Hippos Go Berserk! by Sandra Boynton

Title: Hippos Go Berserk!
Author:Sandra Boynton
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Kids Picture Book
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings:  None
Premise: "Larger and larger groups of hippos join a lone hippopotamus for a night-time party" (King County Library).
Opinions: It has been a while since I've posted a review for a children's book, but I've been going to volunteer at my library each week for the last month and picked up this book for my kids. Oh my gosh!!!! This book is awesome. The pictures are colorful, the story hilarious, and my autistic kindergarten loves this book so much that he is reading it over and over. So if you are looking for a fantastic book for your little ones to read, this one should be at the top of your list.

The Way to Start A Day by Byrd Baylor

Title: The Way to Start A Day
Author: Byrd Baylor (Illustrator: Peter Parnall)
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise:"Text and illustrations describe how people all over the world celebrate the sunrise." (King County Library System)
Opinions: For our book club this month we are reading a series of Byrd Baylor books. I started by reading this Caldecott Honor book to my daughter this evening and thought it was quite beautiful. The book describes different cultures and ways that they honor the sun. The illustrations fit the language wonderfully and help children to follow along with each culture described. For anyone with little kids this book is a great tool to talk to your children about how everyone starts the day differently.

Gilbert the Great by Jane Clarke & Charles Fuge

Title: Gilbert the Great
Author: Jane Clarke & Charles Fuge
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "Gilbert, a great white shark, plays with Raymond, a tiny fish, every day. But who will Gilbert play with when Raymond's family moves away?" (King County Library System)
Opinions: This is a sweet little book about how its hard to watch a friend move away and how to make new friends. It was a fun book with a good lesson, but not one that my daughter seemed over intrigued by. She looked at it only one other time after reading it and then ran off (granted one of her favorite shows came on the television and may have contributed to the distraction).

Ghost Ship by Mary Higgins Clark

Title: Ghost Ship: A Cape Code Story
Author: Mary Higgins Clark (Illustrated by Wendell Minor)
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "While visiting his grandmother on Cape Cod, nine-year-old Thomas encounters a ship's cabin boy from centuries past." (King County Library System)
Opinions: I am a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark's adult mystery novels, so I was intrigued when I learned that she had also written a children's picture book. I was especially excited as I have been to (and dearly love) Cape Cod and its history. As a result, I really LOVE this book, but I feel it is more for older children than toddlers. I read it to my three year old and both of us were fascinated by the incredible artistry of the pictures on every page, but each page also has several paragraphs of writing making it difficult for younger readers. However, it seemed that the pictures kept my daughter's attention enough that I was surprisingly able to read the entire story to her. I loved the actual story itself as well and could see how it would capture a young child's imagination. If you have a patient reader or one with a love of stories of sailors, shipwrecks, ghosts, etc., then I think you and your young reader will really enjoy this book.

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems

Title: Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion
Author: Mo Willems
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "While traveling with her family to Holland to visit her grandparents, Trixie once again loses her beloved Knuffle Bunny." (King County Library System)
Opinions: While Stephanie has read several of the Knuffle Bunny books before, Knuffle Bunny Free was my first experience with them. Released just this last year, this book is a great way to help kids learn that at some point they get bigger, and older, and can truly survive short periods of time with that special toy, blanket, etc. that they take wherever they go. If you have a child who is having a hard time letting go of that special something, this might be a great way to introduce them to the idea that they will survive and that they can keep that special item in their hearts and memories forever. The style of the book was very different from what I'm used to in my limited experience with picture books, but my three year old loved it (maybe because she has a very special bunny all her very own that goes almost everywhere with her).

My Family Plays Music by Judy Cox

Title: My Family Plays Music
Author: Judy Cox (Author)/ Elbrite Brown (Illus.)
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: " A musical family with talents for playing a variety of instruments enjoys getting together to celebrate." (King County Library System)
Opinions: My husband is a percussionist for the community band in our area and he loves to teach my daughter all about the instruments. I picked up My Family Plays Music at our library just randomly and it turned out to be all about a girl who plays different instruments to support each member of her family who plays different styles of music. This girl is a percussionist. My husband was so excited to have a book that teaches children about all the roles a percussionist plays. The beauty of this book is that my daughter literally wouldn't put it down. She read and reread it every day until we took it back. In fact, she took it to bed with her and would read it over and over again until she fell asleep, pointing out each type of instrument and saying what it was. I've never seen her so addicted to a book as this one. As such, I recommend this as an amazing, fabulous book and a great way to teach children about different styles of music and different instruments. Plus the style of illustration is so different and beautiful and it won the Corretta Scott King/John Steptoe award for new talent.

Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson and Bruce Degen(Ills)

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Title: Jazzmatazz!
Author: Stephanie Calmenson and Bruce Degen (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: When a piano-playing mouse slips inside a house to get warm, watch out! In no time he has a whole family, then a whole town, making music. They're drumming, fiddling, singing, dancing, and jazzmatazz jamming!

Stephanie Calmenson's sing-aloud words and Bruce Degen's eye-dancing pictures bring music to every page.

What kind of music will you make? (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This was one of those randomly selected books from the library that I just threw in my bag cause the title appealed to me and the pictures looked cute. Little did I know how much we would read and love this book.

This bookstarts with a piano playing mouse and builds through the house until everyone inside and out of the house is singing along and making music too. Each animal or person has a visual shape and color and when all the music comes together so do all the colors and shapes. I love that as the words (which we chant/sing in a jazzy rhythm) build into a fun sound that is also so very visual. And usually we are all bouncing (alright dancing) by the end of the book. The illustrations are beautiful and the words are fun and it has a great rhythm.

We love this book. It is one of our all time favorites that we read over and over and over again. And the kids like it too. :)

Pajamas Anytime by Marsha Hayles and Hiroe Nakata (Ills)

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Title: Pajamas Anytime
Author: Marsha Hayles, Hiroe Nakata (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: You can't help but have comfy fun in pajamas all year round. And not just when you're sleeping! If January's snow closes school for the day or a February cold keeps you sofa'd from play, it's time for pajamas. When your September school party has you all dressed for bed and in pumpkin October when ghost stories are read, only pajamas will do. This lilting book is perfect for snuggling at bedtime or any other time. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: We read this regularly at bedtime. Any guesses as to why?

This book has several appeals for me. I like that it goes through a year and talks about all the different months. Not only that, but if you are paying attention gives a brief blip about what generally happens during that month.

The lilting poetry is fun. We have a rhythm that we read it at, and whenever anyone reads it to my kids NOT in that rhythm they tell them they are reading it wrong. (But with kindness and love I'm sure.)

The illustrations are gorgeous watercolors. I am amazed what people can do with watercolors. They are just beautiful.

Overall, a fun and delightful story that will give you plenty to look at visually, and fun words to go to sleep by.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

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Title: Flotsam
Author: David Wiesner
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This is a visually stunning book that has no words. I love that it tells the story without words. AND it does it so well, that you know exactly what the story is.

A young boy is on the beach and finds an underwater camera. He takes it and gets the film developed. The pictures he sees both on the land and on the see shock and amaze him as he discovers things about under the ocean and the history of the camera.

Seriously, just thinking about this book is giving me goosebumps. It's that amazing! This is one of those books that I will look at for hours and find new things in the illustrations. This book won the Caldecott Medal the year it was published, and it was my pick to win. Frankly, how could it not have. IT IS AMAZING! It is worth the time to look at, even briefly, and even if you don't have kids. (I was pregnant the first time I looked at this book. So amazing.)

Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton

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Title: Hippos Go Berserk
Author: Sandra Boynton
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: How dull, to be one hippo all alone... until the one calls two other hippos on the phone. Soon three more hippos are at the door, bringing along another four. Before the night is through, a houseful of hippos (and one beast) has joined the one hippo for a boisterous bash. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Before I had kids, I didn't know who Sandra Boynton was. *hangs my head in shame* Boy was I missing out!

Sandra Boynton mixes fun illustrations with a creative mind that makes for fun stories. Like this counting book. You count up to 9 and back down again as the hippos arrive for a party and then leave. It's cute and fun. My kids love it. So do I. I admit to sitting around just staring at the illustrations. Sandra Boynton sneaks in all sorts of little quirky things (like a version of Whistlers Mother). The rhythmic language of the book is fun and definately adds to the appeal of the book.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

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Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Author: Judith Viorst, Ray Cruz (Ills)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair.

And it got worse...

His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! (goodreads.com)

Opinions: You have probably read this book. But I couldn't not review it for picture book month! It is one of my favorites. I have my copy from when I was a little girl that my kids read. It is thoroughly tattered, bent and torn, but we tape it back together and keep on reading it. Part of me loves that it is so damaged. It's just like the story of Alexander. Sometimes life doesn't go the way you want it to. Sometimes you wake with gum in your hair and you forget to count 16. But you make it through.

Life isn't about the easy stuff. It's the sticky stuff that makes life interesting. This book ran through my mind constantly while I was in China. Sometimes things are tough. Sometimes it seems like nothing goes right. But running away doesn't solve the problem. And when you stand strong, you will be stronger for it.

This is a great book, no matter what your age or where you live. It will hit a chord with you. Even in Australia.

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko(Illustrator)

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Title: The Paper Bag Princess
Author: Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: WORSHIP
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Elizabeth, a beautiful princess, lives in a castle and wears fancy clothes. Just when she is about to marry Prince Ronald, a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes with his fiery breath, and prince-naps her dear Ronald. Undaunted and presumably unclad, she dons a large paper bag and sets off to find the dragon and her cherished prince. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: This is a favorite in my house. By both me and my boys. It's a little tattered, a little torn, a little mended, and much loved. It is regularly picked by both boys to read for bedtime. And I do not mind. I love this book.

Princesses get a lot of crud in this world. They are picked on and trapped and really can't think for themselves in a lot of stories.

BUT in this story Princess Elizabeth looses everything and then does something about it. She goes after Prince Ronald to try and save him from the dragon. How awesome is that! She decides that she wants something, and she goes that uses her brains to accomplish it! I love that this book shows a strong female with smarts using them to her advantage. Then in the end, she stands up for herself again. (Not going to tell you, but you will know when you get there, and we all say that line aloud. It's the second to the last line of the book.)

The illustrations are fun and truly this is a great book about strong, smart females and how to treat each other. I love love love that my boys love this book. It gives me great fodder for talking about how to treat women and how not to underestimate anyone.

I don't know if you can tell, but I have loved this book for years. It's worth reading. Go read it. Go on. It's worth it!

The Queen of Style by Caralyn Buehber and Mark Buehber

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Title: The Queen of Style
Author: Caralyn Buehber and Mark Buehner
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Queen Sophie rules a small, happy kingdom of farmers, but she herself isn’t happy. Nobody ever comes to her with a problem, and she is bored to tears . . . until she spots an ad for the Royal College of Beauty correspondence course. Soon she is memorizing directions and practicing her lessons in a frenzy. She starts writing proclamations, demanding that her subjects come to the castle so that she can cut and curl and color their hair. Even the sheep must be coiffed. It’s not long before Sophie finds herself facing an angry—though very stylish!—mob. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: Queen Sophie is bored and so she finds her passion.....doing hair. So she practices on her subjects and their sheep. She is having a great time, until she realizes that her subjects are not. They don't like having to come and get their hair cut or dyed or whatever she needs to do. Sophie feels bad because she never realized that everyone wasn't having as much fun as she was.

Okay, so this book teaches a great lesson. What is fun for you is fun, but not everyone might think so. Forcing people to play how or what you want, isn't fun in the long run. Playing together is much better.

I love the illustrations. They are so fun. Especially the sheep. Don't forget to look for the sheep. I love that the people have these elaborate hairdos that just keep getting more interesting.

This is a fun book with a great message for kids. And yes, I read it to my boys. And yes, they liked it. And yes, my husband had issue with that. But that's okay with me. It's a GREAT story.

Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack and Henry Cole

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Title: Three Hens and a Peacock
Author: Lester L. Laminack and Henry Cole (Illustrator)
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Easy Reader/Picture Book
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "Nothing unusual ever happened on the Tuckers farm. Until the day that peacock showed up... When a glamorous visitor lands unexpectedly in their midst and begins attracting customers, three hardworking hens protest: How come we do all the hard work and he gets all the attention? To keep the peace, the wise old hound dog suggests a swap. The hens and the peacock soon find out that others jobs aren t always as easy as they seem. What will happen when three gussied-up hens spend the day prancing and parading at passing cars? And will that peacock ever figure out how to lay an egg?" (Good Reads)
Opinions: This book is a fantastic way for kids to learn that you can't always understand someone until you have walked in their shoes (so to speak). I read it to my three year-old daughter and she promptly took it out of my hands and re-read it to herself (adjusting the story as she felt along the way) over-and-over again. The pictures are well done and definitely kept her fasincated time and time again.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author: Brian Selznick
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Graphic Novel (?) Picture Book (?)
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise:Orphan Hugo Cabret lives in a wall. His secret home is etched out in the crevices of a busy Paris train station. Part-time clock keeper, part-time thief, he leads a life of quiet routine until he gets involved with an eccentric, bookish young girl and an angry old man who runs a toy booth in the station. The Invention of Hugo Cabret unfolds its cryptic, magical story in a format that blends elements of picture book, novel, graphic novel, and film. Caldecott Honor-winning author-illustrator Brian Selznick has fashioned an intricate puzzle story that binds the reader like a mesmerist's spell.(goodreads.com)

Opinions: Have you ever picked up a 500 page book and thought, "Great, this'll give me something to read for an hour." Then you read it in less than an hour and think, "Shoot, now what am I going to do?"

Okay, so that happened to me when I read this book. I was working for a bookstore and saw it the day it came in. I needed something to read during lunch, so I decided to start it during lunch and then read it over a couple of days. It didn't work out that way, and I'm so glad that it didn't.

This book is told as much by the illustrations as it is my the words. It takes place in a train station in Paris and discusses the classics of film and automatons and building things.

I have to say that I didn't expect this story to be so beautiful nor the illustrations to touch me like they did. I LOVE this book and think you should give it a shot. I mean, what the hay, right? How many people can say they read a 500 page book in an hour? :)

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy, Thomas Gonzalez (Illustrator), Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah (Collaborator)

Title: 14 Cows for America
Author: Carmen Agra Deedy, Thomas Gonzalez (Illustrator), Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah (Collaborator)
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: In June of 2002, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya. An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary. A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks, and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely from American and Maasai as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away. Word of the gift will travel news wires around the globe. Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: There are very few picture books that I have been so incredibly moved by. And honestly, this one far surpassed any others. This is a beautifully moving story about helping Americans heal after the tragedy of September 11th. Not only is this a beautiful story, but it is true. I think that is why it is so amazing. On top of that, the illustrations are gorgeous. I have to say that this is one of those books I read regularly to my kids, but keep high up so that it stays nice. This is a book I want to have to read to my grandkids and greatgrandkids. It shows the good in people and the kindness you can show to those around us. I love this book very very much. I hope you take the time to read it. It's a picture book so it will take you less than 5 minutes. But it is worth it. So very worth it.

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees

Title: Giraffes Can't Dance
Author: Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: the giraffe longs to dance, but his legs are too skinny and his neck is too long. His knees buckle whenever he tries to twirl. At the Jungle Dance, the warthogs waltz, the chimps cha-cha, and the lions tango. "Giraffes can't dance," they all jeer when it's Gerald's turn to prance. But there is one little creature who believes in Gerald. "Everything makes music," the cricket explains, "if you really want it to." So Gerald starts swaying to his own sweet tune. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: I love this book. It is such a great book. My kids love it too. My 4 year old always brings it to me and asks to read about poor Gerald. But I love this book for several reasons. 1) The story is great. I love that it teaches that it is okay to be yourself and to find the true place you fit as opposed to the place where everyone thinks you should. 2) The illustrations are amazing. These watercolors are truly suprising (at least to me) that they are watercolors. I love just looking at this book. 3) The rhythm of the book is appealing and feels like a dance to me as well.

I am so glad we have this book in our home library and it is one of the books I would recommend to add to your picture book library. (Even, if I didn't have kids, I would buy this one. Cause I love it so. But I'm a bibliophile. So.....do whatever you want. I won't know. Unless you tell me. And that would be fun. Do you own this book?)

Daughter of a King by Rachel Ann Nunes

Title: Daughter of a King
Author: Rachel Ann Nunes
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "In this allegorical tale, Katie's parents, who are poor farmers, tell her that she is really a princess and must learn to be kind and moral so that one day she will return to her father, the king, in his Crystal Palace." (King County Library System)
Opinions: I think this book is absolutely amazing. I was able to get a copy signed by the author for my daughter, but I've read it more than she has. The pictures in this book are stunning and accompany the story perfectly. I love the theme and that it teaches the kids that is important to treat each other and oneself with respect. It's beautifully written and beautifully illustrated and well worth your time.

Pingo by Brandon Mull

This was the one book that I could not get a hold of when we did the Brandon Mull giveaway, and now my local library has finally purchased a copy. Whohoo!

Title: Pingo
Author: Brandon Mull (Illustrated by Brandon Dorman)
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "What happens when your imaginary friend becomes your imaginary enemy?" (Book Jacket)
Opinions: I'm not quite sure how to write a book review on something so short that it doesn't have page numbers, but I will give it a try. It's cute. Does that work? Just kidding.

In all honesty, this is a picture book that has very beautiful drawings that support the story wonderfully. The story itself is not what I expected, but you can't exactly have a long drawn out plot in a picture book. I kept thinking that the story could go deeper and have twists and turns, but then it wouldn't be a picture book. It had some things that I didn't expect, but overall I liked it. Now the true test will be to see if my daughter likes it. I think she will.