Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 2, 1995 TAG: 9503310101
SECTION: BOOK PAGE: G-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
By David Owen Bell. Illustrated by Marcy Dunn Ramsey. Tidewater Publishers. $11.95 (trade paper).
Facts, including a brief history of how the Chesapeake Bay was formed during the last Ice Age; the food chain; why the bay is green; pollution; and a detailed glossary are the highlights of this slim book. Pen and ink color drawings supplement the text.
The book is a nice purchase if one is planning a trip with children to the bay, but the title cannot be recommended as a research source or library acquisition. The information is random, and the explanations often veer from the subject.The absence of maps to pinpoint the many cities and rivers mentioned is critical.
"Awesome Chesapeake" is one of those books usually found in regional bookstores. They make excellent souvenirs.
- LYNN ERWIN
Celebrate America in Poetry and Art.
Edited by Nora Panzer. Hyperion Books for Children. $18.95.
Maya Angelou has put "pulse" into everyone's everyday language. This bright book is described as designed "to capture the pulse of the American experience through poetry and art." The opening of Nora Panzer's preface states, "By paying visual and poetic tribute to the shared experience of the American people, past and present, this book celebrates America." Good descriptions of the work represented by such well-known names as Beristadt, Emma Lazarus, James Russell Lowell, Mark Van Doren, Wendell Berry, our own Nikki Giovanni, Thomas Hart Benton and more, much more. "Celebrate America" is definitely worth a close look.
- PEGGY DAVIS
Seven Mythical Creatures.
A pop-up book by Cecelia King. Chronicle Books. $9.95.
If your grandchild (or child) knows nothing about the unicorn, the sphinx or Pegasus, then this is the book for you to buy him or her. It's presented in that wonderful easy-to-hold 5 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch size, written in clear but not condescending language accented by artistic pop-up pictures that illustrate the subject artfully. King has filled a huge void with this smart little book of worthwhile information.
- PEGGY DAVIS
Renard the Fox.
Adapted from a classic folk tale. Illustrated by Alain Vaes. Turner Publishing. $16.95.
In direct contrast to the small book, this is a big lap book of slick pages, detailed and colorful illustrations with an easy-to-read text that begs to be read aloud. The themes are traditional: good and evil; what goes around, comes around. A nice choice in today's world.
- PEGGY DAVIS
In the Land of the Giants: My Life in Basketball.
By Tyrone "Muggsey" Bogues and David Levine. Little, Brown. $19.95.
"To me, basketball is about talent, and heart, and desire. It's not about size." And Muggsey Bogues, at 5'3" and the smallest player in NBA history, ought to know. From the Baltimore projects to Wake Forest University to the Charlotte Hornets, Muggsey took his talent and convinced others he could do the job.
This autobiography of the friendly, cocky and upbeat Bogues reads like his playing ability: quick and powerful. But what gives this book so much punch is that Muggsey out and out loves life. He loves his family, his teammates and the game. He's anti-drug, law-abiding and believes in hard work. And in every chapter, he pleads with his audience to listen up and do the right thing. So, why isn't Muggsey's story a complete turn-off as the tale of some do-gooder nice-guy?
Because Muggsey is no angel and has fouled up in a couple of major areas, including having a child out of wedlock and coming under investigation for cheating in college. But he's also taken responsibility for those mess-ups and he has certainly been honest and up front about them.
Get Muggsey's story into the hands of teens. Better yet, read a couple of chapters aloud to the guys.
- LYNN ERWIN
Lynn Erwin is a librarian at Hollins College.
Peggy Davis reviews books regularly for this page.
by CNB