Thank goodness for Perfect Picture Book Friday! It gives me an excuse to sit in the library or bookstore and read picture books :)
Today's choice is from one of my favorite author/illustrators. And it's loosely related to Earth Day (which was 2 days ago) because it's about being kind to animals :) I hope you like it :)
MossyWritten & Illustrated By: Jan Brett
Putnam Juvenile, September 2012
Suitable For Ages: 3-8
Themes/Topics: consideration, kindness, animals in their natural habitat, perspective
Opening: "
On a misty, moisty morning, a young turtle stood at the edge of Lilypad Pond. Her name was Mossy."
Brief Synopsis: Mossy loves her pond. She spends so much time in the damp coolness that first moss and then a garden grow on her carapace. One day, she meets a handsome turtle named Scoot who thinks she's very beautiful, but just as they are on the verge of becoming friends, Dr. Carolina and Tory spot Mossy. "
She is perfect for the museum!" declares Dr. Carolina. And so Mossy is carried away from her beloved pond and her new friend. Dr Carolina gives her everything she thinks a turtle needs, but fails to understand that Mossy already had everything she needed. It is Tory who sees that Mossy is sad. So they come up with a way to keep Mossy at the museum but also give her what her heart desires.
Links To Resources: The back jacket flap of the book tells about the real incident that inspired this story for Jan Brett. The book provides a wonderful opportunity for discussion about animals in the wild vs. animals in captivity. Why might it be good to take an animal out of its natural habitat? Why might it be bad? Have you ever captured anything (perhaps a caterpillar, a frog or toad, or a garter snake?) and kept it for a while? How long did you keep it? What happened to it? Did you put it back where you found it?
A New York Times Q&A with Jan Brett about Mossy.
Jan Brett Coloring Pages (Mossy isn't here yet, but she may show up!)
Jan Brett Activity Pages (also no Mossy yet, but lots of other fun things to choose from!)
Why I Like This Book: Well, to start with, it's a Jan Brett :) That means a good story and gorgeous art! Add to that the fact that it's about a turtle who is a walking garden and what's not to like? :) But the part I like best is how Tory realizes that Mossy isn't happy in captivity and makes sure that she is returned to her beloved pond. It's a beautiful tale about doing what's right for someone else, and realizing when you've made a mistake (even with good intentions.)
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit
Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you! I can't wait to see what you all picked!
Have a great weekend, everyone! And maybe I'll see some of you at the SCBWI conference :)
We think it's so fun that one of our all-time favorite Christmas books is our best selling picture book from our affiliate store this month—we just love Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's Stick Man. As per usual, we've shared our hand selected titles of the most popular picture books from the nationwide best selling picture books, as listed by The New York Times.
I am looking for a book. I was a tiny tot than but I remember borrowing this book a dozen times from the library. It was about an animal architect who built home for other animals. The creativity in the design of each home was incredible; I spent hours absorbed in the detail and coming [...]
Title: My Double LifeAuthor: Janette RallisonSeries: NonePublisher: Putnam JuvenileReleased: May 13, 2010Website: http://janette-rallison.blogspot.com/Book SummaryHer whole life, Alexia Garcia has been told that she looks just like pop star Kari Kingsley, and one day when Alexia's photo filters through the Internet, she's offered a job to be Kari's double. This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia's mother has always warned her against celebrities.
Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!
So Cute! I love escaping into Janette Rallison's books! She creates great characters who despite their flaws actually have a moral compass and values.
My Double Life was a fun realistic fairy tale like story. One of those books that makes you smile and laugh and sigh. It's an upbeat and feel good story that can easily be read in an afternoon or evening.
If you are looking for a light-hearted, quick read with a great message you can't go wrong with My Double Life.
Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend
Content: Clean
Source: From Author for Review
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Series: Shades of London #1
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Buy: Amazon
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Rory Deveaux is just a typical American teen, anticipating a year of boys with accents and bizarre British customs as she settles in at her new London boarding school. But Rory's in for a lot more than she bargained for, as London finds itself in the grip of a brutal serial killer -- a man imitating the grisly murders of Jack the Ripper more than a century ago. A man no one can see. No one, that is, except Rory.
In
The Name of the Star,
Maureen Johnson's signature snappy style creates an unexpected blend of humor and horror, and readers will be surprised to find themselves laughing aloud in the midst of this gruesome nightmare. Jack the Ripper holds a morbid fascination for modern imaginations, a twisted awe at getting away with murder -- literally. Johnson strategically plays off this strange seductiveness to draw unsuspecting readers into a heart-pounding thriller laced with a deadly taste of déjà vu.
Rory is an utterly disarming heroine. With her easy southern charm, quirks and quips, her narration is delightful to read. Her fresh, light voice provides a striking counterpoint to the otherwise grim tale, and the outrageous stories she tells of her eccentric family back home will leave readers in fits of laughter. Rory is so full of life, readers will feel as though they've known her their whole lives. She's a believable blend of determination and occasional fear, optimism and wry wit. She's not perfect; sometimes she says or does dumb things, as humans are wont to do -- and her guileless, unassuming attitude makes her all the more winning. It's impossible not to cheer for Rory as she struggles with this unfathomable new world and determinedly faces off against an unstoppable, remorseless killer.
Despite her heartwarming and hilarious heroine, Johnson slices a sharp blade of terror through the novel. There is a terrible irony in the fact that the citizens of London known exactly when and where each murder will happen, but are powerless to stop it. By drawing on the sensationalism of Jack the Ripper, Johnson takes the latent fear and turns it into a bone-chilling nightmare. The horror and hopelessness increase with each grisly crime scene, and a sense of despair settles over the novel as London sits helplessly by. Readers will be on the edge of their seats with their hearts in their throats as this hair-raising thriller marches inexorably toward its terrifying conclusion.
Johnson brings each and every one of her secondary characters to life, from Rory's hilarious house mother and boisterous field hockey coach (an activity of which Rory is not a fan), to her smart and sweet crush/make-out pa
This was such a cute book! I love how Janette Rallison manages to write a super clean story while keeping it fun for the teens reading it. It just goes to show you don't need bad morals to have a good time!
~Debz
Really it is cute book. I am appreciating the efforts of Janette Rallison of writing such a beautiful book. I will definitely try to purchase this book for reading it.
I love this concept--it's one of those high concept books that actually appeals to me. I'll keep an eye out! Thanks for the review. :)