Kate's Bookery: A Blog of Children's Books

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

2011-05-24T20:48:00.000-04:00

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Rating: 5 stars

What do you do while nursing or feeding a newborn? "They" (who are they anyway?) say to talk to him, sing to him, read to him. For me, I can't keep talking. Either a) the quiet is so peaceful or b) I don't want to add to the crazy array of sounds we are already forcing Kiefer to listen to. So, when it's just me and him, I read to him. My husband laughs: "Starting him early?" You betcha!

Even Jonathan remembers this book and, if pressed, he could probably recite some of it. It was Lorelei's bedtime book for months. I'd read it every night--if traveling, I'd recite it from memory. Kiefer now gets the same book--amazingly, our original is in tact. It survived Ben's phase of eating books.

Karma Wilson has produced a book with a great rhyme and sweet message--one that resonates with me, the youngest child: no one wants to be left out! A bunch of animals gather in Bear's den while he hibernates, and they party all night until suddenly Bear wakes up. They all think he's mad but in fact he just wants to join in. They invite him to eat and play with them until Bear is the only one who is not sleeping.

Luckily, Karma Wilson has saved my kids from complete boredom by writing more Bear books: Bear Wants More, Bear Feels Scared, Bear's New Friend. and Bear Feels Sick. They are all great, but the original is my favorite. Kiefer will soon agree. He just has to hear it 7,538 more times.

Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems

2011-05-23T20:59:00.000-04:00

There is a Bird On Your Head! by Mo Willems (and all the rest of these Elephant and Piggie Books)

Rating: 5 belly-laughing stars

Where have I been? How did I not know about these books? I guess these are two very separate questions...while I mean that in relation to this fantastic series, I guess I should quickly explain why I've been silent for these past months:

I've been busy being pregnant and having a baby! Our littlest guy, Kiefer, arrived last week. He's happy and healthy and already has a good reading list under his nonexistent pillow. Anyway, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, adjusting to a new and wonderful reality with two young ones and one newborn (and a husband and two crazy hounds).

Back to this series! Enough about life-changing news!

Lorelei's pal gave this to her for her fourth birthday a few weeks ago, and I was curious about it. I had picked up one of the books in the series earlier but had not been impressed. I don't really know why, because it blew my socks off this time! Lorelei is starting to read--when she wants to, and whatever words she wants to--and these books are super simple. They are written in conversation style, with text bubbles coming from the lovable elephant and pig.

What makes this series so stellar is Mo Willems' wit. He just gets what makes kids giggle! Take There is a Bird On Your Head! A bird lands on Elephant's head, and he isn't thrilled about it, but Piggie finds it pretty funny. Then the bird falls in love, makes a nest, and lays some eggs. This makes Elephant less happy and Piggie more happy. Then the eggs hatch! Elephant politely asks the bird family to move away, which they do. Onto Piggie's head. Now the roles are reversed, and Elephant chuckles at Piggie's new nest. Lorelei cracks up every time, and Ben does, too (though part of his laughter is definitely from my-favorite-big-sister-is-laughing-so-I-am-too-though-I-don't-know-what's-funny).

You cannot go wrong with this series! I want to buy them all for every 4 year-old I know. I want Mo Willems to write more of them! They are appropriately hilarious for the age group, and a fun invitation to try to read a word or two. Check out all of them, like we did last week!

The Story of Noodles by Ying Chang Compestine

2011-02-07T16:13:00.000-05:00

The Story of Noodles by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Yong Sheng Xuan

Rating: 4 stars

Confession: The only reason I checked this book out was to continue my current campaign for Lorelei to love noodles.

Sadly, she still just tolerates them, eating the exact number, and no more, to get past my dinner requirements. Grrr. At least she tries them. This week we've tired yet ANOTHER type of pasta, selected by her at the grocery store yesterday. That means that in our pantry we've got: spaghetti, shell-like orecchiette, bow-tie farfalle, spinach penne, colorful corkscrew fusilli, and now some colorful tubular variety. This quest has involved several books including Strega Nona, but hasn't given me the result I want.

Sigh.

At least I found a really interesting book in the process. This book is about the origin of noodles, which is China, not Lorelei's (and beloved Grammy's) beloved Italy. A family in Beijing is going to make the same old delicious dumpling dish for a cooking contest until the mother leaves the boys in charge of the kitchen. (My grandmother, who also had three boys, would have known better.) Of course, they make a mess of things and end up making long sheets of rice, which they cut into long strips. They enter the contest and, because the emperor had never tasted anything like that before, they win.

What I love most about the book is related to my quest. The three boys have three different ways of eating noodles, something that I think is great because I'm always saying that there's rarely only one way to do anything. (Sometimes Lorelei wants Ben to do something EXACTLY as she wants.) First, there's "eating a drumstick," which involves rolling some of the noodles around the tip of his chopsticks and stuffing it into your mouth. second, there's "sucking a worm," which means you put one end of the noodle in your mouth and suck/slurp like crazy until the whole thing is in your mouth. Third, there's "cutting the grass," which allows you to stuff noodles in your mouth and bite off all the strands hanging out of your mouth with your teeth. So fun! As the messiest eaters in the family, Ben and I would definitely be happy to try all of these.

(By the way, if you've not gotten cheater chopsticks for your kid, they are so fun! We have these. Lorelei is a pro, though they frustrate Ben a bit.)

So this is a good book for a bunch of different reasons. There's a whole other culture to explore (and the illustrations are definitely Asian in the best way), the origin of the best carbohydrate known to man, and techniques to eat those wonderful carbs. We look forward to reading Compestine's other books--after checking out this book, I realized she wrote The Runaway Wok, a recent book that we really like.

Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman

2011-02-07T15:51:00.000-05:00

Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman
Rating: 4.5 stars

Barbara Lehman has churned out a bunch of books with super interesting drawings, and without words. If you're looking for another wordless picture book to add to your collection or check out from the library, definitely take a look at her collection. We've looked at most of her books, and this is our favorite. Her others are good, especially the award-winning The Red Book. But they are better for a slightly older crowd, I think; I think Lorelei will start appreciating them in another 6-8 months or so.

Why read wordless picture books? Here are a few reasons; a child can:

"Read" a book all by herself, without any help from a grown-up
Create a new and unique story each time they "read" it
Adds her own words to the story, thereby practicing vocabulary and sentence structure
"Read" the book TO you (I like to pretend that Lorelei has to read a book to me before I go to sleep, so she covers me up with a blanket and chooses a book to read to me. Win-win situation!)
Practice if-when and sequencing concepts

This book is a really good one, and shows the tale of a little boy who seems lonely on a rainy day in a big ol' mansion without any siblings or playmates. He finds a key and realizes it unlocks a treasure chest which has only a ladder inside. He climbs down and walks through a long tunnel, then surfaces on a little island where the sun is shining a group of smiling children are smiling, as if waiting for him. They play together until the sun goes down, and the boy returns to his own cold house for dinner. The next day he returns to the treasure chest and ladder, and meets the group of children in the tunnel--they were en route to find him. He's overjoyed to bring them to his house, where they play together happily.

Super cute! Unless your child is an only child and you live in a mansion when it rains all day, of course. Then it might hit a little too close to home, and your child might be sad that there is no key, no treasure chest, and no group of kids waiting on the other side of a secret tunnel for him. Then it might be a little sad.

Polo: The Runaway Book by Regis Faller

2011-02-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

Polo: The Runaway Book by Regis Faller

Rating: 5 (is 6 possible?) stars

All right, regarding me wanting to add a sixth star, there are definitely some better children's books out there--this is not our for-all-time, no-joke-about-it favorite book ever. BUT the creativity in this book just knocks my socks off! I'm really, really impressed and just am thankful that my kids and their budding imaginations can be inspired by this Regis Faller guy.

In case you're reading this from some warm place, it's been cold here in the US. Really cold. Northern Virginia usually has mild winters with 2 or 3 snowstorms that provide 3-8 inches with each storm. And you can almost always count on a few random warm "relief" days during each winter month.

This year? Not so much. Today was the second day we reached 50 degrees since early December. It has been C-O-L-D. And then, last week, we got 8 inches of snow dumped on us. School closed for three days, then we had a weekend, followed by two teacher workdays. That's SEVEN days home, in a row. With temps so low it was tough to go out for longer than 15 minutes. Add to that a case of pink eye (Lorelei) and strep butt (Ben). Yes, you read that right. Who knew it could appear in a place other than your throat? Well, now you know.

Polo reads his book, before it gets snatched away!

But we survived. Thanks to the 47 books we checked out from the library the night before the snow fell! We almost hit our 50 book limit!

What books do you want in your house, on your shelf, when you're snowed in? This is actually a fun and useful question to me these days, in a nerdy sort of way of course. And, getting back to the book I'm supposed to be writing about, this book is THE BOOK you want. Actually, next time you see your local weather people ringing the alarm bells on a storm, just order up all of Regis Faller's books so you have them. They are all wordless and so interesting--sometimes touching on Alice in Wonderland bizarre--and kids can "read" them by themselves. About once a day, Lorelei would spend 5-10 minutes with this big book on her lap, following Polo with her finger, sometimes telling the story out loud to herself, or to one of the big sleeping weimaraners next to her.

Here's the thing about all the Polo books--they are all great, but this one and The Adventures of Polo are the longest by far--maybe three times the length of the others--so they make the best purchases if you're going to buy one for yourself or as a gift.

Beth's Post: Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

2011-02-02T20:51:00.000-05:00

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

Rating: 4 stars

Have you ever wondered where bats go on vacation? They go to the beach, of course, just like you and I! Only when they go it is dark, so they need “moon-tan lotion” and raid the snack bar for insect snacks. It sounds much cuter when you read it with rhyming couplets.

They still participate in all of the regular beach activities, like surfing and digging in the sand, and it is a really creative and fun to read book. The pictures are fun but a little dark and younger readers might have trouble paying attention to the darkly portrayed bat fun.

We received this book as a grandparent present, after visiting the “beaches” of Tacoma, Washington with them at their home. They quickly learned from our Florida- and Hawaii-spoiled children that the cloudy, cold, clam filled murky shore was “NOT A BEACH” in no uncertain terms. They had fun finding and sending us Bats at the Beach, which portrayed the beach a little differently but with just as much fun. It only took a few minutes to convince the kids to roll up their jeans, put back on a hat, and wade out into the water to crab little crabs and spitting clams like all the other kids.

Beth's Post: Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni

2011-02-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni

Rating: 4 stars

Out of the library of Leo Lionni books we own, my daughter chose Inch By Inch to read tonight. Always happy to read a book with beautiful illustrations and a happy ending, I cheerfully agreed. This Caldecott Honor Book was published in 1960 and still is just thrilling enough for a two or three year old inch worm loving child.

The inchworm is able to convince a hungry robin that he is useful in measuring all of the birds. He is able to measure long enough to measure the song of the nightingale inch by inch until he inches himself out of sight. It’s the perfect length and subject matter for “one more book” before bed.

Beth's Post: The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

2011-02-02T20:41:00.000-05:00

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

Rating: 5 stars

Eric Carle is a master at combining beautiful illustrations with thoughtful stories and subtlety engaging children in life science subjects.

Our copy of The Tiny Seed is worn with years of reading, the binding taped in several spots and a bold, “JULIA” written in the first page to mark that we are never, ever getting rid of this book. My kids loved looking at the pictures and were mesmerized by the story as toddlers, pages were used with tracing paper to copy the trees and flowers, and now that they are great readers they still love picking it up and reading it to me.

A tiny seed, smaller than any of the others blows with the strong Autumn wind and flies by the sun, over icy mountains, the ocean, the desert and drops down to a perfect grassy spot only to narrowly avoid being eaten by a bird. It rests in the soil through the long winter nights, and grows to astounding heights in the spring. In the end, autumn again, it releases its tiny seeds in the wind.

I hope that you will get to experience this beautiful book, but you can’t have our copy, we’re still reading it.

Welcome, Beth!

2011-02-02T20:36:00.001-05:00

I have to introduce Beth, someone to whom I often refer because she and her two kids are even bigger readers than we are. Because her two kids are a few years older than Lorelei and Ben, she always has The Best books to suggest to us. I've asked her to add some of her own reviews directly rather than what's happening now:

Me: Beth, have any good books to suggest?

Beth: Oh yes! (Enter 10-15 titles here.)

Me: Thanks! (Now I go off and read them and write little reviews of the books and the tales of us reading them.)

Now you'll get them from Beth, herself! And her illustrious daughter Julia, and her sweet son Ryan. I'm sure pictures will follow sooner or later...but if I wait for them, this post might not actually be posted till August. Of 2012!

The other big reason why I truly do need Beth's expert help is (drum roll, please), there'll be another baby in our house in a few months. Ben and Lorelei (and me and Jonathan, too) are expecting a baby brother in early May. Hooray! I'm just going to go out on a limb and predict that I'll be a bit busier than I even expect as of this moment. The fuzzy late nights of newborn-hood are fuzzy to me now...I think the reason we decided to try for a third child is because my brain forgets the bad and remembers the good. I think I'm lucky for this...we'll see!

So, welcome Beth (and Julia and Ryan, her small but big helpers)!

Kate

My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz

2011-02-02T15:47:00.000-05:00

My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz
Rating: 5 stars

Bottom line up front: this is the best explanation of Chinese New Year that we've found. I'm curious if there are other books people have found to explain the holiday, one that is mostly foreign to us but one that we're very curious about.

Ever since we read The Runaway Wok a few weeks ago, Lorelei has been very curious about Chinese New Year. I'm super excited about her interest in anything cultural--as a former Peace Corps Volunteer I'm all about introducing cultures other than our family's American, Polish, Cajun cultures. I've found a place to take her on 12 February, so I'm hoping she doesn't get freaked out by the loud drums and fireworks. But you never know until you try!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Anyway, back to the book, which is one of the Chinese New Year books on our shelf to help prepare us for our little field trip. Karen Katz's books are simple; every time I read them I wonder why I didn't think of that. But they're also sweet, and the drawings are just the same--simple and sweet.

But this one is a more than simple and sweet--it's actually a really great introduction to Chinese New Year because it outlines all the different customs within the holiday--customs like sweeping your house (to get the bad spirits out), decorating the walls with red paper (for good luck), purchasing plum and quince blossoms (to remind us new things can grow), and getting your hair cut (to start the year all fresh and new). There's lots more packed in there, too, and each custom has an illustration to match that helps explain the custom, visually, to the little readers.

If you're a teacher, My First Chinese New Year is a great educational tool. Karen Katz also has written My First Ramadan and My First Kwanzaa, too, in case you're looking for a complete, introductory set to lesser known holidays!

ABC's by Charley Harper

2011-02-02T15:08:00.000-05:00

ABC's by Charley Harper
Rating: 4.5 stars

I only know a little about artist Charley Harper and his very neat, very fun illustrations. I've seen the match-up game version of this simple ABC book in Anthropologie, my favorite clothing store ever, so I give him posthumous props for finding his way into their stylish doors.

Ben especially loves this book, and it's inspired him to say a few new words--just basic stuff like "bird" and "dog." Hey, I'll take that! I don't know what happened to X, though...instead of a cool bug or animal like the rest of the letters, there are a bunch of water bugs and you're supposed to find all the Xs. This confuses Lorelei and Ben a bit. Anyway, we can get over that minor foible. We also trace the letters with our fingers, and we love the front and back flaps with all of the smaller images clustered in tightly together.

We got ours from the library, but this is a great birthday book for a first birthday--what library is complete without at least one ABC book? Our other favorites, which include more text than this one, include Dr Suess' ABC and LMNO Peas by Keith Baker. Love those!

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen

2011-01-31T22:08:00.001-05:00

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Rating: 4.5 stars

Any "So You Think You Can Dance" fans out there? I admit that I watch a few too many reality TV shows, and this dance show strikes a chord from my show choir (insert chuckle here) past. I'll spare you the details of jazz hands and glittering outfits. Debbie Allen, the author of this book, is a judge on the show and is a famous dancer (so I hear from her on the show).

Even if you don't watch the show, the book is good and the illustrations are gorgeous. But c'mon, what picture of a ballerina doesn't reach out and grab you? Doesn't a young woman stretching her legs in an impossible position while balancing on her toes just take your breath away? If you agree even half-heartedly, then you'll like this book. Or the little girl in your life will love this book.

Sassy's a young dancer from California who is mercilessly teased for being so tall. She towers above all the other dancers, and her teachers complain that they can't find her a dance partner to match her height, so she never dances in any of the recitals. Then, her dance class finds out that there's an opportunity to dance in Washington, DC, for the summer at a prestigious school. She's not sure she should try out, but she does--in a look-at-me yellow leotard, standing in the front row. She gets the attention of the Russian instructor for that, but soon holds his attention with the way she moves.

I admit that the picture where she, and only she, makes the cut brought me to tears. The expression on her face is a mix of shock and awe (in a wonderfully childish way) at herself and her potential, finally recognized by someone important. She suddenly belives in herself. She is SO proud of herself, as is her big brother, who is the leader of the pack who teases her about being tall.

This is a beautiful book, and definitely a great one for a little ballerina's library.

Minerva Louise (Review, Part I) by Janet Morgan Stoeke

2011-01-31T21:42:00.000-05:00

Minerva Louise (Review, Part I) by Janet Morgan Stoeke

Rating: 5 funny stars!

You know Amelia Bedilia, right? Well, this is the toddler/preschooler version to take-it-at-face-value literalist Amelia Bedilia. Amelia Bedilia books require a bit of cultural literacy, or sometimes just a broader range of experience, than most 3 or 4 year olds possess. Minerva Louise, on the other hand, takes things just as literally, but the situations are a whole lot more obvious, and therefore a whole lot funnier, to little ones like Lorelei. And Ben, too, but I'm not sure if he laughs along just because his beloved big sister is nearly snorting her milk next to him.

Here are the ones we've checked out, read, and loved so far:

Minerva Louise. The first, the original. Minerva, a simple-minded hen, can't help but explore the sweet home next to her coop. She thinks a cat is a cow and is looking for more friends to play with while absentmindedly walking past the man and woman of the house. She finds a rubber duck and tries to convince him to play outside. It's a good warm-up to the chicken, but the other books are better.

Minerva Louise and the Red Truck. Guess who loves this one best? That's right, Ben. Minerva Louise goes to play in her favorite red truck. She finds lots of "toys" (tools!) and a table and chairs (flower pots!), which she uses to have a tea party (the hammer "sitting" in the flower pot is chuckle-worthy). Then the red truck zooms off, and she sees a lake (no, a pool!), farmers working (no, golfers playing!), and a barn with a hat (no, a church with a steeple!). She likes the ride but is happy to be home.

Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs. Pretty cute Easter book, though it's more of a Springtime book than anything religious. Minerva Louise loves the colors of Spring (I type as there is still a thick blanket of snow outside...oh how I wish the colors of Spring were here!), and watches as the farmers play outside. Minerva Louise starts to find strange colored eggs all around, and tries to sit on them to warm them up. She gathers her friends to help because there are too many for her to sit on by herself, and some "are so cold they're turning blue!"

Minerva Louise at the Fair. Minerva Louise trots down to the local fair after seeing the fireworks from afar. She checks out the house of mirrors, wondering why the chickens she sees (her reflection) don't want to come over and play. She thinks that the barn (the carousel) is magnificent and, when she's tired at the end of the night, she hopes that the hen house hotel is just as beautiful. She's too sleepy to notice that that hen house is actually housed with bunnies, but she snores next to them till her little farmer finds her in the morning and takes her home.

Bridges Are To Cross by Philemon Sturges

2011-01-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

Bridges Are To Cross by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Giles Laroche

Rating: 5 stars

I LOVE how this book turns bridges, something that one could look at as pretty ordinary, and shows how extraordinary they really can be.

The book is, obviously, about bridges; it's not exactly a story book, but does have enough words on each page that describe the pictures enough to make it better for younger audiences than, say, a DK book on dinosaurs. Each page shows a gorgeous illustration (see below) that draws the little reader in to that particular bridge. Struges' text, just one sentence, explains how this bridge is unique. Some examples:

Tower Bridge (London, England): "This bridge lets boats float under the road."
Segovia Aqueduct (Segovia, Spain): "And this one brings river to the city."
Engetsu Bridge (Takamatsu, Japan): "This bridge was for the shogun to cross to find the quiet of his garden."

"This bridge is very old and very new.
It was built long ago, but is always being repaired and rebuilt."
Ponte di Realto (Venice, Italy): "And this one's for ordinary people to cross, to shop, or just watch gondolas."

Under the main text, there are a few sentences that go more in-depth, providing a bit more information. They are always fascinating, and spark some really great conversation--from "Let's find this on the globe!" or "Is that far or near us?" or "Have you or Daddy ever been to this bridge?"

Giles Laroche is pretty neat himself. He makes this elaborate paper collages that somehow, magically, turn into the background and foreground of these cool structures. (The Brooklyn Bridge one is the most impressive, I think.) I can't imagine how long it takes him to do each one! He says that he likes to create pictures of faraway places; he is often is inspired by how own artwork to then travel to that faraway place to explore. I love that no matter where he travels or hikes, he always has a sketchbook in hand. I am really looking forward to exploring more of his work in books like What Do Wheels Do All Day? and What's Inside?

This book is an inspirational treasure. Check it out (or buy it) today!

Oh No, Gotta Go #2 by Susan Middletown Elya

2011-01-25T09:54:00.002-05:00

Oh No, Gotta Go #2 by Susan Middletown Elya, illustrated by Lynn Avril

Rating: 4 stars

Yup, there's a sequel to Oh No Gotta Go, the cute story of a little girl who drinks too much juice and suddenly has to go to the bathroom NOW. When I saw there was a second book, I was curious if it was just another situation in which she'd have to pee or if, as the book hints, this one wasn't about pee but about poop.

It's about poop!

Lorelei chuckled the whole time through this book, and while there's a lot of Spanish that Lorelei, who thinks she's already fluent, liked, it was the slang and easy innuendos that I liked teaching her through this book. We don't say "#1" and "#2" in our house, but it's definitely a good thing to know. Bathroom cultural literacy, if you will. Ha! As her stomach gurgles and churns, there's a picture of a volcano(cleverly, the street that they're walking next to is turned into a lava-gurgling, about-to-erupt volcano), so it was fun to tell Lorelei that the author and illustrator are saying that her stomach is like a volcano and she needs to sit on the potty before she explodes in a less desirable place.

This might be a little too much potty talk for your family, but we really liked it.

(By the way, in case you were worried, she makes it.)

I Like It When... by Mary Murphy

2011-01-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

I Like It When... by Mary Murphy

Rating: 5 stars

This is one of our new go-to books for newborns or for a first birthday. (And it really would be appropriate for a second birthday, too.) It is heart-meltingly wonderful and I think most of us should read it every day.

I like it when you hold my hand.
I like it when you let me help.
I like it when we eat new things.
I like it when we play peekaboo.
I like it when you tickle me.
I like it when you dance with me.
I like it when you read me stories.
I like it when you hug me tight.
I like it when we splash about.
I like it when we kiss good night.
I love you. I love you, too!

That's the whole book. I'm sure you can picture a cute penguin parent doing all of these things with her even cuter penguin chick, their beaks easily forming a smile on every page.

I mean, isn't this what parenthood is all about? Spending time with our little ones--actually playing with them. I have a really random resume, one that's not much use for landing me a powerful job, but there's always plenty of stuff to talk about. One of those random things I did was teach horseback riding lessons one summer at a camp tucked away in western Washington state. My main job was to give kids an idea of how to take care of a horse and how to ride a horse, but on the first day of the week-long session a counselor and I were in charge of playing with the kids. Just playing. Usually that meant soccer, something I'm not particularly great at, but it was such a wonderful lesson in dropping my adult important-ness and just settling in with the silly. I'm so grateful for that summer, if only for that one very important lesson.

So let's play with our kids an extra ten minutes today! Save the cooking and cleaning and email answering and bill paying and phone calling and, oh yes, the blogging for after bedtime or tomorrow. We've got to somehow jam it all in, but...sometimes, let's just be like these penguins and hold hands, dance around, splash about, and read books.

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine

2011-01-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastia Serra

Rating: 4.5 stars

Yesterday I was itching to get out of the house, so when I put Ben down for his nap Lorelei and I scooted out the door to go to the grocery store...and hit the bookstore on the way there. We almost didn't make it to the grocery store--there were too many good books to read! We'd were ready to leave but then she'd find another book and say, "This is the last one, Mommy!" and then I'd see another I wanted to read and say the same thing back to her. When I told my mother that we were there for about 90 minutes, she asked if there was a sale or something. No way! We didn't buy anything. We just went to read.

While I wonder if Lorelei is related to me when she pushes away an uneaten dessert, I know she's mine when we can spend hours at a bookstore. Together!

Anyway, this was one of the books that caught my eye and I just couldn't leave without reading it. I have a special spot in my heart for anything Asian--I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand and I have a graduate degree in Southeast Asian Studies (that is gathering dust!). The Chinese New Year is coming up (3 February 2011) so there was a small display of Chinese books.

The Runaway Wok is a story of sharing, a Robin Hood-style tale where a rusty old wok steals from the richest family in Beijing and gives to the poorest family in the city. Of course, the rich family never shared any of their food, toys, and money, and of course the poor family shares all of the food, toys, and money that come their way. The illustrations are high-spirited to say the least, and the scenes were just so different than what Lorelei is used to seeing, that these alone would have kept us in the bookstore for another hour.

"What's a wok, Mommy?" Proudly, I said: what we used to make bee bim bop last night!

"What are those lanterns for?" They are decorations for the new year festival, or party.

"What's that dragon?" A big puppet-like thing that walks and dances through the street! Cool, huh?

"Can we see one sometime?" Ok! You got it! Let me figure out where we can go!

THIS is why a book like this is so wonderful--to start conversations like this, to start thinking a bit differently, to just broaden--if only ever so slightly--the horizons of a young child.

I think my only mild critique is the way the rich family gets carried off. The wok tricks them into chasing it and falling in, and then carries them away from the city forever. For not sharing! But I think it's appropriate and wouldn't change it--it's a fable, after all, and if it makes Lorelei a better share-r (to fear that Mommy's wok will magically whisk her away forever), well...that's not bad!

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs by Giles Andreae

2011-01-17T15:32:00.000-05:00

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Russell Ayto

Rating: 2.5 stars

Since we were on the hunt for dinosaur books for my twin nieces' upcoming birthday, and because we are fans of Giles Andreae, we couldn't not check out this book from the library.

Captain Flinn himself

Here's the plot: Flinn, a dinosaur-loving kid, goes into the supply closet at school to get more markers when he finds a sniffling Real Pirate and is magically transported to the high seas (along with some of his classmates). The Real Pirate tells the kids that his precious pirate ship was hijacked by some pirates that were especially fearsome and tough. The kids, now pirates themselves, help the Real Pirate find his ship and find the culprits--who aren't just any old pirates but DINOSAUR pirates! There is a great battle, and Flinn and his buds come out on top. They find a trap door that becomes the supply closet, so they return to school without their teacher missing them.

But, alas, it's not for us. I can see some kids liking it more than us--I mean, the fact that it's got dinosaurs and pirates in the title will be a selling point for many. In my opinion, I think it takes too many pages to get to the actual pirate part of the book. I know fights are sort of part of life, but battles with swords and cannons and fierce fighting aren't my favorite for my kids right now. I think the fact that they're dinosaurs is really random but...maybe dinosaur-obsessed kids like my nieces wouldn't care at all. And I know that there are a few sequels to this book, so obviously some kids liked it!

Choo Choo Clickety-Clack! by Margaret Mayo

2011-01-17T15:18:00.000-05:00

Choo Choo Clickety-Clack! by Margaret Mayo, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe

Rating: 5 stars

This book is like an old friend to Lorelei and Ben. Ok, I realize that "old" is quite relative because we're talking about a 3 1/2 and 2 year old here...but we check it out from the library every few months, and they are always excited to see it. We've read all of Margaret Mayo's books (click here to read my reviews of her books); they have the same pattern in the poem, so it's familiar to them for many reasons.

This one is so great, especially for Ben, who is crazy about anything with wheels and/or makes sounds when it goes. (So inspired is he by big trucks, he often beeps when backing up!) In this book, trains speed, airplanes fly, cars drive, race cars race, sailboats sail, hot air balloons float, motorbikes rev, bikes whiz, cable cars climb, buses go, and ferryboats load. The book ends with nightfall, which of course I love and appreciate, when all the vehicles rest (and we find them in their "resting spots" across the page).

Maybe some parents are careful with their books, but we are definitely not, despite the fact that it pains me to see a ripped page or a book shoved off a table thoughtlessly. We believe that it's best to just hand over the books to our kids as much as possible, so they have the thrill of turning the page--or turning back a page--themselves. These books written by Mayo are so great that theywill definitely be read again and again and again, so the sturdier the pages, the better!

Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton

2011-01-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Rating: 5 stars

I give up. I think I'm going to hand over my blog to my friend Beth, whose book recommendations are out of this world. Maybe just maybe she'd like to add some of her own posts...with her critic Julia at her side...?!

This book is The Best Dinosaur Book we've read. Hand's down! Every time we read it one or both of the kids are bobbing their heads and tapping their feet (or fork, which I try not to encourage!) and we end up turning whatever floor is nearby in a dance floor. This is a shake-your-bootie book with an awesome rhythm and a "chorus" that Lorelei knew by heart after a few reads:

"Shake, shake, shudder / near the sludgy old swamp. / Everybody's doing / the dinosaur romp!"

Mitton introduces a few dinosaurs--the old faithfuls, triceratops and T-rex and stegosaurus--and throws in some new ones just to make me stop and wonder how the heck to pronounce them: deinosuchus, apotosaurus, deinonychuses (not a typo--it's different from the first one on this hard-to-say list). But really the best thing about the book is the beat, not the main characters (though dancing like dinosaurs is pretty fun, so Mitton was pretty smart...I mean, sometimes we like to dance gracefully like flamingos, but stomping around like crazy is the best!).

Oh--and the book is illustrated by the same guy who illustrated Giraffes Can't Dance, which is one of our family's favorite books ever. The dinosaurs all have huge grins on their faces and are really bustin' a move on their dusty dance floor.

My favorite part about this book, though, is the end. I'm just a sucker for sleepy beasts, and this book ends with all the dinosaurs getting tuckered out and falling asleep in one big reptile heap. I love my kids like crazy, but I really like them asleep, too.

I know my nieces are going to LOVE this one. I'm so excited to read it with them!

Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee

2011-01-14T15:14:00.000-05:00

Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee

Rating: 5 galloping stars

Talk about a book that hooks little ones onto books!

"Who wants a ride?" asks Mr. Horse. One by one, Cat, Dog, Pig and Duck hop aboard, and go for a ride. Of course they ask if Mr. Horse can go faster, so faster they go...until... "Whoa, stop, we're falling off!" Mr. Horse skids to a halt and the animals fly through they air and land in a haystack. Mr. Horse is worried; the animals all shout, "Again!!"

"Whoa! Stop! We're falling off!"

This is such a fun book to read, and one of the best 0-12 month books that exist out there in my oh-so-humble opinion. The pictures are big and clear and cute, the words are simple, and it's great fun to put your little baby on your lap and go for a "ride," making your lap bouncier and bouncier as Mr. Horse goes faster and faster in the book.

This was one of the first books we bought Lorelei after she was born, and we bought it for our nieces around the same time. Both my sister and I have had to purchase and re-purchase replacements for our girls and the boys that followed them because it was such a favorite. Ben is still happy with it...I think it's in his bed (or behind his bed, as his habit is now to slide all his books behind his bed before he falls asleep) right now.

You can't go wrong with this book! I've not read the sequal, the holiday version Jingle-Jingle. Have you?

Tea for Ruby by Sarah Furgeson

2011-01-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

Tea for Ruby by Sarah The Duchess of York Furgeson, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

Rating: 3.5 stars

Whenever I see a book at Pottery Barn Kids, I always wonder if it's a good one. I mean, I am a total sucker for most of the stuff they sell (especially the bedding) so I always suspect that they have some inside scoop on what books are good, too.

But, it turns out, I'll buy more quilts from them than books.

This is a good book on manners, and if you daughter likes the Fancy Nancy series, she'll undoubtedly enjoy this one. Ruby, the main character, gets a fancy invitation in the mail to have tea with the Queen. She's so excited she breaks every rule that most little kids struggle with: interrupting others, dressing appropriately, talking with her mouth full, things like that. She does her best to remember as she strolls into the "palace" gates, only to find, to her delight, that the Queen is actually her grandmother.

There's not much to this book, but the pictures alone hold Lorelei's interest for a few minutes at a time, mostly because of the fancy dresses that Ruby imagines herself wearing when she has tea with the Queen. I can relate--I remember drawing fancy dresses on my mother's blackboard after school when I was in grade school. And I was a horseback-riding tomboy!

This is a sweet book if you're a grandma, and I love the idea of Lorelei having tea with one of her grandmothers a few years from now--at her house or at a fancy place. Maybe at a house, learning manners, knowing what to expect at tea, is a good warm-up. This book helps a bit, but it's not our list of books to buy others or ourselves.

Bless Me: A Child's Good Night Prayer by Grace Maccarone

2011-01-10T20:44:00.000-05:00

Bless Me: A Child's Good Night Prayer by Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Sam Williams

Rating: 5 stars

I recently gave rave reviews to the book Miss Lina's Ballerinas, and every time I read that book to Lorelei I kept thinking, "Man, I know Grace Maccarone wrote something else I like." Tonight I realized this book is it!

I really love this book. There are a handful of books that are wonderful good night books, but this one is near the top of the list...maybe the very top? I'd have to think hard about that...but I keep meaning to post some "list" posts of some favorites...it's on my to-do list...

Anyway, this book is a little religious, which is perfect in our family. It's a soft, quiet rhyme blessing a handful of things in a child's life: cars, chairs, bears, mouse, dollhouse, toes, head, and finally "Bless the water, earth, and air / Bless the children everywhere." The illustrations are perfect--some stuff to look at, but not too many things to distract a child at the all important time in a parent's life: bedtime.

This is an off-the-beaten-path book, which I think make it a great gift for the birth of a baby or a 1 to 2 year old. That's when Grammy gave it to Ben! And I just read it to him (and his pink pajama-ed big sister, who gave him a priceless hug and kiss before leaving the room with me) an hour ago.

Pinkalicious (series) by Victoria Kann

2011-01-10T20:10:00.000-05:00

Pinkalicious (series) by Victoria Kann

Overall rating: 2 stars

My husband was giving me a hard time the other day about the fact that I don't have many books that are rated 2 or 3 stars. I explained to him that it pains me to use my few writing minutes to write about a bad book when there are so many good books out there... But since Lorelei insisted we check almost every single one of these books out from the library, I feel compelled to blog about these silly books.

In short, they are the equivalent of cheap plastic toys that get played with a few times and then left in the playroom to take up space and gather dust.

The only one with any redeeming qualities is the original Pinkalicious, because it has the saying: "You get what you get, and you don't get upset." Of course, the little girl does get upset, so it's not much of a learning moment for her. But the gist of the story is that Pinkalicious (what is her real name?!) eats too many pink cupcakes even after her parents tell her to stop, and she turns pink. She even eats more after that; only when she turns red does she heed her doctor's advice and eat everything green in her family's refrigerator.

In Pink Around the Rink Pinkalicious' mom surprises her with a brand new pair of ice skates, which Pinkalicious promptly colors--with a marker!--pink. Her parents are only mildly annoyed (and her father has a hint of a smile/smirk). Though she thinks she'll be graceful, she's not, and her pink skates leave tracks of her non-graceful-ness. And the pink rubs off. Her mom comforts her: "Now they're unique, like you." What?! That's how you take care of personal property?! Not in our house.

Goldalicious is pretty hard to read. Ok, so Pinkalicious has an active imagination and imagines that she has a unicorn named Goldicious--thankfully a less atrocious "Goldie" for short--who follows her around. She even lets her little brother "play" with Goldie. I don't know what else to say but this book might never get checked out again unless it's while Grammy is visiting and I'm not around to read it.

In another paperback book, Tickled Pink, Pinkalicous is sharing a joke book with all her friends. While everyone is laughing around her, the class bully (dressed in black, of course) challenges her to come up with a joke of her own. She thinks of one in the middle of the night and, though she thinks she'll flop, she comes out on top by tickling everyone pink. I guess this one isn't horrible, but it isn't that great, either.

I don't even want to waste your time by describing the rest of them. Lazy? Maybe, but...you get the idea. While I'm glad Lorelei is interested in books, and almost any book is better than no book at all, I would probably return these if someone gave her them as a gift. There are too many other wonderful ones, and these are just plain silly.

Tremendous Tractors by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker

2011-01-07T15:12:00.000-05:00

Tremendous Tractors by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker

Rating: 5 stars

Once again, thanks to my friend Beth and her avid little readers, we've stumbled across another great author, especially (but not exclusively) for boys. Mitton is right along with Andrea Zimmerman/David Clemensha and Philemen Sturges and Byron Barton for books that Ben in particular loves.

Thanks to Tony Mitton, Ben lasted a record-setting 25 minutes in the library (Lorelei was in preschool). He sat on my lap as we read Mitton book after Mitton book, happy to look at the machine pictures, hear the great rhyming story, and sit in my lap without having to share it (at least I hope that that was part of the reason he was content to stay so long).

Thanks to Tony Mitton, I've already got my nephew's birthday present picked out. Along with this great book, which is surprisingly informative without being over-the-top education-y, there are a total of ten of these books, including Terrific Trains and Flashing Fire Engines. Could you ask for a better set? I'm not sure! This author and these books are great finds for our family and they will be read over and over again here and probably bought over and over again for other people.