Tag: YA/Children’s Books Page 2 of 14

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Children’s & Picture Books (a look in Grandpappy’s Corner)

On July 24, 2025

In Books, Fiction, Grandpappy's Corner, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, YA/MG/Children's Books

(updated 7/24/25)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

I don’t know how I ended up on the radar of Children’s and Picture Book authors—particularly so many from Israel. But I’m just glad I did, these are guaranteed dashes of brightness and diversity to my reading schedule. I’ve also started to really dive into Children’s/Picture books on my own lately, so this is a pretty healthy list.

bullet Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier—Illustrated by photos of the dog himself, Titan teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing. (my post about it)
bullet Panda Pat and the Rat Called Cat by Neil Ballard, Steven Nosov (Illustrator)—a story of friendship and second chances (my post about it)
bullet Snobbity Snowman by Maria Bardyukova & Quiet Riley, Jr.—Snobbity is a snowman with an attitude (at least at the beginning). I loved the art. (my post about it)
bullet Elephant Wind by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A scientist explains a tornado to a daycare class. (my post about it)
bullet Hurricane Vacation by Heather L. Beal, Jasmine Mills (Illustrator)—Lily and Niko are visiting their family when a Hurricane Watch is issued, so they join their family in preparing the house for the storm and getting ready to go to a shelter. Along the way, they learn about what a hurricane is as well as all the ways that people can protect themselves, themselves, and so on. (my post about it)
bullet Tummy Rumble Quake by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A daycare class learns about earthquakes and earthquake safety. (my post about it)
bullet Bearded by Jeremy Billups—A Bearded Bear and a Red-Haired Little Girl go on adventures all over the world with an assortment of different animals. I love this art (and have a print of one illustration hanging on my office wall). (my post about it)
bullet Bearded Too by Jeremy Billups—A fun and fitting sequel to the above. (my post about it)
bullet Sea This and Sea That by Jeremy Billups—Set in a “crowded, hectic and gruff” city under the sea, with one quiet spot—The Sea This and Sea That Below the Seashore. Missus Bluffington gives a couple of kids (and the reader) a through her very unusual place, full of all sorts of sea creatures, sea plants, fish, and an octopus that shows up in some unusual places. (my post about it)
bullet Mike Nero and The Superhero School by Natasha Carlow, Kyle Stephen (Illustrator)—It’s Mike’s first day at a new school—he meets his principal and some incredible children and learns a little about the superpower he has within himself—and those inside other students, too. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden – A Feelings Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—A parent assures Aiden that the wide range of emotions that he’s feeling throughout a day are okay. It’s okay to be happy or scared or confused. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden – A Love Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—A parent assures Aiden of their love for him in various moods and in the midst of a range of activities—not all of which are the kind that a parent likes to see/endure, but none of which changes their love. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden: A Big Kid Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—Aiden’s a little older now than he was in the first two books, and he’s learning how to be a little more independent. With mixed results. (my post about it)
bullet Be Brave, Little Puffy by Arline Cooper—A puffer fish gets tired of being a puffer fish and tries out life with other kinds of fish. (my post about it)
bullet What’s in Your Howl? by Douglas Gamble, Illustrated by: Steve Humke, Terri Isaacson—a great look at trying to understand each other (my post about it)
bullet Kitties Are Not Good To Eat by Cassandra Gelvin—A board book/electronic equivalent full of cat photos and handy tips like the title. (my post about it)
bullet Kay-9 The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—a young man who can’t even have a hypoallergenic dog makes a work around (my post about it)
bullet Vernon the Vegetarian Lion by John Hughson, Ali Smith (Illustrator)—Vernon tries out vegetarianism. It goes as well as you’d think. (my post about it)
bullet Meeting of the Mustangs by Cathy Kennedy—This is for kids older than the rest on this list (7+ was my guess). A story of a wild mustang growing up. (my post about it)
bullet The Fed-up Cow by Peta Lemon, Maria Dasic Todoric (Illustrator)—Hilda the cow tries out the lives of other animals before learning to accept herself. (my post about it)
bullet Noam’s Monstersby Shai Levinger, Kaustuv Brahmachari (Illustrator), Ephrat Abisror (Translator)—Written by a Clinical Psychologist, this is about a boy struggling with anxieties and fears. Hopeful yet honest. (my post about it)
bullet George the Bannana: Book One by Elliott Linker—A graphic novel by a local 3rd grader (probably a 4th grader now, actually) about a crime fighting banana and his sidekick/best friend Elliott. (there’s a very good sequel that I haven’t had the time to write about yet, too) (my post about it)
bullet George the Bannana: Book Two by Elliott Linker—George faces off against more dastardly types (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet The Defender by Elliott Linker—George gets a new, powerful ally. Just in time to take on a whole new opponent. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Moshe Comes to Visit by Tehila Sade Moyal, Fatima Pires (Illustrator)—A young boy discovers that everyone is afraid of something. (my post about it)
bullet Bear with Bear by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland (Illustrator)—A young boy tries to choose a pet. (my post about it)
bullet Bravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—Ephie and her pet have some struggles at the playground. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—An imaginative dad turns running errands with his son into an epic adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Goes Trick or Treating by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—The title pretty much sums it up. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Meets the End of The World by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron Misgav (Illustrator)—Elphie is playing hide and seek with Phante and Phante’s older brother comes in talking about how he saw on the news that the world ending. Eliphie doesn’t take the news well and runs home to hide. Mom and Dad try to comfort and assure him. But it doesn’t really take—so they decide that if the world is going to end, they might as well make a party of it. That seems to work, and in the end, drives home the lesson that every day—even our last—ought to be enjoyed as a gift. (my post about it)
bullet Under the Barnyard Light by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)—a quiet night’s chores (my post about it)
bullet Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David—A valiant teddy bear knight, who is devoted to protecting his Person from the monsters from The Realm-Under-The-Bed, has spent years defending a little girl named Mieya from these fearsome foes. He’s frequently assisted by his companion, a stuffed tamarin—a mandolin-playing bard. Esteban not only fights at Buddy’s side, but his songs frequently tell the tales of Buddy’s victories. These two (and allies they’re yet to meet) take on the ultimate foe. (my post about it)
bullet Practice Makes Perfect by Michael Portnoy, Adelia Drubetski (Illustrator), Freda Zolty Kovatch (Translator)—Madam Fly’s two sons are musical geniuses, or something like it—because she’s convinced they should put on concerts despite having no experience with playing whatsoever. Experience and the crickets who run the local music shop try to teach them an important lesson when it comes to music (or just about anything). (my post about it)
bullet The Incredible Ordinary Hero or The Brave Bystander by Aida Rascanu, Beatrice Magrini (Illustrator)—a double-whammy of a lesson for the readers/audience. First, there’s a discussion of what it means to be a hero (doing things that are heroic) and there’s a little first aid lesson—age-appropriate, mind you—to help parents/teachers train up young ones. (my post about it)
bullet How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator)—the answer to this question is not what you’d expect (my post about it)
bullet Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by S. E. Richey—an incredibly cute story about…well, a missing tooth fairy and tooth fairy-ish creatures all over the world. (I apparently somehow never posted about this, but it’s so good I have to share a link for it)
bullet Trouble With Truffles by S. E. Richey—an incredibly cute and informative story about truffle hunting. (I apparently somehow never posted about this, but it’s so good I have to share a link for it)
bullet Red Stripes VS Miles the Mutant Mouse by Amy Rice and Kyson Rice—5-year-old Kyson came up with the story about a super-powered cat defending his city from a giant (and very hungry) mutant mouse, with an assist from his mother on the illustrations. (my post about it)
bullet The Flying Frog and the Kidnappers by David Yair, Ilana Graf (Illustrator), Natalie Jackson (Illustrator)—4th in a series of 11 (so far, anyway). This series for beginning readers is about Quack, a flying frog, who helps some siblings fight crime. Obviously, in this case, they’re up against some kidnappers. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

LITERARY LOCALS: Author Story Time with Chad Otis

By HCNewton

On June 24, 2025

In Literary Locals, Miscellany

The Irresponsible Readers Literary Locals logo
I’m just trying to help spread the word about this great local event.
Author Story Time with Chad Otis poster
July 28 10:15am-11am
at Nampa Public Library
with Shared Stories Books

Come celebrate the release of Hazel Is All That. Meet the author, share a fun read aloud, and snag a copy of Hazel from Shared Stories Books and get it signed by Chad Otis.

Hazel has things all figured out—she is one clever girl. But then something happens, and soon she sees that dogs—and people! —are not just one thing. We’re each our own special mix of all sorts of emotions and behaviors. We’re all that—and more! Hazel Is All That: NEW THIS JULY 2025 from Rocky Pond Books.

Chad is the author and illustrator of four children’s books; including The Bright Side (Rocky Pond Books, 2023), which has received several starred reviews, and was chosen for the 2023 National Book Festival of the Library of Congress. He is also the author and illustrator of A Little Ferry Tale (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books 2022), which is an Amazon Editor’s Pick and Barnes & Noble Bestseller. Chad lives on the edge of the Rocky Mountains in Idaho.

I’m borrowing the above text from Shared Stories’ IG post about the event. Hope no one minds.
The Irresponsible Readers Literary Locals logo

Grandpappy’s Corner: Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier: Wise Words from a Noble Dog

By HCNewton

On April 16, 2025

In Dogs, Grandpappy's Corner, Literary Locals, YA/MG/Children's Books

Life Lessons by Titan

as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 28, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 39 pgs.
Read Date: April 9, 2025

What’s Life Lessons by Titan About?

We meet this very good-looking dog, Titan, at the shelter when he meets his human, she “fell in love instantly because I’m so loveable.” Titan decides to keep her.

We get a couple of pages showing Titan adjusting to his new home and friends, making some mistakes and then Titan teaches some life lessons. He teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

The art consists totally of home photographs of Titan—and occasionally some other good-looking dogs—and a couple of human feet.

On the one hand, these are not studio-quality pictures. They’re just candids of Auxier’s dog, likely her phone is loaded with them (like any person who has pets and a phone). She took the best—sometimes goofiest—of these to illustrate Titan’s lessons.

Are they the best dog photos you’ll see? No. But they’re taken and shared with love for the subject—and that’s more than enough to justify looking at them. Also, little kids are not known for being discerning when it comes to pictures of handsome doggies.

So, what did I think about Life Lessons by Titan?

This is a great tribute to a great dog.

My grandson isn’t ready for Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry, Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt, or even The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas Green. But he is ready for this one (pretty much). Many of the lessons/perspectives/thoughts in this book match those books for older readers, so even if he has a decade or so before I can introduce him to Lucy, Tara, or Shirelle, I can introduce him to Titan and his wisdom.

Also, this one has far more pictures. And who doesn’t want that?

It’s short, sweet, and to the point. It’ll win over young dog lovers, and even bring a smile to us older ones when we need a quick fill of puppy love.

Grandpappy Icon

REPOST: Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Patrick the Forgiver by Ned Bustard: Patrick’s Story Told for Wee Ones

By HCNewton

On March 17, 2025

In (Auto)Biography, Grandpappy's Corner, Non-Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Pretty much have to do this today, right?

Grandpappy's Corner logo featuring the cover of Saint Patrick the Forgiver by Ned Bustard

Saint Patrick the Forgiver:
The History and Legends of Ireland’s Bishop

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS:
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 32 pg.
Read Date: February 17, 2023

What’s Saint Patrick the Forgiver About?

Drawing on both legends about him and Patrick’s Confessions, this book tells the life story of Patrick of Ireland for the youngest set.

It starts off with his childhood and touches briefly on his period of slavery before moving into his return home and the call to Ireland. It doesn’t gloss over the hard parts of his life, but it doesn’t dwell on them, either. The focus is on Patrick forgiving those who wronged him, spreading the gospel—and even teaching the Trinity via the shamrock.

The book even covers some of the myths that arose around Patrick—baptizing a giant, driving out the snakes, etc.—working that in seamlessly with the book and not distracting from the main point.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

This art is great—it’s friendly and cartoonish, with great colors and details. Bustard also weaves in traditional Celtic knots and Christian art (like elements seen in The Book of Kells, etc.). So we’ve got a pretty modern feel with a lot of Irish elements thrown in to ground it in Patrick’s history.

Are kids going to get that? Nope. Will the adults reading it with/to the kids? Quite likely. And if not, I think they’ll still appreciate it the art, even if they’re not familiar with the influences Bustard is drawing from.

Click here for a two page sample (picture and text) on the Publisher’s site. I’m not sure it’s the image I’d have used, but it’s representative.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s pretty fun—the rhythm is easy and the rhymes are nice (and only one or two of them seemed like stretching things to make the rhyme).

The Grandcritter isn’t around yet to listen to me read this, but I still read most of it aloud just to see how it went—I think it went pretty smoothly and I could have some fun with it.

So, what did I think about Saint Patrick the Forgiver?

This was a great way to give an age-appropriate lesson in forgiveness while telling the story of one of the heroes of the faith. I was entertained, and even chuckled a couple of times.

It’s a great combination of story, art, rhyme, and lesson. I can see this winning over little audiences as much as it did me. Hopefully, it’ll lodge in their minds enough that they’ll want to learn more about Patrick as they grow older and through him the Three-in-One that Patrick spent his life teaching about.

I strongly recommend this quick little read.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Grandpappy Icon

Grandpappy’s Corner: Goodnight Darth Vader by Jeffrey Brown: Han Snored First

By HCNewton

On February 14, 2025

In Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

Goodnight Darth Vader

by Jeffrey Brown

DETAILS:
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: July 22, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Length: 64 pg.
Read Date: February 8, 205

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….

Episode Eight P.M.: BEDTIME

Lord Darth Vader rules the Galaxy, while attempting to rule his twin children, Luke and Leia Skywalker. He has commanded them to go to bed, but they have other ideas….

What’s Goodnight Darth Vader About?

This is a book in the style of Goodnight Moon featuring Darth Vader and his twins (in a very non-canonical way) while he’s trying to get them to sleep, with looks at individuals from throughout the Empire (or former Empire) as they settle in for the night.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Brown has this great style that both gets the detail necessary for the droids, aliens, ships, and all that. At the same time, he keeps it playful and appealing for people of all ages to look at.

You can see plenty of examples of this on his website.

Who Is This Book For?

I really don’t know who the audience for this book is—I know it’s sold for kids, it seems to be intended for kids, but I think this is a better fit for Star Wars fans than for the toddler (or younger) set.

Sure, it’s not like a toddler gets the references (or understands most of the words in) Good Night New Orleans (to stay on-theme) or just about any other book I’ve talked about in Grandpappy’s Corner. So it’s not a big deal if a reader doesn’t get the Ackbar joke or know who Dexter is. So, sure, read it to your kid. But to appreciate this truly? You need to be a fan of the series.

So, what did I think about Goodnight Darth Vader?

I had a blast with it—I liked the art, the humor, the take on the Goodnight Moon style of book, and so on.

I’ve seen the covers for some of the other books along these lines that Brown has put out, but I haven’t read them—I only read this one because someone gave it to the Grandcritter. I’m going to take steps to get my hands on the others now.

The art, the strange creatures, the smiling kids—that’ll keep the young readers/read-to involved. The characters and jokes will help the fan enjoy this—even after multiple, multiple readings.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Grandpappy Icon

Grandpappy’s Corner: I Am a Big Brother by Caroline Jayne Church: A Sweet Instructional/Motivational Guide

By HCNewton

On January 28, 2025

In YA/MG/Children's Books

I Am a Big Brother

by Caroline Jayne Church

DETAILS:
Publisher: Cartwheel Books
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Format: Hardover
Length: 24 pg.
Read Date: January 27, 2025

What’s I Am a Big Brother About?

This book begins with the lines

Our new baby arrived today.
I’m a big brother now, horray!

Our narrator used to be a baby, but he’s bigger now. As a big brother, there are things he can do to help with the new baby like getting a clean diaper, throwing a dirty one away, helping with baths, singing lullabies, and so on (many of these things suggest this book doesn’t all take place on the first day).

He even talks about plans for the future, like playing together. Because he’s

a big brother forever!

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

It is full of cuteness. Both the big brother and his young sibling are cherubic, smiling, and probably too good to be true (we don’t get to see Big Brother deal with teething or won’t-go-to-sleep baby). Church’s illustrations are exactly what you envision when you think of Picture Books, really.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s fine. There’s no challenging rhythm or silly rhymes. Just short, declarative sentences that model how the readers (or those being read to) should approach the office of Big Brother, which work really well. It might be a little on the dull side, really, for grown-ups to read aloud. But it moves quickly enough (and you’ll end up talking about the young sibling anyway while you go through the book).

What did the Little Critter think of It?

I’m not really sure, I haven’t been able to read it with him yet, or haven’t seen anyone else read it to him.

Hopefully, he’ll getting some of the lessons this book is trying to teach and model, because he needs to start applying them the day that this posts (whenever that is).

So, what did I think about I Am a Big Brother?

It’s short, it’s sweet, perhaps overly sweet. But if I start complaining about Picture Books being too sweet, I’m never going to finish. (and will come across more like Oscar the Grouch than I want to)

It delivers just what anyone who picks his book up should expect, and will hopefully be useful to parents wanting to distract and/or instruct a new older sibling.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Grandpappy Icon

Grandpappy’s Favorites of 2024

By HCNewton

On January 6, 2025

In Grandpappy's Corner, News/Misc., YA/MG/Children's Books

Grandpappy's Corner Favorite Picture Books of 2024 I’ve posted favorite Picture or Children’s books before, but now that I’m a Grandfather, I’m thinking about these things more. So, it’s not unusual for me to read these kinds of books, but I’m doing more of it. I fully expected this post to be larger this year–but there were fewer new-to-me reads and many, many re-reads (which I really should’ve anticipated). Anyway, here are the books that really stuck with me and struck me as ones to keep talking about.

I practically guarantee these will tickle you and/or warm your heart.

As always, re-reads (or re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-reads) don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Panda Pat and the Rat Called Cat

by Neil Ballard, Steven Nosov (Illustrator)

My original post
It’s a fun story elevated by the eye-catching illustrations. There’s a little bit of a lesson—maybe even two—but nothing that will hit you over the head with the moral if you’re not in the mood to focus on it with your listener.

Also, whoever did the typesetting/interior design should get some kudos—it pops off the page in just the right way.

Ballard indicated that a sequel is in progress—I’ll gladly grab it when I see it.

Good characters, a nice story, and there’s no way the little reader in your life doesn’t like the art

3 Stars

How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide

by Ame Dyckman, Jennifer Harney (Illustrator)

My original post
I picked this up in the bookstore while looking for something else—the cover image/title grabbed me, and when I flipped through it quickly, I just knew we needed it on our shelves. I dug the art and what little I skimmed appealed to me. When I got home and sat down to read it, I saw that my first impression was spot-on.

The jokes are great. I love the style of art—it just explodes off the page. You’re able to talk about common sense safety/manners in a way that a toddler will be able to have fun with (and hopefully learn from). What’s not to like?

4 Stars

Under the Barnyard Light

by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)

My original post
The others on this are silly and goofy. This isn’t–this isn’t a good or a bad thing. This is a good one to wind down with. (I tend to favor the ones that get a kid ramped up, this is because I’m a grandfather, winding down is someone else’s gig)

But still, I enjoyed this–it’s a quiet book, it’s a calming book. Between the atmosphere, the soft edges of the art, and the way the text carries you along–I imagine this is going to be a bedtime favorite for many.

The art combines realism with a style that will appeal to the younger readers. The colors might not be bright enough and the art “loud” enough to get the youngest readers, but he’ll draw in those north of two (I think).

3 Stars

How to Babysit a Grandpa

by Jean Reagan, Lee Wildish (Illustrator)

My original post
It’s a really creative idea. The execution is spot-on as well. Fun, adorable art. There’s something to appeal to all ages. I wouldn’t have minded another 2-4 pages just to fill things out a bit. But this is a fun one–and it’s one the Grandcritter likes, too (our tastes don’t overlap too often yet), so that’s a bonus.

4 1/2 Stars

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

by Dr. Seuss, read by Walter Matthau

My original post
Obviously, this isn’t a first read. But it was a first listen. Bending (to the breaking point) one of my own rules, but…oh well.

Walter Matthau’s gravely, grouchy voice brings a different vibe to this story than the TV special does which makes it a winner in my book (nothing against the special, I’m just saying I like the change). His delivery of Seuss’ lines is just fantastic.

It’s a winning combination that I’m looking forward to returning to annually.

5 Stars

Grandpappy Icon

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien: It Must’ve Been Great to Grow Up a Tolkien

By HCNewton

On December 25, 2024

In Alex Verus, Fantasy, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Letters from Father Christmas, Centenary Edition

by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Baillie Tolkien

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Publication Date: October 27, 2020
Format: Hardcover
Length: 208 pg.
Read Date: December 21-24, 2024

What’s Letters from Father Christmas About?

From 1920-1943 JRR Tolkien wrote letters to his children from Father Christmas—generally multiple letters per year. These were (generally) not quick little notes, but were letters that could take multiple pages. Tolkien wrote these in an ornate penmanship where Father Christmas talks about their letters to him, and tells stories about life at the North Pole. Part of his stories—and a frequent contributor to these letters was Polar Bear (with his own penmanship, and idiosyncratic spelling), and Ilbereth the Elf joins later and his handwriting might as well be one of those fancy typefaces people use for overpriced wedding invitations.

In addition to well-wishes, responses to the letters received from the children, and assurances of gifts coming the letters contain updates on life at the North Pole. Sometimes these updates are comical (usually involving the accident-prone PB), sometimes they talk about battles with goblins, or troubles with shipping and tracking addresses. Invariably, there will also be some sort of illustration to accompany the story.

This edition contains full-color reproductions of the letters and drawings in addition to typed versions (in varying typefaces so you can identify who is writing the letter).

The Art

I’m so glad this edition has full-color reproductions of the illustrations—the letters, too, which almost count as art. On the whole, it’s very similar to Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien stylistically, which is is be expected. I bet his kids were thrilled to get this kind of thing from Father Christmas every year.

The Tolkien Estate’s website has several samples from this book to take a gander at. My favorites aren’t here, so, you’re going to have to track down copy yourself to see the best. But the samples are representative.

A Personal Observation

I was—and am—such a lazy and unimaginative father. Seriously—multiple letters, ornately illustrated, written in 1-3 distinctive handwriting, every year? I never came near that—not a bit. Never mind the content, full of imagination and whimsy—just the dedicated work that went into these letters.

Tolkien was something else…

So, what did I think about Letters from Father Christmas?

I loved this depiction of Santa—he’s more in the mold of the Kurt Russel/Dresden Files/Viking-ish Santa than the Clement Moore, Miracle on 34th Street, Rankin-Bass mold. Which fits with Tolkien’s interests, as I understand them. But in addition to being a Warrior Santa, he’s focused on his mission of spreading joy and presents—and is always expressing his affection for the children he’s writing to.

I enjoyed his stories about the battles and troubles he’d had that year. I wasn’t always into the Polar Bear mishaps, it seemed like picking on him to me. But I can see where kids would have fun with it.

One of the best parts for me was the way that Father Christmas talked to Priscilla about the difficulties in England in the 1940s—honestly (and age-appropriate) but filled with hope.

I can easily see this becoming a tradition to read with the Grandcritter and any siblings/cousins that might pop up. I also would enjoy revisiting this collection myself, I should add. I can also see better parents than me using this as inspiration for their own traditions.

If you haven’t tried this yet, I recommend it—for Tolkien fans or Santa/Father Christmas alike.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Grandpappy’s Corner: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Audiobook) by Dr. Seuss, read by Walter Matthau: A Great Read by One of the Greats

By HCNewton

On December 23, 2024

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

by Dr. Seuss, read by Walter Matthau

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: June 27, 2006
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 12 minutes
Read Date: December 13, 2024

An Audiobook of Seuss?

I repeatedly saw an advertisement on some social media site from Penguin Random House for this audiobook, and honestly didn’t see the point—isn’t half the reason to read a Seuss that distinctive artwork? Why lose that? And who could possibly tackle the narration?

Curiosity got the best of me and I clicked. Walter Matthau? And Libro.fm was selling it for less than $2? Well, okay.

What’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! About?

The Grinch Frowning

Yeah, okay. That was a dumb question.

So, what did I think about How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Audiobook?

Really, there’s no question what I think about the story itself. Or Seuss’ rhymes, invented words, and everything else.

The essence is what did I think of Matthau’s narration? First, it’s so strange to hear his distinctive voice and accent rather than Thurl Ravenscroft and Boris Karloff. It’s hard to remember that Seuss never intended his Scrooge to sound like them.

Once you get past that (and it’s easy)…Matthau is so good at this. He’s just naturally crotchety (or at least he seems that way, he was probably a real charming guy), and that makes him an excellent choice for this book and this character. That’s not to say that he can’t pull off the character change, because he’s a pro (and not always a grump).

This is a great way to spend 12 minutes—and it’ll easily become something I regularly return to. And I can’t wait to introduce this to the Grandcritter when he’s got the attention span.

Give up a cup of coffee and get this.

Grandpappy Icon

Grandpappy’s Corner: The Box by Jo Linsdell: Imagination + Cardboard

By HCNewton

On November 14, 2024

In Blog Series, Book Tour, Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Box

by Jo Linsdell

DETAILS:
Publication Date: March 14, 2024
Format: PDF
Length: 44 pg.
Read Date: November 13, 2024

What’s The Box About?

This is a glimpse into some of the many ways a boy uses a box to play. His imagination fuels his useage and we get a little glimpse into what he sees—like pirate ships or caves—that box becoming.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

This is just cute. That’s all there is to say.

I really liked the way that Linsdell superimposed a drawing of whatever it is the boy is imagining (e.g., a robot or treasure chest) on top of the box.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s pretty straightforward, the text is really about getting the child you’re reading to to pay attention to the pictures and get their imagination going.

There’s a refrain repeated throughout. Initially, I thought Linsdell overused it. But then I realized it would function as a line that a child would pick up on and chant along with whoever’s reading it. It’s also the kind of phrase that you and/or the kid could use during play as well. So, whatever reflex I had about the frequency was off.

So, what did I think about The Box?

Anyone who’s had—or known—a small child (or a cat), knows that for certain ages a cardboard box is far more entertaining than the toy inside. This little book is a good reminder of that time (for us older readers), and either an encouragement for younger readers to do similar things—or to be reassured that they’re not alone in using boxes for many, many ends.

It’s a cute read, it’s a quick one—one of those books that the pictures and the ideas within are far more important than the story or text.

It’s worth your time, and I bet it’ll make a fan of younger readers.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for this Tour.

3 Stars

Grandpappy Icon