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

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

Shadows of the Workhouse

My intention of starting this blog was to share children's stories that we love as a family, but sometimes I come across an adult read that I can't help but share.  I finished Shadows of the Workhouse tonight, and it is one that I am not likely to forget soon.

Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse

by Jennifer Worth

 

My family got me started on the BBC series "Call the Midwife" a few months ago, and it was the only show that I HAD to watch on a weekly basis.   I was thrilled when I discovered that it was based off of a series of memoirs by Jennifer Worth.  Jennifer spent her young nursing years working in a convent in poverty-stricken East London.  She was not a nun, but lived and worked amongst them in their nursing and midwife duties.  She tells many detailed and interesting stories about the people she met at the time, and the conditions she worked in.

Shadows of the Workhouse is the second book out of three, and is divided into three main sections.  The first tells the very harrowing accounts of children who grew up in England's workhouses (one of the earliest attempts at social welfare).  Life in a workhouse was harsh, but it was one of the only options available to a family with no place to live or food to eat.  Jennifer knew these individuals as adults and tells stories from when they were young.

Jennifer then relates the story of Sister Monica Joan, the sister who is in her nineties and is brilliant, mischievous, and showing signs of dementia.  Sister Monica Joan makes for a lively addition to the memoirs, and has an interesting past that she shares with Jennifer.  She also has her fair share of antics.

The final section is the most touching for me.  Jennifer had the opportunity to treat a man by the name of Joe Collett.  I don't know if there has ever been a character in a book that I have come to adore more than Joe.  He has lost all of his family to World War I and World War II, and is without friends, as well.  He and Jennifer form a friendship that brings both of them great joy.  He shares a great deal of world history as he tells her stories of his life.  I couldn't put the book down as I was reading Joe's stories.

As a warning, there is some content in the book that is very honest, and may not be for sensitive readers.  I believe that she approaches the matter in a respectful manner, but there were a couple of parts that I had to graze over.  She has a way of writing that shows her admiration for the people that she is writing about, and the life lessons that she learned from them.

I felt very humbled and touched by this memoir.  I don't think that one can read it without coming away incredibly grateful for the blessings that they have received.  I don't cry often, but I have to admit that I did with this one.  An incredibly touching and interesting look at history from the experiences of individual lives.

Emily