The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is awarded to the new reader books noted for excellence. It is always a nice start to look for the winners to see which new books your children may call a new bedtime book favorite. This year the 2011 Geisel Medal winner is Bink and Gollie, written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile.
Book Summary:
(American Library Association) “Bink and Gollie provides a clever peek into the lives of dissimilar friends celebrating the ups and downs of their daily escapades in three lively chapters. Bink and Gollie explore the rocky terrain of compromise, asserting independence, and jealousy, yet their friendship remains steadfast.
“In this effervescent blend of picture book, reader and graphic novel, text and illustration unite the real and imaginary. Humorous and exaggerated illustrations propel the reader through a story sprinkled with challenging vocabulary. So much is said with so little.
“’Covering a range of emotional territory to engage and challenge developing readers, fresh and creative text and powerful visuals generate a special chemistry between two friends,’ said Geisel Award Committee Chair Julie F. Roach.”
The book contains three stories about the adventures of Bink and Gollie. The stories have a Seuss flair and are fun to read aloud to your children. The stories are cute and discuss how different friends can be yet still be friends. The book is becoming very popular with parents. While I enjoy the book I did take issue with a minor detail. Perhaps I am the only one? In the first story Bink finds a bright pair of socks that she loves. Gollie begs her not purchase them because they pain her to look at them. In the end they compromise and Bink wears only one sock. I found that odd. Why should Bink give up wearing a sock because of her friend? I think her friend should have just accepted that Bink loved her socks and let it go. It may be slight but I was not fond of the turn it took. However, the illustrations are adorable and it is well written.