Notes on the New Books (2)

The know-it-all narrator from the New York Times Bestselling How to Be a Baby is back with the third book in the series. This time, she knows all about how to get a job, and she walks readers through the whole process: from deciding what you want to be all the way to acing the interview (tip: don't bring your pet gerbils). This book is sure to be a hit with kids who love to play pretend and dream about what they're going to be when they grow up.

How to Get a Job by Me The Boss


Love this book! llustrations were a plenty, and the text was funny and to the point. I am sure a lot of mom's and dad's out there would really appreciate this book if they are working, or going back to work. Also, it is a great way to introduce the idea of having jobs to kids, just so they know one day they will have to work too. And they should do what they love. 

Tommy's not himself today. He's lost his T-R-U-C-K! And no matter what Mom, Dad, sis, brother, and Grandma offer, it's just not as fun as his best red truck. The family dog isn't as picky, and sharp-eyed readers will wonder what happens to the cast-off toys Bowser gets his mouth around. Meanwhile, Tommy tears through the house and yard to hilarious and poignant effect, only to discover, in a grand moment of triumph, sneaky Bowser's secret stash. Hooray! Tommy's found his T-R-U-C-K! Come on Bowser, let's go play!
A welcome addition to the community of strong-willed but endearing picture-book protagonists, Tommy proves you can be in a funk and still be a sweet kid.

Where's My T-R-U-C-K?


I heart Karen Beaumont. It's been love ever since I Ain't Gonna Paint No More. I like this book. Just like Say What?, it rings very true to how a child thinks. I mean it even feels like he is spelling TRUCK, just as an adult would when we're hiding a word from a child. As per usual, the illunstrations are fantastic, bright and animated. 

There once was a little, little girl... with a BIG, BIG voice.
One day she went to find someone to play with.
In this vibrantly illustrated picture book, one loud little girl looks for a friend to play with. She searches the jungle high and low for a pal but her BIG voice scares all the animals away! One by one, an elephant, a snake and a croc quickly retreat away from her booming vocals, until at last she finds the perfect playmate-whose "roar" is even louder than hers!

The Little Little Girl With the Big Big Voice


This book feels like it could be a cartoon, I actually wish it was. I want to hear what her voice sounds like, it feels like she would say really sassy cute things. Other than that, it felt like a "name the animal book"... the illustrations make it feel more original. 

Notes on the New Books

What if everything were just like boys? If shopping carts were like boys . . . grocery stores would be racetracks! If pillows were like boys . . . bedrooms would be superhero hideouts! Perfect for bedtime, this funny and tender celebration of boyhood will have everyone seeing their world in a whole new way.

This book was cute. I was kind of mad at it because it is written for boys... but then I realize how many books are girl books and I felt bad... now I am mad all over again because I just don't believe in girl books/boy books. I have also noticed quite a trend with these books, short phrases, linked by a theme, different pictures. They are cute, sometimes funny, but I think I am bored of them.

When a lion says ROAR,does he really mean MORE?When a cow says MOO,does she really mean YOU?How do we know what animals say when they say what they say with their sounds everyday? With an interactive text and bright, playful illustrations, Angela DiTerlizzi and Joey Chou explore what baby animals really mean when they make their adorable baby animal sounds.

I liked this book because I it is from a children's point of view. I remember thinking as a child that my pet dog really want to talk to me, I just didn't understand her language. Heck, I still think my cats are talking to me. I am thinking about using this one for a story time next month.

Dots here, dots there, you can see dots everywhere! Some are loud, and some are quiet. Some are happy, and some are sad. Some dots even taste yummy, while others taste bad. Graphic designer Patricia Intriago sets bold, circular shapes against a stark white background to emphasize opposite dot relationships. 

This is one of those concept teaching books. With simple illustrations, the author get's across a visual description of the words... It is highly imaginative and I think the right kids would really like it.

Ivy and Fletch have been best friends since babyhood. But when they get to kindergarten, they discover that the girls play with the girls, and the boys with the boys; suddenly Ivy and Fletch find themselves apart on the playground, on the Princess Team and the Pirate Team. It isn't until Fletch steps in to rescue Princess Ivy from pirate capture that they realize they miss playing together. Can they desegregate their playground?
This lighthearted story of cooperation and open-mindedness will resonate with kids, parents, and teachers everywhere.

This book is the answer to If Waffles Were Like Boys. It shows that girls and boys can play the same, even though they are girls and boys. The illustrations were very animated, kind of reminded me of Karen Beaumont. Only thing I found odd... There was a lot of hand holding. I have a feeling some would have an issue with the touchy-feeliness of the gesture.

Books That Aren't About Halloween

Thanks to all the zombies and werewolves in YA and Adult lit these days, it has creeped into Children's books. Which makes Halloweenish books that have nothing to do with Halloween plentiful this year. They are mostly picture books with monsters, skeletons, ghosts and bats and creepy things. I like to think of them as seasonal books... that are cool all year round. And it means I don't have to put a Halloween sticker on them and hide them in the back room for 11 months out of the year. Which I think is pretty stupid btw, kids don't care when they read about Halloween.

When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor.
When a monster is born, there are two possibilities—Either it’s a faraway-in-the-forests monster, or . . .it’s an under-your-bed monster.If it’s a faraway-in-the-forests monster, that’s that.But if it’s an under-your-bed monster, all sorts of comical things can happen.Read it at bedtime and laugh your pajamas off . . .or read it during the day and laugh your socks off!- From Goodreads

This book was a hoot! I classify it as one of those books written for the adults and the kids. It has bright comic book illustrations, quick lines of rhyming and repeating text in varying fonts on each page. Great read aloud!

Substitute Creacher

The troublemaking students of Ms. Jenkins' class arrive at school one day to discover a substitute creacher has come to put a stop to their monkey business! He regales them with mind-boggling stories about his former students who didn't follow the rules: Keith the glue-eater, Zach the daydreamer, and Hank the prankster, to name a few. But even this multi-tentacled, yellow-spotted, one-eyed monster's cautionary tales about the consequences of mischief-making can't seem to change the students' wicked ways until he reveals the spookiest and most surprising story of all: his own.

This is written like a comic book so the pictures are fantastic. This book could actually be a back to school book, or set up during the Halloween season.

Zombie in Love

Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He’s tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?

This book is my absolute favorite, I only have had one chance to read it since it has been checked out ever since. The illustrations are as fantastic as the story.

The Tree

Tree: Week 3

New Books!

Dinosaur Vs. The Library by Bob Shea

Dinosaur is going to one of his favorite places: the library! On the way, he encounters a series of animals--a cow, some baby chicks, a lonesome turtle, a sad owl--and shares his roars with each. When he reaches his final destination, he faces his biggest challenge yet: Storytime! Library wins! Well, okay, they both win when Dinosaur settles down to listen with his animals friends. 

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon

Awesome Man can shoot positronic rays out of his eyeballs, fly as straight as an arrow, and hug mutant Jell-O! Even villains like Professor Von Evil and the Flaming Eyeball are no match for this caped crusader. But Awesome Man also has a secret. . . . Can you guess what it is? The first picture book from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon perfectly captures the fantasy life of young superhero fans. 

There is one page in particular that made me fall in love with this book. It is just Awesome Man on the page and the text below reads "I'm just basically awesome". I want that emblazoned on a t-shirt. 

What Dat? By David Horvath

Look out, Richard Scarry! There's a new busy word book in town—and Ugly has never looked better! The wildly popular Uglydoll characters are sharing their bright and colorful Uglyverse down to the tiniest detail. Featuring over 563 labeled wacky and regular words, readers will have a blast with lots and lots to search for, point to, and wonder about.
What dat? Dat, folks, is a whole wide world of Ugly fun!

I know we're suppose to teach children proper English and all, but this book was cute + fun. It is basically like any word book, but with the awesome Ugly Dolls thrown in, so it's awesome.