Where Is Walrus? by Stephen Savage

•  Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (Feb. 1 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439700493
• ISBN-13: 978-0439700498

I admit that, when I first got a copy of this wordless picture book, I  did not expect it to hold my (and my grandsons') interest for long. Very simple, stylistic art, no text. OK, I thought I could make up a story but it would soon get boring.
That was about three years ago. Now, I admire this book more than most picture books. It works on so many levels, for so many ages. And even though the art is very minimalistic, we discover new things all the time.
The story works for a restless 2 year old, who delights in outsmarting the zoo keeper who can't find walrus anywhere. It also works for a story savvy 4 year old, who still discovers new angles.
As the bored walrus sneaks out of the zoo, he blends into city scapes. The zoo keeper follows and looks along streets. But walrus hides in a cafe, or in a building, on a stage with dancers, even disguised as a firefighter.
When walrus finally steals the show in a diving competion, the zoo keeper get the brilliant idea to give him a larger pool and a dive board. No one in the zoo is ever bored again.
My two grandsons both love this book and we get hours of storytelling fun out of it. Hope you do, too.

Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts

Do you have this too?
Sometimes I'm searching for a new book to start reading, and I'll scan one; read the jacket flaps of another... But they don't quite appeal. Then suddenly you see one and you just know that's the book you will spend the next few days or weeks with.

Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts is a fantastic (summer) read. I liked the cover, the short content sounded just right and once I start, I could not put this book down. Amazing that this is a first novel!
I loved everything about it: the premise of a teen pregnancy, the girl dumped by her boyfriend at Walmart; the way her life unfolds; the support characters; the realistic dialogue. I was 'there' with her all the way. And reluctant to let go when I finished the last page.

And now, when I just googled the author's name to see what else she write, I am shocked to find out that she passed away 3 days ago... just while I was engrossed in her story. What a shame. But I will go to my library to look for the three other novels she published, including “The Honk and Holler Opening Soon” (1998) and “Shoot the Moon” (2004). Her husband, it turns out, wrote 'August: Osage County'.