Definitely one of the best trailers I’ve seen yet. This book looks incredibly awesome!
Check your bookstores for The Great Lollipop Caper by Dan Krall, released on May 7, 2013.
Book Review: Chicks Run Wild By Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen & Ward Jenkins
Truth be told, bedtime books are often cheesy, mushy, and really heavy-handed. There are some good ones, and the sleep hypnosis types certainly have a place, even if it is just wishful thinking. But I’m constantly on the look-out for stellar, atypical, really fun go-to-bed books that take the experience to a whole new level. Mission accomplished. Allow me to present a riotous book about little chicks who just aren’t quite ready to drift off and their mama’s less-than-traditional, surprising to everyone, idea. This book is a brilliantly fun, dare I say wild, good time. Here is Chicks Run Wild by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Ward Jenkins, 2011. Read the full post…
Dinosaur Children’s Picture Books To Devour
I readily admit that after our last storytime, I’ve been on a bit of a dinosaur kick. I actually never went through a dinosaur phase as a child, at least that I can remember, so I’m just considering this my bound to come eventually moment. I’m also going to blame it on two books that recently came out, one by Willems last fall and Idle’s this spring, that were so overflowing with dino-awesomeness that they turned me onto the cretaceous creatures.
With my recent search for great dinosaur books, and the fact that I know dozens of children who can’t get enough of these (mostly) humongous creatures, I thought it fitting to make a list of my current favorite dino-themed picture books. As with all of my lists, this is not exhaustive. I’m sure there are many more amazing books about dinosaurs that I just haven’t found yet and I do hope that if you know of them, you’ll tell me in the comments! Here we have my current favorite dinosaur children’s picture books for that avid dino fan in your life (and it is totally ok if that is you): Read the full post…
Chicks, Cheetahs, & Sharks, Oh My! Storytime Tomorrow
It’s a big deal in Knoxville tomorrow with the Children’s Festival of Reading happening in World’s Fair Park. I’m so excited to hear Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, Bob Shea, Jarrett Kroscozka and many other authors and illustrators. I’ll be reading several books by some of them at storytime tomorrow too. So, if you are at the festival, be sure to stop by for a bit! See you storytimers at Union Ave Books tomorrow at 11am!
Book Review: I Can Fly By Ruth Krauss & Mary Blair
My apologies if you tried to come here recently and couldn’t find me! The server for my site is having major issues. Please hang with me as I try to post semi-normally amidst glitches.
Monday, I was struggling to decide what book I wanted to feature and feeling very wishy-washy about the whole thing. Then as I hung out our laundry and watched my daughter sort clothespins and my dog chase things around the yard, I was struck by the freshness of the season and the little things of nature and animals and pure imagination. And this book came to mind. Not an exact match for my thoughts, but a perfect book to celebrate the wonders of childhood. This is a cleverly simple book, with short lilting rhymes and stunning illustrations, that follows the vivid imagination of a little girl as she shares all the ways she can be just like her favorite creatures. Here is I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Mary Blair, 1951. Read the full post…
Book Review: Mother’s Day By Mary Kay Phelan & Aliki
In honor of tomorrow’s holiday of celebrating our dear mothers, I was positively delighted to score this sweet, non-fiction vintage book called most simply, Mother’s Day. Quite a bit different than the typical book I like to write about here, I still felt this one was lovely enough to show it off a bit. I fear that it is most likely difficult to find unless you have a really good library that still stocks some old titles like this, so I’ll share and show a bit more than I often do. Not to mention this is a long book, being more of a historical, research-driven book. This is a book that was written while the author searched for the answers to a child’s question about the holiday’s origin. So, if you’ve ever wondered where Mother’s Day originated, or like me, always assumed it was a Hallmark-created holiday, then take a look at this vintage book that details where the idea came from and how it spread around the world. This is Mother’s Day by Mary Kay Phelan, illustrated by Aliki, 1965.
Book Review: Cookie’s Week By Cindy Ward & Tomie dePaola
Today’s book is a sweet little gem from the 1980s that just so happened to be one of my all-time favorites when I was little. It generally seems to be true that most little girls go through a love of cats phase. I certainly did, despite my severe allergies, and this hilarious, short, and clever book about a spunky little cat was just the treat for me. Here is Cookie’s Week by Cindy Ward, illustrated by Tomie dePaola, 1988. Read the full post…
Book Review: Knit Your Bit By Deborah Hopkinson & Steven Guarnaccia
If books like this keep being published, I may just have to permanently change my mind about disliking historical fiction. Previews of this book continually caught my eye and after finally getting my hands on it this weekend, I have to say it has me hooked. And how could it not with a winning combination of elements – WWI, boys, soldiers, competition, and… knitting? Add to that surprising theme twist some excellent cartoon illustrations and you have a stellar, and very touching book. Here is Knit Your Bit by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia, 2013. Read the full post…
Book Review: Edwin Speaks Up By April Stevens & Sophie Blackall
Perhaps it is because my own little one just turned a year old and we have fully entered the babbling-almost-words phase, but something about this book just tickles my fancy. I had never heard of this one before, but the name Sophie Blackall is enough to make me pick up just about anything and give it a try. And what’s not to love about that sweet little guy in a striped one-piece on the cover? This book is a surprisingly calm but clever story about an absent-minded mother and her crazy ferret brood’s trip to the grocery store that is saved from being completely disastrous by the unassuming sharp eye of the tiniest member of the family. Here is Edwin Speaks Up by April Stevens, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, 2011. Read the full post…
Dinosaur Storytime Saturday At 11am
It has been a while since I’ve posted about storytimes here, but they do still happen every first and third Saturday at Union Ave Books. This week is going to be extra gigantic as we read some great books, old and new, about those ferocious (or not) beasts called dinosaurs. Come on out locals! In the words of fabulous author Molly Idle (from twitter), “It promises to be a ROARING good time!”
