By: Tanya,
on 3/13/2013
<!-- START INTERCHANGE - PENNY AND HER MARBLE -->if(!window.igic__){window.igic__={};var d=document;var s=d.createElement("script");s.src="http://iangilman.com/interchange/js/widget.js";d.body.appendChild(s);} I reviewed Penny and Her Song, Kevin Henkes's first foray into beginning readers, a year ago. Henkes's pictures books have been special to me because his career was really taking
By: Tanya,
on 2/10/2013
If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am a HUGE fan of TOON BOOKS. If you don't please read TOON BOOKS: Why I Love Them and Why You Should Too!, which explores the interesting background of the creator of the series, her inspiration (the boring books available when her son was learning to read) and all the other fantastic things about this great new series - including the
By: Tanya,
on 2/10/2013
200 - 300 Easy Sight Words, Short Sentences Often One Character, Single Time Frame or Theme, 1 -2 Panels per Page I realize that I am often going on about the lack of high quality, beginning to read books that have appealing content both visually and texturally, and believe me, every title published by TOON Books meets all my criteria for a great beginning reader book, but
By: Molly,
on 2/1/2013
The news is now far and wide, but we want to officially say– yahoo! This past weekend in Seattle at the Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association, six of our titles were honored by awards committees and we are beyond bowled over with excitement and pride. Congratulations to all– to the authors, editors, fans, and champions of these books. Every Midwinter we are so grateful to be reminded that the community we book-people live and work within is vibrant, supportive, and very, very much alive and kicking. We are all in it together.
All of our award-winning books living together in harmony.
Newbery Committee member Susannah Richards placing IVAN’s shiny sticker!
EXTRA YARN co-editor (VP and co-publisher of Balzer + Bray) Alessandra Balzer doing the honors!
Printz Committee friends giving DODGER their love.
Schneider committee and A DOG CALLED HOMELESS editor Sarah Shumway celebrating.
And Amelia Bedeila (did you celebrate AMELIA BEDELIA DAY?) wanted in on the fun, too!
Congratulations to all authors and illustrators honored with 2013 awards, and the biggest and humblest of thank you’s to the awards committees for their hard work, dedication, and the countless hours they spent this past year reading and discussing books. Now we wish we could fast-forward to June and our official ALA celebrations!
By: Jen Robinson,
on 1/23/2013
Books: Little Critter Bedtime Stories (6 paperbacks included)
Author: Mercer Mayer
Pages: 24 each
Age Range: 3 - 5
These are quick reads, designed for the interests of preschoolers and early elementary school kids. The Bedtime Stories set includes:
Baby Bookworm likes the kid-friendly humor. Like when in We Are Moving Little Critter is so opposed to the move that his father has to carry him to the car, and when in Bye, Bye, Mom and Dad Little Critter makes pickle sandwiches with marshmallows on them. She also seems to like the fact that she can relate to some of the experiences (like eating in a tent), while others stretch her expectations, revealing things that she'll be able to do when she's a just a bit bigger (like camping out in the back yard or taking music lessons).
The illustrations frequently feature disagreeable expressions on the part of Little Critter and Little Sister (as when they find out about the planned move). There are other amusing details to counter the text, like when Little Critter spills "just a little bit" of paint, but we see that he has actually tipped over an entire gallon can. Or when Little Sister helps Grandpa water the garden, but we see that she's really watering Grandpa's pants. Like the topics, the illustrations are relatable and kid-friendly, full of warm details like treehouses and teddy bears.
These books do a good job of setting up kid-appropriate conflicts (such as listing off all of the worries that a kid might have in facing a move to a new house). My problem with the books is that the conflicts are resolved too hastily, and too easily. The feared move ends up fine, with all fears shown on the last 3 pages to be groundless. When Little Critter encounters setbacks with a variety of teacher appreciation gifts, the drawing that he hastily scribbles at the end of the book is the only one that the teacher puts up on her wall. When he is careless and lets the frog that he plans to bring to show and share escape, his mother finds it just in time, and he gets a ribbon. It's all just too easy and too tidy. Perhaps this is one of the things that kids like about the books, but it doesn't work for me as a reviewer.
Still, Baby Bookworm asked me to read her all seven books this morning after breakfast, during a time period in which she usually asks for the iPad. She took a couple of the books to bed with her last night, too. And they make her laugh. All of that does work for me, and will keep me reading these books over and over again, as requested. And if I was looking for a book to address a particular issue, this is a series that I would look to. There are "I Can Read" books about the same characters, too, which I will certainly consider when we are ready for them. Do any of you have thoughts about the Little Critters books?
Publisher: HarperFestival (@HarperChildrens)
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).
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By: Susan Thomsen,
on 11/7/2012
Let it snow! For those of us who love a good list, the last two months of the year bring a flurry of online "best of the year" roundups of books. Starting in 2008, I've been collecting the lists for children's books, including links to various newspapers, magazines, journals, and blogs, as well as different literature prizes and awards given out. I update the big list often.
Here is a link to this year's page:
The Best Children's Books of 2012: A List of Lists and Awards
Also, David Gutowski collects all the "best of" lists for books (for grown-ups and kids alike) at his blog, Largehearted Boy.
Meanwhile, speaking of snow, don't miss Kids' Science Books for Stormy Weather, at Scientific American's Budding Scientist blog.
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By: Jen Robinson,
on 11/1/2012
Book: Penny and Her Doll
Author: Kevin Henkes
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4 and up
Anyway, Penny and Her Doll is about young mouse Penny, big sister to a pair of twin babies, who receives a beautiful new doll in the mail from Gram. Penny is thrilled with the doll, but finds coming up with an appropriate name for this new family member a bit of a challenge. Not to worry, though, she finds the perfect name in the end.
Although this story is aimed at new readers, I have to say that Baby Bookworm adores it. As do I. I think that this speaks to Henkes' considerable skill. Many easy readers are so pared down that they aren't interesting to anyone, and are instead a vehicle for a child striving to decode words. Not so for Penny and Her Doll. While certainly not complex, the three-chapter story is entertaining in a gentle way, as when gardening Mama dryly observes "I do not have a favorite weed", and when Penny rejects her parents' lame naming suggestions with "No. No. No. Nothing was right." Or this:
""Beautiful," said Mama.
"Wonderful," said Papa.
The babies made baby noises.
Penny smiled."
I smiled.
Of course Penny and Her Doll does work as an easy reader. Henkes uses very short sentences, and plenty of repetition, to guide the reader. Like this:
"Penny unwrapped the doll.
The doll had pink cheeks.
The doll had a pink bow.
The doll had a pink dress with big buttons."
Later Papa praises the pink cheeks, pink bow, and pink dress with big buttons. And Papa and Mama try to use these attributes to help in naming the doll. Any new reader would certainly be well-versed in the word "pink" by the end of the book. Everything in the story is pre-schooler-friendly, from Penny's mother's garden to the tour of the house that she gives the new doll.
Henkes' warm illustrations help to make the book accessible to new readers, too. Fans of the other mouse books will be made right at home by Penny's smiling face. Henkes also fills the book with interesting and welcoming backgrounds, colored tiles in the bathroom, floral wallpaper in the babies' room, stripes in the kitchen, and so on.
In short, this is going on our keep shelf (ok, shelves), to be enjoyed now and used later on, when Baby Bookworm is ready to start reading books for herself. I plan on picking up a copy of the earlier book, too. This is a top-notch early reader (though a bit more girl-friendly than boy-friendly, given the subject matter and the pinkish flowery cover). Highly recommended. And yes, both Penny books are on the 2012 Cybils nomination list for Easy Readers.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (@HarperChildrens)
Publication Date: August 21, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).
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By: Tanya,
on 9/26/2012
Beginning reader books, the good ones anyway, seem to center around two friends. Friends who are usually opposites. I always think that this friend quota has been filled (Frog & Toad, George & Martha, Elephant & Piggie, Benny & Penny, Dodsworth & Duck) and then someone comes up with a new pair. With her book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover, Cece Bell has created a fantastic new beginning
By: Tanya,
on 9/26/2012
Penny and Her Song is now in paperback!! I am so excited that, with Penny and Her Song, Kevin Henkes has written his first book for emerging readers. This man is so talented, across the board, and this seemed to be the one genre he hadn't tackled. Besides being a wonderful illustrator, he writes picture books with a range of complexity as well as chapter books for a range of readers. As
By: Molly,
on 9/20/2012
We’ve teamed up with our brilliant Online Gurus here at HarperCollins Children’s Books to bring you something new on The Pageturn: monthly videos highlighting that month’s “picks,” featuring picture books, chapter books, middle grade and YA.
They’ll be brief booktalks of titles that we feel are perfect for your use in libraries and schools, both brand new and old favorites, directly from our hearts to yours. We don’t think we’ll be ever be YouTube stars (just wait for the blooper reel!), but our goal was to replicate as much as possible that great experience we have at conferences with you all, talking face to face, sharing what we love.
So here we go! Thoughts? Suggestions? We want to hear!
Molly’s September picks:
Picture Books:
EVERYTHING GOES: IN THE AIR, by Brian Biggs
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS, by Mo Willems
Chapter Books:
FANCY NANCY: NANCY CLANCY, SUPER SLEUTH, by Jane O’Connor, Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Middle Grade:
THE PECULIAR, by Stefan Bachman
THE GREAT UNEXPECTED, by Sharon Creech
Teen:
THE CROWN OF EMBERS, by Rae Carson
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By: Tanya,
on 9/8/2012
Benny and Penny in LIGHTS OUT! is Geoffrey Hayes's fourth Benny and Penny titles and his fifth TOON Book. And I still love these little mice as much as I did when I read and reviewed their first book back in 2010. As many parents know, including François Mouly, who founded TOON Books as a response to the dearth of good primers, it is very hard to write an engaging beginning readers title.
By: Tanya,
on 9/5/2012
Dragon Puncher by James Kochalka was the first book my son marked for purchase after reading A Parent's Guide to the Best Kids' Comics by Snow Wildsmith and Scott Robins.Without even reading the synopsis, I knew this was a book I needed to have. First of all, the title alone makes me laugh out loud. Secondly, Dragon Puncher is a cat. Finally, Dragon Puncher has Spoony-E. As if the Dragon
By: Catherine Nichols,
on 6/11/2012
By: Molly,
on 5/18/2012
This Wednesday, we plied our local librarian friends with coffee and treats to meet us very very very early in the morning to hear about our Fall 2012 titles, straight from the mouths of our truly masterful editors. Our attendees live-tweeted under the hashtag #harperfallpreview and it was really exciting for us to see those enthusiastic tweets roll in. Thanks, guys!
Everyone with their listening caps on.
Now, for some great This Meets That’s:
Can you believe that in a little more than a month, we’ll be at the ALA Annual meeting in Anaheim, California? Because we sure can’t (cue folders flying, frantic packing). But if you’ll be there too, please make sure to stop by, say hello, and grab galleys of the titles above. Booth #2558– see you there!
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By: Molly,
on 4/27/2012
Even though it feels like we JUST got back from TLA (and more on that terrific show later), we’re heading to Molly’s hometown Chicago tomorrow to exhibit at the International Reading Association next week. Will you be there, too? If so, come by booth #2240 for our wonderful author signings (listed below) galleys, teaching guides, posters, bookmarks, booktalking, and friend-making.
MONDAY, APRIL 30TH:
1:00–2:00PM, Henry Cole
TUESDAY, MAY 1ST:
*9:30–12:00PM, I CAN READ GOES DIGITAL– swing by our booth Tuesday morning to take a photo with your favorite I Can Read costumed characters, see demos of I Can Read books on the iPad and Nook, and enter a sweepstakes to win your own ereader or tablet loaded with an I Can Read library!*
12:30–1:00PM, Jan Spivey Gilchrist
1:00–2:00PM, Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Peter Reynolds
2:00–2:30PM, Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campos
2:30–3:30PM, Patricia McCormick
3:30–4:00PM, Stuart Murphy
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND:
9:30–10:30AM, Laura Numeroff (do you like donuts? If so, make a point to come to this one!)
11:00–11:30AM, Jody Feldman
11:30AM–12:30PM, Rita Williams-Garcia
See you there!
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By: Tanya,
on 3/29/2012
I am so excited that, with Penny and Her Song, Kevin Henkes has written his first book for emerging readers. This man is so talented, across the board, and this seemed to be the one genre he hadn't tackled. Besides being a wonderful illustrator, he writes picture books with a range of complexity as well as chapter books for a range of readers. As I mentioned recently in The Changing Face of
By: Tanya,
on 11/29/2011
LEVEL 1 :200 - 300 Easy Sight Words, Short SentencesOften One Character, Single Time Frame or Theme, 1 -2 Panels per Page I realize that I am often going on about the lack of high quality, beginning to read books that have appealing content both visually and texturally, and believe me, every title published by TOON Books meets all my criteria for a great beginning reader book, but really, above
By: Tanya,
on 11/15/2011
I think a lot of things and I am not always right about what I think. I tend to presume that people are not reading poetry, rhymes to little kids anymore beyond a handful of Mother Goose ditties. I could be wrong. I hope I am. If I am right about you, dear reader, and you need a place to start that is not Mother Goose, then please look no further. A Little Bitty Man and Other Poems for the Very
By: Tanya,
on 11/14/2011
Whilst trolling kid's books websites (Educating Alice and Julie Danielson's column for Kirkus Reviews) in August of this year I discovered an early reader series that I had never heard of! Shocked and thrilled, I immediately ordered all four of the books in Tim Egan's Dodsworth series, including the most recent release in hard civer, Dodsworth in Rome. Up to 75% of the books I review here on my
By: Laura,
on 10/21/2011
I know, it seems crazy to talk about the holiday season already. But this is also the point where we start putting in book orders for the latest titles and replacing old books as well. So let’s jump in and talk about some of the newest books for the holiday season:
MARY ENGELBREIT’S NUTCRACKER by Mary Engelbreit (On-sale: 11.1.11). Download the memory game
THE HAPPY ELF by Harry Connick Jr., illustrated by Dan Andreasen (On-sale now). Based on the song by Harry Connick Jr., this comes with a CD. You can also watch the video.
A CHRISTMAS GOODNIGHT by Nola Buck, illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright (On-sale now). In its starred review, Publishers Weekly said that this book “serves special status, to be kept off-season with other holiday decorations and then brought out each year at Christmas.”
THE LITTLEST EVERGREEN by Henry Cole (On-sale now). School Library Journal calls this “a fine Christmas choice with an environmental message.”
FANCY NANCY: SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (On-sale now). Download the event guide.
Need to replace books in your collection? Here are some possible titles that you may need to re-order:
By: Tanya,
on 10/2/2011
Books Make Me Happy: My First Reading Log by Judy Pelikan, published (THANK YOU!!) by Workman is so much more than just a reading log. Not only is it a great way to encourage reading and inspire a love of books, but it just might be your child's first introduction to critical thinking and writing. In her note to parents a the start of the book creator Pelikan explains that a visit to The
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 8/25/2011
Buzzzzz! Want to know a sure sign of late summer? Houseflies. Every time we open our doors an army of flies enters our home. Our flyswatter is in constant use, waging a seemingly unending battle against the pesky invaders. Honestly, if I was going to pick a creature to write a children's book about, the common housefly would be on the bottom of my list. But Tedd Arnold has managed to create a humorous and very popular early reader series about a special fly, a pet fly -- Fly Guy!
"A boy had a pet fly. The fly was named Fly Guy. Fly Guy could say the boy's name -- BUZZ!"
Despite the shiny, flashy covers, when I first saw the Fly Guy books I just could not understand the appeal. That bug-eyed, hairy Fly Guy character is anything but cute and cuddly. In fact, he borders on disgusting. But the disgusting, yucky aspect is part of his appeal. See, kids love him, particularly boys (even my girly-girl has been charmed by the flying pet). But, it took a recommendation from one of my friends for me to even crack one of the Fly Guy covers open. I'm so glad I gave Fly Guy a chance. The duo of the little boy named Buzz and his pet fly make a rather amusing team and both my kids are now devoted fans.
The first book in the series, Hi, Fly Guy! came out in 2005 and received the prestigious ALA Theodore Geisel Honor Award the next year. Tedd Arnold received the award again in 2010 for another book in the series, I Spy Fly Guy! The Fly Guy series is still going strong. This month, Scholastic released the tenth book in the series, Fly Guy vs. the Flyswatter! We're looking forward to reading that one soon.
Fly Guy Series List:
Hi! Fly Guy (Fly Guy, Book # 1)
Super Fly Guy (Fly Guy, Book # 2)
Shoo, Fly Guy! (Fly Guy, Book # 3)
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy (Fly Guy, Book # 4)
Fly High, Fly Guy! (Fly Guy, Book # 5)
Hooray for Fly Guy! (Fly Guy, Book # 6)
I Spy Fly Guy! (Fly Guy, Book # 7)
Fly Guy Meets Fly Girl (Fly Guy, Book # 8)
Buzz Boy and Fly Guy (Fly Guy, Book # 9)
Fly Guy vs. the Flyswatter! (Fly Guy, Book # 10)
I'd love to review all the books in the series but I just don't have the time. Because we're in back-to-school mode, we picked Super Fly Guy (the second book in the series) to review this week.
9 Comments on Fly Guy Series by Tedd Arnold - Fly Swatter Bubble Blowing Activity, last added: 8/27/2011
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By: Laura,
on 8/2/2011
Lest you think from our Back to School post that we’re completely over summer, we thought we’d highlight a few books that will get you through the rest of the dog days. There are still several more weeks left until it cools down, and these great reads will help you hang on to the summer days:
I’M A SHARK by Bob Shea
Even sharks can be afraid… (watch the adorable video)
DUDE: FUN WITH DUDE AND BETTY by Lisa Pliscou, illustrated by Tom Dunne
Dick and Jane…surfer style!
JUNONIA by Kevin Henkes
10-year-old Alice Rice grows up during her family’s annual summer vacation in Florida.
JEREMY BENDER VS. THE CUPCAKE CADETS by Eric Luper
Check out this hilarious video of Eric Luper interviewing Eric Luper.
WITHERING TIGHTS by Louise Rennison
A summer performing arts camp? Boys, snogging, and bad acting guaranteed! Recommend to your fans of “Glee” or Georgia Nicholson.
FINS ARE FOREVER by Tera Lynn Childs
Mermaids are the next vampires…or werewolves…or angels…! This sequel to
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By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 6/11/2011
School is out, and my daughter is feeling a little sad about the end of kindergarten. While she enjoys her time at home, I think she is missing the structure of school. Things are a little more laid back and haphazard here. While I think it is important for kids to have plenty of unstructured play time, I do think that it is also just as important to keep some things predictable and familiar.
One of the changes we're making this summer is in our reading. So far, for the most part, we've neglected the audio book world. In an effort to shake up our routine this summer, we're incorporating audio books into our reading rotation. I'm not really interested in introducing my kids to the fancy, interactive book apps yet, but audio books we can manage. My daughter is already familiar with listening to audio versions -- she listened to plenty of stories at school. Audio books are great tools to use to help beginning readers become proficient readers. 
Last night we sat down as a family and listened to our first audio choice: Frog and Toad Are Friends
The narrator of this particular recording is Arnold Lobel himself. His expressive narrating skills are marvelously entertaining and the reading is accompanied by a nice, jaunty melody. If you're not already familiar with the book, the two main characters, Frog and Toad, reside near each other and spend their days together, living simply and supporting each other through various trials. Lobel's gentle humor is prevalent throughout the book. Frog and Toad's different personalities really shine through in his writing. The book is divided into 5 different stories about the friends' adventures: "Spring" - "The Story" - "A Lost Button" - "A Swim" - "The Letter." The reading level is just about right for my recently graduated kindergartener -- she can read the book with very minimal assistance.
My daughter loved the button story best of all. Poor Toad gets quite frustrated as he searches for his missing button. In "The Story" there's a picture that shows Toad dumping water on his head, and it baffled my son. He's still convinced the liquid in Toad's cup looks like milk, not water. And my favorite exchange: "One day in summer Frog was not feeling well. Toad said, "Frog, you are looking quit
By: Catherine Nichols,
on 4/25/2011
Interesting review!
Sound like something Audrey would love. I requested all 3 from the library. Thanks for the link to the SDCL website, by the way! Saves me a lot of trouble when I want to reserve a book you recommend.
Hope she does! Be sure to check out some of Henkes's other books - especially his "mice stories" with Lily and Chester and Owen. I think Aaron would even enjoy them. Glad the link is working for you!
Thanks for the additional suggestions! I will check them out.
What about 'The Birthday Room' or 'Sun & Spoon'?
Henkes is very diverse and writes novels as well as illustrating and writing picture books. THE BIRTHDAY ROOM, SUN & SPOON, PROTECTING MARIE and OLIVE'S OCEAN are his novels and they are center around kids dealing with family and social issues. Probably not the best bedtime read-out-loud material.
Thanks! I couldn't tell they were longer novels just from the cover on the library website.