tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90616715180352445902024-02-06T18:10:04.457-08:00For Immediate Release Reviews - KidsFIRR-Kids provides reviews of children's books. Children's book reviews.Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comBlogger429125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-45169461130899764572016-08-10T15:54:00.001-07:002016-08-10T15:54:46.236-07:00They All Saw A Cat<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7kjs-pYeB8ddVuYnUx4CeWv4JbsOXiPZfnTCDBh-_r8l_yCtbbHuo_NnjuMim1ehk3z8OGVTEoagIk9ww3uPIdIv5Iib1ZyHLejORSZw3VtIY56yB05mfxjTZvghTeFCkt6LaUbswoFO/s1600/and+they+all+saw+a+cat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7kjs-pYeB8ddVuYnUx4CeWv4JbsOXiPZfnTCDBh-_r8l_yCtbbHuo_NnjuMim1ehk3z8OGVTEoagIk9ww3uPIdIv5Iib1ZyHLejORSZw3VtIY56yB05mfxjTZvghTeFCkt6LaUbswoFO/s320/and+they+all+saw+a+cat.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/they-all-saw-a-cat.html"><span style="font-size: large;">They All Saw a Cat </span></a></div>
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<a href="http://brendanwenzel.info/"><span style="font-size: large;">Brendan Wenzel </span></a></div>
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This is a simple, but clever concept about how one thing can be seen completely in a completely different light from another viewpoint. It's easy to forget that our view isn't the only view. Wenzel's inspiration for the book came from teaching art, explaining "My philosophy is that it’s impossible to do a bad drawing, and I always
introduce that right away to kids. If every kid in a classroom draws the
exact same thing – say, a cat – they will come up with a unique image,
depending on their perspectives on and experiences with cats, that puts
the animal in a different, new light.” That reminds me of how fun it is to walk down the hallway in an elementary school, seeing the variance of a project from an entire class hung in a line. <br />
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When you see a cat, what do you see? What a child sees when the cat wanders past is not at all the same as what the dog, or snake, or fish sees. Really interesting to turn the pages and see how each illustration is completely different from the last. It's like looking at the cat through a series of fun house mirrors. I love the fish's view (shown directly below), but probably the best is the patchwork version of the cat from all the views. <br />
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Large pages, and plenty of vibrant colors make this a fun read. There isn't much text, and there doesn't need to be. This is a fantastic way to show children how our view isn't the only view. Definitely check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVRfdS-g7vE">book trailer</a> from Chronicle Books. Interesting side note: this is Wenzel's first book, which had eight publishing houses bidding on the rights.<br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Chronicle Books. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-26879094989391967362015-06-18T03:37:00.000-07:002015-11-11T11:12:57.055-08:00The Black Rabbit <div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=076365714X"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Philippa Leathers</span></div>
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One sunny morning, Little Rabbit is startled to discover there is a large, black rabbit looming behind him. Little Rabbit shrieks at him to go away, but his aggressor only stands dark and silent, unmoving. Poor Rabbit tries a multitude of tricks, hiding behind a large tree and swimming across the river, but that scary black rabbit is always just a step behind.<br />
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Little Rabbit is so panicked, that he unthinkingly runs straight into the deep, dark woods, which he would ordinarily be ultra careful to avoid. (So cute that the woods are marked with a large wooden entrance sign: "Welcome to the deep, dark wood.") True to their name, the woods are deep and dark .... but at least there's no sign of that big black bunny.<br />
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Just as Little Rabbit takes a seat on a tree stump and breathes a sigh of relief, he notices two slanted eyes peering at him out of the darkness. These eyes belong to someone much more threatening than the character who had been following him all day ... the Wolf! Rabbit panics and runs, with Wolf hot on his heels. But just as quickly as he appeared, Wolf disappears. Because there, standing behind Little Rabbit, in the bright sunshine, is the Black Rabbit. <br />
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I love all the little details of Philippa Leathers' little neurotic bunny! His stubby legs in
proportion to those long ears,the high spots of color on his cheeks and
those big eyes with the worried look. From the illustrations, even young readers will realize right away why the Black Rabbit is there. Super adorable book! <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i> Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-78127550868053122242015-05-08T03:37:00.000-07:002015-11-11T11:13:36.505-08:00Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.papress.com/html/our.home.page.tpl"><span style="font-size: large;">Princeton Architectural Press</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://patriciageis.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Patricia Geis</span></a></div>
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I'm a little bit in love with this book.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>At the risk of admitting I am an uneducated rube, I had previously been unaware of Alexander Calder. Thankfully, this book welcomes rubes.<br />
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The book starts off fun, with the first two pages covered with colored bubbles (some of which lift up to display photos) that give away blips of information about the artist. I particularly liked the one that read "He used to wear red flannel shirts and dust-covered shoes, and his pockets were full of things." He sounds like such a lovable character. <br />
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After the personal section, the book goes on to describe and present photos of Calder's work, from brass animals and toys to wire sculptures and mobiles. More than that, this is also a read and play book, with interactive parts available for the readers. On one page is a chain attached at the top and bottom, with a length that you move around to create free form sculptures. At the very back of the book is a pocket that holds two sheets of punch-outs. One sheet is circus animals that you punch out to to use on the circus page, on the pop up high wire.<br />
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Definitely this book is intended to be inspirational, and it truly hits the mark. Seeing what Calder created makes me believe that I could also create something beautiful out of everyday objects. Readers can start creating by using the sheet of punch out household items (tin cans, bottle caps, clothespins) provided in the book, and hopefully move on from there. <br />
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<i>Meet the Artist</i> seems to be a new series from Princeton
Architectural Press, at least I hope it is, because this book is the
perfect mix of educational, artistic, quirky, and fun.<i> </i><br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Princeton Architectural Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-17640626413549979832014-03-12T04:56:00.000-07:002014-03-12T04:56:00.104-07:00Flip Flap Farm <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_MMifgslKHGhGL9FrfnXaADd_ziPSNQRUjzA7RaFm_kFST2aG_ILNx3ToVI5e4nne4KiMzQ8EqDDh8Nfs_Rr4da17ks5LwfUo6v1Llph0UJBuenpx_4AQqQbEM7jjdcc3rmRja1RkZyW/s1600/flip+flap+farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_MMifgslKHGhGL9FrfnXaADd_ziPSNQRUjzA7RaFm_kFST2aG_ILNx3ToVI5e4nne4KiMzQ8EqDDh8Nfs_Rr4da17ks5LwfUo6v1Llph0UJBuenpx_4AQqQbEM7jjdcc3rmRja1RkZyW/s1600/flip+flap+farm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://nosycrow.com/books/axel-scheffler-s-flip-flap-farm"><span style="font-size: large;">Nosy Crow</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://nosycrow.com/authors-etc/axel-scheffler"><span style="font-size: large;">Axel Scheffler </span></a></div>
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Shurkeys, and Chows, and Mabbits, so fun! This is a really clever book that allows readers to flip the the pages around to make all sorts of interesting animals. Ever wondered how a pig would look balanced on little chicken legs? This is the book for you. <br />
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The basic set up: there are eleven pages of actual animals. The animal is on the right, two paragraphs of information about that animal on the left, and the animal's name running vertically down the edge of the page. The fun part is that each page is split in half, which means you can flip the top or the bottom half to create 121 animal combinations. Sheep upper and squirrel lower makes a Shirrel - an animal that provides fleece for wool and scurries around burying acorns. We love the Dow: dog upper half and cow lower half. Great for herding sheep and provides milk!<br />
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Scheffler did a fantastic job sizing the animals and making them line up
just right, so the new combinations look proportionate and funny as
heck. There is also something about the way the eyes are drawn, so it
seems as though the animal is looking directly at the reader, kind of like they
are in on the joke. "I have turkey legs. What do you think about that?" We were pretty much cracking up making silly animal combinations and picturing them running around in real life. Really fun book! <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Nosy Crow. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-52944679308971920752014-01-25T15:19:00.003-08:002014-01-25T15:19:47.170-08:00Crabtree <div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/crabtree-1"><span style="font-size: large;">McSweeney's McMullens </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jon and Tucker Nichols </span></div>
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I can see why this book is generating a lot of positive buzz. It's unusual, both in format and content. There's nothing I like better than taking a tour of someone's house. Reading this is exactly like that, although I'm pretty sure this guy has far more unusual items than the rest of us. <br />
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Alfred Crabtree has lost his false teeth. After a brief and fruitless search, he starts to organize all his belongings on the advice of his sister. Not only does Alfred has some very odd items, he also has some interesting methods of categorization. I found Alfred to be extremely compelling only five pages in, where he displays his collection of real ducks and decoys (including six spare eyeballs). And I knew we could be friends when I stumbled across his very large collection of Small Yapping Dogs. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPUUfkxqkMCwY7m_dYEb29LJ7G5a1DSyADbRm80yT87hHBjMRODM_M1-efgLCDucvH20_9yot1JpyQVgZq44fBg14NoI_Kp4Fz-InAqHpkDNrQgZGnijKzVgxDwTunvV4qh8w7DYE3W-P/s1600/Crabtree+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPUUfkxqkMCwY7m_dYEb29LJ7G5a1DSyADbRm80yT87hHBjMRODM_M1-efgLCDucvH20_9yot1JpyQVgZq44fBg14NoI_Kp4Fz-InAqHpkDNrQgZGnijKzVgxDwTunvV4qh8w7DYE3W-P/s1600/Crabtree+interior.jpg" height="163" width="400" /></a></div>
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Page by page, we get to see this great mix (from dull to wacky to what-the-hee-haw?) of Alfred's possessions, neatly laid
out and labeled. Sometimes the category is weird, other times the seemingly normal group contains odd items, or maybe the labels are terribly clever. In any
case, you can find humor on every page, and part of the fun is looking closely. I particularly liked the page with the packed boxes and his nutty labels, although I'm sad we don't get to see the contents of the Sticky Things box. <br />
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I love how the book is oversized - fourteen inches tall. Big books feel like such a luxury to me, particularly when you can open this one up and have all these great big pages filled with fascinating items. It's exactly like pawing through someone's closet, with none of the embarrassment. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by McSweeney's McMullens. </i><br />
Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-78825736444123497982014-01-15T17:18:00.000-08:002014-01-15T17:18:07.159-08:00Pomelo's Opposites <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-7Ms52vaVoxWuSsEwjWweHEeYNj19b_uUCunf0M0bnhqru4GPMsU7PVRlhvduLZuOuIRfex_nUpPy4qmlA7N8KvxWmQ0NxRxcWLrRKYWCKeJprmZrxUbwi4-UwYADEAWv23enAgEYLp_/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-7Ms52vaVoxWuSsEwjWweHEeYNj19b_uUCunf0M0bnhqru4GPMsU7PVRlhvduLZuOuIRfex_nUpPy4qmlA7N8KvxWmQ0NxRxcWLrRKYWCKeJprmZrxUbwi4-UwYADEAWv23enAgEYLp_/s1600/1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/home"><span style="font-size: large;">Enchanted Lion </span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ramona Badescu; Benjamin Chaud </span></div>
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We love Pomelo! I'm very pleased to see more unique perspectives from my favorite pink elephant. Ramona Badescu covers these expected basic subjects, but her versions are just so smart and clever, that they end up being anything but expected. Pomelo demonstrating opposites is as refreshing as <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2012/09/pomelo-explores-color.html">Pomelo Explores Color</a>. <br />
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I'm not sure I've ever seen a funny opposites book before, but now that I have, the others seem even more ordinary. This one goes way beyond the traditional in/out, over/under opposite pairings. Badescu covers the lesser known opposites, such as convex/concave, fleeting/permanent, evident/unimaginable, and heartless/kind. One was so obscure, that I actually had to look up the definition. I love a children's book that makes you think. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgiGRwpzmwuqYYeCSrMs9cFXSwFefXop7rBG1g-G1VH58PDs4WvY3AZvfSUHxdB_X0Y0trwFN-IAgm0mpzuPgIMT51j-ggFSkCfh-3klQQzd7_Fk7rCEXWyUgRoruZX2D8y-LLF41FHSi/s1600/pomelo+interior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BB3xRXiVK24vb6Kd47MXph-TmjJUCJIZ7g4gidkxgR4A_HlSHH4kXMRHM7qJRhx2jJ7WPmi6mVOO_3ftqFbQLhbLoB0WSVPMgsTJszktzKXilusNA3JkZ4e6SiANsMEMdrkTqeyNuiQc/s1600/pomelo's+opposites+interior+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BB3xRXiVK24vb6Kd47MXph-TmjJUCJIZ7g4gidkxgR4A_HlSHH4kXMRHM7qJRhx2jJ7WPmi6mVOO_3ftqFbQLhbLoB0WSVPMgsTJszktzKXilusNA3JkZ4e6SiANsMEMdrkTqeyNuiQc/s1600/pomelo's+opposites+interior+3.jpg" height="187" width="400" /></a></div>
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But even her less outlandish pairs are far from boring. A carrot is ordinary. A carrot in a shape of an elephant is extraordinary. A dream is Pomelo with a lush head of head, while reality is bald Pomelo. She even makes in/out and real/pretend very amusing. Absolutely the very best, most enjoyable book of opposites we have found. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Enchanted Lion. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-6454489997395152132013-11-20T03:21:00.003-08:002013-11-20T03:21:55.260-08:00Where's Waldo: The Totally Essential Travel Collection <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dr55icObOSNG3_dY6kxgWQ-VQPkZ9Xg7IcrQYDgm3MwV6m4xccq6F77v4OIgCAmxekDlPDI2GkqRfB-zjaQI9_zJmj2yoi6mci8xebV80h7_w3MZo2V5TejXQTusu1ri8eCys3d0PDfS/s1600/The+Totally+Essential+Travel+Collection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dr55icObOSNG3_dY6kxgWQ-VQPkZ9Xg7IcrQYDgm3MwV6m4xccq6F77v4OIgCAmxekDlPDI2GkqRfB-zjaQI9_zJmj2yoi6mci8xebV80h7_w3MZo2V5TejXQTusu1ri8eCys3d0PDfS/s320/The+Totally+Essential+Travel+Collection.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/225344/wheres-waldo-the-totally-essential-travel-collection-by-martin-handford"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Martin Handford </span></div>
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Typically, <i>Where's Waldo</i> books are quite large, about 10" x 12", but thin. Certainly fun for home, but maybe not the ideal book to spread open while traveling. Now the clever people in charge of marketing have packed SEVEN volumes of classic <i>Where's Waldo</i> into one much smaller edition. It's genius, really. <br />
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This is technically a soft cover, but with exceptionally strong front and back covers, and a sturdy bendable spine. This means you can crack it open and spread it out for thorough searching without fear of cracking the spine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8T9E41IHxlKLEZOTufmV_on75GMVLkxgVhTovq0zrc-lWz6XT-hmgzWAGJ_icOdkkPy2wasJkkHyt7qixCLISHK4kY6eV4rIny9s__o47GbWGpt175Y4cFRoMTrcErG9nZFfcuAXmIH_q/s1600/Totally+Essential+Travel+Collection+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8T9E41IHxlKLEZOTufmV_on75GMVLkxgVhTovq0zrc-lWz6XT-hmgzWAGJ_icOdkkPy2wasJkkHyt7qixCLISHK4kY6eV4rIny9s__o47GbWGpt175Y4cFRoMTrcErG9nZFfcuAXmIH_q/s400/Totally+Essential+Travel+Collection+interior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Each adventure includes a fold-out checklist at the beginning and end, with hundreds of more items to look for. There's really no chance of running out of items to search for, no matter how long your trip is. <br />
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The classic Waldo books included in this travel edition:<br />
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<i>Where’s Waldo?</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo Now?</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo? The Wonder Book</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt!</i><br />
<i>Where’s Waldo? The Incredible Paper Chase</i><br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-21510636922642563732013-10-27T17:50:00.002-07:002013-10-27T17:50:46.691-07:00TouchThinkLearn Books <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY4sOOD8nGpNf444k3GmH0ahD1f0mpMzLhfTz1aVVx6jA0T54PrQN3abCvv5oADQDe4mPJn38I6A_2tbioIi56GhKEO2_-HGwf-vvDEsMwbggtAMuBXg9bLgpFmUkn1VakvYRcLrlEm9t/s1600/Touch+Think+Learn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY4sOOD8nGpNf444k3GmH0ahD1f0mpMzLhfTz1aVVx6jA0T54PrQN3abCvv5oADQDe4mPJn38I6A_2tbioIi56GhKEO2_-HGwf-vvDEsMwbggtAMuBXg9bLgpFmUkn1VakvYRcLrlEm9t/s320/Touch+Think+Learn.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/touch-think-learn-opposites.html">Chronicle Books</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Xavier Deneux </span></div>
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The old toddler classic, the board book, has been re-imagined, and the results are fabulous. <a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/touch-think-learn-opposites.html"><i>TouchThinkLearn</i></a> books are designed for early learning with a new dimension.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOn5f9ReBgWonQlVZwsddGxO0naprMMDzR_p7q1kVnZ_btsKDXph3MvZ_JghwOFsQf2FV8NHq_Oxz18cQ9lro1ezJ5m9cgucm5RbAXKily2h2oqm6g17RKnLdhmgyt3_czxPW4lw3-Ywy/s1600/think+touch+learn+opposites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOn5f9ReBgWonQlVZwsddGxO0naprMMDzR_p7q1kVnZ_btsKDXph3MvZ_JghwOFsQf2FV8NHq_Oxz18cQ9lro1ezJ5m9cgucm5RbAXKily2h2oqm6g17RKnLdhmgyt3_czxPW4lw3-Ywy/s400/think+touch+learn+opposites.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These retain the sturdiness we love of board books, but with die cut shapes added to the pages for more to touch and feel. Like tiny puzzles, the raised up shapes on the left hand page fit exactly into the cut out shapes on the right side. The shapes are very simple yet thick, so toddlers can get those chubby hands right in there, but parents won't have worry about them being able to tear any pieces off. <br />
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Obviously you need more than just sturdy to make a great board book. Deneux has a way of creating illustrations that are very simple, but incredibly adorable. The bunnies that illustrate inside/outside in the <i>Opposites</i> book are the cutest darn things. They are only outdone by the white kitten turned ninja cat in the <i>Colors</i> book. It's very clever how the elephant demonstrating heavy fits perfectly into the pure white cloud that is light, and the submarine is the exact same shape as the whale. <br />
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Creating a better board book with more dimension is a smart idea. Unlike books that offer flaps and pop ups, these are sturdy enough for curious toddlers. I love <i>Colors</i> and <i>Opposites</i>, and would expect the other two books in the collection, <i>Shapes</i> and Numbers, to be on par. Smart, cute, and fun to touch. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Chronicle Books. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-63570480778643310592013-10-22T03:37:00.001-07:002013-10-27T04:21:50.919-07:00Put Me in the Story personalized books <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuxicEcDoxS9AsHVyU1Rx9s0EcMm-P4r4lfXx41doxnN8NtZAy0CDapQm4UGFoeYTIVJUsAI-my2x9PGC_nyyZQY4PIcfnGFLMnqgjOdeFHy5SPOAkxw9cIyc7fCNKwx8kllLHX43E5oH/s1600/Put+Me+in+the+Story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuxicEcDoxS9AsHVyU1Rx9s0EcMm-P4r4lfXx41doxnN8NtZAy0CDapQm4UGFoeYTIVJUsAI-my2x9PGC_nyyZQY4PIcfnGFLMnqgjOdeFHy5SPOAkxw9cIyc7fCNKwx8kllLHX43E5oH/s320/Put+Me+in+the+Story.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.putmeinthestory.com/">Put Me in the Story</a> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.putmeinthestory.com/">Put Me In The Story</a>
is a new personalized children’s book site offered by <a href="http://www.sourcebooks.com/">Sourcebooks</a>. What makes these personalized books so different from the others already on the market is that these are some of bestselling and award-winning books from Sourcebooks. To be honest, most of the other personalized books I've seen have been pretty blah. <br />
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Browse the selection <a href="http://www.putmeinthestory.com/personalized-books/any-age/">here</a> to see all titles offered. I love that they included some books we already own and absolutely love, <i>My Dad, My Hero</i> by Ethan Long. <i>My Name is Not Isabella</i> and <i>My Name is Not Alexander</i>, would both make ideal personalized books. We chose <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2010/11/more-bears.html"><i>More Bears</i></a> by Kenn Nesbitt, as he is one of our favorite authors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHsbAjrgGVYUVGXyU0WNwhh4Q0_tUtjzPvG0iNfksuL1DyMHwvEQSeYGPhN6hL9xwLF1rAFaMwRsKjphOaHDabzLXb9cpOCoCZ0QPztNEdWwqShly4Xu2p6Dlm8hZoL2hL8IsPF_RalT5/s1600/favorite-characters-elmo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHsbAjrgGVYUVGXyU0WNwhh4Q0_tUtjzPvG0iNfksuL1DyMHwvEQSeYGPhN6hL9xwLF1rAFaMwRsKjphOaHDabzLXb9cpOCoCZ0QPztNEdWwqShly4Xu2p6Dlm8hZoL2hL8IsPF_RalT5/s400/favorite-characters-elmo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ordering is pretty painless: choose your book, supply the child's name, inscription, and three photos. The best part is that you can't move forward until all the necessary information is complete. That makes it foolproof. And believe me, this fool tested it. I didn't realize you needed three photos and tried checking out after loading just one. Best of all, you can see a preview of the entire book online complete with your information, page by page. So before you press the order button, you feel confident about how the finished product will look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd8Uv-OHztQLgF-HyApkJLXOmwkf5Dlkdv-nEsPNVW7fxAA71fF2sG6bgCen2Q12nu4JYoa75kNOyHS8G2pMfeWetTIeql5RZgo6ISbrEu7Bz8Bmd_T7whGO0zCNpqUvOQatiLDij1ax7/s1600/On-the-Night-You-Were-Born_personalized_book_banner_New.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd8Uv-OHztQLgF-HyApkJLXOmwkf5Dlkdv-nEsPNVW7fxAA71fF2sG6bgCen2Q12nu4JYoa75kNOyHS8G2pMfeWetTIeql5RZgo6ISbrEu7Bz8Bmd_T7whGO0zCNpqUvOQatiLDij1ax7/s400/On-the-Night-You-Were-Born_personalized_book_banner_New.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our book arrived less than a week later and it was perfect. The photo was clear, the inscription was correct, and the personalized book made the most amazing baby gift. The entire experience was nothing but positive, and I would absolutely order again from Put Me In the Story. Actually, we'll definitely order again - because I think these personalized books would make fantastic Christmas gifts. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Sourcebooks. </i><br />
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<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-10943355224453828612013-09-23T10:15:00.001-07:002013-09-23T10:15:48.367-07:00Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1FbEvwaHrYPBhLzx45KlLa2auv-0JNGch3_ZhFknJtzkoLmudWIRPugX13IbFv0MxfNXQ27CQT01YgCfaSWM8apG0OZqafmryembfM36HNBQ3VSwVZnYYT7Y11g-sIYYMbF2ffScRGXy/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1FbEvwaHrYPBhLzx45KlLa2auv-0JNGch3_ZhFknJtzkoLmudWIRPugX13IbFv0MxfNXQ27CQT01YgCfaSWM8apG0OZqafmryembfM36HNBQ3VSwVZnYYT7Y11g-sIYYMbF2ffScRGXy/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763657271"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://janeyolen.com/">Jane Yolan</a>, Illustrated by <a href="http://www.kelmurphy.com/">Kelly Murphy </a></span></div>
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This is the perfect sequel to <i><a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2011/07/creepy-monsters-sleepy-monsters.html">Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters</a></i>, which was published two years ago. The two books are very similar, with fantastic illustrations, cute rhyming text, and hilarious little monster activities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrrLu23ElYs_nJiuLgh5Q5J5Aj061JKxnL5smFOHBUyFeYBurpWIVqaHm2eSU9EmNjiO7hbCIzu-H00iiZ3Kq2lIdsdFTcUyUz-DR3wlkpXU6dqZT-8RDkXzWhvwXnxcqLUKqXHW5kuCv/s1600/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrrLu23ElYs_nJiuLgh5Q5J5Aj061JKxnL5smFOHBUyFeYBurpWIVqaHm2eSU9EmNjiO7hbCIzu-H00iiZ3Kq2lIdsdFTcUyUz-DR3wlkpXU6dqZT-8RDkXzWhvwXnxcqLUKqXHW5kuCv/s640/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This might not be exactly right, but it seemed to me that <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2011/07/creepy-monsters-sleepy-monsters.html"><i>Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters</i></a> was a day in the life of monsters - a weekday, to be specific. This sequel appears to give us a look into a monster week<i>end</i>. And once again, it's super fun to see their activities aren't so different from ours.<br />
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Monsters are whooping it up at the park, playing ball, taking turns on
the slide, and jumping rope. Much like humans at the park, although they
need less equipment, using just their freakish monster arms for the
ropes. They have picnics in the park, teeter-totter and ride their
bikes. Of course, they all line up for monster-sicles when the cart
comes around. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ7VWT_KSoqXrVtGujrz6-icZT3LwM0nkywGG0u3hxqHxKcc9j9isKVICLIonoNY0OWLIJS5pwWDe0Be6m1Mu05M2yk8UEl5Sxaj1KUC6CNdqis9Lows-vf1d2Pxi6BvefQYLF5qMwqYh/s1600/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ7VWT_KSoqXrVtGujrz6-icZT3LwM0nkywGG0u3hxqHxKcc9j9isKVICLIonoNY0OWLIJS5pwWDe0Be6m1Mu05M2yk8UEl5Sxaj1KUC6CNdqis9Lows-vf1d2Pxi6BvefQYLF5qMwqYh/s640/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think this book series is actually a great tool for helping children get over their fear of monsters. This is an easy way to show that monsters aren't creepy dudes that hide under the bed. These monsters smile, hug, and play silly games in the park. The only growling here is a little fight between siblings over the water fountain. <br />
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Happily, there are enough monster-specific details included, so the book is also equally humorous. One large monster waits on the teeter totter while a pile of teeny monsters help each other pile on the other end. The three-headed monster on the tricycle is sporting three safety helmets. And one of the treats dispensed from the monster ice cream cart is a popsicle covered with tongues and eyeballs. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvFX07GbGtnywXMqgRhaS0SiV0gnJ-jXzbpG-t7rhWSNMiLmRH9p5WwvSLYJSVpdkQjElzkOhopUqm34-ZMZCBGwXcy8nKpJ1vwzID2v9HmKBP4ynHa-YaqsDEwD3MMZ8JyDCco7RaP9R/s1600/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvFX07GbGtnywXMqgRhaS0SiV0gnJ-jXzbpG-t7rhWSNMiLmRH9p5WwvSLYJSVpdkQjElzkOhopUqm34-ZMZCBGwXcy8nKpJ1vwzID2v9HmKBP4ynHa-YaqsDEwD3MMZ8JyDCco7RaP9R/s640/Romping+Monsters+Stomping+Monsters+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-79888010319056766622013-07-29T03:49:00.001-07:002013-09-23T10:16:18.405-07:00The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ThVXt0CNZU6JHeSGUkTAUtW9kDdqUk6Zw-nAkytZfvYMLyYa8kUsicvfx9yu70ZoN6CrYaFcnvu5bJIfSwEZmC2iLZlncABC9hsPjoRmPS94xo72Xs6Y2kL9-AOh55GTwgvV9F4GvlB0/s1600/frog+belly+rat+bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ThVXt0CNZU6JHeSGUkTAUtW9kDdqUk6Zw-nAkytZfvYMLyYa8kUsicvfx9yu70ZoN6CrYaFcnvu5bJIfSwEZmC2iLZlncABC9hsPjoRmPS94xo72Xs6Y2kL9-AOh55GTwgvV9F4GvlB0/s320/frog+belly+rat+bone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763626112&browse=Author">Candlewick Press</a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.timothybasileringart.com/">Timothy Basil Ering</a> </span></div>
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It is the illustrations rather than the story that are so mesmerizing to me. Timothy Basil Ering has a very unique style of mixing watercolors with loose sketches, so the whole thing is all textures and shadows. It's also amazing. <br />
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There once was a stick boy who lived in a dank place called Cementland, which was filled with heaping piles of junk. The boy had one wish: to find a true treasure. After<i> </i>endless fruitless searching, he unearths a strange and wonderful box.The box is filled with beautiful packages and a note that instructs the finder to put the wondrous riches into the earth and enjoy.<br />
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The boy does as the note instructs, but when he comes back the next day, his plantings have been stolen. Enraged, he rummages through the junk and sets to work making a strange and loathsome creature from smelly socks, moldy pillows, and scraggly wires. Frog Belly Rat Bone is the monster who will guard over the boy's treasures, like a scarecrow for Cementland.<br />
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That very night, a rat, a rabbit, and a fruit fly are scared nearly to death when a "giant scary monster with long bony arms and wet smelly socks" leaps out. The thieves run off and the boy's treasures remain safe. The little boy and Frog Belly water the treasures and continue to guard against thieves. Soon Cementland is covered in beautiful flowers and laden with delicious fruit and vegetables. They all celebrate, even the thieves (who came back and apologized). <br />
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This book was originally published in 2003, and <span class="biofont">has been adapted to the stage play by Rogue Artist Ensemble in Los Angeles, California. This printing celebrates the book's ten year anniversary. </span><br />
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<span class="biofont">Timothy Basil Ering says this book was inspired by a visit to Descanso Gardens, a botanical garden in Pasadena,
California, where there is a private garden for urban Los Angeles
schoolchildren. "For as long as I can remember, I have loved to mix up
words and phrases into silly little combinations that would make me
laugh," he explains. "I’d make up songs while meandering down the outer
beach of Cape Cod to favorite fishing spots, and ‘Frog Belly Rat Bone’
was always a favorite string of nouns. Then one day in Pasadena, I sat
at a tiny picnic table in the children’s garden and began to sketch the
garden’s scarecrow. I knew at that moment that Frog Belly Rat Bone had
found a home." </span> <br />
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Timothy Basil Ering also wrote and illustrated <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2009/09/finn-throws-fit.html"><i>Finn Throws a Fit</i></a>, which is equally excellent. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i><br />
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<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-81048169527163410532013-05-14T03:57:00.001-07:002013-05-14T03:57:40.713-07:00I Scream Ice Cream: a Book of Wordles <div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl9f4ZVwJxRMtx47hCSppC8g7BRMGZfFCqZd8Oe9DwfePr09OjyqNRHWeW2k0bWDJyyqbDJjOtRpK8btkv1_u7nuzZ8L0GjUyZvFGLxA8Tb7Gl9ldrFGG_Dl75ZRkPJ-LfSkmJPq4Ehti/s1600/i+scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl9f4ZVwJxRMtx47hCSppC8g7BRMGZfFCqZd8Oe9DwfePr09OjyqNRHWeW2k0bWDJyyqbDJjOtRpK8btkv1_u7nuzZ8L0GjUyZvFGLxA8Tb7Gl9ldrFGG_Dl75ZRkPJ-LfSkmJPq4Ehti/s320/i+scream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/kids-teens/genre/picturebooks/i-scream-ice-cream.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Chronicle Books</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.whoisamy.com/">Amy Krouse Rosenthal</a>; Illustrated by <a href="http://www.sergebloch.net/">Serge Bloch</a> </span></div>
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At first I thought "wordles" must be a fabricated word for the sake of humor, but it's a real thing. A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differ in meaning. Wordles are a <u>group</u> of words that sound exactly the same as another group of totally different words. I scream/ice cream is easily the one that people are most familiar with, but it certainly isn't the funniest one in the book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0AQx-67FOwyuWXweZkyDUVSiHdun6FVFXcekFMRcoi8ZkmO4kMCfSKelFAXksQk5pGCrmtIqHAiN-5w15BTO95Us974f7glb_iBLUi0YejBAPtGr5QBm969Io8Fd6xIHHtyXSGqb37XF/s1600/I+Scream+ice+cream+interior+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0AQx-67FOwyuWXweZkyDUVSiHdun6FVFXcekFMRcoi8ZkmO4kMCfSKelFAXksQk5pGCrmtIqHAiN-5w15BTO95Us974f7glb_iBLUi0YejBAPtGr5QBm969Io8Fd6xIHHtyXSGqb37XF/s320/I+Scream+ice+cream+interior+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first group of words is given with a terrific illustration by Serge Bloch. The reader is supposed to guess what an alternate meaning might be, before turning the page. The first couple are on the easy side (probably just to boost the readers' confidence) but they ramp up after that. Honestly, the obscurity is what makes the book so funny. I loved turning each page to see the answer and illustration. "Pants. Knees." becomes "Pant ... sneeze." <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmbnhSvhcuplCwQvoyNINqn9kDGpAbveNFRtBzfMLv2KLIVB4uQy35PMvO53UxgDiSbkPJG6lxP1L25vs2irO29Lxc56raYnjvMo2fnp0a-hVEQyenlD0LhMPxCIfsppORq3Ts2FlmzHQ/s1600/I+Scream+ice+cream+interior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmbnhSvhcuplCwQvoyNINqn9kDGpAbveNFRtBzfMLv2KLIVB4uQy35PMvO53UxgDiSbkPJG6lxP1L25vs2irO29Lxc56raYnjvMo2fnp0a-hVEQyenlD0LhMPxCIfsppORq3Ts2FlmzHQ/s320/I+Scream+ice+cream+interior+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rosenthal has laid the groundwork of the book by coming up with some really clever phrases, but I think it's Serge Bloch who adds the magic with his illustrations. Instead of showing reindeer placidly standing around, his are soaring across the sky, like a pack of geese flying south for the winter.The wordle with Snow White has a pack of dwarfs lined up behind her, all glowering at the wicked queen. This is like a puzzle and a picture book rolled up into one.<br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Chronicle Books. </i><br />
Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-64665344855546536212013-03-24T09:32:00.001-07:002013-03-24T09:32:46.242-07:00Maya Was Grumpy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QczPsK-qoWhuocNYlhszBMB5G3MaRNxunzVCalilXU3jRSXHN80exNmw2k1WUdDIKMGXd5wZHuEX3chbf3YVoyaoW9ExwFjo9OfL5705KzDepTvTJD-wEBjH_v6qsTbpJq793XRGmaP1/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QczPsK-qoWhuocNYlhszBMB5G3MaRNxunzVCalilXU3jRSXHN80exNmw2k1WUdDIKMGXd5wZHuEX3chbf3YVoyaoW9ExwFjo9OfL5705KzDepTvTJD-wEBjH_v6qsTbpJq793XRGmaP1/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flashlightpress.com/Maya_Was_Grumpy.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Flashlight Press</span></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://www.pippinmathur.com/">Courtney Pippin-Mathur</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Maya
is having a bad hair day. Her wild red hair reflects her mood…
cantankerous and smoldering. She isn’t sure why she’s in a grumpy mood;
she just is. And she wants to make sure everyone around her knows it.
She mopes through the house, scowling and grumbling, trying to infect
the pet cat, her brothers, and even the birds outside, to no avail.
Maya’s bad mood is ignored, which only makes her grumpier. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
a last ditch effort to share her grouchiness, Maya attempts to get a
rise out of her <span style="font-size: small;">grandma</span>. Gramma’s silly comments at first infuriate Maya, but
then Maya begins to succumb and eventually resorts to giggling at
Gramma’s fantastical suggestions that they spend the day swinging with
the monkeys and tickling tarantulas. Gramma fixes Maya’s hair, and off
they go to enjoy the day. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
love Pippin-Mathur’s illustrations. She perfectly captures the facial
expressions of an obstinate little girl who<span style="font-size: small;"> i</span>s determined to have a bad
day. It’s clever how she uses Maya’s hair as a symbol of feeling out of
control, and then transforms it into cute, fun pigtails as Maya’s mood
improves. And all parents can learn a thing or two from Gramma, who
remains cool and calm throughout. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Maya
Was Grumpy</i> is Pippin-Mathur’s first picture book. It’s an entertaining
read for young children, and is sure to bring forth smiles from parents
as well. I hope a few Maya sequels are in the works.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua';">Reviewed by Leslie. Review copy provided by Flashlight Pres<span style="font-size: small;">s. </span></span></span></i> </span></span></span></div>
Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-41105828077589847452013-03-22T17:15:00.000-07:002013-03-22T17:15:46.322-07:00This is Not My Hat<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICNRaBKMiA6IT6MMjPe1qRDcH4JZBW_1kjndLKulFWBI6IPedNS0nPrLS6eE5wDgoJfVLMV3D7wTLjuY2oR9cCJtiSWrxmM8_V9tj-qVleZPWqGq0BDmkM7b46dfKkz0p8Zz3WucE8C3e/s1600/this-is-not-my-hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICNRaBKMiA6IT6MMjPe1qRDcH4JZBW_1kjndLKulFWBI6IPedNS0nPrLS6eE5wDgoJfVLMV3D7wTLjuY2oR9cCJtiSWrxmM8_V9tj-qVleZPWqGq0BDmkM7b46dfKkz0p8Zz3WucE8C3e/s320/this-is-not-my-hat.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763655996&browse=Title"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://jonklassen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Jon Klassen </span></a></div>
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Jon Klassen's <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-want-my-hat-back.html"><i>I Want My Hat Back</i></a> won the New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book of the
Year, and was named an honor book of the 2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. Clearly I wasn't the only who loved the story about a bear who was trying to track down his misplaced (stolen!) hat, with a fantastic sardonic ending.<br />
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This one is about a small fish who nicks a hat from a much larger fish, and his attempted getaway. I like how this book is quite similar to <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-want-my-hat-back.html"><i>I Want My Hat Back</i></a>, but written from the complete opposite point of view. Before we were identifying with the victim and now we're seeing the captor's point of view (who also turns out to be a victim). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMdob15NbpS2DhpYUsxFvSh76AkxWd0YUd1F5XohQPRIn4Z76ajnJ68FN-6hjd2SNMohU5gqWdedsAXKMK3cGJ6GdrETaDYyauawLTFzwUbaVsHTZ9nnLAWE5l53_GxGjgfIdP1VDfhPz/s1600/this+is+not+my+hat+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMdob15NbpS2DhpYUsxFvSh76AkxWd0YUd1F5XohQPRIn4Z76ajnJ68FN-6hjd2SNMohU5gqWdedsAXKMK3cGJ6GdrETaDYyauawLTFzwUbaVsHTZ9nnLAWE5l53_GxGjgfIdP1VDfhPz/s400/this+is+not+my+hat+interior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the hat swiping, the little thief is quite smug as he darts away, sure that the big fish was dead to the world. Even if he did wake to notice the empty space on his head, he wouldn't have the faintest idea who the thief could be. Should he be suspected, the little fish is confident that he's smart and quick enough to make it to the thick plants, where he will hide and never ever be found. <br />
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Many of the pages look similar, but the book isn't a bit boring. I love the four pages of the big fish, right in a row. All four illustrations are nearly identical, except for the way his big fish eye conveys his reaction to the story. Even better, his reaction is a direct contradiction to the text printed on that page. It's <u>so</u> cleverly done. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-20957452530934129802013-03-20T02:48:00.002-07:002013-03-20T02:51:56.682-07:00Winner Bakes All: The Cupcake Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGui7TAkrC7PFEhBbwyvr9HDZDukBckHeviLeAydQsLC2x5xn8Q4GUFIvoOBdxVrjZrlPufkpFb_DaUr2cH_TmJY7aGbkHUOdZZMgPHPDg788tIodreqqdQo-XUmq0Jj2yuYVqWyv_Al2J/s1600/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGui7TAkrC7PFEhBbwyvr9HDZDukBckHeviLeAydQsLC2x5xn8Q4GUFIvoOBdxVrjZrlPufkpFb_DaUr2cH_TmJY7aGbkHUOdZZMgPHPDg788tIodreqqdQo-XUmq0Jj2yuYVqWyv_Al2J/s320/2.png" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sourcebooks</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://carriescupcakecritique.shutterfly.com/">Sheryl Berk</a> and Carrie Berk </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
this third installment of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PLCCupcakeClub"><i>The Cupcake Club</i></a> series, the mother and
daughter writing team of Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk focus on fifth
grader, Sadie Harris. Sadie has a lot on her plate, and not just
cupcakes!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not
only is Sadie failing math and trying to take the girls basketball team
to the next level, she’s also worried that her parents are headed for
divorce. On top of it all, she and her friends are vying for a spot on
the hit show Battle of the Bakers. As a result of the struggling
economy, their cupcake business has hit a snafu and orders are
dwindling. PLC (Peace, Love, and Cupcakes) needs a boost, and winning
TV’s ultimate cupcake competition is just the ticket.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
this fast-paced chapter book, we follow Sadie and her friends through
the many highs and lows of being business owners. As if being an
adolescent girl isn’t hard enough! As they support and learn from each
other, they discover that it’s not all about winning. It’s about putting
forth the effort and giving it your all.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This
book is a sweet treat for middle school girls. As a mom, I would highly
recommend it as a wholesome and heartwarming read. My first grader was
drawn in by the cover art and title, and quite jealous that I was
reading the book without her.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As
the book closes, we are left feeling satisfied yet wanting more… and
what better way to get more than to turn the page and find three
delicious PLC cupcake recipes. But now I’m torn: Snowball Coconut,
Golden Caramel, or Chocolate Chili? I may just have to bake them all. </span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reviewed by Leslie. </span></span>Review copy provided by Sourcebooks. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-60555346187475658892013-03-18T16:44:00.000-07:002013-03-18T16:44:09.331-07:00Free Printable Bookplates! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fKoY2eBq7_McLrCbCC0mYlS0g7sA_dedapeutnEx7FuO38qGhP4DwLubg4PPutVqVpoFdpPX68daQwSwJzI09AQX0uIqe3jXmo8tzuLwn9XmdjQSQeTM6mzmKWl93BHKtyY_5ih3A2pT/s1600/LilyAshburyBookplates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fKoY2eBq7_McLrCbCC0mYlS0g7sA_dedapeutnEx7FuO38qGhP4DwLubg4PPutVqVpoFdpPX68daQwSwJzI09AQX0uIqe3jXmo8tzuLwn9XmdjQSQeTM6mzmKWl93BHKtyY_5ih3A2pT/s320/LilyAshburyBookplates.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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How beautiful are these printable bookplates from <a href="http://lilyashbury.com/tag/bookplates/">Lily Ashbury</a>? They are versatile enough to use in children's books as well as adult. Download all four designs <a href="http://lilyashbury.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/LilyAshburyBookplatesLoRes.jpg">here</a> and start personalizing your own books. I like the mix of patterns and colors, and how she offers two in printed font and two in cursive. Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-47393652555745755542013-03-17T04:54:00.003-07:002013-03-18T16:44:45.407-07:00Where's Waldo? Santa Spectacular <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiumhOUHeYkrEVJDmwflrgOpI94e1LkmFW1moE-lG1PrFc8WBb-2-6ha-KRLBhvyNrdaGvxdGoyJ028useAHXajUjhc3AOawNMlr3NPmhd2fWXKIh4zlrgJT8hJ1U6Pl3KlgPJPhxCrdQT/s1600/Where's+waldo+santa+spectacular.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiumhOUHeYkrEVJDmwflrgOpI94e1LkmFW1moE-lG1PrFc8WBb-2-6ha-KRLBhvyNrdaGvxdGoyJ028useAHXajUjhc3AOawNMlr3NPmhd2fWXKIh4zlrgJT8hJ1U6Pl3KlgPJPhxCrdQT/s320/Where's+waldo+santa+spectacular.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=title&mode=book&isbn=0763661597"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=title&mode=book&isbn=0763661597"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Martin Handford</span> </div>
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I think kids of all ages (even adults) can enjoy Waldo books, but this one has a definite age range. It is important to note that I think this book is intended for younger children, as older kids would find the games and activities a bit simplistic. <br />
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Stickers feature predominately, with six full color pages in the center to use on various pages of activities. The first page instructs the child to "stick the stickers on top of the matching silhouettes to complete the scene." There's a very simple Sudoku page, a reindeer matching game, a two page board game, and one page of finding Waldo and his friends. But 75% of the book is using stickers - both for decorations and as games. I would estimate that sort of activity would be super attractive to a 3 or 4 year old, but a 6 year old might be bored. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VA14j2skq-zPhf7_U-aHyeAwE1WsPqJY1Cm-S6H5fZqemnnJxAb0831gf9F7RqrOZWMGWxUa5R_qlN406bAd28qPuMeA480Y9q9FJsPFSd-UPThpmB69GPESL3v1t_6u1q-VqRVVS4pI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VA14j2skq-zPhf7_U-aHyeAwE1WsPqJY1Cm-S6H5fZqemnnJxAb0831gf9F7RqrOZWMGWxUa5R_qlN406bAd28qPuMeA480Y9q9FJsPFSd-UPThpmB69GPESL3v1t_6u1q-VqRVVS4pI/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think it would be easy for people to glance at the cover and think "Waldo with santas!" without seeing the additional description of "Puzzles, searches and hundreds of cool stickers" right below the title. I think it's a super activity book for young children, but I would hate to see someone order this for an older child (or themselves) and be disappointed. But if you have a sticker lover, absolutely order this one. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.</i> Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-45703917451300221622013-01-12T05:42:00.000-08:002013-01-12T05:42:01.654-08:00No Bears <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcshgzTuMHMzkucJA-wsjLwgHiQwlZnRnseyPNffB7jJF9o_kaJtxLFu1p3j33zHyrBlI4oNP7ESqGcMAWyjW7Xsx5_FqDtmjJ2lHd73-wWj30qnhWZ3tE4oYY6Qv7QhLFvUPZ5nI3kCq/s1600/No+More+Bears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcshgzTuMHMzkucJA-wsjLwgHiQwlZnRnseyPNffB7jJF9o_kaJtxLFu1p3j33zHyrBlI4oNP7ESqGcMAWyjW7Xsx5_FqDtmjJ2lHd73-wWj30qnhWZ3tE4oYY6Qv7QhLFvUPZ5nI3kCq/s320/No+More+Bears.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763658901&pix=n"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.megmckinlay.com/">Meg McKinlay</a>; Illustrated by <a href="http://leilarudge.blogspot.com/">Leila Rudge </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> "Every time you read a book, it's just BEARS BEARS BEARS - horrible furry bears slurping honey in awful little caves." That's how fed up E</span></span>lla<span style="font-size: small;"> i<span style="font-size: small;">s <span style="font-size: small;">w</span>ith bears <span style="font-size: small;">h<span style="font-size: small;">ogging all the s<span style="font-size: small;">torybooks. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">She needs a break from all the bears. </span>The <span style="font-size: small;">ob<span style="font-size: small;">vious solution is to </span></span>ta</span>ke matters into her own hands <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">and create</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> a s</span>tory<span style="font-size: small;">book that has, you guessed it, no bears. No bears in <span style="font-size: small;">her castle, no bears in her forest, no bears putting th<span style="font-size: small;">eir <span style="font-size: small;">grimy little paws </span></span>in her book, period. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Instead of bears crowding up the joint, Ella's book has a tutorial for making your own paper crown, fairies with shimmering wings, a map of faraway places, and a terrible monster. This monster is also terribly (hilariously) dressed, replete in a pair of yellow and coral striped tights and an offbeat patterned mask. Ella's story has action, adventure, and like all good storybooks, a happy ending. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovnxsWsfp3oTE5ryboe-a5ZSoe-kYG39Kyb7aXa2WCsg4oYZB2eAe7SHWrVgb9S2uZe7PXVIxsQeNWVzQHQvried6LB41gNSNBNEg6vcBqBST1FyGxUJwtipiu3rMnJKFKYx9SWHC4cu6/s1600/no+more+bears+interior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovnxsWsfp3oTE5ryboe-a5ZSoe-kYG39Kyb7aXa2WCsg4oYZB2eAe7SHWrVgb9S2uZe7PXVIxsQeNWVzQHQvried6LB41gNSNBNEg6vcBqBST1FyGxUJwtipiu3rMnJKFKYx9SWHC4cu6/s400/no+more+bears+interior+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I like how Ella includes classic storybook elements in a seemingly random way. When she introduces the monster to the story, a little girl in a red cape and hood runs past with a basket while a wolf looks on. The monster crosses the river in a bathtub with an owl and a pussycat, later passing by a trio of pigs in one house, and a girl with a suspiciously long braid in another.<br />
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There may be no bears allowed in, but one lurks (unknown to the bear banning author) right at the edges of the book, with a paw reaching in on several pages. Could it be that a bear is having a huge effect on Ella's book on the sly? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5dl21TmjCrgQ3V1kj57Rq0XtNHPHRpPYtuEowDiIAcifNig6WGWgeummPnk51NruigODbZT-Ecmxa_ZnNmglaBevnx3kEakfzHdzHmL1Yyo_2OM4hoga2JMBCGq4VXKHAkZoePFv7JBq/s1600/no+more+bears+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5dl21TmjCrgQ3V1kj57Rq0XtNHPHRpPYtuEowDiIAcifNig6WGWgeummPnk51NruigODbZT-Ecmxa_ZnNmglaBevnx3kEakfzHdzHmL1Yyo_2OM4hoga2JMBCGq4VXKHAkZoePFv7JBq/s400/no+more+bears+interior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Leila Rudge does a great job tempering all the colors and activity in Ella's book against the pure white background. There are so many little details to take note of, but it's not the least bit overwhelming. There is action and adventure on every page, paired with adorable little patterned clothing (Ella's pink patterned shirt is my favorite) and clever little jokes tucked in everywhere. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-62418942023539382202013-01-08T19:14:00.001-08:002013-01-08T19:14:49.406-08:00Bear Despair <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGysXYkNbEO_Y8g4udwcHuUkOmGnuTkuW9Sp4_UYkEUywD9e6dhSeYE1-VBoSkjzzvnpSSVrlTDUIEn1Yi-oG2NR2XGEIRlJFVV1oahzqEY1UgqvywLfnHzeRJkRu_ui37cqN6oaDs8Qz/s1600/Bear+Despair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGysXYkNbEO_Y8g4udwcHuUkOmGnuTkuW9Sp4_UYkEUywD9e6dhSeYE1-VBoSkjzzvnpSSVrlTDUIEn1Yi-oG2NR2XGEIRlJFVV1oahzqEY1UgqvywLfnHzeRJkRu_ui37cqN6oaDs8Qz/s320/Bear+Despair.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/node/204">Enchanted Lion</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a class="books_title_highlighted" href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/node/207">Gaëtan Dorémus</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Another wordless treasure from Enchanted Lion, who seems to be the king <span style="font-size: small;">of</span> finding the really great ones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bear is <span style="font-size: small;">peacefully snoozing away with his teddy tucked under his arm, when <span style="font-size: small;">Wolf happens past. And wouldn't it be a funny joke to <span style="font-size: small;">pluck out that teddy bear and fling it away as far as he can<span style="font-size: small;">? Not to Bear. Turns out to be <span style="font-size: small;">n</span>ot so funny <span style="font-size: small;">for W<span style="font-size: small;">olf <span style="font-size: small;">either, after Bear gobbles him up as penance. With a scowl on his face, and Wo<span style="font-size: small;">l<span style="font-size: small;">f safely tucked away in his belly, Bear starts to hunt for his teddy<span style="font-size: small;">. He smiles when he sees that Lion has picked up the <span style="font-size: small;">to<span style="font-size: small;">y. <span style="font-size: small;">Apparently Lion shares <span style="font-size: small;">W<span style="font-size: small;">olf's sense of humor, <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">because <span style="font-size: small;">i</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">nstead of returning the s<span style="font-size: small;">tuffed<span style="font-size: small;"> animal, he mocks Bear and tosses his toy over a steep cliff. <span style="font-size: small;">For that<span style="font-size: small;">, L<span style="font-size: small;">ion ge<span style="font-size: small;">ts gobbled up and finds himself <span style="font-size: small;">right next to </span></span></span></span>W<span style="font-size: small;">olf. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB50uPHthqsSy9Y2tzhBwUR8aZk4hRmSWTDBvOEAQDUC25m0yOEj5F-w45Pl3WmGafmfMP7BWLg73r2J6lmLdsMd6IgRMZdEiJUyy3D7vtc3dn96x9SN8amLdfEdatsKhEVx9zDwR5Sad/s1600/bear+despair+interior+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB50uPHthqsSy9Y2tzhBwUR8aZk4hRmSWTDBvOEAQDUC25m0yOEj5F-w45Pl3WmGafmfMP7BWLg73r2J6lmLdsMd6IgRMZdEiJUyy3D7vtc3dn96x9SN8amLdfEdatsKhEVx9zDwR5Sad/s400/bear+despair+interior+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The really brilli<span style="font-size: small;">ant<span style="font-size: small;"> part of this book is that </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="books_title_highlighted" href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/node/207">Dorémus</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span>a</span>llows us to </span>see the goings on inside of Bear's tummy<span style="font-size: small;">.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> In <span style="font-size: small;">no time at all, Wolf and Lion are joined by a pair of eggs (soon to hatch) gulped down <span style="font-size: small;">as ret<span style="font-size: small;">r<span style="font-size: small;">ib<span style="font-size: small;">ution from a tedd<span style="font-size: small;">y snatching bird<span style="font-size: small;">. By the time </span></span></span></span></span></span>an elephant find his way inside, Bear is quite large<span style="font-size: small;">, his head balancing <span style="font-size: small;">atop</span> his <span style="font-size: small;">mammoth body <span style="font-size: small;">like a tiny pea. <span style="font-size: small;">Poss<span style="font-size: small;">ibly it <span style="font-size: small;">i</span></span></span>s his fearsome size that persuades <span style="font-size: small;">the Octo<span style="font-size: small;">pus to return his teddy.<span style="font-size: small;"> As soon as Bear is pacified, <span style="font-size: small;">those who were eaten are now released and Bear returns to <span style="font-size: small;">his nap. </span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuAo7BwebWPqZHV_TeV_AphFesocALL_R1Q4ItYrD84oKhtLi89j98R5rFs4z1bcE6N5V0RzY78rRRCfTCfHty1v-0Z1pwrqEG6iNt_huH2_j2JVptA9E_tysr-3oQL7c9qH5h7KznFFq/s1600/bear+despair+interior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuAo7BwebWPqZHV_TeV_AphFesocALL_R1Q4ItYrD84oKhtLi89j98R5rFs4z1bcE6N5V0RzY78rRRCfTCfHty1v-0Z1pwrqEG6iNt_huH2_j2JVptA9E_tysr-3oQL7c9qH5h7KznFFq/s400/bear+despair+interior+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is indeed clever, and <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">deftly </span>proves you don't alway<span style="font-size: small;">s need <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">to have </span>words to <span style="font-size: small;">understand</span> <span style="font-size: small;">the</span> story being told. </span></span></span>Just how brilliant are these illustrations? Brilli<span style="font-size: small;">ant enough to <span style="font-size: small;">have won</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> a spot on the </span></span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/11/09/books/review/11best-illustrated-3.html">New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2012</a>. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Review copy provided by Enchanted Lion. </i></span></span></span><br />
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Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-30679334114058997812013-01-05T06:35:00.001-08:002013-01-05T06:35:03.570-08:00Where's Waldo? The Wow Collection!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpi6eRZTE2nrzrmDuDdtRjlGRxdb8tRjKd9RdUPxF1AhHcvGGAsRwiOEuKPwuKNWVlA1o2B0EPVwEQk3LjpBgS-jW06ZNa19d8KltfqHc6hhtkTtg11YjP2-10HQ_JL3puGIKde2pagZ/s1600/where's+waldo+the+wow+collection!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpi6eRZTE2nrzrmDuDdtRjlGRxdb8tRjKd9RdUPxF1AhHcvGGAsRwiOEuKPwuKNWVlA1o2B0EPVwEQk3LjpBgS-jW06ZNa19d8KltfqHc6hhtkTtg11YjP2-10HQ_JL3puGIKde2pagZ/s320/where's+waldo+the+wow+collection!.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763661791&browse=Author"><span style="font-size: large;">Candlewick Press</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Martin Handford </span></div>
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So they certainly named this collection appropriately. When I opened it, I literally whispered "Wow." out loud without even thinking. Martin Handford may not be illustrating new books, but they are doing a bang up job of repackaging the ones that have already been released. <br />
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The collection includes six paperback books and an eighty piece jigsaw puzzle - all packaged inside a fancy little slipcase to keep things tidy. Not to mention, it's cheaper than if you bought all six of those paperbacks individually. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZi3rTsEDYPRqepa-q983Tp5LpOMQPCS1_b53ZrEhuL_y7z0MpxeSNmnDL2BdZd6XKxIDKfU0Uc0NnqFtTF8Unz11LAWs2itEdsDVYNgWy9gkIhXreQsIRsciPT2WxU2qHKCGMp7L5zgJ/s1600/where's+waldo+the+wow+collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZi3rTsEDYPRqepa-q983Tp5LpOMQPCS1_b53ZrEhuL_y7z0MpxeSNmnDL2BdZd6XKxIDKfU0Uc0NnqFtTF8Unz11LAWs2itEdsDVYNgWy9gkIhXreQsIRsciPT2WxU2qHKCGMp7L5zgJ/s320/where's+waldo+the+wow+collection.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The six titles included are: Where’s Waldo?<br />
Where’s Waldo Now?<br />
Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey<br />
Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood<br />
Where’s Waldo? The Wonder Book<br />
Where’s Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt<br />
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I don't think I need to point out that this would make a great gift, but I will anyway. Excellent gift! Even better if you can find a newish, small person who has not yet been introduced to the wonderful world of Waldo. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-60719537830387126382013-01-04T17:02:00.001-08:002013-01-04T17:02:52.511-08:00Black Dog<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyApZ-lbyZkw5ni2N0J8f8vmAKSvIlgSany0JUrzCteIXPtUvbMc8nBK0raa3DHX5n0tmpY1Vd5geDb0OyfomFzoIbWJA0q1I8cOM57soDUHJS7IEoVvWQcQrHbbSSF1tx3_u4wmnuCs6/s1600/black+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyApZ-lbyZkw5ni2N0J8f8vmAKSvIlgSany0JUrzCteIXPtUvbMc8nBK0raa3DHX5n0tmpY1Vd5geDb0OyfomFzoIbWJA0q1I8cOM57soDUHJS7IEoVvWQcQrHbbSSF1tx3_u4wmnuCs6/s320/black+dog.jpg" width="235" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.templarco.co.uk/picture_books/levi_pinfold/levi_pinfold.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Templar Books</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/levipinfoldillustration"><span style="font-size: large;">Levi Pinfold <span id="goog_1942331161"></span><span id="goog_1942331162"></span></span></a></div>
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I read another review where the observation was made that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/levipinfoldillustration">Levi Pinfold</a> could probably write a book about anything at all and his amazing artwork would carry it along. I could not agree more with that assessment. I would totally plunk down my money for <i>The</i> <i>Big Book of Lint</i> if Levi had illustrated it.<br />
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For starters, this is one of the very few children's books I have seen where the dust jacket is not identical to the hardback cover, but both are equally stunning. Readers can expect all the image they find inside to be every bit as amazing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3euIhttUJ8nyXSu96IfbgMsBs7iYbSN2B0LBAcp1U-GQXkKCnPTgWD9mDgcBlsVSCMIJuSE0tmgVEMBkmynXQyN5vJ1W1dp_risQ2quELk4JRerbcWUkfVLUv6HXX5RqDVX8XBOI6VN1/s1600/Black+Dog+interior+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3euIhttUJ8nyXSu96IfbgMsBs7iYbSN2B0LBAcp1U-GQXkKCnPTgWD9mDgcBlsVSCMIJuSE0tmgVEMBkmynXQyN5vJ1W1dp_risQ2quELk4JRerbcWUkfVLUv6HXX5RqDVX8XBOI6VN1/s400/Black+Dog+interior+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
One day, a black dog appears in the Hope family's yard. Mr. Hope spots him first and announces him to be the size of a tiger, but the dog increases in size with each family member's sighting. By the time Maurice gets a glimpse, the black dog is reportedly larger than their three storied house. All the Hopes huddle together under the covers, except for one. It is the youngest member of the family, called Small, who dons her coat and steps outside alone to face the beast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE7Bbq-9CMBFQh62MOjT0c3NiGtWoPXt27eGdqHyycpDKEPTPUjcuBtOsqDKYEXzjmh-NKko6Tmi3a01lOwv7tQktWH7EVtnee7YsdrjJciJNwKVe61WJI8WethSwYP5hyphenhyphenbUHdyPRRjCm/s1600/black+dog+interior+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE7Bbq-9CMBFQh62MOjT0c3NiGtWoPXt27eGdqHyycpDKEPTPUjcuBtOsqDKYEXzjmh-NKko6Tmi3a01lOwv7tQktWH7EVtnee7YsdrjJciJNwKVe61WJI8WethSwYP5hyphenhyphenbUHdyPRRjCm/s400/black+dog+interior+3.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
Although the dog appears quite large and very black, Small is not afraid. As she leads him on a merry chase through the trees, across the frozen pond, and through the playground, the black dog following her every step of the way seems to be shrinking. By the time they reach the Hope house, he is small enough to crawl through the cat flap like Small does. When the rest of the family is faced with the reality of sees the dog, they realize he isn't frightening at all, through thought about how much courage Small had shown. The way the entire family is staring at the black dog while he licks a plate clean, and the very last image of Small cuddling with him in front of the fire leads me to believe that I just read the story of how the Hope family adopted their dog.<br />
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I do like the story, but it is most definitely the illustrations that make the book. They are extremely well done, but just a bit quirky, with odd little bits tucked in every cluttered room. I love every page and hope you will too. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72IYAtifYHQomrZVyfUrlLyleV_OjV6DuBmI4_MvOh90aBmS5XOPl8QHkgHCXbgjFAZYNxJcvN94T8_ZlfaUI81BJ3b1uVi2guW9ZKf1Dvgl5Otw5cvSlUxBQlXwwlb6I1oxVKhw_0o1g/s1600/black+dog+interior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72IYAtifYHQomrZVyfUrlLyleV_OjV6DuBmI4_MvOh90aBmS5XOPl8QHkgHCXbgjFAZYNxJcvN94T8_ZlfaUI81BJ3b1uVi2guW9ZKf1Dvgl5Otw5cvSlUxBQlXwwlb6I1oxVKhw_0o1g/s400/black+dog+interior+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Review copy provided by Templar Books.</i> <br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-42635261431269427302012-12-18T19:42:00.001-08:002012-12-18T19:42:58.348-08:00A Birthday for Bear <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhLAmGra-JbsewgYfHsE_9QPxrEMMHYbSAypJ9hJduMzInq_ZfzxnqZkT0kCd8IWABs3VDCVxIWmDKOHuStZKPuI53bpRDt1totpAkDIjetdJGKtR4NSDLdVOOdPtvRteoSzOsziSCq6_/s1600/A+Birthday+for+Bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhLAmGra-JbsewgYfHsE_9QPxrEMMHYbSAypJ9hJduMzInq_ZfzxnqZkT0kCd8IWABs3VDCVxIWmDKOHuStZKPuI53bpRDt1totpAkDIjetdJGKtR4NSDLdVOOdPtvRteoSzOsziSCq6_/s320/A+Birthday+for+Bear.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763637467&browse=">Candlewick Press</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bonnybecker.com/">Bonny Becker</a>; Illustrated by <a href="http://www.kadymacdonalddenton.ca/">Kady MacDonald Denton</a> </span><br />
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Although I really enjoyed A Birthday for Bear was it was first published, I wished it had gotten the large picture book format, rather than the smaller early reader size. Happy day, now we can watch the birthday negotiations plays out between the grumpy bear
and tenacious mouse on full size pages. </div>
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Mouse is delighted to help
celebrate his friend's birthday, but Bear is much less enthusiastic -
downright rude actually. When Mouse
turns up bearing a nicely decorated card, Bear 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. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65OHR_ymFkkIJY-Ykpwas4XbXbI84Y0ktWwcrNS_XSLrG5dNPBo7aNqQr9l9BJ9V5HVD-3BeMO9_F5ZC93ChLAZu6UcTbtmFBSq26I3gjc1fT47NL4ngS4LhiX9kNow0vCNHB2cfAvZA/s1600-h/Another+062.jpg"></a>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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGA4sH7Qif6XkockToRxO1eVDvIgwbqMoMllI3-m6GAVr5krhLn6TNbp-zdpTWFuSCji9Xu_pxYxEwm_3W_suCqhLNb_-m1y1NN6JXjQ_1Lp8B3a8pIvHXtaWp2GHP-WzNRXQNTpMPBpW/s1600/birthday+for+bear+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGA4sH7Qif6XkockToRxO1eVDvIgwbqMoMllI3-m6GAVr5krhLn6TNbp-zdpTWFuSCji9Xu_pxYxEwm_3W_suCqhLNb_-m1y1NN6JXjQ_1Lp8B3a8pIvHXtaWp2GHP-WzNRXQNTpMPBpW/s400/birthday+for+bear+interior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-58289149711884235312012-12-04T17:31:00.000-08:002012-12-04T17:31:08.028-08:00Larf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvp26jL2yOKtdSRpFFcHuyLeaLuDEv1zAhoL2m2Q-kTQznxXyv1SYCuUIKFMlnkgwI6YYKNigTrjy6E3eWpISvF7CZsVde5vzcipVQXH2kmhXIYQgAaFlzwvN6DGlmCyK4JlbW4Yw3wyj/s1600/Larf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvp26jL2yOKtdSRpFFcHuyLeaLuDEv1zAhoL2m2Q-kTQznxXyv1SYCuUIKFMlnkgwI6YYKNigTrjy6E3eWpISvF7CZsVde5vzcipVQXH2kmhXIYQgAaFlzwvN6DGlmCyK4JlbW4Yw3wyj/s320/Larf.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.kidscanpress.com/canada/Larf-P5983.aspx"><span style="font-size: large;">Kids Can Press</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ashleyspires.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Ashley Spires </span></a></div>
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I love unusual children's books. The cover on this one makes it very apparent this is a winner. Even before we opened the book, we had a good laugh at the name Larf. Then we made up some rhymes, because Larf obviously rhymes with some other funny words. Only then did we settle down to read the book. <br />
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Larf is a hairy, seven foot tall sasquatch. As the general public tends to be alarmed by sasquatches, he has wisely chosen to live a quiet life in the woods with his little bug-eyed bunny, Eric. For the most part, he's happy with his solitary life, but sometimes he longs to meet someone who understands him.<br />
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One morning, Larf is shocked to read in the newspaper that another sasquatch is scheduled to make an appearance in a city near him. After some careful deliberation, he decides he cannot pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One thin disguise (short pants, a red scarf, and a beret) later, Larf is on his way. En route, he imagines what this fellow sasquatch might be like, alternating between being apprehensive and excited. <br />
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To Larf's utter disappointment, the other sasquatch is just a regular sized dude in a fur suit. A big fat faker. Larf resigns himself to returning to his quiet life when he looks up to the surprise of a lifetime. And this time she's the real deal - no zipper in her fur suit, and her feet rival Larf's in size. Sigh. And that is the story of how Larf met Shurl, and probably went on to lead a slightly less quiet life. <br />
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There are tons of very funny, unusual details in the illustrations, but my very favorite is how Larf straps Eric the bunny into a carrier on his chest for the trip, a la Bunny Bjorn. Eric is free to look around, but his little arms and legs dangle down helplessly. Ha! Ashley Spires previously wrote <a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2011/06/small-saul.html">Small Saul</a>, which was also delightfully quirky. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Kids Can Press. </i>Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-23342209037519849712012-11-26T19:20:00.001-08:002012-11-27T07:45:49.369-08:00Poopendous! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://blueapplebooks.com/books/poopendous"><span style="font-size: large;">Blue Apple Books </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.artiebennett.com/">Artie Bennett</a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">; Illustrations by <a href="http://www.mikemoran.net/">Mike Moran</a></span></span></span></div>
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Artie Bennett is following up his first success, <i><a href="http://firrkids.blogspot.com/2010/05/butt-book.html">The Butt Book</a></i>, with one written about a parallel subject. I can see how some parents might judge these books as juvenile or silly based on the titles, but kids won't see them that way. Maybe poop or butts wouldn't be my number one choice (but definitely number two!) for reading material, but I'm no longer under twelve. Kids absolutely adore these books, and I love anything that gets children reading. <br />
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Everything (and then some) you ever wanted to know about poop! The appropriately named Professor P. Poopdeck leads readers on an enlightening tour, from humans to pets, to wild animals of all different kinds. Yup, they all poop, but in all sorts of different ways. Birds poop in the sky - thank goodness elephants don't. It may be straight poop for humans, but it's pellets from rabbits, tubes from raccoons, cubes from wombats, and dung when it become a beetle snack. <br />
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This book reminds me of the classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Poops-Body-Science-Series/dp/192913214X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353985098&sr=8-1&keywords=everyone+poops"><i>Everyone Poops</i></a>, but with humor! Artie Bennett can use all the funny phrases, rhyming text, and imaginative illustrations he wants, but he cannot quite conceal how informative this book is. This is clever enough to have children giggling, but also contains enough well-presented facts to appease parents.<br />
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My personal favorite is the souvenir stand set up hawking moose poop transformed into jewelry and wall art. Man, I hope that is fictional and not a real stand someone stumbled across on their vacation. But readers have plenty of pages from which to choose their favorite: monkeys flinging dung, flies letting loose under the microscope, raccoons pooping onto wombats ... it's all here! <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Artie Bennett. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9061671518035244590.post-6614359782662622592012-11-11T17:17:00.001-08:002012-11-11T17:17:18.703-08:00The Velveteen Rabbit <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/node/210"><span style="font-size: large;">Enchanted Lion </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Komako Sakai, based on the story of Margery Williams </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Velveteen Rabbit <span style="font-size: small;">wr</span>itten by Margery Williams is a touching stor<span style="font-size: small;">y and </span>widely considered a children's classic<span style="font-size: small;">. She wrote twenty-nine books that followed this, but none <span style="font-size: small;">were as well loved <span style="font-size: small;">or ach<span style="font-size: small;">ieved such great not<span style="font-size: small;">eriety. <span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Velveteen Rabbit</i> has been republi<span style="font-size: small;">shed and retold<span style="font-size: small;"> many times over since <span style="font-size: small;">Marg<span style="font-size: small;">e<span style="font-size: small;">ry's ori<span style="font-size: small;">ginal in 1922<span style="font-size: small;">, but t</span>his is a particularly beautif<span style="font-size: small;">ul copy from one of the most popular author-illustrat<span style="font-size: small;">ors in Japan. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This version is a little <span style="font-size: small;">bit <span style="font-size: small;">more condensed than the ori<span style="font-size: small;">gi<span style="font-size: small;">nal<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Sakai's <span style="font-size: small;">ill<span style="font-size: small;">ustrations <span style="font-size: small;">we</span>re created using acrylic paint and oil pencils, <span style="font-size: small;">which <span style="font-size: small;">gives them an old world, dreamy feel. <span style="font-size: small;">The slightly reduced text is barely noti<span style="font-size: small;">ceable, </span><span style="font-size: small;">as the illustrations tell such a huge part of the story<span style="font-size: small;">. </span>Although all <span style="font-size: small;">of them are gorgeous, m<span style="font-size: small;">y</span></span> favorites are where the velveteen rabbit inter<span style="font-size: small;">acts with the real rabbits in the yard. It's fascinating how <span style="font-size: small;">she<span style="font-size: small;"> was able to make the velveteen rabbit look like an old fashioned stuffed animal, <span style="font-size: small;">while the others look <span style="font-size: small;">as a<span style="font-size: small;">live as can be. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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Kudos to Enchanted Lion for choosing this classic, and for writing that they thought long and hard before deciding in favor of publishing a retelling of this classic, only because they wanted to give due consideration to the original. This book does not diminish the original at all, and only serves to introduce the tale to a whole new generation. <br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Enchanted Lion. </i><br />
<br />Jen@FIRR-Kids!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08688908250644278688noreply@blogger.com