Quantcast

Pizza and Other Stinky Poems illustrated by Amanda Haley

Source: Purchased
Paperback, 32 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Pizza and Other Stinky Poems illustrated by Amanda Haley is reading level four (grades 3+; ages 8+), but when read together can be a fun book for kids and adults of all ages. My daughter and I read this during Readathon, and she laughed at the words and the pictures created by Haley. There’s even an old favorite in here that I remember from my own childhood, “Meatball,” and one we still use today “Ice Cream” (“I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream”).

It’s been wonderful to see my daughter pick up books and want to read together, and it is even better when she reads to me. It amazes me how much she has learned in just half a year of Kindergarten. She has books now that she can read on her own, and I know that this poetry book will be a permanent part of her collection.

Pizza and Other Stinky Poems illustrated by Amanda Haley is delightful and plays to children’s interests in food, smells, and silliness.

RATING: Quatrain

Save

Guest Post & Giveaway: Jill Esbaum, Author of If A T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party!

T Rex coverIn honor of the publication of If a T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova, Jill Esbaum is here offering tips on what to do should a T. Rex crash your party.

Read aloud tips for parents from Jill Esbaum, author of If A T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party!

  1. Put lots of expression into your reading. Try to pre-read books you’ll share with kids, so you’ll know which parts need more oomph.
  2. Use different voices for different characters. This really adds to the fun of silly books.
  3. If a story is on the quiet side or particularly moving, take care to read it slowly, lingering over lyrical phrases and beautiful images.
  4. Stop and discuss what’s happening from time to time, asking open-ended questions – especially if your kiddos are very young and might not understand what the main character is up to. Exercise little imaginations by asking something like, “What do you think will happen next?”
  5. Keep the TV off while you’re reading. When you treat reading time like the best part of your day, little listeners learn two things: a. that they are important and you love spending time with them, and b. that reading is important. A book should always be a treat!

Download the fun T.rex Party Kit!

To Enter to Win 1 copy (U.S. Residents only) — 1 entry per task:
1. Leave a comment about your last birthday part for a kid
2. Follow the blog’s Facebook page and leave a comment.
3. Share this giveaway on Twitter, and let me know you did.

Deadline is Sept. 9, 2016, at 11:59 PM EST.

****GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED****

Ah-Choo! by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams, illustrated by Ken Min

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Ah-Choo! by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams, illustrated by Ken Min, is a look at what it’s like to have a kid sister with serious allergies.  When you want a pet so bad, you’ll do anything to get one, including building your own zoo, this book explores sibling angst and desire.  Kids always want what they cannot have, but in this case, it’s not because the parents cannot afford it or the boy had been bad and is being punished.  His little sister is allergic to every pet he brings home.

Granted not all of these animals are meant to be pets, but my daughter found it funny when it was her turn to shout “Ah-Choo!”  Each page is vibrantly colored and the drawings are easily identifiable.  The sister blowing her nose and the birds being blow back is one of the funniest.  My daughter was amazed that the sister didn’t hate the animals even though she was allergic — you can find her cuddling with a dog and cat on one page.

Ah-Choo! by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams, illustrated by Ken Min, is a cute and interactive read for younger kids that will have them exploring different types of pets and what it means to be allergic.

RATING: Cinquain

Mailbox Monday #378

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what we received:

Two Cool Coyotes by Jillian Lund from the Gaithersburg Book Festival second-hand book sale.

Frank the coyote is sad when his friend Angelina moves away, but then he finds a new friend when Larry moves into the den next door.

Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey by Martin Handford from the Gaithersburg Book Festival Politics & Prose tent.

Now in paperback for the first time!

The elusive little guy you loved as a kid has ventured into an affordable new format, ready to boggle a new generationl. Now he’s easier to carry around — but just as hard as ever to find!

The Race for Paris by Meg Waite Clayton, which I purchased in the Politics & Prose tent at the Gaithersburg Book Festival.  I gave my mom the ARC to enjoy but wanted this one for my personal library and the autograph makes this 5-star read even more of a treasure.

Normandy, 1944. To cover the fighting in France, Jane, a reporter for the Nashville Banner, and Liv, an Associated Press photographer, have already had to endure enormous danger and frustrating obstacles—including strict military regulations limiting what women correspondents can do. Even so, Liv wants more.

Encouraged by her husband, the editor of a New York newspaper, she’s determined to be the first photographer to reach Paris with the Allies, and capture its freedom from the Nazis.

Ah-Choo! by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams, illustrated by Ken Min for review from Sterling Children’s Books.

When hunting for his new best friend, a boy goes through an alphabetical menagerie of animals. From an antelope, to bobolink birds, to wolves and zebras—and of course, a cat and dog, too—he brings them all home. But each creature just makes his sister go AH-CHOO! Will he ever be able to have the perfect pet?

Watch the Birdie! by Nancy Cote from Sky Pony Press for review.

Mousey was watching a baby bird when it fell from its nest. The baby bird is okay, but she can’t fly yet! So how will she get back up the tree to safety? Mousey may be too small to get the baby bird back up by himself, but maybe he can find somebody else who can! Maybe a frog can jump high enough. Or maybe a bunny can hop far enough. Maybe a snail will be able to crawl his way up the tree . . .

Will Mousey be able to save the baby bird? Or will the hungry cat get in the way of Mousey’s valiant attempts? Sometimes it’s just the size of your heart that really counts.

How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow by Monica Sweeney, illustrated by Feronia Parker Thomas for review from Sky Pony Press.

The Sun and the Clouds are best friends. Together they keep the world warm, the gardens growing, and the sky full of beautiful rainbows. But one day they get into a fight and refuse to be in the sky together. And that means there are no longer any rainbows. Without rainbows, the colors start disappearing until Earth was left with no color … except for one little forgotten box of crayons in one little school desk.

Determined to save the rainbows and fix the Sun and Clouds’ friendship, the crayons draw rainbows all over town. Their attempts go unnoticed. Soon they realize that they’re going to have to do something big to get the attention of the former friends. So, the crayons create the biggest rainbow they can and hope it’s enough to bring color back to the world.

My Amazing Dad by Ezekiel Kwaymullina, illustrated by Tom Jellett for review from Sky Pony Press.

This dad is not like other dads. He is not good at:

Mowing the lawn,
Getting his children to school on time,
Baking cakes,
Fixing a leaky faucet, or
Remembering bed time

But….

My Grandpa Is a Dinosaur by Richard Fairgray, illustrated by Terry Jones for review from Sky Pony Press.

This little girl has been watching her grandpa for a very long time, and she is almost absolutely certain that he is a dinosaur. So why is it that nobody believes her? Why can’t anyone else see what she sees? He roars! (And no, it’s not just a snore.) He has green skin! (And no, he’s not from outer space.) He even has a tail! (And no, he’s not a horse!) Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, the little girl goes straight to the source. It’s time to ask Grandpa once and for all: is he a dinosaur?

Darcy By Any Other Name by Laura Hile, which I won from Just Jane 1813.

At Netherfield, a glorious evening of music and dancing…

But out in the garden two men are arguing, while a ferocious rainstorm swirls round. And then the unthinkable happens: a lightning bolt from heaven strikes. In that instant everything changes.

Jane Austen’s heartthrob hero becomes the bumbling Reverend Collins.

Shorn of his fortune, his social standing, and his good looks, Mr. Darcy is trapped in Mr. Collins’ body. And Mr. Collins wakes up to discover that he is master of Pemberley. Could there be anything worse?

But the inner man is still Darcy. He is in love with Elizabeth Bennet. And now he is living in her house.

The Secrets She Kept by Brenda Novak, which came unexpectedly from Tandem Literary.

The rich and powerful Josephine Lazarow, matriarch of Fairham Island, is dead. The police say it’s suicide, but Keith, her estranged son, doesn’t believe it.

Keith bears scars—both physical and emotional—from his childhood, but he’s worked hard to overcome the past. After walking away from his mother and her controlling ways five years ago, he’s built a new life in LA. He’s also accumulated a fortune of his own. But as soon as he learns of his mother’s death, he returns to Fairham. He feels he owes it to his grandfather to put the family empire together again—and he’s determined to find his mother’s killer.

Problem is…coming home to Fairham puts him back in contact with Nancy Dellinger, the woman he hurt so badly when he left before. And digging that deep into his mother’s final days and hours entails a very real risk. 

What did you receive?

Normal Norman by Tara Lazar, illustrated by S. Britt

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Normal Norman by Tara Lazar, illustrated by S. Britt, is a very colorful book about a junior scientist and Norman, a gorilla.  The junior scientist in a lab seeks to define what “normal” is, and in so doing, she comes to learn that normal is indefinable.  Norman is a gorilla who wears eye glasses and carries a stuffed aardvark.  Upon examining Norman, the junior scientist finds that his head size is normal, as are his paws and ears.  However, as the examination progresses, she learns that he doesn’t eat bananas or sleep on leaves in the jungle.

The junior scientist increasingly gets frustrated as she finds her subject does not fit what she deems to be normal.  Eventually throughout the book, she realizes that normal does not necessarily mean the same thing for everyone.  One person’s normal is not everyone’s normal.  The illustrations are engaging and colorful, and my daughter was intrigued about this use of the scientific method.  She giggled when Norman would do something outside the norm.

Normal Norman by Tara Lazar, illustrated by S. Britt, is a good book for parents and children to discuss individuality and what it means to be normal.  At the conclusion of the book, we talked about normal and what it means to us as individuals, and kids will find that Norman’s normal is just as fun and exciting as someone else’s normal.

Rating: Quatrain

About the Author:

Street magic performer. Award-winning ice sculptor. Hog-calling champion. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been. Instead, she prefers baking with her daughters, creating jewelry, and writing stories for children. THE MONSTORE is her first book, inspired by her pesky little brother (who is no longer so pesky). Tara has several picture books to be published in the coming years. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK and LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD were both released in Fall 2015. Next up: NORMAL NORMAN on March 1, 2016.

Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi, is about using your own strengths to solve problems and not comparing yourself to others.  Teeny Tiny Toady is a baby sister to seven brothers, but when their mother is taken by hunters in the swamp, her suggestions are often ignored or usurped by one of her brothers.  Told in rhyming verse, teeny tiny toady follows her bigger brothers into the swamp to rescue their mom.  As they try to push the bucket, they can’t get it to tip over, even with Teeny’s help.  Teeny suggests the climb up and pull out their mother, but her brothers end up falling into the bucket too.  It’s up to Teeny to save the day.

After sobbing and wallowing in self-pity about her inability to push over the bucket or climb to the top on her own, Teeny devises a plan that will save them all.  My daughter and I have read this book several times, and she loves it every time.  We’re happy to see that Teeny is strong even with seven older brothers.  She’s smart and savvy.

Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi, is adorably illustrated, and Teeny is the cutest toad ever.  She’s passionate and plucky, and even when her brothers ignore her, Teeny never gives up.  This picture book sends all the right messages to young kids about believing in themselves and taking a stand.

Rating: Cinquain

Mailbox Monday #367

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Democratic Beauties by Glen Downie from Tightrope Books for review.

The latest collection of poetry by award-winning author, Glen Downie, confronts and attempts to decode various commercial artifacts of the twentieth century through the forms of prose poem commentaries and found poems. Democratic Beauties responds to these artifacts from the perspective of our current day, as well as puzzles out what their producers may have intended with them. In so doing, the book touches on a range of issues, including technological change, gender roles, notions of happiness and a society that cannot sustain itself without ever-increasing consumption.

Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi, from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

When a giant hand scoops up her mama and puts her in a pail, a terrified tiny toad named Teeny hops faster than she ever did in her life. “Mama’s stuck inside a bucket! Help me get her out!” she begs her big, clumsy brothers. “Don’t you worry, kid. We’ll save her!” they promise, bumbling and stumbling and jumbling out the door. But as the boys rush headlong to the rescue, pushing their little sister aside, it becomes clear: brawn isn’t always better than brains—and the smallest of the family may just be the smartest one of all.  Written in lilting verse.

What did you receive?

Over the River & Through the Wood by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Kim Smith

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 32 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Over the River & Through the Wood by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Kim Smith, is a modern story of the Thanksgiving trip to grandmother’s house over the river and through the woods.  Rather than merely travel by sleigh, these family members take cars that run out of gas, trains to cities to find rental cars are all gone, and other modes of transportation when grandmother invites them over for dinner.

The way is paved with snow and these families are eagerly picked up by a horse and sleigh. Even the families are updated from the traditional mother and father with two kids to include not only mixed race families, but also a gay couple with children.  It was a lovely, inclusive touch.  What was a little disappointing was the text, as it didn’t rhyme as well as younger readers would expect.  They are unaware of slant rhyme and for little readers it could be hard to modify a word to make the rhyme work.

Over the River & Through the Wood by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Kim Smith, is a cute book about what it means to spend time together as a family, even with your extended family.  It’s especially wonderful when you not only have memories to share over the holidays, but when you come from different places and backgrounds.

Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey, illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 32 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey, illustrated by Oriol Vidal, has a modern style of illustration that brings neighborhoods to life, even as the monsters surface from behind buildings.  These monsters are wreaking havoc in town, terrorizing parents and children.  From zombies and vampire bats to one-eyed and furry monsters, people are unsure how to handle these monsters and their destruction.  Turned over cars, chewed up mailboxes, and more.  Parents are scared for themselves and their children, and without a solution in sight, they are prepared to leave town.

Wally decides that he’s going to take a different approach.  He’s going to talk to them.  When that doesn’t work, he throws his sister at the monsters because he considers her evil enough to fight them — or so it is implied.  He employs other tactics, using tricks and treats, lollipops, and more.  When the parents make the decision to leave, their escape is blocked by a giant ogre.  Everyone is fearful and wants to run, but there is no escape and no where to run to.  Wally, in a desperate plea, asks them to please stop terrorizing the town.  Through the use of his manners, he’s able to get through to the monsters.  The monsters stop making messes and begin to cleanup.

Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey, illustrated by Oriol Vidal, is a colorful and fun way to introduce the idea of using manners to children.  There’s the promise of more fun when the monsters agree to return again.  Most little kids know that “Please” is considered the magic word, and this book plays with that knowledge.  It demonstrates that manners are important in communicating with adults, monsters, and others.  The one thing missing from this story is the use of “Thank You.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mailbox Monday #346

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Coming Up Hot: Eight New Poets from the Caribbean for review from Akashic Books.

Featuring poems from Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné, Danielle Jennings, Ruel Johnson, Monica Minott, Debra Providence, Shivanee Ramlochan, Colin Robinson, and Sassy Ross. With an introduction by Kwame Dawes.

With a generous sample from each poet, this anthology is an opportunity to discover some of the best, new, unpublished voices from the Caribbean. This is a generation that has absorbed Derek Walcott, Kamau Brathwaite, Martin Carter, and Lorna Goodison, while finding its own distinctive voice.

Peekash Press is a collaboration between Akashic and UK-based publisher Peepal Tree Press, with a focus on publishing writers from and still living in the Caribbean. The debut title from Peekash, Pepperpot: Best New Stories from the Caribbean, was published in 2014.

Over the River & Through the Wood: A Holiday Adventure by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Kimberly Smith from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

The classic song gets a fresh new twist! The fun begins when Grandma and Grandpa send invitations to their far-flung, modern, and multiracial family: Come to our house for the holidays—and bring your favorite pie! Off everyone goes, driving down snowy roads, riding the train, boarding a plane . . . even sailing along in a hot-air balloon. As each family faces an obstacle that delays their trip, they learn that sometimes the most old-fashioned form of transportation works best . . . NEIGH!

Lego DC Universe Super Heroes Phonics Boxed Set by Quinlan B. Lee, illustrated by Dave White, one of the first orders by my daughter from her Scholastic book club.

Phonics comes to life with LEGO (R) DC Super Heroes (TM) Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more! Learn to read with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and all the other characters in the LEGO(R) DC UniverseTM)!

These books will readily appeal to a wide audience–from LEGO fans to DC Super Hero fans! Beginning readers will enjoy LEGO DC Universe’s well-recognized heroes from movies, TV, comics, video games, and more. This set includes ten books and two workbooks (focusing on short and long vowels), all held in a sturdy box with plastic handle.

Frozen: An Amazing Snowman by Barbara Jean Hicks, illustrated by Olga T. Mosqueda, a second book she ordered.

Featuring Olaf, the happy-go-lucky comic relief of Disney’s Frozen, this humorous tale of what it means to dream is told in verse and features charming illustrations.

 

Frozen: A Day in the Sun illustrated by Frank Berrios, her third book.

Love this GoodReads description: “Boys ages 3 to 7 will love this full-color storybook that features Kristoff and Sven from Disney’s Frozen!”

 

My Little Pony: Tricks and Treats by D. Jakobs, her fourth book selection.

It’s Nightmare Night in Ponyville! Join the ponies and their pals as they celebrate their version of Halloween. They dress up in silly costumes, collect lots of candy, and tell spooky stories about the evil Nightmare Moon!

 

 

Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman for review from TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins.

In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction–stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013–as well “Black Dog,” a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection.

Trigger Warning explores the masks we all wear and the people we are beneath them to reveal our vulnerabilities and our truest selves. Here is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explore the realm of experience and emotion.

What did you receive?

Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson, illustrated by Michael Robertson

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 26 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson, illustrated by Michael Robertson, was a big hit.  Winifred Schnitzel has an active imagination and is fearless, even when monsters arrive in her bedroom.  Like my daughter, she loves Halloween, monsters, and ghouls, but what she doesn’t like is interrupted sleep.  She tries to ignore their noises and their distractions, but it’s of no use.  The more the monsters come and visit, the sleepier she is during the day.  She can’t even have fun.

While the immediate subtext for adults is that this child who loves monsters is having dreams that keep her from achieving full rest — they might be nightmares.  Parents can use this story to teach little ones about being strong and taking care of their nightmares with their imaginations.  Winifred uses a Monsters Beware book to lay traps, use smelly cheeses, and more to get the monsters to leave.  But the biggest weapon she has is her love for all that’s ghoulish.

Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson, illustrated by Michael Robertson, has been read more than once, and my daughter adores the colorful “scary” monsters and the traps Winifred sets for them.  We were giggling as the monsters get trapped and outwit her, until finally she turns on the love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 20 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas is a wonderful use of paper art and color.  Imagine a gray scale world in which the monster is the only one in color, and his rainbow of color signifies that his emotions are out of control.  This young lady has the patience of a saint as she kindly explains the situation to the monster and they set off together to sort out his emotions.

The young lady and her monster go through the book sorting out the emotions by color into jars from the sunshine of happiness to the blue rain clouds of sadness.  In addition to using paper art, these pop-out images also utilize other materials, including string.  And by the end, she and her monster uncover another emotion, one that they haven’t even labeled, which is accompanied by pink hearts.  The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas is delightful to look at and read, but it also is a great tool for helping young kids sort out their emotions.