Vacation

Vacation is ending...there may be a short hiatus with school starting again tomorrow.  

No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.  ~Elbert Hubbard

My Kohls shopping will have to come to an end. :(

Toot and Puddle: Charming Opal

In Holly Hobbie's latest, Toot and Puddle: Charming Opal, Puddle's cousin, Opal, comes to Woodcock Pocket for vacation.  She is quite thrilled that she might lose her tooth while visiting.  When her tooth finally falls out and is retrieved from the bottom of the lake, Opal is delighted that the Tooth Fairy will be coming to Woodcock Pocket.  Despite her confidence, Toot and Puddle are worried the Tooth Fairy does not know where Woodcock Pocket is.  Will she find it?

Here Comes Easter

Even though Caroline Jayne Church's Here Comes Easter is probably for younger babies/toddlers, Ivy just adores it.  There is a hidden egg on every page as well as a touch and feel component.

An Easter egg hunt is so much fun!
5 eggs to find, 
Can you spot one?

Naughty Bunny

Richard Scarry's Naughty Little Bunny is an Ivy favorite as well as an Easter pick. Bunny has such  a difficult time being good.  He spills his milk, pushes his friend, refuses to take his nap, and colors on the walls.  His poor mom is so overwhelmed.  Little bunny does not want to disappoint her.  Will he be able to turn himself around, or will he succumb to the temptation of being naughty?

Easter's on its way!  Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins have an adorable version of Here Comes Peter Cottontail that Ivy just adores.  She has memorized a lot of Rollins' song and can often be heard singing:

He's got jelly beans for Tommy 
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There's an orchid for your mommy 
and an Easter bonnet too!  Oh....


Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail 
Hippity Hoppity 

Happy Easter day!!

Fancy Nancy

Thanks to Jane O'Connor's Fancy Nancy, Ivy constantly uses the word "fabulous".  Fancy Nancy is a self-proclaimed fancy girl.  She often complains she is the only fancy person in her family, which consists of mom, dad, and baby sister, Jo-Jo.  Thank goodness for Bree, her bff who appreciates the finer things in life such as butterflies, French, clothes, and art.  In Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy, Nancy wants a papillon puppy, but her parents want an ordinary plain dog.  To prove them wrong, Nancy babysits for her neighbor's papillon.  Who will be right?  Will Nancy end up with the dog of her dreams or will she be forced to have a plain dog?

Tea for Ruby

Duchess Fergie has written a book that Ivy adores - Tea for Ruby.  The illustrator is another of Ivy's favorites - Robin Preiss Glasser, who is best known for the Fancy Nancy series.

Ruby has been invited to tea with  the queen.  She spends days receiving advice from peers and adults about what not to do.  When the day of the tea arrives, she discovers the queen is her grandmother!  Ivy is so excited about this that she is insisting that her Gram hold a tea party just like the grandmother in Tea for Ruby.  Get your gowns ready, grandmothers.

Easter Bugs

Although this is more of a baby book, Ivy still enjoys David A Carter's Easter Bugs.  After all, who doesn't enjoy a good Pop-up book?  Each page contains an egg with an unusual bug inside such as:  a busy brown buzzing bee or a bunny bug (?) with turquoise spots.

Jack and the Leprechaun

Ivy just loves Jack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson.  Jack the mouse sails to Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick's day with his cousin Sean and his family.  He is sent into the woods to pick shamrocks for the party.  There he hears a mysterious "Tee-hee-hee Toe-ee-ee" and sees Liam the leprechaun.  If Jack is able to catch Liam he will win his pot of gold.  I had to read this story seven times in a row last weekend.  I was surprised at the amount of actual facts about St. Patrick's Day and the celebrations surround it.

Stars

Marla Frazee is Ivy's favorite illustrator.  I was thrilled to see a new book out with Marla and a local New Hampshire author, Mary Lyn Ray.  Ivy loves this book.  It is about stars both real and metaphorical.  It is about the power of finding the "star" within you on off days.

Some days you feel shiny as a star
If you've done something important, 
people may call you a star.


But some days
you don't feel 
shiny.


Those days,
it's good
to reach 
for the one
in your
pocket. 

The words become hauntingly beautiful with the illustrations.  What a combo!