Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! A Snowy Picture Book Roundup

And what could be more fun then a snowy Christmas, especially one that you don't have to shovel!

Wolf in the Snow written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell

2017, Feiwel & Friends, 48 pages, age 3+

In this nearly wordless picture book, a young girl in a red hooded coat gets lost in as snowstorm after leaving school just as a young wolf cub gets separated from its pack in the woods. When the girl and the cub come face to face with each other in the woods, the cub is cold and exhausted. She coaxes the cub to come to her, and following the howling of the pack, eventually finds and returns the cub to its mother. But now the girl is cold, exhausted, and even more lost. Can the wolves help her find her way back home?  How many times did my young readers pull this book out to read and talk about it? More times than I can count. They loved this positive spin on the Little Red Riding Hood story. It is a story that is packed with emotion and feeling that can be read in the illustrations and I’ve never seen my kids take to a wordless picture book the way they did this one. And though it may be wordless, but it makes full use of sound words throughout. A story of kindness and caring that will definitely melt the coldest heart.

Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Richard Jones

2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 40 pages, age 4+

Winter’s coming, snowflakes are starting to fall, and all the forest creatures are getting ready for the cold. Only a fine red fox asks himself “what should I do?” One by one, the forest creatures make suggestions to the red fox, but none will work for him because he isn’t a caterpillar that can wrap itself up in a shiny chrysalis, or a squirrel who can gather and store enough acorns, or a bat that can sleep winter away hanging upside down in a cave, nor can a fox fly south with a flock of geese. A fluffy white rabbit, and big brown bear try to help, but their suggestions won’t work for a fine red fox either. What will work for a fox in winter? It takes another fine red fox to tell him that what he must do in winter is…dance. Because in winter, foxes dance with each other. This lyrical look at the habits of forest creatures getting ready for winter is tenderly illustrated by Richard Jones in a palette of soft forest colors against a snowy background and a wintery sky that accents the red fur of the fox. Not only is this a charming story, it is a nice introduction to animals in nature.  

Snow by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer

2008, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt BFYR, 40 pages, age 4+

There’s all kinds of snow, this book reminds us. Snow that quietly comes at night, with big fat snowflakes that carry the possibility of school closing, or snow that starts while kids are in school and know they will be sent home. This lyrical poem follows a young girl as she experiences all kinds of snow with her new friend and her grandmother. Playing in the park, catching snowflakes on their tongues, rolling down snowy hills together, making snow angels until the two friends are taken to the warmth of their homes. At home, the young girl shares a warm drink and a game with her grandmother as they watch the falling snow outside. This is such a lovely, peaceful, intergenerational poem with illustrations that capture the magic of a big snowfall, so much so that you can almost feel the snowflakes falling on your own cheeks. Rylant has made snow look so inviting that now my young readers are hoping with all their might that we have a big snowfall, too, preferably sooner rather than later.

A Warm Winter written and illustrated by Feridun Oral

2016, minedition, 32 pages, age 4+

Mouse wakes up one morning and there’s a chill in the air. He decides it’s time to gather up some firewood in the forest so his family will be nice and warm all winter long. Mouse collects so much firewood, he’s exhausted and can’t get it all home by himself, so he calls on his friend Rabbit to see if she will help. When it is still too much for Mouse and Rabbit, they ask wise Fox if they can borrow his sled and if he would help. But Mouse’s pile of firewood is still to big and heavy and doesn’t budge, even with the sled. So the three friends decide to call on their friend Big Bear, who actually helps to move the pile of firewood, but when the snow intensifies into a blizzard and they hit a tree stump, everything goes flying. Can the four friends find a way to get the firewood home so that they can all have a warm winter? This is such a beautifully illustrated story about friendship, teamwork, and sharing, it was easy for my young readers to get the message. Oral has really captured the cold of a winter storm and warmth of having good friends.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin

1947, 1988 Turtleback Books, 30 pages, age 5+

White Snow, Bright Snow begins and ends with a rhyme about silently falling snow coming down in the night. Then, it moves on to a lyrical prose text about children, a policeman, a farmer, and even a rabbit anticipating snow, and what they do when the first flakes begin to fall. As the snow continues to fall and pile up, the policeman gets sick, the farmer shovels a path from his house to his barn, the rabbit takes cover in his barrow, but the children laugh, dance and play in the snow. Eventually, the feel of spring is in the air, and the children, the policeman, the farmer, and the rabbit all begin to look forward to the warmer weather. This is an old-fashioned story, and not terribly exciting. I had my doubts that my young readers would like it very much, especially since we had just read Cynthia Rylant’s Snow the day before and it has a similar feel. And yet, they did like it, and liked comparing it to the Rylant story. This book was a Caldecott Medal winner in 1947, but I thought the illustrations held up very well. This book isn’t for everyone, but if you have a young reader who likes a quiet, gentle story this is for them.

The Snowbear by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Claire Alexander

2017, Words & Pictures, 32 pages, age 4+

Iggy and Martina are surprised to wake up and find that it had snowed overnight. Going out to play, their mom tells them to be careful of the hill - it’s steep and slippery in the snow. The kids decide to build a snowman, but he looks more like a snowbear after they put a hat on him. Next, they decide to slide down the hill on their sled, but it is so steep and slippery that they can’t stop  and find themselves deep in the woods, facing a very unfriendly wolf. Suddenly, the wolf runs away and Iggy and Martina are scooped up by their snowbear and taken up the hill to home.  The next day the snow has melted and the snowbear is gone. Did he melt or did he return to the woods to live? Young readers can decide for themselves. This is a charming, magical winter tale that is sure to please kids. It is just scary enough for young readers, and will keep them speculating about the snowbear’s fate with each reading. Alexander’s childlike illustrations add to the magical storyline, and there’s lots of white space mimicking cold snow. There’s lots of shadowing in the woods to add to the tension, but snowbear’s friendly face coming to the rescue quickly dispels it. A nice family read aloud that will no doubt be read and reread.

The Little Reindeer written and illustrated by Nicola Killen

2017, Paula Wiseman Book, 32 pages, age 4+

It’s Christmas Eve and Ollie has just gone to sleep when she hears the jingle of jingle bells. Looking out her window, all she sees freshly fallen snow. Going downstairs, she grabs her sled, and follows the jingling sound. In the wood, she find are collar with jingle bells all around it. When a reindeer approaches her, Ollie realizes the collar belongs to him and puts it back on him. Then, she climbs on his back, he flies her home and after saying good-bye, Ollie climbs back in bed and falls asleep, not even hearing the jingling bells of Santa and his reindeer. This is another magical winter tale, but did Ollie really help one of Santa’s reindeer, or was it perhaps a dream - once again, young readers can decide for themselves. Killen’s illustrations, done in a wintery night palette of whites, grays, and black, with touches of red and silver and gold textured jingle bells and snow, add to the magic of the story. This is sure to be a Christmas classic, and the perfect read aloud as the kids count the days until Santa visits.  

A Loud Winter’s Nap by written and illustrated by Katy Hudson

2017, Capstone Young Readers, 32 pages, age 3+

It’s time for Tortoise to begin his long winter’s nap. But just as he settles in to hibernate until spring, Tortoise is woken up by a Robin’s singing class. Invited to join the class,  Tortoise explains that he doesn’t like winter and packs up his stuff, and finds a new place to sleep. When he hears tap, tap, tap, he discovers Rabbit making ice sculptures. Invited to join, Tortoise explains he doesn’t like winter, and packs up his stuff to find a new place to sleep. But again, his sleep is disturbed - this time by Squirrel’s snowball fight. Finding a new place to sleep high up in a tree, Tortoise is awaked when he lands on the ground. It seems he’s crashed Beaver’s construction site. Moving again, he finds himself on the ice skating pond where he give up sleeping and joins Robin, Rabbit, Squirrel, and Beaver in some fun on the ice, but when everyone else gets tired and sleeps, now Tortoise is wide awake. Will he ever get his winter’s nap? This was a fun book with lots of great wintery illustrations.

How to Build a Snow Bear by Eric Pinder, pictures by Stephanie Graegin

2016, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 40 pages, age 3+

When Thomas discovers that he can’t build a snowman by himself, he decides to try to wake up the ‘hibernating bear’ in the upstair bedroom. But bears don’t like winter and neither does this little one. After trying all kinds of ways to wake up the ‘hibernating bear’ Thomas finally gets him downstairs with a favorite snack. Together, they finish the snowman, go sledding, build a snow cave, and at the end of the day, they share a favorite story. I found this to be a wonderful story about siblings learning to play together and enjoy each other’s company. My kids did wonder why the younger brother was sleeping when Thomas left for school and still sleeping the he got home from school. I explained he was probably taking an afternoon nap, but that wasn’t in the story. I have to admit I didn’t like the fact that Thomas has such a hard time waking up his brother, it felt like something was wrong and one of the kids asked if he was sick. My readers had no problem with him dressed up a in bear suit, telling me it was pretend, and probably warm. Overall, they liked this story especially since most of them are older and/or younger siblings. 

Gift Books for Curious Kids...and their Grownups

It's almost Christmas and if you are still looking for a great gift to give to your young readers, or even if you aren't, here are some wonderful suggestions for curious kids and they work well for adults. too. As always, these selections have all been kid-tested and approved.

Hey, Baby! A Collection of Pictures, Poems, and Stories from Nature’s Nursery by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

2017, National Geographic Kids, 192 pages, age 5+

It has always been my belief that God made ALL babies so cute that no one could resist them, and reading this book, I am even more convinced that this is so. Young readers can take a trip about the world and meet some real sweeties up close and personal. The eight sections of this book celebrate babies from the mountains and the plains, river and rain forests, little one that live in the jungle and on the savannas, even babies from the desert and coast, and littles from forests and streams, tropics and peaks, ice and snow, and finally babies found in the oceans and seas. Hey, Baby! is as entertaining as it is informative and the facts provided are age appropriate and are sure to spark all kinds of conversations. Kids will learn all about the habitats of each baby animal, what they eat and even the kind of noise they make. There are lots of brilliantly colored photographs of each baby, as well a poems and stories, like a legend from the Kalahari desert called  “How the Zebra Got It’s Stripes” and from Siberia  comes ”How the Walrus Came to Be.” My favorite poem is “The Giraffe” by Jen Agresta, because giraffes and elephants are my favorite animals. This is a wonderful choice for younger readers and especially for animal lovers.

Ultimate Space Altas by Carolyn DeCristofano 

2017, National Geographic Kids, 160 pages, age 8+

This is a book that is an excellent choise for a novice who knows nothing about space or a budding astronomer/astronaut who wants to learn more about the final frontier. It is divided into seven sections, beginning with a short orientation on how to get the most out of this book. The next section covers what to expect to see in space from the vantage point of earth at different times of the day, night, month, season. Next, learn all about Observing Space, followed by the Inner Solar System, the Outer Solar System, Our Galaxy and Beyond, Mapping Space, and finally Space Fun. Each section includes detailed color photographs and maps to help readers develop a better understanding of space and navigate themselves around the night sky, and there are also fun games and activities kids can do. I practically grew up in the Hayden Planetarium in NYC, so I loved this book. Of course, we have learned a lot more about space since I was young and this book covers it all. The Ultimate Space Atlas will literally take readers on a fun and illuminating imaginary journey through the universe.

Ultimate Dinopedia by Don Lesser, illustrated by Franco Tempesta

2017, National Geographic Kids, 296 pages, age 7+

Dinosaurs continue to fascinate us - they were here, then they were gone. Who were they? How did they live? Where did they live? What did they eat? What happened to them? And how many different kinds of dinosaurs do we know about? If your young readers are curious about these creatures from our prehistoric era, this is the book that will probably answer all of their questions. There is even a section of the great dinosaur hunters and what it is like to be out on a dig looking for dino remains. Kids can learn about more that 600 different dinosaurs, each one includes a quick fact box that includes name, meaning of name, period it lived in, where it lived, found fossils, and length. These quick facts are followed by more detailed information and fun facts, as well as a detailed, full-color illustration of each dinosaur in it’s natural habitat. At the end of the book, there is an extensive Dino Dictionary and Glossary. Kids will find familiar dinosaurs as well as some that may be new to them, but each and every one is fascination to learn about. 

Curious Constructions: A Peculiar Portfolio of Fifty Fascinating Structures by Michael Hearst, illustrated by Matt Johnstone

2017, Chronicle Books, 112 pages, age 8+

Remember how in the book Madhattan Mystery by John J. Bonk, Lexi and her brother Kevin were introduced to the Whispering Arch in Grand Central Terminal? Well, that arch is just one of the curious constructions found in this book that is chock full of construction oddities found around the world. Other curious constructions you will discover are cathedral termite mounds. These mounds are made of mud, plant matter, termite saliva, and feces, and can be over 13 feet tall - all done to allow the cathedral termite to live a cool life underground, far from the hot sun in northern Australia. Or how about the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculptures every January. Harbin is in northern China and it’s a pretty cold place (right now, it’s -6° F, and 53 in NYC). My Kiddo wanted to teach in Harbin until she found out how cold it is, but she did go see the ice sculptures and said they are breathtaking. Of course, there is Stonehenge in England, one of the oldest and still most mysterious of constructions in the world. How did they ever get those heavy rocks on top of the heavy rocks to long ago. If these are kinds of things that fascinate your young readers, this is an ideal book for them, particularly if you have a budding engineer or even a Legos aficionado (as I have). All the curious constructions are illustrated in a flat, nostalgic color palette that adds to their mystery.

A World of Information by Richard Platt, illustrated by James Brown

2017, Candlewick Studio, 64 pages, age 8+

This oversized book (10.70”x14.60”) packs a lot of information covering 30 different topics on two page spreads each. Inside you will find information about things like the Atomic Structure, Music Notation, and The Layout of an Orchestra. For fact-loving kids, this book is a real smorgasbord of food for the brain (and much of it will be talked about at the dinner table, no doubt). Actually, what’s really nice about this book is that it will appeal to adults as much as to children. I found some many of the topics really fascinating, especially finding out about natural phenomena like the Neap & Spring Tides, since my favorite place in the world to be is the seashore. Not only did I get a better understanding of how and why the tides happen, but I even learned some facts about how the tides have affected history (or almost did anyway). Each page has a cream colored background, with a frame and text in one color per page, in a variety of old fashioned flat colors. So if you or your young reader have ever wondered about Time Zones & Tectonic Plates, The Anatomy of a Bicycle, and other interesting things, this is the book for you.

Bet You Didn’t Know: Fascinating, Far-out, Fun-tastic Facts 

2017, National Geographic Kids, 192 pages, age 8+     

This is the perfect book for kids who like to know a lot of interesting facts and, yes, some trivia, in smaller units of information not requiring long explanations. Each topic includes 10 fun facts about it with full color illustrations over a spread of two pages. I found that my younger readers were really able to get into this book since the information nuggets are small, simple, and manageable. And they had a lot of fun trying to best each other about who had the most interesting, serious, or wacky information while the older kids also took in the same facts, but were a little more thoughtful about what they read and more than once went online to find out more a subject. I also noticed that even my reluctant reader was interested in, for example, Mummy Facts to Unwrap and Icky Facts to Creep You Out. How do you know when kids like a book? When they pour over it again and again, which is exactly what happened with this book. Did anything really bother them? Yes, the section on spiders and the one on bats, and while they aren’t keen on them after reading the 10 facts, they aren’t as scared. Interestingly, my son-in-law, who grew up in China and for whom English is a second language, loved this book. It isn’t the kind of info one finds in language classes, and it is perfect for second language learners because of the pictures, the large print, and the clear presentation. He said he really felt like he walked away knowing more about the world in English - including what a Twinkie is.

Knightology: A True Account of the Most Valiant Knights by Dugald A. Steer

2017, Candlewick Press, 30 pages, age 10+ 

I’ve always loved the literature of the medieval period, so much so that one summer I dragged my young Kiddo around Europe, going from castle to castle. And while that was fun, what was missing was knowing and understanding just what life was like for the men who were knights and squires. And here is a book that gives young readers just that kind of information, beginning with a chapter called The Way of the Knight, covering The Nine Rules of Knighthood, and what chivalry was in theory and practice. From there, readers move on to the Crusades: who participated and why, where they took place (including a map) and even a Crusaders castle. Then there is in depth information about training to be a Squire, Arms and Armour used by knights, A Knight’s Horses, and his Castle, Castle Defenses, Jousting and Tournaments, Battle and Sieges, Hunting and Feasting, Hero Knights of History, Hero Knights of Legend, and finally The Greatest Night of All (and no, it isn't King Arthur, as I had guessed). Each section is done on a two page spread, with lots of flaps to pick up and see even more information. Each page is realistically illustrated, and many even have the illuminated images along the edge of the paper, in the same manner that manuscripts in the medieval ages were done. This is really a beautiful, well-researched book. My personal favorite part if the book, though, involves finding the clues located throughout that lead to the Holy Grail, making this a true quest book, and questing was definitely part of a knight’s life.   

Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated Jeffrey Alan Love

2017, Candlewick Studio, 240 pages, age 10+

My Kiddo loves myths, especially Norse myths, so I asked her to take a look at this book and tell me what she thought. And she loved it. From the introduction to who was who in Norse mythology and the retelling of 20 tales to the glossary 222 pages later, this is a book that relates the stories of the Viking gods and goddesses as they should be told in all their drama. Myths are the exaggerated stories we tell ourselves about who we are, so themes of creation, power, love, betrayal, good and evil are common to all countries, and that is certainly true of the Vikings, and Crossley-Holland retells the stores of Odin, Thor and Loki as they reflect these themes, all told in a foreboding but beautifully lyrical and very powerful prose. The acrylic and ink illustrations are done with dark silhouetted figures (matching the mood of these tales), with minimal touches of color against a snow white background on heavy paper. The dusk jacket features a black and white illustration depicting figures from Norse mythology against a giant ash tree, the Yggdrasil, the Viking version of the tree of life. This is a great book for fans of Norse myths, like my Kiddo, or for readers just finding their way in to this most interesting of subjects.

I'd like to thank Media Master Publicity for providing all the National Geographic books for review.

I'd also like to thank Candlewick Studio for sending me copies of their books for review.

I'd like to thank Chronicle Books for sending Curious Constructions for review.

It's Monday! What are you reading? Christmas Chapter Books

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It’s Monday! What are you reading? - from Picture Books to YA is a kid lit focused meme just like the original and is hosted weekly by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. The purpose is the same: to recap what you have read and/or reviewed and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. Twitter: #IMWAYR 

We were busy reading Christmas stories last week, both picture books and chapter books. Here are a few of what we read:

Stanley’s Christmas Adventure (Flat Stanley Series #5) by Jeff Brown, pictures by Macky Pamintvan

1993, 2010, HarperCollins, 96 Pages, age 6+  

It’s two days before Christmas and while Stanley and his younger brother Arthur may be ready, it seems this year, Santa has decided to stay in the North Pole. He feels that people have lost their faith, and just don’t care anymore. Everything is finished and ready to go, so what to do? Sarah Christmas has the idea that if Santa met flat Stanley Lambchop, who had written him an impressive letter after he had been flattened, he just might be able to change Santa’s mind. “Borrowing” Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, Sarah heads off to the Lampchop home and eventually convinces Stanley, Arthur, and Mr. and Mrs. Lampchop to return to the North Pole to try and change Santa’s mind. Will Sarah’s plan work, since Stanley isn’t flat anymore? This was a fun story to revisit. It came out right around the time my Kiddo was learning to read, and she had a cardboard Flat Stanley that we took everywhere, taking his picture each time, as I’m sure many of you have, too. I sent this one to my Kiddo in San Francisco, for old times sake. You can find this Santa Flat Stanley and other templates at the original Flat Stanley Project HERE      

Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas (Nate the Great #20) by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Craig Sharmat, illustrated by Marc Simont

1997, Yearling, 80 pages, age 6+

It’s almost Christmas and Annie, Nate’s best friend, is worried - every year, her big, scary dog Fang gets a Christmas card from his mother, Mrs. Fang. But so far, no card has arrived and Annie is worried. Can Nate and his dog Sludge help solve this mystery? Off they all go to Annie’s house to check her mailbox, which is packed full of “what must have been the largest single-day collection of holiday catalogs ever mailed to one address…” Going through all the catalogs received for the last eight weeks yields some lost bills and a vet reminder but no card from Mrs. Fang. Could it have gotten stuck in the cat catalog Annie had given to her friend Rosamund? When no card is found there, Nate decides to go home and have some Chanukah potato pancakes and think. Could the past Christmas cards from Mrs. Fang hold a clue about what happened to this year’s card? Nate seems to think so. 

The Nate the Great books are perfect for introducing young readers to mystery stories. The plots are simple and easy to follow, the mysteries are age appropriate and the characters are really nice to each other. There are full color spot illustrations, and at the end of the book we have, there are pages and pages of activities, all relating to this particular story.  

Mystery at the Christmas Market (Pack-n-go Girls - Austria #3) by Janelle Diller, illustrated by Adam Turner

2015, Worldtrek Publishing, 124 pages, age 6+

Colorado native Brooke Mason is visiting her friend Eva Mueller at her home Scholss Mueller in Kitzbuhel Austria for Christmas. While waiting for the rest of her family to arrive for some skiing and a visit to the Christkindlmarkt or Christmas Market, the two friends notice a man wearing a red scarf and woman with crazy red hair taking photos of the Mueller castle. The next day, the Reds, as the girls nicknamed them, are on the ski slope and, riding the gondola together, they overhear the couple planning something that would involve the girls, a Krampus (a monster who goes after bad children) and the Christmas Market. But what? Does it involve kidnapping? After a day of skiing, the Masons and Eva’s grandfather suggest going to the Christmas Market that evening, but the girls aren't too keen on that plan. Sure enough, at the Christkindlmarkt, they spot a Krampus and take off running, hiding in a church until it is safe to leave. That night, the Reds follow their car home and the girls finally discover what is going on. This isn’t a traditional mystery in that the girls don’t solve anything, but it is a interesting story. And there are lots of Austrian Christmas treats and traditions mentioned in both English and German. It is the third Brooke and Eva story in the Pack-and-Go series, but the first one we read, and although the previous mysteries are mentioned at the beginning, it still stands alone rather well. You’ll also find explanations of the Christmas traditions (including a Krampus), a recipe for Vanillekipferl (almond crescents), and a list of German words with translation and pronunciation guide.

Ellray Jakes Rocks the Holidays (Ellray Jakes Series #7) by Sally Warner, illustrated by Brian Biggs

2014, Viking Books, 128 pages, age 6+

Christmas is coming and third-grader Ellray Jakes is pretty excited about that. In fact, that is almost all he can think about. But when his teacher, Ms. Sanchez, decides it is time to tidy up their cubbies and classroom, she lets Cynthia sort the class into working pairs, and that’s when the trouble for Ellray begins. He says he wants to work with Corey, that way they can continue the game they invented when Corey slept over Ellray’s house the previous Saturday night. But Cynthia pairs Ellray with Kevin, because they “go together” - Ellray and Kevin are the only two African American boys in the class. Now, Kevin’s feelings are hurt. The next week, each class is told to prepare something for the Winter Wonderland assembly, and that’s when Kevin decides that Ellray owes him for no wanting to work with him - and he sets three challenges for Ellray to do. But then Kevin throws in a fourth challenge that is  guaranteed to embarrass Ellray in front of everyone at the Winter Wonderland assembly and get him in trouble at school and home. Will Ellray take up the challenge or stand up to Kevin? Although on the surface, this is a fun book, it also deals with some serious issues about bullying, friendship and race.   

Christmas in Cooperstown (Ballpark Mysteries Super Special #2) by David A. Kelly, illustrated by Mark Meyers

2017, Random House BFYR, 124 pages, age 6+ 

Cousins Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins are happy to volunteer to help wrap presents for needy children at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. To add to the fun, there’s pizza for dinner, exploring the museum without any other visitors and a special thank you sleepover for all the volunteers. Not only that, Kate and Mike’s old friend Big D, star hitter for the Boston Red Sox, also shows up with his friend, Jordan, a documentary film maker. But while exploring the museum, Mike discovers that the most expensive baseball card, the Honus Wagner issued in 1909 and worth more than $2,000,000., is a fake and the real one is missing. Big D and Jordan had been looking at the valuable card earlier, but could they, would they be so bold as to take the original Honus Wagner and replace it with the fake one? And what about other suspects? After all, Mr. Owen, the director of the Hall of Fame, had been the one to show them the card, and so was Grace, a volunteer there. This was a fun book to read with my kids, even though I’m not much of a baseball aficionado, but we all liked the baseball history, trivia, and fun facts sprinkled throughout and at the back of the book, and I am definitely going to try the included recipe for “Mike’s All-Star Blue Chip Muffins” which sound delicious. My kids are a little young to really appreciate a book about baseball, but not too young to read about kids solving mysteries, and as you can see by some their choices, they are really beginning to get into them.

Deck the Halls, We’re Off the Walls! (My Weird School Special) by Dan Gutman, illustrated by Jim Paillot

2013, HarperCollins, 144 pages, age 6+  

It’s Christmas vacation and A.J. couldn’t be happier - no school for nine days and now Santa is going to be at the mall on the Saturday before Christmas, and friend Ryan’s mom said she would drive them there - so the word was quickly spread to friends Michael, Neil, and Alexia. No sooner did they get to the mall, when they learned that no only Santa, but Cray-Z, the kid rapper with the hit song “The Christmas Klepto,” would also be there. The line to see Santa is very long and A.J. and friends decide to go get a present for A.J.’s younger sister, but on the way, they run into Craz-Z in the bathroom, A.J. and Craz-Z switch clothes, so Craz-Z can rest and hide from his adoring fans, and A.J. goes out a performs as the rapper. Dressed as himself again, A.J. heads to the Santa line, and when his turn comes, he asks for what he wants, and begins giving Santa the third degree. When he leaves, Santa’s beard accidentally comes off and his real identity is exposed - Mr. Klutz, the school principal. Running away from all the angry parents and upset kids, A.J. is chased to the food court, but runs into Cray-Z instead. Can Cray-Z repay A.J.’s favor and help save him? My kids loved this story, and why not, it’s pretty zany and had them laughing from start to finish. At the end of the book, there are a few pages with some interesting facts about Christmas, followed by some Fun Games and Weird-Word Puzzles, and a pretty funny section called My Weird School Trivia Questions (which my kids really loved).  

This week we are going to be looking at some picture book biographies and some stem books that are great for gift giving.

What are you reading this week?

Some Stocking Stuffer Suggestions

In my house, after the gift were opened and explored, the wrapping paper and ribbons picked up from the floor, it was time for stocking. When my Kiddo was young, I used to put all kinds of things into her stocking, as I’m sure most of us do - Chap Sticks, new gloves, some Hanukkah geld, some Christmas candy, card games, a couple of candy canes, anything that looked fun, useful and/or needed. But I also used to look for small, fun books because I knew that when all was said and done, sometime on Christmas afternoon and evening, Allison would be ready to chill out and those  stocking stuffer books were ideal for some fun and relaxing. 

Here are a few books that your curious, fun-loving kiddos might enjoy:

Weird but True! Christmas 300 Festive Facts to Light Up the Holidays

National Geographic Kids, 2017, 208 pages, age 8+

Did you know that in the United Kingdom, Santa gets left a nice meat pie instead of the cookies and milk Americans leave? No wonder he stops there first. Or that the star on top of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in NYC has 25,000 [Swarovksi] crystals and weighs 550 pounds? These and 298 other festive fact to light up your holidays can be found in this colorful and informative book. All the facts found are true - some weird, others amazing, all interesting, all unique. But be prepared for table talk at dinner that begins with “Did you know that…The earliest Christmas trees dating back to 1510 were decorated with apples and paper roses?” Or “did you know…the ideal snow temperature for building a snowman? 30°F. according to one engineer. Pass this book around and everyone can get into the fun. This may be a book that is small in size (6 1/2” x 6 1/2”), but it is big on fun facts, and sure to please inquiring minds.

What Would Happen? Serious Answers to Silly Questions

by Crispin Boyer

National Geographic Kids, 2017, 176 pages, age 8+

We’ve all had them with our kiddos - those what would your do if…? or what would happen if…? conversations. Some of these questions sound silly (What if you ate nothing but ice cream?), some are serious (What if you got sucked into a black hole?), some reveal so real worries (What if the earth suddenly stopped rotating?). Here is a book that gives some serious answers to questions kids wonder about. All kinds of different scenarios are considered and packed with facts that give readers the sensation of entering a portal to an alternate reality - which, essentially, they are. Every question is treated seriously, and answered from a scientific, historical, and cultural perspective. In other words, there is information about what you need to know, how life would be different for you if your question came true, side effects you might experience, and finally, and the chances that the change being considered could happen.  This is another book that will keep your kiddos entertained even as they discover answers to some really curious questions.

Just Joking Jumbo: 1,000 Giant Jokes & 1,000 Funny Photos 

Add Up to Big Laughs

National Geographic Kids, 2017, 288 pages, age 7+

Who doesn't like a great joke? Well, in this jumbo book of jokes you will find 1,000 of them, all accompanied by colorful pictures of all kinds of laughing creatures. Each page is chockablock with knock knock jokes galore, tons of puns (a baker’s job is a piece of cake), riddles (how are eyes like teachers? The both have pupils), and tongue twisters (Phil feels he heals eels), all guaranteed to keep kids entertained, learning, and laughing, and sharing the fun with their siblings, parents, and friends. And as if a good laugh weren’t enough, there’s also all kinds of fun trivia, for instance, did you know that there is a Greek joke book with more than 200 jokes from the 4th century A.D. I guess everyone really does like a good joke.

Your kids are sure to have a holly, jolly holiday with these fun books!

Happy Holidays and thank you, Media Masters Publicity for providing review copies of these books.

Picture Book Roundup - 2017 Christmas Edition

I can’t believe it is the Christmas season again. It seems to begin earlier and earlier each year, but it is still an exciting time and I always look forward to the new books that come out celebrating this time of year. Below are some of our favorite picture books this year, and it include to oldies, but goodies.

Red & Lulu written and illustrated by Matt Tavares

2017, Candlewick Press, 40 pages, age 4+

I’m a New Yorker, so I love a good New York story, and this has become an instant favorite. Two cardinals, Red and Lulu, have been living in a tall evergreen in the suburbs for a while now. It was perfect, warm in winter, cool in summer. One day, after looks for food himself and Lulu, Red returns home to find that the tree has been cut done and is lying on a truck. Hearing Lulu still in the tree, Red tries to follow the truck as it goes down the highway, but soon loses it. Red finds himself in New York City, where he continues to look for Lulu. Finally, she is found, still on their favorite branch. Red and Lulu are happy to be together in their tree, watching all the people and excitement around them, until one day, their tree is again taken down. Maybe it’s time for Red and Lulu to find a new, more permanent home in the park. Christmas is the season of miracles and faith, and that is exactly what this story demonstrates. Red never gave up looking for Lulu, and he found her, and it is kind of a miracle when I think about how crowded and confusing New York can be at the holidays. Interestingly, Tavares never mentions Rockefeller Center, except in the back matter where he gives a brief history of the Christmas tree there, but readers will most likely recognize it from the illustrations.  The realistic watercolor and gouache illustrations, done mostly from Red point of view, are knock your socks off beautiful, done in soft colors so the red of the two cardinals stand out. The family that donated the tree are shown at the beginning in warmer weather, later ice skating at Rock Center during the holidays, and finally on the very last page, once again in warmer weather and with a small evergreen where the old one used to stand, bringing the story back full circle. This story really may me and my now grown up Kiddo happy because there is a holly tree outside my kitchen window and there is at least one cardinal living in it, now it is called Red.    

Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

2017, Candlewick Press, 40 pages, 4+

The anticipatory excitement of picking out a Christmas tree, buying it, and taking it home to decorate is captured perfectly in this story about a family of four as they set off on their tree buying day. At home, the furniture is moved around, the trunk of the tree is trimmed to fit the stand, and the decorations are brought down from the attic. When everything is ready, the family hosts a decorating party, inviting all their friends to help trim the tree with bright lights, jolly Santas, dancing elves, paper dolls, all kinds of ornaments. Finally, it’s time for the crowning touch - a shiny golden star at the very top. The story is told in rhyme with spot on four line stanzas on each page describing every task that needs to be done for the spectacular finished tree that can be seen on a two page spread at the end. Jarvis’s simple pencil, chalk, and paint illustrations are done in a wintery palette outside, and a warm, cozy palette inside the house, and include diverse characters throughout. Pick a Pine Tree did make me a little nostalgic for my own childhood days a tree decorating, and for the days when my Kiddo was growing up and how she loved having a Christmas tree, but it was a good nostalgia. This is sure to become a yearly classic for many families.

A Christmas for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

2017, Candlewick Press, 48 pages, age 4+

When Mouse shows up a Bear’s door ready to celebrate Christmas, he’s a little surprised and perturbed that Bear doesn’t have a holly, jolly party planned. Bear, who is naturally grumpy, has never has a Christmas party before, but he’s pretty sure it involved pickles and poems, while Mouse is expecting presents. Finding none under the tree, Mouse searches the house with Bear following behind telling him no presents, just pickles and a poem. As Bear begins to recite The Night Before Christmas, Mouse gives up looking for presents, until Bear gets to the part about carefully hung up stockings…umm. could Bear have a present for Mouse after all? By now, most kids are familiar with grumpy Bear and optimistic Mouse and their friendship that proves that opposites really do attract. A Christmas for Bear is every bit as delightful as we have come to expect from Bonny Becker and her charming characters. Denton’s watercolor, ink, and gouache illustration capture Mouse emotions as he gets sadder and sadder, and Bear sly smile when Mouse discovers the stocking hanging on the mantel. This is a nice story celebrating friendship.

Strega Nona’s Gift written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

2011, Nancy Paulsen Books, 32 pages, age 4+

The Christmas season has arrived in Strega Nona’s village of Calabria, and everyone is ready to celebrate. Strega Nona is busy preparing traditional foods for all the Feast days - the Feast of San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) on December 6th, the Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy) on December 13th, the Feast of La Vigilia, Christmas Eve, everyone eats fish for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. On the Feast of San Silvestro, New Year’s Eve, everyone wears red underwear for lucky in the new year, and finally, on January 5, the Epiphany and the Feast of the Three Kings arrives. Strega Nona is busy preparing special food for her animals, but it all smells so good that when she asks Big Anthony to take Signora Goat her treats, he can’t resist tasting them - all of them. Annoyed, Signora Goat teaches Big Anthony a very valuable lesson. This is a story that is chockablock with fun, information about Italian holiday customs, and delicious sounding food. But like all of the Strega Nona stories, there is a lesson to be learned.

Was That Christmas? by Hilary McKay, illustrated by Amanda Harvey

2001, Margaret McElderry Books, 32 pages, age 3+

Bella is finally old enough to go to preschool, where she learns all about Christmas. There’s a story, a play, and even a visit from Santa. But something’s wrong. Santa didn’t come in a sleigh, and he forgot a present for Black Jack, her pet cat. Was that Christmas, she wants to know, clearly disappointed. No, mom tells Bella, it’s just the beginning. Then, Mom, Dad and Gran each tell Bella different things that need to be done in order to have the jolliest of Christmas celebrations. With charming spot pencil and watercolor illustrations, this is a book for the younger set who are just beginning to understand the whole idea of Christmas, but may still be confused and overwhelmed. Not all families will do all the same things, but that’s OK, personal traditions can easily be inserted. 

Merry Christmas from the Very Hungry Caterpillar written and illustrated by Eric Carle

2017, Grosset & Dunlap, 32 pages, age 3+

This is the perfect book for kids who are old enough to finally get into the festive Christmas spirit. While there are illustrations with lots of presents, including the front and back flyleafs, the simple text reminds readers of the other wonderful aspects about the holiday season - love, giving sharing, joy, playing in the snow, and of course, eating tasty seasonal delights. Carle has captured all this in simple illustrations done in his signature collage style of layering brightly colored hand-painted papers, so that each color is really saturated with brightness. Kids already familiar with the very hungry caterpillar will enjoy being guided though this book by a favorite, familiar friend.

The Christmas Fairy by Anne Booth, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

2017, Nosy Crow (imprint of Candlewick Press), 32 pages, age 4+

More than anything, Clara wants to be the fairy who sits at the top of the Christmas tree. The only problem is that Clara can’t learn to sit still as a statue and quiet as a mouse, while standing on her tippy toes, she is just too excited taking and thinking her happy thoughts. When her teacher takes the class of would be Christmas fairies to see a Christmas show, something goes terribly wrong and next thing Clara knows, Santa is asking her to help out. Will Clara save the Christmas show and become a Christmas tree fairy despite or because of her exuberance? This rhyming story, as you might have guess, is a play on the Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer story (Clara even has red hair). At first, I was like, wait, don’t break that happy girl’s spirit, but I have a feeling that thanks for Santa’s recognition, and despite standing straight and tall as the fairy on the top of the Christmas tree, that’s a job that will never be done the same way again (I hope). The mixed media illustrations are fun and Beardshaw has give her fairies sweet, angelic faces. perfect for a Christmas story.

Make & Play Nativity illustrated by Joey Chou

2017, Nosy Crow (imprint of Candlewick Press), 26 pages, age 4+ 

Anticipating Christmas can be a frustrating time for young kids sometimes, so it helps to have activities that will keep them busy. Baking cookies and decorating the Christmas tree are fun for them, but with this press-out, easy to assemble nativity book, kids can put not only be kept busy, but also be reminded of the reason for the season. Not only are their 20 pieces to this nativity, but at the back of the book, you will find a section called “Time for Christmas Fun!” There is the Nativity Story to read, the word to four of the most popular Christmas hymns, and instructions for making three additional crafts - a Christmas star, a Christmas angel, and an Advent Calendar.  You might want to consider pairing this with Make & Play Christmas to round out the Christmas season.

This is a picture book for older readers

Love, Santa by Martha Brockenbrough, illustrated by Lee White

2017, Scholastic Press, 32 pages, age 9+

Every year, since the age of five, Lucy has written Santa a letter, and every year, Santa brought Lucy a present and left a letter of his own. This ritual repeats itself for the next year, when Lucy is six. But when she is seven, her letters begin to question Santa about how he gets down chimneys, how he delivers gifts if people don’t have chimney, and why does his handwriting look so much like her mom’s, but she decided not to send it and wrote a different letter. But the letter she writes on her eight Christmas is different. Instead of being addressed to Santa, it is addressed to her Mom, and asks straight out “Are you Santa?” The next morning, an envelope that looks just like the envelopes she had previously received from Santa, was left for Lucy in the usual spot. Inside is a letter from her mom, explaining who brings her presents to her, but also telling her that the spirit of Santa is real and lives on in all of us. The letter is long and heartfelt, a copy of the letter author Martha Brockenbrough wrote to her daughter Lucy in 2009 when she was confronted with the same question. The letter may carry the truth, but it also carries the magic of Christmas that sometimes gets lost once we are in the know. White’s watercolor and mixed media illustrations capture Lucy as she matures each year, and as her emotions change and mature. On some of the right facing pages an envelope in glued on and contains the letters that Lucy writes, so readers can pull them out and read what is written, and the also reflect Lucy as she grows from year to year. This is a book I would have liked to have when that day came and my Kiddo began to question things. This is a real coming of age story, that may conjure up sentimental and nostalgic feelings for older readers.