The Field Guide to Parenting
Great Advice and Book Reviewsfor Parents, Teachers, Child Care Providers,
and Anyone Who Loves a Young Child www.fieldguidetoparenting.info
Book Reviews & Announcements
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Poetry Abounds! New Picture
Books! Fun Board and Specialty Books! Resources for
Parent and Educators.
Poetry for Children
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The
Underwear Salesman: And Other Jobs for Better or Verse
by J. Patrick Lewis,
iluustrated by Serge Bloch
Atheneum,
2009
Another
super-fun volume of poetry on a theme from one of the best children's
poets around, J. Patrick Lewis. From underwear salesman to the Queen of
England, rhymes take us to another place of understanding roles and
jobs. A grand collection of inventive poems
Digital
collage pictures mix photos with drawing and painting to
a pleasant end. In many, the poem becomes part of the
illustration that uses every square inch of space. In
Skyscraper Window Washer, the poem and illustration are
perfectly matched. The poem appears on the elevated
platform holding the worker, while the worker, platform
and window washing took are covered in birds.
Here's the
poem that goes with it:
Window pain:
Ordinary
words
Cannot
express
My thoughts
on birds.
Read aloud with a child for hours of laughs.
The Bill Martin Jr. BIG Book of Poetry
edited by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Smapson
Simon & Schuster, 2009
Before he died, Bill Martin collected the nearly
200 poems that make up this collection. From Mother Goose to Nikki
Giovanni, children's poetry of all generations is offered. The other
amazing thing about this book is the illustrations, produced by several
of the best children's book artists today: Chris Raschka, Ashley Bryan,
Lois Ehlert, Robert Quackenbush, Dan Yacarino, and more. Divided
into sections by themes such as "Animals," and "Food for Me," this truly
is a big book in every sense of the word. A great choice for every home,
school, and library shelf.
Going
Going Gone: And Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz,
illustrated by David Catrow
McElderry/Simon & Schuster, 2009
Another Silly
Dilly book? How many can they make? They have proven
once again that there is no end to silliness when it
comes to re=writing
and
illustrating songs. For hilarity, this team wins
the top prize. "My Father Says We're Going Cycling" sung
to the tune of "My Boniie Lies Over the Ocean" is one of
the best. A young child in a bike seat on his Dad's bike
is not happy about an all day trip,"Why bother, when we
have a car?" The accompanying picture shows a small
child behind the rear of a very large adult and with a
bird on his helmet.
It is David
Catrow's brilliant and unique watercolor, colored pencil
and ink illustrations that bring the silliness of the
songs to life. Little Jimmy is up holding a HUGE bat,
and standing in front of a catcher five times his size.
Another little guy is shown running with a giant
football soaring at him. Perhpas my favorite is "I'm the
Goalie!" sung to the tune of "Oh! Susanna." A kid
laments being alone in the goal but when the ball comes
his way, he questions his mother's telling him that
soccer is such fun. The picture shows a large soccer
ball speeding along with a small kid hanging on for dear
life.
Another Silly
Dilly book? YES!
Fiction
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Reviews coming soon.
Picture Books
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The
Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster, 2009
Duck is the only bird around with
an egg; he even lifts his leg to check if something is
coming out. He finds a large, green-spotted egg and
tends to it. All the other birds’ eggs start cracking.
In a series of cascading pages, the eggs hatch one by
one, except for Duck’s egg. He waits patiently and
finally, “Creak Crack,” the egg starts to crack open. A
BIG surprise is on the next page, where you get to see
what is hatched.
The soft illustrations and light
colors are subtle, but the expressions on the birds are
priceless. There are few words and little conversation,
but Gravett proves once again that she can create a
memorable story with a big ending with just that. The
story doesn’t end on the last page; be sure to turn to
the end pages to find a happy ending.
The Imaginary Garden by
Andrew Larson, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
Kids Can Press, 2009
Theo loved the garden at Poppa’s
old house, and when he moves to an apartment with no
garden, she comes up with a brilliant idea: They will
create an imaginary garden. Theo and Poppa work side by
side in a heartrending way, which is perhaps why the
garden turns out so well.
So, the book cover seems plain
enough, and the title page is quite simple; nothing
prepares you for the explosion of color and rich,
gorgeous flowers on the next page. Pen and ink and
multimedia collage are the medium, but this illustrator
does something extraordinary with them.
A wonderful story, superbly
illustrated from a Canadian author/illustrator team that
is relatively new to children’s books; I can’t wait to
see what is coming next!
Follow That Map: A First Book of Mapping
Skills by Scot Ritchie
Kids Can Press, 2009
After an introductory page, the story
begins. In colorful cartoon drawing, pets Max and Ollie are
missing, and the kids must figure out where to look for them.
They start with a map. Each time you turn the page, they are
searching in another location with a new map, giving readers
practice with parts of the map and map-reading skills. The first
map is of the backyard and by the end, the children are scanning
the universe with a map of the planets. An index, and great
instructions on how to make your own map follow.
Board Books
Beautiful
Babies:A Touch-and-Feel Book by Karma Wilson
Little Simon, 2009
Every once in awhile, a fresh, wonderful board book
comes along, and this is one of those times:
photographs of baby chicks, bunnies, a puppy, a kitty,
and more, all with a touch-and-feel spot inserted in the
photo. The materials used for the textures are great;
for example, the feathers of the ducking are very soft
and blend perfectly.
This is a winner, a step above the usual, and so
wonderfully sweet, you can help but ooh and aah at the
adorable babies.
Cat by Matthew Van Fleet,
photographs by Brian Stanton
Simon & Schuster, 2009
The companion to Dog, Cat
is equally delightful. From the cover to the end, there
are things to touch and feel, pull, push, squeek and
more. My favorite thing to do is to make the cats swat;
on the cover, you push a lever in and the cats paw tries
to catch the goldfish in the bowl, but the fish is too
fast for him.
Bald cats, silky cat, aristocrat,
and many more kinds of cats are presented in gorgeous
photographs, several cats to a page. There is only one
photo in the entire book that is not of a cat, and it’s
a fun surprise when you find it. Be sure to look at the
back cover, where cats are reading Dog.
I loved Dog and wasn’t so
sure that I would like Cat as much, but I have to
admit, that even a dog-lover like me was impressed with
how much fun Cat is, as well.
Pajama Mamas by Kate Spohn
Random House, 2009
Each double page shows a pleasing
mama with simple words, like “Kiss kiss Mama.” When you
open the flap, that is nearly as large as a page, a
beautiful baby is revealed with rhyming words, “Bliss
bliss baby.”
The mamas are all different, but
colorful and loving with their babies. The cause and
effect of a loving mama on a sweet baby is wonderfully
illustrated here, accompanied by the tactile experience
that reinforces the concept for the littlest readers.
Nicely done.
Parents, Child Care Providers, &
Teachers Click on any book cover for more information at Amazon.
Your
Child's Strengths: A Guide for Parents and Teachersby Jenifer Fox M.Ed.
Penguin, Reprint Edition, 2009
Review coming soon.
The Must-Have Mom Manual by Sara Ellington and
Stphanie Triplett
Ballentine, 2009
Review coming soon.
Book Announcements Click on any book cover for more information at Amazon.
Look What's New from
Kids Can Press
Smart-opedia Junior:
The Amazing Book About Everything
Cartoons and bright colors
illustrate this mini-encylcopedia for ages 5 to 8.
Special features include:Kids questions, an activity
called "Figure It Out," and more.
New Graphic Novels
The Sequel to
Claire and the Bakery Thief Claire and the
Water Wish
by Janice Poon
New Graphic Novel Series for Ages 7 to 10. Dracula Madness A Sam
& Friends Mystery
By Mary Labatt, illustrated by Jo Rioux
In Case You Missed It: Lee &
Low's Vanishing Cultures Series in Back in Print!
In Case You Missed It:
New Graphic Novel from Kids Can Press
No Girls Allowed: Tales of Daring Women Dressed as Men
for Love, Freedom, and Adventure
by Susan Hughes, illlustrated by Willow Dawson, 2008
Product Description
A female pharaoh? A woman general in the Kahn's army? A
female Viking raider? No way, you say? Look again.
Appearances can be deceiving... Based on legends, poems,
letters and first-hand accounts, these seven
biographical tales tell of women who disguised
themselves as men. From ancient Egypt through the Middle
Ages to the 19th century, this historically accurate
graphic treatment is perfect to transport readers back
to bygone eras. The lives of these daring women were
often filled with danger and the fear of discovery.
However, for the sake of freedom, ambition, love or
adventure, these women risked everything. No Girls
Allowed brings a contemporary edge to a part of history
largely untold - until now.
Walking a Line On an outdoor
sidewalk, mark a wide staight chalk line amd challenge young
kids to walk the line. On a sandy beach or with chalk on a
sidewalk, create footprints that children can follow in. For
more balancing practice, ask your child to walk along a curb
while you hold his/her hand.
Wheel Practice Set up an obstacle course for your child to ride
through and around: place cones, yard furniture, or coffee
cans with flags in a path that encourages steering and
stopping practice on a riding toy, tricycle, or small bike
with training wheels, when the child is ready.
"Great Advice" is exerpted from the
award-winning book:
Soldier's Angels is a non-profit
organization of volunteers whose special projects and
individual contributions make the difference in the lives of
our soldiers. There are multiple ways to get involved from
letter writing to adapting computers for the wounded. The
war is not over yet. Don’t forget our service men and women.
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