Tag: Boyds Mill Press

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

CATastrophe! teachers readers to spot patterns

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
CATastrophe! : A Story of Patterns, by Ann Marie Stephens/Illustrated by Jenn Harney, (Aug. 2021, Boyds Mill Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781635923216
Ages 4 to 8
Nine kittens set out on a fishing adventure to catch some dinner, but – OH NO! – they’re running into some trouble! Luckily, the Captain is there to help them out, by organizing them and calling out patterns for them to follow: row, row, meow; heave, heave, ho; Captain calls out the code, and the kittens follow, creating an organized unit where they can paddle their boat and catch their fish. Using math as a code-building foundation, this is a great way to introduce patterns and coding to younger kids. Rhyming and wordplay, a fun story, adorable artwork, and a fun story makes mathematical concepts accessible and fun to learn and easy to remember. A fun side challenge has readers searching for a dragonfly and a worm that each appear 20 times throughout the book.
A fun companion to Ann Marie Stephens’s Arithmechicks series and Josh Funk’s How to Code books, bring the math fun early on this school year.
Posted in Preschool Reads

Happy Book Birthday, Space Boy and the Snow Monster! Plus, a giveaway!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Space Boy and the Snow Monster, by Dian C. Regan/Ilustrated by Robert Neubecker, (Oct. 2017, Boyds Mill Press), $17.95, ISBN: 978-1-59078-957-5

Recommended for readers 3-8

Niko the Space Boy blasts off on his third adventure! This time, Space Boy’s trusty friend Radar is missing on Planet Ice (don’t worry, he’s never far out of the reader’s sight) and a horrible Snow Monster – who looks a lot like Niko’s sister – is menacing him! His space dog, Tag, wanders away from him, leaving him all alone to battle the Snow Monster, who’s building an army of mohawked snow soldiers. Luckily, Niko manages to locate Radar and get to the ship, re-acquire Tag, and get to safety. Maybe.

This fun book is perfect for readers of all levels. With a layout that feels part picture book, part comic book, with comic-like panels cartoony art that includes mohawked snowmen, kids and adults alike will be waiting for a snow day to go on an exploration of their own. There’s a real Calvin & Hobbes feel to the story, as we see the story through Niko’s imagination; little hints keep us grounded in reality, but not too much that we can’t surrender to the adventure. My son immediately asked me to start saving cardboard boxes, so we can make our own spaceship, when I first read him this one; I suggest you start saving your own delivery boxes now. Split into mini-chapters (or episodes, for old school serial sci fi fans) lets kids come back to the adventure if they need to take a break. The fonts are wild and exaggerated, and the art is loaded with movement across spreads.

SPACE BOY AND THE SNOW MONSTER; text copyright c 2017 by Dian Curtis Regan, illustrations copyright c 2017 by Robert Neubecker,
published by Boyds Mills Press. All rights reserved.

Space Boy and the Snow Monster is an enjoyable addition to the Space Boy series, and a fun standalone picture book on its own. Put this one with your snow day books and your maker books, like DK’s Out of the Box, to give kids some adventuring ideas of their own.

Want to blast off with your own copy of Space Boy and the Snow Monster? Enter this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance! (U.S. addresses only, please!)

SPACE BOY AND THE SNOW MONSTER; text copyright c 2017 by Dian Curtis Regan, illustrations copyright c 2017 by Robert Neubecker,
published by Boyds Mills Press. All rights reserved.

 

Dian Curtis Regan is the author of more than 60 books for young readers, ranging from picture books to YA novels.  Her books have received many honors, including Best Books for Young Adults, Children’s Choice Awards, Junior Library Guild selections, Los Angeles Times Recommended Book, and New York Public Library’s Best Books.  Space Boy and the Space Pirate was a 2017 finalist for the Colorado Book Award, and the winner of a 2017 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Space Boy and the Snow Monster is brand new this fall. Dian lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  To learn more, and to download a curriculum guide, visit diancurtisregan.com and spaceboybooks.com.

 

https://i0.wp.com/illustrationfriday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IllustrationFriday_RobertNeubecker12.jpgRobert Neubecker is the award-winning author-illustrator of Wow! City!, Wow! America!, and Wow! School!, and the illustrator of The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters and its companion The Problem with Not Being Scared of Kids. He lives in Park City, Utah. Visit neubecker.com.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Percy, Dog of Destiny – What Ho!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

percyPercy, Dog of Destiny, by Alison McGhee,/Illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann, (March 2017, Boyds Mill Press), $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-59078-984-1

Recommended for readers 3-6

Percy is so excited for his trip to the park. After finding his special ball, he and his human head out, meeting his friends along the way. Molly, the poodle, has her ladylike kerchief; dachshund Oatmeal Raisin Cookie has her frisbee, and giant Fluffy has his bone. With a hearty “What ho!”, the friends run to the park and play. While the group acts as one: racing along the fence, digging holes, peeing on the tree, Fluffy marches to the beat of his own drummer, garnering an “Oh, Fluffy”, from Percy. After a run-in with some squirrels puts Percy’s ball at risk, Fluffy shows just what he’s made of.

I picked this advanced reader copy up at ALA Midwinter because Percy looks like my doggie, Chester. When I opened it, and saw that “What ho!” was the second sentence in the book, I knew I needed to read this. This book is laugh-out-loud hilarious and works perfectly as a read-aloud. I read this with my little guy, and we took turns shaking our heads and saying, “Ohhhhh, Fluffy”, each more dramatic than the last. Surround yourself with fun stuffed doggies and let the kids mimic Percy and his friends, and hand out dog coloring sheets to finish up a fun storytime. What ho!

Alison McGhee is an award-winning author whose book Someday will bring any parent to tears. Jennifer K. Mann is an author and illustrator; you can see more of her artwork at her site.

Posted in Humor, mythology, Tween Reads

Take a tour of the Underworld with Hades in Hades Speaks

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

hades speaksHades Speaks! by Vicky Alvear Schecter/illus. by J.E. Larson, (Boyds Mill Press, Sept. 2014). $16.95, ISBN: 9781620915981

Recommended for ages 10-14

Greek mythology fans, Myth-O-Mania and Percy Jackson fans, this one is for your collection. Take a walk through the Underworld, with the man himself, Hades, as your guide. Learn all about the Fields of Elysim, the Hall of Judgement, and a lot of ancient Greek history, with some very tongue-in-cheek commentary (Romans – you may be a little put out).

Hades is the rock star of the Greek myths. He’s Poseidon and Zeus’ big brother, but he’s managed to find himself the black sheep – is it because of the dead thing? The final judgment thing? Whatever it is, Zeus isn’t thrilled, and he lets readers know all about it.

The book is written in a style that tweens will appreciate – written from Hades’ point of view, the god of the Underworld is full of snark as he takes the reader on a guided tour of his realm, and loaded with information that he imparts while always making sure the reader knows that he or she isn’t safe there. Not just about the Underworld, Hades gives details about “his people” – the Ancient Greeks – including the Greeks’ funeral rites, differences between Roman and Greek myths, various curses throughout ancient Greece, and famous ancient Greeks (who dwell in various areas of the realm), including Plato, and Aristotle, the guy responsible for homework.

The art, running throughout the book, is gorgeous, rendered in stark black and white with sharp angles (lest you find yourself relaxing!). There’s a map to guide you on your journey, complete with locations of the Titan’s Pit in Tartaros, Charon’s boat on the River Styx, and Persephone’s Grove. There are chapter heads and full-page illustrations of Hades, his black cape menacing and yet, drawing your eye to him. It adds a great vibe to the book: think Edward Gorey meets Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.

The book rounds out with a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. This is a solid addition to any library – personal, school, or public – with a population that’s interested in Greek myths. And fans of Rick Riordan’s Red Pyramid series, rejoice – Anubis, Egyptian God of the Dead, is writing a book next.