God Went to Beauty School
Cynthia Rylant, . . HarperTempest, $4.99 (56pp) ISBN 978-0-06-009435-5
In these poems, according to
Details
Reviewed on: 02/20/2006
Genre: Children's
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookshop
- Share
- Tweet
- Copy Link
More By and About this Authorchevron_right
- LITTLE WHISTLECynthia RylantThe title character of this inaugural volume in a new series set in Toytown exerts a great deal of visual charm. Like Paddington, Bowers's (Sometimes I Wonder If Continue reading »
- SCARECROWCynthia RylantAccording to PW, "Newbery Medalist Rylant lyrically imagines the scarecrow as a grateful 'witness to life,' while the acrylic paintings evoke a Continue reading »
- THE BLUE HILL MEADOWSCynthia RylantFour short chapters in a format between beginning-to-read and longer chapter books describe a family's existence through the seasons. A starred PW review Continue reading »
- A BLUE-EYED DAISYCynthia RylantIn a boxed review, PW called this novel of 11-year-old Ellie Farley, living in a coal-mining town in West Virginia, "an exquisite novel, written with Continue reading »
- GOOD MORNING, SWEETIE PIE: And Other Poems for Little ChildrenCynthia RylantIn eight poems and accompanying portraits, Rylant (When I Was Young In the Mountains) and Dyer (I Love You Like Crazy Cakes) Continue reading »
- BUNNY BUNGALOWCynthia Rylant"A rabbit family makes a ramshackle house into a comfy home in this soothing story. The book is the literary equivalent of a cup of chamomile tea at bedtime," said Continue reading »
- THE HEAVENLY VILLAGECynthia Rylant"Adopting a silky prose style, Rylant imagines a stopping place between heaven and earth," said PW. "Those who don't mind spirituality Continue reading »
- LET'S GO HOME: The Wonderful Things About a HouseCynthia RylantIn an oversize yet cozy-looking picture book, Rylant and Halperin explore the components of a home that could easily serve as a setting for this pair's Cobble Street Cousins series. Rylant Continue reading »
- THE COOKIE-STORE CATCynthia RylantPW called this tale of a foundling cat living a charmed life "a cat-lover's confection." Ages 7-10. Continue reading »
- THE TICKY-TACKY DOLLCynthia RylantRylant (the Little Whistle series) wisely explores a child's separation anxiety through her relationship with her doll. The author conveys the girl's bond with the doll, handmade for her Continue reading »
- THE LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY: The StormCynthia RylantIt's smooth sailing for Rylant's (the Henry and Mudge series) sweet, sea-inspired tale, first in a new series of early chapter book readers. Pandora the cat has weathered her share of Continue reading »
- CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRYCynthia RylantRylant and Goode return to some of the themes of their first collaboration, When I Was Young in the Mountains, for this evocative picture book about the simple Continue reading »
- GOD WENT TO BEAUTY SCHOOLCynthia RylantLike Hollywood movies that present God as a human being with curiosities and foibles much like our own, Rylant's imaginative series of poems about God living on earth are filled with more Continue reading »
- MOONLIGHT: The Halloween CatCynthia RylantIn a gentle holiday outing, Moonlight, a black cat with a pink nose and friendly green eyes, prowls under a starlit Halloween sky. She gazes at glowing jack-o'-lanterns ("Pumpkins smile at Continue reading »
- LITTLE WHISTLECynthia RylantThis first book in the series introduces Toytown plus the "real" guinea pig star of the title, and his toys-who-came-alive-at-night companions. PW Continue reading »
- THE WONDERFUL HAPPENSCynthia Rylant"Like the lyrics to The Sound of Music's ' My Favorite Things,' this picture-book list of what is wonderful in the world includes both Continue reading »
- GOOD MORNING, SWEETIE PIE: And Other Poems for Little ChildrenCynthia Rylant"In eight poems and accompanying portraits, author and artist extol the joys of domestic life from a toddler's eye view," PW wrote. "Every poem Continue reading »
- I HAD SEEN CASTLESCynthia RylantAn idealistic 17-year-old's life changes dramatically when he enlists in the service, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. According to PW 's boxed review, Continue reading »
- IF YOU'LL BE MY VALENTINECynthia RylantWhat are the rewards of becoming the boy narrator's valentine? That depends on whom he's addressing. On the left-hand side of each spread, readers see a homemade heart-themed missive Continue reading »
- LONG NIGHT MOONCynthia RylantRylant's (When I Was Young in the Mountains ) lilting prose-poetry, with sometimes only a few words per page, introduces the traditional Native American name Continue reading »
- BORISCynthia RylantThe narrator of Rylant's (Missing May ) fragmented poem addresses her beloved cat, Boris, adopted from a humane shelter, along with his sister. The Continue reading »
- The Journey: Stories of MigrationCynthia RylantRylant (The Stars Will Still Rise ) again shows her versatility with this picturesque work exploring the migratory habits of a half dozen creatures. Each Continue reading »
- Baby Face: A Book of Love for BabyCynthia RylantProduced by a winning team, this collection of six poems celebrating universal moments in a baby's life (bathtime, first steps, a ride in the carriage) turns on the “awww” factor. Continue reading »
- Puppies and PiggiesCynthia RylantA farmyard's worth of animals smile their way through this rhyming poem cum bedtime book about what makes each one of them happy. Rylant (Baby Face , Continue reading »
- SnowCynthia RylantRylant and Stringer (previously paired for Scarecrow ) celebrate winter wonderlands in a cozy, lyrical tribute. Whether they encounter heavy snow that buries Continue reading »
- All in a DayCynthia RylantMcClure's (Collect Raindrops ) illustrations draw most of the attention here. Using an X-Acto knife and black paper, McClure suggests textures as varied as Continue reading »
- The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths, RetoldCynthia RylantRylant (All in a Day ) hones six myths into clear, accessible stories for younger readers. Plainspoken and captivating, they draw readers into the sagas of Continue reading »
- Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven DwarfsCynthia RylantRylant's poetic, restrained retelling of this well-loved story is a noteworthy addition to the trove of retold fairy tales; like the recent Alice in Continue reading »
- Brownie & Pearl Step OutCynthia RylantA birthday party (“Cats are invited”) is the outing spotlighted in Newbery Medalist Rylant's sweet snippet of a story, first in a planned series, which introduces a happy if a bit Continue reading »
- Brownie & Pearl Get Dolled UpCynthia RylantIn the second book to feature Brownie and her kitty, Pearl, they’re getting dressed to the nines. Each page focuses on a different adornment Brownie and Pearl select: “Brownie finds feathers. Pearl Continue reading »
- This Year's GardenCynthia RylantA pigtailed little girl tells how she and her family work through the seasons on the garden. In PW's words: ""Stunningly evocative, the paintings are a remarkable combination of deep tones and Continue reading »
- Every Living ThingCynthia RylantWith a deft hand, Rylant offers readers glimpses of the lives of 12 people, whose lives are altered by their contact with animals. Ages 10-up. Continue reading »
- Night in the CountryCynthia RylantPW praised the ``exceptionally beautiful illustrations'' of this ``remarkable picture book that sweeps the reader into the quiet, special world of a country night.'' Ages 4-7. Continue reading »
- Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping BirdsCynthia RylantLike a cherished photograph album, this portrait of Appalachia by two natives of the region is suffused with memories made golden by time. Beginning with the dogs that are ``named Prince or King'' Continue reading »
- All I SeeCynthia RylantLight-drenched watercolors illuminate the Newbery Medalist's story about a boy's friendship with an artist. Ages 5-7. Continue reading »
- Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the TeaCynthia RylantTwo tales about companionship mark the highly propitious start of a new series. The gentle, affecting first volume introduces elderly Mr. Putter, who decides that a cat will keep him from feeling Continue reading »
- Something PermanentCynthia RylantAs in Rylant's Soda Jerk , the subjects of this extraordinary and elegantly designed volume are ordinary moments in the lives of ordinary people. Rylant, responding to Evans's famous photographs of Continue reading »
- Dog HeavenCynthia RylantNewbery winner Rylant, who debuted as an illustrator with her Everyday board books (1993), offers paintings and text in tribute to ``Dog Heaven.'' Here there are fields to run in, soft beds (made of Continue reading »
- The Old Woman Who Named ThingsCynthia RylantThe unlikely protagonist of this quirky and tenderhearted story is a little old lady with cat glasses and a beehive who might have stepped out of The Far Side. Lonely, she names inanimate objects-her Continue reading »
- The Bookshop DogCynthia RylantBusiness is booming at Martha Jane's Bookshop, because everyone in town loves Martha Jane, the owner's dog. In fact, they love her so much that when the owner gets sick and needs a dog-sitter, fights Continue reading »
- Cat HeavenCynthia RylantThose who liked Rylant's Dog Heaven will undoubtedly welcome this companion volume, which is similar in its themes and execution. The text, this time in rhyme, has the same complement of Continue reading »
- Gooseberry ParkCynthia RylantAn unlikely group of animals bands together to help a squirrel in need. ""Readers will relish every moment of this impeccably paced fantasy,"" said PW in a starred review. Ages 8-12. Continue reading »
- Give Me Grace: A Child's Daybook of PrayersCynthia RylantIn this small gem, childlike prayers and paintings for each day of the week illuminate an understanding of God as one who nurtures, teaches, protects, comforts and blesses children and their loved Continue reading »
- When I Was Young in the MountainsCynthia RylantWhen I was young in the mountains, Grandfather came home in the evening covered with the black dust of the coal mine. Now, Cynthia Rylant's When I Was Young in the Mountains, illus. by Diane Continue reading »
- Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch the ColdCynthia RylantA number of familiar characters return in beginning reader sequels. In Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Arthur Howard, Mr. Putter is miserable: ""Colds aren't so Continue reading »
- The WhaleCynthia Rylant, RylantIn The Whale, the second book in the Lighthouse Family series by Cynthia Rylant, with sepia-toned graphite illustrations by Preston McDaniels, the young mice Whistler and Lila come across a baby Continue reading »
- Alligator BoyCynthia RylantIt's not uncommon for an imaginative child who grows tired of being the same person day in and day out to take on the identity of someone-or something-else. In this whimsical tale by the team behind Continue reading »
- Every Living Thing: StoriesCynthia RylantRylant's comparatively short career has earned the poet and author an enviable reputation. Her second collection of short stories is set in the West Virginia hills, as were the entries in A Blue-Eyed Continue reading »
- Night in the CountryCynthia Rylant""There is no night so dark, so black as night in the country.'' So begins a remarkable picture book that sweeps the reader into the quiet, special world of a country night. Exceptionally beautiful Continue reading »
- Henry and Mudge in the Green Time: The Third Book of Their AdventuresCynthia RylantIn this third book of the series (Henry and Mudge and Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble), Rylant's portrayal of the small Henry and his affectionate large dog is even better than before. When Henry Continue reading »
- All I SeeCynthia RylantThe gradual friendship between a shy boy named Charlie and Gregory, a paint-splattered artist, is handsomely illustrated by newcomer Catalanotto in watercolors that are full of shadows and brilliant Continue reading »
- Missing MayCynthia RylantThis short novel is a study of grief--chiefly, that felt by Summer after her foster mother's sudden death, but also her sorrow at witnessing the grief of Ob, her foster father--she realizes that she Continue reading »
- A Couple of Kooks: And Other Stories about LoveCynthia RylantAs poignant and vibrant as Rylant's previous works ( A Blue-Eyed Daisy ; A Fine White Dust ; Every Living Thing ), this collection of short stories examines the nature of love and its effects on Continue reading »
- I Had Seen CastlesCynthia RylantNewbery Medalist Rylant has always let her readers slip easily into her characters' hearts and souls. Never before, however, has she so successfully portrayed the thoughts and emotions of a character Continue reading »
- Birthday PresentsCynthia RylantIn PW 's words, ``On the first five birthdays of one small girl, five different cakes are baked. Before her sixth birthday, she has learned to offer her parents gifts on their birthdays. A Continue reading »
- Couple of Kooks and Other Stories aboutCynthia Rylant, Cynthia RylandThe Newbery Honor author demonstrates in these eight evocative tales that love is indeed where--and when--you find it. Ages 12-up. Continue reading »
- MR Griggs' WorkCynthia RylantAs portrayed in Downing's comfortingly realistic pastels, Rylant's gentle celebration of a postmaster's passion for matters of mail could serve as a model employee handbook--for any trade. Ages 4-7. Continue reading »
- The Van Gogh CafeCynthia RylantMiracles are always in the making at the Van Gogh Cafe in Flowers, Kans.: the small restaurant, housed in a renovated theater, has ``magic enough to last forever in its walls.'' Readers will share Continue reading »
- Gooseberry ParkCynthia RylantAn assortment of domesticated pets and untamed creatures band together to help a friend in need in the Newbery Medalist's rollicking animal tale. At the center is Stumpy, a squirrel who gives birth Continue reading »
- The IslanderCynthia Rylant, Richard JacksonRylant (Missing May) breaks new ground with this allegorical tale set on an island off the coast of British Columbia. Through the perspective of an adult narrator revisiting his pivotal 10th year, Continue reading »
- A Fine White DustCynthia Rylant""Richly, heartbreakingly human"" characters, said PW, populate this stirring Newbery Honor book about 13-year-old Pete, who yearns for religious fulfillment and seems to find it in Preacher Man, a Continue reading »
- The WhalesCynthia Rylant""In the blackness of the Black Sea,/ the whales are thinking today./ Thinking of those things/ that matter most to them:/ friends, family, supper./ A song they used to know."" Using language that Continue reading »
- Van Gogh Cafe, the (Sig)Cynthia RylantWithin the walls of a small Kansas restaurant there is magic to cure all manner of ills. In PW's words, ""Newbery Medalist Rylant breaks new ground in producing this whimsical tale, dexterously Continue reading »
- Margaret, Frank, and Andy: Three Writers' StoriesCynthia RylantIn three very brief biographies heralding the life and work of Margaret Wise Brown, L. Frank Baum and E. B. White, Rylant tells the kind of anecdotes that are sure to spark the interest of young Continue reading »
- PoppletonCynthia RylantCity pig Poppleton adjusts to small-town life in this understated and roundly appealing chapter book. In ""Neighbors,"" the polite Poppleton tries to think up a polite way to say ""no thanks"" to Continue reading »
- The Blue Hill MeadowsCynthia RylantNewbery Medalist Rylant's (Missing May) talent for bringing sparkle to the everyday world of family, pets and friends is evident in her latest offering, which has a format designed to fill the gap Continue reading »
- Bear DayCynthia RylantRylant (The Blue Hill Meadows) sounds a minor note in this paper-over-board book; nonetheless, her rhyming tale is agreeably sweet. Bear's day is chronicled from reveille on: ""He wakes in striped Continue reading »
- In Aunt Lucy's KitchenCynthia RylantThree creative cousins bring can-do spirit and goodhearted fun to this new chapter book series from Newbery Medalist Rylant. Nine-year-olds Lily, Rosie and Tess are bunking with their Aunt Lucy for a Continue reading »
- Tulip Sees AmericaCynthia RylantRylant (Missing May; Cat Heaven) and Desimini (Love Letters) take to the open road in this picture book scrapbook. A young man who has never ventured beyond his Ohio homeland buys a green Beetle and Continue reading »
- Bunny BungalowCynthia RylantA rabbit family makes a ramshackle house into a comfy home in this soothing book. Rylant's (Bear Days) rhyming text extols the pleasures of fluffy towels, teatime picnics, rocking chairs, Continue reading »
- The Cookie-Store CatCynthia RylantA foundling cat lives a charmed life in this companion to The Bookshop Dog. After morning kisses from the cookie bakers, the plump, ginger-colored cat visits the neighborhood shopowners and keeps the Continue reading »
- The Wonderful HappensCynthia RylantLike the lyrics to The Sound of Music's ""My Favorite Things,"" Rylant's picture-book list of what is wonderful in the world includes both raindrops and roses. The sweet, rhythmic text is both cheery Continue reading »
- The Heavenly VillageCynthia RylantAdopting a silky prose style, Rylant (Give Me Grace, reviewed above) imagines a stopping place between heaven and earth, a village where those who ""have taken one step into heaven and hesitated"" Continue reading »
- The IslanderCynthia RylantPW's starred review said, ""Rylant breaks new ground with this allegorical tale set on an island off the coast of British Columbia."" Ages 10-up. (Nov.) Continue reading »
- Thimbleberry StoriesCynthia RylantFour cozy stories lovingly chronicle the domestic adventures of Nigel Chipmunk and his friends, all of whom live on or around Thimbleberry Lane. Without heavy-handed moralizing, Rylant's (The Blue Continue reading »
- Little Whistle's MedicineCynthia RylantStarring in his third volume, the titular guinea pig turns health-care practitioner and storytime savior in Little Whistle's Medicine by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Tim Bowers. Little Whistle, Continue reading »
- Little Whistle's Dinner PartyCynthia RylantToytown's favorite guinea pig returns in Little Whistle's Dinner Party by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Tim Bowers, to host a midnight supper. He searches high and low for food and supplies, but when Continue reading »
- Wedding FlowersCynthia RylantBook Six in the Cobble Street Cousins series, Cynthia Rylant's Wedding Flowers, illus. by Wendy Anderson Halperin, tells of Rosie, Lily and Tess's return to Cobble Street for Aunt Lucy's wedding Continue reading »
- The High-Rise Private Eyes #5: The Case of the Sleepy SlothCynthia RylantBunny Brown and Jack Jones help Ramon find his missing lawn chair in The Case of the Sleepy Sloth by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by G. Brian Karas, the fifth title in the High-Rise Private Eyes series. Continue reading »
- Little Whistle's ChristmasCynthia RylantIn Little Whistle's Christmas by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Tim Bowers, the eponymous guinea pig helps his toy friends in Toytown when they wonder if Santa made them. Continue reading »
- Birthday PresentsCynthia RylantOn the first five birthdays of one small girl, five different cakes are bakedstar cake, clown, train, robot and dinosaur cakes, respectively. There are also demands for presents, and questions as to Continue reading »
- A Fine White DustCynthia RylantPete is 13 the summer the Preacher Man comes to his small town, vulnerable with both adolescent yearning and the need to find religious fulfillment. His parents are lapsed church-goers, who neither Continue reading »
- Children of Christmas: Stories for the SeasonCynthia RylantSix Christmas stories by the Newbery Honorwinning author converge to portray the sensitive moods of togetherness, loss, belonging, privation. Garnet Ash has lived alone in an out-of-the-way house Continue reading »
- A Fine White DustCynthia RylantA heartbreakingly human story of a boy on the brink of self-discovery, and his mesmerizing acquaintance, the Preacher Man. A Newbery Honor book. Ages 8-12. Continue reading »
- But I'll Be Back Again: An AlbumCynthia RylantIn this autobiographical essay, Rylant recounts the formative events of her childhood: the early loss of both her mother and father, who sent her to live with grandparents after their separation; Continue reading »
- A KindnessCynthia RylantChip, 15, has always lived alone with his mother; he doesn't know his father, who left when Chip was a baby. His mother, Anne, an artist, is rather vague about practical matters, and Chip is Continue reading »
- Mr. Griggs' WorkCynthia RylantA simple idea reigns in Rylant's quietly dignified picture bookthat it is possible to be take pride in and in fact relish what others may believe is the humblest of tasks. Mr. Griggs is the one-man Continue reading »
- Soda JerkCynthia RylantAlthough this unique collaboration by Rylant and Catalanotto is in the format of a 48-page picture book, it is intended for young adult readers. The 28 untitled, resonant poems are an extended Continue reading »
- Everyday TownCynthia RylantThe titles of these five board books may be unintentionally self-descriptive; Rylant offers rather quotidian glimpses of people, things and settings familiar to very young children. The volumes Continue reading »
- The DreamerCynthia RylantThe inspired re-pairing of Rylant and Moser, whose previous collaborative effort yielded the evocative and deeply personal Appalachia , proves that the talented author and artist share more than Continue reading »
- The Bird HouseCynthia RylantTogether again, Rylant and Moser (Appalachia) here intertwine themes of nature and human loss into a modern-day fairy tale. Cheerless and homeless, a girl is ambling along a river when her sadness is Continue reading »
- The High-Rise Private Eyes #1: The Case of the Missing MonkeyCynthia RylantRylant (Missing May; the Henry and Mudge series) delivers two snappy stories full of humor, action and tenderness in the debut titles of this beginning-reader series. From a high-rise ""deep in the Continue reading »
- The Steadfast Tin SoldierCynthia Rylant, Hans Christian AndersenTeaming up for another fairy tale retelling, following Hansel and Gretel (2008), Corace and Rylant breathe life into Hans Christian Andersen's story of a one-legged tin soldier who falls in love with Continue reading »
- God Got a DogCynthia RylantSixteen poems from Rylant’s God Went to Beauty School (2003) return in a new collection, accompanied by new artwork from Frazee, whose graphite-and-gouache illustrations are ideally attuned to the Continue reading »
- Gooseberry Park and the Master PlanCynthia RylantTwenty years after Gooseberry Park, Rylant and Howard return with a companion book, and it’s well worth the wait. While an ice storm figured prominently in the previous book, a drought is now causing Continue reading »
- CreationCynthia RylantRylant’s illustrations for a simplified version of the Genesis creation story, adapted from the King James Bible, recall those from her Dog Heaven and Cat Heaven—wet, thickly Continue reading »
- Little PenguinsCynthia RylantFive small penguins and their mother chill out in this playful, minimalist approach to winter. Rylant (the Mr. Putter and Tabby books) supplies only a few words per spread as the pointy-beaked Continue reading »
- We Love You, Rosie!Cynthia RylantRylant (Little Penguins) and Davick (Say Hello!) introduce opposites in a series of chapter-like scenarios starring two good-natured siblings and their frisky, floppy-eared Continue reading »
- Herbert’s First HalloweenCynthia RylantA piglet learns what trick-or-treating is all about in this gentle father-son story. “Herbert was not sure about Halloween,” begins Rylant. Herbert’s father attempts to share his love of the holiday, Continue reading »
- RosetownCynthia RylantA sensitive and perceptive girl searches for balance and order in this taut, graceful novel from Rylant, set in small-town Indiana in 1972. Flora, “who sometimes felt quite acutely the stress of Continue reading »
PW EDITORS’ PICKS FOR
THE BEST NEW BOOKS
PW EDITORS’ PICKS FOR THE BEST NEW BOOKS
Featured Children's Reviews
New Shoes for Leo
Lauren Agra Deedy
In this jubilant, dialogue-driven story with a “Cinderella”-like arc, a child seeks
to help family by searching for a much-needed item. Every month, William watches as Mami and Continue reading »
Rose Weaves a Garden
Rashin Kheiriyeh
“In a city so old, they call it ancient,” seven-year-old Rose’s grandfather, Baba joon, is an expert rug weaver, working mornings in a large factory and afternoons on his home Continue reading »
The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall
Charis Cotter
Cotter (The Dollhouse) delivers an unusually poignant adventure in this 1960s-set retelling of the Grimm brothers’ The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Phoebe “Bee” Griffin, 12, is Continue reading »
My Friend May
Julie Flett
With a tranquil narrative voice and collage-like artwork in subdued colors, Cree-Métis creator Flett (Just Like Grandma) tells the “rather true” story of May, “a big black cat Continue reading »
chevron_right
