107. Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

107. Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1971. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, Christmas, picture book, animal fantasy]

First sentence: Christmas was coming and it was coming fast. It was coming to the town where the houses huddled with their cozy windows shining in the winter dusk. It was coming to the country where snow lay drifted up against the barns and the firewood was all stacked beside the houses. And it was coming to the river and the little run-down place where Emmet Otter and his mother lived, near Frogtown Hollow. Christmas was coming, and money was more scarce than ever.

Premise/plot: Emmet Otter desperately wants to buy a store bought present for his Ma. Ma Otter desperately wants to buy a store bought present for her son. Both realize that it's an almost impossible dream. Money is not to be had. Ma depends on doing the washing--in her washtub--to bring in a bit of money. Emmet depends on his odd jobs--thanks to the toolbox his father left him. Not a spare penny to be found. But when the town has a talent show with a prize of fifty dollars, both must decide if it's time to risk it all for a dream.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love crazy-love the Muppet adaptation of Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas. I do think the ADAPTATION is better. Or perhaps it is just more familiar. The adaptation gives us music, songs, lyrics. The book gives us song titles and a small fraction of the lyrics. And the two don't really have much of a connection except for one or two song titles that are *almost* the same. Still, this one is an enjoyable, cozy read. It's just not quite as magical as the adaptation.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

58. The Monster at the End of the Book

 

58. The Monster At The End of This Book. Jon Stone. Illustrated by Michael J. Smollin. 1971. Golden Books. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: What did that say? On the first page, what did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this book? It did? Oh, I am so scared of Monsters!!!

Premise/plot: Grover does NOT, I repeat does NOT, want you to keep reading this book. Grover tries--but will he fail?!--to keep readers from turning pages. Is there really a monster at the end of the book?

My thoughts: This one is a classic for a reason. It is a FUN, DELIGHTFUL, SILLY read for parents to share with little ones. It is a great example of an again-again book--a book that almost begs you to read it again and again and again and again. Does one ever tire of Grover?

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

51. Leo the Late Bloomer

 

51. Leo the Late Bloomer. Robert Kraus. Illustrated by Jose Aruego. 1971/1994. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book]

First sentence: Leo couldn't do anything right. He couldn't read. He couldn't write. He couldn't draw. He was a sloppy eater. And, he never said a word.

Premise/plot: Much of Leo the Late Bloomer covers conversations between a mother and father as they discuss their late bloomer, Leo. The father worries that Leo will never, ever bloom. His mother is confident that Leo will bloom. Seasons come and go but Leo hasn't bloomed. Then one day, he does. And Leo's "first word" isn't a first word, but a sentence: "I made it!"

My thoughts: I did not grow up with this one. In fact, I didn't meet Leo until I was in college. But I definitely connected with him once I met him. I liked the optimism of the mother tiger. I could understand, in part, the frustration of the father. And I cheered the happy, happy ending. Overall, I'm not sure that it's perfectly-perfect in terms of modeling what to do if your child has learning difficulties. But I'm not convinced that it has to be. This isn't a how-to book for children or parents.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

123. Great Mouse Detective: Basil and the Cave of Cats

Basil and the Cave of Cats (Great American Detective #3? #2?) Eve Titus. Illustrated by Paul Galdone. 1971. 101 pages. [Source: Library] [Link to cover image] 

First sentence: Miniature cats! Breathes there, in all the world, a mouse who is not stirred by those two words? Did the miniature monsters actually exist? Our leading mouse scientists were not certain, but they all believed the answer would be found in the Orient.

Premise/plot: This one was originally titled Basil and the Pygmy Cats. (It's being rebranded/republished as Basil and the Cave of Cats. On this one Basil and Dr. David Q. Dawson go traveling the world. There are two sub-stories--they are out to help a friend/ruler get his kingdom back AND to solve the so-called mystery of if miniature cats ever existed. 

My thoughts: I thought this one was lacking in mystery, lacking as a detective story. It's like the series has taken a turn from being a detective story with a traditional detective and turned into a archaeological quest. This one was 99% world-building. That sounds like it would be a good thing. But imagine it more as an encyclopedia type of world-building. Readers are essentially getting a text-book education on mouse lore that is thousands of years old. Was I interested? Not really. It requires a LOT of suspension of disbelief. Like mice traveling the globe; mice ruling countries. It was just a little too much for me to really enjoy. I much preferred the idea of a mouse living in a mouse town in the cellar of Sherlock Holmes' residence.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

8. "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" Patricia Thomas. Illustrated by Wallace Tripp. 1971. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: "Stand back," said the elephant, "I'm going to sneeze! I hate to alarm you, but I don't wish to harm you. My friends, I fear it's clear...oh, dear, you'd better stand back, I'm going to sneeze."

Premise/plot: ALL of Elephant's friends are super-concerned about the coming sneeze. And perhaps rightly so...considering their past experiences when elephant has sneezed! Every animal tells--in rhyme, of course--what happens when this elephant sneezes. But one animal has a plan...will it work????

My thoughts: I can relate to the protagonist in this one. I can. I have very LOUD sneezes--though it isn't so much gust as NOISE. (Spoiler alert, I also LAUGH really, really, really loud....again just like the elephant in this story.) I don't have personal memories of holding this book in my hand and reading it. But I do remember plenty of times when my mother has told me, STAND BACK, SAID THE ELEPHANT, I'M GOING TO SNEEZE. So I'm guessing that this one was read aloud to us plenty...I just don't remember. 

It is written all in rhyme. I didn't love it or hate it. It's not as wonderful as say a Dr. Seuss book written in rhyme. But it wasn't dreadful either. (So many books that are written in rhyme tend to show the struggle author's have to force it. Forced rhyming just isn't fun for anyone, right?!)

Despite being a picture book with thirty-two pages, there is a LOT of text per page. So it wouldn't be inappropriate in a second or even third grade classroom. It would work as a read aloud, of course, but probably only for a child with a long(er) attention span. You could even ask questions throughout--what do you think is going to happen next? Do you think elephant is going to sneeze? do you think bees really crawl on their knees?! Or is the author being silly?! 

Definitely recommend this one.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

77. Leo the Late Bloomer

Leo the Late Bloomer. Robert Kraus. Illustrated by Jose Aruego. 1971/1994. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Leo couldn't do anything right. He couldn't read. He couldn't write. He couldn't draw. He was a sloppy eater. And, he never said a word.

Premise/plot: Much of Leo the Late Bloomer covers conversations between a mother and father as they discuss their late bloomer, Leo. The father worries that Leo will never, ever bloom. His mother is confident that Leo will bloom. Seasons come and go but Leo hasn't bloomed. Then one day, he does. And Leo's "first word" isn't a first word, but a sentence: "I made it!"

My thoughts: I did not grow up with this one. In fact, I didn't meet Leo until I was in college. But I definitely connected with him once I met him. I liked the optimism of the mother tiger. I could understand, in part, the frustration of the father. And I cheered the happy, happy ending. Overall, I'm not sure that it's perfectly-perfect in terms of modeling what to do if your child has learning difficulties. But I'm not convinced that it has to be. This isn't a how-to book for children or parents.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Monster At the End of This Book

The Monster At The End of This Book. Jon Stone. Illustrated by Michael J. Smollin. 1971. Golden Books. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: What did that say? On the first page, what did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this book? It did? Oh, I am so scared of Monsters!!!

Premise/plot: Grover does NOT, I repeat does NOT, want you to keep reading this book. Grover tries--but will he fail?!--to keep readers from turning pages. Is there really a monster at the end of the book?

My thoughts: This one is a classic for a reason. It is a FUN, DELIGHTFUL, SILLY read for parents to share with little ones. It is a great example of an again-again book--a book that almost begs you to read it again and again and again and again. Does one ever tire of Grover?

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Young Readers

McBroom's Ghost

McBroom's Ghost Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Robert Frankenberg. 1971. 48 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence:  Ghosts? Mercy, yes--I can tell you a thing or three about ghosts. As sure as my name's Josh McBroom a haunt came lurking about or wonderful one-acre farm. I don't know when that confounded dry-bones first moved in with us, but I suspicion it was last winter. An uncommon cold winter it was, too, though not so cold that an honest man would tell fibs about it. Still, you had to be careful when you lit a match. The flame would freeze and you had to wait for a thaw to blow it out.

Premise/plot: Does McBroom's one-acre farm have a ghost? Perhaps. This read-aloud gem takes place over two winters, I believe. In this one, McBroom has to solve the mystery of is-there-a-ghost-haunting-the-farm? AND solve a problem he is having with his neighbor and his hogs.

My thoughts: I would recommend this one to anyone who has read and loved McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm, Three Tall Tales (1966). I love, love, love McBroom as a narrator. And the adventures he has with his family on the farm are quite unbelievable.

Quotes:

I don't intend to stray from the facts, but I distinctly remember one day Polly dropped her comb on the floor and when she picked it up the teeth were chattering. 

The temperature kept dropping and I must admit some downright unusual things began to happen. For one thing smoke took to freezing in the chimney. I had to blast it out with a shotgun three times a day. And we couldn't sit down to a bowl of Mama's hot soup before a crust of ice formed on top. The girls used to set the table with a knife, a fork, a spoon--and an ice pick. 

Then the big freeze set in. Red barns for miles around turned blue with the cold. 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Frog and Toad Together

Frog and Toad Together. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1971. HarperCollins. 64 pages.

One morning Toad sat in bed. "I have many things to do," he said. "I will write them all down on a list so that I can remember them." Toad wrote on a piece of paper: A List of Things To Do Today. Then he wrote: Wake Up. "I have done that," said Toad, and he crossed out: wake up. Then Toad wrote other things on the paper.

Oh how I love Frog and Toad! I do! This book contains five stories: A List, The Garden, Cookies, Dragons and Giants, and The Dream.

In the first story, "The List," Toad panics when he loses his to-do list. The ever-supportive Frog is there by his side, but it may take a while to calm this worried Toad!

In the second story, "The Garden," Toad is envious of his friend Frog's garden. Though Frog warns him that a garden takes a lot of work, and a lot of patience, Toad isn't concerned. He wants a garden and he wants it NOW. Will Toad succeed in his gardening attempt?

The third story, "Cookies," is one of my FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE stories of all time. Toad bakes some cookies. He even decides to share with his friend, Frog. But when they become unable to stop eating the oh-so-delicious cookies, then Frog insists that they have will power. Toad is less than enthused. Especially when he sees that Frog means to give his cookies to the birds. What will Toad do next?

"You know, Toad," said Frog, with his mouth full, "I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick."
"You are right," said Toad. "Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop."
Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl.
"Frog," said Toad, "let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop."
Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.
"We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another.
"Yes," said Frog, reaching for a cookie, "we need will power."
"What is will power?" asked Toad.
"Will power is trying hard not to do something that you really want to do," said Frog.
"You mean like trying not to eat all of these cookies?" asked Toad.
"Right," said Frog. (32-35)

Of course, the scene just gets better and better and better!

The fourth story "Dragons and Giants" doesn't thrill me. But it could be because it follows "Cookies," and it would take a LOT to top that! In this one, Frog and Toad decide to see how brave they are! They find they are very brave safe at home in the closet and in the bed.

The fifth story, "The Dream," is all about ego! Toad dreams that he is "the greatest Toad in all the world." As his greatness increases, his friend, Frog, becomes smaller and smaller and smaller until he vanishes. Toad realizes that having a good best friend like Toad would be better than being the greatest.


© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers