Blue Apple Books

A New Paperback Edition of It’s a Firefly Night is Now Available

IT’S A FIREFLY NIGHT
Written by Dianne Ochiltree
Illustrated by Betsy Snyder
(Blue Apple Books; $12.00 Paperback, Ages 3-7)

 

cover art by Betsy Snyder for It's a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree

 

Five years ago Good Reads With Ronna first reviewed Dianne Ochiltree’s splendid It‘s a Firefly Night. We’re back to introduce the story for a new audience to enjoy since it’s just come out in paperback from Blue Apple Books. This new edition features an attractive glittering cover that adds to the magical feel of the story. With at least five weeks left of summer, there’s still time to enjoy the wonder and delight that fireflies bring with “their dancing-light show” to all who see them. 

What child (or adult for that matter) doesn’t love fireflies? After all, they are the first sign that summer has truly arrived. It’s a Firefly Night is a beautiful and joyful picture book that celebrates every child’s rite of passage into the warmest season of the year. Additionally the story demonstrates a strong daddy daughter bond as evidenced by his encouragement of his child to explore the night sky.

The concise flowing, rhyming prose by Dianne Ochiltree offers the youngest readers insight into the story of a little girl and her dog who are out in the yard with a jar, chasing, capturing and releasing fireflies back into the air. Just reading the book will make you want to get out into the fresh air with your family. In the back of the book is a spread with factual information about fireflies. Did you know that fireflies are beetles? There’s also a page with prompts to get kids drawing, counting and writing about fireflies.

 

“Flickering quicker,
they sparkle and shine.
I love catching fireflies,
but they are not mine.”

 

FireflyNight_int_illustration by Betsy Snyder
Interior spread from new paperback edition of It’s a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree with illustrations by Betsy Snyder, Blue Apple Books, ©2013

 

What makes this book standout are the vivid collage illustrations by Betsy Snyder. The colors are both deep and brilliant, depicting the most magical night sky you could ever imagine. It’s a Firefly Night is a great way to kickoff summer with your kids. Just be prepared to get out in the yard with them chasing those glowing parklers as soon as they appear. Click here for a link to a downloadable story hour kit ideal for libraries, bookstores, classrooms and families.

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Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My! by Artie Bennett

Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My!
(Blue Apple Books, $17.99, Ages 4-8)
by Artie Bennett with illustrations by Pranas T. Naujokaitis

C’mon, admit it. When you were between the ages of 4 to 8, you cracked up at the occasional fart joke, right? So maybe bathroom humor is what some parents call it, but there’s no avoiding it if you have a young child. The fascination and preoccupation with – not to mention the reproduction of –  bodily sounds is hard for kids (and parents) to ignore. With Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My!, Bennett’s made learning about the noises that humans and animals emit not only interesting, but rip-roaring funny, too!

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Bennett’s latest nonfiction picture book is divided into parts, the first dealing with belches and burps in all their loud glory. Readers are shown the different things that cause belching such as fizzy drinks or eating too much. One fun fact I never knew, and will definitely have my son try out when the opportunity presents itself, is that ” … we cannot burp if on our backs.” And here’s an example of Bennett at his burp humor best:

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Interior spread from Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My! by Artie Bennett with illustrations by Pranas T. Naujokaitis, Blue Apple Books © 2014.

Can you belch your ABCs?

Demonstrate your ex-burp-tise!

 

In Part Two it’s time to grab a gas mask or clothes pin as the book explores flatulence aka “breaking wind”:

While burps and belches leave by mouth,

Farts will exit farther south.

Throughout the book, gaseous fumes are presented as a toxic looking green in Naujokaitis’ cartoon-style artwork. Some of the expressions he’s drawn are so spot on whether on humans or the animals that kids will get hysterical without even reading the text! We also learn that for some reason boys seem to enjoy discussing, even bragging, about bodily noise much more than girls. I’m not sure if it’s in their DNA, but feel free to leave a comment if you can attest to that statement’s accuracy.

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Interior spread from Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My! by Artie Bennett with illustrations by Pranas T. Naujokaitis, Blue Apple Books © 2014.

Did you know that, despite most animals producing farts, certain ones (jellyfish, sponges and anemones) cannot “cut the cheese?” Now that’s a relief, huh? And here are a few things to entertain friends with at your next get together: on average, humans fart 14 times per day, and it takes around 13-20 seconds for us to smell a fart after it’s been done giving the culprit enough time to move to the next shopping aisle in the supermarket.

So popular is the discussion of bodily noises, that we even have a multitude of descriptive words and expressions for this function including “cutting one,” “tooting,” “passing wind,” “passing gas,” “SBD (silent but deadly),” “letting one rip,” “bottom burp,” and a new one to me, “morning thunder.” I’d also be remiss if I left out the most popular, “He who smelt it, dealt it!”
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Interior spread from Belches, Burps, and Farts, Oh My! by Artie Bennett with illustrations by Pranas T. Naujokaitis, Blue Apple Books © 2014.

Bennett’s included Fart-tastic Facts & Burp-tacular Bits in the back matter so parents and kids can take a few minutes to catch their breath after lots of laughing. Here they’ll learn more about the science of farts, the effects of certain gas producing foods and what it’s like to burp in outer space. Thanks, Artie Bennett, for (f)artfully addressing a topic we often shy away from. You grab this gassy bull by the horn and ride with it! Speaking of bulls, “If the gas could be collected, the burps of ten cows over a year’s time could heat a small house for an entire year.”

As for me, I’m thinking there are certain advantages to having a gas stove and cats around the house.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

See more art by Pranas T. Naujokaitis here.

Read a review here of Artie Bennett’s Peter Panda Melts Down.

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Peter Panda Melts Down! by Artie Bennett

PETER PANDA MELTS DOWN!

Written by Artie Bennett

Illustrated by John Nez

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Peter Panda Melts Down! by Artie Bennett with illustrations
by John Nez, Blue Apple Books, © 2014

Artie Bennett has 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!”

panda int image
Interior artwork from Peter Panda Melts Down! by Artie Bennett with illustrations by John Nez, Blue Apple Books, © 2014

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’s expressive 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!

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
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It’s A Firefly Night Picture Book Giveaway!

ItsAFireflyNight_CVRWe’re excited to be giving away two copies of this marvelous book reviewed by Debbie Glade and perfect for summer!

Enter now by clicking here and you may be one of two lucky winners to receive a copy of IT’S A FIREFLY NIGHT by Dianne Ochiltree. Remember to write FIREFLY in the subject line and please give your name and address in the email.  The giveaway ends midnight on June 17, 2013. For full contest rules click here. Good luck!

What child (or adult for that matter) doesn’t love fireflies? After all, they are the first sign that summer has truly arrived. It’s a Firefly Night ($12.99, Blue Apple Books, Ages 3-6) is a beautiful picture book that celebrates every child’s rite of passage into the warmest season of the year.

The concise flowing, rhyming prose by Dianne Ochiltree offers the youngest readers insight into the story of a little girl and her dog who are out in the yard with a jar, chasing, capturing and releasing fireflies back into the air. Just reading the book will make you want to get out into the fresh air with your family. In the back of the book is a spread with factual information about fireflies. Did you know that fireflies are beetles?

“Flickering quicker,
they sparkle and shine.
I love catching fireflies,
but they are not mine.”

FireflyNight

What makes this book standout are the vivid collage illustrations by Betsy Snyder. The colors are both deep and brilliant, depicting the most magical night sky you could ever imagine. It’s a Firefly Night is a great way to kickoff summer with your kids. Just be prepared to get out in the yard with them chasing those glittery sparklers as soon as they appear.

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Light Up the Sky

ItsAFireflyNight_CVRWhat child (or adult for that matter) doesn’t love fireflies? After all, they are the first sign that summer has truly arrived. It’s a Firefly Night ($12.99, Blue Apple Books, Ages 3-6) is a beautiful picture book that celebrates every child’s rite of passage into the warmest season of the year.

The concise flowing, rhyming prose by Dianne Ochiltree offers the youngest readers insight into the story of a little girl and her dog who are out in the yard with a jar, chasing, capturing and releasing fireflies back into the air. Just reading the book will make you want to get out into the fresh air with your family. In the back of the book is a spread with factual information about fireflies. Did you know that fireflies are beetles?

“Flickering quicker,
they sparkle and shine.
I love catching fireflies,
but they are not mine.”

What makes this book standout are the vivid collage illustrations by Betsy Snyder. The colors are both deep and brilliant, depicting the most magical night sky you could ever imagine. It’s a Firefly Night is a great way to kickoff summer with your kids. Just be prepared to get out in the yard with them chasing those glittery sparklers as soon as they appear.

-Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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A Year’s Worth of Top Picks for Book Gifts

It’s a Most Wonderful Time To Give Books as Gifts

Reviewer Ronna Mandel shares her selection of favorite books from 2012 to help make filling those stockings less stressful. There are really tons more I’d love to mention, so if  you are hankering to expand your list, just click here now to browse through the covers on our Pinterest page for more ideas.

  • 9780399256653_large_The_InsomniacsMost Original and Pro Mom Picture Book

The Insomniacs (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, $16.99, ages 3-5)
by Karina Wolf and illustrated by The Brothers Hilts.

  • Best Science Book

What Color Is My World?:
The Lost History of African American Inventors,
($17.99, Candlewick, ages 8 and up) by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
co-written with Raymond Obstfeld and illustrated by Ben Boos and A.G. Ford.

  • Best Board Books to Teach Colors and Opposites

9781419701801PANTONE: Colors ($9.95, Abrams/Appleseed, ages 1 and up).

Hippopposites ($14.95, Abrams/Appleseed, ages 2 and up) written and illustrated by Janik Coat.

  • Most Clever Follow-up Book

This Is Not My Hat ($15.99, Candlewick, ages 4 and up)
written and illustrated by Jon Klassen.

  • Most Uplifting Picture Book

Because Amelia Smiled ($16.99, Candlewick, ages 3-7) by David Ezra Stein.

  • Favorite Family Cookbook

9780761166030The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in Her Back Pocket  ($16.95, Workman Publishing) by Katie Workman with photographs by Todd Coleman.

  • Best Middle Grade Novels

LIAR & SPY ($17.99, Random House, ages 9-12) by Rebecca Stead.

Wonder ($15.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, ages 8-12) by R.J. Palacio.

  • Best Young Adult (YA) Novel

shadesofgray_bookBetween Shades of Gray ($8.99, Penguin paperback; ages 12 and up) by Ruta Sepetys.

  • Best Silly Books for Preschoolers

image.phpIcky, Sticky Monster: A Super Yucky Pop-up Book  ($12.99, Nosy Crow, ages 3 and up) by Jo Lodge.

Poopendous!: The Inside Scoop on Every Type and Use of Poop ($16.99, Blue Apple Books, Ages 4 and up)  by Artie Bennett.

  • Best Classics

51i9SMWImyL._SL160_BabyLit board book series including Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer and  A Christmas Carol: A BabyLit Colors Primer both by Jennifer Adams with illustrations by Alison Oliver ($9.99, Gibbs Smith, ages 1 and up).

  • Favorite Biographies

A Boy Called Dickens $17.99, Schwartz & Wade, ages 4-8) by Deborah Hopkinson with illustrations by John Hendrix.

Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up On Mount Rushmore ($16.99, Dial Books for Young Readers, ages 5 and up) by  Tina Nichols Coury with illustrations by Sally Wern Comport.

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Oh, Poop!

Reviewer Debbie Glade got a real kick out of a witty and wonderful book about, well, eliminating so-to-speak.

Once a child sees the title of this book, Poopendous!: The Inside Scoop on Every Type and Use of Poop ($16.99, Blue Apple Books, Ages 4 and up) he or she will let out a big laugh and then won’t be able to wait to read it. Professor “Pip Poopdeck” presents readers with pages of useful (and hilarious) info about poop, be it from a bat, octopus, camel, monkey, aardvark, dog or human baby. The story is written by Artie Bennett, author of The Butt Book,  in clever rhyme and is wonderfully illustrated with vibrant colors and crisp images by Mike Moran.

Young readers will not only learn that it is natural for every living creature to poop, but also how poop can actually be helpful, be it fertilizer, for use in making structures or marking a trail. I absolutely love books that make kids laugh as they learn, and all the while entertain the parents who are reading with their kids. The illustrations are really cute and make the copy sing. Most little kids are intrigued by the subject of poop, and this book will certainly satisfy their interest, teach them a thing or two and make them howl with laughter. I promise you will love this book!

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