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.

 

By The Numbers

 

KidzKorner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How high can you count?  With the help of these books you’ll be able to count to ten and beyond, no worries.

 

The M&M Counting Book by Barbara Barbieri McGrath

 

Can there be a better way to learn about counting than using M&M’s?  Not for me!  This book uses photographs to illustrate the concepts presented.   Kids from 3-6 years old will enjoy counting with these candies.  Buy a bag and go for it.

 

Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo L. LeSieg

 

In case you don’t recognize the author’s name, it is an alias for Dr. Seuss so you can be sure this book is a delight.  Animals balance apples and learn to count  at the same time.

You can plan a fun activity also by making stacks of ten, like ten pennies, ten cookies, ten blocks, ten Legos…well, you get the idea.  Older kids can make a graph of how high the stacks are and you have an instant math lesson wrapped in fun. Kids from 4-7 will enjoy this book.  Some will be able to read it too.

 

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

 

Five monkeys get into all kinds of mischief and bump their heads...well, you know the rest.  This rhyme appeals to the youngest children, everyone knows it and it never seems to get old.  The book has cute illustrations, too.  A five star book!  Kids from 2-6 will enjoy this book.  Here’s a fun rhyme to go along with it:

Five little hot dogs frying in a pan.  One got hot and it went BAM!

Four little hot dogs frying in a pan. One got hot and it went BAM!

Three little hot dogs frying in a pan.  One got hot and it went BAM!

Two little hot dogs frying in a pan. One got hot and it went BAM!

One little hot dog frying in a pan. One got hot and it went BAM! (clap when you say bam!   The kids love it)

 

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Suess

 

Poor Bartholomew.  You must remove your hat out of respect as the King passes by but Bartholomew can’t seem to rid himself of his.  Older kids will enjoy his predicament and how it unfolds.  A fun opportunity to talk about numbers.  Kids from 6-8 will enjoy this book.

Until next week, keep on reading!

 

Back to School

  KidzKorner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for school!  How many times did I say that to my own kids?  Well, countless probably.  The next best thing to going to school is reading about it so here are a few that stand out for me.

 

 

 

School Bus by Donald Crewes is a classic picture book for young ones ages 2-5 years old.  They love the bold graphic pictures and it is the perfect companion to the song, The Wheels on the Bus.

 

The Night Before Kindergarten and The Night Before First Grade byNatasha Wing .  These two books are based on that old favorite Twas the Night Before Christmas.  The illustrations are cute and the cadence is familiar and soothing for those first-day jitters. Pick the one that’s right for you. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Nelson is Missing by Henry Allard Jr. and James Marshall.  Miss Nelson’s class has been misbehaving so, when she is absent, a nasty old substitute teacher takes her place.  A funny story about behavior in school with great illustrations by Mr. Marshall, one of the artists I admire. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

 

I came across a new favorite which I only picked up because of my son’s love for all things Star Wars.  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger is a hilarious tale of a weird boy whose Yoda finger puppet dishes out sage advice to sixth graders and  changes a misfit into a hero.   Appropriate for ages 9-12.

 

Until next week, reading keep on!

 

 

Now I Know My ABC's

No matter if you are a parent, grandparent, babysitter, nanny, teacher or just a friend, there is nothing as satisfying as sharing a good book with a child.

Since this is my first post for kids’ books, I wanted you all to know that I will never suggest a book I haven’t read myself.  Most of them I have shared with children too.  I would never give you a recommendation for a book only because of a cute cover or a catchy title.  I’ll do my research on new books and I’ll rely on some old classics too.

 My all time favorite alphabet book is ChickaChickaBoomBoom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault and Lois Ehlert.

The colors are bright and engaging and the story is just plain fun.  Appropriate for children 3-6years old.

Twenty Six Pirates or Twenty Six Princesses by Dave Horowitz

These two books are companions so pick the one your little kiddo would enjoy the most.

Simple text and great pictures and fun rhymes make them winners.

Ages 3-6

The Handmade Alphabet by Laura Rankin is a great introduction to Sign Language for young kids.  The pictures are clear so you can learn to make the alphabet signs together.

It’s easy peasy to learn the signs for yes and no too.  Even the youngest kids can do them.

Older kids will enjoy learning the signs too.  Ages 5-8

My next recommendation is a book, A, You’re Adorable by Martha Alexander but it’s

 based on a song and I prefer the song any day.  You can download it from iTunes.  The version I love is by Sharon, Lois and Bram. Ages 3-8

Until next week, keep reading!