Sea monster Ernest is starting his first day of school. But starting school is a big job! Fitting in when you’re a sea monster is tough enough, and there’s so much to learn and do—reading, singing, playing hide-and-seek with the fishermen, lunchtime in the algae patch….This funny, charming twist on the worries and joys of starting school will reassure and delight the smallest children and the largest sea monsters alike.

My Comments: I read this book to my class of second graders a couple of weeks into the school year and we enjoyed it very much.  The children interacted with the story.  They felt appropriately sorry for monster when he didn’t fit in.  Half my class is new and they could relate to this issue.  The words and story were very appropriate for children in grades K-2 or 3.  The illustrations were wonderful and very helpful to the text.  I hope this book gets leveled in Accelerated Reader.  It would be great for most of my readers!

Thank you Chronicle Books for publishing this book!

Just in time for back-to-school, “Dear Teacher” is a collection of humorous letters from a child to his teacher explaining why he cannot go to class. Each subsequent letter describes Michael’s increasingly outlandish escapades. Illustrations.

My Comments: I read this book to my second graders the first week of school and we enjoyed it.  It would serve two purposes in my classroom – writing letters and beginning of school.  The book uses imagination in a fun way and kept my class engaged throughout.  The illustrations are kid-friendly and the cover looks like a large envelope which adds to the appeal.  We also discussed places around the world such as Egypt, Africa, and Asia.  This is a keeper!

‘There it was in big letters for all to see: Recommendation: Adopt.’ He really was a nice, special male cat, and he knew soon he would be leaving this small cage for a large, comfortable house with his real name.’ A cat temporarily named Linus is living in a cat adoption center dreaming of the day someone will take him home. When a man walks in the center, Linus is sure that he has spotted his new owner. He does everything he can to catch the man’s attention: stays in the front of the cage, looks him in the eye, and even reaches his brown paw out to the man. But the man decides to think about his decision and heads out, leaving Linus to wonder when his magical day will come. Come along to see how Mr. Bo Finds a New Home and a New Name.

My comments: As always with children’s books, I read this to my 29 second graders.  They loved it.  The only complaint they had was that the book was not long enough.  Telling the adoption story from the pet’s point of view gave a different perspective on the whole issue.  The story is great!  The children loved the illustrations.  They especially loved the pictures of Mr. Bo.

******We have one copy of this book to GIVE AWAY.  We will randomly choose a winner from those leaving a comment about a pet you or someone you know has adopted.  You MUST have a United States address.  The contest ends February 28 at 11:59 P.M.  Good luck!

Three Adorable Tales for Children of All Ages!

Through the eyes of a curious little polar bear, young readers are invited into engaging journeys through the Arctic North Pole to explore some of their most tender-hearted and important questions.

Mama, Papa, and Grampa Bear, the ever-loving and wise guides for Little Cub’s adventures, share with her the incredible miracles of God’s creation and the depths of His love for her.

This limited edition treasury of the best-selling God Gave Us series includes three complete charming tales—one of which is brand new to the series. With heart and humor, the stories reveal the beauty of diversity throughout the world, the incredible gift of love, and the wonderment of our Heavenly home to come.

All three books are available in this exclusive treasury for the price of two!

God Gave Us the World
A brand new addition to this series.
For a limited time, available exclusively in this treasury!
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us Heaven

My Comments: This is an adorable book for little ones.  The illustrations by Laura J. Bryant are outstanding – they give me warm fuzzies all over.  God Gave Us So Much captures the inquisitive mind of the very young and the patient adults who answer all of the questions they ask.  The three topics of the world, love, and Heaven capture our surroundings, people around us who are easy and not so easy to love, as well as how much God love us, and the most amazing place we’ll ever see – Heaven!  Lots of children’s questions are answered; and if not, this book gives excellent opportunity to speak with your child about the most important and real issues of life, while he/she is cuddling with you on your lap.  This is a great addition to any young Christian’s family library.

Product Description

Influenced by Native American folktales, this fascinating story deals with overcoming adversity, self-confidence, and understanding the phases of the moon. After the sun insults her, the moon gets very upset and disappears – much to the chagrin of rabbits who miss their moonlight romps. With the help of her many friends and admirers, the moon gains self-confidence each day until she is back to her full size. The For Creative Minds section explains the phases of the moon and answers those pesky questions like why is the moon up during the day? , and why does the shape of the moon change?

My Comments: I read this book to my class and they got it.  Bullying is a huge problem in schools today and the more we can expose children to ways of handling it in their lives, the better equipped they will be to handle it.  This is not only a book about bullying, but also about self-esteem and confidence.  How the Moon Regained Her Shape is subtle and gets the message across in a non-didactic way.

I love the educational books of Sylvan Dell.  The illustrations are great as well as the content.  My classes have enjoyed each book I read and the added bonus is many of Sylvan Dell books are also Accelerated Reader (AR) leveled.

This is a beautiful, nostalgic book published by Chronicle Books.

From the cover:  Few animals inspire as much devotion and delight as horses.  From Thoroughbreds to broncos, and from racers to rodeo girls, this collection will spur the dreams of young horse lovers into the wide fields of adventure.  Including favorite illustrations from classic children’s books, these exhilarating stories and poems are sure to charm and captivate readers – and riders – of all ages.

My Review: If you are not sure which horse novels you want to read, check this book out.  Classic Horse Stories includes excerpts from many famous horse books including Black Beauty, Happy Horsemanship, The Horse and His Boy, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, The Red Pony, and more.  Poems and original illustrations are also included.  This book would delight readers from third grade up.  Classic Horse Stories includes 141 pages chock full of stories, poems, and pictures for horse lovers or just animal lovers in general.  This book brings back happy memories to me personally.  The illustrations are full of nostalgia of my childhood.  A GREAT read as well as a great gift idea!

Your buffalo is growing up. He plays with friends. He shares his toys. He’s smart! But is he ready for kindergarten? (And is kindergarten ready for him?)

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? is a hilarious look at first-day-of-school jitters from author Audrey Vernick and illustrator Daniel Jennewein.

My Review: I love this book!  It is a great way to introduce children to the beginning of school or the school year.  I think you could use it for children all the way up to second grade.  The illustrations are fun, the story is fun, and it will definitely make you smile.

Finding Lincoln on YouTube

Louis needs to write an essay for school about young Abraham Lincoln. But it’s 1951 in Alabama, and African Americans cannot use the public library. Mama says one day soon they’ll be able to check out books, but Louis isn’t going to wait! When he makes a brave journey into the “whites-only” library, something surprising and wonderful happens – he meets a brave young librarian. Ann Malaspina’s moving story and Colin Bootman’s rich paintings evoke the troubles and triumphs of days not long past. Includes a note on the history of racial segregation in public libraries, a brief history of Abraham Lincoln’s life, and an “If You Want to Read More” listing.

My Review: Click on the above link to YouTube to get a good idea about this book.  I saw it online and thought it would make a good transition from Black History to Presidents’ Day and I was right.  My class (2nd grade) and I enjoyed this book, and I cried as I read it although it ends with a cliffhanger.  We love the librarian who goes out on a limb for the book-loving Louis, but the whole problem is not resolved in this book – which is very real to life.  Thank goodness we are well past legal segregation as these books can be upsetting.  A great addition to the library of Black history and Presidents Day!

Enter the magical festive world of the Christmas ‘Tree-Dwellers’, as Larry, a Christmas snowman, wakes up after the long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother is missing.
Desperate to find him before Christmas, Larry, along with his girlfriend Debbie, a newcomer Splint, and Larry’s companion Tinsel, break the laws of the ‘Tree-Elders’ and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues.
Away from the safety of the tree and in an unfamiliar world, the Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret that threatens their entire world. Can Larry and the group make it back to the tree in time to warn the others, and finally uncover the truth behind the ‘Secrets of a Christmas Box’?

My Review: This is a fun book with a different slant – Christmas ornaments that come alive.  I enjoyed reading this book and I am pretty sure that children will like it as well.  When I think that there are no more areas of Christmas to explore, a new book comes out which blows away that theory.  This is a book like that.  Christmas ornaments come alive, some ornaments are missing from last year, and new ones join the group.  Everything stems from the “Christmas Box” in which the ornaments are stored by “the family.”  The ornaments have names and are totally personified.  Some of the ornaments have a mystery to solve which easily engages the reader.  We don’t know who to trust.  I see a children’s Christmas movie based on this book in the future – a very fun new holiday read!

Product Description

“On the first day of Halloween my good friend gave to me: a vulture in a dead tree.”

Children will love to sing along!

Everyone knows “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” but are you ready for The Thirteen Days of Halloween? In this delightfully offbeat story, a dashing ghoul tries to win his ghostly love’s heart with heaps of hilarious gifts ranging from broomsticks and bats to cauldrons and cats! Carol Greene’s lively verse is perfectly complemented by Tim Raglin’s enchantingly erie illustrations. Children of all ages will love to sing along. The result is a frightfully funny Halloween tale you’ll never forget.

Carol Greene wrote her first poem when she was six years old (it was about a spider). To date she has published over a hundred books for children. Carol also likes to read, sing, and make teddy bears. She lives in Webster Groves, Missouri, with her cat Dulcie.

Tim Raglin brings his wacky imagination and wonderfully odd cast of characters to The Thirteen Days of Halloween. His previous books include Five Funny Fights, Pecos Bill, and The Birthday ABC. He received a silver medal from the New York Society of Illustrators for his book Uncle Mugsy & the Terrible Twins of Christmas. Mr. Raglin lives in his hometown of Independence, Kansas.

My Review: My second grade class had a blast with this book!  It is always a good sign when I put this book in the front of the room for them to look at after I read it and they race up to see who can get to it first during free time!  The children love the words, they love the illustrations, and they love singing it!  The illustrations are great and they support the text well.  The Thirteen Days of Halloween is a very fun Halloween read!