It's an exciting start to the basketball season for Warriors fans here in the Bay Area, and I love helping students find great books to fuel their love of the game. Below are some new basketball books geared for 2nd through 5th grade reading. But really, I've found that they all appeal to a wide range of ages.
Full disclosure--I am not a huge sports fan. While I can look at these books in terms of their readability and design, only a real fan will be able to tell you if they are accurate and interesting.
All About Basketball
by Matt Doeden
Capstone, 2015
Google Books preview
Your local library
Amazon
ages 6-9
Doeden is one of my favorite sports writers for young readers. Here he introduces the sport of basketball using short sentences, dynamic photographs and clear diagrams. "Defenders try to stop the other team from scoring. They knock the ball away. They steal passes." Throughout, Doeden uses nonfiction features like headings, captions and vocabulary to direct kids' reading. I especially noticed how diverse the photographs are, with plenty of examples of women players as well as kid and amateur players too. A terrific book for new readers who are interested in learning more about the game.
Stephen Curry
Amazing Athletes series
by Jon M. Fishman
Lerner, 2016
Google Books preview
Your local library
Amazon
ages 7-10
The
Amazing Athletes series is one of our favorite new series for sports biographies. Geared for third grade readers, this series balances straightforward, simple writing with interesting details. As any of our basketball fans can tell you, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has racked up impressive stats, winning 2014-15 Most Valuable Player for the NBA. With this biography, readers will learn about his family life, high school and college years, and then look at his first few years playing for the Warriors. While there is not any mention of winning the 2015 NBA championship, most of my students will know all about that already.
Basketball Legends in the Making
by Matt Doeden
Sports Illustrated Kids / Capstone, 2014
Google Books preview
Your local library
Amazon
ages 8-12
Instead of focusing on the classic players you may remember, this book looks at the new stars--wondering who will be the superstars of tomorrow. Young fans will like the trading card like layout which features one large action photo, a short description of the player's playing history and achievements, and a quick "Did You Know?" fact in bold print. Pair this with
Side by Side Basketball Stars, also from Sports Illustrated Kids but with more challenging text, and encourage students to debate which stars are the greatest players--backing up their arguments with facts and reasons. On the easier side, I've just ordered
Basketball's Greatest Stars, by S.A. Kramer, which is a new book in the Step Into Reading series.
The review copies came from our school and public libraries. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.
©2015 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books
Busy Baby: Friends & Busy Baby: Trucks
(Touch Think Learn)
Written & Illustrated by Sara Gillingham
Chronicle Books 9/15/2015
978-1-4521-4188-6
978-1-4521-4187-9
10 pages 7” x 7” Age 0—2
“Baby is a little nervous to see so many new faces, but with a turn of the swivel headpiece and a reassuring word, baby can smile and make friends! In the new Busy Baby series, busy babies can play and share with friends, or ride in a fire truck and cement mixer and meet each new adventure with a smile.” [press release]
Review
In Busy Baby: Friends Baby meets many new friends and must learn to smile. By turning the swivel headpiece from a frowning baby to a smiling baby, young children can determine how well the Busy Baby makes friends. In the second spread, someone wants to play the tambourine but Baby has a hold of it. Busy Baby: Friends asks young children to help the other kids and in the process make new friends. From sharing the tambourine to helping a new friend stand up, Baby is busy making new friends and learning to smile her way through the day.
Busy Baby: Trucks may be the first introduction of trucks to a young child’s world. Baby is asked to fix a crack in the sidewalk using a cement mixer; help the community recycle, race the fire truck to a fire and rescue the injured; and tow a disabled car. Not all is work for Baby. There is also an ice cream truck in need of customers. Young children, especially boys, will love th is introduction into the world of work vehicles.
Each book is made of thick cardboard that will withstand falls and the occasional throw. Tearing a page is nearly impossible. The thicker pages also make it easier for little hands to turn pages. The easily cleaned glossy pages will take care of spills and blobs of peanut butter and jelly wipe off with a quick swipe, getting the book back to your child in a jiffy (no pun intended). The swivel headpiece—smiling on one side and frowning on the other—is also made of thick material and spills with ease. At first, spinning the head may be the most fun part of the Busy Baby Series (it was for me).
I think young children and parents will adore the Busy Baby Series (Friends and Trucks). These books are a great way to help a young child learn how a smile can help one make new friends or turn a situation from grim to happy. The illustrations are made of geometric shapes and bright colors that will delight young readers. In addition to other children, animals add a nice touch of whimsy. Young children can learn as they listen to the story and play along.
BUSY BABY: FRIENDS. BUSY BABY: TRUCKS. Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by Sara Gillingham. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.
Purchase Busy Baby: Friends at Amazon
—Book Depository—IndieBound Books—Chronicle Books.
Purchase Busy Baby: Trucks at Amazon—Book Depository—IndieBound Books—Chronicle Books.
Learn more about Busy Baby: Friends HERE & Trucks HERE.
Meet the author/illustrator, Sara Gillingham, at her website: http://www.saragillingham.com/
Find more board books at the Chronicle Books website: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/
Also by Sara Gillingham
Love Is a Tutu – 2016
How to Grow a Friend – 2015
Felt Finger Puppet Board Books: On My Beach
(reviewed here)
.
.
How to Mend a Heart – 2015
Snuggle the Baby – 2014
I Am So Brave – 2014
Highlights of Your Life: A Journal That Glows as Your Child Grows – 2014
—and many more
.
.
.
.
.
.
Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
.
Full Disclosure: title by author & illustrator, and received from Publisher, is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Filed under:
4stars,
Board Books,
Books for Boys,
Children's Books,
Library Donated Books Tagged:
Busy Baby: Friends,
Busy Baby: Trucks,
Chronicle Books,
frowns,
infants to age two,
making friends,
relationships,
Sara Gillingham,
smiles,
spinning heads,
Touch Think Learn 
The Perfect Percival Priggs
Written and Illustrated by Julie-Anne Graham
Running Press Kids 5/26/2015
978-0-7624 -5506-5
32 pages Age 4—8
“Percival Priggs wants to be the perfect child in order to please his seemingly perfect parents. But even when Percy gets his family into a mess of a situation, his parents’ love for him remains absolute perfection.” [front jacket]
Review
“Percival Priggs was perfect.
His parents were perfect.
His grandparents were perfect.
Even his pets were perfect.”
Wow! The Priggs are a tremendously perfect family. This puts a lot of pressure on young Percy to be perfect in everything he does. Both parents are professors with shelves of awards between them. Percy has his own shelf that is nearly as filled with shiny trophies and perfect straight-A report cards. But Percy is finding it is tiring to be so perfect all of the time. If he told his parents this, would they love him any less? Percy is afraid they might, and so he keeps his feelings to himself.
One weekend, Percy has so many competitions to complete he has no idea how he will ever finish on time. He isn’t thrilled about many of the competitions he is entered in, but he must to find a way to finish perfectly before the weekend is over. Percy comes up with a plan to finish faster, only making one small miscalculation . . . that sends everything into a disastrous cavalcade of humorous tumbles. He just knows his parents will be furious. What will happen to Percival Priggs now that he is no longer a Perfect Percival?
I love this story. How many of us think we must be perfect and perform all our duties perfectly, never giving ourselves a break? Count me in. Yet, what does that teach our children? I love that Percival’s parents finally open up to their son, showing him that they were never always perfect (and maybe still not). This takes a load off young Percy’s shoulders. The illustrations (pen and ink on drafting film, with textures and backgrounds in Photoshop), are goofy with an old-fashioned sense of style and are extremely appealing. Oddly, there are words embedded in the character’s head, face, and eyeglasses (which all three wear). I’m not sure, but are these people so intent on perfection that they actually were their thoughts? It is an interesting idea and illustration technique.
I love the message from these two imperfect parents: They love Percy for who he is, not what he wins, and they keep on trying for perfection because they love what they do, not because they want to be perfect. They let Percy off the hook, telling him to find out what it is he loves to do, and then do that, no matter the imperfections or failures he will encounter along the way. Percy does just that in a humorous attempt to find out what he loves to do.
Roller-skating . . . nope, he falls too much. A rock star . . . well, no, not a rock star. In the end, Percy’s trophy shelf is as full as ever, but looks a whole lot different. It starts representing the real Percy. And his best trophy, the one he adores the most? Nah, not telling. Read The Perfect Percival Priggs to find out.
THE PERFECT PERCIVAL PRIGGS. Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by Julie-Anne Graham. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Running Press Kids, Philadelphia, PA.
Purchase The Perfect Percival Priggs at Amazon—Book Depository—IndieBound Books—iTunes Books—Running Press Kids.
Learn more about The Perfect Percival Priggs HERE.
.
Find The Perfect Percival Priggs Activity Pack HERE.
.
Meet the author/illustrator, Julie-Anne Graham, at her website: http://www.julieannegraham.com/
. . Twitter: @Ja_Illustrator
Find more picture books at the Running Press Kids’ website: http://www.runningpress.com/rpkids
. . Running Press Kids is an imprint of Running Press Book Publishers, and a member of the Perseus Group.
.
Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
.
Full Disclosure: The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie-Anne Graham, and received from Running Press Kids, (an imprint of Running Press Book Publishers), is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Filed under:
5stars,
Books for Boys,
Children's Books,
Debut Author,
Debut Illustrator,
Favorites,
Library Donated Books,
Picture Book Tagged:
family,
Julie-Anne Graham,
parent-child relationships,
perfection,
Perseus Group,
pressure,
Running Press Book Publications,
Running Press Kids,
The Perfect Percival Priggs,
winning 
Photo Doodles: A Creative Sketchbook 
By ViiiZ*
Quirk Books 8/20/2013
978-1-59474-652-9
160 pages Age 8—12 +
.
“You’ve never seen a doodle book quite like this one!”
”Wait, you can talk?”
“Photo Doodles combines kid-friendly photographs and cool creative challenges into the perfect canvas for anyone capable of wielding a crayon. Young artists and designers can complete dozens of fun and playful pictures of everything from roller coasters and soda cans to book covers and palaces. Perfect for sketching, scribbling, and coloring outside the lines, Photos Doodles will unleash the aspiring artist inside children of all ages.” [front jacket]
Review
Photo Doodles is a fun-filled book for those kids—and adults—who love to doodle, but may not know how to get started. Similar to writing prompts, each spread contains a one sentence prompt to help you with ideas to doodle your way to a fun, satisfying end. Here are two of those prompts:
“Who (or what) is at the other end of the rope?”
“What outfit will the puppy wear today?”
With 160 pages to doodle and color, it seems the options are endless. From decorating a sea of umbrellas to filling in storyboards with your own story. There is even one many students will find hard to resist:
“It’s your turn at the blackboard . . . what will you write?”
How about “No more math problems,” or maybe “School’s out early today: Leave at noon,” or maybe you would use your turn to make tomorrow a teacher conference day—“Students stay home!”
There are plenty of open spaces in Photo Doodles or those kids and adults who can doodle and draw with ease and loads of pages with images to make colorful and expressive, rather than drawing from scratch. A total of 200 pictures await your crayons, colored pencils, markers, or other artistic medium. While marketed for the middle grade set, younger children will enjoy many of the easier prompts in Photo Doodles and adults will love the range of images and prompts.
I enjoyed playing with Photo Doodles. I love to draw, but have a hard time getting started. Photo Doodles made getting started easy and the images and prompts got me thinking of ways to doodle other than the normal doodles in the margin of a page.
Coloring books for adults are in every corner of every bookstore online and off, but doodle books that prompt you to create imaginative scenes and messages, like Photo Doodles, is not as common. I think kids of all ages will enjoy Photo Doodles as much as I have.
PHOTO DOODLES: A CREATIVE SKETCHBOOK. Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by ViiiZ. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Quirk Books, Philadelphia, PA.
Buy Photo Doodles: A Creative Sketchbook at Amazon—Book Depository—Quirk Books.
Learn more about Photo Doodles: A Creative Sketchbook HERE.
The Sell Sheet can be found HERE.
Meet the authors/illustrators, ViiiZ.
Vahram Muratyan at his website: http://www.vahrammuratyan.com/
Elodie Chaillous at LinkedIn: https://fr.linkedin.com/pub/elodie-chaillous/84/79a/462/en
. . (ViiiZ is the artistic team of Vahram Muratyan and Elodie Chaillous andfounders of ViiiZ, an art direction and graphic design studio created in 2005 in Paris. They graduated from the acclaimed Parisian design school ESAGPenninghen.)
Find middle grade novels at the Quirk Books website: http://www.quirkbooks.com/
.
Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
Full Disclosure: Photo Doodles: A Creative Sketchbook by ViiiZ, and received from Quirk Books, is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Filed under:
5stars,
Books for Boys,
Children's Books,
Middle Grade,
NonFiction Tagged:
art,
art prompts,
colored pencils,
crayons,
creativity,
doodling,
imagination,
Photo Doodles: A Creative Sketchbook,
Quirk Books,
ViiiZ 
Today I am honored to have two wonderful guests from the Monster & Me series, including the recently released Monster Needs Your Vote (reviewed here). You might remember them from another interview (read it here). There is no better way to get at the story than from the view point of the characters.
Monster and Boy cut to the chase as they answer a few of my hard-hitting questions. Of course, you’d expect nothing less from an interview with a political candidate. Monster is vying for President! Yep, he doesn’t play around folks (well, not much), and aims for the top! Monster’s long-time friend goes along on the campaign trail, giving guidance and help as only Boy can. (NOTE: Kids, any Boy—or Girl—and any Monster can aspire to this relationship, as enviable as it is.)
HOLD ON, HERE WE GO!
Welcome Monster and Boy. Your new book Monster Needs Your Vote is in bookstores now. The author, Paul Czajak, chose an interesting topic for your 5th book: politics. What did you think, Monster, when you found out you would be running for president?
.
“First off thanks for having me, any opportunity to get the message out I am up for!”
“MONSTER 2016!! Turn your voice into a roar!”
“Monster we’re no longer campaigning, remember? You already saved the library.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot. Sometimes I forget stuff. Anyway I want to point out when I was running I was my OWN Monster and not an imaginary Monster created by Mr. Paul Czajak. I decided to run for President when I found out I wasn’t old enough to vote. Which is not fair!”
I BELIEVE IN MONSTER 2016!!
True, at first, you simply wanted to vote. Have you ever voted before that day? I know I’m not supposed to ask, but my curiosity is overpowering my good sense. Which candidate did you vote for?
“I never voted before. In fact I didn’t even know what it was until that day. Once I heard about it I thought, “How cool is that?! Being able to voice your opinion on how decisions are made! What an awesome responsibility!” Then Boy told me I wasn’t old enough to vote yet, UNFAIR! So I figured I would run for President and help change that rule.”
Boy has always helped you, like when he helped you choose a Halloween costume, find a Christmas tree, and when he helped you go to sleep. How did Boy help you on the campaign trail?
“Well, he’s very good at making posters, and he’s great at coming up with campaign slogans. He created “A chocolate cake on every plate, a pie in every pot!” I thought that was very clever.”
.
“Thanks, Monster!”
“Even though I really liked that slogan, Dessert For Dinner was probably not the best platform, or issue, to run on. Boy helped me figure out that I should stand behind something that isn’t about what I need but what everybody needs, like a library staying open. But honestly who wouldn’t want chocolate cake for dinner?”
“I like vanilla.”
.
“You’re so difficult.”
Boy, I’m curious again. You have a giant amount of confidence when guiding Monster, but he is, like, 100 times bigger than you. Aren’t you afraid Monster might, well, become a monster?
“I don’t get it? Monster is a monster, that’s why his name is Monster. He can’t become a monster since he’s already a monster. Any idea what she’s talking about?”
“Sorry I wasn’t listening, I’m still thinking about chocolate cake.”
In Monster Needs Your Vote, both of you use some odd words and combinations of words, like soapbox (a box of soap?), oratory, platform, grassroots movement (moving grassroots?), “give a voice” (you can do that?) and “all for naught” (who is naught?). What do these words mean and why are these important when running for president?
“This sounds an awful lot like a “gotcha question.” Where’s my agent?”
“Monster, you don’t have an agent. Plus, I think she just wants to know how you got such a big vocabulary.”
.
“Oh! Mr. Czajak teaches me lots of big words. No reason not to use them when the opportunity presents itself,
“New Hampshire, then to Iowa he caused a rousing raucous,
“Speaking to the voters at the primary and caucus.”
“Monster, no one likes a show off.”
“Tell that to Trump.”
People running for president usually have a running mate, why isn’t Boy your running mate instead of your campaign manager? (Did the author veto that idea?)
“He was going to be my running mate!”
“Monster needs a running mate, “So who’s it going to be?”
“Monster said, “My only choice is you for my V.P.”
“But I never got to that point since it turns out you have to be 35 to run for President. Which, again, is unfair! I know, I’ll run for President and change that rule too!”
I don’t recall from your first adventure, Monster Needs a Costume, if we found out where you came from. President Obama had to show his birth certificate to prove he was born in the U.S. Running for President is tough to do. Did anyone ask to see your birth certificate?
“It all happened during a debate with one of the other candidates, I think I still have the transcript.”
“A Monster can’t be President, he has no expertise!
“Who is Monster? Where’s he from? I think he may have fleas.”
“Fleas are not the issue, this is just something that misleads
“This country needs a Leader that will focus on the needs.”
“After the debate the officials asked for my birth certificate which showed I wasn’t 35, dumb rule.”
.
“Also, I would like to go on record that Monster does not have fleas. That man was just being mean.”
What I really like about Monster Needs Your Vote is all the other monsters Wendy Grieb brought out. There are some interesting-looking monsters. Monster, there is one that sure looks like he/she could be a relative. Do you know any of these monsters?
.
“A lot of them came to my Birthday Party this past April! It was such a surprise when I came home from Pirate Land and found all my friends in the house.”
I’m so sorry. I missed your birthday party. I bet it was a frightful affair! Anyway, I think Monster would be absolutely terrific at any sport or getting fit (kids need that—adults, too). Boy, what is next for Monster?
.
.
“We will focus on Monsters message of “Reading Turns Your Voice into a Roar!” for the rest of the election. Then I think Monster might go to school next fall… His sports career will have to wait a bit. Though he will definitely get involved in something.”
.
“Yup, like basketball, or swimming, or tennis, or yoga, or maybe surfing or cheerleading…”
.
Ah, Monster, you are such a dreamer . . . I mean you have great dreams . . . um, what I really mean to say is, “Yes! You go Monster!” So, is there anything either of you would like to say directly to the readers?
.
.
“Read! Read! Read! And support your local library!”
.
“What he said, it’s why he’s the best candidate.”
.
That is a fantastic message! Monster and Boy, thank you for stopping by . . . Oh, wait! I forgot to ask one BIG QUESTION. In Monster Needs Your Vote (you have my vote)—DID YOU WIN?
.
“Well I guess someone didn’t read the book. It’s only 350 words, it’s not like it would take that much time.”
.
“Monster, I think she’s just pretending to have not read the book to build up suspense. You know, a bit of suspended disbelief on the part of the interviewer.”
“Suspended what?”
“Suspended Disbelief, when something doesn’t make sense, but you let it go for the sake of the story. You know, kind of like if someone wrote a story about a monster who’s too young to vote but then decides to run for President.”
.
“You lost me.”
Monster and Boy, thank you for stopping by Kid Lit Reviews once more. It is always a delight and a surprise!
Boy and Monster, what a pair. You got to love them and I believe you will while reading the Monster & Me series. This is one series that has never disappointed me. The stories and illustrations are full of humor, bold images, and a gentle message no one, not even a Monster, tries to blast at you.
You can start the Monster & Me series with their the latest, Monster Needs Your Vote (reviewed here), as each book can stand on its own (and no, Monster, I do not mean that they actually stand on their own, but that you can read any story without having to read the story before it).
Soon it will be Halloween, a good time to read Monster Needs a Costume (reviewed here). And then Christmas will be upon us and Monster Needs a Christmas Tree (reviewed soon) is the perfect holiday story.
If holidays are not your thing (really, could that be true of anyone?) how about a birthday party story with Monster Needs a Party (reviewed soon), or a story to help you nod off with Monster in Monster Needs His Sleep (reviewed here)?
It sounds like Monster will be heading off to school—for the first time—next Fall and maybe joining a sports team—or the cheerleaders. I cannot wait for those stories. Until then, I hope you have enjoyed this latest interview with Monster and Boy.
And don’t forget to “Read! Read! Read!” Support your public library, and VOTE FOR MONSTER!
.
Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
Full Disclosure: Monster & Me by Paul Czajak & Wendy Grieb, and published by Mighty Media Kids. Monster and Boy’s interview answers by Paul Czajak. Images copyright © by Wendy Grieb. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Monster & Me Series
Monster Needs a Costume
Monster Needs His Sleep
Monster Needs a Christmas Tree
Monster Needs a Party
Monster Needs Your Vote
.
.
Purchase at Amazon
IndieBound Books Mighty Media Kids
.
.
.
A HUGE THANKS to Paul Czajak!
Filed under:
6 Stars TOP BOOK,
Books for Boys,
Children's Books,
Favorites,
Guest Post,
Interviews,
Picture Book,
Series,
Top 10 of 2015 Tagged:
Boy,
Mighty Media Kids,
Mighty Media Press,
monster,
Monster & Me series,
Monster Needs a Christmas Tree,
Monster Needs a Costume,
Monster Needs a Party,
Monster Needs His Sleep,
Monster Needs Your Vote,
Paul Czajak,
Wendy Grieb 
.jpeg?picon=2320)
