Posts Tagged ‘Children’s easy book’

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Lottie Paris and the Best Place

May 23, 2013

Lottie Paris and the Best Place

by:  Angela Johnson

This is Lottie Paris’s best day, why?  She is going to her best place, the library.  Lottie knows that at her best place there are rules she must follow.  You cannot yell, dogs are not allowed and you cannot color inside or outside the lines of a book.  While looking for her favorite books on planets and stars she meets a new friend, Carl.  Believe it or not Carl’s best place is also the library.  He has also learned that you do not blow bubbles in the library, eating yogurt while looking at a book is not a good mix and you should not read books under the table while pretending that everyone’s feet are dinosaur snacks.  Guess what happens?  The library is not only the best place to be but the best place to meet friends.

I really enjoyed Lottie Paris and the Best Day.  I agree with Lottie Paris, “the library is the best place to be”.  It was also great to see an author mention some of the rules of the library.  Rules that hopefully will be read out loud in story times as well as  talked about by a caregiver and a child.

 

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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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Rain!

April 26, 2013

Rain!

By Linda Ashman

 

In the book Rain! , there are two sides to this story. For one precocious little boy, the rain means getting to put on his favorite frog rain coat and jumping into puddles. For one old man it means having to put on his “blasted overcoat” and his “nasty galoshes”; it does not put him in the best of moods.  Coincidentally while in the same Rain or Shine Café the two personalities collide. Can you guess what effect  they will have on each other’s day?

I loved the way the author and illustrator depicted this story. They created a complete foil to each person’s day in this story; showing both the positive and the negative effects of a rainy day.  I myself know all too well how the rain can relax me or inconvenience me. This is a cute spin on the topic of rain and a clever way to show children how moods can change from day to day.

Reviewed by Annette (Davis Library)

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House Help Up By Trees

April 23, 2013

House Held Up By Trees

By: Ted Kooser

When the house was new, not a single tree, shoot, or seedling remained in its perfect lawn.  The children who lived there followed the scent of wild trees to neighboring lots, where cottonwoods and elms, buckeyes and milkweed offered secret places to play.  When the children grew up and moved away, their father, alone in the house, continued his battle against the blowing seeds, plucking up sprouting trees.  Until one day the father, too, moves away, and now as the empty house begins to decline, the seeds, the shoots, and the trees approach even more. (the book jacket)

This book was so beautiful.  With Jon Klassen’s illustrations and simplicity of Ted Kooser’s words House Held Up By Trees makes you appreciate the ever changing nature of place.

Check out this great video of Ted Kooser talking about the real house that inspired him to write this sweet story:
House held up by trees

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Pirates at the Plate

April 18, 2013

piratesPirates at the Plate

Written by Aaron Frisch and Mark Summers, illustrations by  Mark Summers.

With pirates, cowboys, and the most literal game of baseball ever played, Pirates at the Plate is an incredibly imaginative book for any baseball fan. It takes some of the standard baseball talk and turns it on its head in fun and detailed illustrations of the opposing teams.

While Long John Silver is at the plate, Blackbeard waits on deck, on the deck of his pirate ship that is! The whimsy continues as the cowboys bring horses on the field and the pirates just can’t help themselves and start stealing bases. Since the cowboys are honorable folk, they don’t take well to that. The whole thing gets called off on the account of spaghetti, until the next wild match-up.

With the action-filled illustrations and the mix of rough, cowboy talk and salty, pirate banter, it is a fun read to share out loud. Ye will have to be practicin’ yer pirate speak, yarr!

Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Nicki P (Schimelpfenig 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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Bedtime Is Canceled

April 15, 2013

Bedtime Is CanceledBedtime Is Canceled

by Cece Meng Illustrated by Aurélie Neyret

“The note read, “BEDTIME IS CANCELED.” Maggie thought of it. Her brother wrote it.” When Maggie and her brother’s note ends up published in the newspaper and everyone in the whole city believes it, chaos ensues!

This is a great book to read to kids who are having trouble going to bed on time. It has some fun (but very exaggerated) examples of things that could happen if nobody ever went to sleep and it could start some very good conversation about why it is important that they do have a bedtime.

Recommended for children ages 4-8

Jacquline (Schimelpfenig Library)

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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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!

April 9, 2013

exclamationmarkExclamation Mark

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld

Exclamation mark does not seem to fit in no matter how much he tries.  He always stands out!  That is, until he meets a question mark who asks question after question.  It is then that exclamation mark truly finds his voice.

This book is great for teaching about periods, question marks, and exclamation marks.  The story will help children learn how these different punctuation marks relate to each other.  The simple drawings are rich with meaning and help make the story easy yet memorable.

However, the story has another dimension to it too.  As the authors say in the book summary, “This exclamation mark’s story is really everyone’s story.”  Exclamation mark’s struggles to fit in and the way he finds himself is something we can all relate to.  Exclamation Mark is a wonderful story.  I would recommend it for children from ages 5-8.

 

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A Good Trade

April 8, 2013

A Good Trade

Alma Fullerton

This is such a simple yet pleasurable book that tells a heartwarming story of Kato. Kato lives in a Ugandan village. He eagerly starts his day by going to fill up his family’s jerry cans with a whole day’s supply of water. What makes this journey extraordinary is that he does so traveling quite a distance over hills and bumpy rocks completely barefoot.  In all that Kato has to accomplish he still displays a simple act of kindness that sets him apart from the other children who also live in his village.

This book is definitely a source to teach about simple acts of kindness; and how something so small can make a big difference in the life of someone else.  Kato is no different than the other children who have a need in this story. But the way he shows his appreciation to someone else’s act of kindness, does a world of difference. I really enjoyed the significance of the story and believe it is a true diamond in the rough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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