Nurse Matilda collected tales By Brand, Christianna

Title: Nurse Matilda collected tales
Author: Brand, Christianna
Illustration: Edward Ardizzone
Publisher: Bloomsburg

Comments
CIP Info The incorrigible Brown children, who devour nannies, nurse-maids, and governesses, finally meet their match. This was a three book collection. I only had time for the first book. They are average at best. The movie Nanny McPhee was based off this series. It was ok, but I would recommend Mary Poppins or Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Because it was written in the 1960s it was a bit too long-winded. I think the Brand was trying to go for an early 1900s feel and missed slightly. I never saw the movie and I don’t plan on seeing the movie.

The serpent slayer : and other stories of strong women By Tchana, Katrin

Title: The serpent slayer : and other stories of strong women
Author: Tchana, Katrin
Illustration: Trina Schart Hyman
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.

Comments
CIP Info A collection of twenty traditional tales from various parts of the world, each of whose main character is a strong and resourceful woman. Some of these stories I had read or heard before. However, the author lets the reader down by not indicating where the stories originated. The illustrations are nice, but I wish there where more. There are better collections of positive female folk stories available.

The great fuzz frenzy By Stevens, Janet

Title: The great fuzz frenzy
Author: Stevens, Janet.
Illustration: Janet Stevens.
Publisher: Harcourt

Comments
CIP Info When a tennis ball lands in a prairie dog town, the residents find that their newfound frenzy for fuzz creates a fiasco. It was ok. The story covers the frenzy of a fad and how working together is best. Not the authors’ best work, but it is better than their last few books. It would be a fun read aloud with a slightly older group like 3rd grade or so. It could also be adapted to a reader’s theater with some major adaptations.

A hug for you By Anastas, Margaret

Title: A hug for you
Author: Anastas, Margaret
Illustration: Susan Winter.
Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments
CIP Info A parent tells a child all of the reasons for the well-deserved hugs they share. This book was added to my booklist of good baby gifts. The illustrations are simple and soft. They are easy for young ones to look at and learn new words. The text is simple, clean, and short. This would be a perfect for a read before a nap or at bedtime. A great book for new families, and would be a great book to pass down from child to child.

The shopping expedition By Ahlberg, Allan

Title: The shopping expedition
Author: Ahlberg, Allan
Illustration: Amstutz, André
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comments
CIP Info A routine shopping trip becomes a grand adventure in the eyes of a little girl. The pictures are such fun. This is the only way to shop. A story like this can be taken and adapted for a trip to the store, standing in a check out, or a long car trip. This book isn’t going to change the world, but it will make for a fun read. Illustrations don in acrylic

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs By Barrett, Judi

Title: Cloudy with a chance of meatballs
Author: Barrett, Judi
Illustration: Ron Barrett
Publisher: Atheneum

Comments
CIP Info Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers--until the weather takes a turn for the worse. I am a horrible, horrible librarian. I can’t stand this book. My sister, along with a many, many other people talked this book up, possibly too much. Ok, maybe I am a bit too harsh on this book. It was okay. Maybe if I had read this book on a day when I hadn’t read so many really great books, it might have faired a little better. I thought it was too long and too cumbersome. The illustrations were too busy to be enjoyable. This isn’t one of my favorites.

Chopsticks By Berkeley, Jon

Title: Chopsticks
Author: Berkeley, Jon
Illustration: Berkeley, Jon
Publisher: Random House

Comments
CIP Info A small mouse named Chopsticks who lives on a floating restaurant in China becomes friends with a carved wooden dragon who wants to fly. The illustrations are vibrant and detailed. I spend minutes upon minutes looking at each one in great detail. Chopsticks (a mouse) goes to an old man to find out how to make the carved wooden dragon fly. After Chopsticks learns the song, and plays it on nights with a full moon, the dragon comes alive. He and the dragon soar over the country. When they return Chopsticks goes and tells the old man their adventures. It doesn’t tell what medium the illustrations are don in, but they are impressive. The book may not be worth a purchase for a personal collection, but should be added to a library collection.

Ruby's wish By Bridges, Shirin Yim

Title: Ruby's wish
Author: Bridges, Shirin Yim
Illustration: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Chronicle Books

Comments
CIP Info In China, at a time when few girls are taught to read or write, Ruby dreams of going to the university with her brothers and male cousins. This book was great. The illustrations are superb. The beautiful illustrations add to the story so much. I must admit I didn’t see the ending coming. Ruby grows up in a traditional Chinese home. Girls are supposed to learn how to cook, clean, and care for a home and family. Ruby’s Grandfather allows her to continue with reading and writing classes if she keeps up with her other chores. I don’t care that I am giving away the ending, it is just so great. In the end, Ruby’s grandfather sends her to university. She is one of the first female students in China. The best part of this story is that it is true.

Grandmama's pride By Birtha, Becky

Title: Grandmama's pride
Author: Birtha, Becky
Illustration: Colin Bootman.
Publisher: A. Whitman

Comments
CIP Info While on a trip in 1956 to visit her grandmother in the South, six-year-old Sarah Marie experiences segregation for the first time, but discovers that things have changed by the time she returns the following year. One woman’s pride helps her grandchildren see the unfairness of segregation. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be learning to read only to find out that half the population hates you just because of the color of your skin. It is very text heavy, but I can’t see how the author could have cut it. There is a long author’s note that talks about the issue of segregation in greater detail. The illustrations are good, just enough detail, but not overly complex. This would be a good book for any collection for historical content. I liked the story even though it is sad, but true. Illustrations are done in water colors.

Polkabats and octopus slacks : 14 stories By Brown, Calef

Title: Polkabats and octopus slacks : 14 stories
Author: Brown, Calef
Illustration: Calef Brown
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Comments
CIP Info Fourteen poems about a variety of fanciful topics. What utter silliness. Nonsense poems prove that poetry can be fun without being painful. Of course it also proves that poetry sometimes never makes sense. The illustrations are so-so, but a fun read aloud.

Arthur meets the President By Brown, Marc Tolon

Title: Arthur meets the President
Author: Brown, Marc Tolon
Illustration: Marc Brown.
Publisher: Little Brown

Comments
CIP Info Arthur's essay wins a contest and he has to read it to the President in a special ceremony at the White House. This is the first Arthur book I ever read. It is a cute book, but anyone who has watched the PBS series will notice some changes in the illustrations. It is nice to see the series outside of the television world.

Arthur's teacher moves in By Brown, Marc Tolon

Title: Arthur's teacher moves in
Author: Brown, Marc Tolon
Illustration: Marc Brown.
Publisher: Little, Brown

Comments
CIP Info Arthur thinks that having his teacher stay at his house will be a horrible experience. Can you imagine the horror? This story will work with every age group. Even as I read it, I was nearly frozen with terror thinking of how horrible it would be if one of my teachers from elementary school moved into our house. So it was easy to understand how Arthur freaked out. Soon he found out that Mr. Ratburn is just like everyone lese. Soon his friends start giving Arthur a hard time. So to help that, Mr. Ratburn plans to stay with each of his students.

Pig on the Titanic : a true story! By Crew, Gary

Title: Pig on the Titanic : a true story!
Author: Crew, Gary
Illustration: Bruce Whatley.
Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments
CIP Info On the disastrous night when the ocean liner Titanic sinks, the sounds of a pig-shaped music box cheer children escaping in a lifeboat. Every so often I pick up a book and don’t expect much from it. This is one of them. I even remember putting down and picked up at least twice. I questioned how good the book would really be. But then I did a quick look at the illustrations. They were breath taking. The detail is impressive and supports the story very well. The text is good, not too short, but not too long. While I don’t claim to know everything about Titanic, this was a story I hadn’t heard. I enjoyed the author’s note. It tells about Edith Rosenbaum and how she helped some children through the tragedy. It was better than I ever expected and I recommend it for any collection.

The empty pot By Demi

Title: The empty pot
Author: Demi.
Illustration: Demi.
Publisher: H. Holt

Comments
CIP Info When Ping admits that he is the only child in China unable to grow a flower from the seeds distributed by the Emperor, he is rewarded for his honesty. this is the first time I have read this book. I read it about three times a year. I first heard it on Between the Lions Demi is a fabulous storyteller. The illustrations have such detail and emotion. The honesty of Ping is almost heartbreaking, but in the end he is rewarded. The message “always do your best” is perfect for any season.

Katie's Sunday afternoon By Mayhew, James

Title: Katie's Sunday afternoon
Author: Mayhew, James
Illustration: James Mayhew
Publisher: Orchard Books

Comments
CIP Info On a hot day, Katie and her grandmother visit the art museum, where Katie climbs into the paintings of pointillist artists Seurat, Pisarro, and Signac. Includes information about pointillism. This author/illustrator does a great job of making are enjoyable and accessible to a younger audience. Katie takes a trip through the art museum and visits each of the Pointillists. She goes swimming in one but then floods the museum. The author includes backgrounds on the artists from the book. This is an interesting concept. I would like to see more from this series.

Groundhog stays up late By Cuyler, Margery

Title: Groundhog stays up late
Author: Cuyler, Margery.
Illustration: Jean Cassels.
Publisher: Walker & Co.

Comments
CIP Info Groundhog decides not to hibernate one winter, even though his friends tell him that he will become cold, hungry, and lonely. Stubborn Groundhog simply can't wait until February 2 to wake all his friends up! Groundhog loves to run and play. When winter comes, Groundhog does not want to hibernate. His friends warn that he'll be hungry and cold and lonely, but he just won't listen. Yet he soon discovers his friends were right. Then he has a brilliant idea! He'll have an EARLY spring! All his friends will wake up, and they can all have fun together again. But his friends aren't too happy when they find out Groundhog has played a trick on them. A great new twist on the groundhog's annual February ritual, this story is guaranteed to entertain, with a willful hero that children and adults will instantly recognize. It was ok, but not a great story. The illustrations are average, but when all the pieces are added up they put an interesting spin on the “Ant and the Grasshopper” story. It would be good enough to add to a storytime or on a snowy afternoon. It would be worth adding to a library or school collection, but not for a personal collection. Illustrations are gouche on 140-lb arches hot press 100% rag watercolor paper to create.

The lotus seed By Garland, Sherry

Title: The lotus seed
Author: Garland, Sherry
Illustration:Tatsuro Kiuchi
Publisher:Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Comments
CIP Info A young Vietnamese girl saves a lotus seed and carries it with her everywhere to remember a brave emperor and the homeland that she has to flee. This is one of my favorite books. A woman sees the Emperor cry. Then she went down to the royal gardens and took seeds from the lotus flower. The next day the Emperor was over thrown. Soon her country was at war. Through wars and a trip across the ocean she never lost that seed. One day her grandson, who had never seen a lotus, he plants it. The Grandmother is so distraught she can’t eat or sleep. But finally, after all of those years, the flower bloomed. After the petals fell away, the grandmother gave each child a seed, and kept a seed for herself. I love the story of tradition being passed from generation to generation.

White is for blueberry By Shannon, George

Title: White is for blueberry
Author: Shannon, George
Illustration: Laura Dronzek
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Comments
CIP Info Encourages the reader to look at objects in nature from another perspective, observing their colors in a new way. This is a fun way of looking at colors with a new perspective. It ends with a comment of how everything depends on how you look at it. This would be a good book for younger readers, but they should be old enough to know their colors. This will show them how a blueberry is white and when crows are pink. It added a news perspective to everything.

Here comes Darrell By Schubert, Leda

Title: Here comes Darrell
Author: Schubert, Leda
Illustration: Mary Azarian.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Comments
CIP Info Throughout the seasons in northern Vermont, Darrell helps his neighbors with snowplowing, supplying wood, and excavation work, never finding time to fix his own barn roof, but when a windstorm passes through town, he finds his kindness to his neighbors returned. Small towns always have that one go-to person. They take care of pushing snow and helping anyone when they can, sometimes taking pay other times not. In the end when, Darrel’s barn roof needed replacing all of his neighbors came to help. Pretty good really. My Grandpa was just like Darrel, helping whoever he could whenever they needed it. The illustrations done by Caldecott winner are quite good. The wood cuts add that extra home feel to the story. Illustrations done in woodcuts, hand-tinted with watercolors.

My friend Grandpa By Ziefert, Harriet

Title: My friend Grandpa
Author: Ziefert, Harriet.
Illustration: Robert Wurzburg.
Publisher: Blue Apple Books

Comments
CIP Info Every summer Emma spends a month in the country with Grandpa. It is a dear sweet book. A city girl goes to visit her grandpa in the country. Her best friends there are her grandpa and her tree. One night a storm that takes down the tree. Emma begs her rrandpa to save part of her tree so it can still be her friend. He keeps the part with the hole in it. The illustrations are soft and soothing. The book turned out much better than I thought. I loved spending time with my grandpa. This book is perfect to share with children regardless if they have a grandpa or not. I can’t wait to buy it.

One smart skunk By Ziefert, Harriet

Title: One smart skunk
Author: Ziefert, Harriet.
Illustration: Santiago Cohen.
Publisher: Blue Apple Books

Comments
CIP Info Rebecca the skunk lives under a suburban family's deck, eluding the traps set to ensnare her, but the smell of moth balls and the noise of rap music finally convince her that the suburbs are no place to raise her family. Well how can on not pick up a book about a skunk? Books about skunks are rare, even rarer are good books about skunks. Like everyone else, I never saw the good that skunks could do. This book actually made me look at them in a new light. The illustrations leave a bit to be desired, but the story is surprisingly good. There is this skunk that torments a family. They don’t see any of the good she, Rebecca, does for them. Finally the family chases her off and she goes to raise her family in the city. The author’s note tells the reader how the story came about. The news article is included too. It is a fun book and should be added to any collection.

Green Eyes By Birnbaum, Abe

Title: Green Eyes: A Caldecott Honor Book
Author: Birnbaum, Abe
Illustration: Abe Birnbaum
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Comments
CIP Info Meet Green Eyes, a small white kitten who lives in a big red box. In the springtime, he experiences the world for the very first time-he smells the pretty flowers, runs around and around the big trees, and as it becomes summer, lies like a lion in the tall cool grass. In the autumn, Green Eyes chases leaves as if they were mice, and when winter comes, he watches snowflakes fall from the cozy comfort of his box, close to the warm radiator.It is a simple story. It is cute and comforting. I felt that it went on a bit too long at the end. The illustrations make it clear why it won the Caldecott honor. They are very good, and fit the story perfectly.

The children's literature lover's book of lists By Sullivan, Joanna

Title: The children's literature lover's book of lists
Author: Sullivan, Joanna
Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Comments
CIP Info Section one: Books for Pre-K through grade 1 -- Favorite books -- Books for emergent readers -- Story and picture books -- Books in the content areas -- Poetry and language books -- Section two: Books for Grades 2 and 3 -- Favorite books -- Books for beginning readers -- Books in the content areas -- Poetry and reference books -- Section three: Books for grades 4 through 6 -- Favorite books -- Books for fluent readers -- Books in the content areas -- Poetry, language, and reference books -- Section four: Children's book awards and recommended literature -- Children's book awards -- Recommended literature -- Section five: Children's literature web sites and teacher resources. I can’t wait to add this book to my collection. This is my third time to use this book. Thankfully the public library has a copy until I can get my own.

The cat who went bananas By Braun, Lillian Jackson

Title: The cat who went bananas
Author: Braun, Lillian Jackson
Publisher:

Comments
CIP Info "Autumn has arrived, and the citizens of Pickax find themselves amid a clamor of activity. In addition to the opening of its latest theatrical production, the town is celebrating the dedication of a new bookstore and park built in memory of Pickax's beloved bookshop owner Edd Smith. Columnist Jim Qwilleran, while participating in the festivities, is also busy with his latest book project: an account of a uniquely historic guest residence, the Hibbard House." "The merry atmosphere, however, is dampened by the suspicious death of an out-of-town actor and the mysterious theft of a rare book. Qwill's research into the Hibbard House provides unexpected insight into these strange proceedings. Qwill must also rely on his perceptive Siamese Koko, who has been acting particularly odd in regard to the newest resident of the Hibbard House. Has Koko gone bananas, or will his unusual behavior help Qwill unravel this mystery?"--BOOK JACKET. I know, I know, I should be reading something better than this. I should be reading more kids books, but I love this series. It is like cotton candy for my brain. It is very formulaic, and generally I don’t like this type of thing, but what can I say. It isn’t the best book in the series, I will give ya that, but I like the characters. The book isn’t gonna change the world, but it makes my happy. That is the real meaning of a good book.