I would love it if they made this into a short or a movie of some sort. I didn't think they made books like this anymore. Wonderful.
It's surrealism anI would love it if they made this into a short or a movie of some sort. I didn't think they made books like this anymore. Wonderful.
It's surrealism and magical realism in a wonderful surprise.
A boy lives at the top of a giant skyscraper so tall the clouds are below him. He is all alone. They, he sees a girl with a red hat on the building next to him. He wants to learn her name and he tries yelling, or sending paper airplanes or kites and the wind just won't let anything get to her.
I do love this ending. It's surprising and sweet and just such an old style children's book. I love this sort of story. Delightful.
The artwork is red, white, blue and black. It could be digital and it also looks a little charcoal or marker or something. I enjoy the simplifed artwork. It works with the magic.
Great for anyone that likes an interesting story and doesn't mind breaking the laws of reality. ...more
This is a very humorous take on ‘there was an old lady who swallowed a fly’. This dragon, does seem to learn his lesson though. The author has a greatThis is a very humorous take on ‘there was an old lady who swallowed a fly’. This dragon, does seem to learn his lesson though. The author has a great sense of humor and I think most kids will laugh at the silliness of this story. They use the old rhyme well.
The art is bold and bright, happy and fun. Nothing scary here about a dragon eating people. People would want to be eaten for this ride.
Any kid interested in a laugh before bed will enjoy this lighthearted rhyme. Funny....more
This is about a snow day. We just had a snow day here in Baltimore yesterday. It wasn't a lot, but it was pretty. This is the first year in 10 years sThis is about a snow day. We just had a snow day here in Baltimore yesterday. It wasn't a lot, but it was pretty. This is the first year in 10 years since I've lived in Baltimore that we have had an actual winter.
I love this kid. He is so excited to go outside in the winter. He wants to be the first one out to make the first tracks in the snow. Right on. I love that too. There is something about being the first in the snow that's awesome. He has to wait on his grandpa to get ready and the old man is slow. So, he isn't the first one out. There is a surprise at the park.
The artwork is great. The house is the same for all four seasons. I like the continuity. This is ink and watercolor. I love all the snow and the tracks in it. It feels very winter.
Kids that love going out in the snow will enjoy this book....more
This is a dense book for older kids 4th and 5th grade. Jonah makes fun to read about the history of our country. He has a sharp wit about these old guThis is a dense book for older kids 4th and 5th grade. Jonah makes fun to read about the history of our country. He has a sharp wit about these old guys. He's also very clear who they were and how much they disagreed with each other. They all had different religious beliefs and beliefs on what this country should and shouldn't be. It shows their wealth, how many languages they spoke, how much land they owned, how tall they were, how many slaves they owned and if they were for or against slavery. Many owned slaves and were against it.
The art is appalling. Each person had a full page spread with most of one page having a hideous picture and then the rest was information. Thank goodness. The less art the better here.
Kids who want to know more about the founding fathers will love this. It's a great place to get some fun quotes and to know the fathers just a little. Oh, it also tells how many languages they all spoke. It's amazing that most of them spoke 3-7 languages. We've been dumbed down for certain....more
Hey, what a lovely rhyming book about flowers and their pollinators. This had lovely artwork, but it was a bit dark at times. It has flowers and butteHey, what a lovely rhyming book about flowers and their pollinators. This had lovely artwork, but it was a bit dark at times. It has flowers and butterflies. It's so calming. All these garden scenes.
The artwork is digital work. I love the rabbits page. The flowering trees are gorgeous.
I think kids who love nature and gardens will enjoy this. Probably young kids.
I'm very tired this morning. My brain is just not churning much right now. Sorry. It's a nice book....more
This might be a great book for a future bird watcher.
Elwood is alone and he wants to make friends with birds. That's pretty much the story. He tries wThis might be a great book for a future bird watcher.
Elwood is alone and he wants to make friends with birds. That's pretty much the story. He tries way to hard to be friends and when he stops trying to hard, he makes friends.
Elwood seems really lonely. Why isn't he looking for another bigfoot? It is odd.
The artwork looks like paper cut-outs. It's fine....more
Amazing and beautiful artwork. Just blown away. The little poem throughout was nice too.
This is about all the different forms of water. It says it's aAmazing and beautiful artwork. Just blown away. The little poem throughout was nice too.
This is about all the different forms of water. It says it's about the water cycle, but there are much better books out there. This is simply showing the different forms water takes and isn't so much about the water cycle, I think. I guess its the cycle of liquid, gas, solid.
A lovely book about how much water is part of our lives.
HAHA. This wordless book was only a surprise to me. I haven't read the first one. I was expecting a find them book like Where's Waldo, but it wasn't. HAHA. This wordless book was only a surprise to me. I haven't read the first one. I was expecting a find them book like Where's Waldo, but it wasn't. I mean, you were supposed to find the Walrus and Penguin, but it was sort of a funny story.
A Penguin and a Walrus escape the zoo and put on disguises to escape the zookeeper. It was funny. Also, the Walrus finds love.
There were things about this book that I loved. This girl makes a moping list on her first day at the beach. How I love that. It had: Watch Dust Play ChThere were things about this book that I loved. This girl makes a moping list on her first day at the beach. How I love that. It had: Watch Dust Play Chess alone Pull loose thread Stare at the wall.
I think most of us have been there. I found the story to be beautiful, but my issue is with the artwork. The story starts with our character in a place of ennui. She doesn't want to go to the beach and leave her friends behind. The colors are soft and sad and really sort of bummed me out, which is fine. It's the tone of the story. But, the colors never changed with the story. The girl transforms. She goes from not wanting to be there to not wanting to leave. The colors should have brighten to brighten with her mood. They didn't.
The artwork never changed tones to show the girls journey. It left us in this place of melancholy. I can't forgive it for doing that. The art was out of sync with the author - I felt....more
Another great Susan Verde book of positivity. This is a how to book for kids doing yoga. My niece and nephew have never liked going to sleep. They areAnother great Susan Verde book of positivity. This is a how to book for kids doing yoga. My niece and nephew have never liked going to sleep. They are rough at bedtime. We've asked my niece why she won't fall asleep and she says it's boring. I should have found this book earlier.
There was a time when my brother was having the Niece do yoga before bed. That actually was helping. As Susan says, Yoga Means united. The body and mind are united and this book shows how yoga can calm our emotions and mind doing yoga. The book is fun and the imagination runs wild.
Peter Reynolds takes the poses and sets them in some huge setting. Half Moon Pose is a page of a kid doing the pose on a half moon, or Camel pose in a desert. The poses are well illustrated and it's just a super book for kids wanting to get into yoga. The art is cool too....more
I picked this up when I saw Suzy Lee was the illustrator. I love her work. The artwork in this book is so colorful and has that sense of movement and I picked this up when I saw Suzy Lee was the illustrator. I love her work. The artwork in this book is so colorful and has that sense of movement and wonder. Nature is it's own little character in this story.
The story is simply, a girl is spending the day with her father in the park and she is asking him to ask her questions. I don't know if kids will be into this or not. It's not very exciting, but the artwork is worth checking out the book...more
This is basically a summary of the Nutcracker. It shows a young girl playing the role of Clara during a performance.
This story is bland and the artworThis is basically a summary of the Nutcracker. It shows a young girl playing the role of Clara during a performance.
This story is bland and the artwork was so not my style. The story is short and there is no connection to any character. I love the Nutcracker and I was so bored reading this. Not even the costumes could save this.
For Nutcracker lovers only, even then it depends on the person if you will enjoy it.
Fun book all around. Who knew Yetis were so cute and fun. Yetis love snow and winter, but their secret is that they also love summer. This would be a Fun book all around. Who knew Yetis were so cute and fun. Yetis love snow and winter, but their secret is that they also love summer. This would be a good read for summer or winter. If it's hot and you want a reminder, this has the winter and it's it's cold out and you need a reminder of summer, this can help you out.
I love the artwork. Simple and cute. Playful artwork. I can see kids loving this book....more
Bleck, this book has a lot of spiders. It has to start off with all the babies marching away on a web. Shivers.
Seaver is an individual. He sees shapesBleck, this book has a lot of spiders. It has to start off with all the babies marching away on a web. Shivers.
Seaver is an individual. He sees shapes in the sky and he then makes his web inspired by them. Nature inspires. The book is subtly teaching about shapes.
I didn't think much of the artwork. It was somewhat interesting, but mostly sort of boring. Also, the text was super repetitive, cut and paste sort of repetitive in places.
Great for those that enjoy spiders, a nightmare for those that don't....more
These Zen books are so good. I forgot. The artwork is nice, but the meanings, so simple and they can take a lifetime to understand. Patience is probabThese Zen books are so good. I forgot. The artwork is nice, but the meanings, so simple and they can take a lifetime to understand. Patience is probably the most difficult thing. To do anything greatly, we need patience in the endeavor.
So, The kids sets up something while playing and the panda uses something in the play to teach a story. They are dancing and the girl wants to be a professional ballerina in one or two days. The boy wants to play robots and he wants good vs bad. The panda then hogs the cookies like a bad guy. They end up being explorers together. Simple and also profound.
In the back, Jon has a page he's talking about great teachers. There are times in life we wobble and fall and then right ourselves in a new direction. A great teacher seizes that moment and uses it to help propel the student in a new direction. I love it. Great book. I'm a fan....more
I believe this is my last Kate Messner book and I think it's the first one she wrote in the series Over and Under.
This story is about taking care of I believe this is my last Kate Messner book and I think it's the first one she wrote in the series Over and Under.
This story is about taking care of the garden, from winter to winter and all the ways it changes season to season. She makes a big deal of the importance of bugs to a healthy garden. I love a praying mantis.
This book has me missing my little garden. I remember the year we had a praying mantis and I was so excited. They are great for a garden. I was hoping to have a lot more next year, but I didn't see them next year. A garden is good stuff.
Great book and it's always nice to read a little more about the bugs and animals in the story at the end of the book.
I appreciate this story. Little weeds and flowers that grow in the cracks of sidewalks are mostly ignored. This story is about a kid who sees the beauI appreciate this story. Little weeds and flowers that grow in the cracks of sidewalks are mostly ignored. This story is about a kid who sees the beauty of the flower in the sidewalk that others ignore and she appreciates the flower. Her father is busy being an adult and is oblivious to his kid's adventure. This story is about the small moments and small gestures.
The artwork is mostly black and white in a city with splashes of color here or there. The flowers are colorful and here and there, we see colors. There are plenty of details about the city and the people in the city.
I do love a wordless story. It's amazing how pictures alone can tell us so much and be quite moving, no words needed....more
Holy Pencil Drawings! This artwork is stunning and amazing. It plays with light and dark, fantasy and emotions. Everything is black and white and it oHoly Pencil Drawings! This artwork is stunning and amazing. It plays with light and dark, fantasy and emotions. Everything is black and white and it only enhances the feelings of isolation and friendship.
The author tells us a personal story she had as a child growing up as an only child and how this fantasy story came out of that experience. The feeling of loneliness drips from the pages and the longing for connection. I think most any age can relate to this story.
The artwork is really beautiful. I'm blown away. I need to look for more from this author....more
What did I just get into? I can say that I've never read a story like this. It was very disgusting.
A few years ago, I read the book Ukumaki and it wasWhat did I just get into? I can say that I've never read a story like this. It was very disgusting.
A few years ago, I read the book Ukumaki and it was very good. On list, that book and Junji Ito were 2 talked about authors, so I decided to give this a go. I got the cover from the library and I knew this was going to be different.
I did think the story telling was decent and shocking. It uses religion and the devil to pull this off. Lots of devil stuff in here. Junji is doing something with apologies - are they too easy - maybe that is something he is exploring.
I was thankful the illustrations were in black and white as I didn't need to see this in color. Well, now I've read something from Ito and I don't know that I need to read more like this. It's my least favorite read of the year so far. I still can't give it a worse star rating. It accomplished what it set out to do which is gross out the read with plenty of shock value. So, even though I'm not crazy about it, it is successful at what it does. Still 3 stars is the most I can give it. ...more