pets – Page 7 – Mom Read It

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Mother Goose’s legacy is passed on in The Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper

Posted on June 5, 2016June 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper, by Annabelle Fisher/Illustrated by Natalie Andrewson, (May 2016, Greenwillow Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9780062393777

Recommended for ages 8-12

Fifth grader Pixie Piper discovers that she is a direct descendant of Mother Goose – yes, THAT Mother Goose – complete with her own goose, the ability to create amazing rhymes, and a bit of spellcasting magic. She has to protect her goose from the awful Raveneece – a descendant of the Sinister Sisters, who have some messy history with Mother Goose and the Goose Ladies – plus keep her status as a Goose Girl a secret, even from her mom and her best friend!

I really enjoyed this book. Pixie is very likable, as is her best friend, Gray, and her small group of friends at school. Her mom’s quirkiness and love of fairy tales appeals to me, so let me give a little side shout-out to moms out there: read the book! I love the idea of there being an actual Mother Goose, and having a legacy passed down – it’s not exactly what you may think, so that makes it even more fun. Destiny, Pixie’s goose, has her own personality, and the relationship between Des and Pixie is sweet. We’ve got a story with good Goose Ladies, mean Sinister Sisters, frenemies, and a Toilet Museum: this is summer reading gold.

This is the first of two books starring Pixie Piper, and I’m looking forward to spending more time in her world. Add this one to your middle grade fantasy collections and booktalk it with the Sisters Grimm, Grimmtastic Girls, Whatever After, and the Fairy Tale Reform School series.

Early Reader, Fiction, Humor, Preschool Reads

Can you really have Too Many Moose?

Posted on May 27, 2016May 27, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Too Many Moose!, by Lisa Bakos/Illustrated by Mark Chambers, (Jul. 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 9781492609353

Recommended for ages 4-8

Martha decides to get a pet, and does a lot of thinking about what pet she should get. When she decides on a moose, she’s delighted – and decides that if one moose is marvelous, more must be magnificent! But what happens when Margaret finds herself with too many moose?

Too Many Moose is an adorable story of a a little girl who finds herself in way over her head when she accumulates too many moose. It’s a counting book that wonderfully uses rhyme and alliteration, drawing readers and listeners in and inviting them to laugh along at all the hijinks the moose get themselves into. The cartoony illustrations and bold, black text are eye-catching and adorable. I’ve read this with at my family storytime, and it went over huge (and I realized that wow, there are a lot of moose storybooks for kids). We counted the moose, and we imagined what other sorts of trouble the moose could get into when Margaret wasn’t looking.

Add this one to your read-aloud collection, and your picture book collections for sure. This is going to be a storytime standard for a long time.

You can visit Sourcebooks’ Virtual Moose Mart and choose your own moose – show him (or her) off on social media and hashtag it #toomanymoose to share in the fun! Here’s mine.

An activity kit and educator resources are forthcoming at the Virtual Moose Mart – keep checking in!

Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Realistic Fiction

Is Jasper John Dooley Public Library Enemy #1?

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Jasper John Dooley: Public Library Enemy #1, by Caroline Adderson/Illustrated by Mike Shiell (Apr. 2016, Kids Can Press), $15.95, ISBN: 9781771380157

Recommended for ages 7-10

Poor Jasper! He borrowed a book from the library, so he could practice reading. He wanted his skills to be sharp when it was his turn to sit on the big, comfy chair at the library and read to Molly the dog, that’s all! But Jasper accidentally dropped the book in the tub and drowned it, and THEN, his father set it on fire by trying to dry it in the stove. And THEN, he shot it with a fire extinguisher! Now, Jasper and his dad are Book Killers, and he’s terrified that he owes the library $2500 for the book! How can he raise that much money before Wednesday, when it’s his turn to read to Molly?

This is the sixth book in the Jasper John Dooley early chapter book series, and it’s adorable; great for young readers who are ready to advance from Easy Readers to chapter books. Jasper is very likable, and his reasoning will click with readers: his mom reads in the bathtub, so it should be easy, right? He misjudges a decimal point when trying to determine the price of the book he needs to replace, and comes up with $2500 instead of $25. He feels huge responsibility for the library book in his care, which provides opportunities for discussion about responsibility and taking care of others’ belongings, as well as realizing that everyone makes mistakes – even parents – and that, yes, accidents happen.

This is the first Jasper John Dooley book I’ve ever read, but I would like to get these on my library’s shelves, because they’re great reading. Like most series fiction for emerging and newly independent readers, you don’t need to read from book one to pick up the series; they’re independent stories with characters that you’ll get to know right away. Black and white llustrations add to the enjoyment of the story. You can easily have a read-aloud with this book: classes will get a kick out of it! Good role models, sweet humor based on misunderstanding, solid discussion points make this a good addition to your series collections.

Learn more about the Jasper John Dooley series on the Kids Can Press webpage.

Animal Fiction, Preschool Reads

Buddy and Earl Go Exploring – A buddy tale of imagination!

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

Two friends – a hedgehog and a dog – settle down for the night. When the house is asleep, Earl, the hedgehog, announces that he’s leaving – much to his best friend, Buddy’s, chagrin. But wait! After running and running on his exercise wheel, Earl arrives at his destination and discovers that Buddy is there after all! Buddy’s confused, but goes with the flow, and the two go on an adventure that will have parents and kids alike laughing and wondering what their own pets get up to when everyone’s asleep.

Buddy and Earl Go Exploring, by Maureen Fergus/Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff (March 2016, Groundwood Books), $16.95, ISBN: 9781554987146. Recommended for ages 4-8

The second book in the Buddy and Earl series is just as much fun as the first book, and loaded with imagination. Earl sees things differently, through fantastic eyes – Buddy’s water dish becomes a lake; Dad’s referred to as a “hideous ogre”; Mom’s hairbrush is a lovely lady hedgehog – and Buddy is drawn into this wonderful world of adventure. We know that poor Buddy is the fall guy – he’s the Pinky to Earl’s Brain, the dopey friend that blunders along – but we love it. The friends care for each other and watch out for each other, with Buddy providing the muscle and Earl bringing the fantastic.

The art is sweet and appealing, done in acryl gouache on watercolor paper, then assembled in Photoshop, to bring it all together. The story begins with the endpapers, gently drawing readers into the story and giving them one final giggle at the story’s end. Plain black font is unintrusive and makes for an easy read-aloud, and this is a great book for read-alouds. I’d add this to a bedtime story read-aloud or a pet storytime and let the kids tell me what they think their pets do at night!

Buddy and Earl Go Exploring is out in March, but you can pick up the first book in the series, Buddy and Earl, to keep the kids entertained while you wait.

Fiction, Intermediate, Steampunk

The Oodlethunks – prehistory’s newest family series!

Posted on January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Oona Finds an Egg (The Oodlethunks, #1), by Adele Griffin/Illustrated by Mike Wu, (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $12.99, ISBN: 9780545732796

Recommended for ages 7-10

Oona is a Stone Age girl whose father stays home and bakes kind of weird health food, like newt fingers; her mom works at an advertising agency where they’re trying to sell consumers on the wheel; and her little brother, Bonk, is just annoying. She really, really wants a pet, so when she finds an egg while she’s out wandering, she’s so excited! Her parents let her keep it until it hatches – they’re worried that she may be eaten by what’s in the egg! – but Oona is convinced that Something Cute is in that egg just waiting for Oona to love it. She cares for the egg until one day, it disappears – and Bonk is acting awfully guilty.

Oona finds an egg is a new intermediate series for readers growing out of easier chapter books like Scholastic’s Branch series, and ready to tackle a little more. Oona is a good protagonist: she loves her family, she doesn’t always get along with her little brother, and she shows,The Oodlethunks are a pretty modern stone-age family (apologies to The Flintstones), with a working mom and stay at home dad; kids will recognize the family structure and relate, either having friends with working moms, or having working moms/stay at home dads of their own.

It’s a fun new series that kids will enjoy, with prehistoric animals that kids may not have heard of before – Ms. Griffin provides an explanation on a few of them at the end of the book – and fills the gap between more challenging fiction and easy readers. There are illustrations and text, and plenty of opportunities for a good book discussion.

Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Realistic Fiction

The Carver Chronicles-Don’t Feed the Geckos! examines family frustration

Posted on September 24, 2015September 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Carver Chronicles: Don’t Feed the Geckos!, by Karen English/Illus. by Laura Freeman (Dec. 2015, Clarion Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9780544575295

Recommended for ages 7-11

The latest Carver Chronicle features Carlos, who keeps his grades up so his parents will reward him by letting him keep the coolest pets in his room – he’s got an ant farm, and he’s got geckos. He’s creating the greatest room in the world, a place that’s just his, until his mom announces that his cousin, Bernardo, will be coming to live with them while his mother works out some difficulties. Overnight, Carlos’ family expects Carlos to accommodate Bernardo in every way – Bernardo get Carlos’ top bunk, a spot on the soccer team (where he outshines Carlos in a big way), and dad’s affection and attention. Now, Bernardo wants to take over feeding Carlos’ geckos and his ants! Maybe if he weren’t so rude about everything, Carlos would feel better, but between Bernardo’s attitude and his mother and father making him feel like he has to give up everything in his world to Bernardo, Carlos is miserable.

I loved this book. When I was a kid, my aunt and cousin came to live with us for a few weeks while they were going through a transition. They took over my room. My cousin became the apple of my dad’s eye, and I was expected to jump through metaphorical hoops to make sure they were happy and comfortable. It’s a hard position for a young kid to be put into, and Karen English captures this perfectly in Don’t Feed the Geckos! I really felt for poor Carlos, and wanted to give his parents a talking-to. She takes the time to create a pretty unflattering portrait of Bernardo, too, and with one page, makes Bernardo a sympathetic figure that moves Carlos – and the reader – to forgive and understand where he’s coming from.

Karen English also writes the hugely popular Nikki and Deja series – and they make a brief appearance in this book! She’s a Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winner whose books give us realistic characters to connect with and stories that everyone can relate to. The Carver Chronicles is a great entry into the #WeNeedDiverseBooks canon. You can check out the first two books, Dog Days and Skateboard Party, while you’re waiting for Don’t Feed the Geckos! to come out in December.

Early Reader, Fiction, Graphic Novels

Flop to the Top – A WhatchaReading Review!

Posted on July 24, 2015July 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

TOON Books is knocking it out of the park with the graphic novels they’re putting out for younger readers. I love Toon Books. Their Fall lineup looks amazing – check this space often enough, and you’ll hear all about it. Flop to the Top is a great book about learning to be a good friend and a great commentary on the role of social media in pop culture today, all written and illustrated for young kids.

Check out my review, plus a preview, over at WhatchaReading!

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Woundabout debates the pros and cons of change

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Woundabout, by Lev Rosen/Illus. by Ellis Rosen (June 2015, Little, Brown), $17, ISBN: 978-0-316-37078-3

Recommended for ages 9-13

When their dads are killed during a bomb explosion at their capybara training camp, siblings Connor and Cordelia are sent to live with their Aunt Marigold and her driver, Gray, in the odd town of Woundabout. There are no kids in Woundabout – they all go to boarding school. They’re told that asking questions is frowned upon, there’s no Internet service, and they’re told to develop and stick to a daily routine. They meet a boy from a neighboring town and together, they start unraveling – or unwinding – some of the secrets kept by the Mayor of Woundabout.

This is a good read for so many reasons. It addresses grief and loss sensitively and with a touch of humor. Every one of the main characters is dealing with a loss of some sort, which propels not only the narrative, but the town of Woundabout itself. Sickness, injury, death, relationships: all of these areas are explored in terms of loss and moving on, and the book can lead to a great discussion about the pros and cons of change in our lives. There are no absolutes, and that’s the message here: there shouldn’t be. For good or bad, change happens and we have to move along with it.

I love that Connor and Cordelia’s parentage is so sweetly addressed. They’re the kids’ parents. That’s it. The illustrations and text show readers that there is “Dad” and “Pop”, and that they adored their children as much as they adored each other. Its very ubiquity makes it stand out as an important facet of the story.

Ellis Rosen’s black and white illustrations add a fun, quirky feel to this unconventional adventure, giving a slightly moody, unbalanced feel to the town of Woundabout.

Woundabout is fun fantasy with some very realistic fiction issues. It’s a great Summer Reading pick. It’s on sale on June 23, so make sure to get your orders in now!

Preschool

Faraway Friends: A far-out adventure that takes place on Earth!

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Faraway Friends, by Russ Cox (2015, Sky Pony Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781632204080

Recommended for ages 3-7

Sheldon’s friend is moving – possibly, to Jupiter! What’s a kid to do? Why, build a rocketship and blast off to visit!

Faraway Friends is a great blending of realistic and fantasy for young kids. You’ve got the story of loss, when Sheldon’s friend moves away, as the frame. Within that frame, you have Sheldon and his first-mate, Jet the Dog, building a rocketship to head out to the stars, explore, and go for a visit. Finally, you have the beginning of a new friendship – with an alien?!

This book is adorable. Russ Cox’s artwork is exciting and fun, with action and movement. Jet the Dog’s facial expressions and thought bubbles make him the best part of this story for me. Sheldon’s decision to take action as part of his dealing with his friend moving away is a great way to illustrate the concept of moving on and forming new friendships. The basic text is unintrusive and perfect for a read-aloud, and the countdowns to blastoff provide fun opportunities to get little listeners involved in the book.

I read this story to my three preschool classes, who loved the book and wanted me to read it again and again. What a home run! This one’s going on the shelves for Summer Reading, no question about it.

Enjoy the book trailer for Faraway Friends, and then go get your own copy – it’s on shelves now!

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Graphic Novels

BirdCatDog: A graphic novel for beginners, with multiple points of view

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

BirdCatDog, by Lee Nordling and Meritxell Bosch (Nov. 2014, Lerner Publishing Group). $25.26, ISBN: 9781467745222

Recommended for ages 5+

Three narratives, three separate points of view, all come together in this graphic novel by Lee Nordling and Meritxell Bosch. A bird, a cat, and a dog all start their day with different achievement – the bird, to find freedom, the cat, to explore his world, and the dog, to defend his home. Each character meets and interacts with the others throughout the course of the book – the bird chases the cat, who ends up on the wrong side of the dog’s fence – and other character come into play to lead to more pandemonium.

The stories can be ready separately – each character’s narrative is color-coded – or as a whole. The pages are split into three panels, facilitating the individual narratives. The animals are cartoony, but not exaggeratedly so. They have expressive faces and body language, and the story is straightforward, making it perfect for new readers and even pre-readers, with the help of an adult or older sibling.

The split narratives make this book useful in many different ways across different ages. You can talk about perspective and point of view; you can read the individual narratives; you can encourage children to talk about what they see happening on the page in any number of combinations. It’s a great way to introduce sequential concepts in reading to kids.