Children's Book Reviews
Page One of TwoThe Drums of Noto Hanto by J. Alison James, Illustrations by Tsukushi
DK, Inc., 1999Hardcover, 40 pages
Ages 4-8
ISBN: 0789425742.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
In 1576, the people in the village of Nabune, Japan,
on the Noto Hanto coast, successfully drove off
invading samuari in an incident that is still celebrated
in modern day festivals. The ruthless, sword-wielding
samaurai were going to invade from their ships. But the
wily villagers made and wore fearsome masks and
beat the drums as loud as they could all night long.
In the fog, the villagers appeared to be demon spirits
pounding drums of war and the samuari reconsidered
their attack, eventually leaving to find easier prey.
This retelling of the true tale by J. Alison
James with the beautiful and vivid cut paper "paintings"
by the talented Tsukushi, is extraordinarily well-done.
The story invites participation;
as the dramatic tale unfolds, the sounds of all the different
drums rise to a crescendo at the climax of the story.
"DON don DON don...Kada Kada KADA KADA DON!"
beat the drums, both large and small, until they echo
in your ears. This is a wonderful story which is sure
to be a favorite, and is an excellent vehicle for
sharing other cultures with your children.
Highly recommended.
Great Dinosaur Atlas by William Lindsay, Illustrated by Giuliano Fornari
DK Publishing, Nov., 1999.Hardcover, 64 pages
Ages 9-12
ISBN: 0789447282.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
The dinosaurs disappeared from the Earth 65
million years ago, yet the cause of their extinction
remains a mystery. Although many theories have
been proposed, including the asteroid theory, none
adequately explains why some species were
wiped out almost overnight and others
survived to evolve into the mammals that walk the
earth today. The Great Dinosaur Atlas is a comprehensive,
vividly illustrated reference work which is sure to
have children of all ages glued to its pages.
The books shows how the Earth's continents have
shifted over time, and describes all the major geologic
ages and the dinosaurs which thrived in each time period.
The carnivores and the plant eaters, the reptiles of the
seas, and the reptiles in the air are all portrayed in
startlingly real detail. Descriptions of the various
dinosaurs' habits and details of how modern
paleontological excavations are also
provided. This thorough dinosaur guide is a
must have for the family library.
Highly recommended.
Children's Book Reviews
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Return to the March 2000 issue of The IWJ.
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