Orchard Books

Children's Bookwatch, Oct, 2004

Orchard Books

557 Broadway, New York NY 10012

1-800-242-7737 www.scholastic.com

Just in time for Halloween recommendation are some excellent exciting fiction titles! Tony Mitton's Spooky Hour (04396-03730, $16.95) receives the dancing, lively drawings by Guy Parker-Reese, skeleton-creator extraordinaire, as it tells of a rollicking set of ghostly partiers who want to celebrate the holiday in style. Simple rhyming text and funny colorful art blend perfectly by an author and illustrator who are both veterans. Virginia Hamilton's Winnie Witch's Skinny (0590288806, $16.95) enjoys Barry Moser's engravings and provides an original Afro-American scare story. Good reading skills required--or teacher/parent help--in telling of a wild night's ride and a clairvoyant old woman's gift. Alice Hoffman and Wolfe Martin's Moondog (0439098610, $16.95) tells of a puppy filled with mystery: Michael and Hazel thinks he's a great gift, but mysterious things happen every time there's a full moon out. Again, good reading skills recommended, but the fun Halloween story's worth it. Mark Sperring's Wanda's First Day (0439627737, $15.95) pairs with unusual drawings by twin art school grads Kate and Liz Pope to create a fun story. Wanda is a young witch off to her first day at school--but she doesn't seem to fit in, from Day 1. Soon Wanda realizes she's at the wrong school--a school for fairies! How can a witch make a proper fairy? Steve Webb's Tanka Tanka Skunk! (904-39578442, $15.95) is a very simple picturebook for the beginning reader. Meet Tanka the elephant and his friend Skunk: their names together sound like drums, reinforced by the artistic beat of Steve Webb's funny drawings packed with playful animals. Laurie Berkner and illustrator Henry Cole join forces in Victor Vito And Freddie Vasco (0439429145, $16.95), which comes with a cd and provides the lyrics of favorite songs in the form of traveling polar bears who journey through the countryside singing in a VW Beetle. The multimedia approach is unusual and whimsical--and works. Eliza Thomas pairs her simple story with drawings by Joe Cepeda in The Red Blaket (04393-22537, $15.95), telling of a needful little girl and a forgotten blanket. Family ties and love are emphasized in this engaging multicultural exploration. Ian Whybrow's The Noisy Way To Bed (0439556899, $15.95) provides a different bent on bedtime: a little boy wants to go to sleep--but a host of farm animals won't let him alone! The very young receive animal sounds to go along with their fun story line. Lisa Desimini and Matt Mahurin's My Beautiful Child (0439458935, $16.95) is a painting in intimacy, using the author/illustrator's work in the School of Visual Arts as a backdrop for the first collaborative effort. Simple words and paintings will appeal to any parent/child and will make for a perfect read-aloud. Margery Cuyler's Please Say Please! (0590292-242, $15.95) provides a penguin's guides to manners with very simple yet appealing drawings by Will Hillenbrand adding to this story of mixed-up manners. Hippo puts her napkin on her head, Elephant sprays milk everywhere: it's a dilemma. Packed with fun all the way. Lambert Davis' Swimming With Dolphins (0439472-571, $15.95) is the perfect picturebook for beginning readers who like large print and lots of color. A description of a dolphin pod and a child's experiences with them adds zest to sunny, realistic color drawings. Tedd Arnold's Catalena Magdalena Hoopenstein Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name! (0590109944, $10.95) tells of a girl's zany long name, presenting a long rollicking rhyme to go along with the music and words to a classic story. The camp song may sound familiar but its appearance in book form with new lyrics and story line provides an all-new twist as well. Betsy James' My Chair (0439444217, $16.95) enjoys simple drawings by Mary Newell DePalma as it tells what makes each child's chair unique. From chairs that used to be trees to a reflection on the many animals who don't use seats, this is a unusual and fun theme.