New Year's Fun

Ivy has been loving Katharine Holabird's Angelina Ice Skates.  The illustrations by Helen Craig are the best part.  They seem almost Victorian in their beauty.  This particular book in the Angelina series is about how Angelina is preparing for an Ice Dance for New Year's with her best mouse friends - Alice, Flora, Felicity, and, of course, her little cousin Henry.  However, whenever they practice... Spike and Sammy, two big mouse boys from school, cause trouble.  How will she stop these boys from ruining the show?  With a little advice from mom and some creativity! 

Christmases Past

For the past two Christmas, the Grinch has been a bit too scary for Ivy.  Just a few weeks ago, we were able to get through the whole story, even though the Grinch was scary at first.  Now she loves How The Grinch Stole Christmas!  Ivy is quite fascinated by poor Max, the reindeer dog.  She feels so bad for him when he has to carry all the Christmas things up the mountain.  She is just thrilled when Grinch's heart grows two sizes at the end of the day!  Cindy Lou is, of course, a favorite!

Another book she is just getting into this year is The Night Before Christmas.  Since it was written by Clement Clark Moore in 1822, the vocabulary is a bit difficult for Ivy.  However, she is quickly picking up sugar plums, sash, kerchief, etc. Like every wondering 3 year old, she wants to know where Rudolph is!  She has even practiced putting her finger aside of her nose!  A must read for all.

Tell Me Something HAPPY Before I Go To Sleep

I thought this would be an appropriate post for all the moms and dads having trouble sleeping with the recent events.  Although oblivious to these events, Ivy has been having nightmares about bears.  This book by Joyce Dunbar and Debi Gliori helps her to think positive thoughts before bed.  Willa, a cute toddler rabbit, cannot go to sleep because she is scared.  Her big brother, Willoughby, helps her to think of all the happy things waiting for her in the morning - her toys, her chicken slippers, a delicious breakfast, and morning itself waking her up.  Willa is, of course, comforted most of all by the presence of her big brother.  Ivy requested this twice before going to bed.  

Hanukkah

Despite not being Jewish, Ivy seems to love Hanukkah.  She recently studied it at preschool and can sing the dreidel song.  She was excited to be invited to her first Hanukkah dinner at which she received a book by Susan L. Roth called Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah.  Roth's book is filled with whimsical drawings of a mouse family celebrating Hanukkah accompanied by the lyrics to the song,  "Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah".  When she gets to the part about latkes, she shouts, "Ivy ate those!"  Well...she had mac and cheese while mommy at the latkes, but....it is the interest and recognition that counts?  This is a fabulous book for preschoolers with just a simple introduction to this holiday.

The Little Red Hen...I mean Elf

The Christmas Spirit is in full swing in our household.  The next few weeks will be a flurry of holiday books.  Ivy has been loving Barbara McGrath's The Little Red Elf.  This is a clever retelling of the Little Red Hen with a holiday plot.  Poor little elf is exhausted from cleaning, planting a Christmas tree, wrapping presents, and getting ready for Christmas.  Her friends, hare, reindeer, and penguin, are too lazy to help, but they are perfectly willing to open presents Christmas morning.  Read this clever twist on a classic story!

Debby Atwell wrote a book revolving around the true spirit of Thanksgiving - opening your home and sharing a meal with others.  When an elderly couple's Thanksgiving dinner burns, they find themselves at the New World Cafe.   Although the door is open, the table seems to be set for a family dinner. The family of immigrants wonders why the door is open, but welcomes Ann and Ed into their home for an evening of food, dancing, and laughter despite misgivings.  When the couple returns home having had the best Thanksgiving they can remember, the immigrant family discovers a potato had propped open their door.   Was it an accident, or were mysterious forces at work?  Find out when you read The Thanksgiving Door.  

Oh My Gosh...I'm A Squash!

Dave Horowitz created a great fall book - The Ugly Pumpkin.  The poor Ugly Pumpkin waited all October and into November for someone to take him home.  When he wanted a treat, he always ended up being tricked.  He was rejected by kids, a skeleton, and a forest of trees.  Finally, the Ugly Pumpkin leaves his patch and discovers who he is just in time for Thanksgiving!


I am the ugly pumpkin
as you can plainly see.
Of one hundred thousand pumpkins,

none are quite like me.

Last Halloween Book

Ivy received a gift for Halloween - a lovely copy of The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything by Linda D. Williams.  A little old lady, possessing no fears, was taking a walk in the woods when she heard some mysterious noises.  Over the course of the book, she saw and hears many noises and their causes - pants going "WIGGLE, WIGGLE" and a shirt going "SHAKE, SHAKE", etc.  Will the little old lady succumb to her fears?

Halloween

With two days left until the big day, Ivy has some suggestions.  Be sure to hit up Barnes and Noble for their 50% off Halloween sale!

The Berenstein Bears:  Trick or Treat is an oldie but goodie.  Ivy finds the antics of the cubs endearing, and is quite enchanted with the idea that appearances can be deceiving.  As Brother and Sister head out for trick-or-treating, there is one house they will avoid - the house of old witch Miz McGrizz.  When Miz McGrizz opens the door of her gnarled old tree house, what will the cubs discover?

Ivy continues to adore the antics of Froggy.  In Froggy's Halloween, Froggy just cannot decide what he should be for Halloween.  When he finally decides upon his costume, the positive reaction from Frogilina and the other girls is a bit more than he can handle!  The trials and tribulations of being a young and handsome frog!

Room on the Broom

With Halloween fast approaching, it is time to review Halloween books!  Ivy just received a wonderful book for her birthday from one of her friends called Room on the Broom by Axel Scheffler.  Normally witches scare Ivy, but the illustrations are just so appealing.  An young witch and her cat are flying through the air when her hat blows away.  An adorable dog finds the hat, but wants to join them on the broom.  As more items fall off and more new friends join on the stick, the situation becomes more and more precarious.  Will the broomstick be able to fit all of the witch's new friends?  Find out!!

Amelia Bedelia and the Baby

Ivy just loves babies and is really looking forward to being a big sister.  She loves any book about babies.  In Peggy Parish's Amelia Bedelia and the Baby, Amelia has to babysit for a baby named Missy.  Since Amelia doesn't know much about babies, she is relived that Mrs. Lane leaves her a list.  As usual, Amelia misunderstands all of the directions.  The ensuing hilarity is a page turner for Ivy.  She constantly wants to play Amelia Bedelia and Missy.

City Dog, Country Frog

Ivy has been rereading old favorites since moving.  However, this week we were able to go to the library only to discover a new "friend"- City Dog, Country Frog. When City Dog goes to the country for the first time, he meets a new friend - Country Frog.  As the seasons pass, the two friends introduce each other to their favorite games - fetching, hopping, etc.  When City Dog visits the country in winter, he is not able to find his friend.  Will frog return in the spring?  This is a rather heartbreaking tale of friendship, loss, and the ultimate renewal of the spirit.  I was quite surprised to find Ivy fascinated by it.  She, in fact, keeps returning to the desolate winter pages when City Dog is mournfully waiting for his friend.  Although a bit depressing in nature, the beautiful water colors and uplifting ending make the story engaging.  I was surprised to find this book to be by the author Mo Williams.  He is known for his more lighthearted books such as his pigeon series. 

Small Pig

This seemingly simple story seems to be packed with meaning for Ivy.   She just loves small pig, a plucky little fellow who loves mud.  When the farmer's wife decides to clean everything including the pig pen, small pig sets off to find a new home with mud.  When he finally discovers "mud" in the city, it is not quite what it seems.  Read about small pig's adventures in Arnold Lobel's Small Pig.  

Purplicious

Earlier on the blog Ivy favorably reviewed Pinkalicious.  Lately Ivy has been wanting to hear Victoria and Elizabeth Kann's Purplicious.  Pinkalicious is being teased by all the kids at school.  Pink is passé - the new pink is black.  Pinkalicious stands by her color until all of her friends desert her.  Her loneliness causes her to reconsider her love of all things pink.  Will Pinkalicious abandon her pink principles and begin wearing black?  Find out in Purplicious!

Because I Could Not Stop My Bike

Ivy has memorized parts of over twenty poems thanks to Karen Shapiro.  Karen has written parodies  of famous poems appropriate for children.  Instead of Dickenson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death", a young girl tells a story called "Because I Could Not Stop My Bike".  All the poems follow the same rhyme scheme and meter as the original poem.  My personal favorite is "Macaroni and Cheese", a parody of Poe's "Annabelle Lee".  Ivy's favorite (a parody of Blayke) opens with:

Tiger, Tiger
Took a Bite
Out of my dessert last night.  

Ballerina Swan

Although I am not much of a dancer, what girl can resist a ballet-loving swan?  Sophie, a graceful swan, spends her days staring longingly into Madam Myrtle's dance studio from her nearby pond.  When she finally gathers enough nerve to sneak into the studio, Sophie is shooed away.  When a new young teacher enters the scene, Sophie is able to join the girls!  Will she be able to perform in the school's production of Swan Lake?  Find out in Allegra Kent's Ballerina Swan.

The Dollhouse Fairy

Ivy just loves fairies and dollhouses - the perfect combo for Jane Ray's The Dollhouse Fairy.  There is nothing young Rose loves more than working on her dollhouse with her dad.

When her father takes ill one Saturday, Rose is left to deal with her grief.  A fairy with a hurt wing shows up in her dollhouse filling Rose's empty days with mischievous antics and fairy fun.  When Rose's father returns the fairy mysteriously disappears.  What a wonderful look at how adolescents handle grief!  The pictures are just lovely.

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak is an adorable twist on childhood fears by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud (illustrated by Susan Banta).  Bubble is a "sort-of" new big sister with a "sort-of" new little sister, Squeak. One night Bubble is having trouble going to bed due to the usual assortment of toddler issues - monsters, the dark, thirst, etc.  Instead of owning these things as her own worries/needs, young Bubble has her mother practice what to do when Squeak is big enough to have trouble going to sleep for the same reasons.  It turns out that Bubble still needs her mommy much more than she thinks.  However, it is nothing that cannot be solved with a good snuggle and a delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows made into the shape of snowmen. 

The Night Before Preschool

Ivy has been very nervous about starting up preschool in the fall.  She is wondering if she will make friends and what school will be like.  Since books always help Ivy understand the world, I did some research on books about starting preschool!  Ivy has a few suggestions:

Natasha Wing has a wonderful one titled The Night Before Preschool.  Young Billy is nervous about starting preschool and cannot sleep.  The reader is taken through a typical day at preschool with Billy - circle games, snacks, projects, reading, etc.  When it is time for nap, Billy is so upset (he forgot his favorite stuffed animal) that he cannot fall asleep.  A little girl hands him one of her plush pets, winning Billy sleep and a new friend.  Ivy is left with the knowledge that preschool will get better!

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is another fabulous one.  Ivy has me practice kissing her hand and making the kiss go straight to her heart so she knows she is loved all day like little raccoon.    

An absolute Ivy favorite is Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney.  Little llama is heartbroken when his mama drops him off at preschool.  He cannot even be distracted by trains, stories, or snacks.  When he breaks down in tears, his classmates help to stop his sobs and help to make him enjoy preschool.  At the end of the day, little llama realizes he loves his mama and school too!  

I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas and Pricilla Burris

D.W.'s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown

Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins 

What To Do If An Elephant Stands On Your Foot

We recently went to another book signing by Peter Reynolds.  Ivy missed the reading, but made it in time for a fun elephant project and to get her new book signed.  We read What To Do If An Elephant Stands On Your Foot on the car ride home.   A young explorer in Africa is warned, presumably by a little bird, what to do if an elephant stands on his foot.  The explorer keeps reacting incorrectly, setting off a chain reaction of stressful yet comical animal encounters.  It reminded Ivy of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.  Ivy has requested to read this a few times - another hit!

Bread and Jam for Frances

Another oldie but goodie...The Frances Books by Lillian and Russell Hoban.  Ivy just loves Frances, a spunky and adorable badger.  Frances learns lessons dear to Ivy's heart - sharing with friends, trying new foods, stalling at bedtime, letting someone else have attention, etc.  Frances is famous for her little poems, ability to push the boundaries on everything, and strong personality. There are six of these delightful books and Ivy has read five this week.


Here is an example from Bread and Jam for Frances:

   Frances did not eat her egg.
   She sang a little song to it.
   She sang the song very softly:


   I do not like the way you slide,
   I do not like your soft inside,
   I do not like you lots of ways,
   And I could do for many days
   Without eggs.

Frog and Toad

Ivy seems to be getting more and more interested in Level 1 readers even though she is not yet reading.  She just discovered the 1970s series Frog and Toad!  As we read through The Adventures of Frog and Toad, memories came flooding back.  I couldn't believe how well I remembered the plots!  Toad, an irrepressibly grumpy creature, is always being dragged into exciting adventures by his BFF, Frog.  Ivy just adores Toad because he says, "Blah!"  She runs around the house yelling, "Blah!"  We just bought Frog and Toad Are Friends at a used bookstore in Concord today.  We have already read it three times.

After reading Argus, Ivy and I decided to try another book by Michelle Knudsen - Library Lion.  When a lion wanders into the city library one day, life is never the same again.  If he promises not to break any rules, Ms. Merriweather, the head librarian, agrees to let him visit the library and attend story hour.  Ms. Merriweather did not realize she would become so attached to this beast that dusted with his tail, carted books to various locations, and allowed the children to use him as a stepping stool.  When an accident occurs in the library, the lion is forced to break the rules to help a friend in need.  Will he ever be allowed in the library again?  Maybe some rules are meant to be broken.

Argus

Ivy and I discovered Michelle Knudsen's heartwarming tale of a young "chick" named Argus.  Andrea Wesson's whimsical illustrations depict the tale of a young girl name Sally and her struggles with having a "different" chick, Argus, in the class science project.  Her classmates have adorable fuzzy yellow chicks, but Sally's "chick" tries to eat the other chicks and likes to dig holes in the ground.  When Argus disappears one day, will Sally be able to get another chick like the other students.....or will she decide "different" is something special?  Find out in Argus.

Sally's class was doing a science project.  Mrs. Henshaw 
handed out the eggs. 
"Mine looks different," said Sally.
"Now, Sally," said Mrs. Henshaw, "don't be
 difficult.  Some eggs are just different."  

Brian Lies

Brian Lies has created an adorable series about bats and their nocturnal adventures.  Bats at the Beach tells the story of a night at the beach with bats in rhyme.  They have picnics, swim, build sand castles, moon bathe, and much more.  The illustrations are beautifully done and surprisingly not scary for Ivy.  (Well...she is not as fond of bugmallows.  She had her first s'more and was quite worried I would put bugs in it!) We got from the library tonight Bats at the Library.  She instantly recognized the catchy rhymes and adorable bat illustrations.  I appreciated the pictural references of bats in famous stories.  We are most excited to read Brian's latest - Bats at Bat!

Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach:

the night is just perfect for bats at the beach!

So pack your buckets, banjoes, and blankets - don't forget the moon-tan lotion - and wing with this

bouncy of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet.

(Although Ivy is only two, I pointed out the alliteration.  She just said, "Ohhh.") 

The Night Before Summer Vacation

I just love Natasha Wing.  She covers every major holiday using the rhyme scheme of "The Night Before Christmas".  Ivy has been obsessively readying "The Night Before Summer Vacation" this week.  She is so excited by s'mores (we made them outside tonight for the first time!), sandbox toys, suntan lotion, and picnics -  all of which are covered in this book.  A family gets ready to leave for their summer vacation, packing everything known to man.

Twas the night before leaving

on summer vacation. 

My family was bursting with anticipation.  

Dad made a checklist 

which he checked as he went -

the bug spray, the backpacks

the umbrella, the tent. 

Millicent and Meer

When an unexpected box drops from the sky, young Millicent is convinced she has received the cat she has always wanted - never mind the fact that he does "uncat-like" things.  When Millicent's dad insists that Meer leave until he can behave like a proper cat, she is heart-broken.  Meer meets a cat named Marvin who kindly offers to teach Meer to be like a cat.  Will poor Meer ever find out why he is different?  Will Millicent ever get the kitty she deserves?  Find out in Richard Byrne's Millicent and Meer.  Ivy loves this, other than the page with a slightly scary looking dog on it!

Ivy Meets An Author

    Ivy meets Ammi-Joan Paquette, author of The Tiptoe Guide to Finding Mermaids.  

Tracking Mermaids

Upon entering the Blue Bunny bookstore last week, Ivy and I were lucky enough to discover Ammi-Joan Paquette signing books and making fairy wands with visitors to the store.  Never one to pass up a book signing, I blindly purchased The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids.  It is a magical book about a young boy and girl searching for ever elusive mermaids.  The children find themselves on a deserted beach ripe with magic.  As they search tide pools, the shore, and hidden alcoves, adorable hand-drawn mermaids are secretly there in the photos.  Some of the drawings are just so lovely - mermaids combing their hair with shells, seahorses dancing, etc.  Ivy loves to point out the mermaids on each page.  Well worth the impulse buy!  Next we will try The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies.

Peter Reynolds

One of the exciting things about moving to Dedham is the Blue Bunny, an independent children's bookstore run by Peter Reynolds, a well-know author and illustrator.  We did not know much about Peter until we visited the store for the first time a few months ago.  We have since read two lovely stories by Mr. Reynolds: Rose's Garden and The Dot.  Both have such depth and charm.

Rose's Garden is about a young girl who will not lose faith in the garden that she plants (with seeds collected from her travels) to beautify the site of her future home (in a whimsical teapot!).  When seasons pass and nothing happens, Rose still will not lose faith.  Will her garden ever grow?  Find out in this lovely tale dedicated to Rose Kennedy, Rose's Garden.

The Dot speaks to me, a woman with little artistic skill who found herself in a beginning art class a few years back.  Young Vashti, like myself, finds herself at the end of her first art class with no marks on her paper.  Her teacher encourages her to just make a mark and sign the paper.  The following week Vashti finds her dot framed above her teacher's desk.  Convinced she can do better than a dot, she pours her heart and soul into creating a better dot.  This book is the first in a trilogy about creativity.  Next on our list is The North Star and Ish.  

Boss Baby

Marla Frazee has done it again.  She has managed to bring adult humor once again to a children's book with her amazing illustrations.  Boss Baby compares a newborn baby to a boss used to getting everything he wants.  His workers are his exhausted parents working around the clock.  Finally, his staff falls asleep and is unable to give him the usual attention he demanded.  Will he be able to reclaim their attention?  Find out in Boss Baby!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Finally!!  Ivy has taken an interest in The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (looks just like Grandpa she says!).  Ivy is studying caterpillars and their transformation into butterflies at daycare.  She loves looking through this book for the caterpillar after he has eaten his way through various fruits.  She also adores listing off all the junk food the little guy crams into his stomach.  Well done, E. Carle.  

Maine Adventures

On the way to Maine last weekend, Ms. Ivy discovered Robert McCloskey.  On a whim I picked up "One Morning in Maine" thinking it contained too many words for Ivy and not enough color.  Wrong! The connection to Maine and the simple yet beautiful story of Sally's loose tooth made Ivy request the book over and over.  Poor Sally dropped her tooth while clamming with her dad.  Will her wish she made on her tooth ever come true?  Find out as Sally travels from her beautiful island in Maine to get groceries in town on another island with her little sister and dad.  

After trying "One Morning in Maine", I picked up a copy of "Blueberries for Sal" at the library.  Ivy liked this one almost as much.  It is the story of two simultaneous moms and daughters picking blueberries to store for the winter - one bear - one human.  When the two "cubs" follow the wrong mom, the adventure begins.  

Froggy Eats Out

Froggy is one of Ivy's favorite characters.  In this particular story, Froggy Eats Out, by Jonathan London, Froggy goes out to eat at a fancy restaurant.  His mother asks him to, "Be neat, be quiet, and don't put your feet on the table".  Froggy just can't sit still.  His fidgeting culminates when he spots Frogilina, an attractive girl frog from his class.  He tries to hide under the table, pulling the cloth along with his spaghetti and flies dinner onto the floor.  Will his parents' anniversary dinner be spoiled?  

My Busy Little Bee

Ivy has had an interest in bees now that spring has sprung.  Let's just hope she did not inherit daddy's allergies!  She has been enjoying two recent books about bees.  She loves Daniel Roode's simple tale of Little Bea, who buzzes about all day from morning til night.

BZZZZZZZZZZ.
Little Bea
is a busy, busy bee.
When the sun wakes up,
so does she!

Ivy also enjoys Eileen Spinelli's dramatic tale of Buzz, an adorable little bee who loves to fly about and visit her friends.  One day she sees part of an article that states bees are not designed to fly.  Reading this, Buzz loses confidence and cannot fly.  However, when her friend Mr. Owl's tree is on fire, will she gain back her confidence in time to warn her friend?  Find out in Buzz!


Buzz loved being a bee.
She loved the taste of honey.
She loved dozing in her cozy hive.
She loved nosing in the sunlit clover.
But most of all -
she loved flying!

The World Champion of Staying Awake

Sean Taylor and Jimmy Liao have written an adorable tale about a young girl named Stella called "The World Champion of Staying Awake".  Stella just wants to go to bed, but she cannot go to sleep until her three young wards, Cherry Pig, Thunderbolt the Puppet Mouse and Beanbag frog, go to sleep.  All three claim to be the "World Champion of Staying Awake".  Stella, desperate for her stuffed animals to go to sleep, concocts creative ways to lull them to sleep.  Will they work?  Will poor Stella finally get some rest?  Find out.  Ivy has requested this over and over.  Right now she is my world champion of staying awake.  Sigh...

Ave atque Vale, Maurice Sendak

No blog would complete without a tribute to Maurice Sendak, especially tonight on the eve of his death.  Although Ivy is still scared of Where the Wild Things Are, I know that she will soon love it. I am a huge fan of this book - who could forget the wild imagination of Max?  Trapped in his room with no supper on the night that he made mischief of one kind or another while wearing a wolf suit, Max is forced to go deep into the recesses of his imagination.  Max sails on a private boat to a land of wild beasts.  He is thrilled to let the "wild rumpus" start after he has been chosen king.  Growing lonely, Max decides to return into the night of his own room.  Maybe now is the time to attempt to publish my Latin version of this classic tale.  

In aeternum, Maurice, ave atque vale!