The Good Dog, by Todd Kessler (illustrated by Jennifer Gray Olson)

Well I knew I had to get this book as soon as I saw that it was about a dog named Tako because that was also my dog's name when I was a child. What are the odds? And I'm so glad I did. Both my daughter and I were completely charmed by this tale of a lonesome dog who finds a family and eventually becomes a hero.

My favourite part: I love the fact that Tako's owners, the Lee family, have a bakery that is constantly being sabotaged by the greedy corporate baker up the hill, because I think it's very funny that someone so obsessed with money would choose to open a bakery in the first place. Plus all of his baked goods are completely joyless, which I also think is very funny (How do you even make a sad cupcake? Somehow he manages it).

I also like how it shows the difference between acting like a "good dog" or a "good person" and actually doing the right thing, which isn't always the same thing.

Magda's favourite part: "I really like that the little boy found a dog and he actually go to keep him. That's awesome!"

[Mom's note: Yeah, thanks a lot for THAT idea.]

BOOK DETAILS:
The Good Dog, by Todd Kessler
Illustrator: Jennifer Gray Olson
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Publication Date: July 15, 2014
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Source: NetGalley
Book Website

If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems, by Brian P. Cleary (illustrated by Andy Rowland)

As a poet and a teacher, I naturally love books that help kids develop a love of poetry. Having said that, I'll be the first to admit that it's not always easy to find poetry books for very young children. Sure, many children's books are written in verse, but most of them don't draw attention to that fact, so it's not always easy to introduce poetry as a concept to young kids.

If It Rains Pancakes introduces haiku and lantern poems by giving examples with themes that children would like (like pancakes!). It may not be the most sophisticated introduction to the poetic forms, but that's kind of the point. Plus, I'll admit I wasn't familiar with lantern poems so it was a nice introduction for me as well!



Magda's Take:
I liked the little poem stories. My favourite was "If It Rains Pancakes." When I saw the book, I hoped there would be one about pancakes and there was! I really like pancakes.

BOOK DETAILS:
If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems
by Brian P. Cleary
Illustrated by Andy Rowland
Series: Poetry Adventures
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Publication Date: May 1, 2014
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Source: NetGalley

Baby, Come Out! by Fran Manushkin (illustrated by Ronald Himler)

I cannot overstate how much my four-year-old loves pregnancy. Even though she's an only child, she is positively obsessed with seeing pregnant moms. I think it's partly because she wants a sibling, but it's not just that. She loves everything about pregnancy, even in animals. "Pregnancy is my hobby," she tells people. I know, I know. It's weird. Maybe she'll be an obstetrician when she grows up, or a midwife. In the meantime, some of her favourite books are ones that showcase expectant families. So Baby, Come Out! was positively made for her!

Originally published in 1972, this book has been reprinted by Star Bright Books and would make a lovely gift for anyone convinced that their baby is just never going to come out (I can relate to that fear).

My favourite part:
I really liked the pictures of the baby inside the mom's belly. They reminded me of Maurice Sendak's characters: simple, charming and full of lots of opinions. You can tell the baby is full of personality, even in the simple drawings. I also really like the old-fashioned clothing of all the other characters, like the book was originally published in the 1870's instead of the 1970's.

Magda's Take:
I really like Baby Come Out. I especially like when the baby says, "Okay here I come!" after the father kisses Mrs. Tracey on the stomach. I also liked when the big sister said, "We know how to get the baby to come out" and then she yelled at the baby to come out. That was the funny part because the baby said, "You yelled at me so I'm not coming out." That was so funny.

Book Details:
Baby, Come Out!
by Fran Manushkin
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Published by Star Bright Books
Publication Date: February 28, 2014
(Originally published in 1972 by Harper and Row)
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Source: NetGalley

Because I Stubbed My Toe, by Shawn Byous

Did you ever have one of those days where everything goes wrong? You start out stubbing your toe and before you know it, there's mayhem everywhere? Cats are flying through the air and everything? Okay, maybe not THAT much mayhem, but that's what happens to the boy in this picture book by Shawn Byous.

I like that it takes a cranky moment--stubbing your toe--and turns it into something so silly that you can't help but laugh. Plus there's a surprise happy ending which makes the boy glad he stubbed his toe in the first place!

Magda's favourite part: "My favourite part is all of it. I especially liked how the lady read it on the computer." [She means this YouTube video of someone reading the book.]




BOOK DETAILS:
Because I Stubbed My Toe

Author/Illustrator: Shawn Byous

Publisher: Capstone

Publication Date: January 1, 2014

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Source: NetGalley

Carrot, by Vanita Oelschlager (Illustrated by Kristin Blackwood)

This book was saved from a 1-star review (if I did star reviews on my blog) by Magda, who loved it. I did not. Here are our (separate) reviews:

Magda's review: 
I loved it! I loved the whole book. My favourite part was when the cat dreamed of getting married because weddings are fun.
[Mom's interjection: Sorry, how would a wedding be fun for a CAT?
Magda: It's just a dream, Mommy.]
5 stars

My review:
Oh, the writing is so bad it was difficult to read it aloud without wincing. It's the most insipid must-rhyme-at-all-costs bad poetry I've read in a long while. The whole book put me in a bad mood it was so vapid and banal.
1 star

Final review: 
3 stars (given grudgingly on my part)

BOOK DETAILS:
Carrot
by Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrated by Kristin Blackwood
Published by VanitaBooks
Publication Date: May 2, 2011
View on Amazon

 Source: NetGalley

A Fish Named Glub, by Dan Bar-el (illustrated by Josee Bisaillon)

What a strange book. The book's description refers to the existential questions of a fish living in a bowl and, boy, they weren't kidding about that. So I was prepared for the "Who am I? What am I doing here?" questions the fish asks. What I was not prepared for was the sudden plot twist when the fish becomes some sort of psychic medium divining the futures of all who touch the water in his bowl.

I did not see that coming.

Magda's Take:
Why are people putting their hands in his bowl? That can be very stressful for a fish. What is going on in this book?

My Take:
I don't know. I don't know what is going on in this book. It's...quite strange.

Book Details:
A Fish Named Glub
Author: Dan Bar-el
Illustrator: Josee Bisaillon
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Source: NetGalley
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Magda's Review: Bud and Gabby, by Anne Davis

Bud and Gabby
Author/Illustrator: Anne Davis
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: August 1, 2006

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Source: bought from library sale


"Mommy, can I review this book?"

We must have read Anne Davis' Bud and Gabby at least fifty times since we bought it at a library sale a year ago (or was it two?) but this time Magda wanted to review it. I think it was because she had a cold at the time and the book is about two cats and the worry one goes through when the other one gets sick. It spoke to her this time.

Magda's review:
"In between the silly part and the all together part, there's a sick part. I didn't like that because I don't like being sick. But mostly it's a happy book. Even in the sick part, there's a silly part where Bud the orange cat makes a mess with the toilet paper. I like that it's a silly book and a nice book. I also like being an author and a writer so I'm going to do that."

So there you go. Magda's first review as a four-year-old (she just had her birthday last week). Bud and Gabby is a nice book, and a silly book, but there's a sick part in the middle that can get kind of tense. Don't worry. It all works out in the end.

Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter

Don't Push the Button!
Author: Bill Cotter
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date: November 1, 2013
Source: NetGalley
View on Amazon


So fun! This reminds me of The Monster at the End of This Book or Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, both silly classics that can't help but make kids giggle. In this one, the instruction is clear: don't push the button! But of course, who can help it? Every time the "button" is pressed (or the page is turned) something unexpected happens. The "monster" in the book (named Larry) changes colour, or gains stripes, or multiplies. Of course there isn't a real button, just a picture of one, but that's half the fun. On the other hand, my daughter and I did happen to receive a digital review copy of this book which we read on the computer, so there sort of was a button to press. Like I said, SO FUN!

A Tale of Two Mommies, by Vanita Oelschlager (illustrated by Mike Blanc)

A Tale of Two Mommies
Author: Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrator: Mike Blanc
Publisher: VanitaBooks
Publication Date: September 1, 2011
Source: NetGalley
View on Amazon



I LOVE these books! I previously read A Tale of Two Daddies with my daughter Magda and this one follows a similar format. A little kid with two moms (or in the previous book, two dads) is playing with his friends while they ask him questions about what it's like to have two moms. The questions are all about regular, every day kid stuff, like "Who do you go to when you want to fly a kite or when your toys are broken?" After both books, my daughter then played the same game with her own parents' roles. "Who do I go to when I want pancakes? Daddy!" "Who makes my birthday cake? Mommy!" Who helps me fly a kite? Both my parents!" And I think that's where the book really succeeds. The whole point is that every family is different, but we all have a lot of similarities too.

The Alphabet Parade, by Charles Ghigna (illustrated by Agnieszka Jatkowska)

The Alphabet Parade
Series: Learning Parade
Author: Charles Ghigna
Illustrator: Agnieszka Jatkowska
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Publisher: Capstone Young Readers/Picture Window Books
Publication Date: September 2, 2013
Source: NetGalley

It's pretty standard circus-themed animal alphabet fare with not a whole lot of surprises, although I was pleased to see a kinkajou instead of a kangaroo for 'K' and a unicorn for 'U' (I'd like to see THAT circus!). And the illustration of the X-shaped xylophone is quite neat. I was disappointed to see 'Q' for queen because I thought it was kind of a cop out. No quail? Or quetzal maybe? Not even a quokka? Oh well.

Magda's favourite part: The unicorn! It's imaginary? I didn't know that!

My favourite part: It's bright and colourful and I really do like that xylophone. But honestly there are a lot of books just like it on the market already.

The Man With the Violin, by Kathy Stinson (illustrated by Dušan Petričić)

View on Amazon
 
Source: NetGalley



The Man with the Violin
Author: Kathy Stinson
Illustrator: Dušan Petričić
Postscript by Joshua Bell
Publisher: Annick Press
Publication Date: July 4, 2013

What a beautiful story about a real life event. Renowned American violinist Joshua Bell took to the subways of Washington, D.C., to give a free concert. Although hundreds of commuters rushed by him, none stopped to listen. Bell later noted that there were several children who strained to hear the music from his violin but were pulled along by busy parents intent on catching their trains. This book, illustrated by the incomparable Dušan Petričić (illustrator of the anniversary edition of Robert Munsch's Mud Puddle and--one of my favourites--Andrew Larsen's In the Tree House) perfectly captures both the story of that day and the music that inspired it. The drawings almost dance off the page.

I read this to my daughter Magda, who was a bit annoyed by the book because she knows all too well the frustration of being pulled away by busy parents when she's trying to enjoy something interesting. So I think it brought up old wounds for her. Alas.

50 Below Zero Board Book, by Robert Munsch (illustrated by Michael Martchenko)

50 Below Zero Board Book
Author: Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Michael Martchenko
Publisher: Annick Press
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
(Originally Published in 1986)
Source: NetGalley
View on Amazon


I'm a huge fan of all of Robert Munsch's books and I've always enjoyed reading them to my daughter as well as to daycare classes. Having said that, I've never like the abridged board book versions nearly as much, even when reading them to very young children. A big part of the charm of Robert Munsch's books is in the repetition of phrases, the predictability of the format, and the general silliness of the noises and expressions. And a lot of that is lost in the board book versions. I tried reading the board book of The Paper Bag Princess to my daughter Magda and I got so frustrated I went back to the original. I felt the same way with this one. Too much is lost in the abridged version.

The Cow in Patrick O'Shanahan's Kitchen, by Diana Prichard (illustrated by Heather Devlin Knopf)

The Cow in Patrick O'Shanahan's Kitchen
Author: Diana Prichard
Illustrator: Heather Devlin Knopf
Publisher: Little Pickle Press
Publication Date: November 25, 2013
Source: NetGalley, Edelweiss
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Patrick O'Shanahan wakes up one morning to find his father making French toast. Except instead of milk, eggs and syrup, he finds a cow, some hens and a maple tree in his kitchen. He has to gather the ingredients straight from the source!

I think this book is a case of a great idea not taken far enough. I would have liked more hijinks (a la "If You Give a Pig a Pancake") or a silly cumulative rhyme (a la "The House That Jack Built"), maybe involving Patrick O'Shanahan's name. Why give the character such a great name if it's not going to factor into the story at all?

And at the end (spoiler alert!) Patrick wakes up to find a pig in his kitchen and the smell of bacon. But unlike getting milk from a cow, sap from a tree or eggs from a hen, this means that Patrick is supposed to slaughter a pig in his kitchen! The book ends and (obviously) doesn't show it, but it made for a down note at the end, not the funny ending I think the author may have been going for.

Magda's take: How do farmers actually kill pigs for bacon? It's not in the kitchen, is it? Also, I didn't know you could make your own syrup from trees! That's so interesting!

Are You Sleeping Little One?, by Hans-Christian Schmidt and Cynthia Vance (illustrated by Andrea Nemet, translated by Laura Lindgren)

Are You Sleeping Little One?
Authors: Hans-Christian Schmidt and Cynthia Vance
Illustrator: Andrea Nemet
Translator: Laura Lindgren
Publisher: Abbeville Press
Publication Date: August 14, 2012
Source: NetGalley
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This is a fairly typical bedtime story about animals snuggling with their parents before bed. In other words, your toddler will probably love it. Having said that, there are a lot of books just like it so you'll forgive me if they start to all blend together after a while. I know, I know, that's not even a proper criticism because it isn't that I disliked the book. And I didn't dislike it. In fact, it's perfectly lovely. I just feel like I've read so many of these books lately, so it's hard to tell them apart.

Actually, when I first saw this book I thought it was that one that inspired the parody Go the F**k to Sleep. But it turns out that was probably inspired by It's Time to Sleep, My Love, illustrated by Nancy Tillman. See what I mean? There are a lot of them.

This book is lovely and sweet and beautifully illustrated. It's just that after a while, it takes more than that to distinguish one bedtime book from another.

Magda's Take: Awww that's sweet that all the mommies are snuggling their babies to go to sleep. Even the fish! I don't think fish actually do that, do they? And why is there a mommy caterpillar? Are there mommy caterpillars? That one is bigger than the other one, so maybe it's the mommy, but aren't mommy caterpillars just butterflies? Hmmm...

Snatchabook, by Helen Docherty (illustrated by Thomas Docherty)

Snatchabook
Author: Helen Docherty
Illustrator: Thomas Docherty
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Source: NetGalley
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One dark, dark night in Burrow Down, a rabbit named Eliza Brown found a book and settled down...

In every house, in every bed, a bedtime book was being read...

The wind blew wild across the sky. The smallest squirrel heard a cry. "What's that?" she whispered to her dad.

But then--and this was really bad--before they'd had a chance to look, she'd lost her favourite book.

This is one of my top twenty favourite new children's books I've read this year. It's about an irresistibly adorable creature called a Snatchabook who keeps stealing bedtime stories, but only because he doesn't have anyone to read to him. It's like if the tale of the Huffalump in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories was written by librarians. I love it!

The rhyme is positively enchanting. I think the grownups in my household read it even more than the kids did. And I love the character of Eliza Brown, the rabbit who stands up to the book thief and then saves the day for everyone (including the Snatchabook). It's a book you'll read to your grandkids someday. (Or if you have grandchildren now, for heaven's sake go out and get them this book.)

Yes, Let's, by Galen Goodwin Longstreth (illustrated by Maris Wicks)

Yes, Let's
Author: Galen Goodwin Longstreth
Illustrator: Maris Wicks
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Publication Date: April 9, 2013
Source: NetGalley

If ever there were an aptly named book, it's this. This fun children's book about a family of five (plus a dog) who make a plan for their day that includes a road trip, a hike in the woods, a picnic by the beach and milkshakes on the way home makes me want to do ALL OF THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW. Yes, Let's indeed! Of course the downside is that my daughter Magda completely agreed with me and also wants to do all of those things right now, so now I guess I'm going to have to actually plan a day trip to the woods now. Well, as long as there's milkshakes...

Lego Space: Building the Future, by Peter Reid and Tim Goddard

Lego Space
Building the Future
Authors: Peter Reid and Tim Goddard
Publisher: No Starch Press
Publication Date: November 4, 2013
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Publisher's website
Source: NetGalley

Lego Space: Building the Future starts out so well. It's a book of pictures and stories about space exploration, Lego-style, complete with instructions about how to make your own space ships. It talks about the lunar landing and probes. It even shows you how to make your own Lego Sputnik, which is awesome.

But then it takes a turn into fantasy land. Instead of continuing on with the real space program, it goes straight into imaginary "mid 21st century Federation ships." While I can see the appeal of this, it feels like the authors missed a golden opportunity to capitalize on the world's renewed interest in space exploration by making a Lego Soyuz or a Lego International Space Station. That would have been amazing!

Can't you just picture a mustachioed Lego Chris Hadfield? Or a bald Lego Luca Parmitano? Or a Lego Karen Nyberg with detachable toy space dinosaur? Oh I want all of those!

If you'll excuse me I'm going to go make my own Lego Canadarm2.

The Baby Santa Series, by M. Maitland DeLand

The Baby Santa Series

Author: M. Maitland DeLand

Publisher: Greenleaf

Baby Santa
pub. Sept 1, 2013

Baby Santa and the
Lost Letters
pub. Oct 1, 2011

Baby Santa and the
Missing Reindeer
pub. Sept 3, 2013

Baby Santa's Worldwide
Christmas Adventure
pub. Sept 1, 2010

I don't have much to say about these books because, honestly, I couldn't even get the files to open. Most of the pages were either closeups of one corner of the illustrations, or the text was in a strange part of the page, or the page wouldn't turn. It didn't work on any of my programs or my e-reader, and when I tried to contact the publisher I didn't hear back. So I have nothing else to say about them except maybe don't bother to request them on NetGalley.

The Legend of Ranger: The Reindeer Who Couldn't Fly, by Alan Salisbury (illustrated by Roberta Baird)

The Legend of Ranger
The Reindeer Who Couldn't Fly
Author: Alan Salisbury
Illustrator: Roberta Baird
Publisher: Jabberwocky Books
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Source: NetGalley
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This is another Christmas chapter book, which normally I question because children old enough for chapter books may be too old for Santa stories, but this one was all right. It's not terribly long (under 50 pages) and the chapters are short and engaging enough to hold the interest of a younger child. The illustrations didn't work on my desktop, but they did on my Kobo, so I'm assuming the ebook works properly. Maybe. I can't guarantee it. Overall it's a solid B-, but considering the Christmas selection I seem to have made for myself from NetGalley this year, it's not a bad effort.

Santa's Cookie Elf, by Richard Thomas Parrette, Jr. (illustrated by Muideen Ogunmola)

Santa's Cookie Elf
Author: Richard Thomas Parrette, Jr.
Illustrator: Muideen Ogunmola
High Hopes Publishing
Publication Date: August 21, 2013
(Originally published August 20, 2012)
Source: NetGalley
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This is one of those "how hard could it be?" books. As in, it appears to have been created by someone who was a big fan of such children's classics as "The Night Before Christmas" and thought, "How hard could it be to write my own children's Christmas classic?" The answer is "harder than this." Santa's Cookie Elf is all rhyme and no substance. It's the uncharming story of an elf that follows Santa around eating all the leftover cookies. The illustrations are equally charmless. It's not that they're poorly drawn, just that they lack heart. The publisher's website (speaking of...no one likes the term "vanity publisher" but High Hopes Publishing does seem to have a pricing structure for authors, so draw your own conclusions) says that the illustrator works in the graphics department at Reebok. I'm not sure what to make of that, but this book--illustrations, text and story--are all a complete miss.