Shelly By Palatini, Margie.

Title: Shelly
Author: Palatini, Margie.
Illustration: Guy Francis.
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books

Comments
CIP Info According to his bossy sisters, Shelly is taking far too long to develop, but Shelly will emerge from his shell when he's good and ready. But when will that be?

Shelly’s three sisters are impatient and want Shelly to come out of his shell. They try everything to get him out. Finally they give up and leave. With the day to himself, Shelly plays and enjoys being alone. My favorite part is at the end when he finally tells his sisters that he will be ready on Wednesday, he just didn’t say which Wednesday. This is a good book for siblings, the older and the younger ones. It is a great book about being you. The illustrations suit the story, but other than that not fantastic.

Bess and Bella By Haas, Irene.

Title: Bess and Bella
Author: Haas, Irene.
Illustration: Irene Haas.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Comments
CIP Info Bess is feeling terribly lonely when out of the sky tumbles a bird named Bella, her tiny suitcases packed with all manner of wonderful things.

This is one of those books I would have love to have growing up. So many winters we got snowed in and I would get lonely or worse I would get annoyed by getting stuck for days with my family. It is cute little book with quaint illustrations. The illustrations reminded me of some greeting cards my grandmother had. They leave a soft cozy feeling.

Mystery bottle By Balouch, Kristen.

Title: Mystery bottle
Author: Balouch, Kristen.
Illustration: Kristen Balouch.
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Comments
CIP Info What happens when a boy and his grandfather are separated from each other by borders, politics, and distance? The mystery bottle unites the two through an extraordinary gift. The bond of their love.

I love this book. It is so much fun. The illustrations are complex; they are made of different layers and each page has something extra for the reader. They are some of the most unique illustrations I have ever seen. The story is based on the author’s husband. It is good for people who are separated from those they love. It is a must for any collection. It is a little like I Miss You, Stinky Face Lisa McCourt.

Roasted peanuts by Egan, Tim

Title: Roasted peanuts
Author: Egan, Tim.
Illustration: Tim Egan.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin,

Comments
CIP Info Sam the horse gets picked to be on the local baseball team, but unfortunately his friend Jackson the cat, despite being a good thrower, is not selected.

I am not a baseball fan. I am not sure why I picked this book up. Over the past few weeks I had picked it up and put it back at least a dozen times. I am glad I picked it up. It was a story about not dwelling on what you can’t do, think about the things you can do. The illustrations are so detailed it is amazing.

After Sam gets picked for the team he doesn’t play well because he misses his friend Jackson. Jackson can throw well, but not in a game. Sam noticed that the peanut sales job was open and suggested Jackson take the job. Jackson doesn’t take the job right away, but after watching Sam struggle for weeks he takes the job. Sam plays better while the crowed is wowed by Jackson’s throws.

Lesson learned: If a book talks to you, pick it up and give it a try.

A girl and her gator By Bryan, Sean.

Title: A girl and her gator
Author: Bryan, Sean.
Illustration: Tom Murphy.
Publisher: Arcade Pub

Comments
CIP Info One day, a girl discovers an alligator on her head and, although she is afraid her friends will laugh, the 'gator soon convinces her that she can still give her brother a scare, eat an eclair, and choose anything to wear as long as he is there.

This one ended up much better than I thought it would be. It is so much fun. The silly rhymes and the colorful illustrations make it a book to share with everyone, anywhere. You ever have those days where you just need something silly to get ya going, this is a book for you.

Baby days : a quilt of rhymes and pictures By Downes, Belinda

Title: Baby days : a quilt of rhymes and pictures
Author: Downes, Belinda.
Illustration: Belinda Downes.
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comments
CIP Info Embroidered pictures and traditional songs and rhymes fill this charming book with a personalized nameplate and a convenient envelope at the back for "Baby's Special Things." Full color. Consumable.

The cover looked better than it ended up being. It is a book that would be great as a baby gift, but past that nothing to write home about.

In my heart By Bang, Molly

Title: In my heart
Author: Bang, Molly.
Illustration: Molly Bang
Publisher: Little Brown

Comments
CIP Info Parents describe how their child is always in their hearts, no matter where they are or what they are doing.

Everyone has those few authors that you pick up anything they have written; Molly Bang is one of mine.

True to her style, the illustrations are bright and colorful. The emotions of the story and the love of the characters are put in these illustrations. This is a perfect bedtime story or for parents going away on a trip. It would be a good gift for new parents or for kids on a birthday.

No room for Napoleon By Meserve, Adria.

Title: No room for Napoleon
Author: Meserve, Adria.
Illustration: Adria Meserve.
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Comments
CIP Info When he arrives on an island paradise, Napoleon the dog orders its friendly inhabitants to help him construct a big house that gradually takes over all of the available space. Napoleon is a small dog with big ideas. When he spots an island through his telescope, Napoleon decides it will make the perfect home. He is welcomed by Crab, Bunny, and Bear, who are excited to have a new neighbor. They even insist on helping Napoleon build his dream house - a home that's tall and wide, with great ocean views. But Napoleon's demands push the limits of friendship as well as of the resources of the island. Is there anything Napoleon can do to make it up to them?

The illustrations are impressive. They show the beauty of the paradise in the beginning and at the end show how Napoleon had “fixed” it. Bossy Napoleon finds out that to keep friends you need to give more than you take. A good book for that bossy person in your life; it also is just an enjoyable read.

The Fuchsia is now! By Seibold, J.otto.

Title: The Fuchsia is now!
Author: Seibold, J.otto.
Illustration: J.otto Seibold.
Publisher: Orchard Books

Comments
CIP Info After making a birthday wish, Fushcia is able to conjure a fairy by blinking and saying "the fuschia is now."

Ok I don’t have much to say about the story itself. I have to admit that I can’t remember a thing about the story. However the illustrations are what really brought me to the book. They are big, bold, and colorful. The pages are extra think and durable and stitched into the binding. Good for any young reader or any older reader just looking for something fun to look at.

For you are a Kenyan child By Cunnane, Kelly

Title: For you are a Kenyan child
Author: Cunnane, Kelly.
Illustration: Ana Juan.
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Comments
CIP Info From rooster crow to bedtime, a Kenyan boy plays and visits neighbors all through his village, even though he is supposed to be watching his grandfather's cows.

The boy is supposed to be watching his Grandfather’s cattle; instead he makes his way through the village visiting people along the way. The illustrations are colorful and inviting. The reader is transported to Kenya. The text and illustration work together to show a day in this boy’s live. The author includes a pronunciation guide and glossary.

The Secret Chicken Club By Shannon, George

Title: The Secret Chicken Club
Author: Shannon, George.
Illustration: Deborah Zemke.
Publisher: Handprint Books

Comments
CIP Info Debbie, a dancing cow, is anxious to join Wise Acres farm's Secret Chicken Club.

I think it is important to point out that sometimes I have the attention span of a 4 year old. With that said, I thought this book was WAY too long, other than that it was ok. It had some funny moments (after all it is about a dancing cow joining the Chicken Club.) Other than that it is average. I would like to try it on some kids before I change my opinions on this book. I didn’t feel one way or the other on the illustrations.

The neighborhood Mother Goose BY Crews, Nina

Title: The neighborhood Mother Goose
Author: Crews, Nina
Illustration: Nina Crews.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Comments
CIP Info A collection of nursery rhymes, both familiar and lesser known, illustrated with photographs in a city setting.

This collection puts a new spin on some of the most well-known poetry in the world. Crews’ illustrations update these standards. It is obvious that these photos are digitally manipulated but done well enough so that it makes it enjoyable to look at. The manipulation is done so that the photo appears natural. It is a good addition to any library or collection. It is a fresh update that will become a treasure.

Memories of survival By Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal.

Title: Memories of survival
Author: Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal.
Illustration: Esther Nisenthal Krinitz.
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Comments
CIP Info A story of surviving the Holocaust in Poland, illustrated in a collection of embroidered panels, and told in the survivor's own words.

I have posted about this book before, but I have read it twice since then. Growing up with my Grandmother I learned how to embroider. I am not good, actually I am pretty bad. But because of my Grandmother’s persistence I can value the skill it took to create these illustrations.

This is an excellent way for Ester Nisenthal Krinitz to pass her memories and her stories to her daughters. I am fascinated by the illustrations. The care and skill that went into them makes them all that more impressive. I have read so many books that were illustrated by people removed from the story. Regular illustrations done by artists are great, but the stories and the illustrations come from the woman who was there. She was brave to live through it once, but the strength it took to relive it again is even more impressive. I would like to thank her family for sharing their treasures with the rest of the world.

May we never forget.

The flag with fifty-six stars : a gift from the survivors of Mauthausen By Rubin, Susan Goldman

Title: The flag with fifty-six stars : a gift from the survivors of Mauthausen
Author: Rubin, Susan Goldman
Illustration: Bill Farnsworth.
Publisher: Holiday House

Comments
CIP Info On May 6, 1945, when members of the 11th Armored Division of the U.S. Army marched into the Mauthausen concentration camp, they were presented with an extraordinary gift. A group of prisoners, had surreptitiously pieced together a U.S. flag with an extra row of stars. Colonel Richard Seibel had the flag proudly flown over the camp as a symbol of freedom. This inspiring account of the liberation of one of the Third Reich's most infamous camps is a tribute to the humanity and hope preserved by the survivors. The paintings by Bill Farnsworth depict the events. Source notes, a bibliography, further resources, an index, and a reproduction of the actual flag are included.

I am sure you all have noticed, I tend to read a lot of books about World War II, especially about the Holocaust. Because this is such a crucial part of human history, I feel it is my job to keep an eye out for the books that show both the horror of what happened and the incredible courage it took people to survive. This is one of the more haunting books I have read recently. The courage that these prisoners had is nothing short of amazing. They risked torture and death to make a flag to hoist up when their liberators came. They learned how to play the Star Spangled Banner. These men and women where near death and yet they wanted to honor and respect the people that would hopefully save their lives. I can only imagine how it was for the Allied troops as they saw these people, so near death, and yet so excited to see them.

The illustrations are haunting. They have a powerful effect if you take the time and really look at them. Get this book, read it, learn from it, share it, most importantly add it to your collections.

Bear wants more By Wilson, Karma

Title: Bear wants more
Author: Wilson, Karma
Illustration: Jane Chapman
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Comments
CIP Info When spring comes, Bear wakes up very hungry and is treated to great food by his friends.

The bear has woken up from his winter nap, and now he is hungry. His forest friends help him find food, but he always wants more. I liked the illustrations from The Bear Snores On but I love the illustrations in this book. They are simple, but hold so much life and action in them. They show the beautiful colors that come out in the spring time and they show how hard Bear’s friends are trying to help him. Another must add to a collection.

Bear snores on By Wilson, Karma

Title: Bear snores on
Author: Wilson, Karma
Illustration: Jane Chapman.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Comments
CIP Info On a cold winter night many animals gather to party in the cave of a sleeping bear, who then awakes and protests that he has missed the food and the fun.

What’s better than a nice soothing story? The illustrations are comforting and cozy. The rounded illustrations combined with the calming colors take a good bedtime story and makes it great. This is one of my favorites to read aloud. It has a rhythm that is steady but not agitating. While this story is about bear sleeping in the middle of winter, it can be a good read all year, especially during some of those summer thunderstorms. This is a must own for anyone with kids, working with kids, or a kid that refuses to grow up.