5 great new books for kids! Sylvan Dell Publishing

~ Book Review

This month I will be featuring Preschool & a few baby books on Classic Children's Books and today I will be sharing 5 wonderful new books from Sylvan Dell Publishing. Each of these fiction stories are math & science based and include activities for children to do to help them learn more about the animal, their habitat, the food they eat and how they live. Enjoy!

Be sure to come back on May 6th when Sylvan Dell & I will be hosting a giveaway and one lucky winner will win all 5 of these awesome books!

Sylvan Dell Publishing ~ Spring New Releases

Home in the Cave
by Janet Halfmann
ISBN: 9781607185314
$9.95 (paperback) $17.95 (hardback)

About the Book:
Baby Bat loves his cave home and never wants to leave it. While practicing flapping his wings one night, he falls, and Pluribus Packrat rescues him. They then explore the deepest, darkest corners of the cave where they meet amazing animals—animals that don’t need eyes to see or colors to hide from enemies. Baby Bat learns how important bats are to the cave habitat and how other cave-living critters rely on them for their food. Will Baby Bat finally venture out of the cave to help the other animals? Age 4-8 yrs

Baby Bat is adorable. There is nothing more to say - except that little kids are going love this story and I'm sure you are going to be reading it over and over. Home in the Cave is a good introduction to beginning science for 3-4 years old. While all the other baby bats are excitedly learning how to fly and talking about the adventures their moms are having while hunting in the cave - little Baby Bat gets more afraid as he imagines all the dangers and scary things that are out in the big world. One day he falls and lands on the cave floor where he learns that their are amazing things in the world and with the help of a blind rat he explores not only the cave but the big world outside.

(This one was easily my favorite of the 5 books that I reviewed although all of them were wonderful. The illustrations and the story are memorable and fun and will be a favorite of the children in your life.) 

Three Little Beavers
by Jean Heilprin Diehl
ISBN: 9781607185338
$9.95 (paperback) $17.95 (hardback)

About the Book:
Beatrix the beaver longs to be good at something. Her brother Bevan is an expert at repairing the lodge with mud and twigs. Her sister Beverly is a superb swimmer and underwater gymnast. What makes Beatrix stand out? One day, she runs away by swimming up the creek and finds some fresh garden plants to eat, and tasty trees to gnaw. When her siblings set off to find her, all Three Little Beavers wind up trapped! It takes some simple engineering on the part of the humans who set the traps, and Beatrix’s discovery of her special talents, for the people and beavers to finally find a way to live in harmony. Age 4-8 yrs

My Thoughts:
This is a cute story of 3 little beavers with 3 very different personalities. Two of the beavers are outgoing and do everything right and the last beaver is constantly asked "why can't you be like your brother & sister" (sound familiar?). Discouraged and sad Beatrix decides to run away and in the process discovers that her ability to stay calm and think during a bad situation will help her and her brother/sister get home again.

The Three Little Beavers is a great introduction to the river habitat and how Beavers help the environment and others by being persistent. Your children will learn what they eat, how they can see underwater when they swim, how and why they build dams, box trapping and why people use this method of trapping animals instead of killing these animals. 

I am in love with the illustrations in this book. Big, expressive and filled with emotion your children will connect with them immediately and will want to study each picture to see what's happening. Check it out:





Gopher to the Rescue
A Volcano Recovery Story
by Terry Catasus Jennings
ISBN: 9781607181415
$9.95 (paperback) $17.95 (hardback)

About the Book:
The forest animals are surprised when a volcano suddenly explodes, covering the land in gritty, warm ash and rocks that make it unlivable for many plants and animals. Gopher survives in his underground burrow with food to eat. How does Gopher help bring life back to the mountain? Scientists spent years observing life returning to the mountain following the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. This fictionalized story is based on their surprising observations of how life returns to an area that has been totally changed or destroyed. Age 4-9 yrs

My Thoughts:
Gopher has a big job to do! Come learn how the forest, the animals and the ground recovers and heals when a Volcano erupts. I learned quite a bit as I read this book. You don't think about how long and what a major job it is for the environment to recover after a big event like a volcano erupts, a river floods or a forest fire occurs. 

Listen to: Gopher to the Recue
(in Spanish & English)

The book opens with the animals sensing that something is about to happen. Of course they don't know what it is but when the ground starts shaking and a loud BOOM happens they flee. Some of the animals don't make it and die and those that live underground (gophers, insects, worms, etc) continue on as though nothing happened. Gopher to the rescue does a wonderful job in walking children (and grownups too) through a timeline of the healing of the habitat, how the underground animals/insects dig tunnels and their waste feeds the earth to enrich it and help it grow new vegetation - as time goes by little by little animals and other creatures begin to return.

A wonderful book that older preschoolers will enjoy. Early elementary children will enjoy it also and there are activities and explanations about what volcanoes are and why they erupt, natural disasters and habitat changes.

The Great Divide
by Suzanne Slade
ISBN: 9781607185307
$9.95 (paperback) $17.95 (hardback)

About the Book:
Animals, like people, enjoy spending time with their friends and family. Many groups of animals have their own unique names. Did you know that a group of gorillas is called a band? And a bunch of billy goats is a tribe? Following in the footsteps of Multiply on the Fly (multiplication), What’s New at the Zoo? (addition) and What’s the Difference? (subtraction), this rhythmic, fun-to-read-aloud book introduces children to division as they conquer bands, tribes, mobs and more.

My Thoughts:
The Great Divide is a great addition to Sylvan Dell's Math series. Each of the books has a wonderful story/verse that teaches children through story problems how to answer math problems. Check this out:

Nine hungry leopards 

waking up from sleep.

Three groups are on the prowl.

How many in each leap?

With this story problem your children learn: the name of the animal group (leap), how many leopards, what the leopards & the picture shows them the type of habitat they live in: snow, hills, the leopards coloring allows them to blend in with the snow somewhat for protection while hunting.

The Penguin Lady
by Carol A Cole
ISBN: 9781607185369
$9.95 (paperback) $17.95 (hardback)

About the Book:
Penelope Parker lives with penguins! Short ones, tall ones; young and old—the penguins are from all over the Southern Hemisphere including some that live near the equator! Do the penguin antics prove too much for her to handle? Children count and then compare and contrast the different penguin species as they learn geography. Age 4-9 yrs

My Thoughts:
This one is a cute book for preschoolers and it's all about penguins.  There are lots of counting penguins, seeing what penguins eat, if they like it cold or warm ~ and lots and lots of black & white in this book! This one was probably my least favorite of the 5 books I've listed here but it's still a cute book that I think younger kids will enjoy and kids who can read should enjoy reading about animals that most kids like to learn about. I will tell you though that many of the words (Rockhopper, Galapagos Islands will be tough for beginning readers who need to sound out words as they go).


About all the books in the Sylvan Dell Publishing line:
1. All books in this series include 4-5 pages of activities to encourage kids to learn more about the subject in the book. There will be math, science, habitats, foods animals eat, what they need to survive and much much more!
2. All books have a Teacher's Guide with an additional 40 pages online. Just click here, find the book you own, and click on the teachers guide on the right hand side of the screen. 
3. There are book quizzes, book flyers, author interviews, related websites, how the book aligns to standards in the 50 States and much more on the website also.
4. You can also preview many books online in both Spanish and English.


Announcement:

Sylvan Dell Publishing  will be offering all 70 eBooks on their site license FREE from May 7^th through May 13^th.  This is a great opportunity for you to see what a book is about. Click the picture above to go to the website. =D

Day 5 Classic Reading for Kids ~ Beady Bear

This is a nice long article - but what a treat! My favorite childhood book to review & giveaway ...... and a special announcement I get to share with you!

 

Beady Bear

by Don Freeman

ISBN: 978-0140501971

$6.99, Age 3+

About the book:

A toy bear goes off to a cave to live as a real bear should, only to find he needs something more to be truly happy. 

My thoughts:

I have saved my favorite childhood book for last. Beady Bear is the story of a little wind up bear owned by Thayer. One day he decides it's time he lives like other bears do and he trots (or winds) his way to a cave where he discovers he needs light and a pillow to be truly happy not realizing it's actually Thayer that he needs. 

Beady arrives at his cave to discover that it's dark and he decides he needs a light to make it more comfortable and welcoming. So he goes back home to get a flashlight and when he gets back to the cave and tries to get comfortable he discovers that the ground is hard and not so very comfortable so he returns back to the house to get his pillow. When he arrives back at the cave he tries to get comfortable but then his spring winds down and he has to lay there and listen to the noises in the cave..... What's that noise? Is it the original inhabitants of the cave? No, it's Thayer come to rescue him and wind him back up again!

 

Beady Bear was written and illustrated by Don Freeman the author of the wonderful Corduroy series. Don Freeman was the author & illustrator of many popular books other than the Corduroy books. He won a Caldecott Honor for the book Fly High, Fly Low and co-wrote several books with his wife including Chuggy and the Blue Caboose and Pet of the Met. 

The illustrations in Beady Bear were originally drawn by pencil and the detail and the shading in the book really make the story stand out. The original of the book was also hand colored by Lydia Freeman (Don's wife). I remember really studying and talking about those pictures with Dad and I think it's part of what made this one of my very favorite books as a little girl.

Did you know?

• "Freeman did not start out to be a children's author & illustrator, although by the age of 7 he knew he wanted, above all, to be an artist more than anything. Working with crayolas and whatever drawing paper he could get his hands on, the young Freeman began sketching a perceptive view of the world around him." by Michael Gabriel (1995) from donfreeman.info
• He began his illustration career by sketching his impressions of the Broadway shows for the New York Times and The Herald Tribune. 
• He is also known as a graphic artist who vividly portrayed the street life and theater world of New York City in the 1930’s and 40’s. 
• He wrote graphic novels for adults. Great Shakes is based on the idea of Shakespeare in modern day Hollywood after a producer makes a deal to have Shakespeare write a modern day screenplay - but it doesn't quite go as planned. 

 

• Don co-wrote several books with his wife beginning with Chuggy & the Blue Caboose and Pet of the Met. Chuggy is the story of a little blue Caboose that sat near their house and Don sat down one day to sketch it out. They ended up collaborating on a story of the adventures of Chuggy which was the first book they wrote together. 
• Lydia (Don's wife) was a renowned oil and watercolor artist in her own right - you can see many of her works on her website @ LydiaFreeman.net. She also illustrated 2 children's books: Onion Journey by Julia Cunningham & Wind in My Hand by hanako Fukuda. She also tried her hand at writing Haiku over the years and during the last 2-3 years of her life she would doodle her feelings and those drawings and haikus were combined into a book called "Flowers of unknown origins ~ Dance of the Forbidden Vegetables"

Tell him today

your love.

He may not be here tomorrow

and eternity is not far away.

.
For more information about Don Freeman, please visit:

www.donfreeman.info ~ you can see many of the other books he & Lydia wrote, teaching tools, hear and read some of Don's lectures, read articles about the author and also see a list of other books that weren't published. Some of those books Roy has been working on to complete and get published.

Both websites DonFreeman.info and LydiaFreeman.net are packed full of information about the very interesting and productive lives that Don & Lydia lived.

 

One of the biggest honors I have as a blogger is to share BIG NEWS with you! Recently a long lost sequel to Beady Bear turned up in the garage of an old neighbor of Don's and Roy has been kind enough to share the book with me. He is in the process of finding a publisher for Beady's Pillow & I have directed him to Kane Miller & Usborne Books to meet with them in Bologna at the Children's Book Festival. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Beady's Pillow will soon be in an Usborne Books catalog!

So here is a "SNEAK PREVIEW" of 

Beady's Pillow

by Don Freeman

Unpublished so far

About the book:

At the end of Beady Bear we discover that Beady has left his pillow behind in the cave and Thayer has decided to go and get it for his little friend in the sequel. When Thayer doesn't come back Beady decides to go and rescue him and return with both Thayer and his pillow. Now remember he is a "wind up" toy - so will he be able to find Thayer before his spring winds down?

Roy was kind enough to forward a very rough copy of Beady's Pillow for me to read along with the original drawings and text including cross outs and Don's thoughts throughout the story which was a real treat. I've never seen a book in this stage of the writing process and it was neat to see some of the thought process an author goes through. I so wish I could share the book with you - but I promised to keep it all for myself (LOL) and I promise you that I will let you know as soon as the sequel is published! 

Don has already put together an iPad 1 and 2 version of Beady's Pillow although I don't believe he has published himself yet. I know that he is hoping to have a publisher pick it up - hopefully I will have good news for you soon and Beady's Pillow will be published in the near future.


(Due to the length of this post - I will post some fun ideas for families to do at a later date - art, writing, language ideas.)

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own copy of Beady Bear and other Don Freeman books on Amazon. Click here to order Beady Bear for $6.99. It's currently on special - buy 4 for 3 - details are on the Amazon page for the promotion.

WIN It!  

I will be giving away a copy of Beady Bear in the prize package for Classic Reading for Kids. I have extended the date for the giveaway (due to my getting caught up in my latest book fair) and it will close officially on Monday night. Will YOU be the winner?

Click the button to enter the contest

~ Note - ends this Monday @ 10 pm ~

Day 4 Classic Reading for Kids ~ A Kiss For Little Bear

Classic Reading for Kids is an annual event hosted by myself and Ella of MyMcBooks.wordpress.com where we focus on Classic Reading for Kids and then we GIVE THEM AWAY! 

Today and each day this week I will be focusing on my favorite books for the Preschool Age Group and on Saturday - I will be giving them ALL away to ONE LUCKY winner! Is that winner going to be you? You'll find out on Saturday!

To enter the giveaway this week you must return to my blog each day where I will post the answer to that day's entry. To receive your entry that day you will need that answer. Ella will be featuring 5 books on her blog too and doing a giveaway there as well. So, you have 2 chances to WIN big this week!

Little Bear
by Elsa Holmelund Minarik
ISBN: 978-0064440042
$3.95 Paperback or $7.04 for the Boxed Set


About the Book:
Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her. When it is cold and snowy outside, she finds just the right outfit for Little Bear to play in. When he goes to the moon, she has a hot lunch waiting for him on his return. At night she helps him get to sleep. And, of course, she never forgets his birthday!


My Thoughts:
I still remember sitting with Dad reading this book. It's one of 3 books I remember reading as a preschooler. Our time together was very limited and the only time I ever had anyone read to me was at bedtime. Our ritual was Little Bear one night. Beady Bear another night and The Night Before Christmas which the poor guy had memorized. Oh yeah, there were a few Dr Seuss' too (Dad HATED Dr Seuss!).  


Written by Elsa Holmelund Minarik when she decided that her daughter didn't have enough books to read (just what all parents should do - write books FOR your children!). Little Bear is the first of 4 books about the adventures of a little bear. Little Bear uses his imagination to go to the moon, uses his initiative to make a birthday soup for himself and entertains his guests when they turn up. And that's ALL in Book 1!. 


Little Bear was the first book in the "I Can Read" series that has been around since 1954 and since then Little Bear has continued to be a favorite among children and a book parents love to share with their kids. Little Bear is a great book for beginning readers and for "listeners" as well. The text is large and the words are simple, with very little rhyming (not intentionally anyway) and the subject is interesting enough to keep kids attention. And best of all, for children ages 4-8, your child will connect and bond with a little bear who seems like them - except he has paws and fur all over his body!

The Little Bear Series:

    

About the author:
Else Holmelund Minarik was born in Denmark in 1920 but came to the US at the age of 4. She found learning English very difficult and her father introduced her to cowboy movies and her mother took her to the playground to help her learn English as she learned to play with new friends. Else was gifted in telling stories in simple, captivating words and used that ability in writing over 20 books much of which is still in print.

Classic Reading for Kid's Giveaway:

It's Day 4 of the Classic Reading for Kid's Giveaway Event. I've officially changed the mandatory entry to today's question. Be sure to read this post to know the answer. 

On Sunday my drawing will include a copy of Little Bear which contains 3 stories: Little Bear, Snowy Day and Birthday Soup. Your child will love them as much as I did! =D

Click the button to enter the contest!

A Magical Christmas

Pic from TipJunkie.com

I discovered a short while ago that Disney and Hyperion Publishing have joined together to publish some great Children's books. These are books for kids as young as infants up to Middle Grade. They even have books for fans and collectors on Imagineering and on the Art of Disney.

This week I am going to feature several of the books that were sent to me to review. I enjoyed them so much and I'm sure you will too. Each of these books would make a great stocking stuffer, birthday gift and the Christmas ones are great for tradition - bring it out each year when you do your holiday decorating.

A Magical Christmas: A Moving Pictures Book

Published by DisneyDigitalBooks.com

Board Book for kids 3+

My thoughts:

A Magical Christmas is a "Moving Pictures" Book. One of those books that you tilt the book and the picture changes in front of you. With big exaggerated pictures and bright colors your kids will love looking at it. Each 2 page spread features a favorite holiday scene and has a 2 sentence description showing an event from WALL-E, Belle & the Beast, Huey, Louie and Dewey opening presents, Lady and the Tramp, Cars and more. It's a cute book - I personally would of loved more of a "story" but kids won't care about that - they will be focused on the movie pictures and remembering the story.

Children younger than 3 will like the book. I don't know if they will understand the moving picture and needing to tilt the book - but they will still connect with the pictures and "story". Don't be afraid to introduce it to 2 year olds.

Note: Giveaway on Holiday Traditions until 11/30/2011 - Enter Here

Activity for kids: Color and Create a Candy Cane Sled

Clementine & the Family Meeting

by Sara Pennypacker

Pictures by Marla Frazee

Published by Disney-Hyperion Group

Series for kids 7+, 176 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1423123569

Clementine reminds me of a modern day Ramona Quimby. Remember Ramona? When Clementine sees a note on the refrigerator that her parents have called a family meeting she starts worrying that she's in trouble and she decides to try to figure out what she did while trying to be as good as she can be. What a surprise when she discovers the family meeting isn't because of what she did - but because they are going to have a New Baby! No Thanks! 4 is the perfect number - there are 2 boys and 2 girls and 4 sides to a table - how are they going to fit a New Member into their family?

The Clementine series is a top selling series for beginning readers (either being read to or fairly comfortable reading on their own). The font is large and easy to read, the story is engaging and all kids will understand how Clementine is feeling when she thinks she's in trouble and then gets a surprise. Perfect for Stocking Stuffers and birthday gifts - or for some summer reading! Read the first chapter of one of Clementine Books

Download a Clementine Party Kit

(This would be fun to do in the winter time - playdate anyone?)

The Bridge to Neverland

by Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry

Published by Disney-Hyperion

Series for kids 12+, 592 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1423108559

The Starcatchers series is wonderful! Don't let the length of the book scare you off - if your kids can read the Harry Potter series with no problems they won't have any trouble reading this one. Yes it's long - but engaging, action packed and full of scenes to trigger your kids imaginations.

I came in late on this series and will be adding the other books into my personal library. The Bridge to NeverLand and the whole Starcatchers series is based on the questions "how did Peter Pan come to be? and "how did he get to Neverland?" In this book you have a brother sister (Sarah & Aiden) team who come across a mystery box and in the hunt for the answers they go to Europe and the States to learn about the Shadow Thieves who are after them for a box they found. Lord Oombra is a wizard who is seen as crows that can transform to accomplish their evil deeds. They can "possess" a person also to get them to do what they need - and the only way to know that person has been possessed is through their dead eyes.

I don't usually like to bring books on Classic Children's Books that have wizardry (you'll never see a Harry Potter book on here) but occasionally if the book is destined to become a classic and it's High Performing you'll find it here.

I strongly suggest that you start with the first book. Maybe purchase books 1 & 2 for your kids to read, to add to their stockings, birthday gifts first and then continue working on the series a book or two at a time. You can read them out of order - but then you'll be sitting there thinking - I've GOT to read the others! 

Howard B Wigglebottom ~ Book Review

 

This week Classic Children's Books is hosting the Families Building Character Together event where we'll be using books to learn about honesty, bravery/courage, obedience and truthfulness through stories about individuals how portrayed character in their behavior.

We'll begin our week with the Preschool Group and the Howard B Wigglebottom series. This is a great series to introduce younger children to honesty, giving, sharing, listening, bullying. You can find these books at http://www.wedolisten.org where they are ALL on sales right now for $7.50 (hardback) - it's a great addition to any family, church or school library. You'll also find different lessons, music, animated books and more.

Howard B Wigglebottom
and the Power of Giving: A Christmas Story
by Howard Binkow
Illustrated by Susan F Cornelison
ISBN: 978-0982616543
On sale - $7.50 Click Here
Series

It was Christmas time, the season for GIVING - but for 

Howard B Wigglebottom, it was the season for GETTING!

Howard is a little bunny who can't give up anything of his. Everything is so precious to him and he is so worried about losing any of it or someone else getting his things that one day he takes off with a bag full of ALL his toys and starts walking.

As he's walking he meets new friends who are homeless and he realizes that his mother is right, he has way too much stuff and he decides that what he really wants is to appreciate the good things he already has.

This book opens the opportunity to discuss Giving & Sharing, Listening & Following the Rules, Talking to Strangers and being Homeless. There are reflections in the end of the book that you can use to give you ideas on how to discuss these behaviors with your children (age 3+).

You & your kids can color your own book. Just You can also color it online if you'd like and I'm assuming you can print it after coloring.

Click to Print


Write & Color Your Own Book

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 


Little 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.

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.

Llama Llama Home With Mama - Book Review & Giveaway

Llama Llama Home With Mama
by Anna Dewdney
Age 3-8, 40 pages
Penguin Publishing
Purchase from Amazon for $9.89


Llama Llama, morning light.
Feeling yucky, just not right.
Down to breakfast.
Tiny sneeze.
Sniffle, snuffle.
Tissues, please!

Ah-choo! Uh-oh, Llama Llama's nose is feeling tickly, his throat is feeling scratchy, and