Don’t Turn the Page!(Creston Books, $16.95, Ages 3-6) is a cozy bedtime tale that capitalizes on a universal truth: Children will resist going to bed. Burk and Downing cleverly execute this idea as a book-within-a-book featuring a cuddly hedgehog and a sleepy bear cub.
Although Sami Hedgehog doesn’t want to stop playing with blocks, she is eager to hear just the first page of her new book. Cuddled on the couch, we – the readers – peer over Mama Hedgehog’s shoulder to learn about sleepy Little Bear of Rambling Woods who is getting ready for bed. Although they stop after one page, Sami begins to wonder “How do bears get ready for bed?” so Mama reads on. Inspired by Little Bear, Sami is gently encouraged to follow her own bedtime preparations step by step, page by page.
Burk divides the text into rhythmic rhyme for obedient Little Bear’s nightly routine. Sami’s story is told in prose, punctuated perfectly with her repeated, resistant command, “Don’t turn the page.” Mama Hedgehog is ever patient and reasonable, adapting to Sami’s sleepy pace as the book unfolds.
Downing masterfully weaves the two tales seamlessly together through clever illustrations that show clues of the story-in-story on each page in alternating fashion. Different typefaces and thick page borders also reinforce the message about which story is being told and ties it neatly together in the end. The creatures are charming, and the soft colors are rich and muted. A special treat are the book’s endpapers, which echo the animal’s pajamas!
Don’t Turn the Page! is an endearing winner for bedtime reading. There may be no guarantee that kids will ever willingly get ready for bed, but I’m willing to bet that they will ask for this book to be read again and again.
– Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey
– Where Obtained: I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Come along, and bring a picnic lunch! We’re headed off to the Baby Animal Farm, (Candlewick Press, board book $6.99, Ages 0-3) written and illustrated byKaren Blair. It’s never too early to start developing an appreciation for books, and this one is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its traditional storyline and pleasing illustrations done in lithographic crayon and watercolor.
Blair starts the story on the cover of the book where one of the diverse group of toddlers has unknowingly dropped his teddy bear. What a great time the friends have following in a row like baby ducks, chasing baby chicks, and feeding a lamb from a bottle, all before lunchtime. There are no adults shown in this board book, just five independent little ones who settle down for a healthy lunch of fruit, cheese, and what appears to be a rice cake, while a watchful puppy looks on from a distance.
After lunch, it’s back to petting and patting the kittens, piglet, and calf, until one youngster discovers he’s lost his teddy. Your little reader will love it when the puppy saves the day and shows up with the teddy bear. It’s fun but tiring playing with all those baby animals and learning all the sounds they make …
Cuddle the kittens.
Mew, mew, mew.
Pat the piglet.
Oink, oink, oink.
Touch the calf.
Moo, moo, moo.
Which is why at the end of the book five sleepy toddlers go Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…
Sleepyheads written by Sandra J. Howatt and illustrated by Joyce Wan, (Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, $16.99, Ages 2-6), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.
Sleepyheads by Sandra J. Howatt with illustrations by Joyce Wan, Beach Lane Books, 2014.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun sets quite late in the summer. I relied on room-darkening blinds and soft music to lull my toddlers to sleep when the sun was still shining. If only I had owned a copy of Sandra Howatt’s delightful, yawn-inducing Sleepyheads about a decade ago!
Howatt’s story begins outdoors under soft moonlight with a delightful assortment of cuddly creatures snoozing in nests, trees, caves and waves. The cozy dozers – bear, duck, rabbit, pig – are relaxed and content. Quiet oozes throughout the soft “S” assonance sprinkled through the rhyming lines. While an owl keeps vigil (This one’s not a sleepyhead – this one slept all day!) we transition inside the house where the cat and dog are sound asleep. There is one last special sleepyhead to be found, where a pillow, bed and blanket await.
Wan’s illustrations are perfectly sweet, soft and soothing. Fuzzy, thick-edged images reinforce the look of deep night sky, with subtle pops of pink, green and brown. The creatures are rounded into large, simple shapes that are just right for little ones learning animal names and homes. The night sky is sprinkled with luminous, glowing stars as tiny fireflies dot pages in a lovely rhythm.
Sleepyheads is just long enough, just soft enough, and just dreamy enough to cause even the most sleep-resistant tots to rub their eyes. Kirkus gave Sleepyheads a starred review, calling it “A superb execution of soporific shapes and sounds perfect for the bedside table.” Perfect for sweet nighttime tuck-ins!
– Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey
Where Obtained: I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Welcome to the EVEN MONSTERS Virtual Tour & Giveaway courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky!
Even Monsters … written and illustrated by A.J. Smith, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014.
Be sure to scroll down to devour every last morsel of our exciting EVEN MONSTERS by A.J. Smith art contest, giveaway, interview & EVEN more!!
MONSTER ART CONTEST:Even the bravest little monsters can be scared of what’s lurking in a closet or under the bed. Author and illustrator A.J. Smith’s family-friendly picture book, Even Monsters(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, $16.99, Ages 4-8 ) written and illustrated by A.J. Smith, is perfect for helping children understand that sometimes the things we are afraid of are not scary at all. In fact, they can be quite funny – see Fur of The Loom undies above!! To help kids overcome their fear of the dark and see how silly monsters can be, A.J. invites them to participate in the Monster Art Contest. Children ages 2-9 can send in their best monsters drawings for the chance to have their art animated into their own music video! The best 100 drawings will appear in a special Even Monsters art gallery, and the top 20 drawings will be animated into their own music video. WOW!
PLEASE WATCH THIS TERRIFIC EVEN MONSTERS BOOK TRAILER BEFORE YOU READ OUR INTERVIEW.Even Monsters Book Trailer
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR A.J. SMITH
Hi AJ! EVEN MONSTERS is ADORABLE and something both my kids would have loved when they were younger. There’s something to discover on every page meaning kids will want to go back again and again to see if they can find something new. GRWR:With that last sentence in mind, did you deliberately include those tiny cute orangey-red, big-eyed creatures for kids to seek out on every page (and perhaps count)?
A.J. SMITH: Certainly I want the story to be fun and engaging in its own right, but yes, the little cooties were added as a way to extend the life of the story by inviting kids to come back for multiple reads and explore the book for cooties. Taking it even a step further, kids can print and play this cootie-counter game: http://www.evenmonsters.com/cootieCounter.pdf
GRWR: I noticed a lot of broken items scattered throughout the book and thought you got into the young monsters’ heads quite well. Were you a monster when you were growing up?
A.J. SMITH: Kids (and monsters) can sometimes be destructive even when intentions are at their best. That said, I was an exceptionally gentle and thoughtful child who never did anything wrong. It’s possible my parents may have their own perspective on the matter, however.
GRWR:What prompted you to take this picture book one step further by introducing the digital element where kids (with help from their parents) can scan the QR codes throughout the book for assorted fun activities?
A.J. SMITH: I like the idea that a children’s book is a toy. Yes, it’s hopefully an eventual gateway to bigger literary endeavors. But in the meantime, a picture book should encourage interactivity and play. QR codes were just one more way for me to help facilitate that, which then brings you to more content online that revolves around Even Monsters. GRWR: Aside from the fact that you’re obviously very talented, what else would you say influenced you to first enter the world of animation and designing?
A.J. SMITH: Thanks for the kind words. I’ve always liked to draw from a young age … Always enjoyed cartoons and books. I could talk all day about specific influences from pop culture to everyday events in childhood. But mostly I just always wanted to create stories and make people laugh. Animation, design, illustration, and writing became the best ways (for me) to make that happen.
Artie Bennetthas either done his homework very well or happens to know a little boy just like his main character, Peter Panda, because he’s captured him to a T (for temperamental)! In Bennett’s latest picture book, Peter Panda Melts Down!(Blue Apple Books, $16.99, Ages 2-5), we meet the melt down king, a three-year-old who tends to lose it, so to speak, when he doesn’t get his way.
We’ve all witnessed or personally dealt with children’s temper tantrums, but Peter’s are presented with such finesse as Bennett’s characters are wont to, that the humor is not lost on the parent reader. When Peter sets his sights on a chocolate bar at the supermarket and mama firmly says “No!” young Peter Panda melts “dowwwwnnn!” When he has to leave the playground sooner than he wants …
“Uh-oh.
Here it comes.
Here comes that frown.
Peter Panda melts dowwwwnnn!”
Peter Panda’s typical toddler reactions are expected, but funny nonetheless and part of the reason is Bennett’s tight writing and relatable examples, but the other part is because of John Nez’sexpressive illustrations. They’re not over the top and they’re not too simple, they’re just right. And despite being such high maintenance, Peter Panda’s precious, too.
Little ones will just love the assortment of situations Peter Panda faces that he just can’t handle. From his dinner time drama to his bath time boo hoos to his bedtime brouhaha, Peter Panda’s melt downs make for entertaining reading. While throughout the day, a very understanding Mama Panda has remained calm and in total control, Peter Panda’s final flexing of his toddler muscles makes Mama Panda melt-down, too! There’s nothing like a good laugh to open the flood gates of discussion and parents will certainly find reading Peter Panda Melts Down! a great way to get the tantrum conversation started … that is unless your child melts dowwwwnnn, too!
Meet Baby Animals on The Day They Are Born
With A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na
& reviewed by MaryAnne Locher
A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2014.
Spring is just around the corner. It’s the time when bulbs blossom into flowers, leaves sprout from buds on tree branches, and baby animals are born.
Take a journey around the world with a duck who has just become the father of five noisy ducklings. You’ll see many different animals in this beautifully illustrated picture book, A Book of Babiesby Il Sung Na (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $15.99, Ages 0-3) and your little ones will learn that some are hatched, some are not; some have scales, some have fur; there are single births, and multiple births; and daddys sometimes play a bigger role than mommys in raising their young (as in the case of the seahorse), but at the end of the day, all types of babies must go to sleep. Father duck comes home after his adventures and finds that even his noisy ducklings get sleepy.
A Book of Babies is a perfect gift for a new parent, soon-to-be big brother or sister, and would also be a sweet, but healthy addition to any Easter basket. Sparse, but lyrical text, and illustrations done in all the colors of the rainbow, make this the perfect book to hold the attention of even the youngest ‘reader.’
Today’s interview with Aaron Becker, author and illustrator of JOURNEY (Candlewick Press, $15.99, Ages 4-8), comes to us courtesy of Hilary Taber and just before the naming of the 2014 Caldecott winner and honors announcement later today.
NOTE: At the time of posting we did not know that JOURNEY was named a 2014 Caldecott Honor Book. Congratulations to Aaron Becker!
Treat yourself and your children to one of 2013’s most talked about picture books, Aaron Becker’s JOURNEY. Though wordless, this colorful tale speaks to its readers in so many different ways, a big part of why JOURNEY will continue to bring immense pleasure to so many for years to come. Find out about Aaron Becker here with Hilary’s insightful interview.
Hilary Taber:Thank you for this interview, and thank you so much for the book as well. It’s gorgeous, so beautifully and wonderfully illustrated. My family has enjoyed it so much.
Aaron Becker: Thank you.
Hilary Taber:Congrats, too, on all the starred reviews! Horn Book Best of 2013, a New York Times Notable Children’s Book, so many accolades for JOURNEY. It must have been so fun to get those, and very affirming.
Aaron Becker: Yeah, it is and has been an amazing response. Like nothing I anticipated or was really imagining.
HT:Was your family delighted?
AB: Well, for sure. Totally, yeah … I mean, that’s something I always wanted to do … a children’s book, and to get to do one is delighting enough. And then people respond to it in ways I wouldn’t have even anticipated. It’s just very exciting.
HT:So, you have always wanted to write a children’s book or illustrate one?
AB: Oh, yeah. When I was a kid I made my own books … I wrote my own stories and drew pictures … it was one of my hobbies. This is my first book and I’m almost forty … there was a career in the middle there. I spent about a decade working as an illustrator on motion pictures.
HT:Do you feel that your career in movies helped you as a picture book illustrator?
AB: It sure does. Certainly there’s the technical side of just learning the craft of telling stories through pictures. We do that in film and in books. So, there’s just a lot of technical stuff I learned – composition, how to lead the reader’s eye, where you want them to go – but it’s a different craft as well. So, there’s some crossover for sure.
HT:I have some familiarity through my family with film production. I read that you refer to the picture book as having sets in it. Are the main characters like actors?
AB: I know, I caught myself using that word (sets), I noticed that too. It’s how I think, only right now I’m working on the third … there are three Journey books … I do think in terms of film. In some ways I think that if films were easier to make, less capital intensive, and less time intensive, I’d be making short films, not books. The nice thing about a book is that the scope of the project can be taken on by one person … it’s easier for me to be just like, “Okay, I’ll work with an editor – you know, with an agent.”
HT:Do you feel that you had people in your past, family or mentors, or somebody that was very key or crucial to you becoming an illustrator today?
AB: It’s easy for me to think in terms of books I like, but my parents definitely were important. Especially my mom, she was very focused on feeding my interests. She bought me a pad of paper, she bought me markers, and she made sure I had trips to the library to get out my drawing books and stuff. So, I was encouraged, but I wouldn’t say there was anyone around me doing this kind of work. It was my own interest for sure.
HT:It was your own journey.
AB: Yes, it was absolutely my journey. I started working on this book just after my daughter was born, and I had lost my job with the film company … I had always wanted to do this children’s book thing, a now or never kind of feeling, all my cards on the table, just a “Hail Mary pass.” It definitely felt like a journey, especially because it took so long for the book to come out. You know, it was about a three year process from inception to publication, which actually isn’t long for a book. It seemed like forever.
Pure imagination is Journey, a wordless picture book by Aaron Becker (Candlewick, $15.99, Ages 4-8). Today’s review is by Hilary Taber.
Journeying through the world of this stunning picture book, the audience follows the adventure of a little girl who uses a red marker to literally draw herself from one world into another. Lonely and bored in her own home, the little girl retreats to her room where she uses a red marker to draw a secret, red door. This new world beyond the red door is filled with breathtaking landscapes.
First, blue lanterns in green trees filled with lights lead to moats. The moats in turn lead our heroine to a complex, gray castle. Here she sails through Venetian canals, past golden domes that point to a vast sky. When one mode of transportation doesn’t work any longer, the girl simply uses the magical red marker to draw one that will. She travels by red boat, balloon, and finally a flying carpet. Journey upon journey seems possible. Then comes the moment that the girl sees an elegant purple bird in danger of being kidnapped and caged for life. Suddenly, this imaginative exploration turns into a daring adventure to help a new friend. Every page makes you want to turn to the next to know what happens. Can the little girl save her new friend? Where will this journey take her next? Will she ever get home again? Page after gorgeously illustrated page beckons the reader on.
This wordless picture book has stolen my heart with its detailed watercolor world, and has captured my full attention with all its adventure. Wordless picture books have a magical quality about them in as much as they are able to unite those who cannot read with those who can. Here is an equal playing field where an adult and child can talk their way through the pictures, discussing each page as they go along. Aaron Becker leads us on an imaginative trip well worth taking, exploring the powerful results of creativity united with inspiration and friendship. Of course, the famous Harold and the Purple Crayon comes to mind when reading Journey, but all you really have to do is open the book to look at the fantastic illustrations to see that Becker has made Journey into something entirely his own. Journey has been given starred reviews by Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist! Will this be a Caldecott winner? I certainly hope so!
We hope that the book trailer below for Journey will help you to discover this imaginative picture book for yourself:
Books as Gifts,
The Good Reads With Ronna Holiday Gift Guide
Good Night Little Me by Jennifer Dewing with illustrations by Mary GrandPré from I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books, www.iseeme.com
Beginning today Good Reads With Ronna will be sharing books we recommend as gift ideas this holiday season including these beautiful personalized children’s books from I See Me! (www.iseeme.com).Order your customized book by Sunday, 12/15/13 and get it in time for Christmas (Continental U.S. only). PLUS:Use the code “goodreads” to get a 15% discount! There are so many cool choices on the site so don’t just take our word for it, go on and check it out.
I was excited to get my review copy of the latest I See Me! personalized storybook in the collection, Goodnight Little Me(the me gets customized to the name of your child) written by Jennifer Dewing with illustrations by Mary GrandPré’. You may recognize the latter name since Mary GrandPré was the award-winning illustrator of the Harry Potter® series. Her artwork is cheerful, dreamy and colored with muted blue and purple tones setting just the right mood for a bedtime story. Couple the soothing, sleepy time illustrations with Dewing’s rhythmic parade-themed tale and you’ll have one content child heading off to the land of nod in no time at all.
My copy was entitled Goodnight Little Tyler,and the name Tyler (I don’t know a Tyler, but you might so comment here and you may win a copy!) was incorporated into the story and illustrations over 10 times (samples shown here are from the I See Me! website where Elizabeth is the name used). My kids, with their uncommon names, would have gone wild over a personalized book when they were little, but even if their names had been Michael or Mary, they would have been delighted to see their name printed inside the pages of a such a lovely book. Even the glossy pages feel good to the touch.
“Sail away, sweet Tyler,
on silver moonbeams,
as the Goodnight Parade
marches into your dreams.”
Interior artwork from Goodnight Little Me written by Jennifer Dewing with illustrations by Mary GrandPré, I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books, 2013.
I love how the marriage of words, art, plus a youngster’s name can turn a very good bedtime story into a magical celebration of make-believe in a sky filled with all types of friendly looking animals. There are owls, eagles, frogs, mice, bears, sheep, cats, monkeys, and dogs. There are also some very happy looking cows jumping over a rainbow adorned moon as well as Dish and Spoon. As the story comes to a close, the back of the child is seen watching the parade end with an adorable doggie kick line. As your little one sails off to sleep, you’ll be pleased that you chose an I See Me! book to brighten their dreams.
I’m a huge Jim Henson fan so when I received these new Pajanimals bedtime board books (some even include my fave – reusable stickers!) and paperbacks from Running Press Kids, I knew I had to share them all with you. The best part about this new collection is that they provide parents with ideal reading material for toddlers dealing with concerns and fears quite common for their developmental stage.
The writing in all the Pajanimals bedtime books is upbeat, easy flowing and each colorful book focuses on a way to tackle the title’s issue in a comforting way whether it be about jealousy, nightmares or waking up on the wrong side of the bed. For instance in Sweet Pea Sue Misses Mom and Dad, Sweet Pea would rather sleep with Mom and Dad than spend the night in her own room. However after a quick visit to the Moon with her pals Squacky, Cowbella and Apollo, and a thoughtful question from the Moon, Sweet Pea Sue solves the dilemma herself. I sure wish books like these had been available 18 years ago when my oldest daughter faced many of the same challenges. Children will be able to relate to their favorite TV characters and parents will be thankful for an easy, affordable way to discuss otherwise tricky topics. The books’ size makes them easy to take along on vacations or outings. Why not also consider giving them as a gift because, when paired with another Pajanimals product, they’d certainly please most any toddler you know!
PAJANIMALS PAPERBACKS
Apollo Has a Bad Day – $4.95
Lots of things are going wrong for Apollo today. When he is feeling too angry and sad to sleep, he and the Pajanimals travel to The Night Sky. The Moon reminds Apollo that though there are bad days, tomorrow is always a brand new day.
Squacky Is Afraid of the Dark– $4.95
Squacky is afraid to go to sleep in the dark. Luckily the rest of the Pajanimals know just what to do! They travel to The Night Sky where the Moon reminds Squacky that he is always shining bright in the sky and watching over the Pajanimals.
SMALL FORMAT BOARD BOOKS
Sweet Pea Sue Misses Mom and Dad – $6.95
Sweet Pea Sue can’t sleep because she wants to be in Mom and Dad’s bed. When the Pajanimals travel to the Moon, she remembers that Mom and Dad are always close by if she needs them, and that Moon is always there watching over them.
Cowbella and the Bad Dream– $6.95
Cowbella is afraid she’s going to have a bad dream and doesn’t want to go to sleep. The Pajanimals travel to the Friendly Forest where Jerry the bear assures Cowbella that if her imagination can think up scary thoughts, it can also make happy thoughts! So she learns to only think of happy things before she goes to sleep.
BOARD BOOKS/12 pages (Includes reusable stickers – warning: small parts. Not for children under 3 years)
It’s Apollo’s Special Day – $7.95
Tomorrow is Apollo’s Birthday and the Pajanimals are excited to celebrate—all except for Cowbella. She wishes that it was her Birthday so she can get all the cake and presents. But when they visit Mr. Happy Birthday at Birthday Land, Cowbella discovers that the fun part about a Birthday party is spending time with the ones you love.
Sweet Pea Sue can’t sleep because she’s scared of a picture of an octopus she saw in a book. When the Pajanimals go to the Big, Blue Sea, they meet Ellie, a real octopus. To Sweet Pea Sue’s surprise, Ellie is scared of the Pajanimals. The two realize that there’s nothing to be afraid of because they just want to be friends.
Squacky and The Gift of Christmas – $7.95
The Pajanimals are excited that Christmas is coming! Squacky really hopes he gets the new Fantastic Splash Super Sub, but then becomes worried that Santa won’t bring it. The Pajanimals travel to The Night Sky where the Moon reminds Squacky that Christmas isn’t about the presents you get, it’s about spending time with the ones you love and sharing Christmas traditions together.
To find out more about the Pajanimals, see their TV schedule, see videos, get activities and craft ideas plus enter contests, visit Sprout here.
Don’t Turn the Page! (Creston Books, $16.95, Ages 3-6) is a cozy bedtime tale that capitalizes on a universal truth: Children will resist going to bed. Burk and Downing cleverly execute this idea as a book-within-a-book featuring a cuddly hedgehog and a sleepy bear cub.
– $4.95
– $6.95
– $6.95
– $7.95
Sweet Pea Sue Makes a New Friend
