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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: early reader, Most Recent at Top [Help]

Results 1 - 25 of 33

1. The Dunderheads Behind Bars: Review Haiku

By: Emily, on 5/3/2013
Blog: Emilyreads (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book crush, mystery, great jacket, liked it, haiku, early reader, fiction, certain humiliation, been caught stealing, Add a tag

Genre-bending sequel

shows, then solves gross miscarriages
of justice.

The Dunderheads Behind Bars by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by David Roberts. Candlewick, 2012, 48 pages.

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2. fiction favorites…Mokie and Bik � Orange Marmalade

By: Wendy Orr, on 10/9/2012
Blog: Wendy Orr's author journal (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Mokie and Bik, early reader, read aloud, children's literature, Jonathan Bean, chapter books, Add a tag

fiction favorites…Mokie and Bik � Orange Marmalade

The Orange Marmalade blog has done a lovely review of Mokie and Bik - I'm smiling at what she says about the story and words, and agree whole-heartedly with her thoughts on Jonathan Bean's art. I was going to say she's chosen two of my favourite illustrations - but then, I think of some of the others, and am not sure I can choose.

Featuring children as unflappable as Pippi Longstocking, bursting with nonsensical words and invented verbs that waltz and yabber and sing, this book is exuberant and warm-hearted and highly original. I found it by searching for work by one of my favorite illustrators, Jonathan Bean, who has adorned these pages with enchanting, turn-of-the-century, Edward-Ardizzone-esque pen and ink drawings. Sigh. He gets it exactly right.

If you’re looking for something out-of-the-box and full of spice for your young-but-stalwart reader, check this out!

To see the blog and read the whole post: fiction favorites…Mokie and Bik � Orange Marmalade

Mokie & Bik available from amazon.com

or direct from the publisher:Henry Holt

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3. Review: Ballpark Mysteries 4: The Astro Outlaw

By: Kimberly Pauley, on 4/21/2012
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ballpark Mysteries, Kids Books Central Reviews, Early Reader, Add a tag

I'm a huge baseball fan, so I was excited that I got the opportunity to read this book. I haven't read the first three books in the series but I didn't feel like I missed anything. There are a lot of great baseball facts in this book. There is information about the game, including the hidden ball trick, and then at the end there is a special section called Dugout Notes that features information about the Astros' ballpark.

Click here for the rest of my review!

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4. BOOK OF THE DAY: The June 2012 List!

By: admin, on 5/20/2012
Blog: Litland.com Reviews! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: young readers, anthology, bedtime stories, bible, book, book of the day, book review, book reviews, character, character education, Chesterton, children's, children's books, children's lit, classroom ethics, early reader, family, Farm animals, father’s day, fiction, God, holiday, homeschool, kids, literature, 39 clues, Adults, Book of the Day!, Catholic, Christian, Mystery, Roman, Summer/vacation reading, advanced reader interest, adventure, authors & guests, book club, ethics/morality, fantasy, generations, historical fiction, history, homeschooling, middle readers, new release, non-fiction, sci fi, science or nature, teachers/librarians, teens, Memorial Day, middle reader, morals, mother’s day, Pentacost, priest, reader, reading, review, romance, science fiction, Shavout, space ship, summer, teach, teaching, teen, tween, vacation, virtues, WhitSunday, ya, young adult, young adults, Add a tag

BOOK OF THE DAY-June

Plan in advance for father’s day! The month of June is dedicated to books for dads and boys…don’t worry, a few dads & daughter books thrown in too! Good list for reluctant readers as well as summer vacation. Enjoy!

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5. BOOK OF THE DAY: The May 2012 List

By: admin, on 5/20/2012
Blog: Litland.com Reviews! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: character education, Chesterton, children's, children's books, children's lit, classroom ethics, early reader, family, Farm animals, fiction, God, holiday, homeschool, kids, literature, middle reader, morals, priest, reader, reading, review, romance, science fiction, space ship, summer, teach, teaching, teen, tween, vacation, virtues, ya, young adult, young adults, bedtime stories, bible, book, book of the day, book review, book reviews, character, Book of the Day!, Catholic, Christian, Mystery, Roman, Summer/vacation reading, advanced reader interest, adventure, authors & guests, book club, ethics/morality, fantasy, generations, historical fiction, history, homeschooling, middle readers, new release, non-fiction, sci fi, science or nature, teachers/librarians, teens, young readers, anthology, Adults, Add a tag

BOOK OF THE DAY-May

In celebration of Mother’s day, moms, women and daughters, recommendations span ages and areas of interest. Great for summer vacation reading too!

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6. Bink and Gollie, Two for One: Review Haiku

By: Emily, on 8/22/2012
Blog: Emilyreads (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: award bait, book crush, great jacket, loved it, haiku, early reader, fiction, Add a tag

Our fave hyperliterate
duo calls shenanigans
on carnies.

Bink and Gollie: Two for One by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile. Candlewick, 2012, 96 pages.

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7. Book Review: I Broke My Trunk

By: Chris Singer, on 3/24/2011
Blog: Book Dads (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Review, Preschool Through Second Grade (Age 4-8), book dads, early reader, elephant and piggie, I broke my trunk, mo willems, Add a tag

I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Mo Willems’ work in children’s books, animation, television, theater, and bubble gum card painting have garnered 3 Caldecott Honors, 2 Geisel Medals, a Geisel Honor, 2 Carnegie Medals, 6 Emmys, and multiple bubble gum cards. Upcoming non-bubble gum card projects include “Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator,” a portrait of the relationship between a girl and her stuffed alligator told in 6-1/2 stories

About the book:

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In I Broke My Trunk! Gerald tells Piggie the long, crazy story about breaking his trunk. Will Piggie end up with a long, crazy story of her own?

My take on the book:

Another Elephant and Piggie book review? If you’ve been following Book Dads for awhile you, of course, are not surprised. I’m not sure if there’s an official, or unofficial fan club, but if there isn’t we should either start one or join one…(paging @the1stdaughter, @birthdayauthor, @linkstoliteracy…).

I can’t help it though. I love these books so much I just have to, no I MUST, share them with you so you can share them with your little ones and receive the same gift I do when I see that huge smile on my little listener’s face while I read these books aloud to her.

I Broke My Trunk is in one word, fantastic. You can substitute this word for others if you wish. Incredible. Delightful. Amazing. Hilarious. Pick one of those adjectives and you’ll be correct in your assessment. It’s the case over and over with every book of Mo Willems we’ve picked up and brought home from the library. The Elephant and Piggie series seems to get better with each new release and Mo Willems continues to find new ways to keep us interested, laughing and yearning for more!

This is going to be an extra special book as well because it is one of the few things we’re giving my daughter for her birthday in just over a week. It will also be the first Mo Willems book she will call her own. That is special indeed!

You see, we’re moving and it’s a big move too. From Lansing, Michigan to Corvallis, Oregon. 2400 plus miles. We’re also downsizing from a house to an apartment and we’re not taking a lot of “stuff” with us. So this year we have to keep it a little light on the birthday gifts because we just don’t have the space or finances to take everything with us. We’ll make it up to her when we get settled. However, I don’t think she is going to mind. I’m almost pos

6 Comments on Book Review: I Broke My Trunk, last added: 3/28/2011

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8. Inside Scoop: The Evolution of the PICKLE JUICE Cover

By: M.Garcia, on 4/23/2011
Blog: Please Don't Read This Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Reader, In Other News, Add a tag

The Creative Director of Abrams Books, Chad Beckerman, has a terrific blog where he sometimes discusses the evolution of book covers that he's worked on. I've always loved those posts--and now there's one for LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE! Please check it out: http://cwdesigner.blogspot.com/2010/11/evolution-of-like-pickle-juice-on.html. Pay special attention to the list of titles that were considered; some of them really made me laugh.

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9. Where is Strawberry Moshi?

By: Melissa Taylor, on 5/21/2011
Blog: Bookmarkable (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: activity book, Early Reader, Non-Fiction, Add a tag

Where is Strawberry Moshi?
Candlewick Press, 2011 1st U.S. Edition
activity picture book
Strawberry Moshi is a Japanese Kawaii (“cuteness”). She’s a cute pill-shaped bunny who is searching for Super Moshi and her friends on each bright page filled with other Moshis.My kids loved finding the Moshi in this search book, similar to Where’s Waldobut girly and easier.In Carrot Castle Strawberry Moshi searches for Princess Moshi, Clover Moshi, Sari Moshi, Baby Prince Moshi, and Waitress Moshi. Bet you didn’t think there could be so many Moshi, right?Moshi books are new to the United States for spring having been previously available in other countries. I predict we’ll see matching Moshi plush dolls, Moshi games, Moshi apps and plenty more books for Moshi fans.

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10. 'Strangers in the Stable' ... my latest book illustration projet completed.

By: Aidana WillowRaven, on 9/17/2011
Blog: SCBWI Midsouth Illustrator's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: picture book, kids books, Aidana WillowRaven, Strangers in the Stable, early reader, Jim Laughter, illustration, Christmas, childrens book, 4RV Publishing, Add a tag

I don't post here often, because my schedule is filled with more than children's book illustration, however, my latest project was for a Christmas early reader, and now that the publisher has sent the files to the printer, now I can share.

This was my first kid's book illustrated purely digitally, so it was quite an experience. I normally only paint digitally for novels and some older kid's genres, like MG or YA (which are only sometimes illustrated).

Strangers in the Stable, by Jim Laughter and 4RV Publishing, is a charming twist to the traditional Christmas tale, which makes me doubly honored to have been the illustrator. Now, for a peek at the illos:

The stores and shops teemed with life,
and people lined up at tables in the marketsquare,
signed books, and paid money to
men in flowing red robes and shiny hats.

Finally, three more men entered from out
of the night. Kings, the people called them.
They carried gifts and laid them before the
child and his parents.

The kids got to know the young family,
and even Young Billy became friends with
Mary.

If you're interested in seeing the original cover I created for this book, and read why

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11. Happy Belated Blogiversary to Me!

By: David Elzey, on 10/12/2011
Blog: The Excelsior File (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: anniversary, picture book, 06, early reader, blogging, roald dahl, 60s, quentin blake, the excelsior file, young reader, classics, william pene du bois, dahl, Add a tag

Oh, Holy Undies, how could I have missed my own 5th Anniversary? So a quick scan of the records showed that five years and nine days ago I embarked on this journey to read, write, and review books for children and young adults. What began as an exploration to better educate myself eventually led to an MFA at Vermont College and what is clearly becoming my great second act in life. I would

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12. WHY?

By: M.Garcia, on 1/31/2012
Blog: Please Don't Read This Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Reader, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Add a tag

WHY? The Best… By Catherine Ripley

Julie: Why do our fingers get so wrinkled in the tub? Why does popcorn pop? Why do onions make us cry? Why do dandelions turn white and fluffy? For clear, interesting, and simply worded answers, inquiring minds need look no farther than Catherine Ripley's WHY? THE BEST EVER QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK ABOUT NATURE, SCIENCE AND THE WORLD AROUND YOU. It's certainly designed for kids, with full-page, color illustrations and child-friendly language and content. But I confess: I feel smarter having read this book. I always knew the bathroom floor was colder than the bathmat, for example. But I never thought about why. Now I know. I feel quite proud. Maybe I need to read more non-fiction! Mia, what do you think?

Marirosa Mia: I enjoyed it as well. It was quite fun testing my knowledge on questions like: Why do we yawn? and Why do my fingers stick to frozen juice cans? I'm not saying I would win a million on Jeopardy!, but I knew quite a few things; and that made me happy. The book's categories are divided by the location where the question will likely be asked: Bathtime Questions, Outdoor Questions, Supermarket Questions, and the like. It's an appealing and easy-to-reference structure. This will be an excellent book to have once my niece starts asking "Why?" questions!

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13. Re-Seussify Seuss Challenge

By: Annie Beth Ericsson, on 3/5/2012
Blog: Walking In Public (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration sensations, paintings, videos, anita lobel, Arnold Lobel, betsy bird, dr seuss, early reader, frog and toad, fuse #8, re-seussify seuss, school library journal, watercolor, Yertle The Turtle, Add a tag

In case you missed it, this week’s results for School Library Journal’s Fuse #8 Re-Seussify Seuss challenge were in, and they were pretty spectacular! The mission, as set forth by children’s lit guru Betsy Bird, was to draw a spread from a Dr. Seuss book, but in the style of ANOTHER famous picture book artist. I was inspired by the fun mash-up idea, and pulled off the image of Yertle The Turtle in the style of Arnold Lobel, above.

The idea for the image itself came to me pretty easily. It’s no surprise that I love drawing turtles, and Yertle The Turtle is a family favorite. The reptile vs. amphibian factor – Yertle crossed with Frog and Toad - was amusing to me as well. In particular, I wanted to try my hand at Arnold Lobel’s style. I thought the limited palette with textured graphite would be fun, and his characters and watercolors lend themselves easily to my own style. Plus, he’s a fellow Pratt alum!

I learned a lot about Arnold Lobel’s creative process from this video with his daughter, Anita Lobel. She sought to replicate her father’s paintings when she colored Arnold Lobel’s unfinished The Frogs and Toads All Sang:

I am very interested in Lobel’s use of color separations to make the Frog and Toad illustrations, and I wish I could find more on the subject. While Anita went with full-color in her recent interpretation, I wanted to imitate the 2-color (and black) separations by sticking to a green layer, a brown layer, and dark graphite. I’m pleased with the result and think it was rather successful, if I do say so myself.

Now go check out Betsy’s post for the other mind-blowing creative Re-Seussification mash-ups!

Filed under: illustration sensations, paintings, videos Tagged: anita lobel, Arnold Lobel, betsy bird, dr seuss, early reader, frog and toad, fuse #8, re-seussify seuss, school library journal, watercolor,

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14. Book of the day: April

By: admin, on 4/15/2012
Blog: Litland.com Reviews! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: kids, literature, middle reader, morals, priest, reader, reading, review, romance, science fiction, space ship, teach, teaching, teen, tween, virtues, ya, young adult, young adults, Adults, Book of the Day!, Catholic, Christian, Mystery, Roman, Summer/vacation reading, Uncategorized, advanced reader interest, adventure, authors & guests, book club, ethics/morality, fantasy, folklore, generations, historical fiction, history, homeschooling, middle readers, myth, new release, non-fiction, sci fi, science or nature, teachers/librarians, teens, young readers, anthology, bedtime stories, bible, book, book of the day, book review, book reviews, character, character education, Chesterton, children's, children's books, children's lit, classroom ethics, early reader, family, Farm animals, fiction, God, homeschool, Add a tag

BOOK OF THE DAY-April

The full April list is here. Get a sneak peak at the 2nd half of the month and stock up for summer vacation too!

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15. Minnesota Authors Team Up to Open a Retail Store for the Holidays

By: Kakie Fitzsimmons, on 12/14/2009
Blog: Bur Bur & Friends: Community Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Community Board, authors from minnesota, authors in minnesota, award, children's book authors from minnesota, children's book business, communities, early childhood education, early reader, educational, entrepreneurial authors, family activity, holiday books toddler, holiday gift preschooler, holiday gifts for young kids, minnesota authors, multicultural, parenting, self-esteem, special education, young readers, Add a tag

Recently, we have collaborated with some Minnesota author friends to open a retail store over the holiday season that featured our products. The store was the brain child of our friend, Kelly Lucente, author of “Bye Bye Monster.” We are honored and humbled that Kelly calls us her friends and mentors. The story ran on the front [...]

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16. Había una vez

By: M.Garcia, on 2/8/2010
Blog: Please Don't Read This Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Reader, Spanish, Add a tag

Había una vez

9684395213

Marirosa Mia: Our second guest reviewer! I’m so excited, and we even went to the same school! Yes, Puerto Rico is very small… so what? I’m also very excited that she’s reviewing one of my favorite childhood collections. But I’ll let Salome take it from here.

Salome: For my first review of books in Spanish, I wanted to go back to the classics, which in my case means the books we were forced to read in grade school. I looked at a couple of them and found them to be completely inappropriate or plain boring. And then I remembered Había una vez... - yes, Once Upon a Time....

It is, as one may expect from the title, a collection of fairy tales. There's La gallinita dorada (it's The Little Red Hen, but I guess she has a golden tan in the tropics), El Gato con botas (Puss N' Boots), Juanito y Margarita (guess!, yes, Hansel and Gretel) and El pollito pito (Chicken Little), to name a few. But there are also some awesome Caribbean classics like La cucarachita Martina (Martina, the Little Cockroach), which I somehow could recite by heart at age 2 to my parents’ bragging delight. It also has riddles, starting with the traditional Adivina, adivinador (Guess, guesser), popular songs like ¡Qué llueva! (May It Rain!), and gives kids a peek at some great Spanish language authors, with poems by Lope de Vega, Federico García Lorca, Amado Nervo, and Juana de Ibarbourou.

I had not seen the book in 35 years, until one of my sisters sent a copy to my Spanish-language-challenged kids. The book had since lost its hard cover to a more price-efficient paperback form, but everything else remained the same. And I remembered every bit of it - its awesome retro illustrations and selections - as if I had owned it all along.

I believe that what makes it so special is that the stories are written in plain Spanish - well, as plain as Spanish can be - and that the writing is the closest thing to a Pan American Spanish – something like Univision Spanish - that kids in any Latin American country can understand and follow easily. That is often not the case with children's books, particularly if they are published in Spain. In my children's case in particular, I love the fact that they include such straightforward

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17. Top 100 Children's Books

By: M.Garcia, on 3/19/2010
Blog: Please Don't Read This Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Reader, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Young Adult, Add a tag

Ever wished you had a list of the top 100 children's books of all time, as voted on by children's book fanatics? Librarian and blogger extraordinaire Betsy Bird has conducted the poll, and she's counting them down, day by day, right here:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/1510053351.html.
Check it out--and be prepared for some surprises!

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18. Brand New Readers: Three Little Bears Play All Day • Early Readers

By: Deborah Sloan, on 3/30/2010
Blog: The Picnic Basket (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early reader, Add a tag

Brand New Readers: Three Little Bears Play All Day

By David Martin • Illustrated by Akemi Gutierrez

Available now! Published February 2010 • Candlewick Press • Early Readers, Ages 4-8
EVERY child can read Brand New Readers! Baby Bear’s antics lead to unexpected results as he returns with Brother Bear and Sister Bear in four simple, funny stories.

Story: Whether jumping, juggling, munching, or building with blocks, Baby Bear finds a new way to make mischief while playing with his ever-patient big brother and sister. This Brand New Reader includes the four stories, Three Little Bears Build, Three Little Bears Eat, Three Little Bears Juggle, and Three Little Bears Jump.

Brand New Readers are short, funny stories written by award-winning authors, full of bright, colorful artworkby illustrators kids know and love. Each Brand New Reader has:

- funny stories
- pictures that make words easy to guess
- eight-page stories that can be finished in one sitting, ensuring a satisfying reading experience
- notes for parents and teachers to help them guide beginning readers

Story behind the story: “For me, all my Brand New Reader collections are about mischief,” said author David Martin. “Crashing, kidding, making messes and having fun. Just the kind of stuff my five-year-old self likes. My grown-up self wants to help children become good readers. Fortunately the two selves joined, and that’s the story behind the story, behind these stories.”

Asked which of the three bears he readily identifies with, David replies without hesitation, “Baby Bear, of course. And what do I do? Spin ‘til I’m dizzy. Knock down the blocks. Refuse green food except for mint ice cream, and juggle Boston cream pies – or at least try. Full disclosure: I really like broccoli a lot, and spinning nowadays makes me queasy. But I can juggle. As for block towers, to build them high or knock them down, that is the question. Okay, both. And thanks to three grandkids, I have good models to keep the mischief fresh.”

DAVID MARTIN was a teacher for eighteen years. He began in special education and then went from fourth grade to seventh-grade language arts. But it was his work

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19. Kids Classic I Forgot to Read: My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet

By: maggie, on 5/19/2010
Blog: Gob Wrote A Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: adorable, classic, cats, early reader, lions, dragons, tangerines, Add a tag

I've been slacking off lately, but since last August, I've been putting a "Kids' Classic I Forgot to Read" on our front desk for a month at a time. Previous titles are: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, Egypt Game, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Cricket in Times Square, A Wrinkle in Time and 13 Clocks. In honor of Fathers' Day, I decided to select My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet (illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannet), a fabulously wholesome story perfectly suited for reading aloud with the whole family. Little Elmer Elevator (the father of the faceless narrator) would give anything to fly. Luckily for him, he's made friends with an alley cat who knows where a dragon lives, held captive by a slew of wild animals. It is Elmer's quest to free the dragon, and chase his own dream of flying, and to do so he must use all his cunning, courage and (most of all) kindness to accomplish his goals. Elmer makes for a lovable protagonist, whose most memorable characteristics are that he is kind and he is clever. Though many of the animals want to eat him, he finds ways around them that do no harm to anyone. Win, win.
The illustrations are plentiful, and the type set is large, so the fact that it is 86 pages is a bit misleading. It's a very short story, similar in feel to many of the Japanese fairy tales I grew up reading (only with less tail-cutting-offness and swords). Simple enough for younger kids to follow, with all the adorable a grown-up can handle, I totally recommend this book for full family read alouds, barring the involvement of any snarky teens.Shown above, an illustration of Elmer and his run in with the Rhino on Wild Island.

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20. Ling & Ting: Review Haiku

By: Emily, on 9/13/2010
Blog: Emilyreads (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book crush, liked it, haiku, early reader, fiction, Add a tag

Is it wrong that I
kinda want to marry this
book? Adorable.

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! by Grace Lin. Little Brown, 2010, 43 pages.

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21. The Great Turtle Makeover

By: Annie Beth Ericsson, on 10/12/2010
Blog: Walking In Public (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: my books, sketches, early reader, jennifer a ericsson, ollie and logger, revision, sea turtles, watercolor, Add a tag

Revisions, revisions, revisions! It has been a year since I worked on Ollie And Logger In The Deep Blue Sea, the early reader book that I illustrated (and my mother wrote) for my first semester senior project. I love the story and feel good about the pacing of the sketches as a whole. But as I look back, I was deeply dissatisfied with a couple of things. The characters seemed awkward, stiff and bloated, their faces falling short of the natural cuteness I was going for. And on top of that, all the color work I did wasn’t working either. Try as I might last fall, I was not getting the lightness and fluidity of underwater scenes, and all the pieces look overworked. That’s the hardest part about watercolor – knowing when to stop, because once you go too far there is no going back, just starting over.

Despite my self-criticisms, I am confident that we have something marketable with Ollie And Logger – it’s just a matter of revising. So I spent my three-day weekend reworking the characters and the first color piece . . . and here are the results of the makeover!

Filed under: my books, sketches Tagged: early reader, jennifer a ericsson, ollie and logger, revision, sea turtles, sketches, watercolor

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22. Cats In The Attic - Cynthia's Attic!

By: Mary Cunningham, on 11/15/2010
Blog: Cynthia's Attic Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: mary cunningham, school visits, diana black, cynthia's attic, wendel wordsworth, early reader, little bitty kitty, Add a tag

Cynthia's Attic, and favorite time-traveler, Augusta Lee (Gus), want to welcome a newcomer to the attic scene - Little Bitty Kitty, or LBK for short.

Gus: So, I hear we’re heading to Indiana the first of December. You, Wendel Wordsworth, me and Cynthia. You’ve never been there right?

LBK: Meow.

Gus: Well, you’re gonna love it. Sure you’re just a little kitty, and it’ll be cold there, like really, really cold, but you have a winter coat, right?

LBK: Meow.

Gus: And this Gram person, the one in your story, is she coming along?

LBK: Meow.

Gus: She seems like a nice lady. Your story is cute, too. The way you wiggle through that little…Well, guess I shouldn’t give away the ending.

LBK: Meow.

Gus And your book is interactive? It has coloring pages? That’s great. I love to color...especially outside the lines!

LBK: Meow.

Gus: Well, guess we ought to start packing for the trip. I’m visiting Corydon Intermediate School on Dec 3. What school are you going to?

LBK: Meow.

Gus: Oh, yeah, Corydon Elementary School. Those are some great students. Well, so long for now. See you in Indiana!

LBK: Meow!

Whew! Good thing Gus knows "kitty-speak"!

Little Bitty Kitty Website

Wendel Wordsworth Website

Cynthia's Attic Series on Amazon!

Mary Cunningham Books

3 Comments on Cats In The Attic - Cynthia's Attic!, last added: 11/17/2010

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23. Ivy and Bean Get Scientific

By: Melissa Taylor, on 11/26/2010
Blog: Bookmarkable (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Chapter Book, Early Reader, Add a tag

Ivy and Bean What’s the Big Idea
written by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Chronicle Books, 2010
early chapter book

In What’s the Big Idea, the school science fair gives second graders, Ivy and Bean, their most scientific adventure yet – their mission: to solve global warming.

Of course, it’s NOT going to go as planned. So, get ready to laugh along with these charming young friends who won’t stop until they find the best way to solve their environmental issue, no matter how many ideas they must try.

What’s the Big Idea, the seventh Ivy and Bean early chapter book, just might be the best Ivy and Bean yet. Young scientists’ brains will be spinning with ideas and inspiration after reading this book which is perfect for most seven year olds.

Want to see for yourself? Read the first chapter for free right now. Click here to read.

I love the Ivy and Bean books for their age-appropriateness, humor, and well written characters and plot lines. It’s is a series you can read in any order; once you like one, you’ll want to read them all. And, you can become a Facebook fan of the series, too!

Book Play: After you read What’s the Big Idea, go to the Activity Guide. Ideas like “What Endangered Animal Am I?” and “Ice Cube Toss” will keep you thinking about the book and the environment.

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24. Things 2nd Grade Boys like

By: maggie, on 11/28/2010
Blog: Gob Wrote A Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: mt anderson, early reader, book club, Newbery Award Winner, Add a tag

Since I abandoned this blog to the cold winds of internet neglect, I've started officiating some book clubs for kids. One of them is a group of 2nd grade boys who vary wildly in reading level, so aside from the fact that planning a discussion for a handful of 8 year old boys is kind of like trying to choreograph cat herding, we also struggle to find books that every one can relate to. Below, are the books we've read so far.

my preferred cover

I started us off with The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes. It was originally titled The Iron Man: A Story in 5 Nights, but the title was changed when the superhero superceded Hughes' novel in popularity. Now there's a movie, which is AMAZING and every one should watch it, but is totally different than the book. And even if you've seen the movie (which I agree, is awesome) you should still read the book and hopefully you'll like it even a fraction as much as this group of boys did. I started off the discussion simply, by asking what their favorite parts were. The boys then clamored with their answers, revisions to their answers and dramatic readings of their scenes of choosing. It was the perfect book to get us started. Fun, simple, full of startling and direct symbolic imagery, The Iron Giant is a great book for reluctant readers obsessed with Star Wars and the kids who can already read Harry Potter (with a parent). I decided NOT to bring up the fact that Hughes wrote it to comfort his children after his wife, Sylvia Plath, had a run in with her oven.

the current edition since changing publishers

Second, we read Whales on Stilts by MT Anderson, the first in the Pals in Peril series (previously called MT Anderson's Thrilling Tales). Anyone who's listened to me blather about books knows that MT Anderson's basically my favorite, and I was really excited to have a chance to force his book on a bunch of kids subjected to my literary whims. Unfortunately, the sense of humor was a little beyond a few of our readers, and while we still managed to have a lively discussion rich with dramatic readings we also spent a lot of time clarifying vocabulary and plot points for some. Jasper Dash's character, particularly, who speaks in a hilariously outdated vernacular, left some of group behind. But I was really pleased to find that the kids who could keep up with Jasper and his chums loved the book, and took to the absurdity nicely. One of the readers has even continued on with the series on his own, and had already completed the second book by the time we met. And, being the group's only Jew, I was pleased to explain what gefilte fish is to the general disgust of all our members.

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25. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

By: Julie Sternberg, on 11/30/2010
Blog: Please Don't Read This Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Early Reader, In Other News, Add a tag

Julie: Here it is! The final version of the cover for my very first book, which is coming out in March. I have to confess that I was nervous about the cover before I saw any drafts. After pouring so much into a book, it would have been very, very sad to dislike the cover. But I don't dislike it! Far from it! I love it! Many thanks to everyone at Abrams who helped with the design, and to the very talented illustrator, Matthew Cordell. More updates to come!

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