Love the Hidden Images in This Animal Book

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BB
Book: The All Animals Band
By Jim Moore
Illustrated by Norris Hall
Recommended for ages 3-6
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In Moore’s tale, five animal friends form an all animal band and are discovered by a talent agent that is determined to make them famous.
There is Willie the Squirrel, who plays the head guitar; Ollie the Owl, who plays bass; Slick the Snake, who doesn’t have any hands, so he beats the drums; Fredi the Frog, who taps the tambourine; and Dan the Dog, the band’s lead singer.
Moore transformed his 1989 song into a captivating children’s tale. I love the hidden images throughout the colorfully illustrated book by Norris Hall. Children will love viewing the tale as much as listening to it.
Once again, it is the cost of the hardcover, that makes this recommendation a book to borrow from the library. The plus, it does come with a CD.
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Animal Band Productions, Inc.
Released in July 2004
36 pages
$16, hardcover with CD

Jump Into January and the Rest of Year With This Delightful Book

Books Kids Will Love REVIEW: BBB

Book: Jump into January: A Journey Around the Year

By Stella Blackstone

Illustrated by Maria Carluccio

Recommended for ages 3-7

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As the new year begins in a few weeks, I wanted to highlight this book, published by Barefoot Books of Cambridge. (If you are ever in the city, you should check out the bookstore. I adore this publishing company. They produced fabulous reads and beautiful illustrated books.)

And, this book is no different. It is wonderfully illustrated book in a folk art style. This imaginative hide-and-seek book is fabulous. Children can search for seasonal signs, talk about the weather, and journey through the year, in this tale.

Consider giving it to a child on New Year’s Day.

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Barefoot Books,

Released in 2004

32 pages

$15.99, hardcover

Learning Not To Be Scared of the Noises in the Dark

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BB

Book: The Listening Walk

By David Kirk
Recommended for ages 3 to 6

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As night falls in Sunny Patch, little Wiggle comes down with a case of the bug-a-boos – or what your child would call monsters in the dark. Mom, (Miss Spider) has the perfect solution; she takes Wiggle on a moonlit walk to calm his nighttime jitters. This listening walk teaches Wiggle that not all the sounds she hears at night are as scary as she perceives.
This bedtime tale, based on the animated series on Nick Jr. (Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends) is destined to become a classic. I adore Kirk’s illustrations and his soothing, lyrical verses. Kirk is a master storyteller.

I'd give this book a higher rating, if it was available in paperback, and a less costly.

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Callaway Publishing

Released in October 2005

32 pages

$17.99, hardcover

Spiderific Snow tale

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BBB
BOOK: Dashing Through the Snow
AUTHOR: David Kirk
Recommended for ages 2-6

Based on an episode from the television show featuring David Kirk's Miss Spider, this book takes readers on a trip with Miss Spider and her sons Dragon and Bounce as they journey through a winter wonderland to get home for the family's Holly Day feast. When a snowstorm threatens to keep the trio away from the feast, their family, friends, and neighbors come to the rescue.
Children fond of Miss Spider and the new Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends Nick Jr. television show will love this new tale.
I adored the bright, colorful illustrations by the famed author.
The story is a touching tale of the spirit of kindness and the joy of family.

Callaway Publishing
32 pages
Released in September 2005
$12.99, hardcover

Take Your Child Along a Country Road With John Denver

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BB

BOOK: John Denver's Take me Home, Country Roads

Adapted & Illustrated by: Christopher Canyon

Recommended for ages 2-8

Okay, I am dating myself but I remember singing this song by John Denver as a child. Now the country classic has been adapted into a new children's book. Denver wrote the classic song while traveling through the West Virginia countryside on his way to a friend's family reunion in 1971. Illustrator Christopher Canyon never knew the song originated with an actual family reunion; he says his artist intuition just conceived of the story that way. An award-winning artist, his illustrations are mesmerizing. I love the quilted country feel of them. Children will be drawn to this heart-warming tale.

Dawn Publications
Released in Sept. 2005
32 pages
$8.95 without CD, $19.95 with CD

Celebrating Childhood Around the World

Books Kids will Love RATING: BBB
BOOK: The Milestones Project: Celebrating Childhood Around the World
Photographed By Richard & Michele Steckel
Recommended for ages 3-10

A best friend. A lost tooth. A first day of school. These moments are milestones of childhood that all boys and girls experience. Every child. Everywhere. Like The Milestones Project, a living, growing archive of more than 23,000 photographs of children, this book pays tribute to the core experiences shared by everyone on the planet. Culled from the project’s international collection are engaging and candid images of kids doing what kids do.
The pictures are paired with youthful memories from the world’s most beloved children’s book authors and illustrators, activists, and writings by kids from all over the world. For example, Walter Cronkite talks about peace, famed Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling talks about her first pair of glasses, and Raffi discusses his first day of school.
The result is an album both inspirational and humorous that will have children recognizing and empathizing with each other. The mission of The Milestones Project, founded by the Steckels, is to empower individuals, parents, and families to take actions in their own lives to reduce intolerance, promote nonviolence, and have a lasting impact upon the larger world.
This book is a great conversation starter — parents can talk about their own experiences as children share theirs. Every home deserves a copy.
Tricycle Press
Released in 2004
$17.95, hardcover"

Helping A Child Deal With Frustration (and The Loss of a Friend)

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BBBB
Book: Franklin's Bad Day
By Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark
Recommended for ages 2-6
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My daughter likes Franklin. Personally, I find the character a bit too whiny. (Little Bear is more my style.)
Franklin's Bad Day is one in a series of Franklin books. (There is even a Franklin TV show.) In this book, Franklin wakes up in a cranky, grumpy mood. He tells his family and friends he doesn't want to do anything. His parents tell him to go outside and play as "fresh air will do you good." Typically, a fan of winter, Franklin complains it is even a bad day outside. He goes out with his friends anyways. He is unhappy while sledding. Loses his temper when he finds out that the ice is too thin for skating, and heads home.
Once home, life doesn't get better for Franklin. He yells at his mom when she asks him to pick up his wet clothes and skates. Afterwards, he is so mad and frustrated that he kicks over a castle, by accident, that he made with his friend otter. Now, he is even more upset and not in control of his emotions. Franklin's dad then figures out that Franklin is sad (and mad) that his friend otter moved away. His dad talks to him about his emotions and suggests a way for him to reconnect with his far-away friend.
This is a great book for a young child who has a hard time controlling or expressing his or her emotions. It is also a great book for a child who has lost a friend to another school or community, recently.
If your child is a fan of Franklin, and learning to read, these books are a great addition to a home library. I would add a half dozen to your child's bookshelf.
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Scholastic
first printed in January 1997
$3.99, paperback

I Love Pancakes With Sticky Syrup And This Book

Books Kids Will Love RATING: BBB

Book: If You Give A Pig A Pancake

By: Laura Numeroff

Illustrated by Felicia Bond

Recommended for ages 2-6

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This is the sequel book to if If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. My daughter says this book is "funny." The illustrations are funny too. I like the one with the pig lying on his back licking the syrup off the plate while on top of the table. Close friends and family, would probably think my favorite part of the book is "taking pictures." This is an adorable cause and effect book. Children will learn that whatever they do will have a reaction. The book is a quick, read aloud book. The pacing make it a great bedtime read. It is a wonderful book for beginning readers, too. Excerpt: "If you give a pig a pancake, she'll want some syrup to go with it.You'll give her some of your favorite maple syrup. She'll probably get all sticky, so she'll want to take a bath." I recommend adding the paperback book to your family's home library - BBB.

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Scholastic

First published in 1998

32 pages

$16.99, hardcover

$6.99, paperback