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One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
Summary - Elliot, a very proper young man, feels a kinship with the penguins at the aquarium and wants to take one home with him.
My Thoughts - This is a fun story that reminded me a bit of Mr. Popper's Penguins in that the penguin comes home with Elliot! Kids will like that Elliot's father doesn't seem to be paying attention to Magellan for quite awhile. This book recently won the illustrator a Caldecott Honor for this book. One Cool Friend is also on the ALSC Notable Book List for 2013. Lots of sly fun!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Penguin's Hidden Talent by Alex Latimer
Summary: Penguin helps organize the annual talent show because he cannot identify his own gift, but when the show is over and the performers throw a party to show how much they appreciate Penguin's work, his aptitude becomes clear.
My Thoughts: I enjoyed this story! I like seeing a character realize his true talent and worth! Penguin thinks he doesn't have a talent, so he just organized the annual talent show. But as the story unfolds the reader can easily see that Penguin's talent is organizing a fantastic talent show! Young readers will hopefully be able to see their own talents more clearly after reading or hearing this story.
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs As Retold by Mo Willems
Summary: This is a fracture of the classic story The Three Little Bears, told with three dinosaurs and little Goldilocks, who looks very similar to Trixie in Willems hit Knuffle Bunny.
My Thoughts: This is a fun story that will appeal to readers of many ages, from the young reader who knows the story The Three Little Bears to the adult who will get the subtle humor in the story and the illustrations. Goldilocks stumbles upon the home of the three dinosuars, one of which is visiting from Norway. The dinosaurs have been expecting her and are eager to enjoy some chocolate-filled-little-girl-bonbons!
I Need My Own Country! by Rick Walton
Summary: Instructs the reader in how to form one's own country when the time comes, from finding a location, a name, and a flag, to handling the inevitable civil unrest and invasions.
My Thoughts: This is a fun little instruction manual that children who have younger siblings will be able to relate to. Annoying little brothers are referenced many times! It can also be used a way to teach writing an instruction manual or how to piece. The characters are drawn with very expresive faces that add to the humor of the story, with lots of details added too!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
The Bear in the Book by Kate Banks
Summary: At the end fo the day a little boy falls asleep as his mama reads about a bear hibernating.
My Thoughts: Such a sweet and unique story about bedtime reading with a little boy and his mama! The bedtime routine will be familiar to young children, as the little boy and his mama settle in to read a book about a bear that is getting ready to hibernate for the winter. The focus is the interaction between the readers and the book and even the bear. Beautiful paintings bring the story to life!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Christmastime by Alison Jay
Summary: Illustrations and single words present different aspects of Christmas, and
the pictures hide links to Christmas songs and carols.
My Thoughts: I am a fan of Alison Jay's work. The illustrations have an old fashioned feel to them and are distinctive with a crackle finish. Each page has one or two Christmas related words on it and a detailed painting for the ilustration. Look carefully at each picture and you will see clues as to what the next picture will be and you will see the subject of the previous painting too! This adds a bit of "I-spy" to the book. A fun and very visual book to share with a young one!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
The Birds of Bethlehem by Tomie dePaola
Summary: On the morning of the first Christmas, the colorful birds of Bethlehem gather to talk about the exciting events they have witnessed, from the long line of people approaching the town to the stable where a newborn baby lies.
My Thoughts: This is a short Christmas story that shows the events of the Christmas story from the point of view of the birds that live in and around Bethlehem. They each have witnessed a part of the Christmas story and relate it to each other to tell the reader the whole story. It was different and interesting to see this traditional tale from a unique point of view.
*Summary taken from CIP data.
