Goldfish and Chrysanthemums by Andrea Cheng, a book review

In Goldfish and Chrysanthemums by Andrea Cheng, a little girl is inspired by a letter her grandmother received from her brother in China. Perhaps Nancy hears the sorrow in her grandmother over the loss of a family property that was so treasured. Room must be made for apartment buildings, so a place she remembers with much fondness is being overtaken.

This Chinese grandmother, Nini, lives with her grandchildren and their parents. Nancy decides to create a garden like the one her grandmother has lost. She does an admirable job with her limited skill set and no expenditure. Her parents allow it, and a neighbor helps, but the little girl does most of the work. She invites her brother to join in the project of finishing the surprise for their grandmother.

Potentially a good story to help children see that they are able to do things to help if they think creatively and are willing to put in some work. Others want to help those who are working hard to make things happen.

Michelle Chang does a good job illustrating this story. The colors are muted, so they didn't hold the attention of my three and five year olds. Still, the rest of my children enjoyed it.  My seven year old especially enjoyed it.  She asked me to review it.  So, here we are.

Have you read Goldfish and Chrysanthemums by Andrea Cheng?

A Leprechaun's St. Patrick's Day by Sarah Kirwan Blazek

A Leprechaun's St. Patrick's Day by Sarah Kirwan Blazek is lovely for a few reasons. First, it starts out with a particular rhyme pattern and keeps it going through the whole book. Second, there are some Gaelic words and phrases used and their definitions are very easily seen and understood on the same page in which the word or phrase appears. Third, the illustrations work really well to inform and support the verbal part of the story.

My eldest daughter recognized the illustrator by his work. James Rice has a distinctive style and has illustrated at least one other book we've enjoyed.

If you're like me and want to have a few sweet family traditions, you could use this for one. Buy a copy for your closet and pull it out ONLY on St. Patty's Day to read with your little Leprechauns. Make sure to make it a special thing that you're pulling it out and they'll be sure to look forward to its appearance once a year.

My five eldest children and I enjoyed this book and recommend it. What do you think of it?

The Pitiful Pirates by Jane Arlington, a book review

My children read The Pitiful Pirates by Jane Arlington before I did. Very soon after they read it, they put it in front of me telling me I absolutely had to read it. They were so excited as I began it, that I couldn't help wondering what was so great about the story. It's not a rhyming story (which I definitely prefer in children's picture books), so I was waiting to realize why they were so excited for me to read it.

When I read the part of the story in which the storm kicks up, I did find it pretty funny. Of course, given our Cap'N Hugh “Strongback” Golly, this book would be pretty appropriate and enjoyable to all of us. Lydian, the little girl in the story, made a suggestion to the pirates after observing their difficulty with the storm. That is why my children were so tickled and excited for me to read this book. It's pretty perfect for us if you think of my very first children's book!

Meredeth Johnson illustrated this picture book. The illustrations are really perfect for the story. The portrayal of Lydia in the illustrations is completely believable and adorable. The other characters are equally fitting and fun.

We liked this children's picture book! Have you read The Pitiful Pirates by Jane Arlington? What did you think?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my eldest daughter!

Carousel Cat by Robert J. Blake, a book review

Apparently, I really like children's picture books in which the author is also illustrator! Carousel Cat is written and illustrated by Robert J. Blake.

The illustrations in this book were not nearly so captivating to me as in previous author/illustrator books I've reviewed. My children really enjoyed them, though. How do I know? If they don't enjoy the pictures, they get up when I'm reading and the quiet erupts into their noisier play. So, I'm pleased with the art for its ability to keep my children's attention.

I like the story. It left me wondering if the happenings were based on real incidents. Are the characters based on real people? I haven't been curious enough to find out, but it's interesting to think that they could be.

The plot twist involving the cat is pretty fun. My children really enjoyed it.

Have you read Carousel Cat? What did you think?

The Great Kettles, a Tale of Time by Dean Morrissey, a book review

The second following Ship of Dreams, Dean Morrissey as author and illustrator does an amazing job of story telling and illustrating in The Great Kettles, a Tale of Time. My children love these books. My five-year-old boy, in particular loves the paintings. He enjoys pointing out small details. Like the snakes in the train, the Sandman's ship in the sky, and the lantern at Joey's feet as just a few examples.

In this tale, Joey continues his adventure with mythical folk, primarily Father Time. He does come across The Sandman again briefly. He's once again rather stranded. Will he be able to get home?

The illustrations in this book are phenomenal. They are lovely and detailed and perfectly support the story. Morrissey started them in 1992 and finished them in 1996. The time he spent on them is obvious.

Three Little Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell, a book review

Did you know I was born in Louisiana? Yeppers. My Mom and Dad grew up there. My Dad fancies himself a Cajun even though he probably isn't as far as it goes. Still, we tend to really love the stories that have a Cajun flare. Three Little Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell definitely fills the bill.

Mardi Gras is February 28, 2017 (this coming Tuesday) so I share this book now in honor of the biggest party that happens in the US outside of Christmas and New Year's.

It's a fun and funny spin on the classic tale of the 'Three Little Pigs'. In the bayou, of course, the antagonist must needs be a gator instead of a wolf. As a result, the story has some differences which are entertaining.

Reading out loud may be a challenge, but fun when you get a little practice, because the story carries a flavor of the Louisiana “cajun” sound. My five year old boy enjoyed it particularly.

My children and I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. The illustrations by Jim Harris are fun and perfectly fit the story. The gator is especially well done and entertaining throughout. The art is nicely colorful without being overwhelming, so my three year old likes it a lot.

Have you read Three Little Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell? What did you think?

Will It Be a Baby Brother? by Eve Bunting, a book review

In Will It Be a Baby Brother? by Even Bunting, a little boy's Mom is pregnant. He is very sure he wants a baby brother and will not be happy with anything else. He even says he will give the baby to his aunt if it's a girl. Does he continue to feel the same once the baby is born if it's a girl?

This is a sweet story. My children enjoyed it very much.

If you have a "getting ready for the next baby" sort of library, like I do, this would be a great book to add to it!  I hope I will be able to add it before our next one starts 'baking'. 

The illustrations by Beth Spiegel do their job very well. In some places, they support the story. At other times, they show more detail that expounds on the words of the story.

Generally a good story, this would be particularly good for parents to read to their child or children in preparation for a new arrival. I like it a lot.

Have you read Will It Be a Baby Brother? by Eve Bunting? What did you think of it?

Alone Together, by Suzanne Bloom

A very fast read, especially good for young ones with short attention spans. Alone Together by Suzanne Bloom is easy to read with big bold illustrations by the author. My children enjoyed it and encouraged me to read another book by the same author.

Everyone needs some time alone. Will bear be able to enjoy what he wants and needs?

I have felt a bit like bear in this one when with my children. More in the days when I had only one or two than now, thankfully.

What do you think of this picture book?

Ship of Dreams by Dean Morrissey, a book review

Morrissey, author and illustrator of Ship of Dreams, is an amazing artist! This book is full of beautiful and detailed oil paintings. Some painted created as early as 1990 with the latest finished in 1993.

In children's books, art is meant to tell the story in pictures and/or give details to clarify the words of the story. At least, that's what my children and I look for in picture books. Morrissey accomplishes this with his beautiful oil paintings.

The story grabbed my children's imagination. My boy, especially, loves the ship and the idea of flying around with the Sandman. He thought how the boy ended up on the ship was especially funny.

I like the story. I love the pictures.

Have you read this one? What did you think? If you read it after reading this, let me know what you think.

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?

Bear Can Dance by Suzanne Bloom

Another very quick and easy read by Suzanne Bloom. Bear Can Dance is also most intended for very young ones or early readers.  This is another author illustrator!

Bear wants to fly. He can't. Maybe there's something he is able to do that's almost as good.

My children enjoyed this picture book. It is very quick, easy read.

What do you think of Bear Can Dance by Suzanne Bloom?

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!

Big Black Bear, a book review

Big Black Bear by Wong Herbert Yee, the author, writer, and illustrator is he!

A story that's fun, 

within a rhyme spun.

The pictures have lots of color but are rather plain, 

yet my children's interest they did maintain.

I have to say,

even my baby GrA!

Reading the rhyme

was really sublime.

The content of the story

was as good as “Finding Dory.”*

Without the questionable parts,

I give this children's book FIVE hearts.

                                                              There's even a bit of a lesson within.

                                                              I tell ya, it's totally win-win!

Did you see the SEARCH? Well, here's the video!

Search for Illustrations for WHEN I WAS A CHEF, I HAD A PIRATE CREW

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your artwork in a book? Have you wished you could illustrate a children's picture book? If you are twenty or younger and you'd like to try to do just that, this is your chance! Make sure you read the search rules carefully and get your submissions in on or before the deadline!

Illustration Search Rules

We have room for lots of illustrations and will prepare at least two editions of When I Was a Chef, I Had a Pirate Crew. One edition will feature each age-group winner. Another edition will feature both of the overall finalists. One of those two finalists will be chosen by the people. The other, by Cap'N Hugh "Strongback" Golly.

If you are twenty or younger, you may enter our search for illustrations for the children's picture book: When I Was a Chef, I Had a Pirate Crew. If your twenty-first birthday happens to fall before the end of the contest, and you want to participate, make sure to get your entry to us before your birthday.

Age Groups:

0-4 years old

5-9 years old

10-13 years old

14-16 years old

17-20 years old

In the event that we do not have enough submissions to support so many age groups divisions, we will consolidate them, seeking to be considerate of our entrants' developmentally appropriate abilities.

To participate, please choose three illustrations and submit them by October 5^th and 12^th (see below). Send high quality digital files to the email address below. We still want hard copies, too! So, make sure to make high quality copies with waterproof ink and send them to the P.O. Box address below… unless you don't mind giving us your originals. We will not return either high quality hard copies or originals, so make sure you send what you're most comfortable sending and not getting back.

Addresses for Submissions

Email to which you send digital files: toriforrealgollihugh@gmail.com

Address to which you send hard copies: 

Cap'N Hugh Strongback Golly

P.O. Box 293

Elkhart, TX 75839

Deadline for Submissions

For digital files, sent to our email address: have them to us by October 5, 2016, then make sure to send hard copies so they reach us on time.

For hard copy sent to our P.O. Box, have them to us by October 12, 2016.

Your Information

In the subject of the email, include your name and age. In the body of the email, include your first and last name, age with birth date following it, the number (found below) for each illustration you're submitting, and your postal address.

On the back of each illustration, in the bottom right corner, in this order, include the following:

First and last name

Age with birth date

Number of the illustration the illustration you are writing on is meant to fulfill

Email Address

Postal Address

Sizes for Illustrations We Seek

So, you think this is an awesome opportunity, right!? We sure hope so because that's why we're doing it!! Allow me to explain the size/type of illustration described below.

Double to Edge: Noted as DE, this kind of illustration is like two 8.5x11 pieces of printer paper put together at the short end. Imagine holding that as a book so that the longest part is horizontal (landscape printing on most printers).  If you were to open our book, you would see a continuous illustration through the crease where the book folds.  Make sure to leave space in your artwork on both pages of it so the pages can be bound and not cutoff any of your illustration.

Single Full: Noted as SF, this illustration covers one page (8.5x11) from edge to edge and top to bottom when our book is opened.  Make sure any background color goes all the way to the edge of the page on this kind of illustration.

Single Character: Noted as SC, this sort of illustration shows one character doing something. 8.5x11 pages are still going in the book with the long edge horizontal, so make sure your illustration works with that.  The illustration does not go to the edge of the page of our book, so the requested illustration can be surrounded by color, but it doesn't go to the edge of the page.  Sort of like the background color makes a cloud around the illustration.

Vignettes: Notes as V. For our purposes, three small illustrations that show a progression of things described in our story.  The background color for each forms a sort of cloud around the main image, but doesn't connect to the other two.  Each illustration exists as its own entity, but work together on an 8.5x11 held horizontal.

The illustrations we seek:

Now, keep in mind that you really need to know the story you're illustrating. If you haven't heard it yet, please watch HERE. The following descriptions will help you know the base requirements for each illustration, but as you hear the story after you've read the descriptions, you'll surely have some ideas that these descriptions will not provide.

In many/most of the illustrations, we want to see a restaurant kitchen. This will require some research on your part. Do you want to show a huge facility or a Mom and Pop kinda restaurant kitchen? It's really up to you. What you decide will build and provide a basis for the character of your illustrations and you'll need to be consistent because if you win either of the top finalists' spots, you'll get to do more illustrations to finish out the book!

1. DE: show your restaurant kitchen with the dish machine in the foreground. This dish machine is blowing bubbles, as per the story. Make sure you show the spilled stuff described in the story.

2. DE: show 8-10 piratey looking guys as if posing for a picture in your restaurant kitchen.

3. DE: show some of the same guys as in number 2, working at their stations. (In many restaurant kitchens there are various stations. In Cap'N Hugh's restaurant kitchen, there are at least the following stations: saute, fry, grill, salads and soups, and expediter.)

4. SC: Frodo trying to hide his feet. Remember Frodo from the story? If not, listen to it again.

5. SF: Frodo hiding his flask while he works.

6. V: A.) Frank, who maybe looks less piratey than the others. B.) Vicks. C.) Cap'N Hugh cutting onions with no tears thanks to what Frank helped him learn in the story, perhaps remembering doing it tearfully.

7. SF: Frank out with customers in the dining room. This is why Frank should not look as rough as the other pirates. He and the waiter should look pretty similar. Both a bit of a pretty-boy-looking piratey guys… clean shaven and actually looking clean.

8. DE: Stacy looking at the Cap'N and others like they are weird. An imagination bubble from Stacy showing an “off-grid homestead” in it.

9. DE: David working the fry station.

10. SC: Cap'N Hugh with an expression of the kind of glee described in the story and David working in the background while keeping an eye on the Cap'N.

11. SC: Waiter drinking what he drank in the story.

12. SF: Chris and other pirates singing in the kitchen.

13. SC: Tink as described in the story, with other pirates around him looking perplexed.

14. DE: Tink working in the kitchen, imagining himself surrounded by many ladies

15. SC: delivery trucks pulling up at the back of the restaurant

16. SC: Cap'N paying delivery guy; food in the background made to looking like a gem/treasure trove

17. DE: Cap'N Hugh looking proud in his kitchen with some crew in the background working

18. DE: Cap'N and crew working in the kitchen; looking like they are going through a storm

19. DE: Cap'N comforting a group of small children sitting around as he holds the closed book that he's just finished reading to them: When I Was a Chef, I Had a Pirate Crew.

Contest Part

As we receive submissions and as soon as we arrive at the deadline, we will organize the illustrations and provide a way for all to see them so that folks can vote on which they think should appear in our books. 

We will have an age group finalist for each group, based on votes as well as an overall finalist based on votes. We will also have another overall finalist chosen by Cap'N Hugh. 

The two overall finalists will be asked to draw additional illustrations to fill out a complete edition between the two of them! Thus, the age group winners will appear in one edition and the overall finalists in another.

Payment to Illustrators

Payments for illustrations will be based on sales. Those whose illustrations make it into an edition will receive payment. Each illustrator whose art will be published will receive exclusive information about sales and how much they will be paid based on them. We hope for great sales of both editions so our illustrators will make good money for their work.

Make sure to subscribe to the Cap'N's YouTube channel so you can receive updates about the progress of the contest and learn of future opportunities, too.

We do have another piratey book for which we'll need illustrations!

Cap'N Hugh "Strongback" Golly announces

He say he'll read the book next week!