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I love it when the mail carrier brings me books. Last week, an entire box of books arrived from Clavis. I’ll be using at least some of these titles for next week’s Children’s Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop sponsored by Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews. The deadline to sign up for this giveaway hop is tomorrow night.

Books by Liesbet Slegers:

Books by Guido Van Genechten:

Books by Anita Bijesterbosch and France Quatromme & Parastou Haghi

Have you received any children’s books lately?

It’s not always easy being a kid. You are dealing with tons of emotions you can’t always understand. Kevin’s Big Book of Emotions by Liesbet Slegers helps youngsters explore their emotions with poems, lift-the-flap games, questions, and fabulous illustrations.

I love interactive books and this one definitely fits the bill. The book opens with Kevin as the narrator telling the reader about his emotions. Then it switches gears with a poem that addresses the reader and how he might feel angry sometimes. The next page includes a picture of Kevin and how he might look when he’s angry with furrowed eyebrows, a frowning mouth, clenched fists, and stamping feet. Then there are a series of pictures that might or might not make the reader feel angry. The story then moves back to Kevin again, but spoken from a third person point of view. “Kevin feels angry. He’s angry at his cat.” By picking up the flap the reader finds out why he is angry at the cat. The next two pages show Kevin getting angry at Mommy because they need to leave and he wants to keep playing and drawing, followed up by a great solution between Mommy and Kevin. Finally, there is a quick game of matching the angry animals up with the right food.

Other emotions featured are: afraid, sad, and happy, Each time the reader goes through this series of steps and activities that teach him about the emotions he can feel and how to cope with them.

I’ve been a fan of Liesbet Slegers for some time. She has done a wonderful job exploring emotions with this book, and she does it with a character that is already well known to her readers. Great job!

Rating:

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Kevin & Katie
Hardcover: 56 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605371645
ISBN-13: 978-1605371641

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

The Seesaw and Good-bye, Fish written by Judith Koppens and illustrated by Eline van Lindenhuizen are books featuring the animals from Animal Square.

In The Seesaw, Giraffe wants to play on the seesaw at the playground, but Mouse doesn’t weigh enough; neither does Monkey or Dog. What will Giraffe and his friends do?

The Seesaw is a sweet way to teach children about cooperation and problem solving. It also shows how people can see things a different way. Mouse, Monkey, and Dog think Giraffe is too heavy, but Giraffe feels the issue is that they are all too light.  It’s only when they all work together that they can have fun at the playground.

Good-bye, Fish deals with the loss of a pet. Kitty finds Fish in his bowl lying on his back. No matter what she or Dog do, Fish won’t wake up. Giraffe comes by and helps them to understand that Fish has died. Together they decide to bury Fish and make sure they can remember him.

The loss of a pet is never easy. This summer, our daughter’s hermit crab died after only three weeks. She was distraught over it, and we buried him in the backyard alongside our cat that we had buried last year. It definitely helped her to say good-bye.

Both The Seesaw and Good-bye, Fish are sweet stories that children can learn from. The inside front cover shows all the animals from Animal Square introducing themselves and mentions their traits or personalities, Kitty is shy and Giraffe thinks before he speaks. The series also includes a Rabbit, which we haven’t seen yet.  The artwork is calm and soothing, just like the stories are soft and subtle.

I look forward to more from this author and illustrator team.

Ratings:

The Seesaw

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: The Animal Square
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (July 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605371521
ISBN-13: 978-1605371528

Good-bye, Fish

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: The Animal Square
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (July 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160537153X
ISBN-13: 978-1605371535

I received copies of these books from the publisher. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Guido van Genechten has done it again. Circus 123 is another wonderful book by this talented author and illustrator. Teaching your children to count should always be this much fun. Playful ladybugs perform in the circus: cycling, walking the tightrope, performing stunts, and lifting weights. All leads up to a grand finale with all the performers taking a bow. The black and red bugs stand out against the cream-colored pages.

Your preschooler is going to adore this book.

Rating:

Age Range: 3 – 5 years

Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten

Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605371629
ISBN-13: 978-1605371627

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Want to bring face painting to your next event? You can learn how with this step-by-step guide from makeup artist Charlotte Verrecas.

A Big Book of Face Painting includes instructions for more than a dozen fun designs from animals to fairies to monsters and more. Stunning photography will help you see each step of the way through your design. The book opens with a list of products and tips for certain techniques.  From silly to zany to spooky, you’ll be able to create tons of looks for your child. I’m thinking I can modify the “Zombie Kid” one for my daughter on Halloween. I believe the age range on this book is for the designs themselves, because this is a book parents will want to read.

Highly recommended.

Rating:

Age Range: 5 – 7 years

Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2

Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (September 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605371734
ISBN-13: 978-1605371733

I received a copy of this book from the publicist. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Clavis sent me a group of books to review, which you’ll be seeing soon. Here’s a list of what arrived this week:

The Seesaw and Good-bye, Fish by Judith Koppens,

Circus 123 by one of my favorites, Guido van Genechten,

A Big Book of Face Painting by Charlotte Verrecas,

Kevin’s Big Book of Emotions by another favorite, Liesbet Slegers.

I also purchased a copy of The Crypto-Capers in The Peacock Diaries by Renee Hand. I’ve been following this series since the beginning, so I sure don’t want to miss out on any of them.

Overdue is my review of Soccer Dreams by Clare Hodgson Meeker, but it’s coming soon. I promise.

A final illustration for a new children's book called 'The Sand Castle and the Nine Gates' (Het Zandkasteel met de Negen Poorten), by Leo Bormans, published by Clavis. Click for more of me or mine.

An illustration for the new childrens book I'm working on. It's called 'The Sand Castle with the Nine Gates' written by Leo Bormans, published by Clavis. More on www.iefclaessen.blogspot.com