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I read it with much amusement and delight, but thought that perhaps my own immaturity and snarkiness prevented me from qualifying as an unbiased judge of its greatness. I therefore turned to an expert on books of this type: my third grade daughter Mackenzie.
I decided Mackenzie could serve as an impartial judge due to the following qualifications:
- Timmy Failure is aimed at her demographic,
- She's a voracious reader of this genre,
- She regularly discusses and swaps books with her third grade posse, and
- She stole the advance review copy the day it arrived at our house before I even had the chance to open the cover.
I also felt I owed it to her after she scoured the shelves of our public library looking for Number Two in the series. I believe Mackenzie suffered intense emotional damage upon learning that the follow-up wouldn't be available for quite some time. Nonetheless, she graciously agreed to be interviewed.
Me: So what's Timmy Failure all about?
Kenzie: It's about this boy who's really bad in school that decides to open up a detective agency. The problem is, he really bad at being a detective and he misses lots of obvious clues. And he owns a fifteen hundred pound polar bear named Total.
Me: Is the polar bear real, or stuffed?
Kenzie: It's real! (She shrugs her shoulders and lifts her hands up, palms to the ceiling as if to say. "Duh!").
Me: You're sure it's real?
Kenzie: What does it matter?
Me: Good point. So apart from this polar bear, does Timmy have any friends?
Kenzie: He has one friend name Rollo, but Timmy thinks he's not that smart, which is crazy, because Rollo studies all the time and gets really good grades, and Timmy doesn't.
Me: Any other friends?
Kenzie: Well, he has an archenemy (speaking with increased enthusiasm now) and her name is Corinna Corinna, and what's funny is that at first he won't name her or even let you see her face. She has her own detective agency and Timmy thinks she's reeeeeally annoying.
Me: Any favorite parts?
Kenzie: I like when he tries to solve cases, because he always ignores really obvious clues. This one time a boy hires him to find out who ate all his candy. On Timmy's way out, he peeks in the room and sees the boy's brother, his face all covered with chocolate, sitting on his bed surrounded by candy wrappers. You think he's solved the crime, but all Timmy does is write in his notebook, "Gabe's brother is a slob."
Me: Any other favorite parts?
Kenzie: Well, I think it's really funny that the librarian is really, really tough, and he has "Dewey" on a tattoo...
Me: You mean like, the Dewey decimal system?
Kenzie: Yeah. You don't really expect a librarian to look like that.
Me: (picking up the book) I noticed some pretty hard words in here. Did you understand them all?
Kenzie: Yeah. If you read the book, you can tell what the words mean.
Me: Really? All of them?
Kenzie: Well, most of them. But you don't have to understand every word to get the story. Plus, I think that sometimes even Timmy doesn't know what the words mean. He names his detective agency Total Failure, Inc. because the polar bear's name is Total, but he doesn't even get why that's a really bad name for a company.
Me: So who would enjoy this book?
Kenzie: Anyone who likes funny stories. Every day I show funny parts to my friend, so she wants to borrow it next. And then her friend wants to borrow it... yeah. You might not get it back.
Me: So is Timmy a failure?
Kenzie: Yes. Actually, no. He's not a failure. He's just clueless. Are we done yet?
# # #
There you have it: the insightful and thought provoking reflections of a third grader.
One point on which we both agree is the vocabulary. Stephan Pastis intersperses fantastic vocabulary throughout the book, purposefully heavier at times to indicate moments on importance. Check out how in the following short excerpt he combines specific vocabulary, repetition, sentence variety, and even sentence fragments, in a wonderful way.
But that greatness did not prepare me for what I would see at the Weber residence.
For today it is the scene of total devastation. All marred by the remnants of someone inhumane. Someone determined. Someone whose weapon of choice comes in packs of six, twelve, and twenty. If you are squeamish, look away.
Toilet paper. It is everywhere.
And this isn't one isolated and out-of-the-ordinary passage; this is how he writes the entire book. For that reason, I would definitely recommend this book for middle schoolers, and certainly reluctant and struggling readers. I could even see myself using several portions as mentor texts to teach sentence and paragraph structure, understatement, satire, and word choice.
A shout out to our beloved Cynthia Leitich Smith! Eternal, Zachary's Story, the paperback graphic novel illustrated by Ming Doyle, will be available February 12th, along with Feral Nights. The later develops characters from Tantalize in their own series. Both books pack a supernatural punch, so watch for them. Congrats, Cynthia!
Feral NightsEternal, by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Candlewick Press, February 12, 2013
By:
KidLitReviews,
on 10/7/2012
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5 Stars
A Foot in the Mouth:
Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout
Paul B. Janeczko
Candlewick Press
No. Pages: 64 Ages: 8 to 12
........................
................
From the Introduction: Poetry is sound. Oh, sure, it’s other things too, but sound needs to be near the top of the list. To hear the sound of a poem, really hear it, you need to read it out loud. Or have someone read it to you. All the poems in this book have been chosen because they are terrific candidates for reading aloud. They might be as easy as the six-word “Gigi” by Arnold Spilka, or as “frabjous” and as “brillig” as Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky,” full of delicious nonsense words to roll across your tongue. Many of the poems have very strong rhyme schemes—the poet is showing you how to read the poem through the use of rhyme.
You don’t need to be an expert, and if you’re not sure how a certain part should sound, ask a parent or teacher. Practice a few times. In no time at all, you’ll be able to share the music of a good poem read aloud. If you’ve never read a poem to somebody, you don’t know what you’re missing. This book will give you a chance to change that. These three dozen poems are especially satisfying spoken, recited—shouted!—out loud, from lively rhymes to tricky tongue twisters. Give it a try – Paul B. Janeczko
A Foot in the Mouth is a wonderful collection of some of the silliest, funniest, sarcastic, and fabulous poems for children I have ever read. Adults who like revisiting their child-self through books will enjoy reading this diverse selection of poetry. There are tongue twisters, limericks, rhymed poems, bilingual poems, and poems for one voice to a group of voices. Poets include A.A. Milne, Walt Whitman, William Shakespeare, and a few who did not want to, like to, or forgot to, take credit for their work.
I really enjoyed reading, and reading again, these poems, which are mostly humorous. I like funny. I also like the occasional quirky, such as Old Hank by an unknown poet, penning under the pseudonym Anonymous. Okay, okay. No one can recall who wrote Old Hank, still I like it for its irony.
..............................For a lark,
..............................For a prank,
..............................Old Hank,
..............................Walked a plank.
..............................These bubbles mark
.....................................O
.....................................O
.....................................O
.....................................O
.....................................O
..............................Where Hank sank.
.....................
Oh, poor Old Hank, walked that plank, trying to prank someone and instead of bobbing back to the surface and yelling “Gotcha,” he sank and stuck. Old Hank is but one of the shorter poems that try to say much with few words. As a kid, I loved limericks and devoured all the limerick books at the library. I like the identical cadence and the often-unexpected wit about them. There are only three limericks in A Foot in the Mouth, yet kids will get the structure of these poems quickly.
The illustrations cannot be overlooked. They enhance each poem, sometimes help explain the poem, but mostly entertain alongside them. Most of the illustrations look abstract. I am not a graphic artist by any stretch of my imagination, so let me try to explain.
People, animals, and things are comprised of a stroke of paint pulled, blotched, spotted, or sprayed on to make the object. Patterns instead of sketched/painted lines make up these picture.*
I like them, think they are fun and often funny. The illustrations fill up the white space on many of the pages and give the eye a second enjoyable piece of art to consume.
Poetry for children does not show up in my mailbox often, but when it has, the results have been fantastic. This book does not disappoint. The humor and fun in each of these poems, regardless the form, will delight those that read them. When delighted, we want more. That is my wish for A Foot in the Mouth—that kids will be so delighted with these poems they will seek out others.
*If anyone can explain this better, please do so in the comment section. Thank you.
Foot in mouth
Author: Paul B. Janeczko website bio
Illustrator: Chris Raschka bio
Publisher: Candlewick Press website
Release Date: March 10, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6083-3
Number of Pages: 64?
Ages: 8 to 12
................
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Reminding me of a tale by William Sleater, Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan is a fast-paced, mind-bending chiller. Daniel, on a forced vacation with his father, meets a girl whose wounds seem to worsen daily. As the clock runs down, he grasps for courage and inspiration to try to save her. At the same time, he's dealing with his own body image, the blame of his parent's separation, and his father's drinking. If you liked The Lovely Bones, you'll find a similar thread here.
Watch for Daylight Saving. And see how sympathetic you become as the clock ticks backwards...
Daylight Saving
by Edward Hogan
Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press launched a year-long tribute to the picture book beginning this month. Every day for the next year, a new video will highlight authors, illustrators, librarians, teachers, readers, and YOU! Yep, that’s right–YOU! If you love picture books and believe they have a purpose in young reader’s lives, or in your own, you too [...]
I know I've reviewed
Bob Kolar's fabulously illustrated picture books before.
Nothing Like a Puffin, written by Sue Soltis, is another gem. A fun book to read and look at, with a lesson for little ones about comparisons.
The artwork is so beautifully rendered in the simplest of forms and a gorgeous and limited palette. The way color blocks are slightly 'offset' is a subtle but lovely touch, adding depth and interest in just the right spots.
You can see more of Bob's work at his blog
Whoop Dee Do.
Later this month, Toon Books releases the above easy-to-read comic reader
Maya Makes a Mess. Written and illustrated by
Rutu Modan, this is something I would have loved to read as an emerging reader.
I love this dynamic spread (and that flowing line of spaghetti!) Rutu Modan is masterful at capturing so many big expressions with spare lines and flat color.
Pop on over to the
Maya Makes a Mess Messy Eater contest page for a chance to win your own copy. Just submit a picture of YOUR messy eater. That's my messy little one, on a typical morning I might add - I think Maya would approve of her methods.
Well, yeah! Who DOESN'T believe in picture books???!! They are so wonderful! Thanks, Candlewick.
| 50 Book Pledge | Book #23: The Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson |
I present a passage from Candlewick Press‘s A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd.
Nevertheless, the monster said, standing, the roof beams of his grandma’s office seeming to sigh with relief, that is what will happen after the third tale.
“Great,” Conor said. “Another story when there are more important things going on.”
Stories are important, the monster said. They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth.
“Life writing,” Conor said, sourly, under his breath.
The monster looked surprised. Indeed, it said.
Douglas Wood, illustrated by P. J. Lynch,
No One But You
Candlewick Press, 2011.
Ages 6+
There’s something wonderful about stimulating the senses through the simplistic beauty that Mother Nature has created. In Douglas Wood’s children’s book, No One But You, people of all ages are invited to use their five senses to discover “many important things” because “the best things, the most important ones of all, are the ones no one can teach you or show you or explain. No one can discover them but you.”
An award-winning writer and author of the best-selling book Old Turtle, Wood once again highlights his fascination with nature, this time focusing on the happiness that comes with the simple things in life: dangling your feet in a pond, eating a strawberry, gazing at the stars, laughing and smiling with loved ones. There is a rhythmic feel to his writing and the repetition of the two words “no one” throughout the book lends an almost hypnotic quality. This, paired with P. J. Lynch’s beautiful oil illustrations, makes for a winning combination. Lynch, an acclaimed illustrator and two-time winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, has created images evocative of ones a parent would take of their own child, perhaps from the weekend getaway to the park or a camping trip by the lake. It encourages parents to contemplate whether they too can capture a loved one “set[ting] out to create their special place in the world.”
Younger children will be inspired by Wood’s beautifully crafted book, whether they set out to uncover the treasures of nature for the first time or they wish to share their enchantment with others. While this is a children’s book, adults can also take something away from the story. We live in an era where technology dominates every aspect of our lives, from how we socialize with others to how we shop. No One But You is a reminder that life is more than texting, emails, and sitting at a desk; it’s worthwhile to take time to slow down and enjoy what life and nature have to offer.
Keilin Huang
February 2012
Meg Medina, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz,
Tía Isa Wants a Car
Candlewick Press, 2011.
Ages 5-7
Nowadays, many of us take owning a car for granted and we think nothing of the fact that a good number of families have two, even three cars. Recently awarded a spot on the Amelia Bloomer Prize List for portraying a strong female protagonist, Meg Medina’s children’s book, Tía Isa Wants A Car, shows readers how dreams can come true if you set your mind to something and have a whole lot of perseverance and determination.
Dedicated to the memory of her own family’s first car, a “light-blue Wildcat that stalled everywhere and was awful to park on crowded streets,” Medina’s book tells the story of how a young girl and her aunt, Tía Isa, manage to save enough money to buy a “shiny green car” that will “take us to the beach!” With the funds from taking odd jobs around the neighborhood and her aunt’s work at a local bakery, the girl and Tía Isa save up enough (while also putting aside money for family out of the country) to ultimately end up with their dream car, a symbol of freedom literally as well as metaphorically. Tía Isa be able to take her family to the beach and not have to wait for the bus, but she has also defied a cultural norm: one where the women are obedient and demure. After purchasing the car, Tía Isa is no longer seen as a “[r]rrridículo” sister who prepares meals; rather she has taken on the role of a strong contributing family member who can act independently, yet still manage to support other family members who are far away.
The pictures by Claudio Muñoz, an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in The Economist, The Financial Times, and several children’s books, has created a visually pleasing accompaniment to Medina’s words. He has created his own descriptions of the characters through his illustrations, choosing to depict Tía Isa and her strong personality in bold, brightly patterned dresses, whereas mention of the loved ones living outside of the country are depicted in a more toned down palette of colors.
Tía Isa Wants a Car is a heart-warming story that brings together culture, the importance of family, and the rewards of hard work. Children will delight in the sprinkling of Spanish words throughout and they will take away the knowledge that nothing is impossible if you have the belief and drive to make your dreams a reality.
Keilin Huang
February 2012
By: Thao,
on 1/27/2012
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Something weird and wonderful. Keep reading… Having seen Marc Craste’s commercial work, Helen Ward set out to write the story of Varmints with him, “I like to think in pictures, so it is very important to me that I know and love the work of the illustrators for whom I write.” Helen tells a story [...]
According to Deadline, MGM will to adapt the popular picture book series Where’s Waldo into a live-action movie.
MGM motion picture group president Jonathan Glickman has secured the film rights to the franchise. Who would you cast as Waldo?
Here’s more from the article: “Created by Martin Handford and first published in 1987, Where’s Waldo? is one of the most recognizable characters in the world and a pop-culture icon. A publishing phenomenon with more than 55 million books sold worldwide from New York to Sydney to London to Tokyo, Where’s Waldo books are available in more than thirty-eight countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages. Where’s Waldo has also been spotted in gaming, selling more than 4.6+ million Apps for iPhone and iPad.”
continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
The Yellow House. Blake Morrison. Illustrated by Helen Craig. 1987/2011. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
Every day we passed the yellow house on our way to the park, Mom and me and my little sister, Jenny. The house was on its own. It looked old, sad, and rather scary.
I'll try to keep this one short. After all, why waste time with a book I'm not eager to recommend?! This picture book was just odd to me. I haven't decided if the intent is just to be odd, or if the intent is to be odd and CREEPY. Is it a seemingly simple book about a young girl with an active imagination? Or is the "little boy that beckons to her" meant to be creepy? I found him VERY creepy. But that could just be me.
So. There's this abandoned house that the heroine passes often. She feels a little sad--if sad is the right word?--that no one lives there. That the house doesn't have a family, a family with little children. One day the little girl passes the house and stops. She "notices" a little boy in the yard. He wants her to play with him. And they have an over-the-top, completely unbelievable adventure together. But. Of course she never sees him again because no one lives there, the place is abandoned and will likely always be abandoned.
Anyway, the book is weird. I suppose it could just be unusual or quirky or peculiar. I didn't like it. But you may like it more than I did. Are you a fan of this one? If you like it--love it--I'd love to hear why. I would appreciate seeing it through someone else's eyes!
Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 4 out of 10
© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers
By:
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on 8/29/2011
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Children’s book illustrator Patrice Barton begins a picture book with a spiral ruled notebook that she soon fills with ideas, tactics and to-do checklists related to the project.
It’s almost as if the words come first. The drawings, which for her are a series of tireless explorations only a tiny fraction of which make it to the book, spring forth after she’s worked out the notions, notations and marching orders for herself.
In the previous post she told how she assembled her scraps of sketches on tracing paper to develop finals for Sweet Moon Baby by Karen Henry Clark (Knopf Books for Young Readers.) This time she reveals the earliest stages of her artwork for the picture book Mine! by well-known children’s author Shutta Crum.
Released in June, Mine! is Patty’s second book for Knopf.
At the end of our video interview minutes before class time at the Art School of the Austin Museum of Art Patty walked through the F&G’s for her third Knopf title, Rosie Sprout’s Time to Shine by Knopf editor Allison Wortche — due for publication in December. Here are sophisticated first graders, not babies or toddlers. With their glances, gestures and placements on the pages, Patty orchestrates a very funny elementary school drama of evil plans, remorse and redemption.
Watching her interpret Wortche’s scenes as text gives us insight into how she thinks about her characters and re-constructs a story in its most telling images.
SCBWI happenings for your calendar
Southern Breeze Society of Children’s BookWriters and Illustrators Illustrators Day – Friday, September 2 on the lower floor of the DeKalb County Public Library,
1 Comments on “Little toddler feet and hands all over my wall…”, last added: 8/29/2011
The Charlotte Zolotow Award was announced and the 12th annual winner is...
How to Heal a Broken Wing
Author: Bob Graham,
Publisher: Candlewick Press (August 2008)
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
The award is given by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, a library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the U.S. It is named to honor the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a distinguished children's book editor for 38 years with Harper Junior Books, and author of more than 70 picture books.
The 2009 Zolotow Award committee named five Honor Books:
How I Learned Geography
written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz, edited by Margaret Ferguson, and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
How Mama Brought the Spring
written by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Holly Berry, edited by Julie Strauss-Gebel and Donna Brooks, and published by Dutton
In a Blue Room
written by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Tricia Tusa,
edited by Samantha McFerrin, and published by Harcourt/Houghton Mifflin
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams
written by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, edited by Shannon White, and published by Eerdmans
Silent Music
written and illustrated by James
Rumford, edited by Neal Porter, and published by Roaring Brook Press.
The 2009 Zolotow Award committee also cited eight titles as Highly
Commended:
The Butter Man
written by Elizabeth Alalou and Ali Alalou, illustrated by Julie Klear Essakalli (Charlesbridge)
The Chicken of the Family
written by Mary Amato, illustrated by Delphine Durand (Putnam)
The Cow That Laid an Egg
written by Andy Cutbill, illustrated by Russell Ayto (U. S. edition: HarperCollins)
Dance with Me: Super Sturdy Picture Book (Super Sturdy Picture Books)
written by Charles R. Smith, Jr., illustrated by Noah Z. Jones (Candlewick);
Don't Worry Bear
written and illustrated by Greg Foley (Viking)
Growing Up With Tamales / Los tamales de Ana (Spanish Edition)
written by Gwendolyn Zepeda, illustrated by April Ward, Spanish translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura (Piñata Books / Arte Público Press)
Hen Hears Gossip
written by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Joung Un Kim (Greenwillow / HarperCollins)
Old Bear
written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow / HarperCollins).
It's that time of year. Did you read a newly published children's book this past year that you absolutely loved? From October 1-15, the public can nominate children's books high in both literary quality and kid appeal for a Cybils. Cybils is an acronym for Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards. Books published published in English between Oct. 16, 2008 and Oct. 15th, 2009 are eligible for nomination. There's nine categories so that means nine chances to nominate the year's best books. Nominations close on October 15th, 2009 and everyone can participate. This is the fourth year for the awards.
Even if you don't want to nominate, you should visit the site for book recommendations! Bloggers and others have already nominated several of my favorites. Here at Brimful Curiosities I have reviewed some of the books nominated. See the list below (I'll be adding more - a few books are in my to-be-reviewed pile):
2009 Nominations: Fiction Picture Books
Before You Were Here, Mi Amor By Samantha Vamos
The Curious Garden By Peter Brown
Otto Grows Down By Michael Sussman
Chicken Dance By Tammi Sauer (to-be-reviewed)
2009 Nominations: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Fortune's Magic Farm By Suzanne Selfors
2009 Nominations: Middle Grade Fiction
Al Capone Shines My Shoes By Gennifer Choldenko (to-be-reviewed)
Any Which Wall By Laurel Snyder
When the Whistle Blows By Fran Slayton
2009 Nominations: Young Adult Fiction
Nothing but Ghosts By Beth Kephart (to-be-reviewed)
Twenty Boy Summer By Sarah Ockler
For what it's worth, I've always thought the awards should split the picture book category up into books suitable for toddlers/preschoolers and books suitable for preschool/early grade school. The picture book genre offers such a wide range of deserving books for various age groups, I think it is unfair to make them all compete together for the same award. Plus, it would make it a ton easier for parents looking for age appropriate books.
In an attempt to bring attention to books for the very young, this year I nominated Higher! Higher! by author/illustrator Leslie Patricelli. It isn't an easy task finding books that both my toddler and preschooler want to read together. Higher! Higher! works perfectly for both age groups. In the book, a daddy pushes a little girl higher and higher on a swing. Boy does she ever go HIGH, way high in the sky and sees things beyond a child's wildest imagination.
This book has made it into our before bedtime stack more times than I can count! Full of kid appeal, the illustrations are bright, creative and happy and the simple text makes it the perfect choice for younger children with a short attention span (they can chant along, saying "Higher! Higher!"). Another plus--my preschool daughter can easily "read" it to her 1-1/2 year old brother without my help. It's appropriate for both boys and girls. If my children had a choice, Higher! Higher! would win quite a few awards.
Higher! Higher!
by Leslie Patricelli. Candlewick Press (March 2009); 32 pages; ISBN 9780763632410;
Book Source: Personal copy (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)
Just out of curiosity, what are your favorite children's books published this past year?
Guest blogger Evette Rios is regularly featured on the syndicated TV talk show, “Rachael Ray.” Evette Rios has also designed on camera for HGTV’s “Freestyle”, and TLC’s “In A Fix.” Evette Rios designs interiors through her firm Sitio, bringing experience working in several of Manhattan’s top interior firms. A graduate of Bates College, Evette Rios also attended both Parsons School of Design and the Graduate School of Design at Harvard. Evette Rios also shares her design advice in spanish in “Siempre Mujer” magazine.
Walking into The Brooklyn Brownstone School, I couldn’t help but feel elated to see painted on the foundation of their building the following motto: “creating a community of lifelong learners.” It was a thrill to visit the class of precocious second graders! They were all very interested in my read-aloud of Mercy Watson to the Rescue. They even acted out scenes and tried to predict the ending!
We gathered in the library for reading time, I shared a bit of my history with the kids (after all, I’m a Brooklyn girl myself) and we made bookmarks shaped like a pig to tie in with the theme of the story.
My friends from Eight O’Clock Coffee and Candlewick Press provided two brand new books for each child with the help of First Book. They were heroes, donating 250 books for the school – two for every student! But, the real heroes were the children, who delighted in each word and enthusiastically participated in making crafts and story time. Once they received their books, many kids had them opened to chapter 6, the page where we last left Mercy in our read-aloud. They couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
It was a treat for me to join the students of the Brooklyn Brownstone School. I know we were able to make a difference in the next chapter of their lives.
Zoom is such a fun word to say. We found two zooming books at the library and wanted to share them with you. The first one is about a zooming car and the second about zooming out and viewing objects from different perspectives.
"Up and up the road he zoomed. At every curve he honked his horn. Toot! Toot! Zoom! Toot! Toot! Zoom!"
Toot Toot Zoom!
by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Candlewick Press (April 2009); ISBN 9780763634520; 40 pages
(Book Source: Copy from our local library)
A beret wearing fox named Pierre sets off in his little red car on a search for a friend hoping to find one on the other side of the mountain. While driving on the winding mountain road, Pierre invites other animals to hop into his car (Goat, Sheep and Bear) and they all try to aid Pierre in his search for a new friend.
We've recommended this book to numerous people. I love reading this one aloud and usually use a silly French accent. Perfect for toddlers on up, the kids both love repeating the phrase, "Toot! Toot! Zoom!" with me. Root has a wonderful way with words and this book shows she's a master at her craft. Expressive text in bold is found throughout the book with plenty of tooting, zooming and even some CRASHING! Cordell's raw, cartoonish illustrations are a good fit for the book and we smiled at the final illustration of a car/house, the ultimate reuse project. Don't miss this sweet friendship story...it is sure to generate some smiles. (Related link: Candlewick's
Read-to-Us! Story-Hour Kit has some cute related printables for this story.)
Zoom
by Istvan Banyai. Viking Children's / Penguin (March 1995); ISBN 9780670858040; 64 pages
(Book Source: Copy from our local library)
We stumbled upon this wordless picture book quite by accident. We were curious about the title and certainly didn't expect the amazing, thought provoking illustrations. It is an awesome adventure to browse through the pages and watch as the pictures continuously zoom out and out and out. The book starts with a close up image of a rooster's comb and as you
Our Memorial Day weekend was busy with multiple birthday celebrations and lots of outdoor activities including some last minute planting. Today I'm highlighting one of our favorite gardening books and have included images of our corn craft and a picture of our planting efforts this weekend.
When my daughter was a toddler we joined the Children's Book of the Month Club. For us our membership provides a good way to beef up our home library with some classic books and also keeps us up-to-date by letting us know of new releases. While we don't order many books from the book club anymore, we have received some really great titles I probably wouldn't have heard of if not for our membership. The following gardening book is one of those titles.
"In the dirt we'll dig a row, drop some seeds, and watch them grow. Dirt piles up; seeds go down. Water splashes around and around."
Up, Down, and Around
by Katherine Ayres; illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Candlewick Press (March 2007); ISBN 9780763623784; 32 pages
(Book Source: Copy from our home library)
Every spring my kids enjoy helping plant the garden on my grandparent's farm. We grow several different plants in the garden. Week after week we go back and visit the plants and watch them grow. In between the visits we like to read Katherine Ayres' book,
Up, Down, and Around. In the book, a little girl and boy help plant seeds in a garden and then watch the plants grow. The rhyming verses describe how plants grow and develop in the garden. Some grow up, others grow down and still others grow around and around. The colorful and humorous illustrations show the kids running around barefoot, while birds get tangled in the vines and bunnies and all kinds insects snack on the plants.
This picture book makes gardening look like a ton of fun and encourages healthy eating by showing that consuming the bountiful harvest is one of the best parts of growing a garden. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, it gives a lighthearted insight into how plants grow and teaches kids about where their food comes from. The only thing we wonder about is how the characters manage to keep a completely weed free garden. There's not a weed in sight! The book includes the following plants: corn, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, beets, green beans, okra, onions and tomatoes.
❖❖❖❖❖❖ stART Project - Corn Cob Craft ❖❖❖❖❖❖The cover of
Up, Down, and Around shows a picture of a cornstalk with an ear of corn. I thought my toddler son would have fun crafting his own ear of corn using some popcorn kernels. I cut out the corn cob from a yellow piece of paper and also cut out two green leaves. He glued the leaves and corn onto a blue piece of paper. We squi
Bess the Book Bus is nearing the end of her second nationwide outreach that will cover 36 states and deliver 27,000 books into the hands of children who otherwise may not have been able to experience the joy of owning their very own book.
Our trip began at the end of April and will end in the middle of September. This leg of the trip has taken us to areas such as Pittsburgh and Camden, NJ, two of the most underserved areas on this trip so far. We partnered with Transitions Lenses and VSP to bring both healthy sight and free books to the Boys and Girls Clubs there. Thanks to the support of Candlewick Press, Townsend Press, and our great friends at First Book, Bess is overflowing with brand new books, all of which were free.
Throughout this trip, it has been thrilling to see the dedication of the parents, guardians, and teachers as we cross the USA. One parent walked her children two miles after seeing us on the morning news. She couldn’t believe that someone-anyone was in her neighborhood offering free eye exams, glasses with Transitions lenses, and free books. Both of her children ended up needing and receiving glasses. They also left with armloads of brand new books and ear-to-ear smiles. In fact several parents and grandparents rushed their kids to our event after hearing that we were in the neighborhood, and almost all of them needed and received glasses. Thanks to our partners at Transitions Lenses and VSP and to the doctors volunteering their time, our kids will also now have the healthy sight they deserve as each child is getting eye exams and free glasses when needed. The look on the parents’ faces was one of tangible relief. Even better, the kids came out of the mobile vision clinic full of pride, flaunting their new glasses.
Today we are in Maine, headed to Houlton where we will partner with Aid for Kids to put on a literacy fair. Thanks to First Book and the DOE, Bess will have 4,000 brand new books on board to give away in Maine alone. The kids are going to be so excited when they find out they will each receive up to five new books!
As I pack my bags and get ready to hit the road this morning I am filled with gratitude. We are happy to report that reading is alive and well in this country as is the excitement kids have for picking the just right brand new book they have been waiting for or finding that cherished favorite. I can hardly believe that this is my life; that so many great people surround me and that I have the opportunity to live my dream of spreading the joy of reading. I am also hopeful. I hope that one day all of our kids will have equal access to these very basic tools, things that they should already have and will need to succeed in school and in life.
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, written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, and generously provided by my friends at 
by Victoria Kann. 
by Bob Graham. 
I have this in my waiting-for-review pile. Now I think I might have to bump it higher!
This is so great! I was considering writing a review of this book myself, but after reading this I thought, "how can I top that?" so I just shared a link to your post instead! Your daughter is quite a skilled book reviewer!
Susan: You'll enjoy it, I think! Timmy is so clueless as to be hilarious...perhaps I see something of myself in him!
Katie: Thanks for the kind words. Now I'm waiting for my high schooler to give me an interview about a book I shared with her, but she's a bit less outspoken!
I LOVE this post! Hooray for poetry in the classroom anyway we can get it there!
Thanks, Laura. I think you meant this comment for the Poetry Post, but I'll take comments any way I can get them here!