A Library Book for Bear

I have talked about this series before, but it is still one of my favorites and a new one recently came out (July).  In A Library Book for Bear, our ever loving grouchy friend, Bear, is once again resistant to change.  His always optimistic and never deterred best friend, Mouse, is taking him to the library whether he likes it or not.  Bear of course thinks he already has enough books, 6, at home, covering all the topics he could possibly ever want.  A promise is a promise though, so Bear heads to the library with mouse.  He immediately thinks there are too many books.  Mouse brings him books about all kinds of topics, but Bear is only interested in finding a book about pickles.  Bear's grumblings turn into yelling, disturbing every library patron and drawing the attention of the librarian holding story time and all her rapt listeners.  Coaxed into joining the story, Bear is delighted to hear the book is about a Bear and treasure chest filled with pickles.    By the time the friends head home, Bear has seven new books on a variety of topics and a huge smile plastered to his face.  Once again, Mouse shows Bear that new things are not always bad.

This book is not as good as the others in the series, but I like it for two reasons.  First, it encourages cultivating a love of books, libraries, learning and reading.  I love books that encourage kids to expand their minds and learn new things.  I always love books that encourage reading.  Second, it introduces Bear's interest in pickles.  Since my daughter's nickname is Pickle, I always love it when I discover a book that talks about pickles.  She, of course, likes it too.  Bear and Mouse are always fun characters.  Give this new volume a try.  Happy reading!

Dinosaurs Love Underpants

I've been in a bit of a reading slump.  The last few books I've read haven't been worth sharing.  So instead, I am going to share a favorite picture book with you, Dinosaurs Love Underpants.  It is an adorable book.  I love the illustrations, the rhythm, and the humor.  It is what you could consider an alternate theory on how and why the dinosaurs died out.  It all started when the cavemen grew embarrassed about being naked and made themselves some underwear.  When the dinosaurs saw their new attire, they immediately wanted them too.  The problem was, once they procured them from the cavemen, they started fighting over them with each other.  Thus began the "Mighty Underpants War."  When the dust settled, the dinosaurs had all killed each other off, leaving the cavemen to carry on the tradition of the undergarments.  We are reminded at the end of the book to remember that underwear saved mankind so we should treat them with care.  I just think this book is wonderful.  The pictures are vibrant and descriptive.  The story engaging and entertaining.  I think it is a brilliant telling of how the dinosaurs faded into extinction.  I believe it.  After all, the perfect pair of underwear is worth fighting for.  Happy reading!

The Cat, The Dog...

I came across this picture book the other day and just thought it was hilarious.  It is a very fun retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.  Cat is trying to read the fairy tale out loud to Dog, who keeps interrupting with questions and comments.  Dog wants to know why the wolf would go to so much trouble if he planned on eating Red all along.  If he ran into her in the woods, why not just eat her then.  Also, how smart can Red be if she couldn't tell the wolf wasn't her grandmother.  When Dog first hears the part about the cape/hood, he thinks it is a superhero story.  By the end, Cat is frustrated and Dog is disappointed.  The illustrations are simple, yet effective.  They portray the excitement, frustration, imagination and speculation of the animals quite well.  Adults may find it funnier than kids because the jokes the jokes are more subtle, but it is definitely a funny story.  I always love fairy tale retellings.  This one stuck to the story, just made the interpretation comical.  It showed the story through the eyes of someone hearing it for the first time and questioning the logic of it.  The story is a lot of fun.  It was a bit reminiscent of a comic strip, with the simple illustrations and speech bubbles.  Definitely worth checking out.  Happy reading!

The Miss Nelson Collection

A month of so ago when I saw that all three Miss Nelson books were available in one Hardback collection, I was overjoyed.  I prefer my picture books to be hardcovers, they just last longer.  So now I can have all three of these great stories in one volume.  Even better, the list price is only $12.95.  This is starting to sound like the shopping network, so I'll move on now.

These books have been around forever, longer than I've been alive.  That is a lot of kids who have had the opportunity to be introduced to the foibles of misbehaving in class.  My favorite will always be the first book, Miss Nelson is Missing.  We all fear teachers like Miss Swamp, but the kids today need a little whipping into shape, if you ask me.  The fun illustrations help tell the stories of Miss Nelson's elementary class, and the football team.  Since every school class has at least one naughty kid, usually more than that, this book is the perfect book to remind teachers that turning an out of control classroom around is a possibility.  I love to recommend these stories during back to school time.  I think every teacher, not to mention family, should have this in their collection.  If you don't want all three, definitely pick up the original story and add it to your library today.  Happy reading!

I Survived

This is a series I have been curious about for awhile now.  I've had lots of kids come into my store asking for these books.  Pompeii is the newest installment.  I believe it just came out this week.  They don't have to be read in order (this is book #10) because each title takes place in a different historical period with different characters.  I rather enjoyed this book.  I think this series would be great for reluctant readers.  They are short, barely over 100 pages, and include a lot of history.  This is the only one I have read, so I can't speak for the others, but it was fast-paced and to the point.  It briefly covered the few days leading up the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and then the actual eruption and attempted evacuation.  There are illustrations to help break up the words, for those who need that.  This series is probably about a fourth grade reading level, maybe even late third grade.  It is scholastic, so the actually reading level should be on the back of the book.  I read a digital copy, so the information wasn't included.  Like I said, the book was a lot of fun and inspired me to do a little further research on the event.  That is exactly what the author hopes for.  Kids who are at all interested in historical events, or enjoy some good danger and action, this series would be perfect.  They all cover events that are known for the death and destruction factor, but focus on surviving that event.  I can say that I do in fact recommend this series.  Give it a try.  Happy reading!

The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand is one of my favorite books to recommend for kids who are scared to go to school for the first time.  For some kids, Kindergarten is scary.  It is not the easiest transition to make.  This book is all about coping with being away from your mother and learning to thrive in school.  Chester Raccoon doesn't want to leave his mother and go to school.  He is terrified of taking that step.  His mother tells him a secret that will help him get through the day.  She kisses his palm and tells him that whenever he is feeling sad or lonely, all he has to do is place his kissed palm to his cheek and remember that his mother loves him and is always with him.  This book is also good for mothers who are anxious about sending off their children to school for the first time.  I know that for some, the fear and anxiety resides solely with the parents, while the excitement and anticipation is solely with the kids.  Just before Chester leaves for school, he kisses his mother's palm and reminds her that he loves her and will always be with her.  I just love this book.  The kissing hand idea works for any new situation they may scare us or our children.  It is a wonderful way to remind each other of our love and support.  It is okay to be afraid of things, but we shouldn't let that fear stop us from trying new things.  Every great adventure has to start somewhere.  Happy reading!

Henny

Henny is another picture book I recently discovered.  It is about a chicken who has born with arms instead of wings.  Now to be honest, she does look a little creepy, but the story itself is enjoyable.  At times she has a lot of trouble with the fact that she can't do things the other chickens can do, like flying.  At other times she relishes in the fact that she can do things they can't, like use chopsticks.  She comes to realize that being different isn't always fun, but it is wonderful once she realizes her potential.  This book is all about being different and how that can be a good thing.  There are times in our lives that being the same as everybody else is all we want.  Fitting in and being accepted can be crucial to our development.  Then, there are times in our lives that all we want to do is stand out, be unique, even special.  Henny experiences both those desires and in the end realizes how wonderful being different can really be.  She may not have wings to fly, but her arms allow her to pilot a plane.  I think that the point is there is no right or wrong way to do things, trying them is what is important.  Even more, accepting who we are and figuring out what makes us special is something that we all need to experience in order to truly be happy.  This is a great book to help illustrate how wonderful being different can really be.  Happy reading!

Septimus Heap

A very cute kids series is Septimus Heap by Angie Sage.  The adventures follow a young boy named Septimus Heap.  He is the seventh son of a seventh son, and as such, he is destined to be one of the most powerful wizards of all time.  He is just a boy though, so he must take up an apprenticeship with the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, in order to be properly trained to someday take her place.  The books are filled with adventure and mishap.  The characters are a lot of fun and the world the author has created is rather enjoyable.  Septimus' family is rather entertaining.  His brothers are all very different.  His sister, Jenna, is a force to be reckoned with.  His best friend Beetle is always up for an adventure.  After raising seven kids, Sarah Heap is not to be messed with.  All the characters, good and bad, are fun.  The series is full of quirky characters and great adventure, not to mention a bit of magic, time travel, possession, dragons and danger.  It is very fun.  The books are all quite thick, but the content is appropriate for younger readers than Harry Potter.  I would recommend it for about 10 years old, but could be read to kids slightly younger.  If you like fantasy and want something a bit silly, yet well written and entertaining, give this series a try.  Happy reading!

What Do You Do With an Idea?

I stumbled upon this picture book the other day and was blown away.  It is amazing.  Everybody needs to read this.  The message is applicable to all ages, not just children.  What a great idea for a story.  It follows a child (I don't remember if it is a boy or girl, it isn't important) who has an idea, but has no clue what to do with it.  He tries to ignore it, but the idea just won't go away.  It follows him where ever he goes.  Other people tell him the idea is too big/crazy/unpractical, etc.  All the responses people often have to our ideas.  After awhile the child decides to nurture the idea and run with it.  Soon the idea has grown into something amazing.  The child learns that with what began as a tiny inkling, he was able to change the world.  All it took was believing in himself.  It is really such a great and inspiring book.  If we only believed in half of the ideas that cross our minds, just imagine what we could do.  We too could change the world.  The illustrations are adorable as well.  This is a book that not only should everybody read, they should own it.  The book is great for inspiring all ages.  It can help build confidence and inspire us to dream.  Find a copy of this book today, and let it start you on a new path.  Happy reading!

Gaston

I stumbled upon Gaston the other day and just loved it.  I was looking for new picture books and was immediately drawn to this cute cover.  The book is about two families of dogs.  Gaston is one of four puppies in a litter of poodles.  The fact that he is different, a bulldog, doesn't seem to cross their minds.  He tries very hard at all his lessons in proper etiquette.  After all, the dogs in his family are all about being proper.  One day they go to the dog park and come across another family of dogs, also with four youngsters.  This family is all bulldogs, save one poodle.  The mothers immediately realize what must have happened.  They leave it up to Gaston and Antoinette to decide what to do.  When they switch back to their birth families, nothing goes well.  The poodles are way too refined for Antoinette and the bulldogs are too wild for Gaston.  Besides, they miss their real families.  All is resolved at the next trip to the park.  Once the dogs are back where they truly belong, all is well again.  I just thought this book was adorable.  The illustrations are lots of fun.  This book really touches on the fact that family is about more than blood.  It is about love and affection.  It really is a wonderful, heartwarming book.  I am definitely glad I picked it up.  You should find a copy too.  Happy reading!

The Giver Quartet

It has been years since I started The Giver Quartet, but I finally finished it the other day.  After Messenger I though it was over, but then Lois Lowry added Son to the end.  It wrapped up the story quite nicely.  Questions that went unanswered in Messenger were flushed out more in Son.  It brought together characters from all three previous volumes.  This is a strange series because each book seems unrelated to the others until it is tied in at some point.  The first book, The Giver, is the best by far.  Jonas is a very interesting character.  Gathering Blue follows Kira and Messenger follows Matty.  All are tales of survival in a dystopian world.  Son pulls them together.  I wish I had reread The Giver before reading it though.  Actually, I wish I had reread all of them.  I didn't remember lots of stuff and probably would have enjoyed it even more if I remembered more.  Son follows Claire, the birth mother of Gabriel (the little boy from The Giver).  I really enjoyed how it tied all the books together.  This series is definitely different and may not appeal to all.  If I'm being totally honest, The Giver is the only one that is a must-read.  The other three aren't as good, but definitely worth reading.  This was my first foray into dystopian fiction.  As you may know, I am a huge fan of that genre.  The Giver was my gateway drug.  Even if that genre doesn't interest you, I think The Giver is a book everyone should read.  If you like it, continue the series.  I think it is a worthy education.  Happy reading!

My Teacher is a Monster

My Teacher is a Monster is a very cute new picture book from Peter Brown.  I am a huge fan of his, so of course I immediately read this book as soon as I ran across it.  The little boy is convinced his teacher is a monster.  Of course he is a bit of a trouble maker and she occasionally reprimands him for his behavior.  Of course that makes her a monster.  He doesn't like her at all.  The two butt heads.  Then one day they run into each other at the park.  They reluctantly strike up a conversation and soon the little boy realizes she is a lot more like him than he thought.  The illustrations morph from a monster to a lady.  They go their ways and all is well, until they meet in school again and she yells at him for something.  The monster is back in his eyes.  It is a really cute story about seeing people for who they really are.  Teachers are people to, even if they have to be strict in the classroom!  It was fun watching the two get to know each other in a casual setting.  It gave them each an opportunity to understand the other.  The illustrations are wonderful, as always.  Check out this book if you get a chance.  Happy reading!

Hugless Douglas

I discovered Hugless Douglas a couple years ago merely by accident.  It was on a display and, at the time, I had a coworker named Doug.  It looked cute so I picked it up and read it.  I just loved it.  Douglas is a young bear who wakes up from hibernation in need of a hug.  He spend the day trying to find the perfect one.  He hugs rocks, trees, leaves, and various animals.  They are all too hard, too tall, too wrong.  All he wants is a hug, but he just can't find the right one.  A sympathetic rabbit takes him to look for the elusive hug he seeks.  At last they find another cave where someone is waking up, Douglas' mom.  She provides the perfect hug he so desperately needs.  The illustrations are adorable and the story is quite fun.  At one time or another we have all needed a hug.  This book reminds us how the right hug can make all the difference.  It is a really cute book.  Find it, read it, enjoy it.  Happy reading!

Miss Rumphius

I have loved Miss Rumphius since I was a child.  It won the National Book Award in 1983.  It always makes me think of heading up the mountains in Wyoming, where lupines cover the roadside.  My personal connection to the flowers is really what connected me to this book.  The story follows the life of Alice Rumphius, whose greatest dream was to travel the world and leave her mark.  She took with her the seeds of her favorite flower, spreading them everywhere she went.  The following year, fields of lupine sprang up everyone she had been.  It became her legacy.  The illustrations are simply beautiful, full of color and life.  Whenever I see a field of lupine, I imagine her walking that ground, spreading her seeds.  This is a book not to be missed.  As I travel up into the Wyoming mountains this week, I can't help but think of this book and desire to share its beauty with the world.  Happy reading!

From Sea to Shining Sea

Today of all days is for celebrating America and what makes us American.  This collection of American Folklore and Folk Songs is the perfect way to celebrate this countries essence.  It contains over 140 stories, songs, poems and more, as well as over 300 illustrations by eleven Caldecott Medal winner and four Caldecott Honor artists.  The illustrations are wonderful.  This book (which is unfortunately out of print, but perhaps available at your local library or used books store) does an amazing job of taking the reader through the history of this great country.  It starts with Native American folklore, continues with the Pilgrims, the Revolutionary War, westward expansion, slavery, and much more as it moves from the beginning of this country to the present(ish)--it was published in 1993, but doesn't cover much past the 70s.  It also visits fun and humorous folktales, ghost stories, the great American sport of baseball and more.  There are a handful of familiar tales and songs, at least to me, but the majority of it was new to me.  It is over 400 pages long and contains tons of wonderful depictions of our history and culture.  Enjoy and have a Happy 4th.  Happy reading!

Tuesdays at the Castle

I was planning on waiting until I read the next two books in this series before writing about it, but I just couldn't wait.  I just finished Tuesdays at the Castle and loved it so much.  I wanted to share it immediately.  It was such a delight.  I kept being surprised by how much I was enjoying it, although I don't know why.  I have enjoyed all of Jessica's books that I have read so far.  She is a local author that I have gotten to know a little and I shouldn't be surprised by her talent.  Her personality comes right through her books.  This wonderful book is about a magical castle and the royal family who inhabits it.  When the King and Queen go to the Wizarding College to watch their oldest son graduate, their carriage is set upon by bandits.  They are presumed dead.  The three children (Rolf, Lilah, and Celie) they left at home have to use all their wits and bravery to defend the throne from an evil prince from another land who is set on taking over the kingdom.  Despite his wishes, it is the castle who chooses the king, and Castle Glower is not a fan of Prince Khelsh.  This magical tale is full of fun and adventure.  The children must fight for their very lives and band together with the castle to try to get rid of the unwanted residents.  I just loved the characters.  I can't wait to get to know them better in the next books.  Such a fun series so far.  I highly recommend this for anyone eight and up.  Happy reading!

The Dot and Ish

The Dot and Ish by Peter Reynolds are two picture books that I absolutely adore.  They are very similar in theme, so I figured I would share both of them together.  The illustrations are wonderful, but the stories are even better.  They both deal with creative expression in children and our responsibility as adults to foster that desire.  These books resonate with me because I have no artistic talent myself.  In The Dot, the child doesn't think she can create a work of art and just leaves a blank page.  Finally, she puts a dot on the page.  With encouragement, her dots become more and more elaborate as she learns to explore her creative side.  In Ish the little boy looses his love of drawing when his brother makes a comment about his pictures not quite looking like what they are meant to be.  Luckily his little sister sees the beauty in his unique artwork, and he is once again able to embrace his love of drawing all the time.  It is really beautiful to watch these children's imaginations soar as they explore the endless possibilities that exist when encouraged to express themselves artistically.  Whether it is through art, writing, music, etc., I hope everyone will encourage their own children to use their imaginations and not hold anything back.  The sky is the limit when it comes to what children can accomplish.  Happy reading!

Eerie Elementary

I received a PDF version of this book from the publisher.  I'd heard about Scholastic's newish Branches line of books for emergent readers and wanted to give it a try.  Eerie Elementary is a new series recently introduced.  The School is Alive! is the first book (it comes out June 24th).  This book is meant for kids who are ready to start chapter books, but who are not quite ready for a full beginning chapter book.  I love this new Branches program.  I think it is perfect to help readers reach that next level.  I only wish they started this years ago.  It may just save your reluctant reader.  While this is not the only Branches book available, this is the one I am going to talk about.  If it doesn't interest you, try out a different title for your new reader.  They have lots of pictures to accompany the story.  I guess you could compare this to Goosebumps in a way.  It is not for the faint of heart or easily scared.  After all, as the title suggests, the school is alive.  When Sam Graves is named the new Hall Monitor, he is reluctant and even embarrassed to don the sash.  He soon learns that his job is more than making sure kids go to class.  It is up to him to save everyone from the school itself.  You see, the school is hungry and Sam must use all his wits to keep the school from eating his friends.  This is a very fun story.  It introduces the school and Sam's new role as protector.  I think it is a wonderful introduction to a promising new series.  Book two, The Locker Ate Lucy! comes out later this summer.  I'm definitely going to check out some other Branches titles and start reading them to my little girl.  She isn't ready to read herself, but she is too young to sit still and pay attention to chapter books.  Since basically every page has an illustration on it, I think this is the perfect gateway into exploring longer stories with her.  Pick up a Branches book for your family today (and no, I have nothing to do with Scholastic and am not getting paid to endorse their program.  I wish!).  Happy reading!

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is one of my all-time favorite children's authors.  His twisted sense of humor and uncanny ability to capture the dark side of people has provided hours of entertainment for me.  He has always been more than successful at captivating me with his characters, both good and bad.  He created unique individuals that aren't soon forgotten.  I only wish he was still alive to create the magnificent adventures of my childhood for generations to come.  He is one of those authors whose work will never go out of print.  When I was young I would listen to James and the Giant Peach over and over again.  That was one of my favorite books.  I longed for the adventure of traveling over the sea in a giant peach.  Matilda speaks to my love of books.  The BFG is another fun adventure, filled with unlikely friendship.  The Twits sees the worlds worst adults get what's coming to them.  All kids can appreciate that.  Esio Trot is such an adorable love story.  These five are my favorite of his books, but I like all of them.  I read the Witches after I had seen the movie a million times and found that I liked the movie version slightly better.  In my opinion Roald Dahl should be a part of every child's library.  I know some parents don't like the dark side of each book, or the consistently horrible adults portrayed in the stories.  I think that all kids will encounter horrible adults at some point, and these books can perhaps help empower them a little.  Regardless of your beliefs on the matter, his books have the power to spark the imagination.  I think that ability is priceless in children's literature.  I have listened to a handful of his books on audio and all of them are fabulous.  If you have a short road trip ahead, these books make a wonderful accompaniment to any drive.  Listen to them with your kids.  Read the books together as well.  They are wonderful.  Happy reading!

Sophie's Fish

Sophie's Fish was one of my favorite picture book discoveries last year.  It is just so cute.  The illustrations are wonderful and the story is hilarious.  Jake agrees to take care of his friend Sophie's fish while she is on vacation; after all, how hard can it be to take care of a fish?  While he waits for Sophie to bring her fish to his house, he begins to have a lot of anxiety about fishsitting.  What he originally thought would be a piece of cake, he now thinks will be anything but.  He starts to freak out about what to feed the fish, what books to read, how to comfort him if he misses Sophie, and much more.  Before the doorbell even rings, he has talked himself into telling her he can't do.  When she tells him all she has to do is feed him twice a day, Jake once again decides it will be easy.  Then he meets the fish....It is fun to follow Jake and his imagination through this book.  The pictures perfectly illustrate his most outrageous worries.  I think we can all relate to his feelings of anxiety when we are given a responsibility we aren't sure we can handle.  Read this book.  I promise you will enjoy it.  Happy reading!