The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and ten

A few weeks ago I reviewed a picture book about a little boy called Alfie, and I have another Alfie book for you today. Just like the stories in all the Alfie books, this story describes an everyday event that becomes an adventure for Alfie and his family. When my daughter was three years old or so, she did what Alfie does in this story, and I have a very anxious half hour or so trying to rescue her.

Alfie gets in first

Shirley Hughes

Picture book

For ages 3 to 6

Random House UK, 2009, 978-1-862-30783-4

   One day Alfie, his mum, and his little sister Annie Rose walk to the shops. On their way back home, Alfie runs ahead because he wants to be home first. Annie Rose does not care who is first because she is tired, and she is content to sit in her push-chair and suck her thumb.

   After Mum opens the door, Alfie runs into the house and he does the most extraordinary thing. Alfie slams the door shut. Alfie, the shopping, and Mum’s key are in the house, and Mum and Annie Rose are outside. Mum tells Alfie to open the door, but Alfie cannot reach the catch, nor can he put the key through the letterbox because he cannot reach the letterbox.

   Soon Annie Rose, who is now hungry as well as tired, starts to cry. Mrs. McNally from across the road comes over to try to help, but nothing she says can change the fact that Alfie still cannot reach the catch or the letterbox. Alfie starts to cry and cry and cry. Maureen offers to climb the drain pipe to get in a window, the milkman promises that they will “soon have you out of there.” Even the window-cleaner gets in on the act.

   In this wonderfully sweet and funny picture book, Shirley Hughes tells a story about a misadventure that could happen to any little boy or girl. Once Alfie closes the door, Shirley Hughe’s artwork shows what is happening inside the house and what is happening outside, on the front step. Children will immediately be able to identify with scared little Alfie who is all alone in the house. They will be delighted to see how Alfie finally manages to solve the problem that he has created. 

Don't forget that Earth Day is on Friday

Friday is Earth Day here in the U.S, and here in Southern Oregon there will be all kinds of celebrations taking place over the weekend. In front of our local children's museum, people will set up tents, and businesses will demonstrate products that can help families to adopt a greener lifestyle. There will be live music to listen to, and food to try.

Over the years I have reviewed many books about saving the environment that you might like to take a look at. There is also the Earth Day feature where you will find books that explain how Earth Day came out, and how to celebrate it..

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: One hundred and nine

The Paddington statue in
Paddington Station

When I was a child, a friend of mine was given a stuffed Paddington Bear, which I secretly coveted. I had read all the books and I so wanted to have that wonderful soft bear with its blue duffel coat, red hat, red wellington boots, and the cunning little brown suitcase that came with it. Alas, it was not to be, but when my daughter started to show an interest in the Paddington stories, I was able to get her the toy bear as we were passing through London.

For today's Picture Book Celebration title I have a picture book version of the first Paddington Bear story.

Paddington

Michael Bond

Illustrated by R.W. Alley

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

HarperCollins, 2007, 978-0-06-117074-4

   One morning Mr. and Mrs. Brown are waiting for their daughter’s train in Paddington station when they see something very strange. There appears to be a bear standing near the Left Luggage office. The Browns are surprised to see a that there is small furry bear wearing a duffle coat and a red hat in the train station, and they go up to the bear to ask if there is anything they can do to help him.

   The bear explains that he is a “stowaway” from Darkest Peru, and the Browns are amazed that such a small bear could manage such a long journey all on his own. Mrs. Brown immediately suggests that the bear should come to stay with them. After all, something might happen to the bear if he is left alone. The Browns decide to call the bear Paddington, which the bear likes very much indeed, and then Paddington and Mr. Brown go to the snack bar.

   Paddington is very hungry and thirsty, so he is very pleased to see all the delicious treats that the waitress brings. In fact he is so happy that he climbs onto the table “to get a better look” at everything. Which is when the trouble starts.

   Children and their families have been enjoying the Paddington Bear books since the first book featuring the famous bear came out in 1958. His gentle, sweet, and funny personality has made Paddington a household name around the world.

   This wonderful picture book version of the first Paddington bear story makes the story accessible to even younger readers, which is a truly wonderful thing. 

If you are a Paddington Bear fan you might like to visit Paddington's website.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and eight

I must confess that I, like so many people, really don't like Mondays. Yes, this is partly because I would rather not get up at 6: 15 am, and yes I would also prefer to spend the day hiking, reading, gardening, or playing the violin instead of working. There is another reason why I don't Mondays though. I don't like Mondays because my husband and daughter have to leave the house to go to work and school. We are apart, and quite frankly I don't like it. This book was written for children and their families who have to face the Monday morning blues, and it offers a new way of looking at the first day of the work week.

Monday is One day

Arthur A. Levin

Illustrated by Julian Hector

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-439-78924-0

   All over the world Monday is the day when grownups go back to work and when children get ready for five days when at least one of their parents or guardians will not be around to spend time with. There is no doubt that being apart is hard for both children and their grownups, but perhaps it can be made easier if we “count the days till we’re both at home with a special thing to do.”

   It all begins on Monday when we share a “safe snuggly cuddle” before we part. On Tuesday the day begins with “Two stomps in a puddle.” On Wednesday, “three raspberries on the nose” are just what we need to get us going in the morning, and there are only two more days to go before the work week is over and it is Saturday.

   This delightful book will surely offer comfort to both children and their grownups as they get themselves ready for the five work days in the week. The book reminds us to enjoy those special moments together that we share from Monday to Friday, and it is a celebration of all kinds of families.

   With an uplifting rhyming text and warm illustrations throughout, this is a picture book that family members will enjoy sharing.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and seven

A few years ago I came across the Owly graphic novels for the first time. In these books, Andy Runton tells stories featuring a little owl and his best friend, who is a worm. The artwork is in black and white, and the stories are wordless. In lieu of words, Andy Runton uses symbols. Children enjoy figuring out what the symbols mean, and the characters are quite lovable.

For today's title I have a review of the first Owly and Wormy picture book. You can find out more about the Owly and Wormy graphic novels by visiting the Andy Runton page on the Top Shelf Productions website.

Owly and Wormy: Friends all aflutter!

Andy Runton

Wordless Picture book

For ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-5774-4

   One day Owly and his friend Wormy are sitting under a tree when Wormy wonders where all the pretty butterflies are going. Owly explains that butterflies like flowers, and so the two friends go to the local nursery to buy some flowers that will attract butterflies. Mrs. Raccoon at the nursery recommends that Owly should plant a milkweed plant near his home. That night the friends go to bed, hopeful that their milkweed plant will attract lots of butterflies to their home.

   Unfortunately, things don’t quite work out as planned. No butterflies come to visit the milkweed. Instead, two little caterpillars start to eat the plant. Wormy gets very upset because the milkweed plant is for butterflies and not for caterpillars. When the caterpillars explain that they thought the plant was their new home, Wormy and Owly change their mind. After all, it would be unkind to evict the caterpillars. The little creatures have to have somewhere to live.

   Soon Owly and Worm and the caterpillars are the best of friends. They share many wonderful times together, and Owly even invites the caterpillars to come and live in his house. The caterpillars explain that they have no time left and that it is time for them to go. Sure enough, while Owly and Wormy are planning a surprise good away party, the two caterpillars disappear. Poor Owly and Wormy are terribly upset. Will they ever see their delightful little friends again?

   For several years now Andy Runton has been delighting young readers with his Owly and Wormy graphic novels. Now he gives his readers a story in a picture book format that is full of heartwarming charm. Using symbols instead of words, Andy Runton gives pre-readers a unique way to ‘read’ a book on their own. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and six

When I was a child I loved looking through old photo albums, and I liked it even more if a grownup was willing to tell me the stories that went with the photos. Now I have a daughter of my own who also enjoys looking at photo albums. She particularly likes the photos of my wedding, and the photos that chronicle the first five or so years of her life. She laughs at the photo of my husband and I driving  in a car that has "JUST MARRIED" written on the back window, and chuckles to see her toddler self sitting in a basket.

Today's book is about a grandmother who shares her wedding album with her two grandchildren. The illustrations are delightful, and the text lovingly chronicles a meeting, a courtship, and a wedding.

Grandma’s Wedding Album

Harriet Ziefert

Illustrated by Karla Gudeon

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Blue Apple Books, 2011, 978-1-60905-058-0

   One day Emily and her brother Michael are at Grandma’s house and they find an old wedding dress and wedding suit in the attic. The children try the clothes on and then they go and show Grandma how they look. Grandma offers to tell the children the story of “how she met Poppy.” She takes out her wedding album, and as she shares the pictures with the children, she tells them the story of how she met Poppy, their courtship, and their wedding.

   Grandma and Poppy met at a picnic in the park, and after dating for a year, Poppy proposed and Grandma accepted him. Poppy and Grandma invited more than one hundred people to their wedding, and Grandma is able to show the children the invitation that they sent, because one of the invitations is inside the wedding album. Grandma goes on to describe the wedding preparations, the wedding itself, and the celebration that followed.

   Children love to look at albums and listen to stories about their parents and grandparents. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Harriet Ziefert tells the story of one young couple, sharing the special moments in their courtship and their wedding. As they look through the book and read the story, readers will feel as if they too are sitting next to Grandma looking at her wedding album.

   At the back of the book, the author provides her readers with information about wedding traditions from many countries around the world including Korea, France, Italy, and Thailand.

   

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and five

When my daughter a little, I used to know all the popular children's TV characters. Clifford, Maisy, and Arthur were almost a part of the family. Now that she is soon going to be in middle school, I am out of the loop. Recently I was contacted by a publisher who told me about some books featuring the Octonauts. She was sure I had heard of these characters because the Octonaut TV series is a huge hit with young children. I had to admit my ignorance, and she sent me an Octonaut  book to take a look at. Now I can see why the TV show is so popular. The illustrations are absolutely delightful, and the characters are wonderfully quirky. Here is my review of the book.

The octonauts and the only lonely monster

Meomi

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Immedium, 2006, 978-1-59702-005-3

   All is “quiet and peaceful” on the ocean floor, and the octonauts - with the exception of Tweak Bunny who is still asleep - are getting started with their day. Then the alarm goes off and everyone runs to HQ to find out what is going on. Professor Inkling explains that their home under the sea, the Octopod, is are under attack. Quickly the octonuts head to their stations. Captain Barnacles and Peso leave the Octopod in the Gup-E sub to see what is going on, and Kwazii kitten follows in his submarine so that he can back them up.

   When they get outside the Octopod, the three Octonauts see that a huge monster is attacking their home. Without hesitation, Kwazii kitten attacks the monster, crashing his submarine into the creature’s head. To everyone’s amazement, the monster bursts into tears. The friends soon find out that the monster was not attacking the Octopod at all. It thought that the Octopod was one of its own kind. In short, the lonely monster is looking for a friend.

    Always eager to have an adventure, the Octonauts decide to help the monster find its way home, wherever that is. Little do they know that their quest is not going to be an easy one.

    Readers who like picture book adventures that are full of quirky characters and colorful artwork will greatly enjoy this entertaining picture book. With its hope-filled message about the power of friendship, this is a title that has universal appeal. Readers might like to visit the Octonauts online at www.octonauts.com.

Pat the Bunny is now available as an app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch

RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS RELEASES INTERACTIVE CHILDREN’S APP BASED ON CLASSIC BESTSELLER PAT THE BUNNY

 

One of the Most Beloved Children’s Books of All Time, Now Available as an App in the iTunes® Store

Random House Children’s Books (www.randomhouse.com/kids), announced today that the Pat the bunny (www.rhkidsapps.com/patthebunny) interactive app is now available in the iTunes® store. Developed in collaboration with leading digital media agency Smashing Ideas, the universal app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch is based on Dorothy Kunhardt’s touch-and-feel children’s book classic. When Pat the bunny was originally published in 1940, it was groundbreaking in its use of touch-and-feel elements (such as daddy’s scratchy face) and interactive features (“Now YOU play peek-a-boo with Paul.”) The app extends the legacy of Pat the bunny to the digital world, promoting children’s mastery of their world through simple, interactive play.

Designed for the youngest user, children can easily bring bunny to life and interact in new ways. They can pop bubbles with bunny, help bunny catch butterflies, tuck bunny into bed, and more. On devices with front-facing cameras, including the new iPad 2, children will be delighted by a “look in the mirror” feature that allows them to see their reflection. With 14 stunningly animated scenes in all, there are plenty of surprises to see and discover. There are three different ways to read through the app: users can watch illuminated text while hearing the words read aloud, turn off the narration and read at their own pace, or record their own voice to be played back.

The pat the bunny app promotes the development of fine motor skills with a paint mode that magically transforms each page into a colorable activity. This paint feature is made for the youngest users as children can simply swipe a black-and-white scene to make the colors appear. Children will delight in dragging their fingers across an image of bunny’s birthday party and watching the picture come to life in vibrant colors. Sparkles jump across the page as little fingers brush yellow and pink onto the flowers in bunny’s garden.

With a click of the “Buy App” arrow in the iTunes® App Store, the pat the bunny app makes the perfect gift for new parents. The app retails for $4.99, but will be available at the special introductory price of $2.99. It can be purchased once and used on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

Pat the bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt has sold more than 9 million copies since its original publication in 1940. It was first created as a gift from Dorothy Kunhardt to her daughter, Edith. Since then, Edith Kunhardt has expanded the pat the bunny series to include many successful titles including Pat the Cat and Pat the Christmas Bunny. With the release of the app, the iconic characters and stories of pat the bunny are sure to entertain children for generations to come.

Also available from Random House Children’s Books is How Rocket Learned to Read for iPad created in partnership with Domani Studios, and Wild About Books for iPad, developed in partnership with Smashing Ideas.

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company’s website, Kids @ Random (www.randomhouse.com/kids) offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company.

Smashing Ideas, founded in 1996, has become one of the leading digital media agencies for the youth market by creating immersive, interactive content that transforms consumer-driven brand experiences in a digital world. Cartoon Network, Disney, GE, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Verizon Wireless, and more have called upon the company to develop engaging, online, ITV, and mobile experiences for their audiences. Smashing Ideas is based in Seattle, with offices in Portland and in the U.K.

Poetry Friday - A review of In Aunt Giraffe’s Green Garden

For today's poetry book I have a collection of wonderfully amusing poems that were written by Jack Prelutsky, the first American Children's Poet Laureate. If you need something to cheer you up, then this is the book for you.

In Aunt Giraffe’s Green Garden

Jack Prelutsky

Illustrated by Petra Mathers

Poetry

For ages 4 to 8

HarperCollins, 2007, 978-0-06-623868-5

   Sometimes the world is not a very happy place. The news is full of glum stories, the weather won’t cooperate, chores refuse to go away, and mothers insist on sit-down dinners that require one to eat things one does not like. When all of these unhappy things begin to pile up, one of the things one can do is to find something amusing to read, and this book will serve that purpose very well indeed.

   For this book, America’s first Children’s Poet Laureate has created twenty-eight delightful poems that will put a smile on even the gloomiest of faces. He tells us about Aunt Giraffe who has flowers in her garden that are so tall that when she sniffs them “she scarcely stoops at all.” Then there is a girl who goes to Cheyenne “to ride a wild pony / to rope a wild calf.” Unfortunately, the girl has very little skill in the horse riding department, and soon she is bucked off the pony and sitting in the dirt. It doesn’t help that the pony has a good laugh at her expense.

   Further on the book, you will meet some dogs who have ordered their favorite foods at a restaurant. The poodles have “oodles of noodles,” and the Pekingese has “nothing by peas” to eat. As for the greyhound, well you will need to read to the poem to find out what this sneaky fellow does.

   Children and their grownups will greatly enjoy dipping into this book to read Jack Prelutsky’s amusing poems. Throughout the book, the poems are accompanied by Petra Mather’s charming illustrations.

   

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: One hundred and four

Not long ago I met a woman who told me about this man whom she liked. He was charming, sweet, kind, intelligent, and devoted to her. I congratulated her on finding such a wonderful person, which is when she told me that she didn't think he was "the one" because he wasn't "cute looking." I smiled, moved on, and sighed.

Today's picture book is about a moose who is not the most gorgeous moose in the forest, but whose courage and big heart earns him the love of a lady moose whom he adores.

The Invisible Moose

Dennis Haseley

Illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Penguin, 2006, 978-0142410660

   There once was a shy young male moose who was in love with a beautiful and kind lady moose. Many of the male moose “tried to win her hoof” by fighting in front of her, but the shy moose had twisted antlers, and he felt that he had no chance with the beautiful moose.

   One day the shy moose finally got up the courage to talk to the object of his affection, but before he could say anything meaningful, a huge machine arrived on the scene and the wild-animal trapper driving the machine kidnapped the girl moose. The tough male moose tried to rescue her, but they were shot at by hunters, and they had to retreat into the safety of the woods. The young moose was not willing to give up though. He saw that the big machine was going to a place called New York City and he decided that he would go to this place too.

   The shy moose consulted Professor Owl McFowl who explained that New York City was a “faraway place” to the south. The young moose would never be able to get to the city unless he was invisible, which the Professor is able to arrange. Now invisible from his nose to his tail, the young moose sets off to save his beloved.

   This heartwarming and often funny picture book explores the idea that true courage comes in all shapes and sizes, and that beauty comes from within.. You don’t have to look like a hero to be one, nor do you have to be handsome or beautiful to be lovable. In fact, you can be completely invisible and still have a true heart. With Steven Kellogg’s wonderful illustrations throughout, this is a picture book that tells a wonderful story while conveying a meaningful message.