Bedside Reading (Picture Book Roundup #7)

I’ve been missing in action this week because I’ve just gone through an AH1N1 scare. Well, it didn’t turn out to be AH1N1 but I can’t say fortunately — I’m on the last legs of a very nasty bout of upper respiratory tract infection that has kept me in bed for days.

I haven’t been able to read much in this time, as I had fever for four days, and after that my mom gave me this vitamin that makes me fall asleep in three seconds flat and then makes me eat like a hungry bear. And she’s afraid I’ll strain my eyes if I read too much or use the computer (hence I am sneaking this in while she is off at the drugstore).

Picture books were a great comfort to me when I was sick as a kid, and guess what – it still works! I read The Travels of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff; Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich by Adam Rex; and Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna, illus. by Loren Long (books #102-104 of 2009).

The Travels of Babar takes place right after The Story of Babar, where Babar marries Celeste and they are crowned King and Queen of the elephants. In this book, Babar and Celeste go on their honeymoon but their hot air balloon lands on a cannibal island, and so begins their action-packed journey, traversing oceans and snow-capped mountains, finding an old friend, and finally returning to their native land, where a crisis situation awaits them. King Babar of course, triumphs above it all.

I’ve read Babar books since I was in pre-school, and even watched the cartoon series on cable. Babar is the most famous elephant character in the world, and perhaps the most fashion-forward too, with his trademark dapper green suit. I like Babar stories because the stories are fantastic but easy to understand. De Brunhoff’s illustrations are delightful too, because they have comic appeal, and I like how he makes use of the colors available for printing during that time (1930s). I also like the detail in his panoramic scenes.

I mooched this Babar book from Cecille, who found it for me at Book Sale.

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex is a collection of funny poems featuring fearsome monsters. The poems tell us what happens when Frankenstein makes a sandwich, the Creature from the Black Lagoon doesn’t wait an hour before swimming, the Phantom of the Opera has last song syndrome (hilarious!), the Invisible Man gets a haircut, Count Dracula walks around with spinach in his teeth, and many more!

I love Adam Rex’s books because the package is very well thought out, from the covers to the text and illustrations, and even the credits page. I especially love the quality of his illustrations – oils that are thick and soft and rich with a lifelike quality to them.

I got this book for P95 at Book Sale, which is a little pricey but very much worth it! You can find a preview of the book here: http://www.harcourtbooks.com/Frankenstein/insidethebook.asp

Mr. Peabody’s Apples, based on an ancient Kabbalah story, is about a small-town baseball team whose morale is brought down by the mistaken notion that their coach, Mr. Peabody, steals apples from the fruit grocer. It teaches the importance of choosing words with care, as they have the power to hurt others and may bring about consequences that are difficult to undo.

I like Madonna’s books (I have The English Roses in Spanish, The Adventures of Abdi, and Yakov and the Seven Thieves on the way from a moocher abroad, I just need Lotsa D’ Casha) because while her writing is nothing spectacular (not bad, but she shouldn’t give up her career in music), the books have excellent production value, one of the best I’ve seen in picture books. It has the works: beautiful illustrations; heavy-grade, glossy paper; matte-laminated hardcover and dust jacket. This makes you understand why they’re so expensive, but you know they’ll last a lifetime. But of course, I didn’t buy it full price; I got it for P35 at the Book Sale bargain bin.

Check out photos of the art of Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Loren Long at his site.

That’s it for now, I hope I get back to blogging soon, I have a backlog of books to review that I mean to get to as soon as I’m up and about.

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My copy: The Travels of Babar, hardcover; Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, hardcover with dustjacket; Mr. Peabody’s Apples, hardcover

My rating: The Travels of Babar 3/5 stars; Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich 5/5 stars; Mr. Peabody’s Apples 4/5 stars