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About the author:
A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? and his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children’s books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.
About the book (from Amazon.com):
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In Listen to My Trumpet! Piggie can’t wait to play her new instrument for Gerald! But is she ready to listen to his reaction?
My take on the book:
If you’ve followed Book Dads, you know we are big fans of Mo Willems and Elephant and Piggie. I enjoy reading all of Elephant and Piggie books with my daughter, and it’s hard to pick a favorite. Depending on the day you ask me, I would probably say the name of the last one we read together. Right now, our very favorite is “Listen to My Trumpet.” It has my daughter giggling almost from the very beginning. And when I say giggle, I mean full-out belly giggles. It’s just fantastic fun. I read this at the story time I do at the local library and the parents were laughing as much as the kids were. I can’t recommend this series enough. We’re slowly collecting the series and look forward to Mo’s next release!
0 Comments on Review: Listen to My Trumpet! as of 1/1/1900
If you’re looking for a pre-schooler friendly app that will get your child into the writing spirit, then you’ve got a winner with Write On. Baccizrecognizes the importance of learning the proper strokes in forming letters. This will make for fewer frustrations down the line for you and your children when they start writing prolifically later on. The app does a fantastic job of modeling how each letter is formed and allowing for your child to practice his or her writing in a very enjoyable setting. Write On gives your child a wonderful head start in learning their letters, sounds, and animals. Both you and your child will start pre-school with more confidence, knowing that they’ve already mastered the alphabet.
Learning Block Letters
Write On Homescreen
The homescreen has the whole alphabet displayed with inviting wide-eyed animals next to their corresponding letters. Kids LOVE animals, and these animals are very appealing to the eyes. Tapping on the speaker icon will play a wonderful rendition of the alphabet song, which your child will be sure to play and sing along to again and again and again. The letters are highlighted as the song is sung, so your child can learn each letter in no time. Tapping each individual letter will take your child to the handwriting page introducing that letter, its beginning sound, and an animal that begins with that letter. (A new 99 cent add-on allows you to add 70+ more animals to the app.) A short animation is played when you tap on the animals. If you tap on the letters (upper-case and lower-case), it will announce the letter, the sound, and will also demonstrate how to write it. Your child can trace the letters in blue, green, red, or yellow. If you have a stylus, it will give your child an even better feel of writing the letters and words. The eraser serves as an undo button. There is even an option to learn the cursive letters! Young children appreciate the “sophisticated” letters, too.
David Axe is a military correspondent living in Columbia, South Carolina. Since 2005 he has reported from the U.K., Iraq, Lebanon, Japan, East Timor, Afghanistan, Somalia, Chad, Nicaragua, Kenya, Gabon, Congo and other countries. He is a regular contributor to Voice of America, C-SPAN, Wired and many others. David can be reached at david_axe-at-hotmail.com.
Matt Bors is a nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist and illustrator based in Portland, OR. His work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country, including The Nation, The Los Angeles Times, The Village Voice, The Stranger and The Boston Phoenix. He also contributes local cartoons to The Oregonian.
About the book:
Street battles with spears and arrows in sweltering East Timor. Bone- jarring artillery duels in Afghanistan's mountains. Long patrols on the sandy wastes of southern Iraq. For four years, war was life for David Axe. He was alternately bored out of his mind and completely terrified. It was strangely addictive.
As a correspondent for The Washington Times, C-SPAN and BBC Radio, Axe flew from conflict to conflict, reveling in death, danger, and destruction abroad while, back in D.C., his apartment gathered dust, his plants died, and his relationships withered. War reporting was physically, emotionally, and financially draining-and disillusioning. Loosely based on the web comic of the same name, with extensive new material, War Is Boring takes us to Lebanon and Somalia; to arms bazaars across the United States; to Detroit, as David tries to reconnect with his family-and to Chad, as David attempts to bring attention to the Darfur genocide.
My take on the book:
It's only been over the last few years that I've developed a new appreciation for the graphic novel. Reading Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 got me hooked into reading more graphic novels, and I have learned they are a fantastic medium for non-fiction as well, with Greg Neri's Yummy being one of the best I've ever read.
For David Axe, the author of War Is Boring, war was his life. For four years he covered military conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor, Somalia, Chad and Lebanon. During that time as a correspondent for The Washington Times, C-SPAN and BBC Radio, David flew from war zone to war zone, getting to the story about the true victims of the world's conflicts.
If you're looking solely for the gritty details from someone up close and in the midst of real life combat situations, you're going to be a bit disappointed. While there is some of that, this graphic novel is mostly about Axe's inner conflict between what he describes as being "alternatively bored out of [his] mind, and completely terrified. It was strangely addictive."
What gets shared in War Is Boring, is very similar to the soldier memoirs I have read. Axe gets an exhilarating rush from surviving artillery duels and the like just as many combat soldiers do. The longer he covers conflicts, the more his personal relationships deteriorate, and he seems lost and drained when he's back stateside trying to reconnect with friends and family. When the phone rings with an assignment, Axe is almost relieved to be leaving his family and to be off chasing another dangerous story abroad.
The narrative is very compelling and jarring in a manner I didn't expect it to be. Instead of being shaken by the details of the conflicts Axe
1 Comments on Review: War Is Boring, last added: 3/11/2012
War Is Boring » ‘Compelling … Jarring’: A R said, on 3/11/2012 3:22:00 PM
[...] From BookDads: The narrative is very compelling and jarring in a manner I didn’t expect it to be. Instead of being shaken by the details of the conflicts Axe covered, I found myself disturbed by his attitude and behavior which makes you believe he had a sort of death wish. Just as I found myself even more compelled to get to the heart of Axe’s inner conflict, the graphic novel was over and the reader is left with a bit of an empty feeling. Whether intentional or not, as I’ve thought about this, it actually makes a lot of sense. Unless we’ve been involved in an armed conflict, we’ll always fall short of a true understanding of what that is like. Perhaps Axe and other combat journalists know that better than anyone as they still traverse the bridge that separates the two worlds of civilian life and combat. Share this:ShareFacebookStumbleUponEmailRedditRelated posts: [...]
About the author (translated from Dutch from the author's website):
Loes Riphagen is a Dutch author from Oene, a small farming village in the Veluwe. She graduated in 2007 at the Art Academy in Rotterdam. Loes debuted in 2008 as a children's author and illustrator of the picture book Bedroom Nocturnal animals (the fountain). With her cheerful and cheeky illustrations Loes Riphagen falls on the public, the press and various juries. For her illustrations in the book house beestenboel (Fountain), it Flag and Pennant 2010 and receive the book Bedroom Nocturnal animals, she was nominated for the children's retail 2009/2010. Superheldjes (Fountain) is even elected core title of the Children 2011. Currently lives and works in Rotterdam Loes.
About the book (from Amazon.com):
Part picture book, part game, and all fun, Animals Home Alone, introduces readers to fifteen animals who begin to act in unusual ways when the humans are away. In wordless pages, each animal finds a unique activity or bit of mischief to get into. At the book's conclusion, readers are asked questions about what the animals have done.
My take on the book:
We discovered Animals Gone Home on our most recent visit to the library. When they're well done, I really enjoy wordless picture books and we've discovered a few lately which have been big hits in our home so we decided to check this one out.
Animals Gone Home is part book, part game and a lot of laughs. The illustrations are so cute and quirky and they have had my daughter laughing out loud and squealing with delight. Each page gives readers a hilarious view of what happens when families leave the animals alone at home.
Today, while Tessa was supposed to be napping, I could hear her laughing. When I opened the door to her room, she was sitting in the corner in her little rocking chair, leafing through the pages of Animals Gone Home and just having the time of her life!
I'm not sure I've ever seen my daughter enjoy a book more (and that's saying a lot!). What's been so much fun for us is that we can tell a different story each time we "read" it. Tessa is about to turn 3 and I get such a thrill listening to her tell me what's going on in the pictures. We've literally sat and poured over the pictures and telling and retelling for an hour at a time. The best part is that neither of us have grown tired of it yet!
0 Comments on Review: Animals Home Alone as of 1/1/1900
FlyingBooks Reader is a terrific interactive e-book reader for kids with many cool additional features (and more to come in the very near future). It allows you to create different personal profiles so one e-book can be read aloud and recorded by many different narrators. So, if you’re away on a trip, or if the grandparents are not in town, your child can still feel that bond of reading with loved ones. Better yet, if you’re on a road trip and you have the iPad in your hands, you can listen to recordings of your child reading to you! Another feature your child will love is the ability to create your own books with the photos from your iPad Camera Roll or you can take live shots with your iPad camera and put them right into a book. You can also add text and record your voice(s), too. Cool, right?
FlyingBooks e-store
Create Your Own Books!
Record your own narration!
In terms of book choices, the FlyingBooks store currently offers over 40 books, which are labeled with recommended age levels. More and more books are being added, as they are getting a great response from talented and passionate writers from all over the world. Currently, the book narrations can be heard in English, German, French, and Spanish. Another great feature is that you can see a short trailer of each book when you tap on it. You could also download a demo of the book, which lets you preview and listen to a few pages, so you and your child can decide if the story is a right fit for you. Each book costs $2.99. There are some discounted bundles available, too. In the coming weeks, mini puzzles will be offered for each book to encourage active learning, along with coloring pages. There will also be an auto-play option on the read-to-me feature to make it easier for the little ones.
The FlyingBooks app is a FREE download, so I highly recommend you give it a try. Go ahead. Create a book. Download a demo. Record yourself. Record your child. Let the joy of reading begin!
3 Comments on iPad Kids App Review: FlyingBooks Reader, last added: 2/28/2012
Jennifer Luitwieler wrangles The Dog, a cat and 3 perfect angels who adore her and find her to be the best homeschool teacher ever in the universe. When she is not filling their sponge-like brains with limitless knowledge, she wrangles ideas into sentences with an imaginary golden lasso. (Of course it's imaginary. No one has a real golden lasso.) She writes on crafts and sports in monthly columns. Her first book, "Run With Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of the Poo," was released in 2011. You can find her at http://jenniferluitwieler.com, on Twitter @jenluit and Facebook.com/jenluitwieler
About the Book:
Author Jennifer Luitwieler shares her insightful and often hilarious journey of accidentally running to stop the dog from pooing under her sewing table. What starts as a way to deal with the dog, ends up providing the space to confront some deep issues: from endlessly comparing herself to others, to competing with herself to be stronger, faster, and to pursue endlessly her own reasons and goals.
Run With Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo is about finding the unapologetic courage to confront who we are as humans. As women. As men. As parents. As spouses. As divorcees. As managers and employees. As people. And who we are, as a whole, are people created by a loving God to do good things. We are strong, capable, confident, intelligent, creative and amazing. Discovering the courage is the first step towards realizing the life we’re all seeking.
My take on the book:
Scooch over, Tiger Mom. Make room for Samurai Mom, Jennifer Luitwieler. Her book, Run With Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo, brings to light many of the issues and challenges life has thrown at her (that many Prime Parents like me can relate to), and how she has battled back. I’m not a runner and not very fond of dogs (I definitely loathe dog poo), yet I found this book to be an enticing read, thanks to Luitwieler’s whimsical, honest, and charming writing, right down to her must-read endnotes. She unabashedly reveals her battle scars and courageously confronts all the “poo” in her life.
As a reader, you feel as though Luitwieler has invited you to run with her. One appreciates her candor and trust, as she opens up and shares about her personal story and life. Her powerful narrative and vivid childhood memories evoke emotions many can identify with. As you go running and training with her, you feel stronger and liberated knowing that it’s okay that you do
0 Comments on Review: Run with Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo as of 1/1/1900
A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? and his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children’s books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.
About the book (from Amazon.com):
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Happy Pig Day! Piggie celebrates her favorite day of the year! But will Gerald the Elephant be included in the festivities?
My take on the book:
For my daughter and I, every time we read a Gerald and Piggie book, it’s like celebrating Happy Pig Day! As usual the inside book cover also had my daughter howling, “Look, the Pigeon!”
This latest Gerald and Piggie book is another instant classic that has had my daughter walking around and exclaiming “Happy Pig Day!”
It’s not only a fun story, but it also is a nice little lesson about friendship and being included in others’ holiday celebrations. While it doesn’t provide the laughs like some of Mo’s others, the added touch of the friendship lesson is nice and gives an extra dimension to this story.
Here’s some other reviews of Mo Willems’ books. Enjoy!…
Eric Van Raepenbusch said, on 2/14/2012 9:19:00 AM
Chris — Is this a new Elephant and Piggie Book? I haven’t seen it before. The funny thing about Elephant and Piggie is that I think I like them more than my kids! I think they get a little annoyed with how excited I get when I read the books.
Besides being Valentine’s Day, February 14th is also International Book Giving Day. The mission of International Book Giving Day is to get new, used, or borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible.
Three simple ways you can get involved with International Book Giving Day:
1. Give a Book to a Friend or Relative
Is there a child in your life who would enjoy receiving a book on February 14th? In lieu of or in addition to a card or box of chocolates, choose a good book from a bookstore or public library. Do not underestimate the value of a library book lovingly selected and wrapped in pretty paper.
2. Donate a Book(s)
Wrap up a box of children’s books that your kids have outgrown and get them in the hands of children who could really use a book or two. Donate your books to your local second hand store, library, children’s hospital, or shelter. Alternatively, donate your books to an organization working internationally to get books in the hands of kids.
3. Leave a Book in a Waiting Room or Lobby.
Choose a waiting room where kids are stuck waiting and there are few to no good books available. Purchase a good book, and deposit your book covertly or overtly in your waiting room of choice. The goal here is to spread the love of reading to kids, so choose a fun book, nothing controversial.
Please, help get new, used, or borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible this February. Spread the word:
Hooray Chris! Thanks for spreading the word – I’m looking forward to hearing what book(s) you give to whom
Amy said, on 2/9/2012 6:48:00 PM
Hi, Chris and readers! Leave a comment on the International Book Giving Day webpage here to have your name included on the list of people participating in International Book Giving Day! Thanks!
Monica Barrois became inspired to write a children’s book after spending so much time reading and re-reading her grandson’s favorite book to him. Squirrelly Squirrels is her first published children’s book.
About the book:
Come along on a delightful and surprising journey guaranteed to make you smile and perhaps giggle. Be amazed at the antics of some backyard squirrels who attempt to outsmart a little boy and his grandpa. Discover how the story ends, or if it ends after all?
My take on the book:
This book was a lovely surprise. One of my favorite things about being a father is watching my daughter take in all the wonders in the world. It’s like reliving your childhood all over again.
In this story, the play and adventures of the squirrels are captured and seen through the eyes of a child. The illustrations are really well done and their colorful and playful depictions of the squirrels add so much to the story.
Barrois has some suggested activities included at the end of the book to help enhance reader’s storytelling experience.
This is an excellent first effort worthy of a spot on your bookshelf.
2 Comments on Review: Squirrelly Squirrels, last added: 2/6/2012
I have a few squirrelly squirrels in my backyard! We put out a few peanuts the other day on our deck. Now they come right up to the window begging for more. It kinda creeps me out just like the part in the new Willy Wonka movie with Veruca Salt. Yikes!
Nice review, Chris!
Shonnette Smith said, on 2/6/2012 3:08:00 PM
Squirrelly Squirrels is like that greeting card that makes you laugh out loud and you know it’s a keeper.
Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs and illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Review by Chris Singer
About the author:
Taye Diggs is an actor whose credits include motion pictures (How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Chicago), stage (Rent, Wicked), and television (Private Practice). He lives in Los Angeles and New York City with his wife, the actress Idina Menzel, and their son.
About the illustrator:
Shane W. Evans is the illustrator of numerous award-winning books for children, including Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson, and Osceola: Memories of a Sharecropper’s Daughter, winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. He lives with his wife and daughter in Kansas City, Missouri.
About the book:
The boy is teased for looking different than the other kids. His skin is darker, his hair curlier. He tells his mother he wishes he could be more like everyone else. And she helps him to see how beautiful he really, truly is.
For years before they both achieved acclaim in their respective professions, good friends Taye Diggs and Shane W. Evans wanted to collaborate on Chocolate Me!, a book based on experiences of feeling different and trying to fit in as kids. Now, both men are fathers and see more than ever the need for a picture book that encourages all people, especially kids, to love themselves.
My take on the book:
I love the title and cover art of this enduring children’s book. To me, “Chocolate Me” and the boy’s open arms grabs your attention immediately and invites you to dive right in. The illustrations are fantastic and the story involves an important message both kids and parents can relate to.
I give a lot of credit to Taye Diggs for writing this book. As I learned when I had the opportunity to participate in an interview with Taye, this was obviously based on some deeply personal experiences. While I got caught up a few times in some awkward wording in the story, I still enjoyed the creative and compassionate manner in which the story was shared.
All in all, a nice book for parents, teachers and librarians looking for a story with a worthwhile message to share with children and their families.
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Vincent Boudgourd is the art director at a publicity agency. He enjoys posters and illustrations from the 1950’s through 70’s, traveling, waves, wide open spaces, and meat and potatoes. He currently lives in Rennes, France.
About the book:
Featuring tons of made-up heroes and heroines, My Beastly Book of Hilarious Heroes is filled with over 150 doodle and scribble activities to give budding young artists hours of fun. Like the other titles in the My Beastly Book series, My Beastly Book of Hilarious Heroes aims to push kids’ latent illustrative creativity into curious new directions by presenting them with silly scenarios and open-ended instructions.
Balance a mountain of cars on a strongman’s pinky finger, choose the real hero in a line-up of ordinary people, fill a grocery store shelf with food for a hero’s cart, design a hero’s mask and costume, and draw a portrait of an entire family of heroes in this incredible addition to the My Beastly Book series. Kids will have fun helping these heroes save the day — but might have even more fun putting kryptonite in their way.
The wide variety of activities — from drawing and coloring to cut-outs and more — will help kids build confidence in their artistic skills and inspire their minds. Instructions are clear and concise, but still give kids plenty of reason to make use of their active imaginations.
Screen shots from the book:
My take on the book:
This book is so much fun and will provide lots of hours of fun for dads and their kids. I love how silly and open-ended each of the 150 doodle and scribble activities are.
Here’s a sample of some of the great activities from the book:
* This superhero class is taught by the giant Teacher-Creature! Draw it.
* Draw Super-Suave, the coolest superhero around.
* Color these superhero glasses. Cut them out and wear them.
* Cut out the page then fold it along the dotted lines. Have fun squishing and stretching Elasto-Boy.
* Imagine your superhero underwear. Color them, cut them out, then hide them in your mother’s purse.
Kids of all ages will appreciate the humor here, and parents will definitely want to join in the fun, though mom might not be crazy about finding superhero underwear in her purse.
1 Comments on Review: My Beastly Book of Hilarious Heroes, last added: 12/12/2011
Ryan Jacobson likes to tell people he was “this close” to becoming a teacher, and those who have seen his author presentations agree that he should have been. Ryan uses his passion and talent for storytelling to get students excited about books.
He has long loved to read and write, but in truth, Ryan never planned on becoming an author. It wasn’t until he read a Magic Tree House chapter book that his love of children’s stories was born. In the years since, he has launched a successful career as an author and presenter. He has written wonderful, imaginative adventures for readers from kindergarten to high school, and he offers school presentations as a chance to share his work with others. He has presented at nearly 100 schools, organizations and special events throughout the state of Minnesota.
Ryan lives in Mora, Minnesota, with his wife Lora, sons Jonah and Lucas, and dog Boo.
About the book:
He’s the world’s most famous detective, and thanks to this brilliantly adapted book, he’s you! The cases, the clues, the suspects, they’re yours to sort through in this exciting Choose Your Path book. You are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. You make the choices. But be careful; the wrong decision could lead to your doom.
My take on the book:
I really enjoy this series and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one as I remember reading not only Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid, but I also remember reading Sherlock Holmes. Of course, since this is a ‘Can You Survive?’ book, you get to play the role of Sherlock Holmes and try to solve 3 mysteries in the book.
Another excellent book from Ryan Jacobson, who seems to have a real talent for crafting these ‘Can You Survive?’ adventures (Lost in the Wild, The Call of the Wild).
The best part of this book for me was that it has inspired me to re-read the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I anticipate it will do the same for other dads and their kids when they read this book together.
0 Comments on Review: Can You Survive? Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as of 1/1/1900
Review: Made to Play (Handmade Toys & Crafts for Homegrown Imaginations) by Joel Henriques
About the author (from his Amazon.com bio):
Joel Henriques is fascinated by color, shape, and craftsmanship. He was drawn to painting as a child, inspired by his grandmother, a painter herself. She spent hours showing Joel the paintings of Matisse, Picasso, Miró, and many others. Through these and her own paintings, she taught him ideas about color and design and eventually coached him on his earliest paintings. These childhood experiences lead him to pursue a B.A. in Fine Art and Philosophy.
Becoming a parent was, for Joel, another way of looking at art in the world. As a young child himself, he made many of his own toys. As a father, he began making toys for his young twins. He began to see that a beautiful, minimal, well-crafted object allowed his children to use and develop their own imaginations, rather than having an object tell them how they must play with it.
Moved by his children’s interaction with art, Joel began documenting these crafts on his blog, Made By Joel. Creating art for children, and for the child in everyone, is a powerful thing. Joel lives with his wife and three children in Portland, Oregon. See more of his crafts at www.madebyjoel.com, and see more of his art at www.joelhenriques.com.
About the book (from the publisher):
Delight young children and encourage play through unique handmade toys. From sewn and stuffed musical instruments to interlocking paper building blocks and wooden animal figurines, the projects in this book are meant to encourage open-ended play. Organized by kid-loving subjects, the toys here follow the themes of Zoo; House; Blocks, Cars & Trucks; Dress-Up; Music; and Art. Overall, the projects here are meant to stimulate imagination, build confidence through success and enjoyment, and enhance the bond between family and friends through the creation of unique, artistic handmade toys and crafts.
The thirty-five projects in this book include a variety of crafts, from drawing to sewing and light woodworking. The toys presented here are made out of wonderfully tactile materials—repurposed fabrics, wood, and paper—and invite opportunities for creative and imaginative play. Every project is easy to complete, made with accessible materials, and requires little time to make. The projects are simple enough that endless variation can come from the making of each, leaving enough room for you to make the item to suit your own personal interests.
My take on the book:
I was very pleased to receive a view copy of Made to Play by Joel Henriques. If you are a fan of Henriques’ blog, Made by Joel you will love this book.
As mentioned in the description above, the book is full of fantastic craft projects. I was dually impressed with the clearly written and illustrated instructions. Mainly because it always a craft project novice like myself an opportunity to participate in projects I know my daughter will enjoy.
Many of the projects use paper, wood, or wire and you’ll need some special tools such as a scroll saw and jigsaw to do the wood projects.
I’m looking forward to doing some of these projects during the holiday. I really want to make some of the dollhouse furniture and also the modern alphabet
1 Comments on Review: Made to Play, last added: 12/10/2011
A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk
Out of the books I’ve read about the Lost Boys, Jan Coates’ A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk just may be the most vivid and riveting one I’ve read. I very much appreciated the depths in which the author goes into giving us a portrait of not just the main character (Jacob), but also of his companions throughout this amazing journey. Because of this, readers are able to get an incredibly detailed look at the affects of war and conflict on innocent children.
The Hare in the Elephant is a must-read for both teens and adults. If we truly want a better world for all, stories such as this need to be read and shared with those around us.
An Accidental Adventure series (We Are Not Eaten By Yaks / We Dine With Cannibals)
This series is simply a tremendous amount of fun. The Navel twins are not the typical characters you often see in tween adventure books as they are extremely reluctant adventurers to say the least. They are the envy of their classmates as they have traveled from one exotic locale to another with their world-famous Explorer Club member parents, meanwhile only hoping to catch their next favorite episodes on television.
Parents and teachers will love this series as it provides further learning opportunities to find out more about some of the exotic locations and myths and legends surrounding the Navel twins adventures. In fact, you can visit C. Alexander London’s website and check out some information about Tibet and the Amazon (the settings for each of the stories).
Ashfall
I must say I was enthralled and very impressed by Mike Mullin’s first novel. One of the things which most impressed me was how the book’s story had a factual and scientific basis. There is a supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park which could quite possibly be due for an eruption at any time. This aspect of scientific reality made this book mesmerizing. I kept thinking while I read it that this is something which can really happen and it was frightening to think about. At the conclusion of the book, Mike has a section about the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone which is a must read and excellent companion to the book.
Add Mike Mullin to the list of authors who have kept me up way too late reading their novels. Readers will want to keep turning Ashfall‘s pages to find out if Alex and Darla make it to their destination.
Alphabet Kids
The Alphabet Kids books follow the adventures of Allegra, Elena, Isaac, Oni, Umar and Yang, a group of children having fun while learning about their diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
There’s lots to like about the Alphabet Kids series, and I absolutely love the theme of helping children gain a better understanding of the world around them while also developing an appreciation for their neighbors. Right now, there are six books in the series, starring one of the “Alphabet Kids.” As an added incentive for reading the Alphabet Kids book series, for every book you buy, they will donate one to a child in need!
Chicken Butt’s Back by Erica Perl
In this cheeky (sorry!) sequel to the wildly fun Chicken Butt!, the young jokester and his chicken muse are back, but this time they’re trying to trick Mom. She thinks she has caught on to the gag, but as she distractedly does the grocery shopping, she falls victim to a flurry of jokes using homonyms and homophones—words such as “dear” and “deer,” and “which” and “witch.” Wordplay has never been so much fun.
If your kids like to laugh and be silly, you may need to introduce them to this fun reads from Erica Perl.
I love the vision and story behind Daddy’s Heroes. Whether you’re a fan of sports or of reading, it will be hard to resist any of the books in the Daddy’s Heroes series. And what’s not to like? The books not only do a terrific job of bringing sports memories alive for dads to share with their kids, but also help strengthen the bond between fathers and their children.
Hartlyn Kids
Hartlyn Kids has two books currently in publication: The Bamboo Dance and Adventures That Lead Home. Both books are designed to give a true and authentic snapshot of the day in the life of a child from various regions around the globe. The books are not only representations
0 Comments on Holiday Gift Guide: Picture Books & Early Readers as of 1/1/1900
Help LitWorld and the Pearson Foundation’s We Give Books send 5000 much needed books to the Navajo Nation! Contributing to this new campaign is easy, fun, and free.
Sign up and read as many virtual books as you can! There is no limit!
Read a book, give a book.
For every book you read between now and January, We Give Books will donate one book to help supply thousands of families on the Navajo Nation with books to read together.
Pass this message along to your friends, family members, and colleagues. It is the perfect time of the year to cozy up together with your loved ones and read a beloved children’s book online (with benefit to others!).
Help LitWorld Deliver Great Books to the Children said, on 11/25/2011 6:59:00 AM
[...] free. Visit the LitWorld Campaign at wegivebooks.org Click Support This Campaign. Sign up … Continue reading → You can share this post on Twitter , or save it in your Delicious [...]
Walter Wick has opened millions of eyes to a world of treasures big and small in his award-winning, bestselling I SPY and CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? picture-puzzle books. Walter discovered his passion for building picture puzzles by accident. One day when cleaning out a drawer, he scattered odds and ends on a glass tabletop and photographed them. The photo appeared in a magazine and caught the eye of Jean Marzollo, editor of Scholastic’s Let’s Find Out. This photo inspired the first I SPY book, with riddles by Jean Marzollo, and led to their long collaboration.
In his more recent CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? series, Walter’s detailed photographs convey subtle hidden stories. Walter meticulously constructs 3-D sets for CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? in his Connecticut studio. For videos and more photos, visit www.walterwick.com or www.facebook.com/walterwick.
About the book:
CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? TOYLAND EXPRESS, the eighth title in the bestselling search-and-find series, follows the life of a toy train from the workshop to the attic, only to be rescued at a yard sale and brought to life once again in a new home. As readers search for more than 250 hidden objects, they will also notice how the train takes on various transformations along its journey.
Behind the scenes video:
My take on the book:
Walter Wick’s latest offering in his Can You See What I See? series is simply fantastic! This is a great book for all ages. My young daughter loves looking at the vivid photographs and it’s so much fun for me to see her describe the things she sees. It’s also fun to see her find objects I don’t expect her to find!
Be sure to check out the video below to get a behind the scenes look at how Walter Wick produced this book. I’m kind of inspired to do something similar since it seems to be as much fun putting the book together as it is to look at the finished product!
This book would make an excellent holiday gift so be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a SIGNED copy!
Giveaway:
One (1) winner will receive
· A signed copy of Can You See What I See? Toyland Express!
(Prizing courtesy of Scholastic)
Comment below to enter the giveaway! You can get an extra two entries by posting this review/giveaway on Twitter (leave a comment) and also by liking Book Dads on Facebook (leave a comment).
You will have until 11:59 PT on Sunday, December 11th to enter. (U.S and Canada only please). I’ll be choosing the winners then and notifying them by e-mail. If I don’t get a response within 48 hours, I’ll pick new winners.
5 Comments on Review & Giveaway: Toyland Express, last added: 11/25/2011
Walter Wick’s books are simply fantastic. They are even better than the I Spy books (which ones are great too) that he helped to create.
Perfect for developing concentration and visual discrimination skills.
Don’t miss them!
Read Aloud Dad
Cindi said, on 11/24/2011 9:15:00 PM
“Happy Thanksgiving!”
Our sons adore these books and I love how this story
follows the train throughout its life and then renewed life…
Many thanks, Cindi
At $6.99, Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App! by Mo Willems, is one of the more expensive apps for kids out there, but if your child’s a fan (like mine) of Mo Willems and his books, then this app is worth every one of your 699 pennies.
This app was perfect for my five-year-old (recommended for ages 3-7), as he was able to draw the pigeon with guided help from Mo Willems, record himself by answering some questions, and listen to his words being incorporated into a quirky animated story again and again and again. Kids love that. Basically, the story is about the pigeon wanting to do something, while the audience keeps saying a resounding, “NO!” This reminded me a lot of Sesame Street, and it turns out that Mo Willems worked there once upon a time. The plotline is basically the same each time, but there are various points in the story where words are substituted, much like Mad Libs, so the content changes.
There are three levels of interactions with the story. The first level (Egg) will play a random version of the story, with or without the text. All the word substitutions allow for many different versions of the same storyline. The second level (Chick) allows you to choose a food, a number, a game, character, a stinky thing, and something you won’t allow the pigeon to do. These choices also vary. After recording your name, the story plays with the choices you made incorporated into the story. The third level (Big Pigeon) allows you to personally record answers to questions (similar to level 2), and then plays the story incorporating the recorded clips. In this level, you can choose to save up to six recorded stories at a time.
My son also loved that he could just draw a black and white drawing on his own and save it to the iPad. The last saved drawing is also incorporated into the story. How cool is that? You and your child might also enjoy shaking the pigeon, as long as you like.
Here’s my son’ take on the app…
$6.99? Worth it.
Renny Fong has been an educator for over 15 years, teaching pre-kindergarten through fifth grade; he currently teaches technology. His wife and his five-year-old son are his biggest joy and inspiration. He started his blog, TimeOutDad, in September 2009 and has been a contributor to Book Dads since 2010 and KidZui’s blog since May 2011.
3 Comments on iPad Kids App Review: Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App!, last added: 11/21/2011
What a great concept. Kudos to Mo Willems, as I’m sure this app will be widely popular. And thanks, Renny and Renny’s son, for such a great review!
Renny said, on 11/21/2011 7:33:00 AM
Thanks so much, Kerry. It amazes me what kids are able to do with technology, now. Yes, Mo Willems definitely knows how to entertain and makes literacy fun and engaging!
I want to take the opportunity to highlight a worthwhile project which I feel could be of interest to many of my readers. Please read and watch the video below and give what you can.
Kickstarter Project: Everest: A Climb For Peace (children’s book)
About the project:
Lance Trumbull is the founder and executive director of The Everest Peace Project. He is also the producer and director of the film - Everest: A Climb for Peace. He has written a 32 page Children’s picture book based on his award winning documentary film Everest: A Climb for Peace, which is now nationwide on national TV. It is an Adventure Book about Peace, Teamwork and Friendship.
The purpose of the book is to inspire, inform, and educate. The age range is for kids 8 years old and up. There is text on every page neatly and easily readable over each image on each page.
Kickstarter Project: Everest: A Climb For Peace (c said, on 11/17/2011 11:38:00 AM
[...] read and watch the video below and give what you can. Kickstarter Project: Everest: A Climb … Continue reading → You can share this post on Twitter , or save it in your Delicious [...]
Judy Palaferro’s stylized illustrations have their roots in both her teenage admiration for rock and roll album covers and the 1980′s New York art scene. Ms. Palaferro has worked as a print and web designer, and as a book buyer in a Colorado toy store, where she began developing artistically with inspiration from Arthur Ransome, Roald Dahl, and teddy bears.
Upon returning to New York City, Ms. Palaferro’s fascination with illustration flourished for eight years while she worked as a children’s graphic artist and textile designer in the fashion industry. Horace’s Big Hat displays her beautiful sense of bright and pleasing aesthetics and her love for imagination, and children’s art.
About the book (from the publisher):
What did you want to be when you grew up? Colorful and fun, this charming book introduces children to a range of professions, each of which Horace tries his hand at in a special big hat—be it a red fireman’s helmet, giant baker’s hat, purple circus top hat, or an artist’s beret. Whimsical illustrations bring young readers into Horace’s world of imagination. Great for children who are learning to read.
My take on the book:
My little girl is obsessed with hats, so much so that she’ll even walk around with a cardboard box on her head, calling it a hat. Of course knowing this, I shared Horace’s Big Hat with her and not surprisingly, it has become one of her favorites.
There’s a couple of things you should know about this book. One, it was written by the author in consultation with an early literacy educator so the large, bold typeface as well as the patterned, repetitive text are done purposely. Both of these are proven strategies for helping beginning and emerging readers began the path to learning to read.
Second, the illustrations are fantastic and there’s almost another story to be told on each page. The pictures are bold and colorful and I enjoy asking my daughter what she sees going on in the pictures. It almost serves as a conversation starter with my daughter. We talk about what firefighters do, why chefs wear a hat and there’s one page where we have tried counting all the sheep.
All in all, a beautifully designed book which can provide opportunities for learning with each read. I highly recommend this for parents and teachers.
0 Comments on Review: Horace’s Big Hat as of 1/1/1900
C. Alexander London is an award-winning author of nonfiction for grown-ups (under a slightly different not very secret name) and, as his official biography says, he really is an accomplished skeet-shooter, having once won a 12-gauge tournament because no one else had signed up in his age group. He’s also a Master SCUBA diver, and, most excitingly (to him) a fully licensed and accredited librarian. He used to know the Dewey Decimal System from memory. He doesn’t anymore. While traveling as a journalist, he did indeed watch television in 23 countries (Burmese soap operas were the most confusing; Cuban news reports were the most dull). He survived an erupting volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a hurricane on small island in the Caribbean, 4 civil wars (one of them was over by the time he got there, thankfully), and a mysterious bite on his little toe in the jungles of Thailand. The bite got infected and swollen and gross and gave him a deep mistrust of lizards. Although he has had many adventures, he really does prefer curling up on the couch and watching some good reality television or reading a book. Like Oliver and Celia Navel, he enjoys danger and intrigue far more when it’s happening to somebody else.
About the book (from his website):
In their second unwanted adventure, We Dine with Cannibals, Oliver and Celia will travel from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon. They’ll need all their reality TV survival skills when they ride a llama, race the rapids, and even fly an airplane! If that’s not enough excitement for you (it is decidedly too much excitement for Oliver and Celia Navel), they’ll be forced to learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast and confront the strangest and most brutal rite of passage ever devised by human imagination: Dodgeball.
My take on the book:
The second installment in London’s An Accidental Adventure series has readers following the Navel twins on another reluctant adventure. This time they travel to the Amazon Rain Forest where they must use all of their reality-television survival skills to avoid becoming the guests of honor at a cannibal feast!
We Dine With Cannibals is a tremendously fun and action-packed reading adventure which is sure to leave readers wanting more. The story is filled with twists and turns to keep readers guessing at what is going to happen next. I love how London uses information (real facts sprinkled with some myths and legends) about the Amazon Rain Forest to set the landscape for Oliver and Celia’s adventure. This not only sparks interest in the story itself, but is practically guaranteed to send young readers to the internet in search of more information about the Amazon.
I have no reservations about recommending this and the first book in the series, We Are Not Eaten By Yaks, to parents, teachers and librarians.
Be sure to check out Book Dads later this week as I will be posting an exclusive interview with C. Alexander London.
1 Comments on Review: An Accidental Adventure #2: We Dine With Cannibals, last added: 11/17/2011
Q & A with author C. Alexander London | said, on 11/17/2011 10:27:00 PM
[...] this week, I reviewed C. Alexander London’s We Dine With Cannibals, the second book in his An Accidental Adventure series. Today, I’m excited to present the [...]
Ken Denmead is the editor of Geek Dad, a blog on Wired magazine’s website. A professional civil engineer, he lives near San Francisco with his two sons, who are both geeks in training.
About the book:
Fans of the New York Times bestselling Geek Dad and The Geek Dad’s Guide to Weekend Fun will flock to the 3.0 version, The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scientists. As Ken Denmead explains, most kids lack an understanding of science and an awareness of how it influences our everyday lives. What kids today need is a fun way to learn scientific concepts. This book will help scientists-in-the- making discover how our world works with creative project ideas, including how to:
• Grow crystals to power your Stargate and set your room aglow
• Extract your own DNA and decode your genes
• Build a MacGyver radio from nothing but cast-off electrical and office supplies
Chock-full of instructional illustrations throughout, The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scientists puts the fun back in science.
My take on the book:
Geek Dad has done it again with his third installment in the fantastic Geek Dad book series! Probably more than any other of the books, the activities in this one blew my mind. Extract your own DNA! Lighting junk food on fire to understand calories! Build a MacGyver radio! Man, I was pumped while reading this and was in awe of the potential for future fun to be had with my daughter (she’s a tad young for lots of these activities).
As I mentioned in past reviews, my daughter is a bit young still for these activities. All the same, I still look through the books every few months and see if there’s a way to adapt the activities for younger children. I haven’t really found anything yet, but I’m patiently pining for the days when my daughter and I or the entire family for that matter, can do these activities together.
Ken Denmead keeps raising the bar with each installment in this series. I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us (please tell me there’s going to be more!!).
If there’s a series of books I would recommend as a must-have for all dads, it would have to be the Geek Dad books. They’re creative and fun while being really educational at the same time. Check out my reviews of the other books in the series below:
Review: The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scienti said, on 11/12/2011 10:07:00 PM
[...] Wired magazine’s website. A professional civil engineer, he lives near San Francisco with … Continue reading → You can share this post on Twitter , or save it in your Delicious [...]
BookDads says “If there’s a series of books I said, on 11/14/2011 9:21:00 AM
[...] I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us (please tell me there’s going to be more!!).Read the whole thing here.By geekdadken on November 14th,2011 | Category:Reviews Leave a Reply Cancel reply Name [...]
A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? And his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children’s books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.
About the book:
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Should I Share My Ice Cream? Gerald has a big decision to make. But will he make it in time?
My take on the book:
Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books have been some of our favorites for quite some time now. As my daughter gets older, she’s understanding the books more and really enjoying the humor in the interaction between Elephant and Piggie.
In this book, readers get to enjoy Elephant’s argument with himself over whether he should share his ice cream with his best friend Piggie. Hilarity ensues as Elephant gets in a back-and-forth over what he should. As always, the illustrations (especially the facial expressions) are terrific and this is an excellent book to read with little ones who might need help learning a bit more about how and why we sharing is a good thing to do.
Willems’ books are terrific to read aloud and Should I Share My Ice Cream? just may be one of his best. I read it during the dad/child story time I do at my local library and it was a hit. One of the librarians shared with me that many of the Dads went out afterwards scooping up Willems’ books to take home with them.
Here’s some other Book Dads reviews of Mo Willems’ books. Enjoy!…
Review: Should I Share My Ice Cream? | Books in th said, on 11/12/2011 12:37:00 PM
[...] the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case … Continue reading → You can share this post on Twitter , or save it in your Delicious [...]
Liz said, on 11/12/2011 7:23:00 PM
We absolutely love Elephant and Piggie! Our favorite is “There is a bird on your head”, we’ll have to keep an eye out for this one now, looks great!
Our Emotions and Behavior Series by Free Spirit Publishing
Review by Chris Singer
About Free Spirit Publishing (from their website):
Everyday life presents many challenges for kids, from home to school to the wider world. No matter how many choices, changes, and opportunities young people face, Free Spirit has had the same mission for over 27 years: to provide children and teens—and the adults who care for and about them—with the tools they need to succeed in life and to make a positive difference in the world.
About the author:
Sue Graves is a former teacher and a published author. She writes fiction and nonfiction for children from preschool to high school. Sue is married and has four children and two grandchildren. She loves playing golf, painting watercolors, and walking in the countryside around her home in England.
About the illustrator:
Desideria Guicciardini was born in Florence, Italy. She illustrated her first children’s book in 1977 and likes illustrating stories set in the past or in fantastic make-believe worlds. She lives in Milan, Italy, with her husband and two sons.
About the series:
Small children have big feelings. The Our Emotions and Behavior series uses cheerful, brightly illustrated stories to help kids understand how their emotions and actions are related—and how they can learn to manage both. Follow along as Noah, Ben, Nora, and their friends discover ways to deal with fears, sadness, rules, and sharing. At the end of each book, a two-page series of pictures invites kids to tell a story in their own words. A special section for adults suggests discussion questions and ideas for guiding children to talk about their feelings.
About the books (from their website):
* But Why Can’t I (A book about rules) - Kids and rules don’t always make a perfect match right away. But Why Can’t I? explores these feelings using simple text, cheerful illustrations, and a light touch of humor. When Jenny comes over to babysit, Noah doesn’t want to do what she says. Rules for games, rules for bedtime—rules, rules, rules! But Jenny helps him understand that adults have to follow rules as well as kids, and rules help keep everybody safe, healthy, and happy.
* I’m Not Happy (A book about feeling sad) – Big feelings are part of daily life for small kids, and happiness just isn’t always within reach. Unwelcome events, from a broken toy to a missing pet, bring on sad feelings that can darken kids’ days. In this charming feelings book, follow along as Ben helps cheer up his friends and shows how kids can turn sadness into smiles. I’m Not Happy uses simple, easy-to-read text to present positive coping skills for children to use when they feel sad.
* Not Fair, Won&
1 Comments on Review: Free Spirit Publishing’s Our Emotions and Behavior Series, last added: 11/5/2011
Review: Free Spirit Publishing’s Our Emotions an said, on 11/5/2011 5:52:00 PM
[...] challenges for kids, from home to school to the wider world. No matter how many choices, … Continue reading → You can share this post on Twitter , or save it in your Delicious [...]
Listen to My Trumpet by Mo Willems (Published by Hyperion)
0 Comments on iPad Kids App Review: Write On as of 1/1/1900
An Accidental Adventure series (
[...] From BookDads: The narrative is very compelling and jarring in a manner I didn’t expect it to be. Instead of being shaken by the details of the conflicts Axe covered, I found myself disturbed by his attitude and behavior which makes you believe he had a sort of death wish. Just as I found myself even more compelled to get to the heart of Axe’s inner conflict, the graphic novel was over and the reader is left with a bit of an empty feeling. Whether intentional or not, as I’ve thought about this, it actually makes a lot of sense. Unless we’ve been involved in an armed conflict, we’ll always fall short of a true understanding of what that is like. Perhaps Axe and other combat journalists know that better than anyone as they still traverse the bridge that separates the two worlds of civilian life and combat. Share this:ShareFacebookStumbleUponEmailRedditRelated posts: [...]