Tuesday, August 4, 2015

This Old Van by Kim Norman illustrations by Carolyn Digby Conahan [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN: 9781454910633
Hardcover - $14.95
Sterling Children's Books
About the book: 
This old van,   she passed one, shining in the rising sun. With a click clack rattle rack,ready for some fun,This old van says,“Goodbye, one!”

Take a rollicking ride in This Old Van, a joyful take on the classic children's counting song. As the colorfully painted vintage vehicle, driven by a really cool pair of grandparents, rolls down the highway, it passes one train, two bulldozers, three tractors, and four semis, right up to ten muddy motorbikes. And along the way, luggage flies off, horns honk, and the hurrying van zigs and zags—till it arrives at its destination JUST IN TIME! You won't be able to resist singing every fun verse out loud.

My thoughts: Flower Power, Hippies, Free living/loving, and those roaming VW campervans driven hither and yon across America (and other parts of the World?) are memories of a by-gone era that ran alongside of Vietnam protests, anti-war sentiments, and everything status-pro. Those folks are now aging grandparents. And some still hold onto those styles they loved so dearly. In this cute, colorful, and charming story a pair of aging hippies still have "this old van" and it is still painted in those wild flowers and designs they loved. Here they come! Watch out for this rollicking van to come careening down the road.
Reprinted with permission from This Old Van © 2015 by Kim Norman, Sterling Children’s Books, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Illustrations by Carolyn Digby Conahan
Gramps and Granny read over their invitation from Jake, they load up the VW Campervan, and begin rolling along. All along the way the click clack rattle rack van passes cars, trucks, stores, ice cream and lots of things and stuff. Careful attention to detail will elicit delightful visual and word puns.
This old van, she passed FOUR,
roaring toward the grocery store.
With a click clack rattle rack,
pedal to the floor,
this old van says,
"GOOD-BYE, FOUR!"
On and on they go roaring, rolling, and rhyming until they get to their destination Just in Time!

Delightful illustrations done in soft and very colorful pastels, capture the essence of Gramps and Granny and their own particular era to which they've held onto. It also captures the joy they experience and anticipate as they count their way to see Jake and his special event.
This is a fun book that will be read repeatedly to children simply because it is fun, engaging, cheerful, rhymes, and can be sung to the old tune of "This Old Man, He Played One, He played knick knack on his thumb...."
GIVEAWAY
Begins August 4 & ENDS August 26 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT.
 Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway  
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review from Sterling Publishing. Opinions are mine, alone. I received no compensation. The giveaway copy is also provided by Sterling who will send it to the winner.

35 comments:

  1. I was born in the seventies so I can't personally relate to the sixties. The clothing was quite interesting.

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  2. I was a kid at that time, remember Woodstock, etc. What a time! Tie died clothes were the bomb!

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  3. I was in college in the 60's when all this was taking place. Lived in southern California so saw it in person!

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  4. I visited her website and Carolyn Digby Conahan hith writes and illustrates.

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  5. I live in a rural area and married in 1968 so my knowledge of the hippie generation is through the media. I did, however, wear bell bottoms and mini dresses! :-)

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  6. Kim Norman is an author, illustrator, poet, school visit presenter and performer from Hampton Roads, Virginia.

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  7. I don't have the pleasure of know anyone who truly grew up in the flower power era. I do however totally vibe with people who are free spirits :)

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  8. I learned that Carolyn Conahan has a number of other books. Her illustrations are fun and creative!

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  9. I learned that Kim Norman wrote her first book when her son was a baby and it was published when he was 13!

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  10. Carolyn Conahan attended Reed College and art school.

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  11. Carolyn grew up at her mom’s house, where she rode bareback, picked wild berries, hauled hay, and made jam.

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  12. I learned Carolyn went to Reed College and art school. She lives in Portand, Oregon.

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  13. I read that Carolyn has illustrated 7 kids picture books.

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  14. I learned that Kim Norman was born in California and grew up as a Navy Brat.

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  15. I was born in 1967 in the Menlo Park/Palo Alto area of California. My parents frequented a used and new bookstore that members of the Grateful Dead also went to. I am not sure exactly which one was which but I used to think that they were strange and "out there." That bookstore still exists but at a new location down the street from the old one and now just has very wealthy people shopping at it.

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  16. I learned that she has a book titled 12 Days of Christmas in Oregon with windsailing and snowboarding ornaments on the tree on the cover.

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  17. I learned that Kim Norman does school visits, mostly in the VA area, but I would hate to speak publicly in front of kids.

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  18. Carolyn swam with pretty fish, sharks, barracudas, and alligators at her father's house.
    Connie
    cps1950AtgmailDOTcom

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  19. I only know about the hippie days what I've heard and read - some good, some bad. This book looks marvelous. My little guy would love it and make me read it over and over! Thanks for sharing at Booknificent Thursday!
    Tina

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  20. I learned that Crocodaddy was the game that her sons would play in their backyard pool.

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  21. When growing up she went on trips in a VW van.

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  22. She is a presenter & performer for schools.

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  23. I love the look of this and the play on words to create a new story :o)

    Hopping over from the kid lit blog hop.

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  24. I studied about it in college. Unfortunately I'm a child of the 90's and wasn't around for it :(

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  25. I learned Carolyn had a summer job in aerospace.

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  26. I have watched documentaries on the 60's and enjoy the music from that time but I don't know anyone that was a hippie.

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  27. The "flower power era" was the era that my parents grew up in, and they were both hippies for sure! They actually lived in a Volkswagen Bus when they first got together! ;)

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  28. Carolyn has a number of projects in progress, including one that started out as a full color graphic novel, and has evolved into an illustrated middle grade, or possibly an early chapter book.

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  29. I admit I was in my teens in the 60s. Were friends with a few hippies even though I was a country kicker girl. Fun times!

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  30. I learned from her bio she is a flower child and has illustrated several books I plan on checking out.

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  31. I learned author Kim Norman can be a silly author!

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  32. I learned that there are several books available.

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  33. I know a lot of people were way out there but since I'm 30 years old, I just know that the rock and folk music from that era is the BEST!

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