17 Kings and 42 Elephants

17 Kings and 42 Elephants by Margaret Mahy

Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy

This is one of our all-time favorite picture books. With eye-popping, dream-like jungle illustrations and the bounciest ever verse, this books begs to be read-aloud and poured over again and again and again.

Ms. Mahy's story has little in the way of plot - all we know is that we are in the jungle with 17 kings going somewhere...the book opens thus:

Seventeen Kings on forty-two elephants

going on a journey through a wild wet night,

Baggy ears like big umbrellaphants,

Little eyes a-gleaming in the jungle light.

Not only is the verse remarkably fun to read aloud, it offers much in the way of discussion of word usage, rhyme schemes, vocabulary (and made-up words!), alliteration, and more. Of course, the toddlers will be quite happy to bounce along with the catchy beat while ooohing and aaahing over the tigers, crocodiles, pelicans and more, that inhabit this gorgeous book. 

This would also be a fabulous book/poem for the older children to memorize and a non-threatening way to introduce poetry to any poetry-phobes you may know.

Worthy buying in hardback  -  a fine investment in a young child's library.

Think Christmas!

Blessings,

Maggie* who should probably be thinking Thanksgiving instead!

Secret of the Scribe

Secret of the Scribe by Jennifer Johnson Garrity - ages 10 & up

This new book published by Brimwood Press is fascinating story, told in the first person by 12-year-old Tabni. She is the daughter of a slave living in Sumeria. Well-written, with a detailed look at the customs and culture of ancient Sumer and Ur, this book will generate great discussions on world views. Tabni is discouraged - and finally sick of - the gods her people worship, as they did not save her mother, herself, or any of her friends in need. She hears a strange tale of a man from Ur who only worships one god. This thinly veiled reference to Abram (later to become Abraham) is the only reference to the Bible but none-the-less, this book is a great supplement to any old Testament Bible study or to any Ancient History course. There are three more books in this new "series" about worldviews, all by the same author:

• The Jeweled Astolabe (Medieval)
• Beneath the Cat's Claw (Early Modern)
• Rebel on the Path (Modern)

I haven't read them yet but look forward to doing so. You can find Secret of the Scribe here:
http://www.bookpeddler.us/
http://www.brimwoodpress.com/