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Perfect Picture Book Friday – Today I Will Fly

25 May

Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because the Elephant and Piggie books are favorites in our house and I like Piggie’s attitude in this book.

Today I Will Fly

By Mo Willems

64 pages – ages 4+

Published by Hyperion Books on March 13, 2007

  

Theme/Topic – Determination / Believe in Yourself

Opening and Synopsis – 

Piggie “Today I will fly!”

Gerald “No. You will not fly today”

Piggie has a GREAT idea! Today, Piggie wants to fly! Gerald tells Piggies she will never fly.Piggie won’t let that stop her. She is still determined to fly today even if she needs a little help!

Why I liked this book – Elephant and Piggie books are FAVORITES in our house.They are such good friends. I really like this particular Elephant and Piggie book because I really love Piggies’s “never quit” attitude. The ending of the book is just great. Gerald changes his mind and announces “Tomorrow I will fly!” Now that’s the spirit Gerald! Elephant and Piggie books are always illustrated wonderfully. I like how Elephant and Piggie’s speech bubbles are different colors.

 

Activities and Resources –

You can visit Mo Willems website HERE.

I found a teacher’s guide to the Elephant and Piggie books HERE.

I also found an Elephant and Piggie activity book with all sorts of activities (games, coloring pages, story times, topics of discussion etc) HERE.

To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE

Puzzlebook Trilogy: 303 Puzzle Quizzes By the Grabarchuk Family

23 May

Puzzlebook Trilogy: 303 Puzzle Quizzes (color and interactive!)

Published by Grabarchuk Puzzles; 1 edition (February 28, 2012)

Ages 8+

Sold by Amazon Digital Services

Do you know the answer?

Do you like to challenge your brain? If so, this book is right for you! With a wide variety of puzzles in a fun-to-use format, you’ll spend hours trying to figure all these out! The ebook format is easy to use and understand (and I think it’s pretty neat they could do this on my Kindle). Just move the cursor to click on the right answer. Here’s an example puzzle above - In the “Puzzlebook Trilogy” you get 303 puzzles all together (3 separate books all in one). Pretty cool!

This is the second Grabarchuk puzzle book I reviewed. I reviewed a 20 puzzle, Easter puzzle book (click HERE to read the review) and I liked it so much that I wanted to try more. :) I found that the puzzles in the trilogy ranged from the really easy, to ones I just couldn’t figure out. There is a good mix of difficulty levels in the book. The puzzle book is in color, but my Kindle doesn’t have color and I don’t think that it really made a difference as far as solving the puzzles. I did think a couple of the puzzles had more han one answer and a couple had a bit confusing directions, but it was only a couple out of 303. Overall I thought it was really well done!

Five out of five bookworms!

The Grabarchuk Family had been designing and making puzzles for many years. To learn more about them and their puzzlebooks please visit their website by clicking HERE.

Sir Nathan and the Quest for Queen Gobbledeegook by Mark Simon Smith

21 May

Sir Nathan and the Quest for Queen Gobbledeegook (a Somewhat Silly Story Volume 1)

by Mark Simon Smith

240 pages – ages 7+

Published by CreateSpace on March 9, 2012

Queen Gobbledeegook is missing from the kingdom of Mariskatania! The hero of the land, Sir Nathan, and his trusty steed are sent to find her and bring her back. With the help of many strange and unique people (and things), our hero and his horse go through a long and difficult quest to find the queen. Will they succeed and not meet a horrible fate? Will they survive the giant-sized toddlers that want to eat them? Will our hero EVER get to finally smite someone (or thing)? Read the book to find out!!

This not somewhat silly, but VERY silly adventure has it all! I think the story is a great adventure story and there is so much silly humor in the book I was laughing out loud at a bunch of places! Sir Nathan is an AWESOME character and Tupolev, Sir Nathan’s talking horse, is another character I really liked. There are some simple illustrations throughout the book which were a nice addition. I really liked how each “evil” character Sir Nathan ran into actually turned out to be pretty nice! The book is completely clean of and bad language but packed full of silly humor! I recommend the book to advanced young readers and anyone who likes a good laugh!

Five out of five bookworms for Sir Nathan and the Quest for Queen Gobbledeegook!

To learn more about Mr. Smith and the Somewhat Silly Stories, please visit the Somewhat Silly Stories website HERE or visit Mr. Smith’s facebook page HERE.

You can get the book as an ebook or paperback. Click HERE for ordering information for the book!

Book 2 in the series, Sir Nathan and the Troublesome Task, is supposed to come out this month!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – OH NO! (or How My Science Project Destroyed the World)

18 May

Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!

OH NO! (or How My Science Project Destroyed the World)

By Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Dan Santat

Published by Disney Hyperion Books on June 1, 2010

40 pages  – ages 3+ 

Theme/Topic – Books for Boys / Girl Power / Humor

 

Opening and Synopsis – From the inside cover “It’s a terrible thing when a giant robot starts destroying your city. It’s even worse when it’s your fault.”

A girl genius builds an award-winning giant robot for her school science fair. The robot malfunctions and starts to attack the city. The girl is unable to stop it so she (of course) creates a giant toad to battle the giant robot. This turns out to not be a good idea.

Why I liked this book –  First I have to say I am a huge fan of old Japanese monster shows (Godzilla and Ultraman are my favorites).

 

 

 

 

This book reminded me of them. I love the comic book style of the story. There aren’t many words in the book  because the pictures are very important to telling the story. I read the book a couple of times and each time I saw and thought of something new. Here’s a page…

The story was funny and it was cool to see a picture book with a great action / adventure story. I think boys will really love this book. I like the idea that the main character is a girl. I think girls will like it because it has a girl hero. I think it is a great book for reluctant readers too.

The end pages are even cool. They have blue print diagrams of the science projects. There’s a lot to read in the end covers. There is a lot to discover in this book!

 

The dust cover opens up into a poster.

Even the hard cover is cool. It looks like a scientist’s notebook.

Activities and Resources – I found a great craft activity at the Critters and Crayons website. The activity is to make your own robot out of cardboard boxes. Click HERE to go to it.

I also found a list of do at home science experiments at Science Bob’s website. Click HERE to go to it.

The trailer for the book is cool too (it reminds me of Godzilla ;) ).

To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Eddie and Bingo, A Friendship Tale

11 May

Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because I like that this story is based on a family tale.

Eddie and Bingo – A Friendship Tale

By Kathleen Taylor & Katherine L. Taylor

Illustrated by Kathleen Taylor

Published by Inkwater Press (January 21, 2011)

42 pages  – ages 4+ 

Theme/Topic – military / responsibility / family stories

 

Opening and Synopsis – “Hi My name is Eddie. The year is 1951 and I’m a nineteen-year-old new recruit in the U.S. Navy. This will be my first tour of duty. I am both nervous and excited about being deployed on an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Hornet.”

Eddie is a new recruit on an U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier during the Korean War.  Eddie is a Navy photographer. Eddie finds a little orphaned puppy and decides he needs to help him. He takes the puppy he names Bingo onto the aircraft carrier and Eddie and all his sailor friends try to hide Bingo from the Captain. When Captain Drew finally finds out about the furry stow-away, he tells Eddie the ship is no place for a dog. Eddie just can’t throw Bingo overboard, so he sets out to find him a good home.

Why I liked this book – First of all, this book is based on a true story and I really like true stories! The authors took a story that was told by Kathleen’s father to her and made it into a story book! Katherine and Kathleen are a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law writing team. I think family stories are important and good to share. I also like how Eddie shows responsibility for the puppy that he found and he wouldn’t give him up until he found a safe place for Bingo. It also tells a little bit about life on an aircraft carrier which I thought was interesting (they must be huge if you can hide a dog on them)! I also thought the illustrations were nicely done.  

The book won an honorable mention award from the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA). To learn more about the book and authors, go to their website HERE.

Activities and Resources –

I found some cool Navy ship coloring pages HERE.

Since Eddie took responsibility for the puppy, you can donate animal food to your local SPCA or shelter and talk to your kids about helping animals in need.

I also found this cool family story activity for older kids at The International Reading Association’s website. Here’s what it says about the activity -

“The stories of an older family member can explain family traditions and establish heritage-and they can be cherished possessions that are passed among family members for years to come. Teens can take part in the process of building family histories by recording the stories, or memoirs, of family members.” Click HERE to go to it.

I think little kids would like for grandparents to tell them stories about when they were little too. That would also be a good activity!

To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE!

Elliot Stone and the Summer Vacation Sea Monster

9 May

Before I get to today’s review, I want to tell you that Beth Stilborn of the “By Word of Beth” blog asked my sister Josie and me to do an interview about being “Creative Kids”. Ms. Stilborn has a great blog that I learn a lot from. This month she is blogging about “different ways of seeing” and this week she is blogging about kids’ art. Please check it out HERE!

Now onto the review!

Elliot Stone and the Summer Vacation Sea Monster

By LP Chase
Illustrated by Carl DiRocco
165 pages – ages 8+
Published by Blue Marlin Publications; First edition (November 14, 2011)

Elliot Stone and his friends, Marly (female) and Jake (male), think they have a lake monster on their hands! A Lake monster is just what they need at Lake Bomoseen to give the boost that Marly’s Dad’s golf course needs to keep from going out of business! Elliot’s Dad is also at risk of losing his job because Marly’s Dad is his client. Jake was the first one to spot the lake monster (later named “Bo”) and at first no one believed him, but then Elliot saw the monster and hatches a plan to get “evidence” that the monster is real. The kids try to prove that Bo really exists so that tourists would come to Lake Bomoseen and then increase business at the golf course (and save Marly’s Dad’s and Elliot’s Dad’s jobs)! They think that if they have proof there is a monster in Lake Bomoseen, they can sell tourists all sorts of things like mugs, T-shirts, and post cards with a cartoon of Bo on it! Will they be able to get the proof and save their Dads from being jobless?

I first heard about this book on Sue Morris’ blog Kid-Lit reviews. When I read her review of the book I really thought I would like this book. Well, I really think this is a great book! I love the idea of Bo (I think cryptology is a cool subject so I am interested in Champ and the Loch Ness Monster)! The book was well written and very fun to read. The illustrations were really good too! They added a lot to the story, even though they were only at the beginning of each chapter. I really liked Elliot because he was a smart, cool, monster-researching kind of guy. Jake and Marly were good characters too. I liked how the kids were coming up with plans to help their parents. I think it’s appropriate for kids 8+ and young advanced readers.

I give Elliot Stone and the Summer Vacation Sea Monster five out of five book worms!

To learn more about Elliot Stone and the Summer Vacation Sea Monster please visit Blue Marlin Publications HERE.

You can learn more about the author at her website HERE!

Dog Wants To Be Famous! by C. and M. Dixon

7 May

Picture from Amazon

Dog Wants To Be Famous

By C. and M. Dixon

 21 pages – ages 5+

Published by Jake Dog Stories on March 10, 2012

Dog is bored. He decides he wants to be famous so everyday will be exciting! But he doesn’t know what he wants to do. When he thinks up something to make him famous, Cat thinks the whole thing is a bad idea and keeps telling Dog why his ideas won’t work. Will Dog get his wish to be famous or will he be happy being the same old dog he is?

This book was okay. It had a very cute story, but not the best illustrations. The illustrations took a lot from the story, especially since it’s a picture book. The dog and cat characters were really great and it is a unique story plot. I thought the story was really funny it actually made me laugh out loud but for a picture book, it needs better illustrations.  It is available in ebook form. You can check out the book by clicking the cover of the book pictured above. 

I give “Dog Wants To Be Famous!” three out of five book worms.

12×12 Update, April Reading Challenge, and Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

1 May

It’s the first day of May and I have a lot to tell you about! First I wanted to report on how this month’s 12×12 challenge went. For those of you who don’t know, I am trying to do Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge. It is a challenge to write 12 picture book drafts in 12 months in 2012. You can click on the 12×12 banner on the right side bar or the one above to learn more about it. I set my goal to write two picture books over the year. Last month I reported that I did write an ABC book about Abraham Lincoln ONE WHOLE BOOK! It was for a school project but we decided it counted for 12×12 too. This month I set my goal to write 5 pages of my picture book about the boy who lives in a magical bookstore. I didn’t write 5 pages…I wrote the whole thing! I am pretty excited that I got the whole story out. I think I’d like to go back an edit it but I am going to try to start to write a new story this month. I am setting my goal to have an outline and 5 pages done for the month of May.

I am also happy to say I completed the April reading challenge I read about on Cindy Pierce’s A.K.A. Cookiejarprincess’ blog Bookworms Read More Books. Ms Pierce said she found the challenge on the  Crazy Challenge Connection message board on goodreads.com. I was too young to officially join the challenge but I kind of just did it along with Ms. Pierce :)  I am HAPPY to say I read all the books on my list! I finished the last book on Monday morning, just in time! I didn’t do a bonus book with April in the title or as the name of a character though.

If you did any April challenges or are doing 12×12 – how did you do?

Now for a review!

Fake Mustache: Or, How Jodie O’Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind

By Tom Angleberger

208 pages -ages 8+

Published by Amulet Books on April 1, 2012

What would you do if your best friend was a mastermind criminal trying to take over the country? Well that’s what is happening to 7th-grader Lenny  Flem Jr. Lenny’s friend, Casper puts on the perfect disguise – the Heidelberg Handlebar #7 mustache and starts a crime spree of robbing banks to get enough money to run for president. The fake mustache is not just any fake mustache, it has special powers that make people believe anything you want. Only Lenny sees through the very clever mustache disguise but Casper (now known as Fako Mustacho) makes everyone believe Lenny is the problem! Lenny teams up with Jodie O’Rodeo and together they try to stop Casper from taking over the country!

I actually laughed out loud at this book. Literally. I have to say Tom Angleberger is one of my most favorite authors, in fact his Origami Yoda book is one of the reasons I started my blog. I thought Fake Mustache was an excellent book. The story plot was hysterical, it was a clean read and Lenny was a very likeable character. This is definitely a good book for reluctant readers and boy readers (I think girls will also like it ;) ).

Five out of Five bookworms for “Fake Mustache”!

To learn more about Mr. Angleberger and his books, please visit his STOOKY site HERE. Mr. Angleberger’s next book is called “The Secret Case of the Fortune Wookie” and it’s coming out in August 2012!

Annie and Me by Sandra Hershenson

30 Apr

Annie and Me

By Sandra Hershenson

Illustrated by Barb Dragony

32 pages – ages 4+

Published by Utales

Olivia misses her BFF Annie. Annie moved away 8 months, 2 weeks and 4 days ago. Olivia wonders if Annie will still like her when they go to visit her. She wonders if she should ring the door bell to Annie’s new house. What if Annie isn’t her friend anymore? What if she forgot all the great things they did together? Olivia was very nervous to see Annie again.

This adorable book was published on uTales (an ebook publishing company). I was surprised when I read the book that some of the illustrations move and make sounds when you move the cursor over them! That was pretty cool and I think that young kids will really like that interactive part. I really liked the story because the feelings Olivia was having were very realistic. I think it would be a great book for any kids who had a friend move away and also for teaching kids how to deal with nervous feelings. I also liked the fact that the illustrations show friends who are from different ethnic backgrounds. I would recommend this book because of the great message and also the interactive parts of the book would be good for really young kids to start to learn to use the computer.

Five out of Five bookworms for “Annie and Me”!  

You can find more about Annie and Me at uTales and Ms. Hershenson at her blog “The Write Stuff.”

Book Review – Imagine Travelling To The Most Mysterious & Unusual Places!

25 Apr

Imagine Travelling To The Most Mysterious & Unusual Places!

By Praveeta

Illustrated by Ash

146 pages – ages 8+

Published by Travel Tales of Elves on November 11, 2011

Have you ever day-dreamed? Thought you were a superhero or a pirate on an adventure? What if your day-dreams turned out to be true? Wakey is a day-dreaming elf and was constantly being made fun of because he was always day-dreaming. When Wakey and his elf friends get taken to one of the kingdoms Wakey day-dreamed about, he and his friends realize that Wakey’s day-dreams were real!  Because Wakey has dreamed this place before, he knew exactly where they were, but he had no idea of how they were to get home! Wakey and his friends have to travel through all the kingdoms he has dreamed about. The kingdoms (having names like the Kingdom of Fitness, the Kingdom of Colours, the Kingdom of Learning and the Kingdom of Nature) really turn out to be the most mysterious and unusual places (to the four elves)!

I thought this book was great! I really liked learning about the different kingdoms the elves went through and learning about the elves and other characters that lived there and how they live. It is a good way for kids to learn something about the “subject” of each kingdom (for example colors or nature). I don’t think that the story plot is that involved, but for kids, it’s a fun read!  There is a section of puzzles and activities related to the story at the back of the book and I think it was a nice addition. I think this book would be good for young advanced readers and older kids.

Five out of five bookworms for “Imagine Travelling To The Most Mysterious & Unusual Places!”

To learn more about the book and its author please visit Travel Tales of Elves by clicking HERE.

The book is only available to be ordered online.

 

You can find it at –  

Barnes&Noble – www.bit.ly/imaginebn
Amazon US – www.bit.ly/imagineus
 
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