Children's Books discussion

Inspired by a suggestion over in our Picture Book Club, I'm happy to begin a thread so we can discuss NEW picture books! That's right, if the book has come out within the last two years and you've read it, this is the place to discuss!

***Please note that this is for members to suggest new picture books that they have read. This is NOT a place for authors to announce their new publications. Authors, please remember that the ONLY place you may promote/metion your work is the Authors/ Publishers/ Promotional folder. Thank you!***


Although sometimes it takes awhile for newly published books to reach the library, I am sometimes lucky to get one early on and will be eager to post here so I can see what others are feeling about these new titles. I know it is increasingly difficult for new authors to break into picture book publishing, and publishing houses are printing fewer and fewer new titles in this economy, so let's hope that what DOES make it into print is really stellar and we'll have a lively discussion here ;-)

Miss Brooks Loves Books is issued as a new title at our library (it originally came out in 2006 but was reissued in 2010). I feel like a total spoil-sport for dithering between three and four stars on this one since it seems like everyone else on the GoodReads planet absolutely loved it. I think it's a wonderful concept: a (very!) reluctant reader paired with a super-enthusiastic (to the point of dressing up in costumes of her favorite characters!) librarian who manages to find a way for the kid to see something to love in books. I think the writing just didn't really grab me and there were so many allusions to other books--which is great for those of us who have read and loved them, but I wonder if it undermines the message of the story if it is for reluctant readers who aren't familiar with all those books. Then again, maybe I am just being too picky since I had really high expectations for this one. It's still very cute and fun and I appreciate any book that celebrates librarians and encourages a love of reading

Great idea! Thank you, Abigail.

Kathryn, the Miss B book is one I have on reserve but I can't remember if the library actually has it yet.

I haven't read it yet, but the one I'm most eager to read (it came out on 7/8 but my library doesn't have it in their system) is Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco. I'm up to date on all her many books, and can't wait to read this one!

Abigail wrote: "Lisa! Do you mean to tell me that a Patricia Polacco title has been out for SIX whole days, and you haven't read it yet?! ;)"

I'm barely surviving. ;-)

Oooo! How exciting, Lisa! I hope it's awesome!

I am eagerly awaiting the release of Peter Brown's new book Children Make Terrible Pets. I loe his The Curious Garden

Gosh, thanks everyone for jumping on board with my suggestion. I love the comments.

I have read Miss Brooks Loves Books. It is cute. I think kids will enjoy it. It is on the Bill Martin nomination list for this year om the state of Kansas, USA. I have already purchased it for my school library. Definitely a keeper for me.

I will try to find both the new Polacco and the Peter Brown title coming out soon. I liked the Curious Garden too.

I have the new Peter Brown on my to-read list too. I do keep checking the library for that one too.

JDesetti wrote: "Gosh, thanks everyone for jumping on board with my suggestion. I love the comments. "

I'm excited to see the discussion going already, too! :-) And it's great to know you liked "Miss Brooks" It seems to be very popular. Maybe I was just in the wrong mood when I read it!

Oh, wow, Chandra! That looks SO good :-) I am eager to read it, too.

I'm really looking forward to reading Julie Andrews Edwards' new book The Very Fairy Princess. Yes, it's the Julie Andrews from "Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" but I actually think she is one of the best celebrity authors and her publishing imprint with her daughter seemed to do some quality stuff. I enjoyed Edwards' Mandy and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

Kathryn, I'm really looking forward to it too. I have it on reserve at the library but their copies are still on order.

It's not even in my library's system, so I'm sure you'll get it before I do...

Kathryn wrote: "It's not even in my library's system, so I'm sure you'll get it before I do..."

Maybe. Sometimes books are on order for a long, long time.

Chandra wrote: "Oh, I'll be watching this thread with some interest! I'm rarely up with the new stuff, but I'd really like to be more current!

Something, that's not super super new, but came out in June (I t..."

Honestly anything that has come out in 2010 is NEW to me. I read professional journals but if I missed it or it is not in the journal I subscribe to .... well I might not see it for ages.

Thanks to all for letting me know to keep my eyes out for the titles you posted. I value your opinions.

Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse This is a really fun book! I was nervous it would be like a cowgirl Pinkalicious (shudder!) but it is much better! Here we have a little girl, ahem, excuse me, a little *cowgirl* who wants a horse for her birthday. It's very cute how she goes through her day doing things in a cowgirl way, such as filling up her dog's "water trough" and having johnnycakes (cupcakes) for a birthday treat. Can her imagination pull her through when she doesn't get a real horse for her birthday; but something else that is lots of fun and will help her get where she needs to go? Sure as shootin' she does ;-) It's nice to see a new book, that is ostensibly very commercial/popular looking, that still highlights the beauty and power of imagination.

I also love-love-love The Quiet Book So deserving of all the hype, IMO! :-)

Oh Kathryn, I love The Quiet Book too!!!

Quiet Book

I was not a fan of this book. I read it several times both silently, aloud, and to my grandson. It gives lots of times that quiet is appropriate but it did not catch the attention of my grandson nor told a story. Could be just me. I will try it again in the fall with a class of kids.

JDesetti, I love it, but I wonder if it's a book that will have more adult than child fans; I don't know.

ETA: I'd think kids would love "inventing" other kinds of quiet.

You are right I see it more as a title adults and teachers will enjoy. It might be a good one to use as a writing spring board for older students.

Thanks

I'm really excited to read a few new releases:
Flora's Very Windy Day since I loved Birdsall's "Penderwicks" books
and
The Boss Baby I love Frazee's illustrations and though these seem quite a different style from her usual (i.e., All the World) the cover is just so hilarious I feel certain I will love it!

I got a preview of Boss Baby at a writing conference, and I found it to be very funny. I cant' wait to read it again. Frazee is a very versatile artist. She appears to have a wonderful creative working relationship with publisher Allyn Johnston. I am looking forward to more.

Oooh, I'm excited for this early review. Yay! :-)

I really loved Shark vs. Train. It's so funny and has a great (subtle) message: everyone is good at different things and you can be friends regardless of that! This is a real winner. I hesitate to label "boy books" and "girl books" but I do think this would be a great one to entice a boy reluctant to explore books. The illustrations are also great!

Has anyone read City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon Muth? I just read it and I love it. I only know Muth from some of his gorgeous Buddhist based picture books and this one has the same Buddhist feel. After reading, I am left with the premise, "everything changes and ends." There is some sadness to this book, but also a powerful lesson for life. Everything ends, but we must go on. More love and adventure awaits us if we are open to the possibilities.

I remember getting these mass emails over and over that stated (in essence) that we have many types of friends throughout life, each providing something that we need at that particular time. All of these friends are part of our journey through life. City dog experiences this as well.

I haven't read City Dog, Country Frog yet, Licia, but I really want to! Even more so now that you liked it so much. I'm waiting for it to come to my library. I loved Muth's "Zen Tales" etc. and I think Mo Willems is great! (Have you read Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct -- totally a favorite of mine!)

Kathryn,
I just ordered it from the library along with other recommendations from this site. Thank you all! (and now my lunch break is over and I better get back to work:)

I too saw City Dog, Country Frogand loved the illustrations gonna put this on my to read list as well.

Thanking the Moon by Grace Lin is a brand new picture book (coming out in September) about the Chinese Mid Autumn Moon Festival. I came across it while researching possibilities for our October picture book club read (on Autumn), but this book will obviously not be available at any library for a while, yet.

Ooo, that sounds good!

Kathryn wrote: "Ooo, that sounds good!"

I was rather disappointed that it was so new, otherwise I would have nominated it for our Autumn theme, but there is no use nominating a book that brand new, there is no way most libraries would have it by October.

True :-(

I want to buy the "Thanking the Moon" book because they have the Moon Festival in Japan, too. So far I've used books like http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
but it would be nice to have something more specific to the Festival. Unfortunately..... the book looks like it will only be in hardcover for a while, and I don't want to pay the hardcover price! :-(

Haitian-born author Edwidge Danticat has written a book for children about the Haitian earthquake, entitled Eight Days.



There's a good story about the book, including an excerpt, at this link to the NPR site:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...

The story is about a child trapped underground during the earthquake, so it isn't for every child. Here's Danticat's opinion:

Danticat says that while the book isn't intended for very young kids, it can be therapeutic for their older peers.

"I've read it to some children in Haiti and what I've seen when I've read it to different children is that a conversation begins, and we start talking openly about sad things," Danticat says, "not only the earthquake, but other things that sadden children."

Mud Pies and Other Recipes is being reprinted! I don't remember this from my childhood, but it sounds like it was well-loved by many a girl, and I am really excited to read it! (Don't think I'm ever too old to enjoy an imaginary tea party complete with mud pies!)

I've run across a rash of good books.

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave
(My 10 yo daughter loved the art in this one. I loved the story of this unusual man)

Lots of Dots
(book for wee ones. Very colorful, featuring circles in our lives)

Just One Bite
(book about what animals eat and how much)

Great fun.

Kathryn wrote: "Mud Pies and Other Recipes is being reprinted! I don't remember this from my childhood, but it sounds like it was well-loved by many a girl, and I am really excited to read it! (Do..."

Kathryn, Don't you love it when you find old favorites have been reprinted!

:-) I've got it on hold at the library as we speak!

I read a few new ones over the weekend.

Elsie's Bird A lovely, touching story of a young girl who moves west with her father after her mother passes away. He wants a new start, to leave the painful memories of Boston far behind. But, daughter Elise misses the city--especially the noises of the city. The prairie seems so SILENT without it. Her only comfort is the little canary she brought with her--his sweet song fills the house with music and a tie to home. Elise keeps to her house, though her father tries to entice her to explore the new world around them. But, when Elsie leaves the birdcage door open one day, it's not just the bird that escapes its "prison" as the bird AND Elsie both explore the wonders of the prairie. David Small's illustrations are, on the whole, exquisite and well suited to this tale.

Olivia Goes to Venice (in the Olivia the pig series by Ian Falconer) I love the concept here! Olivia travels to Venice with her family and sees all sorts of famous sights--Falconer uses collage style to put illustrations of Olivia et al at actual photographs or famous illustrations of places like Piazza San Marco and Bridge of Sighs. So cool! And he doesn't sacrifice one ounce of Olivia's personality in the process of bringing Venice to the palm of our hands. Brilliant! Now, I must say I was not especially happy with the way Olivia left Venice and I wish there had been another finale--I know it's supposed to be funny but it just seemed a shame to me--so I'm docking one star. Still, it's a worthwhile book, especially for children who will be traveling to Venice and I hope Falconer allows Olivia to visit many more countries in the future :-)

Kathryn wrote: "Mud Pies and Other Recipes is being reprinted! I don't remember this from my childhood, but it sounds like it was well-loved by many a girl, and I am really excited to read it!"

And I ended up absolutely loving it!!! I think I actually enjoyed it more as an adult, for the nostalgia, than I would have as a kid (who had my boundless imagination to create lots of treats for my dolls--no cookbook needed!) but it's still worth checking out if the subject appeals to you.

Does anyone know if there are any great Dr. Sues websites online? My niece is 6 and she is loving the Dr. Sues books and reading through them with so much excitment.

Steven the official website is www.seussville.com it has some video's and games/activities.

There is a new version of The Secret River by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings that is illustrated by the wonderful Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon. For some reason, Goodreads doesn't have the cover here yet, but you can see what a beautiful book it is at this link (be sure to browse inside!):

http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sec...

It was just published on January 4, 2011.

Wonderful, Abigail! I didn't know that you could do that!

Wilhelmina wrote: "There is a new version of The Secret River by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings that is illustrated by the wonderful Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon..."

Wonderful, but I bet I will have to wait quite a while before this book will become available at my local library.

I know some other members share my love for The Quiet Book; I'm delighted to share that illustrator Liwska has a new book out: The Red Wagon :-) Looks SO cute!

Kathryn wrote: "I know some other members share my love for The Quiet Book; I'm delighted to share that illustrator Liwska has a new book out: The Red Wagon :-) Looks SO cute!"

I loved The Quiet Book. Thanks, Kathryn, for sharing about the new one. Looks adorable! Is that a hedgehog?! ;-) Adding it now and seeing if the library has it.

Lisa wrote: "Is that a hedgehog?! ;-) "

Ah, you know my weaknesses so well ;-) Yes, it looks like one to me!

;-) Me too. It's on reserve.

A few new (in the last year or so) that I've read recently and enjoyed:

How Rocket Learned to Read

Miss Lina's Ballerinas

Children Make Terrible Pets