Old Man Winter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KIDZ KORNER

 

 

 

 

Cuddle up, it’s cold outside!!  In these frosty temperatures why not sit down with the kids and read some good books?  The snow in these books won’t make you any colder.  I promise!

 

The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming

 This book is remindful of that old favorite, The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Each day a boy adds something new to the snowman he has built. A lot of woodland animals come out to take a peek too.  Lots of things to talk about and darling pictures.
I would read this book to kids 2-6.  P.S.  You could probably even sing it if you really wanted to do so.

 

Winter is for Snow by Robert Neubecker

 The brother likes the outside and is dying to get out there with his sister. He is winter’s biggest cheerleader.  Sis, on the other hand, wants to be indoors with brother!  What are two siblings to do?  The answer is a lovely compromise.  Kids will relate to the brother/sister dynamic.

I would read this book to kids 2-5.

 

Chaucer’s First Winter by Stephen Krensky

 Chaucer, the baby bear, doesn’t want to take that winter nap with his parents.  He wants to see winter.  He sneaks out and spends all winter playing with his friends and even surviving a storm with his own cunning.  When spring comes and mom and dad wake up, Chaucer can’t wait to tell them all about winter except for one thing, he falls asleep.

I would read this book to kids 2-5

 

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

 

Peter spends his day enjoying the snow.  He makes foot prints and other kinds of things a little boy would find to do on a snowy day in the city.  I love his bright red snowsuit. This book is a classic. I would read it to kids 1-5.

So make some cocoa and bundle up and until next week, keep on reading!

No Horse Wanted by Shannon Kennedy

RATED 4.5 STARS








The only thing that Robin Gibson wants for her sixteenth birthday is a 1968 Presidential Blue Mustang. Following their family tradition, what her parents promise her is a horse of her own, one with four legs, not four wheels. Mom competes in endurance riding, Dad does calf roping, her older brother games and her older sister loves three-day eventing, but Robin proudly says that she doesn't do horses. She'll teach her controlling family a lesson by bringing home the worst horse she can find, a starved, abused two-year-old named Twaziem.

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Robin Gibson belongs to a family of horse lovers, but the only horse she’s interested in is a 1968 Mustang in Presidential blue.  She is hoping to buck the family tradition of getting a horse on your 16^th birthday and getting the car instead.

Things don’t work out as Robin planned and her parents insist she get a horse so she picks out a pitifully undernourished and neglected horse that looks to be on his last legs.  She plans to rehabilitate Twaziem and sell him later for money towards her car.
           

Robin is a typical teen in most respects.  She is a little mouthy, a little homework shy, a little unsure about boys and a little diva-ish.  She is a good hearted soul though who loves to care for animals and find the strays homes.

I liked that Robin had chores to do at home and varied interests including cross country running.  She made friends with girls she didn’t think she’d like because of her caring heart.

Her brother, Jack, was a typical teasing older sibling and her parents were supportive without being overindulgent.  Her older sister made a brief appearance but she was mostly away at college.

Robin’s friend, Vicki, was a girl stuck in an all too familiar situation.  Her parents divorced, mom is overloaded with her job schedule and she expects Vicki to pick up the slack. I liked the way Robin stood up for her friend so she could continue her cheerleading.

Robin also ended up being friends with Olivia, another cross country teammate who started out as an adversary and with Danielle, a girl she got to know at the stables where they both trained.

Any girl who has a secret or not so secret desire to own a horse will enjoy this story.  It is a great combination of teenage life and practical information about owning a horse. I think even preteens as young as 12 would enjoy this story very much.

Even if you aren’t a horse fan, I recommend this book for the compelling story of this group of friends.
  Note:  There are some mild curse words in the story.

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Not So Scary Monsters

 

 

KIDZ KORNER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Monster at the End of this Book by John Stone and Mike Smolin

 

This book builds up anticipation.  Grover is scared and he doesn’t want you to turn the pages because of the monster at the end.  On each page he gets more and more desperate.  You’ll never guess who the monster at the end of the book actually is.  This was my son’s favorite book for the first five years of his life.  My daughter loved it too.

I would read this book to kids 1-5 years old.

 

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds

 

Jasper cannot stop snitching carrots from the garden.  Then one day, he thinks he is being followed by carrots.  He sees them all over but it always turns out to be something else.  He gets so frightened he builds a fence all around the garden so he won’t pick any more and they can’t escape.  Does it turn out the carrots had a plan all along?  Any kid who gets a little scared of things in the dark that turn out to be a pile of clothes or something will enjoy this story.  I would read this book to kids 3-6 years old.

 

Where the Wild Thing Are by Maurice Sendak

 

They gnash their terrible teeth but Max is the king of the wild things after he gets sent to his room for his behavior.  The wild things are ugly but lovable.  And what kid doesn’t love a wild rumpus?  The end shows that moms always forgive their kids no matter what.

A real classic.  I would read this book to kids 3-6 years old.

 

The Principal from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler

 

Hubie has been sent to the principal’s office because of his antics in the classroom.  He is really sweating it because he heard all kinds of rumors about the principal and how she turns kids into coat racks and some kids never even return.  He is shaking in his boots but to his surprise it turns out she is a kind and understanding principal.  Hubie “escapes” with his life in tact but will he confess to his friends?  I would read this book to kids 4-7 years old.

 

So you see not all monsters have to be scary..... unless they're Godzilla. But that's a story for another day.  Until next week, keep on reading.