Rosie and Buttercup
Written by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
Publisher: Kids Can Press
ISBN-10: 1553379977
Ages: 3 to 7
Review and lesson plans by
Donna O'Donnell Figurski
It’s as old as time. It’s happened to me and I’m sure it’s happened to you . . . unless, of course, you are an only child. Sibling rivalry rears its ugly head in almost all families. Oh, Rosie, no doubt, loved her little sister, Buttercup. She couldn’t wait for her to be born. She couldn’t wait to have her as a playmate. She wrote songs for her and played the silly sock game with her. But as Buttercup grew older, Rosie’s sisterly loved waned. She grew tired of Buttercup’s demands, her noise, her “stuff” strewn all over the room. Sometimes Rosie just wanted to be alone. Rosie was furious when Buttercup almost freed Eenie and Meenie, Rosie’s prize crickets, from their cage. What was Buttercup thinking? So, it was no surprise when Rosie decided to give her little sister, Buttercup away. Wouldn’t you?
But Rosie didn’t expect a funny squeezy feeling to fill her chest as she left Buttercup with Oxford, the babysitter, who lived down the street. And that squeezy feeling just wouldn’t go away . . . no matter how hard Rosie tried to squeeze it out. Rosie didn’t expect to miss Buttercup, but she did! The talcum powder scent reminded her of her pesky little sister. So did the silly socks hanging out of the dresser drawer. Rosie knew what she had to do. She filled her pillowcase with her sun-dried dandelion puffs and set Eeenie and Meenie’s cage on top of Buttercup’s stroller and trudged off to Oxford’s house. She had to get Buttercup back even if it meant giving away her favorite things in the entire world. Rosie hoped that her treasures would be a good trade for her little sister.
Well, I never gave my sisters away, nor my brothers for that matter, but I can relate to how Rosie felt. Little siblings can be pests sometimes. But, if you can wait . . . long enough for them to grow up, you may just have a friend for life . . . and you won’t have to give away your stash of sun-dried dandelion puffs.
FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers: a critique group
“Rosie liked it when she was an only child,” said Timmy.
“But, when Rosie first knew she was going to get a baby sister named Buttercup, she was very excited,” said Mikaela.
Jewel nodded. “Rosie was happy at first,” she said.
“She liked having a sister,” Timmy said, “Until . . .”
“ . . . Until Buttercup started to copy everything that Rosie said,” interrupted Mikaela.
“Rosie was annoyed,” said Timmy. “I don’t know if Rosie realized that Buttercup was copying her or just trying to get on her nerves.”
“Buttercup wasn’t old enough to realize that copying someone isn’t a very nice thing,” said Jewel. “But Rosie didn’t know that.”
“Rosie used to like Buttercup,’ said Mikaela, “but she got tired of her and gave her away.”
“ . . . To Oxford,” explained Timmy.
“Rosie knew it was wrong to get rid of her little sister so she could have her parents and all of her things to herself,” said Jewel.
Mikaela nodded. “I think Rosie was feeling jealous because Buttercup got more attention,” she said.
“But, it was wrong,” said Callie.
“She shouldn’t have done that,” insisted Jewel. “Rosie is like me,” she continued. “Buttercup is like my sister.
Buttercup sounds like a pain, but she’s really sweet.”
“When Rosie gave her sister away, she got a little tingle in her chest,” said Callie.
“ . . . A squeezy thing,” said Abby. “But I don’t think it was very little because if she were using her arms to stop it, it wouldn’t be that little.”
“And, Buttercup probably felt sad to never see her sister again or her mom or dad . . . only this Oxford dude,” said Jewel. “It would be really upsetting for a little kid like that to be abandoned.”
“I wouldn’t give my baby sister away . . . even if I had a sister . . . which I don’t because I’m an only child,” said Abby.
“If I gave my little sister away, my parents would get M-A-D,” said Jewel. “They would make me apologize to my sister and they would make me apologize to them and to the person I gave her to. Then I would be grounded,” she said. “ But I would miss her. I would miss her, indeed!”
“I would miss her too,” said Abby who is Jewel’s little sister’s friend.
Lawrence looked thoughtful then said. “When my sister went to camp, I missed her . . . in two days.”
“Soon, Rosie kind of missed her little sister, too,” said Mikaela.
“She started to miss somebody to play with,” said Jewel.
Mikaela nodded. “She wanted to sing songs to her. She wanted to play the sock game,” she said.
“And she didn’t want the puffy feeling to come back,” said Abby.
“So, I think Rosie changed her mind because she felt kind of lonely. The house was kind of empty. She felt sad. She had nobody to play with,” said Mikaela. “At first she was very happy because Buttercup wasn’t there, but if you really think about it . . . well, she probably missed the crying and the annoying stuff,” she said.
“I think Rosie felt sad that she gave away Buttercup,” mused Callie.
“So Rosie traded her favorite things (to Oxford), her crickets and sun-dried dandelion puffs because she loved her sister more than anything,” said Abby.
Mikaela agreed. “She actually loved those things, but she loved Buttercup better. Rosie could always get new crickets or dandelion puff balls,” Mikaela said. “But she could never get a new sister.”
(Note: “Rosie and Buttercup is a book for brothers and sisters who fight,” suggests Jewel.)
TEACHER TALK
FLOWER/ANIMAL MATCH: Language Arts/Science
Flowers are pretty. They smell pretty. They look pretty. They even have pretty names. Many newborn babies are named after flowers. There are cartoon characters named after flowers. Remember Petunia? She’s Porky Pig’s girlfriend. Book characters are named after flowers, too. Everyone knows Chrysanthemum, the little mouse in Kevin Henke’s book by the same title. Then there are names like Pansy and Lily and Violet and even Blossom. There are Rose and Daisy and Poppy and Peony. See how many flower names you can find. Then try the activity below for some very “flowerful” fun.
* Brainstorm as many flower names as you can think of. Record on chart paper. (See list below.)
* Brainstorm as many animal names as you can think of. Record on chart paper.
* Hang charts in room for easy viewing.
* Next give each child a pre-made book with ten pages. (4.5” x 6”) Use manila paper for the inside pages and construction
paper for the covers)
* Have children choose ten flower names and ten animal names from each chart and write their choices on paper. Use the
same beginning letters.
* Examples:
* Blossom Bunny Daisy Duck Jasmine Jackrabbit
* Lily Lion Poppy Piglet
* After their work has been checked for accuracy, they may write their choices in their books. (One flower/animal
combination per page)
* Last, they may illustrate their books.
(More names can be found at the following site:
Baby Name Rant: Flowers and Plants
http://babynamerant.blogspot.com/2008/01/naming-after-flowers-and-plants.html
FLOWER WORD SCRAMBLE: Language Arts/Science/Math
* Cut out one-inch squares of construction paper.
* With a black marker print one letter from Buttercup and Rosie’s name on each square.
* Then make teams of children. Place 2, 3, or 4 children on each team.
* Give each team a set of letter squares.
* Children use the letter squares to make new words. Each word is scored by how many letters are in the word. (See
example below.)
* Set a timer for approximately five minutes.
* The team with the either the most words or the highest score wins.
Ex.: B U T T E R C U P R O S I E
(C P B T E S R U U E R O T I)
Toe 3 Prose 5
Race 4 Cute 4
Butter 6 Bus 3
SUGGESTED WEBSITES:
(Although I examined these websites and found them to be very helpful, please use them at your own discretion.)
I'd Rather Have an Iguana by Heidi Stetson Mario Vera's Baby Sister by Vera Rosenberry Good As Goldie by Margie Palatini (Author) Fine As We Are by Algy Craig Hall (Author) The Tale of Pip and Squeak by Kate Duke How To be A Baby . . . By Me, The Big Sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap
Seeing Red: The Planet Mars
Written by Nancy Loewen
Illustrated by Jeff Yesh
Publisher: Picture Window Books
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3953-3
Ages: 7-12
Review and lesson plans by Donna O'Donnell Figurski
Seeing red, makes me think of strawberry licorice, a fire engine racing down the street, a ladybug, a plump, juicy tomato, and, of course, Mars. Mars the fourth planet from the sun is called the “red” planet. And there’s a good reason for that. Its soil contains the reddish metal called iron. Mars can be seen in the night sky from Earth with the naked eye. It’s our neighbor.
Farmer Cap
Written by Jill Kalz, Illustrated by Sahin Erkocak
Publisher: Picture Window Books
ISBN: -13: 9781404831391
Ages: 5 to 7
Farmer Cap . . . to say he is a little strange, a little off-center, and a lot eccentric is being kind. He is like no farmer I have ever met. Of course, you can count on half a hand the number of farmers I know. But, I’ve read the Farmer in the Dell and he seemed kind of normal, except, of course, for letting the cheese stand alone, but that is a whole other issue.
A Little Peace
Written by Barbara Kerley
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Book
ISBN-13: 978-1426300868
$16.95
Ages: all ages
Peace—a simple word that packs a lot of wallop. For me peace is a comfortable place, a quiet space, the absence of car motors, the hum of air conditioners, or the whir of the refrigerator. Peace is being curled up by the fireplace with a good book or lying in the sand at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California. Peace is feeling the warmth of the sun or marveling at the millions of stars twinkling in the night sky of Taos, New Mexico. Peace is stilling my mind.
Fix-It Duck (Board book)
Written and illustrated by Jez Alborough
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN-13: 978-1933605302
$7.99
Ages: 1-8
Fix-It Duck is no ordinary duck. He means well, but whenever he is near—LOOK OUT! Bad luck seems to follow this duck. When a drop of water falls into Duck’s tea—that’s bad luck. When Sheep’s window won’t close—that’s bad luck. Sheep’s jeep’s flat tire is bad luck, too. But, when Sheep’s house rolls into the pond, that’s the toughest luck of all.
GORILLAS
Written by Meish Goldish
Publisher: Bearport Publishing Company
ISBN 13: 978-1-59716-369-9
ISBN 10: 1-59716-369-4
$23.96
Ages: 6-12
When I think of gorillas, I think of wild, jungle beasts. My guess is that most folks do, too. Gorillas are massive animals. Some males stand as high as six feet and weigh as much as six hundred pounds. That’s a lot of gorilla! Though gorillas are intimidatingly huge and look rather fierce, most gorillas are peaceful, non-aggressive animals, unless provoked, of course.
LOVE THE
BABY
written by Steven L. Layne
illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Publisher: Pelican
Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 1-58980-392-
$15.95
Ages:
0-5
“Help me love the baby!” “Help
me love the baby!” Everybody said it. Mama said it. Papa said it. Even Nana
said it. Can you believe Nana said it too? Little Rabbit was happy when Baby
came home from the hospital. Who wouldn’t be? Little babies are pretty exciting,
especially when you’ve waited for nine months for that little brother or sister
to arrive. Most children think - instant playmate! But when Baby came home from
the hospital on that day that the flowers were blooming, Little Rabbit realized
that the Baby was no playmate – no playmate at all! He couldn’t do anything -
unless you counted crying. He did that plenty well. And, if that wasn’t bad
enough, Mama and Papa and Nana, yes, even Nana, gave Baby all of their
attention. So what would you expect? How could Little Rabbit love the baby?
Jealousy abounded! Frustration swelled! Anger overwhelmed! His world turned
upside down when his new baby brother arrived.
GRANDPA FOR SALE
written by Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum
illustrated by
T. Kyle Gentry
Publisher: Flashlight Press
ISBN-13
9780972922586
ISBN-10 097292258X
$15.95
Ages 4-8
For five
hundred dollars, Lizzie imagined the exquisite tree house she could buy. For one
thousand dollars, she could buy a small boat with her own name engraved on both
the front and the sides. Imagine -- the S. S. Lizzie!
Harriet Tubman: Hero of the Underground Railroad
written by Lori Mortensen
illustrated by Frances Moore
Picture Window Books
978-1-4048-3103-2
$17.95
Ages 5-9
Everyone loves a hero! Someone to look up to! Someone who can do superhuman things! Someone who accomplishes deeds that you wish you could!
Superman was a hero, a comic book hero, created by Siegel and Schuster in 1938. Mighty Mouse came on the scene only four years later, in 1942, with the imagination of I. Klein. Mighty Mouse’s refrain, "Here I come to save the day," brought hope to many a distressed cartoon character. As a child I loved Nancy Drew. She was my hero. I couldn’t get enough of her. She was self-confident. She was feisty. She was courageous and brave and honest and independent and strong. She wandered haunted mansions and traveled deep, dark tunnels to find truth; and I read every book I could l lay hand to. Rosa Parks was a hero in 1955. She changed the way our country viewed black people. Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus resulted in a Supreme Court ruling, which said that segregation on buses was unconstitutional.
IF YOU WERE A CONJUNCTION
written by Nancy Loewen
illustrated by Sara Gray
Picture Window Books 1-4048-2385-9
$25.26
Ages 7-10
Conjunctions may seem like pretty insignificant words. You can’t get an
image of them like you can with other words, like . . . baby OR teddy
bear OR a warm summer day at the beach, BUT conjunctions play a very
important role in our language.
TUDLEY DIDN’T KNOW written and illustrated by John Himmelman
Sylvan Dell Publishing
ISBN: 0976494361
$15.95
Ages 3 – 8
Peter Pan believed he could fly. The Little Engine believed that she could pull the toy train over the mountain. Many people believe in a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and some folks believe in fairies. (If you believe in fairies, then clap your hands. I’m clapping and I hear a lot of other clapping hands, too.) Believe!
FARMER MCPEEPERS and HIS MISSING MILK COWS by Katy S. Duffield, illustrated by Steve Gray
Rising Moon
ISBN 0-87358-825-8
$15.95
Ages 4-8
The milk cows on Farmer McPeepers’ farm are simply up to NO good. I mean, have you ever seen milk cows fishing FROM a row boat, jumping double Dutch rope, skateboarding, or flying kites? “Outrageous!” you say. “Ridiculous! Impossible!” Well then, would you believe milk cows playing a fiddle, do-si-do-ing, or waiting in line at the local movie house? Yep! Down by Farmer McPeepers’ farm you’ll see all this and more. So go on. Open Farmer McPeepers and His Missing Milk Cows. But try not to laugh. I dare you!
WHEN I WAS BUILT by Jennifer Thermes
Henry Holt and Company
ISBN 0-8050-6532-6
$16.95
Ages 4-8
“Who’s been eating my porridge?” Just about everyone recognizes those words FROM GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS. But, really, have you ever wondered who has taken a bath in your bathtub, or sprawled in front of your fireplace, cooked dinner on your stove or climbed the stairs to your bedroom . . . before you moved INTO your house?
THE SUNDAE SCOOP by Stuart J. Murphy, illustrated by Cynthia Jabar
HarperCollins Publishers
0-06-028925-2
$16.89
Ages 6 and Up
Most kids love ice cream. They love as it drips down their fingers and smears their noses and they love to swirl their tongues around its creamy flavor. So what could be more fun than making ice cream sundaes for the school picnic? In THE SUNDAE SCOOP written by Stuart J. Murphy, Emily, Lauren, and James decide to do just that.
MY BROTHER DAN’S DELICIOUS by Steven L. Layne, illustrated by Chuck Galey
Pelican Publishing Company
1-58980-071-0
$14.95
Ages 6 and Up
“Monster Fear!” We’ve all had it. Come on. Admit it. Remember shadows drifting across your bedroom walls, curtains flapping in the night, or spooky noises bumping behind your closet door? “Quick!” you yell. “Shut it!” Then you jump into bed and dive under the covers. Remember the last time a monster visited you?
GRANDFATHER COUNTS by Andrea Cheng, illustrated by Ange Zhang
LEE & LOW BOOKS, Inc
1-58430-010-8
$16.95
Ages 5 to 8
When Gong Gong arrived, Helen’s life turned upside down. I mean, he couldn’t even speak English. How was Helen going to communicate with him? Sure, he was her grandfather, but why did mom have to give him Helen’s bedroom? Why couldn’t Gong Gong sleep in Cece’s room . . . or Henry’s? Helen loved standing at her bedroom window to watch the trains hurry down the tracks. She loved counting the cars from engine to caboose. Now Gong Gong was in her room with only Chinese in his head.
JOHN GLENN by Thomas Streissguth
Bridgestone Books an imprint of Capstone Press
0-7368-1625-9
Ages 5 to 9
Have you ever wanted to be a hero? Ever thought you might grow up to do something you were really passionate about? I think we all hope to make our mark on the world. With me . . . it’s teaching and writing. John Glenn pursued his passion and made history. In 1962 he became the first person to orbit the earth. Thirty-six years later, Glenn again put his stamp on history when he became the oldest person to travel in space.
TINKA by Rainy Dohaney
Anne Schwartz Book
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
0-689-85261-4
$15.95
Ages 3-7
Sure you’ve heard of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina . . . each no bigger than your thumb. But have you ever heard of Tinka? No? Then, you are in for a treat. Tinka is a sheep. She’s soft and cuddly and absolutely adorable. But, Tinka is no ordinary sheep. She’s as small as a cupcake. She can fit in your hand or you can easily tuck her away in your pocket. Sounds fun, huh?
UNIQUE MONIQUE by Maria Rousaki, illustrated by Polina Papanikolaou
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
1-929132-51-4
$15.95
Ages 4-8
At the shopping mall today I saw a boy with blue hair, a girl with five rings in her nose, and another with hair standing straight up. I think they call it “spiked.” Some might call it weird. It does look a bit strange, but I think it’s creative. It’s a statement. It says, “Look at me! I am unique!”
SUKI’S KIMONO by Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
Kids Can Press, Limited
1-55337-084-8
$15.95
Ages 5 to 8
The first day of school is special. Hey, every school day is, but I have to admit that the first day holds a bit of extra magic. It’s a day of newness . . . new classroom, new teacher, new backpack, maybe even a new outfit or a pair of new shoes. Yes, it’s a very important day.
READ-IT! READERS: FAIRY TALES
Picture Window Books
ISBN: 1-4048-0240-1W
12 Book Set $167.40
(Single Titles $13.95)
Ages 4 to 9
Do you ever want to believe something; I mean really, truly want to believe, even though you know it can’t possibly be true? Maybe you just want to believe because everyone else does. Or have you ever decided that you didn’t like someone because of how they look? These story concepts are as old as time, and there are many lessons to be learned from them.
FOSSIL TALES by Meish Goldish
Chelsea House Publishers
ISBN: 1-7910-7411-0
$13.95
Ages 9 - 12
Did you know that the word, “dinosaur” was not even a word before the 1800s? Nowadays that word tumbles off the lips of most children, even as young as preschoolers. Children are fascinated with dinosaurs. They are in awe of their size and their strange looks, so it was no wonder that there was an audible buzz from the KIDDLE CRITers as I prepared to read FOSSIL TALES to them.
AN ANT’S DAY OFF by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Nina Laden
Simon & Schuster Children's
ISBN: 0-689-82274-X
$15.95
Ages 4 – 8 years
Working! Working! Always working! That sums up Bart’s life in AN ANT’S DAY OFF written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Nina Laden. Moving sand from one tunnel to the next, day after day -- hey, that’s the life of a sand ant!
THE CASE OF VAMPIRE VIVIAN By Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Amy Wummer
KANE PRESS
ISBN: 1-57565-127-0
Ages 5 – 8 years
$4.99
Well, she is sort of weird -- that new girl who just moved in -- her hair all sticking out like bat wings. How can you ignore thatbat shirt she’s wearing and those bat stickers on her notebook and what about her bat earrings? Now isn’t that a “bat” much? Who can blame Molly for thinking Vivian is a vampire? Wouldn’t you?
SELMA written and illustrated by Jutta Bauer
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN: 1-929132-50-6
$7.95
All Ages
It’s a “quiet” story. But quiet and gentle are what children yearn for. In their fast - paced lives of soccer games, dance classes, and play dates a quiet book is a welcome respite.
SELMA, written and illustrated by Jutta Bauer is no bigger than an index card, yet it packs a whopping, powerful punch. How can a tiny sheep know about happiness?
THE DIRTY COWBOY written by Amy Timberlake illustrated by Adam Rex
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0-374-31791-7
$16.00
Ages 4—8
You know, there’s something to be said about loyalty and obedience, but Eustace Shackleford Montana may have gone too far the day his cowboy took a bath. When the Cowboy said, “Dawg! No one touches these clothes but me. Hear?”, Eustace took the Cowboy at his word. What good dog wouldn’t? On that fateful day under the New Mexico sky, Eustace demonstrated his dedication to his Cowboy . . . to the limit. That’s definitely an A+ dog and THE DIRTY COWBOY written by Amy Timberlake and illustrated by Adam Rex is an A+ book.
SITTING BULL by Lisa Trumbauer
Capstone Press Pebble Books
ISBN: 0-7368-2371-9W
$11.95
Grades PreK-2
WOODPECKERS by Emily Rose Townsend
Capstone Press Pebble Books
ISBN: 0-7368-2070-1W
$11.95
Grades PreK-2
CAPSTONE PRESS produces a vast range of non-fiction titles for Pre-K through 12th grade. These easy to read fact-filled, photo-illustrated books are a great addition to your personal library, but they are also especially valuable for teachers and students as a resource tool in any classroom. High interest topics combined with reading ease make these books fun to read. Pebble Books are written for beginning readers in grades Pre-K to 2nd grade.
BLUEBERRY MOUSE written by Alice Low illustrated by David Michael Friend
Mondo Publishing
ISBN: 1-59336-111-4
$15.95
Ages 3--7
I’ve heard of a greenhouse, the Whitehouse, and even a house of cards. I’ve heard of a townhouse. I live in one. But, who ever heard of a blueberry house? Well, Blueberry Mouse, of course! Blueberry Mouse, written by Alice Low and illustrated by David Michael Friend, tells of a mouse as sweet as she can be. And, why not? She nibbles the whole day long . . . on sweet, juicy blueberries inside her blueberry house.
The Giant Jelly Bean Jar
written by Marcie Aboff illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye
Dutton Children's Books
ISBN: 0525472363
$13.99
Ages 5-8
Beans! Beans! Beans! There are lima beans, coffee beans, kidney beans and refried beans. I love them all! But my favorite kinds of beans are jelly beans – and every flavor, too. Cherry, grape, lemon-lime, licorice . . . YUM! Double yum for strawberry and banana.
OUT AND ABOUT AT THE SUPERMARKET Written by Kitty Shea Illustrated by Becky Shipe
Picture Window Books
ISBN: 1-4048-0295-9W
Ages: 4-9
$17.95
This is a selection of non-fiction titles from Picture Window Books. Featured is OUT AND ABOUT AT THE SUPERMARKET by Kitty Shea, illustrated by Becky Shipe.
Kiddles love to learn facts. They love to spout them off in the least expected places. It makes them sound so smart and . . . oh so worldly. You’ve heard of name-droppers, well you can just think of them as fact-droppers. This sample of Picture Window Books will have KIDDLES dropping facts all over the place.
WHOSE HOUSE Written by Barbara Seuling Illustrated by Kay Chorao
Gulliver Books Harcourt Children’s Books
ISBN: 0-15-216347-6
Ages: 3-7
$16.00
Houses come in so many colors and sizes and shapes. Some are tall and skinny and rise high into the sky. Some are kind of fat and have acres of land around them. That’s called s-p-r-a-w-l-i-n-g. Some are in big buildings called apartments and some are tiny, little cottages or bungalows. Houses are made of wood, brick, stone, or mud, and some are even made of ice. There are castles and palaces and mansions. There are igloos, and houses made of grass, which have thatched roofs. I’ve seen purple houses and bright yellow and green houses. Once, I even saw a pink house with blue shutters. That was pretty scary unless, of course, pink and blue are your favorite colors. So, with so many different kinds of houses, how can you ever choose which house is exactly right for you?
MUD PIE FOR MOTHER by Scott Beck
Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers
0525470409
$14.99
Ages 3 to 6
Shop! Shop! Shop ‘til you drop! Race from store to store. Search for the “perfect” gift. Sound familiar? We all do it. In MUD PIE FOR MOTHER, written and illustrated by Scott Beck, Little Pig searches the farm for the perfect birthday present for his mother.
MYRTLE written by Tracey Campbell Pearson illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson
Farrar Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0-374-35157-0
Ages: 3-6
$15.00
There are bullies everywhere, but don’t you hate it when you find them in your own back yard? Once at the grocery store checkout as I waited patiently, grasping a bunch of broccoli, a woman pushed her overflowing cart right in front of me. Every day on my 20 mile commute to school, there are cars that bully their way into the line exiting the highway. Can’t they see the 50 cars waiting, patiently? HOW RUDE! That’s what Myrtle would say and I fully agree with her. “RUDE! RUDE! RUDE!” These are the bullies in my back yard.
PAUL NEEDS SPECS written by Bernard Cohen illustrated by Geoff Kelly
Kane/Miller Book Publisher
ISBN: 192913261
$15.95
Ages 5-9
Paul asked, “Has the world gone fuzzy, . . .?” What a scary feeling to have your world blur in front of your eyes, especially when you are a child no bigger than Paul. The world hadn’t gone fuzzy or blurry or misty or foggy . . . well not really. But, Paul’s eyesight did. Author, Bernard Cohen takes us on a trip to the eye doctor. What a strange place that is! Paul tries many different lenses. Some make him see fat and some make him see tall and I wonder if some do nothing at all. Then Goeff Kelly adds his zany, very psychedelic illustrations, which will make readers howl. This book should definitely allay the fears of any child who needs to get glasses. PAUL NEEDS SPECS is a real eye-opener.
BIG WEEK for LITTLE MOUSE written by Eugenie Fernandes illustrated by Kim Fernandes
KIDS CAN PRESS
ISBN: 1-55337-665-X
Ages: 2-5
$14.95
Birthdays come and birthdays go,
Some come fast and some come slow.
Birthdays are a time of fun . . .
For you, for me, for everyone.
Little Mouse can hardly wait.
For her it’s time to celebrate.
. . . and celebrate she did, but not before she finished her chores. Preparing for her birthday party was lots of work. Little Mouse had to mop and scrub and pick flowers and hang up balloons. Yes, it was a busy week for Little Mouse.
CIRCLE UNBROKEN written by Margaret Theis Raven illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0-374-31289-3
$16.00
Ages 6-9
Life goes on and on and on like a circle unbroken. Traditions pass from family to family, from generation to generation. Traditions that define what a family or a culture is, are invaluable and must be treasured and cherished. Margot Theis Raven’s new book, CIRCLE UNBROKEN demonstrates this concept as she weaves and intertwines a story of how a young boy was stolen from his village in Africa and brought to the New World . . . a world that for many showed promise, but for this young boy brought only the loss of his freedom. “But long night after long day, he (the boy) sewed baskets in the old way . . . preserving the traditions and memories of those who were plucked from their homes and villages in Africa and thrust into slavery in America. As years and years have passed, the tradition of the sweetgrass baskets is still being weaved in South Carolina and the Georgia Lowcountry . . . proof that the tradition remains alive.
NO MONEY? NO PROBLEM! written by Lori Haskins illustrated by John Nez
Kane Press
ISBN: 1575651416
Ages 4-8
$4.99
Don’t you just hate it when you don’t have enough money to buy what you want? You know -- that dress with the pink and orange umbrellas in the store window downtown, or the complete set of square marbles, the one-of-a-kind, kind, or maybe it’s the dyed-purple alligator purse that you have been dying for. Okay . . . so maybe you never wanted a dyed-purple alligator purse. Well, neither did I, but you know what I mean.
CARLA’S SANDWICH written by Debbie Herman illustrated by Shelia Bailey
Flashlight Press
ISBN: 0972922520
$15.95, Ages 4-8
Whole wheat, rye, croissant, wrap, toast, bagel – all yummy sandwich covers. Turkey, peanut butter, jelly, liverwurst, cow’s tongue – all yummy sandwich fillings. Uhh . . . well, maybe not cow’s tongue – I’ll pass on that. But there are endless combinations and varieties of sandwiches to fulfill just about anyone’s desire.
FLUSI, the SOCK MONSTER written and illustrated by Bine Brändle
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN: 1-929132-69-7
$15.95
Ages 5-6
Kiddles love monsters – any kind of monsters. Well, maybe they don’t exactly love them, but they are fascinated by them. There are the creepy monsters that hide under the bed and the scary ones in the closet. The best monsters are the ones that slip and slither across the wall in the moonlight. My mother tried to pass them off as the shadows of my drapes blowing in the wind. Yeah right, MOM!!!!
THE ONLY ONE CLUB written by Jane Naliboff illustrated by Jeff Hopkins
Flashlight Press
ISBN: 0-972-92253-9
$15.95
Ages 4-8
It’s scary feeling different . . . not monster scary, or falling out of bed scary. Not darn! I forgot my homework scary either. Feeling different can set you apart . . . maybe the rest of the kids won’t like you kind-of-scary or they’ll make fun of you kind-of-scary. But in The Only One Club, Jennifer uses her “different-ness” to her advantage and soon all of her classmates are looking for ways to show how they are different, too.
JOSÉ! Born To Dance written by Susanna Reich illustrated by Raúl Colón
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
ISBN: 0-689-86576-7
$16.95
Ages 5-8
José Limón was born to dance and like the CHIC recording of the late 1970s, DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, José did! Of course, Limón, born in Mexico in 1908 wasn't dancing the latest disco craze nor was he swaying to the more recent country song by Lee Ann Womack, I HOPE YOU DANCE. His dream wasn't realized until many years later when dance, dance, dance, became José's life, love, and passion.
CINCO DE MAYO written by Marc Tyler Nobleman pictures by a variety of contributors
Compass Point Books: Let’s See Series
ISBN: 0-7565-0768-5
$14.95
Ages 6-9
The whole world has one – each year it comes around again and again and again. In Poland they call it Piàtego Maja. In Germany it is known as Fünfter Mai. The French say Cinquième de Mai and the Italians say Cinque di Maggio. Here in the United States, we call it the Fifth of May. For many countries it is just another day, but in Mexico, it’s called Cinco de Mayo and it’s a very important day in their history books. Marc Tyler Nobleman provides us with a glimpse into this festive holiday in his book entitled, none other than, CINCO de MAYO.
WATER BEDS SLEEPING in the OCEAN written by Gail Langer Karwoski illustrated by Conne McLennan
Sylvan Dell Publishing
ISBN: 0-9764943-1-0
$15.95
Ages 3-8
Water Beds - Sleeping in the Ocean, written by Gail Langer Karwoski and illustrated by Connie McLennan is a bedtime story. It’s a scientific book filled with information about the sea and how animals sleep in the depths of the ocean. It’s a book that children will love to hear over and over again, and it’s a book that parents will love to read, as they lull their “little person” to sleep on the gentle waves of his dreams.
Camilla Chameleon
written by Colleen Sydor
illustrated by Pascale Constantin
CAMILLA CHAMELEON written by Colleen Sydor illustrated by Pascale Constantin
Kids Can Press
ISBN: 1553374827
$16.95
Ages 4 – 8
Cream of Tomato Soup, Cream of Broccoli Soup. . . Yum! Yum! M-a-a-a-ay-b-e Cream of Leek Soup, BUT, come on! Cream of Chameleon Soup or Cream of Pterodactyl Soup? You’ve got to be kidding. That’s a stretch . . . a playful stretch, a delightful stretch, a weird and wacky stretch. Yes, Camilla Chameleon written by Colleen Sydor and illustrated by Pascale Constantin is a fanciful stretch all the way to Camilla’s long . . . very, long hopscotch-playing tongue to her favorite soft drink, Fizzy Fizzy Make Ya Dizzy Rootin’ Tootin’ Root Beer.
PALAPALOOZA written by Daphne Skinner illustrated by Jerry Smath
Kane Press
ISBN: 1-57565-163-7
$4.99
Ages 5 - 7
You’re a pal! or What a pal! – two great sayings – comforting sounds. Having a pal IS a comfort. It means having a special friend -- someone that really likes you. It means not being alone, though there’s nothing wrong with being alone, and I even enjoy it at times. But, for most Kiddles there is safety and comfort when being with a pal. It means being one of the gang, the group. It means having someone to do something with. It doesn’t matter what . . . climb a tree, swing on a vine, read a book together. It doesn’t matter what; it’s the “being” together part that feels good.
Donna O'Donnell Figurski has authored the column,
TEACHER'S PETS on SmartWriters.com since 2002. She works with a team of
elementary-aged school children, called KIDDLE CRITers, who review the
books with her. The review group consists of about seven to fifteen
children ranging in ages from 6 to 12 years old.
One section of the review, called FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers,
includes comments by the children. Since Donna is also a 1st grade
teacher, she designs lessons for teachers to use with the books she
reviews. This section is called, TEACHER TALK. Donna also suggests
additional books, as well as two or three websites, which teachers may
use to compliment the reviewed book. Of course, there is also Donna's
review.
Donna O'Donnell Figurski
Author, Educator and Book Reviewer
If you would like to have your book considered for review by Donna and the KIDDLE CRITers, please contact her at
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Although she cannot promise that every book will be reviewed, she will try her best to feature as many books as possible.
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Rosie and Buttercup
Seeing Red: The Planet Mars
A Day With No Crayons
Farmer Cap
A Little Peace
Fix-It Duck (Board book)
GORILLAS
GRANDPA FOR SALE
WHO LIKES THE SNOW?
