January 2008 Children's Books Reviews

My Dog, My Cat, My Mama, and Me!
by Nigel Gray

Candlewick
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-0-7636-3639-5
Suggested Retail Price: $8.99 or as low as $4.97 from Amazon.com!

Here's a cute little book that gently introduces the idea of having babies. The little girl first notices that her dog is getting fatter and fatter until SURPRISE! O ne day she sees that the dog has had a litter of puppies. Then she notices that her cat is getting fatter and fatter until one day she sees that she's had a litter of kitties. Finally, one day she notices that her mommy is getting fatter and fatter until one day she brings home a new baby. The book keeps the young reader in suspense until each big event by hiding the picture of the newborns until a flap that you lift up to expose them.

If you need to try to explain the idea of pregnancy to your toddler, ages 2-4, you'll find a helping hand in this great chidlren's book.

The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone
by Timothy Basil Ering

Candlewick
Paperback
ISBN# 978-0-7636-2611-2
Suggested Retail Price: $6.99 or as low as $3.42 from Amazon.com!

Timothy Basil Ering tells a fanciful tale of a boy who lives in a dank cavernous world called Cementland. While searching for treasure, the boy finds a strange-looking box with a note attached that says "Put my wonderous riches into the earth and enjoy!" The boy opens the box to find dozens of brightly colored packages, but when he opens one he finds its filled only with small gray specks. Well, despite his disappointment, he buries the specks in the ground and waits. When nothing happens, he goes home. On his return the next day, he finds that his specks are gone! "Thief!" he cried. So the boy goes to the junkheap and builds himself a monster to protect his treasures. He builds it from smelly socks and other nasties and calls it Frog Belly Rat Bone. The surprise comes when the boy discovers who is taking his treasure and why.

With the prose presented in child-like scrawl over the simply illustrations, this charming book for children in grades 1-3 is sure to be read and re-read many, many times.

The Anne of Green Gables Storybook
by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Firefly Books
Paperback
ISBN# 978-0-920668-42-9
Suggested Retail Price: $9.95 or as low as $5.00 from Amazon.com!

This is the companion to the PBS film of the Lucy Maud Montgomery original children's classic story of Anne of Green Gables. Recently rebroadcast, this storybook is based on the film script and is filled with pictures taken from the film. If your family enjoyed the PBS version, this book lets your child relive that special story and the time you shared.

Bear Hugs: Romantically Ridiculous Animal Rhymes
by Karma Wilson

Aladdin
Paperback
ISBN# 978-1-4169-4958-9
Suggested Retail Price: $6.99 or as low as $3.25 from Amazon.com!

Page after page of silly rhymes about romance between all kinds of cute little critters make this a fine choice for children ages 2-4. Lots of fun pictures will keep the youngsters giggling right along as you read the poems presented here.

The Time Thief
by Linda Buckley-Archer

Simon & Schuster Children's Publ
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-1527-0
Suggested Retail Price: $17.99 or as low as $8.99 from Amazon.com!

Billed as competition for the Harry Potter series, this is the second book of The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley Archer. Its a fun-filled time machine fantasy for young readers. At the end of the first book, Gideon The Cutpurse, we left our protagonists separated across time. Peter was accidentally stranded back in 1763 while Kate and the wicked Tar Man have gone back to 21st Century London. Defying NASA's wishes, Kate decides to take matters into her own hands by attempting to rescue Peter. The heroic story of Kate and Peter winds its way through many obstacles as they struggle to protect the time line of their own history while thwarting the criminal Tar Man who uses 21st century technology to elude the 17th century police.

Extreme Dinosaurs
by Robert Mash

Atheneum
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-3952-8
Suggested Retail Price: $21.99 or as low as $1.00 from Amazon.com!

Dinosaurs are still very popular with kids today. Once they get past the Oohs! and Ahhs! when they see them in movies, they want to learn more about these extinct creatures. This book presents the story of the dinosaurs, with details about over 20 different species including where they lived, what they ate, and, of course, what they looked like. The pop-ups and fold-open pages give an extra dose of excitement as each page presents another dinosaur to study. Robert Mash uses a nice balance of clinical facts with entertaining discussions of the amazing dinosaurs.

Little One Step
by Simon James

Candlewick
Board book
ISBN# 978-0-7636-3520-6
Suggested Retail Price: $6.99 or as low as $3.38 from Amazon.com!

A little duckling is having trouble walking. "My legs feel wobbly," he says. He overcomes his troubles by taking one step and then another. Its a cute little book with stiff sturdy cardboard pages so the little ones can hold it and page through it on their own. Its a great way to teach the "if at first you don't succeed" lesson. For children in preschool through Grade 2.

The Ugly Duckling
by Hans Christian Andersen

Candlewick
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-0-7636-2159-9
Suggested Retail Price: $16.99 or as low as $5.50 from Amazon.com!

Hans Christian Andersen's classic children's tale is retold in this oversized edition that features gorgeous illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. You'll be reading this book with your kids over and over again.

Twinkle Toes (Franny's Feet)
by Shirley Stern

Simon Scribbles
Paperback
ISBN# 978-1-4169-4917-6
Suggested Retail Price: $3.99 or as low as $1.18 from Amazon.com!

This is a cute little activity book for children grades 1-3. Our friend Franny loves to play dress-up and and dance. You can color in pictures of Franny and her friends, work on the puzzles and mazes, and there are stickers you can use to decorate and even a paper Franny doll you can cut out on the back cover. Too cute!

The Spiderwick Chronicles Movie Storybook
by Tracey West

Simon Spotlight
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-4947-3
Suggested Retail Price: $8.99 or as low as $4.21 from Amazon.com!

Nine-year-old Jared discovers "Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You" in the upstairs attic of the spooky old house his family just moved into. Reading the book starts him on a wild ride of elves, fairies, fantasy and fun. Very Potter-esque, I'd call it. Its a perfect way to enhance the fun of the movie "The Spiderwick Chronicles" from Nickelodeon Pictures which opens in theaters in early February, filled with large color pictures from the film. Check out http://www.spiderwickchronicles.com/.

World of Wonder: People & Places
by Laurie Triefeldt

Quill Driver Books
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1884956-71-3
Suggested Retail Price: $19.95 or as low as $12.38 from Amazon.com!

In this giant-sized book, Laurie Triefeldt tells the story of over eighty different countries and cultures. Each page has an encyclopedia-like entry for the topic covered, with fine illustrations by the author to bring each one to life for the young reader. Its a great way to introduce your child to other people and places, and also serves as a fine reference book that they can keep using for many years.

Magellan's World
by Stuart Waldman

Mikaya Press
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-931414-19-7
Suggested Retail Price: $22.95 or as low as $12.75 from Amazon.com!

Most of us recall the name Ferdinand Magellan only as a footnote in our history lessons as the person who discovered the Pacific Ocean. But his life story is far more interesting than that simple bit of trivia. Magellan was a Portugese explorer who was hired by Spain to find a new westward route to the spice islands of the Far East so that they could gain a foothold in that lucrative market. He was a true explorer that blazed a trail for many sea lanes, including the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of the South American continent. Stuart Waldman makes the story of Magellan come alive for young readers in grades 4-8, with exciting illustrations and a compelling biography.

The Great Adventure: Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Modern A
by Albert Marrin

Dutton Juvenile
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-0-525-47659-7
Suggested Retail Price: $30.00 or as low as $15.00 from Amazon.com!

Teddy Roosevelt was certainly one of our most remarkable Presidents. As a child of priviledged parents he grew out of his early health problems to go from military hero to pioneering conservationist to powerful politician. His life parallels America's transition from a backwoods frontier to our modern civilization. This amazing biography is chronicled with a very personal voice by Albert Marrin. Along with the hundreds of photographs of Roosevelt and his family and acquaintances is a very personal telling of the life story of this outstanding leader. Young readers in grades 5 and up will find they have a lot to learn about our 26th President.

Knights & Castles (Insiders)
by Philip Dixon

Simon & Schuster Children's Publ
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-3864-4
Suggested Retail Price: $16.99 or as low as $7.42 from Amazon.com!

This fun picture book is filled with detailed illustrations of ancient castles and the valliant knights who fought daring battles. The author teaches the middle grade reader all about those days, when castles were the fortresses of entire villages and various aspects of the cultures of Europe of that era. Any child interested in knights and jousting will love this book!

Volcanoes & Earthquakes
by Ken Rubin

Simon & Schuster Children's Publ
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-3862-0
Suggested Retail Price: $16.99 or as low as $8.44 from Amazon.com!

Geologists are the first to admit that their branch of science is still in its infancy, but what we do know is fascinating. There's nothing quite as exhilirating as an erupting volcano or as terrifying as an earthquake. This book shows the young reader how our Earth is made up of different layers and the tectonic plates that make earthquakes when they move. Lots of illustrations and diagrams make the science palatable for middle grade students (and curious adults!).

The Chronicles of Spiderwick: A Grand Tour of the Enchanted Worl
by Tony DiTerlizzi, Holly Black

Simon & Schuster Children's Publ
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-4169-5038-7
Suggested Retail Price: $21.99 or as low as $14.17 from Amazon.com!

Just in time for the new children's blockbuster "The Spiderwick Chronicles" we have this giant companion book that's a pictorial guide to Spiderwick House. Its a glorious piece of work that will enthrall the fans of this movie with its exquisite details, pull-outs and fold-open flaps and more! Its filled with the kinds of detailed background information that a fan would love - things like details of the various creatures you get to meet in the movie and pieces of lore and legend in the form of diary pages and Emails. Just tons of fun!

When Charlie McButton Lost Power
by Suzanne Collins

Puffin
Paperback
ISBN# 978-0-14-240857-5
Suggested Retail Price: $5.99 or as low as $2.72 from Amazon.com!

For new readers up to Grade 3, we have the story of Charlie McButton who loves computer games. But there's trouble when a thunderstorm knocks out the electricity and none of his toys work. He knows his sister's doll has batteries, but he knows he'll be in trouble if he takes them. It's an inventive tale of woe in this age of technology that you'll enjoy sharing with your kids.