May 2004 Children's Books Reviews

Manuelo the Playing Mantis
by Don Freeman

Viking Books

ISBN# 0-6700-3684-6
Suggested Retail Price: $15.99 or as low as $3.00 from Amazon.com!

Freedman authored the beloved series of children's books that brought a bear called Corduroy into our lives. Corduroy is dear to the hearts of many young readers. Now meet someone new.

This time the story takes place in a meadow named Cloverdale. It is here that a very lonely praying mantis lives. His name is Mnauelo, and he wants to be a musician. Mnauelo just loves music! He tries to make a flute out of a cattail and a horn out of a trumpet flower. Then he tries to make a harp from a cobweb but none of these work out. Then he meets someone who shows him how to make a walnut shell and a stick into a cello. There is a third very special ingredient that is used to make this cello, but I will let you find that for yourself when you read this to your youngsters.

This is a lovely tale, and Freeman illustrated it with equally lovely paintings that highlight the story with light colors. It's a symphony for insects.

The Frog House
by Mark Taylor, Barbara Garrison

Dutton Juvenile

ISBN# 0-5254-6174-4
Suggested Retail Price: $15.99 or as low as $2.49 from Amazon.com!

In this story, we find a tree frog is watching a bird family that is building an unusual house in tree. Because the frog has never seen a birdhouse like this one, he thinks that they are building it for him! The house is apple-shaped and has become a sight to be seen by all the animals. Our frog friend is having a lot of fun being the center of attention.

This charming children's tale is all about adventure and moving into a new home and finding new friends. The illustrations show the cozy house and all the characters in a new home with new friends.

Crepes by Suzette
by Monica Wellington

Dutton Juvenile

ISBN# 0-5254-6934-6
Suggested Retail Price: $15.99 or as low as $9.25 from Amazon.com!

Suzette sells crepes as she pushes her cart to different places in the city of Paris. She has all kinds of crepes with different flavors. People buy and eat them as a snack or for a quick meal.

In this delightful story we meet Suzette and her customers. The pictures that show us Paris and the snack buyers are colorful collages that are filled with the sights and sounds of this famous city. There are maps to find your way around Paris, and splendid bits and pieces to find there.

On the last page, the reader will find a recipe for making your own crepes. There is also a list of the familiar people who appeared in the earlier pictures, and a special list that translates the French words that run throughout the story.

This is a uniquely fun book to look through and it is filled with many things to see and learn. We give it an "A+" as a present for an early reader and leave to you the pleasure of sharing the reason why Suzette's Crepes is funny.

Perfectly Martha
by Susan Meddaugh

Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine

ISBN# 0-6183-7857-X
Suggested Retail Price: $15.00 or as low as $7.00 from Amazon.com!

This is a fun picture book about a person named Otis Weaselgraft. With a name like that could we possibly like him? Otis has opened the "Perfect Pup Institute." He promises to retrain any dog to rid them of the bad habits of drooling, barking, squirrel-chasing and any other annoying traits.

Martha is a smart dog and she can speak in both dog and human. Martha strolls off to downtown where she sees Otis Weaselgraft lecturing about how he could make your dog perfect like his own dog. He uses his own dog Lancelot to show off how well-behaved he has been trained to be. He says it only takes one day. Martha manages to get into the Institute where she finds out the truth of what is going on.

The young reader will be delighted by discovering the truth behind this training and what happens to Otis Weaselgraft.

The Little Red Hen
by Barry Downard

Simon & Schuster Children's Publ

ISBN# 0-6898-5962-7
Suggested Retail Price: $14.95 or as low as $3.49 from Amazon.com!

This is a wonderful tale that all mothers will like to tell their lazy little ones. Its the classic story about a Little Red Hen who can't find any help when she is working towards making a good meal. The pigs and the other animals in the barnyard are all busy doing something foolish and much more fun than working. In the end, when the Little Red Hen is finished and has produced a wonderful loaf of bread, everyone in the barnyard wants a piece, but the Hen made it only for her own chicks.

This is one of the better morality tales in children's literature. This version is filled with large colorful pictures of the lazy barnyard members and the hard-working Little Red Hen.