I read Guess Again by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex to a kindergarten class and they laughed so hard I worried about the potential wetting of the carpet. Mac Barnett's verses set kids up to guess the seemingly simple answer:
"Who's got white teeth and fiery breath
And scares Sir Frank the Brave to death?
This frightened knight must stop his braggin'.
Who's spooked our knight? That's right! A...." (turn the page)
"Dentist, Dr. Larry Roberts."
Adam Rex's goofy pictures add to the fun. What looks like a flock of sheep on a page turns out to be abominable snow monsters, and the floppy-eared shadow nibbling carrots in the garden? Why, it's Grandpa Ned! Kids who "get" the rhyming concept will be delighted with the silly, unexpected answers, and they'll want to "Guess Again" and again.
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Calling all geeky nerds, tough brainiacs, and athletic intellectuals - you will love this graphic novel! I've never been huge into comics, but this one I couldn't put down. The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis is funny, fast-paced, and really smart. Julian is "outwardly: a nerd. But, inwardly... an ultra nerd!" After being tormented at his old school, Julian decides to hide his incredible intellect in hopes that he'll fit in. His secret is discovered by cool athlete Ben and notoriously tough Greta, who are also covert geniuses. Together they form The Secret Science Alliance, and you should see the awesome gadgets they invent in their high-tech undercover clubhouse! I'm not sure how often I'd use the Stinkometer, but I'd love to find a Kablovsky Copter under my Christmas tree! Pick this book up if you're in the mood for a really smart adventure!]]>
How do you raise a reader? One of the best things you can do is surround your kids with books they want to read, especially ones at their level. There are lots of "beginning reader" books on our shelves, and if you have a boy who's working on the first steps of independent reading, give him The Fly Guy books by Tedd Arnold. Instead of characters that talk like aliens ("Oh! Oh! Look, look! Look and see!"), Arnold's beginner books are about a fly named Fly Guy and a boy named Buzz. In I Spy Fly Guy, the two are playing a game of hide-and-seek. Fly Guy hides in the garbage can. (He always hides in the garbage can.) But neither fly nor boy expects the garbage truck to come along! Is Fly Guy gone forever? Great stories, funny characters, real language, and easy words will keep your young reader buzzing for more!]]>
There are lots of books for kids these days about being more environmentally responsible, but few are as fun to read as Miss Fox's Class Goes Green, written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Anne Kennedy. When Miss Fox starts riding her bike to school rather than driving her car, all the animals in her class take up the "green" cause. The art is charming - I love the look on Squirrel's face as he reconsiders buying new, cool sneakers since his old ones are still good! The message is clear - here's how even kids can make choices to take better care of our planet - but the story is entertaining as well as enlightening, and families will enjoy reading about small changes that can make a difference.]]>
All around the world, children are waking up and getting ready for school. Whether they eat porridge or pancakes, churros or toast, the children have breakfast and go off to learn. One World, One Day by Barbara Kerley is a simply lovely book about the common threads of kids' lives. We learn, we play, we eat, we spend time with our families. The photos are outstanding, and each photo is sourced at the end with information about the originating country. No matter where you live, you'll find we are more alike than we are different. One World, One Day reminds us of this beautifully.]]>
Margie Palatini and Barry Moser take the Aesop's fable about sour grapes and make a picture book too good to resist. Fox sees a bunch of grapes growing up too high for him to reach, so he enlists the help of his friends. Even with Bear and Beaver and Porcupine and Possum and Skunk arranged according to Fox's ingenious plans - no success. The grapes remain just beyond him. Every time one of the other animals tries to offer advice, Fox cuts them off. "Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta. I'm the fox. Sly. Clever. Smart. I know how to get the grapes." In the end, Fox does not get those Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes, but he does indulge in a fine whine. A well-done version of an old teaching tale!]]>
I am completely enthralled by Chris Monroe's Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Noisy Problem! Chico Bon Bon has every tool a monkey could ever need on his tool belt, and these tools come in handy when he hears a loud noise clanging from somewhere inside his treehouse. I love the way Monroe drew the treehouse and labeled all the tools on Chico's belt, but the kicker for me is who is stuck inside the laundry chute and how Chico gets him out. In twelve easy steps, using tools like a tape measure, an edge-wedger, and a banana cannon, Chico solves his problem. The story and art will delight kids, and there are just enough bits of adult humor (when Chico first hears the noise, he wonders if he has bats in his belfry) to keep the grown-ups entertained as well. ]]>
Sally Cook, James Charlton, and Ross MacDonald have hit it out of the park with this one: Hey Batta Batta Swing! The Wild Old Days of Baseball. I've been a baseball fan ever since the Tigers won the Series two years in a row waaaay back when, but I had no idea that the games I watched in the 1980's looked mighty different than the games played in the 1880's. Can you imagine watching a game where you could tag a player out by hitting them with the ball? Real "cranks" of baseball will find this book a "dinger"!]]>