Bye-Bye, Baby!

Walker & Company
Richard Morris; Illustrated by Larry Day

This is quite possibly the most perfect book to give to an older child once a new baby has come along. It can be really difficult to accept a new sibling, when the first-born is used to getting all the attention. This humorous look into that exact situation could help many families help ease the transition from only child to happy duo.

Felix has recently been promoted to big brother status and he is none too happy about it. He was perfectly content to have Poncho, his stuffed donkey as a steadfast companion - not some drippy baby. A marked difference is that while Poncho is silent, the new baby terribly LOUD. She's so loud she keeps Felix up at night and gives his mom a headache.

Helpfully, Felix suggests they return the new baby, but his parents seem to be pretty attached to her. When she is old enough to walk, the whole family takes a trip to the zoo. Felix amuses himself by imagining how each animal could take care of his little sister problem. The elephant is big enough to sit on her and the hippopotamus is big enough to eat her right up. The giraffe could put her up in a tall tree and Felix would never have to see her again!


Fexlix is having such a good time at the zoo that he doesn't want to leave. Forcibly removed, he pitches a fit and cries all the way home. Neither his mom nor his dad know how to soothe him .... but his new baby sister does. At that point Felix comes to the realization that she truly cares about him and in turn, he doesn't mind her being around so much.

We all know the feelings of jealousy that can erupt when a new baby makes an appearance. This is a humorous way to show an older brother or sister that they aren't the only ones that feel like ditching the new baby. I love the surly expressions on Felix's face in the illustrations. He looks like he has a lot of choice words about this new sister of his!

Book giveaway!

Scoot right over to Luxury Reading for your chance to win a copy of A Change in Altitude audiobook by Anita Shreve. I love so many of Anita Shreve's previous books that this seems as if it would be a great prize. Vera is giving away three copies, and offers several different ways to enter, so your chances at winning are good!

Read the review of A Change in Altitude at Luxury Reading if you need some further persuasion. If the book isn't your cup of tea, your prize could make a great Christmas gift for someone on your list. The deadline to enter is midnight on November 6th.

The 13 Days of Halloween

Sourcebooks, Inc.
Carol Greene; Illustrated by Tim Raglin

Here's an easy way to get your kids in the mood for some tricks and treats - teach them this fun new Halloween song! Based on the Twelve Days of Christmas, with creepy new lyrics, this song is actually a combination of old and new.

I think having a good collection of holiday books is a great way to preserve memories with very little effort. We find great books and pack them away for most of the year. When the time rolls around to haul them out, the great times from years past come flooding back with the turn of each page. It's a great way to create your very own family traditions.

Just like the traditional Christmas song, this one features the excellent gifts received for the thirteen (because that number is always reserved for this holiday) days of Halloween. Of course, the very first gift is a vulture in a dead tree. If you think that's creepy, think of the alternative - a dead vulture in a tree. The illustrations on each page shows the building of the gifts, with the twelfth page stuffed full of spooky presents. We see giggling ghosts, fat toads, creeping spiders and oodles of goblins and wizards. The thirteen page has surprise in store for the readers, making them exercise their imaginations a bit.

Yup, the book is meant to be creepy and crawly, but it's also a great deal of fun. The illustrations are brightly colored and definitely not the terribly scary sort. I was glad to discover the overall silly nature translated to this being an entirely appropriate book for young children. We loved it this year and we'll keep on loving it for years to come!

Pigeon and Pigeonette

Enchanted Lion Books
Dirk Derom; Illustrations by Sarah Verroken

I think this is a lovely book, although maybe just a tiny bit unusual. From the author's website "A delightful story about a beautiful friendship, Pigeon and Pigeonette is also about trial and error, believing in yourself, falling out of huge trees again and again, and never giving up. In other words, it's about the two coolest pigeons in the entire universe." Their summation is so beautifully worded and just the perfect introduction for such a wonderfully unique book.

When winter arrives, all the other birds have flown south for warmer weather except for the diminutive Pigeonette. Her tiny wings are too weak to support her, which makes flight impossible. As a result, Pigeonette is left feeling very lonely, scuffling along forlornly through the forest.


One morning Pigeonette is rudely awoken by a clatter in the trees above. She is faced with an enormous bird who is also having trouble flying, making great thwacking noises as he crashes through the branches. Pigeon's wings are large, but his eyes are dark, which makes navigation impossible. The two outcasts become friends and both dream of taking flight, soaring like eagles and reaching the clouds.

It occurs to the duo that they could form a flight team. Pigeon will handle the wing flapping while Pigeonette provides the verbal directions. Naturally, there are a few mishaps, but eventually their mission is successful. Relying on Pigeon's strong wings and Pigeonette's bright eyes, they can actually fly! When winter rears its ugly head, these birds are able to realize their dream of flying off together into the sky.

The illustrations are hand carved and hand printed. Isn't that amazing in this day and age? Even the font was carefully chosen to "reflect the clumsiness and learning process of our pigeon friends." Holding this book in your hands is like having a durable piece of art that you can share with your children. The illustrator herself personally watched over the printing of this book at a small family owned Belgian printer. Knowing all the thought and care that went into this book makes me love it that much more.

Creature ABC

Chronicle Books
Andrew Zuckerman

We have a great collection of alphabet books, but this one stands head and shoulders, beak and tail above most of them! Amazing, spellbinding animal photography makes this a book that your children will get hours of pleasure from. It will also be one of those books that can stand the test of time for when the next generation is ready to learn the alphabet.


Some basic explanation: Each animal is assigned four pages. Two pages proclaim the letter in a big black font with a photo of that animal, while the next two pages give the animal's name with a different photo. All white backgrounds and a bold black font gives a no-nonsense attitude and puts the focus squarely on the animals.


As you can see by the examples here, this is truly astonishing photography. Some of the pictures appear so perfect that the animals don't even look real. Andrew Zuckerman first published Creature in 2007, which was 300 pages of studio portraits taken of 175 wild creatures, retailing for $60. He pared down the animals to fit the alphabet and added a few extras to bring us the more affordable version of Creature ABC. Check out the trailer below that shows some of the the studio time that went into the making of the original Creature.

If children had coffee tables, this would be on the top of the stack. They will come for the animals and stay for the entire alphabet. A beautiful book that we will look through again and again, long after the alphabet has been memorized. A great choice for all ages!

A Birthday for Bear

Candlewick Press
Bonny Becker; Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

I very much loved A Visitor for Bear, which deservedly received a fair amount of national attention (list of awards here) when it was published last year. This is a gem of a story that details how a mouse chock full of cheery persistence wears down a curmudgeonly bear. If this is the first you have heard of this comedic duo, listen to the story on NPR here.

When you find a book as delightful as this, it is always a thrill to hear of a sequel being released. I am tickled pink to see the ever grumpy bear and tenacious mouse make a reappearance. Mouse is delighted to help celebrate his friend's birthday, but Bear is much less enthusiastic - downright rude actually.


Mouse turns up bearing a nicely decorated card and Bear actually lies about it being his birthday! He tells Mouse in no uncertain terms that he does not like birthdays, he does not like birthday cards and he most certainly will NOT be having a birthday party! Then he unceremoniously sweeps him from the house. Bear thinks he has made himself quite clear, but we know how Mouse can be . . .

Sure enough, Mouse returns wearing his trademark grin, masquerading as a balloon bearing deliveryman, a posting with a birthday greeting and finally as Santa Claus carrying a very large package. Each time Bear is wise to his tricks, seeing through each disguise to boot Mouse from the house.

Bear is getting just a tiny bit worn down by Mouse's antics and begins to wonder what sort of present could be in that large box. Just then the doorbell rings, revealing one large chocolate cake. Bear glares and peeks into the bushes, but there is no Mouse in sight. As Bear swipes one sweet pawful of chocolate cake - TA-DA - Mouse erupts from the cake. Just as he sweet talked his way into this friendship in the first book, he persuades Bear to celebrate his birthday with a cake, balloons and a wonderful gift.

Mouse is very persistent and Bear is very resistant. The fun is what happens when they meet in the middle. I love watching these two face off - you can practically see the wheels turning in Mouse's head and the waves of frustration coming from Bear. This unlikely pair combine to become a huge hit which will have readers giggling out loud!

The book that jump started the friendship:

Where the Wild Things Are

Great featurette on Where the Wild Things are with Maurice Sendek and Spike Jones. Probably most people have heard by now that this is not the typical fun cartoon. Spike Jones has created his own vision of the book, with the author's permission. Maurice Sendek is very clear that the movie will not talk down to children, but rather be of some substance.

So not everyone will like it - which is what makes it so interesting!

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids

Chronicle Books
Jill O'Connor

The introduction from the author makes me instantly love her. She seems totally neurotic about her kitchen and prefers her baked goods to turn out a certain way - just like me! And yet she wrote this cookbook for kids, understanding her kitchen would be under fire and making peace with the situation. If she can let her kitchen become subject to sticky, messy and gooey, any of us can.

Jill's introduction: I have a secret. Baking with children isn't always easy. I realized this a long time ago when I tried to make chocolate cupcakes with my daughter Sophia, an activity that ended badly with her running crying from the kitchen when I took the icing spatula away from her. My older daughter, Olivia, in all her teenage wisdom, like to call me "mean chef." My husband sometimes pretends an invisible time clock is ticking (sound effects included) while I am trying to teach one of them to cook, to see just how many seconds I can stand it before I snatch the whisk from their fingers. Is it just another case of the cobbler's children having no shoes, or am I really just a big kitchen ogre?


Just like the title promises, this book is chock full of wonderfully gooey treats that children will fall head over heels in love with. Armed with recipes such as Flufftastic Fudge, Curiously Sticky Caramel Monkey Bread and Butterscotch French Toast, it's a certainty that parents will be in hog heaven as well. It's surprising to me that these desserts lean a bit upscale, but I guess if you let kids loose in your kitchen with chocolate sprinkles, the knowledge that you will be nibbling on Peanut Butter-Pretzel Bonbons will probably take the edge off. Should the kids get suspicious, you can always wow them with the Ghostly Meringues.


It's important to note that the format of this book is as lovely as the recipes. The page edges are cut into a scalloped design with sweet gingham and flower patterns running the length of each page, almost like using the prettiest recipes cards imaginable. Drool-worthy photos accompanying several of the recipes, and notes are scattered about on white and pastel colored doilies. All of those details come together to make this a cookbook that has a lot of visual appeal and personality.

I really like that each page includes a short paragraph on why that particular recipe was chosen, giving us a little insight into the author's thoughts. It's not just a bunch of recipes stuck together, but rather good explanations on when and where these dishes might be appropriate, or suggestions on how to further adapt them.

Jill also writes "When I was growing up there was often a homemade treat waiting for my brothers and me when we came home from school." I really want my kids to have those kinds of warm memories. It helps to remember there will be plenty of years after your kids are grown to keep your counters fingerprint free and the floors swept clean. With the help of this book, you can allow those sticky little hands to invade your space and help turn out wonderful treats for the whole family.

Jill also lays claim to Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth, which has gotten excellent reviews!

Leon and the Place Between

Candlewick Press
Angela McAllister; Illustrations by Grahame Baker Smith

Reading this book is like attending your very own carnival and magic show, minus the crowd and dirty fairgrounds. Prepare to be completely swept away by the rich colors and enchanting illustrations.

Leon and his siblings have conflicting opinions about the magic show they are about to see. Tom and Pete are quick to announce that it will only be tricks not real magic, and Little Jo looks disappointed that her brothers might be speaking the truth. Leon shushes them, knowing there will be magic - you just have to believe.


The curtains slowly part and the show begins. After a group of wild jugglers and a swirl of mechanical toys, it is finally time for the main act. With a puff of purple smoke, Abdul Kazam takes center stage and Leon can practically smell the magic rolling off the magician in waves. When Abdul asks for a volunteer, Leon immediately knows it must be him. Without hesitation, he climbs straight into the magic box and falls deep into another world. Leon has discovered the Place Between.


The Place Between is where magic sends you. Everything that disappears by magic appears here, waiting to be called back. Leon watches as magicians' assistants appear and disappear, as well as scarves, coins and rings. Doves and cards flutter about and gold stars swirl everywhere. This is an amazing world, alive with magic. Just as he is settling in, Leon hears his name - he is being called back by the magician!


The illustrations, the colors and the fonts all lend themselves to a most magical experience for the reader. Pages practically glow in tones of deep plum and rich gold, with gleaming strains of stars swirling in the margins. The text is printed in a different sizes and fonts - they replicate a poster board or program. You could read this half a dozen times and never come close to seeing all the tiny background details that make this book so special. It is an amazing work of art and goes to show if you believe in magic, it does exist.

Strawberry Shortcake: The Sky's the Limit

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Do you have little ones who have been anxiously awaiting the newest full length movie from the girls of the patch? I can remember being totally engrossed with Strawberry Shortcake when I was younger. Their appearances have changed a lot since then, but the characters still retain their wholesome values.

Strawberry Shortcake is now a working girl, running the Berry Café in Berry Bitty City. When a boulder blocks the town's water source, she (with the help of her friends) has to figure out a way to rescue the town and her cafe. Unless they find a way to safely remove the obstacle that threatens their town, everything they hold dear is at risk.

The storytelling Mr. Longface Caterpillar says he has an easy solution. Strawberry reluctantly agrees to follow him in an adventure-filled journey in search of his fabled Geyser Stone. We are also introduced to the magical Berrykins, mischievous little creatures who grow and harvest berries from the nearby strawberry fields.

When Strawberry's journey to find the Geyser Stone ends in failure, she loses faith in herself. Can her friends restore her “Sky’s the Limit” attitude to help lead them to save the town? When you have good friends and faith in yourself, any challenge can be overcome.

Bonus extras on the disk include a brand new music video “Café Cabaret Sing-A-Long” and printable coloring pages. In the box you'll also find a coupon for a free photo book from American Greetings.

Owl and Pussycat Masks Giveaway!

Martha Stewart can come up with some pretty awesome stuff, can't she? Check out her owl tutorial here, and the black cat here. You can easily make your own animals OR you can just head over to Grosgrain to try to win one. Your choice.

Kathleen posts some really cool stuff on her blog, so even if you don't happen to win the mask jackpot, you have been introduced to a great online resource. Good luck.

Owl and Pussycat Masks GIVEAWAY!!!!

Ferocious Wild Beasts

Random House
Chris Wormell

When you were young, did your mother caution you about venturing too far from home? Aside from stranger danger, did her warnings include the possibility of mauling from wild animals that linger in dangerous areas?

Jack's mother has repeatedly warned him never to go into the forest because of the ferocious wild beasts that roam there. Like so many little boys, he ignores his mom's good advice, trundles in and promptly gets lost. Jack is slumped on a tree stump, thinking he probably should have listened to his mother (See!) when a large brown bear strolls up. He nicely offers to lead a path out of the forest when Jack informs him of the hairy beasts that hide in the shadows. The bear is aghast - he has not heard of these terrible creatures!



The pair venture on and meet an elephant snacking on a banana. Just like the bear, this elephant is oblivious to the wild creatures of the forest. Jack tells him the ferocious beasts are so big they could easily step on an elephant and squish him just like that. Now that the elephant is sufficiently terrified, he is eager to join their band. The terrified trio go on to alarm a dozing lion, crocodile, wolf and python. Wouldn't Jack's mother be pleased to see how many ears her warnings have reached?


The group is creeping along (safety in numbers, you know) when they hear a noise that sounds very much like a terrible beast stomping through the undergrowth. Seven pairs of eyes grow wide and seven mouths open in fear. They see a flickering light and hear a great wild roar. It must be the ferocious wild beasts! Everyone runs off in terror, except for Jack. Something about the sounds of this beast seem familiar to his ears. It is indeed Jack's wild beast of a mom, frantic for her son's safety. While the other animals cower in the shadows, Jack gets a lecture and an escort straight home.


I love how Jack is interacting with the very animals him mom warned him about, yet entirely clueless about the whole thing. He's cautions the bear about big hairy animals and warns the lion about beasts with sharp claws and big teeth. How funny to see the big forest animals be cowed by Jack's mommy. Although, her hair does seem to be standing on end, and you know how a mom can get when her babies are in danger ...

Great, big, beautiful illustrations make this a real pleasure to read. Kids will most definitely pick up on the irony of Jack warning those animals about themselves and howl with delight!

Ivy & Bean: Doomed to Dance

The eagerly awaited sixth book of the Ivy and Bean series is scheduled to be released shortly! Watch the short trailer (I love that books have trailers now) below to see what adventures the irrepressible duo will continue in the latest installment.

From the publisher: Ivy and Bean beg their parents for ballet lessons and swear they won’t quit. Finally, they get what they want … well, not exactly. The girls thought ballet would be leaping and kicking and scaring the heck out of the Prince. It’s not. They have no interest in learning how to dance gracefully and must figure out a way to get out of their dance recital without breaking their promise.

Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo

Candlewick Press
E.S. Redmond

This is certainly an appropriate choice considering the massive outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus currently sweeping the nation. Judging by little Felicity's reddened nose and glazed eyes, maybe she should have opted for the vaccine injection.

Just looking at the illustrations of Felicity gives me the urge to scrub my hands with antibacterial soap ... or bleach. Her hair hangs limp and greasy, her eyes are rimmed with deep shadows and her scarf drags listlessly behind her. Worst of all, her hands are smeared with .... (euphemistically) green nose goo. She looks rough all right, but manages to summon the energy to visit every pen in the zoo.


As Felicity winds her way through the zoo, slimy green hand prints appear on each animal, marking her path. The llamas have been tagged, as well as the ostriches, giraffe and red kangaroo. Not one animal seems to be safe from the germs that Felicity Floo is spreading. She hugs the elephants, pats the panda and even climb up to manhandle the mountain goats.

The Zookeeper can't figure out what is plaguing his animals. After Felicity's visit, they are sluggish and sleepy, with a strange green hue. Usually the fences are in place to protect the visitors from the ferocious animals. This zoo needs more gates to keep the poor animals healthy and safe from Felicity's goo!


This is a pretty clever and humorous way to spread the message of the importance of using tissues and practicing proper hand washing.Redmond did a great job with the illustrations - the animals look bedraggled and downright miserable following Felicity's visit. Even my five year old was grossed out by Felicity's appearance and appalled she would spread her sickness to the poor animals! We particularly enjoyed the rhyming text and hunting down the green handprints on each page. Felicity really gets around, so look closely.

Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails

Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment

I love the full-length movies from Thomas & Friends. They offer so much more of an depth plot than the shorter videos can. The prior release, The Great Discovery, was excellent and this one follows that same path. The biggest addition here is the brand-new CGI-animation, which marks the debut of individual character voices for the engines.

Thomas and his friends have the unpleasant experience of meeting a new engine named Spencer. He's faster than the others and teases them unmercifully. While engaging in a race with Spencer, Thomas accidentally runs off the track and discovers an old, abandoned engine named Hiro. Thomas learns that Hiro was once known as "Master of the Railway" but was forgotten once he grew old and needed extensive repairs.

Thomas pledges to help Hiro again become a really useful engine. He works hard at finding extra parts and implores the other cars for help. Just as they are getting the final part, Spencer discovers their secret. As Hiro struggles to escape from Spencer, his parts come flying off and he is forced to come to a stop. Spencer is elated and tells Thomas that the engine is bound to be scrapped.

In fact, when Thomas comes clean to Sir Topham Hat, he isn't cross at all. He exclaims that Hiro is a very famous engine and should be brought to Steamworks at once so he may be repaired! Thomas heads over to Hiro to tell him the wonderful news, and the two engines are overjoyed.

When Hiro is completed, all of the engines are amazed at how wonderful he looks! He may look good, but he doesn't feel so great. Hiro confesses that he has been feeling terribly homesick. Sir Topham Hatt arranges for him to return to his homeland and Thomas promises him that he will always have a home on the Island on the Sodor, should he wish to return.

This movie is packed with tales of friendship, determination and teamwork. The engines have their share of disagreement, but they always work together to do the right thing. The brand new style of animation breathes new life into the trains, and the new voices give each train more personality. Another great full length movie from Thomas that you won't want to miss!