books4yourkids.com

So, so true though... Marjorie Ingall succinctly s...

2013-05-16T09:27:38.450-07:00

So, so true though... Marjorie Ingall succinctly summed up the current rules of fantasy in a book review by saying:

"Want to write a middle-grade fantasy adventure series? It’s easy! First, conjure up a plucky, prickly team of three — children who have to learn to trust one another and work together. Make the stakes really high; saving the world is always good. Use lots of

Always with the dead parents. It feels like a kid-...

2013-05-16T09:07:24.598-07:00

Always with the dead parents. It feels like a kid-lit conspiracy to kill us all off so our children can get busy overcoming adversity. Sorry, I'll stop complaining about this issue now...
:)

You are so welcome. And thanks for sharing which b...

2013-05-14T17:24:08.610-07:00

You are so welcome. And thanks for sharing which book you got!

Thanks again for that great contest -- this was th...

2013-05-14T15:51:27.757-07:00

Thanks again for that great contest -- this was the Toon book we got in the mail!

I am shocked to hear that open mockery is a parent...

2013-05-14T15:48:34.988-07:00

I am shocked to hear that open mockery is a parenting strategy you employ!!! But, seriously... I think badgering of one kind or another can be warranted in certain literary situations. Glad it worked out happily! I'll have to add PALACE OF STONE to my booklist. I rarely have time for sequels, but I think this one would be worth it.

I couldn't get the girls to try Goose Girl, bu...

2013-05-14T15:19:27.435-07:00

I couldn't get the girls to try Goose Girl, but ended up using a strategy of open mockery of the title and cover of Princess Academy to get them agree to let me read it to them. And we're so glad -- we're not quite done yet, but it's been a big hit for all of us, including my wife, who gave it the thumbs-up after tearing through it in an evening. Thanks yet again! Curious to hear

This looks fantastic -- ordered! Thanks for anothe...

2013-05-14T14:54:29.667-07:00

This looks fantastic -- ordered! Thanks for another great recommendation.

Besides being a craft book, ROBOT actually reads r...

2013-05-13T08:25:06.575-07:00

Besides being a craft book, ROBOT actually reads really well as a story and the large format and bright colors should capture your two year old's interest. Buy it now and save robot building for next year... Be sure to check out my reviews of the robot picture books CLINK and BOY + BOT!

This looks a little advanced for us (my oldest is ...

2013-05-13T07:05:41.579-07:00

This looks a little advanced for us (my oldest is 2), but looks pretty sweet. We are in love with robots right now.

Prickly on the outside, soft on the inside? That&#...

2013-05-06T18:01:45.428-07:00

Prickly on the outside, soft on the inside? That's what does it for me...

Aw... That is SO good to know! Thanks for the upda...

2013-05-06T18:00:29.123-07:00

Aw... That is SO good to know! Thanks for the update. I agree with you 100% and wish there were more. Don't forget Cynthia Rylant's POPPLETON series for emerging readers - another favorite of mine!

So it is definitely a "thing"...

2013-05-06T17:57:32.113-07:00

So it is definitely a "thing"...

What is it about hedgehogs? I love them too!!

2013-05-06T17:19:29.764-07:00

What is it about hedgehogs? I love them too!!

These are so fantastic -- I've been enjoying r...

2013-05-06T13:33:49.666-07:00

These are so fantastic -- I've been enjoying reading them (repeatedly) with my son now, five years later. Thanks again for a stellar recommendation.

These are exactly the kinds of jokes my own dad ma...

2013-05-06T11:39:47.960-07:00

These are exactly the kinds of jokes my own dad makes. Still. :)

Hope it works for you! It's hard to find color...

2013-05-06T08:10:29.893-07:00

Hope it works for you! It's hard to find coloring/doodle books for toddlers.

Maisy is a big hit in our house right now. I am i...

2013-05-06T06:54:52.052-07:00

Maisy is a big hit in our house right now. I am in the market for a new coloring/art book that will have some direction to it, so I will have to check out Doodle with Maisy and see if it fits the bill.

Sounds excellent -- ordered!

2013-05-03T10:35:41.098-07:00

Sounds excellent -- ordered!

Jessica - thanks for your thoughtful comment. This...

2013-05-03T08:14:34.929-07:00

Jessica - thanks for your thoughtful comment. This is definitely a book that you think about before giving to a child. Because it's short, hopefully parents and other adults will read it and talk to the kids reading it and have a discussion.

Denise - So well put! And I think you also really ...

2013-05-03T08:12:49.745-07:00

Denise - So well put! And I think you also really capture why this book is still being purchased, given as a gift and read widely. Maybe the fact that this powerful, ambiguous message comes in the form of a children's picture book is what makes the books stay with readers, for good or bad.

Also, I absolutely agree that I love You Forever i...

2013-05-03T05:28:48.129-07:00

Also, I absolutely agree that I love You Forever is CREEPY!

I agree with a lot of the comments here - the ones...

2013-05-03T05:26:46.350-07:00

I agree with a lot of the comments here - the ones who are moved by the story and also the ones who loathe it. I see myself in the boy and in the tree, and I don't like either side. Both roles make me very sad. In fact, for some reason I don't quite understand, I've been crying the whole time I've been writing this. Perhaps it is that deep emotional tug that gets to the heart of

I cried the entire time I read this book. It was ...

2013-05-02T19:04:43.699-07:00

I cried the entire time I read this book. It was beautifully written, but I found it gut-wrenching to see how difficult it was for the boy to allow himself to not just articulate his feelings about his parents' separation, but even to allow himself to experience his feelings fully.

On the one hand, the book seems intended for a pretty young audience--it is a charming, funny story

While in Australia I discovered books by Pamela Al...

2013-05-01T09:40:58.012-07:00

While in Australia I discovered books by Pamela Allen. She is a wildly popular picture book author and her books line the shelves of several generations of parents by now. All of her books are slightly subversive - some more than others and many deal with complex emotions and feelings. "Black Dog","Potato people" and whole Mr. McGee series would be a good start. She is amazing

Jeremy - Agreed! Check out Karen Hesse's ALEUT...

2013-04-26T10:34:59.570-07:00

Jeremy - Agreed! Check out Karen Hesse's ALEUTIAN SPARROW. I reviewed it a couple of years ago. An aspect of US history I never knew about. It's interesting to me how (painful, difficult) historical events seems to lend themselves to the verse novel format.