Newman, Leslea. Ketzel, The Cat Who Composed.

Newman, Leslea.  Ketzel, The Cat Who Composed.  Candlewick Press  2015  np  $16.99  ISBN 978-0-7636-6555-5  pre K-elem  Picture book  E

      Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed is based on the true story of Moshe Cotel’s pet cat.  Cotel, a composer, jotted down the notes his cat “played” on a piano and submitted the results to a music contest for short compositions.  The composition won, but Cotel was  not surprised.  He claimed that everything he heard, from bird song to construction work, created music in his ears.  The brief story is as charming as the picture book’s very expressive artwork.  Illustrator Amy June Bates created pictures that are the perfect complement to the story, demonstrating a gift for capturing the expressions of both man and feline.  Young listeners will demand to hear this tale repeated many times.

Summary: Share the story of Ketzel, a cat who composed a prize-winning musical composition.
           

Cats-Fiction, Musical composition-Fiction             --Hilary Welliver

Newman, Barbara Johansen. Glamorous Glasses.

Newman, Barbara Johansen.  Glamorous Glasses.  Boyd's Mills Press  2012   $16.95  978-1-59078-873-3   elem  Realistic Fiction     VG-Bne

     

As soon as the reader sets eyes on the cover art for Glamorous Glasses it is clear that this story is going to be a celebration of eyeglasses.  A glimpse at the endpapers, crammed with pictures of many styles of eyewear, confirms it, and then the reader is engaged in a humorous tale of two cousins, Bobbie and Joanie.  Bobbie is as eager to wear glasses as Joanie is not. 

Glamorous Glasses will resonate with Fancy Nancy fans.  Young fashionistas will identify with Bobby, who loves the fabulous range of frames displayed at the eyeglass store and wants a pair of her own.  Other readers may identify with Joanie, who has a different reaction.  Glasses make her feel different and look different from the other kids. 

When Bobby offers to wear Joanie’s prescription glasses, both girls discover challenges in a trip to the candy store.  All ends well, and readers will enjoy the humorous story and upbeat message that wearing glasses can be desirable, even “cool.”

The colorful illustrations and humorous text make this a good storytime choice.  Even boys will see the funny side of Bobby’s quest for glasses (even though she has 20/20 vision).  Children apprehensive about getting glasses will find this story reassuring. 

Observant readers will enjoy the author photo (five pairs of glasses, including a pair on her pet dog!), dedication (which lets them know the book was prompted by a childhood experience), and the delight of locating the many, many pairs of glasses scattered throughout the colorful illustrations.

Eyeglasses-Fiction, Vision-Fiction, Cousins-Fiction             --Hilary Welliver