From the Publisher
A new picture book that addresses the problem of bossy friends and the struggle to stand up to them. Sisters Sandy and Carly always play together, but when Lily Jean moves in next door and joins them, everything changes. Now Lily Jean is calling the shots and ordering Carly to be a baby when they play house and a dog when they play king and queen. Although Sandy defends her littler sister, Carly buckles and accepts her roles. But she doesn’t like it, and finally finds a way to combat Lily Jean’s bullying ways, and turn the tables on her behaviour.

Frieda Wishinskys simple text packs a poignant punch, as it authentically portrays the world of little girls and their complicated relationships. And Kady MacDonald Denton’s exquisite illustrations help emphasize the underlying lessons about empathy, loyalty, and fairness. This fantastic story will serve as a tool for young children and parents to identify the difference between having fun and being bullied – or being the bully.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS
This is a great book for kids to read or have read to them. The book shows the important friendship that two sisters ( Carly and Sandy). They play together all the time.

The girls are excited when a new girl, Lily jean moves in next door. Then things quickly turn for the worse when Lily Jean becomes a bully. She tells Carly what to do and how to do and she does even though Sandy tries to stand up for her.

It was nice to see that Carly didn’t become a victim of the bullying and was smart enough to out wit Lily Jean.

This was a great book that leads to discussions about bullying and what you should do. I have to say thankfully Michael has not be subjected to a bully but I am sure it could happen and I think preparing your child will help.

© 2009, Books Upon A Wee One's Shelf. All rights reserved.

This week you can expect to see the following reviews:
-Appleville Elementary Book #1 First Day by Nancy Krulik
-Appleville Elementary Book #2 Fire Alarm by Nancy Krulik
-Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett /Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church
-You’re Mean, Lily Jean by Frieda Wishinsky/Illudtrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
-I’m Your Bus by Marilyn Singer/Illustrated by Evan Polenghi

Thanks to Scholastic Canada for sending us these books to read and review. They were all finished copies of the books.

The above list doesn’t reflect how they will be reviewed.

© 2009, Books Upon A Wee One's Shelf. All rights reserved.

I am going to do something different this month on Books Upon A Wee One’s Shelf. I am not sure how its going to work out but I want to give it a try.

Sadly since school has started I am behind in my reviews both here and on my other blog. I think back and realize that there is really no need for me to be behind in my children’s blog. So I am hoping once I get caught up I will be okay and I know I will be.

Anyway this is the books that I will be reviewing this week:

-Stick Man by Julia  Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
-Perfect Snow by Barbara Reid
-On This Special Night by Claire Freedman, Illustrated by Simon Mendez
-The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, Illustrated by Jon J. Muth

I know its so early to be reviewing holiday books but I thought they would make great Christmas gifts.

© 2009, Books Upon A Wee One's Shelf. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the rainforest, where Argentina meets Brazil, a frog with a very big mouth catches an enormous fly. Impressed with himself, he sets out along the path to find someone else to amaze. “I’ve eaten the biggest FLY in the whole world!” he brags. “Don’t you wish you were ME?”

The Frog with the Big Mouth brags to a toucan, a coati, and a capybara. (None of whom have eaten enormous flies—too bad!) And then, wanting to brag just a little longer, he comes across a large speckled creature with sharp teeth—it’s a jaguar. Guess what jaguars like to eat?

Teresa Bateman’s comical retelling, accompanied by Will Terry’s vibrant artwork, will leave children asking for more. A note contains additional information about the South American rainforest animals in the story. Versions of this story appear all over the world, but the real big-mouthed frogs, nicknamed Pacman frogs, live in South America.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:

The Frog with the Big Mouth is another story time from the summer reading program that our local library held this summer. The craft is what Michael made after the story time. You can see at the end of the post another picture of the craft.

Michael loved the book and the added bonus was that when Michael was in preschool he learned a little about the rainforest. Plus they mentioned Argentina and Brazil so he wanted to see where they were on the map another thing he learned when he went to preschool.  I have a note about his preschool at the end of this post.

The story is about a little frog that has a big mouth. His mouth is bigger then his body and brain. He realized one day that he had a big mouth when he was eating flies with his family and he caught a huge bug and he managed to eat the bug.

He bragged to his family but they didn’t really care so he went off to find someone to brag to. He found a toucan who eats fruit, eggs, seeds and spiders. Not impressed with the toucan he went on his way.

Next to cross the frog’s path was a coati who ate termites, fruit and sometimes mice, roots and lizards. Still not impressed the frog went on.

Near the pond he heard a sound and it was a capybara who eats leaves, plants and grass. Nope that didn’t impress the frog at all.

Getting a little tired the frog continued because he wanted to brag to someone.  Then something speckled and twisted blocked his path so he went to find out who it was. It was a jaguar and he said that coatis and toucans were nice to chew and that he ate capybaras. Flies don’t interest him. He went on to let the frog know that he loved to chew on frogs. Well this scared the little frog.

Will he be able to get away from the jaguar? Has this little frog bragged too much or will he find something else to brag about?

 PRESCHOOL:
When Michael was 4 years old he went to this fantastic preschool near our house. The lady ran the preschool out of her basement and if you asked anyone about a preschool they always mentioned MudPuddle (the name of the preschool). I was so happy with it that I recommend this to any parent with small kids.

On the first day of preschool Michael came home with a huge map of the world and a note that said to please hang this map in a place where your child can see it. Each month was a theme that revolved around a place in the world and they got a sticker to put on the map.

So now when ever Michael hears a name of a place he always ask where is it on the map. Which I think is a great tool in learning.  

This is another shot of the craft. Debbie does a fantastic job with the crafts and I think the kids go just so that they can do the craft. We have a bin that is full of crafts that Michael has done with Debbie and they are all his favorites that he doesn’t want to throw away.

© 2009, Books Upon A Wee One's Shelf. All rights reserved.