Children's Book in the Spot Light - Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition:
Poems and Drawings


I remember buying this book for my daughter like it was yesterday, even though it was almost twenty years ago. But neither she or I have out grown this, or any of the other Shel Silverstein books that we own. This one being the first in our collection it is the most magical.

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer,
A wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er,
A magic bean buyer . . .


Come in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins.

Book Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 30 Anv edition (January 20, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060572345
ISBN-13: 978-0060572341
Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 1 inches

Children's Book in the Spot Light - The Very Hungery Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

With its lovely, humorous illustrations and wonderful narrative about a hungry caterpillar growing up to be a beautiful butterfly, Eric Carle's story touches anyone who still has some growing to do. Along with reassuring repetition--"He was still hungry ..."--the book includes some wonderful interactive moments: what youngster can resist sticking a finger through that hole in the page as his ravenous friend makes his way through various delicacies?

Book Details

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Philomel; Deluxe edition (September 18, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 039925045X
ISBN-13: 978-0399250453
Dimensions: 17.1 x 13 x 1.4 inches

Children's Book in the Spot Light - A Light in the Attic

A Light in the Attic


Last night while I lay thinking here
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:


Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?...

From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings. And I really can't recommend these books any more highly then I do. If I could I would give this series of books to every kid. And I'm willing to bet that most kids will love them.

Awards

Notable Children's Books of 1981 (ALA)
Best Books of 1981 (SLJ)
Children's Books of 1981 (Library of Congress)
1981 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
1981 USA Children's Books of International Interest
Winner, 1983–84 William Allen White Award (Kansas)
Winner, 1983 Garden State Children's Book Award (New Jersey Library Association)
1984 Garden State Children's Book Award for Non-Fiction (New Jersey Library Association)
1984 George C. Stone Center for Children's Books (Claremont, CA) "Recognition of Merit" Award

Product Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (October 7, 1981)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060256737
ISBN-13: 978-0060256739
Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches

Children's Books @BabbyBuggyBumper

Children's Book in the Spot Light - Math Curse

Math Curse
This book was a case of me as a dad trying to sneek some math ideas into my duaghters head. I noticed early on that she did not enjoy math, so I had to get subversive, and trick her into having fun with math. This book really helped, and when she became older she accepted some of the concepts that the book introduced her to.

The illustrations are very well done, and help make the points being made by the text perfectly. The book is fun for young and for older children. It is obvious and subtle at the same time. There are a lot of ideas in this book, so much so that as your child grows they will begian to vew the book in different ways. I am sure that this book helped my daughter have more fun with math, she never really learned to like math, but this book helped.

Book Details

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Viking Juvenile (October 1, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0670861944
ISBN-13: 978-0670861941
Dimensions: 11.3 x 11 x 0.4 inches

Math Curse

Children's Book in the Spot Light - Falling Up

Falling Up


All the things that I love about Shel Silverstein's other books, I also love about this one. I bought these books as much for our daughter as I did for myself. And it makes me laugh saying that, but it is true. And now that our daughter is grown I am still enjoying them.

This book with its silly ryhems and wonderful ink drawings is sure to delight your child as much as it does me. And who knows you may like it as much as I do.

Book Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 184 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (April 25, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060248025
ISBN-13: 978-0060248024
Dimensions: 8.8 x 7 x 1 inches

Children's Books @BabbyBuggyBumper

Children's Book in the Spot Light - Where the Wild Things Are

Today in the "book in the spot light series," I want to spot light a book that my daughter really loved when she was a little girl (I also loved it when I was a little boy), it is the 1964 Caldecott Medal recipient Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak.

Over the years Mr. Sendak has won several other awards, including the 1970 Hans Christian Andersen Award for children's book illustration, and in 2003 he shared the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award with Christine Nöstlinger, the first time it was awarded.

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

book details

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins; 25th Anniversary edition (November 9, 1988)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060254920
ISBN-13: 978-0060254926

Books by Maurice Sendak @Amazon.com

Children's Books @BabbyBuggyBumper

The emphasis of this post is the book (as described above), but here are a couple of pieces of related video that I thought you and your kids might like.

This clip below of President Obama reading Where the Wild Things are is so cute. I recommend sitting your kid on your lap and watching this with them. It is funny too, I love the secret service man in the background. Very serious, LOL.



And the below clip is the trailer for the upcoming movie. My daughter says, "They better not mess this up." We will probably go and see it and give it a review here.

Dear Mom Thank You For Everything

The First Sentence of Dear Mom Thank You For Everything got me; "Mom, the other day I was rubbing my belly button and it really made me stop and think-what a funny little reminder of such an important connection."

Sometimes it's hard to find the right words to tell Mom just how you feel. How can you adequately thank her for all her selfless acts of love and tireless devotion? Bradley Trevor Greive's new book, Dear Mom, will help children of all ages (especially those who call themselves grown-ups) express those special thoughts and feelings in tenderly honest words and pictures.

A poignant tribute to mothers everywhere, Dear Mom artfully combines touching animal photographs with gentle humor and heartfelt words of thanks. This sweet volume will let moms know just how much all their efforts are appreciated and how much they are truly loved.

About the Author - Bradley Trevor Greive hails from the untamed island state of Tasmania. During his life, he's worked as an artist, cartoonist, furniture and toy designer, animation director, screenwriter, and paratroop platoon leader. His previous book, The Blue Day Book, also featuring animal photography, is an international best-selling keepsake. BTG currently lives in Sydney, Australia.

Book Details

Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; 3rd Pntg. edition (January 25, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0740715283
ISBN-13: 978-0740715280
Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Dear Mom Thank You For Everything

Good Night, Gorilla (Board book)

Good Night, Gorilla

click image for info @Amazon.com

According to Publishers Weekly

Universally understandable subject matter and a narrative conveyed almost entirely through pictures mark this as an ideal title for beginners. A zookeeper makes his nightly rounds, bidding good night to a gorilla, a lion, a giraffe and so on. He doesn't know that the gorilla has procured his keys and is unlocking each animal's cage; a jungly crowd files quietly behind the keeper as he walks home and crawls into bed. When his wife says, "Good night, dear," seven voices reply, "Good night," and it's up to the missus to return the mischievous menagerie. Although Rathmann's illustrations lack the artistic ingenuity she displayed in Ruby the Copycat and Bootsie Barker Bites , the author/artist connects with her audience on several levels. Children can identify with the animals, who have toys in their cages (the elephant has a plush Babar) and resist being left alone in their "rooms" all night; they will also enjoy some minor subplots. Some details prove questionable (for example, one overdrawn visage of Mrs. Zookeeper seems blurry, particularly because she's rendered with a few simple lines elsewhere), yet these considerations take a back seat to Rathmann's comic exuberance. Ages 3-6.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Board book)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

please click image

According to Karin Snelson

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

click image for info @Amazon.com

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

This is one of my favorite all time books. My daughter loved this story when she was a small child. We read it to get her ready for bed. It is a classic story that most kids and parents will enjoy as they get ready for bed. Goodnight Moon is a short poem of goodnight wishes from a young rabbit preparing for, or as we all tried to do, delaying bedtime by saying good night to everything in the room. Even the moon.