A great book for toddlers. This is a book to experience. Each page has a bug that kids and touch. There is feathering, velvety, fuzzy, etc. It is coloA great book for toddlers. This is a book to experience. Each page has a bug that kids and touch. There is feathering, velvety, fuzzy, etc. It is colorful and it's fun for the senses.
Nothing folds out here or pops-up. It's all about tactile sensation.
Much of the time I'm not a fan of Tomie's art style, but it really works here. I enjoy this. Mary has many traditions in this world and Tomie focuses Much of the time I'm not a fan of Tomie's art style, but it really works here. I enjoy this. Mary has many traditions in this world and Tomie focuses on Mary. She had an auspicious birth as well. This book quickly goes into the Christmas story and glosses over much to show Jesus's death and Mary's sorrow. I've never heard this, but Tomie finishes the story with Mary being laid in a tomb and a disciple opening the tomb after and she was gone. Her body was taken to heaven as the Queen of heaven. I like that idea. I wish Tomie had given us more personality of Mary. She doesn't even exist here. She isn't a character but a story idea. She is so bland. It would be nice to have a personality to go with the person. Instead of this idea of being docile, I think she would be a spit fire. People accusing her of being unfaithful and she's spit at them and tell them she was loyal to her husband. A woman who wouldn't back down. Anyway.
This story is long and not for beginners. It's a great story to read for Christmas if you are Christian.
A fun middle grade read in the Star Wars Universe. It did have a lot of lifting setting up this series.
Jacen and Jaina are the twins of Han and Leia aA fun middle grade read in the Star Wars Universe. It did have a lot of lifting setting up this series.
Jacen and Jaina are the twins of Han and Leia and they are at Uncle Luke's Jedi Academy training to be a Jedi. This would have made a great story on the big screen, not this specific story, but Han and Leia having twins. They have a younger brother named Anakin.
For being set at a Jedi school, it felt little like a school and for being force sensitive kids, they seemed to have little ability with the force. After seeing younglings in the movies, this is sad the skill level they have. Anyway,
We meet some interesting characters. Lowwebacca is Chewbacca's nephew and force sensitive. I thought he could be a fun character, but we really don't get to know him well. He is underused and not developed. There is also Tenel Ka, a daughter from Dathomir, which I simply love. She is so cool. We don't spend a whole lot of time with her, but I want to know more about her.
You can tell the story is focus on the twins. Han and Chewie make an appearance. So, the kids find the wreckage of an downed TIE fighter. Jaina is a mechanic and wants to see if she can restore it. Turns out, the Pilot did not die either. That's all on the back cover, so I'm not spoiler anything.
It could be spoiliery ahead, so be warned.
The problem with this story is that Han comes to the rescue. The twins are captured. Han is close to Yavin 4 and he comes back in for the rescue. It's not much of a rescue or an ending. It really is not a great ending. It is kind of a wot-waw ending, like that's all you got. No one has a good conclusion. Luke leaves halfway through and is gone when all this goes down. We see him teach a bit at the beginning, 5 minutes of class and then he is interrupted.
I would love to see more of the academy, but it was not well done. It's obviously written for middle grade and this was before Harry Potter changed middle grade forever. The characters were flimsy and motivations only okay.
I still had fun reading it, but I noticed all this stuff. The style of writing was rather stuffy as well. I hope it improves and we get to know the characters better and see more force abilities. ...more
This story is groundbreaking in the way it's told. How unusual for a story to still be able to surprise and charm me. Good ol' Chris Van Allsburg - geThis story is groundbreaking in the way it's told. How unusual for a story to still be able to surprise and charm me. Good ol' Chris Van Allsburg - genius.
At first, I didn’t like this. It’s a western about a sheriff in an old west town, not my genre. The artwork was simply black lines and I was offended by that at first and I was thinking I would give this 2 stars simply for the poor artwork. Then the story went on and I realized the art is part of the story in such a clever way. I haven’t seen anyone do this and I am tickled at this story. I am glad I kept reading.
Spoilers:
So, we see a stage coach come in covered in what looks like red scribble crayon. The people are terrified and horrified. There is color in this black and white. It’s then obvious that this is a coloring book and we see what happens when the page is not open in these people’s lives. Oh man, this was fun and well done. I would love to see how quickly kids pick up on this and their reaction to it. To bad my niece and nephew are too old now and quarantined. ...more
This is complied by someone else using characters and story bits from Dr. Seuss. It feels very much like something Dr. Seuss would write. The fox is tThis is complied by someone else using characters and story bits from Dr. Seuss. It feels very much like something Dr. Seuss would write. The fox is trying to get someone to read some words today and the guy is like the guy from Green Eggs and Ham and he doesn't want to read today.
There are games and filling in the blank and circling and all kinds of activities for the beginning reader to do. It's a very cute little book and it's always good to see more Dr. Seuss characters. The story is totally playful and amusing.
Everyone in my house is too grown for this book. ...more
Henriette is a truffle hound and she was good at her vocation until grandfather made her start sleeping in the barn. She got hayfever and could no lonHenriette is a truffle hound and she was good at her vocation until grandfather made her start sleeping in the barn. She got hayfever and could no longer sniff out the truffles. The granddaughter tried to tell grandfather this, but he didn’t listen and wants to sell the dog, so they are on their way to sell the dog to someone else at the Hotel Eclair. The dog, away from the barn, runs into the hotel and goes to the dinning room and finds the truffle dish and eats the soup. Granddaughter gets to keep Henriette, all is well.
The Paris, or France setting is quaint. It has an old time feel to it and not really a modern feel. The story is cute and the artwork is cute, but it doesn’t rise above that. I am glad that Henriette gets to keep hunting truffles.
It’s a cute beginning story set in another country.
This is a great kind of odd. This is what I love about Edward. A random woman is walking by a piece of ground and hears something. A plant sticks its This is a great kind of odd. This is what I love about Edward. A random woman is walking by a piece of ground and hears something. A plant sticks its head above ground. The next few days she walks by it and sees it grow. It’s taller than her when she picks the unknown vegetable and takes it home. No one has seen it before and she simply cooks this thing up and eats it for a meal. It was yummy and she feels it all the way in her toes.
SPoiler for the twist.
She thens goes to the same place and digs a deep hole, deep enough to stand upright in. The dirt then begins to slide in and buries her. They put up a headstone and then last frame we see a plant growing out of the ground.
I simply adore this story. It’s odd and strangely circle of life like. What comes around goes around. I love it when Gorey is on his game. ...more
Sam loves Chinese New Year when his family gives him the bright red envelopes with money inside, usually a dollar. His grandparents give him 4$ each ySam loves Chinese New Year when his family gives him the bright red envelopes with money inside, usually a dollar. His grandparents give him 4$ each year in 4 envelopes. He is excited to spend them and he can’t decide how to do so. He and his mother are shopping and he is thinking of buying cookies or toys, but the toys are way too expensive with only 4 dollars. He gets a little mad and his mother expects him to be grateful. There was a beggar on the street that he notices does not have shoes. This helps him to remember to be grateful for what he has.
This story was decent. It didn’t really move me, but it does get across the idea of sharing with others. Giving can be a good thing.
The nephew loved the dragon in the street and the red envelopes with money. He said that his grandparents give him more than just 4 dollars. He is lucky. He usually gets 5 or 10 dollars in a card. He thought the story was only an ok story even with the dragon that likes to eat red envelopes. He gave this 2 stars....more
This book confused me. We started the book off about birds; the question is asked, "Do you think birds know when it's going to snow?" I think it's goiThis book confused me. We started the book off about birds; the question is asked, "Do you think birds know when it's going to snow?" I think it's going to be about feeding birds in the snow, but then the rest of the book is full page spreads of the different snowmen they make and what they look like. They make a family of snowmen, including the baby and the dog and cat. There is usually a bird on each page, but I really don't get how they are connected so much. It was simply confusing.
There isn't much story here, it's about the snowmen. They are very cute indeed. It's giving people ideas on best ways to build snowmen. It's cute and I can't say that I don't love books about snow.
We had our second cold day of the year yesterday, but no snow in sight. So, any book about snow is most welcome.
The nephew thought this book simple, but he did like some of the ideas present for snowmen. He wanted to build a snowdog this year. Our dog is named cooper, a mini Dachshund and min-pin mix. He's a right terror and we love him. The nephew wants to make Cooper into a snowman. I told him we probably aren't going to get snow again this year, or at least hope for snow so we can. He gave this book 3 stars and he wants to draw up plans now for his snow men. He really just wants to make a snow boy like him that looks cool. ...more
Hare’s are very smart. This fable is saying, don’t sleep through harvest; you have to work to reap anything. Here’s the part that isn’t really fair. HHare’s are very smart. This fable is saying, don’t sleep through harvest; you have to work to reap anything. Here’s the part that isn’t really fair. Hare made a bad investment with rabbit and he had to sell off his land to bear so he could pay off the debt to rabbit. So that is all his fault. Does that mean it’s now ok to trick bear who simply bought the land? Anyway, that’s not the story.
Bear’s father worked hard, but now bear just sleeps. He sleeps through the growing season. One day Hare comes over and makes a deal. He’ll do the planting and split the crop ‘tops and bottoms�. Bears calls tops, so Hare plants carrots and beets and tubers. So bear only gets the tops of those things and rabbit gets the most vegetables. Bear is upset and he next wants the bottoms. Hare agrees and he plants lettuce and all kinds of good vegetables. Bear is left with the roots and Hare, again, gets most of the good vegetables. Next Bear wants a new crop and he gets the tops and bottoms. Hare agrees and plants corn. Hare keeps the middle and bears again loses out.
I guess it’s best not to let someone else do your work for you, huh.
The book is printed sideways so you open it like a calendar and we can see the bottoms of the veggies and the tops split in the middle. The artwork is lovely and the Hare and his family are amusing. They work hard and smart. I’m told that is what we want to do is work smart.
I have to admit this title cracks me up. It could be a whole different story seen through an adult lens, but I like the story told.
The kids loved this story. Every time they would crack up at rabbit getting the best of bear. I felt just a little sorry for bear. I know he’s lazy but that’s no reason to take advantage of him. Anyway, the kids laughed at this story. The niece loved how smart the Hare was. She gave this 4 stars. The nephew also gave this 4 stars. He thought this was a funny story....more
A marvelous story awaits inside these pages. It is a fairy-tale from the island of Martinique. It is about the friendship of 2 lads who grow up like bA marvelous story awaits inside these pages. It is a fairy-tale from the island of Martinique. It is about the friendship of 2 lads who grow up like brothers and they are two different races. We have all the components for a good fairytale. A test of your heart, pursuing love and an evil uncle trying to wreak everything.
There are 3 zombie woman casting spells against the new couple and it is the friend who saves them along the way. He keeps them from dying. The end is quite a good story. I think it could make for a nice cartoon short. It is a most wonderful story. I do love the artwork and the swirls the brush strokes make with color. It’s a beautiful story. Like all good fairytales it all turns out ok, but how it gets there is most wonderful. It reminds me a little bit of Frozen that way.
The niece loved this story. She thought it was very romantic, so much so she gave it 5 stars. Even she was surprised by the ending and she figures things out most of the time. The nephew enjoyed the story too. He kept saying he would have told the couple what was happening and I told him he would have been turned to stone. He would say, ‘oh�. He gets so excited and focused, he has a hard time not just doing something. Still, he liked the story and he was glad the friend was so smart. He gave this 4 stars....more
This is another alphabet book and I have to say that there have been many recently in the Caldecott list and I was dreading this. Yet, I really enjoyeThis is another alphabet book and I have to say that there have been many recently in the Caldecott list and I was dreading this. Yet, I really enjoyed reading this. It is slightly different than what we have seen previously.
Stephen did a fantastic job with this wordless beginning book. He painted these scenes of a city, but it looks like pictures of a city. He finds natural structures that create a letter of the alphabet naturally. It’s fun to see the pictures and instantly understand that it is also a letter. I love his ’T�, ‘E�, and ‘F�. Well ‘B� was pretty cool too. I’m very impressed with this and it does change your perspective of the city we live in and what makes it up. It was so much fun.
The niece and nephew both got into this as they saw the letters and it blew their mind like it did mine. We play the ABC game in the car where you find words with the next letter of the alphabet. They want to see if we can play this game of finding the letter in a structure somehow. The niece had fun with this and she gave it 4 stars. The nephew thought this was amazing and he gave it 5 stars....more
A darling story. Officer Buckle gives boring ol� safety tips and puts everyone to sleep until one day he gets a dog and the dog is very entertaining aA darling story. Officer Buckle gives boring ol� safety tips and puts everyone to sleep until one day he gets a dog and the dog is very entertaining and his career takes off. Only problem is he doesn’t know that everyone is excited about the dog. It’s a sweet and simple story that works out well in the end.
I really can’t understand what about the art in this book makes this the Caldecott winner. It’s a fun and whimsical story, but the artwork is nothing we haven’t seen before. I don’t understand this choice. Mercer Mayer has better artwork or Berenstain Bears, so why aren’t they nominated? I don’t get it.
Well, the children loved the story. The nephew thought this was a great story. He loved the dog doing tricks on stage. He laughed and giggled. He asked why our dog Cooper couldn’t do those things. I told him, “because you are constantly pinching Cooper so he doesn’t want to do those things.� it’s a thing in our house. He is treating the dog better. He gave this 4 stars. The niece was laughing too. She enjoyed the story and she gave this 3 stars. ...more
First of all this is shaped like a little heart valentine that fits in your hand. It’s tiny. It opens and the pop-ups come out of this little heart. TFirst of all this is shaped like a little heart valentine that fits in your hand. It’s tiny. It opens and the pop-ups come out of this little heart. There is foil on the front in the red to make it look very fancy. It’s such a cute book and it is very fancy.
This is some sugar overload in a great way. It ends with “will you be my love buy?� My favorite bug is the love bug because it has a beak at the middle of the pop-out and it opens and closes. I love that artwork. This book makes me happy, so I love it.
The kids thought it was fun too. The nephew spent 10 minutes looking through it over and over and he gave it 5 stars. The niece thought it was really cute and she gave it 4 stars. What do you know. ...more
As far as Lift-the-Flap books go, this is a good one. There are 3-5 on each page. For kids who are a little frightened of things, it’s good because thAs far as Lift-the-Flap books go, this is a good one. There are 3-5 on each page. For kids who are a little frightened of things, it’s good because the flaps reveal who is under costumes. My niece was able to read this and she did find with it. The nephew had fun with this books and he was lifting flaps while I was reading making it difficult to read. They both gave it 4 stars. They enjoyed the cute characters.
I haven’t read any corduroy books yet I don’t think. This is based on Corduroy by Don Freeman and written by BG Hennessy. I don’t know if this material is close to the original or not. It’s a cute story with nice bright happy artwork. I need to compare to the original now and see how it goes. ...more
This is a great story spoofing 'the house that Jack built'. Each page adds a line to the story. For a picture book, the art gets a bit gorey. The fienThis is a great story spoofing 'the house that Jack built'. Each page adds a line to the story. For a picture book, the art gets a bit gorey. The fiend of Bloodygore is a rough page. My nephew thought it was cool. I was unable to read this to the niece - she is not able to deal with scary right now and this book would be too much for her.
I love the artwork in the story. I love the look of Drac's house. There is plenty of good mood and tone in this book. The story kept upping the ante and they had some great characters. It does start with a bat and I do love bats. Halloween stories are basically the only place that use bats as characters besides stellaluna. I need a book with bats and giraffes - that would be awesome.
This is a great Halloween treat. I almost gave it 5 stars I enjoy it so much, but I don't know that I'm there yet. ...more
The best part about this book is the little green-eyed monster that is sister. She is green like the Hulk with horns and she smiles. It is pretty amazThe best part about this book is the little green-eyed monster that is sister. She is green like the Hulk with horns and she smiles. It is pretty amazing. It's a good little story about Jealousy and envy. Brother gets a new bike and sister wants it. She has a dream to help her put it into perspective. It's a cute story.
The kids enjoyed it too giving it 4 stars. The bears are popular in our house. ...more
This Berenstain Bears book is from 1995. I don’t know where the series changed, but somewhere after the height of the 80s they changed their approach This Berenstain Bears book is from 1995. I don’t know where the series changed, but somewhere after the height of the 80s they changed their approach to the stories and got more serious. From the start in the 60s the bears were about fun and silliness. They were zany and there was buffoonery going on. They might have had a moral or something serious amidst all the fun, but it was always about fun. Papa almost always made a fool out of himself. That’s where it changed. When Papa stopped being foolish, the series lost its sense of fun.
I actually like the message in this book. It’s very Oprah Winfrey. Be grateful for what you have. They realize they are grateful for their family. It’s a great idea and wonderful to have that in the world. It feels heavy though, like Jan and Stan are trying to hammer the point instead of let the fun be a way to take it in. This is a serious book. The lighthearted fun is not there. Mama and Papa are old and they don’t have fun anymore. I think that’s the problem with these later books in the Berenstain Bear books, they lost their sense of fun.
The kids did enjoy the book. We have been having lots of rain lately, so we read this on a night it was storming and it went with the book well. Afterward, we did talk about what we are grateful of for a few minutes. Both kids love the Berenstain Bears. So the book is nice....more
The end was such a surprise. I wasn't expecting it. It was very pleasing and caused giggles. The kids have read this before and they didn't spoil the The end was such a surprise. I wasn't expecting it. It was very pleasing and caused giggles. The kids have read this before and they didn't spoil the ending funny enough. They laughed at me and my surprise. Our book is old and it still work. It creates quite and effect.
I love Eric Carle's work and this is a beautiful book. It's still simple and colorful. The Firefly looking for his people reminds me of the Ugly duckling. Where does he belong in this world. The Ugly duckling is much more complex. This book still does a nice job with that idea of 'Where do I belong?'
This is out of my comfort zone: Texas and cowboy boots plus an Armadillo. I really don't like armadillo. They are pretty gross. Still, this is hilarioThis is out of my comfort zone: Texas and cowboy boots plus an Armadillo. I really don't like armadillo. They are pretty gross. Still, this is hilarious. Bo, the armadillo is trying to befriends or falls in love with a pair of bright red boots he thinks is another armadillo. He follows it all over the rodeo. It is cute and funny.
The kids laughed at this one too and the antics Bo gets into. It is fun to see it from the perspective of boots.
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