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I had my last booktalk of the year in April, strategically before state testing so the students would have something really good to read.  Here are the notes for the books I talked for 9-12th grade:

Miracle by Elizabeth Scott (real life read):  Final Destination, the movie.  PTSD
Leading question:  Other than war, what are some other instances where people can suffer from PTSD?


Zoe Letting Go by Nora Price (real life read):  famous journals in history
Leading question: Why do people keep journals?  How would you react if someone read yours?

Legend by Marie Lu (dystopia): current hot topic issues Americans face today that deals with government (gun control)
Leading question: Do you trust the government 100%?  Why or why not? 

Darkwater by Catherine Fisher (fantasy): stories about the Devil throughout history (Devil and Daniel Webster, Faust
Leading question:  how many of you have ever heard this song?  Do a little Charlie Daniels.  Explain how this is recurrent theme throughout literature.

The Diviners by Libba Bray (supernatural): haunted places in our area
Leading question:  Anyone ever heard of la Llorna?  How about Chupacabra?  Regional legend ghost stories.  Are they true or not?

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Catherine Applegate (science fiction): protein folds mystery and the gamers who helped solve it.
Leading question: What would the perfect teen look like (in your mind?)  Is it ethical or not to "play" with genetics?

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta (fantasy): Talk about Kony or Saddam Hussein
Leading question:  What causes people to become refugees?  How can they start over again?

Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder (girl reads; novel in verse): signs of an obsessive person (taking up all of your time, needing you in his life in order to live, constant contact, telling you what to wear/look like)
Leading question:  Where is the fine line between a relationship and obsession?  Has anyone ever heard of a crime of passion?

Fateful by Claudia Gray (historial supernatural): Titanic exhibit in Ft. Worth; the 2015 launch of the replicated Titanic
Leading question: How long have werewolves been around?  How did they get from Europe to America?

Scandalous: 50 shocking events you should know about (so you can impress your friends) by Hallie Fryd (non-fiction): Look at cover and talk about two events: Elvis and his shocking antics: Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding.  How the impacted history.  Yes, history does have a dark and dirty side, and this book has the stories the textbooks leave out.

Infects by Sean Beaudoin (supernatural tongue-in-cheek):Zombie talk  (fast, slow, what infected them, how to kill/evade them)
Leading question:  Have you ever had a case of food poisoning? 

Trinity: a graphic history of the first atomic bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm (non-fiction): How many times was the A-bomb detonated?  Where?  One of the best kept government secrets of its time.  Oppenheimer was the creator, but how did he feel about this thing he created?  Why did the U.S. choose Nagasaki or Hiroshima?

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen (real life read; thriller): Life of Pi; the effects of dehydration
Leading question:  Besides food and water, what would be the most important thing to have on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean?

Breathe by Sarah Crossen: air quality alerts; the most polluted cities in the world
Leading question: Do all people need the same amount of oxygen to survive?  What about those that live in mountains vs. prairies dwellers?  Athletes or sendentary people?

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (supernatural): Different ways of divination (tea leaves, magic ball, tarot cards)
Leading question: Do psychics have the abilities they claim or not?  Ever watched Long Island Medium or Psychic Detective on television?

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (girl reads): hindsight; spending your entire summer with your parents and siblings
Leading question:  Ever had one of those moments when you know you screwed up but didn't do anything about it?  Ever wished for a do-over?

Zoo by James Patterson (adult fiction): story about the chimpanzee that turned on its owner and caused substantial facial damage
Leading question: If you had a pet you loved and it turned on you, what would you do?

Ten by Gretchen McNeill (mystery): movie the Elevator; Agatha Christie
Leading question: What's the best thing about being on an island?  The worse?

The Turning by Francine Prose (psychological mystery): long-distance relationships
Leading question:  If you were offered a summer job that paid big time, would you give up all phone and internet access the entire summer? 

Before You Go by James Preller (real life read): Three things guys think about (food, girls, hanging out) and the nothing box they are all equipped with
Leading question: What is the best summer job for a teen?  Are they different for guys and girls?

Visit Sunny Chernobyl: and other adventures in the world's most polluted places by Andrew Blackwell (non-fiction):  brief history of the infamy of Chernobyl; current disasters that pollute the earth (Fukishima).  Talk briefly about one other place in the book (India river) and end with the fact the Texas made the top five list of the most polluted places on earth. 

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf (non-fiction): Which is more difficult, elementary or junior high?  How about junior high or high school?  Talk about Jeffrey's history in school and the demons he had to battle.  Describe his social life and his relationship with his friend Derf.  Then talk about what happened 10 years later, when Derf saw him on television...

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Dog rescuers become
kid rescuers. Bring your
hankies -- and lint brush.

White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan. McElderry, 2013, 128 pages.

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Writer Jordana Horn went into her son’s class, filled with seven and eight year-old kids, earlier this month to lead a session on journaling. She asked the students to write what they don’t… Read More →

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My re-read of The Chocolate War continues!

Previous installments are here and here.

Chapter Twelve: In which Jerry has his last perfect moment in a long, long time.

• Jerry's at football practice, and his frustration about—and this is my interpretation, as he hasn't actually articulated the feeling—being rudderless and acted UPON rather than being the ACTOR in his own life, as well as being dismissed as insignificant and a nonentity by all of the forces who use him continues: What infuriated Jerry was that Carter toppled him gently, lowering him to the ground almost tenderly as if to prove his superiority. I don't have to murder you, kid, it's easy enough this way, Carter seemed to be saying. Long-windedness cut short: FORESHADOWING.
• Then the next pay is successful, and Jerry has a moment of "absolute bliss"... but then he goes inside to change, he finds a letter from the Vigils taped to his locker.

Chapter Thirteen: The first day of the chocolate sale.

• The Room Nineteen prank isn't sitting well with The Goober. At first, he felt like a folk hero and he enjoyed the butt-patting popularity, but there are rumors that Brother Leon is carrying on an investigation and that Brother Eugene has had a nervous breakdown. Also, there's this: The room would never be the same again, of course. The furniture creaked weirdly, as if it would collapse again without warning. The various teachers who used the room were uneasy—you could tell they were apprehensive. Once in a while, some guy would drop a book just to see the teacher flinch or leap in panic. So. Things that are broken—like, completely, utterly destroyed—and then mended... are never quite the same again. UNSETTLING THOUGHT, INDEED. By which I mean: FORESHADOWING.
• And then Brother Leon does role call, and asks each boy if he will participate in the chocolate sale, and every boy in the room says yes... except Jerry. And, as you might expect, even though this sale is supposedly entirely voluntary, refusing does not go over well: "You may pick up your chocolates in the gym, gentlemen," Brother Leon said, his eyes bright—wet bright. "Those of you who are true sons of Trinity, that is. I pity anyone who is not." That terrible smile remained on his face. "Class dismissed," Leon called although the bell had not sounded.

Chapter Fourteen: Time passes. Boys sell chocolates. 

• I love the structure of this chapter: Cormier shows the passage of time with brief vignettes of random students selling chocolates interspersed with scenes of the daily battle of wills between Brother Leon and Jerry in homeroom. His ability to create three-dimensional, believable characters with just a few paragraphs is lovely, as is his trust in his audience to be able to keep up with the rapid pace of the scene changes. 
• Using The Goober as our window to those homeroom scenes is another great choice on Cormier's part: he's already been shown to be more sensitive to and aware of tension and conflict than many of the other students, so his view of the situation is especially perceptive.
• Meanwhile, the kid who was appointed Candy Treasurer is pretty sure that Brother Leon is cooking the books...

Chapter Fifteen: In which we find out what Archie is holding over Janza's head.

• And, in a word, is is nothing: he's just PRETENDING to have a photo of Janza masturbating in a school bathroom. I don't even. (If it'd been a different character, this situation never would have worked, but as Janza is, as Willow Rosenberg would say, ID BOY, it makes complete sense to me that he would wander into a bathroom and think, "Hmmm, broken lock, no real privacy, well, now's as good a time as any.")
• The Archie/Janza scenes are always interesting; Janza acts like he thinks he's Archie's equal, but clearly knows that he isn't—he craves acceptance, but would never ever admit it; Archie very definitely looks down on Janza, but respects the fact that his unpredictability and inherent brutality makes him dangerous.
• I just noticed, too, that Archie and Jerry are the only two characters who are regularly referred to by their first names. Oh, wait, Obie, too.

Chapter Sixteen: In which a random student has a devastating flash of insight.

• Brother Leon holds a bad grade over David Caroni's head to find out what the deal is with Jerry Renault: Were teachers like everyone else, then? Were teachers as corrupt as the villains you read about in books or saw in movies and television? He'd always worshipped his teachers, had though of becoming a teacher himself if he could overcome his shyness.
• Which, of course, makes me think of River Phoenix's monologue in Stand By Me about stealing the milk money. Like I said, devastating.
• Anyway, now Brother Leon knows that Jerry's Vigil assignment ends tomorrow, and that he will say 'yes', start selling chocolates, and all will be right with the world.

Chapter Seventeen: In which Jerry does the unthinkable.

• He says no.

Links!

Kelly: Guest Post: Why The Chocolate War Matters by Angie Manfredi

Liz: The Chocolate War Read A Long Part Three

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<!-- START INTERCHANGE - PRIMATES -->if(!window.igic__){window.igic__={};var d=document;var s=d.createElement("script");s.src="http://iangilman.com/interchange/js/widget.js";d.body.appendChild(s);} <!-- END INTERCHANGE --> Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Biruté Galdikas is written by Jim Ottaviano, who's very cool website, G.T. Labs, has the tagline, "

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A delightful book about tackling your fears awaits young readers in Meg the Egg by Rita Antoinette Borg.

Mother Hen is thrilled when her two chicks, Peg and Keg, hatch into the world. But Meg wants to stay in her egg because she is frightened by the noises she hears each night. No amount of coaxing from Mother Hen can convince Meg to hatch. When Howls the fox snatches Mother Hen off her nest, Meg the Egg decides she must push aside her fears to save her.

Facing your fears can be tough even for adults. In this charming picture book from Rita Antoinette Borg, children follow Meg as she taps into strength she doesn’t know she possesses to save her beloved mother who has been begging her to hatch. Showing kids that a bit of ingenuity goes a long way, Meg the Egg educates and entertains. Fun illustrations and onomatopoeia fill the pages of this empowering story.

This is a book children will want to read time and again. Just like the classic story of The Three Little Pigs, children will enjoy watching Meg face her fears and outsmart the fox.

Rating:

Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Lrg edition (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1466353147
ISBN-13: 978-1466353145

Last Day to Enter for Your Chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or

1 of 5 Free Electronic Copies of Meg the Egg!

Visit the book’s tour page at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/04/01/pump-up-your-book-presents-rita-antoinette-borgs%E2%80%99s-meg-the-egg-book-blast-%E2%80%93-win-25-amazon-gift-card-and-free-books/ and complete the Rafflecopter form to enter this fabulous giveaway.

Rita Antoinette Borg was educated in New York and now resides on the Mediterranean island of Malta. She performs storytelling and creative writing workshops in schools across the country and works as a freelance writer for local magazines and newspapers. Ms. Borg has published four picture books aimed at early readers as well as an anthology of short stories for older children. Her books have been recognized by the Malta National Annual Literary Awards. Her book “Don’t Cross the Road, Holly!” was chosen as the year’s best Children’s Book in English. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Writers & Illustrators.

WEBSITE – FACEBOOK

I received a free ecopy of this book from the author. The author paid me a fee to promote this book through a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. That fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

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<!-- START INTERCHANGE - PEANUT -->if(!window.igic__){window.igic__={};var d=document;var s=d.createElement("script");s.src="http://iangilman.com/interchange/js/widget.js";d.body.appendChild(s);} Peanut by Ayun Halliday and Paul Hoppe is a gem! I am a tremendous fan of Smile and Drama by the exceptional Raina Telegemeier but have been frustrated by the fact that I have yet to find

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Winner will receive a copy of Tiger in My Soup. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter. By entering, you acknowledge you have read the terms on the form and agree to them. Contest ends 5/30/2013 at 11:59 EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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While there are loads and loads of Hollywood-themed YA books—most recently, I especially enjoyed Rachel Shukert's Starstruck—I'm going to point you back to Cecil Castellucci's first book, Boy Proof.

Which, many years and many books later, is still my favorite Castellucci.

It's about Victoria—call her Egg—the daughter of a has-been actress and a Oscar-winning special effects artist: 

She is extremely bright, and likes people to be aware of that fact. She likes routine and she likes to be in control. She likes to be seen as a loner. Although she's a photographer for the school newspaper and is a member of the sci-fi club, she avoids much interaction with her fellow students. She isn't (that) rude—she will talk to them if asked a direct question, but she doesn't generally initiate conversation. She's comfortable with the way things are.   

I fell for this book immediately. Ron Koertge called it "compulsively readable", and I agree. I read half of it last night, then tossed and turned for ages before I finally gave up on sleep and got up to finish it.

Love.

Other favorite Hollywood books?

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Book: Splish, Splash, Splosh!
Author: David Melling (@DavidMelling1)
Pages: 22
Age Range: 2-5 

Splish, Splash, Splosh! by David Melling is a medium-sized board book with padded cover (part of a series from Tiger Tales Books). It's an appealing counting book featuring Splosh the duck (a character first introduced in a book published in the UK) and his nine duck friends. 

The text is bouncy and read-aloud-able, with rhymes for each pair of numbers. Like this (across two page spreads):

"ONE fluffy duck goes waddling
one day.

TWO fluffy ducks have found
a place to play! 

It's a fun book to read aloud. But it's Melling's illustrations that will delight toddlers. We see Splosh in an inner tube, hesitating to jump in to the pool. We see the other ducks, in swim caps, goggles, and even flippers bouncing around, bumping into one another. We see Splosh balanced in his inner tube, which hangs from a tree (after a diving board mishap), and a clearly irritated bird poking a hole in said inner tube.

The illustrations are just the right mix of silly and simple. There's a plain white background, and little texture to the illustrations. Melling's focus is all on the ducks, their swim paraphernalia, and the pool. And, on the last page, water splashing everywhere.

Splish, Splash, Splosh! would be a great bathtime book for two-year-olds, or just a fun counting book for slightly older preschoolers. The padded cover and brightly colored letters in the title will catch the eye of young children, who sense immediately that this is a book for them. The sturdy construction, not to mention the quiet humor, will appeal to parents and librarians. 

Publisher: Tiger Tales Books (@TigerTalesBooks)
Publication Date: March 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

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Author: Jayne Amelia Larson
Publisher: Free Press
Genre: Memoir
ISBN: 978-1-4516-4001-4
Pages: 224
Price: $28.99

Author’s website

Buy it at Amazon

When Jayne Amelia Larson hit a lull in her acting career, she turned to chauffeur work to fill the gaps. This provided her a unique opportunity to drive the Saudi family visting Los Angeles for their summer vacation. In Driving the Saudis, she relates some of her experiences in this unusual assignment.

There are some interesting moments in this narrative. When one of the princesses does not handle American currency properly, it’s obvious she feels some shame. There is a bond that develops between the nanny and Larson, while chaperoning the princess and looking out for her best interests. And there is unexpected kindness that the servants show her as they all become weary of the endless work. There is also lavish spending, elective surgeries, rudeness, and high expectations that all who serve the family will do so quickly and efficiently. The long hours and many demands take their toll, but the promise of a hefty cash tip keep Larson going until the very end.

Unfortunately, this book gets off to an extremely slow start. Larson shares too much about herself, her education, and her career. She offers her thoughts and opinions of the family and their behavior, but there are few actual anecdotes. These are brief, and leave no lasting impression of the individual family members. Instead, we are given just a sketchy overall picture of the family and their collective behavior.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

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Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1670 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have eight book reviews (three picture books, one early chapter books, two middle grade novels, and two young adult novels). I also have a one children's literacy roundup, and a post summarizing our experience with Screen Free Week. 

Not included in the newsletter this time around I have:

• A list of the Children's Choice Book Award Winners
• WordGirl's Word of the Month for May (Challenge)
• Links I shared on Twitter: May 10th
• Links I Shared on Twitter: May 2nd

Reading Update: In the past 2 weeks, I finished 2 novels for young adults, one novel for adults, and one adult nonfiction title. I read: 

• Cat Winters: In the Shadow of Blackbirds. Amulet. Young Adult. Completed May 6, 2013. My review.
• Rick Yancey: The Fifth Wave. Putnam Juvenile. Young Adult. Completed May 8, 2013. My review.
• Jacqueline Winspear: Leaving Everything Most Loved: A Maisie Dobbs Novel. Harper. Adult Mystery. Completed May 9, 2013, on MP3. I found the ending a bit drawn out on this one (almost like an end to the series, though I don't believe it is), but enjoyed it otherwise. 
• Nate Silver: The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don't. Penguin. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 14, 2013. This is a fascinating book, but quite dense. It took me nearly a week to get through. 

I'm currently reading Mojo by Tim Tharp and listening to Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (the final Sookie Stackhouse book). And, of course, I'm reading every day with Baby Bookworm. She, at age 3, has started asking to do "book reports". This actually involves playing with flashcards, and has nothing to do with books. I'm not sure where she picked up the term.

How about you? What have you and your kids been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. 

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.  You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

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Spoilers about Belles are a necessity!

OKAY. SO.

After long-lost cousins Isabelle Scott (from the Wrong Side of the Tracks, basically the North Carolina version of Chino) and Mirabelle Monroe (from Emerald Cove, basically the North Carolina version of the O.C.) found out that they were ACTUALLY SISTERS, life for both of them changed YET AGAIN.

Only actually not that much. Yes, they have to do a bunch of press stuff so as to save their father's political career, but mostly it's just more of the same: dealing with mean girls at school and trying to save Izzy's beloved community center and misunderstandings and boy troubles and so on.

And never fear, O.C. fans, this installment continues to channel the show: WINTER WHITE IS (in part) ABOUT COTILLION.

The only thing missing is Tate Donovan getting punched in the face.

Be ready for some clunky exposition—Cotillion! How could Mira have forgotten about her favorite tradition in Emerald Cove? Making her formal debut into society was something she had dreamed about since she was in pre-K. She'd spent the last three years preparing for the sophomore girl tradition—taking etiquette classes, going to Saturday morning dance lessons, and doing approved Junior League charity work—and somehow she had let all this drama with her dad make her completely forget the most important event of the year!—but wait, there's more!—Cotillion pledging. Rush. Debutante initiation. Whatever you wanted to call it, Mira had forgotten about this secret tradition, too.—and then the narrator goes on to explain it all in detail, but I'm sure you get the point, so I'll spare you. 

And I was disappointed that Calonita [SPOILER] apparently fed the same exact criteria into the Random Villain Generator, because JEEZ LOUISE, AN UP-AND-COMING POLITICAL FAMILY JUST CAN'T GET RELIABLE HELP THESE DAYS. [/SPOILER]

Perfect? No. Literary pyrotechnics? Double no.

But I love how Izzy and Mira have become a team—much like Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood, of course—and if you go in for this sort of thing (as I do), as long as you're prepared to overlook some rough spots, it's fun stuff. I'll be reading book three soon-ish.

____________________________

Author page.

____________________________

Amazon.

____________________________

Book source: ILLed through my library.

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A Lucy Book of Sloth by Lucy Cooke   Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2013. ISBN: 9781442445574 Grades K-4 The reviewer borrowed a copy of the book from her library. Are you looking for a way to draw more readers to the nonfiction sections? All you need to do is put A Little Book of Sloth on display, and the readers will flock to the 600s. We've had it available in the collection a short time, and

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However! It'll be a bit different this year:

MotherReader has decided to take a well-deserved break from hosting duties, so Ms. Yingling and Abby the Librarian have waded into the fray and TAKEN CHARGE.

Regardless! Start organizing your TBR pile, because June 7th will be here BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

I'd better remind Joshua that he'll need to find something to do that weekend that DOESN'T involve standing in front of me and chanting, "PAY ATTENTION TO ME, PAY ATTENTION TO ME, PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEEEEEEE!"

Huh. In retrospect, I realize that I should have hidden The 5th Wave from him until that weekend: then he could have participated, too! (He's LOVING it, by the way. Judging purely by his reaction to it—he's been going to bed EARLY every night so he can start reading SOONER—I'm really looking forward to my turn with it.)

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Sally O. Lee is back with another imaginative, unique creation. When circle meets square, circle is curious if square is always the same: brushing his teeth, bouncing a ball, at bathtime, and in other situations. Square assures circle that he’s always the same no matter what he’s doing. Simple in nature, this story is one of friendship and acceptance. Parents could even use this book as a teaching point for how their love remains constant no matter what happens.

A delightful story coupled with Lee’s adorable artwork is waiting for your young reader in Circle and Square.

Rating:

Paperback: 34 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 12, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1482676850
ISBN-13: 978-1482676853

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

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I've had this on my TBR list forever and a day, so I was excited to find it for audio download through my library.  It's based around one of my favorite sub-genres: post-apocalyptic YA.  In Life As We Knew It, a meteor strikes the moon, shifting its orbit closer to earth.  The result is massive tsunamis that wipe out huge coastal regions, earthquakes, and such severe volcanic eruptions that the ash blocks out the sun.  In addition, long-term climate changes take place, which means Miranda and her family are forced to live off of stockpiled rations and scavenge for supplies.

Writing
I think the author did a good job of remembering the small details that I see left out of a lot of more recent YA post-apocalyptic books.  Instead of focusing on the dramatic weather-related disasters, the book is set in the middle of the country, where things are less severe.  Instead, we see life change in a slower, but more imaginable and completely terrifying way for Miranda and her family.  The author brings up things like toilet paper and feminine hygiene products and the lack of protein in the family's new diet, which are all significant, but often overlooked in books that tend to focus more on the action of the disaster itself.  I appreciated the author's take and her unique point of view.

Entertainment Value
Although the book isn't as fast-paced or action-filled as others in the genre, I think the slow (and honestly I'm not talking slow-slow, I'm talking over the course of months as opposed to the course of days) progression made the book more realistic and more frightening.  The move from feeling like things might be ok, the siblings being upset over the early school closures, to the closing of the library and the post office, and finally to a lack of basic necessities isn't necessarily frantic pacing, but I could see it really happening.  It made me anxious, and I liked that.  It also made me want to go stock up on toilet paper and canned food in a desperate way.

Narration
It was ok.  I wasn't terribly impressed, but I also wasn't bothered by anything in particular.  I think the book would be equally enjoyable in print and there's nothing that sets the narration apart for me.

Overall
I definitely recommend reading the book.  It's the first in a series of three, but it can also be read as a stand-alone.  No cliffhanger ending or incomplete story line, which I very much appreciated.  I'm sure I'll read the next two books at some point, but I don't feel like I need to do that to complete Miranda's story.

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Author & Illustrator: Timothy Young
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4387-2
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Schiffer Books
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Picture books can be trouble! If you read about the boy with the purple crayon and draw on your own walls, your mom will be angry. If you eat green ham, you’ll barf. And wishing really hard won’t bring you to the jungle. So this boy has had enough! He’s getting rid of all his picture books.

But wait, he really does like this one. And this one. And this one. In fact, he really likes them all! He won’t ever toss these books in the trash. They’re each special, and he’s going to read them all right now.

I Hate Picture Books! incorporates scenes and concepts from many of the best picture books of the last few decades. This cute story is a fun reminder of the joy these books continue to give us.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

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When you find a best friend, you want to hold on to him! And anyway, life is sooo… much better with a friend – you can play together and swim together, swimming over and under and all around. Such is the life of two happy friends, Nugget a minnow, and Fang a shark, until Nugget goes off to school. Then, everything is different for Fang and Nugget. At school, Nugget learns lots of new things about the world and his place in it, including the unsettling fact that sharks EAT minnows!!! Nugget cannot believe this and tries to convince his schoolmates that his friend Fang could never hurt anyone.

Eventually though, Nugget does start to believe the rumors and reluctantly lets go of his friendship with Fang. Of course Fang is lost without his best friend and tries everything he can think of to win his friend back. Sadly though, nothing works, until a giant net captures Nugget and the other little fish, and Fang must come to their rescue. In the end, everyone lets go of their old ideas about their shark friend, and the ELEVEN friends live happily ever after, swimming over and under and all around. This book would make a good read-aloud, and there are some wonderful lessons to be learned as well. The illustrations are very colorful and appealing. Really fun!

Posted by: Mary

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Two very sweet books that celebrate parents come from Ann Hodgman. In That’s My Mommy! animals from kittens to ducklings to joeys and more, talk about the wonderful things their mommies do. Mommy makes the kitten feel better. Duckling’s mommy makes him feel brave. Joey’s mommy reads to him every day. With charming and lovable illustrations by Laura Logan, this book is bound to be a hit.

That’s My Daddy! finds a calf who likes how his daddy can reach way up high. Mouse’s daddy is the strongest in the world. Puppy’s daddy can find anything that gets lost. With less than ten words on each page, Hodgman captures the essence of what it means to be a daddy to little ones. Laura Logan lends her talents to this book as well. I hope these two work together again, as they create magical, charming stories.

These padded board books are perfect for preschoolers. Their sturdy construction means they’ll stand up to multiple reads (and we all know how much kids love to read and read again their favorite books). The short sentences will allow for quick memorization of the story, and will then help youngsters as they transition to being able to read alone. Hodgman proves here that you don’t have to say a lot to create touching and meaningful books for parents and children to share together. And at only $8.95 each, they are a great value.

Highly recommended.

Rating:  (both books)

Mommy

• Hardcover: 22 pages
• Publisher: Tiger Tales; Padded Board Book edition (March 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158925645X
• ISBN-13: 978-1589256453

Daddy

• Hardcover: 22 pages
• Publisher: Tiger Tales; Padded Board Book edition (March 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589256468
• ISBN-13: 978-1589256460

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Book News and Events

Very cool! RT @tashrow: S&S Children's to Relaunch John Christopher http://buff.ly/10vTE8c #kidlit

This is tempting. @WaldenPondPress is giving away a complete set of their books for Children's Book Week http://ow.ly/kZBs9 #cbw #kidlit

Hey look! Stephanie at Views from the Tesseract wrote about one of my all-time favorites: Escape to Witch Mountain http://ow.ly/kV6aS

Book Lists and Awards

RT @JrLibraryGuild: Recommended summer reading lists from our friends at the @HornBook http://ow.ly/l4g35

This week a ton of @SylvanDell ebooks are on sale for $0.99, @bethanyntt has a list: http://ow.ly/l4GQm #kidlit

50+ Great Adventure Chapter Books for Girls @JennyEvolution http://ow.ly/l1Vd9 #kidlit #cbw

Fun list of 5 recommended Sci-Fi/Fantasy series from @allieacts at Teens Wanna Know http://ow.ly/kUyc0 #yalit

Diversity (or lack thereof)

Frustrating but important to talk about: 2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously, People? — @fuseeight http://ow.ly/kV5DK

Thoughtful stuff by author @varianjohnson on race in #kidlit: Where are all the black boys? http://ow.ly/l6J5s

eBooks

RT @tashrow: Microsoft Is Considering Purchasing Nook From Barnes & Noble: Report http://buff.ly/10tCs49 #ebooks

Growing Bookworms

In celebration of Children's Book Week, @BooksBabiesBows is promoting@ReadAloud_org #literacy campaign http://ow.ly/l1voP #cbw

Tasha gives thumbs up to @zoobeanforkids new website dedicated to helping parents find #kidlit http://ow.ly/l4G3W

Top Ten Reasons it is Good if Your Teacher is a Reader by @katsok @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/kZC2m #literacy #kidlit

RT @ncfliteracy: Need effective/easy ways to promote reading through child’s early yrs? Get Cultivating Readers PDF http://ow.ly/hiB5q

Kidlitosphere Events

The Chocolate War Week Begins — hosted by @lizb @catagator @bkshelvesofdoom http://ow.ly/kZBIu #kidlit #yalit

Cool! @MsYingling will be taking on the organization of @MotherReader 's 48 Hour Book Challenge this year http://ow.ly/kZAf8 #kidlit

Zoe announces new monthly themed carnival: I'm looking for a book about... inventors and inventions | @playbythebook http://ow.ly/kZyqk

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