What Makes for Success in the Eyes of The Horn Book Reviewers?

Week of April 15, 2012: LESSONS FROM THE HORN BOOK GUIDE

Friday, April 20, 2012: What Makes for Success in the Eyes of The Horn Book Reviewers?

Today we’re celebrating the books that received ratings of 1 or 2 in The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2012 issue. As a reminder:

THE RATING	NUMBER OF BOOKS	PERCENT OF TOTAL
1 Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration	4	1%
2 Superior, well above average	47	13%

I’ll list the books rated 1 and 2 and comments from the reviewers about the books rated one, indicating what makde the text of those books outstanding. Enjoy!

THE ONES

Bone Dog

Written and Illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Roaring Brook

NOTES: Rohmann’s relief prints with forceful black lines and high contrast, accentuate the weight of the story’s emotion—Gus’s grief after Ella dies as well as the poignancy of boy and dog’s fleeting moonlit reunion.

Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories, The

Written by David LaRochelle

Illustrated by Paul Meisel

Dutton

NOTES: The book’s humor is freewheeling and perfectly calibrated for its audience; it should evoke sniggers and belly laughs.

Over and Under the Snow

By Kate Messner

Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

NOTES: Spare, poetic words

Money We’ll Save, The

Written and Illustrated by Brock Cole

Farrar/Ferguson

NOTES: Entertaining story; a brilliant solution satisfies everyone

Subway Story

Written and Illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Knopf

Notes: Sarcone-Roach allows her theme of reuse and recycling to emerge naturally from a fine tale.

THE TWOS

An Annoying ABC

By Barbara Bottner

Illustrated by Michael Emberley

Knopf

Anton Can Do Magic

Written and Illustrated by Ole Konnecke

Gecko

Bad Kitty Christmas, A

Written and Illustrated by Nick Bruel

Roaring Brook

Bailey

Written and Illustrated by Harry Bliss

Scholastic

Belle, the Last Mule at Gee’s Bend

By Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Ramsey

Illustrated by John Holyfield

Candlewick

Blue Chicken

Written and Illustrated by Deborah Freedman

Viking

Bumble-Ardy

Written and Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

HarperCollins

Carpenter’s Gift, The

By David Rubel

Illustrated by Jim LaMarche

Random

Chanukah Lights

By Michael J. Rosen

Illustrated by Robert Sabuda

Candlewick

Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood, The

By Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

Illustrated by Ellen Beier

Holiday

Christmas Eve at the Mellops’

The Mellops Go Diving for Treasure

The Mellops Strike Oil

Written and Illustrated by Tomi Ungerer

Reissue (1958/Harper)

Christmas Tree for Pyn, A

Written and Illustrated by Olivier Dunrea

Philomel

Crouching Tiger

By Ying Chang Compestine

Illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

Candlewick

Detective Blue

By Steve Metzger

Illustrated by Todd Arnold

Scholastic/Orchard

Elmer’s Christmas

Written and Illustrated by David McKee

Anderson

Everything I Need to Know Before I’m Five

Written and Illustrated by Valorie Fisher

Random/Schwartz & Wade

George Flies South

Written and Illustrated by Simon James

Candlewick

Gingerbread Man Loose in the School, The

By Laura Murray

Illustrated by Mike Lowery

Putnam

Grandpa Green

Written and Illustrated by Lane Smith

Roaring Brook

Home for Christmas

Written and Illustrated by Jan Brett

Putnam

Hornbooks and Inkwells

By Verla Kay

Illustrated by S. D. Schindler

Putnam

How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box: And Other Wonders of Tzedakah

By Linda Heller

Illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen

Tricycle

I Want My Hat Back

Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Candlewick

Jingle Bells: How the Holiday Classic Came to Be

Written by John Harris

Illustrated by Adam Gustavson

Peachtree

Let’s Go See Papa

By Lawrence Schimel

Translated by Elisa Amanda

Illustrated by Alba Marina Rivera

Groundwood

Lighthouse Christmas

Written by Toni Buzzeo

Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Dial

Littlest Evergreen, The

Written and Illustrated by Henry Cole

HarperCollins

Melvin and the Boy

Written and Illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Holt

My Rhinoceros

Written and Illustrated by Jon Agee

Scholastic

Never Forgotten

By Patricia C. McKissack

Illustrated by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon

Random/Schwartz & Wade

Neville

By Norton Juster

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Random/Schwartz & Wade

No Dogs Allowed

By Linda Ashman

Illustrated by Kristin Sorra

Sterling

One Little Chicken

By Elka Weber

Illustrated by Elisa Kleven

Tricycle

People

By Blexbolex

Translated by Claudia Bedrick

Enchanted Lion

Perfect Christmas, The

By Eileen Spinelli

Illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi

Holt/Octaviano

Princess of Borscht, The

By Leda Schubert

Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen

Roaring River

Samantha on a Roll

By Linda Ashman

Illustrated by Christine Daventer

Farrar/Ferguson

Same, Same but Different

Written and Illustrated by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Holt/Ottaviano

Scrawny Cat

By Phyllis Root

Illustrated by Alison Friend

Candlewick

Sniffles for Bear, The

By Bonny Becker

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Candlewick

Stars

By Mary Lyn Ray

Illustrated by Marla Frazee

Simon/Beach Lane

Strega Nona’s Gift

Written and Illustrated by Tomi dePaola

Penguin

Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot

By Margaret McNamara

Illustrated by Mark Fearing

Random/Schwartz & Wade

Too Many Frogs

Written by Ann Hassett

Illustrated by John Hassett

Houghton

Where’s My T-R-U-C-K?

By Karen Beaumont

Illustrated by David Catrow

Dial

Which Side Are You On? The Story of a Song

By George Ella Lyon

Illustrated by Christopher Cardinale

Cinco

It’s Your Turn!

1. Time to go check out some new books, don’t you think? That’s what I plan to do!