East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon

Translated by Sir George Webbe Dasent

Illustrated by P. J. Lynch

Candlewick Press, 1992.

Picture book and informational book.

This Scandinavian fairy-tale is a variation on the same theme recognized in Beauty and The Beast or Cupid and Psyche. Essentially, a young girl gets carried off. When she tries to find out who this mysterious man and/or beast is, some terrible calamity happens and she has to put the pieces of the relationship back together. It's a tale as old as time.

In this version, a poor family allows a great white bear to carry away their youngest daughter in exchange for wealth. During the day he is a bear, but each night he becomes a man that lies down to sleep next to the heroine. After a visit to her family, the young lady takes the advice of her mother to spy on her strange roommate. After the man (bear) falls asleep, the young lady lights a candle and realizes he is a handsome prince. Unfortunately, she spills wax on him, waking him up and causing him to have to fulfill a curse to marry a troll... go figure. A lot of other stuff happens after that, but you get the idea.

This book has beautiful illustrations but a lot of words, so be prepared to invest some time. After graduating from the picture book, there are quite a few chapter book versions to explore. Check out East by Edith Pattou and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George.

Comments

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.

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.

Books That Take You There: Egypt

My parents are currently planning their first visit to Egypt. And they’re going without me . Like many of you, I’ve always found Egypt fascinating, whether learning about the gross details of making a mummy or eating delicious Egyptian food eaten by people who live there today. And if we can’t all go to Cairo with my parents, we can at least take a little trip through a few books that can take us straight to Egypt! Tail of the Mummy Cat Written by Chas! Pangburn Illustrated by Nic Touris Miami, FL: Papercutz, an imprint of Mad Cave Studios, 2024. Comic. 132 pages. Nana and Otto are siblings who visit Egypt with their travel-blogger mom. Nan loves learning about Egypt and its history, while Otto wishes he could’ve stayed home. However, both of their plans change when they accidentally let a mummified cat loose from a Pharaoh’s tomb. This graphic novel lets you see both of the sibling’s perspectives through this adventure —and their stories don’t always agree! This...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog