Fiction – Page 14 – Mom Read It

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Trudy the Tree Frog tries out a new bed

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Trudy the Tree Frog, by Jennifer Keats Curtis/Illustrated by Laura Jacques (Nov. 20015, Schiffer Publishing), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764349973

Recommended for ages 4-8

A plucky little tree frog decides to broaden her horizons, but learns that the grass isn’t always greener – and the bed isn’t always more comfortable – on the other side in this rhyming bedtime tale.

Trudy the Tree Frog is just about to get comfy in her tree, among her leaves, and fall asleep for the night, when she has an idea. She leaps onto the window of the house next to her tree and gazes in at a little girl who has a bunk bed all to herself. That bed looks so comfortable and soft! Trudy begins croaking and trilling, begging to be let in; not wanting to wake her family, the little girl obliges. Once inside, Trudy discovers that the bed really isn’t comfortable for a frog: she’s sticking to everything! The bed’s too big! She starts to cry again – but this time, she wakes up Daddy! Can Dad and the little girl get Trudy back to her tree so she can sleep?

This is a good bedtime story: it rhymes and has a definite cadence to it when read out loud. Kids may recognize themselves in Trudy, who’s satisfied with what she has until she thinks someone else has it better – and then she finds out that what makes one person happy is subjective; it may not work for another. Trudy happily ends up back where she belongs, and makes a new friend in the process.

Both the author and award-winning illustrator have a wealth of wildlife/environmental storytelling experience. Readers will learn a little bit about tree frog habitats and behaviors, and the illustrations clearly show Trudy’s sticky foot pads and tongue, and how that presents a bit of a problem for sleeping in a bed, but how it would be a big help to sleeping in a tree. The color scheme is perfect for a bedtime story, with sedate, deep blues and purples, and low yellows for the lights. Bold, black, decorative font adds a whimsical touch to storytelling and reading.

I read this story to my toddler storytime class and they really enjoyed it! They loved seeing Trudy leap and the parents got a kick out of learning about her tussle with the bed, too.

A sweet addition to bedtime story collections and nature-centric collections.

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Our Love Grows: Perfect for Moms and Dads to read-aloud!

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Our Love Grows, by Anna Pignataro (April 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 9781492634188

Recommended for ages 2-6

Pip is a sweet little panda who can’t wait to grow up. He asks his mother, “When will I be big?” and his mother reminds him that he’s already grown from when he was a baby. The story takes place as Pip’s mother remembers important moments: his tiny paw prints in the snow, his blanket covered all of him, playing hide and seek and the passing of seasons; how his tiny face fit in her hands. As she goes back over how Pip has grown, Mother Panda reminds Pip that as he’s grown, so has her love for him.

This is the sweetest book. Pip is actually not assigned a gender in the story; I think of Pip as being a little boy because I have three of my own, and reading this story reminded me of many similar moments in my own children’s lives. Snuggling with my toddler as I read this, I remembered when his blanket covered all of him – the same blanket that his feet now stick out from under; I remember he and his brothers fitting so snugly in my arms; I remember how little their snow angels looked in the winter; and yes, I may have gotten a little teary-eyed. My little guy didn’t notice it, but I did get an extra tight hug when I read the line about my love for him growing as he grows.

Our Love Grows is one of those books I recommend for parents, because it’s a parent’s eye-view of our babies growing up. It’s bittersweet, yes, but books like this remind us of the sweet moments, and when we’re lucky enough to still have the little ones that sit on our lap when we tell stories, books like this also let them know that they’ll get big, eventually – don’t rush it. And we’ll be right there with them.

The art is sedate and intimate, with Pip, Mom, and Pip’s stuffed bird the main focus of the book, surrounded by nature. The text is a plain black font that doesn’t call attention to itself, making the characters the central point of attention.

A good choice for new parents, toddler parents, and preschooler parents whose little ones are desperate to be big, when we want them to stay small for just a little longer.

Anna Pignataro is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. Visit her author webpage to find out more about her books and artwork.

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Don’t Touch This Book! More interactive fun from Bill Cotter

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Don’t Touch This Book!, by Bill Cotter (March 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 9781492632245

Recommended for ages 3-7

Larry, the monster from Don’t Push the Button! returns with another interactive book that fans of Herve Tullet will love. Larry shows off his new book, complete with his picture on the cover, but warns you: Don’t Touch This Book! He relents a bit, offering to let readers drag a finger down the page, which delights Larry – and the reader – when the page changes color! Larry leads readers through more fun interactions including stirring the colors, flapping their arms to help him escape a dinosaur, and talk like robots.

Books like these are great for storytimes, because you get the kids in there with you from the beginning. If your storytime is small enough, you can have individual children take one of the actions; larger groups, you can have the kids sit on their spots and play along. I found books like this really helpful with special needs audiences; the hands-on interaction captivated them and focused their attention on the storytime.

The art is great for toddler and preschool audiences, with a friendly, brightly colored monster, fun fonts, and active movement in the pictures. Go crazy with this book; it’s the perfect way to get the kids reading along with you!

Early Reader, Fiction

Forget Democrat or Republican, Vote SQUID!

Posted on February 8, 2016August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

President Squid, by Aaron Reynolds/Illustrated by Sara Varon (March 2016, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781452136479

Recommended for ages 5-8

This is a big election year, so get read for tons of election books – we had the adorable Monster Needs Your Vote last year, which also taught young readers a little bit about the election process, and this year, we’ve got President Squid, by Aaron Reynolds and Sara Varon, two of my favorite authors/illustrators: Aaron Reynolds, who’s given us great books like Superhero School, Chicks and Salsa, and Creepy Carrots, and Sara Varon, who’s most recently re-published her all-ages graphic novel, Sweater Weather, along with favorites like Bake Sale and Odd Duck.

Squid has had a huge realization: There’s never been a giant squid president before! He’s more than ready and willing to take on the job, and he’s got five reasons why: He wears a tie (very presidential); he’s got a TITANIC house (get it? Titanic?); Presidents are famous (Squid has a book named after him, after all); they get to do all the talking, and most importantly, Presidents are the BIG BOSSES. Since Squid is pretty bossy, he’s a shoo-in, right? Well… maybe. When Squid realizes that being President is hard work, he sets his sights on an even bigger office.

Much like younger readers, Squid knows that being President is a big, important job, but he only sees the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. President Squid is good fun; a book that can start conversations as to what a President’s real duties are, as opposed to what Squid sees. You can even talk about why the President is considered a big boss; why does he wear a tie? What makes him famous, and what’s the name of the President’s big house? Homeschool Journeys has a great printable pack of election-related worksheets and activities that can accompany a reading of the story. Chronicle also has a free, downloadable activity kit to accompany President Squid, with printables that let you make your own election!

The ink and brush artwork on Bristol paper, colored in Photoshop, is fun and eye-catching. Black font is expressive and bold, making for a fun, easy-to-read storytime or independent reading selection.

Remember to Vote Squid (hey, you can even make up Monster vs. Squid election buttons for a book battle!) and add this to your collections if you’re looking for some fun, election-related books for younger readers.

Aaron Reynolds is a Caldecott honoree and New York Times bestselling author. Sara Varon is a recipient of a Sendak Award Fellowship and an Eisner nominee – together, they’re unstoppable!

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Marianne Dubuc retells the story of Noah in The Animal’s Ark

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Animal’s Ark, by Marianne Dubuc (Apr. 2016, Kids Can Press), $16.95, ISBN: 9781771386234

Recommended for ages 3-6

It’s raining! The animals huddle together to try and stay dry, but the rain keeps coming and the land is filling up. Thank goodness, a nice man named Mr. Noah shows up with his boat and lets the animals on, two by two, to stay warm, dry and safe. At first, the animals cuddle together and sleep, play games, and get along, but the rain keeps falling and things start to get a little cramped. When are they going to find dry land? When is this rain going to stop?

This is an adorable retelling of the story of Noah’s Ark by an illustrator with a gift for telling entire stories within her art. Marianne Dubuc is wonderful with putting little winks and nudges to readers in her illustrations: she told us the story of Little Red Riding Hood in The Bus Ride, where we saw a little girl riding a bus to her grandmother’s house; in Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds, she told us the story of a postmouse making his mail delivery rounds, while her illustrations told us the stories of all the animals who lived in the forest. Here, we see little touches that tell us volumes about life aboard the ark; predator and prey all living together and having fun at first, grateful to be out of the rain. We see a chameleon blending into a tiger, attached to his hind quarters while the tiger naps; snails draw mazes with their snail slime; the elephant helps bail out the ark when a leak springs up. We also see what happens when a hedgehog’s prickles get… prickly, and a cat sharpens her claws in a very inconvenient spot. The animals’ postures go from relaxed to combative, and a crocodile is ready to snap! Ms. Dubuc’s pencils and crayons provide a soft, colorful story that kids will love to read and have read to them, over and over again.

While The Animal’s Ark is a retelling of the biblical story, this is a book that can be read to all audiences. Noah is a kind man with a boat, offering to shepherd the animals through the storm. The rain and flood are just a heavy storm. It’s a good introduction to the story for Christian readers; parents and teachers can lead children into a deeper discussion at their leisure. This makes the book work well for public storytimes with diverse audiences; kids love animals stories, and that’s exactly what this is.

Get out your stuffed animals and make your own story arc around the carpet or the bed. Talk about what animals you’d let board the ark – would you let an alien board the ark? What about animals like the dodo bird, or a dinosaur? And what other things did the animals do on the ark? Did the chickens lay eggs and the bees make honey to help feed everyone? Get creative, and let the kids get creative; you can turn this into a lesson on animals or you can turn it into a wacky storytime. It’s up to you.

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Ballet Cat is Back!

Posted on February 2, 2016February 2, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ballet Cat: Dance, Dance, Underpants!, by Bob Shea (Feb. 2016, Hyperion), $9.99, ISBN: 9781484713792

Recommended for ages 4-7

Ballet Cat is back! She and Butter Bear are having a dance playdate, and Ballet Cat wants to do super-high leaps. Butter Bear really doesn’t feel up to it, and keeps trying to put Ballet Cat off in a series of requests that become more outlandish as they go: it’s like showing off; she wants Ballet Cat to make her cereal and ice pops; she has to go to the bathroom; she has to go hibernate… Ballet Cat is getting frazzled! There’s a reason why Butter Bear really doesn’t want to do the super-high leaps… but will she tell Ballet Cat?

This is the second book in Bob Shea’s Ballet Cat easy reader series, and I can’t get enough of her. I love Shea’s cartoony art and bright colors, I love the wild and expressive text and ideas he comes up with for his characters, and I love how he gets preschoolers. Kids (and parents) will absolutely recognize themselves in Butter Bear, who puts things off in the hopes that Ballet Cat will just forget about it or give it up; they’ll also recognize themselves in Ballet Cat, who is tenacious and determined to get her way!

This may be an easy reader, but it’s great for a storytime reading. You can get silly and invite the kids to dance along with you, and you can put all sorts of wacky voices on as you reenact the dialogue between Ballet Cat and Butter Bear. And just mentioning the word “underpants” in a room full of preschoolers is comedy GOLD, so this book is a win all around. Pair this one with Vegetables in Underpants and Polar Bear’s Underwear for triple the fun, and let the kids decorate their own underpants with coloring pages! You wouldn’t believe how many coloring pages feature blank underwear for kids to color in. Thank you, Captain Underpants, for making undergarments mainstream.

If you’ve never read any of Bob Shea’s books before, you are missing out. Go check out his Dinosaur Vs. series (I’m partial to Dinosaur vs. Mommy) and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Check out his author page for info on more of his books. Check out a few spreads from Ballet Cat: Dance! Dance! Underpants below!

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Little Red ain’t afraid of no wolf!

Posted on January 30, 2016January 30, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Little Red, by Betan Woollvin (Apr. 2016, Peachtree Publishers), $16.95, ISBN: 9781561459179

Recommended for ages 3-8

We all know the story by now – Little Red Riding Hood goes to visit her sick grandmother, meets the Big Bad Wolf, who forms a plan that has pretty dire circumstances for grandma, depending on which version you’re reading. Little Red gets a scare, huntsman saves the day.

But not this little girl. With this repeated phrase throughout the book, we know that this Little Red Riding Hood knows how to take care of herself just fine, thank you very much. Digital and gouache art come together with dramatic black, white, red, and grey to create bold lines perfect for storytime read-alouds. The twist ending will make fans of I Want My Hat Back smile and chuckle.

With a savvy heroine, a sense of humor, and great visuals, Little Red is a fun addition to the fractured fairy tales book collection. You do have one, don’t you? You may also want to add this to your Mighty Girl reading lists, the girls will love it.

Author and illustrator Beth Woollvin is the 2014 winner of the Macmillan Childrens Book Competition 2014. I’m looking forward to seeing more from her!

Early Reader, Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Artist and Me looks at bullying in a new way.

Posted on January 26, 2016August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Artist and Me, by Shane Peacock/Illustrated by Sophie Casson (April 2016, Owl Kids), $16.95, ISBN: 9781771471381

Recommended for ages 5-10

Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh, one of the greatest artist of all time, was bullied? Not as a child, either – as an adult. When the Dutch artist moved to Arles, France, he was taunted and bullied by the townspeople, including the children, who mocked his bright red hair and his unusual artistic style. It’s even a recent theory that Van Gogh did not commit suicide, but was shot by two teenage boys that he knew.

The Artist and Me is told through the eyes of a childhood bully, one of Van Gogh’s tormentors, looking back at his life. Written as a journal entry, or possibly a letter to a son or grandson, the unnamed narrator begins by writing, “I used to do an ugly thing…” and tells the story of how he laughed at and ridiculed a “crazy man with wild red hair and a short red beard and a dream.” While he’s secretly intrigued by Van Gogh and his paintings, he falls into bully mode, “in crowds, of course, since that is what cowards do.” One day, he follows Van Gogh into a field and sees, just for a moment, the landscape as the artist does, and this transforms him – but when Van Gogh tries to connect with him, he runs away. As an older man, he sees the paintings in a museum and sadly writes, “I don’t laugh at him anymore”.

The Artist and Me is a message to both the bullied and the bullies. Anyone can be a target, but you can also rise above it. Van Gogh never gave up on his dream of telling the truth with his art. Bullies are redeemable – and you don’t have to wait for years to pass before realization. Seeing the world through someone else’s eyes can be the great equalizer, if one is brave enough to let it happen. The acknowledgement that bullying is a team sport for cowards delivers a strong message that I hope reaches children and adults.

Sophie Casson’s beautiful art is created in Van Gogh’s signature style, looking very much like he illustrated this story. She uses bold colors and lines, creating landscapes and people alike.

This is the kind of book you read to all of your grade levels to talk about the consequences of bullying. Putting Van Gogh’s story out there for people to hear and see opens up the chance to have some deep conversations about mob rules, crowd behavior, and most importantly, the effects that bullying has on both the bully and the bullied.

Take a look at some of the beautiful artwork from this powerful book.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

The White Cat & The Monk: A visual retelling of a classic Irish poem

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem “Pangur Bán”, by Jo Ellen Bogart/Illustrated by Sydney Smith (March 2016, Groundwood Books), $18.95, ISBN: 9781554987801

Recommended for ages 3+

A solitary monk meditates on the life he shares with a white cat he calls Pangur in this picture book retelling of the classic Irish poem, Pangur Bán. While pursues knowledge, Pangur has his own pursuits; he stalks a mouse. They live side by side, content with each other and what they each have.

Pangur Bán is a ninth-century Irish poem written by a Benedictine monk whose name is lost to history. An author’s note at the end of the story provides background on the poem and what we know about the writer and cat who inspired it. Jo Ellen Bogart’s retelling is my first introduction to the poem, and it’s amazing in the serene feeling it inspires. Paired with Sydney Smith’s gentle illustrations – the cat playfully sticks his paw under the monk’s door to gain entry, we see the monk lovingly hold Pangur in his lap, and there is a beautiful end picture of the cat at the window, ending with the poem’s line, “…and I find light in the darkness”, leading us to the conclusion that Pangur is the light, both literally (with his brilliant white fur) and figuratively, in his life. There’s a gorgeous illuminated manuscript spread that offers a great opportunity to talk to older readers about the artwork that monks created. It’s alternately a poem and a history lesson that works beautifully for young readers as easily as it does for higher grades.

This is a great book for any group of readers. Animal lovers and poetry lovers will have their own reasons for adoring the book, sure, but this is a great storytime read to get the little ones in a calming frame of mind after the singing and dancing are done. It’s a great book to introduce to kids who may not think they like poetry. It’s a great book to have on display for National Poetry Month. The White Cat and the Monk has already received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Jo Ellen Bogart is an award-winning children’s author. She has been nominated for and won many different awards, including the Ruth Schwartz Award, the Mr. Christie’s Book Award, the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award. Her picture book, Gifts, was selected for the TD Grade One Book Giveaway program, as well as the IBBY Honor List.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction

Moon’s Messenger carries a beautiful and powerful message.

Posted on January 21, 2016August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Moon is a young girl, sitting on the beach, when a sea turtle approaches her, beckoning her to join him in a journey through our planet. He quietly shows her the havoc people have wreaked on our environment: extinction, oil spills and pollution, global warming among a mere few of the methods. A message of hope and rebirth infuses Moon with purpose and action to protect the environment, and just as importantly, the living creatures we share it with.

Moon’s Messenger, by Virginia Kroll/Illustrated by Zusanna Celej (March 2016, Cuento de Luz), $16.95, ISBN: 9788416147205.
Recommended for ages 5-10

Moon’s Messenger is a powerful tale about conservation and activism, relying on watercolor images that are as heartbreaking as they are beautiful: a tired polar bear, trying to find an iceberg to rest on; local wildlife, deer and raccoons, ransacking residential garbage because their habitats are disappearing, giving way to more and more homes for people; sea life covered in oil and suffocating. And then, the turtle lays its eggs, and it’s beautiful again. There’s hope in the world, because there’s life, and now, one child knows what she has to do.

The text and images are not subtle – the author and artist are not hiding their message, and they are appealing to our next generation. Endpapers alternately draw you in and warn you about what you’re going to read – an ocean floor with the skeletons of extinct animals to bring you in, and to lead you out, the same image, but with information about green sea turtles, the dangers they face in our environment, and a call to action to readers: What will you do to help?

I loved this book, I loved the message, and I’m going to make sure it’s an Earth Day (April 22) storytime for my little ones. The small, black font takes nothing away from the images, and reading this aloud may be a bit of a challenge unless you’ve familiarized yourself with the story a couple of times. The text and ideas are better for a Kindergarten – Grade 2 audience, and pairing a reading with a reduce/reuse/recycling activity will let kids see how they can contribute to making the world a better place with their own two hands. Teach the kids in your life to respect nature, respect biodiversity, and respect our planet, and use this book as a valuable guide. I’d love to see an educators’ guide to this book with further resources and exercises for younger kids.