In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott Collection) by Maurice Sendak
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.18 You Save: $7.77 (43%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $7.38 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott Collection)
Book Review: I agree, it's a strange book...
Summary: 5 Stars
But children's dreams are often strange - and, unlike us, they don't always know that a dream is a dream. Reading a book about a strange dream where everything ends up all right is a good thing. They don't have to be scared of the real dreams, right?
I'm frankly stunned by the people who complain about the nudity. He's a toddler. Toddlers run around naked. Adults see toddlers naked. Your little boy knows what little boys look like, and chances are your little girl either does know (if she has brothers) or will know eventually. The facts of life? Just say "boys are like this, girls are like that". That's easy to understand.
I'm even more stunned by the comments "nudity is all right, but it doesn't belong here". If nudity is all right, why does it matter if a boy is drawn naked or clothed? Clothing might be inappropriate as well! Don't tell me *you* haven't had a dream of being naked.
My two-year-old niece loves this book. She loves the pictures "see that? see that?", and she likes the rhythm of the words. And she likes the idea that we have cake eeeeeeee-v'ry morning (even though we don't). I can hardly think of a better introduction to the world of dreamlike fantasy.
Book Review: Classic good literature for children
Summary: 5 Stars
My three year old son has heard this story at least once a week since he was born. He is not tired of it yet. Neither am I.The illustrations are reminiscent of 1960s children's advertisements, and are positively gorgeous! The cityscape made of kitchen containers and cooking utensils stimulates children's imagination and makes for a dreamy, innocent background to the charming story.
Some parents will no doubt fixate on the fact that Mickey is naked and has a penis (gasp!). If you are the parent of a little boy this should not shock you. If you are not the parent of a little boy, you are surely aware that boys do in fact have these things. I cannot understand why this one aspect of the book creates such controversy.
The cadences of the story are fun, and children are likely to take up chanting "Milk in the batter! Milk in the batter!" as they become familiar with the story. My son loves to say the words with me as I read, and the marching rhythm of the story makes it easy for him to remember.
It's a fun, silly book sure to become a favorite in your child's library.
As a sidenote, The Nutshell Kids collection has a video version of this, which is very good.
Book Review: Classic good literature for children
Summary: 5 Stars
My three year old son has heard this story at least once a week since he was born. He is not tired of it yet. Neither am I.The illustrations are reminiscent of 1960s children's advertisements, and are positively gorgeous! The cityscape made of kitchen containers and cooking utensils stimulates children's imagination and makes for a dreamy, innocent background to the charming story.
Some parents will no doubt fixate on the fact that Mickey is naked and has a penis (gasp!). If you are the parent of a little boy this should not shock you. If you are not the parent of a little boy, you are surely aware that boys do in fact have these things. I cannot understand why this one aspect of the book creates such controversy.
The cadences of the story are fun, and children are likely to take up chanting "Milk in the batter! Milk in the batter!" as they become familiar with the story. My son loves to say the words with me as I read, and the marching rhythm of the story makes it easy for him to remember.
It's a fun, silly book sure to become a favorite in your child's library.
As a sidenote, The Nutshell Kids collection has a video version of this, which is very good.
Book Review: Always My Favorite Picture Book
Summary: 5 Stars
At age four or five I deemed this the greatest picture book ever, and in almost 30 years I have never changed my mind. Every aspect of it is so beautiful and inspired, from the surreal color tones and the supple, flowing line to the swift yet dreamlike pace. But just as impressive is its plot.Mickey's journey is startling, evocative, and totally convincing as a dream. His story gets deep under your skin because Sendak plays with the tension between some of the most powerful oppositions in childhood: the unknown versus the familiar, vulnerability versus security, dependence versus empowerment, creativity versus consumption. Yet the tone is light, playful, and encouraging.
Besides being a joyous read, this book is perfect for the developing mind because it encourages physical creativity to solve problems: the scene in which Mickey molds the cake-batter into an airplane is pure genius. And his actions blend surrealism, initiative, altruism, and a celebration of the self in a way that no other picture book I've ever seen has. Children will be deeply and wonderfully affected, even if it takes them years to figure out why.
Book Review: Loved this as a kid...
Summary: 5 Stars
and now that I found out I'm having a baby, this is one book I can't wait to read to my child, as well as "The Bear That Wasn't" and Edward Gorey's "Mother Goose", which I also loved as a kid. Sure, there is a blip of nudity in one illustration and I am surprised at the virulence of some of the negative reviewers responses. Pornography? I had a little brother and knew about the difference between boys and girls before I could even read this book myself. There wasn't a big deal made about it, he was a he and I was a she and when he got his diaper changed, I saw why.If explaining the differnce between the genders to your kids makes you so uncomfortable, there are books for you to read to help you.Kids will find out eventually and the longer you keep it a mystery and make it "naughty", the more their curiosity will grow.It wasn't such a big deal in my household, my grandmother read this book to me and we laughed at Mickey having no clothes on and turned the page to continue the adventure, which it was, a wonderful kids adventure that made me imagine flying a dough plane through a cartoon nighttime city.I highly recommend this book to all.