Review of All the Way to America, by Dan Yaccarino

Biography, Children's Nonfiction Review, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

All the Way to America

The Story of a Big Italian Family
and a Little Shovel

by Dan Yaccarino

Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2011. 36 pages.
Starred Review

This is a picture book biography, but it’s not a book kids will use for school reports, so I feel a little sad that it will be shelved with the biographies rather than the picture books. First and foremost, this book tells an engaging story. It’s a story simple enough for preschoolers or young elementary school students to have read to them or to read themselves. That the story is true is an exciting bonus, which I’m sure will fascinate young readers.

In this book, Dan Yaccarino tells about how his great-grandfather Michele Iaccarino came to America all the way from Sorrento, Italy. His bright and distinctive illustrations add to this tale of family, food, and adventure.

“And so when he was a young man, Michele left Italy and went all the way to America in search of new opportunities.

“‘Work hard,’ his father told him, handing him the little shovel.

“‘But remember to enjoy life.’

“‘And never forget your family,’ his mother said. She hugged him and gave him their few family photographs and her recipe for tomato sauce.”

Each generation has a new use for the little shovel. And each generation, the family got larger. Each generation, they found uses for the traditional tomato sauce.

To emphasize that this is a true story, the author poses on the back cover flap with the actual little shovel his great-grandfather brought to America.

This would make a great addition to a storytime about family. It gives you a nice warm feeling of family traditions and good food.

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Childrens_Nonfiction/all_the_way_to_america.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of Monsters Eat Whiny Children

Delightfully Silly, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

Monsters Eat Whiny Children

by Bruce Eric Kaplan

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010. 36 pages.
Starred Review

This book makes me laugh. I admit, I would not want to use it in a library storytime, for fear of scaring a child too young to understand that it’s a joke. However, parents will know at what age this will make a fun cautionary tale.

“Once there were two perfectly delightful children who were going through a TERRIBLE phase, which is to say they whined ALL day and night….

“Their kindly father warned them that monsters eat whiny children. They didn’t believe him. So they whined and whined until finally one day…

“a monster came and stole them away.”

The monster begins by making a whiny-child salad and pours dressing on the children. But his wife hates cilantro, so they have to start over. A neighbor comes over and suggests whiny-child burgers. Something goes wrong with each suggestion. Sharp-eared children will notice that the monsters are awfully whiny themselves.

Meanwhile, while the monsters are whining as each of their plans doesn’t work, the children get distracted and stop whining. Finally, the monsters hit upon the perfect treat: whiny-child cucumber sandwiches. But when they look for the children, they have escaped. They have to eat plain cucumber sandwiches (recipe included).

It’s so easy to imagine a “kindly father” reading this book to his children and maybe, just maybe, getting them to think about what whining sounds like and stop. The author never comes out and says that the monsters are whining, but it’s quite clear that nothing pleases them, and their constant objections are what allow the children to escape.

Children will enjoy the thrill of danger in this story but delight in the escape. And maybe, just maybe, they will be a little quicker to stop the next time their kindly parents point out that they are whining.

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/monsters_eat_whiny_children.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of Balancing Act, by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Animal Characters, Good for the Very Young, Mathematical, Picture Book Review, Science 0

Balancing Act

by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), New York, 2010. 32 pages.

Ellen Stoll Walsh is brilliant at explaining basic concepts to the very youngest readers. Her earlier book Mouse Paint is justifiably called “a modern classic,” demonstrating mice mixing colors in a simple, easily understandable way.

Balancing Act shows how balancing works in a way that even toddlers will be able to absorb. First, two mice balance on opposite ends of a stick. Then a lizard joins them, throwing off the balance — but when the lizard’s friend comes, balance is restored. Then comes a frog, and a friend.

When a big, heavy bird comes, it looks like their game is done — until all the other creatures get on the other side. That works great — until the stick breaks.

There are only a few words on each page, used in a way to captivate readers (“Uh-oh! A frog.”), so this book will work with the very youngest children, just beginning to understand that books tell a story.

Balance is a Math concept and a Science concept, but learning this concept is disguised in a lovely story with fun use of language that preschoolers will simply enjoy. A definite win!

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/balancing_act.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of The Odious Ogre, by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer

Fantasy, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

The Odious Ogre

story by Norton Juster
pictures by Jules Feiffer

Michael Di Capua Books (Scholastic), 2010. 32 pages.
Starred Review

When I heard that the creators of the brilliant book The Phantom Tollbooth, which I loved as a child, had done another collaboration, I knew I had to read it. The Odious Ogre is quite different from their earlier collaboration, since it’s a picture book rather than a chapter book. All the better to make the most of Jules Feiffer’s illustrations.

This is a book that begs to be read aloud. Not to the preschool storytime crowd necessarily — unless they are very good listeners — but definitely to young elementary school classrooms. The large picture book format makes the most of the ogre’s true odiousness for all to see, and the language — Ah! the language!

You see, the odious ogre who has been terrorizing the populace “did have quite an impressive vocabulary, due mainly to having inadvertently swallowed a large dictionary while consuming the head librarian in one of the nearby towns.” The ogre says:

“No one can resist me…. I am invulnerable, impregnable, insuperable, indefatigable, insurmountable.”

But the ogre had never met anyone like the pretty little girl with her flower garden. She is completely unimpressed.

“Oh, you’re not really so terrible,” the girl insisted, with a lovely, musical laugh. “Overbearing perhaps, arrogant for sure, somewhat self-important, a little too mean and violent, I’m afraid, and a bit messy. Your shoes could certainly use a polishing, but I’ll bet if you brushed your teeth, combed your hair, found some new clothes, and totally changed your attitude, you’d be quite nice.”

This book clearly shows that “the terrible things that can happen when you come face-to-face with an Ogre can sometimes happen to the Ogre and not to you.”

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/odious_ogre.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of Quack and Count, by Keith Baker

Animal Characters, Good for the Very Young, Mathematical, Picture Book Review, Readalouds 0

Quack and Count

by Keith Baker

Harcourt Brace & Company, 1999. 28 pages.

Here’s a simple picture book that’s fun and easy to read, and lays a nice foundation for counting and addition.

The story is simple. Lovely cut-paper artwork shows us seven ducklings. There are two rhyming lines on each set of pages, but the innovative part is that on each set of pages, we have different groupings.

On the page after we are initially introduced to the seven ducklings, it says,

“Slipping, sliding, having fun
7 ducklings, 6 plus 1.”

Six ducklings are grouped on the left-hand page, and one duckling has already slid down onto the right-hand page.

The next page is:

“7 ducklings, 5 plus 2
Playing games of peekaboo.”

Now you have five ducklings on the left and two on the right, all hiding in the long grass.

And so it continues.

This book is a beautiful way to give the idea of addition in a fun way, without overt teaching. They will see, without you even having to point it out, that 3 + 4 and 4 + 3 both equal seven. On each page, you can count the left, count the right, and count them all together, and your child will enjoy the experience even before he knows how to count himself.

This book gives an example of a beautiful and fun way to build a number sense into your little one. The short text means it would work well with very young children, and as they get older, you can let them count the ducklings themselves. The lovely artwork adds a level of enjoyment.

As a former math teacher, and a Mom who looked for excuses to teach my kids about numbers, and who has successfully reared two book-lovers and math-lovers, I simply had to highlight this delightful little book.

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/quack_and_count.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick

Animal Characters, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?

by Audrey Vernick
illustrated by Daniel Jennewein

Balzer & Bray (HarperCollins), 2010. 32 pages.
Starred Review

And I thought every possible twist on starting Kindergarten had been covered! How wrong I was!

Here’s a delightful way for a kid-in-the-know to tell their Buffalo what’s needed to get ready for Kindergarten.

There are some great lines:

“Some people say kindergarten is no place for a buffalo.
How crazy is that?
Does your buffalo have a backpack?
Well, then. He’s definitely ready for kindergarten.”

“But your buffalo may sometimes get frustrated.
Like when someone takes his building blocks.
Or calls him Fluppalo.
Another buffalo might be tempted to nudge those kids.
But not your buffalo!
He’ll stop, take a deep breath,
and remember the Rules for Sharing and Caring.
That’s why kindergarten’s so great.
You learn to get along without using your horns.”

“Snack time!
Your buffalo is probably looking forward to sharing treats with a classmate. But he may be the only one who eats grass, then throws it up in his mouth and eats it again.
Remember: Everyone’s special in his or her own way.”

There you have it: A truly new perspective on getting ready for kindergarten and going over everything a kid (or a buffalo) will need to know. The pictures, of course, add to the fun. The buffalo is kind and lovable and looks perfect for hugging or cuddling up to during storytime.

Absolutely charming!

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/buffalo.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of Art and Max, by David Wiesner

Animal Characters, Art, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

Art & Max

by David Wiesner

Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin), Boston, 2010. 40 pages.
Starred Review

Three-time Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner has another stunner here. Art & Max reminds me of The Three Pigs, because it’s also a meta-book, a book about how books are made. Or at least meta-art, art about art.

The story takes place in the desert with various desert reptiles. (I won’t attempt to specify which species.) Arthur is a big horny critter who is also an artist, and obviously very pleased with himself. When little Max comes along and wants to paint, he asks Art (Arthur) what he should paint.

When Art says, “You can paint me,” Max takes him literally. That’s when the fun begins.

Art ends up covered with paint. When the other critters try to fix him, he goes through several different manifestations — created in different art styles. Most catastrophic is when he’s a watercolor and drinks a glass of water — and then becomes a line drawing. Then when he walks away with Max holding his tail — he unravels completely.

Don’t worry, Max does recreate Art, in a whole new style.

I would like to share this with children. Probably old enough that they wouldn’t worry about being unravelled! Though I think kids will understand the playful spirit and that these things could only happen in a world where all the characters are made of paint in the first place.

This book has lots to talk about or just enjoy, and is captivating on many levels.

It wouldn’t have surprised me if this book had earned David Wiesner a fourth Caldecott Medal, since the art is so innovative and stunning. For me personally, the story didn’t have as much heart as his winners, but it’s still a playful and creative look at what you can do with art.

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/art_and_max.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Review of A Bedtime for Bear

Animal Characters, Bedtime stories, Picture Book Review, Readalouds, Stand-outs, Starred Review 0

A Bedtime for Bear

by Bonny Becker
illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Candlewick Press, 2010. 48 pages.
Starred Review
2010 Sonderbooks Stand-out: #3 Picture Books

I fell in love with Bear and Mouse in Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton’s first book about them, A Visitor for Bear. The book worked beautifully for reading aloud to a group of school aged kids up to 3rd grade at a summer childcare center — and equally well at preschool storytime. It was a whole lot of fun to read, with fun repetition that built suspense as well as a chance for the reader to indulge in drama. And all along, I’ve loved the expressive pictures that tell the story and subtext so brilliantly.

After they make friends in A Visitor for Bear, Mouse shows Bear how nice a birthday can be when you celebrate with a friend in A Birthday for Bear, which is in Easy Reader format. This third installment goes back to the format and almost the formula of the first — resulting in fun repetition that builds suspense, as well as a chance for the reader to indulge in drama.

Now Bear and Mouse are taking their friendship to another level: Bear is having a sleepover. However, everything has to be just so for Bear’s bedtime. Most of all, it had to be quiet — very, very quiet.

I love the way Bear has learned about friendship, but is still the same persnickety Bear underneath. He tries so hard to be polite at the noise Mouse makes at the beginning! You can see clearly on his face how hard this is for him:

“Bristle, bristle, bristle. Bear heard a noise. It was Mouse, brushing his teeth.
“‘Ahem!’ Bear cleared his throat in a reminding sort of way.
“‘Most sorry,’ said Mouse.”

You can already guess what will happen, though what gets Mouse going was a surprise to me. I just love Bear’s big blow up, with the words printed huge across the page: “Will this torment never cease!” wailed Bear.

Honestly, it makes me want to run a Read-Aloud Bedtime Stories program just to get to read this book!

But that’s not the end. There’s a nice little twist when all is quiet and Mouse is asleep… but Bear hears something. Turns out it’s nice to have a friend when you hear scary noises at night.

I hope I’ve conveyed how much I love this book, but to truly appreciate its charm, you really need to get a copy and read it yourself — better yet, grab someone to read it aloud to, at bedtime. And like all great bedtime books, it ends with the characters fast asleep – and one of them is snoring.

Buy from Amazon.com

Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/bedtime_for_bear.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Beginning Readers

Picture Book Review, Sondy's Selections, Top Ten Tuesday 0

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Today I’m going to list ten books I recommend for children just learning to read on their own. I had to stretch a little with this list, since I didn’t want to include two books by the same author, and the truth is that with my sons, I went heavy on books by the same authors. Lots of books by the authors mentioned here, not just one. So I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Which books have I forgotten?

The titles I’ve reviewed will link to the review, and the others will link to Amazon. Next week, I doubt I will get a list posted, because my divorce case is scheduled to go to court Monday and Tuesday. But the week after that, I’ll post my top ten list of beginning chapter books. Be thinking of your favorites!

Sondy’s Selections, Books for Beginning Readers

Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
Gerald the elephant and his friend Piggie are all ready to play outside when it begins to pour down rain. How can anyone be happy playing when it’s raining?

George and Martha, by James Marshall
There never were such good friends as the hippos George and Martha. The stories in this book are short and easy to read, but all pack a punch.

Little Bear, by Elsa Homelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
Little Bear’s adventures with Mother, Father, his friends, and his grandparents all reflect a child’s life.

Bink and Gollie, by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile
This delightful new book tells about a pair of friends who are very different, but know how to compromise.

Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
Frances doesn’t want to eat a squishy soft-boiled egg. She wants only bread and jam. When Mother decides to indulge Frances’ whims, she begins to see the appeal of variety.

Days with Frog and Toad, by Arnold Lobel
This classic set of stories about two good friends shows Frog and Toad flying a kite, telling ghost stories, cleaning house, and even being alone. These simple stories will bring a smile.

Danny and the Dinosaur, by Syd Hoff
This book takes an imaginative look at what might happen if a dinosaur came to play. (He wouldn’t be very good at hide-and-seek.)

The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
When the Cat in the Hat comes to play, nothing is ever boring, not even reading a book with a limited, easy-to-read vocabulary.

Are You My Mother?, by P. D. Eastman
The classic tale of a baby bird looking for his mother, but finding a Snort.

Nate the Great, by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illustrated by Marc Simont
This is the first of a series of easy-to-read mysteries featuring Nate, the pancake-loving boy detective.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Ages 4-5

Picture Book Review, Top Ten Tuesday 4

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Today I’m going to list ten books I love for approximately ages 4-5. (I’m putting overlap in the ages for these lists to be able to include more!)

Last week I learned that I was not the first one to think of the Top Ten Tuesday meme, so after my list of Sondy’s Selections for ages 4-5, I’ll include a list for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and the Bookish — books that make me cry.

The titles I’ve reviewed will link to the review, and the others will link to Amazon. Next week’s list will be books for beginning readers. Be thinking of your favorites!

Sondy’s Selections, Ages 4-5

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas, by Viviane Schwarz
Timothy Smallbeast’s favorite pajamas wear out, but his mother mends them into Super Strong Pajamas. After a day helping others with his Super Strength, his new friends come to his aid when he needs them.

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, by Eugene Trivizias, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Three sweet little wolves are up against a pig who “isn’t called big and bad for nothing.” When blowing down their houses doesn’t work, the pig starts in with a sledgehammer. This hilarious twist on the traditional tale will have everyone laughing.

A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Bear does NOT allow visitors. But a persistent mouse quickly has readers wondering where he will pop up next. Despite Bear’s best efforts, the mouse shows Bear that some things are better with friends.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig
In this Caldecott Medal-winning book, Sylvester the donkey finds a magic pebble and rashly wishes to be a rock when attacked by a lion. But how can a rock reach the pebble to wish himself back?

Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathman
Officer Buckle is sure that his safety demonstrations are a hit with kids. He doesn’t realize that his dog Gloria is acting out all the accidents behind his back.

Millie Waits for the Mail, by Alexander Steffensmeier
Everyone who sees this book will enjoy the silly situations as Millie the cow waits for the mail – so she can scare the mail carrier out of his wits.

Clever Cat, by Peter Collington
A cat learns that being too clever can backfire. Maybe not a great message, but very funny.

The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds
Here’s a beautiful little book about making your mark and not judging yourself by other people’s standards. Kids who read this will never dare to say they’re “not good at art.”

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter
The classic tale of a naughty rabbit outwitting Mr. MacGregor is still as pleasing as ever.

Horton Hatches the Egg, by Dr. Seuss
A faithful elephant tends a nest because he meant what he said, and he said what he meant.

And now, a special bonus list in honor of the Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and the Bookish:

This week their list topic is Books That Make You Cry.

Now, when I was a teen, a book had to make me cry to be counted one of my favorites. But it was hard to remember which ones those were. I think I cried a lot more easily then!

Anyway, here’s the list I came up with of my favorite books that made me cry:

1. Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
2. Emily’s Quest, by L. M. Montgomery
3. Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell
4. Light From Heaven, by Christmas Carol Kauffman
5. Heidi, by Johanna Spyri
6. Mister God, This Is Anna, by Finn
7. Little Britches, by Ralph Moody
8. A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken
9. Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson
10. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary Schmidt

Now, please add to the fun and share your favorites (in either category) in the comments!