Liked The Bad Seed as well - mostly because it didn't go through a complete and miraculous transformation, making it more realistic (if you can say thLiked The Bad Seed as well - mostly because it didn't go through a complete and miraculous transformation, making it more realistic (if you can say that about talking seeds). This was pretty good as well, with nice, large illustrations good for showing to a group of children. The Good Egg is too good for its own good. And it's getting all stressed out - and cracking up. It learns to arrange for some Me Time and to accept that it's not responsible for the bad eggs in the carton and to lighten up. I kept expecting it to get eaten, or some of them to be eaten. What's a story without someone or something being eaten? Wouldn't this pair nicely with Everyone Loves Bacon? A breakfast storytime!...more
Kids love cars and trucks! This should be great fun in storytime where you can sing and identify all the different vehicles. Oh, and count them, if yoKids love cars and trucks! This should be great fun in storytime where you can sing and identify all the different vehicles. Oh, and count them, if you feel it absolutely necessary. I think the counting would slow down the story too much but identifying the vehicles would go fast. The colors are lively and the people in the van are vintage hippies. The text scans well with "This Old Man." ...more
Sock Monkey's ball is taken away by Dog, which makes Monkey angry. Dog is no longer his friend because friends share, they don't steal. He gets his baSock Monkey's ball is taken away by Dog, which makes Monkey angry. Dog is no longer his friend because friends share, they don't steal. He gets his ball back when Dog isn't looking and tries to find another friend to play with and then tries to play just by himself. After a while, when neither of those strategies is successful, he thinks that maybe he had not been a good enough friend, hadn't shared enough with Dog. They become friends again. Can be paired in storytime with Udry's Let's Be Enemies, which I've made into a flannelboard, for February's Love and Friendship theme. ...more
Hug Machine hugs everyone, even the porcupine and the whale. And the mailbox. Everyone needs a hug and Hug Machine provides it. In the end, Hug MachinHug Machine hugs everyone, even the porcupine and the whale. And the mailbox. Everyone needs a hug and Hug Machine provides it. In the end, Hug Machine is too tired to hug, but not too tired to be hugged! Will use this in February storytime about love and friendship ... and hope the germy little kids don't hug me. Ew ew ew!...more
Miss Bell gets more than just a kitten that's orange with black stripes at the pet shop. This is given away by the cover of the book. Although, after Miss Bell gets more than just a kitten that's orange with black stripes at the pet shop. This is given away by the cover of the book. Although, after he grows and grows and grows, Tiger takes up way too much room, makes messes, and roars, Miss Bell still loves him because cats are cats. She loves him so much, she buys some fish from the same suspect pet shop and sets up an aquarium for him. Tiger is happy ... until one of the fish grows and grows and grows. While Miss Bell still finds the fish cute, because fish are fish, Tiger doesn't seem convinced by the end of the story. Very cute, and I can always use more tiger stories for storytime!...more
Mr. Tiger lives in a city where everyone behaves and lives in the same boring style of buildings. One day he can't take it anymore and tries walking oMr. Tiger lives in a city where everyone behaves and lives in the same boring style of buildings. One day he can't take it anymore and tries walking on all fours. In the end, "naked" and shocking his neighbors, he runs off to the wilderness where he can be free. Being free to be yourself feels great, but then he gets lonely and decides to return home - to see things have changed, but not too much. The hopeful message is not overdone. Mr. Tiger does not return to a city of creatures who have become as wild as he has, but they have made the first step to being less regimented and they look happier. And he has made a concession to their "values" in his return. The digitized watercolor/gouache art is both staid and charming....more
**spoiler alert** I can't resist stories about alligators and crocodiles. At the beginning of this book we see a crocodile with a basket of eggs - all**spoiler alert** I can't resist stories about alligators and crocodiles. At the beginning of this book we see a crocodile with a basket of eggs - all of them blue except one. Right away our little crocodile doesn't enjoy water, although all his siblings are enjoying their time in the bathtub. He enjoys climbing trees, but has no one to climb with him. He literally invests in a swim ring in order to play with the other crocodiles, but the ring impedes his play. The little crocodile gives it his best shot twice - when he finally discovers his true calling: he's a dragon! He grows and sprouts wings and takes his family for rides. The endpapers show the dragon guarding a clutch of white eggs ... with one blue one ... and reading The dragon who didn't like fire. This will be a nice alternative to Guji, Guji. I may over-use "charming" when referring to illustrations, but this is yet another case where they apply. Keep your eyes peeled for the little snails!...more
This is precisely what you'd think: the old lady who swallowed a fly with an ocean theme and a jolly, plump sailor. The illustrations work well for stThis is precisely what you'd think: the old lady who swallowed a fly with an ocean theme and a jolly, plump sailor. The illustrations work well for storytime and charming, although that krill looks more the size of a prawn. The look on the shark's face is priceless. The sailor's comestibles get larger and larger until he finally swallows a whale, but has a happier ending than our old lady friend. The book finishes off with some "Fishy Facts" - pithy fun facts about each sea animal in the song. I wasn't convinced that all the song "scanned." But I will definitely use it in storytime, because it's just too cute not to!...more
What is wrong with you people? You should see the reviews on Amazon! What po-faced kill-joys reviewed this book!? Yes, it doesn't have the plot-twistsWhat is wrong with you people? You should see the reviews on Amazon! What po-faced kill-joys reviewed this book!? Yes, it doesn't have the plot-twists, characterization, and deathless prose of one of her Harry McClary stories, but it's really wonderful for what it does. What I like is the gritty realism. [Spoilerrrr!] Two children tend an apple tree and when the apples are almost ripe (and the suspense builds beautifully in a storytime read), a naughty possum comes in the night and eats them all! The development of apples is shown in simple, clear, attractive drawings. What did they see? Ho-hum, apples develop ... slowly. Then, just before they're picked, the possum eats them. Boohoohoo. What a let-down. The fresh-faced youngsters don't get to eat the apples after all that hard work.
The story is simple and dramatic in a way that some reviewers just don't get. As the apples get riper, the children's eyes get closer and larger. The right touch brings laughter, not crushing disappointment. And a possum puppet doesn't hurt.
This is a great lesson for kids - that not everything works out. You can put a lot of effort into something and not realize a result. You are never too young to learn that this is a possibility.
Now, in the interests of full disclosure, we had an apple tree in our garden when I was growing up. I have seen how fruit trees arrive as mere sticks. My parents grew everything from asparagus to zucchini. The joy of walking into the garden and eating fresh peas out of the pod, warm from the sun, remains with me, along with the memory of the hugely unsuccessful apple tree. It wasn't possums in the case of our tree. Our tree barely produced anything. We never had a single apple off of it ... because of tent caterpillars.
I usually love Ehlert's collages and her simple stories. I don't know that the photos of three dimensional folk art really work for me. A child may enI usually love Ehlert's collages and her simple stories. I don't know that the photos of three dimensional folk art really work for me. A child may enjoy poring over the pictures and the details, but it's too busy for my old eyes. Still, there's lots to look at and talk about with the very young child. The art could serve to inspire older children and the information on the individual pieces is a good jumping-off point for multi-cultural study....more
What a wonderful book that you can use all sorts of ways! Imagine being so much bigger than anyone else ... or so much smaller. What would that be likWhat a wonderful book that you can use all sorts of ways! Imagine being so much bigger than anyone else ... or so much smaller. What would that be like? The endpapers contain comparison information about Ella Kate's size, including actual size representations of her shoe and glove so that children can measure themselves up to Ella Kate! I'd like to use this in storytime because the story is so compelling. Instead of hiding at home so she's not mocked for her unusual size, Ella Kate agrees to be an exhibit for one month. This pleases her enough to make a career out of it. She earned enough to build a house and fill it with furniture, all to her own size. And she kept on with her job as an exhibit because it enabled her to visit places and see things she would not normally have been able to experience. She then shared her stories with the people in town back home. The story combines a lesson in self-esteem along with a chance to use imagination. I'll be interested to see how it fares in the state children's book awards this coming school year....more
This was a gift from a friend. Just got around to listening to the cd that came with it and reading the text. Oh so cute! This will be a lot of fun atThis was a gift from a friend. Just got around to listening to the cd that came with it and reading the text. Oh so cute! This will be a lot of fun at storytime. Lots of movement and movement vocabulary. Lots of animals. This book can be used many ways: just read and sing along with movement, set the book aside and do it again hauling out the appropriate puppets, let kids hold up appropriate puppets (perhaps on sticks - I made a quick sheet of all the animals in a black and white format so they could be colored and either backed with something to use on the home/travel flannelboards (made with 9x12 sheet of flannel on the inside of a pocket folder) that we've given out fairly regularly at storytimes or had a loop of paper taped to the back to make a fingerpuppet), make flannelboard animals to point to, OMG!, and just dance, dance, dance! Can hardly wait to use it! The cd has 2 versions: one with Fred Penner singing it and then next one more like a karaoke format that you do your own singing, but will animal noises backing you up. Cuuuute....more
This is my homelife. Heh! When I was little, we had a book about the 'possum that didn't smile. [I just checked for the correct title on amazon.com andThis is my homelife. Heh! When I was little, we had a book about the 'possum that didn't smile. [I just checked for the correct title on amazon.com and discovered it's selling for over $200!!!!!!!!!:] This is because he was hanging upside-down and it looked as if he were frowning. So, I wasn't surprised to see the Pout-Pout Fish landing upside-down and it having a change in the way others see him. Now, if that would only work in my house....more
Well, first of all, how could you resist that cover? [Interestingly, I know some Grubbs. I wonder if they've read this.:] Reworking the story of the 3Well, first of all, how could you resist that cover? [Interestingly, I know some Grubbs. I wonder if they've read this.:] Reworking the story of the 3 billy goats and the troll, Hassett gives us a dirty little boy named Bobby who tries to bully each girl in turn into giving him her lunch. Understandably, each one refuses to give up her jelly donuts. As a connoisseur of le deaunutte gelee, I really appreciate the last page illustration of Robert, now utterly reformed and terrorized by the presence of the sisters, and the Gals Grubb with the white rings of powdered sugar around their mouths. The characters are so ugly that they're cute. The solution to the story is brilliant and one that any child can relate to. Now if only I could find a way to use this in a storytime. [Hankers after a good NY state jelly donut where they understand red filling and powdered sugar.:]...more
Soooo cute! Must find a way to add it to this summer's storytimes. It's not an instructive alphabet book, but a book of rhyme and terrific illustratioSoooo cute! Must find a way to add it to this summer's storytimes. It's not an instructive alphabet book, but a book of rhyme and terrific illustrations featuring the 26 titular princesses and as many beleaguered frogs. A must-share!...more
A charming book with cute illustrations (see? I can like books, too!) by Lily Toy Hong. Mr. Haktak finds a lucky pot that duplicates everything thrownA charming book with cute illustrations (see? I can like books, too!) by Lily Toy Hong. Mr. Haktak finds a lucky pot that duplicates everything thrown into it. He and Mrs. Haktak look forward to a future filled with comfort until Mrs. Haktak falls in and suddenly there are two of her! The original Mrs. Haktak wants her husband all to herself and somehow they accidentally end up with another Mr. Haktak as well. But all is not lost! With the limitless comfort offered by the magic pot, they decide that the new Haktaks can be their best friends. And what is better than good luck than someone to share it with? For an anglo point of view, there is One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice, but this is for my Chinese New Year storytime!...more
I have to review this book because I don't want people to think I go around looking for things (books, people, just ... things) that annoy me so I canI have to review this book because I don't want people to think I go around looking for things (books, people, just ... things) that annoy me so I can excoriate them on the web. I do, I just don't want you to think that's all I do. There are some books I like, really like, and this is one of them. I just used it today in a storytime and, as per usual, it went over great. I love it, kids love it, the rest of you can go soak your heads. What is not to like about this book? First of all, you can pair it with the fingerplay "Eensy-Weensy Spider" (don't try to tell me it's "itsy-bitsy" - my mommy was never wrong) and if you sing the book, it scans perfectly. It's gross, it's funny, and I love Tedd Arnold's illustrations. What did I learn from this book? Well, the lesson therein that I share with all the children is: "We Don't Eat Our Friends." 'Nuff said. Always keep a copy of this on hand. I do....more
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