Moms and grandmas are often sheroes – sometimes they are the rescuers, sometimes they need
others to help. Whether the families are human or animal, the females are in
charge in these stories. Their children and grandchildren depend on and
celebrate the strong women in their lives.
When the Wind Blows
by Linda Booth Sweeney
illustrated by Jana Christy
A wild wind
is too good to miss for a kite-flying grandson and his grandma. The rhythmic
rhymes that show the story are brief and descriptive, just four lines on each
double page spread with two-word phrases that capture the frenetic blowing and
the delight of the adult/child pair. A periodic refrain, When the wind blows, frames the poetic text with a comforting
repetitive pattern.
Younger
listeners will be caught up in the digital paintings with their brilliant
jewel-like colors and the movement of the wind as the kite escapes. The family,
including the mother and baby, race in a wild chase along the beach and into
town where puddles offer jubilant jumping.
The sensory
sights, sounds and feel of a blustery day before the storm are lyrically
matched with detail-rich images. As the storm arrives, “Skies darken. Thunder
BOOMS. Rain falls. We zoom!” and the
family hurries home to safety, snacks, bath time and bed. A wonderful spring
story that demonstrates the pleasures and excitement that crackle before a storm
shoos everyone indoors.
Putnam, $16.99
Interest Level:
Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2
Lucky Ducklings
by Eva Moore
illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Mama Duck
and her baby ducks are taking a walk one fine morning from the pond and through
the town when “Pippin, Bippin, Tippin, Dippin, and last of all . . . Little
Joe,” fall through the grate of a storm drain!
Firefighters
are called to the scene of the wild ruckus of quacking ducklings from below and
the “Whack! Whack!” of Mama Duck’s frantic noisy attempts to protect her babies
from above. Lyrical language, dramatic storytelling and the suspense of the
repetitive “Oh dear! That could have been the end of the story. But it wasn’t,
because . . . .” combine with large beautiful charcoal and digital media art using
varied perspectives to create a warmly satisfying tale.
Reminiscent
of Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for
Ducklings, this appropriately shorter story is based on an actual incident
that happened in Montauk, Long Island, New York in 2000.
Orchard Books, $16.99
Interest Level: Junior
Kindergarten – Grade 1
Superhero Mom
by
Timothy Knapman
illustrated by Joe Berger
The
author/illustrator team known for Superhero
Dad, sets up readers for the female version with rhyming text that lilts as
mom in an early morning leap out of bed keeps moving nearly constantly through
the day. Beginning with breakfast (she has to mend the mixer with a screwdriver
first), “flying” to catch the bus, and while racing, carrying not only her
daughter but the scooter, backpack and coat, too! Playing “super” games on the
playground, bandaging an injured knee, creating bath time fun with bubbles, and
just in time for bed, locating the missing teddy, are all in a day’s work for
this “super mom.”
The
flashing colors of the digital illustrations are fittingly bright slashes with
stars, polka dots, and stripes to identify the superhero theme, albeit with
greens, yellows, pinks and sky blues instead of the reds, bright blues, and
yellows of Superhero Dad. This
fast-paced story is an rousing picturebook to read in preparation for Mother’s
Day.
Candlewick Press, $15.99
Interest Level:
Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2
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