From Author Rebecca Grabill
This Joyful Mess
Twice Read, Nonce Enjoyed: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Interesting opening, full of subtle tension. But what is the narrator dying from want of? What’s the promise of the first page?
What's that on your Head? Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
The fun begins on the first page when Imogene finds she grew antlers in the night. Right away, Imogene proves she’s a creative, fun-loving child. What child doesn’t have difficulties that feel as big as antlers?
Alternate to Lonely Fireflies: In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming
Bright, bold illustrations, rhyme and alliteration, bugs and snakes that naturally capture a child’s imagination ... perfection. I would have loved to have this in board-book format for my own children when they were young. Similar to...
A Spider and a Pig: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Similar in voice to Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting, White’s is written in a pleasantly distant third person with an air of mystery, like the story that is unfolding is Very Important. Some things of note...
Aesop Rewrites: So lovely and Gentle: Aesop’s Fables by Jerry Pinkney
Compression and storytelling meld with just enough detail to set the stage and uphold the story. I found a mix of familiar and more obscure stories (i.e. “The cat, the Rooster and the Mouse”). All included small details that made the story more vivid, like garlands of flowers around the heifer’s neck. This is a compilation, so...
Strange Little Family: The Animal Family by Randall Jarrell
What a strange book. Jarrell’s is the story of a hunter and mermaid who fall in love and make a family from a bear cub, a lynx, and an orphaned boy. The story is uncannily realistic for all the lack of realism...
Little Black Sambo vs. Sam and the Tigers
I have this story in a set of old blue storybooks from the 20s. My grandmother read it to me when I was a girl. It was my absolute favorite then, and I still enjoy it now. It’s considered to be absurdly racist, primarily the stereotyped...
Oh, No! She's Missing! Miss Nelson, that is.
Clever story line, simple and fresh illustrations. I expect parents took issue with a story about naughty children and a teacher who is called a witch back in the day. It’s standard fare now, though. I mean I have...
Little House by Any Other Name Might Smell Like: Birchbark House
It’s Little House but from the Native American perspective! I love it.
Erdrich accomplishes a lovely coming of age story with many of the same devices Wilder uses. Incredibly specific detail, a gentle narrative that strays from close 3rd limited to omniscient...
My Favorite Queen: Elizabeth
Dense, detailed, drenched in history. Jane’s passion comes through every intimate detail. I wonder if it shouldn’t have been YA. I could imagine my 9yr-old son asking, “What’s a lover, Mom?” And the sheer density of information: all the political intrigues, much pre-understanding about the times assumed...
Hi, I’m Rebecca. I write books and I write here at This Joyful Mess to inspire everyone to find JOY in the everyday messes of life. Here you’ll find inspiration, educational resources, and so much more. Please explore and connect. I’d love to hear from you!