As I read this I was singing the song in my head. This is the theme song down on paper to Sesame Street. The song makes for great lines to a book likeAs I read this I was singing the song in my head. This is the theme song down on paper to Sesame Street. The song makes for great lines to a book like this.
The artwork is amazing. Each page spread is done by 18 different artists. Many of them that I follow are in here like Dan Santat or Kenard Pak. Each page's artwork is distinct and a different take on a neighborhood filled with children's laughter. I love this concept. So many different things to love.
A fun book young kids might enjoy if they know the show....more
Life gives us chances, doesn't it. Do we go for it, or step back from that chance at something new. Maybe it's a new team at school, or a new job? LeaLife gives us chances, doesn't it. Do we go for it, or step back from that chance at something new. Maybe it's a new team at school, or a new job? Learning how to step into that is a big deal.
This big is all about learning to do just that. The artwork is lovely. Chance is sort of like a paper butterfly glowing yellow like a sun. It flits by and one must grab one. Many pages don't have backgrounds. It focuses on the boy and the chance. Some pages do have backgrounds. I find the colors nice. I don't care for the fuzzy green brown stuff, but I think the art is great. It inspires.
Kids might appreciate the way this illuminates that abstract concept of having a chance at something....more
What a wonderful retelling of a classic fairytale. I love Jerry Pinkney's retellings of folktales and fairytales.
The artwork shines here. It is amaziWhat a wonderful retelling of a classic fairytale. I love Jerry Pinkney's retellings of folktales and fairytales.
The artwork shines here. It is amazing. I love the punked out Troll. He even gives the troll an arc and a chance to grow with a new ending. The Troll falls in the water and a big fish with lots and lots of teeth asks him his very question, "Who's crossing my river?" It's a bit of his own medicine.
I love that ending. A great tale. I recommend this one if you want to read this classic....more
Wow! Usually Tomie DePaola is wordy, not here. I was very surprised at the simplicity of this book. Nona goes to her garden, sees her tomatoes are ripWow! Usually Tomie DePaola is wordy, not here. I was very surprised at the simplicity of this book. Nona goes to her garden, sees her tomatoes are ripe and picks them. She brings them inside and counts them, interrupted, she leaves half way. Big Anthony comes in and undoes her work. End.
It's a basic Strega Nona story. It's not really much of a story at all. I suppose it's a book about tomatoes.
The artwork is pure Tomie dePaola. Nothing new there. Strange little tale....more
I'm not crazy about this book. This book was giving ideas on how to write and that's wonderful. I like the idea of an 'idea jar'. Think up things and I'm not crazy about this book. This book was giving ideas on how to write and that's wonderful. I like the idea of an 'idea jar'. Think up things and put them in. This isn't about crafting those ideas at all, this is just with coming up with them.
I think for kids this book is about taking the lid of creativity and going with whatever is there. Use the whole idea jar. Wonderful. Fascinating. So, this is the starting point. It's getting the motor running. Then you have to learn about story craft later.
I wasn't enamored with the artwork at all. The colors felt monotone and the characters had no life, no energy to jump off the page. IT was all screaming in a chaotic mess, but it couldn't get off the page....more
I read this and after finishing, I realized that Lance Bass from NSync wrote this. Huh. Cool.
I love the artwork in this. It has a scary atmosphere safI read this and after finishing, I realized that Lance Bass from NSync wrote this. Huh. Cool.
I love the artwork in this. It has a scary atmosphere safe for kids. It has such a great Halloween vibe. This town went all out on Halloween. The whole town is decorated. These kids go down scary street to trick or treat and the houses and so creepy. One yard had an alligator in the front yard as a dog, uhhh... NO! Anyway,
They are going through all these scary places and end up in a big town ...
I think kids will love this one. It's a fun Halloween story. The artwork is just so good. The story is a good job. I like the book.
Spoilers:
They end up at a big town dance party. It looks like a whole lot of fun...more
This is a bit in the 'Peter Pan' vein. The book asks the reader to clap to save Tinkerbell's life. This book ask you to yell where her broom is.
This lThis is a bit in the 'Peter Pan' vein. The book asks the reader to clap to save Tinkerbell's life. This book ask you to yell where her broom is.
This little witch is excited to ride her broom on Halloween night across the moon. Only one problem, she can't find her broom. She goes looking all over the city for it and tries out different things like bikes, trains and the best one is a plane. She does end up on a broom, surprise surprise. I'm sure you never expected that.
The artwork is stylized and fun. I love the cat and the witch's boots. I think this will make kids laugh....more
The artwork in this is very reminiscent of Autumn. I love the falling leaves and autumn vibe going in this. The artwork is nice.
A simple story. A loneThe artwork in this is very reminiscent of Autumn. I love the falling leaves and autumn vibe going in this. The artwork is nice.
A simple story. A lonely ghost has a neighbor move in next door and it wants to make a friend. It throws a Halloween party and invites the girl next door. She comes over. They are both worried about making friends.
It's a cute Halloween story. Kids should enjoy this one....more
I saw someone else describe this story as "quiet and pensive". It's the perfect way to describe this story. This was translated from the Japanese.
The I saw someone else describe this story as "quiet and pensive". It's the perfect way to describe this story. This was translated from the Japanese.
The artwork is out of sight. Akiko is doing so much with light and shadow. It's wonderful. It's just amazing. The light looks so warm and cozy.
One of the reasons I love the winter is that it gets dark early. It can be cold and windy out and people have their lights on as you walk/drive by. It's dark outside and you can look into someones warm and cozy world. That's this story. A family is walking home from work and this young kid is looking into all the windows and seeing the people and wondering what their lives are like. That's how the light and shadow play so well in this book.
This book has a very moving quality. I'm not sure this book is for every kid, but I think some kids will be blown away by the specialness of this story. It's so simple....more
I think this book is best summed up by "There's no place like home". Wolfgang is so happy in his meadow with all his friends. Still, he wants to hauntI think this book is best summed up by "There's no place like home". Wolfgang is so happy in his meadow with all his friends. Still, he wants to haunt the mansion and the famous haunter is about to retire. He's looking for a successor. Wolfgang wants it. So he studies and practices.
The artwork is nice. I love the bright pictures of the meadows. The mansion is dreary and huge. The artwork distinguishes the two places well.
Wolfgang gets the job and then gets depressed missing his meadow. It's good to keep our friends close....more
A cute book about a ghost living in a library. Kids will love how cute the ghost is. So cute.
The ghost tries and scare all the kids away from the librA cute book about a ghost living in a library. Kids will love how cute the ghost is. So cute.
The ghost tries and scare all the kids away from the library. He sees a girl engrossed in a book and tries to scare her. She tells him to pipe down, this chapter is too good to stop. He gets angry. The ghost can't read. So, this girl teaches him to read. Yes, the story is about reading.
I'm so glad I was able to read this book this year. I love it. I love all the orange books that stand out in this store.
The artwork is fabulous. TherI'm so glad I was able to read this book this year. I love it. I love all the orange books that stand out in this store.
The artwork is fabulous. There are all the normal Halloween monsters around looking for books. We are in some sort of Halloween town and the artwork is magical. It's spooky and safe at the same time. You can almost feel the cobwebs.
We see a kid who stumbles into the local book store after finding a key. The owner tells the kid, there is a book for everyone. The kid wants to find his book, but first he helps all the customers find their books. One book loses a dragon on the store. That's handled and then it's storytime.
Such a warm and welcoming book. I just loved it. I think every kid can find something they love in this. Plus, it's about a library and books. Any book lover is going to cherish this story. It's strange, books about books and reading are the best....more
What a wonderful find. I finally got the Halloween books from the library. I feel like even though my heart breaks for our countries future, I am ableWhat a wonderful find. I finally got the Halloween books from the library. I feel like even though my heart breaks for our countries future, I am able to read light-hearted books again for the time. I have cut out all news and that helps.
This story is in black and white with but a touch of red upon each page. I love the artwork. It has a very creepy feel to it. Everything just feels like something is around the next page.
The story is told in a rhyme scheme. I love it. Well done.
Two sisters live together, one content with a slow life, the other raring for adventure. The adventurer sneaks off to the goblin market one night. The content one wakes and in a panic, goes to find her sister who she knows is in trouble. The goblin market does everything it can to entrap the content sister. There is a menacing wolf stalking her as well.
It's sort of easy to guess what happens, but this story will delight children. A great Halloween story. ...more
Let's start with the best part. The artwork is so wonderful. Each page has great ideas on it, one more surreal than the last. Kenard Pak really made aLet's start with the best part. The artwork is so wonderful. Each page has great ideas on it, one more surreal than the last. Kenard Pak really made a work of art here. I love it. It could be mixed media. Some thing look water color. He gets a lot of textures.
The text. There isn't much to it. It's a child asking questions on how the world works. Example: "Is cereal afraid of the spoon? I wonder if dragonflies dog paddle. They don't really relate to anything and there isn't anything that tries to pull all these questions together. It's just a book of questions about things. The artwork saves this.
I do wonder what children would think of this book....more
Wow, let's talk about this artwork. Amazing! The art was digital and it doesn't look digital. The art has so much energy and passion in it. The colorsWow, let's talk about this artwork. Amazing! The art was digital and it doesn't look digital. The art has so much energy and passion in it. The colors are so rich and vibrant. The art is alive and it invites one in to explore this new world. There are dark colors for anxiety and fear, and there are sunny colors that are hopeful and urge people to do something.
This story is based on Nikkolas Smith. He made a painting that went viral one day. This is about a boy who sees all these things in the world that need changing. He feels overwhelmed by them. He loves painting, so one day, he decides to do something about it. He makes art about things going on in the world and the change we are looking for.
It's a story about getting involved in your community. The book is about connections to people and you feel that in this book. I just read 'Maybe' and it's about similar ideas, but that book was set in a vacuum. There were no other people. It was just one person and it didn't feel the same as this book that is set in community. Here, you feel the connections to people.
I think kids will love the artwork and the knowledge that they aren't helpless. They have a voice and they can do something about it.
This story is told in magnificent Rhyme schemes. It's so playful, joyful and amazing. I love it.
This is about the power of trying things, even if you This story is told in magnificent Rhyme schemes. It's so playful, joyful and amazing. I love it.
This is about the power of trying things, even if you fail. Just because it didn't work the first time, means you know one way it doesn't work. You keep going. It's only a failure if you give up.
Rosie loves making things and she is an engineer. When something she makes doesn't go right, she gets embarrassed and wants to give up. Her aunt comes to town, Rosie the Riveter and teachers her a lesson on keeping going.
The artwork is fine, but David Roberts drawings of fashion design is out of this world. I love it. All the woman are sleek and so chic. It is amazing. I love the fashion. Rosie and her aunt aren't. Some of the dresses sort of look like Erte as well. Great stuff.
One of my favorite inventions of Rosie's is the helium pants that will make you fly. It's on the cover. Funny. I think kids will have fun with this....more
What a fun 'cut-out' book. Even some of the pages are different sizes for different effects. This is all about a grandchild missing their grandparent.What a fun 'cut-out' book. Even some of the pages are different sizes for different effects. This is all about a grandchild missing their grandparent.
The book discusses how to keep in touch: phone, computers, mail, and visiting. There is much longing in this book for that special bond. It's hard to be separated from those we love.
The art in this book is amazing. I love the colors and cut-outs and Suzy Lee is so good at this. The characters are simple fuzzy people and it works. It builds that feeling of longing. This is a good book a grandparent giving a grandchild, I think....more
A good book about coral reefs of the ocean. An great introduction for kids interested in the oceans and sea life. There are some great facts in the baA good book about coral reefs of the ocean. An great introduction for kids interested in the oceans and sea life. There are some great facts in the back.
This book is from 2009 and so a lot more coral reef bleaching has happened since that time with warmer water. So her facts at the end are outdated. In 2009, 25% of the worlds coral reefs have already disappeared. I wonder what that number is now. It would probably be pretty scary.
The artwork is fine. It shows off the colors and animals in a reef....more
Non-fiction can be some of the most interesting stories out there. I've never heard of this man. He made three expeditions to the Antarctic at the begNon-fiction can be some of the most interesting stories out there. I've never heard of this man. He made three expeditions to the Antarctic at the beginning of the 20th century. He was Irish serving in the English navy exploring the harshest place on Earth. He has two areas in the Antarctic that are named after him.
His captains weren't necessarily the smartest men and most of the time, he was the one who got them out of a horrible mess the captains get the men in. He seemed like quite a guy. This book focuses on what he did. The most we know about him is he like to sing and loved taking care of the animals. There is little that lets us relate to him as a person. He's pretty distant from the reader. When he retired to his tiny Irish Island, he started the South Pole Inn which is still there today. He married.
I enjoy the artwork. It's sort of told like a comic book. It has panels that show different adventures. So the narrative tells of things they did or encountered and a panel shows a picture. They cover a lot of story quickly that way.
One time, they were in a frozen bay that broke up. They had to hope from ice flow to ice flow leaving behind their ponies and dogs while killer whales swam around the ice. It was quite the creepy picture. I mean, there was a whole pod of whales waiting for them to fall. The artwork is bright and happy which made it even more creepy, IMO.
He had quite a few harrowing adventures that people would have died without him. He must have been quite a guy.
Any kid who loves real adventures should enjoy this. This is that adventuring spirit....more
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