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Christelow, Eileen
17 Reviews
(1)
K-3
Two cartoonlike young robins provide commentary--and humor--as they reminisce about the events of their first year that are documented in the main text. The details covered are extensive: we see the contributions that both parents make throughout the young birds' early days, as well as their developmental milestones. Christelow's accurate illustrations are action filled and make excellent use of panels. Glos.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2017
(2)
K-3
Christelow's jaunty, informative books What Do Authors Do? (1995) and What Do Illustrators Do? (1999) are bound together in one useful volume. Clear cartoon panel dialogues between two author and illustrator characters--and each one's dog or cat--elucidate bookmaking's creative process from kernel-of-an-idea to bound book. A new "P.S.--From the (Real) Author-Illustrator" touches on digital art; activities encouraging creativity are appended.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1995;
May, 1999
(3)
PS
It's Halloween, and the five little monkeys are eager to trick-or-treat. With babysitter Lulu as the group's chaperone, the monkeys venture into the night and encounter several costumed friends. Mischief ensues as the trick-or-treaters swap outfits in a furtive masquerade. Playfully illustrated with a colorful parade of animals and disguises, it's a lighthearted Halloween farce.
Reviewer: Lily Rothman
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2013
(4)
PS
Included in this bilingual compilation are: Jumping on the Bed, Sitting in a Tree, With Nothing to Do, Bake a Birthday Cake, and Wash the Car. Three "Learn How to Draw a Monkey!" pages, a short author bio, a musical notation, and removable stickers round out the volume. The Spanish translation doesn't always match the rhythm of the original.
Reviewer: Tim Wadham
(3)
PS
Despite Mama's instructions, the monkeys help themselves to more books after lights-out. Each story elicits a cacophony of hoots, howls, sobs, or cheers, bringing Mama running to spout her refrain: "Lights out! Sweet dreams! No more reading in bed!" The troublemaking monkeys' antics highlight the pleasures of reading. An entertaining twist at the end--and the rambunctious illustrations--will delight fans.
Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden
(3)
K-3
Emma the dog's latest problem: owner George has a new girlfriend and she has a dog. Once again turning to advice columnist Queenie, Emma tries a few tricks to outwit the newcomers only to realize that this particular situation might actually be enjoyable. Bright comic-book-style art and a humorous text slyly craft a tale about adjusting to a blended family.
Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden
(3)
PS
Included in this Five Little Monkeys compilation are: Jumping on the Bed, Sitting in a Tree, With Nothing to Do, Bake a Birthday Cake, and Wash the Car. Four "Learn How to Draw a Monkey!" pages, a short author bio, musical notation, and removable stickers round out the volume. Color bars run along the bottom of the pages, keeping readers' places.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
(3)
PS
Christelow's well-known picture book is reissued here as a lap-sized board book edition. The reproduction is good, and this version is essentially unchanged from the original. The rhyming, repetitive story is well suited to the board book audience, making this volume useful for many libraries and homes.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
When Mama takes her little monkeys shopping for back-to-school clothes, she tells them to stay close--but do they listen? Readers will be amused by Mama's daffiness--and they may even learn a little math ("5 little monkeys – 4 monkeys here = 1 missing monkey"). The digital pen-and-ink and acrylic gouache illustrations are boisterous and cheery.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
Mutt Emma lives with a temperamental artist and his cat. When Emma stumbles across the "Ask Queenie!" electronic advice column for dogs (qdog@weeklybone.dog), she takes her problems to the expert. Although the storytelling panels, dialogue bubbles, and e-mail correspondence make for a busy look, the design--along with Christelow's exuberant pen-and-ink and watercolor pictures--perfectly illustrates the frenetic story.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
(3)
PS
The five little monkeys are at it again, this time playing tricks on their babysitter. The rhyming text moves along quickly, and young listeners will enjoy pointing out the hidden monkeys in Christelow's familiar loose and lighthearted illustrations. Naughty monkeys, hide-and-seek, and lots of counting pretty much guarantee a satisfied preschooler audience.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(3)
K-3
Humorous cartoon panels with art and dialogue balloons follow the mayoral campaign of "Chris Smith" and explain in friendly, accessible language how campaigns and elections work. The story of Smith's campaign (her daughter and her two dogs lead the discussions on voting) adds tension and pertinence to the explanations. Timeline, websites. Glos.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
(3)
K-3
Canine police detective Doggedly tries to protect the three little pigs when their houses are blown down. Doggedly's top suspect, the Big Bad Wolf, seems to have an alibi. But what about Esmeralda, a rather wolfish-looking "sheep" who has taken a sudden interest in the three porkers? Doggedly prevails in this amusing variation on the fairy tale, which features appropriately comical art.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
(2)
K-3
After Bert's pigs run away (The Great Pig Escape), the farmer receives a postcard suggesting that the porkers have headed south. Vacationing in Florida with his wife, Bert intends to bring home the bacon but remains humorously oblivious to the porcine cabdrivers, sunbathers, and rock musicians hiding in plain sight in the loosely composed ink drawings, splashed with bright watercolors.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2002
(3)
PS
These further adventures of Christelow's five little monkeys find them cleaning up and selling Mom's broken-down, smelly car. The bouncy, tongue-twisting rhymes occasionally falter, but the resolution--in which the monkeys avert trouble by convincing a bunch of crocodiles to buy the car--will amuse. Colorful, exuberant illustrations depict appealingly independent and resourceful monkeys.
Reviewer: Jackie E. Stallcup
(2)
K-3
Jaunty in tone, informative in content, and, with its comic-book-style presentation, accessible in format, this is a fitting companion to Christelow's What Do Authors Do? By featuring two fictional artists, each inspired to illustrate "Jack and the Beanstalk," Christelow not only explains the process of bookmaking but also defines abstract concepts (style, design) with as much clarity as more concrete technical terms (dummy, typeface).
Reviewer: Mary M. Burns
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 1999
(4)
K-3
When alligators Jerome and P.J. go on their class camping trip, they have to share a tent with Buster, the bully. After a disastrous first day, they finally hatch a plan to get back at Buster, and they enlist the aid of their friend, Gloria, who does wonderful monster imitations. The ink and watercolor illustrations add humor to the somewhat unsuspenseful story
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
17 reviews
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