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Oscar's Half Birthday
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From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Fri, 06 May 2005 12:16:14 -0500
I was going to mention this picture book as one of the best I've read so far this year, but Miriam beat me to it! There's a great subtle humor to the text and illustrations that will appeal to adult readers without it being at the expense of young children. The baby Oscar is so wonderfully baby-like, and the three-year-old sister, Millie, is one of the most realistic portraits of a young child I've ever seen in a picture book. It's clear that Bob Graham has spent a lot of time observing -- and enjoying! -- young children! There's also such a great sense of community int he book.
KTH
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Yesterday I read an utterly charming picture book by Bob Graham called OSCAR'S HALF BIRTHDAY. It describes a family outing to a city park to celebrate Oscar's first six months and deftly balances the details of this particular family's relationships with the generality of similar experiences. Graham's words are so touching--as when he describes the sun shining through Oscar's ears and illuminating them "like little lanterns." Oscar's sister Millie is able to express her somewhat conflicted feelings abo ut him as she plies a dinosaur puppet on one hand and impersonates a fairy while wearing coat-hanger wings strapped to her back. When everyone on the hill joins in with the birthday song it brought a tear to my eye as well as to Oscar's mother's.
Received on Fri 06 May 2005 12:16:14 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 06 May 2005 12:16:14 -0500
I was going to mention this picture book as one of the best I've read so far this year, but Miriam beat me to it! There's a great subtle humor to the text and illustrations that will appeal to adult readers without it being at the expense of young children. The baby Oscar is so wonderfully baby-like, and the three-year-old sister, Millie, is one of the most realistic portraits of a young child I've ever seen in a picture book. It's clear that Bob Graham has spent a lot of time observing -- and enjoying! -- young children! There's also such a great sense of community int he book.
KTH
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Yesterday I read an utterly charming picture book by Bob Graham called OSCAR'S HALF BIRTHDAY. It describes a family outing to a city park to celebrate Oscar's first six months and deftly balances the details of this particular family's relationships with the generality of similar experiences. Graham's words are so touching--as when he describes the sun shining through Oscar's ears and illuminating them "like little lanterns." Oscar's sister Millie is able to express her somewhat conflicted feelings abo ut him as she plies a dinosaur puppet on one hand and impersonates a fairy while wearing coat-hanger wings strapped to her back. When everyone on the hill joins in with the birthday song it brought a tear to my eye as well as to Oscar's mother's.
Received on Fri 06 May 2005 12:16:14 PM CDT
