Posted by Becca
Categories: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Arnold Lobel, Easy Read, Funny, Good Read Aloud, New Amsterdam, New York, Out of Print, Peter Stuyvesant, Quick Read
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Peter Stuyvesant is the new director-general of New Amsterdam. He arrives in town to find the fort crumbling away, garbage in the streets, and animals roaming everywhere. Peter Stuvyesant sets out to fix this town, despite the lazy townspeople.
This book is written in rhyme. The text and pictures will keep you laughing. At the beginning of the book, there is a historical note about Peter Stuyvesant and the town of New Amsterdam. Make sure that you read this. It gives a good background for the rest of the book.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Beethoven, Cats, Daniel Manus Pinkwater, Dogs, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Horses, Marines, Out of Print, rain
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One dreary morning, Mrs. Submarine lets the cat in because it looks miserable out in the rain. This begins a hilarious series of visitors taking shelter from the rain, including a wildebeest, the Submarines’ car, and Beethoven.
Here’s a great book that is just a lot fun. That’s it. Nothing profound, no “lesson” at the end. And not just for the kids. Daniel Pinkwater also embeds wholesome humor that will go over the head of the child and be caught by the owner of the lap they are sitting on. Definitely worthwhile for a good laugh.
Posted by Becca
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Easy Read, Good Read Aloud, Mice, owls, Quick Read, Russell E. Erickson, Toads, Warton and Morton
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Warton and Morton are two toads that live underground together. One day in the middle of winter, Warton decides to take Morton’s wonderful beetle brittle to their Aunt Toolia. Morton tries to talk his brother out of the idea. Warton insists, saying that he’ll wear several sweaters and will travel with skis. Finally, Warton sets out. Later that day, he meets a field mouse who says that an owl lives in the woods where Warton will be traveling. This owl hunts by day instead of by night. Since Warton still wants to deliver his beetle brittle, the mouse gives him a scarf and offers the help of several friends if Warton gets in trouble. Once in the woods, Warton is captured by the owl to be eaten on the owl’s birthday. Warton has only five days to plan an escape.
A Toad for Tuesday is the first book in a series about Warton and Morton. Part of the ending is hinted at during the story so it isn’t a complete surprise, but it still makes a good end to an imaginative story. The horde of skiing mice may generate a few chuckles. This book is longer and a bit more complicated than the traditional picture book, making it an enjoyable choice for younger readers in general or for older readers who want a good quick read.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Good Read Aloud, Margaret Sidney
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Ever since her husband died, Mrs. Pepper has been trying to earn enough money to pay for the rent of the little brown house and feed her five children: Ben, Polly, Joel, David, and Phronsie. But when they meet a boy named Jasper and his rich father, could it be that good times are in store for the Peppers?
This book is like a good old friend to me. It’s fun to see how little Phronsie and Jasper’s father get along together.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Book of Ember, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Jeanne DuPrau, light
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Ember stands as the only light in a literally dark world. The city is lighted by lamps, the sky is black, and nobody ever leaves. When Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow are assigned their jobs as citizens of Ember, they are excited at first, but soon become frightened as they discover that the city is running down, which is the worst possible thing that could ever happen. Then Lina’s granny remembers that something important was lost, which Lina finds, but not before her baby sister chews up the important piece of paper, leaving the writing on the paper in tatters. It’s labelled “Instructions for” something, so Lina and Doon try to figure out what it says before the city’s lights flicker out for the last time.
Here’s a delightful story that is both fun and deep at the same time. I’m still thinking about some of the implications of elements of the story, and still chuckling over others. The citizens of Ember have no concept of so many of the things that we take for granted, which is demonstrated time after time as they wonder about what words like “hogwash” and “treetop” mean. On the deep side of things, The City of Ember speaks profoundly about pride, greed, and the consequences of wrong choices. The only thing I really didn’t like was the slow beginning, but once that’s over, you have a book that deserves to be recognized as an excellent story for pretty much everybody. There’s a movie coming out on October 10th, which looks pretty good to me.
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