Who's Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse? by Toni and Slade Morrison, a book review

Both this and the other book by the same three with the same beginning name which I reviewed HERE are obviously illustrated by the same artist. The covers are very similar. It's fun that the horizon scene on the cover of Who's Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse? Is more of a African plains sort of scene. It prepares the reader for a different environment in this book. The title page and other small sketches until the first page carry on the preparatory differences.

The illustrations, by Pascal Lemaitre, of this story definitely accomplish the task of supporting and amplifying the words of the story. The words and illustrations work well together.  This, like it's similar story mentioned before, is also in comic style.

This story has the same rhyme problem as the other, though not as drastic an issue this time. Perhaps that's because I read it after the other, so my expectations for the rhyme were considerably diminished based on my memory of the first. I did feel a bit annoyed that it seemed at times like the authors were going for rhyme, but didn't keep it steady and flowing.

Again, I kept reading because I wanted to see what the title meant. What point are they shooting for? Will they finish as well as the other?

Though they do end with a question, I think this story does not leave the audience as much room to choose for themselves. This could be a good thing, given the subject, of course.

As for me, I like the message of the story.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Who's Got Game? The Ant of the Grasshopper? By Toni and Slade Morrison, a book review

I love children's books with good rhyme. I love the way it flows off the tongue and the way images come to mind with the rhyme… even if there are no pictures in the book. Of course, I love pictures in picture books. The rhyme in Who's Got Game? The Ant of the Grasshoppper? by Toni and Slade Morrison is not the kind I prefer.

When a children's picture book starts out seeming to have rhyme, I want it to flow through the whole story. The rhyme of this story is stilted and spare. It doesn't steadily flow through the whole.

I kept asking myself, “What's the point of the story? What does the title mean?” Those two questions kept me reading. If not for them, I would have put the book down in aggravation because of the unsteadiness of the rhyme.

Reading the whole story so that I could understand the message of it is worth the frustration I felt about the rhyme. I like that the story ends with a question, rather than telling the audience which choice has the greatest value. In all honesty, the greatest import lies in what a person values most highly.

Presented in comic strip style, the illustrations by Pascal Lemaitre do support the story very well. In fact, they sometimes helped me figure out what the text (odd font) was supposed to say as I read it aloud to my children. And my children enjoy looking at the pages as I read, too, which is helpful to the peaceful environment I'm working to cultivate during our reading times.

If you've read it, tell me what you think of the story AND whether you've already read it already or do after reading this review, tell me which you are more like… the ant or the grasshopper?

As for me… I guess I'm a bit more like the grasshopper, though… working like the ant at it!