First sentence: This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive.
Premise/plot: The Story of Growl is....First sentence: This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive.
Premise/plot: The Story of Growl is....you guessed it...the story of Growl. Growl, our delightful monster-heroine, has a great life. She's as happy as can be. As is evidenced by her singing, skipping, hopping, and above all her GROWLING. But her neighbors, well, they don't love living next door to a monster. Especially a monster that growls. Can Growl become friendly with her neighbors?! Or will she be silenced....forever?!
My thoughts: Oh. How. I. Loved. This. Book. Growl is a monster, a purple monster, a monster who loves, loves, loves to growl. Oh. And she loves, loves, loves to sing about herself and her love of growling. Could a book be more perfect for me? Here is what the jacket flap says,
"What's wrong with a little growling--or a little singing--anyway? Plenty, if you ask Growl's neighbors. But sometimes, you don't know how important something is until you don't have it anymore. A story of neighbors, compromise, monsters, and singing, that will having them shouting growling, "read it again!"
And this is how the book begins,
"This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives alone in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive. Growl likes to hop...and skip...and jump...and run around her garden. But most of all she likes to...GROWL."
That's just a small glimpse of what this monster is like. I loved this book so much. I could (but I won't) quote *everything* because I loved everything just that much. The text. The illustrations. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. ...more
First sentence: Bina had three big brothers: Vijay, Siddharth, and Arjun. They sometimes annoyed her, but she loved them anyway.
Premise/plot: Bina, oFirst sentence: Bina had three big brothers: Vijay, Siddharth, and Arjun. They sometimes annoyed her, but she loved them anyway.
Premise/plot: Bina, our heroine, wants to make--instead of buy--bracelets for her three brothers. The occasion is Raksha Bandhan an Indian holiday celebrating the special bond between brothers and sisters. She sets out to craft each bracelet with a unique pattern keeping each brother in mind, but, patterns aren't always easy to design and carry out!
My thoughts: This book is part of Charlesbridge's Storytelling Math series. The (math) concept being taught is patterns. Of course, there's more to the story than just pattern-making. It is also a celebration of family and culture. I liked seeing the relationships of all four siblings! It was a cute read. ...more
First sentence: Today we are not alone in the park. Three other kids just showed up. Hoy no estamos solos en el parque. Hay ostros tres ninos jugando.First sentence: Today we are not alone in the park. Three other kids just showed up. Hoy no estamos solos en el parque. Hay ostros tres ninos jugando.
Premise/plot: We Laugh Alike is the story of six kids playing in the park. Three kids speak English. Three kids speak Spanish. Both are curious about the other...but it takes a little while before these two groups of kids join together and play together. Fun is the universal language.
My thoughts: There's something so joyous about this one. It is written in two languages. But it isn't your typical bilingual book where everything said is in both English and Spanish. The two languages blend together as the groups merge and join. There is a glossary in the back of the book.
Quote: We sing the same song a million times until they learn the words and sing with us....more
First sentence: For centuries, folks have been flipping for flying discs. Did cave kids reel round rocks? Maybe. Did the most macho of the Ancient GreFirst sentence: For centuries, folks have been flipping for flying discs. Did cave kids reel round rocks? Maybe. Did the most macho of the Ancient Greeks flick discs? Certainly. But who really invented the thrilling, top-selling toy that came to be called the Frisbee?
Premise/plot: Flip! How the Frisbee Took Flight is a nonfiction book for children about the invention of the Frisbee. The book offers two behind-the-scenes glimpses of how this craze--this toy--took off. First highlighting Joseph P. Frisbie and his pie pans in New England starting in the 1920s, and then highlighting Fred Morrison and his eventual-wife Lu who began playing around with popcorn tins, pie pans, cake pans, etc. in the 1930s in California. It was Morrison's passionate obsession--lasting decades--that led to the plastic product...but it was the name FRISBEE that stuck! (Frisbee sounds so much better than PLUTO PLATTER, don't you think?!
My thoughts: I enjoyed this nonfiction book! I didn't know that the Frisbee was manufactured/distributed by the same toy company that had great success with the Hula Hoop. Of course that wasn't the only I Didn't Know moment the book offers.
You can watch a short video aired originally on Decades about the Pluto Platter/Frisbee. ...more
First sentence: "Stand back," said the elephant, "I'm going to sneeze! I hate to alarm you, but I don't wish to harm you. My friends, I fear it's cleaFirst sentence: "Stand back," said the elephant, "I'm going to sneeze! I hate to alarm you, but I don't wish to harm you. My friends, I fear it's clear...oh, dear, you'd better stand back, I'm going to sneeze."
Premise/plot: ALL of Elephant's friends are super-concerned about the coming sneeze. And perhaps rightly so...considering their past experiences when elephant has sneezed! Every animal tells--in rhyme, of course--what happens when this elephant sneezes. But one animal has a plan...will it work????
My thoughts: I can relate to the protagonist in this one. I can. I have very LOUD sneezes--though it isn't so much gust as NOISE. (Spoiler alert, I also LAUGH really, really, really loud....again just like the elephant in this story.) I don't have personal memories of holding this book in my hand and reading it. But I do remember plenty of times when my mother has told me, STAND BACK, SAID THE ELEPHANT, I'M GOING TO SNEEZE. So I'm guessing that this one was read aloud to us plenty...I just don't remember.
It is written all in rhyme. I didn't love it or hate it. It's not as wonderful as say a Dr. Seuss book written in rhyme. But it wasn't dreadful either. (So many books that are written in rhyme tend to show the struggle author's have to force it. Forced rhyming just isn't fun for anyone, right?!)
Despite being a picture book with thirty-two pages, there is a LOT of text per page. So it wouldn't be inappropriate in a second or even third grade classroom. It would work as a read aloud, of course, but probably only for a child with a long(er) attention span. You could even ask questions throughout--what do you think is going to happen next? Do you think elephant is going to sneeze? do you think bees really crawl on their knees?! Or is the author being silly?!
First sentence: This is Bob. Up on the bed Bob has work to do. The work is hard. But Bob does not mind. Bob likes hard work. Hard work pays off.
PremisFirst sentence: This is Bob. Up on the bed Bob has work to do. The work is hard. But Bob does not mind. Bob likes hard work. Hard work pays off.
Premise/plot: Bob, the dog, has a plan. A good plan, I might add. A plan that involves NAPPING in a bed. (Looks like a child's bed since it has a LOT of toys--hence his "hard work" in the opening sentences in clearing off his napping place.) But Bob's plans might be thwarted...by the cat! Bob calls the cat 'Someone' and that Someone also has a plan--a good plan for how to spend the day.
My thoughts: I really loved this one. Sullivan's story is simple--whether deceptively so or not--and hilarious. None of the sentences are complex. My guess is that it would be good for new readers or even pre-readers. (I do think that you get a good idea of the story based on reading the illustrations.) I love, love, love the repetition--the similarity between Bob's good plan and Someone's good plan. I also like the moral of the story--that sometimes life's unexpected "problems" or "obstacles" lead to something better than the original plan. I say the story has a moral, but, to clarify it isn't a preachy message. Readers have to conclude that for themselves.
First sentence: There was once a duck who had the bad luck to live with a lazy old farmer. The duck did the work. The farmer stayed all day in bed. ThFirst sentence: There was once a duck who had the bad luck to live with a lazy old farmer. The duck did the work. The farmer stayed all day in bed. The duck fetched the cow from the field. "How goes the work?" called the farmer. The duck answered, "Quack!"
Premise/plot: The farmer in this story is lazy, fat, and selfish. Duck, our hero, is a hard worker whose work and dedication is appreciated by the animals--if not the farmer himself. The animals may just have a plan to rid the duck of an overseer who can only bellow HOW GOES THE WORK from afar.
My thoughts: It is the refrain HOW GOES THE WORK? QUACK! that has stuck with me through the years. Some picture books (some stories) are just super quotable--to one degree or another--and become part of our lives. (Like, "We ate our honey. We ate a lot, and now there is no honey in our honey pot." Or "It looked like pink ink.") I loved revisiting this one. ...more
First sentence: Once there was a river that flowed night and day, but it didn’t know it was a river...until...Bear came along. Bear was just being curFirst sentence: Once there was a river that flowed night and day, but it didn’t know it was a river...until...Bear came along. Bear was just being curious...
Premise/plot: Bear falls into an unexpected adventure...quite literally. He’s in for the ride of a lifetime...as he rides a log down the river. But he’s not alone in the turbulent waters—he’s continually being joined by other animals that soon become friends. What does the river have planned?!
My thoughts: I really loved the story and the illustrations. Especially the illustrations. I would say they are adorable. But that word has connotations for some people. (As does the word precious.) I don’t mean this is a super sticky sweet-sweet read. It’s not unbearable ...more
First sentence: Once upon a time there was a village child who was so pretty—so pretty as never was seen. Her mother was fair silly about her, and herFirst sentence: Once upon a time there was a village child who was so pretty—so pretty as never was seen. Her mother was fair silly about her, and her granny was sillier still.
Premise/plot: Beatrix Potter’s retelling of the folk tale is newly illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Don’t expect a happy ending for granny or Little Red.
My thoughts: This story is dark, dark, very dark. I won’t say it’s unrealistic. Sadly, it is. Not about wolves eating and cross dressing, but in people going missing, or being murdered. The world can be dangerous and dark; not all wolves appear as wolves.
I appreciated the language especially in the beginning before the darkness descends.
First sentence: Fry Bread is food./ Flour, salt, water/ Cornmeal, baking powder/ Perhaps milk, maybe sugar/ All mixed together in a big bowl.
Premise/pFirst sentence: Fry Bread is food./ Flour, salt, water/ Cornmeal, baking powder/ Perhaps milk, maybe sugar/ All mixed together in a big bowl.
Premise/plot: A Native American family celebrates a favorite, traditional food in this picture book written in poems. Fry Bread is Food; Fry Bread is Shape; Fry Bread is Sound; Fry Bread is Colorful; Fry Bread is Flavor; Fry Bread is Time; Fry Bread is Art; Fry Bread is History; Fry Bread is Place; Fry Bread is Nation; Fry Bread is Everything; Fry Bread is Us; Fry Bread is You.
My thoughts: The first five poems can be read literally. I get the sense that the poems are actually describing something real as opposed to figurative, symbolic, Artsy. The poems are rooted in the five senses. There is something special about these poems.
But the poems progressively become less literal and more symbolic. For some readers perhaps this shift becomes a grand magical thing—bring on the praise and acclaim. The book has transcended the ordinary and evolved into ART.
Fry Bread stands in for every native nation, every native tribe, every native tradition, every native art, every native family, every native individual.
I will be the first to admit that poetry isn’t quite my cup of tea. I like my poems easy to understand, a bit on the literal side. There are exceptions, of course there are, poems can transport readers emotionally even if you don’t grasp everything. You don’t know how the magic was done—just that it was. I didn’t love, love this one. The first five poems, yes, I could get on board. But by the end ... I wasn’t loving it.
It is not my place to be offended or to give my approval. But I didn’t really get the reducing of an entire ethnic group—groups in fact, since it’s a large, massive list of native tribes and nations—to one thing. Nor does it quite seem right that an individual could be reduced to just one thing. A person is more than one thing, especially when that one thing is food. I know I am probably overthinking and being too literal. But still. What is cute and praise worthy in this award winner might be taken too far if you start assigning food representatives to other ethnic groupings and cultures.
First sentence: This is for the unforgettable. The swift and sweet ones who hurdled history and opened a world of possible.
Premise/plot: Undefeated isFirst sentence: This is for the unforgettable. The swift and sweet ones who hurdled history and opened a world of possible.
Premise/plot: Undefeated is an illustrated poem written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The poem celebrates black lives and black history. To get the most of this one, it is essential, in my opinion, to read the back matter, specifically historical figures and events featured in The Undefeated.
My thoughts: If I had to describe this one in just a couple of words, I’d choose stunning for the illustrations and compelling for the text. The poem is masterfully written even when you haven’t taken the time to read the back matter and considered the context. The narrative style is just excellent. The illustrations are definitely have the wow factor. When you reread the book and examine the illustrations in light of the back matter, they are even more impressive. Together the text and illustrations are worthy of acclaim and the many awards and honors.
First sentence: One snowy December day, Duncan was making Christmas cards with his crayons when the mail carrier brought a letter, only it wasn’t for First sentence: One snowy December day, Duncan was making Christmas cards with his crayons when the mail carrier brought a letter, only it wasn’t for him...
Premise/plot: As a novelty Christmas book this one offers a good time, especially if your little one already loves Duncan’s crayons. It offers several built in activities: peach crayon paper doll with wardrobe, a game board, punch out Christmas ornaments, a dreidel to assemble, etc. The crayons receive a good amount of mail and a box of decorations is fetched from the attic.
My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. I recognize it for what it is—a novelty holiday themed read—not exactly great literature. The story is flimsy at best. But all the activities are cute. I loved the “recipe” that Beige receives from his parents for gluten free cookies. (Beige is now intolerant of gluten because he’s colored in too much wheat.) The first step is to go to the store and buy gluten free cookies. But there are four more steps.
First sentence: Pig was a pug and I’m sorry to say, when he went on vacation he’d cause great dismay.
Premise/plot: Pig the Pug has his own series. ItFirst sentence: Pig was a pug and I’m sorry to say, when he went on vacation he’d cause great dismay.
Premise/plot: Pig the Pug has his own series. It is a long series. Blabey is kept busy writing this and other series. The story is written in rhyme. In this adventure, Pig causes trouble, trouble, and more trouble.
My thoughts: I am not a fan of the series. I think the illustrations keep me from actually enjoying the books. The text is enjoyable enough. For little ones that do love the series, that do love dogs, that do like comic mischief...this one will probably be a hit.
First sentence: Thelma felt a little shocked. In fact, she felt quite torn. You see, she’d made the whole world sad—WE MISSED OUR UNICORN!
Premise/ploFirst sentence: Thelma felt a little shocked. In fact, she felt quite torn. You see, she’d made the whole world sad—WE MISSED OUR UNICORN!
Premise/plot: Thelma, our heroine, returns to “being” a unicorn, returns to the spotlight, in Blabey’s sequel. This time Thelma has the support of a very good friend, Otis.
My thoughts: I have not read the first book. (If I have it was so forgettable that I don’t remember doing so.) I enjoyed this one. I enjoyed Thelma and Otis. I thought the rhyming worked well. Did I love it? I would not go that far. Unicorns aren’t quite my thing. I thought it was cute and enjoyable. Little ones that do love all things unicorn will find it super appealing.
First sentence: Footsteps on the secret back stairs. The worst sound Miep Gies has ever heard.
Premise/plot: This one is a picture book biography of MFirst sentence: Footsteps on the secret back stairs. The worst sound Miep Gies has ever heard.
Premise/plot: This one is a picture book biography of Miep Gies, one of the young women who helped hide the Frank family (and the others in the secret annex) during the Second World War. She didn’t work alone, but she is responsible for rescuing the diary of Anne Frank after the families were discovered and captured. She kept the diary safe until it could be returned. Sadly, the father was the only one to survive. Miep returned the diary to him; it was published in the late 1940s.
My thoughts: I definitely feel that stories like this one need to be told and heard. All voices matter. Despite the picture book format, it is definitely for older readers—upper elementary students. The amount of text per page not to mention the subject matter makes this better suited for an older audience.
I am not sure which book I would recommend to introduce the subject of the Holocaust to children. This one or a picture book biography of Anne Frank might be a good choice. Then again, I love Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars.
Do you have a favorite book on the Holocaust? I think my introduction was The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom....more
First sentence: Mary Browne Robinson loved color. Even her name had a color in it. All she wanted was to paint.
Premise/plot: This is a picture book biFirst sentence: Mary Browne Robinson loved color. Even her name had a color in it. All she wanted was to paint.
Premise/plot: This is a picture book biography of Mary Blair, artist and animator. The picture book is slightly oversized, bright, bold, and beautiful. The book focuses on her art and career. It has just the right amount of text. It isn’t so text heavy that preschoolers couldn’t sit through it and enjoy. The subject matter is one that could easily appeal to readers of all ages. Recommended to the whole family.
My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. I was semi-familiar with her work and remembered which Disney films she worked on and influenced. I also remembered the connection to the It’s A Small World After All attraction. I loved this introduction to her work. I loved how stylized the illustrations were.
First sentence: How do you choose a favorite, a best?
Premise/plot: Don’t let the title confuse you. This book is not about having a favorite book. I rFirst sentence: How do you choose a favorite, a best?
Premise/plot: Don’t let the title confuse you. This book is not about having a favorite book. I repeat it is not about books or reading. It is an abstract concept book about having favorites. It encourages readers—potentially of all ages—to think about the subconscious process of having favorites, of choosing or preferring this to that. Why do you love what you love? How does something become your favorite? Is there a science to it? It is both simple, kid-friendly and complex. The text is simple enough in its rhyming that readers can enjoy it and interact with the book—the illustrations and text. But it can also be read at a much deeper level.
My thoughts: I definitely have favorites. Favorite authors. Favorite illustrators. Favorite subjects. Favorite genres. Favorite hobbies. Not to mention more obvious favorites—favorite foods, favorite drinks, favorite people. I have never really thought much about how or why. I am not sure that it’s necessary to do so...but it can be fun.
I really enjoyed the text. It was great that it works on multiple levels. I thought it was fun and playful.
First sentence: On her way home, Bear found three mushrooms.
Premise/plot: Bear and Weasel both love, love, love mushrooms. So when Bear brings three First sentence: On her way home, Bear found three mushrooms.
Premise/plot: Bear and Weasel both love, love, love mushrooms. So when Bear brings three mushrooms home, both are excited—but not excited to share. Bear thinks she should get two mushrooms since she found them. Weasel thinks he should get two mushrooms because he cooked them. Will these two friends stay friends if they can’t agree on what’s fair?!?!
My thoughts: This one was recently translated into English. I am not sure if many little ones would understand why anyone would fight over mushrooms!!! But all ages can relate to conflicts and fights over sharing and what is “fair”.
I love, love, love mushrooms. I do. I have had many many many conflicts over dividing up mushrooms fairly. I feel I have lived out this one! I think this story would get two thumbs up from any hobbit!!!
First sentence: Before there was you, there was only me, and life was becoming a little lonely. There were friends to laugh with and dogs to chase, buFirst sentence: Before there was you, there was only me, and life was becoming a little lonely. There were friends to laugh with and dogs to chase, but I still said a prayer as I pictured your face...
Premise/plot: This celebrity penned picture book celebrates sisterhood. The text is super sweet and super predictable. This one is safe to judge based on the cover. You get exactly what you’d expect. It is written in rhyme.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I didn’t love, love, love it. But I liked it. The text felt a little forced to me because of the rhyming. Sometimes it felt natural and smooth. Sometimes it was a bit awkward. It worked more than it didn’t. So overall I liked it.
First sentence: This is BABY. Let’s laugh and play and sing! What are the parts of BABY? Well, I’ll tell you EVERYTHING.
Premise/plot: This is Baby is First sentence: This is BABY. Let’s laugh and play and sing! What are the parts of BABY? Well, I’ll tell you EVERYTHING.
Premise/plot: This is Baby is a picture book—not a board book. This “concept” book “teaches” the parts of baby: eyes, ears, nose, lips, hips, toes, knees, etc. It sometimes rhymes, but not always. It rhymes just often enough that you come to expect it, enough that when it doesn’t it’s weird.
My thoughts: I think this is a great example of an almost for me. I think it would make much more sense as a board book. The intended audience should be toddlers and very young preschoolers. This in board book or cloth could be one of the first books you share with a little one on your lap. As a picture book, it doesn’t work as well for that young audience. By the time little ones are ready for picture books the subject matter is too babyish. The text isn’t that charming and delightful that it carries over to an older crowd. Now adults may actually care that it is by Jimmy Fallon, but that’s the last thing little ones would care about.
I didn’t hate the text. I didn’t. But I just wish Fallon could have made up his mind if the book was going to rhyme or not. Either would work.
Loading...
