When You Meet a Dragon - Children's Book

 

Title: When You Meet a Dragon

Author: Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Illustrator: Udayana Lugo

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

Reading/Interest Level - Grades K - 2

About the Author
Tanya Lloyd Kyi is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. 
Udayana Lugo is a self-taught illustrator of mixed heritage. 

It Takes A Village
Things look very bleak when a young girl sees a huge dragon in the sky above her. She knows she can't fight the dragon alone, so she starts recruiting friends, family, and community members to help her. She finds people of all races, ages, and ethnic groups to help fight the dragon. There are even animals that join the fight. 

This is a difficult battle but the girl and her friends do not give up. The dragon eventually grows tired and flies away. The girl knows that the dragon could return, but she also knows that she has nothing to fear.

My Thoughts
This is a wonderful story that spotlights the values of resiliency, perseverance, and courage. The young girl organizes a group of determined people who refuse to give up. I love the diversity of the people in the town. This is my favorite quote;

"You and your friends keep each other going. 'Don't give up,' you say. 'We can't give up!' You say it even when everything is dark. You whisper it when you're scared. You repeat it to anyone who will listen. We won't give up."

 The illustrations are outstanding and add great value to the story. 

The story ends on a positive note because the girl knows she is not alone.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

Children's Christmas Book Review: Presents Through the Window by Taro Gomi

A non-traditional Santa Claus is coming to town in a high-tech helicopter. How will he choose the perfect present for each boy and girl?

Title: Presents Through the Window: A Taro Gomi Christmas Book

Author/Illustrator: Taro Gomi
Publisher: Chronicle Books, LLC
Year of Publication: 2016

(Originally published in Japan in 1983 by Kaisei-Sha Publishing. Copyright 1983 by Taro Gomi.)

About the Author
Taro Gomi is an internationally renowned author and illustrator who has created more than 350 books for readers of all ages. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Santa Peeks In the Window and Picks a Present!
Santa has a big bag of presents to deliver but no time to go inside the house.

So, he peeks in the window and observes a child sleeping in the bed. He picks a present out of his bag and tosses it through the window.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Things are not always as they seem.

Will the children be happy with their presents on Christmas morning?

My Thoughts
"Presents Through the Window" is an interactive picture book that includes die-cut windows to see into a sleeping child's bedroom. 

The text is very brief but the beautiful illustrations really make this book a WINNER!

Young children will have a blast looking in the windows and guessing who is inside. Does Santa choose the correct present? 

When one child accidentally gets two presents and another gets nothing, the story illustrates the joy of sharing. 

This book is a wonderful gift to all Taro Gomi fans. Children have been enjoying his stories for over 30 years. This book is available in print and Kindle editions. Recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI - I purchased this print book for $0.79 at Goodwill. An awesome thrift shop find!

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Publishers Launch BOOKISH for Book Lovers

 
Bookish is a new book site that launched last night. The aim of Bookish is to help readers discover and connect with books and authors.

This is a FREE site that is financed by three of the largest book publishers...Hachette, Penguin and  Simon & Schuster. 
In addition to book recommendations and author profiles, the site offers original essays, interviews and book excerpts.

The Bookish mission statement is "to engage more readers with more books, more authors and with one another". 

Bookish will sell both print and ebooks on it's site, but allows customers to buy from other sources including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound.

My Thoughts
Bookish is a brand new site with a great deal of potential. I am really excited about all the features that are offered here. This is much more than a book selling business or book review site. I am especially interested in the opportunity to stay informed on all the latest "book news" in the different subjects that I am interested in.

If you like children's books, Bookish provides top stories from the Bookish editors about children's literature. These articles include information on the newest and best books in the world of kid's lit. It also provides interesting interviews with children's book authors and illustrators. At the bottom of the page is a section called "Related News". Links for recent news articles about children's books are provided with short summaries. 

I think this site is a real WINNER!

Go take a look at BOOKISH and let me know what you think in the Comments Section below.

Children's Book Review: Trockle by Holly Jahangiri

Trockle

Author: Holly Jahangiri
Illustrator: Jordan M. Vinyard

Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC

Date: April 19, 2008





About The Author
Holly Jahangiri is a professional writer with over twenty years' experience in technical writing, freelancing, fiction, poetry, and editing.

What Is Under The Bed?
Stephen believes there is a monster under his bed. The monster repellent that his mother sprayed in his room is not working because Stephen hears the monster snoring under his bed each night. The monster snores and he talks in his sleep. Stephen knows the monster's name is Trockle and he is afraid the little fellow will eat him. Stephen's parents promise him that there is no reason to be afraid and consent to leaving the light on.

Trockle talks in his sleep because he is afraid of the thing that lives above him. Trockle's wise mother tells him that a little boy lives above him and there is nothing to be afraid of. The little boy looks different and does strange things and Trockle is afraid the boy might eat him. Trockle's mother tells him that the boy in the bed is afraid of HIM! Trockle thinks that is very funny.

At the end of the story, Stephen and Trockle sleep soundly knowing there is nothing to be afraid of.  They have more things in common than they first thought.

My Thoughts
This story deals with children's fear of the dark and the unknown. This is a common problem that all parents of young children have to deal with at one time or another.

Ms. Jahangiri presents an interesting possibility in this story...what if there really is a monster under the bed and he is afraid of the little boy?
This story is an excellent resource to discuss "point-of-view" with children and to compare Stephen's experiences on top of the bed with Trockle's home under the bed.

There is another important lesson in this story. Children learn that there is much diversity in the world and they do not need to fear something that looks different or unusual.

Jordan Vinyard has done an excellent job illustrating this story in colored pencils and/or chalk. The pictures add a great deal of value to the story.

This book will delight pre-schoolers through early elementary grade children. Highly recommend for home and school libraries.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ The author sent me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

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Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Golden Oldies For Kids: Don and Donna Go To Bat

Don and Donna Go to Bat

Author: Al Perkins

Illustrator: B. Tobey

Published: Random House, 1966







About The Author
Al Perkins is an author of several children's books, including Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumb, The Digging-est Dog and The Ear Book. He also wrote early titles in the Beginner Books and Bright and Early series.

Play Ball!
Don and Donna were identical twins. They looked exactly alike except for the length of their hair and the clothes that they wore.

Don loved baseball and he always dreamed of playing on a real baseball team. Don taught Donna how to throw a ball the way a boy throws it. He taught her how to slide into base and how to hold a baseball bat. Don eventually got tired of playing baseball with his sister and wanted to play on a real team with other boys. He found a team to play on and they made him captain of the team!

One day a team from the other side of town challenged Don's team to a game. The captain of the winning team would receive a large trophy. On the morning of the big game, Don woke up sick. The doctor came to the house and told Don he would not be playing in the baseball game that day.

Don asked Donna to take his uniform and equipment to the field for the other boys to use. Donna could not carry all the stuff on her bike so she slipped on the uniform over her dress. When she arrived at the baseball field, everyone thought that Donna was Don. She took Don's place on the field but did not play very well...until she came up to bat at the very end of the game. She closed her eyes and swung the bat.

Yes, Donna scored the winning run and Don's team received the trophy. When the team found out that it was really Donna that hit the winning run, they gave her the large silver trophy. They also made her manager of the team where she was responsible for taking care of the equipment, keeping the water bucket full and keeping score.

My Thoughts
The setting for this story is the early 1960s but kids today still love to play baseball. I think this story is a great example of sibling support and love. Donna was sad when Don went to play on a boy's baseball team and left her behind.

Girls were expected to play softball, throw the ball underhanded and were discouraged from sliding into bases. Don taught Donna to play like a boy so she was prepared to take his place in the game.

I think it is interesting that Donna was given the "honor" of being the team manager. That was as close as a girl could get to playing on a boy's team. She had just as much skill as the boys but was the wrong gender. The more things change the more they stay the same.

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

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Golden Oldies For Kids: Animated Numbers Book 1945

Animated Numbers Book

Created and Illustrated by William Wiesner
Text by Edward Ernest

Garden City Publishing Co, Inc.

Copyright, 1945
By Duenewald Printing Corporation

Lithographed in the United States of America








About the Author
William Wiesner was born on April 28, 1899, in Vienna, Austria. He was a practicing architect and interior designer in Austria before migrating to France and then to the United States in 1941. He worked with his wife in textile design and got commissions for murals and paintings from the Hilton Hotels in various cities.
Mr. Wiesner wrote and illustrated many children's books in the 1960s and 1970s.

A Movable Picture Book
This book makes it easy and fun for any young reader to learn numbers. It illustrates each number with animated objects: such as airplanes coming out of a factory, sheep trotting over a hill and animals hidden in a circus ring.

For each number there is a different game to play, with the fun of counting and identifying objects. The excitement of making the pictures move and the magic of the simple number games will give any young child hours of learning pleasure.

The first page of the book shows a young farmer with a pitch fork in his hand.
He is looking at a pig pen that appears to be empty. You pull a tab on the side of the page, and the pig magically shows up in the pen. This page features the number "0" and "1".

Where is the Pig?
First there is one
And then there is none!

The book presents numbers 1 - 10 to the young readers and introduces some simple addition at the end of the book. There are seven pages of movable parts and many pages have hidden pictures that children must look for.

My Thoughts
I love to hunt for vintage children's books at yard sales, flea markets and thrift shops. I found this treasure at the Spring Antique Fair in Warrenton, Texas. My copy is well worn but all the movable pieces are intact and I was thrilled to add it to my collection.

This book is loaded with illustrations that tell the story of our country during the 1940s. There are pictures of farm children, trains, airplanes, a factory, circus performers and an elevator in a department store (the elevator moves up and down when you pull a tab.)

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. This simple picture book is a great example of the value of a picture.

I hate to think of all the vintage children's books that have been destroyed throughout the years. I would like to encourage you to keep your eyes open and be prepared to rescue these treasures when you are lucky enough to find them.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Children's Book Review and Giveaway: Scribbleville

Scribbleville

Written and Illustrated by Peter Holwitz

Philomel Books, 2005

ISBN: 0-399-24303-8

 

About the Author

Peter Holwitz is a published author and an illustrator of children's books. Some of the published credits of Peter Holwitz include Scribbleville, Stick Kid, and The Big Blue Spot.

Everyone Is The Same In Scribbleville

Scribbleville is a pleasant little town where everyone and everything is scribbled. The people have scribbled houses, scribbled pets and they walk with wiggles. There is not a single straight line in Scribbleville.

One day, a stranger moves into town and Scribbleville is never the same. The newcomer is straight, not scribbled, and drives a big yellow truck that is as straight as a stick. The man builds a perfectly straight house with a white picket fence around the yard. The people in Scribbleville are shocked and upset.

Wherever he went, the people would stare.

"Look at his clothes." "Who cuts his hair?"

"He doesn't fit in. He looks all wrong.

Should someone tell him he doesn't belong?"

The Scribblers shun the newcomer with the straight house and the straight picket fence. Then a woman walks up to the straight man's fence and begins to talk to him. She has a big scribbled smile and a red scribbled dress. They soon become friends. The folks in Scribbleville are furious.

"I admit", she said, as her

scribbled head shook.

"on the outside he's odd, but

that's not where I look."

Children are often the first to accept changes. A youngster in school draws a picture that is part scribble and part straight. A teacher wears a straight tie around his scribbled neck. Soon the kids begin to wear straight lines too.

It's tough to say - to pick one day.

Things never change overnight.

But before too long, what once felt wrong,

Started to feel a bit right.

The stranger isn't strange anymore. He marries the woman in the red scribbled dress. They have two kids...one is scribbled and one is not. Now, Scribbleville is a town where everyone fits in.

My Thoughts

I really like this book. It deals with prejudice, racism, change, acceptance, tolerance and friendship. These are all social issues that children must deal with on a daily basis. This book is written in rhyme and reminds me of the way Dr. Seuss would deal with social issues in a light-hearted manner.

The scribbled illustrations are excellent and children should be encouraged to create their own scribbled drawings. These illustrations really make this book unique and wonderful.

Scribbleville is about accepting other people who are different than the majority. They might be a different race, have a disability or speak with a foreign accent. The world would be a better place if every town would follow the example of Scribbleville. I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.

Book Giveaway

Would you like to have your very own copy of Scribbleville? I found this book at a Friends of the Library sale and would like to pass along my good fortune to one of my blog readers. This is a former library book. The front blank page has been removed and the word "DISCARD" is stamped on the title page and inside the back cover. The name of the library has been marked out.

This book is out-of-print and somewhat difficult to find at a reasonable price.

You must do the following TWO things to enter this contest;

(1.) Leave a COMMENT in the Comments Section of this blog post and include your email address so that I will have a way to contact the winner.

(2.) FOLLOW this blog with Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs.

(3.) Each entrant must be at least 18 years old...Only ONE entry per person.

(4.) This contest is worldwide. I will ship the book via USPS Priority mail at my expense.

I will randomly draw a winner from all the blog comments at noon (Central Time) on Tuesday, May 15. I will email the winner and that person will have 48 hours to respond by sending me their shipping address. If I don't get a reply from the winner, I will choose another name on Friday, May 18. I will announce the winner of the contest on this blog the following week.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss is one of my very favorite children's book authors. It is really hard to choose my favorite Dr. Seuss book but I dearly love Horton Hatches the Egg, The Lorax and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Today the movie version of "The Lorax" opens in theatres around the country and I look forward to seeing it soon.

Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904. I would like to share some of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotations to honor his 108th birthday.


“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”   

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”  

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”   

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”  

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”   
(Oh The Places You'll Go)

 “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
(I Can Read With My Eyes Shut)

“A person's a person, no matter how small.”
(Horton Hears A Who)

“Being crazy isn't enough.”

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”  
 (The Lorax)

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”  
 
“I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent!”  
 (Horton Hatches The Egg)

“How did it get so late so soon?”    

“I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.”    

“Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.”  

Thank you for the many hours of happy reading, Dr. Seuss! You will always be remembered.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss quotation or book? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Golden Oldies For Kids - Surprise on Wheels by Margaret Friskey

I was recently visiting my mother's home and found this "golden oldie" on her bookshelf. This is actually two stories about some very innovative children. "Surprise on Wheels and Wings Over The Woodshed", by Margaret Friskey, was published in 1945.
The words "Irving School, Sept. 1954" are stamped inside the cover of this book. Irving School was an elementary school in Higginsville, Missouri. This book must have been read many, many times because almost every page has been mended with tape.

This is a book for beginning readers. The book is illustrated with both color and black & white drawings.

About The Author
Margaret Friskey joined Childrens Press in 1946, the second employee to be hired in the new juvenile publishing house. She worked as an editor for the company for twenty-five years and directed the publication of over seven hundred books. She is the author of over twenty children's books.

Childhood Before the Days of Television
These two stories tell about three siblings who were very creative. Patsy and Peter were five years old. Billy was just two years old. Patsy and Peter knew how to build things with a hammer and saw. In "Surprise on Wheels", they found a big wooden box and built a boat. The boat would not "GO" so they decided to build a train. They were upset because they did not have any wheels and the train would not "GO".

Little Brother Bill said his big round wooden blocks could be wheels. The children attached the wheels to their train and the train went racing down the hill (with a push from the pet goat).

In "Wings Over The Woodshed", the children build a wooden airplane and their Uncle Joe helped them make it fly! Uncle Joe strings a rope between his barn and a neighbor's tree. He then uses a pulley to make the plane "fly" along the rope. They use the plane to rescue a neighbor's cat who is stuck in the tree.


My Thoughts
The children in this story were very innovative. It is hard to imagine five-year-old children being able to build vehicles like they did in these stories. The children seemed to be very skilled with the tools and there was no mention of safety issues in the book.

In the days before television, children had to entertain themselves. They had to use their imaginations to visit faraway kingdoms and play with whimsical characters. I think every child imagines building their own car, train or airplane. These children were doing what many dreamed of doing.

I think most parents today would hesitate to turn their young children loose in their workshop. I do think these stories illustrate a spirit of adventure that many children of that day displayed. It was wonderful to turn back the years and read a book that was treasured by children over 60 years ago.

Book Giveaway Winner!
Congratulations to Roberta for winning my book giveaway last week. I will be sending the signed copy of "Marketing Shortcuts for the Unemployed" to New Zealand this week.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Fractured Fairy Tales ~ The Three LIttle Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

I have had a propensity for fairy tales and fractured fairy tales for many years. A "fractured fairy tale" is a fairy tale that has been modified in such a way as to make us laugh at an unexpected characterization, plot development or contrary point of view.

Many fractured fairy tales have been written based on the classic story of "The Three Little Pigs." I recently wrote about "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka.

Today I am going to tell you about another version of "The Three Little Pigs".  "The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig", by Eugene Trivizas, tells about three cuddly little wolves and a big bad pig. This book was published in 1993 and is still considered one of the most popular "fractured" versions of "The Three Little Pigs".

About The Author

 Eugene Trivizas is a Greek sociologist and author of children's books.

Three Cuddly Little Wolves

Once upon a time, there were three cuddly little wolves who lived with their mother. One day their mother told them it was time for them to go out into the world and live on their own.

The first wolf built a house of bricks, the second built a house of concrete and the third little wolf built his house with concrete, barbed wire, iron bars, armor plates and heavy metal padlocks.  Wow! What kind of pig could break down these houses?

This pig was very, very bad. He knocked down the brick house with a sledge hammer. He smashed down the concrete house with a pneumatic drill. He BLEW UP the concrete compound with DYNAMITE!

The wolves did not know what to do. They were seriously afraid for their lives. A friendly flamingo just happened to be passing by with a wheelbarrow full of flowers. The wolves decided to build a house with the flowers!

When the big bad pig came to destroy the house of flowers, something very unexpected happened. When he smelled the fragrant scent of the flowers, his heart grew tender and he realized how bad he had been. The wolves invited the pig to live with them, and they lived happily ever after.

My Thoughts

At the end of the story, we can draw the conclusion that the pig was mean because he didn't have any friends. The wolves were worried at first because they thought it might be a trick. They soon realized that the pig had truly changed, so they played with him and invited him into their house.

I have read this book aloud to children dozens of times. It never fails to hold their attention to the very end. The pig needed friendship and acceptance. This is a wonderful lesson for children of all ages.

Click HERE to see "The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig" on YouTube.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Camel Lot; A Misplaced Adventure

My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Camel Lot; A Misplaced Adventure, written and illustrated by Karen Jones, is a charming chapter book for children.  It is currently being offered as a FREE ebook on Amazon.
Three siblings created an imaginary kingdom named "Camel Lot" when they decided to spend the afternoon playing in their mother's forbidden flower garden.

About The Author
Karen Jones lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter and Chihuahua dog. Her family is a constant source of inspiration. She has written numerous poems, stories and funny lyrics. Ms. Jones wrote "Bermuda's Triangle; A Misplaced Adventure", another ebook for children.

An Imaginary Kingdom
When Artie, Lance and Gwen were instructed to go outside and play, they struggled to think of fun things to do. Five-year-old Gwen suggested that they play in their mother's garden. They were NEVER allowed to play in the garden without permission. They decided that the forbidden garden would be the perfect place to spend the afternoon.
The children decided the garden would be a magical kingdom named "Camel Lot". Artie was the king, Lance was a knight and Gwen was the princess. The children soon realized that they were not alone in the garden.  Gwen got an unexpected push as she sat on the garden swing. Gwen's brothers were determined to get to the bottom of this prank.  They were shocked when they found a lonely neighbor boy in Camel Lot.

My Thoughts
I read this book on my Kindle and took a look at the color illustrations on my Kindle for PC application. This book has six short chapters and 6 color illustrations. The illustrations feature scenes from around the garden.
This book is appropriate for children in grades 2 - 4 and could be used as a read-aloud for younger children.
I enjoyed the daring and imaginative spirits of these children. This is a wonderful example of kids having fun without expensive toys, a television or a video game. The mysterious visitor in the garden brings an element of suspense to the story. I would love to see a picture of the children in this story. The garden illustrations were good but it just seems like something is missing. A few more illustrations would make this good book a great book.
I encourage you to download this book while it is FREE and share it with a child in your life. You will be glad you did.

Golden Oldies For Kids ~ The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs

Was Alexander T. Wolf framed? Was it all an unfortunate accident?

"The True Story of The Three Little Pigs", by A. Wolf (As Told To Jon Scieszka) is one of my favorite "fractured" fairy tales. This story was published in 1989 and has been very popular with children for over 20 years.

You may think you know the story of The Three Little Pigs but there are two sides to every story. The story begins with A. Wolf explaining that the real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar. He was making a birthday cake for his dear old granny and ran out of sugar. He also happened to have a terrible sneezing cold.

Was The Wolf Really Big And Bad?
Mr. Wolf walked down the street to borrow a cup of sugar from his neighbor. The neighbor happened to be a pig. The pig also happened to  have a house made of straw.
Mr. Wolf knocked on the door but the pig did not answer. Unfortunately, the wolf felt a sneeze coming on. He huffed and snuffed and sneezed a great sneeze. The whole darn house fell down and the little pig was dead. The wolf did not want to let a perfectly good ham go to waste, so he ate the pig for dinner.
Mr. Wolf had a similar experience at another neighbor's house. He finally came to a brick house and knocked on the door. The pig was rude and insulted the wolf's granny. When the cops arrived, the wolf was huffing and puffing and sneezing and making a real scene.
The story ends with the wolf behind behind bars and a police officer (a pig, of course) was guarding his cell. He had been framed.

My Thoughts
I read this book aloud many times when I worked as an elementary school librarian. The children could hear this same story over and over again...they always loved it.
The wolf is so convincing that he almost convinces the readers that he really was framed and it was all an accident. This is a perfect book for a "point-of-view" lesson. It was fun to ask the children to compare the original "Story of the Three Little Pigs" with this book. The final question was always, "Who do you believe and why?"

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: A Reel Cool Summer

It is a HOT summer day and the kids are bored. "A Reel Cool Summer", by Martha Rodriguez, is a delightful children's book about three young movie makers and their quest to win a contest at the public library. This story was inspired by Martha's real-life children and it is illustrated by her son, Joey.  This book will inspire children to tap into their own creativity and find new ways to fight the summer-time doldrums.

About The Author

Martha Rodriguez was born in Havana, Cuba and emigrated to the United States as a child. She is a wife and mother to three children.
Martha is an independent author and this is her first children's picture book. She is also the owner of Read To Me Publishing, LLC.

An Old Video Camera And Some Creativity
It is a hot summer day and Danny, Joey and Jacqui are bored. They wish they had a swimming pool. Joey receives a postcard from the public library that is announcing a movie making contest for kids! The contest ends TODAY at 5:00 pm. The first place prize is $100.00, the second place prize is a trip to Adventure World and the third place prize is a mystery gift!

The children find their family's old video camera and get to work. The entire family works on the props and costumes. The kids combine their ideas and come up with an out-of-this-world script for their movie. Joey is the photographer and Danny, Jacqui and their pet hamsters are the actors.
The children complete the video and get to the library just before the deadline. They anxiously await the announcement of the contest winners.

Did they win first place in the contest? I am not going to spoil the surprise at the end of the story. I will say that the kids were happily rewarded for their creative efforts!

My Thoughts
I really like the theme of this book. Children should be encouraged to use their imaginations and explore creative outlets. With the help of modern technology, children are very capable of creating a video movie to share with their friends and family. This book demonstrated that you don't have to have the most modern equipment to make a movie, the kids in this story were using an old video camera that used VHS tapes.
The computer-generated illustrations are colorful and fun. Joey Rodriguez did a wonderful job creating illustrations that complement this story.
This book uses a picture book format but the text is more verbose than a typical picture book. I would say this book is appropriate for children in the 2nd/3rd grade levels. The book is a good read-aloud selection for younger children.

The dialogue is written to sound like children really talk. Parents might cringe but kids will love it. Here is an example from the text;

“You know how much I hate going to the mall because it’s so boring and you have to walk for hours and Mom takes forever to pick out a pair of socks and lava is hot, like a million degrees hot, and it melts everything? Well, that’s what today feels like; it’s boring and hot. Like a mall that’s made of really, really hot lava!”

Mrs. Rodiguez has done an admirable job on her very first children's book. I love the fact that an author can now write and publish their own book and share it with the world. I look forward to more books from Martha and her Read To Me Publishing Company.

Disclosure: I want to thank Martha Rodriguez for sending me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Golden Oldies For Kids ~ The Stupids Step Out

The Stupids are a fictional family that appear in a series of children's books by Harry Allard and James Marshall. Children find the characters in these books hilarious because the family is incompetent to the point of confusing the most basic concepts and tasks.

The Stupids Step Out was first published in 1974 and was the first in a series of four books about the Stupid family. Unfortunately, the book has not always been popular with parents and teachers. Some parents claim that this book promotes low self-esteem and bad behavior.

"I want The Stupids"
All of "The Stupids" books were extremely popular with the children in my school library in the 1980s - 2000. I still remember 1st and 2nd graders racing to the shelves saying, "I want The Stupids!" I am sure that it was the humor that attracted so many young readers to these books. Children like to laugh and to be silly.  These books attracted kids like a magnet.

About The Book
The Stupids Step Out is a story about Mr. and Mrs. Stupid, their two children and their dog named Kitty. One day, Mr. Stupid decides to take the family on a road trip. They get dressed up in outlandish clothes and then head for the car. The family rides on the outside of the car while the dog drives. They go to visit their grandparents but Grandpa Stupid does not recognize them. They do some window shopping and then stop at a cafe and all have a mashed potato sundae with butterscotch syrup. They walk home on their hands (I don't know what happened to the car) and then dress up like clowns before they go to bed. The final page of the book shows the entire Stupid family in one bed with their feet perched on pillows and their heads covered up with blankets.

A Smile And A Giggle
I don't think this book would qualify as excellent children's literature, but it is a wonderful treat and will certainly put a smile on your face. This book is just plain SILLY...not necessarily stupid.
Parents must explain the difference between using the word "stupid" to imply that a person lacks intelligence as opposed to using the word to mean ridiculous, absurd and silly. It is never OK to call a person "stupid" in a way that will make him feel bad about himself. 
I like to see a child smiling and laughing as they are reading a book. Reading should be fun for young children. The Stupids Step Out will make the most serious child giggle with delight.

More Books About The Stupids
The Stupids Have A Ball
The Stupids Die
The Stupids Take Off

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Golden Oldies Friday ~ Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Welcome to Golden Oldies Friday! Each Friday I choose one book from my collection of vintage children's books to share with you.

Today, I chose a book that is one of my all-time favorite children's book. Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney, is a beautiful story about living life to the fullest and leaving the world a better place when you leave. This is a picutre of my well-worn and well-loved copy of "Miss Rumphius".

About The Author
Barbara Cooney was born in 1917 and became a prolific children's book illustrator. In the later part of her career, Ms. Cooney focused on writing and illustrating more books of her own. Miss Rumphius, for which the author won both the American Book Award and a New York Times citation in 1982, was inspired by the true story of a woman who planted lupines to make the world a more beautiful place.

Texas Bluebonnets ~ A species of lupine
I discovered this book in the mid-1980s when I was an elementary school librarian in Pasadena, Texas. This book was in the biography section of the library because it is based on a true story.  I was attracted to this book because the Texas Bluebonnet is the state flower. Each spring I would read the children "Miss Rumphius" and we would talk about the beautiful blue flowers.
I also liked this book because Miss Rumphius just happened to work as a librarian and she loved books. This is truly the best "librarian story" that I have ever read.

The Lupine Lady
The story begins with a little girl telling the story of her great-aunt, Miss Alice Rumphius. Alice lived in a big house near the sea when she was a child. Alice would often sit on her grandfather's knee and listen to stories of faraway places. She also loved to watch him paint pictures of the sea. One day, her grandfather told her, "You must do something to make the world more beautiful". Alice agreed but she had no idea what she could do.
When she grew older, Miss Rumphius worked as a librarian in a large public library. She loved to read books about far-away places. She eventually traveled the world and experienced many different adventures.

On one of her adventures, she hurt her back while getting off of a camel. She decided it was time to go back home and take it easy. She found a little house near the sea that was almost perfect...but she remembered that she promised her grandfather to make the world more beautiful. She planted some lupines in her yard and the next spring her yard was full of beautiful blooming flowers.
All the next summer, Miss Rumphius ordered more lupine seeds and walked around spreading the seeds everywhere she went. The next spring there were lupines everywhere. She was known as the "Lupine Lady" and continued to spread seeds until she was very old.

The end of the book shows Miss Rumphius as a very old lady. She is sitting among her great-nieces and great-nephews. She is telling them that there is one thing that they MUST remember....Do somthing to make the world more beautiful.

Here is a video that I made a couple of years ago when the bluebonnets were in full bloom.




Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Golden Oldies Fridays ~ The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

I have a large collection of vintage children's books, so I have decided to start a "Golden Oldies Friday".
Each Friday I will feature a vintage children's book that is at least 20 years old. I worked as an elementary school librarian from 1974 to 2005, so I am looking forward to digging out some of my old favorites and writing about them on this blog.

The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward
I first heard about this book in my Children's Literature class in the mid-1970s. I will never forget how the instructor read this book aloud to our class of future teachers and librarians.
Johnny Orchard is a young farm boy in the 1950s. He is upset because all of the neighbors have a bear skin hanging on the side of their barns. Johnny decides to take his gun and head out to the woods to shoot a bear. He soon spots a bear...a hungry baby bear. Johnny gives the bear some maple sugar from his pocket and takes him home. He convinces his parents that they should keep the bear and raise him.
Johnny and his family soon find out that a growing bear eats a huge amount of food. The bear causes all kinds of problems in the house and in the entire neighborhood.  One day, Johnny's father tells him the bear has to go back to live in the woods. Each time Johnny leads the bear into the woods, the bear comes right back to Johnny's house in a day or two.
Sadly, Johnny decides he will have to shoot the biggest bear. He leads the  bear out to the woods and loads his gun. Suddenly, the bear takes off running through the woods dragging Johnny behind him.  The bear (and Johnny) run right into a bear trap that is baited with maple sugar.
Soon some men come running up and say they are trying to capture a bear to put in the zoo. They tell Johnny that his bear will have a good home, plenty of food and he can come visit as often as he wants to.
The bear likes his new home and Johnny visits often. There is a sign that says "Biggest Bear" at the top of his cage.

The Caldecott Medal
"The Biggest Bear" was first published in 1952. It was illustrated using opaque watercolors, and won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1953.

My Thoughts
Through the years, there has been some controversy about this book. Some people say it encourages killing animals as a sport. It is disturbing to some people to see a young boy walking alone in the woods with a loaded gun on a bear hunting expedition.
I am not a hunter and I do not come from a family of hunters. Personally, I do not understand how people can have fun hunting down and killing wild animals. I do think this book provides young readers with an outstanding  opportunity to see what life was like living on a farm in the 1940s. This book could also lead to a discussion on the pros and cons of hunting...and the pros and cons of capturing wild animals and putting them in the zoo.
The highlight of this book is definitely the illustrations. The paintings are magnificent and the book is worth your attention just for the illustrations alone. You can spend hours pouring over the pictures with your child and talking about how things were back in the "olden days".
This book will always be a "Golden Oldie" in my collection of vintage children's books.

Next week, I will feature "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney in my Golden Oldies Friday post.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below ~ I would love to hear from you.



Book Review: Bumps In The Night

Those awful bumps in the night! Kids hear the strangest sounds when it is time for bed. Bumps In The Night, by Melaine Ryther, is a delightful picture book for pre-schoolers through early elementary graders. This book is available as a Kindle ebook from Amazon. The current price is $2.99.
Kids will love the rhyming text and the humorous illustrations in this story. The surprise ending will have them begging for more.

About The Author
Melaine Ryther is a professional freelance writer whose work has appeared in a variety of print and online magazines, including Boys' Life, National Geographic Kids, Stories for Children and many others.

Kindle Books For Young Children
Several months ago, I wrote an article about children's picture books for the Kindle. I am not saying that young children should be allowed to play with a Kindle like a toy, but I believe that this is a very appropriate way for a parent to spend some time reading and showing children what an electronic book reader is all about.

Bumps In The Night is a great fit for the Kindle. Each page displays a half-page illustration and four lines of rhyming text. The text has an easy rhythmic flow and kids will love the humorous illustrations.

The illustrations are compatible with the black-and-white Kindle screen. There is very good contrast and the details are easy to see. If you want to view the illustrations in color, you can download the Kindle for PC application and read the book on your computer.

An Enchanting Book For A Great Price
I really like the way Ms. Ryther includes the entire extended family in this book. Each family member (mother, father, sister, brother, grandma, grandpa...even the family dog) is responsible for one of the strange bumps in the night. The end of the story should encourage children to talk about those "bumps" that are not so easy to explain.

I have to warn parents that your child will not let you stop at reading this book just one time. You will be reading it over and over again...especially when it is time for bed.

Disclosure: Melaine Ryther sent me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review. Thank you!

I would love to hear from you ~ Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

DREAM Children's Book Giveaway

Happy Friday the 13th!  This is your lucky day. I am sponsoring a SUPER book giveaway for TWO copies of Dream by Adam Montierth. I would like to thank the good people at Sortis Publishing for sending two brand new copies of this book to share with my readers.
I wrote a review of this delightful book on April 4th, 2011.  Dream encourages kids to set out and accomplish goals even when others may say it can’t be done. This book will motivate and inspire children of all ages. If you know a young reader, this book will make a perfect gift.

How To Enter
Just leave a comment on this blog and you will be entered to win this contest. Don't know what to write? Just tell me, "I want to win a copy of DREAM." That is all there is to it. On Friday, May 20th, I will draw TWO lucky names out of a hat. Please leave an email address so that I can contact you. You will have until the end of Monday, May 23rd to respond to my email and send me your name and shipping address. If I do not hear from you, I will pick another name on Tuesday morning.

Who Can Enter
This contest is open to anyone age 18 or older. I am willing to ship this book (at my expense) to any location in the United States or Canada. The books will be shipped via USPS Media Mail or 1st Class International.  I ask that you just submit one entry per person.


Deadline
You must post a comment on this blog post no later than 12:00 noon (Central Time) on May 20, 2011. I will announce the names of the winners on this blog the week after the drawing.


Follow Me!
I would love for you to push the "Follow" button and add your name to my group of loyal blog readers. If you are on Facebook, I now have a Networked Blogs widget that you can use. However, this is not a requirement to enter this contest.

Leave a comment below to win a copy of this awesome children's book ~ TWO lucky winners will be chosen on Friday, May 20th!

The Greedy Sparrow

I worked many years as an elementary school librarian and I always loved to read fairy tales, folklore and fables. The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale, written by Lucine Kasbarian and illustrated by Maria Zaikina, is an Armenian fable. A fable is a story that teaches a lesson about life.
The sparrow in this story has a thorn in his foot. He takes advantage of a woman baking a loaf of bread and tricks her into giving him the bread. The trickster repeats this behavior over and over again, never satisfied with what he has. He finally ends up losing everything and finds himself with another thorn stuck in his foot. The author states, "we learn that people who engage in dishonest or selfish behavior may end up losing whatever they gained because of that behavior."
The book illustrations were rendered with layers of wax and oil paint, and then the layers were cut away to reveal the colors underneath. The illustrations do an excellent job portraying the Armenian culture and landscape. The pictures are colorful and cheerful. The animal's expressions are delightful and humorous.
I think children today need to understand that crime doesn't pay. There will always be consequences for bad behavior. I also like the way the story and the illustrations teach about a far-away place with a strange sounding name. Most American children are probably not familiar with the Republic of Armenia. This would be a wonderful opportunity to get out the globe and talk about  people who live on the other side of the world.
The author provides an excellent study guide and activities on her web site. There are so many lessons that can be taught from this book. Great for children of all ages!
I want to thank Ms. Kasbarian for sending me a digital copy of this book to read and review. It was a real pleasure.

Comments are welcome ~ I love to hear from you!