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Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy recently published Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos, a bilingual bonanza!
Alma Flor Ada
Alma Flor Ada is an internationally published children’s book author. She is the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the Pura BelprÉ Award, the Christopher Award, the JosÉ MartÍ World Award, and the Museum of Tolerance Award.
F. Isabel Campoy
F. Isabel Campoy is a scholar devoted to the study of language acquisition. She is a well-known author of numerous children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, folktales, biographies, and art.
Hispanic culture and bilingual education are both topics that are important to you. Can you share a little on your background and how you became a children’s book writer?
Culture prepares us to understand the world around us. All cultures evolve, and no culture is perfect, but knowing our roots gives us a sense of community and belonging. The Hispanic culture, a product of multiple heritages, is very rich and has contributed much to the world and to the US society. Latino children have much to learn about their culture. We hope that as they do they will feel enriched by it. When non-Hispanic children learn about our culture they can develop a better understanding of their Latino peers.
Being bilingual has been one of the greatest assets I have enjoyed in life. I wish the same benefit for all children.
I have a strong belief on the importance of family. When children do not acquire, or lose, the ability to speak the language their parents know best, the language they can share feelings, experiences, dreams and beliefs, the parents’ role as educators is eroded and children miss out what should be a valuable part of their heritage.
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritosis a vibrant rendition of the classic Spanish nursery rhyme, co-authored by F. Isabel Campoy and yourself. Can you tell us about your writing partnership and what connected you both to Diez perritos?
Both of us sang and enjoyed this nursery rhyme as children, Isabel in Spain, and I in Cuba. Later I sang it with my children who enjoyed singing along. At some point my son Miguel made me aware that sad things happened in many nursery rhymes.
Both Isabel and I believe that young children have a right to joy and happiness so, when we decided to adapt Ten Little Puppies for publication we made sure to find better, and not tragic reasons, for th
What to expect: Vietnamese Americans, Emigration and immigration, Immigrants, Vietnam, Alabama
How much do we know about those around us? This is the question that debut novelist Thanhha Lai challenges her readers with.
Based on Lai’s own personal experience as a Vietnamese refugee, Inside Out & Back Again is a poignant story divided into four parts using a series of poems that chronicle the life of 10-year-old Hà, a child–refugee from Vietnam, during the year 1975—the Fall of Saigon. Along with her mother and three brothers (her father has been missing in action for nine years), Hà travels by boat to a tent city in Guam, is moved to Florida and then finds herself living in Alabama sponsored by an “American cowboy” and his wife. In Alabama, the family are treated as outcasts and forced to integrate quickly through language, food, and religion, to be accepted as a part of the community.
Adjustments to Hà’s new life are delivered through smells and tastes and touch. In “Part One: Saigon,” a verse titled “Two More Papayas” gives Hà’s delectable description of her most cherished fruit. In “Part Three: Alabama,” a verse titled “Not the Same,” which is followed by “But Not Bad,” showcases the bitter differences between the comfort of her precious birth city and the emotional challenges of her new home in Alabama, combined with the acceptance of change.
Two More Papayas
“…Middle sweet
between a mango and a pear.
Soft as a yam
gliding down
after three easy,
thrilling chews.”
Not the Same
“Three pouches of papaya
dried papaya
Chewy
Sugary
Waxy
Sticky
Not the same
at all.
So mad,
I throw all in the trash.”
But Not Bad
“… I wake up at faint light,
guilt heavy on my chest.
I head toward the trash can.
Yet
on the dining table
on a plate
sit strips of papaya
gooey and damp,
having been soaked in hot water.
The sugar has melted off
leaving
plump
moist
chewy
bites.
Hummm …
Not the same,
but not bad
at all.”
Told with pure honesty, emotions run freely from verse to verse and page to page. Hà’s voice is clear, allowing readers to make a leap from sympathy to deep seeded empathy by experiencing her joy, pain, anger, frustration, loyalties, challenges, loss, and determination. The clarity of Hà’s self-awareness and development toward self-actualization is reminiscent of Susan Patron’s character Lucky, also a 10-year-old girl, from the Newbery winner (2007) The Higher Power of Lucky (2006). Both characters suffer
by Karen Morss (Author), Ginger Neilson (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 33 pages (iPhone and iPad apps also available)
Publisher: Poodle Dog Publishers (2010)
Source of book: Author
Flying Poodles: A Christmas Story begins with a slight variation on one of the most well-loved lines in all holiday literature. Instead of “Twas the night before Christmas,” Karen Morss starts her story off with “Twas two nights before Christmas” and proceeds to tell a jolly tale of adventure and rescue. Santa’s reindeer are sick and it doesn’t appear likely that they’ll be able to pull the sleigh on Christmas night. What are Santa and Mrs. Claus to do? Why, just pull out their cell phones and text Santa’s sister Sally for help, of course. She rushes over with her sleigh pulled by a team of poodles. Although she tries to nurse the reindeer back to health, they’ll be too weak to pull the sleigh and deliver the toys. So the poodles step up and volunteer for the job. But will they be up to the test?
The title of the story kind of gives away the ending but it’s a charming book with lovely illustrations and a very kind message. And in keeping with the holiday spirit, the author will make a donation to the Smile Train, an international organization that provides cleft lip and cleft palate surgery to children in need, for every book sold.
by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (Authors), Eric Guillon (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Board book: 10 pages
Publisher: LB Kids; Brdbk edition (May 19, 2010)
Source: Publisher
What to expect: Kittens, Rhyme, Lullaby
Sleepy Kittens is a board book based on a book featured in the 3-D animated film Despicable Me. The story is about three little kittens who cannot fall asleep. Mama Cat appeases their restlessness with a calmness and ease that lulls the kittens off to sleep. It’s short and utterly sweet. It has a wonderful rhythm and rhymes effortlessly. The illustrations are playful but not over stimulating; and the three attached kitten finger puppets compliment both the pictures and story and add their own tactile appeal. This book is not to be confused with the average novelty book produced to tie in with a hit movie. What can I say? This book is lovely!
Celebrating childhood is the sole theme uniting Heyes’ poems. It is the perfect book if you only have a moment to read a poem or two, or an hour to read them all.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oh' the Places You'll Go, a couple of new editions have been released. This awesome book now spins, sparkles, and pops.
In honor of Jane Yolen's 71st birthday and the 300+ books that she has written—winning awards for many—we are celebrating by sharing with you some of her more recent picture books and board books.
What to expect: Halloween, Rhyme, Parody, ghosts and gouls
I love a good song and it looks like Carol Greene does, too. She has taken "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and put her own spooky spin on it.
The song begins with, "On the first day of Halloween, my good friend gave to me: a vulture in a dead tree." You can only imagine where it goes from there: hissing cats, fat toads, giggling ghosts, cooked worms, and so-on; until, "On the thiteenth day of Halloween, I invited my good friend to tea, and I gave HIM a present. A real, live ..." and this is how it ends: with a big, fat question mark.
Raglin's illustrations are eerie and completely complimentary to this imaginatively-creepy and lots-of-fun sing-a-long book. He has conjured up a classic, spooky crew to portray the books troupe of ghosts and ghouls, who certainly bring energy and entertainment to Greene's inventive parody. The guessing-game-ending took me by surprise, but it sure makes for a good conversation -- or even an introduction into Pandora's box. Spooktacular!
Publisher's synopsis:"On the first day of Halloween my good friend gave to me: a vulture in a dead tree."
Children will love to sing along!
Everyone knows "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but are you ready for The Thirteen Days of Halloween?
In this delightfully offbeat story, a dashing ghoul tries to win his
ghostly love's heart with heaps of hilarious gifts ranging from
broomsticks and bats to cauldrons and cats! Carol Greene's lively verse
is perfectly complemented by Tim Raglin's enchantingly erie
illustrations. Children of all ages will love to sing along. The result
is a frightfully funny Halloween tale you'll never forget.
About the author: Carol Greene
wrote her first poem when she was six years old (it was about a
spider). To date she has published over a hundred books for children.
Carol also likes to read, sing, and make teddy bears. She lives in
Webster Groves, Missouri, with her cat Dulcie.
About the Illustrator: Tim Raglin
brings his wacky imagination and wonderfully odd cast of characters to
The Thirteen Days of Halloween. His previous books include Five Funny
Fights, Pecos Bill, and The Birthday ABC. He received a silver medal
from the New York Society of Illustrators for his book Uncle Mugsy
& the Terrible Twins of Christmas. Mr. Raglin lives in his hometown
of Independence, Kansas.
By Bianca Schulze, The Children's Book Review Published: September 3, 2009 “If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good” ~ Dr. Seuss One sunny day, while swimming in a pool, my husband and I overheard a lady proclaiming to the world that Dr. Seuss' books were absurd and should not be read to children. Her reason: incorrect use of the English language. Oh lady, you've really missed the whole point, haven't you?! Here are five reasons you should love Dr. Seuss, including their absurdity: 1. Great for Beginning Readers and Mastering Phonics A child who is learning to read is learning to connect the sounds that go with letters, so that he can then put them together to make words, which then become sentences. Repeating sounds frequently help a child master this skill. Dr. Seuss is the master of repetitive sounds and engaging stories, while using limited vocabulary -- an ideal book for a beginning reader. A good example: Hop on Pop. 2. Great Read-Aloud Books Dr. Seuss' books sound great when they are read aloud, thanks to his clever rhyming. Did you know that reading to an infant helps with brain development, speech...
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children's Book Review Published: August 18, 2009 Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 40 pages Publisher: HarperCollins (May 26, 2009) What to expect: Hair, Fantasy, Animals Crazy Hair is a book for any child or parent who has ever wondered the following thoughts: Is that guy's hair real? It's so long, do you think he sits on it every time he takes a seat? When was the last time he washed his hair? I'm sure there are things growing under all that mess! What would happen if you never washed your hair? When a young girl insists on brushing a characters "crazy" head of hair, she is transported into a bold and mystifying world of animals, entertainers, and more; somewhere in the "crazy hair". Gaiman's text is rhyme à la mode -- it has a contemporary groove to it that offers effortless enunciation. McKean's illustrations are certainly at one with the words, offering beautiful creative images to further spur the imagination -- not to mention the superb typography. Youngsters will be wondering, could this really be possible? Older kids will appreciate the absurdity. Adults will delight in the...
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Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (April 28, 2009)
What to expect: Father and child, Rhyme, Bedtime
The smooth rhyming narration which tells the story of a papa's promises to his child, make this the perfect gift for any dad. So, no surprises that this review falls on Father's Day! When Papa Comes Home Tonight is Eileen Spinelli's beautiful sequel to When Mama Comes Home Tonight. Having a parent who works late regularly is a pretty common household occurrence; Spinelli helps relieve the anxiety that this can cause by highlighting all of the wonderful moments that can be shared when Papa does come home. It's a very gentle narration that makes for a very soothing story time. The illustrations, which are rendered in watercolor paint, pencil, and pen and ink, are warm and inviting for little eyes. A beautiful book.
Publisher's synopsis:
"When Papa comes home tonight, dear child, (I promise - not too late) you'll hear me whistling up the road. You'll meet me at the gate."
It
can be hard waiting for Papa to come home, but it'll be worth it
because you'll both have so much fun when he does! From singing songs
and making dinner to playing all the way until bedtime, just hanging
with Papa is one of the most joyous ways to end the day.
Eileen Spinelli's highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling When Mama Comes Home Tonight,
complete with gorgeous illustrations from David McPhail, is a soothing
celebrtion of simple moments shared between parent and child.
About the Author:Eileen Spinelli is no stranger to the Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers list. Since her debut in 1991 with Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch,
an IRA/CBC Children's Choice book and Christopher Award winner, she has
gone on to author numerous picture books, poetry collections, and
chapter books, including the best-selling When Mama Comes Home Tonight, and the critically acclaimed Sophie's Masterpiece. Eileen lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Publisher: Cartwheel Books; Brdbk/Com edition (January 1, 2009) What to expect: Sing-a-long, Bedtime, Nursery Rhymes
A wonderful collection of new nursery rhymes written to a nice combination of original tunes and classic favorites. Songs like Twinkle, Twinkle, Count with Me (to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star") and Who Is Sleeping? (to the tune of "Frere Jacques") catch the attention of preschoolers easily. Others, like Blanket Friends (An original calypso song), are imaginative and fresh -- a couple of the songs are remindful of Laurie Berkner's sound. The illustrations match well with the words, allowing for emerging readers to connect with the rhymes when listening. This book has been a huge hit at our house and in the car. Thumbs-up!
With
a ten song, companion audio CD and Nadine Bernard Westcott's celebrated
art, this padded book with a die-cut cover will have children reading,
singing, and learning through creative and catchy new lyrics to the
most popular bedtime songs.
From
counting birds in "Twinkle, Twinkle, Count with Me" to defining the
four seasons in "Rock-A-Bye Seasons," BEDTIME SING TO ME matches early
learning with the always enjoyable activity of music and singing!
Recently I reviewed one of Karma Wilson's latest books, Mortimer's First Garden, and now I have two signed copies of Bear Feels Scared to giveaway. Bear feels Scared touches on many great topics suitable for preschoolers: friendship, feelings, feeling scared, and helping others. Using rhyme, which Karma does so well, and the repeated refrain "And the bear feels scared," a beautiful story of compassion unfolds.
Thanks to Karma Wilson, I have two signed copies of Bear Snores On to give away to two individual lucky winners.
Here is what you have to do to enter (maximum entries, 3):
Go to Karma Wilson's website (http://www.karmawilson.com/) and find out the name (but don't tell me yet) of her newest character who makes her debut in Where is Home, Little (fill in the gap)?,
the story abut a baby penguin who finds her way home to her family. This is the first book in a new collaboration series with illustrator
Jane Chapman. Once you know the name of the penguin leave a message in the comments field below. If you are one of the lucky winners, I will contact you directly and you will need to tell me the name of the penguin before the mailman will deliver the book.
An extra entry will be given for each time you twitter about the
giveaway and/or blog about it. Be sure to let me know if you do so by
pasting a link in the comments section. Click here to follow me on Twitter.
Don't forget to leave me your contact information with your comment
-- a valid e-mail address is a must (thechildrensbookreview AT gmail DOT com). Alternatively, you can provide
your e-mail address by going to our contact us
page after leaving your comment. Bloggers who have their e-mail address
accessible on their blog profile need only sign-in before leaving a
comment.
The giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only (no PO Boxes please).
The contest will run April 30th - May 5th, with the winners
being drawn and announced May 6th. Winners will be picked at random using a random
sequence generator and will have 72hrs to claim their prize. Unclaimed
prizes will be awarded to an alternate winner.
Comment away!
Disclaimer: Names, e-mail
address and physical addresses of all winners will be used soley for the purpose of fulfillment of the giveaway.
Darling and precious are just two of the words that come to mind after reading A Cuddle for Little Duck. This is a book so easy to love. The illustrations are rich, vibrant, and sweet, and the text rhymes so gently and sincerely. Little Duck has such a busy day and is need of a good night sleep. It's a great soothing bedtime book for the youngest babies, and its heavy duty board-book binding will stand up to drool as they explore their world with all of their senses. It's also a calming read for the liveliest toddlers. The lap-size makes it a great choice for toddlers and their soft chubby fingers to practice their page turning, as well as providing larger than life illustrations that are more alluring to their busy eyes. This is the kind of book that you want for your own kids, and all of your friends kids too! An adorable baby shower gift.
Do you have a lord or lady of the house that would enjoy taking a look at what it's like living in a castle during medieval times? Using good natured humor and rhyme, Linda gives us a taste of the middle ages from many different perspectives. We hear from the Earl, Steward, Herald, Lady, Cook, Cleaning Servant, Gong Farmer (who has the worst job), Knight, Suitor, Daughter, Jester and Doctor. Each character has a clear voice of their own -- you can almost hear it -- to tell their story of life as they see it. On the last page Ashman has provided informative descriptions about the roles of each of the above characters. As each character tells his or her story, a lively tale of a 13th-century banquet unfolds. And just as it says in the inside jacket cover, "life in the castle isn't always as elegant as you might think."
Some words from the Jester as the banquet begins and excitement sets in ... and right before the silverware goes flying:
"The trumpets sound! The guests sit down. The grand procession starts. Servants carry platters piled with meat and pies and tarts."
I found this book very enjoyable. That's a bonus when you learn something too!
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (February 24, 2009) What to expect: Sports, humorous songs
It's still National Poetry month, but even more importantly (for some) it's baseball season. This book will certainly be a hit with sports fanatics as well as those of us who appreciate a good rhyme. From my experience as a bookseller, parents who truly appreciate poetry
will pick up a new Alan Katz book and purchase it straight away without
even reading it. On the other hand, I had never read one of his books
before. I was missing out -- H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S!
Going Going Gone! and other silly dilly sports songs is a terrific collection of poems that have been written to match the tunes of many well known songs. The opening "silly dilly" song is titled On Top of the Bleachers and is paired with the the tune of "On Top of Old Smokey".
"On top of the bleachers, that's where we just sat. Dad bought me a peanut, a scorecard, and hat."
Alan Katz has managed to capture genuine sporting moments for better or worst. Dad Took Me to Go Fishing, set to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", is a a pricless little song about a father son fishing trip. They have no luck catching a fish, so they stop by the store to purchase one that Dad can claim as his own catch when they go home to mom. We're Choosing Up Sides is set to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus" and is all about choosing up sides for the basketball team -- nobody likes to chosen last.
Each illustration by David Catrow is rendered in watercolors, colored pencil, and ink, and complete the over-all appeal of this book by adding an extra dose of over-the-top absurdity that children won't be able to resist -- especially boys. Clever, cool, witty, and very sportive, are just a few words that could be used to describe this book. Be sure to check out the bestsellingTake Me Out of the Bathtubby the same clever creators.
What to expect: Rhyme, Music, Animals, Farm Animals
"Down on the farm of Poor Old Joe, the hens won't lay and the crops won't grow."
Rip-roaring, toe-tapping, back-slapping, plain old fun -- I love this book from start to finish. Farmer Joe is having a hard time on the farm. Hens won't lay, cows won't graze, and pigs won't feed. However, with a little creative thinking, or a bright idea as it may be, Farmer Joe brings life back into the farm with music. The good old fashioned kind of music that will have you singing your way through the book and waiting for any chance to yell out a big "yee-har!"
Tony Mitton is a brilliant author who certainly has raw talent for rhyme. The words practically bounce off the page. And almost every page provides fun sounds that will have any story time crowd joining in with the reader. Guy Parker-Rees has created energetic illustrations that keep up perfectly with the up-beat rhythm of the text. One of my favorite picture books of '09, Farmer Joe and the Music Show is a party-in-a-book!
"Down on the farm of clever old Joe, the hens all lay and the crops all grow."
What to expect: Rabbits, animals, play, friendship, and rhyme.
Do you celebrate the Bunny at Easter, and not just the chocolate? In the event that you are all about the bunny, One Brown Bunny is so sweet - yes, almost as sweet as that chocolate you'll be eating for breakfast on Sunday. Not a traditional Easter story, but will be appreciated all-year-round.
"One brown bunny went out one day to find a friend who'd like to play."
One bunny searches the forest for a friend to play with. He finds two birds who fly away, turn the page, he finds three bears that leave in a bunch, turn the page, he finds four fish that disappear, turn the page -- I think you get the picture. Finding friendship is the main purpose to this charmer of a book, but the numerical reference and lilting rhyme are what carry this story to its positively perfect ending. Will bunny find some friends? Of course! Marion Dane Bauer deserves great appraisal for her delightful way with words. As does Ivan Bates for the completely lovable illustrations that kids will be enchanted by.
One Brown Bunny is a wonderful read-aloud book. People who like Guess How Much I love You by Sam Mcbratney will truly enjoy this book, and vice versa.
Just in case you were hoping for something a little more, lets say, Eastery, if I may, check out this cutie: Easter Bunny in Training by Maryann Cocca-leffler.
At first I wanted to read this book because its eye-catching artwork is done by one of my favorite illustrators, Guy Parker Rees (Giraffes Can't Dance). After reading only the first double page spread I realized I had been missing out on a great author, Tony Mitton. His rhyming ability is wonderfully energetic, and he tells this story with great charisma. There are so many fun sounds to make -- animal and musical -- making Dinosaurumpus! so fun to read aloud. It has a repetitive chorus which makes it really easy for little ones to join in and really participate in the story. I have heard that some schools have made mini musicals out of the book. The best part for me is being corrected by four-year-olds in the pronunciation of the dinosaur names. Great book!
"Shake, shake, shudder ... near the sludgy old swamp. The dinosaurs are coming. Get ready to romp."
Stay tuned for another Tony Mitton and Guy Parker Rees book, Farmer Joe and the Music Show, which releases April 15, 2009. It's one of my favorite reads of 2009, so far.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (January 6, 2009)
Bend over, let me see you shake your chicken cheeks. On second thought, maybe just stay in your chair and keep reading. Chicken Cheeks is Michael Ian Black's first children's book. After reading this book I was not surprised to discover that on top of being a writer Michael is also a comedian and an a actor. Using his comedic talent he has provided us with a delightfully funny collection of names used for ones bottom.
The premise of the book revolves around a bear who wants to reach the top of a tree where there are some bees making honey - he wants the honey. To reach the top he builds an animal ladder, piling one animal on top of another until they reach the honey. As an animal is added to the ladder a wonderful word is used to describe its behind: chicken cheeks, penguin patootie, gnu wazoo, and so on. I can't tell you if they reach the top, because the ending of this book is a hilarious clincher I wouldn't want to spoil.
The illustrations, provided by Kevin Hawkes (illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Library Lion), are so bright and cheery. They perfectly punctuate the text to deliver an enjoyable read for anyone with a sense of humor. Adorably amusing! Links: A review by Three Silly Chicks.
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos is a vibrant rendition of the classic Spanish nursery rhyme, co-authored by F. Isabel Campoy and yourself. Can you tell us about your writing partnership and what connected you both to Diez perritos?
