Latest and Greatest From Penguin!

(Me and Harlan Coben - check out his first picture book below!)

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to go to my son’s four year old nursery class and talk to the children about how books become books. From basic art and text to a folded and gathered copy and finally bound and ready for purchase, the children had a great time comparing a book in a flimsy state to a final hardcover copy. I showed them some up and coming picture books and easy readers and now I will share them with you too. Happy Reading!

New Board Books:

   

Corduroy’s Colors, Corduroy’s Numbers

I love that this series incorporates the concept being taught in a sentence. Whether Corduroy is playing in green grass or counting three pigs, it helps a child understand in context what they learning. There are so many objects on each page to help build vocabulary skills, from different flowers and fruits in the garden in Corduroy’s Colors to the many different farm animals in Corduroy’s Numbers.

New Non-Fiction:

 

Astrid Lindgren – Johanna Hurwitz

The newest addition to the Women of Our Time Series, Lindgren is most famous (to me) for being the author of the Pippi Longstocking series. I loved learning that the character started off as someone Lindgren made up in stories she told her daughter and after she was home bound after breaking her ankle she decided to write the stories down and send them to a publisher. What a fortuitous mishap for young children everywhere!

 

The Buzz on Insects – Gina Shaw

This Level 3 reader dives into the world of six legged, two antennae bugs that fill our world (for better or for worse). The photos of ants, caterpillars, ladybugs and others are vivid and beautiful (if also a little gross) and science terms are explained in the glossary on the last page.

 

The Moon – James Buckley Jr.

Ever wonder if the moon is really made of cheese or a man lives there? This Level 4 reader goes through the history of studying the moon from Galileo to Neil Armstrong and all the details discovered along the way.

 

Curious About Fossils – Kate Waters

Sometimes all you need is a picture of giant sloth poop to get kids excited about a science topic like fossils. In this book, you will learn about famous fossil collectors, dinosaurs, how fossils are handled and so much more. This book is perfect for dinosaur lovers who want to go beyond the types of dinosaurs that roamed the earth and a glossary in the back explains key concepts.  


Curious About Snow – Gina Shaw

Snowflakes have different shapes but they all have six sides. Billions of snowflakes fall in every snowstorm. An avalanche is a moving mass of snow that slides down a mountain. Want to learn more fun facts? Pick up a copy of this book, filled with amazing photos of snowflakes you did not know you needed to see.

 

Baby Orca - Mary Batten and Chris Rallis

I first learned about Orcas from the Disney show Octonauts. Baby Orcas are also known as killer whales and are the top predators in the ocean - even sharks are scared of them! Orcas come to life in this easy to read book that takes one on a journey from baby Orca to mother with beautiful photos and illustrations.

Easy Reader Fiction:

 

Get a Hit Mo – David A. Adler

A baseball book for reluctant sports fans in early elementary school, this book teaches the importance of perseverance and never giving up. Trying your best can end in a home run! This is a level 2 reader, perfect for children starting to read on their own.

Picture Books:

 

The Huey’s in What’s the Opposite? – Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers is a master at making concept books exciting for adults to read to their children. Of course the opposite of up is down, but every parent wants to share that the opposite of half full is half empty (with the exact same glass of juice). The illustrations of the lovable Hueys make this a fun read for all, and there is no better way to entertain a child than through entertaining their adult. This book is also available in board book format.

 

The Magical Fantastical Fridge – Harlan Coben

Every good mom displays her children’s artwork on their fridge, right? What better way for a boy to get out of setting the table for dinner than to “fall” right into his own drawings on the fridge and then has to use his imagination to get himself out. This books is definitely a fresh interpretation on the age old adage, “There’s no place like home”. While the illustrations aren’t really my style, they are loud and fun for an older child (kindergarten – first grade) who can understand the concept. Adult fans of Coben will be excited to expose one of their favorite authors with their children and prep them for his YA novel Shelter.

 

Snappsy the Alligator (did not ask to be in this book) – Julie Falatko

There is something hilarious about a protagonist talking back to the narration in a book. Poor Snappsy feels he needs to defend his actions and decisions and is pressured to make his story “less boring” even though he does not want to be a part of a story, he just wants to have a regular day. This is definitely a story parents will not mind reading over and over with their children.

 

Ten Kisses for Sophie – Rosemary Wells

Sophie fans rejoice! Sophie is back, this time helping her mother make chocolate kisses for dessert for a party. Sophie gets nervous there will not be enough for everyone but she luckily has the best grandmother to come and save the day! Your youngest readers will understand Sophie’s angst about maybe not getting the dessert they have been awaiting for days and learn a great lesson giving to others.

 

A Recipe for Bedtime – Peter Bently

Does this sound like a familiar night routine to you? Undress baby -> bath time -> pajamas -> milk -> bed -> kiss goodnight -> leave room -> come back to room -> sing baby to sleep. If this resonates with you, this is your new bedtime story for your little one. You are sure to love the illustrations and the rhyming text and any parent of a baby or toddler can relate to this book.

 

The Importance of Being 3 – Lindsay Ward

My two and half year old is convinced this book was written just for her. After all, she is about to be three and she is learning to draw letter and shapes, play independently in the playground and make friends. Throwing tantrums and spills are still guaranteed in three year old life, but the new adventures for a growing toddler are exciting and endless and this is a sure to be appreciated gift for any child turning three.

Little Bitty Friends – Elizabeth McPike

Simple rhyming text connects little children with the little critters in nature. Ants, baby rabbits, baby turtles, caterpillars and more all interact with young ones on the pages. This adorable story is an easy way to instill an early love of the great outdoors to the young ones in your life.

 

Super Jumbo – Fred Koehler

Being a super hero is not always easy, but someone has to look out for the neighborhood! Even though he always means to do the right thing, sometimes Super Jumbo’s helping hands go a little awry. There is no better book to inspire children to be the most super version of themselves than this adorable tale of a baby elephant wanting to better the world. This is an absolutely delightful book to read and share with children at home, at story time and in school settings.  

Middle Grade Fiction:

 

Jack and Louisa (Book 2) – Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead

Theater nerds rejoice - Jack and Louisa are back! (If you missed their first book, it is a must read for any fan of Broadway.) Act 2 takes us on a trip to the Big Apple and on a new adventure in how serious school plays really are. This is such a fun, fast-paced read whether you are a guy or a doll you will love the next installment of these two friends’ theater adventure.

Hello, World!

    

Sometimes I wish I was a world traveler and had cool photo albums filled with pictures of famous landmarks and renowned art pieces from all of my explorations that I could share with my family and friends. Until the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami becomes a landmark, something tells me it will be a while before I have a more sophisticated photo album. Until then, my children have to learn about the world from television, books and their imagination.

My children love the television show Little Einsteins on Disney Junior which has exposed them to classical music and many recognized works of art and iconic cities around the world. They often ask if they can go to these places and see the Eiffel Tower in France or Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. While I feel bad telling them that we are not leaving the East Coast any time soon, a new board book series brings those cities and their cultures to life in my living room (when the television is off).

In this four book series, Hello, World highlights the best attractions and iconic features each city has to offer. It is also a concept series so you will practice your opposites in London, your numbers in San Francisco, your shapes in Paris and your colors in New York. Every parent who has been to any of these places (or lives in one of these cities) will be able to talk about the sites featured on a more personal level. I showed my children pictures of Buckingham Palace I took when I was there and held it up next to the picture in the book (they LOVED that!)

Each page of every book has something exciting to talk about with your child and truly captures the essence of each city. In the heart of New York City you can spot more than just colors while taxi cabs are flying through the streets and dogs are being walked in the park. On a sunny day in San Francisco you can count the people hopping on and off trolleys and watching the boats float by. Every must see site in Paris is mentioned in this book about shapes and children will love the changing of the guards and tea parties starting and ending in the London book of opposites.

The illustrations are bright, inviting and truly captivate the feeling of each city. I emailed the author/illustrator Ashley Evanson and asked her why she chose these four specific locations and she told me that “Each one is overflowing with its own unique culture, art, customs and life. I loved studying the history of all these cities and wanted to teach my own kids about it, too”. You will love sharing these books with your toddlers and they will love learning new concepts while experiencing another part of the world.  

The Biography Report

Me and David A. Adler

Warren Buffet once said in an interview that he is able to make smart executive decisions because he reads nonfiction books, mainly biographies. My husband thinks Mr. Buffet is one of the smartest men in the world, so he decided to start reading Business Week and told me to start reading more nonfiction as well. I took his advice and read Mindy Kaling’s first book, Is Everybody Hanging out without me? (And Other Concerns). We obviously have different opinions on quality nonfiction literature.

Everyone gets assigned a Biography report at some point in elementary school. I remember standing in front of my 3^rd grade class, dressed in black boots and a floral dress with my hair in pigtails and presented an oral report about the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I am sure I chose her but I have no  idea why, she was an author of a series I didn’t read until that report. With today’s new biography series, children really have the ability to choose a person they are genuinely interested in learning more about. Even better, they are written for children on all levels so if your kindergartner wants to learn more about Jackie Robinson, there are picture books for him. And if your third grader loves Maurice Sendak more than Laura Ingalls Wilder, there’s a biography for him too. 

When I became a librarian, a coworker once advised me to read at least one book in every series on the shelf so that when a parent or child asked me what it was about or what reading level it was I would know without hitting up my computer. I took it upon myself to read three biographies from three up and coming series focusing on famous people throughout time, the Women of Our Time Series, the Ordinary People Change the World Series and the Who Was/Who Is series.

  

Women of Our Time

This series focuses on renowned women of the 20^th century. Ranging from Coretta Scott King to Juliette Gordon Low, these books focus on the childhood and youth of these women, displaying their trials and tribulations and how that shaped them into the women who made headlines and paved the way for women everywhere. Each book is written by a different renowned author and the stories of these women give young people the opportunity to learn how vast childhood can be for people around the world and in different times and also teach that if you have a passion for something, nothing can stand in your way.

I read Golda Meir: A Strong Determined Leader by David A. Adler (who I had the honor of meeting at BEA this past year) and learned all about her journey from Russia to Israel. She was leader from a young age and is a truly inspirational role model for today’s young women (and men) who aspire to run for President one day. The back of the book has a timeline and index for reference use. Adler is a master storyteller and has written many picture book biographies worth reading as well. 

Ordinary People Change the World

Nothing screams “read me” like a brightly illustrated book with cartoon illustrations. The books read like a comic book and are voiced in first person by the famous person as a child. Titles include Jackie Robinson, Lucille Ball, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein and more. When children learn from a young age that famous people struggle in school or have hardships similar to them, it gives them the confidence to work hard to accomplish their dreams.

I read the newest book in the series about Helen Keller. The first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts, Helen Keller is one of the most motivating role model out there. Each book has authentic pictures of the person in the back, along with a timeline of her life, sources and further reading. The anecdotes in talking bubbles make this an easy reader and makes each individual feel easily relatable.  

Who Is/Who Was?

Think of a person and I bet you will find that name in this series list. From George Lucas to Frida Kahlo there is no way a child wouldn’t find a person they are interested in learning more about. Artists, scientists, actors, sports stars are all written about in this series. These chapter books are perfect for the elementary school book report with simple text and relevant illustrations. The timelines at the end of each book are amazing because side by side they navigate the person’s personal life in conjunction with what was happening in the world at the same time. There is also a bibliography for resource use.

I read the biography of Julia Child. Everything I knew about Julia Child was from the movie Julie & Julia. This was far more interesting than that movie. Julia did such interesting things throughout her life and she didn’t even plan on doing most of the jobs she fell into. My favorite anecdote is when Julia had to fill out a form in college stating her major and work plans Post College she wrote, “No plans and marriage preferable”. Julia Child isn’t just an inspiration to the child cook she proves that one can accomplish amazing things in life despite getting Cs in school and not having a clear direction after graduating college. Maybe this book will also become the new book to give as a graduation gift along with Oh the Places You’ll Go.

      

I also have made the time to read two adult autobiographies, Yes, My Accent Is Real by Kunal Nayyar and Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling. I had to read Kunal Nayyar's book because I had already received an excerpt from it at the Book Expo and I needed to finish the whole book, (You can read about my experience meeting Kunal Nayyar here.) While I can’t say that I learned the secrets to making better business decisions, I can say that I laughed out loud during both books and personally feel I have a lot of good stories to share about famous people at my dinner table.    

G&D Vintage Books

  

When it comes to illustrating picture books, the ways to do it are endless. Programs like Photoshop or 3D animation take watercolor or oil pastel images to a whole new level. While this is a new and exciting development, the people at Penguin Publishing believe in the tried and true pen and ink classic pictures and have recently introduced their line of G&D Vintage books – relaunching books from the Wonder Books line that were originally published in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Each book has a nostalgic feel but the colors and stories are fresh and exciting for today’s youngest readers. It’s a genius way to make the classics relevant and to create a bond between grandparents and grandchildren by sharing the books they loved as children with the next generation of readers.

My favorite books in this series are:

The Animals’ Vacation – Shel and Jan Haber

The zoo keeper gathers up the animals and drops them off in their natural habitats for vacation but they all head back to the zoo in time to celebrate Mrs. Kangaroo’s new baby. The best part of this book is the map on the back end pages that highlights where each animal from the story live around the world.

The Too Little Fire Engine – Jane Flory

A small toy engine has always wanted to help fight fires. When his friends at the toy shop laugh at this idea, he is more determined than ever to put out a fire. When the fire alarm goes off in town, he heads out to the heart of emergency and learns that even when you are small you can help in big ways. This book is ideal for any child who loves rescue vehicles.

The Noisy Clock Shop – Jean Horton Berg

Mr. Winky loves his clock shop and takes comfort in the constant hum of the tick-tock. When Mr. Glum points out how irritating the sound is, Mr. Winky is suddenly bothered by the noise as well and starts on a journey to find peace and quiet. He travels all over in search of the perfect spot and finds it in the heart of his clock shop. The book has great illustrations and reminds everyone that there is no place like home.

The full title list of books in this series:

The Funny Bunny Factory

The Fix It Max

The Baby Elephant

The Christmas Puppy

The Animals’ Vacation

Mr. Wishing Went Fishing

The Bingity Bangity School Bus

My ABC Book

The Noisy Clock Shop

Bunny Hopwell’s First Spring

The Too Little Fire Engine

Fall Is In The Air!

My family does not celebrate Halloween (unless you count buying the candy for 75% off the day after “celebrating”), but all the costumes and decorations are already being displayed and it is hard to avoid. In another week children’s television shows will already be airing their Halloween episodes and that is really when I start to feel the fall season in full swing (even if we are still wearing short sleeves). I am really excited about the new Halloween books out this season which range from baby to big kid which I urge you to check out and even though my kids won’t be carving pumpkins or dressing up like many of the characters in these stories, I love sharing with them the spirit of the season by making pumpkin cookies (here’s our favorite recipe: http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/soft-batch-frosted-pumpkin-cookies/http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/soft-batch-frosted-pumpkin-cookies/ ).

Disney Tails: Figaro’s Halloween Surprise

This is an adorable touch and feel book starring Minnie’s pet cat. Figaro decides to create a “spooktacular surprise” for his friend Cleo and young readers will be able to feel the crisp leaves, ripe pumpkins, soft noses and costumes. This brightly illustrated story brings the colors and spirit of the Halloween season to life.

Seven Orange Pumpkins – Stephen Savage

This Halloween counting book incorporates everyone’s favorite spooky aspects of this holiday. Count down with skeletons, pirates, owls, mummies, witches, black cats and spiders. The nighttime illustrations set the tone beautifully and with the vibrant rhyming text this is sure to be a counting book read all year round.

Mickey’s Halloween – A Lift the Flap Book

I love a lift the flap book. I especially love this particular one because it caters to children who are old enough NOT to rip the flaps. With a rhyme and look and find on every page, this book is really perfect for a three to five year old who will appreciate lifting the flaps to find their favorite characters dressed in costume, help to collect treats and spot familiar shapes and animals on every page.

Peter Rabbit – The Great Pumpkin

The lovable Peter Rabbit (from the hit television series on Nick Jr.) is celebrating Pumpkin Day with his family and friends. Obviously, he needs a giant pumpkin from Mr. McGregor’s garden and runs into trouble in the process of getting it. Luckily, Peter and his friends always come up with a plan and celebrate the holiday in style. The graphics are so vivid and the story is not specifically Halloween and can be used for any fall themed story time. The last pages have instructions to carve your own pumpkin and a certificate for completing your lantern creation.

Room on the Broom Big Activity Book – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Your source for all Halloween and fall activities lies in the book. Perfect to keep any young child busy for hours with fun, this book is filled with games – dot to dot, complete the scene with stickers, matching, look and find, word searches, mazes, crosswords, and more. There are a ton of stickers, coloring and drawing opportunities and recipes to cook festive Halloween snacks (I am all about the Star Cookies). The book has an answer key in the back for each activity and is filled with seasonal characters and themes including witches, brooms, magic spells, and dragons. You can also check out the website for printable activities. You will love playing games with this witch! http://roomonthebroom.com/activities/ 

Corduroy Made Me Famous!

Anyone who knows me knows that I make my job look pretty awesome. I get advanced reader copies of books and meet really famous people so obviously everyone wishes they were a librarian for about 20 seconds after I post a cool picture or I publicize that I received a highly anticipated picture book before it hits the shelves. Back in December I received an adorable Corduroy and took him on adventures with me for a week. Shortly after I passed him around I wrote an article about the experience and it has been published in this month's Children and Libraries Journal! To quote their website, Children and Libraries(CAL) is the official, refereed journal of the Association for Library Service to Children. It primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education for librarians working with children, and showcases current scholarly research and practice in library service to children and significant activities and initiatives of the Association.

 

Every time I read an article in this journal I always think about how successful the authors must be in their careers and how knowledgeable they must be to be able to write a piece worthy of being shared with all the librarians who receive the journal. I am honored to be a part of the author list for this esteemed journal and will now share with you my essay. I hope everyone just assumes I am as amazing in my career as I look in that bio picture on the page.

Also - a very special shout out to Penguin Publishing because without their Corduroy initiative I never would have had this experience. You guys are the best!

The Enduring Power of Corduroy

Keep A Look Out For These Upcoming Picture Books!

Get excited for some of these upcoming picture books, you definitely do not want to miss them!

FROG AND FLY 
By: Jeff Mack

It is a common fact that Frogs eat flies and this book is a reminder of just how much. The simple and bright illustrations along with the thought and talking bubbles make this a thoroughly enjoyable read-aloud and a wonderful easy-reader for beginners. The book is broken down into six short interactions between Frog and Fly and though Frog seems to take the win the end is sure to make you smile when you see how Fly gets the last laugh. Frog’s expressions truly bring this story to life and is the perfect tie in to a unit about frogs, amphibians or the food chain. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser for all children.

READY RABBIT GETS READY

By: Brenna Maloney

Anyone who has ever encountered a morning with a toddler can relate to this book. As a parent or caregiver who needs to get out of the house to get anywhere on time is sure to run into the problem of the toddler having more important things to do and Ready Rabbit is no different. Ready Rabbit is well aware that he needs to get up and get ready for the day but he really needs to build space ships and ride his motorcycle because that is much more important than eating breakfast or brushing his teeth. Young children will immediately connect with Ready Rabbit and find they have similar morning routines and the same adventurous interests. What is most appealing about Ready Rabbit is the illustrations on every page. Rabbit himself is a sock puppet and the pictures of the toys around his house are toys children all own including Legos, dinosaurs, animals and more. Rabbit’s imagination is sure to spark creativity to all is sure to be fans, so be prepared for the newest excuses of why your own toddler is not ready for school on time!

LITTLE BABY BUTTERCUP

By: Linda Ashman

If a toddler could write up a summary of a typical day in her life, this book would be the result. Ashman does not miss a beat highlighting daily toddler routine. Starting with morning breakfast she moves on to playing before heading outdoors in rain or shine. Ashman highlights the most popular parts of the playground and the way toddlers love to “help” with chores. Ashman reminds adults that despite a little mess from time to time, a parent truly loves every minute spent with their little one no matter what. Byun’s illustrations are bright and lively and go hand in hand with the text. This book is the perfect read aloud to share with your little one, especially if they are old enough to verbally express the shared similarities between the book and their own everyday routine. I personally cannot wait to share this book with my own children!

BY MOUSE AND FROG

By: Deborah Freedman

Mouse is trying to write a story and his friend Frog has better ideas of what should be happening in Mouse’s tale. A lesson in collaboration and friendship, By Mouse and Frog is the perfect read-aloud for any preschool class. The most entertaining part of the story is when Frog gets carried away and starts quoting other famous children’s books. Children will love spotting lines from the Pigeon series by Mo Willems, Goodnight Moon, Chicken Little, Are You My Mother and more! The pictures compliment the dialogue perfectly making this sure to be an instant favorite that parents will not mind reading over and over.