Children's Books ~ Mini Reviews: Magic Words, Lily Pond, Watermelon Madness

Magic Words From the Ancient Oral Tradition of the Inuit

by Edward Field
Pub Date 01 Sep 2013
Children's Fiction

Magic Words is a modern translation (1965) of a very old Inuit creation story by nationally known poet Edward Field. As a poem it captures beautifully the intimate relationship this Arctic people have with their natural world.

Magic Words describes a world where humans and animals share bodies and languages, where the world of the imagination mixes easily with the physical. It began as a story that told how the Inuit people came to be and became a legend passed from generation to generation. In translation it grew from myth to poem. The text comes from expedition notes recorded by Danish explorer Knud Rasmussen in 1921. Edward Field got a copy from the Harvard Library and translated it into English.



Review: 4 stars
The illustrations are gorgeous in this book. Absolutely beautiful. I wish the story wasn't so short - just when it feels like it's starting to get going, the book is over. It's basically the intro to what feels like an Inuit folktale, but the intro is the entire story. Wish it would have had about 10 more pages about a specific story that used the power of words, because then it would have been a better length and a five star review for me for SURE. Would make a great (very short) bedtime story if you read it slowwwwwly, with the appropriate amount of awe and wonder the story seems to beg to be read with.

Lily Pond

by Shelley Daniels Lekven
Pub Date 01 Jan 2018
Children's Fiction

Costumed frogs in an enchanting world, all delicately crafted from colored modeling clay, populate the illustrations in Lily Pond, the acclaimed new children’s picture book created by veteran movie sculptor, Shelley Daniels Lekven. The story follows the vivid imagination of a little frog named Lily Pond, as she lies in bed one night daydreaming about her future with all its possibilities and promise of adventure. Lily considers travels to distant lands, saving lives, fame, acclaim, several possible careers and family, all from the safety of her cozy bed. Lily Pond creates a world of harmony, peace and hope, and embraces the concept that anticipating all the wonders and possibilities in life are the birthright of every child.

Review: 5 stars
This book is ADORABLE. The Claymation style illustrations are a treat, and the story itself is fun. Lily Pond is laying in bed and wondering what she'll be when she grows up, imagining all the options. The story is told in a rhyming pattern that feels like one of the best Dr. Seuss books, and it's the perfect length for a bedtime story. Definitely a great addition to any child's bookshelf.

Watermelon Madness

by Taghreed Najjar
Pub Date 01 May 2018
Children's Fiction

Noura is crazy about watermelon. She wants to eat nothing else, every day, at every meal. In fact, Noura thinks there is no such thing as too much watermelon. Until one night, when the watermelon she has hidden in her room to eat all by herself begins to grow and Noura gets taken on a wild watermelon adventure! A story that can be the springboard for a discussion on favorite foods, eating a balanced diet, sharing with others and trying new foods.

Review: 3 stars
A cute story with fun illustrations, but I'm not sure about the way it ended? I think the moral is supposed to be that too much a good thing isn't so good after all, and after dreaming about eating the entire giant watermelon Noura eats good/healthy breakfast food... But I feel like it could have been tied up a little better at the ending, maybe with a reappearance from the food Noura wouldn't eat at the beginning of the book. Still, the illustrations are cute and this is a good length for a bedtime story.