No comments about Picnic!: A Day in the Park (Ready-to-Read. Pre-Level 1).

No comments about The Berry Blossom Festival (Strawberry Shortcake).

2 comments about Pumpkins from the Sky?: A Cobtown Story (Cobtown).

1. The town festival is coming up and a fallen tree is blocking the pumpkin patch. How will they ever get the pumpkins out in time for the fun and games???? This is the problem presented in Pumpkins From the Sky. I enjoyed this book since it is written as journal entries, a form of writing I can introduce to my students using this book. I can also use this as an educator to work on prediction skills. How DID those pumpkins get out of the patch to Granny's door the night before the festival? Children will love to try to solve the mystery and they will love the surprise conclusion to this wonderfully illustrated book.



2. There are pleanty of other books that your children will love before this one. I am supposing because this book is derivitive of all those books.
   If you want a great series, original and exciting for kids, check out "The Mystery of the Pirate Ghost."

1 comments about D.J. and the Jazz Fest.

1. You can almost hear the beat of tapping feet in D.J. and the Jazz Fest by Denise Walter McConduit, illus. by Emile F. Henriquez

   Although D.J. sometimes finds his mother's ideas boring, he changes his mind when she takes him to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. What a weekend - shrimp po' boys, strawberry snowballs, dancing, plus jazz, gospel, Cajun music, and the blues.

   The author places a fun-filled traditional New Orleans experience in a child's context.

2 comments about The Eensy Weensy Spider: A Pop-Up Book.

1. My almost one year old can't get enough of this wonderful book about his favorite song! He loves to lift the flaps and to listen to me sing as we flip through the pages. By far, it's his favorite book!



2. I purchased this for my daugher's first birthday. She loved this book. She loved it a bit too much because she finally riped most of the pop-ups out. It is a cute book, I just wish it was a bit more sturdy.

4 comments about The Birthday Room.

1. Yes, Yes, I know the title and the cover aren't that appealing, but once you get started, you'll finish. Benjamin Hunter was just 2 years old when he first visited his Uncle Ian and after that he never did visit again because of the accident (read to find out what the accident was). 10 years later on Benjamin's 12th birthday, Ben's parents give him a room as a present. A room. Ben is highly disappointed. That same day however he receives a letter from his Uncle Ian asking him to visit. Ben values the oppurtunity of the visit more than the room. Due to fights during their childhood, Ben's mother is hesitant. Finally she gives in and they are on thier way to his home. The rest of the book, you must read yourself. I think that all of Henke's books are family reads and should not be judged by their cover.



2. This book was about a boy who had to visit his uncle who had made tragic things happen in his life. Read to find out about what happened....trust me, it's a good book once you get into it! I would probably suggest this book to people 9 or 10+!



3. Not perfectly written; has at least one cliché. And I was disappointed they didn't go to the Oregon coast. But otherwise an enjoyable story.



4. Benjamin Hunter had a tragic past that started with an accident at the age of two. His uncle Ian made him a chair and was working on one of the wooden legs one night when some of his tools slipped, cutting little Benji's pinky right off. Ever since that day Benjamin didn't see his uncle and after his thirteenth birthday, he was invited to finally visit him. His mother gave him a room for his birthday, to be treated as an art studio. Benjamin had a talent in art and drew extraordinarily well. He hoped for a big screen TV or something better, but the letter from his uncle cheered him up. After acquiescingly agreeing to go, his mother goes to her brother for a visit to erase their past hatred and become better siblings.

   I thought this story was a bit pointless. The plot seemed to be thought up in a few hours and I still don't understand the title. However, there were some good aspects of the story that drew me to the end. The author got detailed in the environment, calm and serene, that made me feel like I was in the scene. The characters were humans that made mistakes and basically were set up realistically.

   I don't recommend this book to advanced readers above 8th grade level because after reading it for a few hours, the plot got to seem pointless. The level of comprehension this book requires is average and maybe less. The vocabulary was plain, and simple adjectives described everything. If you read all the Harry Potter books, Stephen King books, and Tolkien books, then you can give this book a try, but don't expect a spectacular adventure.

No comments about Powwow (Easy Reading).

No comments about Celebrating Chinese New Year: Nick's New Year (Celebrating Chinese New Year).

2 comments about Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia.

1. This book is absolutely wonderful for children, teachers, parents, anthropologists, and Mongolia enthusiasts alike! Ted and Betsy Lewin creatively captured the spirit and splendor of Naadam, a vibrant festival showcasing Mongolia's talented sportsmen and women. This book transports readers to the vast Mongolian steppe and lets them imagine what it would be like to stand shoulder to shoulder with locals, cheering for horses and young jockeys crossing the finish line after an emotional and exhausting race.



2. The Naadam, an annual festival held throughout Mongolia that features horse racing, is thought to be one of the world's oldest sporting events, second only to the Olympics. Told from Ted and Betsy Lewin's point of view and based on events during their journey to Southern Mongolia, the story highlights one of those horse races across a fourteen-mile stretch of the Gobi Desert. At a camp of horse trainers about 800 miles away from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, a nomad family has kindly offered the Lewins their hospitality. The reader also meets a nine-year old member of this family, Tamir, who is hard at work training his half-wild race horse in preparation for the upcoming Naadam. Much of the book chronicles the way of life for this family in the desert, the practice of "sweating up" the horses for the race, and the enormous excitement on race day.
   
   Although the book focuses on the horse race competition and the question of how Tamir will perfom as a jockey, the authors have carefully woven in a set of economics lessons related to natural and human resources. For example, the family members use the milk from their mares, sheep, cows, and goats to make a variety of food and drink items. Also, the abundance of horses in Mongolia (there may be three times as many horses as people), helps to explain the popularity of horse racing. The intricate illustrations further help to convey how the family maintains its livelihood in the desert. Children and adults alike will appreciate the book's exciting plot, strong substantive content, and unique focus on Mongolia.

2 comments about Mama's Perfect Present (Picture Books).

1. Two children and their dog set out to find THE perfect present for their mother. As we all know, finding the perfect present for a friend or relative can be quite an ordeal. The children visit many stores and find several lovely items that aren't quite what they want. Still, they search onward and we find out that the children have, in fact, found the perfect present for their mama.

   This book's illustrations are fabulous. They are cheerful and soft looking. The children have such simple, yet sweet expressions. And, one of my favorite parts of this book is the spoof of George Seraut's "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

   What a charming and delightful read! I also thoroughly enjoyed Where's our Mother? by Diane Goode.




2. I am a sucker for Diane Goode's books, and "Mama's Perfect Present" is no exception. A young Parisian brother and sister set out to make their mama's birthday absolutely perfect, but run into bits of trouble along the way. When they finally show up at home with their gift, it turns out to incorporate all the trouble they ran into in putting it together--but in a most charming and unusual way. I don't want to say anything more detailed or I'll give it away!

   Not only is the story charming (with all loose strings nicely tied up by the end), but the illustrations are up to Goode's usual high standards. The coloring is soft and washed-looking. The story is set in perhaps the 1920s or 1930s in Paris, with all the women having sleek, marcelled hair, fur stoles, and ghillie shoes--and the men sporting dapper moustaches, trim suits, and perfectly manicured hands. It's a visual treat to watch the children bounce from store to store, taking in all the undeniably French atmosphere, made vivid and real-yet-idealized through Goode's luscious pictures.