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Lap Time - Book Reviews
Winning Picture Books from Sarah Stewart
and David Small

by Terry Miller Shannon
I didn't know until today that Sarah Stewart and David Small are married. "OH!" I said. Then, "Oooooh." Finally: "Of course." These are simply three of the most beautiful, heart-warming picture books I've ever picked up and they happen to be written by Ms. Stewart and illustrated by Mr. Small. These stories are a wonderful marriage of words and art.

The Gardener
By Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
ISBN: 0374325170

I picked this up in a bookstore, began smiling . . .and ended up with tears trickling down my cheeks (to my husband's consternation). Lydia Grace Finch goes to stay with her grumpy uncle during the Depression. Can one little girl toting seeds and big plans change her world? The answer unfolds in this lovely story, told in letters to her folks back home. And the illustrations? Suffice to say, this book won a Caldecott Honor award

The Journey
By Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
ISBN: 0374339058

An Amish girl named Hannah, "the luckiest girl on this good earth," journeys to Chicago from her farm. She shares her experiences via journal entries. Double-spread illustrations without text, depicting home and family scenes, are cleverly interposed between the busy city scenes. These pictorial pauses serve as quiet, slow, remembering moments reflecting Hannah's own yearnings. Satisfying and heart tugging, this book celebrates new adventures while honoring the importance of home.

The Library
By Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
ISBN: 0374343888

It's hard to pick a favorite, but this has to be mine. In fact, when my sister read this rhyming story about the ultimate reader, she said, "Terry, this is YOU!" Unlike the two previous books, THE LIBRARY is not a journey tale. It's the story of Elizabeth Brown, who doesn't give a fig for the nonessentials in life--all she really wants to do is turn another page. Each whimsical, old-fashioned illustration is a delight. Stewart and Small find a nifty happy ending for Elizabeth Brown, whose books cover every surface and block her front door. Whew--am I relieved! And now I'm off to "read and read and read."

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Terry Miller Shannon (www.terrymillershannon.com) and her son, Tim Warner, wrote a funny, rhyming picture book. Tim's three-year-old bath-loving son inspired TUB TOYS (Tricycle Press, 2002, second printing 2003). Children's Literature calls TUB TOYS "a must-have book for families" and MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW says it is: "..greatly recommended..whimsical and fun." Tub Toys



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