Archive for March 31, 2017

King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats

Written by Dori Hillestad Butler
Illustrated by Nancy Myers

In this cute story for younger readers, King the dog feels he’s being unjustly accused of stealing dog treats.

King’s owner, Kayla is making peanut butter dog treats, but not for King. She is making them for her friend Jillian’s new puppy. The reader watches as Kayla mixes the yummy ingredients, rolls out the dough, cuts the shapes, and bakes the bone-shaped treats. While the treats cool, King plays with the puppy. When they return to the kitchen, they find several treats missing. Also, King senses a smelly intruder. The new puppy can’t be the thief. Jillian’s little brother can’t be the thief. King knows he’s not the thief. Who can it be?

Action-filled illustrations add to the fun and to the solution of the crime.

In addition to the practice kids will get with the simple language in this great little book, they will get to practice their reasoning and deductive skills.  

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  • Missing Dog TreatsTitle: King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats         
  • Author: Dori Hillestad Butler
  • Illustrator: Nancy Myers
  • Published: Peachtree Publishers, 2017
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 48 pages
  • Grade Level: PreK to 3
  • Genre: Early Reader, Mystery
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-877-6

There’s a Bug on My Book!

Written and Illustrated by John Himmelman

So much to learn and see just from the immediate world around us. Just going outside and sitting still yields a wealth of information. A beetle might land on your book before it decides to fly away. A snake might slither across on its way to who knows where. A grasshopper lands and takes off. A spider might need to be encouraged to slide off the page. A slug might eventually find its way back off the page. Pillbugs are fun to watch roll into balls. They will also need to be slid off the book. A tree frog would probably hold onto an upside down book. Ants will also need to help to leave and to avoid the frog. The snake comes back for a frog snack.

Action packed illustrations add to the fun with apparently crumpled pages and slug slime trails.

In the Explore More sections, kids will learn more about all the creatures they’ve just seen.  Parents and teachers will learn more about how to help kids use this book.

Many activities will grow out of this book. In fact, the book itself is an activity.

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  • Theres a Bug on My BookTitle: Patrick and the President         
  • Author/Illustrator: John Himmelman
  • Published: Dawn Publications, 2017
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
  • Grade Level: PreK to 2
  • Genre: Nature, Nonfiction
  • ISBN: 978-1-58469-588-2
  • Extras: Explore More for Kids and for Parents and Teachers

Lesser Spotted Animals: The Coolest Creatures You’ve Never Heard Of

Written and Illustrated by Martin Brown

 Delightful drawings of lesser known animals like the black-footed ferret, the hirola, and the sand cat make this entertaining book a true delight. Besides the great expressions and thoughtful speech bubbles, the narration in this book is conversational rather than a list of data. Although each double-paged spread has a data box insert for the always necessary information about size, diet, habitat.

Librarians, teachers and parents ought to read this book aloud, “Shhh! Stay still. You’re in the Jungle. The eerie, steaming, inky-black of an Indonesian jungle at night.” What a totally enchanting way to introduce a “stealthy stalker of Southeast Asian treetops “, the Banded Linsang.  This is one science book that will have your audience spell-bound part of the time and giggling the rest.

Curriculum standards will be met in science, geography, literature while the art teacher could have a blast working with these animals.

Full color pages and cartoon-like maps involve the reader in every page. With just the right amount of text, white space and various sized illustration, it is spot on for the intended audience.  Every elementary and public library NEEDS a copy of this volume.

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  • Lesser AnimalsTitle:  Lesser Spotted Animals: The Coolest Creatures You’ve Never Heard Of
  • Author/Illustrator:  Martin Brown
  • Publisher:  Scholastic, 2017
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format:  Hardcover, 66 pages
  • ISBN:  978-1-338-08934-9
  • Genre: Nonfiction
  • Grade level: 2 to 5
  • Extras: Glossary

Great, Now We’ve Got Barbarians!

Written by Jason Carter Eaton
Illustrated by Mark Fearing

If you don’t clean your room, there’s a good chance you will get some kind of infestation but what if that infestation involves barbarians? Seems pretty extreme, huh?  And what do you have to do to get rid of them?

The main character in this raucously fun book is not bothered by the ants or flies or mice his sloppiness bring, but when Vlad the Barbarian shows up, it’s a different story. Vlad brings with him Törr and a bunch of other guys in horned helmets. And they eat all the cheese curls. They snore and belch and snarl, too. They use Mom’s makeup for war paint. The only answer is to take away their fun. Be careful not to cause any more havoc. Something else may show up.

The expressions of the rest of the family, including the cat, are priceless, as are the details of the mess the boy and his barbarians create.

Second graders may be able to read this independently, though much younger kids will get a kick out the humor.

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  • Title: The Tree: Great, Now We’ve Got Barbarians!
  • Author: Jason Carter Eaton
  • Illustrator: Mark Fearing
  • Published: Candlewick Press, 2017
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
  • Grade Level: PreK to 3
  • Genre: Picture book, Humor
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6827-3

Prince Ribbit

Written by Jonathan Emmett
Illustrated by Poly Bernatene

Full of twists and turns, this cute new fairy tale pulls in elements from the classic frog prince without copying. When two of three princesses embrace the original frog prince story as fact, the third princess tries to convince them that you can’t believe everything you read. Instead, they adopt a talking frog and try to kiss and pamper him into princehood. He lives a life of luxury but remains a frog. A surprise ending should delight any reader.

The illustrator deftly complements the text with a sassy curly-headed redhead, clever and expressive frog and dog, a lush backgrounds, and a cast of other characters.

Parents and teachers will want to read this aloud and talk about all the other ways this story and the original one could end. Kids could learn a lot about literature and about ways in which we gather facts. This book is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

 

Buy on Amazon

  • Title: Prince Ribbit
  • Author: Jonathan Emmett
  • Illustrator: Poly Bernatene
  • Published: Peachtree Publishers, 2017
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
  • Grade Level: PreK to 3
  • Genre: Picture book, Fantasy, Humor
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-761-8