Punnybop

“Little Pirate: Science Made Simple”

2010-08-26T02:45:24-06:00

Innovative Kids sent us a couple of titles from a great series of science books called "Little Pirate: Science Made Simple" to review. We've been reading them to Z and they've had quite an impact. One of the things that I really like is that although the main characters and background images are illustrated, the object of the story (the trash in the bookWhy Do We Recycle? or the animals in the book Is That a Bat?) are photographs.

Each book features three main characters: Little Pirate - the curious explorer, Parrot - the bird with the answers, and Mystic - a mermaid/girl character who makes keen observations and is always ready for adventure.

The books state that they are for ages 3-6 and I think young kids could engage with this book somewhat due to the bright, interesting illustrations, but the books are really best for kids ages 4-7 or so. There is enough information in the books to last for several years of readings - the younger kids will get the superficial, surface level information and the older kids will really enjoy relating the books to real world topics.

At the end of the book Why Do We Recycle, there are a couple of pirate craft suggestions. We read the book as a bedtime story - just glossing over the crafts since it was bedtime - and were so confused when Z woke up the next morning asking to make a pirate ship out of a plastic bottle. (She finally showed us the project in the back of the book.)

We highly recommend this series! At under $10 on Amazon.com and with their buy three, get the fourth for free deal, these are a great buy. Other titles in the series include: What's in the Egg?, Is a Shark a Fish?, and Why Does the Wind Blow?.

In accordance with our Keep No Stuff policy, we'll be donating these books to charity. - Jennifer

Children’s books about the body

2010-08-12T01:28:19-06:00

Z has recently been interested in different things about how the human body works so we've spent some time looking at children's books about the functions of the human body. The Usborne Flap Book See Inside Your Body by Katie Daynes and Colin King, shown above, has quickly become a favorite. There are 14 different two-page spreads that each address a different function of the body - from eating and excreting to breathing air and pumping blood. Each spread is printed on thick, board book type pages and feature flaps that offer magnified views of the topic at hand or . The information is accessible even for children as young as five but the book offers enough detail for older children to use as a starting point for further investigation.

Other children's books on the human body we've enjoyed include:

The Children's Book of the Body by Anna Sandeman: Includes more topics about a wider variety (like the genetics of hair color, how you learn, and how the senses work) but for an older audience.

Your Skin and Mine by Paul Showers: This Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science book focuses on the largest organ in the body - the skin - covering topics such as sweating, how the hair grows, fingerprints and melanin.

Your Insides by Joanna Cole, Illustrated by Paul Meisel Basic body reference book but includes 4 overlay prints that layer from the skin to the muscles and bones, to the heart and lungs, stomach and intestines, and brain and nerves. (Much like the fabulous Beleduc Body Puzzle we reviewed.)

Skeletons! Skeletons! All About Bones by Katy Hall, illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye. This book covers not just the human skeletal system but that of different animals as well.

The Skeleton Inside You by Philip Balestrino: Another Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science book, this one about skeletons, focusing on the human skeletal system. This book had Z and another five-year-old sprawled out on the floor of the bookstore poring over its illustrations for a good 20 minutes.

- Jeremiah

Mini Media Mogul: Recent kids’ music by Starfish, Princess Katie and Racer Steve, and more

2010-06-17T03:24:05-06:00

Of four new kids' album we've been spinning in our house this month, we'd highly recommend three of them, and the fourth is sure to be of interest to some.

Enter Sandbox

StarFish

Sarina and I are in love with StarFish's second album. Enter Sandbox is a tongue-in-cheek look at childhood, as sung to rock music. "My Name is No" is about a child who hears the word "No" so often ("No, don't do that!") that he thinks it's his name; "Time Out" is the anthem for kids who are mad about being punished for their naughty deeds; "Spread Your Wings" is about leaving the video games and going outside to play. But our favorite is "Elephant," a silly song with a great chorus ("And if I can't tell right from wrong/My family's there to learn from/And if I can't tell what to do/My friends are there to lean on").

Sometimes, when music is done right, you can just feel the fun the band had when they were working on it - like in this case. My only beef is the rip-off of Shel Silverstein's poem "Sick," which has the same punch line as StarFish's song "Sick Day." Aside from that, these New Jersey dads really know how to rock the kiddie tunes. | $10 on CD from Amazon.com

Be Nice

Leeny and Steve

Be Nice is an infectious album. My favorite track, a rockin' tune called "What Have You Done With All The Penguins?!," is about a family trip to the aquarium, whereupon they find that the penguin exhibit is mysteriously closed. It's the kind of song that gets stuck in your head - but you don't even mind, because it's that cool. You'll catch yourself bopping along to it out in public and grinning.

The album is a combination of silly songs ("Stinky Diaper") and songs that have lessons ("Ain't Ain't a Word"). Overall, it's good-hearted and spirited music that should be a hit with the preschool crowd and parents. | $9 MP3 Download / $16 CD on Amazon.com

Tiny Cool

Princess Katie and Racer Steve

It normally takes me a few listens to really catch on to a CD and figure out if I like it or not, but Tiny Cool is one of those special ones that immediately became a hit in our house.

With subjects such as parties, sand in a sandwich at the beach, being shy, being honest about what happened at school, and individuality, this one is geared more toward the kindergarten and early grade school audience. It’s high-energy kiddie rock, and it shows serious musicianship. There’s even a horn section featuring members of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Tiny Cool is the third release by this Manhattan-based husband-and-wife team, who are now touring nationally. | $9 as an MP3 Download from Amazon.com

Green Golly and Her Golden Flute

Flute Sweet and Tickletoon

Green Golly is an album with a mission, designed to introduce kids to classical music on the flute in an entertaining way. The bulk of this CD is the reimagined tale of Rapunzel, now known as "Green Golly." Green Golly's hungry parents trade her to a witch for a salad. The witch is concerned that Green Golly is getting very attractive and boys are paying too much attention to her, so she locks the girl in a tower. Green Golly has nothing much to do in her tower except grow hair and play her new flute. Luckily, it turns out that she really likes her flute, and she uses it to play Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, and others.

For us, this CD straddles the line between being entertaining and being just plain too weird and over-the-top. I wouldn't listen to it again. I have a feeling it works better in a live performance. However, my opinion may be against the grain; I've now read several reviews of this CD from people who found it creative and funny. | $9 MP3 Download from Amazon.com

Jenna Glatzer (www.jennaglatzer.com) is the author of 19 books. Her most recent collaboration is Unthinkable with Scott Rigsby, the first double-amputee to finish the world-famous Hawaiian Ironman triathlon. Jenna lives with her two-year-old daughter in New York. - Jenna Glatzer

The dreamy life of Ken

2010-06-11T02:18:15-06:00

Funny stuff from Toy Story 3, out in theaters this weekend.

Love that elevator! - Jeremiah

Oh, to be a four-inch-tall Stormtrooper…

2010-06-04T17:30:46-06:00

Flickr user St3f4n's photos of storm trooper action figures kicking around and stirring up trouble are hilarious and really well-done, and thanks to his Creative Commons licensing, we can share a few of our favorites here. The photos combine a purposeless behavior, getting in over your head, and seeking outlets to express powerless rage in a way that reminds me of being a teenager, and St3fan's careful figure positioning expresses so much more than you'd think these little guys could.

There are 365 in all - check out the full series if these make you laugh. - Jeremiah

Mini Media Mogul: Three great kids’ CDs and one disgusting one

2010-05-12T15:24:15-06:00

Three CDs that we love this month, and one that… well, I vaguely abhor, but you might not. Hope you enjoy!

Why Does Gray Matter? and other brainy songs for kids

Roger Day (2010)

Must admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw Roger Day's album sleeve. Brainy songs for kids? Didn't sound like much fun. Especially since nearly every song had the word "brain" in the title.

Turns out Why Does Gray Matter? is, in fact, a ridiculously fun collection of songs. It's a tribute to intelligence that hip nerdster parents like me will adore. One of my favorite tracks compares the left brain and the right brain, declaring that the left brain loves to do taxes and the right brain wants to rock the house. It's one of my favorites because it's so unexpected: the left brain parts are sung to a string quartet, while the right brain parts are sung as British punk rock. And I am positive that I've never heard the words "deep basal ganglia" in a children's song before. Or any other type of song, for that matter.

If you liked Schoolhouse Rock, chances are good that this will be up your alley. [$15 CD]

Pickin' & Grinnin': Great Songs for Kids

Assorted Artists (2010)

Every family needs to have at least one CD like Pickin' & Grinnin'. It's a folk CD that's calming and simple, with mostly well-known songs by well-known artists, like Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, and Dan Zanes.

Pickin' & Grinnin' is the antithesis of today's fast-paced, PS3 society; it harkens back to simpler times, when people sat around their living rooms singing and making up songs together because that's just what families did to entertain themselves. This is the kind of CD that makes for great singalongs, and during a break in one of the songs, the singer even encourages kids to make up their own lyrics like he did when he was younger. The 25 tracks represent 25 years of music by this company, Music for Little People. [$10 CD]

We Are The Not-Its

The Not-Its (2009)

We Are The Not-Its is a solid debut by this five-piece band, fronted by Sarah Shannon (formerly of the 90s band Velocity Girl). It’s alternative pop, mostly, and it’s danceable. The title track (“We Are The Not-Its”) is one of those songs that’ll stick in your head and you’ll catch yourself humming it in the dairy aisle at the grocery store until someone stares at you.

Lyrics are mostly innocent and kid-oriented, with just a couple of lines here and there that would go over their heads. I was disappointed by the lack of lyric sheets with this CD. Topics include birthdays, camping, going to kindergarten, inviting kids over to play, baths, sharing, and helicopters.
When they perform, the guys wear black shirts with pink ties, and the gals wear long pink tutus. It’s a fun look for a fun band. This is a good pick for preschool to grade-school-age kids. [$19 CD, $9 MP3]

Silly Short Songs for Silly Short People

Rock Daddy Rock (2008)

On the back of this CD, it says, "FAMILIES with a sense of HUMOR will love these silly songs about EVERYDAY LIFE." At the risk of being thought humorless, I will tell you that I had to force myself to finish listening, and I definitely don't want my daughter hearing it. The first song is "Boogers." Other topics include dirty nails, passing gas, spitting, and warts, along with more benign topics like bedtime and eating healthy food.

To me? Gross and kind of obnoxious-sounding music. But I know there's an audience for this that will disagree, so I'm giving it a spot here anyway. This father was inspired by the "funny, gross, and wonderful" behavior of his four sons, who also provide backup vocals on this CD. [$14 CD]

Jenna Glatzer (www.jennaglatzer.com) is the author of 19 books. Her most recent collaboration is Unthinkable with Scott Rigsby, the first double-amputee to finish the world-famous Hawaiian Ironman triathlon. Jenna lives with her two-year-old daughter in New York. - Jenna Glatzer

“Tiny Art Director”: playful collaboration between an illustrator and his toddler daughter

2010-04-14T14:49:36-06:00

Idea: Brilliant. Execution: Brilliant.

Artist Bill Zeman invited his daughter to "commission" illustrations for him to create "on spec." The results of these are predictably wacky, but the best thing about this book is the critiques: Zeman documents in detail his daughter's occasionally approving but frequently withering and capricious assessments of his work. Tiny Art Director is a steal at about $10 on Amazon.com.

Tiny Art Director - Jeremiah

Fairy Tale Theatre now on Hulu

2010-04-09T15:42:55-06:00

If you bought the boxed set of the 26-episode 1980s star-studded ball of quirks that was Fairy Tale Theatre when it came out last year (come on, everybody, raise your hands) you might be sorry to hear that the whole series is now on Hulu. This is a very wacky series and much of it hasn't aged well - how can a show that brings together Mick Jagger, James Earl Jones, Robin Williams, and dozens of other name celebrities to perform richly-costumed and stiffly-directed rewrites of classic children's stories not add up to a whole that is less than the sum of its parts? - but you will get a kick out of seeing some of the big names of the day taking the time to do some "serious television," and your kid will love at least some of this tale-telling, at least on the first go-around. In other words, this is perfect for Hulu in a way it was not perfect for a multi-disc DVD extravaganza.

Here's a sample: "Aladdin and His Magical Lamp" directed by Tim Burton and featuring Valerie Bertinelli, James Earl Jones, and Leonard Nimoy. Man, you just can't make this stuff up:

Via kottke.org - Jennifer

Gabrielle Lord’s “Conspiracy 365” will have middle-grade readers hooked all year long

2010-03-22T14:15:43-06:00

As a middle school teacher, I’m always elated to discover a story that will hook reluctant readers. In her new series "Conspiracy 365," Australian crime writer Gabrielle Lord has crafted an incredibly readable novel and a fairly ingenious concept for a series.

Fifteen-year-old Cal Ormond must survive the next 365 days. In order to do so, he’s going to have to unravel the mysteries surrounding his father's untimely death and outsmart the thugs who are hunting him down. The story will unfold, one book at a time, each month throughout 2010. I read January, a fast-paced and engaging first installment that lays out a series of questions, but no answers. February and March installments have arrived on schedule, with new releases planned for the beginning of each month.

For my money, Lord has developed a sure-fire recipe for keeping young readers hooked, one cliffhanger after another, until the end of the year. If the author is able to maintain the momentum through the remaining books in the series, she's going to have a hit on her hands. Middle grade fans of television's 24 and the Jason Bourne trilogy will enjoy the twists and turns Lord has up her sleeve. Be prepared to suspend your disbelief for just long enough to enjoy this quick ride, because you'll be glad you did.

Erica Fry is a middle-school teacher in Brooklyn, NY. - Erica

Happy “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Day

2010-03-20T11:00:29-06:00

Wear a sweater.

And take a moment to watch a few Mr. Rogers clips or full episodes to remember what Fred Rogers brought to children's television. - Jeremiah

Cyriak’s “Cycles”

2010-03-11T20:47:51-06:00

Indie animator and composer Cyriak has finally made something I can show my five-year-old without supplying her with a decade's worth of nightmare material. The video about teddy bears is engaging, richly patterned, and laugh-out-loud funny. Enjoy it with a child!

For an example of a Cyriak piece with dozens of ingenious jokes (and plenty of mildly amusing ones), try his entertaining "Animation Mix." If you start watching it and think it would be ok for your young child to enjoy with you, don't be fooled. Things get ugly and, for young viewers, very creepy.

Here's an interview with Cyriak that gives a few hints of his creative process. It contains a bit of the artist's gore but nothing likely to really scare a kid. But that's just my assessment.

- Jeremiah

A demo of Project Natal, Microsoft’s “answer to the Wii”

2010-03-03T15:12:16-06:00

Microsoft's new gaming interface, dubbed Project Natal, takes the concept of Nintendo's Wii (much loved in our household) a step further by eliminating the controller altogether and enabling the interface to track 11 different points on the player's body. It's pretty incredible, as you can see:

Not sure about a game designed simply to have you flailing, but the potential for this interface is pretty exciting. - Jeremiah

Mini Media Mogul: Three recent kids’ books, and one oldie but goodie

2010-02-25T02:27:49-06:00

Our first three recent-release book picks are ranked from our favorite downward, and then we have an "oldie but goodie" for you.

Fiona the Flower Girl

by Carley Roney and the editors of the knot

Eight-year-old Fiona is going to be the flower girl at her aunt Caroline's wedding. This book begins with her aunt's engagement ("Fiona thought it would be much better to have a ring that was purple, but she could tell that Aunt Caroline was very happy with her clear ring."), then goes on to dress shopping, the bridal shower, the rehearsal, the all-important walk down the aisle, and the reception.

This is an excellent book for flower girls-to-be. It explains wedding lingo and a flower girl's role simply, while still functioning more as a fun story than as an instructional manual. There is, however, a guide for parents at the end that reads more like a good magazine article, suggesting flower girl etiquette and traditions. The illustrations are charming, with girly patterned backgrounds and accents. The book includes a little purple flower necklace on a ribbon to match the one Fiona receives from her aunt.

Holy cow, it's on sale on Amazon, down from $16 to about $6.50!

Little Chick

by Amy Hest, illustrated by Anita Jeram

Little Chick is a sweet book made up of three similar mini-stories. In the first, Little Chick is waiting for a carrot to grow - but "Old-Auntie" says that sometimes a small carrot is just what you need, so the chick pulls it. In the second, she's waiting for her kite to fly. Old-Auntie comes along and walks with her, and eventually, the kite catches the wind. In the third, she wants to pluck a star from the sky, but Old-Auntie says the star makes the sky sparkle, so she leaves it there.

I was waiting for more with each of the stories. Little Chick is a cute character, and appropriately preschooler-ish in personality (a little impatient, exuberant, adventurous), but the stories lacked punch. I twice wondered if I had accidentally skipped a page, or if they really did just end like that. The storylines are very simple, and to me, a little boring. I was also put off by the name "Old-Auntie." I imagined my aunt getting indignant if Sarina were to nickname her that.

The illustrations are watercolor and pencil, with large gray text.

My daughter asked me to read the story to her twice, and then never again. I think she was a little bored by its repetitiveness, too. But if you have a particularly gentle child, this might be just right.

On sale in hardback, down from about $17 to just over $12.

Dinosaurs Roar, Butterflies Soar!

by Bob Barner

The illustrations in Dinosaurs Roar, Butterflies Soar! are superb; made with cut paper and pastels, they're simple and bright and friendly. That's where my nice review ends.

The text is dry and tries to cover too much. The top half of each layout is supposed to be the simple storyline, while the bottom gives more in-depth facts and bits of trivia. This in itself was confusing, because if I read both, it broke up the storyline and I’d forget where we were by the next page. It didn't matter much, though, because the storyline felt like a school lecture. What a wasted opportunity to give the (worthwhile) lessons some real life by making it a personal story that kids can relate to.

While the recommended audience here is from 4-8, I'd suggest it's for ages 6 and up... if you happen to have a kid who's really into not just the "fun" aspect of dinosaurs, but the historical aspect.

$13-$14 on Amazon.com.

Oldie But Goodie: Honey Bunny Funnybunny

by Marilyn Sadler

Honey Bunny Funnybunny is one of the Cat in the Hat Beginner Books for early readers, and it's a good pick for kids who are dealing with sibling squabbles. In this book, Honey Bunny has an older brother, P.J., who loves to drive her crazy. He pulls the covers off her bed, ties knots in her sleeves, switches the colors her paint jars, and even switches the heads on her dolls.

Finally, their dad yells at P.J., and he stops teasing his sister. For a while, she's happy - "but after a while, she began to feel that something was missing." P.J. is out playing with his friends now, and he's ignoring her entirely. She realizes she actually misses his teasing, and is afraid that he doesn't love her anymore. But when she wakes up one morning and discovers that he's painted her face with polka dots while she slept, she's elated. "P.J. loves me!" she cries. A cute take on quirky sibling relationships.

A mere $9 on Amazon.com, and if you like that, there's a whole series of these books.

Jenna Glatzer (www.jennaglatzer.com) is the author of 19 books. Her most recent collaboration is Unthinkable with Scott Rigsby, the first double-amputee to finish the world-famous Hawaiian Ironman triathlon. Jenna lives with her two-year-old daughter in New York. - Jeremiah

“If Everybody Did” by Jo Ann Stover

2010-01-28T00:06:14-06:00

There's no better way to introduce preschoolers to Kant's moral imperative than Jo Ann Stover's If Everybody Did, an entertaining romp through the consequences of every person in the room engaging in the same minor misbehaviors after one child does a demo round. We have a love/hate relationship with morally instructive children's books, but we are learning over time that what makes them work well in our household is humor. From Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? to Maurice Sendak and Sesyle Johnson's What Do You Say, Dear?, the use of humor puts everyone at ease while gently introducing real concepts that need teaching - in this case, helping kids conceive of the consequences of what would happen "if everybody did" what it is convenient or entertaining for them to do in isolation.

Some of the issues covered in the book might feel a little constraining for families with relaxed standards of physical behavior - it covers such issues as rough play, "changing your seat," and slamming doors - but the words are few and the illustrations are pretty hilarious if you ask Z and I, so it's easy to focus the "lesson" on the standards you actually care about enforcing. Consequences include doors falling off and crushing everyone, a sea of unseated children chaotically shifting positions around a room, and (for the action shown above) a pile of people laying like pancakes while the last of a dozen or so people gleefully leaps towards the dogpile.

Proof that this book is serving us well was close at hand recently. Jenni was sick with a cold and dropping used tissues on the floor (there was no trash can handy) and Z waltzed up and "corrected" her. "Mama, what would happen if EVERYBODY did that?"

Personally, this one cracks me up - Stover has an eye for details. The kid with his hands in his mouth makes me laugh every time.

You can pick up If Everybody Did on Amazon.com for about eight bucks. - Jeremiah

Krtek the mole

2010-01-18T22:35:06-06:00

Inspired by Disney anthropomorphism, Czech animator Zdenek Miler invented Krtek the mole in 1956 to star in a short animated film to educate children on the processing of flax seed. In 1963 he began producing new cartoons based on the character, but instead of narraion elected to use his young daughters act as voice actors, providing non-verbal exclamations but no spoken words.

There is something very slow and deliberate about the cartoons in this series that make it feel at once primitive and perhaps a little slow for today's kids but make the stories' jokes that much funnier. Here are a couple of good episodes, which you'll find with translated titles from every eastern European country as well as in English. Like the Smurfs, Barbapapa, and Moomin, Krtek has become an international icon of only transitional importance in the U.S.

I liked this first episode a lot because Z and I have been working pretty hard on learning to read notes on a staff as part of her violin practice. Be patient with the pacing and you and your child will be delighted by it.

Mole's most frequent companions are the mouse and rabbit shown in the episode below. Their near-constant presence makes what happens at about 3:40 in the video you are about to see truly shocking. I find the music that accompanies this tragic turn of events hilarious. It is about as desperate a tenor as this slow-moving action can achieve.

- Jeremiah

Two online comics creators for kids

2009-12-22T15:31:22-06:00

Toon Books - the series that redefines "comics" for young children and makes them an invaluable early reading tool - introduced us to some surprisingly versatile online comic panel creation software that your kids will enjoy playing with.

After fooling around with it, I wrote:

In fact, it works so well, they should take it further. Add the ability to sequence multiple panels on a page and to draw your own characters with a rudimentarly drawing tool, and they could either sell this software on a standalone basis or provide exclusive access to purchasers of their books through an access code.

Then I started browsing some more and realized that Comics Lab Extreme, a companion product to the Comics Lab that Toon Books had brought me to, does just that. Multipage comic books, artwork upload, and more. Great stuff for tech-savvy kids with an interest in comics. And it's all free.

Anyone out there have kids who love a particular comics software, online or off? - Jeremiah

Mini Media Mogul: Four fun Christmas books

2009-12-16T02:54:40-06:00

Merry Christmas, Punnyboppers! Four new Christmas books for you this time around. We read all of them at the library. Hope you find a great new book to read with your little ones.

Grumpy Badger's Christmas

Written by Paul Bright, illustrated by Jane Chapman | $12, Amazon.com

All Badger wants to do is go to sleep; he doesn't care about Christmas. It's his time to go underground and sleep all winter through. When his animal friends come knocking on his door trying to bring presents and asking to borrow his ladder to decorate a Christmas tree, he angrily sends them away. "Piffle!" he shouts. "I don't like presents and I don't like Christmas!"

But then one of them shows up to ask for his help because Mole is stuck on top of the tree he was trying to decorate. Again, Grumpy Badger wants to be left alone, so he closes the door and goes back to sleep... but he has a terrible dream that Mole is about to fall out of the tree. When he startles himself awake, he realizes what a bad friend he has been, rushes out to save Mole, and apologizes to everyone for being so grumpy.

To make it up to them, he throws a wonderful Christmas party, which he intends to make an annual tradition.

This story's only possible flaw is that badgers don't actually hibernate. They're less active in cold weather, and sometimes stay underground for long stretches, but they don't sleep through the winter as it suggests in this book. If you forgive this bit of artistic license, and the fact that the text can be a little hard to read against the background on some pages, it's a winner all the way. A solid message, an entertaining story, and nicely expressive acrylic paintings.

Merry Christmas, Splat

by Rob Scotton | $12, Amazon.com

In this latest book of the Splat the Cat series, Splat writes out his Christmas list for Santa: he wants a really big present. That's all he specifies. But his little sister gives him a "look" and asks, "Are you sure you've been good?" Of course he's sure! Well, almost sure. Just to be extra sure, he volunteers to help with all the Christmas preparations. He washes the dishes (which were already clean), redecorates the tree (which has already been decorated), and other such "helpful" tasks.

Then he tries to go to sleep, but is filled with anxiety - maybe he should stay up and tell Santa what a good cat he's been, just in case Santa doesn't realize it.

In the end, he awakes to find no presents under the tree, and he fears he wasn't good enough after all - but his family pops out from behind the tree with a big box just for Splat. He says it's the best Christmas present ever, though we never see what it is; that’s left up to kids' imagination.

The book is recommended for 4- to 8-year-olds, but my 2 1/2-year-old loved it, and so did I.

Olivia Helps With Christmas

by Ian Falconer | $11, Amazon.com

Surely you know of the little pig with the big personality, right? In this book, Olivia (of TV fame) sets out to help with the Christmas preparations, but mostly gets herself into trouble, similar to Splat (reviewed above). My daughter made me keep turning back to the page where Olivia gets all tangled up in the string of lights.

Olivia keeps peeking up the chimney to see if Santa is arriving yet, and gets soot on her snout. On Christmas morning, she and her brothers find some great presents (oh, yeah, and some clothes) under the tree.

The focus of the book is on the preparations and the waiting, rather than on Christmas day itself. Could have used another funny Olivia antic or two, and I really could have done without the illustration of her baby brother throwing up blueberry pie all over the floor, but aside from that, Olivia fans will love this one.

Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star

by Petr Horacek | $11, Amazon.com

Suzy Goose and her friends are finished decorating their Christmas tree, and it looks perfect, except one thing: It is missing a star for the top. Suzy sees a perfect star in the sky, so she sets out to get it. She reaches as high as she can, but can't reach it. She tries jumping to it and climbing to it and walking to it, but she only succeeds in getting herself lost and tired.

Finally, her friends lead her back home, where they all see that although she was not able to pluck the star out of the sky, it's now shining right above the Christmas tree.

I enjoyed this book and the mixed-media illustrations. For me, though, the ending wasn't as satisfying as it could have been.

Jenna Glatzer is the author of 19 books, including authorized biographies of Celine Dion and Marilyn Monroe. Read about what she’s up to at www.jennaglatzer.com. - Jenna Glatzer

Sesame Street Word Families: -ape, -op

2009-11-18T18:07:09-06:00

We're using Hooked on Phonics' newly revised curriculum to teach our five-year-old daughter Z to read. A lot of that learning centers around word families, groups of short words with similar endings (basically, they rhyme) that can be easily learned as a group. This is the second in a series. (Here's the first.) Enjoy!

-ape

-op

- Jennifer

Mini Media Mogul: Sizing up CDs by Justin Roberts, Hullabaloo, Rebecca Frezza and Laura Freeman

2009-11-11T17:25:19-06:00

Welcome to another music edition of Mini Media Mogul. Here are four CDs we've been listening to recently, arranged from our favorite to our least loved.

Pop Fly by Justin Roberts

Pop Fly isn't a new album, but it accomplished something that no other children’s CD has ever done - it literally made me squeal with delight when a scared little boy catches a pop fly ball (in the wonderfully energetic title track). Then, just a few songs later, it made my eyes well with tears with the beautiful “From Scratch,” a tribute to a grandmother who cooks everything from scratch.

This is our first experience with Justin Roberts, but certainly won't be our last. His voice is similar in tone to James Taylor's, but the songs are primarily lighthearted, entertaining slices of life about the elementary school years. They will bring you back to the best parts of your own childhood.

With subjects ranging from the student crossing guard to pool kickboards and stay-at-home dads (“If I were giving grades, he'd get a B or an A”), this collection hits just the right chord.

High Roller by Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo is a children's band for people who like country/folk/bluegrass music. The lyrics on the catchy High Roller often move fast, so you have to pay attention, but it’s worth it - they’re really funny. (“Sometimes things get crazy back home in my crib/ Sometimes I eat breakfast wearing nothing but a bib.”) They mix originals with a few traditional songs.

You can figure out if you like their style on the band's YouTube page, which has plenty of good samples. Their ode to caffeinated moms, "Sippy Cup" (not on this album), made me laugh out loud:

Rockin', Rollin' and Ridin' by Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck

You may recognize this band from their music videos on Nick Jr. and PBS. I'd never seen them before, and this eight-song EP is the first I've heard of this band.

It's high-energy pop written with elementary-school-age kids in mind. One of the album's selling points is that one song features Roscoe Orman, better known as Gordon from Sesame Street - but this was a letdown because the song is in too high a key for him, and it just sounds like he's straining.

Overall, this one's a mixed bag. Out of only 8 songs (23 minutes running time), I thought about half were entirely forgettable, with lyrics that didn’t do anything for me, but the other half were fun and danceable. My daughter was already singing along with “Hey-O” before the end of the song the very first time she heard it.

Somersault Season by Laura Freeman

I have a feeling Laura Freeman must be a hit in person with little kids. That doesn’t automatically translate to a good CD, though. I'm iffy on it; she's very “dramatic” on Somersault Season, and into using weird voices and repetition, which got grating to me. If I were a completely selfless person, I'd probably let my daughter listen to this again - but I'm actually afraid she’d like it.

That said, it's a compilation of songs about the four seasons, and has plenty of opportunities for kids to “play along” and help act out the songs. This might work well in a preschool or day care setting.

Jenna Glatzer is the author of 19 books. Her latest is the inspirational Christian memoir Unthinkable with Scott Rigsby, a double-amputee who completed the Hawaiian Ironman. Visit her at www.jennaglatzer.com. - Jenna Glatzer

Sesame Street Word Families: -at, -ake, -an

2009-11-06T15:01:23-06:00

-at

-ake

-an

- Jennifer