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Ox writes a letter to Gazelle, raving about her beauty and telling her how much he adores her, but arrogant Gazelle just sends him a generic fan photo, insulting him in letter after letter. Undeterred, or being thick, Ox continues to extol her virtues, intelligence and honesty. Another fun picture book by the team of Adam Rex (author of The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors) and Scott Campbell (illustrator of the Zombie in Love books), XO, OX combines great watercolor illustrations with hilarious word play, making this a good read aloud for kindergartners to adults.
XO, OX is a thought provoking read right before Valentine's Day. Is this an unrequited love story or an obsessive stalker-ish love? Either way you see it, I love it.
The year is 1948 and Tate P. Ellerbee is captivated by rising country star Hank Williams, tuning into his Louisiana Hayride radio program every week from Rippling Creek, Louisiana. So when her teacher assigns the class to choose a pen pal, she decides on Hank Williams without hesitation. Despite his lack of response (other than a few autographed photos), she writes him constantly and tells him all about her life and family, including her Aunt Patty Cake, Uncle Jolly, brother Frog, movie-star mama and world-travelling father, just for starters. Tate P. is also practicing her singing in secret for the upcoming May Festival Talent Contest, and wants to make her family, and the country star, proud. But the more letters she writes, the more secrets come to light, and it's clear that her picture perfect life isn't so perfect at all. Tate P. must come to terms with her family's truth and find enough grit to push forward and become more than just another sad country song.
This poignant epistolary novel by National-Book-Award winner Kimberly Willis Holt features multi-layered characters, rich historical details of post World War II life in the rural South, some smiles and tears, and more than a few twists and turns.
Dear Hank Williams makes a moving read for 4th grade and up.
LaRue Across America: Postcards From the Vacation by Mark Teague is a hilarious take on a vacation gone awry when two cats join Ike and throws his planned cruise out the window. Ike, the irate dog, tries every which way, via postcards, to let poor injured Mrs. Hibbins that all is not well with him or the cats and he only has their best interests at heart and she should come and get them as soon as possible.
Told with a much humor in the illustrations, the pictures tell a different story, it's a perfect family read-aloud. Mark Teague creates beauftiful scenic pages in a combination of color and black and white (for the fantasy/dream moments). Great for readers in preschool and up.
