Murguia, B. (2012). Zoe gets ready. New York, New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. 40 pp. ISBN: 0545342155 (hardcover) $12.67
Zoe is a little girl who is told what she needs to wear for all of her different activities everyday, except Saturdays! On Saturday,s Zoe gets to choose whatever she would like to wear. Zoe goes through all the things she could do and all the different types of clothes and accessories she could wear -- but this little girl has a hard time making a decision on what she should wear. After trying on several outfits, Zoe needs to hurry and make a final decision about her outfit and clean up the mess she has made in the process! The illustrations capture Zoe's personality with the outfits she is considering, the activities she could possibly have ahead of her this day, and the difficulty Zoe faces in selecting the appropriate outfit. - Michelle Angel
Zoe is a little girl who is told what she needs to wear for all of her different activities everyday, except Saturdays! On Saturday,s Zoe gets to choose whatever she would like to wear. Zoe goes through all the things she could do and all the different types of clothes and accessories she could wear -- but this little girl has a hard time making a decision on what she should wear. After trying on several outfits, Zoe needs to hurry and make a final decision about her outfit and clean up the mess she has made in the process! The illustrations capture Zoe's personality with the outfits she is considering, the activities she could possibly have ahead of her this day, and the difficulty Zoe faces in selecting the appropriate outfit. - Michelle Angel
Yolen, J. (2011). Creepy monsters, sleepy monsters. (Ill. by Kelly Murphy.) Candlewick. 32 pp. ISBN: 0763642010. (hardcover) $11.18.
Creep, gurgle, crawl, and tumble! Meet two young monsters who are far from scary -- they are too busy having fun. Young children and parents alike will find much to identify with as they follow these lovable little monsters getting ready for bed. With wildly colorful illustrations full of whimsy and warmth, Kelly Murphy brings Yolen’s gently rhyming tale to life! The large fonts and delightful rhyming pattern will help engage readers. This book would be a great help for children who are afraid of the dark, with friendly images, it makes it a great way to talk about how monsters are harmless because they are just like we are! - Michelle Angel
Creep, gurgle, crawl, and tumble! Meet two young monsters who are far from scary -- they are too busy having fun. Young children and parents alike will find much to identify with as they follow these lovable little monsters getting ready for bed. With wildly colorful illustrations full of whimsy and warmth, Kelly Murphy brings Yolen’s gently rhyming tale to life! The large fonts and delightful rhyming pattern will help engage readers. This book would be a great help for children who are afraid of the dark, with friendly images, it makes it a great way to talk about how monsters are harmless because they are just like we are! - Michelle Angel
Parish, H. (2011).Amelia Bedelia’s first field trip.(Ill. by Lynne Avril). HarperCollins. 32 pp. ISBN:9780061964138 (hardcover); $12.13.
Amelia Bedelia is sure she will love everything about the field trip to the farm; she cannot wait to collect eggs, milk cows, ride a tractor, plant seeds and have a picnic lunch! Follow Amelia Bedelia as she searches for the farmer’s wife’s “green thumb,” and her other experiences while on her field trip. Amelia Bedelia's antics are well balanced by interesting farm facts. This combination of humor and information makes for an enjoyable book that kids will be sure to fall in love with it! - Michelle Angel
Amelia Bedelia is sure she will love everything about the field trip to the farm; she cannot wait to collect eggs, milk cows, ride a tractor, plant seeds and have a picnic lunch! Follow Amelia Bedelia as she searches for the farmer’s wife’s “green thumb,” and her other experiences while on her field trip. Amelia Bedelia's antics are well balanced by interesting farm facts. This combination of humor and information makes for an enjoyable book that kids will be sure to fall in love with it! - Michelle Angel
Mack, J. (2012). Good news bad news. Chronicle Books LLC. 40 pp. ISBN: 978-1452101101 (Hardcover); $12.98.
“GOOD NEWS, Rabbit and Mouse are going on a picnic. BAD NEWS, it is starting to rain. GOOD NEWS, Rabbit has an umbrella. BAD NEWS, the stormy winds blow the umbrella (and Mouse) into a tree” Rabbit always looks on the bright side while Mouse is a bit grouchy. Can the two have a enjoyable picnic together? Read and find out! Mack, using just four words, has created a text that has a remarkable flair that is both humorous and touching, which goes perfectly with his illustrations about two friends who have two very different attitudes.
- Michelle Angel
“GOOD NEWS, Rabbit and Mouse are going on a picnic. BAD NEWS, it is starting to rain. GOOD NEWS, Rabbit has an umbrella. BAD NEWS, the stormy winds blow the umbrella (and Mouse) into a tree” Rabbit always looks on the bright side while Mouse is a bit grouchy. Can the two have a enjoyable picnic together? Read and find out! Mack, using just four words, has created a text that has a remarkable flair that is both humorous and touching, which goes perfectly with his illustrations about two friends who have two very different attitudes.
- Michelle Angel
Wilson, K. (2012). Bear says thanks. (Ill. by Jane Chapman) New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. 40 pp. ISBN:1416958568(Hardcover); $13.43.
Wilson does it again in this new book about Bear and his forest friends! When all of Bear’s friends show up one by one with different platters of delicious food to share, he is delighted. There’s just one problem: Bear’s cupboards are bare and has nothing to share with his friends! He comes up with the perfect way to say thanks -- a delightful dinner at his home! Told in rhymed verse, the text reads aloud smoothly. As the animals arrive with their edible gifts, a repeated line, 'and the bear says thanks' gives children a chance to participate in the story; and, Chapman’s lively acrylic paintings make the most of it. - Michelle Angel
Wilson does it again in this new book about Bear and his forest friends! When all of Bear’s friends show up one by one with different platters of delicious food to share, he is delighted. There’s just one problem: Bear’s cupboards are bare and has nothing to share with his friends! He comes up with the perfect way to say thanks -- a delightful dinner at his home! Told in rhymed verse, the text reads aloud smoothly. As the animals arrive with their edible gifts, a repeated line, 'and the bear says thanks' gives children a chance to participate in the story; and, Chapman’s lively acrylic paintings make the most of it. - Michelle Angel
George, L. (2010). Maggie’s ball. New York: Greenwillow Books. 32 pp. ISBN: 9780061721663 (Hardcover); $13.43.
Follow Maggie through a market, pizzeria, clock shop and a pet store -- and don’t forget to look for her yellow ball! George effectively communicates Maggie’s physical and emotional journey with close-ups showing Maggie’s curiosity, dejection and joy, while aerial-like views create a visual roadmap of the town. A consistent, easy-to-read book that has the challenge of finding characters and naming objects and places -- young readers will love this book! - Michelle Angel
Follow Maggie through a market, pizzeria, clock shop and a pet store -- and don’t forget to look for her yellow ball! George effectively communicates Maggie’s physical and emotional journey with close-ups showing Maggie’s curiosity, dejection and joy, while aerial-like views create a visual roadmap of the town. A consistent, easy-to-read book that has the challenge of finding characters and naming objects and places -- young readers will love this book! - Michelle Angel
Hills, T. (2012). Rocket writes a story. New York: Schwarts & Wade. 40 pp. ISBN:978-0-375-87086-6 (Hardcover); $12.98.
Follow Rocket and his little yellow bird friend through the adventure of developing an idea and writing a story. From the creator of the New York Times bestseller, How Rocket Learned to Read, comes another book featuring Rocket and his teacher the little yellow bird. Rocket is expanding on his reading skills and writes the words he sniffs out to describe the world around him. Every day the little yellow bird hangs Rocket’s words in a tree, until one day the tree is full of words. With all the new words, Rocket decides he wants to write a story -- but he does not know what to write about! Rocket ends up finding his inspiration in a nest, high in a tree, and a new friend who he can share his story with. The illustrations by Tad Hills shows Rocket’s expressions and emotions that agree well with the storyline. Rocket Writes a Story is a great book that will send children on a path of critical thinking and creativity! - Michelle Angel
Follow Rocket and his little yellow bird friend through the adventure of developing an idea and writing a story. From the creator of the New York Times bestseller, How Rocket Learned to Read, comes another book featuring Rocket and his teacher the little yellow bird. Rocket is expanding on his reading skills and writes the words he sniffs out to describe the world around him. Every day the little yellow bird hangs Rocket’s words in a tree, until one day the tree is full of words. With all the new words, Rocket decides he wants to write a story -- but he does not know what to write about! Rocket ends up finding his inspiration in a nest, high in a tree, and a new friend who he can share his story with. The illustrations by Tad Hills shows Rocket’s expressions and emotions that agree well with the storyline. Rocket Writes a Story is a great book that will send children on a path of critical thinking and creativity! - Michelle Angel
Black, M. I.(2012). I'm bored. (Illustration done by Debbie Ridpath Ohi). New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 40pp. ISBN: 9781442414037 (Hardcover); $13.98.
Just when a little girl thinks she couldn’t possibly be more bored, she stumbles upon a potato who tells her that children are boring -- but this little girl isn’t going to let a vegetable tell her what’s what! She goes on to show the potato how there is absolutely nothing boring about being a kid and ends up realizing that she isn’t bored after all, even though the potato finds everything the little girl is showing him boring. Six to ten year olds are sure to adore this book with charismatic illustrations done by Debbie Ridpath Ohi that accompany the humor by author, as well as comedian, Black. - Michelle Angel
Just when a little girl thinks she couldn’t possibly be more bored, she stumbles upon a potato who tells her that children are boring -- but this little girl isn’t going to let a vegetable tell her what’s what! She goes on to show the potato how there is absolutely nothing boring about being a kid and ends up realizing that she isn’t bored after all, even though the potato finds everything the little girl is showing him boring. Six to ten year olds are sure to adore this book with charismatic illustrations done by Debbie Ridpath Ohi that accompany the humor by author, as well as comedian, Black. - Michelle Angel
Litwin, E. (2012). Pete the cat and his four groovy buttons. (Illustration by James Dean). New York, New York: Harper. 40pp. ISBN 978-0-062110-58-9 (Hardcover); $16.99.
Follow Pete the Cat as he strolls along with his new shirt and four groovy buttons-- but make sure your singing voice is ready, because Pete the Cat has returned for another round of counting and fun! Any four to eight year old is sure to enjoy this interactive book with singing and counting throughout the book. With a free song included, it is great for a sing along. Litwin shares to young children: not to “sweat the small stuff,” like having one of your buttons fall off of your favorite shirt or coat ("Did Pete cry? Goodness, no! Buttons come and buttons go"). Young children will enjoy singing along with Pete's song as the cat loses his four groovy buttons one by one. -Michelle Angel
Follow Pete the Cat as he strolls along with his new shirt and four groovy buttons-- but make sure your singing voice is ready, because Pete the Cat has returned for another round of counting and fun! Any four to eight year old is sure to enjoy this interactive book with singing and counting throughout the book. With a free song included, it is great for a sing along. Litwin shares to young children: not to “sweat the small stuff,” like having one of your buttons fall off of your favorite shirt or coat ("Did Pete cry? Goodness, no! Buttons come and buttons go"). Young children will enjoy singing along with Pete's song as the cat loses his four groovy buttons one by one. -Michelle Angel
Gollub, M. (2010). Jazz fly 2: The jungle pachanga. (Ill. by Karen Hanke). Santa Rosa, California: Tortuga Press. 32 pp. ISBN: 978-1-889910-44-4 (Hardcover); $17.95.
Winning five different awards including Foreword Reviews Best Book of the Year, Gold Award Winner, Best Books 2010 Winning - USA Book News, International Book Awards Winner, Parent’s Choice Award, and Moonbeam Children’s Book Gold medal, Jazz Fly 2, the sequel to Jazz Fly, will keep children ages four and up engaged the entire time. Follow the fly and his band on their way to the termite nest for a “nest shakin’, termite quakin’ party,” and help the fly get rid of the anteater trying to ruin all of the fun! With wonderful, colorful illustrations done by Karen Hanke, children are sure to enjoy this book. Gollub uses different colors for different words (Latin Jazz words in green and Spanish words in fuchsia). Gollub has also created a CD that features the rhythmic storytelling. This CD is a must-hear! Not only does it tell the story, but it includes the actual musical instruments that a reader would not be able to experience just by reading; also, it is required hearing for anyone aspiring to read this text aloud. - Michelle
Winning five different awards including Foreword Reviews Best Book of the Year, Gold Award Winner, Best Books 2010 Winning - USA Book News, International Book Awards Winner, Parent’s Choice Award, and Moonbeam Children’s Book Gold medal, Jazz Fly 2, the sequel to Jazz Fly, will keep children ages four and up engaged the entire time. Follow the fly and his band on their way to the termite nest for a “nest shakin’, termite quakin’ party,” and help the fly get rid of the anteater trying to ruin all of the fun! With wonderful, colorful illustrations done by Karen Hanke, children are sure to enjoy this book. Gollub uses different colors for different words (Latin Jazz words in green and Spanish words in fuchsia). Gollub has also created a CD that features the rhythmic storytelling. This CD is a must-hear! Not only does it tell the story, but it includes the actual musical instruments that a reader would not be able to experience just by reading; also, it is required hearing for anyone aspiring to read this text aloud. - Michelle