Poetry Friday - A review of Side by Side

Sometimes poets and writers are inspired by the strangest things. They hear or see something that creates a little seed of an idea in their heads, and if they are lucky this seed grows into a piece of writing. For centuries writers have been inspired by art, and in today's poetry title we get to explore some modern day examples of poems that were art inspired.

Side by side: New Poems Inspired by Art from around the world

Edited by Jan Greenberg

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 8 to 14

Abrams, 2008, 978-0-8109-9471-3

For centuries people have been writing poems that were inspired by works of art. They have sat in front of a painting, a piece of pottery, or a sculpture, and words have come to them that describe that work of art or that capture the essence of the piece. Often the poetry is a deeply personal reaction to the artwork, one that is unique to the poet.

   In this very unique collection of poems Jan Greenberg offers us poems written by poets from around the world that were inspired by artworks from around the world. She invited poets to choose “artworks that were representative of their own cultures,” and most of the poems in the collection were written specifically for this book.

   The poems are divided into four categories: Stories, Voices, Expressions and Impressions. The first story poem was written by Pat Mora, and she offers her readers the poem in both Spanish and English. In the poem she describes a collection of ceramic and painted wooden figurines that are part of a scene. The characters in the scene are all musicians who play on drums, guitars, pipes, and other instruments. Seeing the musicians reminds the poet of her “abuelo,” who plays his violin outside at sunset. His playing encourages other musicians to join him and soon the “whole town floats / on the rhythmic river of music.”

   In the Voices section of the book poets gives the characters or scenes in art works a voice. For example, from the Netherlands we hear the voice of woman who appears in a painting that was created by Hans Memling in 1480. Poet Anne Provoost tells the story of the young woman who is making a lace collar for her father when a young man comes to her and “falls on his knees.” He tells her that “the light I have only seen/ in the stained glass of cathedrals” shines out from her face. She is shocked that anyone would consider her attractive and is drawn to him.

   The poems in the Expression section are more contemplative in that they explore “the transaction that takes place between the viewer and the art object.” From Canada there is a painting of a young woman standing on the deck of a ferry that is going to Prince Edward Island. She is looking straight at us through her binoculars. The poet thinks that the girl is not really looking through the binoculars. Instead, she is hiding behind them, the way people in “alien atmospheres / are awkward inside the costumes they wear for safety.”

   In the final section, Impressions, poets describe what they see when they look at their chosen artwork. They use all kinds of patterns of words to show us what they see, and it is interesting to discover that what we see may not be what another person sees. A painting by the Japanese painter Ei-Kyu may look like the birth of a planet to one person, but to the poet, Naoko Nishimoto, the painting shows a dream that blooms behind closed eyelids.

   At the back of the book readers will find biographies of the poets, the translators, and the artists. There is also a map “showing where each poet, translator, and artist included in this book lives or lived.”

   This is remarkable book, one that young readers will find interesting and thought-provoking.

We Give Books

I recently found out about We Give Books and want to introduce you to this splendid literacy program.

Who Is Behind It?

We Give Books was created by the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation. Together, we support literacy through programs that engage entire communities through literacy and awareness programs like Booktime and Jumpstart's Read for the Record. We hope that We Give Books proves to be a way that young children, together with their parents or caregivers, can come to understand the power of reading—and of giving—as much as we do.Penguin Group is one of the world's premier global consumer trade book publishers, with key market positions in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, Canada, India, China, New Zealand and Ireland. The Penguin Group (http://www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.Pearson Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pearson plc. A 501(c) (3) nonprofit operating foundation, the Pearson Foundation extends Pearson's commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe.

The Books

We are dedicated to delivering award-winning books empowering you to read and share beautiful stories with children in your life. With age-appropriate content for young readers, our goal is to create memories that will last a lifetime.Books are right at the heart of this program — books for reading and books for giving!All of the books available for online reading are children's picture books appropriate for children through age ten. There is a mix of fiction and nonfiction, a range of authors, and an equal balance between read-alouds and books for independent readers. We'll be adding news books every month, together with special seasonal offerings.The We Give Books team works upfront with each non-profit literacy partner to identify the kinds of children's books that best fit their program needs. Some of the same great books you can read online will be donated to our charity partners through your reading efforts. We also donate others they request specifically for the young people they serve.

Picture Book Monday - A review of No Two Alike

Many of us find it all too easy to rush though our days without taking a moment to notice the beauty of nature. Even in a city there are pockets of nature that can be enjoyed if you just take the time to do so. In today's picture book we accompany two little birds as they explore their environment. The birds figure out that every plant and animal is unique, just as they are. Every plant and animal is a gift that we can enjoy looking at and watching.

No two alike

Keith Baker

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4424-1742-7

It is a beautiful snowy day and two little red birds are flying around the woods. They notice that no two snowflakes are alike. Some almost seem to be the same, “but not quite.” As they explore their world they discover that snowflakes are not the only things that are not alike.

   When they look at nests they discover that though two nests are both soft and round, they are still different. Tracks in the snow are also similar but different. As they sit and hang from a branch they find that no two branches are alike, and every leaf is unique. As they make snowballs and use a stick to brush snow off a fence, the little birds find more things that are similar and yet not the same.

   With a delightful lyrical rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations showing snowy scenes, this book, with its charming little bird characters, is a joy to read. Children will enjoy seeing what the two little birds get up to, and they will see that we are all different. Celebrating our differences is one of the wonderful things to do in life. 

Poetry Friday - A review of A foot in the mouth

My father loved to read out loud, and he was very good at it too. Thanks to him, I learned how to read Shakespeare, and I also learned that there is something special about sharing a story or a piece of poetry with someone else. For today's poetry title Paul B. Janeczko chose poems that are perfect for reading out loud. Many of them are also easy to memorize. Not long ago I found myself reciting one of the poems in this book, The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear. I learned the poem when I was eight years old, and it have been with me ever since. 

A foot in the mouth: Poems to speak, sing, and shout

Selected by Paul B. Janeczko

Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 10

Candlewick Press, 2009, 978-0-7636-6083-3

The amazing thing about the written word is that it can be enjoyed in so many ways. We can read a book to ourselves, enjoying the language and the story in solitude, or we can share what we are reading with others. Reading out loud used to be something that many people did. As a family sat around a fire or on a porch, one of their number would read out loud while the others knitted, sewed, whittled wood, or simply sat and listened. Reading to oneself is a wonderful way to spend some time, but reading to others is special because you get to hear the beauty of the language and you get to share it. There are some pieces of writing that come to life when someone lets the words be heard aloud.

   Many pieces of poetry are like this. It is almost as if they were meant to be read out loud. For this book Paul B. Janeczko has selected thirty-six poems that are perfect for reading out loud. There are short ones, like Gigl, which is only six words long, and then there are others that are longer and more complicated. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, for example, is full of words that most of us have never even heard before. What on earth is a “borogove” or a Tumtum tree?” The great thing about this poem is that is does not matter if we don’t know what all the words mean. They sound delicious.

   Some of the poems have an almost musical feel to them. Certainly Us Two by A.A. Milne is just such a poem. The bouncing rhythm and rhyming elements make this poem perfect for reading out loud.   

   Paul Janeczko has even chosen some poems that two or more readers can read together. Fishes: Poem for Two Voices by Georgia Heard is perfect for a two people to share, and an excerpt from Macbeth has three parts. Good Hot Dogs by Sandra Cisneros comes in two flavors, English and Spanish. What a wonderful way for two people to share the same poem!

   Many of the poems have one more thing to offer. They are perfect for memorizing. Sometimes the story in the poem is so catchy that one cannot help learning the poem quickly. Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussycat is a good example of this. Then there are the ones that are funny. Short and quirky limericks fit the bill for people who like to smile and laugh. Other poems have such wonderful language that we welcome the opportunity to take those words and tuck them into our memories so that we can pull them out whenever we want. Walt Whitman’s I Hear America Singing is the kind of poem that you want to keep in your head. It will always be there, so you can take it out at will, dust it off, and stay it loud.

   This is a splendid collection of poems that readers of all ages will enjoy exploring.

Peace by Wendy Anderson Halperin. A book for everyone

Yesterday was not a good day for me. I was struggling with fears, worries, and frustrations, and I was therefore feeling pretty miffed with the world in general. Then I settled down to read and review Peace by Wendy Anderson Halperin. For as long as I have been reading her books, I have loved the way Wendy pairs her illustrations with text that has substance. She makes her readers think about and consider what she is saying. Peace certainly did this for me. She reminded me that being angry with my lot in life serves no purpose. Instead I need to think things through quietly and refrain from sending my annoyed feelings out into the world. I need to set aside the small stuff and do my part to create peace.

Peace

Wendy Anderson Halperin

Picture Book

For ages 5 and up

Simon and Schuster, 2013, 978-0-689-82552-1

Sometimes, when we read or watch the news, we feel overwhelmed by the suffering that we see people experiencing all over the world. There is so much violence, and it exists on so many levels. People are robbed and hurt in their homes, and people die by the hundreds or thousands in wars and other conflicts. How can one person do anything about this terrible situation? How can a child promote peace when confronted by so much anger?

   In this beautiful and powerful book Wendy Anderson Halperin explores the idea that every one of us can do things to make our world more peaceful. In the beginning of the book she tells us how we can use our five senses so that we can become better peace makers. For example, we can use our sense of touch to “help, to plant, to comfort, to reach out, and to create peace.” With our ears we can be good listeners, and with our words we can “heal, not hurt.”

   She then goes on to show us using artwork, her words, and quotations, how peace can only come to our world if nations chose the path of peace. In turn nations can only embrace peace if cities are peaceful. Cities cannot be peaceful if neighborhoods are full of anger and violence, and if schools and homes are torn apart by cruel words and actions. Homes cannot find peace if there is no peace in our hearts.

   Packed with words of wisdom from Desmond Tutu, Gandhi, Plato, Mark Twain and others, this is a book that will empower and uplift readers. It is a book to read and savor, and it is a book that will help readers to get through the hard times. Grownups reading this book to their children will realize that the book is for them as well. It serves as a valuable reminder that peacemaking begins with the individual. 

Picture Book Monday - A review of Utterly Otterly Night

There is something about snow that makes many of us become downright goofy when we go outside to play in it. We cannot resist falling into the white stuff, throwing it at each other, sliding on it, and building things with it. In today's book you are going to meet a young otter who has a fantastic time playing in the snow on a moonlit night. We met this particular youngster in his first book, Utterly Otterly Day, and he is still full of fun and mischief.

Utterly Otterly Night

Mary Casanova

Illustrated by Ard Hoyt

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-7562-5

It is wintertime and snow is drifting down out of the night sky. In a cozy holt under the riverbank four otters are fast asleep. No, it would appear that only three of the otters are fast asleep. Little Otter is wide awake and he is eager to play, “in an utterly otterly way.”

  Little Otter wakes up his sister and parents and then they all go outside. Mama reminds everyone that at “the first hint of danger – we all head in.” Little Otter is not worried about danger. After all, he is a “big otter now,” and can take care of himself. Little Otter climbs a hill and then goes sliding down on his belly. He encounters Rabbit, and he hides in the snow when Owl flies over. When the big bird flies off, Little Otter gets back to the business of playing and sliding.

   Then, when Little Otter gets to the top of a high hill, he smells something on the air. He smells danger and he raises the alarm, but his family members are too far away to hear his call.

   Packed with wonderful words like “whooshily,” and “friskily,” this delightful picture book brings back the main character that we met in Utter Otterly Day. Once again Little Otter faces dangers, and once again the author and illustrator beautifully convey how delightfully ebullient and fun-loving Little Otter is.

Poetry Friday - A review of An Egret's Day

Jane Yolen has put together several poetry collections that focus on birds, including Birds of a Feather. In these collections, she looks at several bird species. In today's book she focuses on one species, the egret, and uses her poems to show us how special and beautiful these birds are.

An Egret’s Day

Jane Yolen

Photographs by Jason Stemple

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 8 and up

Boyds Mills Press, 2010, 978-1-59078-650-5

Egrets, also called Great White Herons, are exceptionally beautiful and elegant birds, and many people, including poet Jane Yolen and photographer Jason Stemple, are big fans of the large birds. Egrets are found in many parts of the world ,and are wading birds that favor shallow lakes, rice paddies, mudflats, tidal estuaries, and other wet areas. With a beak that is “as sharp and fine / as a fisherman’s gutting knife,” egrets skewer the fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects that they like to eat. They stand motionless, waiting and watching, and when they see a movement they stab their prey, “Almost every strike a winner.”

   Egrets have beautiful large wings that they care for assiduously, preening each feather carefully to remove any dirt. The feathers are so beautiful that for many years they were highly prized by clothes and hat designers. Thankfully, many people, including the author of these poems, think that egret feathers belong “Upon the shoulders of the egret.”

   In this splendid title fourteen poems are paired with photographs and sections of text to give readers an interesting picture of what egrets are like. Jane Yolen uses several very different poetry forms in her poems and readers will enjoy seeing how she crafts, among other things, a haiku and a limerick.

Happy New Year!

Picture Book Monday - A review of Brontorina

All too often people are told by others that they cannot do something because they are not suited to doing that thing. We are told "you are too small," or "you are too old," or "you are too young," or "you are too large," or "you are too small," and so on. It is very tiresome to be told these things, and often one is better off if one ignores such negative thinking. In today's picture book you will meet a dinosaur who wants to be a dancer, and who is told that she is just too large. 

James Howe

Illustrated by Randy Cecil

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Candlewick, 2010, 978-0-7636-4437-6

Brontorina the dinosaur has a dream; she wants to be a dancer. So, she goes to Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy for Girls and Boys and she tells Madame that she “wants to dance.” Madame Lucille has never had a dinosaur for a student before and she is concerned because Brontorina is very large and she does not have the right shoes for dancing. Luckily for Brontorina, Clara and Jack believe that Brontorina should be allowed to join the academy and they ask Madame Lucille to let the dinosaur join their classes.

   Madame Lucille soon sees that Brontorina is a very graceful dancer with a natural ability for dance. Unfortunately, it soon becomes apparent that Brontorina is just too big for the school. When she does her releves and jetes the poor dinosaur’s head goes through the roof. Madame Lucille reluctantly has to tell the dinosaur that she cannot accommodate a student who is so large.

   In this splendid story readers will meet a character who is incredibly sweet and loveable, even though she is two stories tall. Children will see how problems can be solved, even enormous ones, if you are willing to make changes, and if you think about the problem in a different way. The story wraps up with an ending that is perfect and funny. 

Poetry Friday - A review of Got Geography

When I was a kid I loved geography. It was one of my favorite subjects in school, and whenever my father's copy of National Geographic arrived in the mail, I eagerly tore off the mailing wrapper to find out what new adventure I was going to take to distant places on its pages. My father had a large, rather battered, copy of the Times World Atlas, and he and I would spend hours looking at the maps. Dad would tell me about the countries we were seeing, and we would get out volumes of our encyclopedia to find out more about Mongolia, Chad, Tasmania, and other countries.

Today's poetry title explores geography through poems, and readers will be enjoy seeing their world through the eyes of some of America's most beloved poets.

Got Geography!

Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated by Philip Stanton

Poetry

For ages 7 to 10

HarperCollins, 2006, 978-0-06-055601-3

These days, thanks to the internet, email, text messaging, telephones, cars, fast ships, airplanes and other technology, the world seems to be smaller than it was, say, in Magellan’s time. We often forget to think about the fact that the geography of our planet is such that places on opposite sides of the Earth vary greatly and often have little in common, and that great forces beneath the Earth’s crust, powers we cannot control, shape the surface of our planet. We forget that the forces that build mountains and move continents are more powerful than all the technology that we have created. Our geographical location is something that affects our lives every day, and the study of geography is not only important, but it is also fascinating.

   In this splendid selection of poems, poets J. Patrick Lewis, Marilyn Singer, Jane Yolen and others take us to far off places and into the minds of those who created maps and explored foreign lands. The collection begins with a poem about “Mapping the World.” As an artist creates a map of the world, he almost feels as if he is journeying to the lands he is laying out on his canvas. For example, as Africa’s outline takes shape he thinks about the fact that it is the place where the River Nile flows “past ancient folk.” It is where the Serengeti lies and where people can see Victoria Falls. For the artist, “Geography is like our own / Room with a view we can’t forget.”

   In another poem Kathryn Madeline Allen imagines what she would do if she were the equator. One thing she is sure of, and that is that she “would have an attitude,” and why not? After all, the equator is the only line that runs from east to west for nearly 25,000 miles. It is the line that “splits the globe in half” and it is the “only one” to do so.

   Marilyn Singer tells us about explorers that we often forget to think about. In Antarctica, “where whole mountains are hidden / under ice” humans were not the first ones to arrive in that freezing place. Long before explorers set foot there, penguins “laid shambling tracks” in the snow. Similarly, hot and steamy jungles were explored by creatures with wings or feet long before humans got there.

   In this splendid collection, the poems chosen truly capture how intriguing and fascinating geography is.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Ruby Redfort: Look into my eyes

These days, when I want to relax and give my brain a break, I read a mystery novel. I have always loved mysteries and read (and reread) all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books when I was young. There were also the Famous Five and Secret Seven series, books that were published in England. I remember feeling rather disappointed that there weren't more mystery titles being published for young readers.

Today, young readers have a much bigger selection of mystery novels to read. In several of them the main character becomes a secret agent of some kind. Today's title is just such a book. In it a tween girl, Ruby Redfort, is asked to help a secret agency to solve a problem. The writing is clever, often humorous, and it is full of thrilling moments and interesting situations.

Ruby Redfort: Look into my eyes

Lauren Child

Fiction

For ages 10 to 13

Candlewick Press, 2011, 978-0-7636-5120-6

Ruby Redfort looks like a rather ordinary tween girl, but she is not in the slightest bit ordinary. She is extremely intelligent, can learn new things very quickly, and she has superlative observation skills and problem-solving skills. Ruby loves mystery and crime stories, movies, and television shows. She also loves to figure out puzzles, ciphers, and codes.

   Until now, other than winning a Code-Cracking Championship and creating a code that took Harvard scholars two weeks to break, Ruby has had a quiet life. She lives with her rather uninteresting parents, spends time with her friend Clancy, and goes to school. Then, one day, she comes home from school to find out that someone has stolen everything in her house. Everything is gone including Mrs. Digby the housekeeper. On that day Hitch, a household manager (butler), arrives to work at the Redfort home, and Ruby is immediately suspicious. Something about Hitch is off, but Ruby cannot figure out what.

   Then Ruby gets a very odd phone call. An unknown person tells Ruby that he or she has heard that Ruby is good at noticing things and that she is also a good code cracker. The person talks some more and Ruby agrees that she “can crack a code.” After saying “Good,” the person hangs up. Ruby is very puzzled by the call. If the person on the phone wants her to crack a code why didn’t the person give her a code to crack?

   Some time later Ruby figures things out. The code was in the conversation itself. She analyses what the person said and soon she is following clues, each clue leading her to another one. The final clue leads her to a manhole cover. She opens it and reluctantly goes down the drain and into a tunnel, which then opens into a very large room. It is in this room that Ruby meets a woman called LB who just happens to belong to the voice on the telephone.

   LB explains that she works for a secret agency called Spectrum, and she invites Ruby the join the agency to help them deal with one problem and one problem only. If she is willing to take on the challenge, Ruby will first have to pass a test and get cleared by security. If she gets through these, she will be told about the problem, which she will hopefully be able to solve. After the task is complete, Ruby will go back to being an ordinary schoolgirl and her association with Spectrum will be over.

   Not surprisingly, Ruby agrees to the terms. She passes the test and security check without any trouble, and then she finds out that she has been recruited to break a code. Someone is apparently planning to steal an enormous amount of gold from a local bank. A former Spectrum code breaker figured out something important about the plan, but she died before she could tell LB about what she had found. LB wants Ruby to go through the deceased code breaker’s papers to figure out what it was she was going to reveal.

   Lauren Child has delighted countless children by creating Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean, wonderful characters who appear in picture books, novels, and in television programs. Now she gives us Ruby Redfort, and readers will have a splendid time sharing Ruby’s adventures and trying to figure out the codes and puzzles Ruby encounters. Who can resist a story that is packed with colorful characters, unsolved mysteries, cool gadgets, and challenging puzzles.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Happy Christmas Eve folks! I hope you are having a splendid day surrounded by friends and family members. For today's picture book I have chosen a title that would make a wonderful gift - just in case you need a last minute idea. Or, should you get a gift certificate or a gift of money tomorrow, you can buy this book for yourself.

This is the kind of book that children and adults alike will enjoy. It's message is universal in nature, and every reading makes one think about stories, books, and what they mean to us. The story in the book won an Academy Award for best animated short film in 2012.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

William Joyce

Illustrated by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm

Picture Book

For ages 7 and up

Simon and Schuster, 2012, 978-1-4424-5702-7

Morris Lessmore loves words, stories, and books. He loves to write about his “joys and sorrows” in a book every day. Unfortunately, just like most stories, Morris Lessmore’s story has an “upset.” A terrible storm blows Morris Lessmore and everything around him through the air, and when Morris finally comes to earth, he has no idea where he is. Even worse, the storm has clean blown the words off the pages of his book.

   Feeling quite lost and not knowing what to do, Morris begins to wander. Then Morris sees a pretty lady drifting by. She is being carried across the sky by “a festive squadron of flying books.” Morris wishes his own book would fly, but it refuses to do so. The pretty lady knows that Morris needs a flying book of his own so she gives him one of hers.

   The flying book leads Mr. Morris to a building that is full of flying books, and he decides to stay there. Mr. Morris is delighted with his new home, and he spends time repairing the books that are damaged. He also reads the stories in the books, gives the books to people who need them, and he once again writes his own story. Little does he know that one day his story will play an important role in the life of another book lover.

   William Joyce started writing this story many years ago. It began as a tribute to a book lover, and then evolved over time to become an award winning animated short film, a fabulous story app, and now this book.

   The story of Morris Lessmore takes readers on an extraordinary journey, one that they will never forget. It will remind readers that books are treasures to be loved and treasured. How grim and lonely our lives would be without them.

Poetry Friday - A review of Book Speak!

I have reviewed several books of poetry that are full of poems about books and reading. Today's poetry title is special because in it the author gives books (and not people) the opportunity to speak. Instead of reading about how people feel about books, we get to find out what it feels like to be a book. Or an index. Or a book cover. The idea might sound strange, but I found it to be delightful, and I think you will too.

Book Speak! Poems about Books

Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 11

Clarion, 2011, 978-0-547-22300-1

If a book could talk, what would it say? Perhaps it would ask the reader not to fold page corners and to be careful not to break its spine. Maybe it would describe, in an excited whisper, the story that lies on its pages.  It might brag, loudly, that it is the best book to read if you want to know about a certain subject.

   In this deliciously clever collection of poems, Laura Purdie Salas gives books, and parts of books, a voice. We hear from an index, who tells us to “Forget that pretty picture on the cover.” Instead, it tells us how it, the index, “can tell you the page number / of anything you are looking for.”

   A book plate explains very firmly that it is not the kind of plate that requires a napkin. It is not a “soup bowl’s mate,” nor is it a receptacle for “peas or bread.” No, a book plate should be pasted in a book and used to show who it belongs to.

   A book is a very brave thing, just in case you didn’t know. Yes indeed, it can “swallow up dragons and /cannons and /wars.” It does not fear the dark at all. There is only one thing that it is really frightened of. Water. Water and books simply don’t mix.

   Vacations offer books the opportunity to have grand adventures. You get to visit exotic places, fly on airplanes, and lie on beaches. A book never quite knows where its “reader is bound / and hundreds of times I’ve been lost and then found.”

   Though this is, of course, a children’s title, book lovers of all ages are going to enjoy reading these skillfully crafted and often unusual book-centric poems. Throughout the book, colorful multimedia illustrations provide a perfect backdrop for the poems.

Season's Greeting!

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Zelda and Ivy: The Big Picture

Some years ago I read a delightful beginner chapter book about two little foxes who have everyday adventures. There was something about the characters, Zelda and Ivy, that I found very appealing. I was therefore delighted the other day to receive a new Zelda and Ivy book to review.

Zeldaand Ivy: The Big Picture

Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Fiction

For ages 5 to 7

Candlewick Press, 2010, 978-0-7636-4180-1

  Zelda and Ivy and their friend Eugene are going to the movie theatre, and Zelda and Eugene are really looking forward to seeing the movie Secret Agent Fox. Ivy is worried that the movie is going to be too scary and she is not comforted when her sister and friend tell her that what takes place in a movie is not real.

   When the movie starts, Ivy soon forgets to be afraid. In fact, she is captivated by the action that she is watching on the screen, as is Eugene. Both of them are so interested in the movie that they fail to notice that Zelda, who not long ago said “the scarier, the better,” is not actually watching the movie.  

   Some time later, inspired no doubt by the movie they saw, Ivy, Zelda, and Eugene decide to be secret agents and “spy on people.” They each choose a secret agent name, they decide on a code word, and then they proceed to spy on Mrs. Brownlie. In their opinion, Mrs. Brownlie is behaving in a suspicious manner. She is wearing goggles while she is mowing her yard, and the three friends are eager to find out why.

   In this delightful Zelda and Ivy story, there are three chapters, and in each one Zelda, Ivy and their friend have delightful adventures that children will be able to identify with. The characters are charming, and the stories are perfect for children who are starting to read on their own.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Christmas Quiet Book

I really enjoy the holiday season but I must confess that sometimes the often frantic preparations one feels compelled to make are rather tiresome. When I read today's book I was reminded that the Christmas season can be a gentle, quiet, happy season if we just stop, notice and enjoy the good times, and let some things go. Ahhhh, much better.

The Christmas Quiet Book

Deborah Underwood

Illustrated by Renata Liwska

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 978-0-547-55863-9

For many people the Christmas season is a busy, even frantic time. It is a time full of noise and bustle, to do lists and what-did-I-forget moments. Thankfully, Christmas does not have to be this way if you slow down, take a deep breath, and savor the moments. If you do this, you might even be able to have a Christmas that is quiet.

   Perhaps you don’t know what a quiet Christmas is. A quiet Christmas is a Christmas season that is full of quiet moments. There are those searching for presents quiet moments that are all too often followed by “Getting caught” quiet moments. There are those quiet moments when we look out of the window and dare to hope for a snow day. There are the soft quiet moments that come when you are making a snow angel or when you are gliding across the ice. Then there is that delicious quiet that comes when the lights on the Christmas tree are lit for the first time. Sometimes this happy quiet moment is followed by a “Blown fuse quiet.” And what about that Christmas Eve quiet when children listen for sleigh bells, and when they fall asleep trying to stay awake.

   In this delicious holiday book Deborah Underwood’s simple text is beautifully paired with Renata Liwska’s lovely soft illustrations to give readers of all ages a bookish experience that is sweet, funny, and as comforting as a warm hug and a cup of hot cocoa. 

Poetry Friday - A review of If you were a chocolate mustache

One of the things that I love about poetry is the fact that it comes in so many 'flavors.' When I was little, I had no idea that poetry had so many forms. I had never seen a haiku or a concrete poem. I am delighted that children today can enjoy all kinds of poetry early on. They can see and hear that one can be delightfully creative when one writes a poem.

Today's poetry title shows to great effect how one poet plays with words to create poems that are incredibly varied.

If you were a chocolate mustache

J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Poetry

For ages 7 to 10

Boyds Mills Press, 2012, 978-1-59078-927-8

Poems come in many forms, more forms perhaps than most of us are aware of. J. Patrick Lewis, the Children’s Poet Laureate, loves to play with these forms, and this is what he has done in this collection. In this book readers will find riddles, limericks, haiku, story poems, concrete poems and more. The only thing that the poems have in common is that they are all serve to amuse the reader, to make the reader smile or even laugh.

   On the pages of this title you will find a poem that describes dragon dinner etiquette. If you are a dragon, never accept a dinner invitation “If St. George is the guest of honor.” If you are going to eat Chinese food use “chop stakes,” and nights when you have pizza delivered “Spare the delivery boy.”

   In another part of the book you will encounter another dragonish poem. In “Dragon vs. Girl” we meet a dragon who is complaining about a girl who sprayed him with water using a squirt gun. The dragon’s mother points out that the dragon has got “a flame to throw,” which should make short work of the girl and her squirt gun. Unfortunately, the mother dragon fails to take one very important fact into consideration; that water puts out fire.

   Some of the poems are riddles that are both amusing and challenging to solve. There are the Haikus that are “City/State Riddles.” If you know your US geography you should be able to solve these riddles, some of which are quite tricky. In addition there are three book riddles. If you know your fairy tales you should have no problem figuring them out. For all of the riddles, readers will find that the answers written in small looking glass type next to the poems. All you need to read the solutions is a mirror.

   This is a splendid collection that young readers are going to enjoy dipping into. It is likely that they will discover some poetry forms that they have never seen before.

Fiction Wednesday - A Review of The Dragon's Eye

I love dragon stories, and today's fiction title is a wonderful book about the adventures that two children have when they find themselves in the company of a dragonologist. This book is a companion to the Dragonology books, a series of novelty titles that have delighted dragon fans of all ages for ten years now. 

The Dragon’s Eye

Dugald A. Steer

Illustrated by Douglas Carrel

Fiction

For ages 9 to 12

Candlewick Press, 2006, 0-7636-2810-7

Daniel and his sister Beatrice are looking forward to their summer vacation a great deal. Their parents, who live and work in India, are coming to England to visit. When Daniel gets to Waterloo station, his sister is waiting for him with a letter in her hand. The letter was written by their mother and in it is she explains that once again, for the fourth year in a row, she and her husband cannot come to England after all. Instead of spending the summer with their parents, the children are to spend it with Dr. Ernest Drake.

   Following their mother’s instructions, the children get themselves to Wyvern Way, a small street near Trafalgar square where Dr. Drake has a shop, which is called Doctor Drake’s Dragonalia. When they arrive, Dr. Drake is deep in conversation with someone, and the children have no choice but to wait until he is free. Feeling bored, Daniel explores one of the basement rooms beneath the shop, which is where he comes to face to face with an honest to goodness dragon. Dr. Drake catches the boy snooping and he makes it clear that Daniel should not tell anyone about what he has seen.

  Later that day the children travel with Dr. Drake to Castle Drake, his country home, and the following morning Beatrice goes into the woods with Dr. Drake while Daniel studies Charles Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species. While the doctor is away, Daniel cannot help snooping again, even though he was told to stay in the house, and he finds out that the dragon that he saw in the London shop is now at Castle Drake. Once again, the doctor catches Daniel doing something that he shouldn’t be doing.

  Daniel and Beatrice soon learn that Dr. Drake is a dragonologist, a scientist who studies dragons. The young people learn that dragons are found in many countries around the world, but there are not a lot of them left and they need to be protected. Every summer, Dr. Drake trains a few select young people to become dragonologists, and this summer Daniel and Beatrice will be his pupils.

   The children’s studies do not progress very far before they find themselves caught up in a very unpleasant situation. A man called Ignatius Crook has decided that he should be the next Dragon Master and he is doing everything that he can to get his hands on some artifacts, in particular the Dragon’s Eye, to achieve this goal. Since Ignatius Crook does not truly care about dragons, Dr. Drake has to do everything that he can to stop the man before it is too late, and Daniel and Beatrice end up joining in his adventure.

   This companion to the now famous Dragonology books will delight readers who have an interest in dragons. The author not only gives us an action-packed tale full of adventure and misadventure, but he also helps his readers to understand the scientific process of study and why all creatures (including dragons) should be protected. 

Picture Book Monday - A review of How do dinosaurs say Happy Chanukah?

Hanukkah (Chanuka) began over the weekend and I know that millions of families around the world are enjoying the traditions that are a part of this Jewish holiday. Sometimes, when one gets caught up in the excitement of a holiday, one forgets to remember to behave nicely; one forgets to appreciate the simple joys of the holiday season. In today's picture book, which is another of the wonderful How do Dinosaurs... titles, Jane Yolen helps young readers to remember that Hanukkah is a time for reflection, for being grateful, and for sharing. With gentle humor she shows children how Hanukkah should be celebrated.

How do dinosaurs say Happy Chanukah?

Jane Yolen

Illustrated by Mark Teague

Picture Book

For ages 3 to 6

Scholastic, 2012, 978-0-545-41677-1

It is Chanukah, a time for remembering, giving thanks, and sharing with others. At least that is what the holiday should be about. Of course, there are some young (and naughty) dinosaurs who forget this. Instead of being helpful, kind, and well behaved, they “act up,” “fuss and fidget” when the candlelight prayer is being said, and blow out the candles when no one is looking. They also refuse to let anyone else play with the dreidel, and swipe all the gelt so that no one else can have any.

   In this splendid book, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague have once again joined forces to create a picture book that combines verse, gorgeous illustrations, and splendid touches of humor. They help children to see what is and is not acceptable behavior during Chanukah, and best of all, thanks to their wonderful dinosaur characters, they manage to do this without being overbearing. 

Poetry Friday - A review of Forgive me, I meant to do it

Long ago I had a friend who would do naughty things and then apologize profusely when he was caught. He was convinced that apologizing for his naughtiness was enough to get him off the hook, even when it was obvious that he wasn't in the least bit sorry for what he did. In today's poetry book you will encounter some delicious apologies that are delightfully funny, and completely insincere. 

Forgive me, I meant to do it: False apology poems

Gail Carson Levine

Illustrated by Matthew Cordel

Poetry

For ages 7 and up

HarperCollins, 2012, 978-0-06-178725-6

All too often people make apologies for their actions that they really don’t mean. In 1962 the poet William Carlos Williams wrote a poem called “This is just to say,” and in the poem the narrator apologizes for eating the plums in the fridge. Though the words “Forgive me,” are there in the poem, readers can tell that the narrator really isn’t that sorry for eating the plums. In fact, perhaps he or she is feeling rather pleased that he or she got to the plums first.

  For this funny and clever collection of poems, author Gail Carson Levine has created her own “This is just to say” poems where a person says “Forgive me,” though we can tell that the apology is a sham. In fact, the narrators in these poems are quite unrepentant for the things that they have done.

   We begin with a man driving a bulldozer who has flattened the thorny hedge around Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The driver knows that the princess “expected to sleep behind” the hedge “until the prince came,” but he wants to charge tourists for the privilege of visiting the princess’s castle, which is why he got rid of the hedge.

   Further on in the book we meet Snow White. She ‘apologizes’ to the dwarves for “making myself ugly / and leaving / with the witch,” but explains that she is only doing so because they have appalling manners and refuse to make an effort to “be at your best.”

   The author even writes a false apology from herself. She slips the introduction to the book after the table of contents and several pages of poems. Clearly she is doing her best to irritate her editor who “excruciatingly loudly / screeched” that the introduction does not belong in such a place. The author apologizes for her behavior and then mentions that she shredded the editor’s red pencil and “stirred / the splinters into” the editor’s tea. I think we can tell that the author is not in the slightest bit sorry for what she has done.

   The out-of-place introduction explores William Carlos Williams’ poem and it also invites readers to try writing their own “This is just to say” poems. The form to use is very simple, there is no punctuation, and you don’t even need to come up with a title. Plus, the ninth line is always “Forgive me.” The one thing Gail Carson Levin thinks is necessary is that the writer needs to be in a “grouchy mood.” One cannot write a false apology poem if one is happy and light of heart.

   This is the perfect book to read when one is feeling disgruntled and annoyed with someone. The reader is guaranteed to find that he or she will not be able to stay disgruntled for long because the poems are just too clever and too funny. A smile or a laugh will be unavoidable.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of I survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

In just a few days it will be the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When I moved to the United States in 1991, I didn't really know much about this event. Since then I have read a number of books for both adults and young people that describe what took place in Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Today's book describes the events of that fateful day through the eyes of a boy, and it also looks at what took place after the attack was over.

I survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

Lauren Tarshis

Historical Fiction

For ages 8 to 10

Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-545-20698-3

Not long ago, Danny came to live on the lush and beautiful tropical island of Oahu, and now all he wants to do is to go back to New York City, which is where he used to live. Though his apartment was in a dirty, crowded, ugly, and sometimes dangerous neighborhood in the city, it was his home and his misses it. More than anything he misses Finn, his best friend. Danny’s mother decided that they had to move after Finn had an accident when he and Danny were exploring an abandoned building. She wants her son to have a better life in a new place, but all he wants it to have his old life back, which is why Danny plans on stowing away on a ship.

   Danny is just about to start packing when he hears a horrible squeal and a scream coming from his back yard. When he goes to investigate, he finds a little boy, Aki, who is holding a baby pig. Aki offers to show Danny his “puppy,” which is when the piglet’s mother arrives on the scene. Danny is just able to get Aki out of the way before he is injured by the furious wild boar.

   Danny and Aki go to Aki’s house where the little boy’s mother invites Danny to lunch. She tells Danny that his mother is “lucky to have a boy like you.” The next morning, on December 7^th 1941, Danny has a hard time motivating himself to get onto a ship that is bound for San Francisco/ He keeps thinking about how his mother will feel if he abandons her.

   Then Japanese airplanes start to bomb Pearl Harbor and Danny forgets all about trying to get onto that ship. Hickman Field, where his mother works as a nurse, gets hit and Danny runs there to find out if his mother is all right. Suddenly Danny’s dreams of going back to New York City seem ridiculous, and he focuses of surviving and getting to his mother.

   In this excellent I Survived title we see what it might have been like to be in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed in 1941 through the eyes of a young boy. We see how Danny is changed by the experience, and how he learns to have a new appreciation for the life that he has.

   This is one in a series of historical fiction titles.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Day Louis got eaten

Though I strongly believe in not judging a book by its cover, I must confess that some book covers grab my attention and I feel compelled to read them straight away. Today's picture book title, The Day Louis got Eaten, is just such a book. The title made me immediately want to find out what happened on the day Louis got eaten. Trust me, you too will want to know the answer to this question!

The day Louis got eaten

John Fardell

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Andersen Press USA, 2012, 978-1-4677-0315-4

One day, Louis on his scooter and his big sister Sarah on her bike go into the forest. They don’t get very far before a large Gulper, a furry monster with a long tongue, eats Louis. Being a well-informed girl, Sarah knows that Gulpers eat their food whole. For at least a while Louis will be safe in the Gulper’s stomach. She quickly grabs something and then she sets off after the Gulper.

   Sarah almost catches up with the Gulper when a huge black feathered Grabular swoops down out of the sky and gobbles up the Gulper. The Grabular then flies out to sea. Sarah quickly converts her bike into a water bike and she peddles after the Grabular as fast as she can. She is just about to reach the Grabular’s nes, when the bird is eaten by an Undersnatch. Now she has to chase a beast that swims underwater!

   Children are going to love this deliciously bizarre adventure. Full of fantastical monsters that have splendid names, it is a picture book that is full of surprises and a perfectly perfect ending. Children will enjoy looking for clues in the art that indicate that a monster might be in the offing!

Poetry Friday - A review of Mother Goose

When I was a little girl I had a large format hardback book that was full of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. I don't remember what it looked like, and unfortunately it was not one of the books that was saved. I do remember many of the rhymes though, and I was pleased to encounter many of my favorites in the book that I reviewed for today's poetry title.

MotherGoose

Illustrated by sixteen Illustrators

Poetry Board Book

For ages 2 to 5

Groundwood Books, 2009, 978-0-88899-933-7

The Mother Goose rhymes are truly timeless. Countless children have listened to and enjoyed the nursery rhymes since the first collection – called Mother Goose’s Melody - was published in England in 1791 by John Newbery.

   Often Mother Goose books include a large number of rhymes that are accompanied by illustrations that were created by one artist. In this Mother Goose, there are fifteen of the popular rhymes, and each rhyme is complimented by artwork that was created by a different illustrator.  Each illustrator was free to choose how he or she wanted to interpret the rhymes.

  For the poem Round and Round the Garden, Debi Perna has created some delightful art where the text is punctuated by cunning little vignette illustrations. The poem Father and Mother and Uncle John comes next, and for this poem Barbara Reid has created a piece of clay art that is textured and that shows a deliciously funny scene.

   Later on in the book, Marie Louise Gay’s distinctive art is paired with the poem Hoddley, poddley, puddle and fogs. We see a picture of mice and rats playing musical instruments, and they are following a cat and poodle who are on their way to the alter. The scene is lit by moonlight and it is wonderfully festive.

   With its heavy duty board pages, its wonderful rhymes, and its splendid artwork, this is a book that children will enjoy exploring again and again.

   The artwork for this book was donated by the artists, and royalties from the title benefit the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of The Jamie and Angus Stories

Many children form very close relationships with their stuffed animals. Often there is one particular stuffed animal who is extra special, and you can always tell which animal this is because it is the one that has that well worn look.

In today's fiction title you will meet Angus,  the stuffed highland bull, and his little boy, Jamie. The stories in this title perfectly capture the unique relationship that a child can have with that special stuffed animal.

The Jamie and Angus Stories

Anne Fine

Illustrated by Penny Dale

Fiction

For ages 6 to 8

Candlewick Press, 2002, 978-0-7636-3312-7

When Jamie sees a small toy Highland bull in a shop window, it is love at first sight. Jamie’s mother agrees to buy the toy, but she won’t let Jamie have it until Christmas. Jamie agrees to this readily, and while he waits for Christmas to arrive, he makes Angus (for that is the little bull’s name) a farm to live on. He also tells Angus, who is on a high shelf in a cupboard, what is going on. After all, it would not do to ignore the toy.

   At long last it is Christmas Day, and Jamie finally gets to hold, cuddle, and play with Angus. The two are inseparable, and they have many grand adventures together. Not surprisingly, Angus’s silky white coat soon starts to look rather “scruffy.” Early on in their relationship Jamie removed a tag that was attached to Angus, one that said “DRY-CLEAN ONLY.” One day, when Jamie is at school, Granny decides that Angus needs to be cleaned, and not knowing about the now absent tag, she puts Angus into the washing machine. Angus comes out looking dreadful and poor Jamie is heartbroken. Granny, feeling sorry for her grandson, gets Jamie another toy highland bull that looks exactly like Angus. As he looks at the two toys, Angus comes to realize that looks are not all that important in the big scheme of things.

   Any child who shares his or her life with a beloved toy will immediately identify with Jamie. There is nothing quite like the relationship a child has with a best toy friend. The six stories in this splendid award-winning book are deliciously warm and gently humorous. Anne Fine perfectly captures Jamie’s little boy world, and readers will find it easy to share in his everyday adventures.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Zephyr takes Flight

I imagine that most children, at some point, dream about flying. Often children pretend that they are flying a plane high in the sky, or they pretend that they have wings that allow them to fly like a bird, bat, or dragon.  Such dreams and games are so wonderful, and it is always disappointing when they are over.

In today's picture book you will meet a little girl who is crazy about planes, and who wants to fly in a plane of her own more than anything else in the world.

Zephyr Takes Flight

Steve Light

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Candlewick Press, 2012, 978-0-7636-5695-9

   Zephyr loves airplanes. In fact she spends a great deal of time making planes out of various materials and then playing with them. Her dream is that one day she will be able to fly in one of her own planes.

   One day Zephyr does a triple loop-de-loop in the sitting room (bouncing on the couch in the process) and she crashes into a piece of furniture. Plates, glasses and other items are broken, and Zephyr’s parents are furious with her. They send Zephyr to her room where she sadly makes a paper plane. The plane lands behind a dresser, and when Zephyr pushes the dresser away from the wall so that she can retrieve the plane, she finds a little hidden door in the wall. On the other side of the door is a room that is full of planes, plane parts, plane plans, books about planes and travel, and the tools one needs to build and design planes. For Zephyr, the room is a kind of heaven. Then she gets an idea and her life gets even better.

   There are times when our hobbies, or passions, get us into trouble. This is exactly what happens to Zephyr in this book. Thankfully for Zephyr, and for us, Steve Light decides that his little girl character deserves to go on a splendid adventure, and this is exactly what she does.

   With a delicious and magical story that is paired with wonderful illustrations, this is a picture book that dreamers of all kinds will enjoy.

Poetry Friday - A review of Poetry for Young People: Rudyard Kipling

Sometimes, when you read poetry that was written by someone who lived long ago, it is hard to understand the world that they are describing. The language used is strange to our ears, and the poet alludes to things that are not familiar. Rudyard Kipling was the kind of person who wanted to make his poetry accessible to all, and even today we can read and appreciate his poems.

Poetry For Young People: Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling and Edited by Eileen Gillooly

Illustrated by Jim Sharpe

Poetry

For ages 10 and up

Sterling, 2000, 978-0-8069-4484-5

Many poets develop their own unique form for their poems, creating patterns of rhyme and rhythm that best encapsulate what they want to say. Rudyard Kipling had a different goal. Rather than developing his own style of poetry, he drew on the styles of others, using forms that were familiar and accessible because he wanted to touch the hearts and minds of as many people as possible. He wanted his readers to see the connections we all share, to appreciate that though we speak in different ways and have different backgrounds, we share many of the same experiences and emotions. He wanted to “think in another man’s skin,” so that he could see the world through someone else’s eyes.

   In this book we see examples of this in several of the poems. In “The White Seal” we hear the voice of a seal mother singing a lullaby to her baby, and in another section of verse from his Just So Stories, Rudyard Kipling describes what it is like for a child (from the child’s point of view) to be traveling on a ship where all the adults are seasick and the child is temporarily free to do as he or she wishes.

   Kipling also used his poems to share his opinions and to explore ideas. In “The beginning of the Armadilloes” we catch the excitement that he feels when he considers travel. How grand it would be to see a jaguar or an armadillo “dilloing in his armour.” How splendid it would be to go to Rio “Some day before I’m old.”

   In “The Ballad of East and West” he presents us with the idea that East and West “never the twain shall meet.” Then he goes on to say that that in real life strong men from the east and west can stand “face to face, though they come from the end of the earth!”

  What makes this collection of poems so special is that the editor gives us a short biography of Kipling’s life at the beginning of the book and she introduces each of the poems. We therefore can read the poems while being aware of their context. This helps us to understand what kind of a man Kipling was, and what motivated him to write the poems he wrote. As they read, readers will come to appreciate that he was a complex man. He believed strongly in the superiority of the British Empire on the one hand, but he also believed that people from opposite sides of the earth could meet and respect one another. He praised men who went to war for their courage, but wrote a poem about the weapons of war, clearly showing that he is all too aware that such weapons can inflict great suffering, and that their development over the ages has been a singular folly. How interesting it is to explore a poet’s words and his story at the same time. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Daisy's Perfect Word

Every so often, when I am reading a book, I encounter the perfect sentence or collection of words. Perhaps a description of a place, thing, or person is so vivid that I can see in my mind's eye what the author is talking about, or perhaps an emotion comes through so clearly that I almost resonate with it.

Today's picture book is about a little girl who loves and collects words. She is a the kind of person I would enjoy spending some time with.

Daisy’s Perfect Word

Sandra V. Feder

Illustrated by Susan Mitchell

Fiction

For ages 6 to 8

Kids Can Press, 2012, 978-1-55453-645-0

Daisy enjoys doing lots of different things. In the summer, she makes dandelion chains and plays kickball, and in winter she has fun “stomping in puddles.” Daisy also likes spending time with Emma, who is her best friend. Though Daisy loves doing these things, sitting quietly and reading a book is Daisy’s favorite occupation. The little girl with the curly hair loves words, collecting her favorite ones and keeping them in lists in a special notebook. Not only does she collect existing words, but she also has a collection of made-up words.

   One day Daisy’s teacher, Miss Goldner, tells her students that she has a special announcement to make. Daisy and Emma have a hard time waiting to hear what she has to say, and they are thrilled when they hear the news. Miss Goldner is getting married. Daisy is happy for Miss Goldner, but she is also sad that her wonderful teacher will be moving away.

   Daisy decides that she needs to get her teacher a special engagement gift. She does not want to give her teacher “boring” gifts like vases or candlesticks. No, Daisy thinks Miss Goldner is special, and a special person needs a special “one-of-a-kind” gift. The problem is that Daisy has no idea what the gift should be. What does Daisy have to offer her teacher that is unique?

   This delightful book not only takes us into the everyday adventures of a wonderful character, but it also explores the ways in which words affect us, and sometimes seem to take on a life of their own. Through Daisy, young readers will discover that words are not just inanimate things sitting on a page, they have the power to make people happy or sad. They can inspire and excite people, and they are full of possibilities.