How to use this Page

You know, I love Poetry Friday. I really, really do. You can post your own poetry--say, about spring, or about (hellish) winter, or about graduation--or you can just post a picture of your cat and link it tangentially to a Poetry Friday book review.*

Today I review a rhyming picture book over at Book Buds for Poetry Friday. The book in question is the utterly fun Someday When My Cat Can Talk, by Caroline Lazo and illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker. In Someday When My Cat Can Talk, the little girl protagonist imagines what her cat would say if he could talk. And, guess what? He takes a witty trip around Europe and has great things to say. Check out this fabulous stanza, which is my Poetry Friday entry:


He'll speak fondly of the snail he met
while camping out near Cannes.
And he'll whisper why she's hiding
from the chef at Cafe Sands.

Oh, snap! That's one smart cat. (And one smart picture book.)

My cat, however, pictured above, is a different sort of animal. I imagine his thought process as follows: Paper! R-i-i-i-i-p! [Blank] What's that sound? Food? [Blank] What's that sound? Food? Food? Food? [Blank] [Blank] [Blank] [Blank] R-i-i-i-i-p!

And, yeah, that's pretty much it for poor Norbert. He's a book killing, pear-shaped, dim witted, sweetheart of a cat. We love him, but he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

----------------------------------------
* Speaking of original poetry...can I just say that I am getting several hits per day from people searching for "pedicure poems"? I'm honestly truly shocked by this.

----------------------------------------
Also, did you know it's Vampire month? I'll be back in a few hours with a Vampire graphic novel review!
----------------------------------------
Writer2be is on the roundup. Head on over and leave your links!

I have a review of Barbara Park's funny new picture book--Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here!--up over at Book Buds today. It's the perfect book for any toddler expecting a new sibling.

And, yes, The Edge of the Forest was down the past 24 hours. The server got hit, but everything's been restored and is running smoothly again.

---------------------------------
And, re: yesterday's OT post: Uber-fierce! This is the first time I've ever called Project Runway. (My favorites were Kara Saun, Santino, and Laura in seasons 1, 2, and 3 respectively, so, yeah, my track record was pathetic. But, now. I'm 1 for 4.)

Today I have a review of a beau-ti-ful picture book up over at Book Buds.

Kate Bernheimer's The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum is simply lovely, and Nicoletta Ceccoli's illustrations divine.

Good Morning!

I have a review of this beauty--Charles Santore's The Silk Princess--up over at Book Buds. If you like picture books for school-aged children, this one is for you.

I'm busy editing the January The Edge of the Forest today. This work reminds me: If you have any great ideas for features for the February or March issues, please let me know!

Holy cow! Has it been three weeks since I last posted? I've been so busy writing press releases and brochures, and finishing my activity guide to go with my picture book that I guess I just haven't had time to stop by.

More reviews are starting to pop up for Shante, and these feel good. Take a look at:

Book Buds by Anne Boles Levy reviewed the book with 3 Stars. Sounds good to me!
Chicken Spaghetti had an interview with Shante's illustrator, Marion Eldridge, about Robert's Snow. Good stuff!

I'll be signing books at the National Association for the Education of Young Children on Thursday at Chicago's McCormick Place, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm. I know working a booth at a conference can be dreadfully slow, so if there's anyone out there in cyberspace reading and you'll be at the conference, please stop by!

I have a review of a wonderfully noisy picture book--Lickety-Split, by Robert Heidbreder and illustrated by Dušan Petričić--up at Book Buds. Lickety-Split is perfect for that child who loves noisy words.

Book Buds is back and today is Thursday. That means I have a picture book review up.

This week's choice is the utterly charming and funny You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt and illustrated by David Slonim.

Ellen Stoll Walsh has a companion title, Mouse Shapes, coming out July 1 and I have a review up today over a Book Buds.

My review of Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple's Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep (ill. by Brooke Dyer) is up at Book Buds. Also, Jules reviews the same title over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast as part of a Bear roundup. (I swear, for those of you who remember Middle School, I did not call Jules and ask, what are you reviewing today?)

A super-duper, gigantic congratulations goes out to Don Tate whose picture book story was accepted by Lee & Low. To watch Don dance and to congratulate him, head on over to Devas T. Rants and Raves.

My review of A Seed is Sleepy, by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long is up over at Book Buds.

Now I understand what all the fuss was about re: An Egg is Quiet. A Seed is Sleepy is brilliant in every way.

My first Book Buds review is up.

This week I review How to be a Baby--by Me, the Big Sister, by Sally Lloyd-Jones (illustrated by Sue Heap).

I love a good picture book. But I also love MG and YA. What's a girl to do? Become a Bud, that's what. A Book Bud.

Once a week, my picture book reviews will be up over at Book Buds. I'll also continue to review picture books for The Edge of the Forest, which is up monthly. This new arrangement allows me to post reviews of primarily Middle Grade and Young Adult titles here. (I'm in the middle of a review of a fantabulous MG title at this very moment.)

Thanks, Anne!