New Releases {July/August 2016}

This last month was a fun month for new releases in children's books for us!  Here are a few that we enjoyed!

  Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?

Written by Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Released August 2, 2016

Both the Mercy Watson series and the continued Tales from Deckawoo Drive have been hits at our house, so I was excited to try this latest book in the series.  Baby Lincoln is probably the most timid of all of the characters in the Deckawoo Drive clan, so I wasn't quite certain how much energy was going to be in the book, or how some of my children were going to respond, but they all enjoyed it and we finished it in one sitting.

Baby Lincoln gets tired of being told what to do by Eugenia all of the time, and decides to go on a "necessary journey".  

Baby packs her bags, buys a train ticket, and sets out on her journey.  Throughout her train ride, she sits by a number of interesting characters that are true to Kate DiCamillo's style.  A man in a fur hat introduces her to the joys of comics (which Eugenia says are a waste of time!), a girl shares her flavored jelly beans, and a little boy traveling alone brings out an unknown talent of storytelling.  By the end of her journey, Baby has discovered a few things about herself, and Eugenia has, as well.  This latest edition is on the sweet and side, which probably won't suit all crowds, but it worked for ours.  Once again, Chris Van Dusen's illustrations do not disappoint.

Coding Projects in Scratch

Written by Jon Woodcock

Published July 5, 2016

I've been on the hunt for STEM activities for my six year old, and this one caught my eye.  Scratch is an online website developed by MIT that allows kids to learn computer coding processes to create their own games and projects.  I had gotten on the website a couple of times to see if I could figure it out enough to get my son started, but felt overwhelmed both times.  

As soon as this book arrived in the mail, my son started poring over it and getting excited about the projects inside.  They are incredibly engaging projects for the ages that the book is geared towards, and have allowed him to learn the program without a problem.  He's had the time of his life, and I love how much he is learning.  This has been an excellent resource, and I highly recommend it!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Written by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

Published July 31, 2016

I've been excited to read this one since it was announced months ago.  The main differences between this book and the original seven in the series are that this one is written in play script and that it takes place when all of the main characters (Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco) are older and have children of their own. The main character is Albus Severus Potter, Harry's second son.  

I had a hard time with this one due to the fact that it is written as a play, and doesn't have the same flow as the previous books in the series.  This, along with a few other quirks in the story, caused it to not have the same magic as the original seven for me.  However, I still enjoyed the story, and am glad that I read it.  Out of five stars, I would give it a 3 1/2.  Have you read it?  What are your thoughts?

Follow the Trail: Trucks

July 5, 2016

I am always on the lookout for interactive and sturdy board books to put in my diaper bag.  This series is new to me, but I am glad I found it.  Each page has textured trails for little fingers to follow trucks as they go about their duties, along with nonfiction text describing the different trucks.  All in all, the book has nineteen trails and shapes for fingers to trace and outline.  These are great for practicing pre-writing skills.  I have caught my toddler going through this book multiple times.  I'd like to add the rest of the books in the series to our collection, as well!

What have you been reading?  Have you found a new book that your family has enjoyed?  Please share!

Happy Reading!

Emily

The Terrible Two and The Terrible Two Get Worse

The Terrible Two

written by Mac Barnett and Jory John

Illustrated by Kevin Cornell

For some reason, mischievous characters have always been some of my favorites.  It isn't that I can relate to them personally, but I always find great amusement in their shenanigans and perhaps live vicariously through them.  I kept seeing The Terrible Two pop up on recommended lists, and after reading a few nonfiction in a row, I was in the mood for something quick and humorous.  This was the perfect choice.  It was quick, light, and full of mischief and laugh out loud moments.  Some books are written to convey a message, and some are just meant to be enjoyed.  The Terrible Two is just that---meant to be enjoyed by young (and old!) readers.

Miles Murphy just moved to Yawnee Valley, and is on a mission to be the school prankster.  On his first day, he discovers that he has competition...someone has parked the principal's car on the school's front steps.  Niles Sparks is a pranking genius who has the perfect cover in his self-created position as School Helper, and the principal's star student.  When Miles and Niles combine forces, blundering Principal Barry Barkin is in for trouble and pure chaos.

The illustrations perfectly match the quirky characterizations, and add to the humor.

The Terrible Two Get Worse

Miles and Niles are back, and have plans for some terrific pranks.  However, there's a problem.  Barry Barkin has been fired as principal because of all of the pranking chaos that has occurred.  His father and former principal, Bertrand Barkin, is put in as the new principal.  Bertrand is a new challenge for Miles and Niles because he doesn't acknowledge their pranks. If nobody knows about a prank, is it still a prank?  Feeling bad about getting Barry Barkin fired, Miles and Niles are determined to pull a big enough prank on Bertrand to get Barry his job back.  Will they succeed?  Miles and Niles begin to draw some lines----they love a good prank, but don't want to hurt anyone along the way.

Cleverness at its best, and one that even reluctant readers will want to read.  It moved a little slower than The Terrible Two, but still had some laugh out loud moments.

My Rating:  5 stars for The Terrible Two and 4.5 stars for The Terrible Two Get Worse   (I will be adding these to our home library).  They would make great read-alouds in upper elementary grades.
Perfect for: 10-12 year olds

There is a third book in the series that is going to be released next February, and it looks like the fun is going to be taken to a whole new level!



Happy reading!

Emily

New Release: Wolf Hollow

Wolf Hollow

Written by Lauren Wolk

Published May 3, 2016

I don't think that I've ever read a children's book that I've contemplated as much as I have with Wolf Hollow.  Annabelle, the main character, gets wrapped up in the middle of a horrible situation, and I keep contemplating how I would have handled it if I were in her shoes.

Annabelle lives with her parents, brothers, and grandparents on a farm in small a town called Wolf Hollow, Pennsylvania during World War II.  Life is fairly normal for her until a bully by the name of Betty moves in with her grandparents and starts to threaten Annabelle.  A quiet and distraught former soldier named Toby, who roams the woods, sees what is going on and tries to stop Betty.  This causes Betty to focus her malicious behaviors towards him, and she accuses Toby of some serious incidents that have occurred in the town.  

Unfortunately, most members of the town believe her, and misjudge the situation and the parties involved in it.  They view Toby as threatening and not mentally stable while Annabelle sees him and comes to understand him as a soldier whose experiences during war and life changed him, but is still a good person. The situation grows more dire as both Toby and Betty come up missing.  Annabelle sees Toby for who he truly is, knows Betty's true self, and doesn't know how to morally approach the situation when she finds Toby before everyone else does.  She wants to protect him, but can't prove that he is innocent. 

The book is so beautifully written.  I kept finding myself rereading certain passages just because of the word structure, flow, and comparisons made.  Wolk was able to tie in themes of bullying, judging and misjudging others, compassion, and honesty.  Annabelle fought for Toby as best as she could,  but had to make some hard decisions along the way, and sometimes regretted the decisions she did make. 

"If my life was to be just a single note in an endless symphony, how could I not sound it out for as long and as loudly as I could?"---Annabelle

I can almost guarantee this novel will receive a lot of recognition, and it will be well-deserved.  I wish I could go into greater depth, but I can't without spoiling the book.  Absolutely incredible and thought-provoking.

My Rating:  5 stars (I am planning on purchasing a copy, and I would recommend it to friends)

Perfect for:  Ages 12-15 (Publishers recommend ages 9-12, but I would recommend it for youth a little older due to descriptions of war and the overall heaviness of the book.  Annabelle also befriends Toby and spends time alone with him innocently.  Regardless, I would want to reinforce with my children that it would not be an appropriate situation in real life.)

Have you read it?  What were your thoughts? 

Happy reading!

Emily

Our Bag of Books {Let's Play, It's Only Stanley, and Finding Winnie}

Every week, we come home from the library with a bag full of books.  Some books are new, some books are old, and some are books that we have checked out repeatedly.  Every week, a few stick out for various reasons.  I share them in hopes that you'll find some new ones to enjoy with your family.  :)

Let's Play!

Written and Illustrated by Herve Tullet

From the same author as Press Here and Mix it Up comes the new release Let's Play.  In this latest book, Tullet has the reader follow a line with their fingers in a manner that reminded me of an amusement park complete with a carousel and roller coaster.  His classic yellow dot follows a line throughout the book to experience a number of twists and turns, adventures, and obstacles that the reader guides it through.  Tullet knows how to provide simple text and illustrations that delight and amuse.  My little crew couldn't stop giggling during our read-aloud.

My Rating: 5 stars (we will definitely be adding it to our library!)

Perfect for: Toddlers, Preschoolers, Early Elementary

It's Only Stanley

Written and Illustrated by Jon Agee

The Wimbledon family is trying to get some sleep one night, but it is impossible to do with Stanley in the house.  Stanley is a dog that one cannot help but love.  He has big plans up his sleeve, and goes to great lengths to make sure they happen.  From making catfish stew to messing with the oil tanker, Stanley works all throughout the night to make sure he gets to where he wants to go.  Each time the dad investigates what Stanley is up to, he always comes back to tell his family that "It's only Stanley...".  I am not a huge dog person, but I would love a Stanley in my life.  Written in poetic form, it made for a great read aloud that I've seen picked up by little hands many times throughout the week.

My Rating: 4 1/2  (I would recommend it to anyone!)

Perfect for: Preschoolers, Early Elementary

Finding Winnie:
The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear

Written by Lindsay Mattick

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Finding Winnie tells the story of the real bear that inspired the tales of Winnie the Pooh written by A.A. Milne.  I had known small bits of the story, but found this non-fiction picture book interesting and informative.  Harry Colebourn was a Canadian on his way to Europe during World War I when he saw a little bear at a train station and purchased it.  Winnie (named after the town Winnipeg) traveled with his military unit and was loved by all.  Before advancing further into war, Colebourn left Winnie at the London Zoo, and it was there that Christopher Robin and his father came to know Winnie.  While the story is full of beautiful illustrations, I loved looking at the photographs included of Winnie and the adventures the bear had as a military unit mascot and at the London Zoo.  It is a fabulous book to kick-off reading any of A.A, Milne's stories.

My Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Perfect for: Early Elementary, Middle Elementary, Late Elementary

Happy Reading!

Emily

Our Bag Full of Books {3rd Edition}

Every week, we come home from the library with a bag full of books.  Some books are new, some books are old, and some are books that we have checked out repeatedly.  Every week, a few stick out for various reasons.  I share them in hopes that you'll find some new ones to enjoy with your family.  :)

The Perfect Nest

Written by Catherine Friend

Illustrated by John Manders

Published in 2007

 

Jack is a cat who is hungry for an omelet.  He devises a plan to build a comfortable and perfect nest that will attract a chicken.  After the chicken lays the egg, he will be able to make his omelet.  The first part of his plan works!  Not only does a chicken come along and lay an egg, but a duck and a goose each do, as well!   The only problem is that none of them want to leave the nest, and fight for the right to sit in it.  By the time Jack finally gets them to leave the nest so he can make his omelet, the eggs hatch and he is left with a baby chick, a baby duck, and a baby goose who all think he is their mama.  No matter where he hides, they are sure to find him.  It is a good thing he has built a perfect nest to curl up with them in.

This has become one of our favorites.  Clever story told with delightful illustrations.  Fun to read aloud with the French and Spanish accents of the chicken and the duck.  

Perfect for: Preschool/Early Elementary

My Rating: 5/5

 

When the Cows Got Loose

Written by Carol Weis

Illustrated by Ard Hoyt

Published in 2006

 

Ida Mae's family is not your ordinary family, and they do not have an ordinary bunch of cows.  When all 26 cows get loose, it is Ida Mae's job to round them up.  She hops onto her zebra and heads out to find them.  Some are found juggling cabbages, while others are found synchronized swimming.  Six were found up in a car in a tree and some are caught tightrope walking on a clothesline.  The adventure continues until all 26 are back home.

This book is full of imagination and laughs.  Each illustration contains wild antics of either Ida Mae's family (whose house is a fun house) or her talented bovines.  Ida Mae's life is one big circus.  

Perfect for: Preschool/Early Elementary

My Rating: 4.5/5

Three Bears in a Boat

Written and Illustrated by David Soman

Published in 2014

 

Three little bears break their mother's beautiful seashell while she is out, and are on a quest to find one to replace it.  They get in their sailboat, and after seeking the advice of other sailors, sail until they find an island to search.  They look underwater, in a cave, and on a mountain, but cannot find one.  Discouraged, they climb back in the boat, and end up in the middle of a storm. They finally pull up on their own shore, and find a beautiful blue seashell.  Mama Bear lovingly welcomes them home.

The storyline of this picture book isn't my favorite, and it didn't really grab the attention of my kids, but the illustrations are amazing.  It is worth checking it out from the library just to see the illustrations.  I wouldn't be surprised if this one won a Caldecott.

Perfect for: Early Elementary

My Rating:4/5

Our Bag Full of Books {1st Edition}

Every week, we come home with a bag full of books from the library, and every week a few of those stick out.  I've decided to highlight a few picture books every week that I think are worth mentioning for various reasons.  Some of the books that I feature will be new releases, and others will be classics.  In each case, I will give an honest review and rating.  Hopefully you'll find some new ones for your family to enjoy!

Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads 

Written by Bob Shea

Illustrated by Lane Smith

Released on October 7, 2014

The Toad brothers are wreaking havoc on the town of Drywater Gulch.  Not only do they kiss your cows and insult your chili, but they also steal your gold and rob the town bank!  That is, until Kid Sheriff rolls into town.  Kid Sheriff is a tortoise-riding dinosaur expert who can't stay up past 8:00.  He wisely blames all of the town mischief on a variety of dinosaurs, which drives the Toad brothers bonkers!  They want all of the credit for their hard work, and they aren't going to see the jail occupied by dinosaurs!

The storyline is great.  There is a lot of humor that made it fun to read as an adult.  Illustrations and text are fitting of the Western theme.  The text intentionally has spelling and grammatical errors to fit the setting of the book, which I didn't mind.  There were a couple of words that I had to replace for my little ones that I felt could have been left out.  Other than that, it was an enjoyable read for all.  

Perfect for: 5 years and older

My rating: 4.5/5

Hermelin the Detective Mouse

Written and Illustrated by Mini Grey

Released on August 5, 2014

Hermelin is a sweet little mouse who lives on Offley Street.  Hermelin discovers a typewriter in the attic, and he uses it to write messages.  It seems like everyone on Offley Street loses personal items and pets, and Hermelin always comes to the rescue.  He finds the lost item, and leaves a little typewritten note telling the owner where to find the item.  He even helps save Baby McMumbo!  Everyone is so grateful for Hermelin (not knowing who or what he is), and decide to throw him a party.  When he shows up, he gets quite the surprise when his arrival is greeted with screams and chaos.  Poor Hermelin discovers he is a pest, and is ready to pack up and leave Offley Street until a visitor arrives in the attic, and takes him home.

Hermelin is such a sweet and heroic little mouse, and I found the story to be quite charming.  My little ones asked to hear the story over and over again.  

Perfect for: Preschool/Early Elementary

My rating: 5/5

The Gruffalo

Written by Julia Donaldson

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Published in 1999

A little mouse is walking through the woods, and keeps encountering hungry predators.  In order to escape them, he tells them that he is meeting a creature named a "gruffalo" that has orange eyes, a wart on his nose, a black tongue, and terrible teeth!  After hearing of such a frightful creature, they all evacuate, and mouse continues on his way until he encounters a gruffalo that matches his description, even though he had thought he had made the creature up when he was describing the gruffalo to the other animals.  Mouse is very clever, and is able to convince the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the wood!

This story is clever, well-written, and fun to read aloud.  Illustrations are classic.  We have checked it out multiple times from the library, and are ordering a copy of our own.  It never gets old!

Perfect for: Preschool/Early Elementary

My rating: 5/5

I Spy With My Little Eye

Written and Illustrated by Edward Gibbs

Published in 2011

On each page, an eye of an animal is featured, along with a color of the animal and a clue as to what the animal may be.  When you turn the page, you are able to see a full illustration of the animal.  It makes for a delightful (and colorful!) guessing game!  It is a short and simple book that has entertained us multiple times.

Perfect for: Toddlers/Preschool/Early Elementary

My rating: 4.5/5

Happy reading!

Emily

New Release: Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume One

Written by Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Our house adores the Mercy Watson series.  The series tells of a funny little couple whose lives are centered around their "porcine wonder" named Mercy (who is always up to something!).  Deckawoo Drive, the street they live on, is full of adventure.  Imagine how excited I was to see that a new series was coming out with the same characters!

Some of you might remember Leroy Ninker from the Mercy Watson series.  Leroy is the reformed thief who works at the popcorn stand at the drive-in movie theater.  He dreams of being a cowboy.  In this book, Leroy makes his dreams come true by buying a horse named Maybelline.  Sweet old Maybelline has distinct characteristics that make her as unique and as lovable as Mercy.  Maybelline has four teeth and LOVES spaghetti.  

I would highly recommend this book as a preschool read-aloud or as a beginning chapter book. Leroy's attempts at owning a horse in the city make for a delightful story for boys and girls.  Amusing pictures are featured on most pages.  Unfortunately, the illustrations are printed in black and white, as opposed to the colored illustrations found in Mercy Watson books.  Even so, Chris Van Dusen's illustrations captivate young readers, as usual.

Possible Activities:

Family Fun:  Watch a Western movie together and eat popcorn.  You might try The Apple Dumpling Gang.  

Imagination:  Pretend you're living in the Wild West for the day. :)

Food:  Eat buttered toast for breakfast, and spaghetti for dinner.

Language Arts:  Write sweet compliments for Maybelline using similes and metaphors.

Math: Cook up a variety of lengths of spaghetti noodles and measure them in centimeters and inches.

Happy reading!

Emily

New Release: President Taft is Stuck in the Bath

I am a huge fan of both Mac Barnett and Chris Van Dusen, so I was really excited when I saw that they had teamed up for a new book.  

President Taft is Stuck in the Bath

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Perfect for 4-8 years old

The book is based on a rumor that President Taft got stuck in the bathtub during his stay at the White House.  It is hard to tell whether or not this rumor is true, but there are a number of different stories to be told about the occasion.  Some say that multiple men had to pry him out of the bathtub, and some say that loblolly (butter and lobster liver) was needed.  Mac Barnett uses the possible incident as a basis for his wild romp that brings the whole cabinet on board.

After a great number of attempts to heave himself out of the bathtub, President Taft realizes he is STUCK.  His wife comes to check on him, and despite his original attempts to hide it from her, he tells her the truth.  When he sees that she doesn't know what to do, he asks for the Vice President.  The Vice President's solution is for himself to be sworn in as President.  President Taft views this as "prepostorous", and the Secretary of State is called in.  He suggests diet and exercise.

More and more cabinet members are summoned, and each one offers a {fitting} recommendation according to his office in the cabinet.  It reminds me a lot of King Bidgood in the Bathtub and how the royal court was involved in the dilemma.  

How did they finally free him from the bathtub in this story?  Well, you'll just have to check it out to find out.  I greatly enjoyed Chris Van Dusen's caricatured illustrations.  They were a perfect match for the exaggerated telling of this old rumor and possible piece of White House history.  

The last two pages of the story include a picture of the large bathtub that President Taft had brought in to the White House (which could hold four men!), along with facts relating to President Taft and bathtubs.  He sounds a lot like myself and King Bidgood: we all love a good bath.

I think it is a great read for families, as well as any class learning about the Executive Cabinet.  It brings a light and humorous view to the White House.  

*I would recommend doing some research on President Taft with your children/students to study up on his life and accomplishments.  He has a really interesting history!*

Candlewick Press was kind enough to provide a review copy.  All opinions expressed are my own.  

Happy Reading!

Emily