Saturday, September 02, 2006

Weekend Reviews

The holiday weekend papers are busy with reviews. Here are the early ones:

Elizabeth Ward considers three anticipated sequels in her "For Young Readers" column at the Washington Post. They are:
  • Voices, by Ursula K. Le Guin ("trademark limpidity lifts Voices far above its lurking political agenda")
  • Things Hoped For, by Andrew Clements (positive review)
  • Crispin: At the Edge of the World, by Avi ("It's edge-of-the-seat stuff"..."Even after more than 50 books, Avi still hasn't really figured out how to write")

Kari Wergeland takes a look at new art books for kids at the Seattle Times. They include:

  • Through Georgia's Eyes, by Rachel Rodríguez, illustrated by Julie Paschkis ("a lovely picture book")
  • The Art Book for Children, by the Editors of Phaidon Press ("there's a lot to be learned from this seemingly simple book")
  • Faces, Places, and Inner Spaces: A Guide to Looking at Art, by Jean Sousa ("a lively prose style focused on basic art concepts — such as perspective, theme, color, shapes and composition")
  • The Jumbo Book of Outdoor Art, by Irene Luxbacher ("teaches kids and parents how to make some really cool pieces using a variety of items found in nature")
  • Paul Cézanne: A Painter's Journey, by Robert Burleigh ("This striking book includes a number of historical photos, as well as plenty of reproductions of Cézanne's paintings")

Debra Leithauser reviews Susane Colasanti's When it Happens for the Washington Post. ("Her take on young romance is insightful, fresh and fun, her characters fully formed and likable.... The outcome may be predictable, but what's really important is what happens along the way.")