The Straight and Narrows (review)

The Straight and Narrows
Author: Christine A. Emery
Illustrator: Kellie R. Emery
Publisher: Koehler Kids (November 15, 2016)
Digital ARC provided by author

Wide and Curly was born into a family of Straight and Narrows.
She couldn't, wouldn't, didn't fit.

Come along with the Straight and Narrows as they learn in their stick-y situation what it means to be family and the measures they will go through to find acceptance.

I was a little afraid after reading the description that this might be too much of a message book, but with the delightful illustrations and entertaining story, it is a joy to read. After various attempts by the Straight and Narrows make to "fix" their Wide and Curly daughter, they realize that what needs fixing is their attitude.

Perfect for starting discussions in a classroom or with your own kids. In case you worry, this is not a thin vs. fat book, but far more generally applicable to differences of all sorts.

Four stars.

Amazon

The Most Magnificent Thing (review)

The Most Magnificent Thing
Author: Ashley Spires
Publisher: Kids Can Press (April 1, 2014)
Digital review copy courtesy of NetGalley

A girl and her dog, both unnamed, set out to make something magnificent. At first, it all seems to be going well, but as the girl tinkers and hammers and measures and the dog pounces and growls and chews, the thing turns out wrong, not magnificent at all. She tries again and again, accompanied by delightful illustrations of both her efforts and her growing frustration until finally she quits.

But after a walk to settle her down, she discovers a wonderful thing about her failures, and learns to turn them into a magnificent thing after all.

I have to say, I liked the book a lot the first time through, but loved it by the second. Even aside from the fun illustrations, this is a story about a girl, a real girl, who tries, gets frustrated and tries again. She doesn't go ask for help. There's no parent or boy who saves her. In a simple and elegant way, she does what she needs for herself. Filled with lively language, full of laughs with a great message, this is a book I'd be happy to give to a young girl or boy.

Five stars out of five.

Available on:

Amazon US
Amazon Canada

My Stinky New School (review)

My Stinky New School
Author: Rebecca Elliott
Publisher: Lion Children's Books (To be released June 19, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

Toby is about to start at a new school, and he is not happy about it. His brother and sister go to daycare and preschool, and both of them seem like so much more fun. While his sister's school "smells of rainbows, paint and chocolate", and his brother's school "sunshine, playdough and bananas", his new school "stinks of pigeon poop, ogre armpits and sadness."

Worst of all, Toby doesn't know how he will make friends. Fortunately, thanks to an alien called Jake and a pirate called Lilly, he manages to make friends without even knowing.

This is a wonderful book for children facing a new school. It is fun and silly in a way that will put kids at their ease, and they will laugh both at how scary school seems and how Toby finds his way to liking it. I can see giving it to my goddaughter who is going to Kindergarten next year.

Five stars out of five!

The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids (review)

The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids
Author: Ammi-Joan Paquette
Publisher: Tanglewood Press (February 7, 2012)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

This is a follow up to a book (which I have not read) called The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies which received a fair amount of attention. It is a combination story/activity book meant to encourage little children to look and listen and notice when they go to the beach. There is a good mix of fact and whimsy mixed in, with ideas that sound like fun such as making mermaid shapes in the sand much the way you make snow angels in the winter.

The illustrations are a slightly jarring mix of real photographs of children and mermaids illustrations. Part of me likes it, and part of me wishes they had stuck to photographs. I hesitate to make too much of this, as I am sure there are kids who would enjoy this mix, but the effect didn't quite work for me.

I would recommend this for very small children planning a trip to the beach.

Three stars out of five.

Missing Jack (review)

Missing Jack
Author & Illustrator: Rebecca Elliott
Publisher: Lion Hudson (Feb. 20, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

Toby was sure that his cat, Jack, was the best cat in the whole world. He wasn't snooty, he was very friendly, and he didn't scratch even when Toby's little brother pulled his whiskers. Best of all, he was never boring, and bounced around like a Lion who was king of the jungle. But Jack got older and slowed down, and finally he died. Toby isn't sure he'll ever get over Jack's death, but then he meets Humphrey. Humphrey is awesome, and finally Toby realizes that he doesn't have to forget Jack in order to welcome Humphrey.

This is a lovely book with wonderful illustrations, and perfect for any young child dealing with the death of a pet, or even a pet who is growing older. I would strongly recommend it for children from two years up to Kindergarten.

Five of five stars!

The Night Horses (review)

The Night Horses
Author: Anaka Jones
Publisher: CreateSpace (February 26, 2013)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

It is an unusual thing to find a self-published picture book, especially one created by a sixth grader, and still be able to recommend it, but Anaka Jones is clearly a talented young lady.

In the first part of this lively, colorful story, it is daytime and the horses trot and eat and do normal things, but at night time they get the disco ball out and things get more wild. Children will enjoy the colorful illustrations and the funny things that the horses and other animals do at night(including a small mouse who kids will search to find on almost every page).

I would definitely recommend this for young children 3-6 years old. I was glad to see it is available both in print and digital form, as this would be one I would want to hold in my hands.

Four of five stars.

The Bunk-Bed Bus (review)

The Bunk-Bed Bus (Janet and Sam Book 1)
Author: Frank Rodgers
Publisher: Hungry Horse (March 1, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

An absolutely delightful story of Janet and Sam and their wonderful Granny who never believes she is too old to do what she wants, and never stops trying new things. She jogs in a tracksuit she knitted herself, she learns to work with wood and make shelves, and she's never afraid a new challenge.

When grumbly next-door neighbor Mrs. Grimbly-White mentions an art exhibition and dismisses Granny as "too old" to be artistic, Granny puts her mind to it and makes an amazing Bunk Bed Bus, much to the delight of all the children in town.

I strongly recommend this for preschool and early elementary children, and also to their parents, teachers and librarians to read aloud or along with.

Five stars out of five!

A Tale of Two Daddies/A Tale of Two Mommies (review)

 

A Tale of Two Daddies
A Tale of Two Mommies
Author: Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrators: Kristin Blackwood (only Daddies) and Mike Blanc (both)
Publisher: VanitaBooks, LLC (Daddies: Oct 22, 2013, Mommies: Sep 25, 2013)
Digital review copies of both courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

These two delightful books each take the same general approach in that one child is asking the other about her two daddies or his two mommies. With fun rhyming questions and answers, each book would be perfect for a child either learning to address the questions he/she might have about his/her own parents, but also for other children learning acceptance and understanding. The primary message is that parents are parents, each an individual who might like to cook or tell scary stories, and that parents love their children.

The easy going style is ideal for helping to normalize a situation which is increasingly normal. There is nothing judgmental or preachy on either side, just kids asking each other fun questions about their families. Excellent additions to any classroom, library or social work resource center, and a great pair of books for parents whose kids may have questions about friends, relatives or their own families.

Five stars out of five.

Luna's Red Hat (review)

Luna's Red Hat: An Illustrated Storybook to Help Children Cope With Loss and Suicide
Author: Emmi Smid
Bereavement specialist: Dr. Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers
Publisher:  Jessica Kingsley Pub (To be released April 21, 2015)
Review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

Luna's Red Hat is a beautifully illustrated and written book about a young girl grappling with her feelings after her mother's suicide.It is the one year anniversary of her mother's death, and she and her small brother and father are having a picnic. Luna wears her mum's red hat, but feels she cannot smile, because "Today is not a day for smiling" and cannot laugh, because "Today is not a day for laughing."

When Luna's father says she looks like her mum, Luna throws off the hat in anger and says, "I am nothing like Mum!" Her father helps her by accepting her anger, and helping her answer questions about why her mother would do this, and understand that it wasn't Luna's fault or his fault or even her mum's fault. He explains that she had an illness inside, and sometimes the doctors cannot help. Finally, he helps her see that they can celebrate the good times with her mother even when sad that she is no longer there.

Written for children 6 and older, the book is lovely and appropriate for this special need. It also contains a section at the end by bereavement specialist Dr. Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers on more ways to help a child in this sad and difficult situation.

Five out of five stars.


I have added a new category to this blog which I call Self-Help. These are books which help children cope with difficult feelings and situations. Both yesterday's Peace, Bugs, and Understanding and this book will be included, with more books added over time. I hope these can be a resource for librarians, social workers and parents who need books to help children with specific situations. Click on the Self-Help tag at the bottom of the post for all books in the category.

Peace, Bugs and Understanding (review)

Peace, Bugs, and Understanding: An Adventure in Sibling Harmony
Author: Gail Silver
Illustrator: Youme Nguyen Ly
Publisher: Plum Blossom Books (December 9, 2014)
Received in digital form from the publisher via NetGalley.

Lilly is having a picnic, but her little sister, Ruby, keeps ruining things. But just as Lilly starts to snap, her father hands her a special old book, a journal kept by his own grandfather. Lilly gets lost in the story of how her great-grandfather, Lanh, struggles with his own sister, and how he meets a strange frog who is his Anger. Lanh learns that he must soothe his Anger, and search for his Metta, or "loving kindness." I find the latter term a little jarring, but I can see that it would be useful to have a word for this to use with a young child.

Lanh learns to calm himself down and focus on wishing for the happiness of another, in this case his sister. Lilly sees herself in the story, and realizes that she, too, must soothe her anger and focus on wishing for the happiness of her little sister, who doesn't mean to break things or cause trouble.

The lovely watercolors by Youme Nguyen Ly project a sense of calm that works beautifully with the message. I think this would be a very helpful book for parents of young children or for pre-schools.

I would recommend this for children in pre-school through second grade, but especially to be read with an adult.

Four out of five starts.

My Grandma's a Ninja (review)

My Grandma's a Ninja 
Author: Todd Tarpley
Illustrator: Danny Chatzikonstantinou
Publisher: North South Books (March 1, 2015)
PDF review copy courtesy of NetGalley

What would you do if your grandma was a Ninja? Ethan thinks it's cool at first when they zipline to school and Grandma teaches the other kids karate lessons. But thinks take a turn for the worse when Grandma deflates the soccer ball and ruins soccer practice. Ethan isn't so sure about having a ninja Grandma, but everything works out well as Ethan learns a few tricks from Grandma, and she takes a bit of advice from him.

The illustrations are delightful, and add a lot to the story. Kids will laugh as they see Grandma fly through the air and do somersaults, and the ending illustration only adds to the fun.

A lively and entertaining book for first and second graders. I would definitely recommend this to both boys and girls who like fun and humor.

Four out of five stars.

Review: Hogwash by Karma Wilson

Hogwash! published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers June 2011
Author: Karma Wilson
Illustrator: Jim McMullan

Every once in a while, a picture book comes along where everything just works perfectly. This is one that is destined to be a classic. The sense of humor is enhanced by clever rhymes and fabulous illustrations. I had to share this with my wife, who has taught younger kids and has an early childhood education background, and she couldn't stop raving about it. With most books sent to us by the publisher for review, I pass them on to local schools or libraries, but we're hanging on to this to share with our (not yet born) grandkids.

The story is a wonderful, boisterous tale of a farmer determined to clean up his animals, and a bunch of pigs determined to stay muddy. It has a sense of fun and engagement similar to Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, another great book, although I think Hogwash! is even more perfect for reading over and over. I particularly love that the language is rich and beautiful while remaining accessible to young children. The text rhymes, but it is done cleverly and never dumbed down, so that a child would love the rhythmic sound without necessarily even realizing that it rhymed. My wife also noted that the signs the pigs post for the farmer are of a size and style that would encourage beginning readers to pick out the meaning, but still introduce new words.

At the risk of gushing, if you have a young child or grandchild, especially one who loves rhymes and fun and reading aloud, please order a copy of this. You could get it from a library first if you don't believe me, but trust me, you'll buy it eventually.

Five Stars!

Buy from Amazon.com
Buy from Amazon.ca
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Review: Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Me...Jane published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in Apr 2011
Author/Illustrator: Patrick McDonnell

I received a review copy of this picture book from the publisher a while ago, and originally intended to feature it on Earth Day, but something stopped me. The book is beautiful, hardly a surprise given Patrick McDonnell's skill and experience. It shows Jane Goodall as a child and how her way of viewing the world led to her eventual inspirational work with chimpanzees.

Great stuff, and I have read a number of great reviews by people who are either huge fans of Dr. Goodall, or of Mr. McDonnell. The problem that I have with the book is that the audience it is aimed at doesn't know Ms. Goodall is or what she did, and the book really doesn't explain. In many ways, the best part of the book is the afterword which actually describes Dr. Goodall's passion and work.

All of the work is left to the parent or other adult reading to the child. Even the big reveal which shows the photograph of Dr. Jane Goodall does so without explanation or identification. I love to read picture books to kids, and love science and picture books which show science. I just wouldn't choose this one without preparing a clear explanation of who Jane Goodall is, a job which the author neglected to do in any form accessible to the audience.

Three stars out of five.

Buy 'Me . . . Jane' on Amazon.com

Sunday Sharing - The Little Island

Our youth minister has changed the schedule some, so I will not officially teach Sunday School until May 1st, but I still have a chance to share books with the preschoolers in Sunday School, though I don't run the rest of the lesson. Thus, I am able to offer another Sunday Sharing post. After class, I'll update the post to talk about how the kids reacted to the book, sharing their reactions with you.

The Little Island, reissued by Doubleday in 2003 (first published in 1946)
Author: Margaret Wise Brown (written under the name Golden MacDonald)
Illustrator: Leonard Weisgard
Caldecott Medal winner

Years ago, I shared this book with my own children, as well as children in earlier Sunday School classes (I think I first taught Sunday School to preschoolers when my own daughter was three, and she's twenty-four now). My copy of the book was published in 1973, and has Golden MacDonald listed as the author, so I was surprised to look it up on Amazon and see Margaret Wise Brown as the author. She is the author of many books we have loved over the years, including The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon, so it is fun to find out that she wrote The Little Island as well.

This is the story of a tiny island, and the flowers, trees and birds who live there, as well as the fish, lobsters and seals who swim nearby. It is also the story of a little kitten who visits the Island, and discovers something about faith and about being part of a bigger whole.

Sunday Sharing - A Wish and a Prayer

From now until June, I am teaching my preschool Sunday School class again, so I thought I'd do an occasional post called Sunday Sharing. In each post, I'll share a book with you that I plan to share with my class. After class, I'll update the post to talk about how the kids reacted to the book, sharing their reactions with you.

A Wish and a Prayer, published by 4RV Publishing in June 2010
Author: Beth Bence Reinke
Illustrator: Ginger Nielson

Some of you may remember that back in January, my very first review was of another book by Beth Bence Reinke, In My Bath, an absolute delight of a book. In A Wish and a Prayer, Beth Bence Reinke has again teamed up with Ginger Nielson, who provides lovely illustrations for this story of a young boy, Jason, whose pet parakeet, Sonny, escapes through an open window.

2011 Kiddo Award Winners

James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead.com announced the first annual Kiddo Awards: books picked as the very best books of the year for getting kids absolutely addicted to reading.

In the first stage of the award selection, the ReadKiddoRead board, children's book reviewers, librarians, authors, and others picked a short-list of forty books which they felt met the criterion. Then, the public was given a chance to winnow that selection down to four, one for each age group. Their mandate:

What makes a book a Kiddo winner? These are the books that kids find unputdownable. These are kids' favorites, and keep them reading. The books that are guaranteed to make your kiddos readers for life.

Below are the winners. In a separate page, I'll list all winners and the runners-up (because once these kiddos have read the winner, they'll need more to read).

Review: My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis

My Princess Boy, published by Aladdin (Simon & Schuster) in Dec. 2010

Author: Cheryl Kilodavis
Illustrator: Suzanne DeSimone

My 24 year-old daughter suggested that I read My Princess Boy, as she had heard a lot about it, including some very divergent opinions of the rightness of letting a young boy dress in "girl clothes". While it is slightly scary taking on a controversial topic in a new review blog, my goal of emphasizing diversity and acceptance here at My Comfy Chair made this a must-read.

For those who have not heard of My Princess Boy, it is a non-fiction picture book about the author's four-year-old son who likes to dress in pretty dresses and pink and sparkles.

I received a review copy from Simon & Schuster, and dropped everything to see how this topic might be handled. I was nervous. What if I liked the way the story was handled, but didn't like the book itself? What if I objected to the tone, but thought the intent was good.

I needn't have worried. I read the book through, and liked it, but realized after I finished that I was still thinking too much about the reaction and not enough about the story. I started again, but this time soaking up the story and the flow and the illustrations. This time, I liked it even more. I read it to one of my cats, Pandora. My cats often have to sit in as listeners when I don't have a small child around.

This time, I fell in love with it. The message is one I have always believed, that there are plenty of people in the world who will judge your children and tell them what they can't do or be. As a parent, you have a chance to tell them that they can do or be anything, but especially themselves. Cherl Kilodavis freely acknowledges in interviews (which I watched after I finished the book) that she had her doubts and worries when her son started to dress in frilly dresses and dance around, but she overcame them. She realized that her son was who he was, and loved beautiful things. She stopped describing them as "girl things" and focuses on how they are "pretty things", and it makes all the difference.

To bolster this idea, Suzanne DeSimone took an unusual approach in leaving the faces without eyes or mouths or other features. While this may sound distancing, it makes the people us, without specific races or genders. I had a little trouble when I first opened the book, but I think it was a very creative way of making this a book about all of us and all our children. After a few pages, you don't see the approach, but simply the engaging characters.

I can't wait until it is my turn to teach Sunday school next, as I definitely want to share this with my pre-schoolers, many of whom dress up without much regard to "boy things" or "girl things". I think they will like the story, but I think their parents and older siblings need to hear it as well.

I heartily recommend this for children and families, for libraries and for classrooms.

Five Stars!

Find 'My Princess Boy' on Amazon.com
Find 'My Princess Boy' on Amazon.co.uk

Review: My Dad by Anthony Browne

My Dad, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in April 2001
Author/Illustrator: Anthony Browne

In this marvelous and warm picture book, a child tells about his dad with a touch of exaggeration, but tons of love. The illustrations show the dad, always dressed in pajamas and a bathrobe, wrestling with giants, walking a tightrope clothesline, and jumping over the moon, among other exciting feats.

Young children will love the pictures, but mostly will love to share this with their own amazing dads. Very little emphasis is made on the gender of the child, so this would be equally appreciated by boys and girls, ages 1-4. I strongly recommend this as a book for children and their dads to share.

Four out of five stars.

See more about My Dad on Amazon.com
See the board book version of My Dad on Amazon.co.uk

Review: There's Going to be a Baby by John Burningham

There's Going to be a Baby, published by Candlewick in Sept. 2010
Author: John Burningham
Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury


I was browsing for new books at our Shaker Heights library, and I couldn't believe I hadn't seen this book before. John Burningham has written many great books for children, including a favorite, Hey! Get Off Our Train. Helen Oxenbury is well known for writing and illustrating wonderful picture books and board books for the very young, especially her beloved Tom and Pippo books, for example, Tom and Pippo Go for a Walk.

A collaboration between these two seemed promising, but the true test is to read the book. The cover has a wonderful old-fashioned feel to it, and you simply can't help but fall into the illustrations inside. This is a book rich with illustrations, as a young boy imagines what the baby his mother tells him is coming will be like.

Part of what makes this book different than a number of other books about siblings is that it focuses so much on the imagined baby. The boy asks lots of questions of his mother about what the baby might do or become, but then his imagination takes over. There are pages with no words, but wonderfully warm and comic scenes where the baby cooks pancakes or plants a garden.

I can't recommend this book strongly enough. Small children will delight in it, and parents will be happy to read it again and again.

Five Stars!

See more about There's Going to Be a Baby on Amazon.com
See more about There's Going to Be a Baby on Amazon.co.uk