It's A Big World, Little Pig!

Title: It's A Big World, Little Pig!

Publisher: SourceBooks

Pub Date: March 1st 2012

Author: Kristy Yamaguichi

Received From: NetGalley

In It's a Big World, Little Pig!, Poppy, the adorable, persistent, dreaming-big pig, has a new adventure in store for her-the World Games ice skating championship in Paris!

Poppy is nervous about meeting so many new people in a new place. But, ever courageous and supported by her family (and best friend Emma, too!), Poppy embarks upon this exciting adventure head on. She meets a snowboarding Panda, a Maltese who skies, and two fellow skaters, a Crane and a Kangaroo.

Poppy begins to realize that although these animals look different, act different, and are from different places, they are all the same at heart. They all smile in the same language!

C's Review- I liked this book a bunch bunch bunch. It is a double thumbs up. The pictures are really good. Poppy traveled around the big world made a lot of friends and became a famous ice skater. I liked how all her friends were nervous too but they smiled to make it better.


Mom's Thoughts- This is a very cute kids book, with great illustrations, a great story line and some hidden education, which I love! The tale of Poppy the pig and her travels to Ice Skate in a competition is filled with good heart warming friends she meets there and how the communicate and find things in common with one another. What a great lesson to children about finding common ground. Integrated throughout each friendship is one word in another language! I love that, we've read many childrens books that teach us one word in many languages, I really like this different approach! 

Gabbys Stick to it Day

Title: Gabbys Stick to it Day

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pub Date: March 6tht 2012

Author: Sheila Walsh

Received From: NetGalley

Our favorite little angel is back with more giggles, more fun, and an important message for little girls—don’t give up when things get hard.

Gabby is a little guardian angel with a big job to do! Watching over Sophie is hard work, but Gabby knows that God wants her to stick to it.

Gabby, God’s Little Angel, flies to the rescue as Sophie attempts to help others but has a little trouble sticking with things. Sophie tries to be helpful by washing the family dog for her mom, but she gives up when she’s the one who ends up all wet. She then tries to be kind by reading to her little brother, but he has plans of his own, which include a splash of cereal right in Sophie’s face! When Sophie is ready to quit once again, it’s up to Gabby to encourage her to keep trying and to teach her what the Bible says about perseverance: “We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NCV)

(C's Review) I liked this book because I like to think of Angels watching over me. I have a little sister and she too doesn't always listen to me. But she never throws food at me. I should stick with things till they are done too!

(Mom's Thoughts) I really liked the message in this book. We try to teach our children to see even the hard things through. It is a very important lesson for children. I also really like the guardian angel aspect of the book! All in all it is a really cute fun read!

Birthday Suit

Title: Birthday Suit

Publisher: Anick Press

Pub Date: February 1st 2012

Author: Olive Senior

Received From: NetGalley

Naked is best!

Johnny loves nothing better than splashing in the ocean waves-naked. But Mom says now that he's four he's too old to run around without clothes on. She even buys him a pair of overalls with genuine 100 percent child-proof snap fasteners! But they're no match for Johnny as he wriggles out of them.

Johnny's father explains that big boys wear clothes. Doesn't he want to be big like Dad? As Johnny gazes up, he decides that wearing clothes may be a small price to pay to reach such heights.

Everyone is happy as Johnny practices putting on his clothes. And now when he runs into the ocean, he makes sure to take his red swimsuit-but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll always wear it! 

(C's Comments) I can't say much about this book it was a really quick book. I think four year olds should wear clothes. Kinda looked like he lived in a fun place I would like to live by the ocean, not much pink in the pictures!


(Mom's Comments) This is a cute little story of a four year old boy who doesn't want to wear any clothes. He lives near a beach and is often in the ocean. He eventually learns that wearing clothing is not so bad, through a discussion with his dad. The story line and alliteration are fun, the illustrations could be a bit more bold! I am a bit perplexed at his age, four seems awful old to be naked in public. But it is a cute story and might be helpfully for a family with a semi nudist child on their hands!

Kylie Jean Dancing Queen

Title: Kylie Jean Dancing Queen

Publisher: Capstone

Pub Date: February 1st  2012

Author: Marci Peschke

Received From: NetGalley 

Kylie Jean wants to dance the main role in Swan Lake. For ages 6-8.

Part of the Kylie Jean series. From dancing to spelling, third grader Kylie Jean wants to be the queen of everything! But in her quest to be the best, this young southern belle learns a few lessons of her own. Mischievous, delightful and fun, this series will be at the top of every young girl's list!

(Reviewed by C) I thought it was kind of sad that she didn't get to be the swan queen. Because she wasn't the best at the queen yet. I thought it was happy too because of how her brother helped out to be the prince which made her kind of a queen but she really wasn't it. It is like my ballet class cause we get parts in a play too. I really liked it when they went to see Cinderella. Her dog is also funny his name is Ugly brother. If there were other books aout Kylie Jean I would read them too and I bet they are going to make more.( Mom's note yep it's a series we'll be getting more)

(Mom's Comments) I was very impressed with this book, it's what I'd consider an early chapter book. But the story was really very easy to follow, the illustrations were simple and told the point and the best part of the book for me was the family values! This was a very cute read and a new series for us, I can't wait to dig in to more of these books with C.

Mooshka, a quilt story

Title: Mooshka, A Quilt Story

Publisher: Peachtree Publishers

Pub Date: 3/1/2012

Author: Julie Paschkis

Received From: Netgalley 

Karla loves her special quilt, Mooshka. But Mooshka is more than just a quilt-it speaks, comforting Karla at bedtime with whispered stories. Karla's grandmother lovingly pieced Mooshka together using scraps of fabric from members of Karla's family. Each square, or "schnitz," shares aspecial memory of Karla's ancestors and their lives.

When new baby sister Hannah arrives, Karla's routine is upset and Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with her sister does the quilt begin to speak again and tell Hannah the treasured stories ofher family.

(Reviewed by C)
I liked it because it was about a blankie and her grandma sewed it together from all different times and it was really good. Blankies are great cause they keep you warm and help the bad dreams stay away. If I had a blanket that could talk to me I would listen to a story if I had a bad dream. If that was my sister I wouldn't have given her my blanket cause mommy would have gotten her. 


(Mom's Comments)
This was a very cute and fun book. I loved the story of a quilt that tells you stories of each fabric in it! This book would go great with any crafting or story telling project! I think this weekend, we'll play with some old baby clothes in the same way and I'll share with C stories of things we did when she wore certain outfits (You know the non-crafty ladies way to do this)

Witches

Title: Witches

Publisher: Star Bright Books

Pub Date:8/15/2011

Author: Cheryl Christian

Received From: Netgalley
 


Little witches abound in this rollicking, rhyming adventure that features all of the fun, fantasy, and treats—but none of the tricks—of a Halloween night to remember! Whimsical, colorful illustrations overflow with charming details that will engage young readers to read the book again and again to discover all its charms!


(Reviewed by C) 
I really liked it because it was about Halloween and it was fun because it was about witches. I liked the pictures they were really good drawing. I had no idea the witches were kids going trick or treating I thought they were real witches and it was silly because they were really just kids in costumes! I think a bunch of kids even kindergartners would like it! 


( Mom's Comments) 
This book was a fun easy read, both my 6year old and my two year old enjoyed the pictures and the story. The illustrations had great color and the story flowed well!