Children's Books discussion

In April, we will explore the theme of Mystical/Magical Creatures. Here are our official selections:

Golem

Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood

The Tomten

The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek

Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child

Sixth/Alternate Title:
The Dragon and the Unicorn

I hope you can all obtain these and join us for the discussion come April :-)

Unfortunately, I am unable to obtain "Tomten" or "Bunyip"--both look very interesting. However, I look forward to reading the remaining four :-)

My library only had "Golem" and "The Dragon and the Unicorn."

And "Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child" also seems to be available (don't know how/why I missed it before). I'v requested "The Tomten" through ILL, and I might try the other ones as well, although ILL has been a bit sporadic lately.

Abigail wrote: "there is apparently only one copy of The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek in our system. We'll have to see if they can find it!"

Oh, I hope so!

Gundula wrote: "My library only had "Golem" and "The Dragon and the Unicorn."

And "Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child" also seems to be available (don't know how/why is missed it before). I'v requested "The Tomten" throu..."

Glad you can get three of the six, Gundula. Hope you can eventually get all of them with ILL.

Great list. I am going to try for one more book than last month. =)

Crystal wrote: "Great list. I am going to try for one more book than last month. =)"

:-)

I have three of our list on order. I have Golem somewhere on my shelf but guessing as to where it is since I transferred all of my school things to my house. Wouldn't it be fun to be organized???

Tricia wrote: "I have three of our list on order. I have Golem somewhere on my shelf but guessing as to where it is since I transferred all of my school things to my house. Wouldn't it be fun to be organized???"

Oh, yes, indeed! ;-)

No, it's not an early April Fools ;-> -- I've changed the thread title to "Discuss" a few days ahead of April because we are going into spring break at my school district and I will be on GoodReads only sporadically over the week, and probably not at all for the next few days. I'm sorry I will be out for the first of the month posting fun, but please feel free to go ahead and share your thoughts on any books you've read or join back in later in the month if, like me, you haven't been able to get to them yet. Happy reading!

Have fun, Kathryn!

Thanks :-)

Kathryn wrote: "Thanks :-)"

Going anywhere special?? Have a good break.

Gundula wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Thanks :-)"

Going anywhere special?? Have a good break."

I think to Carmel for a few days. I'm excited! :-)

The first time we read "The Tomten" I had no idea it was about a mythological character. I thought that a little man wandering around the house was strange! So then I looked up "tomten" and discovered what it was.

If I think about it, Santa is kind of strange, too. He creeps into our houses at night.....

Kirei wrote: "The first time we read "The Tomten" I had no idea it was about a mythological character. I thought that a little man wandering around the house was strange! So then I looked up "tomten" and disco..."

A lot of the European "Little People" behave like the Tomten, silently creeping into dwellings, living behind the hearth, coming out at night to check on the animals,watch over the farm and its inhabitants, bake the bread, sweep the floors whatever. They are silent helpers, but will often run away if curious humans see them or spy on them. Astrid Lindgren's Tomten is a bit different since he seems to actually wish that the children of the house might wake up so he can converse with them (the children, like the animals, can seemingly see the Tomten and understand their language, but while all of the animals awaken when the Tomten approaches, the children remain asleep in their cots).

My son sat attentively while I read Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child, it was good by it was not one that my son was so excited about. He did think it as cool that there was an ice cream truck in the book.

The pictures were very fairy tale like.

I loved the illustrations of The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek because they added both humor and a realistic quality to the story. As the bunyip went to each animal trying to find out what he looked like, he was disappointed with the negative comments of each one. After the man told the bunyip that he didn't exist the bunyip discouragingly left to be by himself and exist as he wanted, handsome and happy. Perhaps the story could have ended here, but of course, another bunyip comes out of the bog and, with the help of a mirror, sees herself as beautiful and good-looking as the bunyip. We know that the story ends happily as is seen by the big smile on the bunyip's face. Basically, this theme is similar to many children's stories where other animals don't see the beauty in something very ordinary or different. Most children will enjoy this simply tale.

I cannot get The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek through my local library systems, but I found a book that included bunyips: Fabulous Monsters, so we can at least learn about what a bunyip is.

For those who might be interested, here is the original poem "Tomten" by Viktor Rydberg on which Astrid Lindgren based the text to her The Tomten. I wish she had included the original text as an author's note (although I can see it might have been a bit long, I still would have liked to see the original in the book itself). I found this on the internet and cut and pasted.

Midvinternattens köld är hård,
stjärnorna gnistra och glimma.
Alla sova i enslig gård
djupt under midnattstimma.
Månen vandrar sin tysta ban,
snön lyser vit på fur och gran,
snön lyser vit på taken.
Endast tomten är vaken

Deep in the grip of the midwinter cold
The stars glitter and sparkle.
All are asleep on this lonely farm,
Deep in the winter night.
The pale white moon is a wanderer,
snow gleams white on pine and fir,
snow gleams white on the roofs.
The tomte alone is awake.

Står där så grå vid ladgårdsdörr,
grå mot den vita driva,
tittar, som många vintrar förr,
upp emot månens skiva,
tittar mot skogen, där gran och fur
drar kring gården sin dunkla mur,
grubblar, fast ej det lär båta,
över en underlig gåta.

Gray, he stands by the low barn door,
Gray by the drifted snow,
Gazing, as many winters he’s gazed,
Up at the moon’s chill glow,
Then at the forest where fir and pine
Circle the farm in a dusky line,
Mulling relentlessly
A riddle that has no key.

För sin hand genom skägg och hår,
skakar huvud och hätta ---
»nej, den gåtan är alltför svår,
nej, jag gissar ej detta» ---
slår, som han plägar, inom kort
slika spörjande tankar bort,
går att ordna och pyssla,
går att sköta sin syssla.

Rubs his hand through his beard and hair,
Shakes his head and his cap.
“No, that question is much too deep,
I cannot fathom that.”
Then making his mind up in a hurry,
He shrugs away the annoying worry;
Turns at his own command,
Turns to the task at hand.

Går till visthus och redskapshus,
känner på alla låsen ---
korna drömma vid månens ljus
sommardrömmar i båsen;
glömsk av sele och pisk och töm
Pålle i stallet har ock en dröm:
krubban han lutar över
fylls av doftande klöver; ---

Goes to the storehouse and toolshop doors,
Checking the locks of all,
While the cows dream on in the cold moon’s light,
Summer dreams in each stall.
And free of harness and whip and rein,
Even Old Pålle dreams again.
The manger he’s drowsing over
Brims with fragrant clover.

Går till stängslet för lamm och får,
ser, hur de sova där inne;
går till hönsen, där tuppen står
stolt på sin högsta pinne;
Karo i hundbots halm mår gott,
vaknar och viftar svansen smått,
Karo sin tomte känner,
de äro gode vänner.

The tomte glances at sheep and lambs
Cuddled in quiet rest.
The chickens are next, where the rooster roosts
High above straw filled nests.
Burrowed in straw, hearty and hale,
Karo wakens and wags his tail
As if to say, “Old friend, “Partners we are to the end.”

Tomten smyger sig sist att se
husbondfolket det kära,
länge och väl han märkt, att de
hålla hans flit i ära;
barnens kammar han sen på tå
nalkas att se de söta små,
ingen må det förtycka:
det är hans största lycka.

At last the tomte tiptoes in
To see how the housefolk fare.
He knows full well the strong esteem
They feel for his faithful care.
He tiptoes into the children’s beds,
Silently peers at their tousled heads.
There is no mistaking his pleasure:
These are his greatest treasure.

Så har han sett dem, far och son,
ren genom många leder
slumra som barn; men varifrån
kommo de väl hit neder?
Släkte följde på släkte snart,
blomstrade, åldrades, gick --- men vart?
Gåtan, som icke låter
gissa sig, kom så åter!

Long generations has he watched
Father to son to son
Sleeping as babes. But where, he asks,
From where, from where have they come?
Families came, families went,
Blossomed and aged, a lifetime spent,
Then-Where? That riddle again
Unanswered in his brain!

Tomten vandrar till ladans loft:
där har han bo och fäste
högt på skullen i höets doft,
nära vid svalans näste;
nu är väl svalans boning tom,
men till våren med blad och blom
kommer hon nog tillbaka,
följd av sin näpna maka.

Slowly he turns to the barnyard loft,
His fortress, his home and rest,
High in the mow, in the fragrant hay
Near to the swallow’s nest.
The nest is empty, but in the spring
When birds mid leaves and blossoms sing,
And come with her tiny mate.

Då har hon alltid att kvittra om
månget ett färdeminne,
intet likväl om gåtan, som
rör sig i tomtens sinne.
Genom en springa i ladans vägg
lyser månen på gubbens skägg,
strimman på skägget blänker,
tomten grubblar och tänker.

Then will she talk of the journey tell.
Twittering to all who hear it,
But nary a hint for the question old
That stirs in the tomte’s spirit.
Now through cracks in the haymow wall
The moon lights tomte and hay and all,
Lights his beard through the chinks,
The tomte ponders and thinks.

Tyst är skogen och nejden all,
livet där ute är fruset,
blott från fjärran av forsens fall
höres helt sakta bruset.
Tomten lyssnar och, halvt i dröm,
tycker sig höra tidens ström,
undrar, varthän den skall fara,
undrar, var källan må vara.

Still is the forest and all the land,
Locked in this wintry year.
Only the distant waterfall
Whispers and sighs in his ear.
The tomte listens and, half in dream,
Thinks that he hears Time’s endless stream,
And wonders, where is it bound?
Where is its source to be found?

Midvinternattens köld är hård,
stjärnorna gnistra och glimma.
Alla sova i enslig gård
gott intill morgontimma.
Månen sänker sin tysta ban,
snön lyser vit på fur och gran,
snön lyser vit på taken.
Endast tomten är vaken.

Deep in the grip of the midwinter cold,
The stars glitter and sparkle.
All are asleep on this lonely farm,
Late in this winter night.
The pale white moon is a wanderer,
snow gleams white on pine and fir,
snow gleams white on the roofs.
The tomte alone is awake.

Thank you!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Thank you!"

You're welcome. I'm actually trying to see how much of the Swedish I can guess at (not doing all that badly, but boy do I wish I was fluent so I could read Lindgren in Swedish).

I really enjoyed Astrid Lindgren's The Tomten. It is a long winter's night, and the Tomten (a small, ancient gnome, who lives quietly and mostly unnoticed on a remote Swedish farm) awakens. He watches over the farm's livestock, encouraging the winter-weary animals with the promise of spring (talking to them in "tomten" language, a silent language that the farm animals, from cows to barn cats, are able to understand). The farmer and his wife, although also under the Tomten's watchful eyes, are unaware of the Tomten's presence and unable to understand "tomten" language, although if their children were awake, they would be able to perceive the Tomten and comprehend his language. Throughout the night, the Tomten continues making his rounnds, and as long as there are people and animals on the farm, the Tomten will faithfully keep watch over them, night after night, season after season, year after year.

Astrid Lindgren's The Tomten exhibits a sparse, sweetly poetic, but also, rather repetitive narrative style. For some individuals, the repetitiveness of the text might seem a trifle monotonous, but for me, it gives this little gem of a story a wonderful and palpable sense of security, of hope for the coming of spring. In may ways, The Tomten reads and feels like a magical lullaby, conveying peace, love and protection (like a fluffy blanket, or cozy hearth, the Tomten's words surround the reader, the listener with magic, warmth and kindness). Harald Wiberg's luminous, at times almost mystical illustrations are a perfect complement to Astrid Lindgren's poetically warming and calming narrative, demonstrating a similar sense of peace, of magical, fairytale-like serenity. I recommend The Tomten for young children interested in "The Little People" (it would be the perfect bedtime story for a winter's evening, peaceful, relaxing, hopeful).

Astrid Lindgren adapted the text of The Tomten from Viktor Ryberg's 1881 poem "Tomten" (the gnome). Although not essential (and basically this is just my own curiosity speaking), I think it would have been interesting if Lindgren had included the original poem as an author's note (I did finally find the poem on the internet, in its original Swedish, with an accompanying English translation, but it took a bit of research). I also wish that I were fluent in Swedish and could thus read and compare this English translation to Astrid Lindgren's original Swedish text (it is a wonderful book, with a wonderful narrative, but I am always interested in how translated texts, especially ones that are rather poetic, compare to the originals, and I also find it intriguing that there is no translator listed).

As you have probably noticed already, I had previously posted the poem on this thread (that was before I had written my review, and I was just so thrilled at having found the poem in both Swedish and English that I just had to share).

I'm back and so eager to jump into the conversation! I've just got to read the books first ;-p I am glad to see the convo is thriving already. Carry on!

I just finished Golem for the second time and still found the story compelling and emotional. It was simple and to the point and written in a way that most children would easily understand. The cut paper illustration actually brought the story to life and the subdued colors hinted at the seriousness of the time period. An excellent book and a good choice for our group.

I read Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood with my toddler and we both really liked it. It was fun to read from the point of view of the dragon. My toddler was just looking at the book again and when she was done she asked me, "Guess what I found in Dragon Wood last night?" Well this surprised me because although we did read this yesterday afternoon. She remembered the exact title. She then continued her own story about finding a monster in Dragon Wood and her cousins protecting her. Lol! Such a creative imagination. So overall, I think this book sparks wonder and creativity too.

Kathryn wrote: "I'm back and so eager to jump into the conversation! I've just got to read the books first ;-p I am glad to see the convo is thriving already. Carry on!"

Welcome back!

Gundula, thank you for the background information!

I must say, when I first read "The Tomten" I did not think it felt like an Astrid Lindgren book. So it makes sense that it was borrowed from a poem.

We read "Golem" a while back and it was just so HARD for us. DS was too little to appreciate it. I myself did not know the story of Golem or have any understanding of it.

I just read Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood and loved it! I liked the hole in the cover, the illustrations, and the dragons sharing a "Benjamin" with their friends. I hope there are other books by Knapman and Millward. I laughed throughout the whole book and it took me back to a younger time. What miracles books can bring to us!

Tricia wrote: "I just read Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood and loved it! I liked the hole in the cover, the illustrations, and the dragons sharing a "Benjamin" with their friends. I hope there ..."

My daughter wanted me to read this again to her. Fun book.

Kirei wrote: "We read "Golem" a while back and it was just so HARD for us. DS was too little to appreciate it. I myself did not know the story of Golem or have any understanding of it."

I liked Golem, but it is definitely not a book for young children (I would say it is for children above the age of ten). And the author's note, which I really loved, I would actually recommend to even older children, even adults (very dense and informative, excellent, but demanding).

Kirei wrote: "Gundula, thank you for the background information!

I must say, when I first read "The Tomten" I did not think it felt like an Astrid Lindgren book. So it makes sense that it was borrowed from a..."

You're welcome. I really loved the story, but it is a bit different from many of Lindgren's other novels (although the themes of farming life, of the animals, of wishing for spring etc. are themes in much of Lindgren's work).

Tricia wrote: "I just read Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood and loved it! I liked the hole in the cover, the illustrations, and the dragons sharing a "Benjamin" with their friends. I hope there ..."

I think that the story is cute, and humorous, and I especially like the fact that the main human character is a little boy (so many stories about humans meeting magical creatures feature little girls, it is nice to see a different approach, and also a character who is just a little boy, not some kind of dragon-riding hero boy). But I did not really like the illustrations all that much. Most kids will likely find them fun and bright, but I found them a bit cartoon-like and especially the dragons somewhat silly and strange looking.

Crystal wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I'm back and so eager to jump into the conversation! I've just got to read the books first ;-p I am glad to see the convo is thriving already. Carry on!"

Welcome back!"

Thanks :-) I think I have all the books I can get out from the library, so I will join in soon.

Kathryn wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I'm back and so eager to jump into the conversation! I've just got to read the books first ;-p I am glad to see the convo is thriving already. Carry on!"

Welcome ..."

Did you have fun? I hope so.

A cute inversion of the "human meets dragon" type of tale, in Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood (written by Timothy Knapman, with illustrations by Gwen Millward), it is not a little boy who finds a dragon, but a dragon who finds a little lost boy (a Benjamin) in the Dragon Wood and takes him (or it, at first) home to meet his family, friends and acquaintances (all of which are dragons, of course).

This lively and engaging story is not only sweet, with many humorous little touches (like how the dragon first thinks that the little boy has striped feet, not realising that he is wearing striped boots, and not even knowing what boots are), it is also, at times, somewhat thought-provoking. When the dragon takes his new friend (the Benjamin) to school, the other dragons, although intrigued by the Benjamin and finding him rather strange and novel, mostly approach him with respect and are eager to learn about him and from him (about his life, his homeland, his family, books, soccer). When one then compares the dragons' general reaction to the little boy to the "funny way of saying hello" the dragon experiences when he takes a homesick Benjamin back to his own family, the frightened and suspicious initial reaction of the humans to the dragon is really in quite stark contrast to the interested and generally friendly reaction of the dragons to the little boy. Yes, in the end, the humans seem to have calmed themselves a bit, but their initial reaction is rampant fear and suspicion, while the initial reaction of the dragons is friendliness and genuine interest.

Of course, Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood is first and foremost simply a sweet and delightfully humorous "dragon" tale. It is also though, a story of acceptance and curiosity, that friendship and being acquainted with strangers is not only possible and probable, but desirable. Even if one might get homesick for friends, family etc. if abroad or amongst strangers, one can and should visit other lands, other individuals, other cultures and learn from them and have them learn from oneself as well (the Benjamin goes back to his home, but he has learned from the dragons, and they have learned from him, and one of the Benjamin's gifts, the knowledge of the game of soccer, has actually remained with the dragons, as a new sport, but also as a remembrance of and from the little boy). Recommended primarily for younger children interested in sweet, humorous dragon tales, I also appreciate the fact that the main human character in Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood is a little boy, and that this little boy teaches his new dragon friends how to play soccer (so many fantasy picture books seem quite girl-oriented, that it is really refreshing to encounter examples more geared towards young boys, or at least a more unisex audience).

I have to admit that while I think Gwen Millward's illustrations work well enough with the text, they are much too cartoon-like for my own personal tastes, and I especially do not like the way the dragons are depicted (they just seems rather silly, almost caricature-like). My general dislike of the illustrations did actually somewhat lessen my enjoyment of the story at first (I had to read the book twice before I really began to enjoy and appreciate the text, and I am positive that my initially luke-warm reaction was first and foremost because I just did and still do not care all that much for the illustrations). However, I can certainly see how many youngsters would likely find these illustrations bright, fun and humorous. They do provide an interesting and humorously silly mirror of the narrative, my own negative reaction to them notwithstanding.

I just finished The Dragon and the Unicorn which I thought was very similar to Cherry's The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest. Woodland forest vs. Amazon forest. Both books are, of course, beautifully illustrated since that is what Cherry is known for. The story is gently told and most children five and older will enjoy it. The moral of the story is to respect and take care of the world which is something by this time people should take seriously. Then why do we still need to promote this fact? How easily it is to forget! Our children are the ones who need to hear this story, for it is their world they will have to live in. This story would make a great topic for one of our monthly children book themes. What do you think? Maybe it has already been done?

Who'd have thought a dragon and a unicorn would be telling us a story about environmentalism? I liked the fact that the king & princess just happened to be Black. Other than that, though, I didn't like the book all that much - it seemed to me to be rather awkward and heavy-handed. And the pictures were probably pretty, but the details were so intricate that I couldn't squint hard enough to actually see them.

Otoh, I loved Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child, bringing magic out of traditional fantasy and into a world more familiar to most of us, with 'cement and weeds.'

I loved the quiet everyday behaviors of the Annabelle's family in the background, and how she was allowed to crawl around with toy cars in the dirt (like a boy), and the fact that Jethro wore jeans and didn't like to be kissed by aunts. And I liked that the illustrations were bright and bold and still cute (and even pretty, sometimes, as when the fairy mother danced).

Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood is one of the stories I had read before this theme was decided and I really liked it! It was a four-star book for me. I didn't read up about it ahead of time, so I loved discovering the little "twist" as, looking at the cover, I thought the little boy finds a dragon. Especially since the illustrator did the illustrations for a book about little girls finding a magical creature (the fabulous The Bog Baby) so I was pleasantly surprised to find it's a little dragon who finds "a Benjamin" in the woods and brings him home to play. It's a fun little story but the novelty wasn't quite there since I'd read a story with a similar "twist" a month or so ago (Peter Brown's Children Make Terrible Pets). Since Knapman's book was published first, I guess this verdict isn't really fair as his was the more original idea but nevertheless, the story remains very appealing.

Crystal, that's so adorable that your daughter continued her own story about a monster in the woods!

And, Gundula, I can see what you mean about the illustrations. I thought they were very sweet and charming, but I could definitely see where you are coming from. And, like you say, the message in the story is wonderful!

Tricia wrote: "The moral of the story is to respect and take care of the world which is something by this time people should take seriously. Then why do we still need to promote this fact? How easily it is to forget! Our children are the ones who need to hear this story, for it is their world they will have to live in. This story would make a great topic for one of our monthly children book themes. What do you think? Maybe it has already been done? "

Thanks for the suggestion, Tricia. Yes, it's a very important topic, for sure. We actually did that one for a previous club read. You can check out our discussion here (also, many great titles are listed in the "Master List" on that month, too):
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...

Like Tricia, I thought that The Dragon and the Unicorn is a very important subject and I thought the illustrations were beautiful. Like Cheryl, though, I also found the story a bit too heavy-handed. Besides which, it just didn't sparkle in the storytelling aspect for me. Oh well.

I liked that the king wasn't BAD, just frightened and ignorant. I think that's so much more representative of many people who do "bad" things.

I did find it interesting that Cherry drew so much inspiration for the illustrations from the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Could be a neat tie-in for children who live in that area, or are planning to visit.

Kathryn wrote: "Like Tricia, I thought that The Dragon and the Unicorn is a very important subject and I thought the illustrations were beautiful. Like Cheryl, though, I also found the story a bit to..."

The story is really a bit too heavy-handed, more like a lecture on environmental protection. I really loved the message, but the message could have been and should have been a bit more elegantly presented. Also, I did not really like the fact that the dragon and the unicorn actively lured the little girl into the forest (it felt a bit like a child being abducted). It would have been far better, if Arianna had ventured into the forest by herself and then been found and rescued by the dragon and the unicorn (the same environmental message could have been presented, but without the child-luring aspect). Maybe I am being a bit harsh here, but it kind of felt a bit strange and unnerving.

From a more personal point of view, I wonder why Lynne Cherry had Arianna eating wild asparagus and wild carrots in the forest. Yes, they are considered wild delicacies, but wild carrot especially looks very similar to the extremely poisonous (often deadly poisonous) water and poison hemlock, so much so that in books promoting wild harvesting, it is often mentioned that wild carrot should only ever be harvested and ingested by experts, by those who know what they are doing and can distinguish wild carrot from deadly look-alikes. I think it would have been safer for Arianna to be eating wild berries or other less potentially problematic plants (you don't want a child trying to collect wild carrots in the forest).

Kathryn wrote: "Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood is one of the stories I had read before this theme was decided and I really liked it! It was a four-star book for me. I didn't read up about it ah..."

I'm still not in love with the illustrations, but I have gotten used to them now. And I can see how kids would find them very appealing, but they just did not really appeal all that much to me.

Gundula wrote: "I did really love the illustrations, and I wish that the message, the story had been a little less pedantic, because it is an important message."

Agreed! Is anyone familiar with Cherry's other work? I wonder if she is an illustrator, first and foremost, and maybe not as talented as an author? The story just felt a bit long-winded and clunky at times, and the heavy-handed nature just made it even less appealing for me. I had a similar reaction to her book The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest although I did find that storytelling a bit more touching. I know she works with an environmental organization, and I'm sure her heart is in the right place, but I'm kind of reluctant to check out more of her work after being less than satisfied with these two offerings :-(

Kathryn wrote: "Gundula wrote: "I did really love the illustrations, and I wish that the message, the story had been a little less pedantic, because it is an important message."

Agreed! Is anyone familiar with C..."

I think she is considered first and foremost an artist. I am actually someone who really loves ecologically themed books, but this story really hits you over the head with the message. Other reviewers have stated that maybe children need this kind of pedantic message, but I disagree, I think children are very perceptive and can get nuanced messages as well (especially in stories, and they likely also want nuanced messages, I know when I was a kid, I did not like books that felt overly pedantic or condescending).

I loved, loved, loved Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child. Bob Graham is fast becoming one of my favorite children's book authors/illustrators.

Graham said he was surprised to find himself writing about another flying family with Jethro Byrd (after his book April and Esme Tooth Fairies) but he seemed very happy to be working with fairies again. In his author bio he notes, "To see fairies, you need time to spare, time to think about not too much at all." Love that!

I adore so many elements of this story. Graham's families are always so *interesting*, and the Bryd family is no exception. Annabelle's family is perhaps a bit more stereotypical, with a dad who loves her but is too busy with work to give fairies (or his children) much thought and a well-meaning mother who plays along when her daughter invites a fairy family to tea, but perhaps not as whole-heartedly as she could. Annabelle is just so dear. I found it so touching how she continued to believe in fairies, and watch for magic, even in the concrete and weeds of her city home--and it's so delightful when she finds them! It's so sweet that her little brother can also feel the magic. The ending is at once beautiful, poignant, hopeful and cautionary. The story nearly brought tears to my eyes. Oh, and how refreshing is it to have the lead fairy be a little boy? It's great that nothing is too "girly" here--I love me some girly fairy stories, so not trying to disparage them, but here the fairies seem like real, interesting individuals and have interesting pastimes and goals and dress in a cool, more modern way so I think this is one of the few fairy books that both girls and boys could enjoy. I don't know...? Did any of you read this with your sons? What did they think? Leslie, I'm glad your son liked the ice cream truck ;-)

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "And I liked that the illustrations were bright and bold and still cute (and even pretty, sometimes, as when the fairy mother danced)."

Yes! so well said :-)

I don't think The Tomten will be my favorite book this month. Being Swedish like Gundula, I should have more respect for what Lindgren has done with the poem. Maybe I'm not thinking childlike enough. Why was the Tomten snooping around in the winter in this house? It didn't say anything about the other seasons. Maybe because winter lasts so long in Sweden someone needs to be on watch? Did he only pick this one farm? I did like the rhythm of the narrative, especially the repetitve good nights to the animals. It changes a bit with the chickens and dog. I wonder why? I liked the illustrations - warm and cozy. If I was in this house as a child,I don't whether I'd be frightened or safe feeling if I knew a Tomten was creeping around on tiptoe in my house! I need to know more history about this little troll.