Thumbelina, Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor

Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (May 13, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375839607
ISBN-13: 978-0375839603



Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor is a contemporary spin on the classic tale of the tiny girl, Thumbelina. The book begins showing Thumbelina's mother, Anne Marie, who is desperate for a child handing over her life savings to a witch. Anne Marie gets her child, and as we all know, this child is so small that her mother names her Thumbelina.

As Thumbelina grows, we see that her mother becomes extremely overbearing and overprotective. She reads Thumbelina's diary, edits her spelling and grammar, and writes her own comments to her daughter's private thoughts in the diary itself. Thumbelina is a bit spunky and longs to go outside on her own and to have a bit of freedom. When her mother reluctantly grants her wish, she is carried off by a mother toad, looking for a bride for her son. The rest of the story chronicles Thumbelina's escape from the toad and her adventures that follow.

Scattered throughout the book are inkblot illustrations that resemble the Rorschach inkblot test. Thumbelina's messy handwritten diary entries with sentences and words crossed out are endearing and look like many of my own diary entries when I was that age. Tweens will relate to Thumbelina's desire to have a bit of freedom and will enjoy this lighthearted and fast-paced book with an unconventional ending.

Kids who enjoy this book may also enjoy Barbara Ensor's Cinderella (As If You Didn't Already Know the Story).

What other bloggers are saying:

Biblio File: "A nice retelling of a fairy tale that gives Thumbelina back her spunk without detracting from Anderson's original." (Read more...)

Do you have a review of Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride? If so, leave a comment with your lin

Someday When my Cat Can Talk by Caroline Lazo, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker

Someday When My Cat Can Talk by Caroline Lazo, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (April 22, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 037583754X
ISBN-13: 978-0375837548

In this charming new picture book, a little girl imagines what her cat does when he wanders off at night, and she imagines what he'd tell her about his adventures if he could talk. So what does this cat do? He goes on a European Adventure of course! In verse, the girl chronicles her cat's adventures in England, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Greece, and Holland.

Here's what she has to say about his trip to Spain:

"He'll talk about events in Spain--
like bullfights every spring.
And he'll praise himself for stopping one
by jumping in the ring.

He'll relive the Spanish soccer games
when he played just like a pro
and all the senoritas yelled,
Que Magnifico! "

In the book, a valiant-looking cat is standing in the middle of a bull ring, holding his arms out while a perplexed matador and bull look down on him. On the other side, the cat is dressed in a soccer uniform while ladies cheer him on in the stands.


Kyrsten Brooker's rich and whimsical illustrations give the book an "old-world" feel and take readers back to another place and time. Take a look at the illustration depicting the cat's trip to England.

"He'll recall the fog on England's coast,
where seagulls wander free.
And he'll tell me if it's really true
that British cats drink tea."

Caroline Lazo's words just roll off your tongue and will captivate children who are hearing the book read aloud to them.

In the back of the book, readers can learn more about each country the cat visits, and the end papers depict a map of his adventure.

A book that celebrates imagination and teaches kids a little about geography and other countries, this book makes an excellent choice for plain-old read aloud fun!


*Image courtesy of Random House Children's Books



What other bloggers are saying:
A Patchwork of Books: "This new book, written by Caroline Lazo and illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, is adorable and a lot of fun to read out loud, not to mention educational. An excellent combination, in my picture book-loving opinion!" (Read more...)

January Magazine: "Someday When My Cat Can Talk is a lovely book, sure to delight young children, as well as collectors of this type of work." (Read more...)


Do you have a review of Someday When My Cat Can Talk? If so, leave a comment with your link, and I'll post it here.

What's Up Duck? A Book of Opposites by Tad Hills

What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites by Tad Hills
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 22 pages
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade; Brdbk edition (January 8, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0375847383
ISBN-13: 978-0375847387

Ever since she was a few months old, my daughter has been fascinated by ducks. Her favorite toys are the little rubber duckies that she can easily grasp and stick in her mouth. She has a yellow stuffed animal duck that she just sits and laughs at, and she desperately tries to say "duck" when I repeat it to her.

When I received a copy of Tad Hills' first board book in the Duck & Goose series, What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites, I knew instantly that she would love it, and boy was I right.

This board book features amusing and colorful illustrations of Duck, Goose, and friends demonstrating pairs of opposite words. For example, in the clean/dirty pair a clean, white Goose is standing with his eyes closed and hands up warding off an extremely dirty Duck who's approaching him from the opposite page.

My daughter, who is still too young to comprehend opposites, loves to look at the pictures and point at Duck, and the sturdy board book can withstand her strong and awkward grip as she flips the pages.

This book is an entertaining way to introduce new vocabulary and the concept of opposites to preschoolers who will definitely get a laugh at the funny scenarios and facial expressions on the characters.

Reading Tip: To help teach the concept of opposites, as you and your child are reading the book, read the first word in the opposite pair and then say, "The opposite of ______ is _______."


Other Blog Reviews:
Comics in the Classroom: "What’s up Duck? is a book of opposites (with a near-far page that should make fellow Grover fans smile) and while I know there are plenty of those around, this one set itself apart by sheer adorableness."

One Book Two Book: "The illustrations are soft and cheerful - the colors are bright without being garish. The ducks are cute without being overstated...At $6.99, it’s a great price for a board book and destined to become a favorite on my son’s bookshelf."


Other Books in the Duck & Goose Series:

Duck and Goose (hardcover picture book)

From the publisher: “That egg is mine! I saw it first,” says Goose. “I touched it first. It’s mine,” declares Duck....Duck and Goose have to work at getting along. You see, Duck doesn’t much care for Goose at first–and Goose isn’t fond of Duck–but both want the egg that each claims to be his. As the two tend to their egg, and make plans for the future, they come to appreciate one another’s strengths. And when a bluebird points out that it isn’t really an egg–it’s a polka dot ball–the two are not dismayed. After all, it is a lovely ball. . . ."


Duck, Duck, Goose (Hardcover Picture Book)

From the publisher: "Feathered friends forever . . . or are they? That's what we discover in this charming and hilarious follow-up to the bestselling Duck & Goose. You see, there's a challenge to their friendship: a little whippersnapper of a duck named Thistle. Thistle's good at everything (or so she thinks), from math to holding her breath to standing on her head. Duck thinks she's fantastic. But Goose does not! And so Goose is faced with a problem close to the hearts of children everywhere: what happens when your best friend makes a new friend?"

Duck and Goose, 1, 2, 3 (Board book coming in August 2008)
From the publisher: "PRESCHOOLERS WILL CHEER the return of Duck and Goose in their second board book appearance! All the favorite characters, including Bluebird and Thistle, return—this time to introduce basic counting concepts. One goose. Two ducks. Three friends. As the characters illustrate from numbers 1 to 10, children will love to follow along with the simple text and all-new original art."

The All I'll Ever Want Christmas Doll, Overview

This week, I'm reviewing two new books with a Christmas theme. Both are very different, but both are great picks if you're looking for something new for your child.


The first one is The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll

Fast Facts:
Author: Patricia C. McKissack
Illustrator:Jerry Pinkney
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 11, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0375837590
ISBN-13: 978-0375837593


Review
“Christmas always came to our house, but Santy Claus only showed up once in a while.” Can I just say, “Wow!” Upon reading this book’s first and mighty powerful sentence, I was hooked.

Set during the Great Depression, Nella Pearson and her family don’t have a lot. In fact, they have to line their walls with pages from the Pittsburgh Courier for insulation. But all Nella can think of is Santy Claus bringing her a brand new Baby Betty doll. When Christmas rolls around, Nella and her sisters get the doll much to their surprise and delight. Nella claims the doll for herself and sets off with her new friend, but soon finds that Baby Betty isn’t all she’s cracked up to be.

Patricia C. McKissack adds depth to the story through her realistic and often humorous dialogue. I found myself chuckling aloud as Nella gets more and more frustrated with Baby Betty’s lack of response to her singing and storytelling. And Jerry Pinkney brings the characters to life with his detailed, vibrant, and lifelike watercolor illustrations.

With the increasing commercialism of Christmas, The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll brings us back to earth and teaches us to appreciate what we have and that things are not more important than people.

This multiple award-winning team has created a heartwarming tale that is sure to become a classic.

Check in tomorrow for reading tips and learning activities.