Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A new and notable chapter book.

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look is itching to be read. With a bold cover and illustrations by LeUyen Pham (Grace for President, Freckleface Strawberry) and the relatable subtitle "Allergic to girls, school, and other scary things" it practically jumps off our new titles display. It jumped for us, anyway. Sometimes it's hard to find a simple chapter book with enough depth to satisfy a blossoming new reader. Alvin's story of overcoming (sort of) his ample neuroses and surviving (sort of) second grade, making friends, psychotherapy and piano lessons universalizes the human predisposition to worry. In the tradition of Kevin Henkes's Wemberly Worried and Melanie Watt's Scaredy Squirrel books, Look makes it easy to laugh good naturedly at Alvin's worries and maybe some of our own, as well.

No comments: