humor

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.

51nozm8w3el_sl500_aa300_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!

lindymichaelspic3The 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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Lindy Loves DOG LOVES BOOKS

50785403DOG 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.

lindymichaelspic2The 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?

51k8dgp7wl_sl500_aa300_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.

lindymichaelspic1The 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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When Pigs Fly

THE ADVENTURES OF NANNY PIGGINS ($15.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, ages 8-12), by R.A. Spratt with illustrations by Dan Santat is reviewed today by Lindy Michaels of Bookstar on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

51s07k6nofl_sl500_aa300_Widower, workaholic taxman, Mr. Green, was desperately in need of a nanny for his three children. Now, we all know how hard it is to find good help these days and so it was, that is, until Nanny Piggins showed up at Mr. Green’s front door, one dark and stormy night. Since, unfortunately, he didn’t take much of an interest in his children and Ms. Piggins had no criminal record and could start immediately, he hired her on the spot. So what if she was a… PIG! On the other hand, she was very smart, well spoken and dressed with a flair.

Now believe me when I tell you, Nanny Piggins wasn’t just any old ordinary pig. She had been, of all things, a high-flying pig in a circus. As it turned out, after many years she had become tired of being shot out of a canon, night after night and decided to find a new profession for her adorable pink pig self. Did I mention that she was also totally addicted to chocolate? This, alone, made the children love her immediately, since Nanny Piggins always shared with them the sweet treats she constantly whipped up.

And so began the adventures of living with Nanny Piggins. There was the almost ‘sinking’ boat ride in the direction of China. Besides chocolate, Nanny Piggins also loved and devoured duck with noodles, sweet and sour chicken and mmm … squid soup. Fried pork, not so much, for obvious reasons. There was the rotten circus Ringmaster who tried to take Nanny back to the circus. Then there was the burglar, whose thieving she thwarted, the evil aunt of the children she outsmarted. Oh! And did I mention the pie-making contest fiasco?

I do believe former U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, said it best on the book’s back cover. “The most exciting saga about a flying pig nanny ever told. There is a laugh on every page and a lesson in there somewhere.” And I wholeheartedly agree. I laughed out loud at Nanny Piggin’s antics. Funny, funny, funny. A pure delight. This book is a real hoot (or should I say snort) for readers ages 8 and up.

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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Check Out The Shoes

Guest reviewer Lindy Michaels of BookStar in Studio City writes about PETE THE CAT…. I LOVE MY WHITE SHOES (HarperCollins, $16.99, ages 3-7) by Eric Litwin with art by James Dean.

9780061906237Pete, the cat, loves his very white shoes and sings about just how much he does. Now all join in! “I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes!” But, oh no! And horrors, too! One day he steps into a large pile of… strawberries and his shoes turn… RED!

Most cats in this situation would go meowing back to their momma, but not Pete. He goes with the flow, now singing about how he loves his red shoes. Sing it loud! “I love my red shoes, I love my red shoes, I love my red shoes!”

And you guessed it, Pete keeps stepping into piles of different colored “things.” Yikes, even mud! But no catastrophe will crumple this cat.

Children will love to guess what Pete steps into next, as they sing along with him. Will his shoes ever turn white, again? Open this ‘colorful’ book and find out!

lindymichaelspic2The 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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Back-to-School Books

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.

catalog_coverA 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.

9780810989603_s3The 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!

0763646318medHow 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.

9781402759956mI 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.

0763650307med0763650293medI 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!

9258292193Charlesbridge 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.

catalog_cover_100It’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.

9780061762758Here’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!

9780448453675lOlder 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 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

Leo jkt FINAL 1/5Unfortunately, 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

9781590173442_jpg_180x450_q85One 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

0439490251_xlgAlice 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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A Biseleh (a little) Bit of Yiddish and Comedy Stars

9781439152829Yiddish 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)!

978-0-8225-9942-5_medJewish 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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Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch!

9781402224447-mToday’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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Spaceheadz: New! Fresh Scent, Long Lasting!


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

9781416979517Today’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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Little Pookie Has a Happy Birthday!

9780375865398Are you a big Sandra Boynton fan like me? Are your kids? Can you recite several of her classics by heart? Does a gigantic grin spread across your face as you recall the hilarious artwork in Hippos Go Berserk?

Then I think it’s time to introduce you to the “Pookie” series of Boynton books. In Happy Birthday, Little Pookie, (Robin Corey Books/Random House, $5.99, ages 0-3), the titular Pookie is a precious little pig and today it’s her birthday. Only thing is, the excitement and anticipation have got her up before the break of dawn. This board book is bound to please both parent and child as together they discover the delights a birthday can bring, but not without a nap somewhere inbetween!

Look out for these other three titles in the series:

What’s Wrong, Little Pookie?

Let’s Dance, Little Pookie

Night-Night, Little Pookie

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There’s a Babirusa in My Bathtub

babir-dKids love to learn about exotic animals, and so do I! Written by Maxine Rose Schur, There’s a Babirusa in My Bathtub: Fact and Fancy About Curious Creatures starts out with an adorable poem about unfamiliar ronna1animals. 13 unique animals are featured in this book, including introductory poems and fascinating info about each creature, “fabulous facts” and gorgeous illustrations by Michael Maydak.

Have you ever even heard of a Babirusa, also known as a pig deer in its native Indonesia? What about a bat-like Coluga from Southeast Asia? A Hagfish that makes a ronna3bunch of slime to make it hard for predators to catch it? And so much more! At the back of the book are two extra pages with fun facts and activities for readers to enjoy, including a list of other rare animals worth researching. There’s a Babirusa in My Bathtub is a great book for both kids and parents to learn about unusual critters. It will surely pique children’s curiosity enough to make them want to learn more about our wide and wonderful world.

ronna2
Winner of the
2009 iParenting Media
Greatest Product Award

dsc_0024-300x217

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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Revisiting a classic – Mr. Popper’s Penguins

9780316058438_154x233Originally published in 1938, and a “Newbery” honor book, Mr. Popper’s Penguins still delights. I asked my son, Coleman, a third-grader, to read the book without mentioning its classic status and he raved about it. Having a cool cover design by Michael Emberley pulled him in, but the marvelous story by Richard and Florence Atwater with illustrations by Robert Lawson is what kept his interest peaked.

According to Coleman, the main characters in the book are Mr. and Mrs. Popper, their son Bill and daughter Janie plus 12 penguins. Mr. Popper is a house painter and one day he sends a letter to Admiral Drake in the South Pole. Several weeks later Admiral Drake’s show about his Antarctic explorations is live on the radio. During his show he addresses Mr. Popper on the radio, referring to his letter. “Since you want a little piece of Antarctica, there will be a special surprise for you in the mail.”

In a few weeks, the box from Admiral Drake arrives and when Mr. Popper opens it, out pops a penguin as curious as a cat. The penguin proceeds to explore the house and is named Captain Cook by the Popper family. When he gets sick, the local aquarium sends over another penguin named Greta. Soon Greta lays an egg and then another until there are a total of 10 baby penguins.

The story, according to my son, is about what life is like for the Poppers who are now the proud owners of 12 penguins. During their stay at the Popper home, the penguins discover that staircases are for tobogganing, and sibling rivalry is not all fun and games. The family puts on a show and travels from coast to coasst, but you have to read the book to find out the rest!

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Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs Giveaway

“A perfect storm of humor, heart and hot dogs.” – Michelle Tan, People Magazine

cloudy-art-of-making-bookFrom the Academy Award ® nominated studio behind Open Season comes CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, the box office hit from Sony Pictures Animation, arriving on DVD, Blu-ray TM High-Def and PSP, today, Tuesday, January 5.

To celebrate the DVD release of this classic kids’ book, “Good Reads With Ronna” is giving away (1) fun prize pack worth a total of $60.

1 lucky winner will get:

ratbird-image(1) The Art and Making of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs book by  Tracey Miller-Zarneke, $50. This behind-the-scenes look at the hit film features interviews and insights from film designers about special effects and animation techniques in 300 colorful pages. Plus there’s scratch-and-sniff stickers, a booklet on “How To” make the perfect burger and so much more!

(1) Plush Toy Ratbird will be the perfect companion as you read the book, $10.

Please click here for your chance to win and remember to type CLOUDY in the subject. The contest ends on January 18. For rules, click here now.

http://blip.tv/play/AYGH7U0C

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An Interview With Carl Reiner

51zybomaivl_sl500_aa240_Just in time for Halloween and all the haunting activities which typically accompany it, I was thrilled to interview multiple Emmy-winning comic icon, and a personal fave, Carl Reiner, about his new hit book, Tell Me Another Scary Story…But Not Too Scary! Illustrations are by James Bennett and the book, ($16.95, ages 4-8) published by Dove, an imprint of Phoenix Books, is available in stores everywhere as well as online. Fans will love the fact that a bonus ‘read-along’ CD of the book is included so they can take Reiner reading his Scary Story on the road.

carlrQ. Where did your idea for Tell Me Another Scary Story… come from as you certainly did not have a next door neighbor named Mr. Neewollah and how does it differ from your first Scary Story?
A. It came from the original Tell Me A Scary Story and it being a hit, and the publisher asking me for another Scary Story. In the second story, the boy becomes friends with the neighbor who one frightened him to death in the first story.

Q. The message in the story is an important one and so well conveyed. Do you think children today are less respectful, less thoughtful than when you were a child?
A. I think children have already reflected the mores of society and the disciplines that their parents instilled in them, and that has not changed.

Q. Has the media together with books actually helped make children of the 21st century more prepared for emergencies like the one in your story?
A. Yes, the media has prepared children. At the end of Tell Me Another Scary Story, the boy, faced with a man who obviously fainted, calls 911. Weeks before on TV, I had seen or heard or learned about a four year old who actually dialed 911 to get help for his mother, who had collapsed while driving.
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Q. Is it harder or easier to write for children?
A. Equally. It is the same process. I get a good idea and develop it.

Q. I love how you tease the reader with your warnings about turning the page. To me that’s the fun part of a scary story and Halloween; all the frightful possibilities.
A. I’m very proud of the fact that I found in the first Scary Story the idea of warning the children that they have an option…that if they get scared, they have the option of not turning the page.

Q. What elements come together to make a great scary story for kids?
A. The same elements that make any great story. Good characters, good situations, suspense, and ultimately, a happy ending.
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Q. Apart from the candy, what makes Halloween such an enduring holiday in our culture? I’m a sucker for Tootsie Rolls, what’s your treat of choice?
A. Dressing up. Kids always love to put on costumes and make believe they are somebody else, and this holiday makes it possible for them to live out their dreams… and get candy while doing so. I think Tootsie Rolls were everybody’s favorite, including mine.

Q. What do you say to children who ask you how to become a writer?
A. Write…write…write…write…write. Nobody can stop you from writing if you have paper, a pencil and an idea.
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Q. What is the best thing about writing for kids?
A. Hearing about how much they enjoyed reading and re-reading, and re-reading, and re-reading and re-reading the book you have written.

Q. Are people simply born funny?
A. I think people are born with a clean slate. If they are born where parents put a premium on laughter and expose children to television, movies and albums that are meant to make you laugh, they will appreciate and be honed by, this experience.
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Q. Who are some other authors you admire?
A. Let’s start with Mark Twain, who was probably the greatest writer of all time, and then of course, we have Phillip Roth and Richard Dawkins, and Doctorow, etc. etc.

Q. Do you know what you’ll be writing next?
A. If that’s the last question, then nothing…oh yes, for next year, I have written Tell Me A Silly Story and Tell Me A Sillier Story, which I think may be my best works. We’ll see.

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