"My Cat, The Silliest Cat in the World" written and illustrated by Gilles Bachelet

Kids will get a kick out of this book! The narrator is a little confused and doesn't realize that the pet cat is actually a pet elephant. The silly cat enjoys nothing more than eating and sleeping and eating, but sometimes the cat just can't avoid getting into trouble. Kids will delight in the craziness as we find out that the cat does not land on it's feet and sometimes has issues aiming correctly for the little box. This is a great book to share and ask kids questions about the story (what's going on in the picture, and that sort of thing).

I read some reviews that complained because the narrator never realizes that their cat is actually an elephant, but I thought that was part of the fun with this book. We know from the cover that the cat is likely not a a cat at all so I think the reader should just have fun with this book and not over analyze a children's picture book. My Cat, The Silliest Cat in the World is such a fun read and I look forward to reading When the Silliest Cat was Small and any other books that might come out.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Big Nate: Out Loud" by Lincoln Peirce

Oh how I love Nate! Lincoln Perice's Big Nate Out Loud was not a disappointment. This book is a collection of comic strips that were originally published in newspapers.  I read this one on my kindle was was very pleased to find that it was formatted in a way that was easy to read (I have come across several books that are formatted horribly and are nearly unreadable).  Big Nate always has some grand scheme up his sleeve- from figuring out how to organize his locker (hypnosis seems like a good plan) to helping his father plan for a 10K marathon. He never fails to make me laugh. There's not a whole lot can say about these books other than I really enjoy them.  Nate is a very realistic character.  He's often getting into mischief and trying to get out of doing homework but is overall good at heart.  It's yet another set of books that I highly recommend for reluctant readers.  If you haven't already picked up one of the books featuring Nate, you missing out.  Give them a shot- you won't regret it!


Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny" By Jan Thomas

I LOVE THIS BOOK!  Though I am not that great at reading aloud or doing voices for characters, this is one of those books that I must do both every time I read it.   It is a favorite of mine to read to children (and adults if there are no kids around).  Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny tells the story of Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob who are being bullied by The Big Mean Dust Bunny.  It involves a lot of rhyming- great for a simple lesson on the subject (for instance: Ed, Ned, and Ted sound alike, but Bob doesn’t.  Kids will eat this sort of thing right up) as well as addressing how to be nice to other people.  Even though I am in my twenties, I giggle like crazy right along with the kids as I read this book.  Thomas’ writing is absolutely wonderful and a must-have for any house with children.

Happy Reading!

-Melly