Showing posts with label Marion Dane Bauer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marion Dane Bauer. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Noisy Children's books...

Title: The Twins: Two by Two

Author: Catherine and Laurence Anholt

Publisher: Candlewick Press

ISBN: 156402041X

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

My niece picked it out.

Comments:

Personally, I thought this looked boring.  But my niece chose it to check out and be read so that is what we did.  It turned out to be better than I expected.  While the cover is pretty dull, the pictures are more colorful, and the story decent.  Twins Minnie and Max are getting ready for bed.  At each step of the way they act like different animals, two by two.  It has a Noah's Ark theme to it I didn't expect.

Title: Dinosaur Thunder

Author: Marion Dane Bauer; Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN: 9780590452960

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

My niece picked it out.

Comments:

This was fine to read through once.  After that I was ready for it to be over.  Too bad the kiddos decided they wanted to hear it again.  And again.  ::sigh::  There wasn't anything wrong with this, I guess I just wasn't in the right mood or something.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

An Exploration of Halloween Children's Books, Part 1

I went WAY overboard finding Halloween children's books.  Some the kiddos have heard.  Others I've only read to myself.
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The House That Witchy Built by Dianne de Las Casas; Illustrated by Holly Stone Barker (library copy)

This is apparently to the "rythmic pattern of the Old Mother Goose tale 'The House That Jack Built'."  I'm unfamiliar with that tale, so I had to guess, but it was still fun to read.  The kiddos haven't heard this one yet, but I think I might try if there is time before Halloween.

Halloween Forest by Marion Dane Bauer; Illustrated by John Shelley (library copy)

The kiddos haven't seen this one yet either, but I enjoyed it so much that I read it aloud a second time just for myself.  I definitely plan on trying this one out with the kiddos.  I think my niece especially will like it.  The kid's attitude seems to match hers.

Into the Pumpkin by Linda Franklin (library copy)

The artwork in this one is intriguing.  Very wispy and gives a nice eerie Halloween feel.  The words are fine, they rhyme and read well, but the story didn't quite catch me.  Except maybe the part about the spiders.  Not kid tested, so I haven't any feedback on that front.

Pumpkin Moon by Tim Preston; Illustrated by Simon Bartram (library copy)

My niece heard this one and I believe there was only one "again!"  Especially frustrating because my ma was on the phone with her doctors so I had to read quietly.  In any case, I believe she was particularly interested in the illustrations of the moon ... even before it was the Pumpkin Moon.

Just Say BOO! by Susan Hood; Illustrated by Jed Henry (library copy)

A coworker recommended this (she actually put it on hold for me and then told me about it).  She said she'd heard it was a great read-a-loud and thought I'd enjoy it.

My niece heard it and said the first boo! before I turned the page or she knew she was supposed to.  It was just naturally right.  She only stopped once the book tricked her and she didn't want to be tricked again.  I read this a few times for her and then for my youngest nephew.

Somehow, he doesn't have books read for him as often as the older two - my bad - but I thought this would be perfect for him.  He's 21 months and has only just started saying a few words (we've been trying sign, and he has a therapist come every week...originally for something else, but she helps with the speech thing too.), but "Boo!" is one of them.

Anyway, it is a great read-a-loud that the kids can participate in.

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To be continued because I couldn't fit all the tags in one post...

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Even More Kids Books...

Title: Awesome Autumn
Author: Bruce Goldstone
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 9780805092103
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

This is a very educational book for children with vibrant, gorgeous pictures and plenty of information about anything autumn related.

What kinds of leaves might you see? What does autumn taste like or sound like? What kinds of shapes do you see? What is frost? What holidays will you find? What about harvesting? What animals migrate, hibernate, or change color? What do people do in autumn? ... It even has some activities you can do in the fall complete with directions (pressing leaves, leaf rubbings, etc.)

Awesome Autumn was a bit old for the kiddos, but it'd probably be great for school children.


Title: The Cutest Critter
Author: Marion Dane Bauer; Photography by Stan Tekiela
Publisher: Adventure Publications, Inc.
ISBN: 9781591932536
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

Not too much to say about this one.  It has some very adorable baby animals, and at the end it goes over each one naming species, baby name (i.e., cub, foal, etc.), cute factor, and born to be wild (includes details like the adult bison "can weigh as much as four baby elephants."


Title: Lenore Finds a Friend: A True Story from Bedlam Farm
Author: Jon Katz
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 9780805092202
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I picked this book when I saw it listed with the library's newest purchases.  I liked the idea of a book about someone not fitting in at first, but eventually finding a friend.  It was a sweet story, emphasized by the photographs of the actual animals in the story.  I especially liked Lenore's persistence in the face of adversity.  A good quality for children to see.

This is the second children's book set at Bedlam Farm.  The first is Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm.  I haven't read it, but I'd like to.


Title: Dinosaur vs. the Library
Author: Bob Shea
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Series: Dinosaur vs., Bk 3
ISBN: 9781423133384
Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I've read (and watched the YouTube video) for Dinosaur vs. Bedtime which was hilarious.  So when I saw this I had to see it (Though I feel a little like I've read it before.  I'm just not sure.)  In any case, first Dinosaur has to get to the library and then he has to deal with inside voices and story time... It's cute, but the Bedtime one was cuter.  Even if this one does include books.