Counting Book Three: One Leaf Rides the Wind

One Leaf Rides the Wind
Author:  Celeste Davidson Mannis
Illustrator:   Susan Kathleen Hartung
Viking (2002)


Another beautiful counting book--the third one in my little series!    This one is all written in Haiku.    

The new book blog

Hey y'all,

I very sadly have decided to change the nature of this blog, so that I can focus on my other blog!  I will now be using this blog simply to record books that Mirette, Steve and I love, so that we can remember.   I won't be researching or finding out about the author.   Thanks for reading it all this time and I do hope that you will continue to check in from time to time.

The House in the Night  Scratchboard and watercolor.  The pictures are truly unique, they almost look like etchings.  Black, white and a touch of yellow.  

Jerry Pallotta---He has a gazillion picture alphabet books that are really interesting, appealing to the children's need to LEARN!   Boat Aphabet Book, Frog Alphabet Book, Beetle Alphabet Book and on and on.   I always learn something new (actually many new things) from these books and he has such an informal way of enlightening us all--almost as if he is giving a talk.    Very cool.

May I Bring a Friend by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers.  Won the Caldecott in 1964 and I can see why.  Very funny poem.  

Silly Chicken  by Rukhsana Khan--Another very funny one, but in a different way.   This is about a Pakistani girl and a chicken.   I won't give away the funny ending.   I may not have picked this one out as a favorite if Mirette hadn't laughed hysterically and frequently requested it.  I also like that it shows another culture and way of life and doesn't feature a mom/dad as so many books do.  

Bone Soup-- by Cambria Evans--another one that is Mirette's pick.   We frequently take this one out from the library.  It's the story of stone soup but with goblins etc. instead of villagers.   I am still wondering why this one is a favorite.

Okay, phew, now I can get these overdue books back to our library!

Book of the Day: Bunny Days

Bunny Days
Tao Nyeu
Dial Books for Young Readers (2010)

My entire family is enamored!   When my husband falls in love with a book enough to buy a copy for his classroom (he teaches pre-k), I know it's a good one.   I like everything, but my husband has extreme good taste and is very selective.

Mirette calls this book a chapter book and technically it is.   There are three chapters:  Muddy Bunnies, Dusty Bunnies and Bunny Tails.   This made my daughter really proud because she was reading a chapter book.  She even insisted in "reading" it to her grandparents, having memorized much of it.   The pictures are silkscreened using water-based ink.   The predominant color in each of the chapters is different:   Blue, Brown, and Green allowing a young pre-reader to know which chapter they are reading.  (a very good idea in my opinion).  

And the story is FUNNY!  In each of the chapters,   a goat mistakenly does something to a bunny.  For example in Bunny Tails, Mr. Goat is trimming the hedges, not realizing that he accidently trimmed off the bunnies tails.   Bear always knows "just what to do" and he sews them back on.  

We also bought her book Wonder Bear, part of her thesis project and Squid and Octopus  (which is such a GREAT book about friendship that I can even see buying it for another adult).

This is a funny interview with Tao Nyeu (and the discovery of a fantastic blog for us fellow kid's book lovers):   http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=1917

http://www.taonyeu.com/v2/info/

http://www.pippinproperties.com/authors-illustrators/tao-nyeu/

Our Foray into Chapter Books: Amelia's List

We've taken the plunge!      To tell you the truth, it never occurred to me to explore chapter books.  But Mirette wanted to take out a book about Cinderella and the librarian led her to some very simple chapter books.   Mirette loved them and felt very grown up.   We were hooked.

Back at the library, we asked for more.  Amelia, one of our amazing librarians, gave me a list she had developed while in school of  chapter books for little ones.  And if that doesn't suit your fancy, here's another great list:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R3VD1DZIILUXT7

A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, illustrated by Garth Williams

Chester Cricket accidentally left his meadow in Connecticut when he climbed into a picnic basket, and now he’s ended up in one of the busiest spots in the world—Times Square in New York City!  Chester meets Tucker, a mouse, and Tucker’s friend Harry the cat, and they have many adventures together.  When a boy named Mario scoops up Chester and brings him to his parents’ newsstand, he learns that Chester has an amazing gift to share with the world. (Newbery)

 

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden are orphans who luckily come upon an abandoned boxcar in which they make a home.  All four children work hard to take care of each other and make the best of what they have.  Fortunately, they have an even happier ending coming.

 

Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne, illustrated by Ernest Shepard

Although much expanded and changed by Disney, the original stories of Winnie the Pooh and his friends are perfect gems of comfort, wit, and occasional profound wisdom.  A rare book indeed that is as enjoyable for the parent as for the young child.

 

The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith

Precious Ramotswe lives with her father, Obed, in Botswana.  One day while her class is outside, a student’s cake, left sitting inside, disappears.   Precious’ classmates begin to pick on a heavy-set student and blame him for eating the cake, but Precious begins to think otherwise.  A wise lesson in kindness for all ages.

 

Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

When Nancy’s teacher loses her blue marble, Nancy and her friend Bree are on the case.  They’re fans of Nancy Drew and know just how to solve a good mystery—and how to look fancy doing it.

 

Gloria’s Way by Ann Cameron

Gloria experiences everyday frustrations of childhood, but always has counsel from her friends and helpful adults to get her through.  Along the way Gloria—and the reader—learn subtle but positive messages about friendship, self-esteem, and family.

 

Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett

Elmer Elevator gives his account of an adventure he undertook to travel to an exotic island to save a baby dragon.  Along the way he outsmarts wild animals using everyday items from his backpack. (Library Journal Starred Review)

 

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

Andrew desperately wants to have freckles like his friend Nicky.  When he comes across a recipe for freckle juice, he pays the 50 cents and gives it a go.  A funny story, but one with an undercurrent of self-image and the realization that we are all ok just the way we are.

 

The Storm by Cynthia Rylant

Pandora is a cat who lives alone in a lighthouse.  One day she rescues Seabold the dog, and suddenly they both realize what they’ve been missing—companionship.

 

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Minli and her parents are very poor, but their evenings are bright with the stories her father tells.  Inspired by his stories of the Old Man in the Moon who can answer any question, Minli embarks on a journey to find him and ask why her family lives in poverty.  She meets magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who joins her quest. (Newbery Honor)

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daugthers

Of Thee I Sing:   A Letter to My Daughters
Author:  Barak Obama
Illustrator:   Loren Long
Alfred A. Knopf (2010)




So many famous people write books and most of them are pretty lame.   This one, however, is amazing.  I truly fell in love with it!   I believe children need role models and this book is filled with them and, surprisingly, not the typical ones.   Obama's lyrical voice tells his daughters that they are strong, kind, inspiring etc.    For each character trait, there is a person who exemplifies that trait.   For example Martin Luther King doesn't give up.   Jane Addams is kind.   And Billie Holiday has her own song.   There is a great mix of male/female and different ethnicities, including Native American.    The one kind-of oddity to me is Cesar Chavez because he did some great things but also some awful things.    ( In my youth, I used to be really into him and proudly wear his image on a t-shirt until I realized that it wasn't as black and white as it seemed). 

Anyway, I eat up anything that can help inspire my daughter to dream big and help her realize that there are so many amazing things she can do in the world.  

The proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to a scholarship fund for the children of fallen and disabled US service personnel.

As for Loren Long, can you imagine being asked to illustrate a book written by the President?  He also illustrated a book written by Madonna.  Check out the Otis series on his website--looks very engaging.

http://www.lorenlong.com/index.html

Counting book two: 1 2 3 A Child's First Counting Book

1 2 3:  A Child's First Counting Book
Allison Jay
Dutton Books (2007)



What I love about Allison Jay is her completely unique style of art.   I have a really hard time explaining art--it's hard to articulate what you see with your eyes.    But I am trying to practice this a little more.  

Her pictures look like something you would find in an antique store.  They have cracks in the paint. (she uses crackle varnish on top of oil).  The other unique thing about her is that she has so many fun and funny details. Each page is a world unto itself.  Every time we read a book by her we discover some teeny detail we had yet to notice.  

One of our favorites is Welcome to the Zoo which has so many hilarious details and continuity from page to page.  For example, on one page you can see a boy buying a balloon.  On another page his balloon is floating away and on yet another page the balloon is attached to a tree and a monkey is trying to get it down.  But I hadn't noticed this until Mirette pointed it out during the umpteenth time we had read it.   Another favorite book is Listen Listen for many of the same reasons.

Weird fact:  She is the illustrator for the baby products of Crabtree and Evelyn.
http://www.childrensillustrators.com/illustrator-details/ajay/id=1070/

Counting Book One: We All Went on Safari

Here is the first on my series of excellent counting books!!! 



We All Went on Safari:  A Counting Journey Through Tanzania
Author:  Laurie Krebs
Illustrator:  Julia Cairns
Barefoot Books (2003)

Here it is---the perfect mix of exploring diversity and learning counting (in both English and Swaihili)!   The pictures are so great, especially the Maasia kids who walk along counting animals like lions and warthogs.  The pictures are gentle and fun--you can almost transport yourself there with them.   The illustration have a sense of movement and whimsy.  The back of the  book includes animals of Tanzania, a translation of the names of the children, a description of the Maasai people, facts about and a map of Tanzania.

I love what Laurie Krebs has to say about herself and  want to check out more of her books like We're Roaming in the Rainforest!  I love that she gets a lot of ideas from her real life stories and her love of travel.  Her husband is a beekeeper so she wrote a story about him.   She also lives in a house from the Colonial times, so she wrote a series about that era.  http://www.lauriekrebs.com/.  

And I also LOVE what Julia Cairns has to say about herself.   We are going to get every book of hers we can:   The Spider Weaver,  Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa,   Mama Panya's Pancakes.  She has had a fascinating life--living in Africa, studying yoga and embracing a whimsical style of painting.  Her art is also on mugs, shower curtains etc.     http://juliacairns.net/books

I think that as parents it's helpful to read aloud books to our children that makes OUR HEARTS sing. Since I love travel so much, books like these really spark my interest and make me feel excited for life.  

Books about Sharing

I just did a lesson on sharing and our librarian helped me find these three books to introduce the topic.    Personally, I thought these three worked pretty well together and formed a fantastic trio of books.    The kids in Mirette's class loved them all. There were lots of giggles and some great conversations about sharing.

Do you have any other great books on this topic?


The Doorbell Rang
Pat Hutchins
Greenwillow Books (1986)

A very sweet book about sharing chocolate chip cookies.

Pat Hutchins lives in England and has many years under her belt of both writing and illustrating.

My Friend Fred:  A heartwarming tale about friendship and sharing
Author:  Hiawyn Oram
Illustrator:  Rosie Reeve
Tiger Tales

Grace loves her dog and wants him all to herself, but Fred wants to play catch with her sister and her sister's friends.  She tries to keep him all to herself, but eventually feels like sharing him is better for Fred.  They then all have fun together.  This can lead to a discussion on sharing friendships.

Hiawyn Oram has written many chapter books.   She also makes Vegan desserts in London:   http://www.thelivingfoodkitchen.com/


Rosie Reeve is a fine artist recently converted to children's books.  
http://www.rosiereeve.co.uk/about.html


The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!
Mo Willems
Hyperion Books for Children (2004)

Mo Willems books are always funny and enchanting.  This one is no exception, but also includes a really great message that sharing can be fun!


Mo Willems has done mostly everything--television, sculpture, children's books, producer.  He seems like a highly created and very respected guy.   Here's a link to his website:   http://mowillemsfaq.blogspot.com/
http://mowillemsstuff.blogspot.com/

Lots of fun stuff here!   http://www.pigeonpresents.com/fun.aspx

On the Day You Were Born, Activities

Some cool ideas from Debra Frasier, On the Day You Were Born

http://e2.ma/message/3wrge/3gfsqc

Eric Carle: Part Two--His life and legacy

Is it possible to have a legacy when you are still alive?  In Eric Carle's case, I think the answer is yes, especially because he and his wife founded a museum dedicated to the art of children's books.

Eric Carle has a fascinating life!   Here are some tid-bits that I picked up from my reading.  I am doing this mostly from memory, so don't count on this for 100% accuracy. I don't think I even close to capture the intensity of the things that happened to him in his life--watch this  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmiBW305rsE with all the exciting details.

He lived in Syracuse with his German family and was early on deemed to be artistic. His father nurtured his artistic talent and they spent time walking and looking at things.   Eric's  family moved back to Germany because his mother was homesick.    His dad ended up fighting in WW2 and spent time in a Russian prison--he came back a very broken man. 

Eric was evacuated and lived with  a foster family in the countryside (whom he loved dearly).    He also had to dig trenches and saw people die in front of him.  One of his teachers, while he was in Germany,  showed him real art (not propaganda) and this was a great influence.

Eric missed his friends and wanted to go back to America.   He got into advertising, worked for
 Leo Lionni, got married, had two children, got divorced and lived alone for ten years.    He then married Bobbie his current wife.     

His first book was illustrating Bill Martin's Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?   His original idea for  The Very Hungry Caterpillar  was about a hungry worm, but his editor suggested he change it to a caterpillar.  

Great article on him from The Guardian:   http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/mar/14/eric-carle-author

His website:   http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html

His museum in Massachusetts:   http://www.carlemuseum.org/Home

Video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5aJRzDYijw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmiBW305rsE

Book of the Day: My Dad is Big and Strong But

My Dad is Big and Strong But. . .A Bedtime Story
Author:  Coralie Saudo
Illustrator:  Kris Di Giacomo
Enchanged Lion Books (2012)



I love a genuinely funny book, one that allows Mirette and I to share a heart guffaw.   This read does just that.   A son attempts to put his father to bed.    Dad whines, is afraid of the dark, and begs for more stories.  

I really love the illustrations.  It almost looks as if the illustrator drew them on a grocery bag or cardboard stock, with all these different shades of brown.  The pages themselves actually feel good.   I wonder what the book is made from.

This is a relatively new one, so enjoy!  These reviews on amazon  that describe the art are way better than this tired mom can do:   http://www.amazon.com/Dad-Big-And-Strong-BUT/product-reviews/1592701221/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Coralie Saudo is French.  This book is a translation.  She is an illustrator and known for her humor, but this one is written by her and illustrated by someone else.  She has about three books written in English and they look fabulous.   http://www.coraliesaudo.com/books-languages-coralie-saudo.html

Kris Di Giacomo's website is a little hard to navigate and almost all in French, but she is an amazing illustrator and it's worth it to see some of her work.  http://krisdigiacomo.com/

Book of the Day: Emma Kate

Emma Kate
Patricia Polacco
Philomel Books (2005)


Up until now, I've basically shared one book from each author, but it's time to double dip.  Some of my favorite authors are calling out for a second showing!

Patrica Polacco is one of my favorites.   http://miretteandmommy.blogspot.com/2012/02/books-of-day-on-farm.html  Her characters are filled with adorableness.    At Mirette's school, the first thing the children do is sit in a circle and read to themselves.  It is super cute to see these three, four and five year olds reading intently (as if they can read).   

One of the parents is the school librarian and she picks out the best books.  I teach a social/emotional curriculum on Thursday mornings and I can't wait to dig into the book bucket to see what's there.   As I was searching, I saw a girl in a red dress next to a penciled in elephant. It really stood out.   The image on the cover was so compelling and snuggly.    Wouldn't you know it, it was  a Patricia Polacco book.    

The book is about a girl who has an imaginary elephant friend named Emma Kate.   Each page is shaded in black and grays except for the girl who wears a bright red dress.  This device reminds me of Olivia  http://miretteandmommy.blogspot.com/2011/10/our-little-olivia.html.  The red adds drama and tension.  It makes you really notice the relationship between the girl and the elephant.  

Happy reading and imagining!

Book of the Day: Two Eggs Please

Two Eggs Please
Author:  Sarah Weeks
Illustrator:  Betsy Lewin
Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2003)


I asked our school librarian for a book that depicted how kids can have the same feelings as their friends about some things and different feelings about other things.  

She dug up this book which so perfectly and subtly addresses this concept.  
.   
This book is so cute!   Mirette loves it and I fell in love with it too.  Basically, all these animals come into a diner and each one wants an egg cooked in a different style.   The same,  different.  

The illustrations are fantastic and Mirette likes the way you can see various animals walking into the diner, so you know which one is going to be next.  

Sarah Weeks has a great website.  The most interesting thing I learned about her is that she also writes young adult fiction,  likes pies and cooking and that she is part of a readers theater.   What this means is that she works with four other famous authors.  With script in hand, they act out two of each of their stories--bringing to life the words on the page.    She also has written some very successful chapter books for the older set.   She has a degree in music composition and has several books with songs to match.  We'll be checking them out soon.   She is also spunky and adorable!

Here's her website:  http://www.sarahweeks.com/index2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCfm8yPhlE

Betsey Lewin is best known for illustrating and winning the Caldecott honor for Click, Clack, Moo:  Cows that Type.   Of interest,  she loves to travel and has written some books in collaboration with her hubby.    There's some video footage on her website. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCfm8yPhlE

Teacher Emma and her amazing pinterest lists

About a year ago I asked Mirette's  teacher Emma for her book suggestions.   It took her a year, but she came up with this:

http://pinterest.com/emmahathaway/spring-reads-with-kiddos/

http://pinterest.com/emmahathaway/winter-reading-with-the-kiddos/

http://pinterest.com/emmahathaway/ava-reads/

http://pinterest.com/emmahathaway/fall-reading-with-kiddos/

http://pinterest.com/emmahathaway/summer-reading-with-kiddos/


Holy Schmagoly!  We have our work cut out for us and lots of amazing reading in store for us:-)


Fellow book lovers, this is a treasure trove!

Book of the Day: A Balloon for Isabel

A Balloon for Isabel
Author:  Deborah Underwood
Illustrator:  Laura Rankin
Greenwillow Books (2001)

We both really adore this book!   I read this one to Mirette's preschool class because it covers a lot of feelings--it was a real hit with all the kids.    The porcupines convey disappointment, excitement, problem-solving, friendship, and sadness.   What's more, it includes colorful pictures of gum drops!  I hope there are more Isabel books to come.

Deborah Underwood grew up in Walla, Walla (birthplace of my hubby and college town of my step-daughter) and has a great website:  http://www.deborahunderwoodbooks.com/Deborah-Underwood-About-Me.html

But by far this is the best find:  a blog that interviews book characters.  Here's an interview with Isabel  (Scroll down to find it).   http://www.dorichaconas.com/Nose%20to%20Nose%20-%20page%203.html

An interesting idea for slightly older kids--we used to BEG my mom to play a version of this game.   http://imaginationsoup.net/2010/05/childrens-picture-book-author-explains-plotting-for-kids/

Not much information on Laura Rankin.

Eric Carle--Part One, What Makes him Stand Out From the Crowd

My goal in writing this blog is to find little heard of books that we have fallen in love with, in hopes that a few will become your favorites too.  And also to profile the great children's book writers.   Who are the men and women behind these beloved books?

It seems strange that I have yet to profile Eric Carle because he is such a master in the world of children's books.    In fact, sometimes his books are so prevalent (dentist office waiting rooms for example) that I forget to really notice what a master he is at his work.

For one thing, he creates all his books using painted tissue paper which he then uses an exacto knife to carve out into shapes.    Check this out to see him in action--  it's extraordinary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1sQb7YOFu0

Mirette and I checked this book out from the library and actually painted some tissue paper together.  It came out beautifully and I want to do more of this.   



Another thing he is great at is creating books that aren't confined to the box.   The Hungry Caterpiller, for instance, is a very interactive book with pages that get bigger and holes in the illustrations.  Papa, Please Get me Moon for Me includes a big fold out page with  a long ladder up to the moon.



Finally, the third amazing Eric Carle technique is his simplicity.   A lot of his books are about nature and curiosity.  

For a great video that sums all this up, try this:  Eric Carle: Picture Writer.  We found a copy at our library.

Book of the Day: My Colors, My World

My Colors, My World: Mis Colores, Mi Mundo
Maya Christina Gonzalez
Children's Book Press (2007)

Sometimes I fall in love with a book without really having a good reason.   What is it that endears a particluar book to me?  To Mirette?    Often when friends share with me their favorites or their kids favorites, it doesn't totally sing to me.  It's such an individual experience.   

It's my hope that a few of my choices will sing to you.   And that you will have so much fun reading the book with your child that it will be infectious!!!

This book is about a little girl and the colors she likes, translated into Spanish.  The illustrations are lush with bold colors.   But it is the girl I like most.    She is beautiful, playful and kind-of odd looking all at once (in a cool Adams family kind-of way).   She loves the color pink!

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks the book is AWESOME.    The book won the Pura Belpre Honor in 2007 for best illustrations.


Check out their website for lots of great Latina reads and book lists:  http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal/belprepast

The author, Maya Christina Gonzalez has created artwork for many children's books.  Here's a link to her website and blog:   http://www.mayagonzalez.com/work.html