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Recommended App of the Week

May 18, 2013

safe_image[1]10 Little Fish (Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.)

In this cute counting book app by Harriet Ziefert, children can join Bear at his favorite watering hole by listening to the rhyming text, reading the story for themselves or even by singing along with a musical version! Learn to count from one to ten and back again as the fish appear one by one and then swim away. There’s also an activity that lets kids go fishing with Bear—just tap the fish on the screen to catch the correct number!  The combination of story, song, activity and the bright, fun illustrations by Elliot Kreloff will make exploring numbers, colors and opposites a joy for children and parents alike.

$1.99

Recommended for children aged 2 years and up.

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The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses

May 14, 2013

The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses

By Lisa Wheeler

The Pet Project is not your typical poetry book about adorable and cuddly animals…in fact one little girl tells us just how unfit they can really be. As she searches for the perfect pet she tells us in her own poetic way, why she would never pick some of these animals as a pet.

 

Turtle

The turtle seems a boring pet.

He sits there in his bowl. He doesn’t beg.

He doesn’t run. He doesn’t even roll.

The turtle has a boring shell. No feathers fur or fuzz.

The problem with a turtle is

 He doesn’t more than does.

The candid honesty of the poetry, along with the humorous illustrations depicting some of the little girl’s misfortunes, makes you laugh out loud. The Pet Project is a nice change of pace from other typical poetry books for children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by Annette (Davis Library)

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Where the Red Fern Grows

May 13, 2013

Red FernWhere the Red Fern Grows

Written by Wilson Rawls

Billy is ten when he is “affected by the wonderful disease of puppy love” and attempts to convince his father that he needs a pair of coon hounds. Since his family comes from simple means and can not afford expensive hunting dogs, Billy works tirelessly to earn enough money to buy them himself. Raising his pups to hunt raccoons, the trio forms a deep bond that weathers storms and separation and hardship. When his father and grandfather notice how amazing his hounds are, they compete for the gold cup in a hunting competition. Tireless and faithful, his dogs prove to be the best friends a boy could ask for.

Though considered a children’s classic, Where the Red Fern Grows rarely comes to a child’s attention unless it’s part of a class assignment. This story of unbreakable friendship between a boy and his dogs can just as easily be enjoyed outside of school. The story and life lessons will resonate for years to come.

Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Nicki P. (Schimelpfenig Library)

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Squid and Octopus: Friends for Always

May 7, 2013

dsc01748[1]Squid and Octopus: Friends for Always

by Tao Nyeu

This adorable picture book consists of four very short stories about best friends, Squid and Octopus. In The Quarrel, the two have a disagreement over winter apparel, but come up with a mutually satisfying solution after asking Wise Old Turtle to settle their differences. In The Dream, Squid wakes up from an amazing dream feeling sad and ordinary back in real life, and Octopus takes it upon himself to make Squid feel special again. In The Hat, Octopus finds something intriguing and explores different ideas of what to do with it, while in The Fortune Cookie, Squid has a fortune cookie and Octopus tells him about the different types of fortunes it’s possible to get. In all of the stories you can see the love and respect that the two friends feel for one another, and it’s a joy to see them sharing, offering encouragement to one another, and just having fun together!

The illustrations are really beautifully done—bold, crisp, and quirky and with lots of fun details—and at one point there’s a nifty section that you flip open to see the inside of a submarine (as well as a passing fish and turtle!).

It’s sweet and humorous, and since it’s divided into four sections, it’s an easy one to read one story at a time, in order to make the experience shorter or longer according to available time, inclination or attention span.

These two friends are definitely worth a look!

tumblr_m79dd62aW21r7btvno1_500[1]Lara (Haggard Library)

 

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White Fur Flying

May 2, 2013

White Fur Flying CoverWhite Fur Flying

by Patricia MacLachlan

Zoe and Alice Cassidy live an unusual life but a happy one for anyone who loves dogs. Their father is a veterinarian and their mother rescues Great Pyrenees dogs and fosters them on their farm until a new home can be found. These dogs are enormous, beautiful animals with thick white fur which covers everything in the house as they shed.  In spite of their size, the Great Pyrenees provide a lot of opportunities for cuddling and love for the whole family. When a 9-year-old boy named Phillip (who has recently stopped speaking) moves in across the street along with his dog-fearing aunt and grim-faced uncle, the Cassidys find that they may have some people to “rescue” along with the dogs.  The mystery of Phillip’s silence permeates the story as the Cassidy children and their dogs in residence reach out in friendship to Phillip and his family.  This sweet, gentle story by Newbery Award winning author Patricia MacLachlan will steal your heart!

Recommended for Grades 2 – 4.

Reviewed by Connie (Parr Library)

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That’s Mine!

April 17, 2013

by Michel Van Zeveren

Be careful what you wish for is the main theme of this book.  A frog happens upon an egg in the jungle.  He soon declares “That’s Mine!” Soon a slippery snake slithers down and also declares, “that’s mine!”  An eagle flies in to claim ownership as well as a lizard. Who will keep the egg?  As an elephant comes lumbering along in a grumpy state and they all deny ownership until elephant settles who shall have the egg, the frog. When the egg hatches you can only laugh out loud as you imagine this frog hopping madly away.

This would be a fun book to enjoy with your little one or ones.  It not only teaches a great lesson but the illustrations as well as the simple text just add to the enjoyment of the book.

 

 

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Fun Fact File: Fierce Fish!

April 16, 2013

Fun Fact File:  Fierce Fish Series

 Looking for a fun and educational non-fiction series?  These books fit the bill perfectly. Learn 20 fun facts about stingrays, barracudas, moray eels, piranhas and more!

Here are a few fun fact examples:

A piranha feeding frenzy can make the water “boil”

 

Dentists in ancient Greece used stingray venom to ease pain

 

Moray eels have a second set of toothy jaws in their throat

 

A barracuda’s eyes are always open

 

Each page expands on its fact with additional information presented in an attention-grabbing format of varying font sizes, styles and colors to keep the reader engaged.

This series will entertain and inform elementary age children (perfect for grades 2-4).  The pictures are colorful, detailed and absolutely enthralling.  There are multitudes of fascinating things to learn about these fierce and beautiful fish.  I hope you enjoy this series as much as I do.  Happy reading!

Melanie (Parr Library)

Here are more in this series to enjoy!

20 Fun Facts about Lionfish (Fun Fact File) Cover

20 Fun Facts about Anglerfish (Fun Fact File) Cover

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Who Has This Tail? By Laura Hulbert

April 12, 2013

tailWho Has This Tail? By Laura Hulbert

Did you ever wonder why animals have tails? It turns out that tails serve many functions.  A gerbil uses it for balance, whereas an Arctic fox uses its bushy tail for warmth while it sleeps. These beautiful illustrations done in soft watercolors will challenge kids, and perhaps adults too, as you try to guess which tail goes with which animal. The pictures are shown against a white background, with nothing to give you clues as to habitat or size. This anatomical guessing game is great for kids ages 3-7, and you might want to check out Laura Hulbert’s other book as well, Who Has These Feet?

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City Chickens

March 26, 2013

City-Chickens-by-Christine-HeppermannCity Chickens by Christine Heppermann

Dogs, cats, parakeets and even lizards…but have you heard of keeping chickens as pets?!?  Follow the author as she visits Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis.  There, Mary Britton Clouse fosters and helps people adopt chickens that have been found wandering the city streets.  Some began their lives as chicks in a classroom incubator, some came from illegal cockfighting rings, and some have simply escaped from farming operations.  But all of them need help just like any dog or cat you might find at your local animal shelter.

City Chickens takes a thoughtful look at these smart, gentle and friendly animals, and talks about both the ups and downs of keeping them as a part of your family.  The City of Plano does not allow “urban chickens,” but this book still serves as a great educational tool about animal welfare and a different sort of pet!

 

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Recommended App of the Week

March 23, 2013

pocketzooPocket Zoo with Live Animal Cams (iOS 5.0): This educational app is a must-have for animal lovers.  There is a virtual zoo you can explore, complete with animal profiles and educational details.  Watch live cams and videos to see real-life animals at the zoo.  You can download the free version of this app on iTunes or to view more live cams and videos, there is a full version of this app. $2.99, recommended for preschool and older

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Live Cam view

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Virtual zoo

For more details on this app, check out the developer webpage.

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