I'm Just No Good at Rhyming by Chris Harris

I'm Just No Good at Rhyming by Chris Harris is such a fun read! The poems are super silly and made me laugh out loud. Harris has a great way with words, and the illustrations by Lane Smith are hilarious and fit perfectly with the poems.

What I love is that it’s not just for kids—adults will get a kick out of it too! So many poems kicked off my imagination or made me want to send a snapshot of the page to friends. One of my favorites was "What Happened to Us Monsters? (The Mummy's Lament)" that follows Dracula, Wolf Man, Cyclops, the Blob, etc, as they age.

Speaking of age, this is one that I feel like will resonate with adults just as much as kids:

The Remarkable Age

Ah, what a remarkable age that you're in:

Right now you're the oldest that you've ever been—

And yet, you will never be this young again.

So dance, and be happy! Greet life with a grin!

You've the best of both worlds, youth and wisdom, within. 

This book is perfect for a quick, light-hearted read, whether you're reading to kids or just want something fun for yourself. If you're in the mood for some good laughs, definitely check it out! I read it in one sitting to wind down at the end of the day.

PS: This interview with the author is a good read, if you've read the book, want to read the book, or just like How I Met Your Mother.

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A. Holt

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A. Holt is out TODAY! Thanks to @kidlitexchange, @chroniclekidsbooks, and @kari_anne_holt for an ARC of this book.

I love K.A. Holt's verse novels, but this one is a whole new ball game! Four students, Ben B, Ben Y, Jordan J, and Javier, are in summer school because they failed their state assessment, and Ms. J is the teacher who's tasked with bringing them up to speed. These four students don't know it at first, but they have a lot in common. They hate to read. They have never finished reading a book on their own. And, most importantly, they all love the game Sandbox. After making an agreement with Ms. J, the students are allowed to read a Sandbox-themed Choose Your Own Adventure-type book, and even earn time to play Sandbox at school if they meet their time quota for reading aloud. The four students start to become friends as they open up about their struggles in the Sandbox game, along with in their real lives.

This is billed as a verse novel, but I'm excited at how many students it will appeal to because one character's chapter is told in drawings. I've known many students like this - hate reading, hate writing, but have so much to express if you let them draw. I think most middle grade readers will be able to see themselves in at least one of these four characters, while feeling empathy for them all. The characters and their struggles are real, relatable, and most of all - incredibly interesting to read about! This is definitely one to get for your home, classroom, school library, or middle grade section of the public library - it's going to be a hit!

Tattoos

Literary tattoos are a growing trend, and there are some gorgeous ones out there. I've seen some quotes in beautiful script, images from childhood favorites, or a book commemorated with a picture that means something to the individual.

I have three literary tattoos - two quotes and one image that was the author's "trademark". Well, I kind of have four - I have a typewriter with a blank page in it so I can write what I want, forever.

I want many, many more tattoos - many literary. There are just so many books I love, books that have spoken to me and make me want to have their words on me forever. There are so many illustrations I love that would make an amazing children's lit sleeve. The thing is, I'm running out of room, and have other things I want done, also!

What I love about tattoos is they tell stories, whether they're literary or not. Someone can ask about any of my tattoos, and I'll tell a story. I'll either talk about what it means to me and why. I can tell a story about how I chose it. I can tell about the day I got it. I can tell something funny that happened when someone else commented on it. They are definitely conversation starters and stories all in one!

Do you have any tattoos? Are any of them literary tattoos? If you hate tattoos, why? I've met so many people that absolutely hate tattoos - not just for themselves, but on me, too!

Free Rain

Free Rain written by Daniel Wentzel, illustrated by José Lucio

Spring thunderstorms have kept the chickens cooped up (no pun intended!). When the blue chicken overhears words that sound like "free rain", he alerts the others. They remain unimpressed, seeing that rain has been dripping through their roof for days. But when they realize that Blue is out of his cage, they understand the words as "free range". The chickens are scared to leave their cozy coop and confront the wild world and large creatures that live in the barnyard beyond. But when their food supply stops coming to them, their hunger pushed them to leave the barn. 

The concept of the story is nice, but it goes a little long, and lacks a nice punch at the end. The typography is excellent, though. Some words are placed in paragraphs like a typical book, but the exclamations and animals noises are written in a big font, almost scattered across the page. It was really engaging to go from more rigid text to words stretching across the spread.

The illustrations are gorgeous. The colors are vibrant, and the chickens are very expressive. Who knew a beak could convey so much emotion?! Lucio's collage style is amazing, from the way he uses sewn button holes for chicken eyes to the way you can practically feel the coop's dirt floor when you touch the page.

As far as age range, it was a little advanced for my three year old son. I think it's a good read for kindergarteners to second grade. The concept of "free range" and the chickens being nervous about exploring freedom is perfect for that age, as they adjust to relative freedom at school and with other transitions. But it's easily adaptable for younger readers. Each chicken is a different color, and it's fun to point out and name all the colors with a younger child. You can also identify the barn animals that poke their heads into the coop and scare the chickens, and make animal noises with younger children.

Disclaimer: The illustrator sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tundra Turns 50!

Tundra Books is celebrating its 50th year! They have Instagram reps sharing in the fun, and I was lucky enough to be one for spring!

Check out my short reviews of some of Tundra's amazing books:
If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey and Colin Jack
Sam Sorts by Marthe Jocelyn
It's Great Being a Dad by Dan Bar-el, illustrated by Gina Perry
Little Blue Chair by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper
Count Your Chickens by Jo Ellen Bogart and Lori Joy Smith
Wolfie & Fly by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Zoe Si

Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods

Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods
by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle

The Warren Hotel has been traveling for several months now, but exploring new terrain means Warren the 13th has to stay on his game to keep everything in tip-top shape, especially since the hotel is nearing the Malwoods. Witches and other dangerous creatures live there, so Warren needs to make sure he can change the hotel's path to ensure he doesn't put his hotel guests in harm's way.

But everyone wants a little bit of what the Warren Hotel possesses, whether it's the fame of the hotel itself, or someone staying inside it. And those villains aren't going to stop until they get what they want!

What is especially wonderful about this book is how Warren the 13th isn't the only "main" character - Petula and Sketchy get into their own troubles and really develop as strong characters. It's engrossing to have separate suspenseful storylines going on at the same time.

This book is just as gorgeous as the first, with green as the highlight color, compared to the first book's red. There are beautiful, expressive illustrations on every page; even the table of contents is no exception!

The graphic designer in me can't get enough of these beautiful books. They're so unique in look, layout, and story that I haven't stopped recommending it to kids (and adults, let's be honest). I love a lot of books and love to share those favorites with others, but this is one series that I am so eager to share with my son, because I know he's going to love soaking in the visuals and the story as much as I have.

See my review of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods by Quirk Books, but the review is my own.

Thank you to my husband (LightBoxArt) for letting me use two of his paintings as backdrops for book photos! They fit so perfectly with Warren the 13th!

Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White

Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White

by Melissa Sweet

I've read a lot of E.B. White's work, but I didn't know much about him. This book was an incredibly enjoyable way to learn about him, and is probably my favorite biography read so far.

I loved this book because it really pulls the reader in. It goes beyond words on a page; it is presented as a scrapbook of E.B. White's life. Snippets of letters and White's early work are beautifully laid out on the pages. Sweet adds a lot of color and character with bright illustrations, giving readers visual insight into the author's life.

Some quotes I could especially relate to:

- "'There is a secret joy in discovering a blunder in the public prints,' Andy wrote. 'Almost every person has a little proofreader in him'" (44).

- "To a writer, a child is an alibi. If I should never write anything worth reading, I can always explain that by pointing to my child" (50).

- "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell" (102, also from The Elements of Style).

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle is a fantastic middle grade book that will captivate all readers. There are gorgeous illustrations, an engaging story, and riddles, codes, and clues to involve the reader in the tale far beyond the words on the page.

The Warren Hotel is in the middle of nowhere, and Warren has spent his entire twelve years there, just like all of the Warrens before him. The Warren used to be an upscale place to stay, booked months in advance. When Warren's father died five years ago, the hotel was left in the care of Uncle Rupert, at least until Warren the 13th came of age to care for the hotel on his own.

Until then, Warren the 13th basically acts as the sole caretaker, since Uncle Rupert is too lazy to do more than nap. Uncle Rupert's new wife, Aunt Annaconda, acts sweet to her husband, but openly despises Warren, banishing him to the top floor because she hates children.

A mysterious-looking guest comes to stay, and Aunt Annaconda is convinced the guest is searching for the All-Seeing Eye, a mysterious treasure hidden at the Warren Hotel. Warren thinks the All-Seeing Eye is a legend, but has to admit something strange is going on when more guests check into the long-empty hotel. Once Warren finds the code-laden diary of Warren the 2nd, he's roped into the quest as well.

Aren't these illustrations breathtaking?!

I loved this book because there was so much involving me in the story. The illustrations were breathtaking, and accompanied the action perfectly. The book’s layout is also engaging, such as the chapter headings reading differently at the top of each page, sections from others’ points of view being white text on black pages, and there being maps to search and codes to break to help Warren.

While I loved reading this book alone, I really look forward to reading it with my son when he’s older. I think this is a great read-aloud book for that in-between age when they might not want to ask you to read, but really want to hear a story. There’s so much that can be explored by two, making it perfect for a parent to share with their child. It is, of course, more than appropriate for a kid to read on their own.

The second Warren installment, Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods, comes out on March 21st, giving you time to grab your copy of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye and be ready for Warren’s next adventure!

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Quirk Books, but the review is my own.

Best Picture Books Read in 2016

I was going to splurge and share TEN of our favorite picture books read in 2016 because, let’s be honest, that’s most of what’s read around here, and there are SO MANY GOOD ONES that picking five is impossible. But I had the list and then decided to just share the five most recent in detail, and list the other five favorites.

In order from most recently published to oldest:

School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex (2016). Frederick Douglass Elementary is a brand new school, built from the ground up, and he gets used to just having the janitor around keeping him clean. The janitor tells the school that soon he'll be full of children, and school gets very nervous. The school has to learn everyone's names, and how to act, and  how to make friends... Can he do it, or will he be too scared?! Reviewed in detail here.

Monster Trucks by Annika Denise (2016). My son loves monster trucks, but this book is extra fun because the trucks are actual monsters! The monster trucks race each other on a spooky night, but what happens when a new vehicle shows up on the track? This one is included in my Halloween Book Recommendation video.

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield (2016). This book is so sweet and touching! I'll admit, I teared up at the end. The story is great, and the artwork is beautiful. Definitely one I'll keep coming back to, whether I'm reading it aloud to my son, or just reading it to myself!

Here Comes Destructosaurus by Aaron Reynolds and Jeremy Tankard (2014). The whole family loved this cute, witty book. Destructosaurus is trashing the whole town, burping fire everywhere, and not listening to the reader, who is trying to keep him in line. When the reader finds out Destructosaurus was just throwing a tantrum because he couldn't find his teddy, the tone changes...but so does the terrifying main character!

Yoo-hoo, Lady Bug! by Mem Fox (2013). This book is SO cute, I can't stand it. It's kind of like Where's Waldo? for kids, but on a simpler scale. There are illustrations of a crowded shelf, or a staircase with toys strewn about, and the reader has to find the ladybug in each. There is a simple rhyme to say before finding the ladybug, and a "solution" with the ladybug zoomed in on the next page. My son and I both enjoyed this book immensely.

The Runners-Up:

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman and Dan Yaccarino (2012) was previously reviewed in a What We Read This Week post.

Nothing Like a Puffin by Sue Soltis (2011) is a fun book comparing and contrasting a puffin against other animals and objects. It's a great book to read aloud with your kid and let them point out and name all the things they identify and, depending on age, guess at what qualities are similar to or different from the puffin.

A Balloon for Isabel by Deborah Underwood and Laura Rankin (2010) was previously reviewed in a What We Read This Week post.

Bee-Wigged by Cece Bell (2008) and Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino (2002) are both reviewed in previous What We Read This Week posts.

Best Graphic Novels Read in 2016

I felt like I read a lot of graphic novels this year. More than previous years, because I didn’t really think I liked graphic novels at one point. I also felt like I read a lot of great graphic novels this year, but only 4 stood out to me, so I don’t have a full top 5 for this category.

In order from most recently published to oldest:

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova (2015). This is a middle grade graphic novel about a girl who is nervous about attending a new school, and fails to follow the rules she made for herself to fit in. Peppi joins the art club but can’t bring herself to speak up and share her ideas, and can’t bring herself to apologize to the boy she hurt on the first day. This is one of the most developed stories I’ve read in graphic novel form, and I’ve been recommending it to a lot of young readers in the library.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (2015). Another middle grade graphic novel (I’m seeing a trend…) about 12-year-old Astrid who finds a new hobby in roller derby. She expects her best friend to come along with her, since they’ve always done everything together, but instead they are growing apart. Loved this book, and can’t wait to read more by Jamieson. The story was really compelling, and the illustrations are gorgeous. Check out my rave review in A BOOK A MINUTE.

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash (2015). I really loved this graphic memoir - the story was really compelling, even if the art wasn’t the best. That was before I learned that the author isn’t an artist - she taught herself to draw just to tell this story! It’s basically her coming out story - how she fell in love with a girl at summer camp and realized she was a lesbian. I rave a bit more about this book here.

Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim (2011). I love graphic memoirs, and this is a great moment in time, with flashbacks showing how much small things can stick with you through the years. It was a great story, but I also really appreciated how much it made me think of small moments in my own life that related to a bigger picture. A quick read, but I really recommend it, especially if you like reflecting on your own life. (Does that sound narcissistic?)

If I Had a Gryphon

If I Had a Gryphon is a fun, beautiful book that parents will love to explore with their children.

Sam's first pet is a hamster, and though she's only had him for a week, she's already bored by him. She daydreams about having a more exotic pet, like a unicorn, a hippogriff, and more.

Even though these animals are more interesting, Sam realizes that they have qualities that might keep them from being the perfect pet.

Vikki VanSickle's rhymes are fun and innovative, and Cale Atkinson's illustrations are as gorgeous as always. The last page sends the reader off with a great joke that will make you realize nothing's as it seems!

As an added bonus, this book is beautiful beneath the cover:

and has clever end papers with squiggly, squirmy creatures all over:

What We Read This Week 10/30

This week had an unofficial theme, if you can't tell - construction and Halloween!

I'm Dirty! by Kate and Jim McMullan. Dirty, a backhoe, tells the reader all about his work duties. My son and I love the attitude all of Kate and Jim McMullan's characters have. My son is still really into this collection of books because of The Stinky & Dirty Show.

Trick ARRR Treat: a Pirate Halloween by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Jorge Monlongo. Reviewed in the Halloween books round-up.

Job Site by Nathan Clement. These realistic illustrations of men and machines working helps explain what they do to children. Good as a starter nonfiction/informative book for really young children (though it is fiction and has a storyline).

Digger, Dozer, Dumper by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by David Slonim. This is a collection of poems about machinery and construction sites. Short and sweet, and reading one or two is a great way to cap off the usual bedtime stories.

I'm Brave! by Kate and Jim McMullan. This book is about a brave fire engine, and probably has been my favorite of the series so far. I think my son loves all of them, again because of The Stinky & Dirty Show.

Dig, Dogs, Dig: a Construction Tail by James Horvath. This is the CUTEST book! Dogs work together to build something together. Adorable illustrations. It helped the story engagement that, besides loving puppies and construction sites, my son is obsessed with this awesome Mudpuppy puzzle.

Shivery Shades of Halloween: a Spooky Book of Colors by Mary McKenna Siddals, illustrated by Jimmy Pickering. Reviewed in this year's Halloween video.

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills, illustrated by Ben Mantle. This book is pretty simple because everyone knows "The Wheels on the Bus", but the spooky twist is really fun. Make sure your kids sing along with this new version! There's also a counting element to the song that makes it enjoyable as a book - you can point out and count spooky things in the illustrations.

What We Read This Week 10/23

Big Friends by Linda Sarah, illustrated by Benji Davies. This is a beautiful book about two friends who imagine boxes as different things. They play together perfectly, until a new little boy enters the picture. One boy isn’t sure how three friends can play together, and distances himself, until he is shown what true friendship is.

Itty Bitty by Cece Bell. Cece Bell is always a winner! This cute book is about a tiny dog who makes a cozy home in a big bone.

Telephone by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jen Corace. This funny book is based on the game Telephone. A mama bird needs her son to come home for dinner, so she tells one bird, who tells another bird something slightly different, and so on and so on. This book is better for older kids and parents who can get the joke. It doesn’t really work as a cohesive story without understanding the telephone concept.

I Stink! by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan. We found The Stinky & Dirty Show on Amazon, and my son has been obsessed ever since. We read I Stink! When he was just over a year old, so of course he didn’t remember it. I checked it out again, plus more in the “series”, and he loved seeing those characters in the book again.

I’m Fast! by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan. This was probably my son’s favorite from the McMullan series, and I enjoyed it more as well. A train is racing a car across the country, and that story was a little more developed than other McMullan books that kind of allude to the duties of the vehicle, but are told more in sound effects and boastfulness.

I’m Mighty! by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan. This one was about a tug boat, and how strong he is even though he’s smaller than the boats he helps. This is probably my second favorite in the series we’ve read so far.

The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat. Super-obvious disclaimer: Dan Santat is always awesome. This book is about four animal friends who have to figure out how to share three cookies...but even if your kid is too little to understand the math, it’s a fun story - especially if you do the voices! I don’t really like the framework of Elephant and Piggie reading the story… It might be engaging and familiar to kids who love those characters, but it’s not necessary to make this story pop.

I’m Bad! by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan. This McMullan book is about a dinosaur who wants us to believe that he’s big and bad and scary! It’s a fun book with a great twist at the end - I think younger kids will love this one - especially if their mama reads it to them! (Sadly-necessary disclaimer: That relates to the ending, is not a sexist comment.)

Maple by Lori Nichols. Sweet book about a little girl who is named after the maple tree her parents planted before she was born. The tree is her best friend, but she sometimes she thinks she would like to play with someone else. Then she finds out she’ll be getting a playmate! This is one of those books that is probably more for the parents than the kid.

What We Read This Week 10/16

It's Raining Bats and Frogs by Rebecca Colby, illustrated by Steven Henry. A young witch is determined to make the witch parade run smoothly, despite the sudden rain! I will post a more in-depth review on this one in my Halloween book spotlight!

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Cale Atkinson. I will review this book more in-depth soon, but for now... it's just gorgeous. The story is fun because of all the mythological creatures, but the illustrations are so beautiful. Kids will love this one!

Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson. This is a beautifully illustrated book about two very different explorers who bump into each other in the wild. They bond over their love of adventures and form a friendship. I can't say it enough - GORGEOUS illustrations.

How Martha Saved Her Parents From Green Beans by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mark Fearing. My son and I loved this book about how refusing to eat your veggies can save you...but it's a necessary evil. See also: The Lima Bean Monster by Dan Yaccarino. 

Little Big by Jonathan Bentley.  This is a cute book about a baby who dreams about everything he could do if he was bigger. 

Bulldozer's Big Day by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann. Bulldozer is excited to invite his friends to his birthday party, but everyone is too preoccupied with work to even recognize what a special day it is! My son and I love these cute illustrations, and try to identify which machine is which before the text tells us. I really like the black outline on the pages, too - it seems pretty unique for a picture book.

Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha. My son loved this book about a boy who dreams of being a digger man when he grows up. It was fun to point out the different machines in the illustrations of construction sites.

Monster Trucks by Anika Denise, illustrated by Nate Wragg. This is a re-read for us, but it's been a favorite the past few weeks. This one will be reviewed in my Halloween spotlight post!

Hedgehog's Halloween by Benn Sutton and Dan Pinto. Cute book about Hedgehug's trouble finding the perfect costume. This book will be reviewed in more detail on my Halloween spotlight post!

Trick or Treat, Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna. We always look forward to Pout-Pout Fish books, but this one was a bit disappointing. The story was very short, and Pout-Pout was a minor character, so there wasn't too much recognition for younger kids. Kids who have loved all of Pout-Pout's books might like the inside jokes of finding hints of Pout-Pout in the pages, but there's not enough to really carry the story.

Going Places. This book actually came from a Wendy's happy meal...go ahead, judge away! Sometimes you can't deny the call of fast food on a Saturday night. The book is actually really cute, since my son is into cars right now, and this is really simple but nice.

What We Read This Week 10/9

All library books this week! My library card is the only card I've ever maxed out

- but thank goodness my son has one, too! We have a great selection, and I keep 

bringing home a couple of books a day. You can't beat the proud, happy feeling

after telling your son you brought him something, and he says "Bi-berry books?!"

I Love Going Through This Book by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Different parts of the book are explained, and then the characters go through the story, climbing up and crawling over pages. The book tells a cute story, but the way it's presented is really innovative.

Lawn to Lawn by Dan Yaccarino. Yes, we're still on our Dan Yaccarino kick! Lawn ornaments are left behind during a move, so they start the long trek to find their family's new house. Super cute illustrations - I could see this as a short cartoon!

Up Above and Down Below by Sue Redding. This book uses simple sentences to explain what's going on above and below different locations, like the street above and the subway below. It's fun to look at all of the details in the illustrations, plus there's a little red ant and tiny green caterpillar hidden in each spread!

Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug! by Mem Fox. This was probably our stand-out favorite. This book is SO cute, I can't stand it. It was a library book, but we've got to get our own copy. It's kind of like Where's Waldo? for kids, but on a simpler scale. There are illustrations of a crowded shelf, or a staircase with toys strewn about, and the reader has to find the ladybug in each. There is a simple rhyme to say before finding the ladybug, and a "solution" with the ladybug zoomed in on the next page. My son and I both enjoyed this book immensely.

Poultrygeist by Mary Jane Auch. Funny story, maybe more for adults and older children because of the wordplay. Two loud roosters are annoying the other animals in the barn, but when a Poultrygeist appears, everyone is scared - and the roosters might just be scared straight!

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes by Kimberly and James Dean. We love the rhymes in Pete the Cat books, and this one was extra fun because of the counting. My son and I kept counting the cupcakes to see how many were missing before Pete and his friends gave the answer. It didn't hurt that the cupcakes were really whimsical - we spent a few minutes on the endpapers, picking "our" cupcakes!

Exclamation Mark by Amy Krause Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. This is a great book to introduce punctuation, as well as the importance of being true to yourself. The exclamation point wants to fit in with the periods, but when a question mark comes along, exclamation mark finds his true self inside. We had fun "finding" the exclamation mark in the middle of all the other punctuation on each page.

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian, illustrated by Tim Bowers. My husband read this one to my son, but I read it before I brought it home from the library. A fish is swimming alone in his bowl, bored, but when new fish and decorations are added, he gets cranky! He has no personal space, and wants a change... Will he get what he wants, or does he even know what he truly wants?

Buddy and the Bunnies: In Don't Play With Your Food by Bob Shea. This is another favorite from the week. Bob Shea's illustrations are always amazing. We loved the crazy monster! This is another book that can involve counting, if you want to make it more interactive and have your kid practice numbers. We counted bunnies on the pages. The bunnies that the monster wanted to EAT! But they kept outwitting him...

We Are Growing by Laurie Keller and Mo Willems. Grass blades try to label themselves as the "____-iest" as they are growing. But what's that noise? Sounds like a lawnmower...

What We Read This Week 10/2

(And last week, since I was caught up in Banned Books!)

Dinosaurumpus by Tony Mitton. My husband read this to my son before bed one night. It sounded like a fun book, and they both stomped around afterwards, creating their own dinosaurumpus!

Tissue, Please! by Lisa Kopelke. This book was really cute because we had a cold going around the house, so we constantly needed tissues. My son is good at asking for tissues, and saying "please", but it was good timing to read them together in this book. My son is also very into hopping around like a frog lately, so he got to satisfy his frog curiosity.

The Lima Bean Monster by Dan Yaccarino. We're still on that Dan Yaccarino kick, and this was a fun book to read because vegetables might be good for you, but that doesn't make them good! Beans grow into a crazy monster that starts attacking all the adults, and only the kids can save the day!

Junkyard by Mike Austin. The illustrations in this book are gorgeous. My son loves robots so he liked seeing the robots and how they were constructed.

Time to Say "Please"! by Mo Willems. Mo Willems is always good, and even this nonfiction book about manners is fun for kids and adults to read. Willems' drawing style is as good as ever, and it was fun to watch the girl get the cookies she wanted in the most polite way possible.

Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino. The story of this cute little puppy who just wants a friend is really funny. The pup imagines his new friend next door is a dog who's bigger and tougher than he is, so he lies about his size to save face. After all, they're separated by a fence, so how will he ever be found out? Until his new friend starts digging a hole so they can meet...

More Parts by Tedd Arnold. This book talks about cliches that are common for adults, but, when taken literally, mean something very different, especially for kids! It's a little too old for my son, but he enjoyed pointing out all the different body parts.

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers. My husband read this to my son the other night, and they both had a lot of fun with it. My son liked pointing out the alien. I read it myself and thought it was really sweet and beautifully illustrated, as Oliver Jeffers books are known to be.

Bee-Wigged by Cece Bell. Cece Bell is so hilarious, and this book is no exception. A bee is tired of everyone being scared off by his stinger, so he finds a wig and passes as a boy! He goes to school and makes a lot of friends, but what happens when his wig falls off? This book has a great twist that made us both laugh.

Big Bird's First Book of Letters by Sesame Workshop. My son is pretty good at his alphabet already, but he loves reading this book because he can name the elements in the pictures, and of course he loves the Sesame Street characters.

Bunnies' ABC by Garth Williams. This is another ABC book my son likes reading because he can name the animals and objects in the pictures. Some animals are a little obscure, but hey - it's vocabulary building!

Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Bob Staake. Hello, Robots! by Bob Staake is one of my son's favorite books, so when I saw that he illustrated a different robot book, I knew we had to get it. The rhymes are really cute and my son loves it, so I know it'll be read often in our house.

Banned Book: Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is a classic, and one book that I really love, despite the hype. I haven't seen the movie even though it was pretty hyped up, and sometimes when people rave about how amazing the book is, I roll my eyes (sorry!), but then I read it again and have to admit it's really good. It's unique and innovative for the time when it was originally published, and has great imagination behind it. And the illustrations, of course, are gorgeous. It's a timeless story, and I can't picture a time when people would NOT read it to their kids.

Except those people who tried to ban it, of course. This book was banned because of its dark and disturbing nature, but also because Max being sent to bed without dinner was seen as abuse.

ABUSE.

Don't get me started on overprotective parents these days, but... really?

What We Read This Week 9/18

Horrible Bear! by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora. This book is based around accidents and blame and misunderstandings. Zachariah Ohora's illustrations are brilliant; we loved The Not So Quiet Library, and bold illustrations are clearly his trademark since they appear here as well.

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Another Ame Dyckman, and another Dan Yaccarino (from last week: Doug Unplugged). This one was a really sweet book about a boy who meets a robot and becomes friends with him, until the robot's switch is accidentally hit and he turns off. The boy takes care of the robot until bedtime, when the robot comes to and thinks the boy has been deactivated. Very cute story and illustrations.

Jon Scieszka's Trucktown: Race From A to Z by David Shannon, Loren Long, and David Gordon. My son is learning the alphabet (he knows it all except H!) and loves trucks, and loved the other Trucktown book we read, so I had to grab this one from the library for him. He liked it a lot, but more for the truck characters than the alphabet. (I liked the story in the first Trucktown book better, myself.)

Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. This is a book we've read before, but my son is so obsessed with garbage trucks that it was time to read it again. We're also on a Dan Yaccarino kick, if you can't tell... This rhyming book is really cute, and it's easy for kids to remember the refrain and say it along with you - or at least say "NO!" when you ask if the garbage truck is full. My son has asked for this one again and again.

Sock Monkey Rides Again by Cece Bell. I loved El Deafo, and my son and I both liked I Yam a Donkey too, so I wanted to read more of Cece Bell's picture books. Sock Monkey is incredibly cute, and my son and I loved the story about how he was going to break into movies with his own starring role! (Sock Monkey was already, of course, a famous actor, even though he only played small supporting roles.) As a bonus, Sock Monkey is a really accessible idea for a character; we had several small sock monkeys around that my son liked holding while we read the story (and for days after).

Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star is Bathed by Cece Bell. Sock Monkey is nominated for an award, but he finds out that all nominees have to show up CLEAN! Sock Monkey hates baths! They scare him! But with the help of his friends, he gets all cleaned up and goes to the awards show - will he win?

Here Comes Destructosaurus by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard. The whole family loved this cute, witty book. Destructosaurus is trashing the whole town, burping fire everywhere, and not listening to the reader, who is trying to keep him in line. When the reader finds out Destructosaurus was just throwing a tantrum because he couldn't find his teddy, the tone changes...but so does the terrifying main character!

What We Read This Week 9/11

We went to the bookstore a couple of weeks ago and just got around to reading some of our new books. I had a gift card and spent all of it on picture books! I couldn't resist the great titles out there. We read a few library books, but most were our new goodies.

Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino. My son loves robots, so a story about a robot boy was a dream come true for him! He loved exploring the city with Doug, "boop-boop-boop"ing around the map, and making friends. There is so much to talk about while reading this book aloud: identifying what's on the pages, comparing them to what you see in your neighborhood and on walks, and talking about friendships and family. Very sweet book - it was from the library, but we might have to get a copy.

A Balloon for Isabel by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Laura Rankin. This might be my personal favorite book from the week. Isabel is a porcupine who wants to hold a balloon at her graduation. Everyone in her class gets a balloon, except the porcupines. It's funny to talk about why porcupines can't have balloons, and the solution is SO clever and cute! Loved this book, and my son loved the balloon illustrations.

Dotty by Erica S. Perl, illustrated by Julia Denos. This is a very cute story about imaginary friends, and when (or if!) it's time to outgrow them. The imaginary friends were all creative and unique - very fun for the kids reading the story! The ending was very sweet.

Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis. This book is really cute and silly. Yelfred and Omek have been best frints since they were blobbies, but they still sometimes disagree and get in fights. The made-up language in this book was fun to read aloud, and readers are encouraged to make up their own words at the end!

Monsters University by Tennant Redbank, illustrated by Matt Cruickshank. This book is an adaptation of the Monsters University movie, missing the bulk of the story and a lot of details, of course, but it's still really cute. My son loves Mike and Sully, and we have a few other Monsters, Inc. books, so this was a nice addition. My husband found the Golden Book on Amazon and couldn't resist!

I Am a Rainbow by Dolly Parton, illustrated by Heather Sheffield. We got this book in the mail from the Imagination Library, which Dolly Parton created in 1995 to send age-appropriate books to kids every month. It's grown to include several countries, so you should check and see if it's available in your area, if you haven't already signed up! Anyway, let me step off my soapbox and talk about the BOOK. This is a really cute book that explores what colors mean in terms of emotion. It's a good way to talk about colors with younger kids at that stage of learning, but to expose them to emotions. It's a book that will come in handy as kids get older and start to understand emotions.

Love Monster and the Perfect Present by Rachel Bright. We are huge Love Monster fans over here - my son loves monsters, period, but he really loves his stuffed Love Monster. He held it while we read this one. Love Monster books are cute and simple - perfect short bedtime stories that tell a sweet story.

The Not So Quiet Library by Zachariah Ohora. I saw this book on @librarymagic's Instagram feed and knew I had to get a copy, because I work in a library that is sometimes, often, not so quiet. This book is going to be a classic, at least in my house, but probably everywhere. The story is simple and engaging, and the gorgeous illustrations add SO much to the reading experience. I want to wallpaper my house with these pages. Also, my son has the same name as one of the main characters, so that makes it a fun read! (Random fun fact: The other main character's name is actually one I wanted to name my son, but it didn't work with the last name. So I knew I'd love this book.)

Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker, illustrated by Eda Kaban. Superheroes have superpowers that they usually use for good, but what happens when they have a bad day? Do they destroy the playground, knock over buildings, or cause dangerous weather to spoil a nice day? This book is actually a great partner to Dolly Parton's I Am a Rainbow because it also deals with emotions and how to control them in a calm, logical way. It doesn't hurt that the illustrations are awesome and engaging, and kids love the superheroes. My son loved pointing at the superheroes over and over and asking their names.