Perfect Soup by Lisa Moser

Love this one!! PERFECT (yes, I had to do it) in every way.....any time of year!

Murray the mouse likes everything to be PERFECT including his perfect soup. Unfortunately as he sets out to make it one day, he realizes he is missing a carrot. How can he possibly make perfect soup without all the ingredients? With an ingredient missing it won't be, well, perfect. Murray goes to see farmer in hopes he will return with a carrot. The farmer needs help hauling logs and agrees to giving Murray a carrot if the mouse will help with that. Murray agrees to get the wood moved and heads out to ask Horse for help hauling the wood. Horse agrees if Murray can get him a jingle bell. This pattern continues throughout the book, while a snowman keeps showing up, trying to get Murray's attention. Finally Murray must find a way to cool down hot cocoa for Mrs. Wooley. Murray is so frustrated and about to give up hope when snowman offers to help cool down the hot cocoa. When asked what he wants in return....well, not going to tell you as that is the best part of the book (besides the ending) so you need to check it out!! Truly a PERFECT book to teach children the true meaning of Christmas or any holiday and the art of giving.

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

To visit the author's site, click HERE!

Hocus Pocus by Sylvie Desrosiers & Remy Simard

"Mister Magic" and his dog return from a trip to the grocery store and soon are both napping just as the "rabbit in the top hat" jumps out. The rabbit is ready for a snack - the carrots sitting on the kitchen counter. After repeated failed attempts, usually caused by the dog, the rabbit finally enjoys the carrot, while the dog is put outside. A great wordless picture book for middle elementary students. The book provides a great opportunity for students to laugh while using thinking skills to unlock the storyline. Hilarious and somewhat reminiscent of Tom and Jerry....

Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman

Not too early for Christmas books is it? I figured I would start with a BANG....my favorite Christmas book which I discovered last Christmas and since none of our stores here had it, I had to order a used copy (and then ordered another copy for a special little girl that I felt HAD to have a copy). Why do I love this book? Because it is a perfect combination of sweet animals that kids will be able to relate to but yet has the TRUE meaning of Christmas - without going overboard. Mortimer lives in a dark hole in the wall and is not happy about it. One day he goes out looking for a new home. He find a new place near the Christmas tree but it appears to be inhabited by a crowd of people. After attempting to talk to the people, with no response, he realizes the people are actually statues. He soon sets to work moving them out of the area. The next night he returns to find all the statues back in the places he had moved them from. He again drags the statues out of his new house. This continues day after day until one day he overhears the people reading the Christmas story about Jesus and being born in a stable. He soon realizes that the baby statue he has been moving is the statue of Jesus. Mortimer then decides to drag all the statues back to their places. Before he leaves the wood stable, he makes one plea to Jesus, to bring him a house of his own..... Truly a delightful book that kids off all ages will enjoy. The illustrations are adorable and provides a different way of looking at the story of Christmas.

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves

Red Sled by Lita Judge

Red Sled by Lita Judge is an adorable adventure on a red sled. A child returns to a cabin surrounded by snow, leaving a red sled outside. Soon a bear sees the red sled an the adventure begins. The bear is soon joined by other animals on this downhill adventure. Using limited words, which I personally love as it requires the reader to fill in the blanks and decide what is happening on their own, the adventure is filled with excitement and fun! Red Sled slightly reminds me of Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman, another fun filled animal adventure which students love. Lovely pictures with great, at times funny, animal expressions!

Overall: 5 Buckeye leaves

Author/illustrator website click HERE!

Twelve Haunted Rooms of Halloween

Yes, I know, a little late BUT I had to check this one out this week from the library. It is so cute. I LOVE Halloween books that are not scary or yucky, especially when you are reading them to some of your 1000 students, or your own 3 1/2 year old!!! You might guess from the "twelve" in the title, that the text is patterned after the 12 Days of Christmas.

"Through the fifth haunted doorway I peeked right in to see...
five jack-o-lanterns!
Four skeletons,
Three black cats,
Two wicked witches,
And a bat hanging from a bare tree."

As in the song, this book continues, adding a "new" item in each room. The illustrations are cute, kid-oriented. I will be tucking this book away in my memory until next year.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

Easy Food Nonfiction! by Catherine Ipcizade

Been slacking a little this week....big election this week....that did not go entirely our way. Very discouraging BUT back to the books....
Found a nonfiction series that I can see kids really liking...ice cream? Pizza? Hot dogs? We got them all! (There is also a mac and cheese one but have not been able to get that from library!) Great illustrations, large print, lower reading level. I am always looking for good nonfiction to share with the 3.5 kid here and the younger kids at school!

"Each American eats enough ice cream to fill 96 cones a year." That is alot of ice cream!
Filled with easy to read and understand facts about ice cream: when it first arrive in the US, when a sundae was introduced, etc.


"Enough hot dogs are sold each year to feed each American 60 of them!" Everything you want to know about hot dogs and more!


Great informational nonfiction book about....PIZZA! Yum!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Herdmans are back!....In picture book format! How does a family of 6 kids, the worst kids in town, that have never even heard the Christmas story, get cast as the leads in the pageant? Same way they get everything else....everyone else is too afraid to stop them. The three wise men will bring pizza. The baby Jesus may have to be stolen from the grocery store? And the Angel of the Lord is from outer space? Is there any hope for this pageant? WIll it be a disaster? Adapted from the chapter book, younger children will enjoy a shorter version of this funny Christmas story.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 3 Buckeye leaves

No Two Alike by Keith Baker

Beautifully illustrated this book looks at of the many things in nature that are similar but not exactly the same. A pair of birds serve as a tour guides in the tour through the wilderness.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves
Endpages: 5 Buckeye leaves

Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert

In Rand Burkert's new version of Aesop's once again the mouse promises to save the lion some day. The lion of course scoffs at that idea. Of course it is the mouse in the end that is able to save the lion. Great text that could be used to compare and contrast other versions.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

My Rhinoceros by Jon Agee

A boy goes to the pet store looking for a new pet. He quickly learns that his new pet is not really very exciting: no frisbee or fetching a stick. HIs new pet would not roll of over or do anything really. He learns that his pet is good at popping balloons and poking holes in kites. What? The boy is very disappointed. However just like many special gifts and talents in humans, his rhino's special gifts and talents come in handy, and saves the day.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

School for Bandits by Hannah Shaw

Ralph is not like the other raccoons. Ralph says please and thank you, is clean and tidy, and brushes his teeth. His parents are so upset that they decide to send him to Bandit School in hopes he will become more like the other raccoons. Ralph hates it - he just can't be mean, messy, and sneaky like the others. As the first term ends, each raccoon is is given a bag to gather "loot" from others. Ralph still can't be unkind. How will he ever be able to fill his bag? A fun book about raccoons. Will be a perfect beginning of the year, how to treat each other, book.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves