Review: Calm Down Boris!

Calm Down Boris! by Sam Lloyd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was opened this morning as a Holiday gift:



My daughter loved this one. She wanted to read it to me right after we were finished. I can tell it will be one she learns quickly too.



It's a silly - laugh inducing - fun book that will be especially helpful for bringing her out of "not-so-happy" moods that she gets into from time to time.



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Review: The Copycat Fish

Copycat Fish (RB Fish & Friends) by Marcus Pfister

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is one of the books that was given to us by family as a "pass-down" gift.

My daughter loved it, and she actually offered her two cents too.

She said that she loves to copycat because sometimes that's how she learns. We talked about how some people might get annoyed at seeing copycats or being copied. But, she let me know that she would know when they were getting upset and stop.

I've always loved the illustrations of the Rainbow Fish books. Watercolor is one of my favorite mediums to paint with as well as look at.





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Review: The Snow Child

The Snow Child by Freya Littledale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I remember this book well from when I was a child. I was excited to see that we had it on our bookshelf. It has been handed down from family - or it may even be the one that I kept through the years. I wish I knew for sure.

My version of the book came with a cassette and I would listen to it often.

Now that I am older, and have a child of my own - I do appreciate the story more. If I were rating it - I would give it a 3 instead of 4 because of the bittersweet narrative. But - my daughter loved the book - just as I did when I was small.

She was smiling throughout the entire thing. And - asked me to read it again but to her "baby lion" that she sleeps with...just so she could hear it a second time. :o)

Tonight - she has also asked for a repeat reading of the book. This may be one she will be able to recite to me soon enough. :oD



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Review: I Love You Every Little Bit: A Pop Up Book

I Love You Every Little Bit: A Pop Up Book by Margaret Wang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a cute little popup book. I got this for my daughter for Valentine's Day this past February. We have read it countless times since.

It's great for memorization as there is a rhythmic rhyme to the words. She is 4.5 years old and almost has it memorized! :o)

She loves looking at all of the illustrations. When we're through - she turns the pages backwards through the book and names each animal "Mama owl loves baby owl!".
So, when she's through with that...I add "And...THIS mama loves her baby every little bit too."



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Review: Kingdom of Color (Disney Tangled)

Kingdom of Color (Disney Tangled) by Melissa Lagonegro

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I am actually excited for this the new Disney movie "Tangled". It looks like my little girl is too --- or she just loves anything illustrated that looks like it may be a princess. (Look at that castle in the background!) She picked up this book tonight at the grocery store. :o)

This book has great illustrations. But - to me & my daughter - the wording needs a little help. Some of the pages seem to be telling a story, but others are just stating the colors & objects - instead of forming a fluid sentence to follow. After a couple of those pages - my daughter actually said, "Why does this book not sound right?"

She did enjoy the illustrations a lot though - and I think - if we read it more -- I will embellish it a bit to make it a little bit more exciting for her too.



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Review: Jungle Animals

Jungle Animals by Louisa Sladen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was her first book she actually picked out for herself on the shelves of our local second-hand children's shop a couple years ago.
We were shopping for holiday dresses and/or outfits. At first she was minding her own business in the toy area. Then she came up to me - just an isle away and said, "Can we buy this cute lion book?" Did I mention that she also LOVES lions? :o)
To this day - we reminisce and read the book together - pulling out the tabs and coloring all of the Jungle Animals.
It's great a great first book -- plus great to start to learning to recognize animals and colors, as well.



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Review: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had forgotten about this story until I saw this book @ the library.

This was the classic fable retold with whimsical illustrations that made both my daughter and I examine every page fully and giggle a time or two.

She has started to be more vocal during story time -- which I like a lot because it helps have a deeper understanding about how she thinks about things. I try and remember all of the questions until the end, and answer them, so it doesn't interrupt the story too much. If she will let me...that is.

Questions and comments from her during the story:
Why is he not wearing shoes?
Why is he saying there is a Wolf, when there isn't?
The sheep are looking funny at him!
Why isn't anyone helping him, there are wolves now!?!

:o) We have been working on telling the truth and not making things up -- even though the consequences for telling the truth may be undesirable. It is always better to be honest than to fib. In the end - I think this book will help her understand the importance of always telling the truth.
And -- eventhough we won't have the pictures to look at -- now that I have been reminded of the story -- I'll be able to retell it when needed.




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Review: Sesame Street Cookie Countdown

Sesame Street Cookie Countdown by Sarah Albee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


We have had this book for a while -- although haven't read it lately. My daughter loved it a couple years ago because of the moving googley-eyes. We always counted the cookies too. :o) She was so proud when she could point and count them herself.
It's a book about sharing -- and teaches a good lesson. Tonight when we read it - we talked about sharing also. She agrees sharing is fun and makes her feel good. I pointed out some of her toys that she sleeps with were originally mine...but I "shared" them with her and they became hers. And that her sharing some of the toys that she was given with us when we are playing together makes fun times we can remember. She also wanted to let me know that sometimes, when she knows it won't make her feel good, she doesn't like to share.
:o) I love books that open her up to talk about her feelings.



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Review: Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


As we were choosing a book to read before bed tonight she saw the moon and picked this one.

We received this book as a gift from a family member. I was excited when we got it because I remembered that I had it when I was small. Although - I didn't remember too much about it other than the fact that I was a tad bit frightened by it back then.

After opening the book - I remember part of my uneasiness stemmed from the books color scheme. Another part was after I was reminded about the "Old Lady" bunny who sat and watched as the little bunny started falling asleep. That was just (and still is) a little creepy to me.

My daughter did seem to enjoy the book. She liked how the bunny said goodnight to everything in the room. She has a very strict bedtime routine that she makes sure she keeps. So - I think she may have found comfort in knowing that the bunny may also have an obsessive night routine.

At the end - she did let me know that she was going to be saying goodnight to the moon too -- after I turn out the lights.



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Review: Can You Make a Scary Face?

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book was just ok for my 4 year old. Then again -- if we had read it as a mid-day or after dinner book - she may respond to it and enjoy it more than as a just-before-bed book.

The brightly colored pages did grab her attention. She liked following the requests of the ladybug throughout the book. Although, at one point - she took her eyes off the pages and looked at me like, "Really? Do I have to?"...haha

I would recommend reading this one during playtime. Would be a great one to lead up to a game of Simon Says.







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Library Coloring Pages

 The library that we go to most often has a table set up with crayons and coloring pages. I remember sitting at these tables when I was small. If I look through some of my boxes-o-stuff...I'm sure I can find a couple of them that I have kept through the years. Some fond memories were made at those tables coloring with my sister and friends from school - who happened to be at the library when we were there.

I've started a collection of pictures of the pages that we color on Flickr. Here's a LINK to my Library Coloring pages set.

I also created a slideshow on the right sidebar of the blog. :o) Enjoy!

Review: The Very Busy Spider

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Very cute repetitive book. I love the books that have my daughter involved more than just turning the pages. She loved the embossed pages and had to touch each one while reading. After the first few pages, she could pretty much "read" the rest of the book to me -- with a little help -- of course. I can tell the repetitiveness is helping build my daughters confidence because she's actually HELPING me read. And -- THAT's something to be proud of. It also allows us to be silly when making the farm animal sounds as each animal approaches the spider. Great underlying message too.

The ending makes for a perfect before-bedtime book as well. (You can't have enough of those sometimes.)



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Review: There Are Cats in This Book

There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Super fun giggly book that got my 4 yr old daughter completely involved in listening - reacting (w/ a tiny bit of tense delight) - answering - and turning the pages (forwards & backwards) almost as fast as I could read them. *You'll understand*



My Daughter and I also loved the illustrations (Mostly done in primary colors) - lift-the-flap pages - and layout as well. A couple of the pages would make us just giggle before even reading a word on the page.



This is currently one of her new favorites - definitely a "must-read" for young kitty lovers!



p.s. It has also been a great just-before-bed book. :o)



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Kid-O-Lit Introduction

Hello all ~

Being an avid library patron as I grew up - I felt it important to introduce my daughter to the isles of books for borrow behind the walls of the public library.

I still think the biggest challenge for her is going to be needing to try to always use her "library voice" once we step foot through the doors. Which - I still believe this is a challenge for most adults.

This blog is going to be dedicated to our journey through the world of books from today forward.

I will try and post reviews from my point of view -- and also ask my daughter for help in reviewing the book from her perspective.

I may decide to revisit some of the books that we own or have read before - but as for now - it will be books that we borrow from the local public library.

Enjoy!