Tag: Leslie Patricelli

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Toddler, Toddler Reads

Mini-Myths – A board book series that brings the myths to your toddlers!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

play nice herculesMini Myths: Play Nice, Hercules! (2015, Abrams), by Joan Holub/Illus. by Leslie Patricelli, $6.99, ISBN: 1-4197-0954-2

Recommended for ages 0-3

This series works for me on so many levels, I don’t even know where to begin. This new board book series, written by Joan Holub – whose Goddess Girls chapter book series is a huge hit with the girls at my library – and illustrated by one of my favorites, Leslie Patricelli (Tubby, Yummy Yucky, and Toot, and other fabulous baby board books), is the perfect way to introduce the wonder of Greek myths to your toddler.

Hercules is a strong little boy. He doesn’t want to be nice – he wants to wham-bam monsters! To whomp-stomp bad guys! But when he ka-booms his baby sister’s castle, he learns that being strong also means using strength to help people, too.

This book is wonderfully subtle. Toddlers aren’t going to sit down and have a discourse on Greek mythological heroes, but they can get the big older brother acting like a strong man – or even a bully.  Parents will love the hints Ms. Patricelli includes in the story – Hercules wham-bams a Cyclopean monster, and stomps on Greek soldiers. The blocks of the castle depict the twelve labors of Hercules. A note from Ms. Holub at the end of the story gives more detail on the myth of Hercules, allowing even older siblings to join in the fun and learn about the story of the mythological strong man.

I adore this book. I bought it for my library, and I’m buying a copy for my own little guy. Abrams has a series of Mini Myths ready to hit shelves; Be Patient, Pandora is out right now, and books on Medusa and Midas are coming. Get this series – it’s BRILLIANT.

hercules_2

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Summer Reading is Here! Refeatured kids’ reviews to get you started!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s that time – Summer Reading Time! My library is taking part in the Fizz, Boom, Read! Summer Reading program, and I’ve got reading logs and bulletin boards ready to go. I’m super excited, because I also have two storytimes! On Fridays in July, I’ll begin my Toddler storytime and my Picture Book storytime, so I’ve been getting my storytime plans together and taking a lot of inspiration from some great sites on the web (Storytime Katie and Hushlander are great blogs with great ideas)!

tubby

In the meantime, I noticed that a few books I’ve reviewed here have landed on the Summer Reading List, so I’ve decided to refeature those reviews, for anyone interested in learning a little about the books, starting with Leslie Patricielli’s board book, Tubby. I’m a huge fan of Leslie Patricelli and the baby featured in her board books (No No Yes Yes, Yummy Yucky, Toot, and more!); any parent would get a kick out of these.

 

 

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Next up is Bill Martin Jr.’s Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom. If you haven’t read this one to your little ones yet, I urge you to pick it up! There are great toys and games that go along with the book, and with the companion book, Chicka Chicka 1,2,3, too.

 

 

 

t-is-for-terrible

 

Now, to the picture books. I’ve only read one on the list so far – T is for Terrible, by Peter McCarty. It’s an adorable book that features a T-Rex, musing over his T-Rex-ness. He can’t help that he’s not a vegetarian.

 

 

That’s all for the little ones this time around – stay tuned, as I read my way through the Summer Reading list this year!