Cart
|
|
my account
|
wish list
|
help
|
800-878-7323
Hello, |
Login
MENU
Browse
New Arrivals
Bestsellers
Featured Preorders
Award Winners
Audio Books
See All Subjects
Used
Staff Picks
Staff Picks
Picks of the Month
Bookseller Displays
50 Books for 50 Years
25 Best 21st Century Sci-Fi & Fantasy
25 PNW Books to Read Before You Die
25 Books From the 21st Century
25 Memoirs to Read Before You Die
25 Global Books to Read Before You Die
25 Women to Read Before You Die
25 Books to Read Before You Die
Gifts
Gift Cards & eGift Cards
Powell's Souvenirs
Journals and Notebooks
socks
Games
Sell Books
Blog
Events
Find A Store
Don't Miss
Creatives on Creating Sale
Spotlight Sale
Picture Book Sale
Powell's Author Events
Oregon Battle of the Books
Audio Books
Get the Powell's newsletter
Visit Our Stores
Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
(0 comment)
Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
Read More
»
Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
(0 comment)
Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
(0 comment)
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
Customer Comments
annalovesbooks has commented on (49) products
Wish In The Bottle
by
Morna Macleod
annalovesbooks
, October 28, 2008
ISBN 0590629700 - While the multitude of kids' series books are nice, it is always fun to come across the periodic stand-alone story. That The Wish in the Bottle is likely to appeal to both boys and girls is an added plus in my eyes. Lani, Laurie and Mark are siblings: Lani is the oldest, then Mark and, last but not least, Laurie. Their family is spending the summer at Lincoln Pond and today, finally, the children have been allowed to row across the pond alone to picnic. While the older children bird watch, Laurie slinks off with Mark's butterfly net and spots a very unusual looking butterfly. Capturing it and putting it in a jar, Laurie keeps her catch hidden from her siblings until that night, when the glow from the jar keeps her awake. The three children find that Laurie hasn't caught a butterfly at all - she's captured a fairy! Not just any fairy, either. Ocavia is Queen of Avia and she must get home to protect her people from the bats who have been eating them, so a deal is struck: the children will get three wishes and Ocavia will get her freedom. Simple enough? Sure, if things had gone that smoothly! The only real negative for me was the similarity of Lani's and Laurie's names, which - since I just met these characters - sometimes made it difficult for me to remember which was the oldest and which was the baby of the family. There's nothing particularly novel in the "three wishes" story, of course, but MacLeod does a great job of weaving the ongoing story of the fairies and the bats into the story of the children who (aside from an early slip) plan to think very carefully before wasting their wishes. What they learn, the reader learns, so there's a message in here, for parents who look for those, and a fantasy adventure for the kids who look for those. The illustrations (no illustrator listed) are nice pencil sketches, not numerous enough to make an older child feel like he or she is reading a "baby book", but enough to please the younger ones. The back cover says RL5, ages 7-12. -AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Five True Dog Stories
by
Margaret Davidson
annalovesbooks
, October 26, 2008
ISBN 0590424017 - A fan of James Herriot and Lassie (among others!), I was excited to read true dog stories for children. And the inclusion of a talented "bad" dog, in Grip the thief, was a pleasant surprise. Five very short dog stories, each told in a few pages. Dox, a police dog in Italy, is bought by a policeman who just happened to pass a pet store. He'd had no thought of buying a dog at all - but he did it, and then he turned him into a superb detective. Grip, owned by a thief and a successful thief himself, leads a life of crime until his owner is caught and Grip gets a surprising new owner. Author Alfred Payson Terhune's dog, Wolf, lives with many other dogs at Sunnybank Farm. He isn't very sociable, but he does watch out for the other dogs, right up to the very end. Barry is one of the very special St Bernards living at a monastery in Switzerland. The dogs are trained to rescue people, and Barry is even a little more special than the others. Balto is a sled dog in Alaska when Nome calls out to the outside world for help. They need medicine and the only way in is by sled. The town is in terrible trouble, but Balto comes to their rescue. The stories are all true, and the reader can follow up most of them by reading longer books and stories about these dogs. That's a nice thing, a way to encourage reading, and answer some questions that the book leaves unanswered - like why there's a statue of Balto in New York, when his heroic actions were in Alaska. Not superbly written, but the author is hampered by the attempt to keep the stories short. The back cover says RL2, ages 7-9, and that's the only thing I have to disagree there. The stories seem to me to be better suited for younger children. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Manatee Winter Mini Book & Toy
by
Zoehfeld
annalovesbooks
, October 04, 2008
ISBN 1568990782 - While not exactly non-fiction, Manatee Winter is educational, which is always a plus. The involvement of the Smithsonian Institution is a good thing, too, but not quite good enough. A mother manatee and her calf head to warmer waters for the winter, encountering the dangerous propellers of fishing boats along the way. One specific encounter separates the two, scaring Little Calf into weeds which he can't escape on his own. Mother must help him and continue encouraging him so that they can reach the safety of a warm spring, where Little Calf will meet other baby manatees for the first time. Illustrator Steven James Petruccio did a very nice job; the problem isn't his work but the general boring-ness of the relatively accurate images. A manatee under water looks like a manatee under water and there are few images including anything else. In the back of the book, there is a list of "Points of Interest" that name pages where you can find specific things. For pages 22-23, it says "egret, red mangrove trees", but the egret's head is mostly cut off at the top of the page and the trees are represented only by roots. Author Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld did a very nice job, as well, and the book is best, in my opinion, as a vaguely educational text. As a storybook for young children, it's a little boring. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Darwin & The Great Beasts
by
Kin Platt
annalovesbooks
, October 04, 2008
ISBN 0688100309 - A book about dinosaurs, featuring a kid named Darwin, might just be enough to explode the heads of some Christian parents, so I found the choice to be both brave and unwise. Still, those parents aren't likely customers here anyway, so I guess author Kin Platt thought it worth the gamble. Darwin and his class visit the La Brea Tar Pit and the nearby museum to learn about dinosaurs. In alternating chapters, Darwin slips from the museum tour into a world in his own imagination. During the tour, Miss Tell, their teacher, tells them about the dinosaurs - when they lived, what they ate, how much they weighed and some information about how they died. Darwin daydreams about saving each of them from the death Miss Tell tells them about. The book doesn't specifically say, but I think this book is most appropriate to the 9 to 12 age group. There are few illustrations, just small black and white drawings at the top of each chapter; they add nothing to the story. The story itself is all right, nothing spectacular and not terribly well-written; the best thing it has going for it is the information it provides. The alternating chapters doesn't really work particularly well, but kids might enjoy the kid-as-hero aspect. For the parents who worry about messages, Darwin tells several lies - to a pack of dire wolves and a saber-tooth - and, when his classmate, Amy, complains that no one ever believes HER fibs, he suggests that she should practice more. Since the book is overall really average, it might not be worthwhile to get it, only to send your child the "practice makes perfect, even when it comes to lying" message. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Huggly Gets Dressed The Monster Under T
by
Tedd Arnold
annalovesbooks
, September 25, 2008
ISBN 0590918192 - This series is apparently supposed to be for the 4 to 8 year old crowd, but Huggly will appeal to younger children, as well, if not more. For some of the older kids, Huggly's a nice way to deal with fears that a lot of 7 and 8 year olds don't even want to admit to having, of the monster under the bed. Huggly is a monster and lives under the bed of a people child "named" Sleepyhead. One night, Huggly sneaks out and slips quietly into the room… until he bangs his head on a dresser and causes a drawer of clothes to fall out. Suddenly curious about clothes, Huggly dresses himself and finishes just as Sleepyhead's mother comes to wake him. Huggly's got to hide before he gets caught! Huggly's hilarious, not even remotely scary, which isn't the point of the story but is a nice thing - kids who deal with their own monsters under their own beds will be happy to know that maybe their monster is equally un-scary. His attempt to figure out clothing seems perfectly reasonable, and the illustrations absolutely make the story. Reading "A bright red-and-yellow striped thing had a nice hole for his tail." isn't funny at all if you can't see that the striped thing is a shirt. Arnold's a genius and Huggly's a goofball... You should be warned, of course, that if you read this one once, you'll be required to read it over and over - it's that good. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Noisy Nora
by
Rosemary Wells
annalovesbooks
, September 25, 2008
ISBN 0803718357 - It's been a while since I've reviewed a kids' book that needed a note for certain parents with certain child-raising ideas. If you're one of them, you'll want to pass up this book - Nora's sister calls her "dumb" twice and Nora's behavior is... well, bad. If, however, you're able to overlook that, or just don't care about it, and want to get your child into books, this is one that I guarantee they'll love to have read to them. Nora's parents are spending all of their time with Jack, the baby, and their sister Kate. Nora feels neglected and makes noise, hoping to get their attention, but all she gets is shushed. She finally does get it - by announcing that she's leaving! They worry and look for her until she reappears again, quite noisily. Other than the "dumb" comments, some parents might find Nora's behavior bad enough to keep them from getting this book for their child. She slams the door, knocks over the lamp and flies a kite in the house. Personally, she's a mouse, I never expected my child to take his behavioral cues from rodents and he didn't; if you think yours might, then you need to find another book. Those exceptions out of the way, I think this book is adorable. If, at first glance, you think Nora resembles Max, she should - they have the same mother. Author and illustrator Rosemary Wells, mom of Max and Ruby and Nora, seems to understand what will work for children and laughing, something Nora will make them do, is a surefire way to get them to come back again and again. The illustrations are great, Nora is just hilarious in her frustrated efforts to get attention and there's the chance for a parent to talk to their own child about the RIGHT way to get attention - once everyone's stopped laughing at Nora. Parents with a new baby in the house might find that aspect particularly appealing because a new baby's arrival is certainly a time when an older sibling might feel ignored. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Giant Who Wanted Company
by
Lee Priestly
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307021432 - Little Golden Books are currently a large stack on the top of my to-be-read pile, an occasion that always makes me happy. I get to re-visit the ones I loved when I was a kid and, even better, find new ones. The Giant Who Wanted Company is a new one for me and the cover - with the giant shaking hand and hoof with the horse - caught my eye right away. The giant is lonely in his empty, quiet house and he would like someone to talk with, so he set out to visit his friends and invite them to visit him. He visits all of his friends, large and small. All agree that they will stop by soon - and then, they all do! Every one of them, all at the same time. They make a great deal of noise, so much noise that he can't understand any of it. The giant has so many friends to take a walk with that he's afraid to take a single step and possibly step on a small friend. They eat all of his food, leaving him hungry, and they sleep in every available space, leaving him sitting for the night. When morning comes and his guests go home, he thanks them for coming and ask them to come again - but not all at once! Giants often get a bad rap in children's books. They eat people, are mean, etc. I liked the fact that Lee Priestly's giant is a very friendly sort, with a lot of friends. Of course, as an adult, I think if he has so many friends, why wouldn't they ever visit him? But most kids won't question that, they'll just enjoy the slightly silly tale (the kittens sleep in mittens and the llamas... in pajamas!). Dennis Hockerman's illustrations are good, full of color and some funny details (the ants in sleeping bags!). No really specific message here, unless it's "be careful what you wish for". - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Barney Sharing Is Caring
by
Mark Bernthal
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307987906 - As a Little Golden Book collector, I had to have this one. As a parent of a first generation Barney fan, whose kid is now an adult, I don't look forward to Barney anything. I feel Barney-ed out. Baby Bop has a special yellow blankey and a reluctance to share it with anyone. Whenever anyone asks her to share it, she happily offers to share other things in place of the blankey - but she maintains a hold on her most special possession. Until, that is, Snuggles the cat falls into the pool and needs to be dried off so that she doesn't catch a cold; then Baby Bop offers the blankey even before she's asked. As I said, I'm not a Barney fan, but my review has nothing to do with that. Here are the problems I have with the book: "blankey". I don't, and never did, use baby-talk and find it annoying. My kid spoke clearly, early, and I've always believed in the studies that show that children who are spoke to in a normal tone of voice, using adult-speak (as opposed to baby-talk) learn to talk earlier. I also dislike the fact that the book promotes the untrue notion that being wet will cause someone, even if it is a cat, to catch a cold. Colds are caused by germs, not old wives' tales. That all aside, I think Sharing is Caring really does deserve 4 stars. The messages in here - you can share some things but don't have to share everything and sharing with someone in need, when you DO want to, is especially nice - are great for any child, particularly children about to welcome a new baby into the family. Barney fans will, of course, love the book. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Little Cottontail
by
Carl Memling
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307021076 - Little Golden Books are among the favorite books of generations of children and collecting them is a fun way to re-visit those childhood memories. Little Cottontail, by Carl Memling, is one of those books where the story has stayed in my mind for years, even after I couldn't remember the title. Little Cottontail, like all children, looks forward to being grownup. He has no idea, however, what it will take to get there, so he begins to ask. His mother explains some of the things that he must do before he can be grownup, starting with leaving the nest. Little Cottontail follows her instruction and asks, after each thing, if he is NOW grownup. When his mother teaches him how to know that a fox is approaching and what to do to get away, she has no idea how soon he'll need this skill. Catching the scent of a fox, Little Cottontail alerts everyone and they all scatter. His mother runs, hoping he's learned the lesson well - and when the danger is gone and she finds her son safe, he assures him that NOW he is grownup. The reason this story stuck with me for years could either be the reason you don't want it for your kid or the reason they'll really like: the cottontails know the fox is hoping to eat them. The chase is exciting and, since the end of the book finds everyone safe, it never bothered me, but there's the chance it will bother you. Lilian Obligado's illustrations are mostly average but a few, especially those with bunnies everywhere!, are memorable. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Rights Animal Farm
by
Joan Elizabeth Goodman
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307020061 - Reading through several shelves full of Little Golden Books is a great stroll down memory lane. From the classics to the lesser-known stuff, Golden Books is one set of books that gets it right almost every time. Farmer Right lives on a very orderly farm. He gently chastises his cat for getting milk on the floor and the duck for splashing. He cleans everything all the time, forcing order on his farm. That makes him very happy, but his animals don't feel the same way. They stage a revolt, throwing all Farmer Right's order away and driving him crazy - until he finally breaks down, laughing, and admits order isn't everything. Kids will crack up at the meow-ing cow, quack-ing cat and baa-ing chick. Author/illustrator Joan Elizabeth Goodman did a great job of writing a fun, silly book that kids will want to read over and over. The illustrations are nice enough and several are just laugh-out-loud funny, especially the ones of Farmer Right cleaning the farm. If your hope is to turn your child into a reader, turn him or her onto Right's Animal Farm; a book that makes them laugh will keep them reading and this one will definitely do that. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Little Critter This Is My Family
by
Mercer Mayer
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307001377 - Little Golden Books and Gina and Mercer Mayer? Now there's a match made in children's book heaven. This edition, published in 1993, is marked inside "Published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Little Golden Books". Family - what a nice way to celebrate fifty years! Nameless Little Critters are introduced by the oldest child in the family. Dad works, so he buy the family things, and sometimes, when he's not too tired, he plays catch after work. Mom takes care of the family. His little sister is okay, and likes to tag along with him. His baby brother is cute, but boring and sometimes requires quiet so he can sleep. The family's pets are also part of the family, even if the goldfish isn't allowed in the tub. He pitches in to help his parents and be a good big brother. Even if they don't always get along, they love each other and that's what a family is. I've always found the nameless-ness of the critters a little annoying, but the story is very nice and the illustrations are excellent - some are quite funny, too! The relationships between the children are so accurate that you have to laugh. "This is my sister. She's no so bad. When I don't have anything to do, I play with her." Depending on your family structure, this book may or may not fit you. One negative is that, other than the ending, "we love each other a lot. I think that's what a family is all about.", there's no real opening for a parent to say "not all families are the same". Children not in traditional family homes might be bothered by that. If it doesn't reflect your family, young children might enjoy it anyway - you'll have to figure that out, but for the lack of being open to the possibility, I've got to detract a star. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Biggest Most Beautiful Christmas Tree
by
Amye Rosenberg
annalovesbooks
, September 18, 2008
ISBN 0307020010 - My Christmas book collection couldn't possibly be complete without Amye Rosenberg's The Biggest, Most Beautiful Christmas Tree. This edition, in paperback, isn't my favorite, only because the book gets a lot of reading and wear; I prefer the hardcover. In the trunk of a large fir tree in the forest, there are three cozy homes. Mr. and Mrs. Fieldmouse live on the first floor and Old Gray Acorn, a squirrel, lives on the top floor. In the middle, there are the Chipmunks, a family of four, including Little Nina and Nutley. Each Christmas, the children prepare for Santa's visit - and each year, he doesn't come. This year, Mom and Dad throw a party to cheer them up. Aunt Mim, their favorite aunt, comes and, when the kids tell her why they're sad, she has a great idea. She thinks Santa doesn't come because their house just looks like any other tree, so they will decorate their tree to be sure Santa can't possibly miss it. Everyone pitches in and they all agree - it's the biggest, most beautiful Christmas tree in the world. When Santa finally does find them, a tradition is born. As a kid, I found the book made me very sad, to think Santa could miss anyone! Even the happy resolution didn't make me feel better about it. Rosenberg is both author and illustrator and she's done a superb job. The illustrations, which take up all or almost all of every page, are engaging, fun and vivid. The details are nice, the colors are bright and they contribute so much to the story. The text is fairly simple and the story, like all good Christmas tales, does have the required happy ending, confirming that Santa doesn't overlook any child intentionally. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Miss Spiders Tea Party The Counting Book
by
David Kirk
annalovesbooks
, September 17, 2008
ISBN 059006519x - Usually, when I come across a board book with a spectacularly illustrated cover, I'm let down when I open it up. David Kirk is absolutely fantastic and so, it turns out, is every single page inside. Miss Spider would like to play, but all the other bugs are afraid of her. Rhyming text counts the bugs, from the two beetles who ran away to the eleven bugs who finally came to visit - bringing twelve flowers as gifts. It's great, the chance to work on numbers with your child, but for me the illustrations are what knocks it out of the park. The details are excellent: the reflection in the teapot and the twelve cupcakes when her eleven bugs come to visit, for example. The colors are vivid and the images nearly 3D. Board book pages are sturdy and can take a bit of a beating. My single complaint is that the cover board seems to be coated with a rubbery plastic layer which peels fairly easily. The bugs aren't particularly creepy or scary, which works for me - I've got a shortage of Halloween-themed board books and this one is going to fill in. I hardly think anyone will mind! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Mama Do You Love Me Board Book
by
Barbara Joosse
annalovesbooks
, September 17, 2008
ISBN 0811821315 - Having read mostly positive reviews of this book, with most of the dissenters not making much sense, I was really looking forward to finding out if it could live up to the hype. The cover is appealing, in the same uniquely ethnic way ISBN:1931127700 The Rhythm of My Day (Kindermusik) appeals. This edition is a board book and is probably shortened from the original. A child asks her mother "do you love me?" and, being assured that Mama does, indeed, love her very much, she proceeds to question that love further and further. The daughter wonders if Mama would love her if she did small things - broke eggs by accident or played pranks. Her mother says she would be sorry, or angry, or sad, etc. but that she would still love her daughter. Some reviews have mentioned that the mother's unconditional love is an indication that the mother finds her daughter's suggested behavior acceptable. "What if I turned into a polar bear, and I was the meanest bear you ever saw and I had sharp, shiny teeth and I chased you into your tent and you cried?" the daughter asks and the mother replies "Then I would be very surprised and very scared. But still, inside the bear, you would be you, and I would love you." Mama's replies always include the OTHER feelings as well, from sorry to very surprised and very scared, but she repeatedly insists that she will love her daughter: that's what unconditional love is. A child can do bad things and make a parent angry, but the parent will still love them and Barbara Joosse conveys that message well here. The illustrations by Barbara Lavallee are fantastic. This book opens the door, if you want to step through it, for conversations about other cultures. The only potential negative will be parents stumbling over "ptarmigan", a word no other children's book is likely to introduce them to. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
More Baby Animals
by
Checkerboard
annalovesbooks
, September 17, 2008
ISBN 1562883089 - A board book with padded covers and a photo of cute puppies on the front cover looks like a great book for little children. They will probably like it more than I do, but there are so many like this one that, unless a copy falls into your lap, it's not worthwhile. Sixteen pages of adorable animal photos, some with an adult animal. The images are bright, vivid and mostly of the animals in what looks like their natural habitat (with the exception of the rhinoceroses - there's a wooden wall in the background - the horses are on a farm and the gorilla appears to be in a zoo). Each photo has the name of the animal it shows. One thing I find annoying is the lack of accurate names for young animals. The kitten is labeled "Kitten" but the rabbits are just "Rabbits", not bunnies; the horses are just "Horses", not foal or colt. The book is very portable, which is a plus, and the board book pages will survive through much use. Good, not great. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Rabbit Food Cuddle Board Books
by
Elizabeth Greenaway
annalovesbooks
, September 17, 2008
ISBN 0679839593 - A small board book with a really sad looking rabbit on the cover - who could pass it up? For the portability alone, it's worth a look. That it's educational is a plus, too! On twelve pages, with illustrations that cover every inch of every page, Elizabeth Greenaway shows what different animals eat. Toad food and fawn food, all the way to my food. The illustrations are a bit boring for me, but I don't think children will see them that way. The colors are pastel-ish and don't seem to have any life to them, but the animals are cute. Rabbit Food seems more likely to teach children the names of the animals inside than anything else, but education is education and parents ought to sneak it in whenever they can. Good, not great, I wouldn't go out of my way to grab a copy. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Who Lives Here A Pop Up Book
by
Playmore
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
ISBN 0866115471 - Pop-up books are cool, educational books are good, this one has both. Kids won't realize they're learning, they'll just think they’re enjoying a cool book - and if it works, why tell them? 10 pages of rhyming text shows, and tells, where a variety of animals live, not always too specifically. Polar bears "around the ice", squirrels "in the tops of trees". There is no specified illustrator or author on the book. The illustrations, reaching from edge to edge on every page, are colorful and fun: a monkey shooting a basketball at a hoop and forest animals roasting hot dogs over a campfire, among so many other charming details. The pop-ups are a thin cardboard and some care is required to close the book properly or risk trapping the pop-ups wrong, and they'll stop popping up. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Fire
by
Pleasant Company
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
ISBN 1584852119 - Firemen have always been cool to little kids and this book just might have something parents will appreciate, too. The fact that it comes with a Matchbox car doesn't hurt, either. From the alarm to the fire to the clean up in preparation for the next time, Fire! details what happens when that alarm goes off. Firemen slide down the pole, pull on their boots, coats and helmets and they're off - in under a minute! The last two pages are devoted to helping you create your family's plan in case of a fire and helping your child identify the sounds s/he hears when you're driving around (although it doesn't say why you would want to do this). Board book pages are sturdy but, because this book is much wider than it is tall, it's very easy to sort of twist the bulk of the book in a different direction than the cover, pulling it loose from the binding. Just something to keep an eye out for, because it really is worthwhile to tape it back up and keep it in your collection. Lee MacLeod's illustrations cover every inch of every page with bright, exciting, action-packed images. Your child will find the book a page-turner and will enjoy re-enacting that excitement with the toy fire engine and you might appreciate the chance to work out your own family's emergency plan. The book, itself, might merit 4 stars, but the educational aspect and the vehicle put it over the top. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Kellogg's Froot Loops Color Fun Book
by
Barbara Barbieri McGrath and Frank, Jr. Mazzola
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
ISBN 0694015776 - The first time you come across a play-with-your-food book, you think it's kinda cool, unique, fun... and then you come across another, and another and it ought to wear thin - but it really doesn't. First, the books aren't for you, they're for your kid, and young kids will always think playing their food is grand entertainment. Froot Loops Color Fun Book isn't what it sounds like. There's no coloring, but there IS fun! Toucan Sam glides through the jungle, looking for Froot Loops. Each page is dedicated to one color and each page has a small cut-out, the size of a cereal ring. The idea would be, it seems, to match your Froot Loop to the right color page. Because this book is just a little educational, it earns a five star rating from me. Sure, playing with your food is fun, but learning your colors from Toucan Sam is cool, too. The thick board book pages will take whatever your little eater/reader can dish out. Frank Mazzola's illustrations are nice but earn an extra kudo from me for actually making the Froot Loops nearly blend in. Yep, fun, educational and yummy! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Rhythm Of My Day
by
Angela R Yates
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
ISBN 1931127700 - I've reviewed so many good-but-not-great board books lately that just the look of the cover of this one had me anticipating something great. There's an ethnic, hip look to the cover that I just haven't come across a lot for the still-gnaws-on-books set, but The Rhythm of My Day is here to fill in that gap, at least a little. Waking in the morning, eating, getting dressed, dancing... the rhythm of a child's day is a huge comfort to them. In rhyme, with "Rhythm, the rhythm, the rhythm of my day" as a sort of refrain, the happy day-to-day of a happy child. Sturdy board book pages will take a beating and survive. This book appears to be part of a curriculum and I've found copies of a CD out there, but it does work alone - and that allows you to create your own rhythm for the "song" inside. The text, by Angela R. Yates, is nice and flowing for the most part, although a few rhymes sound cumbersome. The illustrations by Laura DeSantis cover the pages from edge to edge. They're fairly plain but are so bright and lively and so different from the usual that all your child will notice is that they look fun! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Snow White
by
Dorothea Goldenberg
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
In an effort to make comparisons easier, I'm consolidating three reviews for three different editions of Snow White. First, the recap: The Queen is a very vain woman, not happy to see her step-daughter's beauty eclipse her own, so when her mirror finally confirms the dreaded reality, she sends the huntsman into the woods with Snow White with orders to kill her. The huntsman can't bring himself to do it, so he warns her and tells her to run, which she does. Finding a small house, with the help of forest animals who have befriended her, Snow White cleans it up in hopes of being invited to stay. The owners of the house, seven dwarfs, find her there when they return from work and decide that she should stay - and that she should be very careful from now on. When an old woman comes to the cottage, offering Snow White an apple, she fails to see the harm until it's too late. Certain that she's dead, the dwarfs give her a coffin of glass and gold and she lies there until her prince comes and wakes her with a kiss. ISBN 0785310320 – 3 stars – This edition, A Little Rainbow Book, is all right but nothing special. The look of this edition clearly attempts to copy the Little Golden Books. The cover illustration, by Kenny Yamada, is the best of the lot. The inside illustrations, by Gary Torrisi are just about average, lacking in detail and a bit boring. The adaptation by Dorothea Goldenberg is fair. The text flows well and the words are simple, a plus for young readers. Several small differences in the story made it boring for me but might appeal to others. Snow White is simply banished to the forest – there’s no huntsman and no threat of death at that point. Rather than jump straight to the poison apple, the Queen tries a poisoned comb first, which is a little closer to the original tale. However, it is very strange that, after that attempt, no special warnings to be careful follow. The gold and/or glass coffin is left out here, and the dwarfs place Snow White on a bed of rose petals and moss. The Queen is not killed. Those things add up to a far less violent/scary tale but, again, they make the story boring to me. ISBN 1845770773 - 4 stars - This edition, from the Early Readers Treasured Tales series would probably merit a 3 star review, if not for the "points to help you teach your child to read" in the front. It's such a nice addition to this average re-telling, edited by Claire Black, that it deserves a star all its own. This edition begins a little earlier than the Disney one, with Snow White's pregnant, happy mother and how she chooses Snow White's name. There are questions at the bottom of several pages ("Why was the princess called Snow White?" for example). They are unobtrusive, so they don't interfere if you just choose to read the book, but are useful for comprehension – one "point" to help a child learn to read. Some versions leave out the Queen's order to the huntsman that he must bring back Snow White’s heart in a box - this one does not omit that detail, but it does leave out the Queen's death. If the heart in a box thing is something you think your child will have issues with, this isn't your edition. The illustrations here, by Eric Kincaid, are very well done and more true to the Grimms Brothers version than the Disney one. ISBN 0307010368 - 5 stars - Having read a number of collaborations between Disney and Golden Books recently, I'm so happy to find them back on track with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The illustrations are standard Disney, the story is complete and well told. Unlike recent reads from Disney/Golden Books, Snow White hits every important note of the original without seeming hurried. For those parents who stress about these things, there's no violence and the single presumed death is vague, to say the least. Well worth picking up for your little reader. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Witzy Wonders
by
Suzy Spafford
annalovesbooks
, September 16, 2008
ISBN 0439365554 - Little Suzy's Zoo has a surprisingly large following, and it exists for a reason. These characters are adorable and often seem very much like the young children who are the target audience. Witzy is very curious and wonders about a lot of things: What does Boof dream about? Why does Lulla like to watch the clouds in the sky? Witzy has so many questions! All of the questions in the book relate to one of Witzy's friends and each friend - and Witzy - can be found on the tabs. On the final page, Witzy sits with all of her friends and just wonders. Sturdy board book tabbed pages stand up to much handling and the tabs are surprisingly strong. While the characters are cuter than cute and Witzy's questions are a reflection most kids will recognize - all those questions, all the time, about everything! - the negative is that there are no answers. This allows for some conversation, so it's not entirely bad, but it is a little weird. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Moo Moo Goes To The City
by
Jo Lodge
annalovesbooks
, September 15, 2008
ISBN 0316655821 - If the cover were any brighter, I do believe it might begin to glow. That's not a bad thing, it's actually one of the most attractive things about the book - it is bright, colorful and eye-catching and kids will like that. One thing on the cover is misleading: there are no flaps to lift here, it's all tabs to pull and one pop-up. Moo Moo goes to the city, arriving on the train. She has ice cream, buys a hat and shares her lunch in the park with the pigeons before taking a boat tour. Moo Moo winds up her day by rollerblading in the park and heads home on the bus. Every action is shown in a pull-the-tab graphic, with birds bobbing and a boat moving through the water, among other things. The pages are slightly thicker than the average book page but nowhere near as thick as a board book; the entire thing is easily torn and the moving parts will attract the sort of attention that will lead to tearing. For a new price of 13 bucks, that's a big negative. If you're buying used, particularly books with moving parts, you'll need to take the time to be sure everything is intact. The text is very minimal and simple, great for beginning readers, and the illustrations are every bit as nearly-neon-bright as the cover. The final page is a large pop-up skyline that's absolutely perfect. Jo Lodge did a great job, I just wish the pages were sturdier. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
My First Jumbo Book Of Colors
by
James Diaz
annalovesbooks
, September 15, 2008
ISBN 0439324467 - If ever a book's cover was an accurate preview of what you'll find inside, this is the book. It's not just bright and colorful, it's got a rubbery raincoat and a sparkling sun to add a very unique touch. Amazing, what can be fit into a mere ten pages! Starting with basic colors (red, yellow, blue), progressing to mixed colors (orange, purple, green) and ending with two pages of various colors, this book is filled with fun things to do - all aimed at teaching your child colors. There are flaps to lift, tabs to pull and some surprising textured items to feel. A touch and feel fence? How unexpected! The illustrations, by James Diaz and Melanie Gerth, are 99 percent of the book and they are superb. The drawings are basic, perfect since too much detail would distract from the purpose. Learning is good, fun learning is fantastic! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Safe At Home With Pooh
by
Kathleen Zoehfeld, Robbin Cuddy
annalovesbooks
, September 14, 2008
ISBN 0717288676 - Message books from Winnie the Pooh doesn't strike me as a good idea. Pooh is fun, funny, silly... not an overly bright sort and no one's moral compass. I am happy to tell you that author Zoehfeld did a great job staying true to who Pooh is and still managed to convey an important message for young readers about strangers. Christopher Robin comes across Pooh and Piglet as he's leaving the Hundred Acre Wood, alone!, to visit his grandmother. The pair expresses concern, but Christopher Robin assures them that he's been learning the Stay-Safe Rules. He teaches Pooh and Piglet that the most important rules is not to talk to strangers, then he explains strangers to them. Once he has left, Pooh and Piglet go to Pooh's for supper and, while there, they hear noises outside. Frightened, and worried that it may be a stranger, they peer out to find Gopher, who joins them. When more noises disturb them, Pooh calls out to find out who is at the door. It's Christopher Robin and he congratulates Pooh on learning one Stay-Safe rule all on his own: Always make sure you the person at your door before you open it. The last page is made up of a list of Christopher Robin's Stay-Safe Rules, all common sense to adults but definitely things kids need to learn. Pooh and friends offer a nice way to teach those rules, and Pooh's and Piglet's fears are something kids can relate to easily. The illustrations, by Robbin Cuddy, are perfect Disney - bright and colorful, even in the scary moments. Get it and start teaching your kid those Stay-Safe Rules! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Mothers Favorite Lullaby Book
by
Running Press
annalovesbooks
, September 14, 2008
ISBN 0894712616 - The fact that this looks, from the outside, like a cute little book is due almost entirely to the cover design by Toby Schmidt. The illustrations inside, by Geri Greinke bear no resemblance whatsoever to the cover and are, overall, pretty bad. The inside illustrations look a bit like a cross between antique wood-cut works and collector plates. They are one color - blue - and, although they have some great detail, they couldn't possibly be more boring. The text consists of a dozen lullabies: All Through the Night, Baa! Baa! Black Sheep, Beautiful Dreamer, Greensleeves, Hush Little Baby, London Bridge is Falling Down, Lullaby and Good Night (Brahms' Lullaby/The Cradle Song), My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, Rock-a-Bye Baby, Shenandoah, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The Table of Contents lists the lullabies in alphabetical order rather than the more traditional order you'd expect in a book. The lullabies themselves contain verses I've never heard before, which is both interesting and weird. The selection of lullabies stretches the definition for me - Greensleeves is considered a folk song (possibly about a prostitute), as is Shenandoah; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is categorized as an American Negro spiritual. There are much better lullaby compilations out there. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Walt Disneys Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs
by
Walt Disney
annalovesbooks
, September 14, 2008
In an effort to make comparisons easier, I'm consolidating two reviews for two different editions of Snow White. First, the recap: The Queen is a very vain woman, not happy to see her step-daughter's beauty eclipse her own, so when her mirror finally confirms the dreaded reality, she sends the huntsman into the woods with Snow White with orders to kill her. The huntsman can't bring himself to do it, so he warns her and tells her to run, which she does. Finding a small house, with the help of forest animals who have befriended her, Snow White cleans it up in hopes of being invited to stay. The owners of the house, seven dwarfs, find her there when they return from work and decide that she should stay - and that she should be very careful from now on. When an old woman comes to the cottage, offering Snow White an apple, she fails to see the harm until it's too late. Certain that she's dead, the dwarfs give her a coffin of glass and gold and she lies there until her prince comes and wakes her with a kiss. ISBN 0307010368 - 5 stars - Having read a number of collaborations between Disney and Golden Books recently, I'm so happy to find them back on track with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The illustrations are standard Disney, the story is complete and well told. Unlike recent reads from Disney/Golden Books, Snow White hits every important note of the original without seeming hurried. I still think it's one dwarf, two dwarves… but grammar is nowhere near as important as a fairy tale! For those parents who stress about these things, there's no violence and the single presumed death is vague, to say the least. Well worth picking up for your little reader. ISBN 1845770773 - 4 stars - This edition, from the Early Readers Treasured Tales series would probably merit a 3 star review, if not for the "points to help you teach your child to read" in the front. It's such a nice addition to this average re-telling, edited by Claire Black, that it deserves a star all its own. This edition begins a little earlier than the Disney one, with Snow White's pregnant, happy mother and how she chooses Snow White's name. There are questions at the bottom of several pages ("Why was the princess called Snow White?" for example). They are unobtrusive, so they don't interfere if you just choose to read the book, but are useful for comprehension – one "point" to help a child learn to read. Some versions leave out the Queen's order to the huntsman that he must bring back Snow White’s heart in a box - this one does not omit that detail, but it does leave out the Queen's death. If the heart in a box thing is something you think your child will have issues with, this isn't your edition. The illustrations here, by Eric Kincaid, are very well done and more true to the Grimms Brothers version than the Disney one. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Maxs Bath
by
Rosemary Wells
annalovesbooks
, September 08, 2008
ISBN 0803701624 - Every now and then, the critics all agree. The back of Max's bath proclaims they all agree on Max - and like him. I almost feel as if all I can add is "me, too!" Max ends up wearing a good portion of his sandwich, so Ruby orders a bath. While she readies it, he eats sherbet and juice and when it's time to get in the tub, he takes the sherbet along, dying the bath water - and himself - orange. He repeats this in a new bath with the juice and ends up dirtier still. Ruby finally gives up and makes him take a shower and she plans to get him clean. As the nearly tie-died Max becomes his usual fluffy white self, he points to Ruby, now wearing his mess, and pronounces her dirty. Max and Ruby are fun siblings. Ruby, as the older sister, is a bit bossy and Max, as the younger brother, allows himself to be bossed, sort of. It's a cute relationship that anyone can appreciate. Young readers will find the silly tale hilarious and learn, at least, clean and dirty. The illustrations are fun, on plain brightly colored backgrounds without much detail to distract focus from the images which really are a part of the story. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Figure Out Blues Clues
by
A Santomero
annalovesbooks
, September 08, 2008
ISBN 0689824475 - An interactive Blue's Clues book, just bring your own crayon - now that's an idea a kid can get into! Sturdy board book pages are nice but the fact that this book looks like the Blue's Clues notebook is awesome. Glossy pages can be drawn on again and again. Blue's fans will love playing along. On 12 pages, six brainbenders are illustrated for the reader in various ways and it's your job to fill in the answers - in the form of a drawing, of course. Sometimes it's a clue that's missing and sometimes it's the answer that you need to draw, which keeps things from getting boring and challenges young readers to think a bit. As a child, I was certain I could draw anything and was offended when my picture of a house was mistaken for a rocket. I mention this because parents might think their child isn't enough of an artist to play along with Blue, and you should realize that, whatever your kid's lack of ability, he or she is probably unaware of it. Drawing is fun and this book challenges a child's mind, too. Nothing but good can come of that. For the novel interactive aspect, Figure Out Blue's Clues deserves a spot on your child's shelf. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Lady With The Alligator Purse
by
Nadine Ber Westcott
annalovesbooks
, September 08, 2008
ISBN 0316930741 - The Lady with the Alligator Purse (the book, not the actual lady) seems to suffer from a split personality, in my opinion. Board books are generally made for the 0-3 age group, children who chew on books and bend or tear the pages. The Lady, and the rest of this set, to be accurate, is really for an older group, maybe 3-5. Hand clapping/slapping games are a bit advanced for the tiniest kids and since this rhyme is based on one of those games, it seems to indicate the book isn't for those tiniest kids. Miss Lucy had a baby... who would've eaten the bathtub if it fit down his throat. Fortunately, it didn't but Miss Lucy still put out the call to the doctor, who called the nurse, who called the lady with the alligator purse. Stop me if you've heard this before. All right, so you've probably heard it before, and a recap is probably not needed. Westcott's adaptation is fun - and cleaner than the rhyme we used when we were kids - and her illustrations are nice and the lack of the usual vibrant, colorful images that fill most books for the 0-3 age group might be another indicator that the book is aimed at slightly older little readers. Fun, and fun is good, but it's fun that's not even original, so I can't do better than 3 stars for it. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Good Night Blue
by
Blues Clues
annalovesbooks
, September 07, 2008
ISBN 0689829507 - Steve Burns' fans will be thrilled to find him here; current fans of Blue, those who've only known the show with Donovan Patton, might not be so excited by that, but they'll still enjoy a sleep over at Blue's house! The illustrations by Jenine Pontillo are almost straight from the TV show, absolutely perfect. Steve greets you when you arrive for your sleep over at Blue's house. After welcoming you, he and Blue take you step-by-step through the preparations for bed. From brushing your teeth to a bedtime song, you're in bed and ready for a story... until Steve remembers you've just had one! The "story" is told by Steve, just as the show was. Rather than give orders (like Mom does!), Steve asks "What do we do next?", gently leading Blue and the reader. There is a lot of text (by Angela C. Santomero) - this isn't so much a book that you'd read at bedtime, when you've got your kid tucked in, but more something you'd read as you go through your bedtime routine. That might make it a tough book to enjoy for those who like to curl up and read but, then again, it just might make the entire "brush your teeth, go to bed" routine a little less a routine chore. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Wheres Willy
by
Martha G. Alexander
annalovesbooks
, September 07, 2008
ISBN 1564021610 - Toddler siblings Willy and Lily, who failed to impress me in ISBN:1564021645 Good Night, Lily, get a little better in Where's Willy? Sturdy board book pages will stand up to your young reader and a mere 29 words make this book a good beginning reader. Lily and Willy play hide and seek. Willy hides in a bag and, when it tears open, pops out peek-a-boo style. Martha Alexander's illustrations are a little pastel-y for me, making them pleasant rather than good. For some reason, the top layer of the pages peels almost too easily; once they start peeling, there's no stopping it. The story is fun, and funny - little kids will enjoy it, especially because they'll know where Willy is before Lily. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Good Night Lily
by
Martha G Alexander
annalovesbooks
, September 07, 2008
ISBN 1564021645 - With just a dozen words for text, and several of those words repeated, this is a nice book for the very beginner. There are several Lily and Willy board books, for those who like the duo. I'm unimpressed so far but open-minded. Willy and Lily are sitting in bed, in their pajamas, with their doll and teddy. Lily is reading from a book titled "Nighty Night" and falls asleep. Willy then takes over reading - and also falls asleep... and the doll and teddy take over reading! The cover is not specific, it just lists Martha Alexander, so I assume she is both the author and illustrator. The text is incredibly simple and the illustrations are cute, but nothing special. I wouldn't call it good, I don't think it's bad, it's just average. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Trucks Chunky Shape Books
by
Mallory Loehr
annalovesbooks
, September 07, 2008
ISBN 0679830618 - Board books in shapes have lately bothered me because the shapes are so random - they aren't the shape of anything in particular, just not square. For actually being the shape of a truck, Trucks gets extra credit from me, and for being small enough to toss in a bag and take on the go, even more credit! The usual sturdiness of board book pages will stand up well to the roughest "readers". 20 pages of trucks, highlighting some aspect of their functions, with graphics that cover every inch of every page and rhyming text. From a fire engine zooming by to a (nameless) truck that cuts down trees, Trucks contains vehicles most children will see every day and some they may never see in real life at all. Into a world full of cutesie little books, Trucks brings a touch of testosterone. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you. It was strange that almost every vehicle was identified by a name (backhoe, cherry picker, school bus), but the "truck that cuts down trees" wasn't. Author Mallory Loehr made up for that by rhyming it with her environmentally friendly "Not too many, if you please!" Illustrator Harry McNaught did a nice job with the details, including a bottle of glass cleaner on top of the gas station's gas pump, a plaid shirt draped over the door of the cherry picker and cute little baby shoes hanging from the trucker's rearview mirror. I started writing my review thinking "4 stars" and, by the time I got to this sentence, that had already changed to 5; the more I look, the more I like. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Make Your Own Halloween Treats! with Sticker
by
Judith Moffatt
annalovesbooks
, September 04, 2008
ISBN 0439282780 - A fantastic idea that just kinda-sorta doesn't cut it, Make Your Own Halloween Treats is similar to ISBN:0689831307 The Sunmaid Raisins Play Book and the Cheerios, Froot Loops, Goldfish, M&Ms, etc. books, but instead of using your own various food items, you use re-usable stickers. If your child's hands are spotlessly clean and dry, the stickers will survive - if not, the life expectancy of them isn't long. On the left hand page, there is a completed image and on the right, a plain one, missing details. The reader uses "more than 35 reusable stickers" to duplicate the look or create their own. A cake, a cookie and more, require the reader to help prepare for a Halloween party. It's a great idea, and it's one that works for those books that rely on you supplying the food. Sonali Fry's text is simple and the illustrations by Judith Moffatt are nice, bright and not scary. Halloween books for really little kids aren't something I find often enough, so I was really happy to find this one - and sad to realize it won't survive most children. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
In The Country A Lift The Flap Learning
by
Francesco Pittau
annalovesbooks
, September 04, 2008
ISBN 2020694182 - There are a lot of Lift-the-Flap books out there and plenty of other novelty books, all created to get your child interested in reading, but In the Country is special. Not only are there flaps inside, there's education under those flaps! A fairly large book (8 1/2 x 10 3/4), In the Country is a mere 14 pages long. The pages are a thin cardboard, not quite board book thickness. The book talks about the things "we" do in the country and each page is littered with flaps to lift and tabs to pull. Gathering eggs, looking for birds, learning how everything grows and more, educational information is presented in small tidbits that are easy to learn - and far easier to remember this way! Some pages have so many things to see and some tabs and flaps blend so well into the background that they require an eagle eye and some attention to actually spot. Many of the flaps are glued onto the page, making them very flimsy and easily torn out. The illustrations of people are pretty basic (triangle for a body, circle for a head, sticks for arms and legs) and wouldn't deserve high praise, but the flaps are so much the center of attention that you tend not to notice those relatively primitive graphics. This, I assume, is intentional and isn't due to lack of ability on the illustrator's part because most of the other illustrations are fantastic, it's only the people who aren't. My only advice, for used book buyers, is to make sure that all the flaps are inside - I've gone through 2 copies already and there's always a flap or three missing! 100% worthwhile. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Good Night Sweet Butterflies A Color Dreamland With 9 Plastic Butterflies
by
Dawn Bentley
annalovesbooks
, September 04, 2008
ISBN 0689856849 â Whether or not you enjoy this book will probably depend on what it is you expect from it. It is easy to become confused by the cover statement "From the creator of Ten Little Ladybugs" (ISBN 1581170912). The creator/author of that book is Melanie Gerth, and she is also the creator of Good Night, Sweet Butterflies - but she is not the author here. The text in this case is by Dawn Bentley, illustrations by Heather Cahoon. That information, intentionally or not, is hidden away on the back cover in small letters. Ladybugs fans might find themselves disappointed. Nine glittery plastic butterflies head off to find a place to sleep. One by one, they choose a place, until there are none left. It is time to sleep until another day arrives. While technically a Board Book, the pages here are much thinner than the usual board book binding. That and the small, not too hard to remove butterflies (a potential choking hazard) make the book unsuitable for children under 3. There are cut-outs on the cover for all nine butterflies and each succeeding page has one less cut-out, which is a nice way to learn to count down from 9. The places the butterflies choose to sleep are color-based (the blue butterfly chooses a blue stream, the red on red roses, etc), so colors are introduced as well. The negative comes in two parts, both in the writing. The text is in rhyme, but the rhyming pattern is clunky, with long lines and no evident cadence to it. In addition, some lines are tongue twisters ("with a pink piglet and three playful pink possums"), which only makes reading the rhyme more difficult. If your child is likely to spend a lot of time on the counting, you'll take so long between pages that the rhyme issues won't matter anyway, but it's an annoyance that what is essentially a poem doesn't flow the way you expect it to. Really a nice book and a super cute idea, Butterflies is just missing something in the text. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Julian's Glorious Summer
by
Ann Cameron
annalovesbooks
, September 04, 2008
ISBN 0394891171 - Any book that wins the Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year gets my attention and Julian's Glorious Summer took that prize in 1988. The lesson of Julian's story is one that all parents can appreciate. Julian's summer takes a nosedive from the beginning, when his best friend Gloria rides up on her bicycle. She thinks it's great - he thinks it's scary. Not that he's about to say that! Instead, when Gloria invites him over to her house, Julian claims that his father will be forcing him to work day and night for the entire summer. His lie snowballs and, perhaps worse, his father seems to think this is a good idea and puts Julian to work immediately. One day, however, the work runs out - it's payday and Julian is in for yet another surprise this summer. The back cover says Reading Level 2.8. This book is a nice way for a kid to learn how lying can backfire, but at the same time Julian ends up with quite a payoff for his lies, so the lesson can be a little vague and might merit further discussion. Julian's fear of riding a bike is not uncommon and might help your child face his or her own fear - of bikes or anything else. The illustrations, by Dora Leder, are black and white pencil sketches and the lack of the vibrant colors usually found in books for very young readers is a positive here, because they don't distract from the text but enhance it. Race is most certainly not an issue in this story, but it might be worth knowing for some that the characters are black (it's never said, just in the images). This might make the book even more appealing to black families who have, in my reading experience so far, been under-represented in childrens' books. Julian's summer is glorious, the book is all right and the messages in it are worthwhile. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Up Down All Round Learning About Opposit
by
Fisher Price
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 1575842734 â Board book bindings are the best, bar none. These pages are so thick and sturdy that they can stand up to almost any beating your child can dole out. There is no warning on the book itself, so it is probably minimal to non-existent for normal children (if there is such a thing!), but the small cardboard vehicles seem likely to be nibbled on and might, just at a stretch, pose a choking hazard. In the morning, the city comes to life with the noises of vehicles everywhere. They move about town, in and out, under and over. The vehicle shaped "puzzle" pieces fit into spots on each page and reinforce the opposites on the pages. Interactive books are always a good thing, especially for the youngest readers. Fisher-Price gets kids and proves it with their Puzzle PlayBooks. The illustrations by Peggy Tagel remind me of those felt-covered boards where you could create a scene, they're very brightly colored and most don't have too much in the way of overwhelming detail. The "tray" that holds the cars in the cover of the book doesn't slide out too easily, so your young reader won't find it easy to pull them out - and proceed to lose them or gnaw on them! Well worth picking up, but if you buy it used, make sure all the cars come with it. They are, after all, the fun part. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Three Little Pigs
by
Jane Jerrard
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 0785300317 - The Fairy Tale Treasury series has one good thing going for it, even before you open the book: they're small enough to travel easily, almost pocket-sized. Being able to take them along when you're out is a plus, especially for car rides. Three little pigs decide to build houses and each of them meet men carrying materials that they decide to use. The first builds of the straw, the second of sticks; each of them lose their homes when the big bad wolf comes. The third pig uses bricks and his house does not come down, no matter how hard the wolf tries. Annoyed, the wolf tries to trick the pig into coming out, luring him with turnips, apples and even a visit to the fair. The pig outsmarts the wolf every time and when the wolf finally decides to use the chimney to get inside, he's met by a pot of boiling water. The illustrations are nothing special, but they're nice. The best part of the book is that the story doesn't end with the huffing and puffing, but goes on to detail various tricks of the wolf. Those who remember the tale saying that the first little pig ran to the second little pig's house after the wolf blew his down, and that the two ran to the third's house when the second house fell, might find the change to the tale they recall to be a negative. I liked it mostly because the story is always too short that way. The fate of the first two pigs is never mentioned after their houses fall, a lack I found strangely delicate, since the wolf's fate is the gleeful climax. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Sleeping Beauty
by
Jane Jerrard
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 0785300252 (3 stars) - Since this is the second version of Sleeping Beauty that I've read recently, I thought I'd merge the reviews for comparison. The one thing that makes Jane Jerrard's adaptation for the Fairy Tale Treasury series is the almost pocket-size, perfect for taking along when you're out of the house. The illustrations by Burgandy Nilles are nice and, considering how small they are, surprisingly detailed. They are generally much less vibrantly colored than the Disney illustrations. This version is all right, but just doesn't compare to the Disney edition. ISBN 0394927982 (5 stars) - Keep in mind that Disney's Wonderful World of Reading books are intended to help youngsters start reading on their own, because this book isn't meant for the advanced reader. The story is shortened and altered somewhat and the text is simplified using easy vocabulary words. The graphics are part of the story in these books, as well, making it easy for young readers to see what's happening as they learn to read. The entire set is standard Disney - bright, beautiful graphics to catch kids' eyes and pull them into the wonderful world of reading! The story is the same, essentially, in both books. After years of wishing for a child, the King and Queen finally have a girl who, other than Princess and later Sleeping Beauty, has no name. Fairies (the number varies) come to the celebration of her birth and bestow good things upon her, except for one fairy who wasn't invited (details vary). Her gift to the child is a promise that she will die when she is sixteen years old, after pricking her finger on a spindle. This terrible curse cannot be removed but one last fairy has a gift left to give and softens the curse so that the Princess will sleep until kissed by a Prince, rather than die. Her father's efforts to thwart the curse do no good and the curse comes true years later. The fairy who'd lightened the curse puts the rest of the castle's residents to sleep and grows a magical forest around it to protect them until the right Prince comes along. When he does, happiness and life are restored to the castle and the Prince and Princess marry. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Puss In Boots
by
Jane Jerrard
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 0785300260 - The Fairy Tale Treasury series is attractive in part because of the size of the books. Just about pocket-sized, they travel easily. For the parents who worry, reasonably or otherwise, about every possible message their child might get from a book, the classic Puss in Boots has a bad one for you - lying is greatly rewarded. For the more rational parents, it's a pleasure to share the classics with your kids. When he dies, a poor man leaves little for his three sons to divide amongst themselves; the youngest is left with a cat. No ordinary cat, he promises to make his new owner the luckiest son of all if only he'll give the cat a sack and a pair of boots. Puss becomes friendly with the King in his owner's name â which he now makes the Duke of Carabas. Through trickery, Puss maneuvers the situation until the King offers the Duke his daughter's hand in marriage. The illustrations by Susan Spellman are okay, although nothing spectacular. The story is short and Jerrard does a fair job in her adaptation. Fairy tales, the good ones, the original ones, tend to be a little rough according to many present-day parents. For example, Puss tells farmers that they must do as he says or "the Ogre who lives in that far castle will chop you into tiny pieces for stew!". If that sort of thing is going to bother you, this isn't a book for you. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Lion King
by
Margo Hover
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 2894332513 (5 stars) â This is now the third Disney version of The Lion King that I've read, I thought I'd found the best of them in 0307127923. I stand corrected with this one. Although it's small, nearly pocket sized, and it's one of those "novelties", with a pillowed hardcover, this edition is better than the rest (so far!). For the sake of comparison I will, again, merge the reviews. This third edition is, by far, the smoothest flowing storytelling Iâve found to date. Leaving out almost nothing, from the beginning to the end, it captures every important moment, running them fluidly together. This makes a much more complete and easy to follow â and enjoy! â story. Brimar's edition seems to be author-less, sadly, so it won't be possible for me to hunt down anything else from the writer â which is only one of two negatives I can find here. The other is that the text is a little small and the font not great. The first edition I reviewed: ISBN 0717283534 (4 stars) - This is the Disney's Wonderful World of Reading edition of The Lion King. Because there are so many, and they vary so much, I think it's important not to confuse them. Some parents might be reluctant to introduce their child to the story because of the murder of Simba's father and the later killing of Scar. If that's a concern for you, this book might be best passed by for now. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, even a step above Disney's usual standard excellence. The story is very slightly disjointed because it's condensed, but the high points are covered and those who have seen the movie will have no trouble following. On the other hand, those who haven't seen the movie might not even notice what's missing! Either way, a chance to read with your child should never be missed and a wonderful Disney tale is always worthwhile. ISBN 0307127923 (5 stars) â This is the second version of Disney's The Lion King that I've read. All three tell the same story, but this one is a bit better. Hover's adaptation includes more detail and flows more smoothly. The illustrations by the team of Judy Barnes and Robbin Cuddy are very good and the mood of the moment is captured in fantastic colors. Simba's birth is cause for celebration in the jungle - the future king is presented to one and all, and all show up. Except, that is, Scar. Scar is Simba's uncle, brother of King Mufasa and, until Simba's birth, next in line for the throne. Scar hatches several plans to get rid of Simba and reclaim his place, finally resorting to killing his brother and encouraging Simba to give in to his guilt and run away. Befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, Simba grows to his full size. He misses his loved ones and, thanks to a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala and the guidance of Rafiki, Simba returns home to take back his place as king. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Lion King
by
Disney
annalovesbooks
, September 03, 2008
ISBN 2894332513 (5 stars) â This is now the third Disney version of The Lion King that I've read, I thought I'd found the best of them in 0307127923. I stand corrected with this one. Although it's small, nearly pocket sized, and it's one of those "novelties", with a pillowed hardcover, this edition is better than the rest (so far!). For the sake of comparison I will, again, merge the reviews. This third edition is, by far, the smoothest flowing storytelling Iâve found to date. Leaving out almost nothing, from the beginning to the end, it captures every important moment, running them fluidly together. This makes a much more complete and easy to follow â and enjoy! â story. Brimar's edition seems to be author-less, sadly, so it won't be possible for me to hunt down anything else from the writer â which is only one of two negatives I can find here. The other is that the text is a little small and the font not great. The first edition I reviewed: ISBN 0717283534 (4 stars) - This is the Disney's Wonderful World of Reading edition of The Lion King. Because there are so many, and they vary so much, I think it's important not to confuse them. Some parents might be reluctant to introduce their child to the story because of the murder of Simba's father and the later killing of Scar. If that's a concern for you, this book might be best passed by for now. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, even a step above Disney's usual standard excellence. The story is very slightly disjointed because it's condensed, but the high points are covered and those who have seen the movie will have no trouble following. On the other hand, those who haven't seen the movie might not even notice what's missing! Either way, a chance to read with your child should never be missed and a wonderful Disney tale is always worthwhile. ISBN 0307127923 (5 stars) â This is the second version of Disney's The Lion King that I've read. All three tell the same story, but this one is a bit better. Hover's adaptation includes more detail and flows more smoothly. The illustrations by the team of Judy Barnes and Robbin Cuddy are very good and the mood of the moment is captured in fantastic colors. Simba's birth is cause for celebration in the jungle - the future king is presented to one and all, and all show up. Except, that is, Scar. Scar is Simba's uncle, brother of King Mufasa and, until Simba's birth, next in line for the throne. Scar hatches several plans to get rid of Simba and reclaim his place, finally resorting to killing his brother and encouraging Simba to give in to his guilt and run away. Befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, Simba grows to his full size. He misses his loved ones and, thanks to a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala and the guidance of Rafiki, Simba returns home to take back his place as king. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Old Age Is Not For Sissies
by
Lois Kaufman
annalovesbooks
, September 02, 2008
ISBN 0880884541 - You know those 101 (insert word) Joke books? Like, 101 Summertime Jokes, 101 Football Jokes - aimed at the age group that will laugh at anything? This is sort of that book, for Grandma and Grandpa. 64 pages of quips, quotes and jokes about aging, covering everything from senility to a fading libido. The illustrations by Lyn Peal Rice are a whimsical sort of touch. This book strikes me more as a really long gift card than a book and, in fact, has a "For" space on the front endpage so you can inscribe it. The jokes and quotes range from funny to "eh" and seem to define middle-age as old. In what might be her own moment of memory loss, author Kaufman used the same one liner (Age isn't important unless you're cheese.) on page 3 and page 52. Not a great read, obviously, but it might make a good gift for your own middle-aged someone... as long as they've got a sense of humor! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Sitter for Baby Monster
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
annalovesbooks
, September 02, 2008
ISBN 0307120228 - Sesame Street and Golden Books is a pairing that can hardly go wrong and the Growing-Up Books are proving to be equal to that reputation. The alphabet, counting and colors are important but they've been done to death and if your child is ready for new things, these books might fill the need. Flossie's Mommy wakes her up with some news â today she's starting her new job as a teacher and Flossie will be staying home with Dolores, her new monster-sitter. Flossie's very sad to see her mother go but Dolores shows her pictures of her cat, plays with her and tries to learn the way Mommy does things for Flossie while showing her new ways. When Henry comes home from school, they go out to the park, stop at the store and come home to get ready for their parents to arrive after work. While I was reading, one thought kept running through my mind - either Dolores and Mommy are way better with children than humans are or monsters just are better children than human ones. These kids are nearly perfect, the adults are endlessly patient... it's almost enough to give a mom a complex. Still, the book isn't really for us, it's for kids - especially the kids who are about to face "losing" Mommy to the workplace. This book touches on the concerns that little children have when they're first separated from their parents and even indirectly offers parents some input on how to handle the situation. The illustrations are nice, but seem heavy on the pastel shades, maybe intentionally, to be soothing? I don't know, but I wasn't particularly enthralled by them. Pick this one up if you're getting ready to leave your child with a sitter for the first time; maybe a preview will help! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
19 Purchase Street
by
Gerald A Browne
annalovesbooks
, August 19, 2008
ISBN 042506154X - I was about 75 pages in before I actually cared whether or not I forgot the book on a bus - slow starter, a little meandering, but after that, it picked up. It was a little ironic to me that I was reading this book as the Roberto Calvi murder story was making news, and even more ironic that Calvi was murdered in 1982, the same year this book is copyrighted. Calvi's a lot like Gordon Winship - replace the High Board in the book with the Vatican, and Browne seems almost psychic. Andrew and Norma Gainer were, for all the system knew, orphans - so the system tried to swallow them up. Norma, however, had different plans, and broke free of the system with her younger brother. They found themselves doing rather dubious things for money, but none of it compared to the dealings they had with the men at 19 Purchase Street. Carrying dirty money out of the country to be laundered, Norma thought she was working for the Mob and risked her life by skimming a little every time. When she paid with her life, her brother decided to get even. He, too, thinks Norma was working for the Mafia. Indirectly, perhaps, but neither of them have a clue who the Mafia is working for. In an effort to clean large amounts of money faster, the Mafia turned to a banker, Gordon Winship, who took them to the cleaners. Soon, the Mob was working for the High Board - comprised on men of impeccable backgrounds, from wealthy families, in positions of great power in the U.S. And the High Board turned out to be far more ruthless than the made men ever expected. The seedy, kind of small-time criminal element taking on what they think is the Mob leaves the reader cheering for one criminal element or another; there are no "good" guys to cheer for here. The way it all plays out, and some of the details Browne manages NOT to overlook (like Norma's "forgotten" ashes) make it worth reading. Of course, it's 1982. The technology is sometimes dated, and I'd bet Browne backed the wrong pony and bought a Betamax himself back in the day. A little gory, especially the murder of Norma, and if sex in your books bothers you, don't even pick this up. Mostly, though, a good read! - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
101 Silly Summertime Jokes
by
Stephanie Calmenson
annalovesbooks
, August 19, 2008
ISBN 0590425560 - Children are bound to find these jokes far more hilarious than adults, but many of the jokes are better read than said because the play on words often goes over the heads of younger children. 96 pages with 101 jokes, ranging from bad to really bad - just the sort of jokes little kids will find roll on the floor funny. Some of the jokes are just too difficult for really young readers to grasp, which I tested on several kids. Still, what doesn't draw blank stares will have them giggling. Your budding comedian will enjoy the book, you'll enjoy knowing s/he's reading - and maybe wishing they'd read to themselves. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Christmas In Plains
by
Jimmy Carter
annalovesbooks
, August 17, 2008
ISBN 0743224914 â Iâve got a large collection of Christmas books and thought that Christmas In Plains would fit in nicely. Since then, Iâve read the book and have no desire to keep it â but I am glad to have read it. Itâs a nice look at Christmases gone by and a tiny window on the interaction between blacks and whites in rural Georgia over the years. Carter shares his memories of Christmas throughout his life. As a member of a well-off family in Georgia, he is blissfully unaware of any real difference between himself and his black playmates and shares Christmas joys with them as well as with his close family. Even the town figures into the earliest celebrations, with fireworks and church services. Through his years at West Point and in the Navy, including the early years of his marriage and finally reaching his time in public service, when his family grew and grew until, returning to Georgia from the White House, he and his wife find that much has changed â and much has stayed the same. For other former presidents, perhaps the years in office would be their choice for an uplifting ending to a book like this. Carter chooses to end with the beginnings of his time with Habitat for Humanity, a fitting place to leave things for this man who, more than any other recent president, comes across as a normal guy with the ability to relate to the rest of us. I was a little annoyed to find that the first chapter or two never really came into focus. Carter spends most of his ink there pointing out, in various ways, how not racist he is. While I believe that Carterâs an open-minded non-racist, it seemed a little much. On the other hand, bookending the entire tale with his childhood among black neighbors in the 1930-1940s with the story of Curtis and Martha, black neighbors in need of help, is a great choice. Despite being part of a close family, and his mentioning the days before his fatherâs death, he glosses over that death and its impact on himself, his family and their holidays. The illustrations by Amy Carter would have been cute, had they been done when she was 8. Sheâs not eight and the only cute factor is that theyâre evidence of her closeness to her father. A nice holiday read, just not a keeper. - AnnaLovesBooks
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment