Wee Sing and Learn Series

Title: Wee Sing and Learn Series . . . Titles include Opposites, Dinosaurs, ABC, 123, Bugs, Colors, etc.

Author: Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

Illustrator: Peggy Tagel

Reviewed by: Jenn
Mom's Rating: 10/10
Henry's Rating: 10/10
Review: For a mom of 2, every minute is precious. I think all mothers treasure every 20 minutes of "occupied kid time" we get here and there when we can actually get something done! So when I've already allowed 2 TV shows and still need more time but feel guilty letting Henry watch any more, I plug him in front of a book! No guilt involved. The Wee Sing and Learn books come with a music CD with fun, catchy songs that go along with the pictures. Henry can sit all by himself and easily follow along in the book. He is completely enthralled, and he loves the songs. I also appreciate the educational element. On each page, the children on the CD will ask a question for Henry to figure out. I often peek in on his reading time to find him pointing, finding, or counting. These books are heaven-sent (and worth the long wait at our library)!

Shark in the Park!

Title: Shark in the Park!

Author: Nick Sharratt

Reviewed by: Jenn

Mom's Rating: 9/10

Henry's Rating: 10/10

Review: The die-cut hole in the cover and throughout this book show the view through Timothy Pope's telescope. And what does he see in the park? A shark! But appearances can be deceiving . . . and silly! We giggled with every page turn and loved the rhyme and repetition of this quick, fun read.

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

Title: Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
Author: Dr. Seuss
Reviewed by: Jenn
Mom's Rating: 10/10
Henry's Rating: 9/10
Review: This little-known Dr. Seuss book may be my very favorite one! The narrator speaks to anyone who has ever felt sorry for themselves, telling them: "Some people are much more . . . oh ever so much more . . . oh muchly, much-much more unlucky than you." The book is filled with examples of the most unlucky people in the world, describing their dismal fates and reminding us that our lives could be much worse than they are. In pure Dr. Seuss fashion, the unlucky folks he describes are quirky and hilarious, like the bee-watcher-watcher, the poogle-horn player, and the poor man whose job it is to cross t's and dot i's for a living. The best part of the book is that it is rhythmic, lyrical, and quite the tongue-twister, so it is SO FUN to read aloud! This is one library book that I have decided I absolutely must own because I love reading it so much, and Henry loves it too.

and the train goes...

by William Bee

"Filled with sound effects galore, this rollicking read-aloud is perfect for transportation storytimes. The text moves along with a steady rhythm, describing the passengers who occupy the various cars of a colorful train."

This one reminds me of a favorite musical of mine, "Music Man". Each page has the sounds and rhythm of a train moving along. You meet each car's passengers page by page, with adorable illustrations. Love it!

Look! Look! Look!

Written & Illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
With Linda K. Friedlaender

"Three mice find a postcard with a painting of a bejeweled lady on the front (a reproduction of Portrait of a Woman, by Robert Peake). As they look, they begin to see patterns, colors, lines, and shapes. Their observations lead them to create their own art out of simple shapes made with paper, scissors, and markers."

I picked this one up thinking Olivia would be bored with it, but thought I'd give it a shot b/c I wanted to introduce her to the idea of studying art. She LOVES it! Every time we sit down to read this is her first choice.

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace is one of my favorite educational authors/illustrators. She's also done a few others that we love: Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! and Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! They are written so even toddlers can understand. I love her constuction paper illustrations too!

The Runaway Dinner

By: Allan Ahlberg
Illustrated: Bruce Ingman

"When Banjo Cannon sits down to dinner, his sausage (named Melvin) jumps off the plate and runs away. The kitchen furniture, cutlery, peas, French fries, carrots, the famished boy, and his parents follow out the door in Gingerbread Man fashion. The chase continues down the street and through a park where a duck eats Paul the pea, two fries sail away in a toy boat, and a picnicking family grabs the fork and knife."

This is a clever story that Olivia requests at least two times daily. Ahlberg has a unique flair to his writing, perfect for outloud-storytelling. Enjoy!

Some Favorites

I thought it might be fun to "host" a spot to share some of our favorite children's books here. We come home from the library with STACKS of books weekly and read them over and over until Olivia has got them memorized. Out of these stacks are usually one or two that I never tire reading, no matter how many times we read them. I always love hearing others reviews of books too. If you have any books you love, please share, or any links to book review blogs or sites. I am always on the look-out for new books. Please people - help keep this mama sane!! :)

By: Rosemary Wells
Illustrated by: David McPhail
This is kind of a poetic book. Brandon doesn't love this one, but I do, and it always entrances Olivia. It has four sections that have beautiful sensory descriptions of the activities in little Danny's life: the colors, sounds, smells, and textures. Rosemary writes beautifully and makes every-day things like gardening, going to the bakery, a winter walk, and a night-time lullabye sound magical. This one really made me think about how much of the detail and beauty around me I'm really experiencing. We went for a family walk and tried to use all our senses to enjoy everything around us. Cheesey? Maybe. But cheesey can be cool.

By: Audrey Wood & her son, Bruce Wood

Audrey Wood has written lots of children's books we love, but these are our latest favs. This is the first of a series that we love (Alphabet Mystery and Alphabet Rescue come next - equally great books!). The story of a little alphabet going on ... what else? An adventure. It is a new, fresh approach for kids who are learning their ABC's. Bright, colorful pictures, a clever storyline. This is a book I have read easily 50+ times with Olivia and we can still find ways to keep it fresh.
By: Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrated by: Jen Corace

This book has simple, fun text and adorable illustrations. It is a reverse-psychology approach for kids who hate to eat their veggies. This little pea has to eat CANDY for dinner, and hates it. If he eats his five pieces, he gets a delicious yummy vegetable dessert. We love this one.