2 comments about Biscuit Loves Father's Day (Biscuit).

1. Unlike BISCUIT'S GRADUATION, this holiday book goes right to the point. The-girl-with-the-purple-sneakers wakes up and tells Biscuit that it is Father's day.
   
   After giving dad a card, the rest of the book is spent doing one of Dad's favorite things (they even wish a father bird a happy Father's Day). In the end you can feel that the reader has some idea of what Father's Day is about and what it honors.
   
   The artwork is up to the usual cute standards of the series. The flaps are standard for the holiday books and reveal some of the surprises of what Biscuit is up to. A pretty good book.



2. The book begins on Father's Day morning and tracks the daily activities of a girl, her father, and her dog. The daily progression is easy for children to recognize and compare with their own. There are plenty of "woof woof"s, which my 3 year old and my 1 year old follow. My three year old can point out the words and my 1 year old can say them after me (and does so eagerly).
   
   My three year old daughter unfolds each flap for me to read.
   At the end of the book, she could tell me more than three things that happened in the book. One of the events was memorable to her even later that day.
   
   I have heard mothers say that their children love Biscuit. This was our first Biscuit book, but it was so perfectly balanced for preschoolers that we are eager to read others.

5 comments about Prom Anonymous.

1. I loved this book, it's one of those that leave you wishing for more-what's going to happen to Chloe and Zach? Will Paul learn how to deal with his mental illness and become the man he is meant to be? What about Laura, is she going to confront Mike about his indiscretion at the prom or just leave him to figure it out for himself? And will Ryan turn out to be the Best Boyfriend Ever? And, Rebecca, will she get a chance to wear that fabulous dress again? God, I hope so.
   I felt, at the end of this book, as if I'd known-and loved- these girls all my life. I really liked how different they all were and how much they valued each other's traits-Blake Nelson has, once again, captured beautifully the nuances and importance of fully formed relationships that would (should, at any rate)cause the writers of "Friends" to publicly apologize.
   This is a lovely, warm, funny and realistic look at how the friendships and conflicts of youth, with all it's trimmings of burgeoning sex, drugs and the dreaded Proms, impacts all of our lives while retaining a sense of perspective-makes me wish I had paid more attention.
   In his fifth book, Blake Nelson has proven himself a major voice among novelists-with his wonderful dialogue, rich characters and near perfect sense of humor, he will, in years to come, be among those favorite writers whose books one can never quite bring oneself to donate.
   It's so refreshing to read a YA book that doesn't patronize or sermonize but leaves the reader with a great big smile and a sense of communion with the awkward and important issues of maturity. Nice going, Blake. Thank you.



2. Step One: Dates
   
   Laura has a date for the prom, because she and her boyfriend have been together practically forever. Julia, aka Jace, thinks she might have a date for the prom, if she can ever get up the nerve to put a coherent sentence together in front of Paul, the hot new tennis player. Alternachick Chloe has no intention of going to the prom at all until Laura decides that not only will Chloe go to the prom, she will also pre-screen possible dates for Chloe.
   
   Step Two: Prep
   
   Everyone knows you can't just show up at your prom in any old thing. The dress has to be spectacular, and Laura is going to have that spectacular $349 dress even though she's not allowed to spend more than $200. Chloe emerges from a vintage dress shop as Audrey Hepburn. And Jace? Well, she'll worry about the dress when Paul commits to the prom one way or the other.
   
   Step Three: Prom!
   
   More and more, Laura has felt torn between her boyfriend and her oldest friends. Chloe hasn't even met her date (she did talk to him on the phone once), yet she's written 31 poems about him. Paul finally agrees to go with Jace, though he has some serious reservations --- and I'm not talking about the restaurant kind.
   
   There's a lot of fun and fluff in this novel, but there's also a lot in the way of good friendships and sticking up for the people you care about. Romance and family conflict make this more than just a throwaway book, but it's not going to fry your brain either. Recommended for all promgoers, or for those who wouldn't go to their prom even if you paid them.
   
   --- Reviewed by Carlie Webber



3. It's amazing how successfully Blake Nelson captures the thoughts and feelings of your average teenage girls! Not only does he take you inside their minds, but all of his characters are true to life. Nelson's writing style is also very commendable. Loads of times, he had me laughing aloud, even on the train. The language that he uses fits perfectly with the content, and he doesn't overuse slang, like some contemporary writers do. I love how he shows what lies past the stereotypical American high school scene.
   
   (And I promise that I'm not biased because Nelson's married to one of the best English teachers I ever had.)



4. This book details three best friends' very different experiences with a landmark American high school event... the prom. Laura is pstched to go for the second time (her boyfriend of 14 months is a senior so she went last year). Jace is nervous/excited about finding a date and hoping to go with the cute, Californian, tennis-playing Paul. And Chloe... she got "convinced" by Jace and Laura to go to the prom. She's bringing a blind date. How will these three girls' experienes pan out? Read this TOTALLY AMAZINGLY SUPER-COOL book and you will find out!! Side note: This book was just so amazing that I read it in under 24 hours (while still putting in a full day of school)... that's how good it is. I'm so excited because Blake Nelson is coming to my school in FOUR days to talk about it!



5. Read prom in one sitting, alot of fun and was laughing out loud through some parts. Some of it was close to the bone and I was blushing in embarrasment but smiling throughout. Not much more you can ask for from a book. The characters are real, are smart and there is something grand and timeless going on behind the situations and comedy. have not yet read paranoid park and heard good things about it but this one deserves a prom reunion!

1 comments about One Hundred Days (Plus One).

1. This book was good for my son who is in 1st grade, but not an early reader. The story line, as in the entire series, is slightly different from other early readers. In this case, one student was sick and the 100 day celebration was delayed one day. My son was proud to be able to read the book. The illustrations are good and there is a lot of detail worthy of discussion. I would say that the story line of this particular book was good, but not as good as some of the other books in the series. Get free shipping and share the book with other children or donate to the class. I highly recommend the Robin Hill School series by Margaret McNamara.

2 comments about The Greentail Mouse.

1. In a take on the town mouse and the country mouse, Leonni tells the tale of happy forest mice who try to recreate a Mardi Gras celebration of their own, after hearing about it from a city mouse. This fable is, as always beautifully illustrated; although this time, there are no torn-paper mice, but, as my seven-year-old noticed, "really painted" pictures. However, we never find out why the mouse`s tail stays green -- as a reminder, perhaps of the dangers of trying to be what you are not? A little too ambiguous, maybe. Not as captivating as so many of his other stories. Save your money and borrow this from the library.



2. I disagree with the first review...it is precisely the ambiguity of this tale that makes it so delightful and so easy to turn to again and again as we try to puzzle it out. I'm not sure we're meant to "know" everything, or would want to. The mystery, and ambiguity, of lived experience is the most "real" thing of all--and children get that. My students and I still haven't figured out The Greentail Mouse and we still enjoy trying.

2 comments about A Birthday Basket For Tia (Aladdin Picture Books).

1. In the late Fall of 1992, I read A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA (Macmillan) by Pat Mora. (I received it as a gift from a special friend and mentor.) I had never read a children's book written by a Mexican American author, so I read it with anticipation.

   At the same time, I became angry because I had never read a picture book and much less a young adult novel by a relevant author of my ethnic group. Why hadn't anyone offered such children's books to me when I was a young boy coming of age in Magnolia, the East side barrio of Houston? Nevertheless, I hugged the book and read it again and again in the company of other young(er) Latinas and Latinos in Houston and San Antonio public schools. Who would have thought?

   Since then, I have shared the book in English and Spanish, too, with educators and readers. So many readers--of all ages and colors--have met the young girl named Cecilia, the silly cat named Chica, and her loving aunt. An advocate for children, Pat Mora's picture books continue to share the written word and celebrate the narrative of many Latinas and Latinos living in the United States. Muchisimas gracias, Pat Mora.




2. In A Birthday Basket for Tia, Cecelia, a little girl of about 5-7 anos (years) of age decides to put together a birthday gift basket for her aunt who is turning 90. She gathers all of her aunts favorite things including a teacup, red ball, mixing bowl, book, flower pot, and flowers. Her aunt arrives to her surprise party and enjoys removing each gift from the basket. Then she dances with her neice without the aid of her cane. All throughout the book Cecelia's silly cat Chico plays by getting into the basket, sitting on the book, and putting her face into the flowers. This book is so understated in it's simplicity, the message of love and family comes through undiluted.
   
   Girls ages 5-7 should enjoy this book. It's 2nd grade reading level, but short enough that it could be read to a younger child in under 15 minutes. Some words are in Spanish such as anos, noventa, bizcochos, and hierbabuena, but the meanings are easily decipherable by non-Spanish speaking readers.

No comments about Handy Manny: Sinko de Mayo (Disney Handy Manny).

No comments about Amelia Bedelia and the Surprise Shower Book and CD (I Can Read Book 2).

2 comments about St. Patrick's Day Countdown.

1. This board book makes for a good introduction to St Patrick's Day for younger kids because of it's simple concepts, colorful pictures and sturdy construction. (It can also be used year 'round for it's counting.) "St. Patrick's Day Countdown" is a book that counts backwards from 5 down to 1 using St Patrick's Day theme items and then some; bunnies, shamrocks, a pot of gold... you get the idea. It's also fun because the book is not exactly book shaped but has grabbable shamrock "tabs" so little ones can help turn the pages. I bought this for my one year old niece and her mom said it was "perfect". I like that it does not have hit-you-over-the-head St. Patrick Day overtones (ie. nothing religious) to it but still captures the spirit of the day.



2. This book is perfect for babies & small children. My son is 9 months old & this is one of his favorite books. It has short phrases on each page while teaching numbers & doesn't have a lot of pages. The colors are bright & pictures are cute. The edges of the pages have a shamrock & my son finds it easy to turn the pages. He's also attracted to the cover because the shamrocks are shiny.

No comments about Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Ready-to-Read. Level 1).

No comments about I Remember Abuelito / Yo Recuerdo a Abuelito: A Day of the Dead Story / Un Cuento Del Dia De Los Muertos (Albert Whitman Prairie Paperback).