Two very sweet books that celebrate parents come from Ann Hodgman. In That’s My Mommy! animals from kittens to ducklings to joeys and more, talk about the wonderful things their mommies do. Mommy makes the kitten feel better. Duckling’s mommy makes him feel brave. Joey’s mommy reads to him every day. With charming and lovable illustrations by Laura Logan, this book is bound to be a hit.
That’s My Daddy! finds a calf who likes how his daddy can reach way up high. Mouse’s daddy is the strongest in the world. Puppy’s daddy can find anything that gets lost. With less than ten words on each page, Hodgman captures the essence of what it means to be a daddy to little ones. Laura Logan lends her talents to this book as well. I hope these two work together again, as they create magical, charming stories.
These padded board books are perfect for preschoolers. Their sturdy construction means they’ll stand up to multiple reads (and we all know how much kids love to read and read again their favorite books). The short sentences will allow for quick memorization of the story, and will then help youngsters as they transition to being able to read alone. Hodgman proves here that you don’t have to say a lot to create touching and meaningful books for parents and children to share together. And at only $8.95 each, they are a great value.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 
(both books)
Mommy
- Hardcover: 22 pages
- Publisher: Tiger Tales; Padded Board Book edition (March 1, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 158925645X
- ISBN-13: 978-1589256453
Daddy
- Hardcover: 22 pages
- Publisher: Tiger Tales; Padded Board Book edition (March 1, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1589256468
- ISBN-13: 978-1589256460
How perfect that award-winning children’s book artist Terry Widener has done the pictures for the new picture book by Jonah Winter (just released by Schwartz and Wade) about the greatest all around baseball player ever – Willie Mays. Terry brings a background of high level advertising and editorial illustration and something else to the many [...]
Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia's Christmas Kitchen, by Lidia Bastianich, illustrated by Laura Logan, Running Press, $15.95, ages 4-8, 56 pages. In this joyful book, beloved TV chef Bastianich draws grandchildren to her lap to hear the story of her childhood Christmases and along the way, becomes the Italian grandma we all wish we had. Simple, unaffected narrative brings out Bastianich's true voice, as she recounts the magic of holidaying with her grandparents in the Italian countryside. Among her memories: the aroma of drying orange peels mingling with the scent of a juniper bush they'd cut for their Christmas tree and afternoons stringing dried figs and bay leaves into wreaths, then hanging them with leafy-stemmed tangerines and cookies looped with ribbon. Everything about this book glows, from the cheeks of the characters to the tender way Bastianich's grandchildren embrace her traditions.
At the back, Bastianich shares 15 traditional dessert recipes and describes how to decorate an old-fashioned Italian tree. The most popular chef on public television, Bastianich hosts the award-winning show, Lidia's Italy, and is a world-famous restaurateur and cookbook author. Born in Croatia, she emigrated to Italy when she was 10 to escape the socialist dictatorship of Josip Tito.
La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story, by Antonio Sacre, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, Abrams, $16.95, ages 4-8, 32 pages. Being swapped from one home to another at Christmas isn't easy for a child, but if she's as lucky as Nina, she finds love waiting for her wherever she's sent. When Nina is told she's going to her dad's home in Miami for Christmas, she only imagines what she'll miss. Though she loves seeing her paternal grandmother abuela Mimi, Nina yearns for the holiday she knows, with her mother in snowy New England. But it's Dad's turn to have her and though he won't be back to abuela's until the following day, he's promised that La Noche Buena, the Cuban Christmas Eve, with Mimi in Little Havana is the best night of the year. At first, Nina wonders how Santa can land a sleigh in a place so hot, but by the next day, there's so much to do and see, she doesn't give it another thought. Nina is enveloped in a flurry of preparations for the La Noche Buena feast. She helps the women make pots of marinade to pour into a bathtub in Uncle Tito's backyard, while the men prepare a spit for roasting a pig. Everyone smells of campfire and garlic, and laugh so hard over the three-day celebration that Nina asks Mimi is she can come next year and bring along her cousins from the north.
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This looks like a super cute book!
Mayra