The Best Book Ever [this week] - March 1, 2015

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Outer Space Bedtime Race by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Brian Won (Random House)

- Beautiful Birds by Jean Roussen and Emmanuelle Walker (Flying Eye Books)

- Zombie in Love 2+1 by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

- Snoozefest by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Kristyna Litten (Dial Books for Young Readers)

- Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli (Viking)

Episode Transcript:

First up is Outer Space Bedtime Race by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Brian Won. And this is published by Random House. This is a bedtime book, a race to bed (of course) in rhyming text with a visit to each of the plants along the way and my goodness does this not have the most beautifully designed art by Brian Won. This is the guy who brought us Hooray for Hat earlier this year. And it has so many different charming aliens, spacey pictures, and everything just kind of seems to glow off of the page. It's beautiful. And paired with the Ron's rhyming text that… I've just got to flat out say that there is one point where we talk about the creatures of Saturn going to bed in the buff, which is something that I think kids are not going to be able to forget. This is such a beautifully designed book and one that feels new for space books. It feels new for designing characters from from other planets in making them look unique and cute and adorable. So, really well-done! I love this book! Outer Space Bedtime Race. Check it out!

Next up is a book by Flying Eye [Books], which is called Beautiful Birds and it's written and illustrated by J. [Jean] Roussen and E. [Emmanuelle] Walker. This, as well, has some of the most beautiful design I've seen in a picture book. This goes alphabetically through a number of different bird species, and just every single page looks like it could be ripped out and framed. I love the dimensions; It's a very tall book and it covers a great number of birds that I hadn't heard of before and I think will be new to readers. The text rhymes, but really the star of the book here is is the art and how beautifully portrayed these different birds are. to check it out. So check it out. That's Beautiful Birds published from Flying Eye Books. 

Number three this week is a sequel. It's Zombie in Love 2+1 by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Scott Campbell. And this is published through Atheneum Books for Young Readers. In the first Zombie book we found that zombie found someone to love, a partner, a soulmate. And now, wouldn't you know, they have a baby. And there are so many wonderful puns in this book, including one of my favorite which is at the very end. The baby is playing with the father's nose and there, of course, is a line that says,  "Aww! He has his daddy's nose." Which is perfect! Come on? It's like The Naked Gun (movie). It's wonderful! The mom and the dad just don't feel like this is the right baby for them because the baby doesn't cry and the baby doesn't sleep through the day. But wouldn't you know that Kelly's work in her storytelling and Scott's beautiful work in his illustrations pull off a really wonderful, charming zombie book that is equal parts gross and hilarious, so definitely check out Zombie in Love 2+1.

Sticking with the pun theme is Snoozefest by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Kristyna Litten. This is published Dial Books for Young Readers. And Samantha has maybe the strongest control of puns from any author I know. And in this case we have a sloth who is going to the Snoozefest, which is big sleeping party? I don't even know how to call it. Picture Woodstock, only the main goal is to get everyone to go to bed. And everyone buys their shirts and gets the stamps brings their blankets and listens to bands that are meant to soothe you to sleep. And it's just really sweet and charming. I feel like what an adorable bedtime book with so many little puns that kids will pick up on, but also that adult readers will just really love. My favorite part, the highlight of this, is the PJ parade. Watch for the names of all the different illustrators (designers) that Samantha has riffed off of on the theme of sleep. So check that out. That's Snoozefest by Samantha Berger.

And finally is The Impossibly True Story of Tricky Vic, the Man who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli. This is the best book ever this week. The design work on here, too. Greg is a screen print designer, if I'm saying that right. And his news story here, a picture book, a nonfiction story, about a con artist... I don't think you can handle the material any better. He's done such a wonderful job of bringing history to life and also saying about how this is bad guy, who swindled people out of lots and lots of the money and even tricked Al Capone, yes, indeed, he sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice, in fact, to scrap metalists at a time when they were going to tear down the Eiffel Tower. It's just pulled off so well here. I love that the art feels like Rocky and Bullwinkle. It feels classic like that. I love the color scheme on here. It's all kind of gray, muted tones. And I love the content because he tells the story so well, Greg narrates the story so well, but also has these great sidebars and other historical information about Alcatraz and about other buildings along the way. And, I don't know, it's just pulled off in a way that I feel like, "Here is a picture book that people will be reading aloud to kids in elementary school or middle or high school. This is going to be a book that really stands up for an outstanding example of nonfiction and he's got such a gripping story, that it's wonderful. When you pick up a copy of his book, make sure that you lift up the flap as well, the jacket. Because there's some hidden art there that I think you'll really enjoy. And that is why I'm calling The Impossibly True Story of Tricky Vic, the Man who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli the best book ever this week. Way to go!