Birthdays Books

The trouble starts when a farmer buys his wife a kitten for her birthday, but forgets to tie the lid of the box. On the way home, the kitten escapes to a neighboring farm, where she makes friends with the farmers' pet--not another cat, but a hippopotamus! When the buyer tries to assert his rights to the cat, the animals take things in their own hands to prevent two true friends from being separated. The story is full of the rhythmic repetitions that small children love. It's also full of heart, as true friendship wins in the end. I read this little gem to my son at the local library, and he loved it so much that he decided to name his toy cat after the kitten in the story. Sadly, libraries are discarding old treasures like this in favor of multiple copies of shoddy TV-based children's books.

This is my first Robert Munsch book, and I'm hooked! I read it to my son's kindergarten class yesterday and it made me look like a hero. They ATE IT UP. We laughed so hard we cried. Olivia is a great little heroine, and the kids could identify with her and were tickled with the "trouble" she cooked up.
Can't wait to dig into my next Munsch/Martchenko book. Thanks, guys!

a friend gave me this book as a shower gift, and it has become a great favorite in our house. Before he knew his body parts, he loved the rhyme. Now at 19 months he loves to play along, touching each body part as we read. A really sweet book!

Weddings is a wonderful source for young children conducting research or just trying to learn more about the topic. The book is organized by religion and topic so that any young reader can quickly find what they are looking for. The beautiful photographs are enough to make a reader pick up this book. They compliment the text and allow the reader to really see what each culture's weddings might look like. I was pleased to see that this book is one in a series of books on ceremonies and celebrations. It is difficult to find resource books that can be used by elementary children. This would be a book that elementary children can read and understand without the assistance of an adult.

The author/artist Harley Jessup did a masterful job creating a children's book that captures the heart and mind. My children enjoy discovering Alice's "secret" over and over again.This book evokes the spirit of children's books from when my mother was a little girl. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN CLASIC STORYBOOKS.It's a must have!

Nancy Coffelt's newest book, What's Cookin', combines subtle rhyme and outstanding illustrations to make a tasty read-outloud for moms and dads and a fun project for the newest readers and tiniest chefs. Coffelt combines her natural understanding of children's learning styles with some of the best and most skillful drawings found in children's literature. The book is age appropriate and is an easy way to help new parents introduce their child to the kitchen, cooking and lots of surprises.

From back cover:

"As a 'birthday book' this is probably the most informative book ever published regarding the attributes associated with each birthday. In this respect, 'What's Your Card?' should prove to be a great help in understanding others, as well as yourself.

In 'What's Your Card?', Arne Lein has written what may well become a standard text for professional and amateur prophets and seers alike. Combining influences from astrology and numerology with those of the playing cards, he reveals a secret occult code which he has used successfully for years as a tool in counseling and in making forecasts. Through this unique system which he calls 'Metasymbology,' he not only describes the characteristics suggested by the occult influences associated with each day of the year, but also how to use this system for a glimpse of the future. For comparison and possible inspiration, Lein also includes some of the famous personalities born on each day."

The sun was certainly shining in my life when I found this book. This is the delightful and poignant story of Martas' 15th Birthday used by Fortin as a vehicle for us to delve into the lives of a group of people in a remote village of Mexico. Fortin has done more than give us a snapshot, she has captured the emotional context thus making the images vivid for the reader. We also learn about Mexican culture and thus see how people the world over, even in remote villages, have hopes and dreams for themselves. We also see how inequality of resources and opportunities can determine our chances of realizing these hopes and dreams. Food for thought in the self absorbed, comsumer hungry society we live in.
A wonderful read for anyone. Thank you Donna Fortin.

Little Rabbit is about to celebrate his fifth birthday with a grown-up birthday party. He tells Mother Rabbit, "I'm done with crying. . . Crying is for babies, and I'm not a baby anymore." He decides to invite only those who are big, "like me," and don't cry. But when he surveys his animal friends, he finds out that they still do cry. Mother Rabbit weeps, too, even when she's happy. Little Rabbit can't believe all this! Mother Rabbit tells him, "You can cry for any reason. Or for no reason at all." Growing up doesn't have to mean never crying again, so they throw a huge birthday bash for all his friends.

Any mother of a child who seems to be growing up too fast will understand who's holding the hankie as Little Rabbit blows out the candles.

The satisfying conclusion of this sweet story is illustrated with expressive animals, sly gags, and clever details on every page -- everything we book lovers have come to expect (and cherish) from books by the team of Kate and M. Sarah Klise.

Brava!

(A version of this review appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly.)

This book is chock full of the most awesome recipes, fun facts, witty quotes and countless excuses to entertain your friends and family. I love "cook books" that entertain while you're waiting for something to come out of the oven--I had to set timers because I kept getting engrossed in the stories and sidebars. It makes a great hostess gift or present for all the party girls on your list.