Bedtime Stories

Another Wednesday, another night I'm left alone to read picture books to the kiddos.

A couple that I thought were cute:

A Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him at Hat by Karla Kuskin

Synopsis:
What's a boy to do when his mom buys him everything he wants? Should he take his new toys everywhere?

Is the spirit of Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham or There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, this little boy takes his red hat and everything else with him wherever he goes.

The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton

Synopsis:

While her friends and family may not believe in fairies, Geraldine knows, deep down, that she is a VERY fairy princess. From morning to night, Gerry does everything that fairy princesses do: she dresses in her royal attire, practices her flying skills, and she is always on the lookout for problems to solve. But it isn't all twirls and tiaras - as every fairy princess knows, dirty fingernails and scabby knees are just the price you pay for a perfect day!

My Princess wasn't home tonight, and her brothers picked this to read anyway...I thought it was precious, and the boys liked it too!

Bedtime Stories

A few of our favorite picture books to report on this week:

The Pirate Cruncher by Jonny Duddle

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3—The dastardly Captain Purplebeard and his greedy crew are on the track of "…a shipload of treasure!...Diamonds and rubies and gold beyond measure…." They set sail in their ship, The Black Hole, following a mysterious fiddle player who has a treasure map. Heedless of the subsequent verses of the fiddler's song, which warn of some sort of monster "pirate cruncher," the motley crew also disregards certain other strange happenings and perseveres to their ultimate end. Their fate is told mostly in rollicking but sometimes uneven rhymed text. The striking illustrations in bold colors are digitally rendered with great effect, delineating each individual pirate and slyly hinting at the surprise that's coming—visual clues that every self-respecting pirate lover will delight in pointing out knowledgeably after the first reading. An amusing book to savor and enjoy.

 

This was a delightful pirate tale -- with a twist!  My 7 year old had to explain the "moral" to me at the end.    And the illustrations are fantastic!

 

Achoo:  Good Manners Can be Contagious by Mij Kelly

 

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1—"This is the story of Suzy Sue, and the fateful day when she went…Achoo!" So starts this amusing tale of good manners and hygiene. Suzy Sue doesn't know the proper etiquette for sneezing and covering her mouth and nose. Thank goodness for her bevy of farm animals that can teach her all about it. The book covers a few of the big items, such as bathing, polite eating, sharing, and kindness, and highlights "the golden rule" in the process. The painted illustrations complement the text well. The author tries to tell the story in rhyme, but it doesn't always pan out. Still, the story is mildly humorous, and younger children will find the pictures of the animals appealing. The size and layout of the pages make this title appropriate for group sharing. While it's not the most complete book in this genre, it does hold its own.

Nothing like being taught manners by a bunch of farm animals! When my son burped at the table tonight, he immediately sited this book.

Finally,

A Small Brown Dog with a Pink Nose by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3—Amelia wants a dog. When her persistent requests are repeatedly denied, she begins to pretend that she has a dog named "Bones," and gradually her mother and father go along with the game. Then, when her pet "gets lost," there is nothing for them to do but help Amelia find him. The search leads to an animal shelter and a real Bones to take home. The final spread, "Amelia's Guide to Getting Your First Dog," dispels any doubt that the child's actions were deliberate. Amelia is an endearing character, and Hunter's portrayal of her perfectly matches Stuve-Bodeen's text. The digitally enhanced, cheery pictures are airy and use simple shapes and colors. The almost comic-book format takes the eye quickly from one part of the page to another, leading readers through the story. This title is a good choice for a one-on-one read-aloud or for children to enjoy on their own.

Even I, the most ardent of "we are NEVER having a dog" mothers, was tempted by this delightful, persuasive, little girl and her quest for a family pet.

What bedtime/picture books were your favorites this week?

Bedtime Stories

I've discovered yet another perfect picture book -- this time, though, I think it was more meaningful for me, than my kids:



School Library Journal
PreS-K—In this reversal of roles in the bedtime routine, a mother tries all the familiar stall tactics when her daughter announces, "Time for bed, Mommy!" She tries everything from a plea for five more minutes to a final drink of water and the door left slightly ajar. The story is told in short sentences that fit neatly into dialogue balloons. The perky watercolor and ink cartoon-style illustrations on white backgrounds speak as clearly as the text. Some pages are wordless and allow readers to tell the story themselves. Little girls in particular will love sharing this bedtime story with their mothers.—Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

How often am I staring mindlessly at the computer screen at 11pm, that I wish I had my sweet daughter to encourage me to go to bed, with a short bedtime store of Anna Karenina?

This was perfect!

Bedtime Stories

Another church night, another "Mommy gets to read bed time stories for the kids." And another HUGE HIT in the picture book department.

This time it's -- How to Train with a T-Rex and Win Eight Gold Medals by Michael Phelps and Alan Abrahamson.

From School Library Journal: Grade 1–4—A champion at the 2008 Beijing Olympics explains the training schedule that allowed him to accomplish the first-of-its-kind feat of winning eight Olympic gold medals. Comparisons are made that put miles swum, naps taken, calories eaten, weights lifted, etc., into a context that youngsters might more easily understand. For example, his six years of training (from 1998 to 2003) are described as "a kindergartner's whole life!" or "the same as 42 dog years!" Digitally rendered artwork humorously depicts the action, making the book visually appealing. Providing an overview of an Olympian's rigorous preparations, this picture book may be useful for parents or coaches attempting to inspire children.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

I picked this up primarily because my 4 year old is OBSESSED with dinosaurs. We have dinosaur everything in our house at the moment. He even compares his bodily functions to dinosaurs, "Mom, I think I have a dinosaur poop!" OK, too much information, but you get the point.

Needless to say, Michael Phelp's book is less about dinosaurs and more about the hours, months and years he put into training for the 2008 Olympics. It's really a mathematical book too -- likening how many miles he swam to how many trips it would take to go back and forth from his home town to the North Pole. He does work dinosaurs into it though -- that over his training he basically leg pressed the equivalent of 1 T-Rex and 10 Velociraptors. That's amazing stuff!!

This is a highly creative and clever book.

Bedtime Stories

Traditionally, my husband is the one to read bedtime stories with the kids. It's his time, after being at work all day, to sit and commune with his children. I'm usually cleaning the post dinner disaster in the kitchen or folding the 500th load of laundry. Since I work at the library, I'm always the one picking out the picture books, but very rarely do I ever read them. Occasionally he will report back with, "that was a really good one" or "don't ever get that one again."

Tonight, however, he was at church meetings, so I was treated to the funniest book ever!

I Always Always Get My Way by Thad Krasnesky

From School Library Journal
PreS—Three-year-old Emmy wreaks havoc on her entire household. From spilling orange juice on Daddy at breakfast, to adorning her brother's pet iguana in a bathing suit and letting the bathtub overflow, she's got curiosity and mayhem covered. Krasnesky tells the story with flowing rhyme that accommodates the humor of the plot and heightens Parkins's comical cartoon illustrations. "I tiptoed into Tommy's room/and found a way to use the broom/to get the lizard off the shelf,/entirely all by myself." As the star of this story gets into different sticky situations, she continually responds with the adage that "I'm only three," so not much should be expected of her. While her mother seems to respond to the little devil's helpless plea, it isn't long before things snowball and Emmy finds herself in a serious time-out.—Adrienne Wilson, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, Monroe, CT

I think why this hit my funny bone is -- we have our very own "Emmy!" Emmy, in our case, is our youngest son. How often do I find myself saying EXACTLY the same things to my older kids as the mother in this picture book does to hers -- often with the refrain, "he is only THREE!" (Now recently turned 4, but somehow the excuse still spews out of my mouth.)

The illustrations are equally delightful. A perfect tickler before bedtime.