Bee & Me by Alison Jay

Bee & Me by Alison Jay

32 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

In this wordless picture book, a bee and a girl become friends and go on a journey.

Opinion: Our little one (20 months) loved the illustrations, especially the double sided ones. She loved pointing out things like cars and bees and flowers. The book was a little intimidating at first because the grown-up has to do their own narrative, but our little one didn't care too much about that.  We didn't finish the book every single time, 'cause...attention span, but it was a great practice. And the last times, we read it in one session. The book has a beautiful message: don't be afraid of bees and plant more flowers in the city!

William Shakespeare's The Tempest by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's The Tempest by Bruce Coville, 40 page

The Tempest feels like a fairy tale, and this retelling reinforced that feeling. The illustrations look like oil paintings and are a treat for the eyes, giving the story a ddeliciously dreamy texture. 

Currently The Tempest is playing for this season of Shakespeare in the Park. The production is amazing and you should defintely go see it!

 

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Bruce Coville, 40 pages

Romeo and Juliet is a play for adults about teenagers and this adaptation is for children, but I think Coville did a great job of shaping the story so that a younger audience can still appreciate it. I was curious how the suicides would be handled and while the acts are still present, it feels age-appropriate, or at least presented in a way wherein parents could deftly handle.

 

William Shakespeare's Macbeth by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's Macbeth by Bruce Coville, 48 pages

I was impressed with how tastefully all the murder of this play was approached. While still bloody in truth, Coville's adaptation of Macbeth is tempered. My favorite part of this retelling is the witches, but that's my favorite part of the play so take that as you will. 

 

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream by Bruce Coville, 48 pages

I was actually looking for a completely different book by Bruce Coville when I stumbled upon this truncated children's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Now, it must be acknowledged that I am not a Shakespeare scholar by any stretch of the imagination but rather an enthusastic casual admirer. 

However, I thought this adaptation was simply fantastic. The illustrations are captivating, especially those of Puck. The story itself is well told for a younger audience who isn't quite ready to parse the full play; in fact, some of the book was directly quoted from the play, which gave the whole thing a full effect. I was so pleased with this rendition that I ordered a copy of every Coville version of Shakespeare that's available in Missouri Evergreen. 

 

101 Ways To Kill A Zombie by Robb Pearlman

101 Ways To Kill A Zombie by Robb Pearlman, 96 pages

This was a hilariously illustrated book on how to kill zombies.  Some of my favorite from the book include Black Friday,  toilet paper, and death by chocolate. For the librarian, #100 was in the library with a candlestick.  And, #101, my absolute favorite, death by google maps!

Lemons are not Red, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

  Lemons are not Red, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, 32 pages
As usual, using die cuts and lots of color, Vaccaro Seeger makes the picture book more of an experience than just reading.

The Conference of the Birds, by Peter Sis

The Conference of the Birds, by Peter Sis, 160 pages

This is a beautifully illustrated book for adults.  Based on a Sufi poem by Farid al-Din Attar, the story depicts a flock of birds embarking on an epic journey to find the meaning of life.  It was quite lovely and requires a great deal of introspection and self-reflection.