Scholastic Picture Books

More picture books from the Scholastic Book Fair:

Just when you think you've heard everything there is to hear about the voyage of the Titanic!
 
There are both fiction and nonfiction accounts of the dogs that were aboard the Titanic when it went down, but were those the only animals the ship carried? According to author Marty Crisp, every ship that sailed in those days had a ship's cat, and the Titanic would have been no exception. What happened to that cat, then? Drawing on an interview with an old sailor, Crisp paints this account.
 
While the story of the Titanic is of course a tragic one, the focus of this story on the mama cat and her kittens, and their friendship with a young boy, make it suitable for a young audience. The story of the ship's sinking is told seperately at the beginning, without graphic details, so parents can decide whether to share that part or not. The pictures, by Robert Papp, are gorgeous. He has undoubtedly known and studied many cats and their expressions! We give it a
 
4 out of 5.
 



At first glance, we thought this was a Fancy Nancy book. Intentional, perhaps? Yes, they have the same illustrator (Robin Preiss Glasser), so of course there will be similarities; but, the border? The colors? The font? Did he publishers not think the author's name and title (Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York) would be enough of an extra sell?
 
Silly, really, and not at all necessary. The story is very cute in its own right. How often does a child get excited about some coming event, only to be hit with a barrage of instructions from adults about how to behave when the time comes? Fortunately, Ruby does not let their cautions ruin her enthusiasm, and a wonderful time is had by all. Yes, fans of Fancy Nancy will love it, but it can also stand on its very own two feet. We give it a
 
5 out of 5.