London, Jonathan. A Plane Goes Ka-Zoom!. Illustrated by Denis Roche. Henry Holt and Company. 2010.




Rhyming quatrains energize this book about various types of planes: “A plane could fly fast/ A plane could fly slow/ A plane could fly high…/ …or very, very low.” Bright colorful gouache artwork depicts closely the events of the rhymes. Children will love to guess at the words used to complete rhymes.

Kirk, Daniel. Honk Honk! Beep Beep! Disney Hyperion Books. 2010.




Truck books will always circulate. Toy people, animals, and vehicles take part in a busy couple of hours of nighttime activity. A father wakes up his son: “Wake, sleepyhead. Time’s a-wastin’. Out of bed! Lift those legs, climb in the jeep. Time to go! Honk Honk! Beep Beep!” Along the way, they meet some rabbits, some road workers, and a shepherd with his sheep. In their trusty red jeep the father and son rescue all of them to bring them home safely by sunrise. The final double spread reveals the toys lined up on a window sill with a young boy peering over them: “I’m glad we didn’t oversleep. What a day!” Kirk uses oil paint on canvas to create bright, colorful images that will entertain and the repetition of sound words is guaranteed to please youngsters

A poem from Anne Sexton.

From the Garden
Come, my beloved,
consider the lilies.
We are of little faith.
We talk too much.
Put your mouthful of words away
and come with me to watch
the lilies open in such a field,
growing there like yachts,
slowly steering their petals
without nurses or clocks.
Let us consider the view:
a house where white clouds
decorate the muddy halls.
Oh, put away your good words
and your bad words. Spit out
your words like stones!
Come here! Come here!
Come eat my pleasant fruits.

Thanks for hosting the BOOK BLOGGER HOP!

I drink coffee when I read in the morning, and enjoy a glass of red wine at night. In between, I drink cranberry juice or herbal tea. Having a mug or glass of something to drink seems integral to my reading experience.

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed, Campfire Girl. Illustrated by Christine Davenier. Henry Holt and Company. 2010.

It is two weeks before Halloween, and Piper is still thinking about what she wants to be for Halloween. One morning she goes to school and her friend Michael has a new friend who he has asked to join the Gypsy Club: Piper is not happy. Stanley Hampshire is very talkative as Piper quickly finds out, so she learns to cut him off before he gets started talking; she says, "I felt like Superman stopping bullets". Then something even worse happens: her dad has arranged for the family to go camping over the Halloween weekend. No Halloween? Since they were camping with other people including Stanley, Piper made plans to export trick or treating to the campground. Piper is a very likable and spunky young girl. The adventures fly by humorously in a Piper Reed story. Recommend to children, in grades 3-5.

Emberley, Rebecca. If You’re A Monster And You Know It. Orchard Books. 2010.

Exuberant paintings reveal bright colors, and wacky outlandish characters. This is a simple substitution of monster themed lyrics for the familiar song, “If you’re Happy and You Know It” to "If you’re a monster and you know it, snort and growl, smack your claws, stomp your paws" etc. A final rousing participation is meant to be enjoyed when all the sounds and actions are repeated. Placement on the page of last verse seems somewhat confusing since third line appears designed to be read before the 2nd line. Since the song is so well known, this is just a quibble not a major flaw; although if readers download the song as suggested and then try to follow it along, it may be even more confusing.

Guarnaccia, Steven. The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2010.






This is a delightful version of the Three Little Pigs that highlights the splendor of architecture. The tools integral to being an architect are on display during the building of the three houses: Each pig builds his own masterpiece (modeled from the creations of three well-known architects), the first one out of scraps, the second out of glass, the third one out of concrete. In addition, the trendy interiors display artistic furniture. Of course, only the house built out of concrete can withstand the wolf's powerful breath. Fortunately, all the pigs survive to live happily ever after in a Frank Lloyd Wright house while the big bad wolf escapes the chimney with a burning tail. All the core elements of the original story are present; it is just that an added emphasis is on the style of beautiful home built by each pig. The inside cover pages profile buildings and furniture designed by various famous architects. Pair with Andrea Beaty’s darling Iggy Peck (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007). Perfect for children, ages 4-8.

Sis, Peter. Madlenka Soccer Star. Farrar Straus Giroux. 2010.





Humor abounds in this sweet story about a little girl who loves to play soccer. She kicks her ball around her neighborhood, getting skillfully and playfully past a mailbox, a dog, a parking meter and a garbage can: Sis amusingly presents them as characters that interact with her as she guides her ball around them. Then she ends up playing a game with a bunch of cats, dressed in soccer outfits; the soccer net is created from a tree. She scores a fantastic goal and the “crowd” cheers. Finally, she meets up with her friend Cleopatra and they start playing a game. Soon a neighborhood of children is playing soccer on a grassy lot between the houses. Sis presents a dramatic backdrop of blue houses, and in front of them, the characters and actions take place in bright colors. Delightful!

Hanson, Warren. The Sea Of Sleep. Illustrations by Jim LaMarche. Scholastic Press. 2010.



This is a truly lovely book that uses evocative phrases and lyrical text to describe a baby otter gently preparing for sleep: what an effective good night tale that encourages a child to quiet down to listen to the sibilant phrase, “Sea of Sleep” repeated in a soothing quatrain: Drifting. Floating. Lightly gliding/ On the Sea of Sleep tonight./ Rocking, Swaying. Slowly sailing/ On toward the morning light. Beginning with the inside cover pages, gorgeous acrylic and colored pencil double spreads give superlative glimpses of the ocean and seashore that draw the eye into its boundless depths. The book opens with a breathtaking double spread that shows the solicitous mother otter leading her baby to the water while in the distance a mother walks along the seashore with her child. The poetic text says, “The Sea of Sleep is calm tonight. Calm and still. Her quiet ripples tiptoe on the shore, kissing quickly, then run away again, slipping swiftly back across the sand, carrying away the footprints of the day”. The text in either white or black print stands out clearly against the beautiful colors of the sea and sand. One particularly marvelous picture shows the mother and baby otter silhouetted against the moon face that is dipping into the ocean as the text reads, “It is the moon and all the stars. And the darkness, As it wraps us in its loving arms And holds us safe and warm. Highly recommended.

Hudes, Quiara Alegria. Welcome to My Neighborhood! : A Barrio A B C. Illustrated by Shino Arihara. Scholastic, Inc. 2010.

There is an obvious need for good multicultural books. This book while it has a couple of flaws is filled with delightful gouache pictures. Presented as an alphabet book, the reader is introduced to the pleasures of living in an ethnically rich urban neighborhood. Two children hug their grandmother, “A is for abuela”, move onto a local grocery store, “C is for the Chino-Latino corner store we call Ortega’s”, and experience the fun of being sprinkled with water on a hot day, “F is for the fire hydrant spraying summer rain”. There is unfortunately not a glossary for the Spanish words that are introduced in the text. There is a Spanish version of this same book. Ideally, the book could have been bilingual. Also, “I is for the ice cream truck in infinite flavors so sweet”. The ice cream definitely comes in flavors but not the truck. Nevertheless, the joy of living in the neighborhood comes through clearly in the lively colorful artwork.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16960605@N06/3120400074/

This beautiful library is in Prague and I had the good fortune to visit it when I was eighteen back in 1969. That such an incredible library exists speaks so positively of the human race in a time when so much is just crisis.

Reidy, Jean. Too Pickley! Illustrated by Genevieve Leloup. Bloomsbury. 2010.



This book displays just the right humorous tone for use with a young child who is a picky eater. The child is hungry but rejects every food offered. Wonderful expressions capture the child’s negative view of the different foods presented: “too wrinkly, too squishy, too fruity, too fishy”, snails are too slimy and soup is too slurpy, until he finally sits in front of an almost empty dinner plate and says, So yummy! All Done.” A bit of comic relief is provided by a little mouse that hovers on each page, implements in paw ready to taste anything that is offered to the child. All parents can empathize with the situation of dealing with a child who goes blah over every food choice. The Adobe Illustrator pictures are cartoony and funny. There is a very cute picture of the little boy using chopsticks to eat some rice; next to him the mouse is holding up a pair of chopsticks with spilled rice clumped on his head and feet. The final double spread was cleverly designed with the placement of author and illustrator credits on a refrigerator but its execution does not look good when holding the book up for a group read; the text is distracting from the picture of the boy with a wide smile wiping his mouth, and the mouse standing with paws raised as in a cheer.

Greene, Rhonda Gowler. Daddy is a Cozy Hug. Illustrated by Maggie Smith. Walker and Company. 2010.



Rhyming quatrains present sweetly a young child’s love for his daddy, lyrically listing all the special things they do together. “Daddy is a fish with fins when summer heats the air. We splish and splash in crashing waves – a wiggling, wriggling pair.” The watercolor and acrylic double spread shows an exuberant father and son splashing in the water. Another rhyme describes how “Daddy is my pillow where I rest my sleepy head. When camping far beneath the stars, he’s better than a bed.” There is a lovely watercolor and acrylic picture of the two on a camping trip with the father lying down with his arm draped around his son whose head is on his stomach. An owl watches from a tree and a dog snoozes by a large glowing campfire. These delightful and brightly colored pictures visibly illustrate the joy and love that exists between the father and son and will show up well for an audience. Pair with Asch’s Just like Daddy for a heart warming story time.

Guiberson, Brenda Z. Moon Bear. Illustrated by Ed Young. Henry Holt and Company. 2010.

Simple question and answer format reveals charmingly some brief details about the Moon Bear, “Who scratches the birch tree and licks oozing sap? Hungry moon bear, slurping sweetness after months without food.” The illustrations are gorgeous sublime cut paper visual poetry to accompany the lyrical text. An author’s note provides some information about the endangered status of these beautiful bears, and the accompanying delightful photographs show some of the bears who reside at the Asia Moon Bear Rescue Center in China. This book is so lovely, every library should shelve at least one copy in the picture book section; otherwise, too many people will miss its magnificence.

Donaldson, Julia. What The Ladybug Heard. Illustrated by Lydia Monks. Henry Holt and Company. 2010.



An astute ladybug saves the “fine prize cow” from being stolen by two robbers first by alerting the animals in the barnyard to the plot, and then coming up with a clever plan to thwart it. There is plenty of opportunity for children to chime in with animal sounds; they will enjoy the trick the animals play on the two bad men and cheer when the cops capture them. The brightly colored paint and collage illustrations depict comically expressive animal characters. The final double spread shows all the animals mouthing their normal sounds and the happy farmer dancing with the dog; the ladybug just lies quietly on a leaf.

Fleming, Denise. Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy. Henry Holt and Company. 2010.

Beautiful illustrations accompany very simple text, “Tiny baby panda, sleepy, oh so sleepy/ Tiny baby ostrich, sleepy, oh so sleepy/ Tiny baby lion, sleepy, oh so sleepy. Where’s my sleepy baby?” Pattern repeats with different baby animals until story finishes with, “Here’s my sleepy baby, my tiny sleepy baby. Sleep tight, sleepy babies, tiny sleepy babies” and the illustrations depict a human baby. The luminous illustrations are classic Fleming created by pouring “colored cotton fiber…through hand-cut stencils”: A beautiful baby panda lies asleep against a warm green background, a baby penguin sleeps soundly on the feet of his parent, and baby otter lies “sleepy, oh so sleepy” on his mother’s tummy. This is a gorgeous lyrical bedtime story that young children will request again and again.

This report from Reading is Fundamental demonstrates the importance of all children having access to print materials. All children need books.

http://www.rif.org/assets/documents/RIFandLearningPointMeta-FullReport.pdf

TGIF! Except I have to work tomorrow so today is my Saturday. Hop by and say hello. Always fun to meet a new (to me) blogger. Have a great weekend.
I enjoy many blogs but I am especially happy to see that Jen Robinson is back in action - she is the Literacy Ambassador - http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/

This is a lovely poem by Adrienne Rich from her collection called "Your Native Land, Your Life" (W.W. Norton & Company, c1986)

For an Occupant

Did the fox speak to you?
Did the small brush-fires on the hillside
smoke her out?
Were you standing on the porch
not the kitchen porch the front
one of poured concrete full in the rising moon
and did she appear wholly on her own
asking no quarter wandering by
on impulse up the drive and on
into the pine-woods
but were you standing there
at the moment of moon and burnished light
leading your own life till she caught your eye
asking no charity
but did she speak to you?

1983

Melissa Gill is the winner of the extra copy I have of a "Street of a Thousand Blossoms. If you will e-mail me at [email protected] with your address, I will send the book to you. Thanks, Kirsten

Graves, Keith. Chicken BIG. Chronicle Books. 2010.




The rooster and chickens do not know what to make of “a big humongous chick” born one day on their farm. “What is it?” asked the rooster. One chicken declares, “It’s big!” A “smaller chicken” declares, “It’s enormous!” while a third chick that is the smallest of the three declares, “It’s an Elephant!” Now the “big humongous chick” takes umbrage at these characterizations, and says, “I don’t feel like an elephant”. Adapting elements of Chicken Little, this wacky story contrasts the deadpan comments of the chick with the silly remarks of the three chickens and the rooster. After an object falls from a tree and hits “the smallest chicken on the head” and the chick identifies the object as an acorn, the rooster comments, “I don’t think elephants eat acorns”, and the three chickens think and decide that maybe the “big humongous chick” is actually a squirrel, and of course, the “big humongous chick” questions that identification. A raindrop hits the “smallest chicken” on her head, and she cries, “The sky is leaking! We’ll all drown! Run for your lives!” The “big humongous chick reassures the chickens and rooster that what’s falling is just rain, and tells them they can all shelter under his wings: so now the silly chickens and rooster decide that the “big chick” cannot be a squirrel but must instead be an umbrella: this delightfully humorous pattern continues. The illustrations are comical and filled with amusing details and expressions that convey wholeheartedly the antic theme of this fresh story about the barnyard: a wonderful book for a raucous story time.

It is International Literacy Day!! Reading is a universal right for every child. Let's suppport early literacy around the world.

1. Are you and/or do you decorate your home in the warm or cool colors palette?
I have my library painted gold, one bedroom is a cool blue and another is a lavender, most of the rest of the house is a nice warm peach.


2. What is your most favorite chair to read/watch tv in and what is the color?
We sit on a burgundy couch in the lavender room to watch tv.


3. What color shirt/top are you wearing (if this wasn't a virtual lunch date, I wouldn't have to ask lol)
Right now, I am wearing a pink shirt. Blue is my favorite color to wear.

Souhami, Jessica. Old MacDonald. Orchard Books. ?

This is an amusing rendition of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” with flaps to lift for responses. “Old MacDonald had a farm, E I E I O And on that farm he had a…” A picture on the flap shows a partial red wagon, and when the flap is opened, there appears the whole wagon with a duck in it. Now the traditional refrain kicks in, “With a Quack Quack here, etc. Next, in a funny picture the farmer runs along with a baby buggy. When the reader opens the flap, there is a pig, “With an Oink Oink here,” Children will sing along and a surprise ending makes this a fun book to share with an audience both young and older.

Geist, Ken. The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark. Illustrated by Julia Gorton. Scholastic Inc. 2007.

This is an amusing ocean animal variation on the classic fairy tale, “The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf”. Three fish named, Jim, Tim and Kim (little girl at last) leave home to build their own individual houses. Jim gets seaweed from a friendly Sea Horse, “Jim gathered the Seaweed and made a Weedy little house”. The “Big Bad Shark” comes “knocking at the door”, saying, “Little fish, Little fish, Let Me Come in” to which Jim replies, “Not by the skin of my Finny Fin Fin!” “Then I’ll much and I’ll crunch and I’ll smash your house in, roared the shark which of course he did, and Jim “swam away-just in time”. Then Jim helps his brother Tim build a house of sand only to have a repeat of the shark visit. Fortunately, Jim and Tim swim away and find their sister Kim who is already making her home “in an old wooden ship. This delightful rendition of the traditional tale will have children in a story time just roaring out the participatory lines. The illustrations are bright primary colors against the blue of the ocean. This book is great fun.