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Back-to-School Books

September 3, 2010
goodreadswithronna
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What’s the best part of going back to school? Is it the new clothes, the supplies or simply the excitement of seeing old friends and the prospect of making new ones? I’ve left one very important part of a new school season out – the learning! And who couldn’t stand to learn a new thing or two? I’ve gathered together a bunch of books I hope you will want to share with your kids. They cover a range of these topics so there really is something for everyone. Dive in and let me know what you think.

A particular favorite of mine is the latest offering from Tad Hill, creator of the New York Times Bestseller Duck & Goose. For those of you with pre-schoolers and Kindergarten-aged kids, How Rocket Learned to Read (Schwartz & Wade Books, $17.99, ages 3-7) will inspire. If your children are already readers, this charming tale will bring back those early days when every word was a new adventure. Rocket the darling dog just wants to nap, but a little yellow bird has set up school at the same spot and is determined to teach all the letters of the alphabet to the reluctant Rocket. Soon Rocket is pulled into the story yellow bird reads aloud and waits with baited breath for more, but the bird has flown away for the day. It doesn’t take long for Rocket to become a star pupil, sounding out each letter of the alphabet, “With a G and many Rs as they spelled Mr. Barker’s growl. GRRRRRRRR!” Share the excitement beginner readers experience with this adorable book.

The Exceptionally Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School (Abrams, $15.95, ages 4-8) by Albert Lorenz is just the kind of book kids clamor for. It’s clever, creative and incredibly, enormously imaginative. Filled with fun facts (about things like paper and spitballs, anthropomorphism and more!) alongside the narrative, and enhanced by hilarious illustrations, this is a book that will be read again and again. I found myself scanning every corner of the pages, each time delighted at finding new things. While the speech bubbles may at first be a distraction, they really do add to the over-the-top effect the author aimed for. The book introduces us to new (could he be nervous, too?) student John,the librarian Mrs. Dewey and a plethora of interesting schoolmates and teachers. Apparently his parents now seek an ordinary school and life since John’s previous school (a castle) was anything but! Do we believe John or simply go along for the raucous ride? Will your Parents’ Night ever be the same? What a wild and weird way to begin the new school year!

How lucky for us to have Teacher’s Pets (Candlewick Press, $6.99, ages 5 and up) by Dale Ann Dodds with illustrations by Marilyn Hafner. An enjoyable read-aloud story both parents and children alike will relate to. There’s always one teacher like Miss Fry, kind, caring and extremely patient, but when she tells her students that Monday is sharing day, she soon finds herself caretaker to a host of pets the kids have brought to school then left behind. The classroom’s a virtual pet shop what with the rooster, tarantula, and boa constrictor, but somehow the cricket Moe chirrups its way into Miss Fry’s heart making this story as heartwarming as it is humorous.

I was happily tricked by 1 + 1 = 5 and Other Unlikely Additions (Sterling, $14.95, ages 5 and up) by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Brenda Sexton. Try figuring out these quirky equations and you and your kids will have a blast looking at math in a whole new light. The bold and colorful artwork by Sexton adds to the winning formula in a book about thinking “outside-the-box” that will not disappoint. If this doesn’t get kids thinking up fun new math games, I don’t know what will. When does 1 + 1 = 1? When you take 1 a.m. and 1 p.m. which then equal 1 day.

I am constantly in awe of pop-up and flap book artists and engineers who create new ways to make what could be an average alphabet or counting book outstanding. Robert Crowther delivers with these two new titles from Candlewick Press. ABC: The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Alphabet Book and 123: The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Numbers Book (Candlewick Press, $12.99 each, ages 3 and up). These interactive titles are great in the way Crowther has configured everything. For example, pull down the tab for “O” and you will see an owl, and pull just a little more and watch the eyes move. I love that added feature! What I like best is that I know with the great illustrations and creative approach, kids won’t be bored and with the counting book, and will actually spend time counting. Be prepared parents, the numbers book goes up to 100!

Charlesbridge Publishing brings us two winning books. The first is Lola Loves Stories (Charlesbridge, $6.95, ages 2-5) by Anna McQuinn with illustrations by Rosalind Beardshaw, about a little girl who needs no encouragement to read and head off to distant lands, and Kindergarten Day USA and China – A Flip-Me-Over Book (Charlesbridge, $7.95, ages 4-6) by Trish Marx and Ellen B. Senisi , ideal for teachers and classrooms or simply for parents and kids who are curious about what it’s like to attend school on the other side of the world. And though far apart in miles (and 12 hours ahead in time zones), the average school day is really very similar. While one story is about using our imagination and all the great places it can take you, the other deals with real people and real places and teaches some Mandarin Chinese in the form of pinyin using the English alphabet to sound out the characters. Both books are upbeat and ideal for reading together or alone. Part of the proceeds from Kindergarten Day USA and China goes to The Global Fund for Children supporting the world’s most vulnerable children and youth.

It’s 1970s Boston and forced busing is in place in Busing Brewster (Knopf, $16.99, ages 6-10) by Richard Michelson and illustrated by R. G. Roth. “Ain’t no Negroes at Central,” Brewster declares after learning that he’ll be attending first grade at Central, a White school and not his local elementary because of mandatory desegregation. With his Mama all positive about the advantages of Central, Brewster figures a school with a pool can’t be all that bad despite an hour’s bus ride. A rock thrown at the bus window by protesters and two policeman standing guard may not seem encouraging, but when older brother Bryan gets into a spat, a day of detention in the library turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Enter Miss O’Grady, the librarian, who sees all children’s potential regardless of race or ethnicity, and makes Brewster promise to come back, and maybe even consider running for president one day.

Here’s my $64,000 question: Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? (Balzer & Bray, $16.99, ages 4-8) by Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Daniel Jennewein. Check off the following list of criteria: Does your buffalo have a packpack? Is he worried about not being good with scissors? Can your buffalo cooperate and take turns? Well I think he’s ready! You’ll turn the pages quickly as you eagerly await what hilarity ensues as the big dude experiences Kindergarten including snack time – and you do know how Buffalos eat their food, don’t you? Can your Buffalo pull off a huge, shiny grin on picture day and charm all your classmates? You decide!

Older kids should be on the lookout for George Brown, Class Clown: World’s Worst Wedgie in bookstores Oct. 7 (Grosset & Dunlap, $4.99, ages 7-9) by Nancy Krulik and illustrated by Aaron Blecha, but in the meantime they can read the first two in the series George Brown, Class Clown: Trouble Magnet, and George Brown, Class Clown: Super Burp! If you are not familiar with our man George, he’s the disaster-prone titular ten-year old character spun-off from the popular huge selling Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo chapter books. In the most recent book, George is seized by uncontrrollale super burps. Whether it’s do-si-doing and swinging your partner or having to stay with the lunch lady during recess for sneezing snot on someone’s lunch tray or making the loudest belch in history, it seems everyday at Edith B. Sugarman Elementary is filled with new challenges for the class clown.

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Listen Some More to What Lindy Says

The very versatile Lindy Michaels, whose passion is to inspire young minds through children’s literature, is back again today to tell you about some books she adores.

Lindy owned L.A.’s first children’s bookshop, OF BOOKS AND SUCH (1972-1987) where she did storytelling, taught drama to children, had art and poetry contests and the like. According to Lindy, “It was truly a ‘land of enchantment.” She also spent years lecturing on realism in children’s literature at colleges in the state. For close to five years Lindy has worked for Barnes and Noble in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. where we first met. I think she might even be more gaga over kids’ books than me, if that’s possible!

And don’t forget this upcoming event at BOOKSTAR, 12136 Ventura Blvd., Studio City 91604, (818) 505-9528, on Sept. 4th. Ted Jacobs has set children’s poetry to Celtic music, has two CDs out and he and his group will be doing a concert at BookStar on Sept. 4, during Lindy’s regular Sat. 10:30 am storytelling. “It’s going to be fabulous!!”

In today’s post she’s chosen to share some more of her particular personal favorites:

YOU ARE MY I LOVE YOU
Written by Maryann K. Cusimano Love and illustrated by Satomi Ichikawa

“I am your parent. You are my child.
I am your quiet place. You are my wild…”

And so begins a love letter from a parent to their child. With sweet and gentle illustrations, this is the perfect gift for new parents and later, such a lovely sentiment to read to little ones to show how much they are, indeed, loved.

“… I am your dinner. You are my chocolate cake.
I am your bedtime. You are my wide awake…”

There is no doubt that this book will be treasured
and touch your heart for a very long time. Simply beautiful.

“… I am your lullaby. You are my peek-a-boo.
I am your goodnight kiss. You are my I love you.”

THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG
Written by Eugene Trivizas and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Of course, we all know the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. But trust me, the Big Bad Pig makes that wolfy seem like the nicest guy on the block.

No matter how strong the little wolves build their houses: brick, then cement and finally with armor plates and barbed wire, the Big Bad Pig uses everything from a sledge hammer, to a huge pneumatic drill, and finally TNT, to ‘blow’ their houses down.

But then the little wolves have an ingenious idea, however unlikely, for their fourth and hopefully last house!

Would there be a happily ever after for the three little wolves? This very funny and delightful story ends with a message both children and parents will get a kick out of and ultimately, even learn a life’s lesson.

JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT
Written and illustrated by Simms Taback

The story, the Caldecott winning illustrations, the message, oh my!

“Joseph had a little overcoat. It was old and worn… So, he made a jacket out of it and went to the fair…”

And then continues the saga of Joseph the tailor’s much loved overcoat that keeps getting smaller and smaller. Not being able to give it up, after the jacket, he makes a vest out of it, then a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief and finally, a mere button he uses to hold up his suspenders. And then, oy vey, he loses the button.

Okay! I won’t keep you in suspense.

“… So Joseph made a book about it. Which shows… you can always make something out of nothing.”

LOST AND FOUND
Written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

One morning, a boy finds, of all things, a sad looking penguin at his front door. Since the penguin say nothing, the boy asks the birds in his yard and even his rubber ducky, when he takes a bath, where the penguin might have come from, since it must be lost.

Then, after researching the subject, he learns that penguins come from the South Pole… so very far away. But wanting to take the penguin back to his home, the boy, with the penguin’s help builds a boat and they start off on their long voyage. Although the penguin never says a word, the boy tells him stories to pass the time.

Finally arriving at the South Pole, the boy drops off the still silent penguin with an umbrella, in case the weather gets bad. On the way home and with no one to tell stories to, the boy thinks. And thinks. And then he realizes something very important. The penguin wasn’t lost at all. He simply was lonely.

The satisfying ending to this incredibly lovely book will stay with children and adults, alike. Without a doubt, this is one of my very favorite children’s books.

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Listen to What Lindy Says

Meet guest reviewer, Lindy Michaels, whose passion is to inspire young minds through children’s literature. Lindy owned L.A.’s first children’s bookshop, OF BOOKS AND SUCH (1972-1987) where she did storytelling, taught drama to children, had art and poetry contests and the like. According to Lindy, “It was truly a ‘land of enchantment.” She also spent years lecturing on realism in children’s literature at colleges in the state. For close to five years Lindy has worked for Barnes and Noble in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. where we first met. I think she might even be more gaga over kids’ books than me, if that’s possible!

Head over to BOOKSTAR, 12136 Ventura Blvd., Studio City 91604, (818) 505-9528, and remember to mark your calendars for Sept. 4th. Ted Jacobs has set children’s poetry to Celtic music, has two CDs out and he and his group will be doing a concert at BookStar on Sept. 4, during Lindy’s regular Sat. 10:30 am storytelling. “It’s going to be fabulous!!”

In today’s post she’s chosen to share some of her particular personal favorites:

LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER
By
Mo Willems

Unfortunately, try as he might and much to his chagrin, Leonardo can’t seem to scare anyone. What’s a monster to do? Determined and after much research, he finally finds the perfect victim that he is sure he can “scare the tuna salad” out of. Sam!

In this utterly delightful Mo Willems’ picture book, Leonardo learns there just might be something more important than to follow what he believed to be his mission in life, which is not to be a terrible monster, after all, but to be a wonderful friend. A humorous and wonderful message for children ages three to six.

THE BEAR THAT WASN’T
By
Frank Tashlin

One lovely, early spring morning, the bear emerges from his cave after his winter’s hibernation. Imagine his surprise to find his forest gone and in it’s place, a huge factory. Even more of a surprise is when he’s told to “get to work!” by the factory’s Foreman, General Manager, numerous Vice Presidents and finally the factory President.

“But I’m a bear,” he tells them over and over again.
“No, you’re a silly man who wears a fur coat and needs a shave!” they tell him back.

Even the bears in the zoo and circus agree, otherwise, wouldn’t the bear be in a cage or riding a tricycle like them? And so, the bear, not completely convinced, does go to work in the factory… that is, until winter returns and he must question exactly who he is.

Originally published in 1946 and with the original, charming illustrations, this wonderful story still holds up, helping to teach young children to live the truth of who they really are.

ALICE THE FAIRY
By
David Shannon

Alice is a fairy, albeit, a temporary fairy, because, let’s be honest, her magical fairy skills are, well, lacking. “You have to pass a lot of tests to be a permanent fairy!” so complains Alice.

Oh, for sure, when she spills fruit juice on her white dress, she does turn it red (magic!) and when she gets on her daddy’s back, she does turn him into a horse! Hey, not too bad for a mere temporary fairy.

Just like Alice, young children can make their own fairy magic and like Alice, get a lot of giggles doing it.

This lesser known picture book by David Shannon, of NO, DAVID fame, is a total delight children will want to hear over and over again and parents will delight in reading it to them, over and over again.

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Become a Better Bedtime Storyteller

It’s been several years since I’ve composed a bedtime story for my kids, but when I did, my stories featured an older sister and a younger brother, a seaside village like the dozens we visited when living in England, and a magical dolphin. While the plots varied, the characters did not and my children could always count on a Tommy and Lisa adventure to send them off to sleep with the soothing sounds of the ocean and a playful dolphin in their minds. Maybe one day they’ll tell Tommy and Lisa tales to their children.

I recently wrote about Betty White and her connection with sleepbetter.org, and a survey by IPSOS, as part of the Bedtime Stories Project – an effort to celebrate bedtime stories. So, keeping with that theme, if you want tips on creating some engaging bedtime stories, read this very helpful article from author Hillary Homzie.

Five Tips for Creating an Original Bedtime Story

by Hillary Homzie

To jumpstart the story storytelling process, below are five tips that I use when I pen a new tale.

(1) Choose a subject that you’re passionate about. Find a topic on which you have a lot to say, something that fascinates you, tickles your funny bone or even upsets you.

For example, you could pick something as ordinary as laundry. Why? Well, let’s pretend that you hate folding laundry. Of all the tasks in the world, folding laundry is the most onerous.

(2) Ask what if? Brainstorm several what “if scenarios” and see what happens.

What if you have a mother mouse who decides to stop folding laundry? By day she’s a mouse policewoman protecting the village from an ornery cat with kittens, and she’s exhausted when she gets home from work. What would happen to her mouse house? Would laundry fill the bedrooms, the kitchen, out the windows and into the clouds where it reaches a giant cat’s kingdom?

(3) Create a problem and solve it. Take your what if situation and discover the inherent problem it produces. Why is it urgent that your character to solve this problem?

What if the mouse follows the heap of laundry and has a run in with the giant cat, which ensues into a high speed chase because the cat is hungry for mouse pie?

The key is to pick one problem and stick with it.

(4) Escalate the problem. Make your problem worse – either through character or plot development.

If the laundry starts as a small pile, it should evolve into a pile as tall as the leaning Tower of Pisa, which then spills out the window and stops traffic. Or, if your escalation is character driven, then maybe the daughter mouse is the sort who wears the same dress every day – pink with a fancy polka dot bow – but can’t find it because the laundry hasn’t been done, forcing her to be flexible, reach outside her comfort zone and pick a new outfit to help her mom fight the ornery cat.

(5) Create a satisfying, yet surprising conclusion. Pick an ending, and then twist it by asking, what if this happened instead? Keep spinning the ending until you find a new and different conclusion. Make sure this ending is a logical conclusion to the start of your story.

What if the mouse escaped from the giant cat’s house and had a new appreciation for folding laundry? Okay, that feels sort of pedestrian. What if, instead, they learn that the giant cat is a princess who doesn’t have a dress for the royal ball, and the mouse offers to sew the pieces of laundry together to create a patchwork dress? I think we can take this further. What if, instead of a dress, the mouse created a patchwork quilt for the baby kittens, who are making the mother cat grumpy due to lack of sleep? The quilt keeps the kittens warm, stops their loud mewling, puts the mother cat in a better mood and relaxes the mouse village. Our mother mouse learns her lesson and regularly folds the laundry. That’s it!

The idea is to have fun. When you start with a subject that engages you, the process should be joyful, cathartic, even. And you don’t need to feel compelled to tell fantastical stories, or anthropomorphic stories. But you can, if you want to. You can tell sports stories, stories about construction workers, really anything, as long as you care about it.

Hillary Homzie, Associate Visiting Professor, Hollins University Graduate Program in Children’s Writing and Literature, is the author of Things are Gonna’ Get Ugly (S&S Aladdin Mix), Alien Clones from Outer Space series (S&S Aladdin) and the forthcoming The Hot List (S&S Aladdin Mix).

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Bedtime Stories Project & Betty White

Whether you’ve seen her on Saturday Night Light or at one of her many nationwide appearances (and upcoming 2011 calendar), Betty White, at 80+ years-old, is a comedic force to be reckoned with! Recently, in addition to corralling Betty White to read some classics to kids, Sleepbetter.org, conducted a survey by IPSOS, as part of the Bedtime Stories Project – an effort to celebrate bedtime stories.

The top findings are as follows:

America’s all-time favorite bedtime story is “Goodnight Moon”
37% parents of children 7 and under report that original bedtime stories are their children’s favorite
74% of parents have created original stories

The above results prompted Sleepbetter.org’s BedtimeStories story submission effort – one submission was read by Betty White at an event earlier this summer and another illustrated by renowned artist Bill Nelson in July.

While 65 percent said that mom was in charge of the bedtime story, just 22 percent said the duty usually fell to dad
Three in ten (27%) parents of parents aged 7 or younger report that their children have a television in their room
Those that do are nearly twice as likely to say they don’t most often read bedtime stories (52%) as those without a TV in the bedroom (29%), and are nearly five-times more likely to say they typically watch TV before bed (26%) than those without a TV in their room (6%)

Moreover, those with a TV in their room are significantly more likely (50%) to go to bed after 8:35pm than those without a TV in their room (28%)

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A Biseleh (a little) Bit of Yiddish and Comedy Stars

Yiddish for Babies, A Language Primer for Your Little Pitsel,

written and illustrated by Janet Perr (Simon & Schuster, $12.99, all ages) puts this language that is related to German and spoken by Ashkenazi Jews at your fingertips. Maybe you’ve heard some Yiddish words and expressions or perhaps you’ve even used them. Schlep(p), for example, a Yiddish word I use all the time which means to carry or to lug, as in I schlepped this heavy backpack around all day and now my shoulders hurt, has become part of the American lexicon.

When I was a kid and my parents spoke Yiddish in hushed tones so that my brother and I couldn’t hear, I would often catch snippets of conversation and if the word gelt came up, I knew they were speaking about money issues. Now with this humorous visual primer, parents and children alike can learn this rich language and begin using it immediately.

Bubbe – grandmother

Baby has so much fun when her bubbe comes to visit.

If the pictures don’t make you laugh, the sentences surely will!

Ferklempt (emotional, ready to cry), made famous by comedian Mike Meyers on Saturday Night Live, is demonstrated with a photo of a tired baby wiping its eyes.

It’s naptime and baby’s getting a little ferklempt.

Kvelling, a word my parents said frequently at bar mitzvahs, graduations and weddings means proud, bursting with joy.

Baby made in the potty, and mommy is kvelling.

Oy, it’s obvious I could go on and on about all the terrific Yiddish words included, the fab and funny photos and the apt descriptions, but I think you’ve got my drift so zai gezunt (be well, good-bye)!

Jewish Comedy Stars: Class to Cutting Edge

by Norman H. Finkelstein (Kar-Ben, $9.99, ages 11 and up)

You’ve heard the the line: “Doctor, it hurts when I do this.”

“Don’t do that.”

Kids today may be familiar with Jon Stewart, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman and Ben Stiller, but we need to jump back in time to the roots of comedy “shtick” to really understand how it’s evolved.

Tying into the book review above, it’s hard to talk about Yiddish and not bring up Jewish comedians going back almost a century. Jewish comedians have had a lasting impact on the entertainment industry and this easy-to-read primer on who’s who from the 20th through 21st centuries will introduce kids to a few a names they might not know and even more that they do. In over 40 mini biographies, author Finkelstein, explores the backgrounds of such luminaries as Fanny Brice, Molly Picon, Jack Benny, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle +and so many more.

Kids will get a kick from reading about The Three Stooges’ slapstick humor to the original shock jock Lenny Bruce as well as the pre-Borat days of Sasha Baron Cohen (aka Ali G.). From Vaudeville, to Broadway and Film, TV to Comedy Central, the community of Jewish comedians is as rich and diverse as the jokes and stories they tell.

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Heart Of a Samurai

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus (Amulet, $15.95, ages 12 and up) on shelves beginning August, is reviewed today by Vinny from the San Gabriel Valley. Vinny will soon be a high school freshman, but this summer he’s currently enjoying volunteering for Arcadia Parks & Rec, biking, swimming and reading.

From a small fishing village in Japan came four individuals; a young boy named Manjiro, and his four friends, Jusuke, Denzo, Goemon, and Toraemon. They were fisherman. Simple. That was the class they were born into, and that was the class they would forever be… or so they thought. After being thrown off course while they were fishing off the coast of Shikoku, Japan, the five fisherman were left stranded on a, from what they knew, deserted island. It was what was visible for miles in the vast sea, and it was their only chance of survival due to the bird population of the island, hence the name Bird Island, commonly referred to in the story. Their boat was in pieces thanks to the harsh conditions that came upon them as the rapid current and strong winds took them away, far away, from Japan.

The fisherman took advantage of the heavy bird population on the island and ate what was left of them until there were no more. Killing anything that lived was, what many would think of as frowned upon by some Japanese, and short prayers were said commemorating the life of anything killed that once lived. There were many prayers to be said, and when almost all the fisherman were too energy deprived to even move, and all hope was gone, in the distance, headed toward the island on a ship was their only chance of survival. They were what the Japanese referred to as, Barbarians. Little did they know, and emphasis on that, these “barbarians” with piercing blue eyes, were really just Americans. It was due to the fact that Japan lived in isolation that the Japanese had no idea what lie beyond their country, in any direction. There were rumors that these Barbarians were “cursed” and it really is unfortunate how Japan wasn’t opened to the whole concept of foreigners and multi-cultural traditions in the first place that these Americans Manjiro and his friends saw were, what they perceived as, people who were trying to hurt them.

Throughout this incredibly inspirational novel, all of the fisherman become more adapt and open to the American way of life aboard a whale hunting ship called the John Howland. Young Manjiro earned the name John Mung during his experience on the ship, and from that time forward, that was all he was addressed as, except for his four friends, who still called him Manjiro. All five of the fisherman were exposed to what lie beyond Japan, and Manjiro, or John Mung, was the only one who really seemed to be open to it, to embrace it. It was evident too. He embraced the American life-style so much that, he accepted the offer to come live with the Captain of the John Howland, Captain Whitfield, whom he became particularly close with throughout his whole experience, which spanned quite a long number of years. It was hard making this decision, and having to leave his friends in present day Hawaii, when the ship came that direction. This was only for temporary, and Manjiro knew this and vowed that he would one day come back for his friends so they could return to their homeland. And they did, in the end. When they did, they parted their separate ways to see the families they had been longing to see for over a decade; the families they were to bring food home for, those many years ago.

They were welcomed home as, not cursed outsiders, but heroes, and forever would they be, as they were fisherman. All of men came home with heavy hearts, filled with longing and regret, and dignity, but overall, love. Young Manjiro, whom developed much over the past years, also came home with a heart such as this, but his heart was particularly genuine. It was the heart of a samurai, and samurai Manjiro became due to his efforts and accomplishments in the near future, which included influencing Japan to open its doors to outside influence from the world to. And even though he became the lowest rank of samurai, he WAS one, and most importantly, he proved that he, John Mung, could make a difference.

This was perhaps one of the best books I’ve ever read. I have to say that I greatly enjoyed having the honor to read and review this fantastic book. I enjoyed to so much, I couldn’t stop reading it, and finished it in three days. I would have read more each day, but I wanted to savor the story; let the suspense sink in. Yes, I would DEFINITELY recommend this book to you all- children and adults alike, so you too can read and become genuinely inspired by the true story of “the boy who discovered America,” Manjiro.

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Two Engaging New Activity Books From Chicago Review Press

Theodore Roosevelt, Brains, Brawn and a Love of Nature

Reading Theodore Roosevelt for Kids: His Life and Times by Kerrie Logan Hollihan made me realize that there is so much I do not know about the fascinating lives of our past presidents, including this 26th President of the U.S. Did you know that both Roosevelt’s wife, Alice, and his mother died on the very same day in 1884? Or that his oldest child, Alice, named after her mother, was a wild and outspoken woman, who carried a green snake in her purse named after her stepmother’s skinny sister?

Born in 1858 to a wealthy family in New York, as a young boy, Roosevelt was called “Teddie” by his parents (and later “Teddy” by all). Young Teddie was a sickly, asthmatic child, but that did not stop him from seeking knowledge about the world. He was fascinated by nature and read voraciously about a variety of subjects that interested him. He hunted, collected birds, insects and fish and studied them in detail. Due to the family’s wealth, the Roosevelts traveled a great deal, and by the time Roosevelt attended college he had been to Europe twice as well as the Middle East.

Readers of this book will discover much more about his fascinating, adventurous personal life and how Roosevelt often voiced his political opinions while attending Harvard, leading to his long political career. He was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1881, served as Republican Vice President to William McKinley in 1900 and took over office as President (as the youngest to ever hold office at age 42) when McKinley was assassinated in 1901. President Roosevelt was loved for his great balance of understanding between big business and ordinary working class people. He believed people should be judged individually and not classified by popular opinion. His role in helping put an end to the Russo-Japanese war earned him a Nobel Prize for Peace. Today Teddy Roosevelt is remembered for his adventure travel, love of nature and his laws to preserve our nation’s natural wonders; he worked hard to protect our forests and established the U.S. National Park Service.

Kids will not only learn fascinating facts about Roosevelt but can also participate in 21 fun activities, such as drawing out Roosevelt’s many travels on a world map, stargazing by seasons and making a campaign button. There are resources in the back of the book to guide curious readers to more information.

Native Americans, Culture, Conflicts and Treaties

Did you know that there are 562 different American Indian Tribes? Or that the true story of Pocahontas and John Smith is that Pocahontas was a young child when she met the much older John Smith, and there was never a romance between them? You’ll discover these facts and many more when you read Native American History for Kids by Karen Bush Gibson.

There is a great deal of essential information about American Indians packed into this book including theories on how Indians arrived on the North American Continent, what life was like when European settlers came to America, wars and peace treaties, the destruction of many reservations at the end of the 19th Century, and modern lifestyles for Native Americans.

I love the offset copy in the book that features famous Native Americans like Jim Thorpe, one of the best athletes in U.S .history, who faced many hardships, and famous English settlers like Mary Musgrove Matthews Bosomworth, an interpreter who was instrumental in encouraging peace between Indians and settlers in the 1730s.

Kids who read this book will not only get insight into the lives of Native Americans but will also get important lessons on many different milestones in American history, such as the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War and much more. Plus there are 21 activities; how to make Arapaho Fry Bread; creating a Three-Sisters Garden; making a totem pole; and even how to decipher a Navajo code. There’s a glossary of important terms and a detailed index at the back of the book. Everyone in the family should read this and talk about what they’ve learned together!

What I like about the Chicago Review Press biographical/history books for kids is that they are straight-forward, comprehensive, informative and never patronizing to young readers. Even though they are written for children, they are always a great read for adults too. They encourage you think, inspire you to do great things and leave you yearning to research more about the subject.

Debbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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Keep Kids Busy With Books!

Make Summer the Season for Reading!

Parenthood.com has assembled some interesting articles worth taking a look at all on the subject of my favorite topic, reading.

Here are some links to check out now:

“But Mom, you don’t like to read!”

Are you a good “reading model” for your kids? Do they see you reading? Hear you talk about what you’re reading? If not, here’s an action plan to help guide you along.

How One Mom Made Reading a Family Affair

5 Ways to Make Summer the Season for Reading

10 Tips for Starting a Parents & Kids Book Group

Parenthood’s 100 Best Children’s Books

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Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch!

Today’s guest reviewer is soon-to-be fifth grader, Kate, editor Carolyn Graham’s daughter. In her free time, Kate enjoys music, swimming and especially her dog Olive. She read this new book, Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch by L auren Barnholdt with illustrations by Susan Beaky (Sourcebooks, $6.99 ages 6-9) and had this to say:

This book is an easy-to-read book. It’s about a 7 year-old girl who meets a fairy (Maybelle) who wants to have fun, but keeps getting into trouble. I like the storyline of a fairy and a girl. Even though I liked it, I think it could’ve been more descriptive.

Editor’s Note: If your daughter likes a feisty young heroine coupled with a classic magic and mayhem tale, this is indeed the book for her!

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Celebrate Summer Reading with Booksicals

Bring the KIDS, Grandkids, Nieces, Nephews and FRIENDS To The GROVE L.A.

TODAY! THURSDAY JULY 22 at 1:30pm
to Gap Kids/Baby Gap at THE GROVE Shopping Mall in LA.

To Celebrate Summer READING with a Live Booksicals Performance

Meet the scraggly dog from Too Many Visitors for One Little House ( HE NOW HAS A NAME)
Meet Mr. Snoozle, Ms. Daisycup and Mrs. Featherplume
Get a FREE BOOK!

Free books w/purchase at GAP KIDS.
Request Coupon for Free Book at Grove Concierge or at Gap Kids cashier counter.

Directly following KIDS CLUB event at the GROVE PARK from 10-12 noon

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Get Into The Thick With Super Heroes & Villains

Workman Publishing’s Fandex Family Field Guides (Workman, www.workman.com, $12.95) are the fun-to-take-along, full-color, individually die-cut cards, layered to provide facts at your fingertips. My kids love to take the Fandex Guides along in the car and quiz each other which in turn gets my husband and I involved, too.

Flip through the new Deluxe Edition DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains which is just jam-packed with info about 75 icons from the DC Universe including your faves and foes: Superman, Lex Luthor, Green Lantern, The Riddler, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and more!

Meet the Elongated Man, The Rogues, The Flash and Harley Quinn and find out things you never knew like real names, abilities and powers, their base, affiliation and where they debuted. Bring on road trips and test your parents’ trivia I.Q., bring to friends’ houses and test their knowledge or simply store away the details because you never know when someone is going to ask you about Power Girl or Gorilla Grodd.

Whether you’re a die-hard super hero fan or dilettante looking for general info, here are all the facts-at-your-fingertips so c’mom, get lost in the layers.

Test Your Knowledge of The DC Universe (Answers below)

1) Where was Wonder Woman born?

2) True of False: The real name of The Joker is unknown.

3) Who were the original Teen Titans?

——————————————————————————————————————-

1) On the remote island of Themyscira (also known as Paradise Island)

2) True

3) Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl and Speedy

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Local Author Gerry Renert Reading at Bookstar

You’ve read the review, now meet the author of Nathan Saves Summer at Bookstar this coming Saturday. I will be there, too, so please stop by to say hello!

Who: Local author Gerry Renert

What: Author reading and book signing of Nathan Saves Summer

When: Saturday, July 17th reading at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Bookstar B&N/Studio City Theatre

12136 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

818-505-9528

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Spaceheadz: New! Fresh Scent, Long Lasting!

Spaceheadz (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $14.99, ages 7-10)

Today’s review comes courtesy of Coleman, my 9 year-old son, who loves Abbott and Costello, playing LEGO, reading, Club Penguin, Pokemon, Bakugan, inventing and bike riding.

This new book by Jon Scieszka, made extra-strength by Francesco Sedita and illustrated by Shane Prigmore is about a few kids trying to fit in. Seems regular right? Wrong! Two out of three and a hamster are aliens called SPHDZ. (SPHDZ = Spaceheadz)!!

The SPHDZ characters’ names are Bob, Jennifer, and Major Fluffy. They come from a different planet and they believe EVERYTHING they see on television. And they saw a boy’s commercial and it said,” I can do anything!” It only was a commercial…but…they believed it. The boy in the commercial and in real life who helps the SPHDZ is named Michael K. (It’s weird I know.) And the Antialienagency (AAA for short) is trying to catch the SPHDZ. The book basically gets stranger and stranger the more you continue to read and despite the 38 chapters…it seems to have gone by quickly because I basically could not put the book down. The hysterical illustrations also kept me glued to every page. Plus, since you won’t want the book to end, there are also two very cool websites you can visit (see below)! Oh and some good news – this is only book #1- so if you are hooked like me, there’s more fun to look forward to when the next in the series comes out. Here are the links:

http://sphdz.com

http://antialienagency.com
Thank you for reading this!

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/2281217001?isVid=1

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