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Chorao, Kay
14 Reviews
(3)
K-3
I Like to Read series.
Elephants, monkeys, bugs, and crocodiles play games, interact, and experience emotions together in the jungle. Though the text is simple, the panel illustrations tell a more complex story, allowing new readers to enjoy the book on multiple levels. The soft, pastel-colored illustrations in watercolor, gouache, and ink imbue the eponymous elephants with personality. This is an easy reader with substance.
Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth
(4)
K-3
Four short lively vignettes with detailed panel illustrations in pen, gouache, and watercolor depict a rambunctious doggy who tramples Grandma's tulips, makes a mess in the kitchen, colors outside the lines, disappears during a rainstorm, and more. Sam's parents, grandparents, and friends are quicker to scold the impulsive pup than praise him; the repeated "Bad boy!" and "Good boy!" retorts grow tiresome.
Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty
(3)
K-3
Here the graphics, font, and contorted human figure representing each letter are suitably inspired by eighteenth-century originals, and the objects pictured--such as floorcloth and ink balls--are easily viewed at Colonial Williamsburg. Chorao uses softened colors and projects an upbeat attitude in this well-grounded book, with enough referents to make each letter interesting but not too many to crowd the pages. Glos.
Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian
(2)
PS
A companion to The Baby's Lap Book, this collection of twenty-seven bedtime verses interposes traditional material with poems by well-known authors--among them Stevenson, Tennyson, and Blake. Although the children's pretty faces reflect a variety of ethnic backgrounds, the illustrations project a uniform idealized vision of nighttime ritual.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1984
(2)
PS
Originally published in 1977 with black-and-white art, this collection of fifty nursery rhymes was first reissued in 1990 with full-color spreads. Designed to be shared with small children, this welcome reissue abounds with mischief, humor, and spirit. Ind.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
February, 1978
(4)
PS
The thirty-six selections in Chorao's fourth volume of poems and traditional nursery rhymes provide a varied and enjoyable introduction for babies, including some familiar ("Three Little Kittens," "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep") and some not so familiar ("Polar Bear Coat," "Grandpa Bear's Lullaby") offerings. Lighter hues predominate in the large, lively illustrations, which abound with young animals and children, some of whom border on the overly cute.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
The young narrator, her grandparents, and her friend Robert feed and care for an injured seagull. Realistic illustrations portraying many aspects of beach life are a good match for the lengthy text's detailed descriptions of beach ecology. A storm provides tension, and the story neatly avoids sentimentality in addressing the eventual death of the gull.
Reviewer: Jim St. Claire
(3)
K-3
Four short chapters feature Kate, an elephant child, and her extended family. The sunny illustrations picture Kate's varied responses: being scared after breaking a decorative pot, being angry at having her artwork misidentified, and feeling sad when her grandmother leaves. The accessible format and sympathetic character will appeal to emergent readers.
Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty
(4)
PS
In a somewhat forced narrative, James is scared by the shadows of his curtains in the moonlight, so his parents tell him a story about the shadow animals they make on his wall. After they leave, James makes his own shadow animals and feels comfortable enough to go to sleep. The illustrations clearly show how the hands are held to form each animal, and an afterword provides tips on making shadows.
Reviewer: Susan Halperin
(2)
K-3
Crow trades a series of three "magic" items for lonely Pig's baked goods. Magic seeds grow into nonmagic pumpkins. A magic worm changes into a butterfly and, heartbreakingly for Pig, flies away. Finally, Crow brings a magic egg, which hatches into a companionable goose. While the illustrations may be overly precious, the original and engaging plot is built around natural wonders of genuine interest to young children.
Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2000
(4)
K-3
Kate the elephant is the star of four short stories suitable for the newest readers. As the youngest in her family, Kate struggles with big brothers, disappointment, and inability to express her needs. While the soft images feature expressive characters and the stories depict a warm and loving family, the ages of the main character and the intended audience are poorly matched.
Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin
(4)
PS
Among these twenty hand rhymes are a few familiar ones, such as "Pat-a-Cake" and "Peas Porridge." A small box beside each line of text contains an illustration of a simple action (hand-clapping, bouncing, etc.). Filled with animals and children at play, Chorao's sweet watercolors sometimes contain more detail than a youngster's eye can handle, but the action images from each rhyme are charming.
Reviewer: Suzy Schmidt
(4)
1-3
In these three stories about kitten siblings, Sam gets lost in the snow, Jake sees what he thinks is a river witch, and Martha practices for a part in the school play. They squabble, as all siblings do, but they also help each other out. While the illustrations provide a pleasant background for the stories, the language sometimes sounds stiff.
Reviewer: Patricia Riley
(2)
PS
Chorao's portrait is a fond, bucolic look at the everyday life of a small modern farm. The text begins in winter when the farm appears quiet, but there is plenty of activity in the barn. As the year progresses, different activities specific to each season are described. Chock full of details, the illustrations are less controlled and sweet than in Chorao's earlier books and are well suited to the earthy setting.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
14 reviews
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