DAVY CROCKETT GETS HITCHED
Retold by Bobbi Miller
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Reinforced | 32 pages | US$ 16.95
ISBN: 9780823418374 | Holiday House
“What a splendiferous achievement!”
~Eric A. Kimmel
“The language of this book will have children giggling …. It is sure to set their feet to tapping and some may even get up and dance. This book is sure to be read again and again.” ~Shari Lyle-Soffe, Out of My Mind About Books for Children
“… this rollicking retelling rocks with mellifluous metaphors and artful alliteration… The text sings with rich vocabulary, making this tall tale a great choice for reading aloud.” ~Patricia Austin, Booklist.
Davy Crockett Gets Hitched takes tall tales to a whole new plane. The oil painted illustrations are full of vim and vinegar and just plain high spirits! Children ages 7-11 will love Davy Crockett and be inspired to read other books in the genre and in the series.
~Midwest Book Review
“Festooned with similes and hyperbole, as all good tall tales should be, this tells the infamous story of how Davy Crockett and Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind met and wed... Lloyd’s oils—panels frequently outlined with prickly borders—further the good-natured goof. ” ~Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will love the whimsical fun in these pages. The rich, detailed illustrations are a feast for the eyes. Both the author and the illustrator have taken an old, popular folktale and made it feel new again.” ~Della A. Yannuzzi (Children's Literature)
“Run don’t walk to your local bookstore... Bobbi Miller expertly brings to life the side of Davy Crockett rarely seen, [coupled] with the brilliant illustrations by Megan Lloyd.” Donna M McDine, Writer and Editor. Come see my full interview at Donna’s blog, Write What Inspires You Blog!
“This retelling of the courtship of two legendary icons can be enjoyed by younger readers and will be useful for units on tall tales for older students.” ~Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI, School Library Journal
Nancy Polette, Dir. of the Laboratory School at Lindenwood University, & Dir. of the Library/Media and Gifted Programs in St Louis County Schools, lists DAVY CROCKETT GETS HITCHED as one of the best picture books for Winter 2009/2010!
ONE FINE TRADE
Retold by Bobbi Miller
Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Reinforced | 32 pages | US$ 16.95
ISBN: 9780823418367 | Holiday House
Folktales. Librarians love 'em. Eat 'em up like ketchup on rye, they do. Children's librarians love folktales even more than their adult brethren. When you go to library school the professors inculcate you with a deep and abiding appreciation of old-fashioned storytelling. Even if you don't know how to deal with a giant or whether or not to stray from the path in the woods, by the time you have your library and information science degree you can spout off tales of third born sons and all-too curious chickens like it's nobody's business. That's why it's sad that the picture book folktales out there are beginning to go the way of the dodo. They use to cram our shelves and fill publisher's lists. Now you're lucky if you can find four or five good ones in a given year.
“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
— Mark Twain,
Watermelon speech, 1907One Fine Trade is, however, an excellent example of this old-timey folktale telling. Based on an old folk song it takes Bobbi Miller's delight with words and Will Hillenbrand's skill with a paintbrush to tell a tale worth telling well. Will your kids be enjoying this story? No doubt they will, oh children mine…. [T]his here's a sweet and fancy folktale just itching to be told. Neither too short or too long for a storytime, with pictures by a guy who knows how to shake things up, One Fine Trade makes one fine addition to any folktale and fairytale collection. American as apple pie and a great example of good old-fashioned storytelling. ~ Elizabeth Bird, children’s librarian at Children’s Center at 42nd Street, New York Public Library, School Library Journal
Miller leads readers through the adventure with drama (by way of "a giant snake, a-shaking his rattle"), humor and plenty of backwoods vernacular ("Wouldn't ya know, then Georgianne asked, 'Dadaw, I surely do need a pretty new veil to go with my pretty new dress for my wedding day'"). Hillenbrand's (Baby Dragon) energetic mixed media compositions keep pace with Georgy's enthusiastic salesmanship. His weathered top hat, patchwork britches and polite demeanor make him fun to follow as he travels the evocative landscape, from the bucolic meadow to the "deep deep" woods. —Publisher’s Weekly. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Miller employs a down-home diction that revels in its orality… Brisk pacing and cliffhanger page turns make this a natural for either telling or reading. Consider as a fresh and funny alternative to George Shannon’s Piney Woods Peddler (1981) or the various singleton versions of “Hans in Luck.” ~Kirkus Review
“Miller's predictable but lyrical text takes on a fitting countrified voice, and Hillenbrand's brilliant art-highly textured, action-filled paintings that lead viewers from trade to trade, echoes the country-bumpkin quality of the narrative.” ~BookList, © American Library Association.
About the illustrator
In an interview conducted by Alice Buening for Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, illustrator Will Hillenbrand discusses how he started in children's books, what his first assignment was, and what inspires him: Inspiration Is the Only "In" You Need: A Will Hillenbrand Story [PDF]
Additional Notice and Reviews:
Nancy Polette, Director of the Laboratory School at Lindenwood University, and Director of the Library/Media and Gifted Programs in St Louis County Schools, lists One Fine Trade as one of “the best picture books of Summer/Fall 2009 ”!
5/5 Stars! “Miller excels at writing in a traditional way. Her words evoke a history of folktales without effort.” ~Tasha Saecker, director of the Menasha Public Library.
One Fine Trade “… introduces children to the concept of trade… These are lessons that children will learn in elementary school but will use throughout their lives. It is great to teach children the benefits of voluntary trade and this is a great children’s book to do it.” ~Renee Hand
The stimulating plot and amusing illustrations make this book an ideal selection for teaching children about trade and barter. These concepts are among the first economics lessons introduced to children in elementary school and in their own daily lives. One Fine Trade offers a new, refreshing choice for communicating to children the potential benefits of voluntary exchange. ~Yana Rodgers, Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children
The outlandish events and droll caricatures are supported by lively language that is full of rhythm and fun to read aloud. A traditional tale, freshly fashioned. ~Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library, School Library Journal
Perfect for Father’s Day…memorable characters attach effortless to this bouncy tale for a read aloud with rhythm and swing. ~Meribeth Shank, Family Magazine.