The Art of Miss Chew by Patricca Polacco

For any teacher that has ever felt undervalued....add this Polacco book (along with quite a few of her others) to the list to boost your morale and to remind you of your POWER!  This book again looks at another, actually two, powerful teachers in "Trisha's" life.  Trisha has begun another new school year and loves her teacher, Mr. Donovan.  He soon recognizes Trisha's struggles and tries to help her by allowing her to have extra time when completing work.  He also soon recognizes her talent in art and sets her up with a special art teacher, Miss Chew, at the high school.  Miss Chew works with Trisha and her art ability grows.  But one day Mr. Donovan receives horrible news that his father in Ireland has passed away.  Mr. Donovan leaves for Ireland and the new substitute is not as understanding or supportive as Mr. Donovan.  She believes Trisha is wasting her time taking art classes with Miss Chew.  Believing in Trisha's talent, Miss Chew works to save her prized student from being taken out of art classes.  Another inspirational book from Polacco - for students as well as teachers. 

"I spy with my little eye...something with big claws." 

This book of under the sea riddles with a "cut away eye" will delight and challenge young children.  Readers will be able to sharpen their counting skills as they explore the creatures below the water.  A great interactive book.  And my favorite 4 year old....LOVES this book!  :)

Text:  5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Waking Up Is Hard To Do

I LOVE THIS ONE! And it will be stuck in your head for DAYS.....Poor Dinosaur is having a hard time getting out of bed. Admit it! You have been there! AND I figured on a Monday this is the perfect book to share. The CD will have you tapping your feet as you go through dinosaur's morning. Colorful, fun illustrations accompany the great lyrics and provide great enjoyment for all ages!

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye Leaves

Scary Mary by Paula Bowles

Mary is very scary. When the other animals ask her to play, she scares them away. She does everything she can to make them go away. She makes signs and makes a big fuss. When she is finally alone she realizes that being scary is also very lonely. She misses the other animals and changes her mind about being scary. Adorable illustrations accompany this simple story about getting along with others. Scary Mary could be used with any level to spark discussion about treating each other nicely.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Secret Agent Splat by Rob Scotton

Splat is back and this time he must use his detective skills to investigate. A number of ducks are being taken and returned with missing beaks. Splat begins his investigation by asking his family about the crime. This turns up no useable clues except the name "Mr. Nobody". Splat decides this is a job for Secret Agent Splat. He devises an elaborate plan and is shocked by what he uncovers. Spike is the duck thief....or is he?

To view a book trailer of Secret Agent Splat click HERE!!

The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure by Laura Numeroff

The Jellybean friends are back again!! Bitsy and the other girls are given the honor of creating a mural on the side of Petunia's Candy Store. Each girl decides on what they want to add to the mural but Bitsy has the hardest time deciding what the add because she is worried about others not liking what she adds. Will Bitsy be able to decide?

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves (Lynn Munsinger is one of my most favorite illustrators!)

Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett

The amazing chameleon....able to change colors....and in this case, shape, to look more like other objects. Fun book with great exposure to colors as well as a discussion about chameleons!

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Artist Ted by Andrea Beaty

Ted is back and this time he is the ultimate "artiste"! Ted decides he needs to spruce up the boring, plain walls around him and creates his own paint and his own brushes to do just that. Ted takes his artistic expression too far when he decides to create a masterpiece on the shirt of the new student Pierre. It is up to Artist Ted, and his friends, to make Pierre feel better and less anxious about his new school.

(Follow up to Doctor Ted and Firefighter Ted)

I Speak Dinosaur! by Jed Henry

A boy decides when he speaks "dinosaur" he does not have to worry about using good manners. He can say what he wants and how he wants it. He quickly discovers that is not the case. What he does discover is when he speaks "dinosaur" he is quite lonely. When he meets other dinosaurs he is surprised to learn that dinosaurs are polite and use good manners. Maybe he needs to change his "dinosaur-language". I Speak Dinosaur! will appeal to dinosaur loving kiddos. The book has a great message about using manners and being polite though at times it was somewhat confusing to follow. Hopefully kids would see beyond that to the deeper message.

Text: 3 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

When Blue Met Egg by Lindsay Ward

"One SNOWY morning, Blue was awakened by something extraordinary flying through the air..."

So begins a journey for Blue, a little bird, and a rather quiet, cold egg. Blue is determined to find Egg's mother, figuring the mother would be very worried. Blue travels all around New York City looking for Egg's mother, without any luck. Blue continues to search for the mother while caring for Egg until slushy April arrives and Blue begins to notice that Egg is getting smaller....and smaller....and one day is gone and in its place something pink (flower) has bloomed and a new friendship begins. Sweet story - with adorable pictures. Small children may miss what "Eggs" truly is.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Endpages: 5 Buckeye leaves (scenes of NYC!)

Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail

Liam is a piglet. He is a perfect piglet according to his pig parents.

"We love your squiggly tail and your little black eyes and your snouty nose and your adorably triangular ears."

But Liam does not think he is perfect. Liam does not want to be a pig. Liam wants to be the EASTER BUNNY! Everyone told Liam he could NOT be the Easter Bunny. Everyone that is except his grandparents. Liam's grandparents encouraged Liam. They told him to get a costume, which was ordered on the Internet. And Liam started practicing. Finally Liam became the Easter Bunny he always wanted to be. Such a cute story about believing in yourself and what you want to BE. The illustrations and text fit each other perfectly. Very enjoyable.

Text: 4 Buckeye Leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Wake Up, It's Spring! by Lisa Campbell Ernst

It is that time of year.....SPRING!! The snow is melting, the long cold (well, except this winter) is over and it is time for all things spring to arrive! Once the sun has warmed up, the earth wakes up and "nudges" the earthworm. The earthworm wakes up and "sang" to its neighbor the seed. This continues on and on. A great book for sequencing activities with young children as the storyline is fairly simple to follow. This book would also be a great book for a flannel board story - will put that on my "to do" list for the summer.....

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves (I always enjoy Ernst's illustrations!)

The Duckling Gets a Cookie! by Mo Willems

The Pigeon and his little "friend" Duckling are back! (Yes, it came out today.....and yes, I drove to B and N to get it at lunch....yes, I am probably more excited than the kids!) So this time the Pigeon is upset because the Duckling has a cookie and he does not. How did the Duckling get a coookie? Hasn't the Pigeon asked for things before? Why is he never given anything? It is just NOT fair! The Duckling being a kind Duckling decides to.....share. BUT why? What makes this Duckling sooooo willing to share?? LOVE the Pigeon and his little friend! Can't wait to share this one tonight at bed time....Thanks again Mo!

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand

Friends Bear and Mole are back and this time they want to fly a kite. Working together the two friends create a kite and are ready to take off. Once the kite is up and flying a bad storm rolls in, causing the kite string to snap. Bear and Mole are disappointed until they realize that their kite served a new purpose for some baby birds. The simple storyline will allow even the youngest reader to understand the main events of the story with some additional explanation for the ending.

(Second book in the Mole and Bear series - first one was Spring Is Here!)

Text: 3 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

I don't want to be a pea! by Ann Bonwill

I love this book! The illustrations are adorable and the simple story with endearing characters really made this an enjoyable book to read. Now my students....I think they missed part of it...ho hum. Hugo, a hippo, and Bella, a bird, are getting read for the Hippo-Bird Fairy-Tale Fancy Dress Party. They must decide on a costume which is where the trouble begins. Hugo wants to dress as the princess and have Bella dress as the pea but Bella is not in favor of being a pea! Bella has other ideas. Bella thinks she should dress as a mermaid and Hugo could be a rock. Obviously Hugo does not like this idea. It goes on and on until the two friends are not speaking, and not going to the party together. Will they ever be able to come to an agreement and save their friendship?

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves









To check out the book trailer click HERE!



Author's website click HERE!

It's My Room by Robert Munsch

I am trying hard to catch up on the new books I have read....and not doing such a good job. A few second grade classes at school study Robert Munsch so in an effort to prep for their classes tomorrow, I am writing this up. I will admit that I am maybe not the biggest Munsch fan....mainly because I do not always "get it". This one took me a couple times to really appreciate. I am anxious to see what the kid's think.

Matthew is very excited when his mom announces that they will be moving to a new trailer. He is even more excited to hear he will not have to share his room. Of course it is not long before various relatives and/or their pets arrive and Matthew is forced to share his room. Matthew has reached his limit. He knows he must come up with a plan....a lasting plan....that will make a big impact. Though he still has to share his room, it is not with relatives or their pets.