Dinosaurs on the Move

 


Figures in Motion

Cathy Diez-Luckie

Finally, this one is for the parents who squirm when their child produces a blank piece of paper with a crayon and requests "Can you draw a dinosaur for me?"  Aaargh. I have little to no artistic ability and my dinosaurs looks more like ... blobs with claws. Thank goodness for this clever book!

Here, an actual artist has drawn ten dinosaurs that far surpass my blob results, and actually look like the dinosaurs they are supposed to be!  Your child cuts out the individual body parts, then assembles them to create an army of ferocious dinosaurs. The pages are perforated for easy removal and each piece is marked on the back with a letter key for easy assembly. It gets better. For each fully colored page, there is also a separate page with black and white line drawing of the same dinosaur. Identical set up, but these are perfect for kids that want to exercise more creativity by coloring in the dinosaurs themselves.      

The first few pages of the book contain a short paragraph of information on each dinosaur, including body measurements, diet and a brief general summary.  In case your kids are particular about the dinosaurs they construct, the choices are as follows: Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Baryonyx, Brachiosaurus, Ouranosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pteranodon, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex. 

This was an instant hit at our house. I produced the book, scissors, colored pencils and we started right in. A word of caution - you do have to purchase mini brads or fasteners so that the parts will be movable.  We were delighted to find that the assembly directions are super easy to follow: place the pieces face down and match A Front to A Back, B Front to B Back, and so on. We put together a few of the preprinted dinosaurs first to get a feel for it, and then we turned to the black and white pages to test our creativity.  Hey, nobody really knows what color the real dinosaurs were anyway, right?

I really loved that this was pretty much a fuss free craft.  No glitter, no glue, no paints.  There was no maze of confusing instructions to navigate, resulting in a lot of shushing as "Mommy figures out what this means." Older children could absolutely be handed this book and not need any assistance whatsoever.  Plus, once we were done with our crafting, we had a little herd of realistic dinosaurs that were ready for battle. The perfect activity book!

Figures in Motion also offers another cut and assemble book, Famous Figures of Ancient Times.


Review copy provided by KSB Promotions.

The Tighty Whitey Spider

 

Sourcebooks 

Kenn Nesbitt; Illustrated by Ethan Long

We are big fans of Kenn Nesbitt and his side-splitting poetry.  He's funny, ingenious, original and best of all, makes up his own darn rules.  Do you find poetry boring, maybe a little stuffy?  Do you hesitate to introduce poetry to your children because you aren't sure if they will embrace it? You really should give this poetry a try.

 Kenn's poetry doesn't focus on flowers or rainbows or running breathlessly through the rain.  He doesn't wax on about his feelings, nor do you have to study his poems to figure out the deeper meaning.  This book is full of poems about animals like ferrets, weasels and purple porpoises doing wacky things.  Sometimes you can just tell by reading the title that it's going to be good. For instance, you can't go wrong with Toby the Snowboarding Doberman.  It's inconceivable.

There's a paragraph on the rear cover (that's what we're calling it, right?) that explains how Kenn came up with his material. I can offer it to you to give you a real sense of what his humor is like, and not feel guilty about posting some poems that you should really buy the book to read. We are rule-followers here, after all.

"As a child, Kenn Nesbitt got lost during a field trip to the zoo and was raised by animals who taught him their secret ways.  He used that knowledge to create this book, every word of which is true. Really. Okay, not really. He just wanted to see if you would read the back cover." If that doesn't convince you of Kenn's hilarity, then take a peek at Kenn's site to read three poems, reprinted with his permission: My Kitten Won't Stop Talking, My Kiwi is the Captain, and I Have to Write a Poem. 

There are really only so many ways I can say that I think this guy is the key to get your kids interested in poetry. It worked at our house and it can work at yours. Oh! I totally forgot to mention that the book is peppered with illustrations from Ethan Long. Yeah, Ethan Long from Tickle the Duck - that Ethan Long. This book has it all: good writing, good pictures, talking kittens and flying pigs.    

Review copy provided by Sourcebooks. 

The General

 

Candlewick Press

Janet Charters; Illustrated by Michael Foreman

I think it's so cool that today's publishing companies will occasionally reprint anniversary editions of terrific books that truly deserve a fresh run. Random House reprinted Little Blue and Little Yellow just last year, opening a whole new set of eyes to this classic.  And now thanks to Candlewick Press, we can celebrate Michael Foreman's debut picture book, originally published in 1961. I had no idea this book existed, and I'm so thankful that I was around for the reissue.  
 

General Jodhpur desperately wanted to become the most famous general in the world and have his success be admired by all the other generals. To achieve his goal, he demanded his soldiers work hard every day. He was very regimented and insisted upon strict marching practices, diligent gun maintenance and smartly pressed uniforms.  Everything was going according to his plan, until ....

General Jodhpur was out riding in the country one morning, when he was suddenly thrown from his mount. Luckily for him, he landed uninjured upon on an expanse of soft grass. Instead of rising immediately, the general began to appreciate his surroundings. He was startled to realize how beautiful the forest was, and the abundance of wildlife that roamed the land. As he walked on, he discovered field mice and squirrels, many types of birds and bees lazily buzzing through fields of wonderful flowers. The general was spellbound by what he had previously failed to notice.    

General Jodhpur's woodland experience truly opened his eyes; he realized he no longer wanted to reign over an army that wrought destruction.  The next morning, he announced to his men that the army would disband and they would no longer harm or frighten any creatures again. The new goal would be to make his country the most beautiful in the world!  All his people worked hard to turn the army camp into a thriving city. The farmers grew vegetables and fruit in their fields and the fisherman returned to their boats.  General Jodhpur's people were very happy and his land was lush.   

The strange happenings in General Jodhpur's country spread around the world. Two important generals contacted him, asking if they could see for themselves these incredible changes.  When the generals visited and saw how content his people were and how beautiful his lands were, they declared General Jodhpur "the most famous general in the whole world."  So he did achieve his original goal, but in a vastly different way!

Obviously, the book was written with the intended message that peace triumphs over war. I don't care for preachy books, but this one manages to avoid that path while still presenting its point of view. Glorious, wonderful watercolors from Michael Foreman clearly show why this book was chosen to be reissued as a 50th Anniversary Edition.  The scans above just don't do justice to how beautiful the pages appear when held in your hands; the illustration are bold and luminous, not washed out or dull. This book really is a "Celebration of Peace and Beauty" - both in written word and by brush stroke.  

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair

 

Walker & Company

Lee Fox; Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

I'm sure many parents of young girls will be able to relate to this book without even half trying. No matter how tightly she grips her Goody brush, sometimes a mom is no match for her wild-headed, determined daughter. There just aren't enough pink sparkly barrettes and flowered headbands in the world to persuade a girl to sit down and have her hair tamed. Ella Kazoo's mom is finding this out the hard way.

Just like the book title hints, the premise of the story is Ella Kazoo's refusal to brush her hair. She first hides herself, and when that doesn't work, she resorts to hiding the hairbrush. She throws herself into a heap onto the floor and pitches a major fit. She dashes off as quick as can be, sliding outside to evade her mom.  Ella tries every trick in the book to avoid a hair brushing until her mom just throws up her hands and admits defeat.

Just because her mom gives up, doesn't mean Ella's hair will follow suit. Untended, it quickly grows to her waist, then continues on past her knees.  Soon it puddles in a wiry pool about her feet, trailing on the ground behind her as she walks, like a brown tangled bridal veil. Ella's hair is out of control, the snarl growing larger by the day, until even Ella has to admit ... she's had enough! 

Luckily there are people specially trained to handle situations like these. These people sport fabulous hairstyles and know how to wield sharp scissors and are versed in rosemary scented shampoos.  Ella's mom takes her to one such salon where a group of stylists consult, then make light work of her troublesome tresses.  Ella emerges with a light heart and even lighter head.  Her unruly hair has been transformed into a smart, short style that both she and her mom can be happy with.     

I like the rhyming verses and the light humor.  The adorable illustrations are a great match for the written word.  I particularly like Ella's stance, where she "roars at her mom like a big growly bear."  She looks exactly like a four year old who is desperately trying to get her way.  A great little detail is the way Ella's sweet little poodle turns up on each page - he gets harder to find as her hair grows, so it becomes almost a little game to point him out. This is a fun book about an exaggerated problem that little girls will find downright hysterical.    


Review copy provided by Walker & Company.  

Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo

 

Templar Books/Candlewick Press

Kevin Waldron 

Have you ever had one of those days where your clothes seem extraordinarily tight? You finally make the connection between the french fries you love and the love handles you don't. It occurs to you that maybe eating glazed crullers for breakfast every day isn't doing your butt any favors. Sadly, it doesn't end there. Those tight pants are making you pretty irritable, which affects your whole day. Now you know how Mr. Peek feels!    

One ordinary morning, like every other morning, Mr. Peek dons his very official looking green zookeeper jacket. Except this morning, the jacket stretches tightly across his shoulders and a button sproings right off the front. Oh, this is not a good start to Mr. Peek's day.  He tries to tell himself "it's only a button" but his thoughts go downhill from there. Mr. Peek starts to lament how heavy he has become, how the animals are probably all making fun of his girth, and how he's getting too old and wrinkly to do this job.

Mr. Peek doesn't realize it, but his shrinking jacket and negative attitude is affecting the whole zoo. Each time he makes a derogatory comment about himself, the animals in each section of the zoo assume he's talking about them! The hippo thinks she's too heavy, the bear is positive he stinks and the elephant is hyper aware of her deep wrinkles. The crocodiles are nervous, the penguins don't want to eat and the giraffes believe none of the other animals like them.  Mr. Peek is wreaking havoc on the zoo, albeit unintentionally. 

On his rounds, Mr. Peek stumbles across his son, Jimmy, wearing a very large green jacket.  Why, he hasn't hasn't gained too much weight, but simply donned his son's much smaller jacket!  Greatly relieved, they swap jackets and the zookeeper retraces his steps through the zoo, murmuring uplifting statements. Once again, the animals overhear and are overjoyed to hear his positive words.    

Awesome illustrations and a really humorous misunderstanding that takes on a life of its own make this a darn funny book.  Mr. Peek is totally oblivious that he's alarming the entire zoo, mumbling along about his own insecurities.  He's got the animals all worked up and doesn't have a clue.  I particularly love the alarmed expressions on their poor faces as their keeper rattles on about their physical limitations and character flaws. It really is a toss up as to which is better - the illustrations or the story.  Win-win for the readers!

Review copy provided by Templar Books/Candlewick Press.

So Close

Tundra Books

Natalia Colombo 

Every day, Mr. Duck sets off for work. And across town, Mr. Rabbit does the same. These two fellows live in opposite directions and pass each other every day. Do they stop and say hello? No. They do not smile, they do not wave, they do not lock eyes. They most certainly do not pass knowing glances or slap a quick high five.


While the mode of transportation varies, their lack of acknowledgment never does. Some days Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit motor in - driving fine cars the color of ripe tomatoes and fat pumpkins. When the weather cooperates, they ride their striped bicycles or simply hoof it.  By car, on a bike, or on foot, they pass in silence, never calling out a friendly word. 

If one of them would just throw out a simple greeting, quite possibly their entire lives would change. They could become the best of friends, instead of two strangers passing by every day.  What a world of difference one little hello could make.  Hence, the title of the book - these two are so close to becoming friends and yet so far, for they each refuse to take the first step.  The last two pages show Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit as fast friends - sharing an umbrella, enjoying a cup of coffee, riding together in one car.  How sweet it could be ...
 

I really like that the author took a concept that many of us could admit to passively participating in, cleverly applied it to two adorable animals, and came up with a winning story. It doesn't hurt that her illustrations are equally sweet and quirky. They are fairly simply done, but the colors are muted and a bit fuzzed about the edges, so it isn't an overly bright book. Also, I should point out that the writing is equally simple with just a couple words per page. This is the perfect book for a three year old or four year old. Simple writing and great illustrations but without that babyish feel that some books project.  This is a grown-up type book for that age group.  

I do wonder how many friendships I am missing out on by having missed the opportunity of saying hello.  That definitely is not something that I want to teach my children, that they should sit back and  wait for the greeting instead of offering their own. Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit show us the power a friendly word can wield.  Reach out, be friendly - you may very well may gain more than you had imagined.

Review copy provided by Tundra Books. 

The Chicken Thief

Enchanted Lion Books

Beatrice Rodriguez

There have always been wordless picture books on the market, but I have never really understood their appeal.  I like the words in a story. I find it soothing to know exactly what to say for each picture, and the comfort of having that cue to turn the page. I'm the narrator for a wordless book? Mmm ... what if I'm not saying the right things?  Many times I don't feel terribly imaginative and prefer to just coast along on the creativity of others.  

When Enchanted Lion came out with The Chicken Thief, I had barely glanced at the cover illustration and immediately knew it was a book I wanted to read.  A fox sprinting along with a chicken tucked tightly under his arm? Yeah, I'm going to need to know exactly what that fox has in mind. It wasn't until I took a closer look that I realized the description read "In this wordless story that is both funny and sweet ..." Grrr. I would have dismissed the whole idea, except that Enchanted Lion has a habit of putting out terribly good books. Maybe I could be persuaded to give wordless a try just this once ...

A handful of friends are enjoying a sunny day at their cottage, when a fox leaps from the bushes and swoops up unsuspecting Hen.  Clamping her beak shut with one paw, he dashes into the forest.  Bear, Rabbit and Rooster give chase, with angry scowls on their faces. Although the trio is is determined, they soon become fatigued, hardly able to keep up. Even Hen (who hasn't exerted one bit of energy) is nestled into Fox's arms, fast asleep. The other animals follow Hen's lead and find perches in trees to break for night-time, taking chase again in the morning.

In the morning, the animals are up and running, with scowls square on their faces. Fox knows his territory well, and leads the others on a merry chase. At one point, he makes his way through a series of tunnels, in which Bear gets stuck fast.  Fox and Chicken take the opportunity to play a leisurely game of chess while Rabbit works at twisting Bear free.

The animals chase on and on, over hills and across a lake. When they finally do catch up with Fox and Hen, things as not as they seem on the surface.  Fox has a fire stoked up in his sweet cottage, but it has not been built with the intent of roasting a chicken. Rather, the two friends are enjoying a hot drink in front of the fire. Explanations are hastily made to Bear, Rabbit and Rooster and the group relaxes.  

It turns out that wordless picture books are quite different from the regular sort, but they do offer their own advantages. We enjoyed the creative aspect of imagining what the animals might be saying on each page, and it sure is fun to hear what kids will come up with. The Chicken Thief is particularly good because of the great chase and the expressive illustrations. The body language and facial expressions of the animals convey so much that it is easy to forget about the lack of words on the pages.  I think in the world of wordless picture books, this may be the cream of the crop. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance!

Review copy provided by Enchanted Lion Books.

The Best Family in the World

 

Kane Miller
Susana Lopez; Illustrations by Ulises Wensell

In this age of open adoption, you would think there would be a whole slew of books on the subject to choose from. If that's the case, I certainly haven't run into very many of them. Often times, when a book deals with a sensitive subject like this, the book ends up being ... too touchy-feely or poorly illustrated. For the most part, they just aren't like regular picture books you would ordinarily choose.  This one is!

Carlota is notified by the orphanage's director that a family has chosen to adopt her. Immediately, the wheels in her head start turning and she can't help wondering what her new family will be like. Carlota is very imaginative, and her mind races from one extreme scenario to the next. What if they are a family of pastry chefs?  She could grow up surrounded by big, beautiful cakes and mounds of cookies.  What a fanciful life that would be!   

Or better yet, what if Carlota's new family were pirates?  They would wear black eye patches and dig for buried treasure, sailing off through the sunset on their pirate ship in search of adventures.  There couldn't be anything more exciting than that ... unless these newcomers are a family of tiger trainers.  Wrestling with Bengal tiger cubs would be even better than swashbuckling sailors.  Each scenario that Carlota comes up with more amazing than the last  

The Perez family arrives to adopt Carlota.  They are a warm, loving family who are eager to welcome their new daughter and sister.  No, they are not pastry chefs, but they do surprise Carlota with the occasional bakery treat. No, they are not pirates either, but they do enjoy digging for treasure in the backyard.  Carlota's family does not meet any of her imagined scenarios, but rather exceeds them in every possible way. 

This is a great book to introduce children to the concept of adoption.  Often times we take for granted large concepts like these that young kids may struggle to understand.  When you are little, it can be hard to wrap your head around the idea that some children do not have families. This is an fanciful, easy way to embrace and understand adoption.

Review copy provided by Kane/Miller.