Archive for Friendship

Max and Marla

Written and Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

True Olympians never give up. Proven here by two good friends who prepare for everything in the sport of sledding, well almost, everything that could go wrong. Humorous illustrations fill in the story where the words leave off and will have children dissolved in giggles.

Max and his pet owl are very persistent. Each new failure provides a new opportunity to prepare in a different way. The message to keep on trying will stick with readers and listeners.

While this book is suggested for readers from kindergarten through second grade, there are many words children will struggle to sound out. Librarians, teachers and parents will do best to read this book aloud the first time or two. It is a fantastic new winter book and will be a great addition to any collection. The look at a particular season qualifies this as a book to fulfill core curriculum standards in science, as well as for many literacy skills.

Read and enjoy. Then go sledding with a new outlook.

Buy on Amazon

  • Max and MarlaTitle: Max and Marla
  • Author/Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger
  • Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2015
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format: Hardcover/32pgs
  • ISBN: 978-0-399-17504-6
  • Genre: Picture Book
  • Grade Level: K to 2

All Kinds Of Friends

Written by Norma Simon
Illustrated by Cherie Zamazing

Buy on Amazon

It’s a picture book extravaganza about friends. Staying just this side of too sweet, author Norma Simon and illustrator Cherie Zamazing explore a child’s world of friends. Children think about friends everyday and their ability to make and keep friends is a critical skill. But friendship is also something many of take for granted. Which is to say this picture book fills a need in the literature: a discussion of friends. Written in free verse, each section looks at different pieces of friendship. Friends do things together. Friends sometimes fight, but learn to apologize. While most of the sections are just skimming the surface of friendship, Simon spends several pages addressing how kids can remain friends with someone who moves away, including suggestions of writing, calling and Skype. She also talks about making friends in a new place. The whole book uses the second person “you” to address the audience, as in “When you go to a new place, where you don’t know anybody, and nobody knows you, it’s a hard time.” Fortunately, the writing is broad enough to include most readers — most of us have gone to a new place at some point. And, the pictures show kids of every skin color.

This book will work particularly well as a read aloud at the beginning of new school years, or new camp sessions, when students are feeling insecure. Or it can be read alone by students at or above the second grade reading level. Younger students will enjoy finding pictures of kids doing the activities they do every day. Parents and teachers can ask them, do you ride the bus like these kids? Do you ride a bike? Have you ever talked with a new kid at school? Did you make a friend?

  • all kinds of friendsTITLE: All Kinds Of Friends
  • AUTHOR: Norma Simon
  • ILLUSTRATOR: Cherie Zamazing
  • PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman and Company
  • REVIEWER: Amy S. Hansen
  • ISBN: 978-0-8075-0283-9
  • GENRE: Picture book
  • LEXILE: 530