Dragon and Captain
Written by P.R. Allabach, illustrated by Lucas Turnbloom
Published 2015. The artwork isn’t to my taste, but it is done well. The book is also laid out like a graphic novel, so it’s like a child’s first visual novel experience, which is neat. The visual novel style has been quite prominent in recent years. Watching it bleed into picture books and other ranges/types of books has been interesting. This book starts immediately with storytelling; I had to return from page one as I did not catch it at first look. A very adventurous tale and quite fun to read. Loved the dynamic of switching back and forth between imaginative and reality.
Quiet
By Kate Alizadeh
Published 2017. A story about the sounds around us; I wish there would have been a stronger story element to fully bring everything together but still a nice and simple story of listening and hearing all the sounds around us. The artwork was done well but could have been more varied with the compositions.
Miss Nelson is Missing
By James Marshall
Published 1977. I remember this one from when I was younger. Immediately noticed the difference in the paper and loved the tactile feel of the older paper. It brings back memories. I love the artwork, and the simple color washes over detailed linework. Great message and story, and an even better twist at the end. I could be biased as I have fond memories of this story, but I love this book.
Miss Nelson is Back
By James Marshall
Published 1982. I just found out there was a sequel or more books about Miss Nelson. I was excited to pull this one out. This is hilarious; it bore the kids to tears; such a silly concept. Another fun story in the universe that is Miss Nelson. The first book still holds a special place, and the original has a better message, but this one is worth reading.
Dancing in the Wings
By Debbie Allen, pictures by Kadir Nelson
Published 2000. Incredible artwork and such a lovely cover. I was astonished this book was so old. It feels very modern in its design and style. The story has quite the word count; I wish it was edited for a swifter read, but it would be a good book for transitioning to more text-focused books, and this one is written very well. A lovely message with absolutely stunning artwork, a must-read.
Caleb
