Laurie Keller

Geography has never come alive as brilliantly as it does here, in The Scrambled States of America, as a discontented Kansas precipitates a massive geographic upheaval with his desire to see something new. Tired of always being stuck in the middle of the nation, Kansas enlists his best friend Nebraska in his scheme to throw a party for the fifty states, a party that leads (yes!) to reorganization on a massive scale! As states move north or south, switching coasts and neighbors, their first show more reaction is enthusiastic: finally, something new! But then they all begin to long for the way things were...

An engaging exploration of the fifty states of the USA, this picture-book combines a madcap adventure-story - complete with many little amusing asides, as the states "speak" to one another, in the illustrations - with colorful, attention-grabbing acrylic and marker artwork. An appendix at the rear lists each of the states, with their nicknames, their capital cities, and their populations (now out of date, alas). One of those rare books that is as entertaining as it is educational, The Scrambled States of America proves the old adage that "There's no place like home!" show less

I bought this book for the bookshelf I set aside for my nieces when they visit; as the childless aunt with a lot of cats, it felt fitting that a book about manners should occupy that shelf; even though my husband technically saves me from the "Cranky Spinster Cat Lady" title, it still feels like a stereotype worth having some fun with. ;-)

Do Unto Otters is hilarious. It was so funny, in fact, that I immediately handed it to MT and told him he had to read it. It's central theme is the Golden show more Rule, and the main characters are a rabbit and a family of otters. It's beautifully illustrated and the real laugh-out-loud moments are the small drawings interspersed throughout the pages that illustrate examples of each facet to the golden rule (i.e. saying 'please' or 'excuse me'). Teaching readers how to say those courtesies in different languages (including Pig Latin - Ha!) is a distinctly nice touch.

This is a definite must have for any child's shelf, and one that makes learning courteousness a whole lot of fun. show less

When Lance Vance's Fancy Pants Store announces that they will be selling potato pants, our tuber hero is ecstatic, having always wanted a pair. When he gets to the store however, he discovers that Eggplant, who pushed by him the other day, landing him a trash can, is in the store. Holding back, lest he be assaulted again, Potato watches all of his compatriots getting pants, until they are all gone. Or are they? When he finally works up the courage to go into the store, and winds up show more confronting Eggplant, he makes a surprise discovery...

With its alliterative text and lots of excited speech bubbles, I can see Potato Pants! making an excellent read-aloud at story-time, particularly for those young listeners who appreciate a silly sense of humor in their tales. My own funny bone, which is sometimes difficult to reach, wasn't really tickled here, but I can see that Laurie Keller's book will have appeal for many young children. I appreciated the message about forgiveness that is worked into the story, and think the bright, expressive artwork will keep many youngster's attention. Recommended to readers looking for new picture-books featuring madcap adventures and a silly sense of humor. show less

Arnie, a doughnut with chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles, was eager for a customer to buy him from the Downtown Bakery. Then he discovered his eventual fate - to be eaten as a tasty treat - and was horrified. Managing to convince his purchaser, Mr. Bing, not to eat him, Arnie and his new human acquaintance began to brainstorm: what could a doughnut do, other than be a pastry? Fortunately, Mr. Bing had an idea...

Originally published in 2003, Arnie the Doughnut marked the first appearance show more of its eponymous edible hero, who would reappear in a chapter-book series devoted to his adventures, beginning in 2013. I enjoyed the story here, although I always wonder, with these anthropomorphic food item stories, in which the hero attempts to avoid being eaten, whether young children will be somehow affected, and unable to consume said item after hearing the tale? Not being able to to eat doughnuts anymore sounds like a terrible fate! Leaving that aside, the conclusion of the story also felt a little off to me, perhaps because I had trouble suspending my disbelief, as it concerns a doughnut as pet dog. Laurie Keller's artwork was colorful, if a little busy - lots of additional text, in the form of speech bubbles - but the overall effect was entertaining. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with a quirky, offbeat sense of humor. show less