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Rhyme Time Valentineby Nancy Poydar Ages 4-8 |
Ruby is positively thrilled that Valentine's Day is nearing and declares to her friends at school that her favorite color is red and that she even has "a red name." When the 14th finally arrives, the sky is gray and the wind, blustery. Ruby's father announces that it is a fine day to stay in bed, to which the girl responds, "Roses are red./Violets are blue./Don't stay in bed./There's too much to do!" On her way to school, a gust of wind blows open her sack of handmade cards, and the missives are swept away into the swirling snow. The day is eventually saved when Ruby remembers the box of small candy hearts with messages given to her by her parents that morning and distributes them to her friends. Children will delight in Ruby's resourcefulness and the colorful, textural paintings that capture her excitement. The illustrations feature a multiethnic cast of characters along with some urban scenes. A solid read-aloud selection to celebrate this red-letter day. — School Library Journal (Kristin de Lacoste)
When disaster strikes, Poydar's spunky heroine uses a little ingenuity to save the day, Ruby's favorite holiday is Valentine's Day. While classmates are in a frenzy of pre-holiday preparations, Ruby smugly announces that she made her valentines days ago. Not only did this red-heart diva create her own special notes for friends and family, she made up individual rhymes to accompany each card. In fact, after celebrating Valentines's Day, rhyming is Ruby's favorite occupation. However, her morning walk to school turns calamitous when a late winter storm propels wild winds through the city, "Wap, SNAP, went the bag./ Flutter, flutter/ went the paper valentines." All seems lost until inspiration strikes as Ruby remembers some sweet treats her parents have given her and decides to share the pithily worded candy hearts with her friends. Poydar (The Perfectly Horrible Halloween,2001, etc.) peppers her text with quirky word play as Ruby toys with language, exploring rhymes. Incorporated into her illustrations are an abundance of rhyming couplets printed on the valentines. By the end of the tale, the final lines on several valentines are obscured, allowing readers to make their own forays into rhyming. Poydar's brilliantly hued illustrations perfectly match the tenor of the tale. Bustling pictures filled with a multicultural blend of students are cheerfully welcoming. Instructions are included for readers to do their own valentine crafts. (picture book 4-8) — Kirkus
A girl's love for Valentine's Day lies at the heart of Poydar"s (The Perfectly Horrible Halloween) snappy story set in a multiracial urban classroom. "I'm going to wear all red tomorrow: red top, red bottom, red tights. I even have a red name!" Ruby declares on the eve of the holiday. Her enthusiam for Cupid's holiday is only slightly dampened when a winter wind steals the rhyming valentines she's created for classmates, for the verses soon find their way to other pleased recipients. The text rollicks along, blending ongoing onomatopoeic prose ("Whip, dip, went the wind./ Wap, snap, went the bag" with Ruby's unadorned rhymes ("Roses are red./ Violets are blue./ Don't stay in bed./ There's too much to do!"). Poydar, a former teacher, knowingly captures the holiday exitement found in primary classrooms. Ruby's infectious smile may well bring out the same in readers, as they watch her cavort across the spreads. In one, the African-American heroine practically strides from the page as she happily high-steps through puddles in her red outfit. For those inspired by Ruby's example, directions for making a paper heart conclude this brisk and cheery tale. Ages4-8 (Sept.) — Publishers Weekly