Snugglebug Friday: In My Pond and In My Nest

Gillingham, Sara. In My Pond. Chronicle Books: 2009

In My Pond is a cute book that immediately catches the eye due to the orange felt fish "floating" in the center of the book. At first Ladybug thought the fish was detachable but on closer observation and after Snugglebug tugged on it a time or two, we realized it was a finger puppet that remains attached to the book itself. This seemed to be an interesting idea but Snugglebug, who has newly discovered the art of crawling, quickly lost interest despite the puppet. The text is simple, descriptive, and lyrical while not being rhyming. It is a pleasant little story about a fish describing his underwater home. The illustrations are very appealing in that they are neither too bright nor too dull and encompass different shapes and colors on each page. The artist does a wonderful job of adding depth to the illustrations without distracting from the simplicity of the text. There are two titles in this series with the same author and illustrator.

The second is In My Nest which is a bird describing its nest. The text is quite similar but of course with different descriptions. In My Nest also has the cute finger puppet but this time a bird. Both books are cute, and are more appropriate for the "not quite crawling" crowd. Once mobility is discovered it seems that it takes a lot more to keep the interest of certain young readers, with Snugglebug being in that group. So grab these books while your little ones are still little.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Mother Goose

Engelbreit, Mary. HaperFestival: 2005-2008

Mary Engelbreit's Happy Mother Goose

Mary Engelbreit's Silly Mother Goose

Mary Engelbreit's Funny Mother Goose

If you love Mary Engelbreit's art and you love classic children's rhymes such as Hey Diddle, Diddle, then you will absolutely love these three books. Engelbreit crafts her classic artistry to illustrate even more classic rhymes. Children love the rhymes about Humpty Dumpty and Jack and Jill, and Engelbreit brings them to life in each of her illustrations.

The rhymes are the same Mothergoose rhymes that most people grew up reading and repeating. Occasionally, a word is slightly different but that is typical of most books repeating the classic rhymes. The rhymes include: Hey Diddle, Diddle; Rub-a-Dub-Dub; Humpty Dumpty; The Old Woman in the Shoe; Mistress Mary; Wee Willie Winkie; Jack and Jill; Pat-a-Cake; Old King Cole; Ring Around the Roses (with different words than the original); Little Bobby Shafto; and Little Boy Blue. These are just a few of the poems in the three books.

A few of them Ladybug had never heard such as:

Three little ghostesses,

Sitting on postesses,

Eating buttered toastesses,

Greasing their fistesses,

Up to their wristesses,

Oh, what beastesses

To make such feastesses!

Every child should know these classic rhymes and what better way to enjoy them than with Mary Engelbreit. Snugglebug and Ladybug enjoyed these three books and hope you do, too!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Trucktown

Shannon, David, et. al. Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown: Who’s That Truck? Little Simon: 2008

Who’s That Truck? is an introduction to just a few the characters of Trucktown. The characters are fun to read aloud and introduce in your best announcer’s voice. The names are fun to say in general, such as Dump Truck Dan. The illustrations bring the trucks to life and give personality to them.

There are 14 characters in the various books, and this book introduces six of them. There is Jack Truck, Dump Truck Dan, Payloader Pete, Monster Truck Max, Cement Mixer Melvin, and Garbage Truck Gabriella.

Shannon, David, et. al. Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown: VROOM! It’s Color Time. Little Simon: 2008

VROOM! follows the same characters first introduced in Who’s That Truck? The goal is to teach road signs and their corresponding colors. There are pop out signs on each page, and on the final page, there is a puzzle, of sorts, where the youngster can put the signs in their correct spots around Trucktown.

This book combines a lot of information for little minds. Not only are they learning that a stop sign is red but they are learning that red signs “mean rules…no dumping, no stopping, no parking.”

One can view the information as overwhelming or as an opportunity to reinforce the lessons with many readings. The puzzle pieces are a great way to reinforce the ideas.

Shannon, David, et. al. Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown: Meet Jack Truck! Little Simon: 2008

Meet Jack Truck! is an introduction to the series’ main character, as well as more information about a few of the other characters of Trucktown. Each page gives the reader insight into the personality of the trucks and things they like to do. While Ladybug loves the idea of this series and its goal to teach pre-schoolers valued lessons, this particular book falls down on the job.

Ladybug is at a loss to determine what this book is attempting to teach, except perhaps bad manners. Jack Truck seems to this reader to be rude and selfish, not thinking about what his friends like but only what he likes. For example,

Jack loves falling rocks!

Jack also likes slippery pavement and spaghetti roads.

Schreeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!

Cement Mixer Melvin does not like falling rocks,

slippery pavement, or spaghetti roads.

The illustration shows Jack Truck knocking down rocks and speeding past a cowering Cement Mixer Melvin. This parent would like her son to be a better friend by participating in an activity both can enjoy rather than sending one cowering to the sidelines.

Bad manners and “potty jokes” are something that kids will learn eventually and do not need to be taught in a book. Another example:

Jack Truck honks for his buddy

Monster Truck Max.

Max jumps in a pile of old bathtubs and toilets.

“Check this out. I’m a pottyhead!”

Max loves any potty joke.

Every parent must make up their own mind. For an older child who is already well-read in “potty” humor this may seem appropriate. But for most 4 year-olds, Ladybug thinks this may be a bit much.

The Trucktown series is geared toward pre-schoolers and kindergarteners which explains why one-year old Snugglebug was not interested in them in the least. The lessons are sometimes a bit tough to grasp, but they are fun to read aloud. Having not read the entire series, Ladybug cannot comment on the series as a whole, but would suggest parents read the books first before presenting them to their naive pre-schoolers and kindergarteners.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Fish, Swish, Splash, Dash

Macdonald, Suse. Fish, Swish, Splash, Dash. Little Simon, 2007

Snugglebug loves Macdonald’s Alphabet Animals so much that for his first birthday his mama, Ladybug, purchased another of Macdonald’s books.

Fish, Swish, Splash, Dash is an unusual counting book in more ways than one, making it an especially fun book to read. The illustrations are actually cut-outs with the colors of the next page showing through. Snugglebug loves sticking his fingers through the cut-outs.

The second aspect of the book is that it is really two books in one. Once you get to the end of the book, you turn it around and count backwards to the cover. It can be a never ending story because once you reach number one it again invites you to turn the book around and count to ten again.

This book is fun and one that Snugglebug can grow into as he learns to appreciate counting in both directions.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Three Reviews by Our-Most-Special-Guest

Sharkey, Niamh. I'm a Happy Hugglewug

While this is a board book, it seems to be geared to an age group older than 12 months. Snugglebug, who is now 12 months old, was not interested in the text or the pictures. Ladybug deduced the reason was too many words per page. Perhaps an older child would find the songs and rhymes of interest, but Snugglebug was closing the book two pages in.

Planet Earth: Baby Penguins

This book, too, was a little much for Snugglebug the first time it was read. The second time it was read, Ladybug reduced the amount of text for him to keep his interest. If your child is a penguin lover, then there is definitely not too much information. But for fish-loving Snugglebug, he prefers to keep the info on Penguins short and sweet. Ladybug loved the photographs. They really felt like you could reach out and cuddle the baby penguins.

Walker, Anna. 2009. Froggy Green. Kane/Miller.

Froggy Green is a fun book with fun color names. Snugglebug really enjoys this book and has chosen it during reading time several times. He has yet to be introduced to Rainbow Ice Cream and has yet to decide his favorite color, but he still enjoys the colorful pages and the fun color names. The text is simple enough to keep his attention and yet instructive enough to make Ladybug happy, too.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play

A Childs' Day: An Alphabet of Play. Pearle, Ida. 2008: Harcourt, Inc.

Ladybug was thrilled when Miss Becky passed this book on to Snugglebug to review. The art is bright and stimulating. Snugglebug loved this book. The art keeps his attention while the text introduces the alphabet.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Alphabet Animals: A Slide and Peek Adventure

Alphabet Animals: A Slide and Peek Adventure. Macdonald, Suse. 2008, Little Simon (Simon and Schuster).

This book is a Caldecott Honoree for good reason. Macdonald has taken the alphabet and made it appealing to the youngest audience. Each page is a single animal in the shape of the letter. Within that page is a sliding page with the letter in block form and the animal name underneath.

An alligator illustrates the letter A, and a bird represents the letter B, and so on. The illustrations are bright and clear. The letters are easy to recognize in the animal shapes and the pull-out pages are so much fun. Snugglebug enjoys seeing the page pop out from nowhere.

At almost one year of age, Alphabet Animals is the perfect introduction to the alphabet. Ladybug hopes he will learn his alphabet at a very early age, paving the way to a lifetime of reading.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug Friday: Reviews of the Just Like Us series

Just Like Us! Series. Stockham, Jess, 2008

Books in this series: Having Fun!; Together!; Making Friends!; Taking it Easy!

This is a series of four books. Each book has the same basic premise and layout. On the left page is the text and on the right page is a picture of animals or birds. Then the reader lifts the flap to see two children in the same activity as the animals or birds. The text might read something like, "Raccoons are hide-and-seeking," with the facing page reading, "We are too."

Snugglebug and Ladybug love this series. Snugglebug loves the animals and Ladybug loves the children. She especially loves the children because they encompass so many races and disabilities. There are several pictures portraying a child with a hearing aid and another has an eye patch. Ladybug loves the way this book teaches Snugglebug that we are all the same regardless of race or disability. Especially poignant since Snugglebug too wears an eye patch occasionally.

This is a great series. We are enjoying reading all four books over and over.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug's review of I Love My Daddy

Galvin, Laura Gates. 2007. I Love My Daddy.

Snugglebug loves this book. Miss Becky explained it well when she reviewed it, so Snugglebug would just like to add his own kudos to the author. This is a great book especially for a little one who is a Daddy's Boy Deluxe!

Becky's review:

Drawing from scenes in nature, I Love My Daddy uses simple text and illustrations to discuss the many reasons why fathers are wonderful and loved and needed. For example, this is how it begins, "I love my daddy because...He always likes to see me play. He keeps me safe and warm each day. My daddy helps take care of me." One reason--usually--per spread. The sentences are short, sweet, and simple.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Knut: The Baby Polar Bear--A Snugglebug Review

Knut: The Baby Polar Bear

Ladybug has read this book so many times to Snugglebug that she has the text memorized. Snugglebug enjoys reading the book while cuddling his own stuffed polar bear. Interestingly enough, at 7 months, he made the connection between the story and the stuffed animal. Babies are smarter than most people give them credit. Miss Becky said it best in her review of the same book, "Simple text, actual photographs. The way it should be." We agree and highly recommend this book.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug's review of Does A Cow Say Boo

Hindley, Judy. 2002 Does a Cow Say Boo. Illustrated by Brita Granstrom

Miss Becky reviewed this book in July, and now Snugglebug is taking his turn to review it. This is a cute book, and Snugglebug agrees that animal noises are fun. At 8 months, Snugglebug isn't old enough to make those noises yet, but one day he will be joining in as we read this book. He really enjoys this book. It is by no means a favorite, but he finds the noises and the illustrations entertaining. We do read it quite often, but not as often as aforementioned fish books. But, Ladybug thinks that is just a personal preference of Snugglebug. We recommend this book to those at least 6 months of age or older.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug's review of Welcome Winter

Ackerman, Jill. 2008 Welcome Winter. Illustrated by Nancy Davis.

Welcome Winter is an anomaly in Snugglebug's library at the moment. Miss Becky, who previously reviewed this book, shared it with Snugglebug because of its touch and feel characteristics that should appeal to infants his age. Ladybug would agree with this point since Snugglebug loves feeling the pages of the books and stroking the animals or fish as we read. But, Welcome Winter, oddly enough, does not attract his interest at all.

On the first page, the book begins, "It's winter! Snowflakes fall in front of your eyes." Soft snowflakes cover the page for the little one to touch. But Snugglebug finds no interest in this page or any other, and neither touches it or pays attention.

Ladybug likes this book, and reads it anyway for her own enjoyment. A kid at heart, she likes touching the snowflakes, crunching the snow, and feeling the rough wind. She hopes that 8 month-old Snugglebug will grow into it and enjoy the book with her later down the road. It could be the book would be more appealing to toddlers than infants.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Hooray for Fish

Cousins, Lucy. 2005. Hooray for Fish!

Written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins, this book is cute, fun, and educational. Little Fish is a bright orange baby fish who introduces the reader to all his fish friends. The fish themselves introduce the baby reader to concepts such as colors, spots, and stripes and to opposites such as happy and gripy. By the end of the book, Little Fish has introduced, Spotty Fish, Stripy Fish, Happy Fish, Gripy Fish, Ele-Fish (yes, she looks like an elephant), and so many more. But alas, Little Fish asks,

So many friends, so many fish, splosh, splash, splish!

But, where's the one I love the best, even more than all the rest?

"Hello, Mom."

"Hello, Little Fish."

Kiss, kiss, kiss,

Hooray for fish!

What mom doesn't love that ending! For that reason, Ladybug loves this book. But Snugglebug loves it because he has a thing for fishy books. Big Fish, Little Fish by Ed Heck is still one of his favorites. The illustrations of this book are bright and fun and far from realistic, keeping Snugglebug's attention quite well. Ladybug loves the unique way Cousins introduces such ordinary concepts, making this book one of our everyday readers.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Big Book of Spanish Words

Emberley, Rebecca. 2008. My BIG Book of Spanish Words

Rebecca Emberley is a fabulous children's author and illustrator. She is one of Ladybug's favorites. Emberley's series of bilingual board books were first published in 2000 with more books added in 2002 and 2005. Each book originally had ten pages and one subject. The page had one illustration and the word in English and Spanish.

My BIG Book of Spanish Words is a compilation of 8 of her original books and three new ones. The pages are large with each page being the equivalent of one ten page book. Each page has the same vibrant illustrations that have captured Snugglebug's interest from the first time he saw one of her books, as well as the words in both English and Spanish. The subjects in this compilation are colors, food, toys, clothes, rooms, animals, things that go, shapes, numbers, bath time, and bedtime.

As readers of several of her original bilingual board books, Ladybug and Snugglebug highly recommend this latest publication.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

A Big Treasury of Little Animals

Spangenberg, Judy and Phoebe Dunn. A Big Treasury of Little Animals. Random House, 2007.

This collection of animal stories was written between 1977 and 1987 by Judy Spangenberg. Six stories separately follow the adventures of a lamb, a puppy, a kitten, a rabbit, a duck, and a pig. Each story is accompanied by photographs taken by Phoebe Dunn. The photos vividly capture the text, which considering the artist was working with animals is quite a feat.

The stories are a bit too long for one sitting with little ones; each story is about 30 pages. But the photographs kept Snugglebug interested in the story for the entire length of his short attention span. Each story is strongly formulaic in that it begins at the animal's birth, continues with a child being the new owner, and is followed by the animal making all types of discoveries and getting into various types of mischief. Ladybug was a bit bored with the formula after the first two stories but Snugglebug didn't seem to notice.

Overall, Ladybug and Snugglebug would say this is a good collection of stories but not the greatest. The photographs definitely make up for the lack of diversity within the text.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Friend the Monster

My Friend the Monster. Taylor, Eleanor. Bloomsbury, 2008

This cute story deals with the monster under the bed that frightens most children. Only this time, the monster is the one afraid and is hiding under the bed. The main character inadvertently scares the monster, but in the end, the two become great friends. This is a wonderful story about friendship, making friends, and accepting one another despite our differences. The text is simple and fun and the watercolor illustrations are vibrant with the text and illustrations combining in a unique way so that the text actually enhances the illustrations rather than the two being completely separate from one another.

Snugglebug is too young to understand the jest of the story, but Ladybug will be keeping this book around to read as Snugglebug gets older and begins to wonder if there is a monster under his bed.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Snugglebug meets Big Fish, Little Fish

Heck, Ed. 2007. Big Fish Little Fish.

Since Miss Becky already reviewed the concept of Big Fish Little Fish, SnuggleBug will focus on the desirability of the same book.

Snugglebug loved, loved, loved this book. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and they have shiny areas on the pictures that really captured his interest. Upon seeing the cover alone, his eyes lit up, and he smiled a big smile. He let out a joyful sound when he saw the illustrations inside.

The oversized pages are great, too. They are easy for him to grasp and turn, and he loves to turn the pages. SnuggleBug also noted that the book tasted good, too. The cover is made of a firm plastic and not cardboard. Ladybug noted that since everything goes in SnuggleBug's mouth right now, this is one book that will withstand teething.

Introducing Snugglebug!!!

You know how much I love baby reviewers! Well, I am very proud and happy to introduce you to our newest baby reviewer, Snugglebug!!! Snugglebug's reviews will be written by his mama, Ladybug.

McBratney, Sam. 1996. Guess How Much I Love You. Illustrated by Anita Jeram.

Originally published in 1996, Guess How Much I Love You is a definite must read for anyone young or old. Four-month old Snugglebug was mesmerized the first time his mama, Ladybug, read it to him. The illustrations by Anita Jeram are simple enough to catch his eye and detailed enough to keep him interested. He studied the illustrations of Little Brown Hare and Big Brown Hare while listening intently to the story of Little Brown Hare's attempt to prove he loves his father, Big Brown Hare, more than his father loves him.

The author, Sam McBratney, uses just the right number of words for each page so little eyes are not bored before reaching the end of the page. The number of pages are also the perfect amount reaching an end to the story just as the small one's attention span also reaches an end.

While not a classic yet, Snugglebug declared it one of his favorites. Ladybug noted the only downside is the pages are not thick enough for Snugglebug to turn them. Ladybug would strongly recommend one's parents purchase this book as a board book for anyone Snugglebug's age.