Sunday, October 30, 2011

Animal FUN with Janet Halfmann

I am still in the process of moving many of my favorite reviews over from my old blog to my new address and today I thought I would share 3 of Janet Halfmann's delightful animal stories. These 3 books are now available in my Online Bookstore which you can find by clicking here. All of the books in my new bookstore are discounted (most 1/2 price) & very gently read so you and your family can enjoy them in your home library.

The first 2 books were published by Sylvan Dell Publishing and the last one is by Star Bright Books. All 3 books teach math & science concepts through the story and  it's a nice low key way to introduce math and science to younger children. The link on the title of each book leads to my bookstore & the discounted book. When it's sold I'll switch it to Amazon so you'll continue to get a good discount.

Fur and Feathers - $4.50 (1 available)
by Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein
32 pages, appr age 4-9 yrs

From the Website:
When Sophia dreams that howling winds wisk the fur & feathers right off her animal friends, she shares some of her clothes with them. But her clothing doesn't work well for the animals. Seeing their disappointment, she offers to sew each one the "right" coat. Animals line up to explain what they need & why. Polar Bear needs white fur to stay warm and hide in the snow. Fish needs scales but with slime. Snake needs scales too, but dry ones. And how will Sophia make a prickly coat for Porcupine? The award winning team of Halfmann and klein (Little Skink's Tail) reunite to bring animal coverings (and classification) to live in an imaginative way.

My thoughts:
Fur & Feathers is a wonderful story of a little girl who is worried because all the animals have lost their fur, feathers, scales, etc. So what does she do about it? This story will fast become a favorite with your children. And guess what? You'll also get a FUN new game you can play in the car, at bedtime, while waiting at the doctor's office - you fill in the blank!

Awards: 
Gold Moonbeam Award & 2012 Teacher's Choice Award for Children's Books
Extras:  For Creative Minds (English) / (Español), Teaching Activities 


Skink.phpLittle Skink's Tail
by Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein
32 pages, appr age 4-8 yrs

About the Book:
Little Skink is the story of a Skink living in the forest. One day while looking for ants to eat she is attacked by a crow who wants to eat her. Quick as a wink her tail snaps off and while it distracts the crow Little Skink scurries away to hide. As day after day goes by Little Skink imagines life with a tail like other animals she sees in the forest until one day...

My thoughts:

I loved this story. You'll enjoy watching Little Skink "trying on" different types of tails from animals that she sees. The pictures are bright, vibrant and perfect for a study of habitats. Also, just before you turn the page see if you can figure out which animal's tail she is going to try on next! (This is great for encouraging kids to think about what they're reading and what comes next in the story). Also per Janet Halfmann's website there is another animal in the book that changes while Little Skink changes too! I'm going to have to go back and see if I can "see" it!


Awards: 
- FPA President’s Book Awards Finalist
- Teacher's Choice Award
- 2010 Gold Mom’s Choice Awards 


Extras: 
For Creative Minds / (Español)



Good Night Little Sea Otter
by Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by Wish Williams
32 pages, appr age 3-6 yrs
$4.00 gently used (1 available)


Little ones will soon settle down for bedtime just like Little Sea Otter as he snuggles with Mama in a cozy bed of Sea Kelp and calls good night to all his ocean friends - sea lions, sea snails, seagulls, seals and sea urchins. They all reply. The gently rocking seas and Mama's loving arms soon send Little Sea Otter to dreamland.

My thoughts:
Little Sea Otter pulls the same tricks your kids do to avoid going to bed. Well, except maybe asking for a drink of water. The artwork in the book is wonderful and you can play games such as "Where are the Sea Lions?" Other sea creatures you'll see are star fish, sea urchins , clams, crabs, fish, snails and seagulls. You can point out the colors of the animals and your kids will soon be reading along with you.

Good Night Little Sea Otter was published by Star Bright Books and is a good fit for preschools, daycare and homes and easily opens conversation about the following subjects: language arts, life science, family relationships, direction, measurement, colors, textures, shapes and more.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

More exciting news!




The Classic children's Books Store is NOW open on Facebook! Please stop by - I'd love some reviews and comments. If you need a book or two for a gift or for your family to enjoy I have gently used review copies available for $5 each (many heavily discounted) and will have more going up this weekend1


Click here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tinas-Reading-Room/140861745928779?sk=app_135607783795



You'll find the following:




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More will be up this weekend - I have a whole bunch of Great Kid's Literature to offer!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Once Upon a Time ~ New Show Review

I just finished watching the first episode of Once Upon a Time which is a new show on Sunday nights. Based on the story of Snow White & Prince Charming the story continues on their wedding day and a brand new curse by the Evil Witch/Step Mother. The new curse condemns all in Storybrook to a live of loosing their loved ones, time stops still and the characters forget their memories of those they love. The only hope they have is Snow White & Prince Charmings baby girl Emma who escapes on the day of her birth when they put her in a "magical" tree/wardrobe.




What a great story. The acting is top notch (so far) and the story is mysterious and scary enough that kids of all ages will want to watch it. Younger children might be a little scared so you'll want to consider whether they are old enough to watch it. It reminds me a lot of some of the Disney movies and I'm wondering if this is a Disney show? Anyone know?

Would love to hear your comments! =D Tina "The Book Lady"

Monday, October 24, 2011

Froggy Boots Go With Everything ~ Book Review

Did you have a Security Blanket or other possession in your childhood that you couldn't sleep without? When I was teaching we had a little guy who had a favorite blankie and he also had to have his binkie ALL the time (he was 18 mo+). He was used to being rocked at naptime and it was hilarious but another way he calmed himself down was to twirl our hair with his finger - I think he kind of hypnotized himself to sleep.

Today's review is about a little guy with his absolute, favorite things.....

Froggy Boots Go With Everything
by Jill Zabkar Martin
Illustrated by Kirsten Gaede Van Mourick
Age: 9 months +, 16 pages, board book
ISBN: 978-0984394609
Purchase for $6.99 on Amazon

If your child has a favorite anything they will love this book. The illustrations are of a little boy about 3 years old doing different things in his favorite Froggy Boots! This little guy takes them to the park, over to a friends house on a play date, swimming and even meets a little girl wearing her favorite ladybug boots!

Froggy Boots Go With Everything is the first in a series of books that brings to life some of our children's favorite foot accessories. The next book in this series is Ladybug Boots Go With Everything. It will be available Winter 2011 and either book will be great for Stocking Stuffers, baby shower gifts - or even just because!

The author, Jill Zabkar Martin had a favorite poncho: “When I was young, I had a pink poncho that my mom had knitted,” said Jill Martin, owner, JZM Media.  “It was my beautiful ballet skirt, the long hair I always wanted, and any costume I could imagine; I wore it everywhere and for everything!  When I see kids in their rain boots on a sunny day, I remember my poncho.”
                                                             
PhotobucketBe sure to follow Froggy Boots on Facebook to find out when the newest book in this cute series will be released this Winter. “Froggy Boots Go With Everything” is now available online as well as through several local retailers including book stores, gift shops, children’s boutiques and toy stores.  A current listing of outlets is available at www.froggyboots.com along with additional information about JZM Media and upcoming titles.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Facebook announcement!


Hi everyone - I finally did something I've been wanting to do for a while. You can now link up your book blogs, book reviews & giveaways and important literacy news like ~ author interviews, book tours, facebook parties (for authors), new book announcements, etc on Tina's Reading Room on Facebook! It's ongoing and a great way to promote any books you've reviewed and are giving away.

Book Review Format: 
Kid's./Young Adult Book Review: Solitaire by Bernard Ashley @ http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-review-solitaire.html

Giveaway Format: (be sure to indicate WHO can enter)
Kid's/Young Adult Giveaway: Solitaire by Bernard Ashley, 9/6, US  @
http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-review-solitaire.html

Rules of the page:
1) All posts must be family friendly. If it isn't family friendly or something other than book or education oriented than I will delete the post. I will allow dark reviews so long as language is clean and I don't get a lot of complaints. If I do I'll have to put a stop to these kinds of posts.
2) PLEASE be sure to put some kind of disclaimer on your post if possible that Facebook is NOT responsible and does not endorse the giveaway. We want to be very careful about not breaking the rules.
3) Like all blog hops - please follow at least 2 of the book blogs or at least visit their blogs and let them know you are hopping by and something nice about the review, enter a giveaway, follow their blog, twitter or FB page. Pretty basic - it's a blog hop and giveaway linky in one.
4) You MUST like this page, post the button to the page on your sidebar and include the link to this site.

If you want to leave a comment to a post please do so but remember that this is a public group and others can see what you say and do. Please keep it clean and friendly.

Thanks so much! Tina "the Book Lady"
http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com

Monday, October 17, 2011

This weeks linkies:
Mommy Of Two Little Monkeys Photobucket Tuesday Blog Hop 10/11

Book Review: Solitaire


Solitaire
by Bernard Ashley
ISBN: 978-0-7945-3031-0
Age 12+, 338 pages
$6.99

From the back of the book:
A boy. Lost. Alone. Shipwrecked on an island called Solitaire. He doesn't know who he is, how he got there or where he's from. All that matters is survival.

A man. Rich. Powerful. Convinced his grandson is still alive. He has the influence and determination to find and rescue him. His search will bring him to Solitaire.

Haunting memories and hidden truths expose a silent betrayal in this thrilling story of loyalty and deception, war and peace, from master storyteller Bernard Ashley.


Read an Excerpt
Solitaire

My thoughts:
This is one of the best teen thrillers I've ever read. The writing isn't "dumbed down" and it's not written "just for kids". Bernard Ashley's writing reminds me much of some of the most popular mystery writers today. His writing isn't quite as smooth as Iris Johanson or Brock and Bodie Thoene but the level of detail and the research involved was wonderful and very easy to follow. 

Bernard Ashley takes a situation that could really happen (and possibly has) and tells it from the kid's point of view. Pax, a 15 year old boy, stranded on an island with total Amnesia. He remembers nothing about life before the island. Mike is a grandfather who has lost his entire family to a tragic war crime that sinks a cruise ship attempting to rescue war victims in a Africa Civil War. Not believing that his grandson is dead he launches a search for his grandson and when a report comes of a blond boy hiding on an island he hires a boat captain to take him to the island after he's forbidden to fly there. It turns out that Pax isn't who Mike hoped he'd be and from there follows a rescue, a search for Pax and his identity, a huge surprise ending (that I actually figured out a few chapters before it was revealed).

I encourage you to leave this book lying around. Your kids 13+ will definitely pick it up and I'm sure you'll find them reading it when they have a spare moment. It's fast paced, attention grabbing action is enjoyable. All the little details are completed by the end of the book and to be honest I'd love to see a sequel.

I saw a few other books of Bernard Ashley's that I intend to find that were listed on his website. You can check out the details of just a few of the over 20 books that he has had published. All seem to be fast paced thrillers for teens and adults and I noticed he also has a few picture books for kids. Check out his website here.  No Way to Go and Ronnie's War both look very interesting to me.

About the author:
Bernard AshleyBernard Ashley's first book was published in the 70's and he focuses on situations from around the world and events that teens are part of such as Civil War, Child Soldiers, War Crimes, Family Issues (death, abandonment, murder, gang warfare, etc). He taught school for over 30 years before he retired to write full time. You can learn more here.
If you'd like to purchase this Awesome New Book from Usborne Books. It was recently released and is available now. Click here.
CymLowell

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Children and Comics


Do you have children who....
  • are reluctant readers? 
  • refuse to pick up a book?
  • have to be threatened, bribed or forced to read?
I was reading an interesting report about "The Decline of Reading in America" and they have a interesting section on the use of comics that I thought you might enjoy. Click Here to Read Some of the things that stood out to me:

1) Desmond Tutu suggests that if his parents had not allowed him to read comics that "I might not have developed this deep love for reading and for English " (Tutu 2004)
2) Evidence comes from the case histories mentioned (in the article) as well as the finding that readers gradually expand their reading interests as they read more (LaBrant 1958).
3) Middle school boys who read comic books read more in general than boys who did not read comics, read more books, and enjoyed reading more (Ujiie and Krashen, 1996)

I will admit I have heard that comics are great for reluntant readers and that kids who read them often have a better reading comprehension then kids don't read books or even those that do read - I can't help but wonder if that is because they are taking visual clues from the artwork in the book, reading "small chunks" of text and having to remember what happens from story to story instead of just reading one story and never revisiting it again?

What do you think?

Today I have 2 reviews for graphic novels that would fit within the Comic Books genre. They are for early to late teens and even adults will like them too. 



Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer

by Trina Robbins
Published by Graphic Universe, a division
of Lerner Publishing Group
Age: 13+ (mature themes)
Purchase on Amazon for $7.95
(ebook/library bound is also available)

About the book:
In 1938, Lily Renée Wilheim is a 14-year-old Jewish girl living in Vienna. Her days are filled with art and ballet. Then the Nazis march into Austria, and Lily's life is shattered overnight. Suddenly, her own country is no longer safe for her or her family. To survive, Lily leaves her parents behind and travels alone to England.

Escaping the Nazis is only the start of Lily's journey. She must escape many more times--from servitude, hardship, and danger. Will she find a way to have her own sort of revenge on the Nazis? Follow the story of a brave girl who becomes an artist of heroes and a true pioneer in comic books.

My thoughts:
Based on the true story of 14 year old Lily Renee who is from a wealthy Austrian family who also happen to be Jewish. When Hitler and the Nazi's invade Austria the Austrian's made plans to send their children from the country to England for safety and Lily is one of those children. The book starts with her experience of living in a city torn apart by hatred and the persecution of the Jews. She tells of being banned from school, the attack on the Jews during the "The Night of the Broken Glass" (Kristallnacht), the marking of the merchants stores, the Nazi's stealing their belongings and forcing them to house another couple because they "had plenty of room". 

After going to England you read about Lily's experience with her host family and the treatment she received from the government and her eventual reunion with her mother. This is a very fascinating first hand account of her life. Lily ends up as one of the first female comic book writers. She is respected by her peers and helped create many of The Fighting Femmes, a comic book line that showed women in strong roles fighting against crime and even the Nazi's.

I strongly encourage kids and adults to consider adding this book to your home library and schools. The value of the historical lessons and seeing it from the eyes of kid's your own kid's age is priceless and the history sections, glossary and the photo's in the back make World War II and the Nazi's real to your children.

About the author:
Trina Robbins has been writing comics and books for over thirty years. She lives in San Francisco, and loves cats and vintage clothing. If you would like to know more about her, read some of the interviews listed on her blog. Click here

The Crystal Prince
by Jeanette Clinger Hurley
Illustrated by BC Hailes
Age: 13+ (violence)
Purchase HERE for $16.95


About the book:
Escape into a world of spellbinding adventure, a world where kindness is king, a world where faith and imagination separate life from death, a world where love is the key that unlocks both mystery and magic… Escape into... 


My Thoughts:
Crystal Prince is the story of a boy kidnapped by troll like  creatures who are envious of the easy life they think that the citizens of Celestria have. The boy is Xabian, the much loved son of King Xarius and at his 12th Birthday Party the little prince is kidnapped and taken away leaving the citizens of the city to mourn his loss.


The moral of the story is to "Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You" and you see the little prince using that principal as he grows up around the trolls who treat him badly and you also see the consequences the trolls pay for being greedy, mean and cruel. The idea behind the story is an interesting one and I saw parallels to the bible story Cain and Abel. 

At only 70 pages, this is a very very quick read, perfect for kids 10+.. Some of the pages only have a paragraph or two and there are full size color drawings on each page spread. There is some violence and the pictures in the book are very detailed and beautiful. Depending on your kids (younger ones especially) you may want to pre-read the book if you think the pictures might be too scary. I don't know if I would label this a true comic book as it isn't split up into segments and it is a complete book - but the pictures are very similar to comics and much of the story is seen through the pictures too.


My only disappointments with this book is that there were several words that were misspelled and also the length of the book. I would of liked to see more in depth characterization of the characters but then that is also the charm of a good comic - using your imagination.

Learn more:

The author:
World class singer, songwriter and now story teller Jeanette Clinger Hurley today announced the release of her enchanted children’s book, The Crystal Prince, Love Is the Only Way, published by Outskirts Press. Through this charming fantasy Hurley brings children, parents and families the message that love is the way to everlasting happiness and that we all depend on each other to see that through. 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Janet Halfmann releases 2 NEW books this year!

Janet Halfmann has done it again! She has released 2 books in the last few months and I get to review them for you! Both are nature books and your kids are going to love them! There is a very interesting interview with Janet Halfmann at the bottom. So, read on....


Star of the Sea - Janet Halfmann; illustrations by Joan PaleyStar of the Sea
by Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by Joan Paley
Published by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group


About the Book:
With the ocean her home, an ochre sea star hunts for her morning meal.  She folds over her rays and grips the rocky shore with sticky feet as she feasts on shellfish.  When she takes too long, the tide flows back without her and Sea Star becomes easy prey.  But she is built to survive and eventually makes her way back to the sea, although with one less ray than before.  This inspiring story informs young children about the important role of a small but fascinating sea creature.


My Thoughts:
Every time I read one of Janet Halfmann's books I always learn something new. And I'm sure you will too! I never realized that the sea star uses her rays to pry open a crack in sea shells and then her stomach comes out of the body and into the shell & turns it's body into a liquid to eat! Your children will learn all about how the Star Fish feeds, lives and even what happens when it loses one of it's rays! This is a great book for preschools to use during a lesson on star fish or the ocean and it's great for your home library too. There is a section in the back of the book that will explain about star fish and help you answer all those difficult questions your kids have like: "How do Star Fish see?" or "How do they grow their legs back?". There is also a small glossary with a few terms such as limpet, ochre, sea anemone.



Garter Snake at Willow Creek Lane (Smithsonian's Backyard)
by Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by Anne Wertheim
A Soundprints book by Smithsonian Institution, 
Ages 3-9, $15.56 on Amazon


About the Book:
Garter Snake has been on her own since birth. She has learned important skills including how to find meals and protect herself from predators like crows and dogs. Her biggest struggle of all will be finding a place spend the cold winters months. Children can follow Gartner Snake on this exciting adventure. Also included is an easy-to-download audiobook.

My Thoughts:

If you have a youngster that is fascinated with snakes, creepy crawly things this book will be right up their alley! You might even consider leaving it around if you have a kid that's scared about any of those creatures too! Your kid might just pick it up and ask you to read it to them and maybe understanding a snake's ways will help them not be so scared of them. 


This book is about the life of Garter Snake and the family who discovers her. Learn about how Garter Snake survives on her own, what happens when the family dog discovers her and where she lives and what happens when it turns cold. A great book for unit studies or the family bookshelf!


About the author: 
Janet Halfmann is the award-winning author of more than 30 children's fiction and non-fiction books. She strives to make her books come alive for her readers and listeners.  Janet grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a former daily newspaper reporter, children's magazine editor and creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books.  janet is the mother of 4 and the grandmother of 4. Janet's website

Here is a entertaining interview with Janet & SFC magazine: (just click the arrow)




You can learn more about Stories for Children Magazine and purchase the April 2011 issue at http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org. 


Listen to internet radio with WorldOfInkNetwork on Blog Talk Radio 


Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of each of these books to review on CCB. No positive review was required and I wasn't paid any $ for my opinion. Thanks Janet!

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Guyku> a Review about Haiku for Boys!




Photobucket




Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys

by Bob Raczka
Illustrated by Peter H Reynolds
ISBN: 9780547240039

Ok, Parents & Teachers, I have a great book for Guys that is entertaining, funny, educational and FUN. "Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys" was written for Guys who are All-Boy. Bob Raczka used nature as his inspiration to write his own version of Haiku. Combining nature and FUN activities he participated in as a boy (with his 3 brothers) or by watching his own boys he came up with a FUN book of poetry that your boys will understand.

Just WHAT is Haiku anyway?

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that has:
3 lines:
Fi r s t :   f i v e   s y l l a b l e s .
S e c o n d :   s e v e n   s y l l a b l e s .
T h i r d :   f i v e   s y l l a b l e s .


That's it! That's all folks!

Oh yeah, almost forgot:

Haiku is written in present tense.
Haiku is about Nature.
It's poetry, in motion - just like 99.99999% of the guys in your life!

My thoughts:
This is a neat book for Guys OR Gals! Each page is short and sweet with engaging illustrations that will catch your kid's eye. You can almost feel the emotion coming from the pictures. Starting with Spring you follow along with a cast of multi-cultural kids who are busy enjoying mother nature and all the FUN they can have. 


I strongly suggest this for every family's home library. It's ideal for the classroom during a study on poetry, book bags to check out & take home and even for after school activities. If you homeschool, it will be a valuable resource for your children too. Perfect for kids of all ages, 4-8 (and up) there are activities, teachers resources (worksheets, inspiration cards, and more), and of course... there is the Guyku Club. We can't forget that!

Girls? Are you feeling left out? Be sure to check the special area on the right side of the website just for us girls. You can start up your own club too! 

For more fun with guyku, visit http://www.guykuhaiku.com and check out the 
book Guyku, written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds


(Click the picture to visit the Guyku Website & Join the Club)


Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of each of these books to review on CCB. No positive review was required and I wasn't paid any $ for my opinion. Thanks Bob!

Journey Into the Bible - Book Review

Journey into the Bible


Journey Into the Bible
by Lois Rock
Age 9-12, 48 pages
Lion Publishing
ISBN: 978-0745960883
Purchase on Amazon for $11.69


About the book:

If only you could have stood and watched as the great stories of the Bible unfolded in the ancient world...


This exciting, time-travel book combines fascinating facts and "travel tips" with intriguing pictures and maps to take all young explorers on a guided tour of the ancient world of the Bible and its people. Drawing you into foreign lands and epic journeys, from the beginning of time itself, you will be given a tourist’s-eye view of the people and empires that provided the setting for the Bible’s key stories.


Each stop on your journey allows you to learn about the people and events associated with that place as well as offering astonishing glimpses of what archaeologists have uncovered. "Travel tips" give you useful information for your journey--what food and weather to expect, where to stay, what sort of festivals you might experience, and what souvenirs are worth looking out for!



My thoughts:
This very interesting book is a great introduction to anthropology and the study of the people of the Bible. Using 20 of the stories from the Bible your children learn about the languages, the lifestyles, the culture and the peoples during Biblical times. Most of the stories are illustrated on a double page spread, many with cross cuts of the houses, "vignettes" that show the passage of time (a year of plowing, planting, harvesting and gathering) through the seasons, and includes "travel tips" so your kids will know what to expect if they lived during the time of a particular story. There are also explanations of who a person was in a story - an example would be Samson and why he was a important part of Israel's history.


History includes: Adam & Eve, Abraham, Joseph, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nazareth, fishing in Capernaum, Galilee, Bethany, Throughout the Empire, and more...


Extend the Book:
  1. Create your own "search & find" - put them on 3x5 cards and keep them in the car for something for the kids to do on long drives or in restaurants.
  2. Create a list of discussion questions based on the pictures or text in the book.
  3. Have your family build a replica of the tabernacle based on scripture and examples in the book 
  4. Click here for help putting together your own activities.
  5. What else can you do with a book like this?
Warning: Please be careful when asking questions or creating activities for your children to do that you ALWAYS bring scripture/versus to their attention and encourage your kids to turn to the Bible for their answers. These kind of books are wonderful for the visual aspect but should not take the place of the Bible - which is God's word to us. 


About the author:
Lois Rock is an, author, editor and illustrator of children’s books and has edited and written many of the Lion Children’s Books including My Very First Christmas, A Child’s First Book of Prayer, The First Rainbow and The Lion Encyclopedia. Lois lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and three children and in her spare time loves long walks and leading children’s church groups, which she has done for many years. Lois Rock has also written many other children’s books that are filled with great information that help children to learn and discover more about the Bible, the Church and Jesus, one of her recent child’s information books is The Jesus Encyclopedia.


Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of each of these books to review on CCB. No positive review was required and I wasn't paid any $ for my opinion. Thanks Kregel Publishing!



Thursday, October 6, 2011




Be sure to Read Llama Llama Red Pajama ONLINE TODAY with your kids TODAY - and GET COUNTED!

Help set a world record today.

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Story of Noah's Ark - Book Review

The Story of Noah's Ark
Storybook & Wall Clings
by Lori C Froeb
Paperback, 16 pages, Age 4-8
Published by Kregel
ISBN: 9780825455520
Available on Amazon for $9.99


The story of Noah and his ark is one of the most frequently read stories in the Bible. With this deluxe set, kids can use the wall clings to recreate the awesome scene of all the animals boarding the ark. As they read about Noah and his adventure, children are prompted to stick the vinyl clings on any painted wall. The clings safely stick and easily peel right off, so kids can rearrange them however they choose and reuse them for hours of enjoyment!


The Story of Noah's Ark is a favorite of most children. It's exciting to think of having a zooful of animals in a boat and God taking care of Noah and his family too. This story is written for the preschool crowd with large cartoonish type illustrations and the story is written for little children in a conversational tone. This book also includes 2 pages of window clings that can be used on the wall or the window for children to play with and tell the story in their own words. 


The suggested age range for this book is 4-8 but I can see kids as young as 3 enjoying the clings (with some supervision to keep younger kids from eating them). The story itself can be "tweaked" for older 2 - 3 year olds provided they are able to sit still and listen to a story.


At this time there is only one book. I'd like to see other favorite bible stories included in a series. Perhaps Adam & Eve, Daniel in the Lions Den, Joseph, David & Goliath, Moses, Baby Jesus and  Paul & Timothy (for older preschoolers to early elementary age). The book is a paperback and I'd like to see it released in a hardback instead of paperback, but perhaps they chose paper due to the clings to make it easier to store them. 


The author, Lori C Froeb, has released several books for kids from Baby to Preschool. There are several wonderful board books: Noah's Ark, Creation and Baby Jesus for Babies and Toddlers. For the Preschool crowd you might want to also check out: One Special Night: the Christmas Story Pop-Up, Silent Night,  The Newborn King: a Storybook with Puzzle Scene (I suggest keeping the pieces in a ziploc baggie if you think they will get lost).


I received a complimentary copy of The Story of Noah's Ark & the Wall Clings from Kregel Publications for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review.  I received no other compensation.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to Classic Children's Books! We are all about encouraging strong family relationships through reading and playing together & I encourage you to look around, stay a little while and relax! You might find these posts of interest.....

  1. Steps4Kids - Multiply DVD Review & Giveaway  
  2. This is the LAST Day of the Classic Reading for Kids Giveaway event - be sure to enter the Giveaway for Pinocchio! It ends tomorrow!
I promised a post about WHY I feel it's so important to read The Classics to your kids - you can read it here.  You can add your comments to this post if you'd like. I haven't figured out how to add comments to a page yet.

Thanks so much for stopping by this first weekend of October. I won't be posting as much on this blog until January 1 - it's time to kick off the Fall & Winter Holiday season on Holiday Traditions!


Click to visit me at:  Holiday Traditions

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