Childrens Days Books

I got a copy of the older version, illustrated by James Stevenson - it is a treasure. I LOVE IT! Have read it to my grandkids and they love it. GREAT humor and pictures. Wish the new one was illustrated by James Stevenson! It is a book worth owning!

I read this book at school. I was impressed by the language. The day before I read this book I found out that the author wrote this book about his three sons.

This was my favorite book when I was little. Now that I'm a father, I can't seem to find my copy (I managed to keep it for 20+ years, but I may have just had one move too many), so I was sad to see it was out of print.

Hopefully it will turn up, because this book is a real gem.

This was my favorite book when I was little. Now that I'm a father, I was ecstatic that I could find my copy from 30 years ago, as I was sad to see it was out of print.

I was given this book when I was a little girl and it instantly became one of my favorite books which I still keep in my library today. The book is wildly imaginative and teaches children that limits only exist in your own mind, certainly not in the minds of others. It's a shame that this book is no longer in print because it's truly timeless. If you see it anywhere grab a copy and then torture yourself by giving it away to a child that's dear to you.

I have always found it difficult to encourage little boys to read as it can be difficult to find subject matter they find interesting. This book hit the spot.

It is very cleverly written as a spin on "Twas the night before Christmas," with lots of humor and wonderful creatures to admire. What child doesn't delight in the discussion of spitting, burping, and being naughty.

A sure winner.

What happens to animals in the zoo when there are no people there to observe them? This engrossing book by author Catherine Ipcizade takes us behind the scenes at the zoo the day before people arrive. The text is in humorous and informative verse depicting varying animals' behavior and habits. You meet monkeys, rhinos, llamas, lions, alligators, and elephants, to name a few.

Ben Hodson's illustrations are a delight as he adds extra touches and more fun. Watch each zookeeper's shoulders for their pets and the pets' antics! The creative pages at the end of the book add even more information, questions to answer, and a matching activity. Wouldn't it be fun for a classroom to playact the different jobs people can have at a zoo? Likewise, children at home will enjoy mimicking the animals or just curling up reading the book either by themselves or with mom and dad. A must have for a home or classroom library for ages 3 - 7.

Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (5/08)

"'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day" is a play on the popular classic "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." In this book we explore how the zookeepers ready the animals in the zoo for Zoo Day. Many of the animals aren't exactly cooperative though as we see the llamas spitting and the elephants rolling in mud and spraying water.

Cayden: "Look at all of the animals on the cover! Can we name them?"
Max: "Animals!"

Cayden: "My favorite animals are the monkeys!"

Max: "Mouse!"
Cayden: "There is a mouse on his shoulder! Why is that mouse up there?"

Cayden: "I thought monkeys hang by their tails and not their feet!"

Cayden: "Rhinos eat grass. See?"
Max: "Grass!"

Cayden: "Why do those things eat bugs? Look that bug is running away so they can't eat it!"

Cayden: "What is a doo-doo?"

Max: "Spray! Spray!"
Cayden: "The elephant sucks the water in his trunk and sprays everyone!"

Cayden: "Why aren't the zebras happy?"

Max: "Bus!"
Cayden: "The bus is bringing the kids to the zoo!"

Cayden: "My favorite part was the game at the end where we matched the animals!"

Parent's comments:

"'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day" is an excellent book that teaches children a lot about the different quirks of the animals in a zoo as well as the job functions of a zookeeper. My children loved looking at the pictures of the animals and even learned some new ones, like the meerkat. Just like "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," this book is written in the format of rhyme.

At the end of the book there is an educational section entitled "For Creative Minds" that contains learning activities based on the material presented throughout the book. My children had a lot of fun with the "Adaptation Matching Activity" and learning about the tasks that the zookeeper performs. "'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day" is a super learning adventure for children and we highly recommend it!

This book sparkles!

A twist on the Night Before Christmas, if offers us a zany view of llamas and zebras and giraffes--oh my!--as animal keepers prepare for zoo day.

The verse is playful and engaging; the illustrations outstanding. It's a keeper--one of those books kids will want to read over and over again.

Catherine Ipcizade's 'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day is a clever adaptation of the classic, `Twas the Night Before Christmas, complete with rhyme. Hang on for a ride, parents. This book is a `giggler,' and you'll have to fight to keep from laughing out loud while you're reading it-and you'll be interrupted by the children's laughter while you're reading it to them. But that's a good thing.

Every person and every animal is getting ready for Zoo Day, but there isn't much that's going the way it should. The animals are not cooperating. Whew! Perhaps when Zoo Day arrives the llamas won't spit, the giraffes won't drool or burp, the elephants won't roll in the dirt and soak everyone with trunks filled with water, and the zebras will finally be satisfied with their stripes. But even then, there are so many more animals in the zoo and other things might happen. Will Zoo Day be successful? You'll just have to read the book to see! I'd watch those pesky monkeys though.

`Twas the Day Before Zoo Day is destined to be a child's favorite with the comical telling of the story and the fun illustrations. The added attraction is the activities and animal fun facts at the back of the book

Armchair Interviews says: Boys and girls will love `Twas the Day Before Zoo Day.

Wake Up, Me! is a sunny, full-color picturebook written by Marine McGee specifically for young boys and girls just starting to read their very first words. The warm, homey artwork by Sam Williams fills pages with the wide-eyed wonderment of a toddler just waking up to a new day. A great book for reading to very young children, Wake Up, Me! is particularly recommended for preschool, day care, kindergarten, and community library collections for beginning readers.

This picture book is a gleeful way to greet the day, and just the thing for bringing on the sunshine. Sam Williams' cheerful illustrations perfectly compliment Marni McGee's warm, playful rhymes. My son likes to hear it first thing in the morning, with a cup of orange juice, a tickle and a hug. If you already have SLEEPY ME (also by McGee & Williams), you will certainly need this lively companion book. If you don't have SLEEPY ME, well, for goodness sake, get it! Both of these books are sure to claim special places in your child's day--and in your heart.

This picture book is a gleeful way to greet the day, and just the thing for bringing on the sunshine. Sam Williams' cheerful illustrations perfectly compliment Marni McGee's warm, playful rhymes. My son likes to hear it first thing in the morning, with a cup of orange juice, a tickle and a hug. If you already have SLEEPY ME (also by McGee & Williams), you will certainly need this lively companion book. If you don't have SLEEPY ME, well, for goodness sake, get it! Both of these books are sure to claim special places in your child's day--and in your heart.

This picture book is a gleeful way to greet the day, and just the thing for bringing on the sunshine. Sam William's cheerful illustrations perfectly compliment Marni McGee's warm, playful rhymes. My son likes to hear it first thing in the morning, with a cup of orange juice, a tickle and a hug. If you already have SLEEPY ME (also by McGee & Williams), you will certainly need this lively companion book. If you don't have SLEEPY ME, well, for goodness sake, get it! Both of these books are sure to claim special places in your child's day and in your heart.

WAKE UP, ME and McGee's SLEEPY ME are two good 'friends' that every young family should have. The simple, exuberant rhyme is a perfect 'good-morning' song that will help your toddler greet the day with joy and anticipation. (I could see parents 'singing' this to their children with a kiss and a cuddle to get them out of bed.) Williams' illustrations are cozy and warm and as big as the expectations of a toddler, ready and rarin' to go!

My Nephew loves the Wiggles and this was a good book for his book collection.

We love the Wiggles, so this book is great because it has real pictures of the wiggles, along with some really neat pictures. I enjoy this book because I make up funny stories which my daughter enjoys and it's easy to take "ON THE GO". I'd recommend this book for Wiggles fans.

My daughter is 16 months old and loves being read to from this book. She also likes to flip through the pages and try to name the characters and the animals!! I wish there were more Wiggles books like this (she doesn't like the cartoon Wiggles books)!!

My two year old son really likes this book. The Wiggles spend the day at the zoo, so they show different animals and everything rhymes. It's far from the greatest story ever told, but does the trick in amusing my young child. This is also short and sweet, so it's a good bedtime book since I usually have to read it about 5 times, per his request. The photos are nice, and we even take it in the car since he likes to just look at the pictures. It's definitely better than the Wiggles books where they are drawn as cartoons. I can barely figure out which is which, and only do from the color of their shirts. I recommend this book highly for any little Wiggles fans, especially the ones that like animals too!

What I love about this new book is that the Wiggles take turns again describing to me about all these interesting animals they say in a rhyme. The Wiggles' Friends use their own rhyming sentences, too.

(The Wiggles: Let's Go To The Zoo) reminds me a little bit of "Zoological Gardens" from (Hoop-Dee-Doo, It's a Wiggly Party).

I originally fell in love with Mo Willems' work when reading books to my 4 year old nephew (or rather him reading them to me). I ordered this book for adults wondering if it he could also write for an older audience. And yes, he can. This book is humorous, delightful and original.

Before Mo Willems became a children's book author, he packed sketchbook and set out to explore the world. At the end of each day he drew a cartoon of a single event which stuck in his mind - and his sketch diary YOU CAN NEVER FIND A RICKSHAW WHEN IT MONSOONS: THE WORLD ON ONE CARTOON A DAY is the result. Each page holds a full-page black and white panel blending humor with observation. An excellent choice for cartoon fans and travelers alike, a foreword by Dave Barry adds to the package.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

When you think about it, picture book author/illustrators by and large do not suddenly come out with thick memoir-like tomes. Not even Maurice Sendak has done it. It just isn't done. So when I found myself hefting Mo Willems's handsome 396-some encapsulation of his time spent traveling around the world in 1990, I didn't quite know what to make of the idea. Willems is cute as a button and he pens a mean pigeon but can he ... (how shall I put this?) ... well, can he do a book that isn't five-year-old-centric? Apparently, yes. Yes and indeed and thank you kindly, m'am. Taking a concept for a book that could've easily ended up as a better idea than product, Willems has put together a thoughtful look at how we've changed in the eyes of the world, how the people of the world appear to us, and how difficult it is to cultivate an "us" vs. "them" mentality when you've just met the "them" firsthand.

It was a kind of cartoon diary. When young Mo Willems, future cartoonist/author/Nickelodeon pawn, graduated from college he took his newfound freedom as an opportunity to take the ultimate worldwide unguided tour. Patches in place on jeans and sideburns making their, "precipitous drop toward my shoulders", Mr. Willems chose to record his experiences in the form of a cartoon a day. These cartoons are of a wide and somewhat assorted variety. They may be illustrations of all the goatees seen that day, or a picture of a long skinny Mo reenacting a situation. They might even be just a view of something he found particularly touching or sweet, like a boy watering a public tree. There are some constants, of course. Each cartoon includes the date, a description, and where Mo was on that given date. Usually there is also an additional comment below this information at the bottom of the page. It's here that present day Mo gives a little context to what you are seeing. He might explain how the trip was going, the story behind the cartoon, or just riff a one-liner on what you see. Sometimes he won't even say anything at all, leaving his original comments and pictures to stand on their own. Each leg of the journey in this book is indicated by its own map. Those maps then give a convoluted but legible dotted line that shows where Mo done gone.

I gotta say, fresh-outta-college Mo had a good eye and ear for his subject matter. It would be the height of narcissism to take something you created in your youth that wasn't funny and publish it for the masses to messily consume. The moral equivalent of printing your high school poetry, say. Fortunately for everybody involved, young Mo was a pretty funny cat. Captions like, "bad day for the hand crafted tribal blowdart salesman" and "the locals call him `Mr. Socks'", hardly even need pictures. They're funny all on their own. The young artist's consistency is also something to cheer on. Admittedly I haven't gone over all 300-some pictures in this book to make absolutely certain that he wrote every day. A quick scan, however, shows that no matter how crazy his last 24-hours or wacked out his company (both if he was lucky) the boy still managed to put pen to paper and get it down.

Then there are the illustrations themselves. His style firmly in place, Mr. Willems' sketches are presented without so much as a smidgen of dirt or a crease about the edges. Good old Photoshop. There were some repeating images in this book that amused me especially. I liked how most of the women had breasts that looked like the lowercase letter "W" on its side. I liked the overly elongated hero and his shockingly clefted chin. Plus I loved the fact that there was a chicken in this book that did not look anything like the bird Willems would later draw for the illustrator compendium, "Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road".

Every five years I write a letter to myself and then squirrel it away until it's time for them to be read. It's a fun way of meeting again and again my younger stupider self. Willems mentions experiencing something rather similar when he looked back at his old sketches. Of them, he says that they are, "my gateway to understanding the weird guy who occupied my skinny body back then". Part of what makes the book interesting is the tension between young smelly Mo and wise and successful I-think-I'll-live-in-Brooklyn Mo. Obviously old-Mo has the hometeam advantage on this one. He can laugh and prod his younger self and there ain't nothing little young-Mo can do about it. Fortunately, you're on old-Mo's side. For example, there's a picture of young-Mo sitting awkwardly between two evil-eyed fellows with Saddam-like moustaches. The original text reads, "patriotic paranoia pops up: stuck between two iranian tourists". Old-Mo's response is apropos: "I shudder at the stupidity of my youth when I look at this sketch. These guys were quite happy to separate who I was from my government, but I was unwilling or unable to do the same for them. A wasted opportunity". Whether he's lamenting his own ignorance or merely commenting in hindsight on a mistake of some sort, it's nice to have two points of view from the same fella to bandy about.

The book is remarkable for all these reasons, but here's the most important one. For his last few weeks, Mo continued to draw his observations while bumming around the United States. And for all the crazy kooky things that can happen to a guy overseas, it's funny to weigh the similarities and differences to what you see them here at home. Plus it gives the ending of the book a sense of resolution you wouldn't think to find in any kind of a diary, let alone a cartoon one. In his Epilogue, Willems says that this trip and this experience drove home for him the idea that what he sees on the worldwide news affects real people. "... they all really exist, and what they do affects us". One could say the same of this book too. It will affect you. A loving look at everything that is wonderful and horrible in having to live on "this big, wide, wonderful world". A book worth visiting.

This book is absolutely delightful. When the author was just out of school, he took a trip around the world, and each day he drew the one thing that stuck out in his mind. Fifteen years later, he added commentary and occasionally context to each cartoon, and publishes the whole darn thing.

The things he records is what the rest of us usually remember the best when we come back from a trip. This book doesn't consist of pictures of landmarks and more landmarks. It's a true distillation of his experiences, and it bounces from funny to poignant to regretful and back again. His Dutch grandmother is distressed to discover that a year traveling around the world doesn't include 10 months visiting her in Holland, and he gets pickpocketed by one of three men, but he doesn't know which one. He regrets being wary of two Iranian men he met at the time, the Turks are offended when he tries to locate malaria pills in their country, and he gets embarassed when someone fusses over the cold he got from partying too much in Pamplona.

It's not geared towards kids at all--I never even heard of Mo Willems when I picked up this gem. It's a truly wonderful travelogue though.

Mo's newest book is a "page-turner" for the armchair traveler with a sense of humor. Each page has a great cartoon of a unique time and place. I especially enjoyed Mo's impressions of places I have been; his graphics refreshed and enhanced my own memories. This is a great gift idea for the college graduate (unless, of course, you want them to go get a job instead of seeking adventure first!)

My grade 1-2 students enjoy this book every year. We read it on the 100th day of school and also do lots of the activities in the book. My kids especially enjoy making the hats with 100 things stuck on.

If you you are wanting a book that would grabb you and make you keep reading, read this book. It is just the most exciting book there is. Trust me on this. Have fun reading!

I read this book to my class on the 100th day of school every year. It's short, energetic, idea-inspiring, and the kids love the rhyme. It mirrors the way we celebrate the 100th day at our school, so the kids think it's fun to see another class celebrating in a similar way.

This is easy enough for my 6 year old and her best (7 year old) friend really likes it too. A fun read for the 100th day of school.

This book is wonderful. You are able to just goto wantever kind of retreat you need. So it is something you can do as you need not from beginning to end.

Rachel Harris offers meditations on many different topics that are easy to find and simple to do. With the hustle and bustle of our lives today, it is hard to find time to fit 10 minutes in for peace, quiet and connecting to our spirit. Rachel Harris helps us finds that time.

This precious book is not just another pretty face offering penny candy for a life gone awry. I was dealing with a serious health situation with my son, had disappointments with my birth family....many things building up and nowhere to hide. Well....What can I say...I did hope for some light, some help from this book as the cover alone is promising in this regard with the beautiful water lily inviting one to just turn the cover and get started. And getting started is so easy with the clear and gentle leading by Rachel Harris which is in complete opposition to what actually happens when one does turn past the cover. HEALING begins...soothingly and gently and lovingly. Thank you Rachel Harris for caring enough to share the best with those of us struggling with inner issues. I have just ordered two more copies for my two best friends...It IS that good!

This book offers a lot of very SIMPLE things you can do to recognize areas of need in your personal life and easy things you can do to improve them. The retreats last in length from one minute to twenty minutes. Very easy ways to relieve stress and improve your quality of life.

In these days of mass commercialization of Christmas, it was a lot of fun to read this book in December with my two children, ages 6 and 3. They couldn't wait to get to the "sticker" book each night! We alternated who got to put the sticker on the page. The stories were not preachy and were appealing to my children's ages. In fact, several times the story was pertinent to what happened in school that day and led to further discussion. The kids especially liked the short prayers and repeating them after me. The layout of the book was excellent. We did find 1 error in the book where the sticker and the words did not go together. Our biggest disappointment was finishing the book. I hope the author writes 1 for Lent. I was nervous that the book was going to be too religious and force feed religion but I was very happy to find it pertinent to my children's lives. I definitely recommend this book.

This tri-fold hardcover book is wonderful in its simplicity. Our children take turns each night on who gets to put the sticker on, and we do it at the dinner table before eating/before lighting the Advent wreath. It also helps spark conversation about the season (whethr about Jesus' time or the present) during the meal. This is a nice way to strengthen the family.

This is our all-time favourite family advent calendar and we have given it to many friends with children over the years because our children enjoyed it so much.

The book is a hardback and has two covers that open out to make a 19" tableau that is free-standing. Dry-cling stickers are provided for each day of December and small fingers will enjoy finding the right sticker and applying it to the appropriate space on the tableau. In the centre are spiral-bound pages that flip over the top of the tableau, one for each day, with a reading from the nativity story, a short, simple meditation and a prayer. Brilliant! We re-use it each year, just about to peel the stickers back on to the backing ready for December 1 (tomorrow)...

This unique book is a hands-on story book . One part of the Christmas story is presented each day in December. The kids place a sticker on the "mural" for each day. Every day's story sparks great family conversation based on biblical information. Helps kids understand what it may have felt like living during the time of Jesus's birth, what it may have felt like having an angel visit your home, how Mary may have felt carrying the child of God, etc. Written in easy, conversational tone. The kids couldn't wait to get to the next night's page.

Great tool for dealing with creation on the level four and five year old children are interested in. Good illustrations

This book and others in this series are a true joy to read to my children and they love them too.

I've been reading this to my 3 month old for a month now and he loves it. The story has a nice rythmic pace that is fun to read and listen to. Also, the illustration is vivid and interesting and keeps my sons interest for the whole book.

My son received this as a Christmas gift from a family friend. The recommended age is 2-6 years old--but the book is so colorful and has molded pieces that "pop" up through the pages--a tree, a wave, a cloud, a butterfly, a fish--that my son loves to feel them--very cute.

I liked the part about the werewolves, but I think it could have been less confusing. After I finished one story, I wanted to read another ending. When I did I found it a little difficult to keep track of the story.
Besides that, it was fun and interesting. Almost like playing a game.

You had terrible dreams last night. When you wake up, you're not in your room. You're in a creepy old house and you can't remember your name. If you sneak out the window, you'll face the aliens who took away your memory. If you hide, you'll face some werewolves.

you had a terrible nightmare and when you wake up, you're not in your bed you are in a creepy castle!

This is a very good book. It's a book all about you. You decide what will happen by following the instructions on the bottom of the page. It's like choosing your own adventure. You wake up with a jolt. What a scary nightmare! You were trapped in a strange place -- you were being chased -- and you had no idea who you were! You sure are glad it's over. But as you stretch and look around, you realize you are in a strange place -- and you can't remember your own name! There's a loud banging on the door. Who is it? A friend or an enemy? Do you tell whoever is behind your story? Or hide and hope they will go away? One thing is for sure. You have to find out who you are, and how to get home -- fast! I had read this book over and over again -- it's so thrilling! My mom had to shout three times before I finally stopped reading and realized it was 1 in the morning! I couldn't put the book down until I had read every page in the book! I recommend this book to kids 9 to 12 -- if you are older than that you'd think it's babish and think low of my hero -- R. L. Stine, who wrote this book. Everyone, buy this book right now before they get out of stock!