Book Review: Nosh, Schlep, Schluff

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Nosh, Schlep, Schluff: BabyYiddish by Laurel Snyder,

illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

Random House, 2010

Recommended for ages zero to 3

When Beautiful Yetta arrived on my desk last year, I found myself quite faklempt.  Chickens! Parrots! Awesomely fun-to-say Yiddishisms!  Could another book possibly steal my heart the way Daniel and Jill Pinkwater’s did?

No.  Don’t be silly.

But the new board book Nosh, Schlep, Schluff: Baby Yiddish comes darn close.

Snyder works classic and delightfully cacophonous Yiddish words such as kibitz, klutz, and schlep into a rhyming, day-in-the-life book for the under-three set.  Does the rhyme scheme hold up effortlessly through a read aloud?  Do the words roll off one’s tongue with ease?  Meh, not exactly, but that is part of the fun.

Snyder places the Yiddish vocabulary in sentences that provide help provide context and clue in children and adults unfamiliar with the language.  Beeke’s naive-style illustrations and use of bright primary colors are perfect for the intended audience.

My favorite line: “If you want to start a ruckus, wave your arms and shake your TUCHES!”

True that.

Edit: I just realized that schmutz is not one of the Yiddish words included in Nosh, Schlep, Schluff.  I definitely think it deserved a place, no?  What better word to describe that, you know, ….schmutz… all over a little one’s face right after snack time?  It could be that schmutz is associated with a four-letter word meaning poop that also starts with the letter “s.”  But, as far as I know, the actual derivation is from the word for “dirt” or “dirty” in German.  Any real Yiddish speakers out there care to comment?

Classics I’ve Never Read (or, My Shame Revealed)

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Here is my confession: I am a children’s librarian who has not read a (shameful) number of classic children’s books.  There are books that I’ve purposefully avoided, others that I’ve always meant to read (but Time, time, who has the time?), and yet others that send a a cold jolt of fear straight into my heart.  These are the books that haunt me.

Clearly, it’s time to fess up.

Continue reading →

Vinci Tablet: Cool Idea, Terribly Irresponsible Marketing

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Yesterday I came across the website for Vinci Tablet computers for children.  Initially I was excited to hear about an iPad-like device that comes equipped with a near-indestructable screen, is pre-loaded with games, and is designed with small hands in mind.  Sounds pretty cool.  After a bit of research on their website and after watching a few YouTube demos, I was somewhat appalled to discover that the company is marketing their product to babies ages zero to three.

It is well-documented that children under the age of two should not have screen time.  According to numerous studies, screen time (including both television and computer games) can have negative effects on the social, emotional, and language development of young children.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies and toddlers under two receive no screen time whatsoever.  So, why is the Vinci Tablet company marketing a touch-screen computer to parents of infants?

For the preschool set and up, I think the Vinci Tablet has some very interesting possibilities (particularly in library and educational settings.) I take strong issue, however, with this product being pushed to babies.

Perhaps the most ridiculous rationale comes in the video below around the 2:05 mark.

The interviewer asks the sales rep, “What is the purpose of the Vinci Tablet?”  The sales rep responds that it is “To teach babies curiosity, first and foremost.” Whew.  Thank goodness someone is addressing the problem of aloof and indifferent one-year-olds.  Seriously?  A touch screen computer to “teach” babies to be curious about the world around them? Babies and toddlers are nothing if not little bundles of pure curiosity.  In fact, natural curiosity is the very essence of childhood!  And it is that natural curiosity that allows baby brains to develop, absorb language, decipher facial cues, learn to recognize familiar voices, and integrate into the social fabric of their environment.

While the Vinci Tablet is a very cool idea for slightly older children, the claim that it will help toddlers “develop skills and build confidence” flies in the face of all known research on the subject and amounts to incredibly irresponsible marketing.

Steal This Rhyme!

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Sitting on the (slow, slow, slow) MetroNorth this morning, I came up with a new rhyme for my Preschool Storytime.  Take it, use it, change it up as you see fit!  And enjoy!

Kiera’s Wiggly, Jiggly, Settle-Down Rhyme

Right hand, left hand,

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Roll ‘em up,

Shake ‘em out,

Tap, tap, tap!  (tap hands on knees)

Blink your eyes,

nod your head,

give your arms a jiggle.

Touch your elbow,

touch your ears,

and shake out all your wiggles!

It’s no Shake Your Sillies Out, but hey, it does the trick.

photo courtesy of Flickr user John-Morgan

Book Review: BEAUTIFUL YETTA: THE YIDDISH CHICKEN

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Beautiful Yetta: The Yiddish Chicken written by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrations by Jill Pinkwater

Feiwel and Friends, 2010

Recommended for ages 4 to 7

There are several elements in children’s books that I adore.  As anyone who has worked with me knows, chickens are high on that list.  I also like me a handsome pigeon (my grandfather raised racing pigeons in our backyard.)  So, too, am I a sucker for slightly surreal plotlines and unlikely heroes.  Finally, although not directly related to children’s literature, there is my tendency to toss in Yiddish phrases into casual conversations whenever possible (thank you, Grandma Zoe.)  It is no wonder, then, that I received Beautiful Yetta with awe, admiration, and a tear in my eye. Continue reading →

Book Review: A BEACH TAIL

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A Beach Tail written by Karen Lynn Williams, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Boyds Mills Press, 2010

Recommended for ages 3 to 5

Gregory and his dad are spending the day at the beach together.  Swish-swoosh, up lap the waves onto the sand.  Gregory draws a Sandy Lion, with a full mane, four chubby legs, a happy face.   His father gently reminds him of the beach rules; “Don’t go in the water and don’t leave Sandy.”  On the pages that follow, Greg draws in Sandy’s tail which leads him down the beach, past a purple jellyfish, a sandcastle, a horseshoe crab, and other amazing discoveries on the sand.  While getting further and further away from his father under the blue umbrella, Greg never goes in the water and the growing, twisting, curving tail ensures that he never leaves Sandy. Continue reading →

Book Review: THE BOYS

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The Boys by Jeff Newman

Simon & Schuster Books for Children, 2010

Recommended for ages 4 and up

It’s tough being the new kid.  For lots of children who move to a new town or city, it’s hard to make new friends.  There are already groups, cliques, established.  How do you break in?  How to find your place?  With (almost) no words, Newman’s retro-style gouache and ink illustrations tell the story of a new kid just trying to be one of the boys. Continue reading →

Book Review: SPORK

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Spork written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Kids Can Press, 2010

Recommended for ages 3 to 6

Just last week, a mom came into my library looking for a good book for her kindergartner about self-acceptance.  Her daughter had been feeling rather down ever since she had corrective eye surgery and had wear an eye patch for a few months.  I couldn’t find any books for that exact situation, but after doing my best biblio-therapy exam and consulting with some fellow practitioners, I prescribed a few books featuring characters who start out different, feeling the pressure to conform, and end up rejoicing in their uniqueness.  I handed the mom Yoko, Chrysanthemum, and Spork.  Continue reading →