3 New Picture Books - Their Worth is in their Illustrations

All three lack good story writing. All three obviously missed good editing. But the three distinctly different styles of illustrations are worth the look. I'm listing them by illustrator.

The Hungry Ghosts pictures by Geraldo Valerio 2009
How the Nobble was Finally Found pictures by Stephen Gammell 2009
Leon and the Place Between pictures by Grahame Baker-Smith

The artwork in each book is well worth your time.
The Hungry Ghosts illustrations are done in acrylic paint on watercolor paper, lots of blues on every page. Nobble illustrator Gammell is the same artist who did Old Black Fly (1991 - Jim Aylesworth). Gammell created the handlettering seen in the text of Nobble. Baker-Smith used digital montage for the pictures in Leon. It has a 3-D effect that draws your vision into the busy setting. Of the three, Leon has a story that at least flows and is not a bad read.

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Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

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