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InterruptiCHICKEN

INTERRUPTING CHICKEN, (2011 Caldecott Medal Honor Book) written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, is reviewed today by reading enthusiast Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. Studio City.

Who hasn’t tried to read a book to their child, when interrupted by said child with their own version of what might come next? That is exactly what happens in INTERRUPTING CHICKEN when papa chicken tries to read a bedtime story to his, wide awake, little red chicken. Warned not to interrupt, little red chicken promises, “Oh no, Papa. I’ll be good.”

And so papa begins reading the fairytale, Hansel And Gretel. “Hansel and Gretel were very hungry. Deep in the woods they found a house made of candy. Nibble, nibble, nibble: they began to eat the house, until the old woman who lived there came out and said, “What lovely children! Why don’t you come inside?” They were just about to follow her when…”

Well, at this point of the story, little red chicken could not contain herself and screamed, “Out jumped little red chicken and she said, ‘Don’t go in! She’s a witch!’ So Hansel and Gretel didn’t. The End!”

The next story papa chicken tried to read was Little Red Riding Hood. Just when Little Red meets up with the big bad wolf, little red chicken interrupted, again, yelling, “Out jumped little red chicken and she said, ‘Don’t talk to strangers!’ So Little Red Riding Hood didn’t. The End!”

And so it went, story after story until papa chicken was getting very, very tired. It was then that little red chicken told her papa a story of her own, which put him right to sleep, with absolutely, no interruptions!

I love the fact that little red chicken not only inserted herself into all the stories, but made herself the heroine. Children will love this funny and creative tale, although it might make bedtime just a tad later than originally planned, for both of you!

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling (with no interruptions!) every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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The Princess Party Cookbook

A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LITTLE PRINCESSES AT HOME!

Today’s guest reviewer, is Lisa Vasquez, mother of three (one prince and two princesses) from El Segundo, California. She’s thrilled to have sampled Princess Party Cookbook by Annabel Karmel.

I absolutely love this book! I live in sunny, southern California and just threw a fabulous princess party for my daughter thanks to Princess Party Cookbook. I found the most delicious recipes and easy tips to make my daughter’s day fit for royalty.

From invitations to table decor … even different party themes, Karmel has covered everything. So many details and fun ideas are packed into this invaluable book. In fact, I am even using some ideas I’ve picked up and incorporating them into parties I throw with friends. A real treat for holidays or any time of year, this book will bring out your creative side. While Karmel did not toss in the white knight in shining armor, with Princess Party Cookbook, she has certainly concocted a truly great guide to making a magical and majestic party!

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UDDERLY HYSTERICAL AMAZING COW CONTEST

This month we’re giving away one autographed copy of Sandra Boynton’s Amazing Cows (Workman Publishing, $10.95, all ages up to a hundred and moo). Read below for a review, but enter now for your chance to win by clicking here. Remember to write AMAZING COW in the subject line. The contest ends on Jan. 31 so don’t wait. For rules, please click here now.

Make room next to your kids’ well-read copies of Hippos Go Berserk, The Going to Bed Book, Moo Baa, La! La! La! and Let’s Dance, Pookie, because Amazing Cows is mooooving in!

You want edgy cows, sensitive cows, heroic cows and “mystified chickens”? Keep reading. With her special brand of Sandra silliness, Boynton finds new ways to make cow humor fresh and full of “udder absurdity,” with or without words. When my 9-year-old son read it from cover to cover, laughing non-stop, I positioned myself over his shoulder to find out what was so funny. Was it the artwork, stories, poems, jokes, riddles, cow myth or cow comic book that tickled his fancy? It was all that and more, including the Four Stages of Metamoophosis and a cow limerick. An added bovine bonus: a free download of “Bolero Completely Unraveled.” If you buy (or win) one cow book this year, it’s got to be Amazing Cows.

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A Whale of a Tale

November 19, 2010
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According to guest reviewer Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, out of all the incomparable William Steig children’s books, AMOS AND BORIS is the once closest to her heart.

Living by the ocean and always gazing at the blue sea, the little mouse, Amos, wondered what was out there beyond the horizon. And so, one day, he decided to build a boat, which he named “The Rodent,” and sailed away to see far away places.

He especially loved the nights, as he laid on his back, looking up at the starry sky and was “…overwhelmed by the beauty and mystery of everything…” Unfortunately, one night, so mesmerized by the beautiful sight, he accidentally rolled off his boat and into the dark, dark sea.

Through the night he tried to swim back to his boat, back to land, back to his home, but to no avail. And just as he felt all his energy leaving him, he was saved… by a whale! Boris! And yes, the great whale agreed to take Amos home. Along the way they talked of many things, sharing their deepest thoughts, their ambitions, their differences. And when the huge whale finally dropped the little mouse off at his home, they knew they would never, ever forget one another.

The years passed and one day during a horrific storm, the now older Boris was tossed around and around in the angry ocean, weakened by the violent waves and ended up beached on the very shore where his old friend, Amos, lived.

Could the tiny mouse possibly save his enormous, dear friend who once saved his own life? I won’t divulge the exact ending, but it will give readers, young and old, goose bumps and a lovely and satisfying sigh of… “ahhhh.”

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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Breakfast & Books

November 19, 2010
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Journeys to outer space, talking animals, enchanted castles – the world of reading has no limits. Books can offer a child imaginary and thought-provoking experiences unlike any other.

Collect all five titles.

This fall, Cheerios is inviting families to start the day with a nutritious breakfast and a new book. As part of its ongoing commitment to help families connect by fostering a shared love of reading, Cheerios is providing more than six million children’s books, free inside Cheerios boxes, through its Spoonfuls of Stories® program. This year’s in-pack offerings are appropriate for children ages three to eight and written in both English and Spanish.

Recently, Cheerios fielded a survey to examine the role reading plays in family life. Some key findings include:

· Although two-thirds (67%) of moms said they read to their children at least once a day and eight in ten moms (81%) started reading to their child before their first birthday, a quarter (26%) said they only read together a few times a week.

· Nearly two-thirds (61%) of moms said “busy schedules” prevent them from spending more time reading with their kids. Cheerios hopes that the simple act of putting books in boxes encourages families to read more – even if it means squeezing in a story at the breakfast table.

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Raccoons and Foxes Up-close and Personal

November 10, 2010
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Fascinating Facts About Every Day Animals

Debbie Glade reviews these two books about wildlife from Firefly Books.

It’s fun to learn about unusual animals, but what about every day animals we encounter in parks and alleys? They’re fascinating too! Exploring the World of Raccoons and Exploring the World of Foxes by Tracy C. Read are informative little books that are packed with details about these common, furry creatures.

Both books have excellent close-up photographs that make the animals look so cute, you can’t help but love them. Readers will discover facts about the animals’ physical traits, their habitats, their natural talents as well as their mating habits. Did you know that the raccoon’s black mask on its face helps to reduce glare so it can see better at night? Or that both a baby raccoon and a baby fox are born blind and completely helpless and do not even open their eyes until they are 2 – 3 weeks old? A fox can jump seven feet and has keen eyesight similar to a cat! And a raccoon is highly intelligent and has a fantastic memory. These two books are perfect for curious young readers who are always a lot of questions about animals. Parents will enjoy them too.

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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Meet The New Boss

Debbie Glade raves about The Boss Baby from Simon & Schuster ($16.99, ages 4-8).

I recently reviewed All the World, a book illustrated by the two-time Caldecott Honor Medalist, Marla Frazee, so I was excited to read another book she not only illustrated, but also wrote. The Boss Baby is just downright adorable. It is so darn cute that I promise you will laugh out loud while you read it and look at the pictures. It is a story about how a new baby takes over everything and everyone in the household and essentially becomes the “boss.” The baby even wears a suit (with a diaper flap, of course) and a tie. The artwork is incredibly charming and I can never get enough of Marla Frazee’s illustrations. The Boss Baby is the perfect book for a child who has a new baby sister or brother and for the parents of a newborn. I’m going to buy a stack of these to have on hand when a friend brings a new baby home from the hospital. I have a feeling Marla Frazee has many more great books in her future. I for one can’t wait to read them and admire the illustrations. You can visit Marla’s website here http://www.marlafrazee.com/marlafrazee.html.

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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Dino Dear

DEAR TYRANNOSAURUS REX, (Random House, $16.99, ages 4-8) written by Lisa McClatchy and illustrated by John Manders, is reviewed today by Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

How does a little girl turning six years old persuade, of all things, a dinosaur, to come to her birthday party? Well, she writes him a letter, of course! She encloses a map to her house and vividly describes all the fun and games that will ensue, if only he would join her celebration.

“If you come to my party, we’ll play pirates on my play set.
Your tail will make a great slide!”

The colorful and hysterical illustrations illuminate all the fun to be had, if only Tyrannosaurus Rex would show up. And oh, what a puss this guy has!

But would he be big hearted and make an appearance? After reading this delightful book to little ones, don’t be surprised at whom your children might want to invite to their next birthday party!!

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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Terrifying and Terrific: Halloween Books

This year there has been a deluge of dark, demonic books for the ghoul next door. I cannot pick a favorite but here is a sampling of what you can read to your kids or give them to read on their own. Just remember, keep a flashlight close at hand!

How To Be A Zombie (Candlewick Press, $14.99, ages 12 and up) by Serena Valentino – A gruesomely good read for those of you “who crave brains.” Find out what the undead in your neighborhood are up to. There are tips to share, fantastic photos and artwork as well as info on Zombie fashion, terminology and so much more.

On a Windy Night (Abrams Books for Young Readers, $16.95, ages 4-8) by Nancy Raines Day with illustrations by George Bates – “Clacklety-clack, bones in a sack. They could be yours – if you look back.” I don’t know about you, but I’m outta here! It’s a windy Halloween night below the light of a full moon. Creepy creatures abound on the street and in hidden images throughout this imaginatively rendered book with pictures resembling wood cuts. A little boy is finishing up with his trick-0r-treating and unlike you or me, goes home through the dark woods and scares himself silly imaging all sorts of frightening sounds and spirits out to get him.

Octavius Grimwood’s Graveyard Guide (Barron’s Educational Series, $9.99, ages 8 and up) by Rod Green – “Prepare to be scared” is how this book touts itself and it’s absolutely right. Learn all about the supernatural, spooky and weird, but memorize Octavius’ secret spell first to keep you safe. Turn the pages at your own risk as youdtravel near and fear (oops, I meant far) exploring haunted houses, unmasking wicked witches and unfathoming phantoms.

Zen Ghosts (Scholastic Press, $17.99, all ages) by Jon J Muth is one of those timeless tales that will captivate the entire family. Stillwater, the wise and friendly Panda returns in a spine-tingling story set under a full Halloween moon. Inviting his young friends Addy, Karl and Michael to meet a special storyteller who’ll tell a ghost story, Stillwater (or the mysterious storyteller) introduces the children to some Zen Buddism concepts, imparting his unique Panda wisdom to the listeners and readers alike. The water-color artwork only adds to the atmospheric tale and takes us right onto the pages alongside the characters.

Chills and Thrills: The Ultimate Anthology of The Mystical, Magical, Eerie, & Uncanny (Welcome Books, $16.95, all ages) Edited by Lena Tabori & Natasha Tabori Fried and designed by Timothy Shaner is an indispensable guide to all things scary, superstitious and spine-tingling! Overflowing with curses, spells,tales of magic and fantasy, magic tricks and more, Chills and Thrills is a creepy compendium you’ll feel compelled to keep on your bedside or coffee table. Whether you seek a classic poem like Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven or a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, it’s included here.

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Four-Footed And Fabulous

Today’s guest reviewer is Julia, a 12-year -old-San Gabriel Valley girl in the 7th grade. She enjoys reading, swimming, hanging out with her friends, and playing with her precious dog. She’d like to be a fiction writer one day and writes fabulous creative stories of her own.

The Doggy Divas: Roxy’s Rules (Sourcebooks, $6.99, ages 9-12) by Lauren Brown is about two girls, Roxy and Liz, best friends forever, who get into a huge fight because Roxy accidentally kissed Matt whom Liz likes. Now Roxy has been kicked out of Liz’s group of friends and she has no one else to hang out with, until she meets Kim and Georgia. Together they start a dog-walking business. Once Liz has heard of this new venture she tries to end it, but ends up getting busted by Matt. In all this, somehow Roxy loses Liz’s dog Little Roxy and if Roxy doesn’t find the pooch in time Liz will shut down the business. However there is happy, very cute and romatic ending which I won’t reveal or I’ll spoil it all for you! I would love to read more by this author because this book had a hook which grabbed my attention and I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this book to people who like friendship, romance, and drama. Hopefully there is a sequel!

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BIG TOES AND A PRINCE’S NOSE

TEN BIG TOES AND A PRINCE’S NOSE, written by Nancy Gow and illustrated by Stephen Costanza is reviewed today by Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

How I love a good fairytale and how I love this one. Our princess, in this tale, of course, is “lovely and fair with ruby red lips and a mane of brown hair…” But she also had… gigantic feet! Oh, horror of horrors, because each and every prince and would-be suitor she met, couldn’t see past her terrifyingly large tootsies.

While our princess hoped love would step in front of her (and not ON her colossal feet), far, far away… “There lived a prince with a nose like a barn… He was warm, he was kind, he was charming and fun.” Unfortunately, the maidens he met… “They look at his beak and say, ‘oops, gotta run, before he could speak.”

As it happened, one day found both the prince and princess skiing on the very same slopes of the Alps. Of course, with those two gargantuan parts of her body below her ankles, she didn’t need skis. And yes, with the cold wind whipping and blowing, the prince’s face was covered by a large, very large scarf. And you guessed it, never seeing what others had turned away from, his schnozzle and her humongous footsies, they fell in love.

“… When night deepened, the ski hill had closed,
the prince knew he’d have to reveal his big nose.
It was time for the princess, lovely and fair,
To reveal that she didn’t have skis way down there.”

But fear not, my children, for as all great fairytales end, “He stared at her toes. She stared at his nose. They laughed and they giggled and then he proposed.”

And, oh goodie, yes indeedy, they did live happily ever after. Which just goes to show, never ever judge a person by their nose or their toes!

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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Let’s Save the Animals: A Flip-the-Flap-Book

As soon as young children see the cover and unusual shape of Let’s Save the Animals: A Flip-the-Flap-Book (Candlewick Press, $12.99, ages 4-7), by Frances Barry, they’ll be compelled to open it. Kids aren’t the only ones who love turning over all the flaps to see what’s on the other side; parents like me enjoy it too! With simple prose and illustrations, readers learn a little bit about some of our earth’s most endangered species. There are also tips in the back of the book suggesting how readers can help protect these species. This book is a perfect way to introduce the youngest readers to saving the earth and the creatures who live on it.

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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You Can Change The World

31 Ways to Change the World (Candlewick Press, $8.99, ages 8-12) is reviewed today by Debbie Glade.

31 Ways to Change the World is the result of suggestions from thousands of children. The theory is that “Small Actions x Lots of People = Big Change.” Inside this ultra colorful and busy book are 31 really cute and crafty, yet simple actions we can take every day to make the world a better place to live. I love that the book teaches kids about consumption, waste and preservation, plus treating others well. For example, Action #11 teaches you to the love the stuff you already have. Other actions include teaching your granny to text, giving people compliments, taking shorter showers and not starting a war. Hey, maybe this book should be for adults too. In any event, the premise of 31 Ways to Change the World is all for the greater good, and it really is clever. I’m sending my copy to my daughter, who is a freshman in college. I know she’s going to love it. She’ll particularly enjoy Action #25, which is “Talk Trash to Your Parents.”

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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Lindy Loves DOG LOVES BOOKS

DOG LOVES BOOKS, (Random House Children’s Books, $19.99, ages 4-8) written and illustrated by Louise Yates, is reviewed today by Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

I love books. Dog Loves Books. Just like dog, I remember the first day I opened my beloved OF BOOKS AND SUCH, L.A.’s first children’s bookshop. And just like dog, I bathed, dressed in my favorite hippie outfit (hey, it was 1972!) and waited with baited breath for my first customer to open the red door and enter my land of enchantment.

But for dog, no one entered his life’s dream. Okay, that’s not quite true. A woman did come in, but asked for a tea with milk and two sugars. Then a man entered asking for directions. Slightly depressed and bored, dog reached for a book and started to read… as it happened, a book about dinosaurs.

Then a quite magical thing happened. When he read, he forgot that he was alone, that he was even in his book store. And when one adventure ended, dog simply reached for another book off the shelf and wonder of wonders, a new adventure would quickly begin.

All that reading, more than he had ever done before, made him an expert in literature, so when customers did finally start flocking into his shop, dog knew just the right book to recommend. I love Dog Loves Books with its wonderful pastel illustrations. And children will, too. There is no doubt it will inspire them to discover new places, learn new things, meet new people and animals, all that are tucked into the pages of books, just waiting to be discovered.

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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Are You Ticklish?

TICKLE MONSTER written by Josie Bissett and illustrated by Kevan J. Atteberry is reviewed today by Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

Kids love the funny. Kids love the rhyming. Kids love the tickle! And TICKLE MONSTER has all these three ingredients plus truly silly and colorful illustrations. Actress and now terrific children’s author, Josie Bissett, has done a marvelous job tickling the senses of little ones.

“I came from the Planet Tickle, you see.
I’m a monster, but not the kind you must flee.
I’m the happiest, silliest, zaniest kind.
My talent is tickling, I think you’ll soon find…”

And so begins Tickle Monster’s quest to tickle… “footsies and tum-tums and underarm-pitties!”

Now watch out all you mommies and daddies, because after reading this fabulous picture book, your kiddies will be tickling you silly!

Ages 2 to 6 and even beyond will get a tickle out of TICKLE MONSTER.

The very versatile Lindy Michaels aims 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 Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.