Children's Bookshelf

The Boy Who Loved Bananas

Written by George Elliot

Illustrations by Andrej Krystoforski

Every parent has probably told their child, "You are a little Monkey!", but it is really true in this children's book.

Matthew loves all the animals at the zoo, but his favorite is the monkeys.  He asks the zoo keeper why the monkeys eat so many bananas and is told that monkeys just love bananas.  So Matthew decides he loves bananas too.  In fact, bananas are the only thing he will eat at all! No hamburgers or macaroni or beef stew...just bananas.  Matthew eats so many bananas that he turns into a monkey! His parents take him to doctors, trainers, chiropractors and even veterinarians! But nothing will change Matthew back to a boy unless he stops eating bananas.  Too bad he likes being a monkey so much...swinging around, jumping and climbing on everything, Matthew does not want to stop being a monkey.  Until one day he and his family visit the zoo and see the elephants.  Suddenly Matthew has a craving for peanuts...

Every child who has pretended to be a monkey will love the book.  In a way it reminds me of "Pinkalicious" because of the food causing the little boy to change.  It is a very cute story with great pictures and I think kids will really identify with the boy who wants to be a monkey. 

And Then It Rained

by Crescent Dragonwagon

illustrated by Diane Greenseid

This is one of the most fascinating children's books I have read in a while!  It is like two picture books in one.  "And then it Rained" starts out with the story of a town where it started to rain...and rain and rain and rain.  We read about all the things the people in the town do when it rains, things they have forgotten about during the long hot summer.  Then a little boy begins to complain about all the rain and wonders when it will stop.  His father tells him of the cycle of the weather,

"Rain brings sun and sun brings rain.  Then it turns around again."

The little boy just wants the sun to come out.  Then the book tells you to do something unexpected...

"close the book, flip it over, and see!"

Then starts a new story, "And then the Sun Came Out"

This is the story of a town where the sun comes out bright and shiny.  The sun stays for days...and days and days and days.  And it gets hotter and hotter.  We read about all the things the people in the town do with the sun is out, things they have forgotten about during the long days of rain.  Then a little boy begins to complain about the hot sun...

I was a little skeptical about this book at first, but the (literal) twist in the story really changed my mind!  Children will enjoy flipping the book over and starting from a new perspective.  And as the story explains the back and forth cycle of rain, so the book goes back and forth as long as you will keep reading.

With beautiful, captivated illustrations and creative characters, this book will delight your children over and over again. 

Most Loved Monster

by Lynn Downey, illustrated by Jack E. Davis

Max, Mattie, Mervin and Mella Monster all want to know who Mama Monster loves the most.  She loves Max because he is so funny, she loves Mattie who is so well-mannered, she loves Mervin because he is the most creative, and she loves Mella because she is brave.  But who is loved the most?

This Monster book is full of wonderful monster ideas.  Mattie's good manners are that she shares her spit and never raises her hand.  Max tells Bang-Bang jokes and makes his eyes pop out.  Mella rescues smaller monsters from Fierce Dragons.  Mervin colors his master pieces all over the walls.  But the book is really sweet as Mama Monster recognizes each child for their own special traits.  And in the end, the monsters create a special surprise for Mama that lets her know that she is the most loved of all.

The illustrations and wonderfully, icky, sort of dark and monster like, without being scary. I really enjoyed this children's book. 

The Flea's Sneeze

by Lynn Downey, illustrated by Karla Firehammer

Everyone in the barn is sleeping soundly and peacefully...everyone except the flea that is! The poor flea is sniffling and coughing and desperately needs a tissue, but no one hears his plea...

"Not even the mouse

He used for a house;

Or the rat, or the cat,

Or the black-eyed bat;

Or the cow, or the owl,

Or the feathered fowl;

Or the dog, or the hog,

Or the old barn frog.

They all slept peacefully-

But no the flea."

With a bouncy rhyme and repetitive verses, this is a delightful story about a not-s-so-silent night that many children will enjoy.  The story reminds me of Audrey Wood's "The Napping House" (which I'm reviewing later this week!).  A very cute story with simple, classic illustrations.

Pick it up today!

Where's My Sock?

by Joyce Dunbar, illustrated by Sanja Rescek

Pippin is mad..really mad!  He can't find the match to his sock, his yellow sock with the clocks.  Pippin's friend, Tog, helps him look for the sock all over the house. They find lots of odd socks, but no yellow socks with clocks.  The two friends decide to go on a serious sock.  They look under cushions, in pockets, behind chairs, in the washing machine and everywhere else.  

This is such a cute book, and will entertain everyone who has every had that one missing sock (I mean doesn't everyone know that the washing machine eats them?).  The illustrations are colorful and fun and the book includes a pull-out map of the sock hunt!

Will Pippin ever find his missing sock or will he wear mix and match for all the sad lonely socks?

I hope this book will become a part of my permanent collection!

My Even Day

By Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed

Illustrated by Karen Lee

This is a creative...if not a little strange...book that can be used to help teach children about even numbers.  The young boy wakes up to find everything in even numbers, even his mother has sprouted a new head so she has a matching set.  The school field trip to the zoo reveals elephants with four trunks and lions with six wings.  

I like the concept of this children's book, a story that introduces even numbers.  It covers 2, 6, 8 and 10 and at the end of the story there are some activity pages about even numbers.  The illustrations are creative and help young readers to visualize the numbers in pairs.  The pictures are full of "hidden objects" that children will enjoy searching for.

This book is a sequel to "One Odd Day" where everything happens in odd numbers, also an enjoyable book.

This is The Teacher

by Rhonda Greene and illustrated by Mike Lester.

The teacher starts out all ready for school and by the end of the book...after a crazy event-filled day...all she is ready for is bed!

In the style of "The House that Jack Built" this book tells about the teachers day, all coming back to "the teacher all ready for school."  This is a page from some where near the middle:

"This is the loose tooth that fell down the drain

and got stuck - ker-plink - so the janitor came

and slid on some cake

by the scared girl who shrieked

at the long snake that climbed

toward the ants that were spilled

by the students who rushed

and toppled the teacher all ready for school."

My only complaints about this children's book is that near the middle the repetitive pattern is cut in half so that it doesn't end with the teacher.  I guess it's to cut down on the length of the book, but to me the transition was awkward.  Also, there is a part about a kid who gets sick, and the picture was just not very appealing in my opinion.

But overall I liked this story.  I'm sure plenty of teachers have experienced the kind of day where they go from one accident to another! Children will enjoy the funny stories and illustrations in this book, and maybe- just maybe- they will learn a little bit to appreciate what their teachers do!

Too Many Frogs!

by Sandy Asher, illustrations by Keith Graves

I picked up this book (based only on its title) for my little sister, who believes there is no such thing as too many frogs.

Rabbit lives by himself and enjoys cooking for himself, tidying up his house and reading stories by himself.  One night there is a "knock-knockety-knocking" on his door.  It's Froggie who invites himself in to listen to the story.  Rabbit reads and Froggie enjoys the story and then says goodnight.  Froggie begins to show up every night for the story time, each night wanting to add something new- first a snack, then big fluffy pillows and then his entire family reunion! Finally, Rabbit says no more.  He sends Froggie and his family out and begins to read his story alone.  But when he realizes something is missing, Rabbit discovers that a good story is made better by having someone to share it with.

I really love the illustrations in this book.  The pictures of Froggie are so cute and funny in contrast to the depiction of Rabbit who is very serious.  I also really like the way the story is repetitive.  Every night Rabbit and Froggie do the same thing, with one new thing added.  This repeating will help young readers to recognize words and read more easily on their own.  

A very cute children's book!

Halfway Hank

by Joe Fallon and Ken Scarborough

pictures by Jack E. Davis

I have taken an interest in rhyming books lately, maybe it's because I'm not very good at writing in rhyme, but really I think it's because of the pace set by the book.  I don't know, anyway, this is a rhyming book.

Hank A. Mezzomezzo lives in a house with a lawn that is halfway mown. He rides on a bike with half a seat.  He only counts half his birthdays, cleans half of his room and wears one roller skate.  When it comes time for the town barbecue games, Hank is not a very good competitor.  He only does half of what it takes to win.  When Hank's sister gets upset with him over not finishing the competitions, Hank comes up with his own way to finish the race.

A very silly book that children will enjoy. The rhyme is quick and funny and the pictures are just great. I really thought the ending would be a little bit different, but I would consider using the book as a funny way to introduce the concept of finishing what you start. Even though Hank has a happy ending, nobody likes someone who only does half of a job.  

Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

 

You have to get this children's book! Not just for the kids, but because YOU will laugh at every page!

"Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road" is a collection of art work pages representing different answers to the age-old question.  Fourteen different artists are included in this book and they each have their own reasons for the actions of the chicken.  If I told you the reasons in writing it just wouldn't be that funny.  You have to see the pictures and the different artistic styles on each page.  But it is a definite must for you and your children.

Artists in the book (in pecking order):

Marla Frazee

Mo Wilems

Judy Schachner

Tedd Arnold

David Shannon

Jon Agee

Vladimir Radunsky

Jerry Pinkney

Chris Sheban

Harry Bliss

Mary Grandpre'

Lynn Munsinger

David Catrow

Chris Raschka