Triple Review: Scarlatti's Cat by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer + Water Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas + The Only Alex Addleston in All These Mountains by James Solheim

Scarlatti's Cat by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, Carlyn Beccia (Illustrations)

Expected publication: March 1st 2014 by Carolrhoda Books

Hardcover, 32 pages

Series: Stand-Alone

Genre: Children's Book

Source: From the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon |   Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads

Domenico Scarlatti, the great Italian composer, enjoys his cat's company when he plays harpsichord. Little does he know, his cat, Pulcinella also dreams of composing her own music! One day, while chasing a mouse, she tumbles onto the harpsichord. Suddenly, she can't resist the urge to play. When she begin to play, Scarlatti's eyes widen...

A cute children's story about Domenico Scarlatti an Italian composer and his gorgeous cat Pulcinella. Scarlatti composes music on his harpsichord, and Pulcinella spends days listening to his music and wishing she too could compose the beautiful music she keeps hearing in her head. Unfortunately the house rules do not alone Pulcinella near the harpsichord, only Scarlatti is allowed to touch it.

One day after making a move to Madrid, a small creature catches the eye of Pulcinella and as she chases the little mouse around she accidentally lands on the keys Forgetting about the chase, she allowed herself to indulge in the music, writing one of the most beautiful pieces Scarlatti has written down. Unfortunately Scarlatti's pride did not want the world to know that a cat wrote this beautiful piece so he gave Pulcinella away to a friend of his.

I like that this story teaches children that they can go after their dreams and that everything is possible. I honestly don't know how I feel about the cat being given away for following that dream, that in itself feels like it sends the wrong message there. The cat followed her dream and got punished?

I tested that theory on one of the kids and the response came back was a pouty lip and a question I wasn't sure how to answer "but why was the cat given away?"

The illustrations were beautiful, very unique but I also wish that some of the words were a little easier to pronounce especially for children.

Water Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas

Expected publication: April 1st 2014 by Millbrook Press

Hardcover, 32 pages

Genre: Children's Book

Source: From the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon |   Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads
Water can be a
Thirst quencher
Kid drencher
Cloud fluffer
Fire snuffer

Find out about the many roles water plays in this poetic exploration of water throughout the year.

Wonderful kid's story about everything that's important about water. Not only does it teach kids that water isn't only something you drink, but it also teaches children about what else water effects. Like how some animals live in water, how it can be dangerous to ships, how it forms rainbows, ice and snow. The last few pages gives more information about the brief mentioning of everything that the water does in the book. Explaining to the children how and why. When it uses some bigger words, there is even a glossary in the back to explain it even more! I enjoyed this one, I think it's fantastic way to teach children about the importance of water. It even has it listed by seasons too!

Gorgeous illustrations, kind of reminds me of watercolor, very pretty. Easy to follow words and I loved the explain in the back about each subject.

The Only Alex Addleston in All These Mountains by James Solheim, Jeffrey Ebbeler (Illustrations)

Expected publication: March 1st 2014 by Carolrhoda Books

Hardcover, 32 pages

Genre: Children's Book

Source: From the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon |   Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads

Alex Addleston and Alex Addleston do everything together. They chase Flatt Mountain fireflies. They code secret messages. They collect crawdads named Mr. and Mrs. Sassafras Jorgensen. But when Alex's parents move her family to Kenya, the two friends lose contact with each other. Half a world apart, each Alex still keeps the other close while climbing trees, counting stars, and playing games. One day, just maybe, they will rediscover what it means to be best friends, no matter what.

Very sweet story about two children that meet in school that happen to have the same name. Instantly they hit it off and become the best of friends. Alex and Alex do everything together and spend as much time together as possible. When Alex goes to visit his grandmother and is gone for two months, he comes home to discover that his best friend had just moved to Africa. No matter the distance between them to two friends held on to the memories of each other for as long as they could. While they still played and did everything they imagined the other half was with them until years made the memories faded. Until they grew up and grew tall and Alex found her way back home. Even with years between them nothing could change that.

Cute, it's nice that it teachers children that if they form a bond so strong with a friend that they will always be friends. As an adult I wish that was true, having first hand experience with this going the opposite as we grow up and interest change but it was still nice. Kind of gives them hope I suppose. Good friendship is timeless, and I suppose that it can be.

Pretty illustrations, nice storytelling!