Tag Archives: children’s book

Book Review: Love, Triangle – by Marcie Colleen

Posted on October 19, 2017 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Love, Triangle
Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Bob Shea
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date: October 3, 2017
Genre: children's picture book; age 4-8 
Pages: 32
Price: $21.99
My rating: delightfully fun & educational at the same time

Love, Triangle by Marcie Colleen makes geometry fun – and it’s not even a math book! Or is it – in disguise?

Marcie Colleen introduces geometry to young readers through her lively characters – Circle, Square, and Triangle. Circle and Square had been friends “ever since they were a dot and a speck.” (Isn’t that a great line?) They were practically inseparable, the best of friends, and appreciated one another for their differences.

Circle and Square’s friendship took on an uncomfortable dimension when Triangle came along. They both wanted Triangle as their own friend and soon their friendship is in danger of collapse. In fighting over Triangle they cause a new problem for Triangle when he attempts to find a way to patch up the friendship between Circle and Square – which is illustrated with humour and play on words.

Marcie Colleen‘s use of language in Love, Triangle is easy and clever. The illustrations by Bob Shea are “spot-on”, amusing and visual of the geometric situations created through the text. His illustrations show geometric shapes for children to discover, and, combined with the text, makes this a wonderful book for classrooms. In fact, because of the benefits (simple geometry, word play, friendship, cooperation, and more) found in this book, Marcie is offering a free cross-curricular guide for teachers HERE.

Children and students are sure to love Love, Triangle by Marcie Colleen.

You can find Love, Triangle – written by Marcie Colleen and illustrated by Bob Shea – on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Book Review: Tuktuk: Tundra Tale – by Robin Currie

Posted on October 5, 2017 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

Book: Tuktuk: Tundra Tale
Author: Robin Currie
Illustrator: Phyllis Saroff
Publisher: Arbordale Publishing
Date: August 25, 2016
Genre: picture book; age 8-12, gr K-3
Pages: 32
Price: $17.95
My rating: educational entertaining story with life-like
 illustrations

 

Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie is educational in disguise, and children will love the accurate illustrations by Phyllis Saroff.

This story is set in the Arctic, “at the top of the world”, and on the first double spread we see an Inuit driver controlling his dog sled over the snow and ice. What we also see, that he does not, is one of his waterproof boots – a kamik – fall off the sled and land right beside a furry little animal named Tuktuk. Tuktuk is a collard lemming and he decides the kamik with its warm fur will be just right to help keep him warm as the colder weather of winter sets in. 

As Tuktuk is dragging the kamik the long way to his burrow, Putak the polar bear sees it and wants it. Tuktuk knows he can’t win against a polar bear so he comes up with a silly idea, convincing the bear the kamik is for his nose. The bear tries it on his nose but it makes him sneeze so ambles away without the boot. 

Using the rule of threes, Robin Currie brings two more animals who try to take the kamik from Tuktuk. Tuktuk has silly ideas for each of them and they leave without his find.

The rich, bold illustrations are amazing in Tuktuk: Tundra Tale. Each page is a feast for the eyes and adds great detail to the description in the story of the northern clime. “Polaris appeared in the expanding night sky …”  “The Northern Lights shone …”

In the back of the book is a section (that can be photocopied or printed from the website for educational use) called For Creative Minds, in which the reader will find very interesting information – Polar Seasons, Arctic Skies, Arctic Vocabulary, Life in the Cold: Animal Fun Facts – with illustrations from the book coinciding with the information. Beautifully done!

Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie is a book to treasure, both for its amusing adventure of a clever collard lemming and for the information revealed in its fabulous illustrations by Phyllis Saroff. Readers will discover more details with each read through.

You can find Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

 

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Book Review: You’re Here! – by Karla Oceanak

Posted on September 7, 2017 | 6 comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book: You're Here!
Author: Karla Oceanak
Illustrator: Julie Rowan-Zoch
Publisher: Bailiwick Press
Date: October 7, 2014
Genre: children's board book, year-by-year series 
Pages: 16
Price: $7.99
My rating: sweet story for baby and the whole family

You’re Here! by Karla Oceanak is a little board book heralding the arrival of a long-awaited new baby. Illustrated in subtle hues by Julie Rowan-Zoch, it is gentle and pleasing to the eye.

In only sixteen pages of a book made small enough for little hands to manage well, Baby is told how special his/her arrival is to the family. Baby’s milestone events are noted, such as first smile, first tooth, first time to crawl, and so on throughout the first year of Baby’s life. Presented in an endearing way, You’re Here! shows how much Baby has already grown, or will develop.

For other young children in the family, Julie Rowan-Zoch‘s illustrations in You’re Here! are sweet and fun to help them understand and recognize how their new sibling will change and grow just as they did.

You’re Here! by Karla Oceanak is ideal as a baby shower gift for the expected birth of a baby. At the end of the story, the parents express their joy in being selected by Baby, which also makes it a very suitable book for the adopted child.

You can find You’re Here! by Karla Oceanak on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

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Book review: Two Speckled Eggs – by Jennifer K. Mann

Posted on August 24, 2017 | 4 comments

 

 

 

 

Book: Two Speckled Eggs
Author/Illustrator: Jennifer K. Mann
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: April 22, 2014
Genre: children's picture book; 5-8 yr; K-3
Pages: 32
Price: $14.99
My Rating: a wonderful story about enjoying being oneself

Two Speckled Eggs, written and illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann, is a story to encourage uniqueness, showing it’s okay to not follow the crowd.

Ginger was having a birthday party to which she wanted to invite all the girls in her class at school – all except Lyla. Lyla smelled like old leaves all the time and she didn’t talk much. Ginger thought Lyla was weird. But, Ginger’s mother wisely said to invite Lyla too or she could invite none of them. Ginger invited Lyla, too.

Lyla was the first guest to arrive at the party. — Here’s where you begin really appreciating Jennifer’s illustrations, because you see what Lyla’s interests are and how she sets herself apart. — When all the other girls came they started playing the party games. Ginger soon began feeling disappointed. The other girls didn’t play any of the games right, but kind of took over and did things their own way. When it came time for cake, all the girls, except for Lyla, were fussy and thought they didn’t like it so wouldn’t eat any. They left Ginger and Lyla sitting at the table while they ran off to play. The two girls start to connect when a funny thing happens while they are enjoying cake together.

When Ginger opens her presents later, her favourite one was from Lyla who’d obviously put thought into what she wanted to give her. Ginger discovered that, even though Lyla didn’t care about being like everybody else, she was more fun and a better friend than all the other girls Ginger had thought she wanted to be around.

Two Speckled Eggs by Jennifer K. Mann is a story to which many children can relate. (And adults, too.) The illustrations are adorable and wonderfully expressive in their simplicity. In fact, the reader can appreciate the story just through the illustrations and not miss anything. It’s beautifully done.

Two Speckled Eggs – and don’t you love the title? – takes the reader from the hopeful anticipation of a little girl, through her disappointment, and into the realization of a new and unexpected friendship. That friendship shows her it’s not a bad thing to be different.

You can find Two Speckled Eggs by Jennifer K. Mann on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Book Review: Dear Santasaurus – by Stacy McAnulty

Posted on August 15, 2017 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: Dear Santasaurus
Author: Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Jef Kaminsky
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press 
Date: October 1, 2013
Genre: children's picture book; age 5-7; K-3
Pages: 32
Price: $15.37
My rating: a fun and funny read

Dear Santasaurus by Stacy McAnulty is unlike any dinosaur book – or santa book – you’re likely to read.

Dear Santasaurus is a funny story about Ernest B. Spinosaurus, a young dinosaur who starts early in the year writing letters to Santasaurus. In fact, January 1 his first note is a thank you for his Christmas present – even though he already broke it. Every month he writes to Santasaurus, sometimes twice, and more in December just so he can try to be on the nice list.

 The notes also serve as his wish list which changes and grows throughout the year. In March, what starts out as a scooter, by April has increased to a Jurassic Turbo Scooter x9. In May is it a sea serpent blue Jurassic Turbo Scooter x9 and a raging raptor action figure. In June, it is now a Jurassic Turbo Scooter x9 with a working headlight, and never mind the raging raptor action figure – he now wants tar pit goo. Amusingly for the reader, Ernest B. Spinosaurus’s request gets more elaborate almost every month, and the bold creative illustrations by Jef Kaminsky add to the humour.

On Christmas Eve Ernest leaves a note for Santasaurus, just to remind him of the long list of features he wants his scooter to have. The description is so detailed (and changed) it’s quite funny.

The illustrations by Jef Kaminsky are very well-suited to the story, as Ernest B. Spinosaurus tries to do more nice things than naughty ones – a hard task for a mischievous young dinosaur to accomplish. Children will love the antics Ernest gets up to, and his attempts to convince Santasaurus he had good reasons for everything.

Children are sure to enjoy Dear Santasaurus by Stacy McAnulty. It’s a fun story for adults to read to them, too.

You can find Dear Santasaurus by Stacy McAnulty on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Book Review: When a Dragon Moves in – by Jodi Moore

Posted on August 10, 2017 | 4 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: When a Dragon Moves In
Author: Jodi Moore
Illustrator: Howard McWilliam
Publisher: Flashlight Press 
Date: May 1, 2011
Genre: children's picture book; age 5-7; K-2
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95
My rating: a delightful story of imaginative play

When a Dragon Moves In is the first book of two – the second being When a Dragon Moves in Again which I reviewed HERE. The author, Jodi Moore, came up with the cutest personalities and storyline for children (and adults) to enjoy.

With his parents and older sister, a little boy spends an enjoyable day at the beach. He builds a perfect sand castle that turns out to be just right for a dragon to move into – and so begins a very imaginative day at the beach.

The dragon becomes his playmate – toasting his marshmallows, being his raft in the water, playing in the sand, scaring away bullies (when actually the reason they run is because his father is standing behind him). The boy is careful to hide his dragon for a while, but then decides it’s time to let his family know. Of course, they don’t believe him and have reasonable explanations for all his clues of the dragon’s existence.

Soon, to prove he’s real, “his dragon” starts doing things that get the little boy into trouble. His dad says it’s got to stop. The boy realizes he has a decision to make.

Children will understand the boy’s quandary, and will be amused with the wonderful ending of the story.

When a Dragon Moves In is such a delightful story. The illustrations by Howard McWilliam are absolutely fabulous. When a Dragon Moves In and When a Dragon Moves In Again are two books that are ‘must reads’ for your young readers – and the whole family.

You can find When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

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Book Review: I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard – by Jennifer K. Mann

Posted on August 3, 2017 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson's Blackboard
Author/illustrator: Jennifer K. Mann
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: June 9, 2015
Genre: children's picture book; age 5-8; gr. K-3
Pages: 40
Price: $16.99
My rating: Such a delightful story!

I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard, written and illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann, is a sweet story.

Schoolteacher Mrs. Benson gives stars on the blackboard for spelling and math and right answers and neatness. Rose just KNOWS she’ll NEVER get a star because she can’t seem to give the right answers on anything. She likes to doodle, and her desk is always messy, too. Mrs. Benson doesn’t give stars for that.

One day, Mr. Sullivan comes to visit the class and he talks about being an artist. After his visit Rose thinks a lot about what he said, so much that she’s distracted and spills the class snack on Mrs. Benson! How can she ever get a star that way!

When Mrs. Benson announces she’s going to do a desk check for neatness, Rose’s heart sinks, but the next morning she cleans it the best she can. When her teacher gets each student to make a thank-you card for Mr. Sullivan, Rose’s artistic flair is released. What a mess, even worse than before! In fact, Mrs. Benson laughs because not only is Rose’s desk a mess, so is Rose! She is very impressed with the little girl’s artwork, though, and says that Rose is a true artist like Mr. Sullivan.

At the end of the day, Mrs. Benson calls Rose up to the blackboard. The little girl is worried, but then something wonderful happens.

Jennifer K. Mann‘s illustrations are fabulous in I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard. I wish I could share a couple of my favourites here for you, but since I can’t you’ll have to read this delightful book for yourself to see them. Jennifer pulls the reader right in with her combination of words and visuals. Her illustrations are uncomplicated and expressive – very enjoyable.

You can find I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard by Jennifer K. Mann on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Goodreads, and on Chapters.Indigo if available there.

Your comments for authors and illustrators are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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