If you're a BALKIN BUDDIES follower, you know we've typically only tumbled reviews of children's books (Pre-S to YA) by authors and/or illustrators we represent. But we recently decided to start reviewing books by authors and/or illustrators we DO NOT represent. Thus was NOT BALKIN BUDDIES born. Every month or two, we plan to review a book by an author and/or illustrator we don't represent. Sometimes reviews will be from traditional review sources, but as indicated above, we will also review books ourselves and we invite followers to chime in as well. If you would like to add your own opinion or respond to the reviewer’s, we hope you will. Furthermore, if you have a book you would like us to review, let us know briefly what it’s about and the age levels at which it is aimed and, if we decide to review it, we'll let you know how to send us a copy. You can contact us through our website (www.balkinbuddies.com). We look forward to hearing from you!
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Balkin Buddies finds Dan Santat's AFTER THE FALL: HOW HUMPTY DUMPTY GOT BACK UP AGAIN multi-layered and a great read for all ages
I was excited when AFTER THE FALL: HOW HUMPTY DUMPTY GOT BACK UP AGAIN (Roaring Brook/Macmillan), by Dan Santat arrived on my desk, but I was also worried that it wouldn't quite live up to the accolades it had already received, including five starred reviews. But happily, it does live up to those accolades and more.
What Humpty Dumpty loved best were high places and being close to the birds. However, after "The Great Fall" ("It was just an accident," he claimed), his recovery was accompanied by a new fear of heights that prevented him from enjoying those very things. Then he hit on the idea of building a paper airplane and after very literal painstaking work, the plane he created made him happy as it soared through the sky -- that is, until it got stuck on the high wall he used to love. Although still terrified, he decided to climb the wall to rescue his paper airplane. "I didn't look up. I didn't look down. I just kept climbing. One step at a time...until I was no longer afraid."
Overcoming his fear ultimately transforms Humpty Dumpty and he is reborn as a golden bird. What intrigued me most were the subtleties of Santat's illustrations and choice of colors. Humpty crosses from the bright side of a street to a dark, somber side and cheerful colors don't return until he starts working on making the paper airplane, which appears to transform into a bird. Later, after Humpty completes his terrifying final climb up the wall, the golden leaves that lodge in the cracks in his face transform into Humpty's golden wings, completing his transformation and rebirth.
This book reminds me a little bit of the hero's journey in Joseph Campbell's THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES, except this hero is in a picture book aimed at young K-4 heroes still working on their own transformations.
My verdict: This book should be read and looked at again and again, for it is multi-layered and speaks to audiences of all ages.
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School Library Journal's review of Michael Hall's Little i
Here is the very first non-Balkin Buddies title reviewed on this blog: Michael Hall's Little i (HarperCollins) We haven’t read it yet, but it sounds like a fun read. Here is the School Library Journal review:
Happy reading! And come see us on Balkin Buddies also.
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