Books We Will Be Giving (and receiving) This Holiday Season

Hello Thirsty Blog Readers!

It has been awhile since our last post, but here we are again with another fabulous list of the best books that we’ve read over the past few months! This post is brought to you by Luke (age 5) and Brynn (age 2.5). Think of this list as a Venn diagram: Luke’s top picks first, followed by books that both Brynn and Luke enjoyed, and then Brynn’s favorites at the end. We hope that you find something amazing to give to young readers that you love!

We Forgot Brock! by Carter Goodrich: I (Luke) love this book, and my mom says that it’s one of her all-time favorite children’s books, too! It’s a wonderful story about a little boy, Phillip, who has an imaginary friend, Brock, whom he accidentally leaves at the fair one night. Brock meets a little girl with an imaginary friend of her own, and she takes him home with her until they finally find Phillip. In the end, the four become great friends. The best part of this book, however, are the illustrations. Phillip and the rest of the “real” characters are done in color–beautiful, soft, amazing color–while the “imaginary” characters are done in cartoonish black and white. The contrast is stunning. If you’re looking for quality picture books, this book is one for the shelf.

Yak and Gnu by Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Cat Chapman: There are some children’s books that you read and think, “I could have written that!” And then there are others that you read and marvel that the author could have come up with such a clever text. Yak and Gnu is one of the latter. Simply put, it’s a book about friendship. But the text is so clever that it elevates the book above most others that we’ve read. The text rhymes, except when it doesn’t, and those few places are used to emphasize the growing realization that there are many other animals who pilot their own water crafts, just like kayak-paddling Yak and the canoe-loving Gnu. But in the end, the friends realize that “There’s nobody else quite like you!” I (Luke) love this book because of the song that Yak and Gnu sing throughout the book. Anything with music has me completely hooked. Mom loves this book because it tickles her inner English teacher with the use of non-rhyming lines to emphasize the message. The illustrations are also very well done. I am giving this book to several of my friends this year!

A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Mike Lowery: I (Luke) have read this book with my mom and by myself a dozen times since we borrowed it from the library this month. It’s about a little boy who can’t write very many words, but he can write enough letters and squiggles to start a story of his own, just like his big sister. Any story that deals with the imagination and creating something is a story that I’m interested in, but this book captured my interest in particular because the little boy doesn’t know how to start his story, and he gets stuck multiple times. It’s not easy for him, but his big sister encourages him by saying that he’s the boss of his own story. I like that idea. Maybe some day I’ll write my own books for others to review!

Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi: Dr. Seuss is a master of rhyme. The King of children’s books. A genius on so many levels. Teeny Tiny Toady reminds me of Dr. Seuss. High praise, I know, but the rhyme has a beautiful flow to it and Esbaum uses creative not-quite-words just as Dr. Seuss did. The story is about Teeny, the smallest girl-toad in a family of big strapping brothers. One day, Mama Toad gets picked up by a human boy and stuck in a bucket, and it’s Teeny and her brothers who have to save her. The brothers try their hardest, but they really aren’t very bright, and they never listen to Teeny’s ideas. In the end, after her brothers fall in themselves, it’s up to Teeny to save her Mama AND her brothers from the bucket. An awesome story about a spunky little she-toad who saves the day with her brains instead of her brawn. For little people like me, it’s a satisfying message. The illustrations are beautiful, too! Another high-quality picture book for the shelf.

Maggie and Wendel Imagine Everything by Cori Doerrfeld: This book is one that both Brynn and I (Luke) loved. The text is incredibly simple, just a few words on each page, but the adventures of these two siblings are incredibly complex. Maggie is the older sister, but she really enjoys playing with her younger brother Wendel. Together, they create imaginative play scenarios that keep them endlessly entertained. They don’t always get along, but they do manage to make up on their own (something that fascinated both Brynn and me). Clever, spare illustrations allow the reader a look into the play worlds that Maggie and Wendel create together. A great book for siblings!

The Acrobat by Alborozo: Both Brynn and I like this book. The text is simple enough for Brynn, but the story is engaging enough for me, and the surprise embedded in the climactic illustration toward the end is amazing and beautiful enough for anyone. The story is about a struggling acrobat who decides to leave the circus one day and ends up in a park. There, he tries trick after trick to entice the children to pay attention to him, but something else always draws them away. Until a colorful bird arrives and alights on the acrobat. Then another bird arrives. And another. And another. Soon, the acrobat is covered in birds of all colors. The kids are all watching now. Suddenly….pow! The acrobat leaps up, scattering the colorful birds in all directions (the illustration is stunning–Brynn and I both look at it for a long time)! A very neat book.

No, No, Kitten! by Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Lori Nichols: Hi! Brynn writing now! My turn! This book is one of my favorites from this year. I liked this book for several reasons: One, it has a cat in it, and I love cats. Two, the cat doesn’t listen to her owner, just like I don’t listen to my mom (most of the time). And three, the cat asks for all kinds of things that she shouldn’t have (again, just like me!) (like a helmet and lasers) and then uses those things to blast off to space. As a reader, you don’t know what all of these items are going to be used for until the countdown to liftoff starts. I love surprise endings! Illustrations are done by Lori Nichols of Maple fame and are whimsical and expressive.

Harry and Walter by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Qin Leng: My mom is not quite sure why I love this book so much, but it’s true, I love it! The story is about an almost-five-year-old little boy, Harry, whose best friend is a 92 year old man, Walter, who lives next door. They ride lawnmowers together, play games together, build snowmen together, and drink hot chocolate and talk together as they watch the snow fall. It’s a beautiful friendship…until Harry’s family has to move. There is a surprise ending again, which I love, but really, I like this book because I love my grandparents and this book shows me that I can be best friends with them.

The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants by Eric Litwin, illustrated by Scott Magoon: “Polka dot pants, polka dot pants, sing and dance in your polka dot pants!” Sing it with me! Eric Litwin in an interactive picture book genius. I didn’t think he could do any better than the original Pete the Cat books, but this book is pure fun. One rainy day, Hazel Nut decides she wants to sing and dance in her polka dot pants, but no one will play with her. Not Dad, not Mom, not little brother. Who does Hazel eventually call to save the day? Grandma, of course! I love the song that is repeated throughout the book, and I love doing the polka dot pants dance that’s at the end of the book. So much fun! I’m definitely giving this book to a few of my friends this year!

Mom School by Rebecca Van Slyke, illustrated by Priscilla Burris: This book would make a great gift for any mom with small kids. It’s about a little girl who imagines that her mom went to school to learn how to be a great mom. At Mom School her mom learned to bait a hook, throw a ball softly, ride roller coasters, grow vegetables, and decorate cupcakes. And even though her mom has a job that she goes to every day, her favorite job is “being my mom.” I enjoy reading this book with my mom because she talks about the things that she knows how to do that she still has to teach me, like putting a worm on a hook and playing the violin. I love that these kinds of conversations can emerge from books!

Happy Reading!

–Luke, Brynn, and Mama

If you click on the picture of a book, it will take you to Amazon.com. If you purchase a book through Amazon, a part of the proceeds will come back to me. I, in turn, will use the proceeds to purchase books for children’s literacy efforts in my community. Thank you!

0 Comments Leave a comment

The Joy of Jumping on the Bandwagon: The Book with No Pictures

Hi there!

My name is Luke, I am three years old, and I am a bookaholic.

This past Christmas, Mama gave me B.J. Novak’s The Book with No Pictures. She also gave it to three other friends of mine. Clearly, she loves the book and put her money where her mouth is.

Sometimes Mama’s taste in books does not coincide with mine (see A Sick Day for Amos Magee), but in this case, we are in complete agreement. The Book with No Pictures is AWESOME! So, there are literally zero pictures in the book (unless you count the penguin symbol for Penguin Books, in which case there are exactly THREE pictures on or in the book–trust me, I counted them). But there are crazy words that the person reading the book HAS TO SAY. And the “person reading the book” is usually an adult, so listening to an adult make weird noises and say weird things is really quite entertaining. Try it! And to make that adult read the book over and over again is the ultimate power trip. Think about it: the adult thinks that she is doing something educational for you, something “beneficial for your development,” but in reality, the adult is making a complete fool of herself and making you laugh and laugh at her as she stumbles through words like “ma-grumph-a-doo” and sings nonsense songs about her face being a bug.

Silly parent. The joke’s on you!

I’m just sitting here enjoying the show, enjoying the book, enjoying the words, en…joy…ing…read…ing…awww, man! I’ve been had!

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Clicking on the book will take you to Amazon.com, and if you decide to buy the book, a portion of your purchase comes back to me. I, in turn, will use the profits to purchase books for our local library or for a children’s literacy project.

0 Comments Leave a comment

My Mother-in-law Must Really Dislike Me

My mother-in-law must really dislike me.

On her last trip to visit, she came bearing books for my almost-three-year-old son Luke. The book that stole the show? Farts in the Wild: A Spotter’s Guide.

Yes. She bought my son a fart book.

And he LOVES it.

This little gem details farts from the smallest creatures (goldfish) up to the largest creatures (elephants), with eight lovely additional animals in between. It could be slightly educational as it also provides facts and stats about each creature’s farting habits, but that’s not what Luke likes about it.

Off to the side of the text is a panel with ten little buttons on it. Oh, yes. Push the buttons and you will hear a sample of the corresponding creature’s fart accompanied by the creature’s distinctive call. The goldfish blubs, the cat meows, the elephant trumpets, but they all fart.

A preschooler’s dream.

A parent’s worst nightmare.

And yet…

As I watched Luke play with this book on day eight (yes, I was definitely counting the days), I realized he was doing something interesting with it and not just pressing buttons randomly anymore. Luke had his music player next to him, and he had This Old Man on repeat. As the song played, he pressed the number that the singer sang. Woah, I thought. That’s kind of cool. And on day nine, I watched Luke unfold his fingers one by one, counting as he pressed the ten little buttons. Woah. That’s even cooler!

In true preschooler fashion, Luke turned an otherwise annoying toy into something pretty cool. And, as an added bonus, without any outside help, it became something educational. Authentic, self-directed learning at its finest.

So, even though I’d rather not hear animal farts all day long, I do have to admit my own lesson learned about the amazing capacities of children and the endless possibilities of books.

I’d love to hear about how your child repurposed an old or uninspired book. Please leave a comment!

0 Comments Leave a comment

The Birthday Book Post: Books We Have Given

For one reason or another, many of my little friends have birthdays in May. This slew of birthdays has inspired me to post a list of the books that I have given to others for their birthdays over the past three years. I consider these books the “best of the best,” otherwise I wouldn’t pass them on! Books are arranged by the ages of the children to whom I gifted the books, but that doesn’t mean that older children wouldn’t enjoy them as well….

FOR ONE YEAR OLDS:
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin: I don’t know a little one who doesn’t like Pete the Cat! Pete has a new pair of white shoes, but he keeps stepping in different colored things (strawberries, blueberries, etc.). “Does Pete cry? Goodness no! He keeps walking along singing his song.” I loved that this book could be read with tons of inflection and that Mama and Dada sang (I use the word loosely) the little ditty that Pete sings. Fantastic for kids learning their colors.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems: I’m not sure how many times I can post this book before I get in trouble for copyright infringement. This book is great for little ones because of the big text, inflection, and funny storyline. See Mo Willems post for more info!

FOR TWO TO THREE YEAR OLDS:

Snip Snap!: What’s That? by Mara Bergman and Nick Maland: One of my all time favorite books just before I turned two! Lots of fun noises for parents to make, a jaunty rhyme, nice repetition, and an alligator on the loose make this book a sure hit. There is a great close up of the alligator that always made me laugh, too!

If I Were a Lion by Sarah Weeks and Heather Solomon: Another huge favorite of mine! A spunky little girl is in time out for making a huge mess and her mother dubs her “wild.” The rest of the book is the girl protesting that if she were truly wild, she’d do all of these “wild” things like “poke and pierce and tear, not sit here nicely in my chair.” Great rhyming text, expressive illustrations, and, of course, the little girl is the quintessential toddler: equal parts mischief and sweetness. (She does apologize and say sorry at the end!)

Gorilla! Gorilla! by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross: Definitely a fun book for toddlers who can talk (or at least yell, “STOP!”). A mother mouse’s baby goes missing, but as mama is looking for him, a giant gorilla yells, “Stop!” at her. She takes off running, of course, and that begins a chase across the globe. In the end, the gorilla turns out to be a great guy who found her baby and has been trying to give him back the entire time. Nice repetitive text, opportunities for audience involvement, and a surprise ending make this book another fun read for both parents and kids.

FOR THREE TO FOUR YEAR OLDS:
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown: What a fantastic book! Jasper Rabbit is obsessed with carrots, and he picks them from a field every day. One day, however, the carrots start following him, “tunk tunk tunk…” or do they? Jasper sees carrots everywhere, but with Peter Brown’s clever illustrations, neither Jasper nor the reader is entirely certain whether the carrots are really there. Finally, Jasper hatches a plan to ensure that those carrots never bother him again, but it is the carrots who get the last laugh! Black and white illustrations with only splashes of orange for the carrots lend a Twilight Zone feel to the book. Entertainingly suspenseful text, too!

The Gruffalo (Picture Books) by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: Another great book with a clever twist at the end! Everyone wants to eat Mouse, but he foils them all by making up an imaginary creature called a Gruffalo who loves to eat the other animals. Mouse soon discovers that the Gruffalo DOES exist, and it’s hungry for mouse, too! But Mouse is pretty darn clever, and he fools the Gruffalo just like he did the other animals. Nice repetition, catchy rhyme, and Mouse’s cleverness make this book tons of fun for both parents and kids!

Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis: I liked this book for a very long time. Lulu may dress like Ladybug Girl, but she is a spunky girl with a can-do attitude. When her brother refuses to play with her one morning, Lulu makes her own fun and proves to the world that she is NOT too little to do big things (like save ants, count letter Ls, and rebuild rock walls). This book encourages kids to be independent, use their imaginations to entertain themselves, and leave their own pint-sized impact on the world. Illustrations and language are both wonderful.

Happy gifting!

–Luke (age 2.5, blog co-author)

0 Comments Leave a comment

The Interactive Book: A Child’s (and Parent’s!) Best Friend

Kicking my legs like a donkey. Dancing to get a bug out of my shirt. Pressing a yellow dot to see what happens to it. Gleefully yelling, “NO!” to repeated appeals from a pigeon to drive a bus.

Interactive books are a fantastic way to easily engage little readers (even the most rambunctious). Unfortunately, as my Mama and I have found, they are difficult to do well. Some “interactive” books have fuzz to feel, doors to open, slots to slide, or buttons to push, but these gimmicks often add very little to the story, and they don’t have much staying power for me. The very best interactive books, however, manage to do a much better job of using manipulatives or interaction to enhance or even become the story. These are the books that I return to over and over again.

By no means an exhaustive list, here are a few of my favorite interactive books in order from least to most complex. I dislike putting ages on these books because I read them at many different stages for many different reasons, and other children deserve not to be pigeonholed, too.

Are You a Cow? by Sandra Boynton: I like saying “No.” Really, really like saying, “No.” It was one of my first words and continues to be a favorite. Hence, the appeal of Are You a Cow? The question is addressed to the reader and begs to be answered. No, no, no! What a great concept!

From Head to Toe Board Book by Eric Carle: This book is a good one because the animals in the book do all sorts of fun movements and then ask the reader, “Can you do it?” Some movements are easy enough for a one year old, and others are more complicated and definitely for older children (donkey kick!).

Alphabet (Paula Wiseman Books) by Matthew Van Fleet: Alphabet is one of those rare touch and feel books that is exceptionally well done. Not only are the illustrations funny and the animals imbued with loads of character, but it’s a rhyming alphabet book that incorporates the “touch and feel” element into the rhyme. This book is now on my independent reading bookshelf, and I still pull it out about once a week.

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas: This book not only addresses the reader, but it asks the reader to do things to help the story along. Like do the chicken dance to get a tickly bug out of your shirt. And make a scary face to chase away a GIANT HUNGRY FROG! How fun is that?

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems: This book has become a classic. It begins with a simple request from a bus driver going on break: “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus.” The reader’s job, then, is to say, “No!” Over and over again. (See above Are You a Cow? review for more about my fondness for the word, “No.”) I heart this book.

Press Here by Henre Tullet: Ahhh! The granddaddy of all interactive children’s books! I’ve been reading this book for a long time now. In fact, I read it yesterday. It starts with, “Ready?” on a page with one yellow dot. The next page says, “Press here and turn the page.” Now there are two yellow dots. Woah. That’s crazy. The rest of the book progresses from there, with the reader pressing dots, blowing dots, turning on lights, tilting the book, and clapping, with each action creating an amazing reaction. What a cool book.

Have You Ever Seen a Sneep? by Tasha Pym and Joel Stewart: In the tradition of There’s a Wocket in My Pocket, a little boy in the book addresses the reader about a variety of strange creatures that inhabit his life, and after each creature has been introduced, the boy asks the reader if he or she has ever seen such a being. I like to mess with my Mama and say, “Yes!” The illustrations are really well done, and the creatures are amusing. At the end, the little boy asks if he can come live with the reader. Ha!

The Big Blue Spot by Peter Holwitz: Not the most interactive book on this list, but the spot in the book talks to the reader and asks him or her to tilt the book. I love this book though, and I’ve loved it for a really long time. My Mama had to buy us a copy because we checked it out of the library for 12 weeks. The spot is looking for a friend (whom he finds toward the end), and this idea of friendship is very interesting to me. Simple text, simple message, simple illustrations, golden story.

The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street) (Little Golden Book) by Jon Stone and Michael Smollin: Classic! Grover spends the book completely freaked out about a monster that’s at the end of the book, and he implores the reader to, “Stop turning pages!” over and over again. He even goes so far as to brick up the page to prevent the reader from turning it. I love this book because Grover is such a character and I feel as though I have the power to influence the story. Love it!

Happy reading!

–Luke (blog co-start, age two and a half)

0 Comments Leave a comment