Andrew Gutelle

I found this to be a great book for younger children. This book is solely for the purpose of teaching children about opposites. The author uses illustrations that are very original and engaging in order to grasp the attention of the child. The illustrations are colorful collages made out of stiff cardboard. He also uses situations that a young child can relate to in order to demonstrate opposites. For example, if Nate’s friends are outside, he wants to stay inside. If Nate’s friends show more climb over a fence, he wants to crawl under it. This book is also engaging because it is written in rhyme. This especially makes it great for young children. show less

ISBN 078354894x – When TV shows are used to sell toys, games and fast food to children, it's annoying. When TV shows are used to sell our kids on reading, it's another – and much better - story. Andrew Gutelle does a nice job with this one.

Molly and Loonette play pirate, discovering an island full of treasures. Among those treasures is a unicycle, just like Major Bedhead's, and Loonette is certain she can ride it. Her failure is followed by a series of other failures, leaving her feeling show more down and incapable. When Loonette wonders if she's actually able to do anything, Molly reminds her that she does have a talent for dancing.

Although the sub-title of the book is "A Book About Confidence", the word confidence doesn't appear in the text, so the parent will have to make the connection for young readers. Illustrations by Sally Schaedler fill the pages and add a touch of humor to the story that help take the sting out of Loonette's string of failures. Although it appears that Loonette gives up on everything she tries and fails at, that isn't the case. The story ends with her running off to help Granny ice cupcakes, something she's already failed at once; this makes a great moment for a parent to give the old "try again" talk. A very nice story, even if your child isn't a fan of the show, for those times when your child just doesn't feel like they're able to do anything right.

- AnnaLovesBooks show less

Loonette and Molly have a fun day on the Big Comfy Couch, but at the end of the day, the room is one big mess! The pair spend the rest of the book tidying up their room.
A wonderful early reader, but not a great instructional book.

Excellent short bios on 5 star baseball athletes: Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemento, and Hank Aaron. Great for researching for speeches or for young boys looking for a hero in their life.