Bang, Molly Books

When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry . . .

Molly Bang

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• Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Bang, Molly

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 64 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A post-impressionistic view of childish rage! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 13 people found this review helpful.

Clever, clever, clever.

But that was not my first impression of "When Sophie Gets Angry--Really, Really Angry..." The first time I read this book, I was appalled. How did this book earn the Silver Medal in the Caldecott award ranking? I thought the story was simplistic and the illustrations garish and awful!

Months later, today, when I reread the book, I "got" it! And totally changed my opinion! Oh, what fun I will have sharing this book with the little ones in the school library where I work!

So, what is the difference? Why was it awful one day and clever and visionary months later? First, we must decide the nature of anger. What is anger? How is it expressed? What happens when anger takes an ugly turn? How may a child safely express anger? Is it possible?

A simple event rattles the cage of Sophie's anger. Sophie's little sister wants to play with the same stuffed gorilla that Sophie is playing with. The mother sides with the sister. (Whether Mother is right or wrong is irrelevant to this story. What causes anger is not the issue here. The issue is how one deals safely with anger to dissipate its poison without making it part of one's being. Poisonous anger can then fester into something much worse.)

This is the place that first repulsed then amazed me. Molly Bang's illustrations of Sophie's anger are really grotesque but VERY effective. Here is also what I missed the first time.

Impressionistic paintings are impressions of the object being painted: that blur of action, that showing of movement in one space, that play of light, that moment in time. Post-Impressionism grew out of those concepts. "This is a painting on canvas and not the real thing" became the mantra of the post-impressionists, meaning reality is not on the canvas. They took color to the extreme. What if color portrays the feelings behind the moment?

Molly Bang is just brilliant in using color to portray Sophie's anger. Here is her image in vivid red using a huge fist to smash things to smithereens juxtaposed against first tinted then intense purple walls and yellow floors. Everything in the angry scenes is outlined in red. The floorboards gather up to create Sophie's impending volcanic rage ready to really explode.

Sophie runs outside and runs and runs. In these pictures, everything is still outlined in red. The viewer can really feel that anger. "Then, for a little while, she cries." Images are now outlined in various hues of purple and red-purple. After all, purple is a blend of red and blue. Then she climbs her favorite tree, a beech tree near the ocean, and, of course, it is outlined in blue, the calmest of colors.

There's more, but you "get" the picture, don't you? Molly Bang has told her story in words, yes, but also in color. As I flipped back through the book, I thought that the words could be eliminated and the reader would know exactly what the story is about. Oh yes, this book is very deserving of the Silver Medal.

Note: The Gold Medal winner in 2000 was "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat" by Simms Taback. This was a righteous win!

Editorial Review:

This Caldecott Honor book tells the tale of Sophie, a preschooler who gets very mad when her sister snatches her toy. The simple story and vibrant illustrations explore how Sophie reacts to -- and recovers from -- her heated emotions, offering a springboard for discussion about feelings with your child.

Ten, Nine, Eight

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• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> Bedtime & Dreaming
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

"and a 10, and a 9, and a" --The Count is Back! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Not quite a board book, but smaller than most picture books, "Ten, Nine, Eight" fills a nice gap in the middle. Molly Bang's exquisite colors illustrate this counting (from 10-to-1) book that culminates with the protagonist fast asleep.

The context is as warm and familiar as the counted objects: A little girl (it's difficult to tell how old she is, sometimes her face looks a liitle more mature than at other time) climbs up onto her daddy's lap. The dad is obviously smitten with his daughter, but in an unforced manner that seems to come from deep inside. The gentle pictures of their affectionate interactions provide the countable objects. These include 10 toes, 7 shoes (later we see the cat with the missing one), six "pale" seashells (each with its own shape), four "sleepy eyes which open and close," two "strong arms around a fuzzy bear's head (actually, you can see three arms, but you can always exclaim, "you're right, there are three arms!)," and "one big girl all ready for bed."

Ms. Bang's varied palette uses both bold primary colors and some more "sophisticated" hues not always found in a book for crawlers and toddlers. Overall, the tone is pleasant and warm, and the rhymes unforced and natural.

Editorial Review:

Molly Bang. A father prepares his little girl for bed with a warm and reassuring countdown to the land of dreams. Paperback.

The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Gave me bad dreams 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I vividly remember looking at this book in the school library(back in 1987)and had several nights of bad dreams afterwards. It isn't necessarily scary for most people, but for a child who has not been exposed to sinister images it may be quite creepy. I was raised in a home without television, thus I had very little exposure to scary images as a young child. If the child or children you are considering this book for are uncomfortable with creepy stories, then I would recommend passing on this one for now. Many of Molly Bangs' other books are wonderful.

Unique and imaginative 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My 3 yr old and her entire preschool class love this book. It does look a little scary but they find it very exciting and even act it out.

Editorial Review:

"The Wily woman eludes the thief and then leads him into an eerie swamp where this curious adventure takes a surprising and laughable turn."--Publishers Weekly. A Caldecott Honor Book. An ALA Notable Children's Book. A Booklist Editors' Choice. Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Full color.

The Paper Crane (Reading Rainbow Book)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The story of a magical gift 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

In "The Paper Crane," author/illustrator Molly Bang tells the story of a restaurant owner whose business suffers when a new highway diverts possible patrons away from his place. But his fortunes change when a mysterious visitor leaves the owner a magical gift.

Bang's illustrations appear to be photographs of multi-media collages, and have a wonderful 3-dimensional quality. There are lots of warm earth tones complemented by flashes of bright color. Here is another interesting (and, in my opinion, admirable) element of this book: the book jacket notes that the story is based on "an ancient Japanese folktale," but Bangs features a multi-ethnic assortment of people in her illustrations. An entertaining, visually rich book.

Simply Lovely 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This was my favorite book to read to my children when they were growing up. It has a serene, Zen-like quality. A timeless tale, this will particularly appeal to families who hold art and music as sacred facets of their lives.

Editorial Review:

Business returns to a once prosperous restaurant when a mysterious stranger pays for his meal with a magical paper crane that comes alive and dances. "A delight to the eye and imagination."--Horn Book. "An enchanting book."--School Library Journal

From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A wonderful treasury for elementary age students. 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful book that is full of american folklore. It includes stories, poetry, folk songs, and illustrations. The illustrations are fabulous and are by well-known picture book artists including Marcia Brown, Barbara Cooney, Leo and Diane Dillon, Trina Schart Hyman, Chris Van Allsburg, and Ed Young. The folktale retellings are well-written and are appropriate for reading out loud as well as fourth grade reading level and above. The included folk songs have the musical score as well as the lyrics. I highly recommend this book for parents and teachers.

wonderful resource for home and classroom educators 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

A beautiful book with a terrific variety of offerings. I homeschool and have used this book repeatedly through the years with a 10 year old and now a 5 year old. This book gives an excellent foundation for each of the subjects covered in its separate chapter. There are stories, poems, brief non-fiction pieces, and songs that include simple but nicely creative piano accompaniment. You'll find everything from scary southern folk tales to "Who's on First" to a brief, accessible and sad report of Isabel's "cleansing" of Spain. The writers and artists are incredibly diverse, and include Norman Finkelstein, Longfellow, and Leo and Diane Dillon. The fact that the above and many others can seamlessly exist is a wonderful testament to the talents of the editors, Cohn and Bang. Perhaps they could compile an equally terrific anthology of world lit for kids; I'd snap it up. My kids love it and will gladly pick it up on their own to pore over the beautiful artwork.

Editorial Review:

A collection of 140 folktales, songs, poems, and essays features the words of Mark Twain, Virginia Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Stephen Foster, and Woody Guthrie and pays tribute to American folklore. 150,000 first printing. $250,000 ad/promo. BOMC Alt. History Bk Club Feat.

Common Ground: The Water, Earth, And Air We Share

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Common Ground 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that asks important questions without "talking down" to children. The text explores environmental issues beginning with the common-shared ground in many early settlements. Starting with the problem of townspeople feeding too many sheep on the commons, resulting in a scarcity of grass, Bang goes on to the forests, seas, air, and water. She does not offer solutions, but poses questions that are open-ended and invite discussion. I am an art professor and volunteer as an elementary art teacher. I plan to use this book during Earth Week to teach an illustration unit on environmental issues to third graders. Bang's use of multiple baselines in her representation of the common ground is delightful and creates another interesting avenue for discussion with children. I'm never disappointed with a Bang book. I've been a fan since The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher. Common Ground does not disappoint!

Editorial Review:

A simple story of our planet's natural resources with jewel-like paintings by Caldecott Honor author Molly Bang. Through the example of a shared village green and the growing needs of the townspeople who share it, Molly Bang presents the challenge of handling our planet's natural resources. Full color picture book.

Dawn

Molly Bang

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Gorgeous book 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I checked this book out of the library for my preschool-aged son, who loved the sailboat on the cover. However, we found this adaptation was just as compelling as the illustrations, and it quickly became a favorite bed-time book for my son. I also shared it with 10 year olds, who were more able to understand the legend, and they loved it just as much. This quickly became a favorite book for our family, and I'm purchasing a copy to keep.

Editorial Review:

First published in 1983, this stunning adaptation of the Japanese legend of the Crane Wife by three-time Caldecott Honor-recipient Molly Bang is set in nineteenth-century New England. After a shipbuilder rescues an injured goose, a mysterious woman arrives offering to work as a sail maker. She weaves sails of unparalleled quality and the two soon fall in love. But when a rich man orders a set of special sails, their happiness is threatened by an astonishing secret.

Little Rat Makes Music

Monika Bang-Campbell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Any kid taking music lessons will relate to her dilemma. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Monika Bang-Campbell's LITTLE RAT MAKES MUSIC will reach ages 6-9 with its easy reader about Little Rat, who longs to make music like the violinists she sees at concerts. Unfortunately, she hates to practice: it's hard and her violin squawks. How can Little Rat make beautiful music NOW? Any kid taking music lessons will relate to her dilemma.

Editorial Review:

Little Rat can't wait to make music like the violinists she sees at concerts in the city. But her biggest obstacle is practicing. It's boring. It's hard. And her violin squawks a lot. Luckily, Little Rat's teacher believes she has talent. And her new tutor agrees. With their encouragement--and some fine-tuning--Little Rat hits all kinds of high notes. But most important, she discovers where beautiful music really comes from.

In this third book of Little Rat's celebrated tales of triumph, Monika Bang-Campbell and Molly Bang prove that with a bit of pluck, patience, and practice, anything is possible.

Picture This: Perception & Composition

Molly Bang

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Drawing -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Clean writing and original concepts make it a winner! 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I am a professional graphic designer and I learned many things from this book. I purchased a copy at the Cooper/Hewitt Design Mueseum store in New York City, then left it on the plane, after reading all but the last pages. Now, I have to buy a new copy! It is one of my all-time favorite design books, and I have many. Among other ideas, she has an original way of describing gravity's influence on our perceptions in a picture plane. That alone is worth the money and time for this wonderful book

The Subtle Impact of Color and Shape 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is a gem to be treasured by all elementary teachers for their Art library. Molly Bang demonstrates the use color and shape to inspire creativity and emotions in the minds of young students. I had the privlege of attending her demonstration lecture some years ago at a Children's Literature Conference. There I was delighted to discover the subtle simplicity of her ideas; I even put them into practice with my preschool class. This book will open a new world of enjoyment and enrichment activities--especially in the study of fairy tales--while introducing basic artistic principles. I highly recommend it!

Editorial Review:

This is a brilliantly simple book, designed to widen the reader's perception of the world through the basic principles of design. Bang feels that by teaching readers to see and make sense of shapes on a page, they will be more aware of the world them and will be better able to define and center on their own place in it. Color illustrations.

Goose

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The words and images will resonate in your mind forever. 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book is perfect for helping a child or even a frustrated/disillusioned adult learn to be hopeful and confident about him/herself and the unforeseen possibilities for the future. The paintings are filled with expressiveness and a mystical quality. Spare words let the essence of the message sing.

A well illustrated and told story about acceptance and adoption 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful story about a goose how is taken in (adopted) by a family of woodchucks who treat her as one of their own. They teach her all they know and love and adore her. The fact is though, Goose is different and has to go off to find that missing part.

This story was written for Molly Bangs daughter (who was adopted from Bangladesh) when she was having a "terrible time getting used to her first year in college." It was not originally intended to be a book, but with her daughter's encouragement, Bang published it.

I thank her for doing so, because this is a wonderful book.

Editorial Review:

A lonely little gosling leaves her loving adoptive woodchuck family, stumbles off of a cliff and learns that she can fly, and then flies home to be reunited with her family.