For You and No One Else

Boyds Mills Press/Lemniscaat
Edward van de Vendel & Martijn van der Linden


While cavorting blissfully through the forest one day, Buck makes a wonderful discovery - a seven leaf clover. Finding a seven leaf clover is an unbelievable feat! Filled with joy, he leaps into the air and prances about. Instantly, Buck knows who should receive this amazing find. Why, his best friend Sparklehart, of course, and no one else.

To Buck's dismay, his best friend takes a closer look at the ground and discovers his gift isn't that special after all. This particular field is filled with clover, all of which is the seven leafed variety. While Buck is disappointed, Sparklehart is elated. He picks a mouthful and doles them out to his lady friends, telling each recipient "There was only one, and I thought: This is for you and no one else." Gasp! Sparkle is a ladies' deer! He is also a little bit of a poetic thief, stealing Buck's delivery line.

Understandably, Buck is crushed and trots off into the forest to have a good pout. In the middle of his sulk, he lifts his head and finds ... a twelve leaf clover. A twelve leaf clover is the most amazing find of all. He pauses for a moment, evaluates, and decides that this was meant for his friend Sparklehart and no one else.

I'm not totally sure what the message here is. Maybe stay true to your friends even when they let you down? Bros before does? Be very clear with your intentions? Whatever the intended meaning, this little book really nails that combination of being lovely and comedic at the same time. Simple black and white illustrations are paired with bright lime green text, hitting the lovely mark. For humor, all the deer wear jaunty outfits and have human-like characteristics and mannerisms. In total, a slightly odd, but completely enjoyable read.

Bedtime for Frances

Hit Entertainment & The Jim Henson Company
$14.98

The Frances books by Russell Hoban are classics that many of us remember from our childhood. I have them now for my kids, but they aren't nearly as fascinated by them as I was at that age. That may be due to the stripped down style of the simple illustrations, which children today may find a bit outdated.

This DVD pumps color and life into Frances and her family! The Jim Henson Digital Puppetry Studio uses their technology to puppeteer and voice digitally animated characters in real time. It's the badgers we love from the original series, enhanced by brilliant colors and non-stop motion. Best of all, the disc is tucked inside a custom-made hardback edition of Bedtime for Frances, making for a great little gift package. In addition to an interactive read-a-long of the book, the disc also contains three new animated adventures.

A Whiny Sister For Frances: Family Day is announced as a trip to Lizard Land, Frances falls asleep in her lizard hat dreaming of the big day. In contrast, her parents are up all night attending to her sick sister: drinks, vaporizer ... bucket. The next morning, Frances is furious to find the trip postponed because Gloria has the flu. Initially unsympathetic, Frances mulls it over in her thinking spot under the dining room table. She realizes they can still have a great family day if she pitches in to help Gloria.

A Cupcake for Frances: Our star is super excited about hosting the piano recital at her house. Instead of practicing, she focuses on getting the cupcakes decorated just right while Albert works on his piece. Jealous of his diligence, Frances eats his cupcakes and lies about it to her parents. After visiting her thinking spot, she realizes the right thing to do is to come clean, giving Albert eat her cupcake.

These episodes contain great messages for kids about the right thing to do, or reinforce daily behavior like proper teeth brushing and getting to bed on time. The animation is enjoyable, with enjoyable characters as well as surroundings (love all the house details). Frances regularly breaks into a short song about her predicaments, which are catchy and original. The only down side is Gloria's voice, which is overly cutesy childlike and nerve-grating. Luckily, she doesn't do a lot of talking.

Overall, we liked this very much. Leave it to The Jim Henson Company to do a wonderful job adapting a classic children's book to make it appealing to a whole new audience. We are most impressed by what a great deal the packaging is. Getting a hardback book in lieu of a plastic case - can't beat that! But even better is the fact that I can enjoy a much loved story from my childhood in a brand new way.

Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park

Granite Peak Publications
Janet Chapple

Happy National Park Week! This is a week proclaimed by the President as a time to celebrate and recognize national and state parks, national monuments and historic sites in the United States. The best tribute would be to hit the road and visit some of those sites! But we're the literary sort here, and our celebrations lean towards reading rather than doing. Thus, we offer up an awesome guide on the very first National Park in the U.S. - Yellowstone!

Janet Chapple is no stranger to Yellowstone. Rather, she knows it inside and out as her interest took hold early in her childhood days and continued to blossom. Chapple's recommendations are based are real experiences - she has spent many summer months in the park, hiking every single trail that she suggests. Consequently, this is a terrific guide - comprehensive, well organized and easy to use.

Yellowstone has over 300 miles of roads. Where to start? Using this book is the equivalent to using a great travel guide of the silent type - the perfect resource. This is 392 pages jam packed with information about America's oldest and most diverse national park. Chapple details the pros and cons of visiting during each month, what to expect from the park, the best features and the insider's tips on some of the less well-known places. In addition, the book includes 37 maps, charts of campgrounds and other facilities, detailed diagrams and over 200 photos.

Chapple writes the type of guidebook that inspires even indoor-type people to get out and experience Yellowstone. This is a very detailed guide that takes a massive attraction and makes it seem approachable and manageable. With this, you could plan a wonderful family vacation with memories that would last a lifetime!

Higher! Higher!

Leslie Patricelli
Candlewick Press

Do you remember the excitement of being a kid on a swing set and screaming as loudly as you could to be sent higher? You were but a passenger on that crazy bus and the sky was the limit. For the little girl in this book, the sky is only the very beginning of her amazing journey upward.

Each push from her dad brings this little pig-tailed cutie to new dizzying heights. First she can see over the bushes, then over the rooftops. A few more pushes and she can see the tops of mountains, a passing airplane and how Earth appears from above. Just when you think she couldn't swing any higher, she meets a surprising new friend (no spoilers here!) before beginning her descent back to Dad.

This book is short on words, but not on emotion. The excitement is clearly evident on the little girl's face as she swings further into the sky. The first seven pages only reiterate the title "Higher! Higher!" and it's up to the reader to inject the enthusiasm. Given the illustrations of her swing progress, that's a pretty easy task.

I love that Leslie can take a everyday, mundane activity and bring to light the type of imaginative thinking that kids are capable of. The swing set might be restricted to her own backyard, but this little girl's imagination knows no bounds.

The author paragraph on the back of the dust jacket cracks me up: Leslie Patricelli lives in the mountain town of Ketchum, Idaho, with her musician husband, three inspiring children, one fat cat, one skinny cat, two fast rabbits, and a legion of well-trained sea monkeys. If that's a peep at Leslie Patricelli's sense of humor, sign me up for all her books. And I'm relieved to hear her sea-monkeys are well trained - that's the mark of a good author.

Check out some previously released Patricelli board books that we have loved:

I Love Chocolate

Tundra Books
Davide Cali; Illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi

This is the most perfect post-Easter book. Like many houses, the bunny recently left us a basket overflowing with sugar-laden goodies. Of course, the most attractive and delectable selections are the chocolates. As the boy in the book succinctly states "I love chocolate because it even looks yummy!" How right he is.

Apparently this book is just as fitting for adults as children, because I agreed with nearly every sentiment offered here. I love chocolate because it makes bad times better. Check. I love chocolate because it makes every day a celebration. Check, check. The only hard part about loving chocolate is eating too much. Triple check. You got my number, kid.

Readers would be quite foolish to attempt to tackle this one without a secret stash of chocolates on hand. Very foolish indeed, as point after valid point is made about the merits of this rich treat. First the different types of chocolates are discussed - if you need a refresher, those would be crunchy, chewy, ooey and gooey. Next we move on to the various interiors, shapes and colors, followed up by the best days and times to partake. Big finish with a refresher on chocolate eating styles - I'm a dainty chocolate dabbler myself, but I could be friends with a monster muncher.

Although this book speaks the wicked truth about the brown beast, it does so in a clever way. Silly scenarios paired with some great illustrations means this is a book you can giggle at. One peep and you'll probably agree that this is a humorous delight .. unless you are too busy working out those rotten chocolate smears from your best pants.


Mama Robot. is another yet excellent selection by Davide Cali.

Critter Quest

Smithsonian Networks Kids!

Ohhh, these are some awesome videos for nature loving kids! Our test group absolutely went wild for these and insisted on watching them repeatedly. Luckily for us parents, these don't carry the annoyance factor that typical cartoons bring, so repeat viewings are a-okay. These are the ultimate resource for any kid who loves learning about bugs, birds, squirrels, caterpillars and more!

Peter Schriemer is the perfect host for this series. He is engaging, appears to take a genuine interest in the subjects at hand and his enthusiasm is downright contagious. He takes us on a "backyard safari" to demonstrate how one's very own backyard can become the most fascinating place of all for exploration. The camera work is also excellent, with up close, clear footage of all the featured animals.

This disc contains three episodes, each tackling different subject areas. Creepy Crawlers Everywhere features all types of insects and small animals: beetles, slugs, walking sticks, pill bugs, frogs and jumping spiders. There's even a neat little lesson on how to build your own beetle trap, using common household materials. Season of Change gives us the lowdown on how different animals prepare for winter. For the coldest season, we learn how these guys must put their survival skills to work by foraging (squirrels and chipmunks), hibernating (frogs and turtles) and migrating (birds). And finally, The Wild Side of D.C., shows exactly which critters call Washington, D.C. their home - from Canada geese to ducks and squirrels, the animals run this town.

Smithsonian Networks is renowned for quality programming, and it's no surprise that Smithsonian Networks Kids offers equally great content. These programs are informative, down to earth (literally!) and utterly fascinating. Bug out on this backyard safari and your kids will be begging to give their own yards a closer look to make their own creepy, crawly friends.

Run time: 90 minutes
Release date: March 24, 2009

We’re Having A Baby

Change is Strange
Ricki Booker; illustrated by Selena Kassab

Reading We’re Having A Baby to your child is a great way to introduce him or her to the impending arrival of a younger sibling. This is a story about a little boy named Charlie Change, who is told by his parents that they will soon be welcoming a baby sister. Upon hearing the news, Charlie is worried about the changes to his family. His parents reassure him that although things will be different, no one will take his place.

Charlie is excited to be a big brother when his little sister, Daisy, arrives. However, he soon decides that the baby is not fun: “She cried. She ate. She pooped. She slept.” Charlie does not like this change to his family. After his parents enlist his assistance with Daisy and praise him for his helpfulness, Charlie starts to enjoy being the big brother, declaring “I am Super Charlie, the super brother!" The book ends on a sweet note with Daisy smiling at her big brother and him returning her smile.

This book presents a realistic picture of the arrival of a new baby and the changes that will occur. The last page of the book even contains “Helpful Hints for Parents” on preparing your child for the arrival of a new sibling.

Change is Strange offers books designed to help children transition through big changes: We're Moving?, Mommy and Daddy are Going on a Trip, My First Day of School and No More Pacifier. The books tackle, in a light-hearted way, the fears and questions that are likely to be expressed or felt by your child by each event. To make the stories extra special, you can have each book personalized - your child will co-star alongside Charlie Change!

The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems

Candlewick Press
Michael J. Rosen; Illustrated by Stan Fellows

This is a seriously gorgeous book. Downright stunning, actually. A poetry volume cleverly disguised as a field guide that offers beautifully written haiku on twenty-four birds. As if the prose weren't enough, the pages are also filled with most wondrous watercolors by Stan Fellows.

The selections are arranged by season, beginning with the Eastern Bluebird of Spring and closing with the Purple Finch of Winter. Brilliant colors appear in the plumage of Golden Finches, Cardinals and Blue Jays. Even the American Robin, which is so common in our own backyard, is spectacular here with her puffed orange breast and white speckled throat. She sings "cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up!" Every detail of the book is carefully arranged, right down to the perfectly chosen fonts.

Author Michael J. Rosen says "Now I live on a 100-acre farm in the foothills of the Appalachians. Writing about wildlife is really writing about my own life." He offers us a delightful peek at what he is privy to on a daily basis. Here there are feeders heavy with Purple Finches, Morning Doves building their nests and Belted Kingfishers catching fresh fish for dinner. Pileated Woodpeckers drum in the forest while the sky turns black with by the wings of a thousand Starlings.

It's lovely to find a book such as this - a children's book that is just as much a joy for adults as well. Readers of any age will take so much pleasure in this volume. If readers are not already fascinated by birds, this is an amazing introduction to the how amazing bird watching can be. Be prepared to be hooked, as this is one book far too beautiful to be relegated to the bookshelf.

Marley & Me

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Just released on March 31, this is a great film about a family's relationship with their larger-than-life dog. Yup, there's a lot of hilarity from the antics and giant mess making from Marley, but at the same time, this is also a powerful story that will tug at your heartstrings. Based on a New York Times bestselling autobiographical book by journalist John Grogan, this is real story that contains serious life lessons. Pet owners will easily relate to so much of the content, though viewers should beware there is a sad/bittersweet ending to be prepared for.

Jennifer Aniston and Luke Wilson team up as a husband-wife duo (The Grogans) who adopt a badly behaved Labrador retriever. That would be Marley. This is a mutt who gets into everything and even fails miserably at obedience school. Among others, his talents include chewing drywall, eating jewelry, destroying the sofa, stealing the Thanksgiving turkey and chasing the UPS guy! The dog is completely nuts and the Grogans have to figure out how to live with the chaos or tame him.

Yes, this is definitely a physical comedy about hilarious dog antics, but there is more substance. As Marley grows older, the Grogans' relationship grows and evolves. Eventually the family discovers that Marley, “the world’s worst dog,” somehow brings out the best in them. He is an incredibly difficult dog, but a becomes a much loved member of the family. Sometimes family members don't behave exactly how you want them to - which is why unconditional love is so important.

I would absolutely consider this a family film, but not for young children. The sad ending may be too much emotion for little ones, plus it contains a tiny bit of adult humor and language. It can be difficult to find a movie that tweens and adults can enjoy together, but this fits the bill. So get ready for some belly laughs, but grab a box of tissues for the ending. This film offers a little bit of every emotion.

Single Disk $29.98 U.S. / $43.48 Canada

Special Edition $34.98 U.S./$45.98 Canada

Blu-ray Disc $39.99 U.S./$49.98 Canada

This Little Bunny Can Bake

Random House
Janet Stein

With Easter quickly approaching, what better time to welcome the tale of a baking bunny? This book is a visual treat, offering the coolest retro black and white drawings. Well, it's not all black and white. The star of the show - Little Bunny - stands out in a rosy pink hue.

Baker Bunny signs up for Chef George's School of Dessertology to learn from the master of sweets. She is only one of many eager students racing to class. Chef George knows everything there is to know about desserts and his students know nothing! He must teach them the basics (sigh) starting with identification of a pot and spoon.

The other students are not as diligent as Little Bunny, spending their class time napping, playing egg toss and just generally goofing off. But Bunny means business, dutifully practicing with the pastry bag until her frosting letters are iced perfection.

Readers will get a good laugh from the antics of the other animals. Chef George issues a serious instruction and the results are a hoot. When he announces a dessert should smell as good as it tastes, we see those silly students adding flowers, perfume and even ... a sock.

These illustrations are a great throwback, very unlike today's typical children's book. This is a wonderful book, almost like taking a step back to a more simpler time. And the end result of the dessertology class? Little Bunny pays attention, tries her hardest and produces an amazing creation. The other students produce ... interesting dishes.

Bringing Down the Moon

Candlewick Press
Jonathon Emmett; Illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

One night, Mole happens to notice the full moon in the sky and is completely bewitched. He thinks it looks like a beautiful silver coin. And oh, how he would like to clutch that shiny coin tightly in his paw! Little Mole is naive enough to believe he can reach up and pull that moon right down. He hops and he leaps, but the only thing he manages to do is wake up poor Rabbit.

Rabbit explains to him that the moon is not as close as it appears, but Mole is unshaken in his quest. He plots to poke the moon down with a long stick, only managing to poke Hedgehog instead. Then he attempts to knock it down with a volley of acorns - beware of Squirrel! Blast, this stubborn moon will not budge! How can something so beautiful be so unattainable?

As a last ditch effort, Mole climbs a huge tree in an attempt to get closer. Just as he reaches out his furry arms to grab the moon, he plummets from the tree. Mole's battered friends console him and together they agree the moon is very beautiful, but will never be close enough to touch.

This is a sweet story with a cast of furry forest critters. Toddlers will get a great big giggle from watching Mole try to pull the moon down from the sky. Mole is very determined but his friends are equally as patient. This is a bit of a longer story for a board book, which can sometimes be spare with words. A great read when your child is still into board books, but can also enjoy a more involved tale.

Toucan King of the Yucatan

Toucanking.com
Jerry Tanner & Kevin Grossman

Meet Toco the Toucan, the poor bird who cannot take flight, no matter how hard he tries. Teased by the other birds, he hops home in a funk. Toco's mama is determined to cheer him up. A surefire way to perk up a woeful toucan? Why, drag out the family photo album, of course!

Toco's family album is full of inspiring stories: explorers, athletes, dancers and artists make up this colorful family tree. Each page offers a short poem and a vivid postcard type illustration featuring the featured toucan in action. Thumb through the first fifteen pages here and you'll see exactly what we mean.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, exploding against the dark backgrounds. Not your average rhymes, these are clever and catchy - a wonderfully entertaining read. Toucandida del Tango the dancing machine, her movements were fluid and her beauty a dream!

Tucked in among the beauty is a great message for toucans and kids alike. Work hard and believe, and you can achieve anything you desire. If Toco can do it, so can you! Building self esteem is important for all kids - what better way to introduce the concept than a terrific read?

This book is currently self-published on Blurb.com while the duo actively seek a publisher to take it under their wing and give it flight! It's too fabulous to remain hidden for long.