Too Tall Houses

TITLE:  Too Tall Houses
AUTHOR:  Gianna Marino
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER:  Viking
COPYRIGHT:  2012

Owl and Rabbit are friends who live beside each other.  Everything is fine until Rabbit's garden grows so tall that it blocks Owl's view of the forest.  This leads Owl to build a taller house.  Back and forth they go, building their houses taller and taller.

I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations in this book.  The warm colored scenes made such pretty backdrops for the actions of Owl and Rabbit.  This is a fun book on friendship.

The AR level for this book is 2.0.

You're Wearing That to School?!

TITLE:  You're Wearing That to School?!
AUTHOR:  Lynn Plourde
ILLUSTRATOR:  Sue Cornelison
PUBLISHER:  Disney Hyperion
COPYRIGHT:  2013

Penelope the hippo gets advice about beginning school from her little mouse friend Tiny.  He thinks she has all the wrong ideas about what to wear, what to take to show and tell, and more.  Will Penelope listen to Tiny's advice or do things her own way?

This is a fun book with cute characters to read at the beginning of the school year or to your child who is beginning school.

This is AR level 2.1.

The One and Only Ivan

TITLE: The One and Only Ivan
AUTHOR:  Katherine Applegate
ILLUSTRATOR:  Patricia Castelao
PUBLISHER:  HarperCollins
COPYRIGHT:  2012

About the book:

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

My thoughts:
My son and I read this book together and both enjoyed it.  It is a sweet story of a gorilla who has lived in a mall for many years.  It is written from the gorilla's perspective which made it interesting to imagine his thoughts.  It is divided into short segments, all differing in length, and seem more like journal entries I thought. This is a story of friendship between animals, helping each other, and keeping your word.   

This is on the Texas Bluebonnet List.  

Ready or Not, Here Comes Scout!

TITLE:  Ready or Not, Here Comes Scout!
AUTHOR:  Jill Abramson & Jane O'Connor
ILLUSTRATOR:  Deborah Melmon
PUBLISHER:  Viking
COPYRIGHT: 2012

Scout (a dog) is excited to go to the dog park with his human for the first time.  She tries so hard to make friends but the other dogs do not want to have anything to do with her.  The next day she observes the other dogs first and then she tries again to make some friends.  She comes across one dog named Taco who is mean and that causes her to stay away from the dog park for a while.  When she goes back, she loses her stuffed dog Baby.  Will she be able to find Baby before it's time to go home?

This is a cute dog story.  I thought the illustrations are wonderfully done as well.   The lessons learned can be applied to friendships.  The book will be enjoyed by preschoolers through early primary aged children. 

Spring is Here

TITLE: Spring Is Here
AUTHOR:  Will Hillenbrand
ILLUSTRATOR: Will Hillenbrand
PUBLISHER: Holiday House
COPYRIGHT: 2011

Mole realizes that spring has arrived and does all he can to wake up Bear.  Bear just continues to snore.  Then he comes up with a great idea to wake him up!

This book is appropriate for the primary grades.  It has a lot of descriptive verbs used I noticed as I read.  The pictures are colorful as well and young children will enjoy this fun tale.

A String of Hearts

TITLE:  A String of Hearts
AUTHOR:  Laura Malone Elliott
ILLUSTRATOR: Lynn Munsinger
PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books

COPYRIGHT:  2010

 

Sam's class is making Valentine's.  He wants to make one that is just right for Tiffany, the popular girl of the class.  Mary Ann helps Sam make a variety of Valentine's.  Will Tiffany like her Valentine from Sam?

 

This is a cute Valentine story to read with your children or class during February. 

Blabber Mouse

TITLE:  Blabber Mouse
AUTHOR:  True Kelley
ILLUSTRATOR:  True Kelly
PUBLISHER:  Dutton Children's Books
COPYRIGHT:  2001

Blabber Mouse likes to talk.  He talks all the time to his friends and about his friends.  He ruins surprises by telling secrets and moving endings.  His friends want to help Blabber stop being such a big mouth.  Will they be able to teach him a lesson?

I enjoyed this book and the cute mouse illustrations.  The message of this book is great for early elementary aged children.  It would be good in a character education class.

The Perfect Gift

TITLE: The Perfect Gift
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Mary Newell Depalma
PUBLISHER: Arthur A. Levine Books
COPYRIGHT: 2010

Little Lori is proud to have found a big red strawberry that she can take to her grandmother. It is not an easy task though and she loses her special gift. She has some friends though that try to help her get it back but they do end up in some danger. I enjoyed the bright illustrations in this book. It would be appropriate for the primary aged library.

My son and I thought this was a cute story.

A Visitor for Bear

TITLE: A Visitor for Bear

AUTHOR: Bonny Becker
ILLUSTRATOR: Kady MacDonald Denton
PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press
COPYRIGHT: 2008

Bear has a sign posted on his door that says "No Visitors Allowed." His feelings about visitors are challenged when a little mouse..."small and gray and bright-eyed..."comes to his door and then keeps showing up in his house. This is a cute story of friendship that will make the reader laugh as the mouse keeps appearing in Bear's house. It will be enjoyed by preschool through primary aged children.

My son and I enjoyed reading this book several times and laughing together at the silly mouse.

Budgie & Boo

TITLE: Budgie & Boo
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David McPhail
PUBLISHER: Abrams Books for Young Readers
COPYRIGHT: 2009

This new book from David McPhail is about Budgie the bear and Boo the bunny. Even though they have their differences, they are best friends. The two have adventures and help each other solve problems throughout the day. Preschool through primary aged children will enjoy this story of friendship.

My son and I enjoyed this sweet story of friendship.