"The Family Book" by Todd Parr

2012, IL

Banned from an Erie elementary school's shelves because of a line that reads, "some families have two moms or two dads." The distric also banned everything furnished by GLSEN (Gat, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), including learning materials and various programs aimed at preventing bullying.

-Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read by Robert P. Doyle

I seriously adore the books by Todd Parr. My son is only two, so his attention span for reading is often short, but we can almost always make it through a book by Todd Parr. The illustrations are bright and cheery with lots of color so they are very appealing to a young eye. I also love that Parr doesn't always use color in the way you would expect. Sometime his people have green skin. Sometimes his dogs have purple fur. Since children also experiment when coloring, I find this a great aspect of his books. It's okay to color things the "wrong way!"

The Family Book follows the same formula as many of Parr's other books. Each page addresses something about families and how one family may be different from another family. He also focuses on the things that all families have in common. The wording and illustrations are simple, but filled with love. As always, the book closes with a short letter from Todd confirming the message of the book. I love this book because Todd embraces all of the pieces that can make up a family. I think it is easy for kids to become sad when their family appears different than their friends' families. Of course, no two families are completely alike, but at a young age, it is hard to see that. I feel that this book addresses how families are alike and different, but in a way that can be understood by readers of all ages and in a way that is comforting.

I have read many of Parr's books to my son, since he was a tiny little thing. Although many of the messages aren't things he is concerned with yet, I like that we are able to share the positive messages in the books. I hope that reading books like this will put him on the right track to accepting people how they are and knowing all of us have things in common and things that are different.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Teachers' Night Before Christmas" by Steven Layne, Illustrated by James Rice

Before you rush out and buy this book, let me explain it a little. I thought that The Teachers' Night Before Christmas would be really cute and fun, but instead found it to be a little depressing. It is not a book I would want to read with a child. The teachers are extremely stressed about the Christmas season and all of the projects going on at school (which makes sense, there is always a lot going on that time of year). There just seems to be a little too much negativity going on this book for it to be enjoyable for me. It is told from the point of view of the teachers and at times I almost felt like the students were being mocked by said teachers (on many of the pages there are doodles on the classroom chalkboards and if a word can be misspelled it is, which I found a little unfortunate). While I wouldn't want to give this to a kid, I could see teachers getting a kick out of this book. I am glad the Layne did stick to the format of Twas the Night Before Christmas instead of just writing a story without the poetic format. There are a few other books in this series (The Librarian's Night Before Christmas and Preachers' Night Before Christmas are just two of the titles) and I assume that they will be in same style and format and would appeal to those in said professions more than to children (at some point I will give them a read though).


And since people are always looking for it:

A Visit from St. Nicholas

By Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy" by Jane Thayer Illustrated by Lisa McCue

Oh this book is so sweet! Petey the puppy just wants a boy for Christmas, but can't seem to find one. His mom tries to find him one, but doesn't succeed, so he sets out on his own. He asks several dogs if he can have their boy, but none of the dogs he encounters wants to give up their boy. When it seems like there is just no hope, Petey finds some that needs Petey just as much as Petey needs them.

Something I like about The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy is that while it is a Christmas book, it's focus isn't on the holiday, but instead on Petey's search. Jane Thayer has written a brilliant book is all about love and finding those that make you happy. It also has a great feel-good ending. It's one of those books that really needs to be part of every child's book collection, or at least one that gets checked out from the library often. If you haven't read it yet, you really should!

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"I Want to Go to the Moon" by Tom Saunders, Illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

This book is wonderful and so inspiring! It tells the very basic tale of a young Neil Armstrong and his desire to go to the moon. It follows him from very young to finally meeting his goal. Though everyone tells Neil that it is impossible to go to the moon and no one will ever get there, he never lets go of his dream. He works hard in school, begins working at NASA and (as we all know) eventually is the first man to walk on the moon. The book can be read alone or paired with it's accompanying CD (though fair warning, the tune is very catchy and will likely be in your head). It's a great book to share with children to help them realize that with hard work and determination they can be anything.

I just adore this book. The message is wonderful and it is a lot of fun to get kids to sing along with it. Though it isn't the most accurate if you are using it to get information on Armstrong's life (who had a fascinating life by the way), the focus of I Want to Go to the Moon is really on making your own dreams come true. This is a must read for any child that needs inspiration or encouragement, and possibly some adults too. I look forward to the day when I can afford to buy every children's book that catches my eye and I know that this one will certainly be added to that collection!



Happy Reading!
-Melly

Interview with I. L. Williams, Author of "Bing & Nero"

What inspired Bing & Nero?

Bing and Nero is a story I made up to tell my 5 year-old son (who is crazy about robots!) at bedtime. He wanted to hear it over and over again, and asked a lot of questions about the characters. A few of his friends also liked the story. I decided to find an illustrator in order to make it into a book I could give him as a Christmas present. When I saw Inci´s (the illustrator) pictures, I began to see this could really be a proper book many other kids might enjoy.


Do you plan to write more about these characters or more in the universe you have created?

I have already written the second book and I am busy telling the third story to my son in order to develop it to his satisfaction. When he won´t allow me to change the story anymore, I know it is probably right.


What was the hardest part of writing/publishing this book?
The hardest part was figuring out how to self-publish efficiently and at low cost. There are a lot of options and a lot of potential traps --especially people and organizations offering services that you don´t need or that are overpriced. I got very lucky and I joined a group of self-publishing professionals (Alliance of Independent Authors) who provide a wealth of solid information.

What do you do besides write?
I am a communications and marketing professional and have made a career out of corporate writing. Creativity in that arena really helps. Writing professionally every day also makes me more efficient when I write fiction. I know better than to wait around for inspiration.

What are you currently reading?
These days I am revisiting a lot of old children´s classics. These stories that have charmed kids for generations have a lot that can be learned to make you a better writer for kids. "Eloise" by Kay Thompson and "Oh, the places you´ll go!" by Dr. Seuss are next to my computer now. And I have to say that Neil Gaiman is a magician with words. I am revisiting his work all the time.

One of the nicest reviews I have received so far on Amazon (excerpt):


There are a lot of kids out there that do not have anyone to play with. A book such as this one opens a child’s mind and allows their creativity to soar beyond their imagination. Who would not want to have a robot as a friend? I know I would. 

In addition, as an early childhood educator, I believe this book would be a great asset to the classroom and to any lesson plan. A whole lesson plan can be done around this book. -Evelyn G.

Bio:

Ingrid Williams is a native Californian who now lives with her family in Norway. She has had a successful career as a financial journalist for Dow Jones Newswires and as a copywriter for one of the largest creative agencies in Scandinavia, among other positions in the world of corporate communications. She is a recipient of the Humphrey´s Fellowship in Writing at Columbia University in New York. She created "Bing & Nero" for her 5 year-old son, who has a serious robot obsession that shows every sign of continuing for quite some time. 

About the illustrator:

Inci Alper loves to tell stories through her art. She works as a game artist and resides in the beautiful city of Istanbul. She is a daydreamer and she likes to escape into the world of video games for hours. She also secretly wishes she had a robot friend of her own. 

Synopsis:

 Bing wants a dog. But his mother says a dog is out of the question. What´s a young boy in need of a friend on a boring Saturday morning to do? Why, make his own friend! He heads right down to the family basement to collect boxes of junk, old toys and discarded household items.  And he sets to work. Hours later, and after a few wrong turns, he has built his own robot friend. And what a friend his new creation is! The product of Bing´s rich imagination and household junk from the basement, Nero is a metallic wonder. From the moment he is switched on, the house is filled with fun! And when they take to the sky for a late afternoon flight, boy and robot are in for a joyous ride that celebrates their friendship.  Tucked into his bed that evening, with Nero plugged in to recharge for the next day´s fun, Bing decides that having a robot is actually even better than having a dog.

*This book is the first in a series of books about the active adventures of boy and robot. I have written the second book and am now at work on the third.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Bing & Nero" by I. L. Williams

This book is really sweet. Bing is lonely. None of his friends can come over to play and his mom won't let him have a dog. He decides to build himself a robot so that he will always have a friend. He grabs several boxes worth of stuff and soon has a new friend named Nero. Bing & Nero become the best of friends and play together all day. It is a simple story, but one that is very fun and very sweet.

I think Williams has a great series going here. As an only child, I can relate so much to Bing. There were very few kids in my neighborhood when I was growing up, and even fewer of them were close to my age. Because of this, I spent a lot of time playing with imaginary friends. I never went as far to build a friend like Bing does, but I think it's a great idea. I see this book appealing to most kids, especially boys and those that are only children. The illustrations are adorable, Alper has done a great job of bringing Bing's creation to reality (I especially love that Nero is partially made out of a working microwave). I will definitely be keeping an eye out for subsequent books about these two wonderful characters.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"No Bath! No Cake! Polly's Pirate Party" by Matthias Weinert

What kid wouldn't want a band of pirates to come to their birthday party? And what pirate wouldn't want to go to a birthday party? Unfortunately, Pete the parrot thinks that the pirates need to clean up their act before they go to the party. As you might guess, the birthday girl isn't too thrilled when a group of clean, well-dressed men show up instead of the unruly pirates she invited. No Bath! No Cake! will delight all kids (though maybe don't read it when trying to convince your kid that they need to take a bath).

It's so early in the year and I have big plans to read as many picture books as I can get to, but this one is one of my favorites so far (of this year, I mean). The illustrations are perfect for a set of pirates, a little rough, but I really liked that about this book. I giggled quite a bit while reading this one and can't wait for the opportunity to share it with some little ones.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Lawn to Lawn" by Dan Yaccarino

Yes, I did read this book because it had a lawn gnome and a flamingo on the cover, wouldn't you? Lawn to Lawn is the story of Pearl's lawn decorations and their quest to get back to Pearl when her family moves but forgets to take some very important friends. It's silly but a great story about the power of love and perseverance. Throughout the course of the book, the decorations are given many opportunities to find a new home as they make new friends on their journey. But each time they think of their best friend Pearl and they keep going.

Kids will love Dan Yaccarino's illustrations (and will probably love this book even more if they know that Yaccarino is involved with shows such as The Backyardigans and Oswald). There are plenty of fun moments that show the decorations trying (emphasis on trying) to blend when they are surrounded by people. I love when children's writers find new perspectives to write from. I would never have thought to write a book from the point of view of lawn decorations, but what a fun book this idea has become!



Happy Reading!
-Melly

"The Titanic Lost...and Found" by Judy Donnelly

The Titanic Lost...and Found is a great introduction to this piece of history. The book has the facts but doesn't go into long explanations that could bore beginning researchers. Though depicting a tragedy, the illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I liked that one showed what the inside of the ship looked like and another showed the size of a ship in relationship to the number of blocks long (abstract measurements like this never quite made sense when I was a kid so this would have cleared some things up for me at the time). My only complaint with this book was that it was a little outdated (published in 1987). Since I was reading an e-copy, I was a little surprised that some more recent information hadn't been added to this copy. But the basic facts of the Titanic were there so I guess that is enough.

Even as an adult, I love these basic accounts of history. When I need to do research, I still start in with books aimed at youth because I know I can get most of the basic information I need to start and then go about tracking down the more obscure information. Besides, books with pictures make researching so much more fun and interesting. Kids wanting to learn about the Titanic will get a lot out of this book and are in luck if they want to learn more since so much has been written about this majestic ship.


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

"The Shape of My Heart" by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Alys Paterson

Mark Sperring's The Shape of My Heart is pretty cute. It starts with the shape of a person and goes through other shapes you might see in a typical days and ends with the shape you love with- your heart. This is a great book for kids that are recognizing and pointing out shapes, though I do recommend it for kids that have a decent grasp on shapes, not for kids that are just beginning to learn their shapes. Each page focuses on several shapes and could be overwhelming to kids that are just figuring out the difference between a square and a triangle.  This book is also full of bright colors, great for asking "what color is this?"

 Actually, this book is great as a whole as a question book. There are plenty of elements to ask kids about; shapes, colors, animals, etc. And Paterson's illustrations are just adorable! There isn't a lot of text on each page, good for helping with short attention spans (and there is so much going on in the pictures, there will be plenty for kids to look at while they listen). I thought this book was very sweet and see it being a kid pleaser!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Little Moose Who Could Not Sleep - A Maynard Moose Tale" by Willy Claflin, Illustrated by James Stimson

As someone who is lucky enough to have seen many storytellers in person, Willy Claflin being one of them, I think that The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep would translate much better when being told instead of being read. While the tale is extremely cute, it was a little too long and I have found that picture books with big chunks of texts tend to lose kids' interest quickly.

The premise of this book is great. Little Moose just can't sleep no matter how hard she tries. Her brain just won't be quiet and she is up all night. Because of this she can't pay attention in school and her teachers, principal and parents aren't too happy. They keep trying to figure out how she can fall asleep. She eats legumes, goes to bed early and even counts sheep. Will anything help her fall asleep?

This is the kind of book that would be great for a kiddo in a situation similar to Little Moose's. However, there were a couple of things that kind of let me down. Length was a big one.  While I often read children's books for my own enjoyment, I can't help but read them with a kids reaction in mind. I just can't see most kids sitting still while this book is being read to them. Because I have seen Claflin tell stories I am almost certain that it's verbal rendition would keep their attention better. That being said, the copy I reviewed did not come with an audio cd so there's the possibility that reading the book along with said cd would make for a better experience. Overall, I did like this book. The illustrations are adorable and the plot is very fun. Definitely recommend tracking down some videos of Claflin for kiddos (and adults) that like this book- or better yet, go see him in person!

"Space (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #6)" by Will Osborne & Mary Pope Osborne, Illustrated by Sal Murdocca

I have always liked non-fiction books. I remember being frustrated as an early elementary student because we had to stick to the picture book section, but I always found myself wanting to go look at the "big kid books" many of which were in the non-fiction section. Reading Space as an adult really makes me wish that I could have read some of these books as a kid.

The problem with some non-fiction books for kids is how dry the material can be. I learned at a young age how to skim these books for the information I needed for research and then was done with the book. The thing I like about the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books is that the information presented has a lot of facts, but is still enjoyable to read. I know that had these books been out when I was in the second or third grade, I would have read them like crazy and would have learned a thing or two while doing so (and much of the information covered in Space was information that I remember learning about both in middle and high school so that would have been an advantage as well). I think it is so awesome that these books go along with titles in the regular Magic Tree House series (for instance, Space specifically ties in to Midnight on the Moon) and will encourage kids that learn more about the places they visit in the books. While working at the library, I have noticed that I tend to get more requests for reading recommendations for boys and I can honestly say that now that I know more about this series, I will certainly be adding it to my list of books to suggest!

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

"Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama" by Selina Alko

This book is fabulous!  I didn't know anything about Hanukkah until reading Ann M. Martin's Little Sister series and learning about Nancy's Jewish celebrations.  I loved Selina Alko's Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama and how Sadie gets to celebrate each holiday with all of the members of her family.  They hang candy canes on the menorah and put gelt under the Christmas tree.  They eat foods traditional for each holiday and give presents for the eight nights of of Hanukkah and on Christmas mornings.

There were quite a few things I liked about this book.  First, I love how it incorporates elements of the two holidays.  It covers food, traditions, and how the two can be intertwined.  The second thing I loved was the art style.  I am realizing that I am quite a fan of mixed media.  I especially loved the way images were pieced together from found objects (I really loved the painted over crossword puzzle).  I think this a definite must for the holiday reading list.

Happy Reading!
-Melly