Bawk and Roll, by Tammi Sauer and Dan Santat - let's shake a little tail feather! (ages 5 - 9)

Kids love books that make them laugh, and older kids love books with puns, jokes and goofy action. But they also want a story arc to a book, a bigger feeling, a reason to read the story. You'll get all this and more in Bawk & Roll, the newest book by the crooning duo Tammi Sauer and Dan Santat.

Bawk & Roll
by Tammi Sauer
illustrated by Dan Santat
NY: Sterling, 2012
ages 5 - 9
available at your local library, my favorite bookstore, and on Amazon

Marge and Lola can't believe how their dreams have come true. Superstar singer Elvis Poultry has asked them to be backup singers on his rock and roll tour. Their chicken dance rocked the house at the talent show in Sauer and Santat's previous book, Chicken Dance. But when the lights come on and Elvis parades in front of the cheering crowd, stage fright strikes - these chickens get cold feet.

Marge and Lola are down for the count and are sure nothing can help them. At each new venue, they try something new to calm their nerves, but nothing works! What are a pair of nervous hens to do?

But then, they realize they're missing the most important thing of all - the support of their friends. So "the chickens crossed the road" (to mail a letter) and invite their barnyard friends to the next concert. As the concert starts, everyone is cheering for Elvis. But then they hear, "We love you, chickens! ... Let's see your mooooooooves!" Thrilled with the audience's support, Elvis immediately comes up with a new hit song: "Blue Moooooooo" - Marge and Lola are thrilled.

Kids love the fast pace, the constant puns and dynamic illustrations. Sauer layers the puns and jokes liberally, and while many refer to Elvis, not all do. Kids will laugh at imagining the audience in their tightie whities and watching Elvis parachute onto the stage. Santat's vibrant illustrations, full of Vegas showbiz costumes and buffoonery, automatically draw kids to this story, but it's his details and unique perspectives that keep them coming back again and again. Just look at this back cover, modeled off an old record jacket.

While this is a sequel to Sauer and Santat's Chicken Dance, you can have fun with it as a stand-alone or as a companion. If you like this, you'll certainly love Jarrett Krosoczka's Punk Farm and Punk Farm on Tour.

Tammi Sauer and Dan Santat certainly jive well together, each having plenty of fun. Don't you love the photos they took for the jacket flap? They both have a pile of books being published this year with other amazing authors and illustrators.

Tammi Sauer is coming out with: Me Want a Pet!, illustrated by Bob Shea; Oh Nuts!, illustrated by Dan Krall; The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma, illustrated by Victoria Hutto; and Princess in Training, illustrated by Joe Berger (bold titles are forthcoming later this year, other links are to Amazon).

Dan Santat is the author/illustrator of the wildly popular Sidekicks graphic novel (one of the most popular books in our school library). He also has a stack of books being published in 2012: Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos, a picture book written by Susan Middleton Elya; Dog in Charge, written by K.L. Going; Oh No! Not Again!: (Or How I Built a Time Machine to save History) (Or at Least My History Grade), written by Mac Barnett; Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show, written by Michael Buckley; and The Three Ninja Pigs, written by Corey Rosen Schwartz. (bold titles are forthcoming later this year, other links are to Amazon) 

For other reviews of Bawk and Roll, see Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, PinkMe and the Jean Little Library.

The review copy was kindly sent by Dan Santat and the publishers, Sterling Children's Books. Dan was a member of the Cybils Book App committee which I chaired. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Reading with our children -- guest post by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

I'd love to welcome Lynda Mullaly Hunt, to celebrate her debut novel One for the Murphys (which I adore, just loved - see review here). I asked Lynda to reflect a bit about reading with her children. She's a lovely writer - enjoy!

You Just Can’t Put a Price on it Until…
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Well, instead of wearing my author hat, I’ve been asked to wear my mom hat and write about helping my own children develop a love of reading. What a fun job THAT was/is!

My children were introduced to the world of books the way a fish is introduced to water. As babies, they chewed and drooled all over board books and then graduated into word books, touch and feel books, pop-up books, and picture books. We would do “snuggle time” as we called it, where we would run to the couch, get under a blanket, and read whatever pile they could carry over. As he got older, my son could carry a lot! We also, of course, read before bed.

When they were toddlers, we attended three story times a week—one at the library and two at bookstores. And, let’s just say that I did my part to stimulate the publishing economy! Even though my children are teenagers now, their rooms are still overflowing with books. For holidays, they still receive books and B&N gift cards. In fact, we’re having to get creative about where to put bookshelves! Just this afternoon, my daughter bought herself a Nook. Perhaps, there will be more floor space in her room?

When my daughter was young, she liked to write her own books, so I would fold paper and staple it. I’d write the words for her and she would draw the pictures. Oh, she loved those stories of hers. She would tell stories in the car, too, and we used to laugh that her stories would last as long as the car rides; she’d just keep adding conjunctions and keep on going!

Lynda Mullaly Hunt

I still read aloud to my son. He is fourteen and I am reading The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen to him before bed. I like to read and he still likes to listen, so it works for both of us.

With my oldest preparing to leave for college in the fall, I find myself thinking back to those “snuggle time” days a lot lately. I can still feel their heads lean against me, the sound of sippy cups as I read, their chubby toddler hands resting on my arm, and I am so, so grateful that I took the time to do that when they were young. I did it for them—because as a teacher, I knew how important it was for them to grow up with books being an everyday part of life. I also knew, that when children sit on your lap to read books, they associate reading with something pleasant/positive and that feeling is something they carry in their cells right into adulthood. Besides, books are fun, aren't they?!

But, the benefits for me as their mom are not something I will find in an educational journal. I tell you though—I wouldn’t trade the memories of snuggling in, the sound of childhood giggles while we shared the antics of Curious George, Mike Mulligan, Stellaluna, Tacky the Penguin, The Paperbag Princess or the zillions of other characters we grew to love together. It’s the kind of stuff you can’t put a price on—that is, until your daughter goes to college as an English major!

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Thank you, Lynda! Please see the full details of the One for the Murphys blog tour over at Lynda's blog.

One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt - a heartfelt story about family (ages 10 - 14)

I sometimes find myself wondering, what does it mean to be a good mother? From a child's perspective, what does a mother do? Wash, iron, make lunches? No, I really don't think that's it. A mother's willing to fight for you, to stand up for you, to know when you're down and can stop to listen. Lynda Mullaly Hunt's debut novel, One for the Murphys, will touch kids, perhaps make them cry, but it will also start them thinking. What does it mean to stand up for your family?

I am excited to share One for the Murphys here today. In a post later today, Lynda will share her own thoughts reading with her children. The sign of a good book? I want to start buying a copy for many of my friends (Talia, a copy is on it's way to you already!).

One for the Murphys
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
NY: Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin, 2012
ages 10 - 14
available at your local library, my favorite bookstore and on Amazon

“My fingers play with my hospital bracelet. I stare at my name. Carley Connors. Thirteen letters. How unlucky can one person be?” Thirteen-year old Carley Connors works hard to keep her feelings completely hidden in order to protect herself. After all, her mother taught her how to be street smart and tough on the streets of Vegas. But her step-father has beaten her terribly, and now, Carley finds herself taken from her mother.

There’s so much anger swirling around inside Carley that she can’t let herself get close to her foster family, the Murphy’s. And yet, she finds herself watching this loving family, struggling to understand their unconditional love, and longing to be part of their family.

Little Michael Eric is the first to connect with Carley, with his innocent superhero play, but Mrs. Murphy’s patience and knowing love do finally reach through. As Carley’s caustic exterior starts to soften, she starts to understand what it means to belong - until her own mother decides that she wants Carley back.

Debut novelist Lynda Mullaly Hunt creates fully realized characters, with authentic first person narrative and snappy dialog. This is not a story with easy answers. By the end, readers will celebrate Carley’s strength and growth, even as they struggle with the difficult path she has in front of her.

Visit Great Kid Books tomorrow to read a lovely guest post by Lynda, reflecting on her own experiences reading with her children. See Lynda's blog for a full schedule of the One for the Murphys blog tour.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Growing up reading: a delightful & delicious memoir - guest post by Susanna Reich

In celebration of the publication of Minette's Feast, I asked the author Susanna Reich to share some of her memories growing up reading with her parents. Reading this brought back so many memories for me, and reminded me of all we give our children sharing that time together, reading together and talking about what books mean to us.

Growing up reading
by Susanna Reich, author of Minette's Feast

Most authors were avid readers as children, and I’m no exception. My reading habit began early, when my parents would tuck me in to bed with a pile of picture books. Nowadays I tuck myself in, but I still like to “settle my brains” with a good book. Here’s a baker’s dozen of favorites from childhood:

• The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson
• The Story of Babar, by Jean de Brunhoff
• Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina
• Curious George, by Margaret and H.A. Rey
• Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
• A Hole Is to Dig, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
• Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag
• So’m I, by Ted Key, illustrated by Frank Owen
• Nono, The Baby Elephant, by Inez Hogan
• Animal Lore and Disorder, by James Riddell
• The Lovely Summer, by Marc Simont
• Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
• Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

Reading wasn’t limited to bedtime. My brother and I devoured books all day long—literally and figuratively. Our Little Golden Books must’ve been bought when we were still in diapers, for our copies of Seven Little Postmen, The Poky Little Puppy and Five Little Firemen were extremely well-chewed.

Fairy tales were part of our diet, too. I especially loved our edition of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Swineherd and The Tinder Box, illustrated by Gustav Hjortlund and translated by R.P. Keigwin. We also read poetry, and I took great pride in being able to recite many of the poems in A.A. Milne’s Now We Are Six.

The first book I read on my own was The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss. I memorized it first, then spoke it aloud as I turned the pages. Eventually, the mysterious black marks on the page began to take on meaning as letters and words. I began reading on my own and fell in love with Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking, A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and, later, Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I also read comic books, maps, series fiction like Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, and nonfiction, especially books about dance. We visited the public library regularly, returning home with our arms weighed down by stacks of books.

My parents modeled reading, as well. Mommy spent hours at her desk, reading scholarly books related to her work as a teacher and music historian. Daddy, after a long day in the physics lab, would settle into a comfy chair after supper and disappear behind the New York Times or Scientific American. My parents subscribed to Life magazine, and I “read” the pictures before I could read the words. We got The New Yorker, too, and by twelve I was reading it cover to cover. There weren’t many YA books back then, so at that point I moved on to books for adults and never looked back.

There’s no guarantee that if you read to your child, take her to the library, and model reading for her, she will become an author. But this much I know: books and reading can endow her with knowledge, imagination, a good vocabulary—and strong arms!

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Thank you so much, Susanna! Your memories really bring me back to days when I used to escape behind the couch, lost in my favorite book, hiding from everyone else in my family. The books we read when we are young really do leave a lasting impression.

Free giveaway of Minette's Feast!
Susanna is offering to give away a free copy of Minette's Feast. To enter your name in a drawing to win a free, signed copy of Minette's Feast, please email Susanna with the subject line "Minette's Feast giveaway." One entry per person, please. Winners will be selected at random on May 31.

Please read more about Minette's Feast at my review here, and make sure to stop by other blogs celebrating this delightful book. For more information on the Minette's Feast blog tour, head over to Susanna's site. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2012 Susanna Reich
Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Minette's Feast: The delicious story of Julia Child and her cat (ages 4 - 8)

Here's something not many people know: when I was young, I used to tell my favorite cat all my secrets and troubles because I knew that he would never tell anyone else. You see, cats are wonderful companions - as many children know. Susanna Reich brings readers into the world of Julia Child's years in Paris through the eyes of her cat, Minette. It is a book that children will relate to, loving it as a cat story and learning about Julia Child at the same time.

Minette's Feast
The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat
by Susanna Reich
illustrated by Amy Bates
NY: Abrams, 2012
ages 4 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore and at Amazon

Minette is indeed a lucky little tabby cat. Living in Paris, charmed her way into the hearts of Julia and Paul Child. As Julia exclaimed,

"Une maison sans chat, c'est la vie sans soleil!"
"A house without a cat is like life without sunshine!"
          - Julia Child, from My Life in France

And so Minette joins Julia and Paul, taking long naps, enjoying soft laps and especially finding special treats to eat. "How delightful the crunch of fresh-caught mouse, devoured on the living room rug!" As Julia takes cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu, the famous French cooking school, Minette perfects her hunting skills.

Minette will delight young children with the way she pounces, jumps and rolls around the Child's home, with the way she waits patiently as Julia cooks special meals. Susanna Reich shares the story of Julia Child in a way that both provides interesting information and a way into the story for children. All of the quotes in the story are drawn from Julia Child's writing and correspondence. Amy Bates' watercolor and pencil illustrations capture Minette's warmth and playfulness perfectly. Head over to Amy Bates' website to see more of her artwork from this story.

I am excited to join many friends celebrating the publication of this lovely story, with a blog tour. Here are some of the other stops:

• Great Kid Books: guest post by Susanna on reading with your children (coming on Sunday)
• Original Content: review & discussion of creative nonfiction
• Booktalking: interview with Susanna Reich
• Books Together: interview with Amy Bates
• Tales from the Rushmore Kid: interview with Susanna's cat
• The Fourth Musketeer: interview with Susanna
• Shelf Employed: interview with Abrams art director Chad Bekerman (coming this Monday)
• Readerkidz: "Dear Reader" guest post by Susanna (coming this Tuesday)

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, Abrams Books. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Just Joking: a very funny collection from National Geographic Kids (ages 7 - 11)

What kid doesn't love a good knock-knock joke? I mean, you get to read it over and over again to your friends, family, brothers and sisters - anyone who will listen! I have seen kids pour over joke books, reading them again and again. Our students are LOVING this new collection from National Geographic Kids. It's full of hilarious animal photographs, bright colors and jokes they're telling all their friends.

Just Joking
300 Hilarious Jokes, Tricky Tongue Twisters, and Ridiculous Riddles
Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2012
ages 7 - 11
available at your favorite bookstore and on Amazon

With bright photographs of animals and a jazzy design, this book is sure to appeal to kids. Based on the “Just Joking” department in the National Geographic Kids Magazine, this collection include knock knock jokes, tongue twisters and riddles.

A bright purple box has a picture of two banana peels with the joke, “How are two banana peels like shoes? ... They’re a pair of slippers.” A huge grizzly bear asks, “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Tank. Tank who? You’re welcome!” But the most popular feature for our students are all the knock-knock jokes that use kids names:

"Knock, knock. Who's there? Ben. Ben who? Ben knocking on the door all afternoon!"
"Knock, knock. Who's there? Annie. Annie who? Annie body home?"
"Knock, knock. Who's there? Isabel. Isabel who? Isabel working? I've been ringing it for hours."

Watch this video to get a sense of the goofy humor and bright colors throughout:



The jokes do not relate to the animal photographs, so this collection is better for 2nd and 3rd graders who do not need picture support to get the jokes. Animal facts are sprinkled throughout in a much smaller font, and do relate to the animal photographs. Since the animal photographs are part of the book’s draw, this is a nice addition. The librarian in me was very happy that there's a thorough index sorted according to type of joke - what a great way to get kids to use an index!

Our kids love using the National Geographic Kids website. They're going to be thrilled to learn that there's a whole section for jokes. This well-developed site appeals to kids on many levels, with its easy to use navigation, bright colors and interactive design. Under section “Just Joking”, readers can choose an animal to tell them the jokes. A screen opens with a bright color of that animal, and one joke written in large, creative font. Readers have to click for the answer, and then can click an easy to see “next” button. The jokes are fairly random and don't relate to the animal, but they're good for a few laughs. Here's a screenshot:

Do you have a favorite joke book you like to share with your kids? We'd love to hear about great ones to add to our library collection.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, National Geographic. We have also bought a copy for our home collection (great to bring out to dinner and distract the kids!). If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books