humor

Curl Up With A Cat

Reviewer Ronna Mandel’s face lit up after reading Up Cat by Hazel Hutchins with art by Fanny.

I love animals. All things cat, dog, bear and bunny interest me so naturally I gravitated towards Up Cat ($6.95, Annick Press/Firefly Books, ages 2-5) when it arrived at my doorstep earlier this year.

This charming board book, and its companion, Up Dog, are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers ready to learn new words and grasp new expressions. From the onset, little ones will be in for a treat when they meet the darling little gray feline and follow just what he gets UP to during the day. Whether it’s watching him wake up, hearing him speak up, seeing him tear and rip up, and make a pretty big mess, the activity never ends. Nor will the giggles.

The artwork is bright and cheerful. Fanny’s style is simple yet says so much that children will absolutely adore the cat and all his antics, naughty or not.  I’m betting there’ll be some serious snuggle time after a read through and like kitty, you might just want to “cover up, curl up and soak up the sun.”

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Jon Klassen Steals Our Hearts Not Our Hats!

This Little Fishy Should Have Stayed Home!

Ronna Mandel, today’s reviewer, is hooked on Jon Klassen.

THIS IS NOT MY HAT. Copyright © 2012 by Jon Klassen. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

If you loved the subtle hilarity of author-illustrator (and L.A. local) Jon Klassen’s multi-award-winning 2011 picture book,  I Want My Hat Back, prepare yourself for yet more fun and understated humor with This Is Not My Hat ($15.99, Candlewick, ages 4 and up).  In his new book, on sale this coming October 2012,  Klassen has swimmingly cornered the market on black humor and hat thieves while still keeping things suitable for children since (spoiler alert!) the culprit once again gets caught or as I like to put it, beaten and eaten!

In his first book Klassen introduced readers to a big bear in search of his stolen red hat. Now with his latest title, one that is certain to secure an even bigger fan base, Klassen lures us in ever so easily. Meet one small, overly confident fish wearing a blue bowler he has just nicked from a rather large sleeping fish who
“probably won’t notice that it’s gone.” It may suit him and he may convince himself he deserves it more than its owner, but it’s just not his.

What works so well in this story is that rather than sharing the story from the perspective of the victim (the bear in This Is Not My Hat), Klasssen switches narrators and this time chooses to give the thief’s point of view. Will this little crook manage to outsmart the big fish by keeping several strokes ahead and hiding in a place where the plants are big and tall and close together?  Or will he get his just deserts? 

THIS IS NOT MY HAT. Copyright © 2012 by Jon Klassen. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

I’ll admit I may have initially found myself rooting for the small underdog of a hat thief, but it did not take long to get Klassen’s message loud and clear; hat swiping will not get you ahead. Undeniably funny and fab fodder for a storybook, but for young readers what’s also important is that the big fish gets his bowler back and will achieve that end one delicious way or another. I raise my hat to Klassen’s fab follow-up work, an irresistible easy-to-read or be-read-to picture book that has left me with bated breath as to what thefts are in the works.

THIS IS NOT MY HAT. Copyright © 2012 by Jon Klassen. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

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What the Heck is Your Dog Thinking?

Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know ($12.99 Sourcebooks, Family Reading) by Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson is downright cute and clever. A panel of 11 dogs share their insight on a wide variety of topics relating to well, being a dawg.  Think of it as a cheeky, humorous blog for people, written by their pets. Cuteness aside – all the entries are actually very helpful to dog owners.  Inside you will learn why dogs wag their tails, how they feel when you dress them up in silly costumes, the lowdown on walks, why they eat your furniture, why they love car trips and so much more. In addition to the fun and helpful information, the book is visually appealing. Each entry includes a headshot of the canine “writer,” and the pages are very colorful.  I love the fact that this book is both laugh-out-loud entertaining and includes so much valuable information about dogs I have not read in any other book.

Note: This book was not written for children, but the subject matter of pets applies to the entire family. There are a couple of entries in this book that parents may find are not appropriate for young children.

-Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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The Kid Dictionary Spells it Like it is For Parents

Mom-to-be Karen B. Estrada weighs in on this play-on-words paperback perfect for parents.

Although I won’t be a parent for a few more weeks, I have enough nieces and nephews to appreciate the humor (and accuracy) of the many creative words in Eric Ruhalter’s The Kid Dictionary: Hilarious Words to Describe the Indescribable Things Kids Do ($9.99, Sourcebooks, recommended for adults). Ruhalter seems to have a clever word to describe every quirky thing children do as well as the parental responses to normal childlike behavior. My husband and I have already practiced “maddress (mad-DRES) v: to refer to a child by his first and middle name in a stern voice, thus denoting that he’s about to get in trouble.”  Don’t all parents do this when running through a list of names, just to see what sounds best in a scolding tone? You know you have a good first-middle name combination when they roll off the tongue dripping with intimidation and unspoken threats of punishment. And as a child myself, I remember plenty of fights with my younger brother over who would get to push the elevator buttons. What is it about pushing the buttons and watching them light up that is oh-so-satifying? Well, Eric Ruhalter may not have the answer to that question, but he does have a word for it: “uptitude.” I’ve also been guilty of “yupping (YUH-ping) v: to acknowledge what your two-year old is communicating to you when you have no idea what he’s trying to say.” In fact, I have two, two-year old nieces who both love to jabber. One is particularly proficient at speaking to my husband and me on the phone, but there is certainly a lot of “yupping” that goes on from my end when having a conversation with her.

The Kid Dictionary by Eric Ruhalter is a great coffee-table book to give to any parent or soon-to-be parent, or to just keep for yourself for those days you need a laugh. Leave it laying around the house where you can pick it up and browse through a few words, and I bet you’ll find yourself saying, “my child did that today!” or perhaps, “that is exactly how I reacted!” Ruhalter’s collection of words lets parents know they are not alone in dealing with the frustrations of raising a child and helps to lighten the mood when incidents leave you feeling like somewhat less than parent of the year. So grab a copy of The Kids Dictionary and give it to a parent you know who could use an occasional laugh amidst all the stress of parenthood!

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Cinderella’s Stepmother Steps Into The Spotlight

If you’ve had enough with fairy tales, you’ll love introducing your children to Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying!: The Story of Cinderella as Told by the Wicked Stepmother ($5.95, Picture Window Books, ages 5 and up) written by Trisha Speed Shaskan. Simply put, this is a mockery of Cinderella’s perfect image. From the viewpoint of the jealous stepmother, Cinderella is treated well by every member of the family, but she is just too chatty and oh, so annoying. I like this book, not only for its humor, but also because it is an original take on a tried and true fairy tale. After reading and being told so many quintessential princess stories, this book makes young readers think in fresh, new ways.  The cartoon-like illustrations by Gerald Guerlais are colorful and inviting too. In the back of the book the author suggests that readers read the original Cinderella story and compare it to this one. Any book that is funny and encourages children to think outside the box (or should I say castle?) is a winner.

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YA & MG Authors Share Their Stories Part I

This past weekend I attended a Mother & Daughter book event at Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse in La Canada, CA. I sat and listened to seven presentations by some of the most interesting and personable women writers for young readers.  Now that I have deciphered my notes I can share what I learned with you. If you happen to be in the San Gabriel Valley on Feb 7, don’t miss the one year anniversary of the bookshop’s new location. You’ll be able to take advantage of sale prices as low as 70% off, and enjoy a delicious beverage as well.

Let’s start with local author Kathy McCullough. First you’ll want to visit her wonderful website to get more details than my brief ones here, but suffice it to say I was impressed by her candor, and clever ideas. She has easily transitioned from screenwriter to kids and teen writer and I am certain we can expect to hear more exciting developments about her blossoming career in the months ahead.

Her new book from Random House/Delacorte Press is called Don’t Expect Magic and introduces us to Delaney Collins, f.g. And if you are wondering what the f.g. stands for, it’s fairy godmother, but “without the pink and sparkly” says McCullough. It so happens that Delaney is not at all happy about having to help people, and to be specific, a certain boy she likes, but she’s basically got no choice since she was born with the f.g. gene. I don’t want to give too much away since I’ll be reviewing the book soon and can’t wait!

While the book is billed as a YA novel, McCullough’s heard from delighted readers in 5th and 6th grade who have become quite demanding in the diversity of their subject matter. Parents will feel comfortable allowing their middle grade readers to pick up Don’t Expect Magic because it’s not full of foul language or questionable content. The book combines a little bit of fantasy with a little bit of humor so check out the trailer now and get a taste of the good time in store for you. You can click here for a selection of links where you can buy the book.

The best news is that there will be a sequel featuring Delaney’s rival fairy godmother which promises to be another feel good novel to keep you turning the pages. And what’s McCullough doing now? She’s working away on yet another YA novel so I recommend fans follow her website to keep up-to-date on all her appearances and publication dates.

Please join me here next week to meet more of the charming women novelists I spoke with at the event. Then, make tracks to your favorite book shop to purchase the stack of books I’ve covered. I promise they will keep you enlightened, amused and entertained for hours!

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Snow Days

The Question, ($16.95, www.shakethemoonbooks.com) by Scott J. Langteau with illustrations by Lidat Truong, both SoCal locals, is a funny, imaginative new book (published early December 2011), ideal for ages 4-8. One of my recommendations would be to read the book slowly, savoring every colorful page like you would a delicious assortment of pastries. You’ll want to have plenty of time to study all the fantastic, detailed artwork on each page because there are lots of silly little things added for those who don’t turn the pages too quickly. And like pastries, who wants to miss a good treat?

As I write I am looking at the mountain peaks now frosted in fresh, white snow. On such a wintry day, what would you do if you awoke to a window “of snow to the sky, under drifts that have buried every house that’s nearby?” That is the initial question this delightful picture book poses and the way the main character keeps pushing the question to extremes, as my son would do, is something a lot of kids could relate to. “If I’m stuck here ’til spring, as is likely the case, will I write a great novel or just stare into space?”

I especially loved the surprise ending since I had no idea where the story was taking me! I was just so happy to be along for the ride.  While there are one or two rhymes that were a stretch for me, I think children might not be as picky as I am and will more than likely have joined the young boy on his imaginative adventure in no time at all. If you like this book, you’ll want to check out the author’s previous book entitled Sofa Boy. That’s my plan – Sofa Boy and some pastries!

Watch an eBook trailer  here:

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Too Much Stuff!!!

Yay! Here’s a children’s book with big, vivid, adorable illustrations, by Noah Z. Jones, and a delightful story, by Margie Palatini, that teaches an important lesson. How can anyone ask for more than that in a children’s book?

Stuff ($16.99, Harper Collins, ages 4-7) is a story about Edward, an adorable rabbit who has collected so much stuff in his house that it takes over his entire life.  Even though his best friends suggest that Edward get rid of some of his many possessions, he continues to collect even more. One day something happens that makes Edward realize that all his stuff is taking over his life, and he decides to do something about it.

I know I could sure relate to the message in this book, and I am sure there are many more Americans who can as well. Why not teach our children this valuable lesson now, so their lives are not taken over one day by a whole bunch of stuff?!  I think the holidays are a perfect time to read Stuff to the children in your life (and maybe to yourself, too).

– Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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It’s Hard Work Being Perfect

This review by Ronna Mandel of The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, $14.99, ages 4-8) by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein, illustrated by Mark Pett, can be found in the November issue of L.A. Parent.

It’s hard work being perfect – not that I know of course, but I can just imagine. And when you never botch up like the main character of this book, Beatrice Bottomwell, people come to expect you will never make a mistake, never forget to do your homework, mismatch your socks or, horror-of-all-horrors, be unprepared for the school talent show juggling act! Pett and Rubinstein’s story and Pett’s totally in sync artwork come together to share an important message: it’s OK to try your best, but when it becomes all consuming and nothing less is satisfying, more is lost than gained!

All that striving for perfection can certainly create a lot of stress. It gets to the point for 9-year-old Beatrice that, after one near miss with an egg while baking, she starts avoiding activities for fear of failure. While Beatrice’s friends and even her younger brother could care less about falling down while ice skating or playing piano the wrong way, Beatrice’s worrying about making a mistake makes her feel ill until … she actually does make a major mistake in front of a packed school auditorium during her juggling performance in the talent show. What results is anything but a disaster! In fact, Beatrice, and the audience, end up finding the whole thing so hilarious, that from that moment forward Beatrice is surprised to find out how absolutely wonderful and rewarding it is to stop trying so hard and just be herself.

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Hogwash

Hogwash ($16.99, Little, Brown, ages 4-8) written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jim McMullan, is reviewed by Lindy Michaels.

 Okay, fine, I’ll admit that Farmer was just a tad obsessive when it came to wanting the animals on his farm neat and clean and tidy.  But don’t we all want our children to be presentable at all times?  And so…

“One warm day in early May,

Farmer had a plan,

to spring-clean all his animals

till each was spic ’n’ span…”

Ah, how I love a rhyming children’s book.  Now, everything went dandily along, as Farmer scrubbed the cats, the dogs, the horses, ducks and cows.  And then… and then, it was time to suds up the… HOGS!  Well, this was easier said than done, to say the least.

“They all dug in and made mud pies.

They had a mud-ball war.

They splished and splashed and hammed it up,

More filthy than before.”

Hey, such is the piggy way.  And no matter how hard Farmer tried to get those hogs clean, he failed each time.  But give up?  Never!  He finally filled his crop dust plane with water and shampoo, hoping to douse them with suds from high above, but, oh, no!  “The engine sputtered.  Just my luck, the farmer muttered…”  And then he crashed right into the middle of a giant, humongous mud puddle.

Was Farmer hog tied by this mucky, slushy, gooey, grubby experience?  Did this clean freak need psychotherapy to resolve his deep seeded hatred of mud and muck?  Let me just say this.  If ya can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!  A little dirt never hurt anyone.  So the moral of this pig tale is…  it’s time you all go a little hog wild with your kids.  Believe me, they’ll love you for it!

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Put a Lid on it, Mike!

BE QUIET, MIKE! ($14.99, Candlewick, ages 3-6), reviewed today by Lindy Michaels, was written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli.

What kid hasn’t blown on a kazoo, pretending it was a trumpet?  What kid hasn’t let their fingers fly on a table top pretending it was a piano?  Well, from the time Mike, the monkey, was in his momma monkey’s womb, he was drumming to his own beat.  “Kick, thump, pow!”  It was a very active pregnancy for momma monkey, to say the least.  And once Mike was born “…He played with his fingers, he played with his feet, a funky little monkey, with a beat, beat, beat.”

As Mike grew bigger, there was nothing he came in contact with that didn’t become a… drum!  Banging on a wastebasket, slapping the water in the pool, clanking on a trash can.  And how was his creativity received by his family?   “BE QUIET, MIKE!”  But that didn’t stop this monkey as he grew older.  “He played on the table like a wild baboon…”  “BE QUIET, MIKE,” was what he heard day and night, over and over again. “Mike tried to be quiet, he tried to be still, but the beat in his heart, was stronger than his will.”

And then one day, he saw in the window of a music shop, “… a real live, full-sized jamming drum set”  “… an ape with long fur, beating so fast – arms and legs a blur.”

Ah, the sheer ingenuity of little monkey Mike.  He went home and used everything he could find in his house, like coffee cans and pots and pans and two sticks, to make his very own drum set.  And then he started to beat his home-made drums.  “Zat.  Zoom.  Crash!”

And just then his parents and sister opened the door to his bedroom.  Oh, yes, Mike certainly knew what was coming.  “BE QUIET, MIKE!”

But is that what happened?  I adore books  that encourage children to explore their bliss, even if it’s very, very loud!  Leslie Patricelli, the talented author and illustrator of the popular YUMMY YUCKY, QUIET LOUD, TUBBY, THE BIRTHDAY BOX and other fun children’s books, has done it again, when it comes to engaging children on their own level.  Now all you moms and dads,  go and give your little ones some pots and pans and let them go to town.  Just don’t forget some cotton for your ears!

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Daddy, You Can Drive My Car

Powered by Love

Mitchell’s License by Hallie Durand and illustrated by Tony Fucile ($15.99, Candlewick, ages 3-7) is reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

With some strong neck muscles, and an eager driver, Mitchell’s dad hoisted his son upon his shoulders nightly to play a bedtime game of  “Remote-Control Dad.”  According to author Hallie Durand, her husband invented the game, guaranteed to get kids in gear for a road trip to dreamland. The inimitable Tony Fucile added the V6 powered artwork making this a fun-fueled story for preschoolers to second graders with a penchant for running on empty.

Meet Mitchell who, until his dad creates this nighttime ritual, will do whatever it takes to avoid his bedtime routine. Dad, however, has another plan in mind. He makes his shoulders the driver’s seat, his head the steering wheel and his eyeglasses the windshield. Together the father-son team steer clear of boring and head straight for adventure. Once Mitchell’s been assured that his father’s in tip top, road ready condition, the duo are off! But watch out, there are obstacles ahead and no signs to warn the car or driver! And while the horn and brakes work just fine, occasionally Mitchell’s dad (aka the auto) could use a tune up, an oil change and even some gas.

This laugh-filled, creative story may become part of your own family’s ritual so get those shoulders in shape for some serious driving and remember to look both ways before turning the page.

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You’re Sure to get “Stuck” on this Picture Book

Reviewed by Debbie Glade, STUCK is storybook you’ll want to keep around. It’s due to be published Nov. 11, 2011, so mark your calendars!

Why read a run-of-the-mill picture book when you can read an utterly adorable, whimsically illustrated and wonderfully entertaining book like Stuck ($16.99, Philomel, ages 3-7), by Oliver Jeffers? As soon as I saw the darling cover of this book, I just had to open it up. I must confess that part of the allure for me is that when my daughter was about two years old, she loved to say, “I’m stuck! I’m stuck!” Now she’s 19, but I know this book would still put a smile on her face.

So Stuck is about a boy named Floyd, who got his kite stuck up in a tree.  That may not sound all that exciting at first, but wait until you see the methods Floyd uses to try to get his kite out of the tree and the bigger mess he creates while trying to solve his dilemma. This is one of those cozy books you read to your child at bedtime over and over again, while admiring the illustrations and giggling throughout the story. Both you and your child will also enjoy the childlike font used in the book.

Author Oliver Jeffers (originally from Belfast) is a mega-talented author and illustrator who has won numerous awards for his various children’s books. With books as awesome as this one,  it’s no wonder why.

As for me, I’m sending my copy to my daughter in college, just to bring back some happy memories of her early years.

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One Noisy Monkey

BE QUIET, MIKE! ($14.99, Candlewick, ages 3-6), reviewed by Lindy Michaels, is  written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli.

What kid hasn’t blown on a kazoo, pretending it was a trumpet? What kid hasn’t let their fingers fly on a table top pretending it was a piano? Well, from the time Mike, the monkey, was in his momma monkey’s womb, he was drumming to his own beat. “Kick, thump, pow!” It was a very active pregnancy for momma monkey, to say the least. And once Mike was born “…He played with his fingers, he played with his feet, a funky little monkey, with a beat, beat, beat.”

As Mike grew bigger, there was nothing he came in contact with that didn’t become a… drum! Banging on a wastebasket, slapping the water in the pool, clanking on a trash can. And how was his creativity received by his family? “BE QUIET, MIKE!” But that didn’t stop this monkey as he grew older. “He played on the table like a wild baboon…” “BE QUIET, MIKE,” was what he heard day and night, over and over again. “Mike tried to be quiet, he tried to be still, but the beat in his heart, was stronger than his will.”

And then one day, he saw in the window of a music shop, “… a real live, full-sized jamming drum set” “… an ape with long fur, beating so fast – arms and legs a blur.”

Ah, the sheer ingenuity of little monkey Mike. He went home and used everything he could find in his house, like coffee cans and pots and pans and two sticks, to make his very own drum set. And then he started to beat his home-made drums. “Zat. Zoom. Crash!”

And just then his parents and sister opened the door to his bedroom. Oh, yes, Mike certainly knew what was coming. “BE QUIET, MIKE!”

But is that what happened? I adore books that encourage children to explore their bliss, even if it’s very, very loud! Leslie Patricelli, the talented author and illustrator of the popular YUMMY YUCKY, QUIET LOUD, TUBBY, THE BIRTHDAY BOX and other fun children’s books, has done it again, when it comes to engaging children on their own level. Now all you moms and dads, go and give your little ones some pots and pans and let them go to town. Oh, yeah, just don’t forget some cotton for your ears!

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Oy! Such an Adorable Book!

NOSH SCHLEP SCHLUFF

BABY YIDDISH


Written by Laurel Snyder

Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

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Reviewed by Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, CA.

Oy vey! Who can argue that Yiddish is not a fun language to speak out loud, even for those of a… non Jewish persuasion? Now, everyone, say it together, please…

“Loads of words from which to choose

Perfect for a preschool SCHMOOZE.”

For those not in the know, that means, what else, a little talk! How about this one…

“Dolly hauling, crawling, stepping.

Babies do get tired of SCHLEPPING.”

We got KIBITZ: joke around

We got KLUTZ: not particularly graceful

We got NOSH: now everyone knows that’s a little something to eat. A nice sour

pickle, maybe?

“From the youngest MAMALEH, to the oldest BUBBE and ZAIDEH,

no one’s ever too young… or too old to learn a BISSEL Yiddish!”

So enjoy this delightful, colorful, little board book with the KINDERS, nu? And always feel free to insert a little Yiddish into any conversation! It will make folks think you’re actually bi-lingual! Shalom!!

lindymichaelspicThe 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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