Animal Mouths by Mary Holland

Ages 4-8, Grades K-3

Hardcover $17.95

Paperback $9.95

About the book: What are some things we can learn about animals from the shape of their mouths, beaks, or bills? What can we infer about animals with sharp teeth compared to large, flat teeth? Are there any animals that don’t have mouths? In this second book of her “Animal Anatomy and Adaptation” series, award-winning nature photographer and environmental educator Mary Holland shares fascinating animal mouths with readers of all ages.

My thoughts: This is a lovely book that is packed with beautiful, engaging photographs of a variety of animals, insects, and creatures showcasing how their mouths are designed and work for the way each critter uses the mouth to eat, catch prey, and simply exist. Whether for capturing, crushing, spearing, chewing, tearing, or cutting the animals, plants, opponents each mouth is specifically and wonderfully designed for what that animal needs.

Children will love the pictures. Teachers in regular schools or in homeschools will love the educational text written so these young learners can enjoy and become engaged as they learn about Animal Mouths. The additional information is very good providing opportunities for further exploration of how mouths work and opportunities to stretch the minds a little.

Animals in the book:   caterpillar, chipmunk, evening grosbeak, frog, great egret, human, luna moth, monarch, opossum, porcupine, red-shouldered hawk, robber fly, snake, turtle, weasel

Arbordale again brings engaging learning to the child in a way that each child will enjoy learning their "science" lessons. In the back of the book is the "For Creative Minds" section. Here is a link so you can see how super it is. There is also a wealth of information on the book's webpage to aid in learning.

Author/illustrator Mary Holland is a naturalist, nature photographer, columnist, and award-winning author with a life-long passion for natural history. After graduating from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources, Mary worked as a naturalist at the Museum of the Hudson Highlands in New York state, directed the state-wide Environmental Learning for the Future program for the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, worked as a resource naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and designed and presented her own “Knee-High Nature Programs” for libraries and elementary schools throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. In addition to Animal Eyes her children’s books include A Beaver’s Busy Year and Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer (NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books, Moonbeam Bronze award) with Arbordale and Milkweed Visitors, (Science Books and Films’ list for the best books of 2006 in the category Children’s Books under Zoological Sciences). Mary’s book Naturally Curious: a Photographic Field Guide and Month-by-Month Journey Through the Fields, Woods and Marshes of New England won the 2011 National Outdoor Book Award for the Nature Guidebook category. Visit Mary’s blog at naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Arbordale Publishing to facilitate this review. No compensation was received and these are my personal opinions.

Say & Pray Bible: First Words, Stories, and Prayers by Diane Stortz; Illustrated by Sarah Ward

About the book: Say and pray the Bible with your little Ones!  Curl up together and experience the Bible in a fresh, new way.  Young children will enjoy pointing to and naming objects on each page for early learning.  Most important, they’ll discover favorite, age-appropriate Bible stories, with Scripture verses and short prayers that also hide God’s Word in young hearts.

Review:   “Say & Pray”  is a very cute beginner’s Bible for toddlers.  It has a total of 20 stories in the book:  10 from the Old Testament and 10 from the New Testament.  All of the stories should be familiar to anyone who has spent much time in Sunday School or youth group – Creation, Noah & the Ark, Joseph & his coat of many colors are just a few from the Old Testament.  Some from the New Testament are the Birth of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, and Jesus’ Resurrection.

The illustrations are nice and child-like.  I like the “word balloons” with single words describing animals, objects, & people.  This point-and-say method is very easy for a toddler to grasp.  The actual construction of the book is quite nice as well.  The pages are thick cardboard and easy to turn.

“Say & Pray Bible” would make a nice gift for new parents and great introduction to Bible for toddlers. (rev. P.Howard)

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by the BookLook Blogger Review Program on behalf of the publisher, Thomas Nelson. Opinions are those of the reviewer and no compensation was received for this review.

Thankful by Eileen Spinelli; Illustrated by Archie Preston

About the book:  “Thankful” – Like the gardener, thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman for putting the fire out.  There are everyday blessings , you don’t need to look far, to know at a glance how special you are.  Beloved children’s author Eileen Spinelli and illustrator Archie Preston inspire children of all ages with “Thankful” a whimsical picture book that celebrates the everyday blessings we find in our lives.
 
Review:  I really like this book.  It is described as whimsical and that is exactly right. The whole book is written like a rhyme, which I find very enjoyable when reading to children.  As I was reading it, my granddaughter immediately came to mind and how she “pretends play.”  Just as a child’s imagination jumps from here to there, this book encourages that same imagination – From a waitress being thankful “for comfortable shoes” to a “local reporter for interesting news;”  then to “the chef is thankful for plates licked clean; the tailor, for her sewing machine.”   Even though this book can and does encourage imagination, it does an even better job of helping us teach our children to be thankful!  Being thankful is absolutely something that has to be taught and must begin at the earliest age possible. 

The illustrations of this book are beautiful.  I like the simplicity and the water color effect on all the pages.  The illustrator has chosen to center the author’s wonderful words around a family – father, mother, brother, and sister.   This is great because, again, teaching someone to be thankful begins at home!

“Thankful” is a wonderful book to have in your children’s library and one that you easily can read daily to your children!  I will be adding this to my collection!! (rev. P.Howard)


DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by the BookLook Blogger Review Program on behalf of Zondervan to facilitate this review. Opinions as those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

Coming soon "Monster Needs Your Vote"

I'm looking forward to another of the "Monster Needs..." books. Coming VERY SOON is Monster Needs Your Vote.

In case you're not yet familiar with these books, run to your favorite store or library and snag a copy of any or all of the "Monster Needs..." books and start enjoying.
The Monster Needs Your Vote story will help parents and teachers teach young readers about the voting and election process here in America. In addition to this really fun book, the creators, Paul Czajak and Wendy Grieb, along with the publisher, Mighty Media Press, have provided lots of goodies for you to download and use in the learning process.

There are Presidential Facts and First Lady Facts, vocabulary words, qualifications for being president (some great information), and activity sheets. CLICK HERE to get this FREE fun stuff. 

Rufus Goes to School by Kim T. Griswell, Valeri Gorbachev

About the book: All Rufus Leroy Williams III wants is to go to school so he can learn to read his favorite book. But there's one problem: he's a pig and Principal Lipid says: “NO PIGS IN SCHOOL!” Rufus even gets a backpack, a lunchbox, and a blanket to prove he's ready. But Mr. Lipid won't budge. Is there ANYTHING Rufus can do to change his mind? Kim Griswell and illustrator Valeri Gorbachev have created a love letter to reading that's also a charming, original, and child-friendly first-day-of-school story.

My thoughts: Delightful Rufus is back again! Rufus really wants to go to school and he finds there is a "no pigs allowed" rule. He begins to persuade the principal that he really and truly is ready for school even if he is a pig. You see, Rufus dearly loves books. Turning the pages of his favorite books is a joy to him but he needed to learn to read the words - that's what school is for.

I just love the expressive, colorful drawings that capture the drool expressions and depict the scenes so aptly. The illustrations will provide ample opportunity during read-aloud sessions to engage the child in discussions that will increase his/her attention to detail.

What is "in" this book? I see a deeper, underlying theme of discrimination. "No pigs allowed" because of a variety of reasons. This isn't addressed, but can be during read-aloud sessions when ultimately the discrimination is set aside because the real reason to go to school is to learn. This is the strong ending and no one is discriminated against learning.

I see the theme of "having things" as a qualifier for attending school given a backseat by the truth that school is for learning - Rufus wanted to learn to read the words in his beloved picture book.

I see the story ending on the high note of students enjoying all aspects of school.

It is BACK-TO-SCHOOL time and this would be a good read at home for the kids starting school, in school libraries for read-aloud sessions, and for shelving at libraries everywhere. (rev. VG)

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review and the opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

ALLY-SAURUS & THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL by Richard Torrey

Summer will be over before you can say "Jack Robin" or quick as a wink and before the leaves turn red and orange. Mom will be buying backpacks, pencils, crayons and all kinds of goodies and tools of the craft of being a student. And for that first-ever-in-school-child there will be talks and instructions and all kinds of fear-allaying techniques.

Meet ALLY-SAURUS as she goes to her First Day of School.....

About the book: You can call her Ally-SAURUS! When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she'll meet lots of other dinosaur-mad kids in class. Instead, she's the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of would-be "princesses" snubs her! Will Ally ever make new friends? With its humorous art, appealing heroine, and surprise ending, this fun picture book celebrates children's boundless imagination.


My thoughts: First a quick glance through the book at Richard Torrey's delightful drawings. He uses color sparsely and in just the right places. It emphasizes what is important in that drawing.

The children are sketched with lines for smiles and dots for eyes. And their teacher wears big, bug-eye glasses. There are lots of stripes on kids in their shirts, dresses, and leggings. Typical of kids. And drawings that make kids comfortable because they, too, can draw dots for eyes and lines for smiles.

Ally loves dinosaurs and her vivid imagination - so typical of the young child - carries the dinosaur on her very person. She is Ally-Saurus and she goes to school for the first time.

She meets the other children and find they, too, have vivid imaginations and their imagination has made them princesses, pirates, astronauts and other creatures and persons. Some don't want a roaring dinosaur around them, but soon they all discover that friends understand that each likes different things.

I just love Ally-Saurus. She will find her way into your, and your child's, heart and will help you to help your child enter their own first day of school. (rev.
VG)

Let's meet the author:

What gave you the idea for Ally’s “Saurus” identity and its relationship to her first day of school? 

First of all, Ally-Saurus was originally going to be about a boy. When my son was between the ages of 3 and 5 he often insisted that he was a giant black dog. He would then rattle off a litany of specific characteristics that he (as the giant dog) had, including sharp teeth, claws, and a spiked collar.

His description never varied, and if we ever interrupted him while reciting said attributes, he would have to start over—in case we had forgotten or missed one. In other words, while this was his imagination at work here, he was quite serious about it. Looking back on it, my wife and I concluded that he might have pretended to be this giant fearless dog to compensate for the fact that he was always the smallest child in any classroom he was in (he has Celiac Disease and before he was diagnosed and treated, was quite small).

I read a bit about your background and you began doodling as a child. Taking that talent to a professional level is amazing. Do you even feel you have lost your love of doodling and it has become a chore?

While I have never lost my love of doodling, I find that I don’t spend the same amount of time “just doodling”. Because I now do it professionally, and due to the constraints of time, I rarely just pick up a piece of paper or a pad and just doodle. If I do, I almost reflexively become aware of the fact that I need to be perfecting a character’s look, or expanding on an idea I’m trying to develop, and invariably that doodle becomes something else…. something with a purpose behind it. I’m not complaining, mind you. I love it just the same.

What advice would you give aspiring illustrators and authors of children’s books?

I would first ask them if they are really interested in creating children’s books or are they more focused on being able to hold that book up and say, “I DID THIS!”.

Those who will succeed are the one’s who are interested in the creative process. It is fraught with rejection and disappointment, but if they stay positive, and learn from the rejections or the mistakes, they will, in the end, make it. There is no one guaranteed path to success. There is one guaranteed path to failure, and that is quitting. As Richard Bach said, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”

Let's have some fun! Here is a link for downloadable activity sheets. These are sure to please. Word games, a maze, color, draw. Just sheer fun as a gift from Richard. CLICK HERE

HERE IS A GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY: Re-tweet the following & ATTACH AN ALLY-SAURUS PICTURE. (A simple cute & paste will do it.) Simple & you'll be entered in the giveaway. It MUST include the hashtag #Allys1stDay to be counted

Enter #Giveaway #Allys1stDay @richtorrey @SterlingKids ALLY-SAURUS 1st Day of School http://bit.ly/1O7lDWc

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review from Sterling Publishing. Opinions are mine, alone. I received no compensation. The giveaway copy is also provided by Sterling who will send it to the winner.

If An Elephant Went to School by Ellen Fischer & illustrated by Laura Wood

About the book: Would an elephant learn the ABCs if she went to school? No way! She would learn to use her trunk as a nose, a straw, a hand, and a hose!

Through a series of questions and answers, readers learn about animals and their unique behaviors. And in the end, you might find yourself asking just what would you learn.

My thoughts: I previously reviewed Ellen Fischer’s If An Armadillo Went to a Restaurant and found it to be fun to look at just what various animals and critters would eat at restaurants. Ms. Fischer has just released a second in this series and it is just in time for those little ones going to school – either for the first time or returning – If An Elephant Went to School. Frankly, I enjoyed this one even more than the Armadillo story. This is just plain fun.

Laura Woods is again illustrating this book just as she did the Armadillo book. These animals are full of life, expression, and just down right cute. I like that she uses different tones of color in her illustrations than we normally find in kiddie books. She deviates a bit from basic primary colors and incorporates teals, russets, and variations of browns, greens and oranges. The colors literally pop.

There are lessons to be learned for these critters going to school. Each learns what is best for that type of critter. Would the bee learn to read? No, the bee would learn to make honey.

The story is great as a read-aloud book for group settings such as library groups, classrooms, etc. as well as reading it individually to a child. It can also be  read by early readers, though the vocabulary right be beyond really early readers.

At the end, the question is raised, “If I went to school what would I learn?” Then the comparison of learning what critters learn and what a child learns is brought about ending on a happy note where the child is brought into the story himself.

GIVEAWAY

Enter Giveaway on Goodreads.com 

Giveaway dates: May 21 - Aug 11, 2015

3 copies available

Countries available: US

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by the Mighty Media Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.