Madeline Says Merci and other kid's books about manners

When a grown-up us introduced to you

Look up and say, "How do you do?"

If they extend their hand to take

Offer back a nice firm shake.

I don't know about your kids, but my kiddos could always use a little reminder every now and then when it comes to their "magic words" please and thank you.  We read this new Madeline book and not only is it very informative on good manners but it fits perfectly into the Madeline library with its classic illustrations and characters.

In Madeline Says Merci, Madeline and her friends show readers what to do in all sorts of situations like meeting a new person, eating at the dinner table, receiving a gift, apologizing when making a mistake, and playing with friends.  This is a great manners guide for preschoolers and early elementary school kids. 

*This portion of my post contains affiliate links.

Here are five more great books that teach our kids how to be polite people.

Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book (Pictureback(R))

By Richard Scarry

Buy on Amazon

Tea for Ruby (Paula Wiseman Books)

By Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York

Buy on Amazon

Manners Mash-Up: A Goofy Guide to Good Behavior

Dial Books

Buy on Amazon

Manners

By Aliki

Buy on Amazon

Manners Time (Toddler Tools)

By Elizabeth Verdick

Buy on Amazon

Captain Underpants Giveaway!

We've got our popcorn ready for the Captain Underpants movie coming to theaters on June 2!  I'm giving away a Captain Underpants prize pack provided by Scholastic.  If you would like to enter to win, head over to my Instagram account, Booktomato Kids Books. 

In this series, fourth graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins are best friends that love to play jokes on their classmates and create their own comics.  They created a super hero, Captain Underpants, and their comic books are filled with his adventures. We love the silly, wacky humor in the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey.  I love this book series for its age-appropriate jokes.  My fourth grader loves this series for its lovable characters and awesome adventures. This series would make for really fun summer reading for ages 7-11. 

To celebrate the upcoming movie, my very own fourth grader and I will be doing a read-along.  We will be reading the first book together, The Adventures of Captain Underpants Book 1, and then coming onto the blog to discuss what we think about it.  Join along if you would like!  We are starting Monday. 

Here is the movie trailer for the movie!  It looks like so much fun!  

books we love: seven silly eaters by mary ann hoberman

We received this book as a gift many years ago and read its pages over and over again!  This is one of those that kids instantly fall in love with.  It has playful poetics, funny antics, and delightfully busy illustrations that engage readers of all ages.  This is the story of the Peters family: Mr. Peters, Mrs. Peters, and their seven children.  Unfortunately for Mrs. Peters, all seven of her darling children are very picky eaters.  (I wish I couldn't relate.) Only, with these kiddos, there is a catch.  None of the kids like to eat the same thing.  Each child likes to eat something completely different - one child will only eat freshly baked bread, one only applesauce made from the apples in their front yard tree.  Poor Mrs. Peters is left to scramble around the kitchen making seven individual breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. As the story goes on, Mrs. Peters gets pretty tired, to say the least.  Her children decide to make her a special birthday meal, and their mom is pleasantly surprised.  

The Seven Silly Eaters is written by children's poet laureate, Mary Ann Hoberman.  The illustrations by Marla Freeze just crack me up, and I think any parent that has struggled to get their kids to eat their dinner will get a laugh too.  Mrs. Peter's facial expressions are just so easy to relate to!  I love when picture books are written in poetry lines and rhymes.  Rhyming lines not only engage younger readers but also have shown in studies to aid in early literacy ability.  

not quite a narwhal and other great narwhal books!

Are you searching for a picture book that teaches kids about fitting in, embracing differences, and being true to your self, no matter what?  I've got one for you!

I was browsing my local bookstore, and I found the most adorable book that I have seen in a while.  There is something about this little unicorn named Kelp that makes my heart melt!  He is just so cute! 

Kelp was born under the sea and grew up with a family of narwhals.  He always felt different from the rest of his friends and family.  He couldn't do the same things that they did like swim well, grow a long, spiky tusk, or eat squid.  One night, he discovers an island where creatures just like him live.  He ventures on to land for the first time and finds out that he isn't a narwhal at all!  He is a unicorn.  He is happy to find creatures like him, but he misses his narwhal family.  He can't choose what family he wants to be a part of, but it turns out that he doesn't need to choose.  He can be a part of both families and embrace everyone's differences.

This book features the happiest, most adorable illustrations I have ever seen!  I love the color palette of bright colors.  This is a great story for preschoolers. 

*This portion of my post contains affiliated links. 

Here are some other great narwhal books to learn about these amazing and unique sea creatures.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1)

$4.75

By Ben Clanton

Narwhal Whale Up Close (Whales and Dolphins Up Close)

By Jody S. Rake

Buy on Amazon

Wendell the Narwhal

By Emily Dove

Buy on Amazon

The Adventures of Miki the Narwhal

By Joseph Pro

Buy on Amazon

7 kids books about trucks!

Hi there!  Happy Wednesday to you, and thanks for stopping by today.  I think every little kid, especially every little boy, goes through a vehicle phase where every garbage truck, cement mixer, school bus, train, eighteen wheeler, and construction truck elicits a cheer from a kid.  Here are seven great reads for the truck fan in your life! 

Truck Stop

By Anne Rockwell

Buy on Amazon

Little Blue Truck board book

By Alice Schertle

Buy on Amazon

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

By Sherri Duskey Rinker

Buy on Amazon

Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

By Richard Scarry

Buy on Amazon

The Happy Man and His Dump Truck (Little Golden Book)

By Miryam

Buy on Amazon

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

By Virginia Lee Burton

Buy on Amazon

Otis

By Loren Long

Buy on Amazon

a new edition of grimms' fairy tales from publisher little gestalten!

Do your kids read fairy tales?  Albert Einstein once said,

"If you want your kids to be intelligent, read them fairy tales."

I have a weakness for beautiful collections of Grimms' fairy tales, so when publishers Little Gestalten sent me a copy of their latest edition of the beloved stories, I jumped at the chance to take a peek. 

This collection contains twenty stories by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm along with some of the most fun and interesting illustrations that I've seen in a while.  I have a lot of Grimm books, and each of them offer a different take on the same stories.  I have a few that have more cartoonish pictures and gentler plot lines geared more towards younger readers.  I have a few that are more like history text books going into deep detail about the Grimm brothers' writing process and what was going on in Germany at the time. 

Two things set this edition apart from the others:

1. The illustrations!  Each of the twenty stories is illustrated by a different artist, so there is so much variety from page to page.  Some stories have a very modern, graphic feel.  Some stories are an old world painting feel.  My favorite pictures are in the Little Red Cap story.  They are like 1970s pop graphics in red and white.

2. The choice to feature well-known stories that we all love like Cinderella and Hansel and Grethel as well as less familiar ones like Hans in Luck and Godfather Death. This is an edition that a wide range of ages can enjoy.  My younger son likes to read Little Red Cap and The Frog King, and other stories are geared more towards my older son. 

This is a great edition to any bookshelf!  Go check it out.

the secret life of squirrels plus more kid's books about squirrels!

Did you know that squirrels do their own laundry?  Or loves to bathe with a rubber duckie?  Me neither!  Author Nancy Rose is exposing the secret world of those cute furry forest friends that we see collecting acorns on a walk through the park every day. 

In The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose, Mr. Peanuts is a very sophisticated little critter!  He loves to read books at the library.  He is very responsible and makes sure to clean up after himself, even using a tiny vacuum cleaner.  This sweet and funny board book follows Mr. Peanuts throughout his day in the cutest miniature world with tiny kitchen tools, camping tent, book shelves, even a tiny, tiny ice cream parlor! Cuteness overload!!

This went over big time well with my kids.  They loved it.  Once we read it, we really wanted to know how in the world the author got squirrels to pose for this photos.  After we sat there concocting our own theories on how she got a squirrel to mail a letter, we decided to do some internet research.  Author Nancy Rose is an avid photographer who actually trained squirrels from her backyard to respond to treats.  That coupled with her adorably crafted miniature furniture and scenes make the fantastic world of Mr. Peanut! You have to check out her website because it has tons of fun Mr. Peanut photos plus videos about her training process.  Click here to see it.

**The next portion of my post contains affiliated links which means that if you buy something, I get a small fee at no cost to you.  You get a new book and I get a little money to keep the blog going.  Win/Win!

Here are more great squirrel reads!

Those Darn Squirrels!

$6.39

By Adam Rubin

The Secret Life of Squirrels: A Love Story

$11.03

By Nancy Rose

Scaredy Squirrel

$7.63

By Mélanie Watt

The Busy Little Squirrel (Classic Board Books)

$3.99

By Nancy Tafuri

the princess and the warrior by duncan tonatiuh

Legends and fairy tales are fascinating little capsules of information that tell so much about the country from which they were written.  The story reveals what people in it's country of origin worry about, find funny, and consider most valuable.  I love legends and fairy tales, but to be perfectly honest, most of the legends I am familiar with originate from Western Europe - Germany, Ireland, Italy.  I had no clue what a Mexican legend entailed until I read this book - The Princess and The Warrior by Duncan Tonatiuh. 

In this story based on a Mexican legend, a princess falls in love with a lowly warrior, and they want to get married.  Her father wants his daughter to marry someone richer and higher in status than a humble warrior.  They are sad until her father strikes a deal.  If the warrior will go defeat the father's enemy, he will bless the marriage.  The ending takes a Romeo and Juliet style turn, and the star crossed lovers remain side by side until they transform into two volcanoes. 

This book was such a rich reading experience in so many ways: 

1. I loved being immersed in the ancient Aztec world through the traditionally drawn artwork that features people and objects drawn in profile.  It looked like something that could be taken from a temple wall.
2. The story uses language that calls back to the Aztec culture.  That language comes in the Aztec language words complete with glossary in the back of the book.  That language also comes in the little word choices that Tonatiuh uses that bring images of Aztec life to mind, words like the princess's heart shattered like "obsidian glass".  

I'm so glad that I can add this book to my Europe-heavy legend/fairy tale collection.  Central and South America have some many great stories, and I love that publishers are seeking out new and diverse stories.  

What do you think?  Have you read The Princess and The Warrior? 

beloved dog by maila kalman and classic dog books

CONFESSION: In the world of cat people and dog people, I am a dog person.  My doggie companion, Scarlet,has been my friend for over eleven years, and she is just as much a member of my family as I am.  Scarlet is getting older, and a few months ago, she was diagnosed with a heart problem that isn't curable.  I took it really hard at first, and while I am still sad about it, I feel like having to take extra care of her reminds me that our time with our furry friends is precious.  Luckily, the vet found a combination of medicines that seem to be helping her feel better.  

Studying the pages of today's book, Beloved Dog by Maila Kalman, warms my doggie-loving heart.  This isn't specifically a children's book, but I think kids and the adults that read with them will enjoy this.  

I fell in love with Maila Kalman's quirky art work when I read Lemony Snicket's picture book featuring her work, "13 Words".  Her paintings are bright, heart-warming, often funny, and unorthodox.  I love the way she captures the expressions on the faces of dogs and people alike.  This collection features page after page of her best dog and owner paintings along with little vignette-like stories about dogs she has met.  

Here are some of our favorite dog book classics.  

Go, Dog Go (I Can Read It All By Myself, Beginner Books)

By P.D. Eastman

Go, Dog, Go is one of those books that my kids asked for again and again when they were toddlers.  It teaches the concept of opposites with two funny dog friends.  

Clifford The Big Red Dog (Clifford 8x8)

By Norman Bridwell

Clifford is such a classic that every bookshelf needs!  

Harry the Dirty Dog

By Gene Zion

This one is so funny!  Harry keeps getting dirty and needs yet another bath.  

Biscuit Storybook Collection

By Alyssa Satin Capucilli

This book series is great because Biscuit and his owners go through a lot of everday situations that our kids go through too like going to school, bedtime, going camping.  

Do you have a dog picture book that you love?  Let me know! 

meet one loud and proud feminist baby! a board book by loryn brantz

Thank you, thank you Disney-Hyperion for sending me a copy of their newest release, Feminist Baby by Loryn Brantz!

Meet the irrepressible Feminist Baby! She's strong, she's smart, and she makes as much noise as possible!

"Feminist" is somewhat of a buzz word lately, and sometimes it can evoke strong reactions from people that are both negative and positive.  The negative reactions to the word always puzzle me because to me, feminism is simply the idea that a woman can do anything a man can do, and a man can do anything a woman can do.  I think Feminist Baby would agree with me!  She's one confident baby. She wears what she wants, sings as loud as she wants, plays with just as many trucks as dolls, and most importantly, she knows that when she grows up, she can be whatever she wants.  

This book is recommended for ages 0-2, and I think that the simple words and funny, bright illustrations are perfect for that age group.   I also think that this book could work for preschool-age kids too and could work as a great conversation starter about gender equality.

When it comes to raising their kids, today's parents definitely have the concept of gender equality on their minds.  We want to show our kids that anybody can do anything.  Feminism and Feminist Baby isn't just something we should be encouraging in our girls.  Don't forget that boys need feminism too!  I have two boys, and I want to shape not only their attitudes towards girls but also their attitudes when it comes to the flip side of gender equality.  Boys can be boxed in to "boy stuff" just as easily as girls can be limited to "girl stuff".  My four year old came to me the other day with a sad face.  When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he really wishes that he could be a girl because only girls get to dance ballet.  I quickly stopped what I was doing and sat down with him to watch You Tube videos of male ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov leaping across the stage.  Boys need to know that it is okay to color outside the lines of "boy stuff" just as girls need to be encouraged to do the same.  

What do you think?

Would you like more information about Feminist Baby by Loryn Brantz? Let's go to the links!

Go to the author's website here.

Go to the official website for the book here.

one for the kids, one for me! books about congressman john lewis

How often do we get to speak to someone who not only witnessed an important part of our history as Americans but also was super influential in the progress of that historical period too?  John Lewis has been fighting the good fight for civil rights for so long, and he remains an active figure in providing human rights for all.  Not only is he a successful congressman and civil rights hero, he can now add successful author to his list of accomplishments! 

I love finding adult books that I can pair with kid's books because it means that when my kids have a million questions about their book's subject, I stand a better chance of knowing what the answers are.  Also, I find that we have better conversations if we are both engaged in the book.  For kids, we have a picture book about John Lewis's childhood in Alabama, Preaching to the Chickens by Jabari Asim and E.B. Lewis.  For adults and older kids too (maybe junior high and up), the comic book series MARCH written by John Lewis partnered with author Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell. Let's dive in!

John Lewis grew up on a rural Alabama farm in a large family.  His parents were sharecroppers, and already at a young age, he faced everything that came with life as a black person in the Jim Crow South.  Preaching to the Chickens doesn't address any of the racism Lewis' family must have faced, instead, this book focuses on a positive aspect of his young life - his love of going to church and listening to his preacher.  As a kid, John Lewis loved to pretend he was a preacher of a barnyard church.  When he went out to feed the chickens, he would practice delivering sermons.  When new chicks hatched, he would go out and "baptize" them in a cup of water.  He did this so often that his family started calling him "preacher".  This is a really sweet story that is historically accurate but still remains entertaining for younger kids.  That doesn't always happen in historical picture books.  I love the pictures too.  They are beautiful watercolor paintings.  recommended age: 5 and up

About John Lewis, Bill Clinton said,

"Congressman John Lewis has been a resounding moral voice in the quest for equality for more than fifty years, and I'm so pleased that he is sharing his memories of the Civil Rights Movement with America's young leaders.  In March, he brings a whole new generation with him."

Comic books have been having a moment for a while now with no slowing down.  Whether you call them "comic books" or "graphic novels", they are such a great choice for older kids and anyone that feels like they "don't like to read".  The grid form and pictures make the reading go super fast, and I feel like you still get good reading in at the same time. Even people who consider themselves avid readers can love comic books.  The format brings a new way of interacting with the story.  Most of us know a good bit about the Civil Rights Movement, but reading MARCH brings a whole new way to experience history.  It makes it way more real to see it as well as read it.  Something about comic books makes the material more emotional.  Definitely check out MARCH!

five things i didn't know about madeline by ludwig bemelmans

Madeline has always been a character I have held in my heart.  She is feisty, adventurous, and kind.  The oil painting pictures of twelve little girls in two straight lines tromping through perfectly Parisian scenes are forever etched in my mind.  Here are five things about Madeline and author Ludwig Bemelmans that I didn't know until now. 

1. Bemelmans was a renaissance man with a rocky start.   A father that left his mother for their nanny, several grade school expulsions, getting                  deported to America because he may or may not have shot a man - old Ludwig had a rough go. His first attempts at writing were rejected by magazines and publishers until Madeline was picked up for publication in 1939.  He would go on to rise in the art world to be equally successful as a painter and a writer.

2. Madeline broke the gender mold for her time.  Even today, so many people will say the old adage, "boys will be boys!"  In other words, when boys are spunky and a tad mischievous, it is just a socially acceptable part of their nature.  When girls act the same way, some might not see it as a positive, especially in the 1940s.  Madeline is unique for her adventurous and strong personality.  She is opinionated, strong willed, and unlike most of the literary females in picture books of the time.  She walks across that stone bridge wall, scaring Miss Clavel, and breaking all the rules society placed on her gender. 

3. Aristotle Onassis (Mr. Jackie O) commissioned Bemelmans to paint 15 Madeline murals for the playroom of his yacht, and in 1999, the murals sold for almost a million dollars.  

4. It was very important to Bemelmans to show respect to his young audience and never write down to them.  He is quoted, "We are writing for children, but not for idiots."

5. The last lines of every Madeline story spoken by Miss Clavel were taken from actress Ethel Barrymore.  Drew Barrymore's great aunt was famous for ending her shows with the lines, "That's all there is.  There isn't anymore."

I love reading the stories behind the stories, especially when I find that children's books that I have loved for so long have a fascinating history!  What do you think?  What other beloved kids books have a colorful heritage?  

new book alert: happy dreamer by peter h. reynolds

Thank you Scholastic for providing me a copy of Happy Dreamer for review! 

Great new book alert!  Have you ever given the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh The Places You'll Go, as a gift?  It's the perfect, inspirational gift for a loved one who is ending one phase of life and starting another making it an easy choice for baby showers and graduations of all stages from kindergarten to college.  Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds is sure to become the same classic and inspirational book gift for generations to come.

This book is all about possessing the bravery to put real value in your dreams, whatever they may be, and putting those dreams into action to live a happy life.  I like that the story emphasizes that not every person's path to living out their happy is going to lead in the same direction.  We all follow our dreams in different ways.  This is such a helpful message to give kids today in a world that makes it very easy to compare ourselves to others, measuring their success next to ours.  We all reach our goals differently and on different time lines.  Happy Dreamer promotes love and the freedom to live a creative life.   

I was so excited when I was approached to participate in the launch of Happy Dreamer because my kids and I are big, big fans of Peter H. Reynolds and his work.  The Dot and Ish are both faves at my house.  So, when Happy Dreamer came in the mail, we ripped the box open and immediately sat down to read it.  My four year old loved the colorful pictures and fun story.  I loved the encouraging message. 

If you would like more Happy Dreamer fun, check out these links:

Watch the Happy Dreamer Trailer here.

Here an interview with the author about the book on this podcast .

Check out the official website here.

retro clifford the big red dog!

Did you love Clifford, the big red dog, when you were a kid?  I loved this book series, and now my kids do too.  There are so many great titles in the Clifford series by Norman Bridwell.  What's your favorite?  I love the Halloween story where Clifford goes trick or treating. 

I was at my local bookstore recently, and I found these two little cuties on display.  These are reproductions of the original Clifford stories.  I love the hard covers, the original red, black, and white illustrations, and even the way they "aged" the edges of the pages to make it look like it's an old copy. They have the same great stories of everyone's fave big red do with a dose of retro cute. 

These vintage style books got me thinking about the history of Clifford.  Here's what I found out.

• The first Clifford book was written by Norman Bridwell and published by Scholastic in 1963.
• Clifford is still the official mascot of Scholastic Publishing.
• Bridwell wanted to name the dog "Tiny" but his wife convinced him to name the dog Clifford after her childhood best friend.
• If you were to meet Clifford in real life, he would stand at about 25 feet tall!
• There are over 80 Clifford titles as well as movies and a tv show.

teaching our kids to fail: 11 experiments that failed by jenny offill and nancy carpenter

Are you like me?  Do you have a hard time letting your kids fail?  Let me tell you what I mean. 

When my fourth grader was younger, like in preschool, I never felt anxiety about letting him fail because the failures were so small. Giving him a regular drinking glass instead of a spill-proof sippy cup meant that he spilled his juice more often but he learned how to not spill faster because of it.  
Natural consequences became the lessons that his failures taught him, and these lessons were much more effective than anything I could have done.  But as he gets older, the natural consequences of his mistakes are much bigger than just getting the a kitchen rag to mop up the spilled juice. Like the other moring when he walked out of the house without his school bag and didn't realize it until we were already in the drop off line at his school.  I could have/should have let him fail.  I could have/should have said, "Oh, well.  You forgot your school bag, and now the natural consequence is that you don't have your work.  Your teachers will not be happy with you."  Instead, I raced home, got the bag, and drove all the way back to bring it to him.  It felt good.  I was able to make my kid happy.  I justified it by telling myself things like "He's still just a kid", "If he makes bad grades today, it will make us both look bad", and "His teachers will think I'm a bad mom if I don't do this".  I had a nagging little thought in the back of my brain though, and it said, You've got to be okay with failure.  Failing at something makes us stronger, smarter, and gives us that growth mindset that so many teachers and researchers are now saying is way more valuable in a student than smarts.  I want to get better at this, and to start, I'm going to read 11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter.

In this picture book, you will not find famous scientists or explorers conducting epic experiments.  11 Experiments that Failed is about everyday kids activating their curiosity to explore their world.  I love that about this book.  It shows kids that we are all scientists who can test a hypothesis.  The experiments include: can a person survive eating only ketchup and snow? (spoiler: no they can't), can I send a message in a bottle to the ocean by flushing it down my toilet?, and will a slice of bologna fly like a Frisbee?  Like the title says, each experiment failed.  You can't survive on ketchup, that message in the bottle will only clog your loo, and bologna will just splat on the floor when thrown.  I love the way each experiment is approached with wild abandon and a spirit that shakes off the fear of being wrong.  I also love that the parents of these young scientists didn't stop them from failure.  Obviously, the mom and dad knew people can't survive on ketchup, but instead of lecturing their kid about nutrition, they just stepped back and let them find out for themselves.  I really need to start doing that! 

What do you think?  Should we be there to solve our kids' problems, or should we give them the space to figure it out on their own?

read the book, watch the movie!

Do you need some help motivating your kids to read more?  I always am looking for new ways to get my kids reading, and one way to do that is through movies!  The motivation could come in one of two ways - watching the movie could get them excited about the story and make them want to read the book OR waiting until after the book is read to watch the movie could make them want to finish the book so that they can see the movie.  

Once you've watched the movie and read the book, it can be fun to think and talk about what parts of the story were the same in both the movie and book and what parts were different.  When we watch a book-inspired movie after reading the book, it can be surprising just how much of the book got left out!  It shows us that reading gives us much more of the story that we love.  Here are some great picks for book and movie pairings!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

By J.K. Rowling

Buy on Amazon

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane

Buy on Amazon

Matilda 

Matilda

By Roald Dahl

Buy on Amazon

Matilda

Starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, Pam Ferris

Buy on Amazon

James and the Giant Peach 

James and the Giant Peach

By Roald Dahl

Buy on Amazon

James and the Giant Peach

Starring Susan Sarandon, Paul Terry, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Joanna Lumley

Buy on Amazon

Pippi Longstocking 

Pippi Longstocking

By Astrid Lindgren

Buy on Amazon

The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

Starring Dennis Dugan, Dianne Hull, Eileen Brennan, Tami Erin

Buy on Amazon

Mary Poppins 

Mary Poppins

By Dr. P. L. Travers

Buy on Amazon

Mary Poppins 50th Anniversary Edition

Starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Hermione Baddeley

Buy on Amazon

Jumanji 

Jumanji 30th Anniversary Edition

By Chris Van Allsburg

Buy on Amazon

Jumanji (Collector's Series)

Starring Kirsten Dunst, David Grier, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde, Robin Williams

Buy on Amazon

Mr. Popper's Penguins 

Mr. Popper's Penguins

By Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater

Buy on Amazon

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Starring Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino

Buy on Amazon

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By Brian Selznick

Buy on Amazon

Hugo

Starring Asa Butterfield, Jude Law, Chloe Moretz, Emily Mortimer, Sacha Baron Cohen

Buy on Amazon

Inkheart 

Inkheart (Inkheart Trilogy)

By Cornelia Funke

Buy on Amazon

Inkheart

Starring Brendan Fraser, Andy Serkis, Eliza Bennett, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren

Buy on Amazon

How to Train Your Dragon 

How to Train Your Dragon

By Cressida Cowell

Buy on Amazon

How to Train Your Dragon

Starring Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel

Buy on Amazon

uni the unicorn and more awesome unicorn books for kids!

Do you know a kid who is crazy for unicorns?  We are going to a birthday party this weekend for a preschool friend of my four year old, and her mom told me she is a big unicorn fan.  I have the perfect birthday gift for her! 

This is the story of Uni the Unicorn who believes with all her heart that little girls are real.  She loves reading stories about little girls and doodling pictures of these imaginary creatures.  Her friend unicorns tell her that little girls are just make-believe.  They aren't real.  But Uni keeps on believing until one day, she meets a little girl and happily becomes her friend. 

The subtitle in this story is "a story about believing", and I love that message of hope.  The illustrations in this are just gorgeous!  So bright and colorful and happy.  Sharing this book is bittersweet because it is written by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal who recently passed away too soon.  Her wonderful stories live on. 

BTW, this portion of my post contains affiliate links.  What does that mean?  I might get a small fee if you purchase something here at no extra cost to you.  Those fees help keep my blog running but have no influence over my content.  Win/Win!

Do you have a unicorn fan in your life, or are you one yourself?  Here are more great unicorn reads to peruse!

A Unicorn Named Sparkle

By Amy Young

Buy on Amazon

Not Quite Narwhal

By Jessie Sima

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Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great

By Bob Shea

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Cynthia and the unicorn

By Jean Todd Freeman

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Thelma the Unicorn

By Aaron Blabey

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Claire and the Unicorn Happy Ever After

By B. G. Hennessy

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the tree lady of california and other great tree books

Oh I think I never shall see a thing as lovely as a tree, right? Trees give us so much - clean air, shade on a sunny day, homes for our feathery friends, and so much more.  Can you imagine a world without trees? 

Around the turn of the century, a young girl named Kate loved trees and loved playing in the forest near her home in Northern California.  During that time, it wasn't socially acceptable for little girls to play in the woods and get their dress dirty, but Kate didn't care.  It also wasn't acceptable for girls to want to study science, but Kate didn't care about that either and went on to study biology and obtain a degree in science.  She accepted a teaching job in San Diego, and when she got there, the town was a dusty desert without a single tree.  She missed the trees of her home so much that she searched the world over for trees that could survive the hot climate and brought them back to San Diego.  She created a lush, tree-filled park in the center of town that is still enjoyed today.  That young woman, Katherine Sessions, became known as the Tree Lady.  We really enjoyed reading this, and it highlighted a person that we have never heard about and the wonderful work that she did.

Here is a list of other great kid's books about trees!

The Giving Tree

$8.31

By Shel Silverstein

Honestly,  I have mixed emotions about The Giving Tree.  I get that it's a classic for sure, but that tree should really rethink her relationship with that greedy boy.  Just saying.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Board Book)

$6.81

By Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault

All the letters of the alphabet climb up a coconut tree in this rhythmic tale.

A Tree Is Nice By Janice May Udry

Hardcover

Great pictures and a sweet story about what trees give to our world.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

$7.95

By Lynne Cherry

A man tries to chop down a huge tree in the Amazon rain forest.  While he works, he takes a break and falls asleep at the tree's roots.  While he sleeps, the animals that depend on the tree visit him in his dreams to get him to not kill their home.

Song of the Trees

$5.99

By Mildred D. Taylor

Such a powerful novel abouta family that must make the decision to sell the trees on their land in the face of poverty.

The Alphabet Tree (Dragonfly Books)

$7.99

By Leo Lionni

a preschooler read that focuses on much more that the alphabet and teaches young readers about team work and peace.

We Planted a Tree

$3.49

By Diane Muldrow

a beautiful poem about two families in two different parts of the world planting trees

Tap the Magic Tree

$7.99

By Christie Matheson

Follow a tree through all four seasons in a fun and engaging "magical" way!

7 kids books about chess

My older son is a part of his chess team at school, and he has learned so much from participating in the tournaments - sportsmanship, challenging yourself, confidence, social skills.  It has been a really valuable experience for him, and he can now officially whoop any family member any day of the week in a round of chess.  

If you know a young reader interested in the game, this book list would be a great place to start! 

Chess for Kids

By Michael Basman

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Chess for Children: How to Play the World's Most Popular Board Game

By Murray Chandler, Helen Milligan

Buy on Amazon

The Kids' Book of Chess and Chess Set

By Harvey Kidder, Kimberly Bulcken Root

Buy on Amazon

Chess Tactics for Kids

By Murray Chandler

Buy on Amazon

How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess)

By Murray Chandler

Buy on Amazon

Power Chess for Kids: Learn How to Think Ahead and Become One of the Best Players in Your School

By Charles Hertan

Buy on Amazon

An Evening With Grandpa

By Diana Matlin

Buy on Amazon

read + play: pablo neruda, poet of the people and make a collage poem!

Welcome to Booktomato!  Today we are reading about an amazing poet and creating some poetry of our own.  Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize winning poet who lived in Chile from 1904 until his death in 1973.  Neruda was nicknamed the poet of the people because he used his writing to bring social change and social justice to the people in his country. Neruda also loved to write about the beauty of simple things like flowers, rocks, birds, and the smiles of his friends.  This book by Monica Brown with pictures by Julie Paschkis is a colorful, inspiring introduction to the poet and his work.  Here are some writing prompts to try after reading the book.

how to write like Pablo Neruda:

• Write a poem about the prettiest flower you have ever seen.  
• Find three rocks in the backyard.  Write a poem about what they look like and where you think they came from. 
• Think of a time that something seemed unfair.  Write a poem about a way to solve the problem. 
• Go to the grocery store and find your favorite fruit or vegetable.  Study it and write what it makes you feel. 

Another great poetry activity is to make a collage poem.  This is a great one for the times when you want to write a poem but feel intimidated by the blank page in front of you. The word "poem" seems so formal and daunting sometimes, especially if you have a child like mine who is a perfectionist.  He can't find the perfect word, so he sits there paralyzed.  Try this activity.  

Cut out phrases, sentences, and individual words from an old magazine or newspaper.  Get a good mix of interesting phrases, full sentences, verbs, nouns, and such.  Make it varied.  

Once you have your clippings, the poet can arrange the clippings in different ways on a sheet of plain paper.  The challenge is to arrange them in a way that makes a satisfying poem.  Once the poet is happy with his poem, you can paste it on the paper or put the clippings back in the pile and start again!