Book Review: There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight – by Penny Parker Klostermann

Book: There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight
Author: Penny Parker Klostermann
Illustrator: Ben Mantle
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Date: August 4, 2015
Genre: children's picture book; pre-school-2; age 3-7
Pages: 40
Price: $16.99
My rating: A very fun twist on an old nursery rhyme

I’m sure you know the nursery rhyme that starts with “there was an old woman who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed a fly … ” And I’m sure you’ve heard several variations of that rhyme. Well, if you haven’t read this one you really must treat yourself to this book.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann is a very entertaining story. She substituted the woman with a dragon and the fly with a knight. That in itself is funny, but when you see the illustrations it’s quite hilarious combined with the story-telling.

Penny‘s rhyming is fun to read and even to sing-along to, which – yes, I did, just to see how it sounded, you understand. (The rhythm is great, by the way.) She has the dragon swallowing the knight, then the knight’s royal steed – clippity, clippity, clippity, clopping around which became quite annoying to the dragon, the squire with his pants on fire, the cook with his recipe book, and more characters until he even swallowed the castle. Oh my! That was too much. The dragon had the realization he was being impolite and … well, you have to read it. 🙂 The ending has a surprise twist to it, too.

The illustrations by Ben Mantle are beautiful. The characters’ expressions and actions are so funny and in vivid rich colour. Each time I read There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight it makes me snicker, so I expect for children it’s so much fun to read and examine the pictures.

You can find There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann on my BUY THE BOOK page.

I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Goodreads, and sometimes Chapters.Indigo.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: The Darkest Dark – by Chris Hadfield, astronaut






Book: The Darkest Dark
Author: Astronaut Chris Hadfield with Kate Fillion
Illustrators: The Fan Brothers, Terry and Eric 
Publisher: Tundra Books (a division of Random House)
Date: September 13, 2016
Genre: children's picture book; pre-school-3; ages 4-8
Pages: 48; hardcover
Price: $17.99
My Rating: An excellent book to encourage children to dream
big and conquer their fears

I was very happy to win from Library Thing a copy of The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield. This is my honest review.

The Darkest Dark is a non-fiction picture book written by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield – with Kate Fillion – about his dream of being an astronaut from the time he was a little boy.

Chris loved to pretend play that he was an astronaut. It was something he imagined most of the time and dreamed about at night.

It was summer vacation when the moon landing was shown on TV on July 20, 1969, so Chris and his family went to a neighbour’s cottage to watch it. Chris was amazed to see real astronauts walking on our moon. It was then that he realized that outer space is the darkest dark there is, and he knew he had a problem. He was afraid of the dark. How could he be an astronaut if he was afraid of the dark?

That night Chris did an experiment. Instead of waking his parents or leaving his nightlight on he sat in the dark. Before that day he was afraid of any dark shadows and he imagined aliens in his room, but that night something was different. Nothing around him had changed, but Chris had changed. He realized the beauty of the dark sky and he made the decision to overcome his fear so that he could be what he most wanted … an astronaut.

This is a wonderfully told story about Chris Hadfield‘s childhood dream and his fear, the moment his life changed, and that dreams can come true. It is an encouraging story for children – anyone, really – who have hopes and dreams but fear stands in the way.

The Darkest Dark has gorgeous illustrations by The Fan Brothers, Terry and Eric. The pictures are mostly dark, which suit the story very well.

You can find The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Video: hummingbird rescue

For some of us, spring weather has been moving in with dips into winter weather. Another bit of “weather” is coming today, so I thought this might be a good time to share a video with you to encourage you that warm weather is coming soon.

I hope this video works for you. It’s amazing!

Have you ever rescued an animal or bird?

Thanks for watching, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Today is the day of “the wearing of the green.”

(I am repeating a post I wrote here in 2012.)

Did you know that Saint Patrick was not really Irish? And Patrick was not his birth name? His real name was Maewyn Succat but he took the name of Patrick when he became a priest.

Patrick was born in Scotland in 373 AD, but was captured by raiders when he was sixteen and taken to Ireland as a slave. After six years he escaped by ship, then returned years later on a mission from God at about 430 AD.

Do you know how the shamrock became known as a symbol of Saint Patrick’s Day? Legend has it that Patrick used the shamrock as a visual aid in teaching about the Trinity.

Patrick grew to deeply love Ireland, and as an old man that is where he died on March 17, 460 AD, having fulfilled his mission. If you are interested in reading more about his life, click here.

Even though their history is tumultuous and rugged I love that some of my ancestors came from Ireland and some from Scotland.

Dance a little jig, count your many blessings, and hug a leprechaun today – if you can catch one. 🙂

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY!

Do you celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in any way?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

2 Book Reviews: Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around & Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood – by Marcie Colleen

Book: Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around
Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Steve James
Publisher: Imprint
Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: children's; chapter book for K-3; age 5-8
Pages: 144; paperback
Price: $5.99
My rating: nine chapters of fun reading for young readers

Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around, written by Marcie Colleen, is book one of a chapter book series for young readers.

In Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around we are introduced to the Super Happy Party Bears who live in their own Party Patch in Grumpy Woods. They love all their neighbours but the sentiment is not appreciated nor reciprocated. The bears find a way to party for anything at all, but no one else wants to join them. Why? Because everyone else is working at being grumpy.

Mayor Quill (a porcupine) takes it upon himself to settle the situation, which leads to another problem. He goes home to take a bath when it’s discovered the water is gone. I like Marcie Colleen’s use of humour; for example, when his assistant cautiously speaks to the mayor who’s sitting in shallow water in his bathtub, “”… I just wanted to let you know there seems to be a problem with the water. It is missing, sir.” “You don’t say,” responded Mayor Quill.”

It is soon discovered that the water problem was caused by an uninvited beaver family that recently moved into the neighbourhood. The Super Happy Party Bears are excited and want to have a party but no one else is thrilled. One thing leads to another and misunderstandings and funny situations abound.

Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around is nine chapters of fun, laughs, and happiness trying to overcome grumpiness. Steve James has created great illustrations on every page which makes it even more enjoyable for the young reader.

You can find Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo, and Goodreads.

Book: Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood
Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Steve James
Publisher: Imprint
Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: children's; chapter book for K-3; age 5-8
Pages: 144; paperback
Price: $5.99
My rating: nine chapters of fun reading for young readers

Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood, written by Marcie Colleen, is book two of a chapter book series for young readers.

In Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood we are re-introduced to the Super Happy Party Bears who live in their own Party Patch in Grumpy Woods.

In this book we meet Wallace the Woodpecker who is enthusiastically noisy. That does not go over well in the Grumpy Woods, but the Super Happy Party Bears find a rhythm in his constant knocking on wood. Of course, that’s reason to have a dance party!

When it is discovered that Wallace doesn’t simply peck holes in things, he creates designs, the Super Happy Party Bears hire him to fix things. Wallace gets so immersed in being creative he is soon doing things that are not appreciated, such as making a sun roof in Opal Owl’s house. Opal screeches, “I’m NOCTURNAL! I like it dark!”

Wallace decides he should leave the Grumpy Woods, but the bears don’t want him to. Of course there are lots more misunderstandings and funny things that happen before a resolution is found.

Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood is nine chapters of fun, laughs, and attempts at trying to be neighbourly. Steve James has created great illustrations on every page which makes it even more enjoyable for the young reader.

You can find Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo, and Goodreads.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Tadeo Turtle – by Janis Cox

Book: Tadeo Turtle
Author/Illustrator: Janis Cox
Publisher: Word Alive Press
Date: 2012
Genre: Children's picture book; ages 2-6
Pages: 24
Price: $12.25, paperback
My rating: A lovely book encouraging children to 
accept themselves

I won this book and agreed to write my honest review of it.

Tadeo Turtle by Janis Cox (Canadian author and retired school teacher) is an engaging story about a turtle not satisfied with how he was made. He didn’t know the Scripture (quoted at the beginning of the book) from Psalm 139:13-14 that can be applied, in part, to his situation – “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.” – New Living Translation

Tadeo (pronounced TAD-ay-OH) was a cheerful little painted turtle who loved to play. One day he met a squirrel who could run up trees, and Tadeo became sad because he couldn’t do that. Tadeo wished he didn’t have a shell that he thought was a hindrance to him.

One night he dreamed that he was free of his shell so that he could run and climb, too. Tadeo was happy about that until a cat spied him and thought he was a rat. Poor Tadeo. He tried to hide among the rocks, and then found one that smelled like home. It was his shell that looked like a rock! It was then that Tadeo realized how safe he was inside his shell, just as God intended.

This is a fun story in rhyme. The rhyme doesn’t quite make the cut in some places, but it’s not enough to throw the reader out of the story. Janis Cox illustrated her story beautifully. I especially like the face of the cat, and the colours Janis chose throughout the story are very pleasing to the eye.

Isn’t this beautiful? I’m showing this image by permission of Janis Cox, the author/illustrator.

At the back of the book, the author included an activities section with instructions for children on how to make a paper plate turtle, a dough turtle, a rock turtle, and a felt board with pieces to make a turtle, rocks, and water. The author has not left her teaching experience behind as this book is a great tool in a classroom.

Janis Cox also included a research page with links to how to learn more about different turtles, and other interesting information. Tadeo Turtle is a book children will enjoy.

You can find Tadeo Turtle by Janis Cox on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo, and Goodreads.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂