81. Farmer Duck

Farmer Duck. Martin Waddell. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 1992. 33 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: There was once a duck who had the bad luck to live with a lazy old farmer. The duck did the work. The farmer stayed all day in bed. The duck fetched the cow from the field. "How goes the work?" called the farmer. The duck answered, "Quack!"

Premise/plot: The farmer in this story is lazy, fat, and selfish. Duck, our hero, is a hard worker whose work and dedication is appreciated by the animals--if not the farmer himself. The animals may just have a plan to rid the duck of an overseer who can only bellow HOW GOES THE WORK from afar.

My thoughts: It is the refrain HOW GOES THE WORK? QUACK! that has stuck with me through the years. Some picture books (some stories) are just super quotable--to one degree or another--and become part of our lives. (Like, "We ate our honey. We ate a lot, and now there is no honey in our honey pot." Or "It looked like pink ink.") I loved revisiting this one.

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

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

80. Giant in the Garden

Giant in the Garden. (Time Spies #3) Candice Ransom. 2007. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Alex gazed out the window of the Keeping Room. Not even a leaf fluttered. It seemed as if the whole world had stopped.

Premise/plot: I imagine a conversation between the real Winchester and Ellsworth, "Why do you always get to time travel and I don't! Next time I'm coming too!!! Just try to stop me!" "Okay, but be careful what you wish for!"

In this third adventure in the Time Spies series, Alex, Mattie, Sophie, Ellsworth and WINCHESTER time travel. Sophie is lately obsessed with a book of fairy tales; one of her favorites being Jack and the Beanstalk. The siblings never expected to travel to a FAIRY TALE. After all, fairy tales aren't real--or so they think. But their preconceived ideas are challenged as they work together to escape the giant, "save" Jack, and MOST IMPORTANTLY of all rescue Winchester.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed books one and two. But I really loved, loved, loved the third book. Not necessarily because of the fairy tale setting but because of Winchester taking a more starring role! I love how it was their following after Winchester that led them UP the beanstalk and into the country of giants. Winchester's mischievous curiosity leads them all into a bit of danger. I also love that a drawing of Winchester appears at every chapter.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Top Ten Picture Books

Young Readers is turning thirteen today. I don't recall ever celebrating a blogiversary. Poor middle blog!

1. Umbrella by Taro Yashima. 1958/2004. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Childhood Copy] Reviewed May 2007; October 2011; February 2017.

First sentence: Momo is the name of a little girl who was born in New York.

2. Grump. Janet Wong. Illustrated by John Wallace. 2001. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Book I Bought] Reviewed July 2011; June 2015

Look how tired this Mommy is
Tired and frumpy
Grouchy chumpy
Oh, what a grump!

Look at Baby
Smart, good Baby
Happy Baby
Making gravy
Applesauce and ketchup gravy
Not too lumpy
Not too bumpy
Squish squish
DUMP!

3. Finn Throws A Fit. David Elliott. Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] January 2010. March 2017.

First sentence: Finn likes peaches. Usually. But today, Finn doesn't like peaches. Today, Finn doesn't like anything. Today, Finn is cranky. Anything could happen.

4. Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb. Al Perkins. 1969. Random House. 36 pages. [Source: Bought] February 2017. February 2009.

First sentence: Hand hand fingers thumb. One thumb one thumb drumming on a drum. One hand two hands drumming on a drum. Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum.

5. Bubba and Beau, Best Friends. Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2002. Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Bought] [June 2018]

First sentence: Meet Bubba. Bubba is the son of Big Bubba and Mama Pearl. Right after Bubba was born, Mama Pearl wrapped him in his soft pink blankie and whispered into both of his soft pink ears, "I love you, Bubba Junior." She sighed. He was the perfect little Bubba.

6. Bread and Jam for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1964/1992. HarperCollins. 32 pages. [Source: Library] March 2011. April 2016.

First sentence: It was breakfast time, and everyone was at the table. Father was eating his egg. Mother was eating her egg. Gloria was sitting in a high chair and eating her egg too. Frances was eating bread and jam.

7. More, More, More. Vera B. Williams. 1990. HarperCollins. 32 pages. [Source: Library] May 2010


This is Little Guy.
Little Guy runs away so fast.
Little Guy's daddy has to run like anything just to catch that baby up.
But Little Guy's daddy catches that baby up all right.
He throws that baby high and swings that baby all around.
"Oh, you're a great little guy," Little Guy's daddy sings to Little Guy.

8. Goin' Someplace Special. Patricia McKissack. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. 2001. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [April 2017]

First sentence: 'Tricia Ann was about to burst with excitement.

9. Millions of Cats. Wanda Gag. 1928. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] January 2015 August 2018

Once upon a time there was a very old man and a very old woman. They lived in a nice clean house which had flowers all around it, except where the door was. But they couldn't be happy because they were so very lonely. 
"If we only had a cat!" sighed the very old woman. "A cat?" asked the very old man. "Yes, a sweet little fluffy cat," said the very old woman. "I will get you a cat, my dear," said the very old man.
And he set out over the hills to look for one.

10. The Gorilla Did It. Barbara Shook Hazen. Illustrated by Ray Cruz. 1974. 32 pages. [Source: Childhood copy] Reviewed in 2007 (August) and 2018 (February). 

First sentence: Shhh! Go away. I can't play. I'm sleeping. Okay. But you've got to be quiet, or Mommy'll be mad.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

79. The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. Jon Scieszka. Illustrated by Lane Smith. 1989. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Everybody knows the story of The Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story.

Premise/plot. A. Wolf (the narrator) wants readers (like you and me) to know the TRUTH. He is not a BIG BAD WOLF. He's not. Here's why: he was simply going to his neighbors' to ask for a cup of sugar. Why? Well, it was all for the best of causes: his dear granny's birthday cake. True, his neighbors all happened to be PIGS. But his intention was for SUGAR, AND SUGAR ALONE. It's not his fault that he had a cold and that his POWERFUL SNEEZES took out the first two pigs' houses. And it's not his fault that the pigs he found within the collapsed houses were DEAD. Perhaps it wasn't neighborly to EAT them after he found them dead. But it was the natural thing to do--he is a wolf, and pigs are tasty. He asks readers to trust his side of the story. Do you?!

My thoughts: This one is fun, fun, super-fun, just a true delight to read and reread. I've read it plenty of times since it was first published in 1989, but, this is the first time I've reviewed it. If you haven't read it yet, you should! You're never too old to pick this one up.

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

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

78. Bones in the Badlands

Bones in the Badlands (Time Spies #2) Candice Ransom. Illustrated by Greg Call. 2006. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Mattie peered into the dining room.

Premise/plot: In the first book in the series, Secret in the Tower, readers meet three siblings who time travel: Alex, Mattie, and Sophie. (Sophie the youngest always, always, always brings her elephant, Ellsworth, along). The first adventure has the three going to 1781 in Virginia to witness Revolutionary War heroes in action. The second adventure has the three going to the Badlands in 1898 to meet up with archaeologists hunting dinosaur bones. It is a risky life! For there's quite a competition going on between paleontologists! The children will have to use their spying skills for sure!

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. I stand by what I said in my review of the first book. I think I would have definitely loved the series as a kid. This one should prove appealing to anyone interested in time travel, adventure, spying, or dinosaurs!


© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers