the MANY books in this lit. rat’s private library, without actually having a dedicated library room…)

But ever the patient “Agony Uncle”, Mouse tries to get his grumpy buddy bear (not to be confused with THE Grumpy Bear of “Care Bears” fame) to take a bite out of the literary melting pot we lovingly call: the library!

Once again, author Bonny Becker (who wrote one of my fave under-appreciated novels, “Holbrook – A Lizard’s Tale“) and illustrator Kady MacDonald Denton team up for the 5th time reminding readers young and old that libraries ROCK!

Another way you can support authors you love, while feeding your reader addiction even when you’re on a tighter budget than you’d like.

It’s also important for those of us more able to buy books to help our libraries out by donating new or gently used copies, especially library systems like my hometown of Detroit, Michigan (aka T.A.A. HQ),that’s so cash strapped even titles from just LAST YEAR (of the book’s pub. date) aren’t available in the system.

Which often means I can’t always find books I want to read and/or review via DPL (Even through inter-library loan).

It’s something I plan to take action on for 2015, more on that in the near future…

Out next title is the new kid on the block (not the musical group) that I’m so psyched to share-

Rufus Goes to School

by Kim T. Griswell

Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books (@SterlingBooks)

Pub. Date: August 6th, 2013

Rufus Leroy Williams III (you can just call him Rufus) is a little piglet, with a BIG, yet simple dream-

To read his favorite book, that at the moment he only can follow from the pictures.

Rufus decides to send himself to school so he can learn to read.

But has a heck of a time convincing the principal to let him attend.

He seems to confuse earnest pig Rufus for “The Big Bad Wolf” of Grimm’s fame, not in the man-eating sense, but thinking him more a preordained bully than potential scholar, thankfully Rufus remains unflappable in his quest to attend school.

How does he win this misguided principal over? You’ll have to read

and find out.

Valeri Gorbachev’s illustrations have this warm, unassuming charm matching well with Kim’s narrative, using repetition and rhythm to great effect.

The warm tone to the illustrations reminds me of the late and great Fred Marcelino, and dare I say, the legendary Richard Scarry, but his style’s all his own.

Given the piggy nature of this book, I’ve asked Swinebert Glockchester (from T.A.A. FM’s “Swinebert & Dempsey”) to share his thoughts on the book-

Swinebert: This book reminds me of my nephew Trug’s first day of school-

He’s in 4^th grade now, but when he first went to school, he was just as eager as Rufus to learn to read.

Thankfully his school was open to him from the start, though Trug told me the janitor looked at him in a “Scary Mean” way whenever he saw him.

Apparently, he’d been told the myth that pigs are always messy and smelly slobs that would make his job all the harder.

Let me make one thing clear, it’s true we pigs like to get messy and muddy, but we’re not all slobs in every circumstance, and as far as Trug and me, we know there’s a time and place to be muddy and a time to be clean and neat, and at school (especially a human/nonhuman school like Trug’s) it’s best to be clean and neat!

That said, I went to an all piglet school when I lived on a ranch outside of New York City, and we did have a “Mud Bath” period, but we always showered off afterwards.

(Swinebert in the flush of youth)

Reading “Rufus Goes to School” brought back all those memories of Trug’s (and yours truly) first days of school: the good times, bad times, sad times, and all the times in-between.

Follow Swinebert (and his feline pal, Dempsey) on Twitter via @Swinebert_and_D

←They’re also on Facebook!

That’s it for Weekly Readings. See you next

time!

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: If my ramblings convinced you to buy one or more of the books mentioned above, please support T.A.A. by clicking on the affiliate cover images above or links within the review(s).

Weekly Readings (#BarkWeek Edition)

August 21, 2014 | Taurean J. Watkins

Welcome back to Weekly Readings!

For those new here, “Weekly Readings” is when your lit. rat reviews picture books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…

In honor of #BarkWeek, we’re digging into our archives for some of our favorite canine-centric reads we’ve reviewed thus far-

Big Mean Mike

By Michelle Knudsen (@MichelleKnudsen)

Illustrated by Scott Magoon (@smagoon)

Publisher: Candlewick Press [@Candlewick]

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. [@WalkerBooks UK]

Pub. Date: August 14th, 2012

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: This is re-post of our original review for Big Mean Mike

I’ve been wanting to read this book since it first came out back in 2012, but it took me FAR longer to finally get to it, but now I’ve finally got my paws on it, and now I get to share it with you, my precious readers.

Contrary to the title, this isn’t a “Big ‘n Bad, Huff and Puff Wolfie deal”, but rather the story of a roughneck canine who takes wears his Big and Mean image with pride.

What better way to challenge that image then to be surrounded something opposite of big and mean, in this case: tiny and cute bunnies!

Illustrator Scott Magoon does a fabulous job sequencing the pacing through his illustrations, and smart use of line art to infer motion and expression of the characters. be they central or extras in the background.

As if to say “Mean Mutt versus Relentless Rabbits-SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!” to loosely evoke the high octane spirit of monster truck shows, which is also featured in this book.

I’m not a big car guy (despite living in Detroit [aka “The Motor City] my whole life), but I did have my dreams of owning and driving a vintage Ford Thunderbird.

Those of you who grew up with younger siblings (or relatives akin to siblings) will find much humor and catharsis as Mike is surrounded by bunnies at every turn.

Or if you were the younger sibling, this is a humorous glimpse of how your big bro or sis felt whenever you tagged along against their will, whether you idolized him, or liked to mess with her…(Or some combo thereof)

The title’s a bit of a misnomer, but as you read the story, you’ll see that’s part of the point.

Big Mean Mike is a non-preachy reminder that our self-image isn’t everything, nor is it one-dimensional. I speak from personal experience in this matter.

I started “Talking Animal Addicts” in large part to shed the shame I used to carry about being into something many others my age have “Grown out of”, or interested in things I was interested in others weren’t, like cooking and liking non-rap music.

All that to say, this is one of those books my 5 year old self could’ve used, but I’m glad it’s here now for the kids who need it, and this lit. rat’s honored to play some small part in spreading the good word, and to loosely quote Mike, “That’s EXACTLY how The Literary Rat likes it!”

(Check Out the Fan Book Trailer I made for “Big Mean Mike”)

Ballerino Nate

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Illustrated by R.W. Alley

Publisher: Dial

Pub. Date: March 16th, 2006

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: This is re-post of our original review for Ballerino Nate

Don’t laugh, but “The Literary Rat” in his preschool days once wanted to be a ballet dancer, though I lacked the discipline and stick-to-it factor I’ve learned to develop for writing over time, but I’m all for boys who dare to defy “gender norms” with wild abandon.

This is one of those books that I would’ve loved to read when I first became enchanted by the ballet, and while it may not have kept me on the ballet path, I at least could’ve had this as literary empowerment armor whenever some chauvinist lad or lass says “That’s only for GIRLS!”

Well, I wouldn’t have used the word “Chauvinist” at age 4, of course.

But by age 9, to use a retro tween play on words: For sure! (That was the beginning of my “I Love Lucy” obsession), but that’s a whole other story…

Nate, like any sensible nonconformist, has no qualms disagreeing with his “Know-it-All” big brother who by contrast is more “Tom Sawyer” than “Baryshnikov” [buh–rish-ni-kawf], but at times can’t help but wonder “Is he right?”

Would I have to wear a tutu?

Do I have to wear pink even though I’m a boy?

Can boys even be “Ballerinas” at all?

Well, the latter’s kind of true, but NOT how you think, and I’ll let the book show that to not spoil the pathos!

The illustration style is appropriately traditional, hand-drawn watercolors has charm to spare, and accents the movement and grace that any serious dancer (ballet or otherwise) can relate to, and also gives readers with self-proclaimed “Two Left Feet” syndrome a glimpse into the art and practice of dance in general, and ballet in particular.

It’s very hard to talk about this book without another famous ballet student in the fantastical fauna universe, but rest assured, this book while great for both genders gives those nontraditional boys something they can identify with.

While gender doesn’t solely define our identity as it once did (In some parts of the world, anyway…), parental baggage aside, it does play a part, and this book honors that, without stereotyping, and at the same time doesn’t shy away from the questions (be they spoken or unspoken) even the most progressive and open-minded families ask at times.

This is in many ways “Angelina Ballerina” for boys, only here we have anthropomorphic dogs (and/or wolves, it’s not quite specific either way) instead of mice, but here it’s the youngest in the family that takes center stage.

Sadly, unlike the mouselet star with big dreams, this seems to be a one and done, but what a wonderful and worthy one and done it is!

If you’ve got a ballet fan of the male persuasion, tell him I said “BRAVO!” and to give him this book.

He’ll thank you for it, if not in words, in his actions when one day he too could be a Supremo Ballerino, just like Nate. Ballet Men UNITE!

(Check out my fan book trailer for Ballerino Nate!)

Barnaby the Bedbug Detective

by Catherine Stier

Illustrated by Karen Sapp

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

(@AlbertWhitman)

Pub. Date: March 1, 2013

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: This is re-post of our original review for Barnaby the Bedbug Detective

Of course, I had to get a (domestic) dog story in there, and this is a great one, it’s loosely based on true events, and a different kind of career animal for readers to learn about.

While most career dogs known to kids are police dogs, fire dogs, and given our worldview these days, bomb-sniffing dog used in the military or national guard, this is one of the lesser known.

Until recently, I always thought bedbugs were made up, but they’re real, and can be a big problem, even harder to detect than termites. It’s a good thing dogs like Barnaby in real life aid us in keeping them out of our homes.

It’s also a charming story with non-preachy messages of adopting older dogs from shelters, and seeing promise in others where some see only problems, and there’s a little “

Leo the Late Bloomer” here as well. That’s all for now. Next time we’ll have a fresh batch of reviews-WAIT, one last thing-

May the Fantastical Fauna be with you.

ONE LAST NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: If my ramblings convinced you to buy one or more of the books mentioned above, please support T.A.A. by clicking on the affiliate cover images above or links within the review.

Weekly Readings VII

July 30, 2014 | Taurean J. Watkins

It’s been a LONG time coming, but welcome one and all to another edition of Weekly Readings!

For those new here, Weekly Readings is when your lit. rat reviews picture books I’ve read here and there.

While T.A.A. focuses on animal stories, we do give humans their due now and again…This week, we’ve got a duet of Tough Guy tales with a twist-

Big Mean Mike

By Michelle Knudsen (@MichelleKnudsen)

Illustrated by Scott Magoon (@smagoon)

Publisher: Candlewick Press (U.S.) [@Candlewick]

Walker Books Ltd [@WalkerBooksUK] (U.K.)

Pub. Date: August 14, 2012

Contrary to the title, this isn’t a “Big ‘n Bad, Huff and Puff Wolfie deal”, but rather the story of a roughneck canine who takes wears his Big and Mean image with pride. What better way to challenge that image then to be surrounded something opposite of big and mean, in this case: tiny and cute bunnies!

Illustrator Scott Magoon does a fabulous job sequencing the pacing through his illustrations, and smart use of lineart to infer motion and expression of the characters. be they central or extras in the background.

As if to say “Mean Mutt versus Relentless Rabbits-SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!” to loosely evoke the high octane spirit of monster truck shows, which is also featured in this book. I’m not a big car guy (despite living in Detroit [aka “The Motor City] my whole life), but I did have my dreams of owning and driving a vintage Ford Thunderbird.

Those of you who grew up with younger siblings (or relatives akin to siblings) will find much humor and catharsis as Mike is surrounded by bunnies at every turn. Or if you were the younger sibling, this is a humorous glimpse of how your big bro or sis felt whenever you tagged along against their will, whether you idolized him or liked to mess with her…(Or some combo thereof)

In any group of friends, there’s always that one or two friends that you might feel a bit embarrassed by, not because of who they are, but how it might look to those who don’t know that friend like you do. The title’s a bit of a misnomer, but as you read the story, you’ll see that’s part of the point.

Big Mean Mike is a non-preachy reminder that our self-image isn’t everything, nor is it one-dimensional. I speak from personal experience in this matter.

(Check Out the Fan Book Trailer I made for “Big Mean Mike”)

Fox and Fluff

By Shutta Crum

Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

(@AlbertWhitman)

Pub. Date: September 1st 2002

This is one of those I just happened to stumble across in one of my many book hunts, and I knew when I started doing book reviews on T.A.A. last year, I knew this was one of the books I’d most want to recommend.

I meant to to time this review for Father’s Day 2014, but life and tech got in the way, and hey, now more than ever before in recorded history, dads need empowering all throughout the year!

What happens when a hungry fox and orphaned baby chick meet? Not what you might think…

Fox decided to spare the poor “Mixed up” chick and takes his leave. However, the chick (named Fluff) has chosen Fox to be his “Papa.” Despite Fluff’s best efforts to be a hunting partner, Fox knows the only thing to do is leave Fluff in the care of others his own species. The only thing is, Fluff’s too “Foxy” for them! (Peep! Peep! Grr!)

While masterful mother and child books are eternally bountiful, we’re still playing catch up with dad and child stories, particularly ones that reflect the more varied and open-hearted fathers of the 21st Century, versus the dictating “Master of the House” image that for many families and cultures still persists today.

One of the issues I feel plagues a lot of dad and child stories (particularly in books for older readers) is that they’re either silly to a fault or so strict you want to reach into the story, and drag them by the ear before they do their kid untold emotional damage…Or maybe that’s just me. Anyway, thankfully in the picture book space we’ve got dads of varying styles and temperaments. Similar to “Big Mean Mike”, Fox has an image to uphold, further enhanced by being a carnivore, he hunts bunnies, mice and the like-and Fluff’s attempts to “help his Papa” only complicates matters.

I usually am wary of “Accidental Dad” stories as they can make look more incompetent than they really are.

But this book avoids that pitfall as we see Fox slowly (by picture book standards) evolve from wanting to be rid of Fluff, to being unable to imagine life without him around.

The ending (which I won’t spoil here) is the cherry on top to a charming, well-told and drawn tale.

For anyone (especially you single dads out there) looking for the fatherly companion to “Are You My Mother?” look no more, you’ve found it in Fox and Fluff!

(Check Out the Fan Book Trailer I made for “Fox and Fluff”)

That’s it for Weekly Readings. Check back next time!

NOTE FROM THE LITERARY RAT: If my ramblings convinced you to buy one or more of the books mentioned above, please support T.A.A. by clicking on the affiliate cover images above or links within the review(s).