Hot Off The Press! New Picture Books (5)

This is a feature that I do weekly called Hot Off The Press!  based on my visits to Vroman's Bookstore and checking out their wall of new picture books.  This week there were so many recent releases that I was unable to get through them all in one visit. Here are the 5 new releases that stood out from the pile this week:

Me...Jane
Author/Illustrator: Patrick McDonnell
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers (April, 2011 - available now)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Creating a picture book biography for young children is not an easy task.  Some contain such little information that they are not helpful and others too may for younger children.  However, Patrick McDonnell finds just the right balance with simple but informative text and soft pastel illustrations that tell the story of Jane Goodall's life. This book would be wonderful for both National Women's History Month as well as Spring/Animals/Biographies. This is my top pick for the week.

The Honeybee Man
Author: Lela Nargi
Illustrator: Kristen Brooker
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (March 8, 2011)
Audience: Ages 6 to 9

This was another book that really caught my eye today.  The end notes provide the reader with great facts about bees and honey making. I liked how the facts about bees and honey making are woven into the story (which you discover at the end is based on a true story) of a man living in New York with several bee hives and makes honey for friends. Illustrations support the text.

Pond Walk
Author/Illustrator: Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (February, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

This mixed media picture book was very fun to read. The story is a common tale of a mama bear and her little one spending time together.  In this case, they are spending the day out on a walk and around a pond. I enjoyed how the text and the illustrations supported each other and this was a stand-out for this format.  A perfect read for Earth Day or Spring.

Bug And Me
Author: Ann Bonwill
Illustrator: Layn Marlow
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (April, 2011 - available now)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Some books have very similar formats or themes.  A friendship theme is very common in books for preschoolers.  However, I couldn't tell with this one if I loved the text or illustrations more.  This story is about a grumpy little bear and a persistent bee. Bee wants to play with bear and continues to try and get bear to engage in games. Bear just wants to be left alone. When he finally gets to take a nap, he can't. Bear then thinks about how he treated his friend Bee. A sweet story of friendship, and how to repair a friendship when it is broken.

Ferret Fun
Author: Karen Rostoker-Gruber
Illustrator: Raul Rátz De Tagyos
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (March 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Some books are just fun and this is one of those books.  In Ferret Fun, two ferrets have a new arrival to deal with - a cat who thinks that they might be more of a tasty meal than friends. Finally the ferrets discover a way to handle this new arrival. Quirky illustrations and a fun story was a winning combination for me.

Hot Off The Press! New Picture Books (4)

This is a feature that I do weekly called Hot Off The Press!  based on my visits to Vroman's Bookstore and checking out their wall of new picture books.  This week's post is a couple of days late but there were so many good ones that I didn't want to wait. Here are the 5 new releases that stood out from the pile last week:

All The Way To America: The Story Of A Big Italian Family And A Little Shovel
Author/Illustrator: Dan Yaccarino
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

This was my favorite of the pile.  Yaccarino conveys a sense of connection between generation after generation with the use of a little shovel that is passed from one generation to the next. The story begins with Yaccarino's great grandfather as he leaves Italy and travels to the United States.  Each generation shares more in common than just a small shovel.  Children and parents sharing this story can also tell their own family histories as they share in the Yaccarino family history.


Check out the Book Trailer:

A Mango In The Hand: A Story Told Through Proverbs
Author: Antonio Sacre
Illustrator: Sebastia Serra
Publisher: Abrahms Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Another top pick for the week included Sacre's A Mango In The Hand.  I enjoyed the multi-cultural/multi-lingual book as well as the lesson learned by Francisco as he prepares for his special day. Serra's beautiful illustrations bring the text to life.  I was pleased that rather than one or two Spanish words interjected into the text there were whole sentences which were then explained/translated in the context of the paragraph.  I am looking forward to sharing this one with my students.

Pirates Don't Take Baths
Author/Illustrator: John Segal
Publisher: Penguin (March 3, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Some books just make you smile or laugh and Pirates Don't Take Baths is one of them for me.  A little pig sets out to avoid taking a bath by telling his mom that he is a pirate or an astronaut or a knight. However, each time he discovers something new which eventually leads to a fun ending.  I see this as being an enjoyable evening read aloud as part of the night-time routine.

Nurse, Solider, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War HeroAuthor: Marissa Moss

Illustrator: John Hendrix
Publisher: Abrahms Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2011)
Audience: Ages 7 to 10 years

With this being National Women's History Month, I couldn't leave this story of Sarah Edmonds off the list.  This non-fiction picture book tells how Sarah Edmonds at 19 decides to dress as a man and joins a Michigan Army Regiment to fight the Confederacy during the Civil War.  Not only was she a solider, but also served as a nurse and when her unit needed someone to go undercover, she didn't shy away from the task.  An inspirational story and a nice addition to any picture book collection of prominent or influential women.

Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted To Take A Nap
Author/Illustrator: J.C. Phillips
Publisher: Viking Juvenile (March 3, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

A companion novel to Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted To Be Noticed.  In this installment, the story picks up with our Ninja hero who at first doesn't want to take a nap but then changes his mind after being tired out from attempts to hide from all of his admirers. With a little help from some a wise elder, our little ninja develops the perfect plan to shake his followers and sneak in a nap.

Hot Off The Press! New Picture Books (3)

This is a feature that I do weekly called Hot Off The Press! post based on my visits to Vroman's Bookstore and checking out their wall of new picture books.  This week I included a couple of recent releases that I saw at the Charlotte S. Huck Literature Festival as well.  Here are the 5 new releases that stood out from the pile this week:

 Cloudette
Author/Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (March 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

This was a charming read and one of my favorites for today. The story is about a small cloud - aka Cloudette. She is not able to do all the things the other bigger clouds can do nor does she necessarily want to do them. She wants to find her place in the world. After trying to make her mark with no luck, she pursues a new direction thanks to the wind. Then she finds something to really go after which earns her the attention of the bigger clouds. Lovely illustrations work to enhance and bring alive the text.

The book trailer for this book is really cute.  Check it out here. 

Dog In Boots
Author: Greg Gormley
Ilustrator: Roberta Angaramo
Publisher:  Holiday House (March 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years


Dog reads about Puss In Boots and immediately wants a pair of fancy boots for himself. The man at the shoe store gives him a pair but boots aren't very practical when you dig. He then goes back for rain boots which work for digging but are horrible for swimming. The book progresses this way until our small friend learns that maybe his paws are just perfect. Until Dog then reads about, nah...I won't spoil it for you.  I found this to be a fun read and liked the tie in with classical stories.

A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis
Author: Matt de la Pena
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Publisher: Dial Book For Young Readers (January 20, 2011)
Audience: Ages 7 and up

Take a strong writer and pair him up with a phenomenal illustrator and you have a winner of a book.  Regular readers of the blog will know of my great love for the artwork of Kadir Nelson.  In Joe Louis, Nelson does not disappoint fans of of his work in books such as We Are The Ship or Coretta Scott.  De La Pena provides the reader with some information about Louis' early life but the significant focus for this story is on the Joe Louis/Max Schlmeling fight at Yankee Stadium.  A fight that was much greater than the two individuals in the ring but something that represented so much more to the Americans in the Stadium or at home listening on the radio.

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems
Author: Kristina O'Connell George
Illustrator: Nancy Carpenter
Publisher: Clarion (February 22, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 9 years


I am slowly growing to understand poetry and novels in verse.  For years, I thought I disliked anything in those categories but thanks to some special books I am slowly overcoming my hesitation to read poetry or books in verse.  Emma Dilemma is as much about the older to younger sister relationship as it is about poetry.  The story unfolds through a series of poems that are divided into chapters.  There is a sad part, but I do love the way the book wraps up.

Inkblot
Author/Creator: Margaret Peot
Publisher: Boyd Mill Press (March 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 10 and up


I saw this book and had one idea about it in my mind and then when I opened it the book was something completely different. I'm not sure where to put it. Likely not the picture book section but more likely the art section of the store. It is more of a how-to/activity book for how to create prints with an inkblot style. The pictures are lovely and I can see a teacher using this with older elementary students or high school students even but don't really see this as something children would ne...moWhen I saw this book, I had one idea about what to expect, and then when I opened it the book, it was something completely different. I'm not sure where to put it. Likely not the picture book section but more likely the art section of the store. This is more of a how-to/activity book for those who want to learn how to create prints with an inkblot style. The pictures are lovely and I can see a teacher using this with older elementary students or high school students even.   I would probably recommend this to be shared between an adult and a child.  However, the inkblots and the artwork is creative and worth taking a look at.

Hot Off The Press! New Picture Books (2)

Last week I began a Hot Off The Press! post based on my visits to Vroman's Bookstore and checking out their wall of new picture books. Here are the 5 new releases that stood out from the pile this week:

 Doodleday
Author/Illustrator: Ross Collins
Publisher: Whitman, Albert and Company (March 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Mother warns Harvey that there is no drawing on doodleday.  Harvey thinks that drawing just a tiny little fly should not be a problem, and then the fun begins and grows.  The ending was absolutely perfect.  This one should cause readers to smile.

The Best Birthday Party Ever
Author: Jennifer Larue Huget
Illustrator: LeUyen Pham
Publisher: Schwartz and Wade (March 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years

Some books just make you smile and Huget's story about a little girl who is counting down the days and weeks to her birthday party is certainly one of them.  As each week or month passes, our birthday girl plans a more elaborate party than the month before.  When her big day finally arrives will she have the birthday of her dreams and plans?  I loved how this book wraps up.

Red Wagon
Author/Illustrator: Renata Liwska
Publisher: Philomel (February 17, 2011)
Audience: Ages 3 to 6 years

Fans of Deborah Underwood's The Quiet Book will recognize Liwska's illustrative work which gives this book a similar tender, gentle, charming quality.  Red Wagon is a story about a young fox who wants to play with her new wagon but must also go into town for her mother.  Her day is less boring and more adventuresome than she expected. 

The Crows of Pearblossom
Author: Aldous Huxley
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Abrahms Books For Young Readers (March 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 5 to 9

Huxley wrote this story about a mama crow who lays an egg each day and loses it to wiley snake back in 1944 for his niece.  Mr. & Mrs. Crow seek out the help in stopping the snake from stealing the eggs. 
The story has a fable-like quality to it and Sophie Blackall's illustrations are charming and bring the book to life and fit the timeless quality of the story. 

Won Ton
Author: Lee Wardlaw
Illustrator: Eugene Yelchin
Publisher: Holt, Henry & Company (February 15, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 9 years

This is a book that I enjoyed on a couple of levels.  First, it was a fun story about a cat who is rescued from a shelter and his adjustment to his new family.  Younger children will enjoy the book at that level.  Second, the book is written completely in haiku and can be used with older children (even middle or high school) as part of a poetry unit.

Yelchin's bold and bright illustrations bring the story to life on a different level. 

Hot Off The Press! New Picture Books

On Sundays, I have been heading over to Vroman's Bookstore and checking out their wall of new picture books. I started doing this the day after Christmas when my flight back east was canceled and I needed something to cheer me up. Now my weekly treks have become something that I look forward to and hate when I have to miss them. It hit me today that I should blog about my favorite new picture book releases. Here are 5 from today that stood out from the pile:

A Pet For Petunia
Author/Illustrator: Paul Schmid
Publisher: Harper Collins (January 25, 2011)
Audience: Ages 3 to 7 years

Out of all of the books, this was probably my favorite book in the stack.  Petunia has a stuffed skunk and wants a real skunk for a pet.  She does her best to convince her parents that she should have one.  What happens when Petunia encounters a real skunk?

This is a perfect read aloud for young children.  Simple illustrations beautifully support the text.  If I was giving a starred review, then this would be one of them.

To watch the book trailer, click here.

Giant Steps to Change the World
Authors: Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee
Illustrators: Sean Qualls
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 4, 2011)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade

I was a little skeptical when I saw that this book was written by husband and wife team Spike and Tonya Lee.  Celebrity picture books may sell because of a name, but what about quality?  The book starts off with the narrator encouraging a boy to "Listen to the voices of those who came before..."  There follows quotes from famous people but minus their names or images.  Qualls mixed media illustrations provide just enough to help make a guess at where the quotes come from.  I had fun trying to guess who said each quote but a child will need much more instruction to make the connection.  On the inside covers, each quote is listed with who said it.  This would be a fun discussion starter with older children. 

To watch Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee speak about the book, click here.

Look! A Book!
Author/Creator: Bob Staake
Publisher: Little Brown Book For Young Readers (February 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years old

Children will enjoy searching for a special item on each two page spread.  The sparse text uses rhyming clues to direct children to the item that they will search for.  Die-cuts on each page provide sneak peaks to upcoming pages.  At the end, the page flips up and encourages children to return and search for more items beginning with 1 cow, and ending with 12 red books.  The colorful sturdy pages will likely hold up in a home but frequent check outs from a school library and serious handling from small sticky hands may provide a challenge in a school setting.

To watch the book trailer for Look! A Book!, click here.

When I Grow Up
Author: Al Yankovic
Illustrator: Wes Hargis
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 1, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 7 years

This one made my top picks for the week partially because it made me chuckle, and partially because I really wasn't sure what to expect from Weird Al.  A little boy is eager to share about what he wants to be when he grows up.  However, his list is quite creative.  I liked the tie in to the child's grandfather, and the tribute to the teacher.  Hargis' watercolor illustrations are lovely and young children will also get a chuckle out of some of the career choices.

To watch the book trailer for When I Grow Up, click here.

Dear Tabby
Author: Carolyn Crimi
Illustrator: David Roberts
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 8, 2011)

Tabby D. Cat is an alley cat.  The various animals of Critterville send him letters seeking advice.  Each letter was formatted in a variety of styles/fonts.  Tabby in his own way provides just the right creative solutions to everyone's concerns.  Boots Whitepaw, a house cat, sends multiple letters about an over attentive owner.  Tabby dishes back a great response.  The twist at the end is cute.

Though I got a chuckle out this book and loved the ending, I imagine that this will be a tough book to do as a read aloud.  There is a lot on the pages that is essential to the story and the illustrations support the text well.  Recommend reading this in smaller groups.