mrsday2018

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey – Calcedott Honor Book

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Evaluation:

Everyone has at least one book that sticks out to them from their childhood. One such book for me is Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. It’s the adorable story of a little girl and her adventure picking blueberries with her mother. McCloskey’s unexpected insight in the story parallels Sal and her mother with the other animal mother and baby pairs that they come across while out on Blueberry Hill. The most prominent parallel is between Sal and her mother, and Little Bear and his mother. Both couples are preparing for winter by collecting blueberries and, at one point, Sal and Little Bear get their mothers confused. I think this clear insight is to remind us that we are not that different from the other animals that inhabit Earth.

As well as authoring the text, McCloskey provided the illustrations. There are only two colors that show the story: white and navy blue. The uncomplicated black-and-white-esque nature of the illustrations paints the picture of a simpler time. The setting, Blueberry Hill, is mentioned once at the beginning of the story, but it is not described fully in words leaning on the illustrations to establish the time period and immediate surroundings. The style of clothes for both the mother and for Sal is reminiscent of the mid 1900s, as is the canning of blueberries for winter.

As well as establishing the setting, the illustrations simply reinforce the text. The lush countryside in which Sal and her mother pick blueberries is shown explicitly in the illustrations. They show the other animal mother and baby pairs that are also out picking and eating blueberries that afternoon. They show the events of the story as they unfold. And they show the surprised looks on the faces of Sal’s and Litter Bear’s mother when the mistake is discovered. The illustrations show the story exactly as described.

Response:

This book has been one of my favorite children’s books since I was an elementary schooler. I connected with its simple nature when I was young and I have never forgotten it. In fact, I acquired this book to be part of my personal teaching library. McCloskey’s illustrations are what have always stuck with me since I listened to my librarian read Blueberries for Sal so long ago and I approve of the message that we are not that different from our animal friends. My views and opinions were not at all challenged by this charming book.

Conclusion:

McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal is a classic children’s story. The unexpected insight is apparent enough for young children to catch onto and deep enough for adults to reflect upon. The clean and simple illustrations establish the setting nicely and provide the interesting aside of what life at home looks like for Sal and her mother. Overall, this is a book that I have enjoyed for a long time and will continue to enjoy for years to come.

Citation:

McCloskey, R. (1948). Blueberries for sal. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

mrsday2018

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri – Picture Book

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Evaluation:

Dragons love tacos, don’t you know? This book drew me in from the title. What’s not to love? Dragons? Tacos? It’s an entertaining concept to be sure. The illustrations in Dragons Love Tacos steal the show. First and foremost, Salmieri’s illustrations extend the plot of the story. At one point, the dragons end up eating spicy salsa at a taco party and the following two pages only incorporate two words: “Too late…” This page and the next shows what happens when a bunch of dragons eat spicy salsa on their tacos. They explode with fire breath, leaving the surrounding area (and the host’s house) burnt to a crisp. No words necessary to explain what the illustrations adequately show.

The illustrations also provide some interesting asides to the story. In the beginning of the book, we see a boy in his bedroom discussing the types of tacos that dragons love. The boy’s bedroom is covered from top to bottom in dragons. The poster on the wall, the toys on the floor, the lamp shade, the stuffed dragon on the bed, the dragon figurines on the book shelf and even the books incorporate dragons. This friend obviously loves himself some dragons and would know what they love to eat. Then, later on in the story, the dragons are preparing for a taco party. On dragon is marking the date on his calendar and is holding an invitation that not only shows us when and where the taco party is being held, but it also shows us the boy’s name: Robbie.

The only thing this book falls short on would be the overstatement and sensationalism of the text. The author allows for little interpretation and often repeats phrases over and over. Several pages also include words with bigger font than the rest in order to emphasize the phrase or convey a shouting tone. An example of this is just after Robbie discovers that the salsa on the tacos is in fact spicy which is not good for the dragons. He shouts (in all caps with bigger font) for the dragons not to eat the tacos. This climax of the story could have gotten away with understatement instead of the exaggeration that was used.

Response:

 I am a fan of fantasy and dragons are commonly found in this genre. Plus tacos are my favorite food, so naturally I gravitated toward Dragons Love Tacos. I actually saw it first at a book fair at the school I have worked in for six years. I saw the title and fell in love. The pictures were so fascinating as well that I just couldn’t help myself. After reading it for the first time however, I was a bit disappointed in the story. There could have been more to the dragons and their love of tacos. Mostly the illustrations and the overall plot kept my affinity for the book alive. There isn’t really anything in the book that clashes with my own personal views of the world – besides maybe the spicy salsa thing, I love spicy salsa. My viewpoints were not challenged by this book at all, except maybe realizing that not all picture books are well-written.

Conclusion:

Salmieri’s illustrations make this book. The interesting asides and development of the plot through the pictures really redeem the story. The overstatement and sensationalism of the writing are not the reasons that I still love this book. It’s the fact that we learn Robbie’s name through his invitation to the taco party and that we know he loves dragons because of his room. Those are the reasons to read Dragons Love Tacos.

Citation:

Rubin, A., & Salmieri, D. (Illustrator). (2012). Dragons love tacos. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.