Tag Archives: illustrations

Book Review: The Moon has a Date with the Sun – by Marc Geller

Posted on July 31, 2014 | 2 comments
The Moon has a Date with the SunBook: The Moon has a date with the Sun
Author: Marc Geller
Illustrator: Robert M. Henry
Publisher: Marc Geller
Date: February 8, 2013
Genre: children’s fantasy
Pages: 44
Price: Paper – $10.80; Kindle – under $1
My rating: fun story with great illustrations
 

The Moon has a date with the Sun by Marc Geller is a fascinating story for children. The illustrations are fabulous – bright, cheery, realistic portrayals of cityscapes, day and night sky, and more colourful, beautiful pages by very accomplished artist Robert M. Henry.

The Sun is king of the sky, but he gets lonely even though he demands he is the only one who can take up space in his sky. A little cloud befriends Sun and suggests maybe he and Moon can meet. Moon is lonely too and is interested when the cloud mentions the possibility of her having a friend. Sun and Moon begin to have hope.

You have to read this yourself to see what happens. It’s a cute story, one which children will love to read or to have read to them. The words are rather advanced in places for the youngest ones, but it’s a great way to introduce words with their meanings in context. It also will teach them some historical facts in a fun way.

The Moon has a date with the Sun is quite a different story, well done and interesting, almost like a fable.

You can find The Moon has a date with the Sun listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

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Book Review: A Dragon’s Work is Never Done – by Stephanie Barrett

Posted on May 27, 2014 | 4 comments
A Dragon's Work is Never DoneBook: A Dragon’s Work is Never Done
Author: Stephanie Barrett
Illustrator: Taryn Dufault
Publisher: Stephanie Barrett
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Date: August 28, 2012
Genre: children’s picture book
Pages: 64
Price: under $10 paper; under $3.00 Kindle
My Rating: A delightfully fun story to capture the imagination
 

What a delightful diversion from novel-reading! I enjoy a good picture book, and this one fits the bill.

Six-year-old Alfie is busy playing with his train set one afternoon when his mother interrupted him to come wash his hands and sit at the table to eat his lunch. She had prepared for him a ham and cheese sandwich slathered with mustard, and she warned him to take small bites and chew carefully. But, Alfie took a “great big whopping bite” and … ohhhh … spicy hot! When he took a deep breath of air out came smoke, just like smoke from a dragon’s nostrils, followed by flames when he burped! He had toasted the top of his cheese and ham sandwich!

The author, Stephanie Barrett, built such a fun story from there. The kitchen in which Alfie was sitting changed, with grass and tree branches growing out of everywhere and right up through the ceiling and out the roof. He was sitting in a forest. When Alfie looked up he saw dragons flying across the sky!

Now, what child wouldn’t love to meet a friendly dragon? Even now I think I would love it. But this adventure was for Alfie, and what an exciting adventure he had! He learned to fly, and helped a dragon scare a princess, guard treasure, and many other interesting things. The dragon always received payment from the people he helped, but I won’t dish out that spoiler.  🙂

A Dragon’s Work is Never Done is not the usual 32-page picture book, so it is a little long for young readers but should keep them interested easily. The marvellous illustrations by Taryn Dufault complement the story with wonderful visuals. 

An added highlight is at the end of the book. There is a Florida postal address with an invitation to write to Marty (the dragon) or Alfie. From reviews I’ve read they do send handwritten replies to the children who write to them. Imagine a letter from a dragon; how cool is that!

A Dragon’s Work is Never Done is the first book in the Alfie’s Sandwich Series. Book two has since been released.

You can find A Dragon’s Work is Never Done listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Book Review: Cowboy Christmas by Rob Sanders

Posted on May 6, 2014 | 4 comments
Cowboy Christmas by Rob Sanders
Book: Cowboy Christmas
Author: Rob Sanders
Illustrator: John Manders
Publisher: Golden Books-Random House
Date: September 11, 2012
Genre: picture book
Pages: 32
Price: $11.49 or less, in both hardcover and Kindle
My rating: A funny and colourful book that is enjoyable to read
 
 

 

I bought this book – Cowboy Christmas by Rob Sanders – as a Christmas gift for my grandson and borrowed it from him to review. He said he likes the book, and then enjoyed reading it to me.

Even though it currently is not in season, Cowboy Christmas is well worth the read anytime. Rob Sanders is expert with words, using some that will broaden a child’s vocabulary while enhancing the story. He has written such a cute twist on the idea of preparing for Christmas when things are not the same as one is used to having available.

Three days before Christmas four cowboys are in the desert – three are taking care of a herd of longhorn cattle and the fourth is the fatherly cook. The three worry that “Santy” won’t find them way out in the desert. They individually lament over being without a Christmas tree with decorations, yummy Christmas cookies to eat, and horses to dress up as reindeer to hitch to a wagon. Cookie (the cook) quietly convinces each that they can do that, and each makes the attempt – with hilarious results. For example, did you ever see a cactus Christmas tree with cans of corn hanging from it in lieu of popcorn? Rob Sanders wrote: Dub corralled cans of corn. “No corn popper,” he explained.

The surprise ending (for the young reader) is satisfying and yet leaves the reader imagining what is coming next beyond the end of the story. The illustrations by John Manders are colourful, funny, and well-matched to the story, adding great visuals to the descriptive words. 

Visit Rob Sanders’ very informative website (www.robsanderswrites.com) and check out the trailer for Cowboy Christmas, a book you may want to buy now for a young reader for Christmas – or anytime.

You can find Cowboy Christmas listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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Book Review: The Monstore – by Tara Lazar

Posted on February 18, 2014 | 9 comments
The MonstoreBook: The Monstore
Author: Tara Lazar
Illustrator: James Burks
Publisher: Aladdin
Date: June 4, 2013
Genre: picture book for ages 4-7 (and far beyond!)
Pages:  32
Price: paper: $16.99; Kindle $15.86
My rating: A fabulously funny and gorgeous book!
 

Having ‘met’ Tara Lazar on the Internet, mainly through her Picture Book Ideas Month (PiBoIdMo) challenge, I HAD to buy this book. The Monstore is her first published picture book and what a fantastic debut!

This picture book is gorgeous! Not only is it entertaining, it is full of delightful, colourful illustrations that cleverly keep the reader searching for more hidden little creatures. I admit I bought it for myself, but I shared some reading time with my eight-year-old grandson. We both had great fun (no exaggeration) making our way through the story and finding the many monsters peeking out of hiding places and making Zack’s life hilariously frustrating.

But who is Zack? Zack is a little boy who has a big little problem. His little sister is a big nuisance! Zack decides to devise a way to keep her out of his room since the “Keep Out” sign he stuck on his door didn’t do the trick.

Zack visits the candy store where there is a trap door with a secret knock that is required to let him in … into The Monstore! Once there Zack begins something he wishes he had never tried. He buys a monster to scare his sister, but that monster leads to another and another  and … with No Returns No Exchanges No Exceptions … it is one monsterly problem for Zack! And a very entertaining adventure for the reader.

Tara Lazar‘s The Monstore is a wonderfully imaginative, brilliant story that – combined with fantastic illustrations by James Burks – captures one’s attention immediately. This is a book for not only the imaginations of four to seven-year-olds, but for everyone who loves a fun story filled with surprises.

Watch for my interview with Tara Lazar; not only do we discuss this book but some other wonderful things she is working on.

You can find The Monstore on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

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