July Favorites

My favorite books read in July 2010

I Like Fruit. Lorena Siminovich. 2010. July 2010. Candlewick. 10 pages.
All About Me! A Baby's Guide to Babies by David Salariya. 2008. Random House. 16 pages.
Baby at the Farm. Karen Katz. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 10 pages.
How Rocket Learned to Read. Tad Hills. 2010. July 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos). 2010. July 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Please Pick Me Up, Mama! Robin Luebs. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Ferocious Wild Beasts! by Chris Wormell. 2009. December 2009. Random House. 32 pages
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same. Grace Lin. 2010. July 2010. Little, Brown. 43 pages.
Word After Word After Word. Patricia MacLachlan. 2010. HarperCollins. 128 pages.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

When the World is Ready for Bed

When the World is Ready for Bed. Gillian Shields. Illustrated by Anna Currey. 2009. Bloomsbury. 32 pages.

When the world
Is ready for bed,
The sky grows dark,
The sun glows red.

The little flowers
Shut their eyes,
The night birds sing
Their lullabies.

Supper's ready
In the pot--
Come and eat it
While it's hot.

When the World Is Ready for Bed is a sweet, gentle bedtime book. It's written in rhyme. (But the rhymes are nicely done.) It makes for a rhythmic read aloud, it flows easily. In the book, readers meet a family of bunnies. Cute, adorable bunnies who are getting ready to go to bed. What's involved in their nightly routine? The usual. Taking a bath. Brushing teeth. Putting on pajamas. And the all-important bedtime story!

It's a sweet book, a cute book. It may not appeal to every reader. But I liked it.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Ferocious Wild Beasts!

Ferocious Wild Beasts! by Chris Wormell. 2009. December 2009. Random House. 32 pages.

A bear was strolling in the forest one day...when he met a small boy, sitting on a tree stump, looking rather sad.
"What's the matter?" asked the bear.
"I'm lost," sniffed the boy, "and I'm in terrible trouble."
"Dear me, why's that?" inquired the bear.
"Because my mom said I must never go into the forest," replied the boy, "but I did. And now I'm lost!"
"Don't worry!" said the bear with a laugh. "I'll soon show you the way out. The forest isn't so bad, you know."
"It is!" declared the boy. "My mom says the forest is full of ferocious wild beasts!"
"Really?" said the bear.

I loved, loved, loved Ferocious Wild Beasts! It's a very funny picture book. It stars a boy and a diverse cast of 'ferocious wild beasts' of the forest: a bear, an elephant, a lion, a wolf, a python, and a crocodile. As the boy tells his new friends about the dangers lurking in the forest--how wild, hairy beasts abound and are ready to jump out at you from the shadows, that they like eating lions best, etc--his new friends become more and more frightened.

Ferocious Wild Beasts makes a wonderful read aloud! I highly recommend it!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same. Grace Lin. 2010. July 2010. Little, Brown. 43 pages.

Ling and Ting are twins. They have the same brown eyes. They have the same pink cheeks. They have the same happy smiles. People see them and they say, "You two are exactly the same!"
"We are not exactly the same," Ling says.
Ting laughs because she is thinking exactly the same thing!

I really enjoyed Grace Lin's Not Exactly the Same. I thought it was a great early chapter book for young readers. The book is divided into six chapters. The stories are about simple things, ordinary things. But that doesn't mean they are boring! I enjoyed the simplicity of it. How it captured life. I think my favorite story was "Making Dumplings."

See also Grace Lin's Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

This is just adorable...

Isn't this a great video?!




© Becky Laney of Young Readers

How Rocket Learned to Read

How Rocket Learned to Read. Tad Hills. 2010. July 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

Rocket loved to play. He loved to chase leaves and chew sticks. He loved to listen to the birds sing.
Every fall morning, after chasing leaves, Rocket would lie down in his favorite spot under his favorite tree. There he'd sniff the neighborhood smells and settle in for a good nap.

One day--while Rocket is happily snoozing--he is interrupted by a small yellow bird. A bird who proclaims herself a teacher. A bird who says that his favorite favorite napping spot is her classroom. Rocket never meant to become so interested in reading--in learning--but he finds the stories Bird reads to be irresistible. He can't help but want to learn to read after hearing her read such great books. So the instruction begins...

I loved How Rocket Learned to Read. I thought it was adorable. Not adorable in the oh-how-precious way. But in the that was so fun, so charming way. I found Rocket and his teacher, the little bird, to be a charming pair. I loved the bird's enthusiasm and passion. Like Rocket, I see how this teacher-bird would be difficult to argue with! I loved Rocket's growing enthusiasm as well. I loved how bird was able to gently tease him into her classroom. (That spread was my favorite.)

I loved the illustrations for this one as well.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Click, Clack, ABC

Click, Clack, ABC. Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2005/2010. Simon & Schuster. 24 pages.

Animals awake
Beneath blue blankets.
Clickety-clack!
Duck dashing,
Eggs emptying,
Flippity-flip!
Goats grooming,
Hens helping,
Inchworms inching.

The animals are getting ready for another adventure. An alphabetical adventure. What does the day hold in store for our clever farm animals?

Are you a fan of Doreen Cronin? Do you have a favorite character? A favorite book? From this series. I'd have to say the original, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type and Dooby, Dooby Moo are my favorites! I love the typing cows! And I really love the duck! There's just something so fun, so playful, so silly about these books!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Click, Clack, 123

Click, Clack, 123. Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2006/2010. Little Simon. 22 pages.

1 farmer sleeping.
2 feet creeping.
3 buckets piled high.
4 chickens standing by.
5 cows type a note.

I don't know about you, but I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these spirited books by Doreen Cronin. Have you read Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type? How about Giggle, Giggle, Quack or Thump, Quack, Moo? Then there is Dooby Dooby Moo and Duck for President!

Like the previous books in the series, this one offers a few surprises!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Word After Word After Word

Word After Word After Word. Patricia MacLachlan. 2010. HarperCollins. 128 pages.

Some things happen in fours. On the fourth day of the fourth month after the winter holiday vacation, a famous writer came to our fourth-grade class. Her name was Ms. Mirabel. She liked the Ms. a lot. She hissed "Ms." like Evie's cat, Looley, hissed. I looked over at Evie and she was smiling. She had thought of Looley, too.

Word After Word After Word is a book about how a group of kids respond to writing in the classroom. The focus is on a small group of friends: Lucy, Henry, Evie, Russell, and May. Each child has their own struggles: one has a mom with cancer, one has parents who are separated, one is still grieving the loss of a beloved dog, etc. One spring a visiting writer comes to their classroom. She's not there for one day--but for six weeks of instruction, of guidance. Ms. Mirabel tells Lucy, our narrator,

"You have a story in there, Lucy," she said, touching my head. "Or a character, a place, a poem, a moment in time. When you find it, you will write it. Word after word after word," she whispered." (20-21)

Through the weeks, each child finds joy, finds comfort, finds relief in writing. Readers see what each child writes. Here is one of Lucy's poems:

Sadness is
Steam rising,
Tears falling.
A breath you take in
But can't let out
As hard as you try. (27)

I'd also recommend Hate That Cat and Love That Dog--both by Sharon Creech.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Moth

Oscar and the Moth: A Book About Light and Dark. Geoff Waring. 2007. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One summer evening, Oscar lay on the warm back step.
Moth was just waking up. "Where does the sun go at night?" Oscar asked her.
"It doesn't go anywhere" Moth answered, "but the Earth is always turning around. Now it's turning slowly away from the sun."
Oscar was surprised.
"I'm not turning around!" he said.
"We can't feel it," Moth said, "but we can see it. When our side of the Earth turns toward the sun, it gets light. And when it turns away again, it gets dark."

Oscar is a curious kitten who stars in Geoff Waring's Start with Science series published by Candlewick Press. In this adventure, Oscar learns about light and dark from his friend Moth. He learns about different sources of lights. He learns about how light produces heat. He learns about shadows too. The book has its fictional elements--talking animals--but it is informative.


Oscar and the Moth and Oscar and the Frog are my two favorite books in the series. The series is designed to present basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Frog

Oscar and the Frog: A Book About Growing. 2007. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One spring day by the pond, Oscar saw some creatures he had not seen before.
Frog hopped up.
"They're tadpoles," Frog said.
"I was a tadpole before I grew up."
Oscar stared at Frog. He didn't look like a tadpole at all.
"Don't be silly, Frog!" Oscar said, laughing.
"It's true," Frog said, and he told Oscar how frogs grow.

Oscar is a curious kitten. In this adventure, he learns about how plants and animals grow. He learns that some grow fast, some grow slow. Each living thing grows at its own rate. Some things come from seeds, some from eggs, and others are born. Each living thing requires nourishment--though different types of nourishment. The book though told within a narrative format--a fictional story--is very informative.



Oscar and the Frog is one of my favorites from the Start with Science series by Geoff Waring. (My other favorite being Oscar and the Moth.)

The series is designed to present basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Bird

Oscar and the Bird: A Book About Electricity. Geoff Waring. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One day, Oscar saw a tractor standing in the field. He climbed up to look in the cab, when suddenly the windshield wiper started to move.
Swish, swish!
"How did that happen?"
Oscar wondered.
Bird flew down from her branch.
"Electricity is making the wiper move," she said. "You must have pressed the switch by mistake."
"What's electricity?" Oscar asked.
"It's a kind of energy that people use to help things move, make sounds, light up, or heat up," Bird said.

Oscar is a kitten who is curious about electricity. Who better to teach him than a bird?!

Perhaps I've read too many Oscar books in a row. But this is the one book in the series that I have my doubts about. Maybe I find electricity a bit too tricky to explain in general. Though why I should be any more skeptical about a bird explaining electricity to a cat than a snail explaining how glass is made, I'm not quite sure. But I am. Why is Oscar behind the wheel of a tractor to begin with? Regardless, this one follows the same pattern as previous titles in the series. Oscar learns with a little help from a new friend how the world works.


The series is designed to present basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Cricket

Oscar and the Cricket: A Book About Moving and Rolling. Geoff Waring. 2008. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One fall day, Oscar was up on the hill when he found something round and red in the grass.
He sniffed it and nudged it. What could it be?
Cricket jumped up.
"It's a ball!" He said. "You can make it roll. Try pushing it with your paw."
So Oscar did.

Are you curious about the world around you? Are you always asking questions? You might be a lot like Oscar. He is one curious kitten. He is the star of Geoff Waring's Start With Science series for young readers. In this adventure, Oscar meets a cricket who teaches him about how things move. One of the things Oscar learns is that for things to move there needs to be an outside force.


The series is designed to present (explain) basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Snail

Oscar and the Snail: A Book About Things We Use. Geoff Waring. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One morning, Oscar was out in the garden, exploring. He found a nest.
Along slid Snail.
"The birds are building it to keep their eggs safe," Snail said.
"What do they make it from?" Oscar asked.
"Different things," Snail said. "The outside needs to be strong to keep out the weather, so birds use twigs and leaves and roots for that job. The inside needs to be soft to sit in," Snail went on, "so they use moss and spiderwebs for that job."
"And feathers!" said Oscar.
"Oh, yes," said Snail. "Feathers help to hold the air in...and keep the nest warm."

Oscar is the curious kitten who is the star of Geoff Waring's Start with Science series published by Candlewick. In each book, Oscar meets an animal--a snail, a bat, a cricket, a moth--who becomes his friend. Oscar asks questions, dozens of questions. And through conversation, he learns about the world around him. In the case of Oscar and the Snail, he learns about "the things we use." He begins to ask questions about the things we use--glass, plastic, bricks. He learns where such things come from--how they're made, why they're made, etc.


The series is designed to present basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Oscar and the Bat

Oscar and the Bat: A Book About Sound. Geoff Waring. 2008. Candlewick. 32 pages.

One summer evening in the meadow, Oscar heard a new sound. He looked around to see who was making it.
Bat swooped by.
"It's the baby blackbirds," he said. "Their nest is over there in the bush."
"Oh," said Oscar. "I can hear them, even though I can't see them!"
"Yes," said Bat. "Our ears help us know what's around us, even when our eyes can't."

Oscar is a very curious kitten. And he is the star of Candlewick's "A Start With Science" series by Geoff Waring. In this adventure, Oscar meets a bat who teaches him about sound.

Though there are fictional elements to the book--cats may be curious, but they rarely ask questions--the books are full of facts shared through a conversational format.


The series is designed to present basic concepts to children about the world around them in an age-appropriate way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Posy

Posy. Linda Newbery. Illustrated by Catherine Rayner. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

Posy!
She's a...
whiskers wiper,
crayon swiper.
Playful wrangler,
knitting tangler.
Spider catcher,
sofa scratcher.

Posy is a kitten. She's a cute, playful, mischievous, kitten. The text is simple, playful, descriptive. Only a few words per page. The illustrations by Catherine Rayner are the focus of this one. They do a great job in conveying Posy's personality. My favorite descriptions were ice-cream guzzler and sandwich checker.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Young Readers Turns 3!

Today Young Readers turns three! I thought I would celebrate by sharing a few of my favorite titles from each year I've been reviewing.

From 2007:

Go To Bed, Monster! by Natasha Wing
Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler
New Socks by Bob Shea
My Cat Copies Me by Yoon-duck Kwon

From 2008:

Help Me, Mr. Mutt! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.
Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Look at You! A Baby Body Book by Kathy Henderson
No Bows by Shirley Smith Duke

From 2009:

A Mighty Fine Time Machine by Suzanne Bloom
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas.
Here Comes The Big, Mean Dust Bunny! by Jan Thomas
Maybe A Bear Ate It by Robie H. Harris.

From 2010:

Finn Throws A Fit! By David Elliott.
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy). Barbara Kerley.
I Am Going! (An Elephant & Piggie Book). Mo Willems.
Too Purpley. By Jean Reidy.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

All About Me! A Baby's Guide to Babies

All About Me! A Baby's Guide to Babies by David Salariya. 2008. Random House. 16 pages.

I loved this one! I just loved it! I love the use of photographs. I love seeing the diversity of the babies. I love the text too. It is so cute, so fun, so true. My favorite spread:

I am a flexible baby --
I can touch my nose,
I can touch my toes,
I can even touch my nose with my toes!
I am a very clever baby.

I love the refrain of this one: I am a very clever baby. It is repeated on each spread. It was very cute, very sweet. I would definitely recommend this one!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 2008/2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 38 pages.

There was one little baby who was born far away
And another who was born on the very next day
And both of these babies, as everyone knows,
had ten little fingers and ten little toes.

Do you love babies? Do you love baby toes? Do you find them cute and precious? And how about those teeny little fingers? Those can be irresistible too. If you like reading cutesy books about how wonderfully cute and precious babies are, then Mem Fox's Ten Little Finger and Ten Little Toes will delight.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

I Survived the Titanic

I Survived The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912. Lauren Tarshis. 2010. Scholastic. 112 pages.

The Titanic was sinking. The gigantic ship had hit an iceberg. Land was far, far away. Ten-year-old George Calder stood on the deck. He shivered because the night was freezing cold. And because he was scared. More scared than he'd ever been before.

George Calder, our hero, has been in and out of trouble most of his life. No one loves adventure more than George. He's a curious boy with a love of adventure and mystery. He is on this trip with his sister, Phoebe, and his aunt, Daisy. And he's loved every minute of it. Loved exploring it top to bottom and everywhere in between. True, he hasn't always behaved as he should. And that's true even when the ship hits the iceberg. He's out of his bed exploring. But nothing really prepared George for this. For the life-or-death adventure he is facing with thousands of other passengers.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Baby at the Farm

Baby at the Farm. Karen Katz. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 10 pages.

Baby is visiting the farm today.
Look! It's a big cow.
Moo! Moo!
Baby feeds the tiny pigs...
Oink! Oink!
And the soft little lamb.
Baa! Baa!

I love Karen Katz. I do. She's one of my favorite authors. I loved her Baby at the Farm. It was cute, simple, and sweet. There are plenty of touch-and-feel elements to the book. I love the horse's mane, for example.

I would definitely recommend this one along with other Katz titles. Like What Does Baby Say? A Lift the Flap Book, Where is Baby's Beachball, and Shake It Up, Baby.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Napping House

The Napping House. Audrey Wood. Illustrated by Don Wood. 1984/2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages.

There is a house,
a napping house,
where everyone is sleeping.
And in that house
there is a bed,
a cozy bed
in a napping house,
where everyone is sleeping.
And on that bed
there is a granny,
a snoring granny
on a cozy bed
in a napping house,
where everyone is sleeping.

Do you know about The Napping House? I didn't discover this gem of a book until I was an adult. But it sure is a fun title! I'm glad to see it being reprinted this year. It is available both as a picture book (with CD) and a padded board book.

If you're not familiar with this one, you should definitely seek it out. It stars a snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing cat, a slumbering mouse, and one more not-so-special 'special' guest that makes this one so much fun! I loved the predictability and repetition.

The Napping House is a great choice for reading aloud!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Napping House "Musical" CD

The hardcover which I received to review features a "musical" CD. The CD includes a reading of the picture book (complete with "special" effects.) It also features six "songs" inspired by the classic story by Audrey Wood. These songs include: Rainy Day Song, Sweet Dreams, The Napping House Song, Wake-Up Jamboree, Shoes Off, Shoes On, and Catch a Piece of the Rainbow. Perhaps I would have been less hopeful if I'd realized the music/lyrics are all copyrighted in the late 80s.

I was disappointed--to put it nicely. I was actually shocked at how horrible it was. It seems to get worse with each song. Just when you think it can't get much worse. Well, it does.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Night Lights

Night Lights. Susan Gal. 2009. November 2009. Random House. 32 pages.

streetlight
headlight
porch light

I'll admit that I'm not so crazy about the text. I don't think the text makes for the best read aloud. (Not that every book has to be a great read aloud.) The text isn't much of a story. But there were things I liked about this one. I loved the illustrations. I really loved the illustrations. I thought they were very detailed. I liked "finding" things in the illustrations. I liked finding more of the story. Once you pay attention to the illustrations--to each page of the story--you find a story. And it's a good story. So I'm glad I took the time to read this one...carefully. One of my favorite things about this one? You see them reading Harry the Dirty Dog!

Susan Gal is the author/illustrator of Please Take Me For A Walk. I enjoyed both books.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Dinosaur Love Underpants

Dinosaurs Love Underpants. Claire Freedman. Illustrated by Ben Cort. 2009. December 2009. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

Dinosaurs were all wiped out,
A long way back in history.
No one knows quite how or why.
Now this book solves the mystery...

Now I don't love dinosaurs. And I don't love underpants. It takes more than seeing a pair of underpants to make me giggle. But. I'm not the target audience for this one. So if you know someone in your life that likes dinosaurs or underpants, then this one would probably be a good match. The premise of this one is very, very silly. Want to know--really know--why dinosaurs are extinct? Well, the dinosaurs couldn't stop arguing amongst themselves over underwear.

Told you it was silly. Yet as much as I don't "like" this one. I've got to admit that I found some of the illustrations cute. In fact, the illustrations were my favorite part of the book.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Always in Trouble

Always in Trouble. Corinne Demas. Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. 2009. Scholastic. 40 pages.

Emma's dog, Toby, was always in trouble.
On Monday he got into the garbage.
On Tuesday he ran into the road.
On Wednesday he ate a loaf of bread that Emma's dad had just baked.
On Thursday he barked in the middle of the night.
On Friday he wet the rug.
On Saturday he chewed up all the buttons on Emma's new coat.
On Sunday he snoozed.

How patient can Emma's family be before they decide something has to be done about Toby? Emma loves Toby. And the parents love Emma. (And perhaps they even love Toby. Maybe. But they sure don't like him!) Can this dog learn how to behave? Can this dog be reformed? Read and see for yourself in Corinne Demas' Always in Trouble.

The book is funny. And cute. I really enjoyed reading this one aloud. There were so many great moments that just worked well. So I'd definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a funny read aloud to share with young dog lovers!


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts!

Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. Frances O'Roark Dowell. 2006. Simon & Schuster. 176 pages.

My name is Phineas Listerman MacGuire.
Most people call me Mac.
It's okay if you call me Phin.
You can even call me Phineas.
Forget about calling me Listerman.
I am allergic to fifteen things. My mom says this is not true, that I'm only allergic to two things, peanuts and cat hair. But I am a scientist, and she's not.

I really enjoyed Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. This is the first in a series of books starring a science-loving young boy named Mac. Curious as to what he's allergic to besides cat hair and peanuts? Well, the color purple and girls to name just two. Also telephone calls, celery, cottage cheese, and kissing.

In this book, Mac is preparing for the fourth grade science fair. He would have loved to pair up with his best friend, Marcus. But. A few weeks after the school year started, his friend moved away. Which leaves Mac without a best friend. He does have an un-best friend. "Mac R." is the new kid in the class. And, well, he's not terribly popular. Which means when it is time for the class to pair up, the two Macs are without a teammate. Can "Mac R" and Mac learn to work together for the science fair? Can Mac convince the other Mac NOT to do a dinosaur project?

What did I love best about this book? The writing and the characterization. There's something so likable about Mac. He just felt very real to me. The book is funny too.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Black Circle (39 Clues #5)

The Black Circle (The 39 Clues #5) Patrick Carman. 2009. Scholastic. 176 pages.

Amy Cahill liked to be the first one up in the morning. But not if it was because someone was screaming outside her hotel-room door.

The first four in the series are: The Maze of Bones, One False Note, The Sword Thief, and Beyond the Grave. The last adventure, last clue, left us in Cairo, Egypt. Where will this next clue lead the Cahill brother-sister team of Amy and Dan? Russia! When these two receive a mysterious telegram from "NRR" these two decide to act on their own--leaving their nanny and cat behind. But they soon realize that this one clue is much too big to try to solve alone. Who should they trust? What family secrets will they learn? Is NRR a friend or foe?

I'm really starting to enjoy this series. At first I had my doubts. But now I find myself looking forward to starting the next book. I think the books are cleverly written. I like the humor. I like the suspense.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Stinky

Stinky. Eleanor Davis. 2008. Toon Books 40 pages.

It's morning in Stinky's Cave...
Yawn!
Time to wake up, Wartbelly!

Stinky is a monster. He has a pet toad named Wartbelly. He loves everything smelly and slimy and muddy. He loves living in a swamp. His life would be oh-so-perfect if there wasn't a town on the other side of the swamp. Because as great as Stinky is, he isn't flawless. Stinky fears one thing. Kids. Why doesn't he like kids. Well, he doesn't like kids because kids like baths; kids like things like apples and cakes. Kids don't like gross things. But. One day Stinky notices a kid in his swamp. And this kid has built a treehouse. It looks like this kid is going to be in his territory for the duration. What's a stinky swamp monster to do?

Read and see in Stinky!

I really enjoyed this one! It was very funny.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever

Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever. Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch. 2008. Toon Books. 40 pages.

Let go, Joey! It's MY turn to play.
Get your stick hands OFF, Mona!

Mona and Joey are always fighting. And since they're brother and sister, well, that's a problem. One thing these two do have in common is a love for the same superhero. They both love The Mighty Mojo. One day in the midst of yet another argument, these two get a surprise. The Mighty Mojo himself is leaving these two children his costume--the costume has all his superpowers. He's retiring, you see, and he thinks these two would be a good replacement. The suit gets ripped in half--obviously, because these two are fighting, fighting, fighting--but their mom is able to piece together two suits. One reading Mo, the other reading Jo. Will these two ever find a way to get along with one another?

It's a silly book with a good message. I liked it.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Jake

Jake. Audrey Couloumbis. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 176 pages.

"Joey Ziglar says it's boring, grocery shopping with his mom," I said. It was our usual Saturday afternoon trip to the store.
"Lucky for you, I'm not Joey Ziglar's mom."
"It's a little boring," I said. "Sometimes."

That Saturday morning trip to the grocery store doesn't stay routine. When Jake's mom slips on the ice and breaks her leg, well, Jake's life stops being ordinary. Jake's grandfather enters into the picture. This is the first opportunity--at least that Jake can remember--for the two to get to know one another. And while the situation is anything but ideal, much good does come from it!

I liked this one. It is a nice Christmas-themed, family-themed novel for young readers.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out (Big Time)

The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out (Big Time) by Troy Cummings. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

The Eensy Weensy Spider climbed up the waterspout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain...
...and the Eensy Weensy Spider freaked out, big-time!

You may think you know all about the Eensy Weensy Spider. After all, chances are good you've sung about him for years. But what if the Eensy Weensy Spider did NOT go back up the water spout again? What if the Eensy Weensy Spider was too scared to crawl back up the spout? What if he was too anxious to crawl up anything?

What can the Eensy Weensy Spider accomplish with a little help from his friends? Read and see in Troy Cummings The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out! It's a bit silly. It's a bit over-the-top. But it's got a good message.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Beaver is Lost

Beaver is Lost. Elisha Cooper. 2010. June 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

I read Beaver is Lost a few weeks ago. And I'm just as puzzled now as I was then as to what to say about it. Why? Well, it's a wordless picture book. Mostly. Four little words tell the whole story. Three you might guess--since they're also in the title: Beaver is Lost. It's a story of a beaver who has lost his way. A beaver who has wandered into the city, into a strange environment. And the book illustrates his journey, his quest, to find his way back home.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Hello Baby

Hello Baby! Mem Fox. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

Hello, baby!
Who are you?
Are you a monkey with clever toes?
Perhaps you're a porcupine twitching its nose.

I wouldn't say Hello Baby! is my favorite Mem Fox. I've read much, much better. But. This book is nice enough in its own way. I did enjoy the illustrations by Steve Jenkins. They were my favorite part of this one actually. I loved seeing the different animals.




© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! by Kyle Mewburn. Illustrated by Ali Teo & John O'Reilly. 2008. Peachtree. 32 pages.

Auntie Elsie was always pleased to see Andy.
"Hi-de-hi, Andy Apple Pie!" she yelled.
"Hello, Auntie Elsie," he replied, and got ready to run.
But Andy was too slow.
Auntie Elsie's arms swooped out and grabbed him in a squishy hug.
Andy wriggled.
He held his breath.
But the sloppy kisses came, all the same.

I love this one! I do! I think it's very fun. It stars a little boy, Andy, and his very loving aunt. Whenever his aunt comes to visit, Andy tries and tries and tries to outwit her. He plots and plans how he can avoid her yucky kisses. Each time he fails. But one day, his aunt doesn't come...and Andy realizes that maybe being kissed isn't the worst thing in the world! Can Andy find a place in his heart for his Auntie?

I enjoyed this one very much!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Love Will Be With You

My Love Will Be With You. Laura Krauss Melmed. Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 2009. HarperCollins. 24 pages.

Said the father eagle to his child, "Someday you'll sour through a high mountain pass."
Said the father lion to his child, "Someday you'll hunt in the long waving grass."
Said the father otter to his child, "Someday you'll fish in the crystal clear stream."

My favorite thing about this one? The illustrations. I loved, loved, loved the illustrations by Henri Sorensen. They were so beautiful, so sweet, so right for this book. They complemented the text very well.

The messages of this one are sweet and inspirational. The delivery of those messages come through various animals--otters, lions, eagles, badgers, pandas, etc. I'm not sure I loved the focus on the animals. This is just something that I've noticed in reading children's books. Authors often talk about families, about values, about life using animal characters instead of having human characters. I'm not sure why this is. It just is.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Please Pick Me Up, Mama

Please Pick Me Up, Mama! Robin Luebs. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.

Please pick me up, Mama.
Kiss my perfect nose.
Please put me down, Mama.
Warm my chilly toes.
Please pick me up, Mama.
Brush my velvet head.
Please put me down, Mama.
Let's have jam and bread!

I enjoyed Please Pick Me Up, Mama! I thought it was very cute, very sweet. I liked how it follows a mother and child throughout the course of a day. It is simple and predictable, but true to life! This little girl loves to be picked up by her mama. But life is so exciting that it's nice to be put down again too.

I thought the illustrations were great. I loved how soft and sweet they are!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Swim! Swim!

Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos). 2010. July 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.

I'm lonely.
I need to find a friend.
Swim. Swim.
Yowza! Swim.
Pebbles, will you be my friends?

Lerch is a fish that is very lonely. He wants a friend desperately. But his first attempts aren't successful. First he tries some pebbles. Second he tries a statue of a diver. Third he tries some bubbles. Will Lerch ever find a friend?

Swim! Swim! is a funny book! It is quirky and silly. I definitely recommend it!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Noodles: I Won't Share!

I Won't Share. Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.

This is my toy Squeaky.
I love to play with Squeaky.

Noodles is a dog that does NOT like to share. When two dogs (Scottie and Buddy) try to play with Squeaky, Noodles gets very cranky, very possessive. Squeaky is his toy. Squeaky is for him to play with. No one else. But Noodles soon realizes that guarding Squeaky isn't really playing. And in fact, guarding Squeaky is a bit boring. Can he learn that sharing can be fun?

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Noodles: No New Pets!

No New Pets by Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.

What's going on?
She isn't going to say, is she?
You don't need her.
You have me!

No New Pets is part of Hans Wilhelm's Noodle series. (Noodle is a dog.) In this adventure, Noodles is most upset because his owners have brought home a new pet. And it's a cat. A kitten to be precise. Noodles is NOT happy. First of all, his owners don't need another pet. Second, why oh why, would it have to be a KITTEN?! Can Noodles make peace with the new pet?

I really liked this one!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

No T. Rex in the Library

No T. Rex in the Library. Toni Buzzeo. Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

It's Tuesday morning in the library.
"Roar!"
Tess is out of control.
"Time Out!"
Mommy shouts.
"No beastie behavior in the library."

When Tess misbehaves in the library, she's put in time out. But will it be a quiet time out? Or will Tess's imagination get the best of her? Does Tess have a Little Beastie of her own? The T-Rex from a picture book? How wild can a DINOSAUR get in the library?

Wild and silly describes this one well.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers