________________ CM . . . . Volume XX Number 13 . . . . November 29, 2013

cover

Hazel's Rainbow Ride.

Gwen Molnar. Illustrated by Barbara Hartmann.
Edmonton, AB: Dempster & Craig Books, 2013.
32 pp., stapled, $10.95.
ISBN 978-0-9878812-4-3.

Preschool-grade 4 / Ages 4-9.

Review by Jill Griffith.

*** /4

   

excerpt:

What if.....I took my pepper-red cat with his pepper-yellow coat and his pepper-green hat to fly a long mile...


So begins the story of a girl and her cat as they journey through a world of adventure in their hot air balloon. Gwen Molnar, author of 10 books for children including chapter books and poetry, takes her readers on a rainbow ride of adventure. This is no ordinary ROYGBIV rainbow ride, however, but a flight through crimson and bice-blue and madder. The words are in the colours they are, so readers know what colour turquoise and gooseberry are. More an ode to words, this poem begs to be read aloud so children can hear the words tripping off the tongue.

internal art      Barbara Hartmann's watercolour illustrations are nostalgic and reminiscent of 1960s design. Think "Beatles Yellow Submarine" psychedelic graphic art. The illustrations are clever, playful and fun, and will appeal to children's' vivid imaginations. The text works well with, and within, the illustrations, the colours echoing the words on the pages. Each turn of the page is a new set of hues, covering the entire colour spectrum.

      Initially the book appears to be for a younger audience, but I would recommend that it be used for both elementary language arts programs and art classes into middle school.

Recommended.

Jill Griffith is the Youth Services Manager at Red Deer Public Library in Red Deer, AB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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