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TITLES: Little Pea, Little Hoot and Little Oink
By Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Jen Corace
Three books with a total of 30 pages
Published in September, 2009
PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books

ABOUT THE BOOKS:
Little Pea-If Little Pea doesn’t eat all of his sweets, there will be no vegetables for dessert! What’s a young pea to do? Children who have trouble swallowing their veggies will love the way this pea-size picture book serves up a playful story they can relate to.

Little Hoot-It’s not fair! All Little Owl wants is to go to bed at a reasonable hour, like his friends do. But no . . . Mama and Papa say little owls have to stay up late and play. So Little Owl spends all night jumping on his bed, playing on the jungle gym, and doing tricks on his skateboard—but he’s hooting mad about it ! Children who have a hard time going to bed will love this fun twist on the universal dilemma.

Little Oink-From the creators of Little Pea and Little Hoot comes this tidy tale of a decidedly different pig. Little Oink is a neat little fellow. Clean, clean, clean, that’s all he wants to do. But Mama and Papa won’t have it! They say in order to be a proper pig, he has to learn to make a proper mess. “Don’t come out until your room is a pigsty,” says Papa Pig. “I won’t have any child of mine going out looking so neat and clean. It’s just not acceptable,” says Mama Pig. Readers who hate to clean up will love this humorous twist on a universal dilemma.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
Michael enjoyed all three books. I read them to him before bed one night and he enjoyed listening to the stories. He even said mom I might be too old for these books but I still love listening to them.

All three books have cute illustrations in them. The stories aren’t long and I think all kids would love them.

Little Pea is just like your typical child except he is a pea but he loves to do things other kids do like play and hang out with his friends. Although Pea’s world is much different from Michael’s because Pea’s meals consist of candy and in order to get dessert which is vegetables he has to eat all his candy first and then he gets veggies. Michael thought this was funny and that we should do that. Yea no I don’t think so.

Little Hoot is another little animal that is almost like Michael. Little Hoot likes to do the same things as kids with the exception of bed time. He would love to go to bed early like his friends but he can’t because he is an owl and has to stay up all night. This is another story that Michael enjoyed and he said he must be an owl because he loves to stay up late.

Little Oink and Michael aren’t the same in this story because Little Oink is neat and organized something that Michael isn’t. He has a hard time to pick up his toys and keep his room cleaned. Michael says I am like Oink because I want the house clean and tidy unlike Oink’s parents who live in a pig pen.

Thanks Chronicle books for sending us this cute boxed set. I think this is a great addition to a bookcase of kids.

TITLE: How Many Beeps?
AUTHOR: Begin Smart
PAGES: 12
PUB DATE: October 2009
PUBLISHER: Sterling

ABOUT THE BOOK:
These trucks are ready to go all sorts of places, from an apple orchard to a dairy! Every time a page is turned, one truck leaves the garage and goes out to pick up its special load. It’s a fun rhyming book, and a great way to practice counting down from five.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
Here is another book in the Begin Smart series.

This is actually another cute one that Michael enjoyed reading. The illustrations were very bright and I am sure it would attract the target range (18 months to 2 years old) attention.

Michael enjoyed reading the book as the words were simply, there was counting and pushing the button.

This is another great book for child and parent interaction. I think the button being pushed will be a favorite.

Thanks Sterling for the book.

TITLE: Push the Button
AUTHOR: Begin Smart
PAGES: 16
PUBLISHER: Sterling
PUB DATE: October 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Small children love to make things happen, and this novelty book will appeal to their sense of play. A soft, vinyl “button,” which shows through the die-cut pages, becomes a flower’s center, a helicopter’s propeller, the knob on a firefighter’s hose, and the crank on a jack-in-the-box. Kids push the button, then turn the page . . . and see what magic unfolds! A perfect way to introduce the idea of cause and effect.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS
This is another book in the Begin Smart series. This one was cute. The illustrations were bright and colorful and hey there is even a button to push.

I think Michael had more fun pushing this button then reading the story. He did say that this book was for a younger child and I told him that its a book for 12 to 18 months.

This is another one of the those great interaction books. The parent could make the noise and the child pushes the button.

Thanks Sterling for another great book.

TITLE: Hooray for Hands
AUTHOR: Begin Smart
PAGES: 18
PUBLISHER: Sterling
PUB DATE: October 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Let’s give a cheer for hands—after all, they come in very handy! This board book is a lighthearted tribute to everyone’s two hands and ten fingers and the way they can push swings, dig in dirt, pet kittens, and build things with blocks. The fun rhyming text will ensure that Hooray for Hands gets read aloud again and again.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS
This is another book in the begin smart series. How I wish we would have had these books a few years ago.

The book is for 18 months to 2 years old. Michael is a little too old for the book but it was simple enough that he could read it and that he did.

The books is exactly what the title is about HANDS and it teaches little kids all the good things that hands are used for such as opening cages, making noises, playing and a few other things.

I think this would make a great interaction book with your child.

Thanks Sterling for sending the book.

TITLE: Peek-a-boo what?
AUTHOR: Begin Smart
PAGES: 18
PUBLISHER: Sterling Publishing
PUB DATE: October 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK
Peek-a-boo isn’t a baby’s favorite game just by chance: after a first birthday, a baby begins to understand that even when something isn’t in his sight, it still exists. He expects that a person or an object will reappear eventually—and when the anticipated finally happens, he’s delighted. This charming book, with flaps to lift and see-through die cuts, will help little ones solidify object permanence. There’s even a place for a photo so that the answer to “peek-a-boo, who?” can be a family member . . . or perhaps the reader!

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS
I think if Michael was a little younger he might have enjoyed the book more. He said he does remember peek a boo being a funny game for him and he will occassionally still want to do it.

He did have fun reading it and guessing what it was. The illustrations would appeal to the age group the books were made for and that was 12 to 18 months.

Thanks Sterling for sending us the book.

TITLE: Hugging Hour
AUTHOR:Aileen Leijten
PUB DATE: January 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
To Drool, it feels like her mom and dad have been gone an awfully long time. So long that she can hardly taste the fried ice cream Grandma made for dinner, or enjoy hide-and-seek with Kip, Grandmaas pet chicken. Not even playing dress up, having a whole snuggly hugging hour with Grandma, or getting to put the sprinkles on the triple-decker cupcakes can put a smile on Droolas face. aIam an orphan,a she tells Kip.
A childas fi rst sleepover at Grandmaas is given a hilarious and tender treatment in this candy-colored book by talented newcomer Aileen Leijten.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
This is another Cybil Award contender.

This is a cute story about a little girl named Drew (Drool). She is at her grandmothers house. Her grandmother is a funny lady because she has a chicken for a pet and follows Drool around.

For dinner the grandmother made fried ice cream, marzipan shortcake and for dessert they have belgain waffles.

Drool is spending the night. In the morning she wakes up to the smell of her grandmothers pancakes. She plays dress up with the chicken and then hide and seek. When the chicken doesn’t appear Drool gets upset and cries.

So her grandmother and Drool make cupcakes. Drool thinks she is an orphan and that everyone has left her but really no one has.

TITLE: Spells
AUTHOR: Emily Gravett
PUB DATE: 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
A lovelorn frog and some very mixed-up spells! A hopeful frog tries to turn himself into a handsome prince by piecing together the torn pages of a spell book. There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments to be had with the mix-and-match pages as Frog struggles through a host of jumbled spell combinations and extraordinary guises (Rabbit! Frabbit? ! Prabbit! ? ! ) In search of his fairy-tale ending. Children and adults will love sharing this wonderfully funny and inventive book.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
This is another book that was on the Cybils Award list.

We loved Spells. I loved the cover.

Spells is about a lonely little frog who finds a book and uses his imagination to pretend he is a pirate sailing the seven seas. But its just a book of spells and he is just a frog.

He then pretends its abook about castles and he is handsome prince kissing a beautiful princess. But its just a book of spells and he is just a frog.

Then frog realizes it and decides he will cast a spell and make himself a handsome prince. The spell works until he kisses a princess.

TITLE: Wink The Ninja Who Wanted To Be Noticed
AUTHOR: J.C Phillipps
PUB DATE: March 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The happiest day of Wink’s life was when he was accepted to the Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas. He is sure that he will be a great ninja. Silence is the first lesson and everyone is very very silent … except for Wink. Stealth is the second lesson and everyone is very very stealthy … except for Wink. Finally, Wink decides that he will be silent and stealthy. But no one notices! What’s the point of being a great ninja if no one notices? Maybe Wink wasn’t meant to be a ninja?

This daring debut is an adventure-lover’s dream.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the ninja would do anything to try and fit in even though he didn’t.

To be a great ninja you have to be quiet and to blend in both things that Wink couldn’t do. Wink was sad because he wanted to prove to Master Zutsu he was a good ninja.

Coming home one day he heard noises and he went to check it out. A boy was practising his aecrobatics and Wink told him he was too stuff so he showed the boy.

What do you think become of Wink? Did he become that ninja he dreamed he would be?

TITLE: Abigail Spells
AUTHOR: Anna Alter
PUB DATE: April 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can Abigail spell her way to the top?

Abigail is good at many things. She can dance the cha-cha, make up stories to tell her best friend, George, and strike a fabulous pose. But there is one thing she loves to do most of all: Abigail loves to s-p-e-l-l. When her school announces the annual spelling bee, Abigail spends her days practicing with the help of George, but things don’t go according to plan. Can George convince Abigail that winning isn’t everything?

Anna Alter’s gentle text, which contains fun words to spell throughout, and gorgeous illustrations make for a perfect match in this endearing story of friendship.

Michael’s Thoughts:
We first heard about the Cybils Awards last year and Michelle from GalleySmith is hosting the Cybils Award Challenge 2010. You can go check out her site to find out how to take part.

Abigail Spells is one of the books that is on the list.

We really enjoyed this book. Abigail can do many things such as dance while George plays the maracas. make up stories for George and pose while George paints her all of which she enjoys doing but there is one thing that she loves to do and that is spell.

Abigail is excited when her school has a spelling bee. She practices and practices. Which added to the book as kids can learn how words are spelled. Then on the day of the spelling bee Abigail gets nervous and can’t spell her word “Elephant”. Abigail is really upset. She doesn’t want to dance, pose, read a story or even speak.

Will George come to the rescue and get Abigail to speak?

cybilschallengebutton

horrid henry christmas cover

 

TITLE: Horrid Henry’s Christmas
AUTHOR: Francesca Simon
ILLUSTRATOR: Tony Ross
PUB DATE: August 2009
PUBLISHER: Jabberwocky/SourceBooks
ISBN: 9781402217821
AGE: 7-10

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Horrid Henry sabotages the Christmas play; tries to do all his Christmas shopping without spending any of his allowance; attempts to ambush Santa Claus (to get more presents, of course); and has to endure the worst Christmas dinner ever!

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:

We love Horrid Henry and are always laughing when we read the books. This is our 5th Horrid Henry book we have read and we are looking forward to reading much more of Horrid Henry’s adventures.

This is a great and funny Christmas book. Inside it are four stories: Christmas Play, Christmas Presents, Ambush and Christmas Lunch.

Christmas Play is about the day Miss Battle Axe assigns parts in the Christmas Play. Horrid Henry was to be Joseph but gets really upset when Perfect Peter gets the part and Henry is the innkeeper. Henry will do anything to ruin it for Peter. When Henry forgets his line he improvises and you know someone will be upset and mad and Henry.

Christmas Presents- Henry’s mother has allowed henry and Peter to decorate the tree and each of the boys want it done a certain way and Henry tells him to stay on his side while Peter says there is no sides. The boys fight because Henry is claiming all the decorations. Then Henry’s mother asks him if his presents are all wrapped and he lies and says yes. Henry didn’t buy any presents. He didn’t want to spend his allowance on anyone so he decides to make his own presents. What kind of presents did henry give his family? Will they like them?

Ambush- Its Christmas Eve and Henry was very specific in his letter to Santa about what he wanted for Christmas and he was hoping that this year would be the year he would get everything off is list. That night before going to bed he booby traps his room and ambush Santa Claus. How will his plan to ambush Santa work?

Christmas Lunch- Finally its Christmas Day. Henry is excited to see what was left for him by Santa. As you can tell probably Henry didn’t get all that he asked for and is disappointed in his presents. When the guest arrive Henry rushes to the door demand his presents. We all know that is rude to do. What will the family think of Henry’s presents? How will the Christmas Lunch go?

We loved all the stories in this book and what a great book to read the week of Christmas.

Thanks to Source Books/Jabberwocky for sending us this finished copy to read and review.

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