Children's Book Reviews

Layers of Thought

2011-12-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

I was recently sent an unusual, compelling picture book. It is one of those books you can't say "no" to, reading it in-between holiday busyness! It's one I hope gets into the hands of many children, teachers, book shops, and librarians.

When Comes What Darkly Thieves is a handsome picture book reminiscent of the poetry-prose and illustrations of Kenneth Patchen and the illustrations of Charles Keeping. It is an insistent book in that it won’t let you put it down or let you stop thinking of the layers of meaning and nuances it holds within the deceptive slimness of the picture book format.

Author and illustrator Ben Rubin has managed to write a book that is intriguing for all ages from eight or ten to ninety eight. The literary prose dips into poetic form with word phrases that make the reader ponder and also think, “Brilliant!” The collage illustrations with deep mood, dark, and dream-like closely follow the text, marrying with it the tale of the Kind of Gypsies stealing moonbeams from the protagonist’s eyes. It is important for children to experience the darker tones of the color spectrum.

A teacher presenting a poetry unit has such a richness of material to draw upon, asking students questions, such as “What could ‘I want to be a trout.’ mean?” Or, “What would you feel as a trout?” This gives young people a wonderful platform to think outside the traditional box of poetry and write their own imaginative tales, dark or light, taking off from questions such as the one above. Parents will delight in reading aloud and discussing the book with their children. Or, how about making up one’s own tales and constructing collages on a long automobile journey or on a long holiday based on this tale? This is a must have, forever, book for one’s bookshelf.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T06:28:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a New Year full of reading, writing, and illustration abundance.

Raven in the Snow, Judith, 2011

Oh, How I Love Fantasy and Adventure Stories!

2011-10-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't written in a long time. That doesn't mean I haven't kept reading and enjoying children's books. It's just that I've been very busy working on 3 of my own. However, I couldn't pass up reviewing this series of books by Asya Pekurovskaya. Here are my reviews of books one & two. Look for more to come out in the series.

Spark, The Stone Man,Book One

Ah, a fantasy story in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Anderson, and J. R. R. Tolkein written by Russian author Asya Pekurovskaya and lovingly, creatively illustrated by Olga Titova! Spark the Stone Man lives on Granite Mountain, but he has dreams of adventure and of becoming a sculptor rather than just a traditional stonemason. When he discovers that there is a Coveted Path down to Lemon Drop Valley and that the secret is in his feet, he becomes, like all heroes on a journey, too tempted not to go down and explore. Once there, he is amazed by the sights, colors, smells, and varied inhabitants including a beautiful Yuska named Stella. Spark finds a magical machine, a wizard, friends, and intrigues in Lemon Drop Valley, but in the end he despairs that he will ever be able to go back down again as the King of Granite Mountain wants to de-magnetize the Coveted Path.

The hard back book is in 8 ½ x 11 format that is easy to handle and read. The illustrations in rich color and action beautifully enhance the text. It’s a treat to find such abundant illustrations in a middle grade book. The prose is exciting and leads the young reader deeper into the story. The author isn’t afraid to use detailed descriptions and “bigger” words for children to absorb as they learn, perhaps thinking they are only enjoying a story. The last sentence in the book reads, “Also, the author promises you that as soon as the book you hold in your hands has been read eighteen times, the new book will be waiting for you on the bedside table.” This is a promise well-kept for the young readers 8 – 13 years who will relish a fantasy, adventure series just for them as the second book is now out in publication, Spark, The Stone Man, Book Two. Teachers in grades 3 to 8 can use the book to read aloud, promote language development, enact, and use as a jump-start to creative writing. There are also Russian versions for bi-lingual learning.

ISBN: 978-0-9828487-1-5

www.an-animation.com

Spark, The Stone Man, Book Two

As promised this second book, Spark, the Stone Man in the series by Asya Pekurovskaya, deepens the adventures and dangers involving Spark, the citizens of Lemon Drop Valley, and especially Stella the Yushka who Spark tries to save from the attack by the Volchaks. In despair he wants to give up ever being in Lemon Drop Valley, but he knows he must carry on helping Stella and his friends, yet complying with the secrets of Granite Mountain. At the end of the book, he’s afraid he’s made things even worse.

This second book follows a more complicated plot than the first. The young reader will delight in following Spark’s further adventures. As in the first book, the illustrations richly enhance the story. Perhaps, in class or at home, the young child can be encouraged to design and illustrate maps and scenes of his own as well as dramatize the story. She can use the books as a jump start to her own creative writing. There is also a Russian version for bi-lingual learning. The website has further suggestions for the classroom. Also, based on the books, there can be an e-mail or snail mail pen pal exchange with young people in Russia. This book is a must on any home or classroom library shelf.

ISBN: 978-0982848739

www.an-animation.com

Children Can Recycle With Enthusiasm

2011-04-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's been another long while since I blogged. Well, it's because I've been busy finishing my own book and beginning 2 more! Recycling is close to my heart as it is something my son and I did when he was younger, not to mention its extreme importance to the health of our planet. So when Giovanna's book came to my attention, I couldn't resist. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

With humorous antics in the illustrations, Rickie the Raccoon Learns About Recycling is an enjoyable story that helps young children learn how they can help to recycle in their homes and schools.

Rickie is a hungry young raccoon who, one evening, searches for food in garbage cans. Instead he is startled and knocks over a big green bin. Clatter, clunk, crash out comes its contents. What is Rickie to do with such a mess? His friend Carmen the Cat comes out to help him. Will you be able to help Rickie read the symbols on the side of each bin? Author Giovanna Lagana writes with passion about recycling through her characters Rickie and Carmen. She is able to stretch the young child’s vocabulary, comprehension, and willingness about how he can contribute to recycling.

The colored pencil illustrations by Angela are amazing in their depth, detail, and texture as they enhance the text. They make one want to reach out and stroke the cat and raccoon. The pictures will help parents and teachers encourage children to make their own colored pencil drawings. Teachers and parents will also find this an inspiring book for their children with its suggested tips and directions for further research and activities, and it is highly recommended for young children, ages 3 - 10.

www.TabbyCatPress.com

Starting up again!

2010-03-23T17:29:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to have time to write book reviews again! And I have a most beautiful duo of books by Benrali to talk about. I think I will never lose my love for childrens' books even though I am not creating any at the moment, rather concentrating on my own fine art and my novel. Do look for Benrali's books as she is an exquisite artist and brings a unique perspective to verse. Turtle's Dream and Keys is currently available, and Manni will be out in a few weeks.

The Turtle's Dream and Keys

Was there a time when giant box turtles carried the Earth on their back? Jupiter dreams of that time after he emerges from his winter hibernation and stops to rest beneath the ivy. He imagines what it was like to live in pre-historic times. Did strawberries grow then? He loves to eat them. The young reader will be enchanted to imagine along with Jupiter, the box turtle. He will also enjoy looking for the various dinosaurs, insects, and land and sea animals. Will he count time with the box turtle clock?

Benrali is an inspired, unique artist who illustrates in etchings, pen and ink, and Photoshop. Her intricate illustrations beckon the reader to pour over each page following the patterns and rich depictions of each object. This book is highly recommended for both home and school libraries, and is one that may well be kept into adulthood.

Only1earth, Inc., 2008

ISBN: 9780976335429

Manni: From a World Beyond Stars

Manni becomes separated from the other newly hatched sea turtles. How will he find his friends again? Will be be safe from dangers in the sea and on the land? A coconut finds Manni and they travel together, but how can a coconut be his friend and guide? You will be delighted to find out. Benrali weaves a poignant tale with both her words and pictures. Unlike any other picture book that rhymes, Benrali has written this picture book in the form of a ghazal, an Arabic, Indo-Persian form of poetry, which consists of rhyming couplets throughout the entire song or poem. It is a lovely rhythm, which falls easily off the tongue when read aloud.
The illustrations are superb, rich, ethereal, and jewel-like with muted silvers, blues, and corals executed in a combination of etching, pen and ink, and Photoshop. The young reader will take pleasure in following the intricacies of the patterns of trees and sea flora and fauna. He can also have fun spotting and naming the different creatures on each page. This book will be a valuable addition to a child's growing library and will be read and enjoyed from ages three through eight.
Dream Beyond Time, 2008
ISBN: 9780976335436

Last Post For Awhile

2009-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

With deep sadness I've decided to stop doing children's book reviews until such time that I have more time! My days are now consumed with the final revision of my YA into Adult novel [about Lancelot & Guinevere in the time of the Dark Ages, when the real Arthur lived and the legends began], painting projects, and helping Art Bachrach write his book on the inimitable Millicent Rogers. That's on top of my day job and running my vacation rental casita! So, something had to give.
I shall miss the book treasures that come into my mailbox from time-to-time and the wonderful alliance with Sylvan-Dell publishers ~ not to mention this connection with children and their literature. Yet, as an avid reader, I know I shall keep up with the latest and best.
I will leave this blog going so that you may refer to past books. All the best in your own future creativity!
Judith

Books that travel

2008-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been a few months since I've written a book review. The wait is worth it for me as this new book by Micah Linton is a rare find. It just showed up in my mailbox one day! It almost makes me wish I were back teaching first grade in an inter-city school in Richmond, California where I had 8 different cultures and languages in my classroom as well as special needs. This volume would have been a wonderful tool in encouraging the children to create verbal and written language to enhance the fantastic illustrations that Micah Linton has created. I'm passing the set on to a friend who has grandchildren in Peru. I know she will have fun helping them to "read" the stories! Imagine the book in Peru!. Art, my boss at the bookshop said that someone contacted him who had found one of our shop bookmarks in Afganistan! Books do travel & are shared around the world. I wish each of you a most Happy Holiday Season, and Happy Reading in the new year!

Weebeastology Volume I

This three-story book set seems an enigma at first glance, as there are no written words except for the titles. Then, it becomes a beloved tale as the reader wanders into a new mythical land at the beginning of time where elves, gnomes, trolls, pixies, and other creatures are the weebeasts that explore, settle the land, and begin their own traditions and culture. This first volume in a projected series is an origin tale with the words to be filled in by the young reader, encouraging language development and a never-ending realm of storytelling where the child will make up names and adventures for the characters.

Micah Linton’s imaginative story and illustrations are vivid, compelling, and extraordinary. The rich watercolor illustrations allow the reader’s imaginative eye to roam, filling in the story as she goes. For instance in one illustration a weebeast is on a cliff opposite huge colorful beasts (or are they monsters?), on another cliff. What will happen? What is the weebeast saying? This set of books is a valuable contribution to a family library, a classroom language development center, and can be especially useful in an English as a Second Language setting. If you visit the web site, you will find even more delightful information as well as a weebeast plush toy to add to a child’s imaginative play. Weebeastology is highly recommended for children as young as preschoolers, who love to pour over pictures, up to middle to young high schoolers in an ESL or special education classes. Enjoy your read!

Author and Illustrator: Micah Linton
Beast Stew, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-9801888-1-3
www.beaststew.com

Paperdoll Fun

2008-08-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that paper dolls aren't abundant in the stores now like when I was little. I had a huge collection of them, including favorites from other countries. I loved looking at and playing with the exotic costumes from places like Austria, Japan, and Africa. So, when Cat Whipple asked me to review her book about Indian Kitty and powwow dances, I jumped at the chance. I love the costumes. Do go to Cat's website below and look at her special book, and buy it.

Speaking of cats, I adopted two this week, a brother, Rudy, and a sister, Mimi. They belonged to Virginia Dooley who sadly passed away this last spring. Virginia had been a friend of the late Navajo artist, R. C. Gorman (R = Rudolph/ the cat Rudy after R.C.), and I worked at Gorman's Estate Auction this past week and heard of the cats. I said I'd have them sight unseen, & I haven't seen them since they came home as they are hiding in my attic space. However, I can hear them gallupeting up there! I'll let you know how they are doing and post photos when they come down & let me take a picture.

Have a super Labor Day!

Indian Kitty Powwow Princess

This unique book is such a pleasure to have in your home or school library as it is a combination paper doll and picture book with an excellent section explaining how powwows work. Indian Kitty is a powwow princess who is representing her tribe at powwows for a whole year. She has dance outfits that include a jingle dress as well as her pretty and practical daily clothes. There are also delightful accessories for Indian Kitty like her cell phone, a dance fan, and more. The “Indian Kitty Princess Powwow Guide” shows kitty dancers in action and defines different dances, how dances work, and powwow dance etiquette.

Cat Whipple has as author and illustrator has created an exceptional niche with this book that allows young readers to interact by playing with the Indian Kitty paper doll while learning about an important aspect of Native American tradition. Cat’s digital art will draw a child in with its straightforward shapes and lovely color combinations, effortlessly blending the modern and traditional. Her photos with kittens dancing are both fun and informative. Young children may even enjoy creating additional costumes on their own for Indian Kitty. This is a highly recommended book for a child, a Native American unit in a classroom for ages 7 – 10, or for the child in you of any age.

Author and Illustrator: Cat Whipple
EAN-13: 978143824254
http://www.paperdollcats.com

Mysteries & Model Trains

2008-07-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

I am especially fond of this book for two reasons. Shh, don't tell, but I read mysteries for relaxation in-between my books for research and the "heavier" fiction! Mysteries, while some are light reading, others vie with mainstream fiction in quality prose, plot, and character studies. such as Martin Cruz Smith's Rose. I also related to the book because my Uncle Ralph was a model train maker. He would go out across the country and world and photograph old trains, then go home and lovingly built scale models of each train. Uncle Ralph was quiet, and never talked much about this exquisite hobby. My cousin recently called me to tell me that this last spring Ralph was honored at a model train convention in Washington, DC. What a wonderful legacy. Do read this book to see how mysteries and model trains create great reading fun. I do hope Nancy Means Wright will write more sequels!

The Great Circus Train Robbery
A Northern Spy Mystery

Who stole Spence’s antique circus train cars? Was it Juniper Boomer like Zoe suspects? And, where does Hackberry the circus clown fit into all of this? There are more questions than answers as Zoe is determined to solve a mystery in order to become a lieutenant in her brother Kelby’s Northern Spy Club. Zoe is a daring and adventurous girl, while her friend Spence is determined to solve the mystery of his missing train cars. Together they do an amazing job of deduction and of following clues until the mystery is solved.

Nancy Means Wright continues her award winning adventures of Zoe Elwood, girl detective, in this fun and page-turning sequel to The Pea Soup Poisonings. It is well plotted and the characters are likeable and fascinating like Sweet Gum the monkey with pierced ears. The setting in Vermont, as well as the behind the scenes in the circus are fun to get to know. Readers age 8 to 12, will delight in this book and all of Zoe’s adventures. All readers will eagerly want yet another in this series. What a welcome addition to a home or classroom library!

Author: Nancy Means Wright
Hilliard Harris, Boonsboro, MD, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59133-245-9
www.nancymeanswright.com

Summer Sizzling Reads!

2008-06-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

I get excited about the seasonal changes. What I like about summer is more time in the garden. This morning I was planting out my pumpkin and pea seedlings and watering them, plus the tomatoes. A cheeky magpie buzzed over my head and settled himself to watch me for a bit while the bumblebees buzzed away in the comfrey plant! See The Best Nest below for how magpies build their nests. That's what I love about Sylvan Dell books, I learn something new every time I read one. When a bundle comes in the mail for me to review, it's like Christmas.
This morning I went on the local radio station to review three more children's books. Highly recommended for teens of all ages (wink) is the award winning Alexie Sherman's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. A mystery, adventure set in South Africa, for 8- 12 year olds is The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John. A fun picture book is The Great Fuzzy Frenzy by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. When a tennis ball falls down a prarie dog hole, well, you can imagine the fun, chaos, and frenzy it creates!
I have some more books coming up soon. In the meantime Happy First Day of Summer, and happy summer reading!

Kersplatypus

Down under, in Australia, there is a creature who doesn’t know who he is or where he belongs. His friends, Bushtail Possum, Wallaby, Blue-Tongued Skink, and Kookaburra kindly try to help him, but he just keeps falling “KERSPLAT!” Old Bandicoot says he’s a Platypus, but where does he belong? Young readers will enjoy following Kersplatypus’ adventures as he searches the Australian landscape for his identity.

Author Susan K. Mitchell has brought some of the animals and the geography of Australia alive for children in a most delightful way. The illustrations by Sherry Rogers highlight the story, plus give an extra depth and richness, so that you feel as if your are right there with the animals. The story is not only fun to read, but also informative. The activities in the back give children and classrooms added fun in animal recognition and geography. This book is highly recommended for children ages 3-7.

‘Twas the Day Before Zoo Day

What happens to animals in the zoo when there are no people there to observe them? This engrossing book by author Catherine Ipcizade takes us behind the scenes at the zoo the day before people arrive. The text is in humorous and informative verse depicting varying animals’ behavior and habits. You meet monkeys, rhinos, llamas, lions, alligators, and elephants, to name a few.

Ben Hodson’s illustrations are a delight as he adds extra touches and more fun. Watch each zookeeper’s shoulders for their pets and the pets’ antics! The creative pages at the end of the book add even more information, questions to answer, and a matching activity. Wouldn’t it be fun for a classroom to playact the different jobs people can have at a zoo? Likewise, children at home will enjoy mimicking the animals or just curling up reading the book either by themselves or with mom and dad. A must have for a home or classroom library for ages 3 – 7.

The Best Nest

Maggie Magpie is an excellent nest builder, so all the other birds want to learn from her in order to protect their own eggs better. However, do they learn, and if so how much? Not only does the young child learn how each of the eleven birds build their nests, but they also become budding bird watchers as each bird and its habitat are illustrated in loving detail by illustrator Sherry Neidigh.

It is obvious that author Doris L. Mueller has put great thought into the building of her story, and young readers will eagerly follow along with Maggie as she takes time to teach her sometimes-impatient bird pupils. You can imitate the dove’s sounds, and perhaps your teacher or parents can help you find recordings of the other bird songs as part of a classroom or home activity. Other information, facts, and a “Match the Nest Activity” are included. This is a fun and engaging book for ages 3 – 8.

Animals Are Sleeping

This quiet, lovely book by author Suzanne Slade is all the richer for its simple style and prose. The reader immediately relaxes with the first words, “Shhh…shhh…” Each page or double-page spread has a different animal showing how it sleeps. It also becomes a guessing game as the animals are not named in the text, yet there are sorting cards in the back to copy and match to each animal, naming them in turn.

The illustrations by artist Gary R. Phillips have soft muted nighttime colors with a sculptural effect creating just the right tone for the sleeping animals. It makes you wish you could pick up each animal to cuddle. Because of the simplified text, this book would make an excellent early reader, so that reading and writing time can be based on this book as part of a larger unit on animal behavior. This exquisite book is highly recommended for ages 2 – 7.

How Do We Cope With Our Disabilities?

2008-03-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

When I think about it, we all have a disabilities, even if it's for a day when it's one of those "bad hair days." Here I, in no way, want to make light of major disabilities. I have taught special ed and so know what youngsters have to deal with, especially when they are aware of what makes them different. However, it's how we perceive ourselves that makes the difference, plus how we can creatively deal with that difference. It is especially important for parents and teachers to help each child turn her disability into a positive experience. On the day my son showed up in preschool with his patch and glasses, the kindly teacher had gone to the trouble of rounding up 20 pair of glasses so each child in the school could wear glasses just like Douglas! In Jenny's book the mom helped Jenny Sue decorate her patches and glasses! What fun. I have a blind friend who used his disability to become a therapist for disabled people! I admire him and his work. And, those poignant stories about how the disabled men and women coming back from war heroically overcome and compensate for their severe injuries, make one's heart warm.
I do hope you are having a wonderful start to Spring. Isn't it fun to watch the weather change and the first bulbs and flowers push their way through what was just a few weeks ago frozen earth, at least here in Taos!

My Travelin' Eye

This cheerful picture book by new author Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw is dear to my heart as my son also has a wandering or travelin’ eye. I wish I’d had this book when he had to wear a patch and glasses to school for the first time. Jenny Sue, in a loving manner, portrays, through her text and illustrations, what it is like for a child with a travelin’ eye. In this semi-autobiography of herself as a little girl Jenny Sue describes how she saw the world with each eye and the gift each eye gave to her, one an artist and the other a navigator. However, when she had to wear a patch and glasses, how did she cope with suddenly seeing in a different way and with the pointing of the other children? Young readers will be entranced to find out.
The mixed media illustrations are delightful and inspire children to turn the pages just to see what they can find in each picture: counting opportunities, finding objects, and trying Jenny Sue’s art activities. Teachers and parents will also find this an inspiring book for their children with wandering eyes, or for a unit on understanding disabilities. This picture book is highly recommended for young children, ages 3-8.

How Do We Teach Children?

2008-01-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

I was a teacher of young children for over four decades, so this may seem like a superfluous question for me to ask. However, when it comes to the question of how do we teach young children about eating in a healthy way counteracting the now rampant childhood obesity, we are in a new territory of learning behavior and need new ways to show children how to live a more healthy lifestyle. What better way than with a humorous, adventure story! Children always learn better by example and story than by lecture and lessons. So do adults, and hat is why the Chicken Soup for the Soul series has done so well. Kudos to Manny Alfaro for creating this first in a book that I hope will turn into a series. It has been a delight working with Manny in our correspondence about the book. If you want to see more about Griego and Manny, visit his web site www.GriegotheGreat.com.

Griego the Great

Do you know what a green goopally glob is? When you read this adventure of Griego the Great and the Green Goopally Goop, you too will know and begin to love the rascally glob named Globby. Griego is a young boy who loves adventures, particularly playing knights and dragons with his dog Nacho. Imagine his surprise when a glob falls out of the sky right on his head on his way to market one day. At the market Globby proceeds to get Griego into trouble by eating too much. How does Griego solve his dilemma?

This tale by Manny Alfaro is witty and poignant at the same time. Young readers will have fun with all the alliteration, and may even make a tongue twisting game from some of the many words that start with “G”. Do try saying the title rapidly. Yet, the story goes deeper and addresses a current, distressing issue in our society, that of children not eating healthily the result of rampant childhood obesity. Artist, David Harrington, in his appealing graphics style, marries the paintings well with the text, including more humor and expressiveness. Will Griego have adventures in future books? We will hope so. As well as a fun, learning book for a child to own, this book would go well in a classroom unit on health and foods, especially for second and third grades. Highly recommended.

Science is always fun with Sylvan Dell!

2008-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

I always have such joy reading the Sylvan Dell books. This batch is no exception. I wish these books had been around when I was a little girl, or even when my children were little. Back then we observed nature and did the rote math our teachers required daily, however, it was never explained in a fun, engaging way. Incredibly as I grow older, I am amazed how much I am continuing to learn from these books. For instance I knew that lizard's tails could grow back, but to have a story about it, enriches it so!
A book was published in paper back last year, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. It addresses how in our modern society our children are becoming nature deprived. One thing that Sylvan Dell books do is to keep nature (science & math too) alive for us and our children. What a New Year's gift these can be. May your New Year bring you all your dreams

Julie the Rockhound

What child doesn’t collect rocks at one time or another, especially the shiny and unusual ones? That makes all children rockhounds like Julie in this most interesting story that proficiently explains what quartz crystals are and how to find them. Young readers will enjoy learning about the properties and growth of crystals. Yes, crystals do grow! Author Gail Langer Karwoski has done a splendid job of taking a scientific concept and creating an absorbing story around it.
Artist Lisa Downey’s detailed pencil drawings add so much to the story, making it easy for readers to visualize what Julie and Dad talk about on their hunt for rocks. For instance, where Dad explains, “It takes a VERY long time...to grow.” The illustrations show the ascending scale of a quartz crystal’s growth. The activities in the back of the book are both informative and enjoyable. The book is highly recommended for the rockhounds in any home or classroom, ages 6 – 10.
and more!

My Even Day

If you read One Odd Day and enjoyed it, you will also delight in this companion book, My Even Day. Authors Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed have continued showing math concepts in a wonderful, zany story. It’s zany in an irresistible imaginative way guaranteed to catch the attention of the reader who will be drawn into counting the six wings on a trio of lions or the Scramblesaurus with ten eyes! What is a Scramblesaurus? Read the book to discover it and its number of features. Like in the first book, the writing is in rhyme that flows easily, and the even numbers are in bold type for beginning readers.
Illustrator Karen Lee nicely integrates all of the numeric concepts in fanciful paintings with movement, rhythm, and humor! The activities at the back challenge children to count, multiply, and solve riddles. Children from Kindergarten to Second Grade will take to this book, not only for math, but also for beginning reading skills and enjoyment above all. Highly recommended.

Little Skink’s Tail

Oh no, Little Skink’s Tail is stolen! She is scared and sad. Can she get another tail? What kind of tail would she like next? A skunk’s tail, a turtle’s tail, an owl’s tail? No tails she sees in the forest seems just right. Luckily, she is a lizard. Do you know how lizards get their tails? This book will tell you.
Author Janet Halfmann and Illustrator Laurie Allen Klein do a splendid job in telling this tale and in painting not only Little Skink, but also all of the forest and its inhabitants. Therefore, the young reader will learn all about a whole woodland habitat. One matching activity in the back goes further in explaining the uses of many other animal’s tails, for instance a rabbit raises its cottontail to tell other rabbits about trouble ahead. This book is a terrific addition to a home or classroom, ages 5 - 8. Just think how wonderful a forest or lizard unit would be in a classroom. One can just see a diorama created by children based on the book!

Back Again With a Delightful Book!

2007-12-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

I've been so amiss! As I opened my blog to post this review I was shocked that I hadn't done a review since July! In truth I got waylaid by doing my own art and writing and taking some courses toward my own creative goals. So, that is the great news. I finished the first draft of my transitional historical novel (YA into adult) and have completed four paintings.
Last summer the Oddie book followed me from London! I wish I had received it there as I would have rung the Oddie office and gone into meet the delightful staff that I have been e-mailing, especially Kate Bright who has been so patient and friendly. Next time I'm there I will for sure. As I told Kate if I had grandchildren I would have the whole series of Oddie books and the socks and posters to match. They are not only fun, but draw children into reading! For those in America a few of the titles can be found, just ask at your local independent book store!

The Story of Oddie World

Now just where do all of our odd socks go? I bet you have looked everywhere for that lost sock: under your bed, in the laundry hamper, in the doggie’s bed. Well, in The Story of Oddie World, author – illustrator tells us just where the socks do go. They go to Oddie World.

In the story, a wizard just does not know what to do with his squabbling daughters, one a naughty witch and the other a good fairy. So he decides to make a good spell called Oddies to make people the best of friends. Does the spell work? How do we get to Oddie World? It is a delightful experience to read the book to find out.

The paperback book is in a 15 x 17 mm (6 x 6½ inch) format, easy for young beginning readers to hold while they look at the colorful graphic illustrations where the socks have wonderful body language and facial expressions. The prose flows and is in lovely harmony with the illustrations. This will be a happy read for children from 3 – 7 who will clamour to read all of the Oddie World books, such as Ballet Oddie and Horse Rider Oddie, for after all odd socks become to look like their owners. This book is highly recommended for children’s home libraries as well as classroom libraries.

Author and Illustrator: Grant Slatter
Oddies Limited, London, Great Britain, 2004
ISBN: 1-904745-11-3
www.oddieworld.com

Adventures in song (and England)

2007-07-27T02:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm in London visiting my son and doing some research on my own books! I lived here for 12 years in the 70's, so it really is more like coming home for me. I'll only be traveling out of London once this time, to do some research in Stratford upon Avon & to visit a writer friend in Suffolk. My artist friend, my best friend here, Elly, will come up to London to visit with me & we'll spend the day chattering away & visiting the Summer Show at the Royal Academy of Art!

My very first blog featured a delightful book called Hello, I'm Sir Frettirick! Now I have the great pleasure of reviewing the CD that Lou Stratten created to accompany the book! I wished I had the set when I was teaching. I know my little students would have loved singing along while the read the book. I'm not that much of a musician, but I think Lou has a terrific, clear singing voice. How can you not want to join in singing with her!

Hello, I’m Sir Frettirick! CD

The Hello, I’m Sir Frettirick! book now has a delightful CD to accompany it. All young readers will enjoy this addition and will follow the words in the book as Lou Stratten sings the very clear and understandable lyrics to them on the CD. The rhythm is so enthusiastic that one wants to immediately tap one’s foot and sing along.

The book written by Lou Stratten and illustrated by Lou and Sal Denaro has delightful multi-colored text with vivacious collage pictures. The characters, Fretti, Lion, Mama Bear, and Skunkooney in collage are as friendly and cuddly as their counterpart puppets are in person.

Lou Stratten’s talents have a wide range aimed not only to entertain young children, but also to educate. In the book and on the CD the young child learns part of the alphabet and about under water creatures, sounds, musical instruments, and recycling. All home and preschools would welcome the book and CD set for their young readers and listeners, ages 2 to 7.

Helping Children

2007-07-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

My passion is helping children, and my goal is to do that through my own writing and art. It stems from my being abused as a child. Like many children I was made to be quiet, so quiet I didn't even know I had been abused. As an adult fragments of memories came to the surface, memories I can't even prove, but they were so strong I know they are real. And, the perpetrator, a relative has long ago passed away. As a teacher too I saw many cases of abuse and neglect in the children I taught, some I could help directly, others I just had to hope and pray that they would be helped at some point. That's why when this excellent book about a parrot who saves children came through my mailbox I was eager to review it. I've spoken with Officer Mike, a soft-spoken man, also with passion in his voice for catching the "baddies." I am so thankful he cares so much. Don't you wish there were more super hero parrots out there saving each and every child in this world from emotional, mental, and physical abuse as well as neglect, homelessness, starvation, and lack of medical help? I do!

The Adventures of Officer Byrd, Get Help!

How can a macaw (parrot) from the rainforest of South America become a police officer in Los Angeles? You’ll enjoy reading this exciting, helpful book about Officer Byrd to discover how and why. Office Byrd’s mission and passion is to help kids. Oh, yes, he also has super powers! Like a true super hero, he uses his powers for good to catch the bad guys, especially those who harm children.

Author Mike Simonsen, Officer Mike in the book, has the same passion as his pet macaw. His goal is to stop abusers of children. As a result, he has written this first in a planned series of books about Officer Mike and Officer Byrd in the L.A.P.D. In real life, they present programs to schoolchildren through their Officer Byrd Non-profit organization.

Accompanying the Mike’s suspenseful text are detailed, action-oriented illustrations created by Stephanus Dharma. The pictures are fun and informative, adding much to the text. Readers will enjoy seeing the computer generated illustrations from photos. You feel like you are not only right in the rain forest and Los Angeles, but that you know the main characters as friends and protectors.

This is a much-needed and highly important book for children of any school age from pre-school through upper grades. As well parents, grandparents, teacher, caregivers, counselors, and authorities in law and law enforcement, indeed anyone connected with children, will be well informed by this book. Units in the class and discussions with children can be based on it. Kudos to Michael Simonsen and Stephanus Dharma for helping our children through this book and their presentations! Extra applause to the real Officer Byrd! (See link for Officer Byrd's website)

Cool Summer Reading!

2007-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's hot here in Taos. We are in the middle of the Southwest heat wave with not a sign yet of our usual monsoons. So it was an extra pleasure to be able to review two of Sylvan-Dell's latest books about the ocean, and receiving the impression of coolness. Yet, I can't complain as my adobe house stays cool inside! Hooray for natural building materials!
As always I'm having fun reviewing the books for Sylvan, and hope you can read them for your summer reading fun too.

In My Backyard

Children will have fun reading this book, probably not even realizing that at the same time they are learning about the animals they can see close by their homes. They will also have fun counting the baby animals. In My Backyard presents ten different animals in their backyard habitat. Author Valerie Giogas uses rhyming and some alliteration in her pleasurable and informative text.

Katherine Zecca’s illustrations entrance the eye not only with lifelike renderings of the animals up close, but also with their habitats. For instance the squirrels are snuggled in their tree trunk nest or the moles move about in their burrows. The activities in the book will keep a child or classroom busy and happy while learning. One engrossing thing a child or preschool class can do is look for the “signs” that animals leave to show they are around. What a treasure hunt that will be! Recommended for children two years through seven years.

A Day in the Salt Marsh

Why are salt marshes important? This question is posed on one of the activity pages. This beautiful books answers just that query. A salt marsh can stretch for miles with a seeming simplicity, yet this book points to the teeming symbiotic salt marsh life nearly hidden out of sight. A Day in the Salt Marsh takes the young reader hour by hour through the day, watching the changes as the tide goes in and out.

Author Kevin Kurtz has compiled a vast array, in rhyme, of fascinating information about life in the salt marsh. Illustrator Consie Powell perfectly matches the text with her triads of illustrations of every foldout page. Each one shows a different aspect of the highlighted animal or plant, such as the dolphin close up, dolphins breaking water in the distance, and the above and below water life nearby! Each section of illustration flows into the other. The book will create in young readers who live inland from coasts and the Gulf a desire to visit them someday. In the meantime, a great unit can be formed with just the information presented here. A fascinating read for children 3 – 7.

Burro’s Tortillas

If children like the nursery tale “Little Red Hen,” they will love Terri Field’s Spanish version in Burro’s Tortillas! This humorous tale of a burro who works hard to pick his corn and takes it through the process until the corn kernels becomes delicious tortillas. Yet, his friends bobcat, coyote, and jackrabbit aren’t interested in helping with the hard work until it comes time to eat the tortillas! The book introduces Spanish words like “tortilla”, “metate”, “yo no”, and “mis amigos”. What a delightful way to learn aspects of another culture and language. In addition, there is a recipe for tortillas in the activity section.

Sherry Rogers’ entertaining illustrations are back with Sylvan Dell in this welcomed book. Children will eagerly spot baby burro in each spread, though he is not mentioned in the text. A preschool or early elementary class will have fun with a corn-growing unit, ending with the making of tortillas. A delightful, must have book for home and school libraries.

Ocean Seasons

Accurately sweet illustrations and edifying text pull the reader into Ocean Seasons. The book travels through the seasons in the ocean, particularly the northern Pacific ocean. It highlights animals, their habits, habitats, and their particular place in the food chain. As an example larger fish dine on smaller fish that dine on shiny plankton.

There is a lyricism in author Ron Hirschi’s prose, while Kirsten Carlson’s illustrations have a soft movement to match. Children will enjoying copying and playing with the food cards in the activity section while parents and teachers can lead children into deeper study with the mini-encyclopedic pages to follow. This book is highly recommended for children 3 – 7.

More Winners from Sylvan Dell!

2007-05-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

I so much enjoy my correspondence with the folks at Sylvan Dell as they are friendly and cheerful. That's why their books are so up-beat and heart-warming. Their latest publications are just as gladdening. And, now I'm able to watch the progress of their authors and illustrators as I am reviewing some second and third books of authors and illustrators.
When I was a child I lived in a valley in-land from the coast of northern California, but we often went to the Coast as we called it. I didn't know then about keeping a journal of sketches, writings, and photos, but we did collect shells, build sand castles, check the tide pools for starfish, abalone, and crabs, and play jump rope with seaweed. My favorites were all the shards of pottery and glass. I imagined that they were washed up from sunken treasure ships as I was into reading Treasure Island in those days and my best friend's great-grandparents had exotically moved to California via ship around Cape Horn, instead of across land like the pioneers.
I taught my children to observe and collect at the seashores of California, Britain, and Costa Rica, though never to harm life or take anything if it were a nature preserve. Next time I'm at a seashore I shall journal too, and encourage any child I'm with to do the same! Besides journaling is more environmentally friendly!
I know you'll enjoy these latest books from Sylvan Dell:

In Arctic Waters

What an enjoyable way to learn about Arctic sea and land animals in this rhyming tale! The book, created by author Laura Crawford, has the cadence and cumulative story of the rhyme “The House That Jack Built.” It is wonderful that the charm and humor in the book is such that a young child can easily identify with each animal.

Ben Hodson’s paintings wed the rhyming text perfectly. Children will delight in the expressions of each animal, expressions that tell the tale as much as the text. At the end of the book there is a mini encyclopedia where the inquisitive child can learn more about each animal. It can also be the basis of a classroom unit. Highly recommended for ages three to seven.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Yum, a rainforest cookie recipe, informative sidebars, and luscious illustrations, make this lovely book a keeper! The text by author Susan K. Mitchell is a cumulative rhyme that takes the reader through life in the rainforest from giant trees to tiny insects and frogs. It highlights both plants and animals.

Connie McLennan’s illustrations are both rich and informative. Children will enjoy the variations of subject and texture in the paintings, perhaps discovering small plants and insects not mentioned in the text. The book is a marvelous blend of text and illustration. Besides the recipe there are two matching games at the back. The only missing element is the musical score, for the verse, which is adapted from the old English cumulative folk song, “The Tree In The Wood.” Children ages 3 to 7 will delight in this book, which will be enjoyed for years to come in both home and classroom libraries.

Turtle Summer, a Journal for my Daughter

This book presents a charming idea for a parent and child: to keep a nature scrapbook. Mary Alice Monroe has written this enchanting journal of a mother and daughter’s summer surveillance for loggerhead sea turtles on their beach. While watching the turtle nests, they observe and sketch nature’s other offerings at the seashore. Like a family photo album, it is an intimate book.

Photographer Barbara J. Bergwerf teamed with Mary Alice Monroe to add exceptional and informative photos, including one of Carolina from the previous Sylvan Dell book, Carolina’s Story: Sea Turtle’s Get Sick Too! This is a splendid mixture of photos, drawing, and text. Children, ages 4 – 9 will relate to this book and its activities, hopefully clamoring to create a similar journal with their siblings and parents.

ABC Safari

Author Karen Lee has come through again in ABC Safari! Like her previous books, One Odd Day and My Even Day, she offers a fun way to learn. This time it is the alphabet on a safari journey to meet animals around the world. A boy and his parrot, like the young reader, unobtrusively observe each animal in its habitat. Can you spot the boy in each picture?

Ms. Lee paints each animal accurately and to scale in its environment. This is an important feature for the young reader to learn size and scale. The rhyming text flows to an easy beat so that a teacher could use each animal’s verse for movement or dramatization. The animal flash cards at the end of the book are a brilliant addition. Pre-readers will enjoy identifying each animal. Quite highly recommended for ages 2 to 7.

Let's not smoke....

2007-05-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

I intensely dislike anyone preaching or lecturing me, so I try not to do it to others. However, when it comes to smoking I will get on a tiny soapbox. Why? Because both my parents died of smoking related diseases. It was awful to see that unnecessary suffering, especially in a family with considerable longevity. Each year I'm astonished to still see so many young people out in public smoking. That makes me so sad for them, their health, and for those who suffer the second hand smoke. I hope that Cliff Beaman's book, aimed for the ten year and up age group, those most susceptible to think that smoking is cool, will be used to help people understand that it isn't cool, just dangerous.
I'm not a scientist, but I was wondering the other day, that if all smoking stopped on the planet how much would that reduce global warming? It certainly would help to some degree!

The Boy Who Grew Too Small
Author: Cliff Beaman
High-Pitched Hum Publishing, Jacksonville, FL
ISBN: 09777290-4-4, $12.95, 51 pages, ppbk, 2006
www.highpitchedhum.net

The Boy Who Grew Too Small: is it a tale in five minutes or three days? Jeremy thinks smoking is cool when he notices the big high school boys puffing away. Lance, a new teen in town, gives him a pack of cigarettes. Should he try them? Follow Jeremy’s escapades and discover what he finds out as he shrinks more everyday.
Cliff Beaman has written an un-apologetic tale about the hazards of smoking for young kids. It is peppered with his colorful, lively drawings that add fun and drama to the story. On his website Mr. Beaman describes the assemblies he does for elementary students where he draws to the delight of the audience while showing the children how smoking is harmful, and not cool. For a chance to watch him draw go to http://www.americanartassemblies.com . This book would be an important addition to health or social studies classes as well as a tool parents can use when talking to their children about not smoking. Recommended for ages 10 and older.

Interview With Eric Maisel!

2007-05-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this interview! I trust you are too. The answers Eric has given to my questions are so thoughtful - better than hoped for. Read and enjoy!

JN: How can we maintain daily creativity and a positive outlook in the face of the long process, rejections, the inevitable doubts, and the plethora of conflicting attitudes from society and the publishing world?

EM: This is THE question, isn’t it? First, we have to say, “I love you, work,” even on days when we hate the work, hate the process, and hate our life. That is, we have to get a grip on our own mind and demand that we enter into a loving relationship with our work, because if we don’t, if there is no love there, we will not have the motivational juice to
continue in the face of all of the obstacles you accurately named.

Second, I think that we have to keep visualizing success—visualizing a shelf full of our books, so to speak—to keep reminding ourselves that we have a long writing life available to us and that many successes (along with all the inevitable defeats and disappointments) may be in our future. Remaining in love and visualizing success are two of the many strategies we need to employ to keep ourselves going.

JN: Are Ten Zen Seconds techniques appropriate for children, or should adults only employ them in working with children?

EM: They are absolutely appropriate for children and especially useful for teenagers, as “getting a grip on your own mind” can’t happen too early. Rather than doing things impulsively, one of the hallmarks of childhood, a child can learn to grow still, center, and make decisions—about not doing drugs, about not hanging with this person or that person, about not “needing” to be popular, and so on—from a much stronger place.
As a rule, we fail to teach our children what they actually need to know, including anything at all about “meaning making” and existential matters, and the TZS technique supports exactly that sort of learning.

JN: How can Ten Zen Seconds enhance a child's creativity and learning, say
as opposed to an adult?

EM: The stresses on a child are different from, but no less real and powerful than, the stresses on an adult. One of the ways that childhood stresses play themselves out are in obsessions and compulsions—some psychologists call childhood “the long obsessive-compulsive disorder,” to capture the flavor of the way that children get compulsively attached to their video games or obsessively think about the pimple on their nose.

A child who uses the TZS technique can learn to release the grip of his obsessive thoughts and interrupt his compulsive behaviors, which begins to allow a place for creativity and new learning. If you are obsessing about the pimple on your nose you aren’t also writing your first short story: first you get a grip on your mind, then the creativity flows.

An Interview With Eric Maisel!!

2007-04-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

Coming a week from Thursday, May 2nd I have the privilege of interviewing Eric Maisel on this blog. Eric is a prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction, a licensed family therapist, and a creativity coach. He is on a world-wide blog tour to promote his latest book Ten Zen Seconds.
Join me on the 2nd as I'll be asking Eric how writers, particularly for children and young adults can sustain the long effort of writing (and illustrating) a book when so many odds are against the effort, especially the internal doubts and fears.
Children are so important. It is always my heartfelt interest to help children, and so I will also be asking Eric if the Ten Zen Seconds techniques are appropriate for children, and if so how can it enhance their creativity, play, and learning.
I'm not a practicing Buddhist, so if I'd seen the book on a shelf at the bookstore I may not have picked it up. However, since I've worked with Eric in an on-line painter's group, I eagerly volunteered to offer my blog for his a stop on his tour. What fun I thought to go round the world in one's armchair. One of my mottoes is I'll try most anything once, so as I read the book I practiced the breaths and incantations, timing them with a second hand. Hey, it really works!
The big test came this last Sunday when I drove from Taos to Los Alamos to a group show I was in with other New Mexico illustrators. I was excited and nervous and noticed I wasn't concentrating on the road like I should, and there are many twisting, narrow mountain roads between Taos and Los Alamos. So, I decided to try, "I am present." I not only began to focus on the road, but could take in the beauty of the landscape! I made it to the show and had fun with my illustrator friends. Below is my own review of Eric's great, helpful book.

Ten Zen Seconds

Author: Eric Maisel, Ph.D.
Sourcebooks, Inc., Naperville, IL, 2007
Paperback, 247 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4022-0853-9
www.tenzenseconds.com

High kudos for Ten Zen Seconds! It is a succinct, handy little reference book written to help you stay calm and centered in all circumstances. While the target audience is aimed for people in creative endeavors, it can also be applied to business, sports, the classroom, and parenting, to name a few.

Eric Maisel uses simple, practical language to explain how to take a ten second breath while doing an incantation to fit a specific circumstance. For example if it’s a gloomy day either externally, or inside yourself, you can breathe in and say “I am open”, then breathe out and say “to joy.” Each chapter also has people talking specifically how the breathing and incantations helped them. That has added inspiration to Eric’s expertise, which shines throughout.

The book is also beautifully designed. It is the size of a small journal, so it can be kept in a briefcase, purse, or desk or bedside drawer for convenient reference. The fonts are pleasing and vary according to voice and emphasis. To try the book out, go to the web site, www.tenzenseconds.com, and see which incantations appeal to you.

Science and Math Are Fun!

2007-03-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

It's March already! When I was a child I loved science, only I didn't know it. I thought it was hard to learn. In truth I was observing and recording science all the time in my daily, seasonal outdoor life. We had an almond tree just outside our back door, a creek at the bottom of the property, and bees swarming in the big oak tree on their way to another hive. I still remember the smell of the almond blossoms, the tast of the fresh almonds, and the feel of the fuzzy outer covering. The creek always had tadpoles for my brothers and I to catch and then watch them change into frogs. Even then we always knew to put them back to grow in the wild, as we called it then. Yes, nature was fun. Now, older, I am tring to understand physics such as in Lisa Randall's Warped Passages:Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions. I never thought I'd be able to understand anything beyond frogs and plants, but I'm having fun learning! There really might be parallel universe's out there!
As always it's a delight to review nature and math books from Sylvan Dell. The quality of their books is always outstanding!

Turtles In My Sandbox

A few decades ago, it was a common thing to have terrapins as pets in homes and classrooms. One could win them at fairs and buy them with painted shells at seaside resorts. It was a shame then that there was not more education about terrapins and their natural habitat. Jennifer Keats Curtis’ most informative book would have been welcome then as it surely is now.

Children can easily relate to Ms. Curtis’ book and the tale of Maggie who finds terrapin eggs in her sandbox! With the help of the Turtle Lady, Maggie and her mother care for the eggs until the turtles hatch and are released back into the sea. It is a delight that Ms. Curtis uses the scientific terms for the body parts of the terrapins as it helps children stretch their vocabularies. Emanuel Schongut’s watercolor illustrations are clear, detailed and offer excellent support to the text. The facts and color activities at the end of the book are a first-rate addition to the book. This book is highly recommended for ages 4 – 10, and will be a great addition to second to fifth grade science units in classrooms.

One Odd Day

One day a little boy wakes up to find his clock had only odd numbers and his shirt has three sleeves. What else is odd in this odd day? What a fun way to learn about the mathematical concept of odd numbers! Authors Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed explore different ways in which children can notice odd numbers throughout their day. Doris writes in delightful verse about the numbers one through nine.

To add to the fun, illustrator Karen Lee adds visual humor to the story. The dog has a dragon tail and Mom wears a firefighter’s hat and ballet tutu in the morning! Teacher, Miss Dodd, has three eyes! Young children will have fun finding these and other fun images in the book. Number words are highlighted in bold to help the first and second graders learn to read them. Activities in the back of the book are varied and fun for a rainy day at home or math time at school! Children ages 4 to 7 will delight in this book.

If You Were A Parrot

What would it be like if you were a parrot? This enjoyable book tells you just how it would be to be a parrot throughout your day. You would even eat a popsicle, stick and all!

Author Katherine Rawson writes about parrot behavior and preferences in an amusing, informative way. Sherry Rogers illustrations enhance the text with dramatic scenes showing parrot behavior by painting children with beaks, claws, and the abilities to climb curtains and imitate phones. Young children will have so much fun imitating the parrots and parrot-children in this book. There is even a fact sheet in the back that tells children how to care for a pet parrot. This is a fun book for children ages 3 – 8.

Enjoy your March and the beginning of Spring!

Winter Cheer

2007-02-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

I loved receiving this cheerful, enchanting book to review! How it has brightened these winter days. I can't remember so much snow and overcast days since I moved to my high mountain, desert paradise. Most days the snow is so brilliant and beautiful with sparkles in it just like the mica ones we used to put on paintings as children. It sparkles against the brilliant blue sky and is lively with magpies, crows, and the intrepid neighbor's dogs frolicking in it. Best of all is the icicle that has grown to 3 feet outside my window! Who needs crystals with such icicles.

Someday I may have grandchildren, and when I do this book, and its CD will be here waiting for them. In the meantime I'll read it to my little friends from my former preschool and my friend's preschool class. Happy Groundhog's Day, Valentines, Presidents Day, and all else February brings you!

The Knot Fairy

Author: Bobbie Hinman
Illustrator: Kristi Bridgeman
Best Fairy Books, 2007
ISBN – 978-0-9786791-0-1
www.bestfairybooks.com

Do you believe in fairies? If you do, then you will love the Knot Fairy and her unique ability. Also, does your hair go into knots and tangles, especially when you are asleep? Why, of course it is the Knot Fairy! She just loves to tie knots! Read The Knot Fairy and listen to the CD to find out more about this fun, charming, and spirited fairy. (Shh, don’t tell. She has tangles in her hair too!)
Bobbie Hinman has written a book as fun, charming, and spirited as the Knot Fairy herself. A sweet, lively quality is also present in Kristi Bridgeman’s watercolor illustrations. The rhyming story flows, carrying the reader along, as do the cheerful, frolicking pictures. Together they make a page-turner of a book. The reader follows the Knot Fairy on every page, where she even ties knots in the dog and cat. She is sometimes hidden a bit, so the young booklover will enjoy hunting for her.
An added treat is the enclosed CD with the story read by Bobbie. There is also the endearing “The Knot Fairy Song” sung in such a clear, true voice by Bobbie, accompanied by her grandchildren. It is fun to sing-along. This is indeed a book to be cherished, and it is highly recommended for ages 2-8. Preschools, day care programs, and Kindergarten classrooms can also use the book for drama, music, and art.

What Do We Do in Dire Circumstances?

2006-09-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

When life can't get any worse, what would you do? I've often wondered. We all go through those moments when life feels like it can't get any worse. Somehow, someway most of us find a way through it all. I've recently read two books: Cracks by Mike Klaassen. Remember his book, The Brute, I reviewed earlier? Mike has written another book which is even more gripping, and where you wonder if Bodie, the teen protagonist, can come out with his life, never mind redemption. Mike tell it like it is! This is refreshing. The other book is for adults, A Matter of Time, by Don Kirchner. Don is the protagonist in the book of his real life story that reads like a novel. Both Don and Bodie are good people who have made bad choices and who face themselves as they face terror in their dire circumstances. Both books are reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, one with teenagers on a wilderness rehabilitation camping trip and the other a man in Federal prison.

Cracks

When, while reading Cracks, it gets so intense that one wants to put the book down for a breather. One can’t. It is too gripping a read. One natural disaster after another happens to a group of five boys who are deemed potentially rehabitable, but can they be redeemed? Will they survive the disasters as well as the vengeance they reap upon one another?
The boys are taken on a spelunking trip deep into the caves of the remote Arkansas Ozarks. The first earthquake hits while the boys and their leaders are still deep in the caves. They escape only to watch their adult leaders killed in another earthquake causing a landslide to fall on them. The boys are on their own, and the only boy who has some survival skills is Bodie McCann whose foster father had previously taken him camping and fishing. Bodie soon learns that the other four boys savagely sabotage his attempts to help them escape and incessantly fight with one another, though they begrudgingly accept the food he finds and hunts for them.
Matters only get worse as the boys face more earthquakes, forest fires, and then find a cache of marijuana in a hidden mountain cabin. When they ransack another house, Bodie sees his foster parents on the T.V., begging for him to come home. The other boys refuse to let him go, so he has to run for it with them chasing him with guns and knives. Will he escape, get home, and mend his ways? Mike Klaassen has written another adventurous, powerful book. Cracks is a book young boys will relate to, knowing that there is always hope for their future in spite of the direst circumstances. This book is must read for young people and for counselors leading youth rehabilitation groups.

Science Learning At Its Finest

2006-09-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

I would have loved to have had Max Goes to Mars in my classroom when I was teaching. I know it would have become a favorite. Last Friday night a little former pupil, now 5, his parents, and I were having tea. He began to talk about Mars and spaceships. As it was getting late his father promised him he could look up Mars on the internet the next day. He asked, "There are book pages on the Internet about Mars?" I smiled to myself as here was a child who was read books from an infant, and he relys on books for information. When he was in my preschool he would take a stack of books to his cot at naptime. Next time I see him, I will give him my review copy of this great, informative book!

Max Goes to Mars

How does a dog go to Mars? This charming, yet realistic, book written by Dr. Jeffrey Bennett, tell us just how a dog and astronauts may take the first manned spaceship to Mars. Max Goes to Mars is jam-packed with interesting scientific facts and information in fictional story form, which always appeals to young readers. Even better, the scientific information is explained fully in readable, understandable terms without over-simplifying as can happen in children’s books.

The illustrations by Alan Okamoto make a perfect marriage with story, which is the ideal for picture books. The paintings also convey a technical detail and knowledge that young readers will pour over time and again, always finding something new to discover. Almost every page has sidebars for the readers who want to learn more about the science of space travel, Mars, and the ancient mythology about the planets. As well, there is an activity page near the end, which demonstrates the orbit of Mars through a movement exercise. Most special are the photographs of the real Max at the end. They are heartwarming and will bring the readers closer to Max and his adventures.

This book is extraordinary as it brings so many elements together in a nice harmony. Teachers will also find this book to be a marvelous core for the space unit. Most highly recommended for ages 4 – 10 and classrooms from pre-school through fifth grade.

Windows to the Past

2006-08-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

When she was a little girl my mother would have loved these books. She read a lot, and passed that love of reading onto me. I still have her dog-eared, broken spine, illustrated, notes in the margins, and missing last few pages of Little Women. I would have to walk to the library to borrow their copy to finish it, many times over. It was printed in 1929, and it is inscribed "Xmas 1930" from Barbara Jean, her cousin.
Little Women, like Eunice Boeve's books, gives one a sense of history as it was lived. Could it be that this reading of history in literature is as important a lesson about our past as facts and figures in history class? It sure adds to it. When my children attended Waldorf schools history was interwoven with literature, such as enacting the Greek plays while studying ancient Greece. About the most dramatic thing I remember during a droning high school history class was the rumbling of a little earthquake in northern California. Do read Eunice Boeve's books. I bet you and your young teens will become fans!

A Window to the World

For a twelve-year-old Annie Duncan has a lot to worry about. What if her Pa never comes back from looking for gold in California? What if her Ma then marries “Bug Eyes,” Mr. Snell, who is bossy and thinks it’s okay to own slaves? What if her big brother Patrick can’t get to law school or her little brother Jackson doesn’t recover from his illness? Her biggest concern of all is whether she can help Henry, the run-away slave, when the slave catchers come knocking at the door of their remote West Virginia farm? Her only chance is for them to climb through her bedroom window her Pa built her before he left. Author Eunice Boeve tells a good story with a nicely laid-out plot and plenty of action to keep the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next in the likeable Duncan family. The reader will also be able to identify with protagonist Annie Duncan as she is not only brave and intelligent, but she is also compassionate and polite. History, especially the fate of fugitive slaves after The Compromise of 1850, is interwoven into the story so that it is absorbed with ease. That is the mark of historical fiction at its best. This young adult book is highly recommended for readers 10 years of age and up.

Maggie Rose and Sass

Maggie Rose and Sass are both twelve years old and they both love reading books. But in 1888 they are from two different worlds. Maggie Rose was born in Georgia, and after she was orphaned a bitter and prejudiced grandmother raised her. Sass lives in Solomon Town, Kansas where her father publishes the local newspaper. Solomon town is a nearly all colored community settled by ex-slaves. After her grandmother dies Maggie Rose has no choice but to move to Solomon Town to live with her Uncle Caleb who owns the general store. With the prejudicial conditioning from her grandmother will Maggie Rose adjust to living in a colored community especially when her uncle and aunt live in a dugout while prosperous coloreds live in fine granite houses? Will she make friends with Sass and other colored girls? Will Sass overcome her notion that Maggie Rose is “An Uppity White Girl” and invite her into her circle of friends? Again, Eunice Boeve creates a readable, page turning tale while at the same time weaving in fascinating historical fact and detail. For instance African Americans in 1888 in the plains of Kansas could not stay in the nearby all white town overnight. Instead they had to camp out in a dugout on the outskirts of town no matter the weather. Ms. Boeve also creates believable characters whose personalities are true to the time, instead of becoming revisionist, which is all too common in literature these days. The book will be highly enjoyed by middle grade and young adult readers. It is also a must-have book for classrooms as a resource for history, culture, and civil rights studies.

Frogs in the Snow!

2006-08-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

I met Louise Flodin at a networking forum in Los Angeles last month, and she is as delightful as this her first picture book. What a treat to meet her and Sherman! The best is that she donates "a generous portion of the profits..." from her book sales to "Children and Animal Charities!"

Sherman the Frog Meets the Snow Princess

Sherman is a green frog who is at once endearing, intrepid, and eager. Imagine a frog that would rather see snow than to hibernate all winter! Sherman's wish is heard by the Snow Princess. Will he get his wish? You guessed it, and that's when his adventures really begin.

This charming book, written by Louise Flodin and delightfully illustrated, in watercolors, by her daughter-in-law Elayna Flodin, is writing in the manner of fairy tales. That gives children an opportunity to engage in imagination and to learn through an imaginary character that it is all right to have one's dreams come true, no matter how illogical they may be. Elayna's paintings are lively adding even more to the story, and that is an example of great harmony between text and illustration in a picture book. Kudos to Louise and Elayna on their first venture into the world of picture books. The book ends way too soon. The young reader will want to read more about Sherman and the Snow Princess. We will wish for a sequel soon! This book is recommended for children 3 - 8 years old!
www.shermanandfriends.com
ISBN: 0974505250

Resumes for Children? Cool Concept!

2006-08-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

When my children were young I tried to find ways to boost their self -esteem and to help them find their deep-seated interests. Before that when I was young, oh so many years ago now, self-esteem and finding one's life-long dream was an alien concept. It would never have occurred to me that I could become a writer, an artist, an astronaut, or a pilot. Today's children, thanks to a broader educational programs and that thing we call television, which can be both a blessing and a bane, know they have scads of choices. However, today's world is ever so much more complex and I observe some children can get lost in all the choices. Now, there's a book that can help organize the choices, preferences, and talents of children.
As an additional plug I have just created a site on Squidoo.com where I post articles about preschoolers for parents, teachers, and caregivers: www.squidoo.com/preschoolteacher/

Resumes for Children

Resumes for children, what a good idea! Donna Kristine Manley, in her desire to support children in this ever more complex world, has come up with an idea so simple and so useful one wonders why it has not been thought of before.
Ms. Manley says it herself on page vii, "Parents can boost their children's self-esteem by taking the time to capture their accomplishments, activites, gifts, talents, and interests on paper." A resume for a child is an important addtition to report cards that only record a child's academic standing at one given point in time. A grade of"C", for instance, doesn't necessarily mean a child is average. Perhaps that semester her parents were divorced or the family moved from another state. However, a resume documents a child's achievements, goals, and budding interests beyond the academic and over a period of time.
Resumes for Children is an organized and highly practical book with 21 sample resumes plus sample references and cover letters. And, there are blank pages where children can jot notes, brainstorm, and draft their resumes. Not only will the book show children and their parents and teachers how to write resumes, but it will also be an enlightening read for children who may want ideas on what it is possible for them to achieve at their young age. They will see how other children turned their hobbies into income or became teen pilots, marine biologists, or radio broacasters. Ideas are limitless.
Do consider this remarkable and highly recommended book for your child. Teachers will also find it to be a useful writing lesson, or can make it a basis for a unit in English or Social Studies. Go to Kris' web site to see more about the book at www.resumesforchildren.com

Butterflies and Winners!

2006-06-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Good Day! Yesterday I promised I'd give you more Sylvan Dell book reviews. The other night it was exceedingly windy here in Taos, but I'd been writing at my computer most of the day, so I went out for a walk anyway! Walking along against the wind, not even the neighbor's dogs who are always out walking, were to be seen. Then I looked down and there was the most perfect butterfly on the road. It was stunningly beautiful, yellow with an iridescence blue spot on its tail. It must have just died, I hope with old age and not by the wind. It was amazing that the wind hadn't roughed it up in any way. I have carefully saved it to show, when school starts again, the little children in the preschool where I help out. It reminds me of the creatures the Sylvan Dell authors and illustrators write about.
On a fun note I've been avidly following the World Cup Soccer Finals. England has made it into the quarter finals! I lived in England for 12 years, and my son lives there now, so we are cheering England all the way! Enjoy your day and enjoy your 4th July celebrations!

Water Beds: Sleeping in the Ocean
Did you know that sea otters sleep with kelp strands around their tummies to anchor themselves from drifting away? You'll find out about how sea otters and other sea mammals sleep in this sweet, gentle book which describes how different groups of sea mammals sleep in the ocean. In this story a little boy copies the mammals' sleep stances in just the way young children like to act out what they see and imagine.
The dynamic illustrations by Connie McLennan are a perfect mirror to the informative, well-researched, yet flowing narrative by Gail Langer Karwoski. Parents, teachers, and children will not only make this a nap and bed-time story, but will also enjoy the extra facts and activities at the end. In a classroom a unit could be extrapolated from this book which could include art, movement, drama, science, and literacy. This book is highly recommended for young readers, ages 3-8.

How the Moon Regained Her Shape
This illuminating book is cast in a folktale format as it tells the tale of the phases of the moon. Moon is happy until the Sun intimidates her. She shrinks until she is nearly faded away. How will she recover her former self? This book tells how in a way that is at once a story we can relate to in our dealings with others and informative in explaining the waxing and waning of the moon.
Author Janet Ruth Heller tells the story very well. The collage illustrations, done in a Sountwestern style create a good partnership with the text. Ben Hodson uses soft, low tone pastel colors to depict the seeming fragility of the moon. The information and activities at the back are a treasure trove for a seven or eight year old creating a report on the moon. This book is a welcome addition to any home or classroom library.

Loon Chase
Will the baby loon chicks be safe from Miles the pet spaniel whose nature it is to swim after water birds? A young boy and his mother paddle their canoe hard across the lake to see if they or Miles will reach the chicks first. Who will?
This dramatic story introduces young readers to loons, a water bird found in North America. The pastel paintings by Kathryn Freeman have a luscious quality with many perspectives, which well illustrate the text by Jean Heilprin Diehl. Ms. Diehl shows the reader the characteristics of the dog and birds as well as of caring humans. The information and activities at the end are a must at home and in the classroom. This book is highly recommended for children ages 4 – 8,

Pieces of Another World
Jody wonders why her daddy is waking her up in the middle of the night to go out with him. He only says, "I’ve got a sight for you to see." And, he smiles mysteriously. They drive to an empty field so quiet that they can see and hear the night animals. As they look up into the sky they see a meteor shower, pieces from another world!
The story is intimate, a never to be forgotten moment in a child’s life. Yet, it is also informative so that young readers can understand the nature of our sky and its meteors. Watercolor illustrations by Salima Alikhan add to the loveliness of the nighttime setting with a deep richness. Included with all the other information and activities in the back is a yummy recipe for Comet Cookies. This book is well done by author Mara Rockliff and is a must for young readers 3 – 8 years old, as well as for their parents and teachers.

Sylvan Dell - Winners Again

2006-06-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

We all like to win things. Of course we do, yet somehow we all think we never do. How many times have I heard at events where there is to be a doorprize "I never win anything." I've won doorprizes and usually they weren't all that useful. They'd end up in the box for white elephants or Goodwill.
I was pondering this morning as I planted out some strawflower seeds that my friend had brought to me from Hungary, Now, I'll be a big winner if these flowers come up! It was a special gesture to receive a packet of seeds from so far away. We win in all these little ways everyday. I remember each of my children's first steps as if it was yesterday. Those were two of the best winning days of my life. These are gifts bigger in heart than the biggest lottery win.
Nature too with it's countless ways to delight and inform us creates myriad little gifts as we spend time outdoors. That's what I love about the books from Sylvan Dell. The books point out the gifts nature offers our young children from insects to whales. And they do it in a way that tells a story rather than a dry science lecture. Here are three books I just reviewed yesterday. Tomorrow, I promise, I'll post four more of their books, which I've previously reviewed. Enjoy.

Tudley Didn’t Know
Young children love to play imaginative games, pretending they are being made into a pizza, knowing they can fly to the moon, or that they can fight dragons. In the moment of the game what they are pretending is reality. Of course they can! The same goes for young Tudley the turtle. Of course he can hop like a frog, glow like a firefly, fly like a hummingbird, and sing like a katydid. When he accidentally lands on his back, which is a most difficult predicament for any turtle, Tudley is afraid. Will his ever-lasting confidence pull him through to safety?
John Himmelman has created a special, delightful book, which will spark a deeper sense of imagination in his young readers. The story hums along and the illustrations follow in a fascinating, animating style. To make it even better readers are introduced to variety of small, engaging creatures and their behaviors in story form, the best way to absorb nature next to being out in it. The animal facts and activities at the end are not to be missed. Children will love to make the hopping turtle in art. Highly, highly recommended for preschool through early elementary years!

Happy Birthday To Whooo?
Who doesn’t love babies! Even the most jealous two to three year old new sibling can’t get in enough play about babies in the preschool house corner. Those new siblings, and indeed all children, will adore this book about baby animals. They will be bound to pour over the illustrations and animal facts.
Kudos to the author-illustrator combo, Doris Fisher and Lisa Downey, for creating such an endearing picture book. Lisa Downey’s pastel illustrations are as soft as the baby animals they depict. It’s always amazing how adept pastel artists are at painting so fully in this seeming elusive medium. Doris Fisher is able to present animal facts in a clever, guessing game way. Children will have fun guessing who the new little baby is, either with their parents or in circle time at school. The animal information at the end of the book will be a wonderful jumping off point for a delightful lesson plan on baby animals. Toddlers will enjoy identifying and mimicking the baby animals, while older children up to seven or eight years old will have fun making up their own guessing game about these and other animals. A recommended read for sure.

The Giraffe Who Was Afraid Of Heights
Can you believe that a tall young giraffe is afraid of heights? Or, that a hippo is afraid of water? Or that a monkey is afraid of climbing trees? "That’s silly," you say. "Giraffe’s are supposed to reach their long necks up high for food. Monkeys climb trees ever so quickly for safety. And, hippos need water to play in and stay cool." Yet, in this adorable story these animals are afraid; and, when they meet each other on their way to the doctor for help, they find a way to help one another overcome their fears instead. A crocodile unwittingly helps.
Author David A. Ufer adeptly combines fiction and facts about animal behavior and habitats. He gently lets children know they can overcome their fears too, just like their animal friends. Kirsten Carlson’s lively illustrations bring this sweet story alive with both humor and compassion. The fun facts and activities at the back of the book will delight children and classroom teachers alike. Highly recommended for young preschool and early elementary children, classrooms, and libraries.

What Girls Get Up to In Summer

2006-06-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted a blog in nearly two months! Ouch. The good news is I got swamped with writing lots of articles for my local newspaper, The Taos News. My favorites to write are about local houses and artists. I meet some mighty interesting houses and their owners!

One of these articles last year got me digging into local history. Taos has had it's share of the famous, infamous, and downright notorious from the mountain man Kit Carson, to D.H. Lawrence, the artist R.C. Gorman, and yes Julia Roberts. One of the notorious was a swindler named Arthur Rochford Manby. He came here in 1883 to seek his fortune. He made it and lost it, losing his head in the end. Manby was obsessed with gaining land and made dubious deals to buy as much of Taos Valley as he could lay his hands on. He wasn't above gypping poor farmers and widows out of their land. Did he make enemies? Yes! One hot summer morning, much like the one here today, in 1929 his body was found without its head. No one ever found out who did it, or if it wasn't another one of Manby's tricks to foil people. They say his ghost haunts the now Taos Inn and Manby Hot Springs. Others say they saw him in Europe in the 1930's.

This week I hiked down to Manby Hot Springs with Tanya, my 7 year old friend, whom I babysit a few times a month. We didn't see a ghost, just a trio of friendly squirrels, some more cautious chipmunks, and a few bugs. The Hot Springs is where Manby used to go to soak in the waters and relieve his tormented mind. Today the buildings are in ruins, but the lukewarm pools settled right next to the rushing Rio Grande have clear, peaceful water and a view straight up the sheer rock cliffs of the Rio Grande Gorge ~ 400' up! It was worth the adventure, but I'm not sure I'd do it again on such a hot day.

Sabrina Hofkin's first young adult novel, like a hike to Manby Hot Springs, is an adventure not to be missed. I can't wait for the sequel, which will be coming out most likely next year.

Magnolia
Author: Sabrina Hofkin
Manzanita Falls Publishers
Redding, California, 2005
ISBN 0-9763916-0-0
info@manzanitafallspublishers.com
www.manzanitafallspublishers.com

It's a jam-packed, adventurous summer for plucky, energetic Magnolia. She's not only determined to get her pilot's license by her seventeenth birthday, but she also organizes her family and friends into saving bears from land developers in the local state park. To complicate matters she nearly loses her best friend Rainy when Ross, a new boy in town, not only dates Rainy but also declares his feelings for Magnolia. Magnolia and Ross also compete for who will be the first to get their pilot license.
Magnolia is a breakthrough Young Adult novel. It dares to make teenager Magnolia Holden an aviatrix. While there are many non-fiction books written for young people about renowned aviatrixes, such as Amelia Earhart, Beryl Markham, Bessie "Queen Bess" Coleman, and Katherine Stinson, there does not seem to be any novels about women pilots, especially for teenagers.
This is author Sabrina Hofkin's first novel. She plans to create a sequel. The book is well plotted with the interweaving of the sub-plots nicely executed. The switching of scenes between flying, tracking down the mystery behind the threatened bears and environment, Magnolia's friendship with Ross and Rainy, and the worry about her mother's archaeological dig in unstable Colombia could get bogged down, however it flows successfully.
While some of the aviation terms and descriptions may be technical, there is enough action and tension to carry the reader easily through these scenes. For example, while Magnolia is flying solo, a storm comes up. By describing Magnolia's reaction as well as how she technically lands the plane, the reader is kept going, on the edge of her chair.
This book will entertain young girls, and it will also inspire them to become more than the usual roles ascribed for them.

Adventures in Reading

2006-05-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Happy first week of May to everyone!
One of my own research projects is about Dark Ages Britain. Then the warriors would go home in winter to take care of their own land, but in spring just around Beltane, the first of May, they would venture out, band together, and go in search of invading Saxons to drive out of England. Thus it is fitting that I received an adventure book to review just this time of year. It is Mike Klaassen's first published young adult novel, and what a great job he has done. It doesn't show any of the signs of a first book. Do read it.
In another vein of adventure: I usually don't read books on the best seller list. I wait until they have stood the test of time. But, I love mysteries for my relaxing reading & I studied symbolism in art, so when I saw the new illustrated paperback version of The DaVinci Code I couldn't resist it. Like Mike's book it is a page turner and well-plotted. I guess we all have to see the movie next.

The Brute
Author: Mike Klaassen
Blue Works, Port Orchard, WA, 2005
ISBN – 1-59092-225-5
www.mikeklaassen.com

From the excellent beginning sentence to the last line The Brute has readers on the edge of their chairs. The gripping, tumultuous adventures of 16 year old Fortney Curtis, as he is literally tossed into the grips of a tornado’s aftermath, are equal to that of a modern day hero’s journey. Fort, his nickname, has another nickname, "Brute," attributed to his large size and his untamed temper, which can cause quite a lot of damage. In this saga Fort attempts to rescue his father, brothers, other young Boy Scouts, a rancher, and her teenage niece, Tana, from the devastation of the tornado that slammed down onto their wilderness Scout camp and the surrounding countryside. However, he runs into one dangerous obstacle after another including that of his own unharnessed anger. Will Fort achieve his two-fold goal of getting help for the others as well as taming his rage?
Mike Klaassen’s first book shines as a well-crafted novel. The book doesn’t flinch at gory images, gross humor, and real pre-teen and teen language. There are also poignant moments such as the unexpected loyalty of Butch, a Rottweiler, who Fort has only just met. The book is successful because it is encased in gritty truth about modern day life on a Kansas prairie. The story shows teen boys that they can learn to cope with their own inner hurdles while facing life’s outer challenges. Kudos to Mike Klaassen for such a page-turning tale; and kudos to all the readers who risk embarking on this literary journey. Highly recommended for young adult readers twelve and older. Enjoy!

"Readers who enjoyed Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, will also enjoy The Brute!"

More From Sylvan Dell

2006-04-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Children love these books from Sylvan Dell. I took my reviewer's copies to a preschool class where I occasionally substitute teach. The children read them over and over at nap time, passing them from mat to mat! Before I give you the next two reviews I want to thank my son Robin who is much more of a tekkie than I am. He helped me set up my blog eventhough he lives in London and I live in New Mexico! Here's his blog site: http://enviroranger.blogspot.com/ Because he's an environmental conservationist I thought his blogs and web site [see the link on his blog] dovetail nicely with the nature messages of Sylvan Dell!

Carolina’s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!
Did you know that sea turtles can get sick, just like you? To get better they need to say "Ahhh," get shots, and stay in a warm bed of water. This book shows the young reader how Carolina, a sea turtle, was found sick on a beach, and veterinarian Dr. Tom and the team at the Sea Turtle Hospital helped her to get better so she could return to the sea!
The wonderful detailed photographs by Barbara J. Bergwerf dramatize Carolina’s story told lovingly in the text by author Donna Rathmell. Extra fun activities and facts are included at the back. Children 3 - 7 years of age will enjoy this book, as will their parents. Teachers can readily use the book in the classroom as a unit in itself or part of a sea life unit.

Christmas Eve Blizzard
Christmas Eve Blizzard reads like a folktale, which makes one think that this story about Nicholas rescuing a nearly frozen cardinal really happened. The delicate illustrations by Emanuel Schongut are as informative as the text by Andrea Vlahakis. The text and illustrations blend well together, a sign of successful picture books.
In addition the story is multicultural with Spanish words included for bi-lingual families and classrooms. Further information and activities are provided at the end for young readers, teachers, and parents. What a lot of fun families and classes will have making bird feeders and enhancing outdoor environments to make them more bird friendly. Children 5 – 8 years old will delight in this book all winter long, not just at Christmas.

More books from Sylvan Dell soon! Enjoy your day!

Sir Frettirick and India!

2006-04-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

You might well wonder what does a delightful children's book and India have to do with one another? I was trying to scan the book cover to add to this page, but was having trouble with my scanner. So, I called Hewlett Packard and spent two very nice hours with a young technician in New Delhi. While we waited for the computer to uninstall and reinstall, etc. she and I had a lovely chat about Indian food, which I love to cook; travel to India, which I haven't yet done and to London, where she's not yet been, and Indian authors. I've just finished reading two of Amitav Ghosh's novels, The Glass Palace and The Hungry Tide. His way with words and imagery is admirable. I wish we could all write with such a command of English!
That's another reason good children's books are so important. Lou Stratten, the author of Hello, I'm Sir Frettirick! promotes not only fun with words in her rhymes, but also child interaction with adults. After all, it is in hearing those around us when we are small that determines how well we speak and then write later on. Good quality education adds to that early modeling. Here is my review of Fretti, as the main character is called:

Hello, I’m Sir Frettirick!
Author: Lou Stratten
Illustrator: Lou Stratten and Sal Denaro
Shaggy Creature Productions
ISBN – 10 0-9747173-1-2
What a delightful and enjoyable book for young children! This rhythmical and heartening story brings in characters and scenes much like in an old-fashioned vaudeville scenario where one act follows another. "Sesame Street" successfully uses this format. Sir Frettirick, also called Fretti, introduces himself and acts as a master of ceremonies bringing his young readers into his World of Zandooney. In this world, which is inhabited by other friends like Skunkooney, Lou, and Skip, children soon discover that learning colors, numbers, and the alphabet is fun.
Author Lou Stratten manages to bring diverse elements into a whole with the continuity of her rhymes, musical sensibilities, and her and Sal Denaro’s playful collage illustrations. The illustrations not only give a warm and colorful feel to the book, but they also create a sense of movement and rhythm. The fonts dance as well, using different colors and sizes to emphasize each concept.
Included in the book are interactive opportunities for both dialogue and activities. There is a thorough parent/teacher guide available, which sparks more ideas and discussion. This book is a plus for teachers who are always on the lookout for fresh ways to approach a subject or unit. Parents too will welcome this book into their homes. Highly recommended for preschool and early elementary children.
The book can be ordered on-line at www.loustratten.com

Children's Books Are Special

2006-04-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hi! Warm greetings to my blog site! I'll enjoy chatting with you every so often!

I love children's books. I always have. When I was a child you would probably find me curled up on a chair, in the nest of boulders below our house, or under a tree reading. One of my favorite classes at university was "Children's Literature." I've never stopped reading children's books, first to my younger brothers and sisters, then to my own children, then to all the children I've taught over the years, and now for myself as a reviewer of children's and young adult books.

My aim in this blog is two-fold. One is to convey my ramblings and thoughts on literature in general, children's books, and on art, especially picture book art. I may even at times talk about writing. Secondly is to post the books I'm reviewing.

I'm a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrator's) and SCBWI-NM (NM means New Mexico where I live in the northern mountains!). I receive quite a few books each year through my listing as a reviewer in SCBWI. I'm amazed at how good most of the books are. Sadly many of them don't get the published reviews they deserve. I've tried to submit some of the books into larger book review publications, but they only have limited space. The majority of the books I review are either self-published or are published by smaller independent publishers. They also scramble for notice with the bigger review forums in competition with the large publishing houses.

Today I'll start with two reviews I wrote last night for Sylvan Dell Publishing, www.SylvanDellPublishing.com Sylvan Dell specializes in beautiful, readable books that are stories about our natural world. The preschool children I've read these books to love them!

Octavia And Her Purple Ink Cloud

Authors: Donna and Doreen Rathmell

Illlustrator: Connie McLennan

Delightful is the word for this picture book about Octavia Octopus. Children love it that Octavia, just like them as they acquire new skills, has to practice squirting her ink until she get it just the right purple color in order to escape a hungry shark.

Sisters Donna and Doreen Rathmell have collaborated not only to make a very readable book for children ages 3 – 8, but they also teach through story about color, camouflage, and life in the deep sea. Illustrator Connie McLennan adds wonderful perspective, great learning details, and a vivid visual sense of underwater life. Included at the end is a color activity page that teaches children to mix the primary colors. There are also wonderful facts about octopuses and other sea creatures. This is a must have book for classroom and home libraries.

If A Dolphin Were A Fish

Author: Loran Wlodarski

Illustrator: Laurie Allen Klein

We all love dolphins and are fascinated by the uncanny dolphin capabilities told about in stories and legends. In this book author Loran Wlodarski captures the charm of dolphins while giving us the facts that explain their special qualities. Loran depicts these qualities and features through Delphina Dolphin who wonders about the similarities and differences between herself and other sea dwelling animals such as pelicans, sharks, fish, octopuses, sea turtles, and manatees.

Laurie Allen Klein’s informative and often-humorous pencil drawings bring the story even more alive. What imaginative powers both Loran and Laurie have to show us how dolphins live, eat, navigate, and breed. The activity pages are interactive in that they ask children provocative questions. They also suggest activities children might like to follow, One such activity is to draw a line fifteen feet long, in chalk outside, to visualize how high dolphins can leap. What fun as children then try to jump as far as they can. This book is highly recommended for children ages 3 – 8. Preschool through fourth grade teachers will welcome this book into their sea life units.

An interesting sidenote is that I had a fun communication with the publisher about the plural of octopus. The general usage is "octopi", but the scientific journals favor "octopuses." So, for now we'll side with the scientists!

Have a super day!