Tribute Books

I had a fun interview today with Nicole at Tribute Books. This is a great publishing company - do NOT miss their titles!!

1. How long has Tribute Books been in business?

We started in 2004.

2. I see you publish young adult books, tell us what you're looking for in submissions.

We're looking to work with authors who are savvy with social media - those who blog, tweet and update their Facebook status on a daily basis. Our preference is for authors who already have a book(s) published through a royalty-paying press. We want to work with those who are familiar with the ins and outs of the publishing process. We seek those who have experience having their work edited and know the effort required for successful book promotion.

3. Tell us about your publishing process. From start to finish or from acceptance to publishing.

How long once an author is accepted to the publishing date?

From acceptance to publishing, we try to shoot for a 90 day time frame. We edit the manuscript and prepare files that are ready for the Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc.

4. How many authors does Tribute Books have?

At this time, we have published about 35 authors, illustrators, photographers and editors.

5. Is there a specific genre you're looking for?

We are looking to concentrate on the young adult genre.

Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, or at their blog!

Blue Apple Books

This was a QUITE a box of books! I was thinking it HAD to be Christmas when I opened it up, and if you think I was excited - you should have seen my girls. In fact, they told me, "Fast Mom, blog about these so we can take them and look at them!" I will share with you some of the goodies inside!

Good Morning Toucan and Good Night Owl by Dwell Studio are fun lift-the-flap books. The colors are bold and engaging and the flaps are large - your little ones won't be ripping them off as they turn the page. They are sturdy and will last! I love it that they walk you through the forest and the rainforest teaching you about the habitat, animals, etc. These are GREAT titles!!

Zoe and the Robot Let's Pretend by Ryan Sias and Doggie Dreams by Mike Herrod are both titles in the Balloon Toons Series. This is a great series for beginning readers. There is not a lot of text on the page and yet the illustrations are catchy and fun. Boy and girls, alike, will find these engaging and rewarding as they are reading on their own.

African Animal Alphabet is a National Geographic Little Kids title by Beverly and Dereck Joubert. We are LOVING this one! Each letter of the alphabet has a photograph of an animal found in the African Habitat. The photographs are amazing and the "Did you Know?" facts on each page are fun for our young readers. My girls are devouring this book and I KNOW my boys would have done so even more at this age!

How Things Work In The Yard by Lisa Campbell Ernst is an information book that again, my six year old is asking me to read over and over. It takes things that you may find in your yard - a wagon, a wheel, a garden hose, a butterfly, a squirrel, etc. and then gives you lots of fun facts about each of them. It might explain how they function or tell you how the animal eats, etc. What a great book for explaining science concepts to our young readers.

Bunny's Lessons by Harriet Ziefert is a picture book that will be one that your kids are bound to enjoy! It is the story of Charlie and his bunny and what they learn about life by playing together. It is a simple storyline and yet will resonate with our very young ones learning to sit for a story. Barroux's illustrations are childlike and wonderful for this book!! This will be fun for story hour and to share with our little ones at home as well.

13 Planets The Latest View of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar is a MUCH-NEEDED addition to our science section! With the addition of Haumea and Makemake - the newest planets discovered in our solar system - we have needed a children's book to explain these great findings! This is it - you honestly can't go wrong with National Geographic Kids!

Human Footprint is a National Geographic Kids book by Ellen Kirk - it is such a great format for showing what our human footprint might contain. The subtitle is "Everything you Will Eat, Use, Wear, Buy, and Throw Out in Your Lifetime" and that about sums it up - the real-life photography is a great way to show just how much stuff we consume!! Our favorite page?? The rubber ducks that show how many showers you will take in your lifetime!!

Grandma's Wedding Album is a beautiful picture book by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Karla Gudeon. This is the kind of book that makes you want to have your wedding chronicled the very same way. It is beautiful and such a wonderful story of the family heritage to hand down to our children. And what I love about this book is that at the end - they give you all sorts of wedding traditions from around the world. This one is a beautiful book - from cover to end page!!

Don't Let Auntie Mable Bless the Table by Vanessa Brantley Newton is a picture book that still has me chuckling. This is a wonderful tale of Sunday dinner until Auntie Mabel begins to bless the food, and she blesses the food, and blesses the food - EVERY item on the table and each person that prepared it - UNTIL all the food is cold! I love it - we laughed out loud at this one!!

Here is another of our BIG favorites (ok literally BIG!!). National Geographic Little Kids' Baby Animal Pop! is simply stunning. The book is all about farm animals BUT after you read information on each animal the page becomes a pop-up book that folds out to an enormous photograph of each animal. Our 4 year old is just captured by this book!! It is wonderful!! Guaranteed to enchant your young readers!!

Two other board books that are so much fun are Swing! like a Monkey and Wiggle! Like an Octopus by Harriet Ziefert and Simms Taback. When Ziefert and Taback get together - you are bound to enjoy these books!! These books are guaranteed to get you and your little ones up and moving as you move with the animals! Great fun with whimsical illustrations that just add to the enjoyment!

My last great find in this box is Doodles at Breakfast by Deborah Zemke. This is such a great idea - 36 tear-off placemats that you decorate either before or while you eat!! (Mom and Dad - you decide on this one!) Each placemat leads you through how to draw something and then gives you the space to do it! I'll be honest - I haven't shown my girls this one yet - oh dear - they would be decorating placemats ALL DAY long!! This is a great one!

*I was provided copies of each of these books for review purposes.

Charlesbridge Publishers

I have some books that I am so excited about and you don't want to miss them!! These are all available from Charlesbridge Publishers.

Animal Colors by Beth Fielding is a board book that is a wonderful addition to the "color" books that are available. I am always looking for board books that teach colors because we are still working on colors at our house and we need variety!! This one is a fun one that teaches colors by showing animals of each color. Great idea and wonderful photographs of the animals!

Animal Eggs by Dawn Cusick and Joanne O'Sullivan is a book that our non-fiction readers will DEVOUR! This book shows all different eggs and then shows you what comes out of those eggs. Real-life photographs and information provided in a friendly way - a great read!

Animal Eyes by Beth Fielding (hmm, staring to see a pattern here?!?!) is another non-fiction book that our animal readers will just LOVE! Eyes really are intriguing and this book definitely shows that! Fielding takes and shows us the different eyes of animals and then gives us fun information for each of them - really a great information book!

I am thrilled with the additions to Stuart J. Murphy's I See I Learn series. Percy Gets Upset and Camille's Team are stories for the preschool age and they are great for teaching emotional and social skills like how to deal with frustration and how to cooperate. Murphy is wonderful and his new series does not disappoint!

While You Are Sleeping by Durga Bernhard is a picture book that I just LOVE. It is a fun lift-the-flap book and shows how the times is different all around the world. What a fun concept for our little ones to grasp and they will love this format! Great for any multi-cultural unit!

Over the Rainbow is spectacular!! This book has a CD included with it that includes the beloved song performed by Judy Collins. The paintings are by Eric Puybaret and are gorgeous! Really the paintings make this wonderful song/story magical! I LOVE this book and will be excitedly sharing it with friends!! Just beautiful!

Kane Miller - Hot off the Press!!

As a mom of daughters born in another country - diverse literature is near and dear to me!

So when Kane Miller asks me to review books - I'm ALL over it!!

Here are some great ones I got in their box this past month!

Good Luck Anna Hibiscus! and Have Fun Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

These are delightful beginning chapter books (ages 5-9). Anna is a dear little girl that lives in Africa - you see her world from her fun viewpoint and learn about the wonderful African culture at the same time. My beginning reader devours these!!! Don't miss any in this series!!

Seasons by Anne Crausaz is a picture book that goes through the seasons with a new and refreshing look at how things change. The illustrations are a style unlike I have seen before - they are simple and yet the striking contrasts in color are beautiful. What a wonderful and unique look at the seasons!

Rope 'Em! by Stacy Nyikos and illustrated by Bret Conover is a book that has "lots of laughs" written all over it! The story of a lassoing-octopus and a round-up'ing seahorse - the best cowhands ever!! You will love this story set in the O.K. Coral!!

Hush, Little Beachcomber by Dianne Moritz and illustrated by Holly McGee is a fun picture book set at the beach and read to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby" - yep, this one is clever and fun! My girls loved it - and they joined right in to sing along because they are already familiar with "Hush, Little Baby". This one would be so great with a beach unit or story hour.

Dorje's Stripes by Anshumani Ruddra and Illustrated by Gwangjo and Jung-a Park is the story of Dorje - a beautiful Royal Bengal tiger - but a tiger with no stripes. What a great multi-cultural story - Master Wu, a Buddhist monk in Tibet, tells this story about why the tiger has no stripes and how he may yet get his stripes. I liked this - it is totally different than other picture books and gives us a wonderful glimpse into the culture of Tibet.

Need another fun dog book?? This is it!! Anitha Balachandran's The Dog Who Loved Red is one that will fit in so well with your unit on dogs, colors or just another fun read!! Raja is a dog you can't help but love AND learn about colors at the same time. GUARANTEED laughs and you will hear "read it again!!" :)

Do NOT MISS - Learning to Fly. This is a picture book that will touch your heart AND make you smile. A wonderful story of a penguin that, because he knows birds should fly, is determined to learn how to fly. I LOVE this one - the illustrations are delightful and simple. A book from Germany - written by Sebastian Meschenmoser - this one is a fun find!!

Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon by Lindsay Ward is a picture book that I am so excited to add to our "outer space" unit. It is the story of Pelly, a little girl and her dog, Mr. Harrison and what happens when their bathtub has a rocket engine attached! This is great fun and a story kids will love!!

All of these wonderful titles are available online (links below) or through Usborne book consultants - if you need names - I have some!! :)

*I was provided copies for review purposes by Kane Miller.

Peachtree LOVE!

Peachtree Publishers sent me a box and I am THRILLED!! What great books they publish! You honestly can't go wrong.

No Bows! by Shirley Smith Duke and illustrated by Jenny Mattheson is a hit at our house. This little girl is opinionated! She certainly has her likes and dislikes and she lets it be known! My girls laughed the whole way through AND then told me what they liked or didn't like! What a fun one to share with our little ones - would be great for story hour as well!

Little Rabbit's Christmas by Harry Horse is another story that will be a Christmas favorite for years to come! All little rabbit wants for Christmas is a sled - it's all he thinks about UNTIL he gets it!! Then, since he doesn't want to share - he comes to wonder really how fun a sled is all by yourself. Cute story with a wonderful moral. Harry Horse is a wonderful author and I am glad his stories live on even though he passed away in 2007.

Immi's Gift by Karin Littlewood is a tender story - Immi lives in the Arctic and she is lonely - no one ever comes to visit her. Until, as she is fishing one day, she begins to find gifts. She loves the gifts so much, she decides to send out her own gifts via the ocean. This story is so sweet - someone finds her gifts and the story ends in a wonderful way! Truly a touching story that my girls LOVED.

**I was provided copies of these titles by the publisher for review purposes.

Scholastic Goodies

I was thrilled with the new books for this Fall in my Scholastic Box!!

Will you Wear a Blue Hat? is a Rookie Toddler book. This is a wonderful series of books aimed at Toddlers and the things they are experiencing. This particular title could be used for winter clothes or colors - what a great board book!

Dot and Dash is a new series by Emma Dodd! I can't say enough good about this new series. What fun!! Dress Up and Go To Bed are both fun books with stickers inside. The outlines of the stickers are left blank on the pages for the kids to add them. I LOVE the illustrations on these - they are whimsical and fun! The stories are ones our little ones will relate to as well - WONDERFUL!! Dot and Dash Eat Their Dinner is a fun board book - I love how they name the animals "Tall" and "Small" - the kids will love that! Dot and Dash Meet Their Friends is a board book with flaps - something all little hands enjoy! What a wonderful variety of books and characters Dodd has created in this delightful new series!

**All of these books were provided as review copies by Scholastic Books.

Sylvan Dell's Latest

Another box I never tire of is Sylvan Dell's latest releases. I LOVE their focus on Science and Math and the supporting materials they offer. Their website is just loaded with great resources for teachers and parents - really, they are NOT to be missed!

Their latest titles are:

Ready, Set...Wait! by Patti R. Zelch. This is an interesting book - all about what the animals do to prepare for hurricane. Something I have not considered before, but based on research and observations, Zelch describes what animals of all types may do when a hurricane is coming. Really an interesting read - one that kids will enjoy. (Ages 4-9)

A Day on the Mountain by Kevin Kurtz. GREAT read on the habitat of the mountain. You meet animals but also explore the plants that one can find on this interesting location. Erin Hunter's illustrations are beautiful and lend authenticity to this title. (Ages 4-9)

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann. What can I say - I do enjoy Janet Halfmann!! She never ceases to write books that kids just enjoy. This is a sweet story of Sophia - a little girl who wants to make clothes for each of her animal friends - but seeing that they won't work - she then decides to make just the right coat for each of them. Each animal proceeds to tell her what they need in a coat and thus begins the wonderful teaching of animal coverings and even animal classification brought to life in a fun, readable way! (Ages 4-9)

Astro: The Steller Sea Lion by Jeanne Walker Harvey. This is a fun story of Astro, a sea lion that is cared for and raised at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. This is a true story that will make you cheer for Astro. When the Mammal Center eventually decides to let him go back into the wild - Astro has other ideas, he just keeps coming back to the center and will not stay in the ocean. You will enjoy this story and learn about sea lions in the process! (Ages 4-9)

Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too! by Sherry North. This is a story that so many will relate to - whether you need a book explaining the effects of cancer or a story for a little child that has lost someone to cancer - this is a great starting point. When this young boy's dog develops cancer, children can follow along to learn the treatments and feelings that may go along with this disease. It is a tender story that children will come back to - one we can really use with kids that need an "understanding read"! (Ages 4-9)

**All of these titles were provided to me for review on this blog.

Lerner Goodies

Another GREAT box was sent to me for review purposes from Lerner - I LOVE to see the new books and let you in on all the ones NOT TO MISS!!

Lisa Wheeler has done it again with Dino-Baseball - dinosaur and baseball lovers are SURE to enjoy this great read.  It rhymes - which kids love, and is a wonderful addition to Dino-Hockey and Dino-Soccer.

Noah's Bark by Stephen Krensky left me laughing - yes, that noise on the ark must have been something - but Noah, smart as he is, had a great idea in this book for how to solve the noise problem!  Very fun!

What is it about the "color" books that we just can not keep them on our library shelves??  This new series in Lightning Bolt Books will be no exception.  Red Everywhere is just one of the titles that will have teachers and kids alike "seeing red." 

The Elsewhere Chronicles continue with Book Four:  The Calling - I have to say, these books are pretty popular here.  This is a graphic novel series but even our younger readers are enjoying it - and they are clean graphic novels - you can recommend them without worrying!







A new series IS THAT A FACT?  takes a fun look at questions - it makes learning intriguing - I'm always on the lookout for that.  There are five books so far in this series - questions about animals, Earth, Health, Space and one last one - questions you've always wanted to ask.  This looks good - will appeal to our middle grade readers.

The Horrors of Andersonville: Life and Death Inside a Civil War Prison by Catherine Gourley is quite a read.  I KNOW I will be able to "sell" this one easily.  Civil War buffs (ok and even those that aren't) will find this title appealing.  I was immediately interested when I started looking through this book - it has actual photographs, letters, diary entries - very intriguing history.

Still Looking...

Yep - STILL enjoying my Lerner box!!
A new series - Manga Math Mysteries - is intriguing me. I am not a Manga fan myself, but we have many readers that enjoy this genre so I like the tie-in. Manga and Math - clever!
The Hundred -Dollar Robber by Melinda Thielbar is a Manga mystery about money and The Lost Key by Thielbar focuses on Whole Numbers - I think these will be great. I need to let my math teachers know they are here!!

I was sent a few books that are part of a series -
Let's Look at Prairie Dogs by Christine Zuchora-Walske - fabulous photography, fun style, and easy to read - I like the style of these Lightning Bolt Books.
The Hoover Dam by Jeffrey Zuehlke and The Gateway Arch by Lisa Bullard - both excellent looks at famous places in America. Again - I just think kids will find these fascinating - the layout and style are very catchy to read.
My personal favorite - It's Snowy Today (I only wish!!!) by Kristin Sterling. This is a fun look at the seasons for younger children.
Do you Know About Amphibians by Buffy Silverman is another book incredibly engaging photography - these real photos of amphibians are SURE to please! This is one that I will be passing along to all of my boy animal readers!!
What is Sight? by Jennifer Boothroyd is an excellent beginning look at our senses. Again, another very interesting book - it makes you WANT to read it - the way it is laid out and presented.
German Shepherds are the Best! by Elaine Landau is a new dog breed series they are publishing - I like it - gives some great background on specific dog breeds.
A Coral Reef Food Chain by Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn. This is on a little older level - but still engaging and fun - I think kids will find this fascinating.

Lerner Box

When a Lerner Box arrives on my desk - I stop what I am doing and peruse for quite some time!
Once again, I am very impressed with the new titles I was given.

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman caught my attention right away - what a wonderful retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin - set in the Harlem Renaissance. I love it - the illustrations are marvelous and add authenticity to the story.

We received three drawing books in the Ready, Set, Draw! Series that are SURE to be hits!Cool Girl Stuff You Can Draw by Nicole Brecke
Horses You Can Draw by Nicole Brecke
Cool Boy Stuff You Can Draw by Nicole Brecke
Not only have they found great topics for this series -they have easy-to-follow instructions and are engaging to read. I KNOW these won't stay on our shelves!

Brian Cleary is an author that you can just NEVER go wrong with. The new titles in this box are no exception!!
Super-Hungry Mice Eat Onions is another in Cleary's Adventures in Memory Series - which I think is TERRIFIC!!! These books give clever tricks to help you remember different facts - this book focuses on Geography Facts - it is one that kids enjoy for the hilarity but I'm thinking I'll take it home - I have yet to memorize all the Great Lakes!!
Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk is another in Cleary's Words are Categorical Series. This one focuses on Similes and Metaphors - I applaud Cleary - there is no FUN way to learn these grammar/word lessons but he has brought the "fun" into it!!
Windows, Rings and Grapes - a Look at Different Shapes is a further book in Cleary's Math is Categorical Series. The man is a genius - teachers will LOVE these books, I use them often in homeschooling, but the kids just pull them out to look at them too! TO me, that's huge!!

Sylvan's EBooks

I mention Sylvan Dell Publishers on here often - they are a great resource of books and materials for science and other subjects - their books are quality and they have LOADS of resources for teachers/parents on their website. Well, they have ebooks now - you MUST go check them out!!
Click HERE.

Sylvan Dell Does it Again!

Another box of fabulous math/science titles - I just can't say enough good about Sylvan Dell. Check out these new Fall titles.

Moose and Magpie by Bettina Restrepo and illustrated by Sherry Rogers
It is not often that you can find a fun book to teach you about the finer points of being a moose - this book is excellent for that! Moose and Magpie learn from each other and keep life fun. You will enjoy this one and so will your kids.

Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys and Gulls by Lucy Nolan and illustrated by Connie McLennan is such a fun find. Nursery rhymes - all with a nautical theme - I love it!! It is fun and yet teaches all sorts of great things about oceans and ocean life.

What's New at the Zoo? by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Joan Waites
I think this would be a great title for a zoo theme - it is a fun read that takes you on a trip through the zoo but ALSO has you doing math - addition - at the same time. That is what I so enjoy about Sylvan Dell's titles - they are so often not just covering one topic, but two at the same time - their books are usable over and over!

Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk and illustrated by Sherry Neidigh
Fall is on it's way and this title will be a super one for all teachers looking for a new title to add to their fall unit. Again, a counting book, but also a look at trees, wildlife, and how fall affects us all. I will be using this one in my fall story hours.

And don't forget their website that is just FULL of great "extras" for each book - classroom ideas, websites, teaching ideas, and more!!

Toon Books

You know from previous posts that I adore Toon Books - I love the whole concept - using graphic novels with beginning readers! So - when they sent me their latest titles - Luke on the Loose and Benny and Penny in The Big No-No! I was so excited! Luke on the Loose is by Harry Bliss - yes, none other than our wonderful illustrator for our Summer Reading Program this summer. Benny and Penny in The Big No-No! is by Geoffrey Hayes - a continuation in his Benny and Penny series. I just can hardly tell you how much I like these books - I guess the proof would be to tell you that they are RARELY in our library - they are always checked out!

Sylvan Dell Goodies

I have had these for while now and haven't posted on them - IT IS TIME!!
I do love a Sylvan Dell Box - you just know the quality is superb AND they are always wonderful for science and math - which I just can't promote enough! Their website is a treasure-trove for teachers - Teaching activities to accompany each story, Related websites, audio readings in English and Spanish, part of the Accelerated Reader Program - I am telling you - they are WONDERFUL!

One Wolf Howls by Scotti Cohn and illustrated by Susan Detwiler - brilliant - a great way to use the months of the year and numbers, 1-12, to teach children about wolves and their behavior. I think kids will LOVE this one!

Henry and the Impatient Heron by Donna Love and illustrated by Christina Wald - How often can you find a book about a heron!?!?! Not very - that's another reason I like this one! A great lesson on the subject of camouflage and the importance of being still - I love it!

Ocean Hide and Seek by Jennifer Evans Kramer, illustrated by Gary Phillips - what a great book - of course it's wonderful for that ocean unit or storytime, but also perfect for your animal lovers too!! There are hidden creatures on every page which even makes it more fun - kids love those at our library!

Paws, Claws, Hands and Feet by Kimberly Hutmacher and illustrated by Sherry Rogers - I think this one would be SO fun for story hour - you get to move along with the animals in the story - tons of fun and different actions to do with them AND then it ends with everyone sleeping after their long day! This will be a good time!!

Where Should Turtle Be? by Susan Ring and illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein - I love books about turtles, and this one is very nice. Everyone is trying to tell turtle where to live, but he just doesn't feel at home in those places. But look out when he finds his place - so nice! The illustrations are magnificent in this one too!

Thank you Sylvan Dell for another wonderful box full of books!

Worthwhile Books

Once in awhile you see something new - and you just have to share it with the world. Ok - I will admit it - I've never heard of Worthwhile Books - but now that I have - I am sharing it with all of you!!! I got a package today and in it was Carl the Frog. David N. Weiss wrote this book and Pete Whitehead illustrated it to perfection. This book had me laughing out loud - I am NOT kidding. It is hilarious! What's a frog to do with his enormously long tongue that he can't seem to control?!?!? It just eats all of his friends!! My favorite part that had me out loud laughing??? "Bouncing behind a bus, with a belly full of friends, can make a frog feel very ill." You will get it when you read it - and YOU BETTER read it!!


Then there's Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug by Ellie Bethel and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo. LOVED this one too - just in time for Earth Day this year! It is all told in rhyme and yes, it is SO fun! Even some spreads that you have to hold vertical to read - I love it when they do that! And the illustrations?? Well - it is just an all-around great pick! Another winner - thank you Worthwhile Books!!

Annick Press Goodies

This box, from Annick Press, had some fun titles I wanted to share.

Nibbling on Einstein's Brain by Diane Swanson is a very fun science title. It asks the question, "Did you know faulty or phony science can creep into your life in a lot of different ways?" Then it goes on to explain how kids can become "science watchdogs" by showing them how to sort the good from the bad. I liked this and I think kids will too - it just LOOKS fun!

Big or Little by Kathy Stinson is a book that will resonate with young children. Kids want to feel big, but sometimes they do things that just plain make them feel little - all kids will relate!

My Friend Mei Jing by Anna McQuinn - I LOVED this one. Want to know why? Because with a daughter adopted from China - I love anything that helps people to see how much the same we all really are - even though we have some fun cultural differences. That is exactly what this book does - geared to younger children. One of my favorites in this box!

The Bears We Know by Brenda Silsbe and illustrated by Vlasta van Kampen is such a fun book. What if you had bears living in the house at the end of your street?? How much would you know about them?? This was a fun romp - LOVED the illustrations!

Animal Aha! by Diane Swanson will be a hit with all of our readers that beg for new animal books! It is written on a little older level, and shares some fun new discoveries in wildlife science. I learned some interesting new facts from this book - I know this one will be a hit!!

Pharaohs and Foot Soliders: One Hundred Ancient Egyptian Jobs you Might Have Desired or Dreaded by Kristin Butcher hardly needs me to say a word! It is WONDERFUL - kids will LOVE it. Great for those ancient Egypt units! My boys LOVED it.

Lerner Newbies!

Lerner Publishing sent me a box that is FULL of good stuff. I have to share some of my favorites:

Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride: America's First Cross-Country Automobile Trip by Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff and illustrated by Wes Hargis is great fun! This story takes place in 1903 and is based on Jackson's own account of the first automobile trip across the U.S. It all started when Dr. Horatio Jackson overheard a stranger saying that it was just plain impossible to drive across the U.S. in one of those "unreliable, newfangled automobiles" - thus begins Jackson's mission - to prove that stranger wrong! I loved this - very fun and one I know kids will enjoy!

Singing Crickets by Linda Glaser is another book that will intrigue kids. This is such a great Glaser-way to learn some science while having fun. Tess Feltes has done a beautiful job on the illustrations as well. We don't have many books on crickets for kids - this will be well-read!

Monkey with a Toolbelt and the Noisy Problem by Chris Monroe is a fun book that all Bob the Builder Fans will LOVE! A monkey with a toolbelt can fix ANYTHING - and this book sets out to prove it. The illustrations are wonderful in this book - Monroe has created adorable Chico the monkey that kids will find very fun!

Jazzy Jewelry, Pretty Purses, and More! by Kathy Ross is another in her craft collection of books that is sure to please. There are some fun crafts in her latest book - Chloe already wants us to check it out and "get crafting!"

Hachette Books/Chronicle Books

When a box comes from Hachette - It is a BIG deal!!! And this box is no exception!!
I received the book, When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat by Muriel Harris Weinstein and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. I am pumped about this book - we don't have very many books on Jazz/Scat and this one will be a wonderful contribution. It is PERFECT for our Summer Reading Program theme this summer AND a beautiful tribute to Louis Armstrong - read, you'll be doing Scat in no time!

Also in the box were three Rosie Flo coloring books. These are NOT your normal coloring books and let me just tell you - my daughter thinks she NEEDS all of them. They are beautiful - I mean exquisite - coloring books - designed by Roz Streeten. She designed the books based on ideas from her daughters - they used to ask her to draw dresses so they could color them - and that is just what she did. THEN, you can add arms, legs, heads, etc. They are WONDERFUL - you do NEED to see these!

Elsewhere Chronicles

Lerner Publishing has a wonderful new Graphic Novel series called the Elsewhere Chronicles. Now, I wouldn't know how wonderful they were if I hadn't had some students read them for me!! I am not a big Graphic Novel fan myself and would have a hard time knowing what was great and what wasn't :) So the students gladly read them for me and gave them a big thumbs up! The stories take place when four kids open a passageway in the library - uncovering a world of monsters and other crazy creatures. The teens liked this series and are hoping for more!

Kane Miller at its Best!!

One of my favorite publishers of all times???? It has to be Kane Miller - They are marvelous at representing multicultural literature and this box is no exception.



New Clothes for New Year's Day by Hyun-Joo Bae is first of all, BEAUTIFUL!! The illustrations are wonderful and give the feel beautifully for this New Year holiday - Korean style. Totally endearing - one that is already on my daughter's shelf!

Who's Hiding by Satoru Onishi. I LOVE this one!! It is very fun and you could use it with younger children. Each 2 pg. spread asks you to find an animal - one who is ..... hiding, crying, etc. VERY FUN!

My Father's Shop by Satomi Ichikawa - this is a fun story. It takes place in this boy's father's shop - all because he has a rooster that everyone wants to see! I love this because you can see how to make rooster sounds in ALL different languages. Very fun!

Here's a fun one! What happens when a rabbit escapes out of his cage and has the WHOLE house to himself?!?! While We Were Out by Ho Baek Lee is just that story - very cute and perfect for toddler storytime as well.

Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen is a WONDERFUL tale about a brilliant crocodile that hatches in a nest of ducks!! I am telling you - this one is hilarious AND fun!! Don't miss it!

Singing to the Sun by Vivian French and illustrated by Jackie Morris. This is a gorgeous fairy tale - and I mean gorgeous. It is thought-provoking tale of Thorfinn and his process to choose a bride.

Cat by Mike Dumbleton and illustrated by Craig Smith is simple yet profound! I love this one!! Cat meets up with all sorts of wonderful adventures. My favorite?? See what happens when she meets the sprinkler!

I am telling you - you just can't go wrong with Kane Miller!