3 comments about Whopper Cake.

1. Great illustrations and a fun rhyme combine for another great book from Karma Wilson. I'm buying extra copies to give as gifts, it's the perfect birthday gift!



2. Another great book from Karma Wilson. Grandpa bakes a HUGE cake for grandma because her heart is so big, she deserves it. The story is fun and the rhymes are original. My nearly 4 year old son laughs every time we read this. There are funny tag lines as you read the story, which my son now likes to throw in on his own, so it is great at encouraging participation. My only complaint is the use of improper grammar ("fetch me up an oar" and lots of words where the "g" is dropped from the "ing" - like "itchin"). I realize it is meant to be cute and quaint, but for a book designed to be read to children who are learning to speak properly, I think it's inappropriate. I actually went through our copy of the book and used a pen to correct everything, and the story is just as fun with proper English.



3. We love a good read-aloud book, and this one fits the bill! The rhymes are fun, the story is full of zany humor, and the bright and cheerful illustrations add more enjoyment in the details. My children have listened to the book, read the book to me, and insisted that Daddy should hear it, and we have been entertained each time.
   
   My favorite part of the book is the phrase "traumatize the kitchen" -- it paints a vivid picture, and I love it when children's books don't shy away from words that children might not know yet. My least favorite parts of the book are the frequent Beverly Hillbillies-style asides at the ends of the verses, e.g., "(Ten bags, that is ...)." The repeated interruption of the book's rhythm is annoying after a while. The author's use of dialect doesn't bother me in the least; children recognize non-standard use of language as such, and it adds to the over-the-top atmosphere of the book.
   
   We haven't yet tried the Whopper Cake recipe in the book, but my children love to read the recipe page, too!

3 comments about Toot & Puddle: A Present for Toot.

1. It would be hard to top the reviews of this book, so in leiu of one-upping them, I'll simply lay my $.02 on the table.

   Toot & Puddle: A Present for Toot is an amazingly well done book. Reminescent of other famous pals-- Bert & Ernie, Oscar & Felix-- it's clear that the two have a very strong friendship tempered by the occasional bout of frustration.

   It's going to be Toot's birthday, and what CAN you get for the Pig Who Has Everything?? Puddle, in his travels about town and windowshopping, finds WONDERFUL things that HE would like, but isn't sure that it would please TOOT. Time and time again he finds things that HE would like to have, but realizes that he's searching for a present for his friend, not himself (a wonderful watercolor illustration is of Toot eating breakfast while Puddle slings on his backpack to head out the door for another round of shopping).

   The message is simple: it's the giving, not the gift, it's the thought that counts, and when present shopping, you should get goodies for the person you're BUYING FOR, not for yourself, no matter how many things fly up at you yelling, "BUY ME! BUY ME!"

   The watercolors are some of the most vivid, detailed and comfortable ones I've seen in a career of reading children's books. This comes highly recommended.




2. The best children's books manage to delight your children and keep you amused -- even on the 55th reading. The Toot and Puddle series does this time and time again, with beautiful illustrations full of mood, detail, and humor, and prose that never panders to its young audience. They give the reader the feeling of peeking into a fully imagined world -- and the wonderful anticipation of the stories to come!



3. I like this pleasant book because it's a book about friendship and companionship. My favorite part is when puddle the pig goes all around town for a present for his buddy Toot when he could be doing something else instead. Soon through friendship he finds the right gift. This book is filled with loving, touching pages. That's what makes it the best!

5 comments about The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice.

1. I was very pleased with this book and it's coverage of the Winter Solstice. I was looking for something to help my 4 year old son understand the concept as well as realize the historical importance of the sun and moon. We celebrate Christmas but are eager to incorporate the holiday of the Winter Solstice as well. Our traditions will certainly include reading this book each year.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. (Review from 9 year old girl, dictated to mom)
   A great book! With a great amount of knowledge.
   This little book has science and history and is fun. I like this story so much, I want to read it every year while I am a child.



3. This book has lovely illustrations, but the text and content could have been so much better. It says for ages 4-8, but really I wouldn't recommend it for anyone over 6. It is pretty simplistic, and won't hold the attention of a child much older than that. I wish it had included a lot more detail about the history of the Solstice.



4. I purchased this book after reading reviews here at Amazon and then previewing the book at our local library. I was looking for a picture book for my 6 year old that explains the Winter Solstice as well as the human traditions with which it is associated. This book fits the bill better than anything else I found, and the delightful illustrations are a nice bonus.
   
   It may come as a surprise to many people that a book about Winter holidays does not mention Christmas or Hannukah. However, this book reaches back farther in time to festivals and celebrations based on natural phenomena that occur in the Winter (shorter days, plants losing leaves). These very early celebrations gave rise to many of the customs that we still follow (bringing evergreens into the home, giving gifts, lighting candles). I love the anthropological perspective (I'm trained in this field), and was thrilled to find the suggested activities at the end of the book for children to make simple scientific observations and hold a secular celebration of the Solstice.
   
   This book would make a wonderful classroom resource as well as a read-aloud picture book to read as a family. It may be a bit too easy a read for children at a 2nd grade reading level or higher, but I enjoy the simplicity even as an adult. I also find the secular perspective refreshing. I understand that many Christians believe the only winter holiday of importance is the celebration of Christ's birth, but this book shows how it is possible to celebrate Winter for it's own sake and to recognize why so many festivals are held in winter.



5. The solstice is not an easy concept to explain to children. To do it well, an author needs to explain the movements of the Earth relative to the Sun and how these movements create the seasons. Probably the best way to convey the concept is to use a globe or an orange to represent the Earth and a flashlight to represent the Sun. In this book, Wendy Pfeffer suggests an activity that involves a lamp as a stand in for the Sun, but she forgets to mention that the activity must be done in a dark room (and not all lamps will work as a beam of light is really required). Still she's made a good try.
   
   Most of the book is excellent. The illustrations are clear and kid-friendly, and the author covers a lot of ground. The activities at the end of the book are all pretty standard, but for the most part the author explains them well.
   
   The nicest thing about this book is the simplicity of the language and the clarity of the explanations.
   
   Ellen Jackson, author
   THE WINTER SOLSTICE
   www.ellenjackson.net

3 comments about New Clothes for New Year's Day.

1. Written and illustrated by Hyun-Joo Bae, New Clothes for New Year's Day is a picturebook cherishing traditional Korean culture. Told through the eyes of a young Korean girl who looks forward to her wearing her special New Year's Day clothes, New Clothes for New Year's Day follows her as she puts on the colorful articles to give luck and celebrate the coming of the new year. A lovely and enjoyable picturebook, and also useful for demonstrating to a child how to put on a Korean-style New Year's Day outfit. "A New Year, a new day, a new morning. / New clothes. / We start the year with new things. / New things, for the year-older me. // Time to go... oh! // New snow for New Year's Day!"



2. "New Clothes for New Year's Day," by Hyun-Joo Bae, is told from the perspective of a small Korean girl. It begins,
   
   "Today is New Year's Day.
   
   It's a new year,
   it's a new day, and
   it's a new morning.
   It's the first day for the beginning of everything.
   
   The new sun hasn't shown up, and there are new clouds in the sky. (I hope we have new snow too.)
   
   But the very best new things of all the new things are..."
   
   Then our narrator begins to dress in her beautiful new clothes for the occasion*: "A crimson silk skirt. A rainbow-striped jacket. Delicate socks embroidered with flowers. A hair ribbon of read and gold." And, there's more: "flowered shoes, a gift from Father," a "warm, furry vest with the gold decorations," and a "special winter hat."
   
   The young girl dresses with care, tying each bow with perfectly, straightening her socks, and checking her progress in the mirror. It's a simple, yet beautiful and optimistic tale, completed by Hyun-Joo Bae's stunning illustrations. And the illustrations are truly something special--colorful, simply composed, and embellished with flowers, gorgeous rooms, and, finally, snow.
   
   Hyun-Joo Bae has included two pages of informational text at the end of "New Clothes for New Year's Day" explaining each item of clothing, its significance, and the role of New Year's Day in Korean culture. "New Clothes for New Year's Day" is highly recommended for children ages four to nine and is an excellent choice for a read aloud on New Year's celebrations. It will also be enjoyed by that dress-up obsessed child in your life.
   =============================================
   * Don't worry. Our hero begins her day dressed in a white robe designed to be worn underneath her costume.



3. I remember at one of those wannabe-author conferences recently, moderators read from a picture book manuscript about a Japanese girl putting on her kimono. None of the panelists--drawn from the publishing industry, wouldn't you know it--went for it. I liked it. Why did it have to have conflict, drama, a character arc? It was a book about playing dress up, who needs more than that?
   
   So I was thrilled to read this Korean version of the same idea: a young girl putting on her new clothes so she can join her family in marking the start of the lunar calendar. That's all she does is get dressed, but I can vouch as the Mommy of an 18-month-old clothes horse that little girls eat this stuff up.
   
   She starts out in her white under-robe, over which she layers the fancy, homemade clothes that will help her start the year fresh. She dons a silk skirt in blazing red, embroidered with the Chinese character for "luck," a rainbow-striped jacket that fastens at her chest, colorful hair ribbons, a good-luck sachet to pin to her jacket, and much else. Even the details on her socks and the embroidery on her shoes are noted with loving detail.
   
   Along the way, we learn much about Korean customs.
   
   The illustrations look like pen and ink, with vivid crimsons and jade greens against a pale yellow background embellished with mazes or stylized flowers. Each page has that signature Eastern blend of simplicity of composition and the harmony of all its elements.
   
   Try to pry this from your daughter's hands, I dare you.

5 comments about The Biggest Pumpkin Ever.

1. This story was is great to teach you how a little bit of team work can get you where you want to be. In this story, two mice work together to grow a huge pumpkin, although they didn't know they were helping eachother. Each mouse put everything he had into making the pumpkin grow and be the best. Clayton the house mouse wanted to grow the biggest pumpkin and to win the grand prize at the town pumpkin contest. Desmond the field mouse wants to grow a pumpkin to make into the biggest and best jack-o-lantern ever. They work together and grow a pumplin bigger than their houses.
   This story teaches you more than one thing. The first is that if you are determined to do something, and put your heart and soal into it, you can do whatever you want to do. In this case, grow a huge pumpkin. The other is that with teamwork, your job gets done faster, and sometimes makes the project easier. This is a very good book , and I recomend it, not just to kids, but to people of every age.
   
   
2. My kids (and us too!) have always liked this book. It's a great Halloween, Thanksgiving, or anytime story!



3. Glad to find this book here; shipping was quick and just when I needed it!



4. its a cute book but repeats alot i guess that is good but it was a little boring because it repeated things



5. I used to have this book as a child and absolutely loved it. I wanted to add it to my collection for future children.

2 comments about Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration.

1. My 3 1/2 year old found this at the library and was very excited by the cover: "Mommy, can we get this skeleton book?" I, being a former goth-y 80's metalhead, encourage the love of the macabre in my young children, strange as it may seem, so we took it home and both my daughters LOVED reading it and looking at the colorful illustrations, but especially my younger one (who found it). We read it over and over again, and she had EVERY word memorized by the 3rd day. I knew returning it to the library would be a problem, so I ordered it from Amazon so she would have her own copy. The cutest thing is listening to her say the Spanish words in the text. At the end, she yells out "El Dia de los Muertos!" and claps her hands. I can't say that EVERY kid would love it, but mine definitely do, and I love reading it with them.



2. I must say that I didn't really understand this story until I read the description of the Day of the Dead on the last two pages of the book. When I reread the story knowing the background of this Mexican belief, I was able to better enjoy the story for what it was. The author/illustrator throws weird words together such as, "Buenos noches, story time, shiver-jitter, gee" and illustrates them with expressive lively skeletons. Young children would probably like the sounds of the silly words on each page, but I didn't. I did appreciate the small amount of education I received about this holiday, again from the last two pages, about the dead loving the lives they had, kids included. If you decide to purchase this book, read and understand the concepts, truths and beliefs on these last two informative pages so that you and the child you read it to/with can understand this tradition.

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).

2 comments about Lights For Gita.

1. A nice story with illustrations although it does not give the kind of detail that my children & I crave. I paraphrased it, using the pictures, for a group of 3 - 6 year olds at school and they liked it. An easy introduction to Diwali for them. Then I showed them a few things, including a clay oil lamp and we had Indian sweets. For pictures of a more traditional celebration and those details, use the 2 page spread in "Children Just Like Me: Celebrations!".



2. This carefully crafted tale of homesickness and hope combines the universal experience of long-awaited plans foiled by weather with the grief of a young girl pining for her far off home. This book leaves us with the powerful insight that its up to each of us to fill our darkness with light.

5 comments about Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (Junie B. Jones, No. 10).

1. My daughter started reading these at 4 and loves them. She just laughs and laughs. They are written just like little kids talk and they are really cute. We have almost all of the Junie B. books and this is one of my favorites.



2. My daughter and I are such big fans of the Barbara Park series, Junie B. Jones. These are light, humerous books and I love listening to my daughter's giggles everytime Junie B. does something in character. We have read all the books in the series and are craving more! The books are a special bedtime treat for everyone. Barbara Park, please write more books!



3. Pack your bags and get ready for big laughs as our favorite Junie B. Jones heads off to a sleepover at the home of a friend, who seems to be used to a lifestyle quite a bit different than Junie's.
   
   No matter how thoroughly her parents set down the rules of behavior, somehow things are spilled, broken, and Junie is... well, Junie!
   
   Ultimately, Junie B. Jones Is A Party Animal is a book that will show young readers that there's no place like home! What a wizard idea!



4. My favorite book is Junie B.Jones Is a Party Animal by Barbara Park .It is very humorous. The theme of this book is that she is going to sleepover at a rich house.
   
   My favorite character is Junie B. Jones because she is so hilarious and she says little funny things like `my grandma is a dud'.
   
   The author writes very humorous and like a little kid. Some of the words she writes are misspelled like a little kid would.
   
   I love this book because it is very funny, and all of the situations are just like what would happen in real life with a real kid. The funniest things come out of Junie B.'s mouth. I also love this book because it is part of a series;The Junie B. Jones series.
   
   This book is a great book.I think anyone at any age would enjoy this book.



5. Wow. Is this really the sort of stuff little kids are finding "cool"? While I adore plenty of kids' series, this was just silly and immature. What kind of role model is Junie? Sure, she's funny, but she is also irritating and cruel. This is nothing but a few chapters of cheap laughs.

2 comments about Presidents' Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays).

1. Rookie Readers are great at allowing ESOL students to develop reading skills along with Social Studies and Scientific concepts. I can't get enough of them and use them with all age groups.



2. A good addition to introduce young children to what the holiday is all about on their own terms, and reading level.