1001 stories 1-929132-92-1 Publisher's Weekly

An imaginative "what if" story for children.

Imagine going to bed one night only to wake the next morning to find out that the world had been split in two, and not only does the world split but also every creature on the planet wakes to find its other half missing. This is what happened to the elephant in Gusti’s fun and imaginative picture book Half of an Elephant (Kane/Miller Book Publishers, ISBN 1-933605-09-X).
Half of an elephant, the front half, goes off in search of his other half. Along the way, he encounters half of a leopard and half of a crocodile, each searching for their own missing half. Upon further investigation, the elephant discovers that all the animals have the exact same problem as he has.
The elephant grows lonely without his other half. He needs to feel whole again, so he pairs up with half a worm that talks too much and a half of a chameleon that eats flies. Neither the worm nor the chameleon made the front half of the elephant feel any better.
The front half of the elephant will just have to learn to live without his other half, or so it seems.
Gusti, the author and illustrator of Half of an Elephant, has created a children’s book filled with possibilities. The storyline presents parents and educators with a scenario for further discussions into the “what if” of losing your other half. What would you do? How would you react? How do you think the elephant feels?
The illustrations, created from digital photographs taken of discarded items and rearranged to help tell the story, are incredible. The illustrations get children involved in the story by encouraging them to point out and name the different animal halves. Older children can mentally dissemble the pieces used to make each illustration and “see” how they, too, can create art out of scraps paper, cardboard, and other disposable items.
I’m really impressed with this children’s book. It’s rare to find one that can be so versatile in the classroom, as well as at home.
CSCL Picture Book Reviews (November 21, 2006):

In this fun, unique story lives an elephant that wakes up to find that the back half of his body is missing. During the evening, the world has split in half. Through cute, creative artwork, the front half of the elephant journeys to find his other half. The artwork is masterly done in collage form, and the animals are made out of random, everyday objects, such as garbage cans and empty wooden boxes. The easily read, humorous wording allows children to fall in love with the elephant, and cheer him on. As the elephant is searching for his back half, he meets many fronts of animals, such as a leopard and a crocodile. He creatively attaches himself onto the fronts of other animals, such as a monkey, yet finds it difficult to live under those conditions. The front and back halves then realize that life is not so bad living without the other, and they imagine all the things they can now do since they are smaller. In the end of this colorful, clever, enjoyable story, the world joins together again, and the two halves of the elephant are reunited, in an entertaining way.

Jelly Mom (February 5, 2007):

An elephant wakes up one morning to discover that half of his body is missing. In fact, all the animals in the world have the same problem. A whimsical tale filled with illustrations of creatures crafted from household / workshop materials. My boys will enjoy scouring the pages for each missing half and its rightful owner. They'll also enjoy the silliness and humor of the story.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COCO

1-933605-13-8

TDMonthly.com (August 2006):

Written and illustrated by the design collective oneones, this 56-page book tells the story of 12 very special months in the life of a curious wire-hair fox terrier. Beautifully illustrated and presented in hardcover, it makes a perfect gift for dog lovers of all ages.

BIG A little a (August 18, 2006):

I have to say upfront, before beginning this review, that I am not a dog person. That's right, I'm one of those two curmudgeonly people on the planet who does not like or appreciate dogs.

That being said, I really, really liked Happy Birthday, Coco--a beautiful picture book written in honor of a spirited dog named Coco.

"Today is Coco's birthday. Today, Coco is one year old. Coco's day begins like any other day. 'Good morning, Coco. Is it time for a walk?'" Coco's birthday is, in fact, like most of his days. Full of walks, sunshine, friends and good food.

It's a simple story, but what's really spectacular about Happy Birthday, Coco are the illustrations and the production value. This is one gorgeous book. Authored by oneones ("Hitomi Sago, a graphic designer, Tatsuro Kiuchi, an illustrator, and Shoko Nagamatsu, a copy writer"), the illustrations are works of art. Beautiful watercolors with added detail (a checked, transparent inlay for a tennis net, cutout pages) make Happy Birthday, Coco come alive. Kudos to Kane/Miller for this beautifully produced book.

I highly recommend Happy Birthday, Coco to children ages four-eight and to dog lovers of all ages.

KidsBookshelf.com (September 2006):

Coco is a special dog, and today is a special day because it's Coco's birthday and she's just turned one. When Coco was small she cried at night, chewed things she shouldn't, and tried to eat a ladybug. She also used to be afraid of big dogs, until she met a very nice big dog and they became friends. Coco likes to play and run and sleep on the bed. "Happy Birthday Coco" is a sweet tale of a special pet who lives, loves, enjoys life and knows that every day life is a new adventure. A great story for any child who has a pet or wants one!

Jen Robinson’s Book Page (November 10, 2006):

Happy Birthday Coco by Oneones is a picture book about a year in the life of Coco, who turns one at the start of the story. Coco is a small dog. We never see her human companions, but they clearly value Coco's presence in their lives.
This book is a gorgeous production with few words, thick pages, and soft colors. It includes occasional sheer overlay pages to add visual interest and complexity. For example, a translucent page with a faint net pattern overlays a picture of Coco playing with a tennis ball. A page showing the cage that Coco came home in has shiny reflective bars, like very narrow mirrors. Another page includes a cut-out of a word that can be read backwards or forwards. It's like the author is playing with the medium of picture book, just as Coco plays with balls.
The author is a graphic artist, and the book is more a visual delight than a narrative story. Coco's year passes as a series of incidents. She makes a friend, gets into trouble, loses her friend, plays in the snow, and goes for walks. The illustrations frequently reflect the mood of what's going on with Coco. For instance, there's an incident where Coco is yelled for misbehaving.
"Usually Coco likes to go for walks. After shouting, though, she just sits and looks." The background is gray here, like a fog, and we can see clearly that Coco is sad. Coco is also sad when her friend goes away (presumably dying, though this is left vague). It's surprisingly profound for a picture book with so few words.
Overall, I found this to be an excellent, quiet sort of book. Happy Birthday Coco is well-presented, with subtle but meaningful messages about friendship and loss, and getting into trouble but still being loved. The book concludes "Coco will have many more sweet dreams, and many more friends, and many more happy birthdays." I certainly hope so.
Children’s Books @ Suite 101.com (November 25, 2006):

The heartwarming story of a puppy's adventures.

Happy Birthday Coco by oneones (Kane/Miller Book Publishers, ISBN 1-933605-13-8) is an adorable and heart-touching picture storybook for all ages.
The story begins with Coco’s first birthday. She is one-years-old and loves to take walks. Since she is so young and small, she is still a bit afraid of the larger dogs and she pretends she doesn’t see them as she walks by. However, one day she is playing with a tennis ball and meets an older dog. They become friends and play together.
One day, Coco vanishes. She is not in the house, not at the park. She is found standing outside the vets, her dog friend inside. Coco stays with her dog friend for a long time. It is the last time she sees him.
Life goes on for Coco. She is no longer afraid of the other dogs. She gets to play in winter’s snows and she even sees her dog friend’s shape in the clouds.
At the end of the story, it is Coco’s birthday once again. She is two-years-old.
Happy Birthday Coco, originally published in Japan, is a story about friendship, loss, and unconditional love. The book is so beautifully illustrated and the story is told so simply that Happy Birthday Coco stays with you long after you’ve set the book down.
Skipping Stones (November / December 2006):

Coco, an ordinary, playful dog, explores, makes friends and enjoys the seasons. With sparse, but witty text and adorable illustrations this is the sort of book children will want their parents to read to them, again and again.

Foreword Magazine (November/ December 2006):

Dog lovers all over the world feel the same way this Japanese trio of authors and illustrators do about Coco. She is more than a companion; she is a member of the family.

Coco is a charming female wirehair fox terrier. Affectionately told from her owner’s perspective, this story delicately illustrates her first year of life. Originally published in Japan, the book presents illustrations with a simple symmetry and lots of white space. The classic terrier brown circles around Coco’s eye contrast with her white-and-gray fur. This adds a needed distinction, especially when she is the only element on a page. The backgrounds are very simple: a bare table with two chairs, a swath of brown ground, or Coco with other dogs, cats or birds with no ground beneath them. The repetition of a single tree, shown in each season, on an unadorned park-scape, shows the year passing.
The story is written in a subtle voice: Coco wakes and stretches, catches a tennis ball, ignores a much larger dog on her walk, and tries to play with a flock of birds. From her first days as a puppy when she cried at night and chewed the table legs, until her first birthday, Coco’s life is seen one day at a time.
One day, Coco’s tennis ball rolls to a “very big dig” and he roll s it back. This nameless dog and Coco begin a great friendship. Later, Coco disappears and is finally found outside the vet’s office where her friend lies near death, and she waits with him: “It was time to go, but Coco wouldn’t. She wouldn’t leave her friend. Not until much, much later.”
There are sections in the book where it’s difficult to tell what is going on. The language, like the paintings, is understated. For young readers, though, that is also the attraction. This simple book is more of a scrapbook than a story. Coco is a loved dog that lives a loved dog’s life. It’s refreshing not to have a moral or a message.
“Oneones” is the pen name of the book’s three Japanese authors and illustrators: Hitomi Sago is a graphic designer who has won awards in Japan and Germany: Tatsuro Kiuchi, an illustrator with medals from the Tokyo Illustrators Society, the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, and Kodansha: and Shoko Nagamastsu is copywriter and author of The Lotus Seed. Coco is a real dog. Together, they have created a luscious book.
Jelly Mom (February 5, 2007):

A year in a young dog's life. Wonderful illustrations; simple story with a somewhat heavy theme woven into the ending when Coco's best friend passes on - done tastefully and with subtlety. The end might be a little confusing...dog spelled backward is God? Over all the illustrations are superb and will draw the young reader right in. A great treat for young readers who love dogs. A possible springboard for a discussion about death.

The suggested reading level for this book is age 9 - 12, but I don't see why younger children couldn't enjoy this. As always, parents preview the book to determine if your child can handle the content. As a mom, I think my 3 1/2-yr old can handle this story. The heavier theme would be over his head.

For the Love of Labradors (February 18, 2007):

Originally published in Japan in 2005, this charming children’s book was translated and published in English in 2006.

This beautifully illustrated book opens on the morning of Coco’s first birthday. Coco, a wire hair fox terrier is now a year old and has a lot to share with readers of all ages. Month by month we share her special moments. The year brings many fun adventures, several new friends, and a sad goodbye. From pointing out the pitfalls of harsh words to beautifully demonstrating the perfect greeting with new dog friends, it’s easy to see why she’s a favorite. As the book comes to a close we once again say, “Happy Birthday Coco,” only this time she truly has become our little friend.

HELLO HELLO

1-933605-11-1

JellyMom.com (September 2006):

All about the phone.  Very light history.  Very light info about phone uses.  Will interest little ones (age 4) and can encourage ages 5 and 6 to read.  Can be a great start to talking seriously with your kiddo about the phone and the right way to use it.

KidsBookshelf.com (September 2006):

Long ago the only way we could communicate was by talking face to face. Years later we could talk to each other through letters. But now we can talk to one another through the telephone, and it's fast and easy. We can use the phone to talk to people all over the world. We use the phone if we have an emergency or need help. We can even use the phone when we're hungry. We can talk for a long time or a short time, morning or night. Maybe some day we can talk to people from other planets. What will you say if they call you? A fun story about the many uses of the telephone kids will enjoy.

Field Guide to Parenting (November 9, 2006):

All about the telephone is explored for young readers. Bright pictures with cartoon-like characters demonstrate the many uses of the phone, while easy text explains. Very cute.

Curled Up Kids.com (November 9, 2006):

If you want to introduce your child to the workings of a telephone, Hello Hello is the ideal tool to assist you in this goal. The book is a simple, sweet and straightforward explanation of the evolution of communication, from face-to-face interactions, to letter writing, to the integration of telephones into all aspects of our lives. The book explores the use of phones for a wide range of purposes, at different times of the day, for all lengths of time.

This book is best-suited for small children, since it contains limited text, animated pictures, and a basic message relating to the benefits of using a telephone to communicate with others. Hello Hello would make a great addition to a child’s library but do not be surprised if, after reading it, your child spends his or her spare time reaching for a telephone to chat with friends rather than grabbing a book off a shelf.

Children’s Books @ Suite 101.com (October 10, 2006):