Book Review: My Grandma's a Ninja

My Grandma's a Ninja
By Todd Tarpley
Illustrated by Danny Chatzikonstantinou
NorthSouth, 2015
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience: Grades 1 to 3
ISBN:  9780735841994
Publication Date:  March 1, 2015

Grandmas are great, ninjas are great, so the two together must be wonderful!  For a while yes.  Ethan's grandmother wows at show and tell, and she's amazes at soccer practice, until she pops the ball.  Then she gets Ethan in trouble on his way home because he's all messy.  But those ninja skills run in the family, you just have to know when to be a ninja and make it count. 

Grandma books are popular, ninja books are popular, so together, this book must be great!  Yes!  It's funny and engaging for readers, who will likely be asking their grandma to start zip lining with them to school.  The illustrations make the book, with grandma looking typically grandma-ish in pearls and white hair, but maneuvering with ninja stealth.  And when grandma decides that being a ninja isn't the best, readers will be happy with her next choice, and will look forward to another visit from grandma.

Granny should bring her black belt when she reads this book to her grandkids!

Happy Reading!

Book Talk: Bubble Trouble

Bubble Trouble
By Margaret Mahy
Illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Clarion, 2009
Personal Copy
Audience: Preschool
ISBN:  9780547074214
Publication Date: April 6, 2009


In this rollicking, rhyming book, Mabel blows a bubble which swallows up her brother and sends him bubble-bobbling through the town and through the air.  This book works in such great ways.  The story is absurd, picking up stranger and stranger characters as the bubble floats along.  The pictures are delightful and colorful, yet soft enough so the reader knows the baby is never in danger.  And the rhyming is perfect!  Rhyming books are so hard!  I've said before that I wish editors would read rhyming books aloud a dozen times before publication, because you will normally find a place where the meter fails.  Amazingly, the meter never fails in this book, rather it bounces along at a break-neck pace, and it's the reader that will fail to keep up.  Lovely pictures, silly story, perfect rhyming, pure delight.

I love this book.  Is it obvious?  I'm not sure why I purchased it, but it ended up on Ali's bookshelf and while I had her comfortably sitting with me last night, my husband picked it out to read to her.  We each took a page and read, and laughed as we tried to keep up with the text.  Ali has reached a great age where she really does see the pictures and she was taking in the illustrations as her dad and I read.  Normally when we read to her she's propped up in the chair and we are sitting in front of her, but it was so nice to all be cuddled together reading a book.  Granted I couldn't see her face, but I still think she was having a wonderful time.  

My tip for reading this book aloud in public is practice!  Like I said, the meter is perfect, but it does take practice to get all the rhymes correct and just keep up.  Some books just demand to be read quickly, and the pace of this rhyme certainly makes you speed up.  But if you are reading it to your own child, then the silliness of falling behind and stumbling over words is half the fun.  

I can honestly say that reading Bubble Trouble to my Ali with my hubby was the best reading experience I have had as a mom.  Share this silly story with someone you love and get ready to laugh.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Allie and Sallie

Allie and Sallie:  Nice and Cozy
By Jenny Harrison
Book Krafters, 2014
Reviewed from personal copy
Audience: Ages 4 to 6
ISBN:  9780615970066
Publication Date:  Spring 2014

Allie and Sallie are identical twins who are best friends, and it all started way back in their mommy's belly.  The two girls played tagged, napped, and hiccuped together for nine months.  Then, Allie wanted to explore the world and meet mommy, but Sallie was nice and cozy and wanted to stay put. But both girls were happy to meet their parents and continue being best friends.

My mom gave me this book for a couple of reasons.  One, I'm having my own Ali (but just the one, thank goodness!) and two, she knows the author.  Jenny grew up in my church and knows my mom pretty well, so there's a nice little hometown connection.  

Back to the book.  I can only think of one other series about identical twins, Ling and Ting by Grace Lin, although I suppose that twins were quite the rage in more classic children's literature, and who could forget the ever expanding Sweet Valley High series. I feel like if you see stories about twins today, it's more likely about fraternal boy and girl twins like the characters in The Genius Files series by Dan Gutman.  

But this is a picture book about twins, which is quite relatable for younger readers, or new moms expecting twins.  It goes through the girls playing in their moms belly and hiccuping, something I can definitely relate to right now, and future books promise to explore other events in the girls' lives.  It would also be a great book for an older sibling, whether the family is expecting twins or not since it depicts life in the womb in a way that children can understand.

The illustrations are colorful and vibrant, but can be overwhelming at times.  This might be a more personal thing than anything else though.  I do appreciate that the dialogue for each girl is given it's own color as that makes reading together easier and helps define the narrator.  

Since this is a self-published book, it can be a little hard to find, so skip Amazon and head straight to Jenny's webpage, Allie and Sallie.  From there you can check out book signing dates, head to the books Facebook page, and order a copy for yourself or someone you love.

Allie and Sallie:  Nice and Cozy is a great book for the twins in your life, or as a gift for a soon-to-be older sibling.  Just reassure that older sibling that you are only having one baby, if that's the case.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Super Red Riding Hood

Super Red Riding Hood
By Claudia Davila
Kids Can Press, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 2
ISBN:  9781771380201
Expected Publication Date:  August 1, 2014


Ruby loves superheroes, so when she puts on the special red cape that her grandmother made her, she become Super Red Riding Hood!  Ruby gets ready to pick raspberries in the forest by putting on her rubber boots, grabbing her flashlight, packing her lunch box, and finally donning her cape.  Nothing can scar this superhero, until she hears a loud grumbling and comes face to face with a wolf!  She outsmarts him and finds out that he might not be as bad as he seems, and he learns that girls can be superheroes too.  

This is a fun take on a classic fairy tale.  The illustrations are colorful and slightly reminiscent of comic books without being too overwhelming.  I do have to mention that the e-galley I received was rather poorly formatted and I missed out on some of the action, but once those problems are fixed in final production, the story will be clear and flow well.

What other fairy tale characters could have super powers?  We already have Rapunzel's Revenge, but maybe Jack and Jill have some special powers, or Goldilocks could be more than she seems.  Use this book as a starting point for more fairy tale-superhero mash-ups.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Hug Me

 

Hug Me
By Simon Ciraolo
Flying Eye Books, 2014
Reviewed from Edelweiss
Audience: Preschool-Kindergarten
ISBN:  9781909263499
Expected Publication Date:  September 9, 2014

Felipe is just a normal cactus, except he wants to be hugged.  He is not in a family of huggers, however, and when he meets a friend (a balloon) the results are rather disastrous.  He goes off in search of a new family, but no one wants to hug him, so he learns to live alone.  That is until he finds someone else that is equally unhugable, but still deserving of love.  Readers will appreciate this sweet little cactus that just wants a friend and will also enjoy the friend that he finally makes.

Hug Me would be a great addition to a story time on plants, friends, or even just hugging.  Readers will immediately understand why Felipe isn't getting a hug, but maybe they could suggest other animals or things that might hug Felipe, like a porcupine.  Readers could even write a similar story with an unhugable animal like a skunk or possum, although I might be the only person that thinks possums are completely unloveable.

This sweet little book is likely to delight readers and leave them a little more sympathetic to the plight of the cactus.

Happy Reading!

But You Knew That Already

I interrupt this reading of Dreams of Gods and Monsters for an important announcement.  Well, it was important a month ago.  The results of the 2014 Monarch, Bluestem and Caudill have been released!  Now, let's see how I stacked up.

The 2014 Monarch Award Winner:  The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray
My Pick:  I Wanna A New Room by Karen Orloff Kaufman
The Verdict:  I didn't do so hot.  I gave Gingerbread Man 10-1 odds and 12 place in my bracket.  The rhyme didn't work correctly for me, and that's a major deal breaker.  New Room took the number 9 spot, which I find a little surprising.  I would say that mostly the books fell in the range that I thought they would as far as Top, Middle, and Bottom, with the big exception being the winner.

The 2014 Bluestem Award Winner:  Wonder by R. J. Palacio
My Pick:  Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Verdict:  As far as the real winner and my pick, I wasn't that far off, but holy cow, I was dead wrong on almost everything else!  I thought the Bluestem would skew younger, which is why I had Wonder at number 3.  But Wonder benefited from what I deem The Older Sibling Effect--the older sibling is reading the book, so the younger reader wants to read it too!  But really all the great non-fiction or quicker chapter books that I thought would own the top half fell to the bottom.  That's something to remember for next year:  Bluestem readers are a savvy bunch.

The 2014 Caudill Award Winner:  Wonder by R. J. Palacio
My Pick:  Wonder by R. J. Palacio
The Verdict:  I didn't have to read all 20 books to know that Wonder was going to win (in fact, I only read three).  Wonder is the book of the moment, for very good reason too.  And seeing it win the Bluestem and Caudill, and countless other regional awards means that this is a book that is here to stay. Like I've said in the past, if students are reading it for fun anyway, it's a guaranteed win.

With the 2014 award season behind me, I need to start thinking about 2015.  I already did a little recap of my 2015 reading progress here, but just in case you want to jump to the master lists, check out the 2015 Monarch, Bluestem, and Caudill lists.

Happy Reading!

(I will now return you to your regularly scheduled reading of Dreams of Gods and Monsters)

Buddy Books for All Young Readers

I've reviewed some great buddy books recently, namely Scribbles and Ink:  Out of the Box, and Okay, Andy?.  That got me thinking about all of the great buddy books out there for readers of all ages.  Because everyone needs a buddy!

Picture Books:

Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith.  Only this duo could come up with such a lively and unlikely pair.  This book is hilarious to all readers as these two friends share some laughs, and baked beans.

A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom.  This book is sweet as sugar and will have even the most curmudgeonly reader cracking a smile.  There are five Bear and Goose books so the fun doesn't have to stop!

The Adventures of Max and Pinky:  Best Buds by Maxwell Eaton, III.  Simple drawings, silly story, and lots of marshmallows, what's not to love?  Three in this series.

Duck and Goose by Tad Hills.  Learning to share never looked so sweet.  Plus there are ten Duck and Goose books between picture books and board books, so keep feeding that reading addiction.

Easy Reader Books:

Elephant and Piggie:  Today I Will Fly! by Mo Willems.  20 Elephant and Piggie Books!  The best part is watching your beginning reader read these to themselves.  The dialogue is very funny, and I always encourage readers to read it with some feeling!

Dog and Bear:  Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.  What's better than a wiener dog and a patchwork bear?  The two being friends and sharing adventures!  Four of these books for interested readers.

Scribbles and Ink by Ethan Long.  Cats and mice can be friends, once they realize how to work together.  Plus, the art possibilities with this book are endless.  Three in this series.

Bink and Gollie by Kati DiCamillo and Allison McGhee.  One's all serious, the other's all silly, but together they are all good.  I wonder which character represents Kate and which represents Allison?  Three so far, hopefully more to come!

Ling and Ting:  Not Exactly the Same! by Grace Lin.  These twins are quite different and make great characters for an easy reader book.  Only two so far, but let's hope there are more.

Thanks to some amazing animal friendships, there are even great non-fiction buddy books!

Owen and Mzee by Craig Hatkoff.  This friendship started after the tsunami of 2004 and a baby hippo and 130-year-old turtle became inseparable.  You are learn more about them in the two following books.

Tarra and Bella by Carol Buckley.  A retired circus elephant and stray dog become best friends at an animal sanctuary.

Two Bobbies by Kirby Lawson.  A dog and cat stick together to survive after Hurricane Katrina and tell an amazing story.

What did I miss?  What are your favorite buddy books?  I'm a big fan of Elephant and Piggie, but I have a soft spot for A Splendid Friend, Indeed too.

Happy Reading!

Scribbles and Ink: Out of the Box

Scribbles and Ink: Out of the Box
By Ethan Long
Blue Apple Books, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience: K to 3
ISBN:  9781609053666
Publication Date:  March 11, 2014

When Ink orders some cheese online, Scribbles becomes enchanted by the box and sets out to make something spectacular.  His creation works fine for him, but doesn't work for Ink, so Ink makes it over.  Then it's a fight to see who can make the best creation, when the box is finally torn up.  But Scribbles knows how to fix this situation and make them both very happy.  Another great easy reader from Ethan Long about friendship and working together.

There's so much to love about this adventure between Scribbles and Ink.  First of all, kids love playing with boxes.  In fact, I did a whole story time just on boxes and we played with a pile of them at the end.  It's completely relatable.

Also, friends know that feeling all too well when a playdate or project goes wrong and you both say something you wish you hadn't.  But there's always a way to overcome that, like Scribbles did.  And doing a massive amount of online shopping never hurts.

I've got a major thing for buddy books lately and that's got me thinking about the best buddy books for young readers.  I'll be back tomorrow with my picks.

But for right now, think outside the box with Scribbles and Ink.

Happy Reading!

Okay, Andy!

Okay, Andy!
By Maxwell Eaton III
Blue Apple Books, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 3
ISBN:  9781609053505
Publication Date:  February 11, 2014

Andy the alligator and Preston the rodent-like animal are unlikely friends.  First, Andy is trying to catch a rabbit and Preston is not exactly helping.  Then, Preston start picking up many different items in the forest and when Andy gets angry with him, they both exchange presents to make up.  Finally, Andy is just trying to get some sleep when Preston wants to play a guessing game.  Maybe this book is a little less about friendship and a little more about the parent child relationship sometimes as Preston can be a little too much to take.   Readers will love the simple drawings and action and find themselves laughing out loud more than once.  

I first discovered Maxwell Eaton III from The Adventures of Max and Pinky: Best Buds.  It's another great buddy book that features plenty of marshmallows.  This book follows the same simple style that will appeal to beginning readers.  I just love a simple, charming, entertaining easy reader in the land of formula fiction ickiness from TV and movies.  

Sit down with your best buddy, or pet, or toy, and share Okay, Andy! today. 

Happy Reading!

The Most Magnificent Thing

The Most Magnificent Thing
By Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press , 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 3
ISBN:  9781554537044
Publication Date:  April 1, 2014


A girl and her very best friend, her dog, love to create things, and one day she sets out to create the most magnificent thing!  She sets to work interviewing an assistant, also her dog, and sets up shop in a little out of the way place, the city sidewalk.  But her thing isn't magnificent.  She fixes, and prods, and pulls, and works until she is furious, but her thing remains un-extraordinary.  Finally, she takes a walk with the dog and calms down.  When she comes back to her workshop, she sees that each prototype has a magnificent component, and when put together, makes a pretty magnificent thing.  

I'm a little head over heals for this book.  It had me from the dedication:  "For all the little perfectionists in the world".  This girl wants so badly to succeed, and without realizing it, she does.  All of her prototypes are the perfect thing for her friends and neighbors as they pick them up for their own needs.  Plus all those failures led her to her final creation, which is a great lesson for any reader, no matter the age.  

And the illustrations!  The dog is adorable in each spread has he "helps" her work, sometimes by chasing squirrels away from the work site.  Readers will also clearly see her frustration as the project fails, but joy as it comes back together.  

I'm a big fan of Ashley Spires Binky books because they are expressive and a little subversive.  They have something for kids and adults to chuckle about.  The Most Magnificent Thing is exactly like that, plus there is a great message about not giving up on your dream.  I want to buy so many copies of this book and distribute them at every baby shower I attend.  So much better than some sappy old copy of Love You Forever.  

For more fun with girl inventors, be sure to check out GoldieBlox, a whole toy line with the dream of inspiring girls to put down the dolls and pick up a socket wrench.  You might have seen their commercial during the SuperBowl and trust me, their product looks amazing.  And I love their tag line--"More than just a princess".  That is the perfect message to send to little girls everywhere!

I just can't say enough good things about this book.  Love, love, love it!  All aspiring inventors out there, or anyone with a dog, will absolutely adore this book.

Happy Reading!

100 Hungry Monkeys!

100 Hungry Monkeys!
By Masayuki Sebe
Kids Can Press, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 2
ISBN:  9781771380454
Publication Date:  March 1, 2014


It's lunchtime, but there's no food!  One hundred hungry monkeys set off to find something good to eat, but encounter a bigger adventure along the way.  The book ends happily enough with 100, or maybe 99, sleepy monkeys with a new friend, all dreaming of tomorrow.  This combination storybook and hidden picture book is sure to please individual readers.

I say that this is for individual readers, or a reader and parent, because there is just too much going on to share during a story time.  At first, I tried to read the "plot" and all the monkey's jibber-jabber, but it got to be too much.  On each spread, the reader is invited to find certain items, and particular monkeys, like the strongest monkey or sleeping monkey.  I would recommend that after reading the main story, go back and read all the monkey dialogue and look for the missing objects.  Just remember, no circling the answers if you are reading from a library book!  Maybe use sticky tabs instead.  

Any reader that is crazy about monkeys will love finding the hidden objects and seeing all the trouble these monkeys make.

Happy Reading!

There Was an Old Sailor

There Was an Old Sailor
By Claire Saxby
Illustrated by Cassandra Allen
Kids Can Press, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 2
ISBN:  9781771380225
Publication Date:  March 1, 2014

Out on the open sea, an old sailor is up to something.  First a krill, then a jellyfish, fish, ray, seal, shark and even a whale, down it all goes until, BURP!  Like all big fish stories (pun intended) this one is completely ridiculous and the illustrations will have readers laughing.  I even let out an involuntary "whoa!" when he swallowed the shark.  

I can imagine this being a big hit at story time, whether it's a full series of "There was an old (blank) who swallowed a (blank)" books, or a series of ocean/fishermen/sailing stories.  What I love most about this type of tale is how it plays to the audience.  It's a great opportunity to ask the children if the sailor should really be swallowing these things.  I also read that repetition faster and faster as it gets longer, only adding to the excitement.  There are some spots where the rhyme doesn't quite work for me, but that's where story teller's license comes into play-just change it to something that does flow.  

The illustrations completely make up for any hiccups in the text.  Seeing those end papers with the beautifully swirling water makes me want to design a sailing room in my house.  Or move to a quaint cottage on the coast, where it's always July.

This is a good addition to similar books with building rhymes, and the illustrations make it something really special.

Happy Reading!  

Everything's Better with a Beard

Everything's Better with a Beard
By Si, Willie, Phil, Jase, Jep, and Alan Robertson
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Ages 4 to 6
ISBN:  9781481418188
Publication Date:  March 14, 2014

Photoshopped pictures and rhyming text explain why beards are great and would make everything better from priceless art to semi-trucks.

You know by now that Duck Dynasty has a little extra drama, but I'm not that kinda of blog.  I'm just here to help you evaluate a book.  About beards.  On everything.  It's a fun idea and the pictures will get a couple of chuckles, but it's nothing special, to me at least.  The two-page spread with the dogs wearing beards is pretty great, but some dogs already have beards in a way.  There is a hint of religion in this book, which won't at all offend fans of the show, and likely if you're not a fan of the show, you'd never pick up this book to begin with.

But let's talk about the technical for a minute.  Rhyming texts are very fun and a great way to connect with readers, but it's harder than it looks.  Young readers and adults will notice when the rhyme skips a beat and is not smooth and there are a couple of skips here.  Let this be a warning to everyone out there that thinks it's easy to write a rhyming book:  read it out loud to yourself a dozen times at least to make sure the meter is correct!

Final verdict:  (shrugs) eh.  There's nothing especially entertaining here.  If you know a little redneck in training, it would make a good gift book.  I would think that most libraries can save their pennies for something with a little more substance, and interlibrary loan it for those patrons that would like to read it.  Fad books like this are tough.  Ducky Dynasty isn't a marketed children's show, although plenty of children watch it.  It's the type of book that will likely check out well for a year or two, shelf sit for five or six years, then land on a book sale.  If you do buy, the best you can hope for is two years of hard use, then weed it due to condition.  

Can you tell I base my purchasing decision on if a book will check out?  It's a good philosophy if you ask me.

Basically, if you like the show, you'll like the book.  If you don't like the show, ignore the book--this fad will pass soon enough.

Happy Reading

Trust Me, I'm a Professional

Look at those lovely books!  Don't look at the old clock radio, just the books.  Guess where I got those books?  Booklist magazine!  Guess why?  Because I'm a reviewer for Booklist!!

It all started back in August when I was reading a Booklist email newsletter.  They said they were looking for children's and YA reviewers.  And I thought to myself, I'm a children's and YA reviewer!  I sent off my resume and a couple review samples and hoped for the best.  Then I waited.  And waited.  I thought that they were probably looking for working librarians (which I am a working librarian, I'm just not working as a librarian).  And I waited some more.

Finally in October I heard back that I had been accepted as a Booklist reviewer!  Cue the screaming!  I review 6-8 books per month and get paid per book (not a lot, but I'm actually getting paid to read, so even a little is amazing!).  So far most of my books have been picture books, but you can tell from the picture above that I scored some chapter books and let me just tell you The Tyrant's Daughter is incredible.  

It's so wonderful knowing that librarians all over the country are reading my reviews and using them for book selection and collection development.  It's actually a lot of pressure.  I know when I was buying books that I had a close relationship with some reviewers-meaning that I didn't know them, but I trusted them completely.  On the flip side, I hated some reviewers and deliberately snubbed books they liked and bought books they didn't.  I could become someone's trusted source for book opinions!  Or, I could become someone's book archenemy, like an evil book pusher that wears a crimson cape forcing librarians to buy heavy-handed, poorly written historical fiction.  I think all this power could be going to my head.  I must remember to use my powers for good!

Plus, getting this package of books twice a month means that I have Christmas 24 times a year!  Plus, with this influx of books, I'm stockpiling for future littles, hooking up my nephew, and giving more books as gifts.  Everyone wins!

Okay, this might be a little why I've been neglecting the blog a little.  I'm reading for Booklist and I don't have as much free reading time.  And my reviews are the property of Booklist, so I don't feel right reviewing them here too.  But I'll try to do better as the weeks go on and get back to getting you reviews of all the random and fun things that I like to read.

Check out a couple of my reviews on Booklist that are available for free:

Bob the Bursting Bear:  Odd but interesting

http://www.booklistonline.com/Bob-the-Bursting-Bear-Michael-Rosen/pid=6244340

Oh No, School!:  Heartfelt and encouraging

http://www.booklistonline.com/Oh-No-School-HaeKyung-Chang/pid=6218569

Foxy in Love:  Silly read-aloud for Valentine's Day

http://www.booklistonline.com/Foxy-in-Love-Emma-Dodd/pid=6092095

Happy Reading!

More Cozy Classics: Oliver Twist, Jane Eyre, and Emma

Cozy Classics by Jack and Holman Wang presents Oliver Twist, Jane Eyre, and Emma.
Published November 20, 2013
Reviewed from NetGalley

Oh Cozy Classics, how I love thee!  Twelve words, twelve pictures, two minutes to read and appreciate each.  It's like Cliff Notes on speed!

Oliver Twist manages to hit all the high points with the darling felted characters.  You understand the trouble that Oliver went through and the pictures tell quite a story.

I think something was lost in translation with Jane Eyre.  It didn't make much sense, despite the beautiful felted pictures.  Maybe Jan Eyre is too complex to boil down to 12 words. Maybe they should shoot for 16 words instead.

Now Emma was adorable!  She gives you that sly little wink twice in the book and the adult reader will know exactly what's going one.  Again, this volume does a nice job of hitting the high points and leaves plenty more to tell in the pictures, which are perfect as always.

Of these three, Emma was by far my favorite.  But truly, these are board books that are going to be chewed up by little "readers".  This just gives parents something entertaining while they read and play with their children.  Reading Cozy Classics most likely won't result in your child being a Harvard grad, but it will give you a little something to chuckle about while your little is flinging the book across the room.  Maybe your kid just doesn't get Dickens.

Cozy Classics has already announced that they will do Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer next, so tiny literature fans will have more classics to look forward to.

See my reviews of Moby Dick, Pride and Prejudice, Les Miserables, and War and Peace for more fun with Cozy Classics.

Happy Reading!

Don't Push the Button!

Don't Push the Button!
Bill Cotter
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2013
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool
ISBN:  9781402287461
Publication Date: November 1, 2013


Larry is a star of a very simple picture book in which there is only one rule:  don't push the button.  That would be easier if the button weren't the real star of the show.  Larry speaks directly to the reader and asks, what could happen, just try it.  Then the real fun begins.  Readers must push, shake, and scratch their way out of trouble and help Larry get things back to normal.  And once they are normal again, you wouldn't want to push the button again, would you?

I personally love picture books that speak directly to the reader and ask for participation.  Some of my favorites include Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Can You Make a Scary Face?, and The Monster at the End of This Book.  Larry is your  typical narrator since he tempts the reader, and tries to stop them at the same time.  The button is a large red button, just waiting to be pushed.  It's no wonder readers cannot resist its siren call.  Once the damage is done, all that's left to do is push it again and see what else happens.  How many times have I done just that?  Gee, pushing ESC on my computer didn't do anything.  I'll push it eight more times, maybe that will fix it!  

Don't Push the Button shines a light on every person's desire to break the rules.  This book will be great for one on one reading, with parents playfully pulling the child's hands away from the button, and great for storytimes, with librarians screaming in surprise when dozens of Larrys appear.  Pair it with the previously mentioned titles for a whole story time on rule breaking and the hilarious consequences.  

Happy Reading!