Spring Reading 2014

-

Picture Books


Rip Van Winkle- Retold and illustrated by Will Moses, based on Washington Irving's book. Philomel Books a division of Penguin Putnam Books for young readers. New York 1999. This book is based on a  classical folk tale about a man who goes into the woods and falls asleep waking up many years later to a new world. This classic tale is retold with a combination of wonderful illustrations and words. It is probably better suited for the older child because of complex words and storyline. This new version brings a wonderful story back to our modern world. The storyline and sophisticated crafted words make it more suited for an older child.  

 
Patti Cake and Her New Doll- Written by Patricia Reilly Giff and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. Published by Orchard books New York an imprint of Scholastic Inc. 2014. The book describes one day in a life of a little girl named Patti and her home companions mainly a dog named Tootsie and a new doll she got. With an imaginative approach, the author turns an regular day into an adventure and makes the ordinary into the extraordinary. A good book for you to get for you kids.



 
The Fisherman & His Wife- Based on a story by Grimm and Illustrated by John Howe 1984. Published by Creative Editions Mankato MN, 2001. The fisherman is happy living a simple life until one day everything turns around when he catches a magical fish. The fisherman's wife cannot be satisfied with what she gets. Her greed takes away everything the fish gave them. It is a great book for the older reader and the illustrations are stunning.







   
   Trouper- Written by Meg Kearney and Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Published by Scholastic Inc. NY, 2013. The book is written from the point of view of a dog. The dog Trouper tells us his life story: how he lived on the streets t the time he was put in a pound and finally adopted. This book makes readers empathize with millions of abandoned dogs running on the streets or sitting in cages in the pounds waiting to find a loving home. I highly recommend this book to everyone.   




 
The Little Engine that Could
- Retold by Watty Piper and New Art by Loren Long. Published by Philomel Books a Division of Penguin Young Readers Group 2005. This is a great version of a classic. I loved how the writer and illustrator gave life to the characters. The story does not only teach children a lesson about never giving up, but it also introduces them to four kind of trains. I really loved this book and I strongly recommend you get it with your children. Each of us can accomplish anything we put our mind too.    


 Under the Same Sun- Written by Sharon Robinson and Illustrated by AG Ford. Published by Scholastic Press, New York 2014.  This is a great educational book about Tanzania a small country in Africa. One can vividly imagine the beautiful land of Africa with its lush scenery and many different animals. This book is very unique and the illustrations are amazing. The story is idle for a classroom setting.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

About me and a few book suggestions

-
     Hello folks and welcome to my new blog. let me tell everyone a little about me and then I will add a few wonderful  books for the teachers and parents out there.      I was born in Moscow Hospital in the mid seventies and left Russia to find religious freedom in the USA. When we applied to leave my parents lost their jobs right away. We had to wait three years until America opened her doors to us.     We came here in 1981 invited by a local temple to a city in New York called Mount Vernon. I learned the language in just under six months, because my sister and I got invited to sleep away camp within one month when we arrived in the States. I was six and she was eight. All I can say it was the most horrible sleep away experience I ever had. Everyone made fun of me and I was almost forced to eat a live frog, it tasted a little salty. I can look back at this and laugh now but imag...
Read more

Author Spotlight May 2021

-
Image
  Author spotlight 2021 Book Review   "Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza" by Kitty Felde is a well written book with a fun story and lovable characters. The voice was the most realistic girl's voice I have read. The combination of  of mystery, and comedy made this book amazing. It not only a wonderful emotional story, but it also was a great view of both Washington DC life and the different role family plays in someone's political career. It did have a few minor hiccups with editing and page changes, but the book defiantly is a wonderful read for anybody and deserves a rare five star rating from me.               Kitty Felde   Kitty Felde’s debut novel Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza (Chesapeake Press, 2020) is the story of the ten-year-old daughter of a congressman from California who solves mysteries on Capitol Hill. The book got a rave from Kirkus Reviews (“A ...
Read more

New Author Spotlights

-
Image
I had the great pleasure of meeting these two upcoming authors and asking them some questions. Mrs. Nan Whybark   My real name is Nanette, not Nancy. I like the informality of Nan though; as my grandpa always called me Nan Louisa (Grandpa pronounced it Loo-eye-za).   I had a golden childhood, and sadly I hear that is rare these days.   My grandparents were a huge presence in my life. From them I learned sewing, bread making, quilting, piano skills, how to ride a bike and play marbles, and the wonderful taste of homemade root beer on a hot summer day.   I learned to love the smell of roses, crisp, ironed linen sheets, fresh bread and warm apple pie. There’s so much I could tell about my grandparents! I had lots of pets too. Hamsters, mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, fish, ducks, snakes, lizards—all wonderful in their own way. But I’ve always wanted a dragon. I have a room full of dragons now, but still none of them are truly alive. Maybe someday! ....
Read more