Kate Greenaway Award Commended

Anno's Alphabet

meh

The alphabet is just an illusion.

It's pretty to look at, but not interesting enough to read more than once.

Message

Teaches the alphabet.

Garth Pig and the Ice Cream Lady

meh

Probably better than bacon-flavored ice cream.

It's just kind of a standard fairy tale type of story. The only reason to have the brothers and sisters coming to the rescue was to have the scene with the wolf riding the out of control ten-seater bicycle.

Message

Don't get into a stranger's van, even if they're selling ice cream.

The Cabbage Princess

meh

Prance, prance, I'm the Lord of the Forest!

Maybe the king needs to be taught a lesson, but The Lord of the Forest just gets to do whatever he wants because he's magical.

Message

Don't be a jerk or you might turn your daughter into a cabbage.

Amazing Grace

good

Feelgood story where hard work pays off.

There's no deus ex machina, contrived kind of stuff here like many children's books have, which is great.

Message

If you're good at something, it doesn't matter who you are. You don't have to be a specific kind of person to be good at something.

Kate Greenaway Award Commended