Caralyn Buehner

Wittilda was a witch with a serious problem. Her forty-seven cats - strays and lost kittens always seemed to find their way to her house - needed feeding, and she was down to her last dried rat! What to do...? Get a job, of course! But when her first day working at her Aunt Bort's hair salon ended in disaster, Wittilda had to begin her search anew. And then she saw an advertisement for a pizza deliverer, and her mind took a different direction altogether...

Although I wouldn't say that it was show more one of my favorites, when it comes to the slew of witchy picture-books I've been reading recently, A Job for Wittilda is still an engaging little story, ideally suited for those younger readers looking for gentler Halloween style fare. Wittilda is an appealing heroine, one who puts her feline charges first. The artwork - created using oil paint over acrylics - is colorful and fun. I particularly liked some of the little details - the expressions on the cats' faces, the spider and mouse who follow Wittilda around. All in all, an entertaining tale! show less

"I think that while I'm snug in bed / Dreaming of Christmas treats, / The merry snowmen slip away / And hurry through the streets." And so the young boy-narrator of this second rhyming picture-book about the nighttime adventures of snowmen enters into another magical dreamscape, in which he imagines the many fun activities snowmen engage in, whilst celebrating Christmas. From decorating the Christmas tree in the town square to joining in a round of carols, the snowmen know how to mark the show more season, returning to their daytime places with a special holiday glow in their hearts...

Like the first picture-book about those snowy figures and their surprising nighttime adventures, Snowmen at Christmas pairs an engaging read-aloud text in rhyme with bright, colorful illustrations. Mark Buehner's artwork here is especially lovely, capturing the mysterious beauty of snowy nights and the festive appeal of holiday lights. It also contains hidden images that young reader/listeners can hunt and find. Caralyn Buehner's text, meanwhile, depicts a heartwarming array of traditional Christmas activities, highlighting the importance of communal celebration. Recommended to anyone who read and enjoyed Snowmen at Night, as well as to anyone looking for fun Christmas stories told in rhyme. show less

Caralyn and Mark Buehner, the husband and wife author/illustrator team who produced the bestselling Snowmen at Night, as well as its many sequels, turn their attention to the classic English fairytale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in this colorful retelling. The narrative follows the traditional story for the most part, although Goldilocks herself is a jump-rope jumping, snappy rhyme-making little terror here, as she destroys Little Wee Bear's chair, eats all of his porridge, and falls show more asleep in his bed...

Although the Buehners' Goldilocks and the Three Bears isn't going to go on any best-of list, when it comes to fairytale picture books in general, or retellings of this tale in particular—my favorite in this regard is the version done by Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock—I think it could provide reading/listening entertainment for younger audiences who enjoy this sort of fare. The artwork is colorful and immediate, and the narrative engaging. For myself, I prefer a more traditional, less wise-cracking Goldilocks, but tastes vary, and this telling has its place. I would recommend it to picture book readers looking for a slightly more contemporary-feeling version of this oft-told tale. show less

When he finds his snowman somewhat melted one morning, a young boy wonders what the snowy figure might have gotten up to the night before, imagining a series of exciting events, from a trip to the park to a sports competition involving all of the snowman's friends. The snowmen enjoy themselves immensely in this imaginary scenario, something which offers potential comfort to the children who observe their deteriorated condition the next day...

The first of a series of picture-books from show more author/illustrator team Caralyn and Mark Buehner about the doings of those popular snow figures, Snowmen at Night pairs an entertaining imaginary tale told in rhyme with bright, colorful artwork. The book would make an excellent read-aloud at story time - especially in the winter! - while the artwork provides a more interactive experience, in which children can search for the hidden images in the illustrations. For my part, I found a lot of Santas in the snow! Recommended to all young children who loves snowmen, and wonder what they get up to at night, as well as to those looking for rhyming picture-books with a wintry theme. show less