A fairy Went a-Marketing

Author Rose Fyleman
Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly


Story: 5
Illustration: 5
Overall kid rating: 4
Overall mom rating: 5
What does it teach - kindness to others and enjoying the beauty of nature
Length: 20 pages
Audience: 2-4 beautiful pictures and a sweet message, love it! for all fairy fans out there it's a must.

The Secret-Keeper

Author: Kate Coombs

Illustrator: Heather M. Solomon

Story: 5
Illustration: 3
Overall kid rating: 4
Overall mom rating: 5
What does it teach - That we need to be able to focus on the positive things in life, too.
Length: 32 pages
Audience: Fun for about 2 and up, but the message probably wouldn't sink in until much later.

This is a good story about a quiet, assured young woman who lives away from the village. Everyone comes to her to tell her their secrets and she catches their secrets, which then turn into different objects, and keeps them safely locked away from everyone else. Those people return to the village feeling uplifted and free from their burden once they have left it with Kalli. However, Kalli becomes sick and finds that the burden of being secret-keeper is too much. The villagers have to find a way to help Kalli feel better. It is probably one of my new favorite books and I may have to buy it for our library at home.

Rosie's Walk

by Pat Hutchins

story-5

illustration-3

overall kid rating-5

overall mom rating-5

what does it teach-prediction

length-15 pages?

audience-3-6 years-old

An oblivious hen leaves her coop and goes for a walk around the farm. A fox quickly discovers her and follows her around trying to pounce on her. He always misses and gets himself into some sort of trouble. The text is about Rosie's path, but the illustrations tell the fox's adventures. It leaves opportunity for the reader to interact and ask questions with the listening ears. It's a really short book and it teaches important reading skills.

Skippy john jones in the doghouse

This is one of my kids FAVORITES!!

I guess you could say it teaches kids to be proud of who they are even if they are a little different. its about a Siamese cat who thinks he is a Chihuahua. we have the book on CD and listen to it every time we are in the car.

Time to Say Goodnight

Author - Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrator - Jane Chapman (of Bear Snores On)
Story - 5
Illustration - 5
Overall Kid Rating - 5
Overall Mom Rating - 5
What It Teaches - Bedtime
Length - 30 pages - mostly illustration
Audience - little kids and up

One of my new favorites, especially for bedtime. I just happened to pick this up, and I love it! It goes through a bunch of different animals and tells them all to go to bed. Then, the animals tell the kids to go to bed. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I am a sucker for good pictures. It is a fabulous book for bedtime and is part of our evening routine now.

A Special Day For Mommy

Author - Dan Andreasen

Illustrator - Dan Andreasen

Story - 4
Illustration - 5 - adorable!
Overall Kid Rating - 4
Overall Mom Rating - 4.5
What It Teaches - Mmm, cuteness? Actually, when you are doing something nice for someone, you need to consider the work you are causing.
Length - 25(?) pages - mostly illustration
Audience - as young as 2 and up

This book is about a little pig who wants to do some special things for her mom, but makes a bunch of big messes in the process. I hate to admit it, but the little pig reminds me of Joy and Brigham! The illustrations are super cute, and the pigs just make me happy. It is very short, so it keeps the attention of even the youngest readers. I would definitely recommend this one.

A Regular Flood of Mishap

story: 5

illustration:5

overall kid rating:4

overall mom rating:5

what does it teach: Family

length:30 pages but 15 with words

audience: I read it to my two year old and she liked it, but to really get it I would say 5? I'm not good at judging the age group!!

The book is about a little girl who "just tries to help" and ends up making a huge mess of things!! She decides that she better just go find another family since hers has all these reasons not to love her anymore. Then she remembers that with her family "you're always family even when you Goof."

One Riddle, One Answer

story: 4
illustration:5
overall kid rating:4
overall mom rating:5
what does it teach: math-fractions
length:30 pages but 15 with words
audience: We read it and Makenna is 5 but probably geared toward 7 year olds?

A sultan's daughter who loves math and riddles has to find a husband, she makes up a riddle and who ever answerers the riddle correctly gets to marry her. Very cute book and I love that it teaches a math concept in a riddle form and has a girl who makes up the riddle that many men can't solve except her true love of course.

Oma Finds A Miracle

Author: Patrick "Packy" Mader
Illustrator: Andrew Holmquist



story - 5
illustration - 3
overall kid rating - 4
overall mom rating - 4
what does it teach - creative problem solving, importance of working together & paying attention
length - 32 pages
audience - 4 & up

The illustrations in the book weren't outstanding, but the story was good. It helped my children realize that it's good to pay attention to the things around us, it's good to work together as a family to help care for each other and for those that depend on us, in this case animals. It also teaches that sometimes you need to do a little creative thinking for problem solving. My children were concerned about the calf and kept asking what they would do and what would happen next. It's not a book that I would run out and buy, but we enjoyed it and we may check it out of the library again.

Chicks and Salsa

Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Paulette Bogan

story - 3
illustration - 5
overall kid rating - 4
overall mom rating -4
what does it teach - it's okay to break away from the same-old-same-old and try something new
length - 32 pages
audience - 2 and up

My two older children really enjoyed this book because these animals are doing something that the children know animals shouldn't be doing. They laughed when they saw the illustrations and when they saw how the animals were getting certain items, like chips for the salsa. There isn't really a moral to the story. It's just a fun book which also can help children realize that it's okay to try some new foods. Something different than the same old thing they always eat. Also, on the hardcover edition (I don't know about the paperback) there are recipes in the back for Hog Wild Nachos, Quackamole and Rooster's Roasted Salsa. We're excited to try these recipes!

Katie and the Mona Lisa

Author: James Mayhew
Overall Kid rating: 5
Mom rating: 5 Love it we've read it a million times!
Synopsis: a girl Katie goes to the Louvre in Paris with her Grandma. While grandma naps, Katie has an adventure with famous paintings where the people come to life.
What does it teach: titles and subjects of fine art/ pretend play/problem solving
Length:28 pages
Audience: 4-5year olds
Also by same author: Katie and the Sunflowers and Katie meets the Impressionists

Busy Busy Mouse

Author: Virginia Kroll
Illustrator: Fumi Kosaka (my college roommate, really!)

• Story - 5
• Illustrations - 5 (obviously)
• Kid Rating - 5
• Mom Rating - 5
• What it teaches - activities done during day and night, schedules
• Length - 30 pages, mostly illustration
• Audience - preschool

This is another of our favorite books. It is about a mouse and a family and contrasts their activities. While the family does daytime things, the mouse gets ready for bed, reads, bathes, etc. When they are in bed, he plays. Most pages only have four or five words, so it is simple for little ones to follow. The illustrations are adorable, and this book was Paul's favorite for a long time. We love it!

Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy

Author - Jane O'Connor
Illustrator - Robin Preiss Glasser

• Story - 4.5
• Illustration - 4.5
• Overall Kid Rating - 4.5
• Overall Mom Rating - 4.5
• What It Teaches - Vocabulary; Having a puppy takes work; We're all different, but that's ok! Being Fancy isn't for everyone or all the time.
• Length - 32 pages
• Audience - Book says 4-7, but my boys (yes, boys) ages 3.5 and 2 love it too! I think it's a darling book

Fancy Nancy is a Fancy girl in a Non-fancy family. She's drawn so cute and her emotions are real. Kids can relate and understand. Vocabulary is strengthened because she uses fancy words but tells what they mean. My kids starting using fancy words right away. It's a cute story with a good lesson. Check out other Fancy Nancy books, too! (Though, I'd check the library instead of purchase, they're rather expensive for a children's book -- or am I just out of the loop on kids' book prices?)

You're All My Favorites

Author - Sam McBratney
Illustrator - Anita Jeram

• Story - 4.75
• Illustration - 4.5 - watercolor
• Overall Kid Rating - 4
• Overall Mom Rating - 5
• What It Teaches - Each person is an individual and should be valued as such; one sibling isn't better than another
• Length - 30 pages - mostly illustration
• Audience - as young as 3 and up (it is one of those feel-good books that grown ups like too!)

A sweet book that deals with kids sometimes feeling like they aren't loved as much because they are different. Three bears wonder who is their parent's favorite, and parents give good answers as to why they are all the favorites. The bears are adorable, and the watercolor gives the story peace and softness. One of my favorite bedtime stories.