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Title: Just Like Heaven
Written by: Patrick McDonnell
Hardback: 44 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Ages: 4-8
ISBN: 978-0316114936
Publication: October 4, 2006

A deep fog creeps in while Mooch, a cat, is napping. When the fog finally clears, and Mooch gets up from his rest, he finds himself in another place.

“Heaven…? he thought. I must be in heaven!
He felt cool dew on his little cat feet.
He smelled sweet perfume
and heard music in the air.
Wow, thought Mooch. What a great place…”

McDonnell’s delightfully simple illustrations are matched with a candidly sweet message. The tale of Mooch and his heavenly day will fill children’s imaginations time and time again! Mooch encounters many wonderful things, which could only be so great in heaven…or so he thinks.

Just Like Heaven offers a great conversation starter for children. This book will only help trigger imaginative questions of the sort: what is heaven like? Is Mooch really in Heaven? What makes Mooch think he is in heaven…?

Patrick McDonnell has done it again. His books bring a smile to my face. His simple illustrations and simple sentences share a message that is anything but simple.

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title: Lola at the Library
Written by: Anna McQuinn
Illustrated by: Rosalind Beardshaw
Hardback: 32 pages
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Ages: Baby-Preschool
ISBN: 978-1580891134
Publication: June 1, 2006

Lola loves Tuesdays! Why? Because it’s the day she gets to go to the library! Lola is a charming little girl, in all of her zest for her trips to the library! Her excitement is contagious and she loves everything about this special day!

“There is a special section in the library just for children.
It is really cool.
Nobody ever says, “Shhh!”

This great book shows a wonderful appreciation for the library, and has great, colorful pictures, which tell her story as well. The acrylic paintings shine on the page, and bring Lola to life.

Lola loves Tuesdays because she loves the library! I love this book, because it makes me want to take a trip to my library!

Anna McQuinn is the author of more than 20 children’s books, and she is a part-time librarian. McQuinn is also in charge of running family book groups.

Read this great picture book for the love of the library, the love of Lola, and the love of some really neat illustrations!

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title: Little Whistle’s Dinner Party
Written by: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated by: Tim Bowers
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Voyager Books, Reprint Edition
Ages: 4-8
ISBN: 0-15-205062-0
Publication: September 1, 2004

Little Whistle’s Dinner Party is an imaginative story with beautiful pictures. Tim Bowers’ oil painting illustrations are so crisp, and so alluring; readers will want to stare at the page long after the words have been read.

The story begins in “Toytown,” a wonderful little toy store. Toytown is a special place, because after the shop closes down for the night, all of the animals come to life. It’s great for Little Whistle, a small guinea pig, who is the only real “living” thing in the store.

One special night, Little Whistle decides to have a late-night dinner party. He invites all of his Toytown friends, and prepares the food for the feast.

“Little Whistle rode the train all over the store, inviting his friends to dinner.
‘I’ll run over!’ said Rabbit, who always ran after the shades were drawn.
‘I’ll bring a smile and a song!’ said Violet, the little china doll who liked to sing.”

But when midnight rolls around, Little Whistle is nowhere to be seen.

But, before his friends can get too worried, he arrives at the party with a surprise treat in-hand. It’s a wonderful night for Little Whistle and all of the friends in Toytown.

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title: Big Mama
Written by: Tony Crunk
Illustrated by: Margot Apple
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Ages: 3-7
ISBN: 9780374406349

Big Mama is the type of grandma every little boy and girl would like to have. Billy Boyd doesn’t have a mom or dad anymore, so Big Mama, and his papa take care of him.

Big Mama’s house is wonderful, too. She lets the kids play whatever fun games they want, and oftentimes, she plays along with them.

“If you are playing Time Travel
you can talk backward to her, in intergalactic code,
and she never says, “You children stop acting so silly.”
Usually she starts talking backward, too.

If you need something, like a paperclip
Or a piece of string or a pop-bottle top,
Big Mama has it in her housecoat pocket.”

Every day with Big Mama is an adventure! She has such a fun, loving way about her. Kids will love the journey Big Mama takes them on, if only to get some ice cream!

The illustrations are whimsical, and each page invites readers to share in the love, which Big Mama has to share! This book invites readers on an emotional journey, which is sure to be enjoyed. Big Mama is big fun, and a great read, too!

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title:The 100 Dresses
Written by: Eleanor Estes
Illustrated by: Louis Slobodkin
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Ages: 9-12
ISBN: 0-15-205260-7
Publication: September 1, 2004 (Reissue Edition)

The Hundred Dresses may have first been published in 1944, but the story is still of utmost importance today.

Wanda Petronski wears the same blue dress to school everyday. That’s why nobody believes her when she says she has 100 dresses in her closet at home. All the girls tease Wanda because it’s just too easy not to. Peggy, the most popular girl at school, especially loves to tease Wanda. She asks her about the dresses just to get a laugh:

“Wanda,” Peggy would say in a most courteous manner, as though she were talking to Miss Mason or to the principal perhaps. “Wanda,” she’d say, giving one of her friends a nudge, “tell us. How many dresses did you say you had hanging up in your closet?”

“A hundred,” said Wanda.

“A hundred!” exclaimed all the girls incredulously, and the little girls would stop playing hopscotch and listen.

“Yeah, a hundred, all lined up,” said Wanda. Then her lips drew together in silence.”

Maddie is Peggy’s best friend, but she doesn’t think the teasing is okay. She listens to all of teasing but she never joins in. She knows it isn’t right but she can’t find it in her to stand up to Peggy. And, Maddie is sure that Peggy isn’t trying to be mean on purpose. Maddie wonders why Wanda lies about having so many dresses, when it was obvious she only has one?

This special story confronts readers with the harshness of bullying. Does Maddie ever find the courage to stand up to Peggy? Whatever happens to Wanda and what is so special about her story of the 100 dresses? You’ll have to read it to find out! The story is solid, the language is rich, and the lesson is life-long!

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title: Wag A Tail
Written and Illustrated by: Lois Ehlert
Hardback: 40 pages
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Ages: Baby-Preschool
ISBN: 978-0152058432
Publication: April 1, 2007

Wag a Tail is a fantastic book with great images and quick, rhyming text.

The beginning of the book has an author’s note, which explains how the book was put together. Ehlert says the book was created quite similarly “like a quilt.” Fabric scraps and bits and pieces of papers were used to form the beautiful collage images. Ehlert used scrap pieces from her other books, such as “Leaf Man” and “Top Cat.” The images in the book are vibrant and eye catching and they add a lot of appeal, especially for younger readers.

The book starts off with a sign pointing to “Farmer’s Market” (thataway!). From there, readers discover a wonderful singsong adventure between graduate dogs of the “Bow Wow School.”

“Wag a tail.
Wag a tail.
We know how.
Wig Wag Zig Zag
Let’s play now!”

The language is colorful and it sings off the page like jazz. The end of the book has a “guide” that identifies all the dog graduates from the “Bow Wow School.” But can these city dogs be obedient at the city market? What makes these “Bow Wow” graduates so cool? This book is guaranteed to educate and entertain!

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall

Title: CDC
Written & Illustrated by: William Steig
Hardback: 64 pages
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Ages: 9-12
ISBN: 978-0374312336
Publication: September 1, 2003

CDC is an excellent book for summer fun. It combines fun pictures with puzzle-like text, allowing readers to solve the “riddles.”

CDC is a hilarious and challenging new way to sit down and enjoy a book. By combining letters to make words in untraditional ways, CDC will stretch your brain! Here are a few examples for you to try out:

C-D-C?

E-R I M!

U F B-D I-S

The book is filled with excellent pictures to help as clues, and with 57 fun riddles, this book is sure to provide endless fun. Each page has a different riddle, and all the “answers” can be found at the back of the book. But, try to avoid the temptation to keep peeking to the back of the book for the answers! Oftentimes, the “answer” will become clear if only you give yourself an extra minute to figure it out!

Try reading it with your kids, or make it into a family game. It’s almost like detective work! Find out who is the best detective in your family! You might be surprised!

Okay, are you ready for the answers? (You haven’t been peeking, have you?)

C-D-C? = See the Sea?

E-R I M! = Here I am!

U F B-D I-S = You have beady eyes.

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Reviewed by Sylvia C. Hall