ReFoReMo 2018 Day 2 Book Reviews

I haven't read NOT QUITE NARWAL as I was unable to get a copy of it from our local library, so this list includes only the other five books pictured here.

AFTER THE FALL: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if the king's men had been able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again? What would his life have been like?

Well, author Pierre Collet-Derby answers that question. Not surprisingly, when Humpty Dumpty was put back together, there were cracks in his shell and there were a few parts missing. Also not surprisingly, HD developed a fear of heights. Who wouldn't, right?

The title of the book sort of gives away the ending as it says that Humpty Dumpty got back up again. But the way it happened might surprise you.

BARNABY NEVER FORGETS by Pierre Collet-Derby

Barnaby takes great pride in his memory. He always remembers to brush his teeth and he always remembers to feed his grasshoppers. He never forgets when it's ice cream night and he never forgets to write a letter to Santa every year. But, maybe he forgets things occasionally, like where he put his glasses, or that his books are due at the library, or that he needs to wash his dirty hands. But, that's not really a problem, because sometimes it's fun to find things you've forgotten - like a dollar bill he left in his pocket, or an old stuffed bear he finds in a box, or an old lollipop left in his backpack. But, one day he forgets something really important. How will he react?

ESCARGOT BY Dashka Slater

Escargot, the beautiful French snail, wants two things: He wants to reach the end of the book where there is a lovely salad waiting for him to eat, and he wants you, the reader, to choose him as your most favorite animal.

As you read through the book, Escargot asks questions and interacts with the readers. He makes a case for why snails should be your favorite animal.

The text is creative, the illustrations are delightful, and there are even French words and phrases sprinkled throughout, making this a perfect book for young readers.

PRUDENCE THE PART-TIME COW by Jody Jensen Shaffer

"Prudence looked like a full-time cow," but Prudence didn't act like one. Sure, she ate grass and chewed her cud, and got milked, just like all of the rest of the herd. But, she just didn't fit in with them. She was interested in so many other things that the other cows didn't care about, like wind speed and air temperature and how to make a hat and all sorts of things that had nothing to do with grazing all day.

Prudence is an outcast until she makes a "cow-culator" that every member of the herd thinks is pretty nifty.

TWINDERELLA: A Fractioned Fairy Tale by Corey Rosen Schwartz

Author Corey Rosen Schwartz, who is being well-known for her creative take on well-known fairy tales, with such titles as THREE NINJA PIGS, NINJA RED RIDING HOOD, and GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS, brings us yet another twist on an old tale about Cinderalla.

Did you know Cinderella had a twin sister named Tinderella? Neither did I. But, both of the girls lived with their nasty step-mother and their nasty step-sisters, and both of them shared the nasty chores. They divided them in half, fifty-fifty. Also, both of them went to the ball and the handsome prince danced with them both. They both wanted to be with the prince, but there were two of them and only one of him. How could their fairy godmother fix this problem? You'll have to read the story to find out.

Schwartz mixes rhyming verse, a twist on an old favorite fairy tale, and fractions (Did you notice the sub title? It says "A Fractioned Fairy Tale.") for a winning combination that will be sure to entertain and delight. My only criticism (sorry, Corey), is that the word "bedding" doesn't rhyme with "splitting," but as far as I'm concerned, if the editors are fine with it, so am I!

ReFoReMo 2018 - Day 1 Book Reviews

A LOUD WINTER'S NAP by Katy Hudson

Tortoise just wants a quiet place to sleep during the long cold winter. But, when he finds a quiet spot, he is disturbed by a robin, and then a rabbit, and then by squirrels, and then by a beaver, each time forcing him to find another quiet spot. He finally finds what he thinks is the perfect spot, but he is in for a big surprise. What happens next will make you smile. The great illustrations and the wonderful repetition make this a wonderful book for kids.

GO SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED! by Candace Fleming and Lori Nichols

None of the animals on the farm are in their own beds. Cow is in Pig's bed. Hen is in Cow's bed. Horse is in Hen's bed....Eventually everyone gets back to their own beds, where they belong. The expressive language, rhythmic repetition, and delightful illustrations work together to make this the perfect book for those youngsters who love to sleep in someone else's bed.

THE GIANT JUMPEREE by Julia Donadson

The Giant Jumperee has taken over Rabbit's burrow. Rabbit is too scared to go in after him. So is Cat and Bear and Elephant. But, Mama Frog isn't. A little bit of rhyme, a lot of repetition, and wonderful illustrations are a winning combination.

ONE PLASTIC BAG by Miranda Paul

Isatou lives in Gambia. Her family and people in her village are very poor. When Isatou finds a plastic bag on the ground, she is grateful to have it because her basket is broken and can no longer be used. But, when the bag gets a hole in it, what is she to do with it? When her basket broke, she just threw it on the ground where it would rot back into the earth in a short time. But when she throws the used plastic bag on the ground, it stays there, for a very long time.

Over time, many more plastic bags end up on the ground. They they soon become a problem. The ground is covered with them. Goats who eat them die. They are just a mess. But, what can Isatou do about it?

This is a story about how people in a village figured out how to overcome a problem and turn it into something good. It's a great lesson for everyone.

The story is well-written and has some great repetition, and the story is based on real events. Author Miranda Paul uses some foreign words in the text. She provides a glossary of the words at the end of the book. She also provides an author's not about Gambria, West Africa.

KNOCK KNOCK: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

Author Daniel Beaty tells a moving story about a young boy who waits every morning for his father to knock on his door. The young boy pretends to be asleep until his dad walks into the room, comes up to the bed, and tells his son, "I love you." This is the best part of the child's day, and he looks forward to it.

But, one day, his father doesn't knock on the door. The boy waits and waits and waits, but there is no knock. The father has gone away and the boy doesn't know why. All he knows is that he needs his father and that he misses him very much.

Beaty wrote this book to acknowledge the pain he felt when his own father, his caregiver, was taken away and put in jail. It took Beaty years to realize that he had to come to terms with the pain of losing his father this way. Writing this book was his answer. It not only served the purpose of providing an outlet for the author to cope, but Beaty also hopes that the book might offer hope to other children who are left in similar situations.

The emotional language, coupled with the images created by illustrator Bryan Collier with watercolor and collage, convey a powerful message of love, loss, pain and hope.

SIT-IN: How Four Friends Stoop Up By Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney

The picture book was published in 2010, 50 years after the incident that inspired it. On February 1, 1960, four black males sat at the "Whites Only" lunch counter in Woolworth's in Greensboro, NC. They sat their all day long, until the business closed for the day; they were not thrown out, but they were not served, either. The next day, more black students joined them. As word spread, this peaceful protest became the nexus for protests all around the country, culminating in the signing of, more than four years later, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This picture book was written by well-known author Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by her equally-well-known husband, Brian. The expressive language and moving pictures tell a story about how Blacks in America were finally able to break through the "Whites Only" barriers.

The end matter of the book contains a section called "A Final Helping," that gives more information about the Civil Rights era. There is also a list of books and website where readers can find more information about the subject.

ReFoReMo 2018

ReFoReMo 2018 - Reading for Research Month 2018

Watch this space.

I will be participating in ReFoReMo this year, like I did last year. Last year, I posted reviews of many of the picture books that I read that were used as references for the daily postings of ReFoReMo. I will be doing the same again this year, only this year, I hope to do a daily posting as I go along, with short reviews of the books that are referenced each day of the challenge. Last year, I did things a bit differently by waiting until the end of the challenge, and then breaking each story down into category - fiction, non-fiction, rhyming, etc.

Watch this space.

FIRE AND FURY: Inside the Trump White House

I finished reading this much-hyped book. I must say I thought it was very well-written (I've heard other people say they didn't think so - - I disagree), and I also must say it was not as salacious as I thought it would be considering all the media hype when it came out. I guess that was to be expected. That's not to say I was disappointed in the book. On the contrary, I think author Michael Wolff hit the nail right on the head in his overall characterization of the Trump White House as being chaotic, undisciplined, uninformed and unprepared for the real world of politics.

Author Michael Wolff's insights into behind-the-scenes at the White House were equally enlightening and frightening. Although it has been said, by many news organizations and critics, that this book is not necessarily completely based on the truth, what I read echoes, in easy-to-understand terms and scenarios, what we have witnessed during the past year. To think that Trump didn't think he was going to win the election, to think that Trump didn't even really WANT to win the election, to think that Trump was in utter shock when he did win the election, explains so much of what happened during the campaign, during the transaction period between Obama and Trump, and during the past year plus that this buffoon has been in office.

The only thing that I am disappointed in in terms of this book is the quality of the print. By that I mean there were many pages that were difficult to read because the ink was very light. It appeared as those these pages came out of a printer that was low on ink. Also, I found numerous typos in the text. It would also appear that the unexpected interest in the book, which required the immediate printing of many more copies, may have contributed to the lack of quality in the finished product.

Overall, though, I think this book is well worth the read. As Wolff has said in numerous interviews, he has put the information forth in such a way as it offers the reader a chance to review the "evidence" and make up their own mind about the truth and veracity of the statements. But, based on what I've seen, heard and read about Trump and his administration thus far, this book seems to pretty much sum up the true nature of those in the White House - - most of them don't have a clue as to what they're doing and most of them are only in it to further their own careers and line their own pockets. There are a few exceptions to this, but not many.

THE AVALON LADIES SCRAPBOOKING SOCIETY

Avalon, IL is a small Midwestern town with the usual assortment of colorful characters. In this particular town, a group of ladies, called the Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society, meets monthly to socialize and learn scrapbooking techniques. The Society was founded by, and is still led by, Bettie Shelton, an energetic and eccentric gal with loads of experience and tons of opinions. Her forceful personality has dominated the club for decades.

Bettie is always trying to get new people involved in her scrapbooking club. She talks the following women into joining the group: Isabel Kidd, who has been Bettie's neighbor for years but who has not, until recently, been interested in the club; Yvonne Tate, a newcomer to town who is a real looker but who practices the unlikely profession of a plumber (and she's a good one); Ava Catalina who lives by herself with her little son, Max; and Frances Latham, the mother of three boisterous boys who is trying to adopt a little girl from China. These four females not only become entwined in the club, they become caught up in Bettie's life. When Bettie's health is threatened, all of them, along with many members of the community, band together to help her out.

This is a delightful story of small town America, showing the true spirit of life in small towns such as this one. It is also chock full of information about scrapbooking - ideas, techniques, new products, etc. - as well as with information about the delights of Amish Friendship Bread. At the end of the book, author Darien Gee includes recipes for eight dishes that are mentioned in the text, as well as a link to Friendship Bread Kitchen (www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com), where you can find tons of recipes for the basic Friendship Bread starter. She also offers hints and tips about basic scrapbooking, as well as ideas for starting your own scrapbooking group. And, if that weren't enough, she throws in information about Alzheimers (one of the characters in the story is diagnosed with this awful disease), and a link to Half the Sky (www.halfthesky.org), a website where you can learn more about adopting Chinese children.

This book is like a fiction and non-fiction story combined together in a delightful and skillful manner. Enjoy and bon appetit!

READING FOR RESEARCH MONTH BOOK REVIEWS - Post #11

This is the last post for my reviews of books I read during ReFoReMo 2017. The last topic is Things

Kids Like/Do. I hope you have enjoyed my posts. Thanks for reading!

A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT: One Ballerina's Dream by Kristy Dempsey 

A little black girl, who is living during the time of segregation, dreams of what it would be like to be a ballerina. Her mom works for a dance studio as a seamstress. Sometimes the girl tries on the dance costumes and sometimes she watches the dancers from behind the curtains.

The little girl imitates what she sees the dancers doing and dreams of one day being one stage herself. She is mesmerized when she gets a chance to watch Janet Collins, the first African American ballerina who performed with the Metropolitan Opera.

HUG MACHINE by Scott Campbell

A little boy calls himself Hug Machine. He hugs everybody and everything, including mailboxes and trees.

But, will he hug prickly things?

This is a great book that kids will relate to, especially the "huggers".

IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO SCHOOL, DON'T! by Elise Parsley

An alligator might seem like a good thing to bring to school to share for a nature show-and-tell, but if you do it, you will probably wish you hadn't. Alligators are just way more trouble than they are worth.

A few facts about alligators are included in the text of this book, as the alligator is presented for show-and-tell. I think the author and publisher both missed a golden opportunity to make this book more curriculum-friendly by including additional information about alligators. Kids could then use the book just for fun (and it is a fun book!), or they could use the book as reference material about alligators.

Just a thought...

IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING A PIANO TO THE BEACH, DON'T! by Elise Parsley

From the same author who wrote IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO SCHOOL, DON'T! comes this delightful book. This time, the young girl wants to take her piano to the beach. Her mother allows her to do so, but she warns her to not lose it.

How can you lose a piano? you might ask. Well, it's like this: First you get it to the beach (which is no easy feat), then you have it sitting in the open where the bird make a mess on it, then you push it into the water to wash it off. Then, you guessed it: It floats away.

Does the little girl get the piano back?

I enjoyed this book, but the ending is just a bit off. I can't tell you the ending as that would give the story away, but let's just say that the mother's reaction just doesn't ring true.

Perhaps you won't agree....

LITTLE BABY BUTTERCUP by Linda Ashman

This is just a delightful book about a day in the life of a toddler. Mom and her baby go through a full day of eating and playing and helping and shopping and all the things moms and kids do together. The colorful, kid-friendly illustrations, coupled with the rhyming text, makes this a sure-to-be favorite for the younger set.

THE AIRPORT BOOK by Lisa Brown

A young boy takes the reader along as he embarks on a trip with his mom, dad and little sister. The boy and his family go to a big airport where there are lots of things to do and see. The boy tells the reader about what he is seeing and doing all along the way, from his house to the airport, onto the plane, into the destination airport and then on his way to his grandparents' house.

If you're a kid about to embark on an airplane for the first time, this is the book for you.  The author goes into detail about what to expect when you're a little kid going to a big airport to take a long flight on a big airplane. They've got that aspect well covered. But, I just wanted to point out that the story would be quite different if one were traveling in a small airplane in a small airport.

There were a couple of things about the book that I didn't really like. First of all, the parents tell each other to not forget "Monkey". No one is paying attention when the little girl packs Monkey into her big suitcase. All through the story, the little girl keeps crying for her monkey. She doesn't realize that she can't take the monkey with her on the plane when it is packed in her suitcase. No one really pays any attention to her. I thought that was a little sad. Yes, she is reunited with Monkey at the end of the trip, but I don't like the way that was handled.

Also, there was one place where the text seemed like it was missing a word. Here's the sentence: "You wait until your group is called then walk down the jetway." I think that sentence would be much stronger if it read: "You wait until your group is called and then you walk down the jetway." Just a thought...

But, I did like the way the book comes full circle with the beginning and the ending.

THE MONSTORE by Tara Lazar

When Zack's sister, Gracie, becomes a pest, Zack goes to the Monstore to buy a scary monster, one that will keep her out of his room. That doesn't work, so he buys another one and another one. What can he do to scare his sister away?

A bit of rhyme, a bit of repetition, a bit of alliteration, and great illustrations all add up to a whole lot of fun.

VAMPIRINA BALLERINA by Anne Marie Pace

Even if you're a vampire,  you can be a ballerina. But you have to follow some simple rules: You have to practice, practice, practice and not give up, no matter what.

And because you're a vampire, you have to do things a bit differently: You need to take night classes, you should keep your mouth shut, and you must resist the temptation to show off by turning yourself into a bat.

Vampire or not, any little girl who dreams of being a ballerina can identify with Vampirina Ballerina.

READING FOR RESEARCH BOOK REVIEWS - Post #10

This post of book reviews for ReFoReMo 2017 is  about Rhyming Picture Books. Enjoy!

CIRCUS TRAIN by Jennifer Cole Judd 

This is a delightful little book about the circus. The easy-to-read sentences are very short. The concepts are simple. The text comes full circle as it starts with the line, "Circus trail spills over the hills" and ends with that same line.

The story is told in rhyme. It's very difficult to write in rhyme and do it well, but author Jennifer Cole Judd handles the task well. The bright illustrations by Melanie Matthews are an asset to this great little book.

IT'S ONLY STANLEY by Jon Agee

Stanley, the dog, is apparently a very noisy dog and a whiz at fixing things. Late at night, he wakes everyone up by howling at the moon. Then, he wakes everyone up again when he fixes the oil tank. Later still, he wakes everyone up again when he drains the tub, and other things.

This is a very cute story told in rhyme. It's very difficult to write in rhyme and do it well, but author Jon Agee does it brilliantly. Agee also does the delightful illustrations which perfectly set off the text of this wonderful picture book.

 

JAMBERRY by Bruce Degen  

This is a delightful book, filled with rhymes and word play about berries - blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. It was inspired by the author's memories of picking berries when he was a child.

The rhymes are wonderful. The illustrations are delightful. And the word play is magical. My favorite word is "razzametazzberry".

LITTLE BABY BUTTERCUP by Linda Ashman

This is just a delightful book about a day in the life of a toddler. Mom and her baby go through a full day of eating and playing and helping and shopping and all the things moms and kids do together. The colorful, kid-friendly illustrations, coupled with the rhyming text, makes this a sure-to-be favorite for the younger set.

NANETTE'S BAGUETTE by Mo Willems

"Today is the day Nanette won't soon forget." Nanette is sent to the bakery by herself for the very first time to get the day's baguette. But what happens when Nanette has the warm, wonderfully smelling baguette all to herself?

How many words can you come up with that rhyme with "baguette"? Mo Willems has a whole host of them that he skillfully uses in his rhyming text.

RHYMING DUST BUNNIES by Jan Thomas  

The Dust Bunnies, Ed, Ned, Ted and Bob, rhyme, all the time. Well, mostly.

When Ed asks, "What rhymes with car?", Ed, Ned and Ted say, "Far, jar and tar." Bob says, "Look!"

Of course the word "look" doesn't rhyme with the word "car". They try again. This time Ed asks, "What rhymes with bug? Bob's answer is, "Look out!"

What's going on? Why can't Bob rhyme?

This is not your typical "rhyming" book, but it sure is fun, with a great ending!