The Jewel Fish of Karnak

The Jewel Fish of Karnak
by Graeme Base

Graeme Base needs no introduction. Best known for Animalia, every page of every book he has illustrated so far is a breathtakingly amazing work of art! And, no wonder, considering he takes a couple of years or more to complete each book.

From our favorites like The Waterhole, Jungle Drums, Uno's Garden, The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery, it was interesting to note that the books are not necessarily written for the age group for which they are marketed. I remember reading an excerpt that quoted the author regarding his books: "I write them for myself in order to fulfill a creative desire and only after these considerations do I look at the requirements of a 'children's book,' whatever that might be!"

Anthropomorphic Animals and Fantasy - an irresistible combination seen in many of his books - describe The Jewel Fish of Karnak as well. If just four main characters - a Female Feline Pharaoh, The Crocodile Prince, and two thieves Ibis and Jackal - in an exotic land doesn't sound intriguing enough, then, Graeme Base has more for you: a puzzle with clues in the story and a gorgeous last page to figure out the answer.

Jackal and Ibis, thieves as they are,  are caught stealing a trinket in the marketplace at Asyut, and brought to Cat Pharaoh for justice. They beg for pardon. So Cat Pharaoh sets them on a quest: Bring back the Jewel Fish of Karnak, and

Do not take anything else while you are in Karnak. And know that the Jewel Fish is magical. Be sure it does not get wet.

If they succeed and do as told, they will be pardoned and set free.

While the quest itself may not be terribly perilous, the temptations are. They are warned sufficiently. But can thieves resist thieving?

Of course not, or we wouldn't have a story. They take something they are not supposed to and so are pursued savagely by Crocodile Prince. In the confusion that ensues, Ibis and Jackal lose the Jewel Fish of Karnak, in the River Nile, which then mingles among the other fish, becoming hard to recover.

Are they doomed? Not really, that's where we come in, we the reader. The last page is a note from Cat Pharaoh which says:

Jackal and Ibis were not clever, were they?
...
But I am a merciful cat. If you bring the Jewel Fish to my palace at www. graemebase.com, I shall release Jackal and Ibis from their endless task - and reward you as well.


But be warned, I shall demand proof that you have brought me the right fish!

And, how exactly can we help? There is a code on the first page - a set of symbols - pictogram of sorts, which we use to find the encoded clue(s) that points us to the one and only Jewel Fish of Karnak.

Did we go to the palace of Cat Pharaoh and get rewarded for retrieving the right Jewel Fish? Indeed. The resident six year old came up with the solution one night, after a few days of staring at the pages as much as she can, and talking about the possibilities with us.

The inside of the jacket is full of tidbits about ancient Egypt. All in all, another fantastic book from a master. Thank you, Nana, for this wonderful addition to our bookshelf!

[image source: www.penguin.com.au]

Monkey Business, Ballroom Bonanza, Jungle Drums

Monkey Business by Wallace Edwards

Jungle Drums by Graeme base

Ballroom Bonanza A Hidden Pictures ABC Book by Nina Rycroft

What do these books have in common?

According to my 6 year old daughter, they are the best kind of books I like to read sometimes...

Why?

Because they have hidden pictures that we have to discover, and they are so fun!

Wallace Edwards is not a stranger in our house. Thanks to Nana, who added Edwards' books to our bookshelf over the years, Alphabeasts is much-loved and rather popular in our house, and not just with the kids.

Painted Circus by Edwards is another big hit with Ana as it is full of optical illusions. I remember reading about how Edwards plays with language and art to inspire kids to think differently.

Monkey Business was Ana's top-favorite for about a week, reaching for it every night at bedtime, where finding the monkey hidden in each page was as much fun as poring over the illustrations and figuring out the meaning of the text, not just literally.

IDIOM: a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood from the meaning of the individual words; an expression, peculiar to specific language, that cannot be translated literally.

Thus starts this gorgeously illustrated book full of visual pun and action. Each page presents an idiom in a simple sentence, but with rich yet comical illustrations that easily amused and entertained the resident 6-yo.

"Not again", sighed Owen. "It isn't easy being a bull in a china shop." shows a well-dressed gentleman of a bull with a ring at the end of his nose, one shoe untied, his cane and horns hooked into assorted urns and vases on the shelves, his hand stuck in a rather ornate jug, all entangled without intention.

Phil had no formal musical training, so he learned to play by ear. shows a droopy-eared long-faced dog, Phil, sitting on the sidewalk with two bones in his tip jar, playing a violin with his two long ears while two little mice sit in rapt attention cheering him, presumably.

I better leave the rest for the readers to experience first-hand. The book gave me the opportunity to introduce these idioms and phrases to Ana, explain the meaning easily, and let her connect the dots.

Incidentally, her first encounter with metaphors and phrases which don't mean much if we add up the meaning of the individual words themselves but have become part of our speech by what they convey in toto, was through the book Butterflies in my Stomach and Other School Hazards by Serge Bloch. "I have butterflies in my stomach", "I don't want to open that can of worms" and such might not mean much initially, but, with the stark yet comical pen-and-ink drawings Bloch has brought out the literal meaning of the words along with the emotions they convey.

Moving on, Jungle Drums by Graeme Base came into our lives after our fascination with Water Hole. By now, children around the world are probably familiar with the Swahili words for the animals of the savanna - Simba (Lion), Punda Milia (Striped Donkey aka Zebra), Kifuru (Rhino), Chui (Leopard) and Tembo (Elephant).

Jungle Drums is about a tiny warthog (Ngiri) who gets teased all the time and wants it to stop. Nyumbu (Wildebeest) gives him a set of magical bongos telling him that it will make his wishes come true. "Just remember, wishes can come true, but not always as you expect.", she says with a twinkle in her eye.

The unexpected happenings make up the rest of the book, until things get back to normal and Ngiri is not teased anymore.

Each page has Nyumbu hidden in the picture. Spotting her is the extra challenge in this book. I admit, I failed miserably. A wisp of a ghost-like projection somewhere in the far horizon, a suggestion of a face hidden among the bushes... it takes a keen eye to spot the wildebeest in each page. Ana found them all, rather rubbing it in my face, inviting me to spot them with her and saying helpful things like, "Oh this one jumps out at you, it is too easy Mama, come on don't take so long!"

The illustrations certainly have the Graeme Base touch, colorful, lush, imaginative. Ana's favorite (and mine) was the page where the Other Animals lose their stunning spots and striking stripes, impressive horns and curly trunks but the warthogs acquire them.

Ballroom Bonanaza by Nina Rycroft is a random pick from the library, after noticing how much Ana liked books with hidden visual images. And it turned out to be an instant hit.

In the famous town of Blackpool,
Each October, you will find
Gathered in the Tower Ballroom
Animals of every kind.

It's a dancing competition.
Who will win the prize this year?
Let us watch as keen contenders
Alphabetically appear.

Thus starts this book that runs from A to Z showcasing affluent alpacas, bears in boleros all the way to zebras who can dance the zapateado. Of course, as with all abecedary books, I am curious about what represents u, w, x and the book had a clever solution.

U is an ungainly letter,
lacking possibilities:
Hence the jitterbugging ugwumps.
(We have just invented these.)

The front and back inside covers show pictures of 26 instruments like kettledrum, guiro, castanets along with bassoon, cello, violin, saxophone and such, each of which is hidden in the pictures on the pages of the book. The challenge is to spot the instrument that completely blends with the action and props in the picture.

In addition, most letters introduce a dance form: camels doing the conga, donkeys demonstrating the disco, elephants belly-dancing, flamingos dancing the flamenco and so on with swans doing the samba, turkeys doing the twist. I learnt about few new dances through this book: Zapateado, Watusi, Nutbush and promptly looked them up to share with Ana.

Oggie was certainly fascinated with Jungle Drums, choosing it often for bedtime read, but was not quite ready to delve into the joys that Monkey Business and Ballroom Bonanza had to offer. After over a year in our bookshelf, Ana just now seemed ready for these books with her explosion in language skills over summer.

And, thanks to these books, Ana took her bland-old coloring activity to a new level. Be it Alice or Cheshire Cat, Asterix or Unicorn, rather than just coloring them in, she started adding a smiley face/flower/star with a dark marker somewhere in the picture, and colored over it with crayons, then challenged me to find the hidden picture. As a natural progression, she started adding these touches to drawings she does as well.

I am sure there are many more such treasures. I remember Look-Alikes Around the World by Joan Steiner and similar books a while back that we liked, which presented creative images with hidden objects to find. Books like these seem to have a universal appeal, regardless of age.

[image source: amazon.com]

Cross-posted at Saffron Tree

A Few Counting Books for Toddlers

There is no dearth of good counting books for babies and toddlers - be it simple board books or fantastic picture books with gorgeous illustrations and catchy rhymes.

Some place the numeral prominently and weave a picture and text around it, some make it interactive by hiding the items to be counted rather cleverly with enough hint for the toddler to succeed, some present stunning visuals that make it hard to turn the page in a hurry, and some share jolly with catchy text that lodges in our heads.

Judging by repeat reads and pore-over-pictures-alone, it seems like these books have made an impression recently and before they get pushed into oblivion by other wonderful books we continue to read, I wanted to list them here for quick reference.

By no means an exhaustive list of toddler counting books, this is our top-10 list of the recent reads that stand out and entertain and educate.

1. The Water Hole by Graeme Base
   
   This book is simply brilliant. I admit I got into Animalia thanks to my daughter's Saturday morning ritualistic TV-viewing. However, this book has so much to offer that I am glad Nana got it for our bookshelf to cherish and treasure.
   
   The text is unusual in that it is not really rhyming and not necessarily profound, but short and catchy nonetheless. Plus, like die-cut books, the water hole is cut out on each page, progressively getting smaller till there is no water left.
   
   And, on each page, the illustration hints at the region of the world the animal on that page is from. The hint of a Taj Mahal on the 2 Tigers page wasn't missed by Ana. Plus, the numeral and the exact number of animals can be spotted on each page, progressively moving from 1 to 10.
   
   And, on the border/frame of each page, we have the bonus of other animals presented as a sort of silhouette, with their names. And these animals are hidden in the picture on that page very cleverly. It is almost a game with Ana and me to see who spots them first in the picture. Oggie is catching on slowly.
   
   The last page shows which part of the world the animals from 1 through 10 inhabit. This is more than just a counting book. The fact that the water hole dries up was a shock on first read - to watch the animals go away, leaving a barren land. And of course, magically, it rains and rains and the water hole is back. And so are the animals. This certainly cheered up Ana.
   
   The illustrations are unbelievably stunning. The message about water getting dried up and animals leaving, and coming back after the rains... it is lost on the 2-year old, but, the book has so much to offer visually, that it has become a firm favorite.
   
   And, Uno's Garden, (reviewed at Saffron Tree), is soon becoming a favorite as well.
   
   
   
   
2. Forest Bright, Forest Night
   by Jennifer Ward, illustrations by Jamichael Henterly
   
   The turn-it-over (or upside down book, as Ana calls it) format, gorgeous illustration, simple text all make this book interesting. But, what captivated me was that, the same animals we see bustling and active at daytime, on the Forest Bright side of the book, appear in the Forest Night side, sleeping fitfully, while the nocturnal creatures carry the counting book through the night. And vice versa.
   
   It is clever and well-done. Counting the number of animals in each page is made challenging by concealing some of them so we only see parts of the animals we are counting, not to mention the slumbering animals who are part of the other half of the book. In addition, we get to spot the numeral on the page, which of course is not terribly easy either.
   
   While the text was simple, the illustrations blew me away. Exceptionally entertaining book with amazing pictures makes this a favorite with me, as well as my kids.
   
   
   
   
3. Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr.Seuss (Theo.LeSieg)
   
   Dr.Seuss' inimitable style makes this a delightful read, every time. The meter, the illustrations, the fun of balancing one more apple than the other, and not letting them fall, the friendly competition between the dog, lion and tiger, not to mention the sight words and the conclusion, the joy of working together... the book easily stands out.
   
   
   
   
4. Over in the Jungle and Over in the Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jeanette Canyon
   
   
   As reviewed for Saffron Tree, these books are both well-loved and oft-read ones from our bookshelf.
   
   The illustrations by Jeanette Canyon are truly inspiring. Each page was specially created with polymer clay, and a section at the back of the book explains it.
   
   It is no surprise that these two books have appealed equally to both the kids. Whereas the 5-year old pores over art work, reads the words, and drinks in the composition, the 2-year old stares with jaw-dropping wonder at the various animals, their expressions, their stance/action/colors and shouts the numerals on each page as we move along from 1 to 10.
   
   The last page is a treat: the two-page spread juxtaposes the whole gamut 55 enchanting animals in a lush rainforest (creatures in the coral reef) and invites us to spot them all. Very much like "I Spy". And the clever artist has made it quite challenging for the wee ones to spot them easily which naturally makes it a delightful and engaging activity.
   
   
   
   
5. My Granny Went To Market by Stella Blackstone, illustrations by Christopher Corr
   
   As reviewed for Saffron Tree, this was Ana's favorite and soon becoming Oggie's. I love this book. I wish I was that granny, flying in the magic carpet around the world collecting exotic things...
   
   The book offers not just a lesson in counting, but in geography, culture, pleasures of travel, exotic items from different regions of the world... this is a book that has many layers, each gradually revealing itself as the child grows and is ready to see it.
   
   The illustrations and rhyme has made this an all-time favorite with me. Thanks, Nana, and I am sure you'll remember reading it to Ana for the first time that Christmas a few years ago.
   
   
   
   
6. 
   Way up In the Arctic, Over in the Garden by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Kenneth J. Spengler
   
   Oggie seems to like it- especially spotting the hidden numerals on each page, and the bugs and animals... I like it because Oggie does, and pesters me to read them over and over.
   
   Using the familiar Over In The Meadow style verses, these two books seem a lot of fun to read/sing aloud. At the back, there are some notes on the animals featured in the book.
   
   In Way Up In The Arctic, for some reason, the page with the Owls (Eight) seems to excite unmuffled giggles - particularly one small owlet that sports a distinctly inebriated look :)
   
   
   
   
7. Ten Terrible Dinosaurs by Paul Stickland
   
   Countdown books are fun and challenging. We start with ten lively dinosaurs all in a line. As they drop off one by one, we scramble to figure out which one is missing. It is especially challenging for the little one to state with confidence when I pause at "... then there were?" The rhyme helps, of course.
   
   The dinosaurs romp and stomp, nearly pop, do goofy tricks and crazy jives, until the last one begins to snore. His friends sneak up behind him and suddenly yell... ROAR! Sure enough, this gets the expected response from the 2-year old.
   
   
   
   
8. Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert
   
   I love the illustrations, and apparently so does Oggie. I am not fond of the text. It feels a bit awkward to read... now, I am not sold on rhyming text always, but, it does help to have some sort of meter especially when reading to the 2 year old. I like the subtle layering of arithmetic concepts so this book can continue to appeal 1 to 3 year olds. The die-cut pages and bright colors are certainly eye-catching and interesting.
   
   
   
   
9. Seven Little Rabbits by John E. Becker, Illustrations by Barbara Cooney (Miss Rumphius)
   
   While not strictly a counting book, we start off with seven rabbits and end up with none. The repetitive words, rhythm, and structure makes this a good bedtime read. The cute part is the cycling back up to seven and getting into an endless loop of reading this book. The illustrations are beautiful, almost magical.
   
   Thanks to Nana, this book gets pulled out from our bookshelf more often than I expected. And, the repetitive nature makes it easy for my daughter, a beginner reader, to carry on confidently... even if she stops to study the pictures.
   
   
   
   
10. The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Lisa Falkenstern
    
    While not a counting book, this has become a recent hit with the 5-and2-year old, as well as me for its beautiful illustrations and presentation. Various parts of the tree are introduced, in rhyming couplets, showing how interconnected all creatures are.
    
    I am a tree, a busy tree, come and see invites the book. We start at the root of an imposing oak tree, then move to the trunk, branches, leaves... get to know the tree and who lives in it and how they form a part of a greater whole.
    
    Hear my green leaves as they shake in the wind, Breathing out air for all to breathe in has left a powerful impression on Ana. Along with Lynne Cherry's The Great Kapok Tree, this book has impressed upon Ana the role trees play, while seeming to just stand there doing nothing.
    
    Also, she likes the part where the little girl sows the seed which turns into a large tree, a busy tree, for all to come and see. Going a full circle.
    
    I enjoy reading this aloud, taking the time to study the pictures and marvel at the beauty of it all.
    

As it happens, this list has quite a few books by Jennifer Ward. When I read The Busy Tree first, I was interested in exploring more by this author and found Forest Bright, Forest Night. And we've read a few more since then.

And, I have perhaps mentioned a few of these books on and off here, in older posts... but, rediscovering them with the young one makes it worth a separate post here I'm sure.

[Cross-posted at Saffron Tree]