"Hello, Robots!" by Bob Staake

So much cute! I adored this book so much and am very excited to share it with my readers. The premise is simple; four robots each have their own chores and duties around the house. Blink cooks, Zinc fixes, Blip gardens and Zip cleans. All is well until the robots get wet. Suddenly none of the robots are behaving quite like they should the household becomes a mess. What's a robot to do?

There is so much to love about this book. The illustrations are fabulous and very color oriented. The text rhymes and has enough repletion that kids can help say part of the book with the reader. It also has a great message about why it is not a good idea to leave any technology outside, especially when there is a threat of rain.

Bob Staake has written a wonderful book. Both boys and girls can enjoy Hello, Robots and it will easily appeal to readers of many ages. It's also a great storytime book and the style works well to make props to help bring the story to life.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"The Cow Loves Cookies" by Karma Wilson

Cute, cute, cute! I so loved this book! Each of the animals on the farm has their food that they enjoy. The horse eats hay, the chickens eat feed and the pigs eat slop. But what about the cow? Well The Cow Loves Cookies! Kids will delight in the repetition and will want to help read along as you recite the animals and food. And even more, they will be anxious to find out why the cow loves cookies (and how he gets so lucky as to eat such a delicious treat).

I had not heard of this book before it showed up at the library, but I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it. I adore books that encourage participation from kids, as this one does. Though it doesn't repeat the same phrases over and over again, the general words do get used again and kids will catch on to the rhyme scheme and will join in. I really need to spend more time with Karma Wilson's books. I have read so few of them, but what I have read is absolutely delightful. I have a list of favorite children's books that I love to give as presents (baby showers, birthdays, etc.) and I am pleased to say that this book just made that list. Kids (and adults) of all ages are going to love this book!



Happy Reading!
-Melly

"How Do You Hug a Porcupine?" by Laurie Isop, illustrated by Gwen Millward

The best way to describe this book is cute, cute cute! It lists ways to hug various animals from cows to giraffes, but every now in then it asks the question, How Do You Hug a Porcupine? I recently saw this book being done at a story time, and was pleased to see that the kids in the audience caught on to the rhyming scheme and would join in with the question. I just love hearing kids recite along with a book!

I think Laurie Isop has written such a fun book. I love that it is a unique idea and is all about hugs. It is a very sweet story that I know kids will relate too and they will want to know the answer to how do you hug a porcupine (spoiler alert, this question does get answered at the end of the book). I hope to see more like this from Isop since this was such a fun read!

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!: Listen to the City" by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe

This book is pretty neat! The sentences are short and they rhyme, great for kiddos with a shorter attention span for books. I really enjoyed the illustrations and how the various sounds were incorporated into the artwork. This is probably not the kind of book that I would share at bedtime. Instead, I would want to encourage kids to mimic the sounds and just have fun with it.

Something I really like about this book is how much fun I think it would be to create activities based on Robert Burleigh's writing and Beppe Giacobbe's art. I love when I come across children's party's that go above and beyond the store-bought party decorations and enjoy them even more if they are book related. In my head I can see decorations based on New York, party favors and games based around cars and boats and a very cute birthday cake. If there's a market for children's parties themed around books, can I get that job?

The rhythm of this book is so fantastic, I was actually a little sad when the boy's day ended and he went back to sleep. I had a lot of fun with this book and think that you will too.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Falling For Rapunzel" by Leah Wilcox and Illustrated Lydia Monks

Kids will get a kick out of Leah Wilcox's Falling for Rapunzel. The prince comes across Rapunzel's tower and calls for her to let down her hair...only she doesn't hear correctly and instead throws down her underwear. The book continues like this, with the prince calling to Rapunzel but her throwing down one random object after an another (my personal favorite being pancake batter). In the end, this book does have a fairy tale ending, but not the one that you would expect.

Once again, this is a book that I love partially for the illustrations. There are lots of little details in the pictures that are fun to look for (I particularly liked the way the pine trees were created). I know that this is the kind of book that is prefect for reading aloud to kids. Books that rhyme are great for kiddos that are learning to read, because they will start to try and figure out what that rhyming word might be and since this book is so hilarious, they will be filled with giggles as they read with you. This will easily become a family favorite and despite it being a "princess book" I think that boys will have fun with this one too.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Eight Winter Nights: A Family Hanukkah Book" by Laura Krauss Melmed, Illustrated by Elisabeth Schlossberg

Eight Winter Nights summarizes each night of Hanukkah through a short poem. It describes the food, the games, and the traditions in an easy to understand format that also rhymes. While this is a very cute book, I was sort of disappointed while I was reading it because, at first, Laura Krauss Melmed didn't give much detail as to what Hanukkah is, why it is celebrated, or an explanation of the traditions. However, I was pleased when I reached the end to find a short history of Hanukkah and a glossary. I was glad that it presented the material in a fun way but then gave the reader more information. 

I live in an area that doesn't focus very much on Hanukkah, which is sad because it is one of my favorite holidays. I am hopeful that one day I will be invited to a Hanukkah celebration so that I can enjoy latkes and dreidal games and get to see the lighting of the menorah. Until then, I will settle for the amazing books that celebrate this holiday. Totally recommend this book to any one who celebrates Hanukkah or to those that want to teach their children more about this awesome holiday.

Happy Reading!
-Melly