January 21st is officially Squirrel Appreciation Day. To mark this solemn occasion, Kid Lit Reviews is pleased to bring you a feisty little squirrel destined to become a pirate. I just could not pass up telling you about Sammy on his special day. Actually, Sammy’s special day will be April 1 (no fooling), when his …

The Reindeer Dance Series: Holiday Jingles Written by Christianne C. Jones Illustrated by Emma Randall Picture Window Books     8/01/2015 978-1-4795-6496-5 20 pages     Ages 0—3 “Move like Santa’s reindeer, Hop in a graceful prance. Then twirl and spin and shake To do the reindeer dance!” [back cover] “Move those hooves and dance …

Today is Veteran’s Day, the perfect day to remember not only the brave men and women who fought for this country’s safety and freedom, but also a war that stunned many—the first World War. November 11th, 2015 marks the 96th anniversary of Armistice Day, the date Germany and the Allies signed an agreement to stop …

Cuddle Bunny Series: Tiny Tales Written by Charles Ghigna, aka “Father Goose” Illustrated by Jacqueline East Picture Window Books     8/01/2015 9780-1-4795-6532-0 64 pages     Ages 4—7 “What kind of name is Cuddle? Well, it’s the perfect name for a kind, caring, and adorable little bunny! Cuddle Bunny enjoys all of life’s adventures. From …

George Ferris’ Grand Idea: The Ferris Wheel Series: The Story Behind the Name Written by Jenna Glatzer Illustrated by Stephanie Dominguez Picture Window Books    8/01/2015 978-1-4795-7161-1 32 pages    Age 7—10 “You’ve heard of a Ferris wheel (you’ve probably even ridden one!), but do you know who designed the first one? Who had the idea? …

Scaredy Cat Series: Charles Reasoner Halloween Books Written by Charles Reasoner Picture Window Books   8/01/2015 978-1-4795-8501-4 12 pages    6″ X 6″    Age 0—2 . “BLACK CAT, SCAREDY CAT. WHERE WILL YOU GO? As you prowl beneath The moon’s spooky glow? “Don’t let Halloween Kitty spook you! A black cat is anything but …

Ten Playful Tigers: A Back-and-Forth Counting Book

Series: Back-and-Forth Books
Written by Beth Schwartz & Lynn Seresin
Illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell
Capstone Young Readers     8/01/2015
978-1-62370-236-6
  22 pages       9″x8″      Age 1—4.

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“One two three, how many tigers do you see? Count along as one little tiger turns into ten playful tigers (and their mama!). Then start again by counting the butterflies beginning with ten. Little hands and little eyes will delight to explore these sturdy interactive board books from front-to-back and back-to-front. Award-winning team Betty Schwartz and Lynn Seresin have created charming, tactile two-in-one experiences for the littlest learners” [back cover]

Review
Cute little tigers, with big wide eyes and long striped tails, will indeed charm little kids as they count from one to ten and then ten to one (actually, the butterflies begin with eleven, for the smart, observant, little kid). The tiger at number 1 simply walks into the tall grass with one butterfly trailing behind. Turn the page and there are two tigers, greeting one another. With each new turn of the thick and sturdy glossy pages, a new tiger joins in with its siblings. The tigers have a fun morning (or afternoon) doing all sorts of things that will energize young children: climb trees, play in the water, do tricks, play soccer, follow-the-tiger, tumble about, and roar with all the might of a little tiger. These playful tigers will definitely amuse young children.

After a rough and tumble morning (or afternoon), the ten tigers take a nap with mama, making Ten Playful Tigers the perfect bedtime story. Upon waking, kids can count the butterflies from ten (eleven) down to one and then blast off into the rest of their day. Kids will also like turning the pages with the die-cut holes and rubbing Mama-tiger’s orange and black striped fur. Counting from ten to one involves counting the number of holes containing butterflies—on the left side of the spread—and then adding in the one or two butterflies flying elsewhere on the half-spread. Large purple numbers guide kids as they count.

The oversized book may be too large for some little hands, but with help this should not be a hindrance. The illustrations are beautiful, fun, and lively. Even the butterflies change shape and color, seemingly having their own group fun. I especially love the spread with the, wait a minute . . . one, two three, FOUR roaring tigers. They each have four pointy teeth and one large mouth, which when opened wide, makes their nose and eyes seem to scrunch. Ten Playful Tigers is the perfect board book for young children learning how to count.

But wait, there’s more. Once you can count up to ten and then back down to one, it is time to leave the tigers and butterflies for a more ferocious beast—dinosaurs!   Keep reading->
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TEN PLAYFUL TIGERS (A BACK-AND-FORTH BOOK). Text copyright © 2015 by Beth Schwartz & Lynn Seresin. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Luciana Navarro Powell. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone, North Mankato, MN.

Purchase Ten Playful Tigers at Amazon—Book Depository—Capstone.

Learn more about Ten Playful Tigers HERE.
Meet the author, Beth Schwartz, her website:
Meet the author, Lynn Seresin, at her website:  bit.ly/LynnSeresin
Meet the illustrator, Luciana Navarro Powell, at her website:  http://www.lucianaillustration.com/
Find more picture books at the Capstone Young Readers website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Young Readers is an imprint of Capstone.

Other Back-and-Forth Books
Busy Little Dinosaurs (alphabet)   (reviewed here)
Puppies, Puppies, Everywhere! (opposites)
You’re it, Little Red Fish (colors)

PLUS – Hop, Hop, Bunny (reviewed here)
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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

Review section word count = 339

Busy Little Dinosaurs: A Back-and-Forth Alphabet Book

Series: Back-and-Forth Books
Written by Beth Schwartz & Lynn Seresin
Illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell
Capstone Young Readers        8/01/2015
978-1-62370-234-2
22 pages        9″x8″       Age 1—4
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“Busy little dinosaurs, as a rule, agree it’s fun to go to school! Follow dinosaurs through an alphabet of activities from A all the way to Zzzzzz. But wait—you’re not done! Go back to A and name the things that start with the letters along the way.” [back cover]

Review
Busy Little Dinosaurs will teach young children their ABCs in an unconventional manner. Each spread contains a four-line verse of rhyme and somewhere in that rhyme is a word with the letter or letters for that spread, going from A to Z. For example, the second spread is for the letters “Gg,” “Hh,” and “Ii.”

“Dinos gather together,
hang a flag from a tree,
and imagine they’re pirates,
that sail the high seas.”

At the top left of each spread, in various colors, are the next letters in the alphabet. It would be easy enough to learn the alphabet by learning the letters while ignoring each verse and illustration, but that would not be much fun. The dinosaurs are doing all sorts of imaginative activities, many of which young children could also enjoy. In the above verse, the orange dinosaur looks at a map while wearing a pirate’s hat. The green dinosaur wears glasses and is looks over a different type of map, while the third dinosaur peers through a telescope—“Land Ho!”

Young children will have loads of laughs learning the alphabet with Busy Little Dinosaurs. The colorful, sturdy pages are glossy and wipe off kid-gunk with ease. The “A” dinosaurs enter school with their backpacks and big smiles. Throughout the day, the dinosaurs have a tremendous amount of fun as they enjoy many activities: play instruments, exercise in gym class, play soccer, paint, eat lunch, read books, and take a nap. All make for a rather decent kindergarten day.

Once those dinosaurs awake, they can flip back through the pages and, well, this part is actually a little tricky.

“Now go back to the cutouts
for surprises and fun.
Guess the letter things start with
and then you are done!”

The first spread is now letter “Z,” and in the cutout is a picture of a zebra fish—the object begins with the letter Z. On spread “Y,” the cutout is over the orange body of the yawning dinosaur. This could be the word “yawning” beginning with the letter Y, though not an object. “Ww and Xx” opens to a bookworm or a worm reading—begins with the letter W. But then “Tt, Uu, Vv” opens on the color purple on the dinosaur’s nose. I cannot think of anything beginning with the letter t, u, or v for this “object.” The spreads repeat this pattern of object then body color until the child is back to the front off the book. I love the idea, but do not understand what object each color represents, especially if the letter of the object is one of the letters of the spread, though that was not specified. I can only imagine how difficult it would have been to get an object in one cutout for two spreads. This does give a child the chance to use his or her imagination when deciding what object the colors might represent to them. Unfortunately, as a back-and-forth book, Busy Little Dinosaurs works well going forward and half the time in reverse.

Despite this problem, Busy Little Dinosaurs is a fun, imaginative, interesting, and colorful learning experience for young kids. Learning the ABCs in this manner is more beneficial than simply reciting the alphabet repeatedly until learned. Rote learning is never as much fun as experiential learning. I would highly recommend Busy Little Dinosaurs for teaching young children their alphabet. I believe, learning in this manner—non-rote learning—helps kids learn faster and remember what they learned longer. Busy Little Dinosaurs will have young children excited to learn the alphabet—and that is the best way to learn.

BUSY LITTLE DINOSAURS (A BACK-AND-FORTH BOOK). Text copyright © 2015 by Beth Schwartz & Lynn Seresin. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Luciana Navarro Powell. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone, North Mankato, MN.

Pre-order Busy Little Dinosaurs at Amazon—Book Depository—Capstone.

Learn more about Busy Little Dinosaurs HERE.
Meet the author, Beth Schwartz, her website:
Meet the author, Lynn Seresin, at her website: http://bit.ly/LynnSeresin
Meet the illustrator, Luciana Navarro Powell, at his/her website: http://www.lucianaillustration.com/
Find more picture books at the Capstone Young Readers website: http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Young Readers is an imprint of Capstone.

Other Back-and-Forth Books
Puppies, Puppies, Everywhere! (opposites)
Ten Playful Tigers (counting)   (reviewed here)
You’re it, Little Red Fish (colors)

Plus – Hop, Hop Bunny (reviewed here)
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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

Review section word count = 603

Jars of Hope: How One Woman Helped Save 2,500 Children During the Holocaust

Written by Jennifer Roy
Illustrated by Meg Owenson
Capstone Press          8/01/2015
978-1-62370-425-4
32 pages         Age 9—12

“Amid the horrors of World War II, Polish social worker Irena Sendler worked in the Warsaw Ghetto for Jews. When the Nazis began shipping Jews out of the ghetto in cattle cars, Irena started smuggling out babies and children to give them a chance to live. She hid babies in places like laundry piles, a carpenter’s toolbox, or a potato sack, and she helped older children escape through underground sewer tunnels. After the children were out of the ghetto, Irena found safe places for them with foster families or in convents. Irena kept records of the children she helped smuggle away and when she feared her work might be discovered, she buried her lists in jars, hoping to someday reunite the children with their parents.” [publisher]

Review
Irena Sendler is one of the unsung heroes of World War II. She is not in history books and few know about her work. Jars of Hope begins with Irena as a young child, hearing words from her father that would stay with her forever. She asked her father,

“Are some people really better than others?”

Irena’s father replied,

“There are two kinds of people in this world, good and bad.
It doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor, what religion or race.
What matters is if they are good or bad.”

In World War II, the Jews were not the bad guys and Irena decided to help those that were suffering the most . . . children. With the help of some trusted friends, the group smuggled 2500 children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. One good example was Antoni, who was allowed to drive his truck in an out of the ghetto. Together, he and Irena smuggled babies out in the back of the truck. Many cried. Antoni had a unique solution: Shepsi. Shepsi, Antoni’s talented sidekick, rode along in the front seat of the truck. With one touch of his paw by Antoni, Shepsi began barking, drowning out the baby’s cries. Eventually Irena joined Zegota, a secret group of Polish adults who helped the Jews with aid and rescue. Zegota helped Irena place children in foster homes and convents, but that association also got her arrested.

The illustrations are emotional and stark, a reflection of the time, and yet beautiful. The images immerse readers into the 1940s and the realities of Irena’s work. I especially like the image of children climbing out of the sewer with only a flashlight shining down upon them as a guide. The young girl hoisting herself up onto the ground struck home, making the era come alive for me. The author includes an Afterword adding more about Irena’s life, a glossary, and an Author’s Note explaining why she wrote Jars of Hope.
What Irena Sendler went through to save so many others is beyond heroic. She put her life in danger every day, but thought nothing of it because others needed her help. Such a selfless spirit is rare. Irena dangerously kept a list of the children she rescued, believing every child deserves to know their real name—many received new, Catholic names upon rescue—and she wanted to reunite as many families as possible. The lists went into jars, and buried for safety.

Jars of Hope, and other books like it, should be in classrooms. Irena Sendler, her selfless aid of so many Jewish children is worth remembering. She is a hero, but much more than that, if there were just an appropriate word. Jars of Hope is a beautiful, dangerous story of hope at a time when all hope seemed lost, and of courage, in a time and place where courage barely survived. Jars of Hope is a must read for older children and adults. Jars of Hope also belongs in every school library.

JARS OF HOPE. Text copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Roy. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Meg Owenson. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone Press, North Mankato, MN.

Pre-order Jars of Hope at Amazon—Book Depository— Capstone Press.

Learn more about Jars of Hope HERE.
Meet the author, Jennifer Roy, at her website:  http://jenniferroy.com/
Meet the illustrator, Meg Owenson, at her website:  https://meganowenson.wordpress.com/
Find more picture books at the Capstone Press website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Press is an imprint of Capstone.

Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

Review section word count = 502

DON’T LEAVE JUST YET!
We have WINNERS!!

Children’s Book Week Winners

Monday – The Luck Uglies (Book #1) by Paul Durham & Pétur Antonsson
Winner:  Robin Newman

Tuesday – Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay
Winner:  Lauren Tolbert Miller

Wednesday – Dress Me! by Sarah Frances Hardy
Winner:  Susanna Leonard Hill

Thursday – Fork-Tongue Charmers (Luck Uglies #2) by Paul Durham
Winner:  Erik Weibel

Friday – FRED by Kaila Eunhye
Winners:  C. L. Murphy & Mike Allegra

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Juneteenth for Mazie

Written by Floyd Cooper
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Capstone Young Readers 2/01/2015
978-1-62370-170-3
40 pages Age 6—9
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“Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history—the day her ancestors were no onger slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth. This beautiful story by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper will captivate both children and adults.”

Review
Juneteenth for Mazie made me think. I read it, slowly, three times, enjoying the story more with each read. Being a children’s historical fiction and a diversity book makes Juneteenth for Mazie a picture book that deserves more than a quick glance. Young Mazie is not having one of her better days. She wants to play outside, but it is too late in the day; and eat a cookie, but it is nearly bedtime; and stay up late, but she is too young. Dad asks why his “Sugar Bear” is grumpy.

“I can’t go where I want, have what I want, or do what I want.”

Tomorrow, Dad tells his daughter, is a day of celebrating—Juneteenth. Though not understanding, Mazie’s above frustrations mirror those of her not-so-distant relatives. What is Juneteenth? How is it rooted in early American history? Juneteenth is a celebration, much like the Fourth of July or Independence Day. In fact, another name for this celebration is Juneteenth Independence Day. Most of us know this day as Emancipation Day; some as Freedom Day. On the final page, author/illustrator Floyd Cooper explains what happened.¹

150-years-ago this year, Mazie’s fictional Great, Great, Great Grandpa Mose became a free man. Dad relates Grandpa Mose’s life beginning with working long days in cotton fields as a slave—all the time thinking of and praying for freedom and a better life—to running for the northern United States and freedom, where life would be difficult but his own; to the day Mose’s first heard President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and then celebrating the first Juneteenth. The newly free never forgot the huge significance of that day, even as they continued to struggle with inequality. My favorite sentences are these:

“They learned and grew . . .
“They forgave . . .
“They excelled and accomplished . . .
“They became heroes . . .”

The brown and yellow oil painting illustrations are wonderful, but I do not like the grainy-look (more pronounced in print). Cooper’s technique does give the spreads the look and feel of a time long ago that has aged, but never lost its details, despite repeat readings. 

Rooted firmly in history, Juneteenth for Mazie relates the most important details in kid-friendly language. Cooper, while forgoing chunks of detail, keeps the story and history lesson interesting, thoughtful, and accessible to young children. His writing style and story will engage kids in history more than any textbook ever could. Teachers should find no trouble integrating Juneteenth for Mazie into their lesson plans. Juneteenth for Mazie is both heart wrenching and heartwarming.

A side note: 2015 marks not only the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth, but also the 50th anniversary of the the Voting Rights Act of 1965.²

JUNETEENTH FOR MAZIE. Text and Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Floyd Cooper. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone Young Readers, North Mankato, MN.

Purchase Juneteenth for Mazie at Amazon—Book Depository—iTunes—Capstone.

Learn more about Juneteenth for Mazie HERE.
Meet award-winning author/illustrator, Floyd Cooper, at his website:  http://www.floydcooper.com/
Find more nonfiction/ historical fiction picture books at the Capstone website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Young Readers is a Capstone imprint.

Review Section: word count = 401³

Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews
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¹“On June 19, 1865, soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery in the United States. It was more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Celebrated every year on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of African-American citizens throughout the United States.”

²Thanks to Capstone for mentioning the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the Juneteenth for Mazie press release.

³Trying to keep the review portion between a 400—600 word count. Hoping that by noting this, it will keep me focused on this goal. Chide me if I miss this range (unless it is a “great review,” of course :))

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Juneteenth for Mazie

Written by Floyd Cooper
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Capstone Young Readers 2/01/2015
978-1-62370-170-3
40 pages Age 6—9
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“Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history—the day her ancestors were no onger slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth. This beautiful story by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper will captivate both children and adults.”

Review
Juneteenth for Mazie made me think. I read it, slowly, three times, enjoying the story more with each read. Being a children’s historical fiction and a diversity book makes Juneteenth for Mazie a picture book that deserves more than a quick glance. Young Mazie is not having one of her better days. She wants to play outside, but it is too late in the day; and eat a cookie, but it is nearly bedtime; and stay up late, but she is too young. Dad asks why his “Sugar Bear” is grumpy.

“I can’t go where I want, have what I want, or do what I want.”

Tomorrow, Dad tells his daughter, is a day of celebrating—Juneteenth. Though not understanding, Mazie’s above frustrations mirror those of her not-so-distant relatives. What is Juneteenth? How is it rooted in early American history? Juneteenth is a celebration, much like the Fourth of July or Independence Day. In fact, another name for this celebration is Juneteenth Independence Day. Most of us know this day as Emancipation Day; some as Freedom Day. On the final page, author/illustrator Floyd Cooper explains what happened.¹

150-years-ago this year, Mazie’s fictional Great, Great, Great Grandpa Mose became a free man. Dad relates Grandpa Mose’s life beginning with working long days in cotton fields as a slave—all the time thinking of and praying for freedom and a better life—to running for the northern United States and freedom, where life would be difficult but his own; to the day Mose’s first heard President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and then celebrating the first Juneteenth. The newly free never forgot the huge significance of that day, even as they continued to struggle with inequality. My favorite sentences are these:

“They learned and grew . . .
“They forgave . . .
“They excelled and accomplished . . .
“They became heroes . . .”

The brown and yellow oil painting illustrations are wonderful, but I do not like the grainy-look (more pronounced in print). Cooper’s technique does give the spreads the look and feel of a time long ago that has aged, but never lost its details, despite repeat readings. 

Rooted firmly in history, Juneteenth for Mazie relates the most important details in kid-friendly language. Cooper, while forgoing chunks of detail, keeps the story and history lesson interesting, thoughtful, and accessible to young children. His writing style and story will engage kids in history more than any textbook ever could. Teachers should find no trouble integrating Juneteenth for Mazie into their lesson plans. Juneteenth for Mazie is both heart wrenching and heartwarming.

A side note: 2015 marks not only the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth, but also the 50th anniversary of the the Voting Rights Act of 1965.²

JUNETEENTH FOR MAZIE. Text and Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Floyd Cooper. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone Young Readers, North Mankato, MN.

Purchase Juneteenth for Mazie at Amazon—Book Depository—iTunes—Capstone.

Learn more about Juneteenth for Mazie HERE.
Meet award-winning author/illustrator, Floyd Cooper, at his website:  http://www.floydcooper.com/
Find more nonfiction/ historical fiction picture books at the Capstone website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Young Readers is a Capstone imprint.

Review Section: word count = 401³

Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews
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¹“On June 19, 1865, soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery in the United States. It was more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Celebrated every year on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of African-American citizens throughout the United States.”

²Thanks to Capstone for mentioning the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the Juneteenth for Mazie press release.

³Trying to keep the review portion between a 400—600 word count. Hoping that by noting this, it will keep me focused on this goal. Chide me if I miss this range (unless it is a “great review,” of course :))

Children’s book publisher Capstone is offering a fellowship for authors and illustrators. The Capstone Fellowship in Children’s Literature will be awarded to children’s authors and illustrators “whose stories entertain and inspire young readers.”

The fellow will receive a month-long residency at the Anderson Center, in Minnesota. \"Last year I had the opportunity to spend a month at the Anderson Center, where I was able to focus entirely on writing and to work in the company of artists from around the world. It was a transformative experience that continues to influence my creative process today,\" said Nick Healy, a senior managing editor for Capstone. \"I’m thrilled to be able to share this experience with other artists, especially children’s writers and illustrators.\"

Every year will rotate between authors and illustrators and this year the honor will go to an author. Next year, it will go to an illustrator. The winners will be selected by a committee.

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Catwoman Counting

Series: DC Board Books
Written by Benjamin Bird
Illustrated by Ethen Beavers
Picture Window Books 8/01/2014
978-1-4795-5209-2
20 pages Age 1 to 3
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“Catwoman is on the loose in Gotham City! Young readers team up with Batman, tracking down the cat burglar and learning their numbers along the way!” [publisher summary]
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Yesterday, Book-O-Beards was a good choice for boys. Today,  Catwoman Counting, will level field with a book that will immediately appeal to young girls. On the 75th birthday of Batman, young readers have a new and exciting way to learn their numbers one to ten. Catwoman steals 1 bag of precious jewels, but in the night sky is the bat signal. Soon, Batman will be on the case of the missing jewels! Ah, but Catwoman can hear Batman with her 2 pointy ears. Batman throws his 3 batarangs into the night sky as Catwoman transverses 4 rooftops.

The chase is on. Who will win this clawed caper? Will 6 foot, er, paw-prints lead Batman to Catwoman’s lair? Will Catwoman escape with the 9 stolen jewels or will Batman and his 8 bats capture and cage this criminal-kitty? Stay tuned to Catwoman Counting for the fur-raising conclusion.

Young children who like Batman, or super-heroes in general—or adults wanting to introduce their children to this 1960’s icon—will be intrigued with this one-to-ten counting book. Large hero-villain personas chase through the colorful, glossy pages of this counting cat caper. The large 10” by 10” book brings the larger-than-life story to young eyes who will love counting villains, pointy ears, batarangs, rooftops, windows, footprints, trees, bats, jewels, and claws.

Counting is easy with Catwoman Counting. Each spread is a new, in order, number. The pages are made of thick cardboard made to withstand little hands, multiple readings, and grape jelly (strawberry, if you prefer). I really like the look and feel of Catwoman Counting and believe kids will as well. The cover of Catwoman Counting will appeal more to young girls, yet with the inclusion of Batman, boys will also like this imaginative counting book.

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CATWOMAN COUNTING. Text copyright © 2014 by Benjamin Bird. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Ethen Beavers. Reproduced by permission of Picture Window Books, a Capstone imprint, North Manakato, MN.
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Purchase Catwoman Counting at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Capstone.
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Learn more about Catwoman Counting HERE.
Meet the author, Benjamin Bird, at his website:
Meet the illustrator, Ethen Beavers, at his website:  http://cretineb.deviantart.com/
Find more DC Board Books at the Capstone website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Picture Book Windows is a Capstone imprint.

Also available in the DC Board Books series.

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Batman is Brave!

Superman to the Rescue!

Superman Fights for Truth!

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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

by Donald Lemke and Bob Lentz

Guys. So if book-gifting isn’t a thing for April Fool’s Day, then it totally should be. These books aren’t a joke, but they are a huge bunch of laughs.

Here they are in action:

How funny is that? Such clever design. A perfect accessory.

Hipster popularity aside, these punchy beards provide a secret identity for the preschool set. It’s dress up meets poetry meets a barrel of laughs.

And these guys don’t stop there! Beards have some series teammates in Book-O-Hats, Book-O-Teeth, and Book-O-Masks.

Sure to spice up story time!

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Twicetold Tales: Cassie and the Woolf

written by Olivia Snowe
illustrated by Michelle Lamoreaux
Stone Arch Books       8/01/2014
978-1-4342-6278-3
Age 8 to 12 128 pages

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“Once (or twice) upon a time, a girl named Cassie brought supper to her grandmother. But in this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Cassie doesn’t know that Caleb Woolf gets to her grandmother first. When Cassie finds out what Caleb has done, she is determined to get revenge. Whatever it takes, Cassie is ready. She will fight the Woolf . . . “

Opening

“Cassie Cloak held her red raincoat closed at the neck.”

The Story

Cassie Cloak stops at a deli after school then delivers supper to her grandmother. Caleb’s basketball game with friends breaks up leaving Caleb alone and hungry, but unwilling to go home. He can smell the chicken soup and sandwiches in Cassie’s deli containers as she dodges the rain. He also hears Cassie decline a ride from the deli man and the address of grandma’s apartment complex. Caleb times it so he “runs into” Cassie on the street, but is not the most cordial guy. Cassie is glad when he leaves.

At grandmother’s apartment complex, Cassie checks on grandma but collides with the bathroom door instead, falling unconscious to the floor. Later she unties grandma and realizes the black hoodie left in the bathroom belongs to Caleb. He had ambushed grandma, knocked out Cassie, and left with their supper. Cassie and grandma plan their revenge. Cassie invites Caleb to dinner. He accepts, planning to retrieve his hoodie before anyone else sees it. (He figures Cassie had not seen it else, she would not invite him to dinner. Or was it a trap.) Caleb went back and forth with this debate throughout the day.

Grandma opens up windows so the smell of her soup and roast will flow down the street, enticing Caleb. She knew Caleb could not resist the aroma of her cooking, just in case he was going to stand her up. Promptly buzzed past security, Caleb walks through grandma’s ajar apartment door, which shuts quickly behind him. Caleb announces his presence, but hears nothing in return. He is alone. With the doors are locked—from the outside—and the windows are sealed shut, no one can hear Caleb when he realizes the horror of his mistake.

Review

I read Cassie and the Woolf in one sitting. The story is a mere 128 pages but I couldn’t put it down if broccoli began to burn on my stove, again. It is that good. This modern retelling’s setting is an after-dark dangerous downtown. Most every shop has closed and Cassie and Caleb pass no one on the streets. Add in a fierce rainstorm and the elements are set for a horror showdown. Caleb is a brut of a boy with little manner or social skills. His claim to fame at the middle school he shares with Cassie is his basketball skills. When they meet, Cassie has no idea who Caleb is and it might have turned his anger ugly. He proceeds to bounce his basketball into a puddle, soaking Cassie. It is no secret what Caleb Woolf—the wolf—is going to do at Cassie—Little Red’s grandmother’s home. It is what happens after that will draw readers in the most.

Both Cassie and her grandma are formidable foes, unlike the original story where the wolf eats them both. In this retelling, the woolf, I mean wolf, will get his due. What happens when Caleb finds himself trapped inside grandma’s apartment will not scare anyone. I quite enjoyed the scheme, not once figuring out what was happening until it happened. Even the ending threw me off. I can’t say much more or story spoils would fill the page. I will say the writing and potting are masterfully done, never letting the reader figure out the next step until Cassie and grandma take it..

The characters are believable and easy to care about, including Caleb Woolf. You have sympathy for him shortly after meeting him, alone, his stomach growling, and unable to go home. He slowly turns into the wolf. As he walks with Cassie, he slowly becomes more annoying. After he has eaten Red’s supper, Caleb’s stomach hurts from over ingestion and he actually feels a bit remorseful, though I think he is confusing gastritis with remorse. I felt bad for Caleb at that moment—a little—and hoped Cassie’s revenge would not hurt him. But then the following day Caleb treats Cassie unkindly and the sympathy waned. Caleb’s character is a rollercoaster between decent and awful.

Middle grade aged kids will enjoy Cassie and the Woolf. Nothing in the story will spark nightmares or upset kids in the least—unless they are a fan of the wolf. No one dies; no one is shot, knifed, or beat up. Violence is at a minimal level. Suspense rises as slow as possible once Caleb enters grandma’s apartment and finds he is alone. From the moment Caleb sees his washed and folded hoodie, he knows something bad is going to happen; that he had walked into a trap. Readers who open Cassie and the Woolf will find they love the build up, the suspense, the basketball-bouncing walk through downtown streets, and the dinner invite given at school. Cassie and the Woolf is a fun read and an excellent modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Middle grade and older kids will enjoy this fairy tale once more. I’d expect nothing less from an author whose last name is Snowe.

TWICETOLD TALES: CASSIE AND THE WOOLF. Text copyright © 2014 by Olivia Snowe. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Michelle Lamoreaux. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Stone Arch Books, North Mankato, MN.

Purchase Cassie and the Woolf at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Stone Arch Books—your favorite bookstore.

Learn more about Twicetold Tales HERE.
Meet the author, Olivia Snowe, at her website:
Meet the illustrator, Michelle Lamoreaux, at her website:
Find more stories at the Stone Arch Books website:    http://stonearchbooks.blogspot.com/

Stone Arch Books is a Capstone imprint.   http://www.capstonepub.com/

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Also in 2014 by Olivia Snowe & Michelle Lamoreaux.

A Home in the Sky (Twicetold Tales)

Beauty and the Basement (Twicetold Tales)

Dandelion and the Witch (Twicetold Tales)

Hansen and Gracie (Twicetold Tales)

The Girl and the Seven Thieves (Twicetold Tales)

The Sealed-Up House (Twicetold Tales)

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copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

Blow It Up! – Crush It! – Shred It! – Knock It Down!

written by Erin Edison

Capstone Press      11//01/2013

978-1-4765-3526-5  /  978-1-4765-3528-9

978-1-4765-3529-6  /  978-1-4765-3527-2

Age 1 to 3   10 pages   8 x 8

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“BOOM! CRASH! CRUMBLE! Lift flaps and pull tabs to make buildings explode!

“CLUNK! CRUNCH! SMASH! Lift flaps, pull tabs, and move levers to crush those cars flat!

“SMACK! WHACK! BASH! Lift flaps, pull tabs, and move levers to knock that building down!

“RIP! CRUNCH! SHRED! Lift flaps, pull tabs, and move levers to shred tires into tiny pieces!”

Opening

“An old building is crumbling and unsafe.” [Pull the tab down and bring the building to its knees, or the ground, if you prefer.”

Review

Collectively, these four books (Blow It Up!, Shred It!, Crush It!, and Knock It Down!), are called the Destruction Group. And what destruction your child can imagine causing—all in the name of safety, not hoodlumism.

Today is best called “Boys Day.” Girls can enjoy these interesting activity books, as I did, but it is mostly boys who receive these books. Little boys will love bringing down a building, bridge, and sports arena with dynamite. In the process, the book gives your child, or you, the chance read with unabashed enthusiasm, “Boom, Kah-Pow, and Kaboom,” when your young child makes rubble out of the structure on the spread.

When the kids have exploded structures to their heart’s content, it will be time to Crush It! Let’s start with that beautiful car. Pull up the tab and, “Oh, no! The beautiful car! It is a piece of rusty junk.”

Yep, that car is a goner and it is up to the reader to pick up the car with a forklift and dump it into the crusher. That red sports car will soon become a square of steel. I am not sure where the plastic goes (my car is practically all plastic). Never mind that, here comes car number two. This car is ratty, but the engine looks pretty good. Let’s save that engine. Pull it up and out of the car. And the tires, too. We are going to salvage everything possible. Reuse is the motto!

Maybe plastic cars are shredded. Those tires shredded. So open up Shred It! One of those tires from that car has a hole in it. Go ahead, shred pick it up and all the other bad tires with your forklift. Drive over and dump those bad tires into the shredder. “Thunk, thunk!” Listen as the rubber is pulverized, “Whirl! Crunch!” Look out, here comes the pieces of rubber ready to be made into all sorts of things. The mat you mom stands on in the kitchen, or the mat she makes you wipe your feet on before coming in the house, is most likely recycled rubber tire. How, cool! You’re not done yet.

It is time to Knock It Down! There is a building you can knock down. That big steel ball is called a wrecking ball. When you swings it into the building you will wreck it. Slide the tab and make that ball ram into the building. “Whack!” Pieces are falling, so watch your head. Get that yellow construction hat on, if you got one, or use your bike helmet. Pull the next tab down and whack the lower part of the building with a loader, pulling down what remains.

True story, when my building caught fire a few years back—no, I did not start the fire—the fire department used a loader, with the pick-up container held upside down, just like it Knock It Down! The firemen pulled everything out of the apartments and the rest of the wall, too. It was horrible watching neighbors’ possessions fall to the ground. Okay, back to the job at hand. Swing the tab once more and whack the wall with another wrecker ball. The bricks crumble away. Nice Job!

Kids will love these four “destruction” books. In addition to pulling, pushing, swiping, and opening tabs, kids will read. It is truly fun to read these books aloud to your child. A couple of times reading to them and they will be reading on their own, even if it is only memorizing what you read—it is a start, a good start. The books are sturdy board books, all with nicely thick pages that will withstand some tugging pulling and pushing. The pages are easily cleaned. Jelly will wipe right off the page. I checked.

Your active little boy—and girl—will love Blow It Up!, Crush It!, Shred It!, and Knock It Down! The books can be purchased separately, but as a bundled set Capstone has a special price that will save you a bundle (pun intended). These 8 x 8 thick board books are waiting for little hands to have fun pulling, pushing, swiping, and opening up tabs so they can have fun destroying imaginary buildings and crushing imaginary red sports cars. I had fun so I know your child will, too.

BLOW IT UP! CRUSH IT! SHRED IT! KNOCK IT DOWN! Text copyright © 2014 by Erin Edison. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone Press, San Francisco, CA.

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You can purchase any of these books at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Capstone Press (special bundled price)—at your favorite bookstore.

Crush It! was previously reviewed. You can read that (better) review HERE.

Learn more about the Destruction Board Book Set  HERE.

Meet the author, Erin Edison, at Jacketflap:  http://www.jacketflap.com/erin-edison/263204

Find more great books at the Capstone Press website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Press is an imprint of Capstone.

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Also by Erin Edison

Snow (Weather Basics)

Franklin D. Roosevelt (Presidential Biographies) 

John F. Kennedy (Presidential Biographies)

Lightning (Weather Basics)..

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copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

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Eddie and Dog

written and illustrated by Alison Brown

Capstone Young Readers      2/01/2014

978-1-62370-114-7

Age 4 ro 8      32 pages

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“Eddie is looking for a friend—a friend who likes adventure. Then Eddie meets Dog. And the fun begins. This wonderful story, with stunning artwork celebrates the excitement of a beautiful relationship.”

Opening

“Eddie dreamed of adventure.

“He imagined flying off to far-off places and doing amazing things. Then one day . . . “

Review

Eddie found Dog. No, wait, Dog found Eddie.

Eddie is at the airport, dreaming of adventures, when he sees Dog in a pet carrier, which Dog opens with his paw. (Dogs can get out of anything.) Dog wants a life of adventure and must see the same in Eddie. Dog asks Eddie if he would like to play. This is the beginning of a unique friendship and a lovely picture book. Eddie and Dog is one of my favorite picture books this year.

What fun the two enjoy together. Their adventures are loaded with suspense, intrigue, and some silliness for good measure. The two hunt crocodiles, sail the seven seas—I’m thinking in alphabetical order—build a grand fort, and traipse through lush jungles. That was day one.

When Eddie introduced his new best friend to his mother, she said Dog could not stay—the yard is too small.  Poor Dog. Poor Eddie. Eddie keeps thinking about Dog and it is a good bet that Dog thinks a lot about Eddie. The next day, Dog returns to Eddie. Mom stands her ground. Dog needs a bigger yard and a better home. Mom’s imagination and creativity has taken back seat t her larger practical side. She can’t see the blossoming relationship between Eddie and Dog or how important it is to the new friends. Instead of working with the yard, she instantly says it is too small.

Dog is trying as hard as he can to keep his friendship with Eddie alive. Good friendships should never die—they are too hard to cultivate. But Eddie’s mom is consistently saying no to a dog. Do dogs make her nose sneeze and her eyes cry? Maybe mom really is concerned with Dog’s happiness. Hm, I wonder what will happen next.

I love Eddie and Dog. They must belong together else, Dog would not make such grand gestures, would he? Dogs do love unconditionally. And Dog is a dog. You cannot beat logic. Eddie and Dog belong together. I bet Dog keeps trying until Eddie’s mom runs out of excuses and places for Dog to go.

The story is well-paced and the illustrations hit the mark on each and every page.The final spread is my favorite illustration. Eddie sits behind Dog as Dog flies his shiny red propeller plane to their next awesome adventure.. Dog is a cute, cuddly canine. He is the perfect size for Eddie. Dog loves adventures, just as Eddie wanted! The ending has an unexpected twist that I love. Dog can accomplish many fantabulous things in a short amount of time.

Children will love Eddie and Dog. They will be sad when Eddie is sent away, but after the first return—a wonderful twist—kids will keep smiling even when mom sends Eddie off several more times. Sometimes knowing the punch line can be fun. Kids will love Eddie and Dog, even to the point of wanting their own Dog (sorry Eddie). Parents can take heart. Eddie and Dog is an easy and fun read with moments needing sound effects only a parent can provide. Will Eddie and Dog become your child’s favorite book? Quit possibly so, at least until the next edition of an Eddie and Dog adventure hit bookstores. Enjoy!

EDDIE AND DOG. Text and illustrations copyright © 2013 by Alison Brown. Reproduced by permission of the US publisher, Capstone Young Readers, North Mankato, MN.

Purchase Eddie and Dog at Amazon—B&N—Capstone Young Readers—your favorite bookstore.

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Learn more about Eddie and Dog HERE.

Meet the author/illustrator, Alison Brown, at her website:    http://www.littletiger.co.uk/authors/alison-brown

Find more good books at the Capstone Young Readers website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/

Capstone Young Reader is an imprint of Capstone:   http://www.capstonepub.com/

Eddie and Dog was originally published in Great Britain by Little Tiger Press in 12/18/2013.

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Also by Alison Brown

I Love You Night and Day

Mighty Mo

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copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

Here are two wonderful board books for the youngest kids out there ready to open a book or two. Both are colorful and made me laugh. First up, an appropriate book for the mess my shotty computer has caused.

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Monster Knows I’m Sorry

written by Connie Colwell Miller

illustrated by Maira Chiodi

Picture Window Books          3/06/2014

978-1-4795-2964-3

8 x 8 18 pages

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“Monsters are at Plooble School. There’s time for work and play. Monsters make mistakes at times. “I’m sorry” is easy to say.”

Opening

“At Pooble School the monsters play. They also learn the words to say.”

Review

The monsters at Plooble School are a fearsome bunch. From one eye to three eyes or no eye at all, these monster will not scare the little reader. Every monster wears a smile and is glad to be at school. The words to learn today are “I’m sorry.”
All the monsters are seated at their desks, except for one. This monster is goofing around, but when he realizes what he is doing, he faces his classmates and says,

“I’m sorry, friends. I’ll calm down.”

I’m sorry is used in many ways.

“I’m so sorry you feel bad.”
“Oops, I’m sorry, I forgot that rule.”
“I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair.”

What a great way to help young children understand how and why one says, “I’m sorry.” The monsters are funny, kind, and considerate. What wee one does not want to go to school like their big brother or sister? Now, they can go to school at Plooble School with the friendliest monsters seen around books this year. In addition to Monster Knows I’m Sorry, there are three more manner books: Monster Knows Excuse Me, Monster Knows Please and Thank You, and Monster Knows Table Manners. Each book is colorful and uses fun situations to help little children understand the concept of that particular book. I really like this series. I think kids will like the series and may just learn some manners faster than they might otherwise learn them.
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But we are not done. No, not yet. Now we have the biggest beast know to man—the elephant. Meet Eddie and Ellie.

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Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites

written by Daniel Nunn

llustrations by Steve Walker

Heinemann Raintree         8/29/2014

978-1-4109-5355-1

8 x 8 18 pages

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“Eddie and Ellie are good friends. But sometimes, Eddie and Ellie can’t stop arguing. You see, everything that Eddie likes . . . Ellie likes the opposite!”

Opening

“This is Eddie the Elephant. And this is Ellie the Elephant. Eddie and Ellie love animals! But they can never agree which ones are best.”

Review

Eddie and Ellie are the cutest elephants you will ever see anywhere. I love their big white curious eyes and the green bow atop Ellie’s head. Eddie and Ellie are so adorable a stuffed toy companion of each would be irresistible to hugs. Oh, who would not enjoy a “real” Eddie and Ellie sitting on their bed ready to show them some terrific animals? If only they could agree!

Eddie likes BIG animals like white polar bears. But Ellie likes SMALL animals like lizards. (I’ll go with Eddie on this one.) Poor Ellie is cross-eyed watching the lizard crawl up her long trunk. Yuck! Some kids will love it and it is funny to see. Eddie likes HEAVY animals like the rhinoceros, but Ellie likes LIGHT animals like the lemur. (I’m with Ellie, light is best for a pet.) Back and forth, these two elephants compare their likes to one another. One likes DIRTY animals while the other likes CLEAN animals. One likes animals that live in COLD places and the other likes animals that live in HOT places. (Hot, definitely wins.)

Kids will get more than a few animals to admire while Eddie and Ellie counter each other. By book’s end, young children should understand the concept of opposites. Young kids will love Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites. They never argue, just compare their likes to the other’s likes. Eddie and Ellie smile, stand up on two legs raising their arms in excitement, and seem to have a good time with the other animals. Ellie rides a hippo and Eddie admires the long neck of a giraffe. Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites is another cute board book from Heinemann Raintree/Capstone.

.Now, off with you. Go get your own Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites and of course Monsters Knows I’m Sorry. Go on. They are waiting for you. Don’t keep monsters waiting. Those elephants will remember how fast you came for them. Now, shoo!

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MONSTER KNOWS I’M SORRY. Text copyright © 2014 by Connie Colwell Miller. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Maira Chiodi. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Picture Window Books/Capstone, North Mankato, MN.

Buy Monster Knows Manners series at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Capstone—your favorite bookstore.

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Learn more about the Monster Knows Manners series HERE.

Meet the author, Connie Colwell Miller, at her website:    http://conniecolwellmiller.com/

Meet the illustrator, Maira Chiodi, at her website:    http://mairachiodi.com/

Find more board books at the Picture Window Books website

an imprint of Capstone Books

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EDDIE AND ELLIE’S OPPOSITES. Text copyright © 2014 by Daniel Nunn. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Steve Walker. Reproduced by permission of the publisher Heinemann Raintree, North Mankato, MN.

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Buy Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Capstone—your favorite bookstore.

Learn more about the Eddie and Ellie’s Opposites HERE.

Meet the author, Daniel Nunn, at his facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/danielnunn

Meet the illustrator, Steve Walker, at this website:    http://stevejwalkerstudio.blogspot.com/

Find more board books at the Heinemann Raintree website

an imprint of Capstone Books
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Congratulations to all of the winners of the Children’s Book Week giveaways. Those who Farfaria subscriptions will be hearing from that site to start your subscription. Those who won a book will receive n email from me. Please respond with your full home address within 72 hours. If not received within 72 hours a new winner will be declared. Books are sent to the winner from the sponsoring publisher. Congratulations to all!

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Farfaria

Winners of a 3-month subscription to Farfaria

Jennifer Hughes

C. L. Murphy

Elliot Waugh

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Winner of The Shark Whisperer, from Scarletta Junior Readers, by Dr. Ellen Prager

Melody Peugh

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Winner of Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: The Super-Secret from Melissa Productions, Inc., by Melissa Perry Moraja

Ashley Christine Renn

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Winner of Lately Lily, from Chronicle Books, by Micah Player

Donna Taylor

Winners of Bear’s Big Bottom, from Capstone, by Steve Smallman & Emma Yarlett

KT Amanda

Sherry Butcher

Rita Monette

Winners of Lost Little Penguin, from Capstone, by Tracey Corderoy & Gavin Scott

Esperanza Garcia Gailliard

Genevieve Petrillo

Cassie Hayes

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Winner of The Monster Needs His Sleep from Scarletta Kids, by Paul Czajak, illustrated by Wendy Grieb

Stephanie Shipley

The Frankenstein Journals: Feet First & I for an Eye

by Scott Sonneborn

Illustrated by Timothy Banks

Stone Arch Books         8/01/2014

978-1-4342-9130-1

Age 7 to 10         160 pages

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“In this combination of two separately published works, J.D. discovers that he is the son of Frankenstein’s monster, and armed with the Doctor’s journal he sets out to find his “relatives”—the descendants and relations of the people whose body parts Doctor Frankenstein used.”

Opening

“BORRRRING. That’s how I’d describe the first 13 years of my life.”

The Story

J.D. has lived at Mr. Shelley’s orphanage for Lost and Neglected Children since he was an infant and Mr. Shelley found him in a box. Now, at age 14, J.D.—short for John Doe—is on his own, the orphanage closed. J.D. is trying to find his family. His one lead is a book left in the box when he was an infant. It is a journal and in it is a picture of J.D. as an infant being held by his father—Frankenstein! J.D. had always dreamt he was part of a large family. Using the journal entries J.D. is trying to track down his family, but so his someone else.

Feet First begins J.D.’s journey from orphan to family-finder. J.D. meets Fran, daughter of Dr. Frankenstein. Deranged like her father, Fran thinks of nothing else but making her own improved monster, but nothing has worked. She now wants to use the same DNA dad used which has her on the trail of the same people J. D. is looking for, but J.D. is trying to connect as family. The first is explorer Robert Percy, currently at the end of the world.

I for an Eye: Fran Kenstein is still trying to find the relatives of those people her father used to make Frankenstein, J.D.’s father. J.D. is trying to get to his cousins first, to warn them of the danger called Fran. Now is Los Angeles, J.D. is looking for the grandson of Samuel “Clew” Hammer, a private detective in 1940. Hammer’s green eye became Frankenstein’s left eye. Before J.D. could get very far Fran shows up, gets J.D. thrown into jail, and leaves to go after all his cousins in L.A.

Review

J.D.’s journey will take a few books so it’s a good thing The Frankenstein Journals is a new series. If you liked Hotdogger, you’ll like The Frankenstein Journals. J.D. tells the story as it happens and scenes rush by. Even this two-story edition was a breeze. Reluctant readers will like this. The action is fast, the story has only what is needed. There are no slow sections that might bog a reader.

Frankenstein’s son looks a lot like his father, with odd shaped hands and feet, and two colors for his eyes, but he is a determined kid, fighting against time and Fran who is anxious to find the same people and lure them back for her experiment. There are illustrations throughout the book, some a full page, some in color. The hand-printed font, in various sizes, shapes, and colors, usually express an unexpected emotion caused by new information about J. D’s family. The book is visually appealing.

The only thing I do not like are the spaces between paragraphs, as if written on the Internet. This series is a chapter book series for young readers. This is not the time to forget about proper writing, especially when there is no benefit to having these paragraphs spaced incorrectly. At least the paragraphs are indented.

I think boys will like The Frankenstein Journals because of the fast action, a male slant on the stories, thus far, and the crazy illustrations and graphics. The female presence in the story is evil, just as boys this age probably see their female classmates. In a twist, Fran has no interest in J.D., but he instantly falls for Fran, misreading all of her words and actions, just like a lovesick girl would. J.D. no longer has a crush on Fran, having figured out her evil plan. Maybe girls age 7 to 12 age are evil, not just yucky.

Girls might also like the story of J.D. reclaiming his family. The main character is a sweet young boy searching the ends of the earth, literally—trying to find an unknown number of relatives before evil Fran finds them and makes a new Frankenstein out of them. If you like stories with twists and turns, and the occasional body part, The Frankenstein Journals would be a great series to start reading. Pre-order today for the August release date.

THE FRANKENSTEIN JOURNALS: FIRST FEET and I FOR AN EYE. Text copyright © 2014 by Scott Sonneborn. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Timothy Bans. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Stone Arch Books, an imprint of Capstone, North Mankato, MN.

Learn more about The Frankenstein Journals HERE.

Pre-order a copy of The Frankenstein Journals at Amazon—B&N—Capstone—your local bookstore.

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Meet author, Scott Sonneborn at his website:   http://scottsonneborn.com/

Meet illustrator, Timothy Banks at his website:  http://timothybanks.com/

Find more Stone Arch Books at the publisher’s website:  http://www.capstonepub.com/category/LIB_PUBLISHER_SAB

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Also by Scott Sonneborn

Supergirl vs. Brainiac

Danger on Deck!…

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Also by Timothy Banks

The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose!

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Once again, I collected (almost) all of the Free Comic Book Day offerings, and offer my reviews on what’s good, what’s great, and what should have been better!

Titles are arranged alphabetically by publisher, and the images and summaries come from the offical FCBD website.  My comments are in purple.

What did you grab?  What did you enjoy?

Kid Friendly Titles

ANTARCTICS ZOMBIE KID

Publisher: ANTARCTIC PRESS

(W/A) David Hutchinson, Fred Perry (CA) David Hutchinson

(W/A) David Hutchinson, Fred Perry
(CA) David Hutchinson
All 6th-grader Bill Stokes wants is to get through middle school unnoticed so he can go on to become a big-time pro video-gamer.  Then his mom comes home from her medical research volunteer job with a zombie virus.  Now Bill has to deal with skin problems and body chemistry changes that make puberty look like a walk in the park!  How’s he supposed to realize his dream when his life has become a festering, rotting, undead nightmare?

I read the first four pages… it doesn’t appeal to me.  It’s kind of interesting…his mother is a zombie, he’s sort of a zombie (he’s still got his human reasoning).  But this is just another variant in the “kid’s diary” genre, with spot illustrations, which are pretty good for a zombie kid!

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MOUSE GUARD LABYRINTH & MORE HC

Publisher: ARCHAIA ENTERTAINMENT LLC

(W/A) Jeremy Bastian & Various (CA) David Peterson

(W) Jeremy Bastian, Nate Cosby, Royden Lepp, Jim McCann, Ted Naifeh, David Petersen (A) Jeremy Bastian, Chris Eliopoulos, Cory Godbey, Janet Lee, Royden Lepp and David Petersen
(C) David Petersen

This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6″ x 9″ full-color original anthology hardcover featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that’s guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson’s amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award-nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp’s

15 Comments on Free Comic Book Day 2012: Reviews!, last added: 5/7/2012

Display Comments

Chris Hero said, on 5/5/2012 8:59:00 PM

Yo Gabba Gabba AND Mike Allred together at the same time? Oh wow!

The Guild is a show on YouTube and Dark Horse occasionally releases comics based on it written by Felicia Day and drawn by one of the greatest comic artists alive, Jim Rugg.

I badly want the KaBoom book with the Adventure Time story.

I’m really jealous people live in places where they can get these books. I’ve never had such an opportunity.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/5/2012 9:36:00 PM

Sources at Diamond tell me that stores can order FCBD titles by the PIECE. Given the lead time in announcing the titles, one could conceivably preorder a complete set of comics very cheaply. (25 cents a copy?)

Of course, this is a slippery slope… some stores might start selling complete sets on eBay.

Kevin said, on 5/5/2012 10:01:00 PM

Thanks for this! I didn’t get a chance to read all the ones I wanted, like the 2000AD one, so this was helpful. I took my friend and baby cousin to Graham Crackers Comics in Chicago, and everyone got a copy of The New 52 freeborn with a special cover that allowed 3free Comics from select boxes… in the future! I think it was a good way to get pepper in the door and KEEP them coming.

Kater said, on 5/5/2012 11:01:00 PM

The Pedestrian Palm was probably the best five pages I read on the FCBD. “Sell-outs assemble!” So awesome!

Shark Jumper said, on 5/6/2012 2:38:00 AM

In hindsight, I should have grabbed that Mouse Guard HC but this was a great opportunity to pick up some kid-friendly books for my students.

Brent Frankenhoff said, on 5/6/2012 4:36:00 AM

Marvel’s Season One hardcovers are coming out approximately bimonthly. Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and X-Men were all on my retailer’s shelf yesterday.

Drew said, on 5/6/2012 8:47:00 AM

“The Rock of Eternity and what may be the seven letters of Shazam! ”

Shazam has only 6 letters, unless the exclamation counts. But there are 7 deadly sin (and possibly there opposite?)

James A Woods said, on 5/6/2012 10:50:00 AM

Love “The Guild” and pretty much everything Felicia Day touches. She first caught my attention in “Dr. Horrible.” I am surprised to see that you were unaware of the web series. Day has a new channel on YouTube — http://www.youtube.com/user/geekandsundry — where you can see “The Guild” and other projects.

Al™ said, on 5/6/2012 11:22:00 AM

My local stores had very few FCBs left by the time I came by, but the Bongo comic caught my eye. I flipped through it and left it there.

Mostly it was a day of saying hello to the managers, and browsing the sales they offered on ‘already read’ copies of GNs.

One shop had 20 people in line at the cash at 2pm, the next shop had ‘zip’.

Rob J. said, on 5/6/2012 4:42:00 PM

Torsten: The Guild is a webseries written, produced and starring Felicia Day from Dr. Horrible and Eureka (and last week’s episode of Supernatural). There have been five seasons — each equivalent in combined time to one episode of a TV series. They have aired via Xbox, MSN and a couple other places I forget and each season but are also available on DVD, which is how I got it. The first season is *very* rough — hey, nobody else had really done a webseries to this extent back then — but the DVD I got had both season 1 and season 2, so I can tell you that it grows in quality.

The Guild is an hilarious look at a group of players of an unnamed World-of-Warcraft-like game. Very droll comedy that should appeal to the geekiest, nerdiest fans of The Big Bang Theory and Community.

So far, Dark Horse has published eight comics, a 3-issue miniseries, siumply called “The Guild,” written by Felicia Day and centering around her character, Codex. (All of the characters are referred to by the names of their in-game characters.) And five more one-shots each co-written by Day each charater’s corresponding actor: Vork, Bladezz, Clara, Tink and Zaboo. The miniseries has already been collected into a TPB and I expect that a TPB of the one-shots will be published before the end of the year.

You don’t need to have seen the webseries to appreciate the comics. They’re mostly backstory. Hilarious backstory, especially the absolutely insane Zaboo tale illustrated by Backy Cloonan. I’ve never been a gamer, but this was one of those circumstances where I was hooked by the sample pages of the first issue of the miniseries that ran in Previews.

Hope that helps! The series is a blast!

Nathan Aaron said, on 5/7/2012 7:31:00 AM

Something curious I’m noticing about FCBD comics, as each year goes by. I could swear when it first began most of the books were full done-in-one stories. Now many of them appear to be nothing more than glorified teaser previews. I’m not sure that’s the best way to get people to read comics. I mean, I get it, but still. My boyfriend came to his very first FCBD, and he was disappointed to learn most of the books weren’t full stories, but rather teasers of things he was going to have to buy down the line…

Kevin said, on 5/7/2012 7:39:00 AM

Doh! Forgot about the 2000 AD one, oh well, my store didn’t have it. Love Atomic Robo’s free comic book day…love Doctor Dinosaur.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/7/2012 9:32:00 AM

Interesting comment about the teasers…

Most of these comics did have at least one complete story, even if the rest of the comic was teaser/ads.

Bongo, Dark Horse (both), Boom (all three), Valiant (half), Donald Duck, My Favorite Martian, Archie (both), 2000 AD, Avengers, DC Nation (half), Atomic Robo, Yo Gabba Gabba…

Ron said, on 5/7/2012 9:44:00 AM

My store limited subscribers to two comics so I picked up the Bongo and the Kaboom issues.

I really liked the Adventure Time story in the Kaboom issue. Oddly it was paired with a Peanuts story, which I understand was a limited series and now finished? Should have paired it with Snarked, another excellent Kaboom title.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/7/2012 10:25:00 AM

The Peanuts content was already available as a #0 issue last November. They should have paired it with the new Garfield series using cover #1B!

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23. Review: The Tricky Tooth by Fran Manushkin (Cybils Nominee)

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By: Katie, on 11/23/2011
Blog: Secrets & Sharing Soda (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  series, easy readers, capstone, genre: realistic fiction, source: public library, cybils 2011, reviews, Add a tag

The Tricky Tooth

by Fran Manushkin

2011 | 32 pages | Easy Reader

The Tricky Tooth is a 2011 title in the Katie Woo series by Fran Manushkin. The series is very loosely based on the author's great-niece, also named Katie Woo, but according to the author, the real Katie Woo "never gets in half the trouble  of the Katie Woo in the books."

In this episode, Katie, a first-grader, has a loose tooth, and since she is the only student in her class who hasn't lost one yet, she is desperate for it to come out. The tooth just isn't ready yet, though - neither popcorn nor aggressive tooth-brushing nor bumping a ball with her head encourages it to come out. Finally, though, after being patient for a few days, a friend's dog nuzzles Katie's cheek, and out the tooth comes! Losing teeth is tricky, but it all works out for the best in the end.

This series never fails to catch my eye on the shelves in the bookstore or library. They are really attractive books, with hard covers that are just the  right size and shape for the hands of a new reader. Katie's name is printed on the cover and title page in big, bold, patterned letters, and each very short chapter is illustrated with full-color drawings that create context for the reader. This particular story doesn't cover very much new ground, but like the other Katie Woo books, it is perfect for new readers just learning to read books with chapters. Losing teeth is an important part of the first grade experience, which makes the book easily relatable for boys and girls, and makes the book extremely relevant to the readers' day to day lives. This series is also one of the few at this level that includes a diverse, multi-cultural cast of characters. Tammie Lyon's illustrations really highlight that diversity and enable kids from all different backgrounds to see themselves in the book.

I recommend Katie Woo all the time to families who are just discovering the easy reader genre. They make a wonderful introduction into the world of books for beginning readers, and they satisfy parents looking for books without toilet humor, scary creatures, or fantasy elements. Though I don't think it necessarily stands out, this book is representative of the things I like about the series as a whole. Recommended to first graders, especially those with a tricky loose tooth!

I borrowed The Tricky Tooth from my local public library.

NOTE: This book was nominated by Tammie Lyon for the 2011 Cybils Awards in the Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book category. I am a first-round panelist in this category, but this review reflects my opinions only, not those of any other panelist, or the panel as a whole. Thanks!

0 Comments on Review: The Tricky Tooth by Fran Manushkin (Cybils Nominee) as of 11/24/2011 7:13:00 AM

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24. Three from Kelsey for Capstone

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By: katieallen, on 11/8/2011
Blog: Schiel & Denver Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Benedicte Page, Capstone, Rights deal, Robert Kelsey, booksellers, Add a tag

Written By: 

Benedicte Page

Publication Date: 

Tue, 08/11/2011 - 09:25

Capstone has sealed a three-book deal with personal development author Robert Kelsey, author of What's Stopping You? Why Smart People Don't Always Reach Their Potential and How You Can.

Executive commissioning editor Holly Bennion bought world rights in a deal struck through Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd.

Kelsey, a former City banker turned PR man, will turn to different, undisclosed personal development areas for the new books, with the first due out in early 2013.

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25. Review: The Summer I Lost It by Natalie Kath (ARC)

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By: Katie, on 9/15/2011
Blog: Secrets & Sharing Soda (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  nook, capstone, genre: realistic fiction, source: netgalley, reviews, middle grade, Add a tag

The Summer I Lost It

by Natalie Kath

2011 | 112 pages | Middle Grade (Hi-Lo)
*I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley.

The Summer I Lost It is a short novel for tweens and young teens written in the format of a weight loss diary. The author of the diary is a teenage girl named Kat, who wants two things - to lose weight and to have a boyfriend. After her parents deny her request to go to Fat Camp for the summer, Kat figures out how to tackle her weight problem on her own and joins a gym. Her parents are pleased to see her take the initiative, so they sweeten the deal with the promise of a vacation once Kat loses fifteen pounds. Kat is also motivated by her crush on a boy named Josh, who is nice to her, even if he doesn't seem that interested in her romantically. Kat is sure Josh doesn't like her because of her weight, but as she becomes more comfortable in her own skin, she starts to see that she has plenty of desirable qualities, and thanks to the gym, she might just have a new crush who is better suited to her personality and interests.

The writing style is perfect for a hi-lo book. The plot of the story is something very real, taken from everyday contemporary life, and the diary format, as well as the calendar pages and handwritten notes about calories scrawled in the margins make it very visually appealing, and easy to read. The health information is accurate and useful, and made all the more palatable by the fact that it's being delivered by a peer, rather than a well-intentioned adult.

I did wonder who the intended audience of this book is. I don't know many teenage girls who would choose to read a book on weight loss, and I don't think the romantic elements of the story are necessarily strong enough to draw readers in. That said, I think girls looking for books on this topic will enjoy the gossipy, contemporary language of Kat's diary entries, and her honesty about how her weight, and losing weight, make her feel. All in all, this was an upbeat, feel-good story about self esteem and positive life changes.

The Summer I Lost It was published on August 1, 2011.

1 Comments on Review: The Summer I Lost It by Natalie Kath (ARC), last added: 9/16/2011

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Haseeb said, on 9/16/2011 1:55:00 AM

great blog i also read your story thanks for sharing it with us! best of luck!

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