I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: MO PHILLIPS-“Big Red Truck” (2012).

This track was number two on the OWTK March 2012 playlist.  This song has a kind of late X, or maybe The Knitters kind of feel–male and female vocals with a heavy bassline and a slightly ominous feel–although it is just about a big red truck.  I like t he song a lot, but I’m not sure if my kids would.

The chorus of “bringing all my loving taking all my loving home to you” seems like an odd one for a kids song.

[READ: September 30, 2012] Benny’s Brigade

Yes, this is the same Arthur Bradford whom I have written about and read all of his works–McSweeney’s McMullens has been publishing children’s stories from unexpected adult authors!  This is Bradford’s first foray into children’s books, and I think it’s quite successful.  Benny’s Brigade came with the Ionesco book, but my kids enjoyed it much more.

I was a little concerned exactly how this would turn out (the combination of McSweeney’s and Bradford could have gone dark), but I needn’t have worried.  It is a kids book after all.

In this one, two girls find a tiny, pocket-sized walrus stuck in a nut.  The walrus is very nice, but it misses its home.  So the girls help to return it, with his own brigade (Benny is the walrus).  I really liked this story (which Bradford claims is true!)

Hanawalt’s pictures are great–very bright and poster-like.  The renderings are a little odd in places, but they really capture the expressions of the kids (and the grossness of slugs).  The end pages are more subtly done and are really stunning.

There is also an engaging interview between Lisa Hanawalt and Elsie and Theo (Arthur Bradford’s daughters and the protagonists of the story), where you learn how Hanawalt draws and that she sticks pencils in her mouth.

My kids enjoyed this one, although possibly not as much as me.  You can see more details here.