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I Can Dance & I Can Play Written and Illustrated by Betsy Snyder Chronicle Books       9/01/2015 978-1-4521-2929-7 and 978-1-4521-2905-1 14 pages     7” X 7”     Age infant—2 “Readers make dancers disco, tap, or pirouette and athletes splash, sprint, or score just by wiggling their fingers. But wait! There’s even more …

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Board Book: Are You My Mommy? Joyce Wan. 2014 [December] Scholastic. 18 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Mommy! Mommy! Where is my mommy? Are you my mommy? No, I'm a chicken and my baby is a...chick!

Premise/plot: A baby bunny goes in search of his (or her) mommy. The search takes place on the farm, of course, and the bunny will encounter several different animals before finally finding MOMMY.

My thoughts: I like this one. I don't love, love, love it. But I like it. There is just something charming about Wan's illustrations. I like the die-cuts on the pages which provide some clues for little ones.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Board Book: Peek-a-Boo Farm. Joyce Wan. 2015. Scholastic. 14 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: With a curly tail, I am pink and short. I play in the mud and go, "Oink, oink, snort." Guess who? Peek-a-boo! Pig

Premise/plot: Peek-a-Boo Farm is a board book for parents and caregivers to share with little ones. It is a companion book to Peek-a-Boo Zoo which I reviewed earlier in the year. Each spread reveals a riddle for little ones to solve. Can they guess--based on the rhyming clues--which animal is playing peek-a-boo? Flaps reveal the answer.

My thoughts: My favorite Joyce Wan title remains You Are My Cupcake. That title is probably my most favorite board book ever.  But Peek-a-Boo Farm is probably my second favorite title. I do enjoy her unique style of illustration. And the riddles are fun. Another title you might enjoy sharing with the little ones in your life: Pig-a-Boo! A Farmyard Peekaboo Book.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Sara Gillingham is an award-winning art director, designer and author of a shelf of great board books. I've reviewed many of her books and I love her style and palette as well as the sweet simplicity of her storytelling. Gillingham's newest books, TRUCKS and FRIENDS are both part of the new Chronicle Books, purveyors of visually stunning art and cook books, superb children's books and

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Peek-a Boo! Written & Illustrated by Nina Laden Chronicle Books     8/01/2015 978-1-4521-3396-6 10 pages     Age Infant—3 “Peek-a goo? Peek-a brew? Peek-a booo! “In this hi-scare-ious follow-up to the bestselling board books Peek-a Who? And Peek-a Zoo!, Nina Laden turns her playful eye (and wear) to spooky Halloween sounds. Read the clue …

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Charley Harper’s Animal Alphabet— Count the Birds — Book of Colors Written by Zoe Burke Illustrated by Charley Harper Pomegranate Kids     6/30/2015 978-0-7649-7233-1 — 978-0-7649-7246-1 — 978-0-7649-7261-4 20 pages     Age 1—3 Today is not December 8th, but that is the date of Charley Harper Day in Cincinnati, Ohio where Mr. Harper …

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This has been a strange week. I love commenting on others’ blogs and have actually gotten better about it, taking more time to view and read those I love and new ones I come across. But now there is an eerie creature confounding me everywhere I go. My comments will not appear on most Wordpress.com blogs, …

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What is better than an Alain Crozon board book? TWO Alain Crozon board books! Originally published in France (Éditions des Grandes Personnes © 2013), Chronicle Books has translated the texts of Who’s There? and All Shook Up! for English-speaking children. Chronicle Books has made a specialty out of translating and publishing French children’s book. If …

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This musical, rhythmic dinosaur book is a delight for small children getting ready for bath time.

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Board Book: I Love My Dinosaur. Caroline Jayne Church. 2015. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Hi! I'm Patrick, and I love my dinosaur! 
So here's my little dino.
He's green with tiny teeth.
Scaly on his top side
And bumpy underneath.

Premise/plot: Readers meet a boy, Patrick, who loves his dinosaur. Through rhyme, he shares just why he loves his dinosaur so much.

My thoughts: Caroline Jayne Church's board books are best for young toddlers. The art is cute and precious-y. Some readers find that type of art irresistible. Others not so much. But you always know what to expect from Caroline Jayne Church.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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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

 

 

 

(reviewed here)

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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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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

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MONKEY SUIT: An A to Z of What You Can Be by Mark Gonyea is a board book that kids and adults will pore over again and again. While I could have happily enjoyed a book filled with monkeys illustrated by Gonyea without the ABC concept, the alphabetical listing of professions that Gonyea comes up with is creatively out-of-the-ordinary that I gleefully anticipated every page turn. And it's

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Board Book: Carry and Learn Shapes. Scholastic. 2015. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:
Triangle
Bright, sparkly roof
Rectangle
Door to a cozy home

Premise/plot: A board book for young toddlers that introduces basic shapes.  The five shapes introduced are triangle, rectangle, circle, square, and star.

My thoughts: A simple, bright, colorful board book for young ones to hold and carry. The pages are easy to turn. The book is easy to grasp. A few pages offer--or potentially offer--an interactive experience. It may not be a thrilling story, but, it's a serviceable concept book. 

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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If you had the good fortune to read Alphablock and Countablock by Christopher Franceschelli and the husband and wife design team Peskimo, then you don't need to keep reading this review of their newest book, Dinoblock, because you know you need to buy this book now. If you haven't seen these brilliant, beautiful, completely engaging books, get your hands on them! Get two, actually,

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Earlier this year I reviewed Whose Tools? by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by Jim Datz. I loved Whose Tools? for the subject, something kids love but also something there are few picture books about, and for the wonderful illustrations and engaging gatefolds opening to show the tools at work. Whose Truck? brings us the same great format and text - a guessing game - along with a subject

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My kids, in fact, all the kids in my extended family, are well beyond the age to enjoy board books. But I still really love reading a good board book. It brings a smile to my face and, if it's a superior board book, it entertains me. Who's There and All Shook Up, Alain Crozon's two new (to America) board books with flaps to lift and wiggle are entertaining, surprising, and filled with

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Daytime Nighttime, by William Low, is sturdy and longer than average for lots of reading enjoyment, and the illustrations are beautiful and calming for bedtime.

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Board Book: I Love My Puppy. Caroline Jayne Church. 2015. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Hi, I'm Mia, and I love my puppy!

Premise/plot: A little girl loves her puppy and shares with readers why.

My thoughts: Cute, precious, oh-so-predictable rhyming book. I think you either love the art of Caroline Jayne Church, or you don't. I would say that most of her books are for the younger audience. By the time your little one is over the age of two or three, they've probably grown past these types of books.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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I SEE KITTY is an adorable board book, perfect for preschoolers and younger.

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My Barnyard!: A Read and Play Book!
Written by Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin
Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello
Cartwheel Books       6/30/2015
978-0-545-69077-5
10 pages      Age 3—5

My Dinosaurs!: A Read and Play Book
Written by Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin
Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello
Cartwheel Books       12/30/2014
978-0-545-69076-8
10 pages          Age 3—5

“A new novelty book featuring six large puzzle pieces that won’t get lost. Learn all about barnyard animals (and dinosaurs), as you match each animal piece to its appropriate spread.” [authors]

Review
My Barnyard will be loved by young children who are interested in animals—and what child is not? The rhyming text tells the story of each animal’s day, starting with the chickens and the sheep.

“CHICKENS ‘cluck’ as they go,
With their little chicks in tow.
SHEEP are fluffy and eat grass.
They say ‘baaaa!’ as their lambs pass.”

The name of each barnyard animal is capitalized and color-coded to match its cut-out and attached ribbon. I love the color-coded ribbons. What a nice addition to My Barnyard and a thoughtful hint for young children as they match each animal into its corresponding space. At the end of the story, the six animals meet up in the final spread. Little fingers will appreciate the colorful cardboard cutouts and the size of the book, which are a perfect fit for little hands. My Barnyard has thick, glossy pages that will stand up to sticky fingers—cleaning off quickly—and rough handling, as young children learn to turn pages.

Kids will squeal with delight at the sound of each animal’s call, be it the “baa” of the sheep or the “oink-oink” of the pig. The rhyming text is a joy to read and won’t get on a parent’s “last nerve” when read for the tenth time that morning. Having young children “speak” for the animals will increase the joy of this board book for the youngest of beginning readers. My Barnyard is a perfect complement to My Dinosaurs, the first in this board book in this series by the talented team of Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin.

In My Dinosaurs, six different dinosaurs, again with color-coded names and matching ribbons, fit their corresponding cutout spaces nicely. Four of the dinosaurs make-up the cover, just as three of the barnyard animals help make that cover come alive. My Dinosaurs has all the benefits of My Barnyard, as I hope each new book in this series will have. Young boys will especially love My Dinosaurs, but don’t count out the girls. The dinosaurs are realistically brought to life by artist John Bendall-Brunello, who also illustrated My Barnyard.

Young children and their parents will love this new Read and Play board book series from Cartwheel Books (an imprint of Scholastic). The books are realistically drawn and offer young children the opportunity to learn about animals as they listen to the stories and then place each animal in its correct environment. The rhyming text is expertly written in each book. Young children will want to go through these books on their own, “reading” the words—from memory or imagination—and having a blast with each turn of the page.

MY BARNYARD! A READ AND PLAY BOOK! and MY DINOSAUR! A READ AND PLAY BOOK! Text copyright © 2015 by Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by John Bendall-Brunello. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Cartwheel Books (a Scholastic, Inc. imprint), New York, NY.

Purchase My Barnyard! at Amazon—Book Depository—IndieBound Books—Cartwheel Books.
Purchase My Dinosaurs! at Amazon—Book Depository—IndieBound Books—Cartwheel Books.

Learn more about My Barnyard! HERE.
Learn more about My Dinosaurs! HERE.

Meet the author, Betty Schwartz, at jacketflap:  http://www.jacketflap.com/betty-schwartz/16354
Meet the author, Lynn Seresin, at her twitter page:  https://twitter.com/lynnsere
Meet the illustrator, John Bendall-Brunello, at his website:  http://www.johnbendall-brunello.com/
Find more board books at the Cartwheel Books website:  http://www.scholastic.com/

Cartwheel Books is an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

ALSO BY BETTY SCHWARTZ & LYNN SERESIN
Hop, Hop Bunny  (A Follow-Along Book)    (reviewed HERE)
Run, Run Piglet (A Follow-Along Book) 
Ten Playful Tigers  (A Back-and-Forth Counting Book)  (reviewed HERE)
Busy Little Dinosaurs  (A Back-and-Forth Alphabet Book)  (reviewed HERE)
You’re it, Little Red Fish  (A Back-and-Forth Colors Book)

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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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Full Disclosure: My Barnyard! A Read and Play Book! And My Dinosaur! A Read and Play Book!, by Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin & John Bendall-Brunello, and received from Cartwheel Books, (an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.), 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, Board Books, Books for Boys, Children's Books, Library Donated Books, Series Tagged: barnyard animals, Betty Schwartz, Cartwheel Books, dinosaurs, John Bendall-Brunello, Lynn Seresin, matching board book, My Barnyard! A Read and Play Book!, My Dinosaur! A Read and Play Book!, Scholastic Inc.

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Board Book: Oh No, George! Chris Haughton. 2015. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Harry is going out. "Will you be good, George?" asks Harry. "Yes," says George. "I'll be very good." I hope I'll be good, George thinks.

Premise/plot: With a name like, "Oh NO, George!" little ones might guess--and guess correctly--that George won't be good after all. George faces a handful of temptations in this book: he's tempted to eat cake, tempted to "play" with a cat, tempted to dig in dirt, tempted to dig in the trash. Will George give into temptation every time? Maybe. Maybe not. You'll have to read and see for yourself. But there is a refrain: OH NO, GEORGE!

My thoughts: I liked this one. It was fun. It was cute. It was simple yet clever. I loved the refrain, and, how it can get readers involved with the story--predicting what George will do--and joining in the refrain at various points in the story. The narration is quite charming as well. George is really given a great voice in this story.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Board Book: Five Little Monkeys: A finger & toes nursery rhyme book. Natalie Marshall. Scholastic. 2015. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:  Five Little monkeys jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...No more moneys jumping on the bed!

Premise/plot: A board book adaptation of the classic nursery rhyme "Five Little Monkeys."

My thoughts: The pages are easy to turn, which is a good thing, always. The illustrations are nice enough, I suppose. The text itself isn't surprising or extra-wonderful. The book includes "helpful" illustrations for parents who are clueless on the motions of the song/rhyme. (Are they necessary?)

The traditional rhyme is fun. As is the song. Here's one of my favorite adaptations:


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Sometimes you just need a new board book - I hear you!  Well I have a few new ones that crossed my desk today that I think you will enjoy.

Friends and Trucks by Sara Gillingham are adorable board books.  The baby in these books is playing with friends - experiencing all different activities throughout the day - but what sets these books apart is the spinning head on the baby - you can make him/her sad or happy depending on what you'd like.  How fun to interact with you little one with these engaging books!



Two others that you will enjoy sharing with your little ones are Who's There?  and  All Shook Up by Alain Crozon.  Both are colorful books with flaps - you can turn each page and have your child guess what is hiding under the flaps.  These are fun and the illustrations are hilarious as well. 



Lastly, a picture book for the older set - The Bear's Surprise by Benjamin Chaud.  This is a book that will provide HOURS of entertainment.  The illustrations are so intricate that you want to look over and over to see what you missed the first time.  The cut outs in the pages also make for a fun way to read/guess with your child what will happen next.  AND the author has given you questions right in the text to get you talking and thinking as you read.  This would be a super title for a circus theme as well - and sometimes those are hard to find.



I was sent these titles by the publisher for an honest review on my blog.

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I’m not sure how or why but I’ve still got many of the board books of my childhood and now, those from my daughter’s early learning days. Their very construction may have something to do with standing up to the test of time. Maybe, I just can’t bear to part with them because of what […]

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