To prove the point that love is out there for everyone, I’d like everyone to sit down right this instant and read my favorite Valentine’s Day book of all time, A Sweetheart for Valentine. I grew up absolutely loving this book, published in 1979, and have continued my love affair with it to this day. In the tiny village of St. Valentine, a great and howling noise wakes the residents – and they come to find a giant baby girl deposited on the steps of the village hall. A kind and generous village, the people decide right then and there to adopt this rather large child and raise her the best they can – feeding her enormous amounts of food, making her clothes from whatever they can find to fit and loving her collectively with tenderness and understanding as to her big-boned frame. But when sweet Valentine is old enough to marry, can they find a suitably-sized suitor? Lorna Balian’s sweet book is a testament to finding love in the least likely of places and a wonderful tale to share with your loved ones on Valentine’s Day. (Plus, Balian’s illustrations of Valentine’s giant pink fanny are sure to elicit a few giggles. )
Author Archives
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, or the Unexpected Guest
Eve Buntings, “A Turkey for Thanksgiving” is my all-time favorite Turkey Day tale. In it, Mr. and Mrs. Moose are hosting Thanksgiving for all of their woodland friends. Mrs Moose sends Mr Moose out on an errand to get a real turkey for the event. Mr Moose is soon joined by Rabbit, Porcupine and Goat – all ready to get the turkey for their feast. As you would imagine, poor Turkey is terrified – picturing himself roasted and stuffed to the gizzards. But what really happens, is as touching and heartwarming as any moment I can recall. A great read-aloud book for your younger guests that will make you hungry for more.
Share this:
The Best Halloween Books for Little Boys and Ghouls
The neighborhood children are buzzing with excitement over costumes. Pumpkins are making their way onto the front porches of houses. And bright orange and black M&Ms are moving into the four basic food groups.
It’s Halloween time again and what better way to kick off this spooktacular holiday than with a fun assortment of the best and most beloved Halloween books for children. From smelly feet to Norwegian grandmothers, this list will bring a devilish grin to your little boys and ghouls.
The Hallo-Wiener
Written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey
Ages: 4-8
I apologize in advance for recommending a book that has within its title a word that will invariably cause incessant repetition by your children. Or perhaps that’s just my children. Nevertheless, “The Hallo-Wiener”, by Dav Pilkey (of “Captain Underpants” fame), certainly belongs on any list of great Halloween books. Oscar is a dachshund who is “half-a-dog tall and one-and-a-half dogs long” and is regularly teased by the other dogs. But nothing causes more ridicule than his mother’s decision to dress him for Halloween with a bun complete with mustard. Poor little Oscar – what shall he do? Come to the rescue, of course, as the little readers will find. A tale of inner strength and the best sausage puns you’ve read…
Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet
Written and illustrated by Lisa Desimini
Ages: 4-8
Growing up, we used to sing “Trick or treat, smell my feet, dance around the toilet seat” and the image of boogie-ing around the potty was always a show-stopper for me. Now, thank Heavens, we have Lisa Desimini’s “Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet” to entertain us just as hilariously. This is the tale of twin witches, Delia and Ophelia, who take it upon themselves (as all true witches do) to ruin Halloween for the sweet neighborhood kids. So, they concoct a spell using, you guessed it, stinky socks. All does not run smoothly for these identical hags, and your kids will adore the result. I do…almost as much as lambada-ing around the john.
The Best Halloween Ever
Written by Barbara Robinson
Ages: 9-12
Hooray for the Herdmans! Barbara Robinson’s “The Best Halloween Ever” may, in fact, be the funniest book on the market. The author of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, among others, has a lightning-quick wit and a tenderness towards her characters that is unparalleled. Reading this out loud to my boys is an act in self-control since her lines are so funny and heartwarming you want to laugh and cry at the same time. I adore adore adore this book and can’t recommend it highly enough. Somehow the horrible Herdmans always save the day – and we, as readers, root for them despite our better judgment. Don’t miss the audio recording of this book, read by Elaine Stritch. Hers is the only voice I could imagine for this. Sheer perfection.
The Witches
Written by Roald Dahl
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Ages: 9-12
While it may not be a Halloween book, per se, no spooky book list should neglect “The Witches” – one of my (and my sons) all-time favorites. Not only do we get to meet a cigar-smoking Norwegian grandmother, but we encounter ladies with itchy scalps, quite a few references to dog poo (and really, who could resist that!?!) and several reasons for your children not to bathe regularly. The coupling of Roald Dahl and longtime illustrator Quentin Blake is a marriage made in heaven for any book, but for this one in particular. Don’t miss Lynn Redgrave’s reading of “The Witches” on the audio book, and, if you’re feeling particularly witchy, check out the movie starring Angelica Huston. It’s nowhere near as spectacular as the book (few movies are), but entertaining nonetheless.
The Vanishing Pumpkin
Written by Tony Johnston
Illustrated by Tomie daPaola
Ages: 4-8
Where else can you find a 700-year-old woman, an 800-year-old man, a rapscallion, a ghoul and a varmint? Not to mention characters who say things like “Great snakes!” (which, let’s face it, everyone should say now and then…). Look no further than “The Vanishing Pumpkin” by Tony Johnston, illustrated by, none other than, Tomie DePaola. My sons wait all year long to check this book out of the library each October and now my older son loves to read it to his little brother with all the silly voices he can muster. What starts with a missing pumpkin and a hearty desire for pumpkin pie quickly becomes a veritable parade of Halloween misfits and a seriously old wizard. Don’t miss this wonderful Halloween book. (Or I might just have to say “Great snakes!”)
Georgie
Written and illustrated by Robert Bright
Ages: 4-8
No Halloween book list would be complete without “Georgie” by Robert Bright. Written in 1944, Georgie features not only the gentle little ghost from the title, but the wonderfully spooky illustrations by Bright himself. Georgie lives with the Whittakers and provides them with a little ghostly routine of a creaky floorboard and a squeaky parlor door. But when Mr. Whittaker decides to fix these, where does that leave Georgie, who really doesn’t want to scare a soul? This vintage Halloween tale has been delighting parents and children for more than 60 years and should take its rightful place on the bookshelves for 100 more.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Retold by Alvin Schwartz
Drawings by Stephen Gammell
Ages: 9-12
Disclaimer: I am 37 years old and the stories in the book still scare me. Hence, this book recommendation is for older aged children or at least children who are braver than I. This was THE book for slumber parties growing up. I vividly remember sitting at my friend Damara’s house, with flashlights on and spooky music in the background, and her mother, all dressed up as a witch, reading “High Beams” from the story collection, “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” Do you remember high beams? The urban myth of the woman driving home and the car behind her keeps putting on its high beams? I shudder now just thinking of it. This story continues to force me to look in the backseat of my car when I get in.
And who could forget “May I Carry Your Basket?” and “The Big Toe.” Ack! This is the penultimate scary story collection and I dare you to read it and not feel that chill up your spine.
Share this:
Grandpa Green…and a misty eye
Lane Smith is probably best known, by me at least, as the Caldecott-winning illustrator of The Stinky Cheese Man…not to mention the author and illustrator of one of my personal favorites, The Happy Hocky Family. In the past, Smith has dwelt in the sublimely cheeky – bringing his quirky sensibilities to a wide range of offbeat and utterly brilliant children’s books. And while all of his books have had a teensy whiff of sentimentality in them, I never in a million years expected the sheer gorgeousness of his latest book Grandpa Green. In this stunning new book, Smith earns his stripes as an honest-to-goodness storyteller of the highest caliber. Smith’s book tells the story of Grandpa Green, an avid gardener who tells his unforgettable life story in a series of topiaries carved into the shapes of his memories. A first kiss. A war. The cafe where he first met his wife. All are lovingly and painstakingly recreated in the lush foliage of his garden. And his great-grandson, who sees these tales come to life, is the lucky recipient of not only his Grandpa’s artistry but his rich, beautiful life story. Lane Smith has outdone himself in this quiet little book that speaks volumes to the joy of memory. This book goes beyond the normal parameters of children’s literature and into the realm of literary treasures.
Grandpa Green wasn’t always a gardener. He was a farmboy and a kid with chickenpox and a soldier and, most of all, an artist. In this captivating new picture book, readers follow Grandpa Green’s great-grandson into a garden he created, a fantastic world where memories are handed down in the fanciful shapes of topiary trees and imagination recreates things forgotten.
Share this:
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, or the turnip seed facial
I’m feeling a bit sentimental today…and, as such, I’m bringing back an old favorite – Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty McDonald. Ooooo how I loved this series as a child. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle lives in an upside down house and smells like cookies and, thankfully for parents everywhere, has wonderful cures for every possible childhood lament. And we’re not talking about chickenpox or measles, here. We’re talking about cures for things like talking back and not picking up toys and selfishness. My favorite of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s infamous cures is for the girl who won’t take a bath. And the dirt just keeps accumulating on this beastly little child. So, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle instructs her parents to plant turnip seeds in the dirt on her face and watch them grow. They do just that and, surprise!, a bath is quickly accomplished. Young readers will delight in the whimsical and magical words of McDonald and illustrations from Hilary Knight of Eloise fame. And parents will love that someone finally has a cure for not wanting to go to bed.
Share this:
Hi! Fly Guy, or the pest that impressed
Nothing is more exciting to an emerging reader than the idea of a chapter book. Even if those “chapters” are a few pages long and are accompanied by hilarious drawings and puns about insects, the feeling of accomplishment is no less remarkable. But which chapter books to pick for your new little book worm? If your children are anything like mine, the Fly Guy series will fit the bill perfectly. Tedd Arnold’s rhyming prose, hysterical drawings and comic book-like antics will keep you child buzzing with excitement about reading. Hi! Fly Guy introduces our main character, a little boy named Buzz, who meets a fly whose intelligence is immediately demonstrated by its ability to say the boy’s name. Buzz and Fly Guy make quick friends and soon, Buzz enters Fly Guy into The Amazing Pet Show. Does a fly have what it takes? Will the pesky beast capture the judges’ icy hearts? Dive right into this delightful series and discover what a successful combination chapter books and pestilent insects can be.
Share this:
What’s Happening to Me?…or unexpected hair
(Over the last year, I’ve received so many comments and e-mails about this review, that I couldn’t help reposting. Enjoy!)
In 1975, Peter Mayle (yes, of A Year in Provence fame) and Arthur Robins published a book that would forever change my life. Their brilliantly informative and remarkably unembarrassing teenage tome, What is Happening to Me: A Guide to Puberty, would prove to be my personal roadmap through acne (why yes, it does appear on your back!), periods (why yes, they do happen on ski trips!) and bras (why, yes, the woman in the bra department will quickly become your worst nightmare!). Written for both boys and girls, Mayle and Robins’ book gently and factually describes every injustice known to plague teenagers – handling each question, no matter how humiliating, with common sense, and no hint of ridicule or judgment. Robins’ illustrations bring a sense of humor to the topics and make the reader feel a lot more comfortable reading about unexpected hairs than you’d ever imagine. I poured over this book as puberty beckoned and found comfort in not being the only person on the face of the earth to experience the new feelings, emotions and struggles of that time. For any parent working through the first signs of adolescence with their children, this book is as powerful now as it was then to a little girl in her pegged jeans who just needed to know that everything was going to be alright.
Share this:
The Kissing Hand…or, The Lifesaver
This book isn’t new, nor does it tackle a new theme of school time. Nevertheless, this book brought about such a turnaround in our household that I can’t help but write about it. When my sons went to preschool, I was that mother with the weeping child. The one whose children literally held on to her clothing, begging for her not to leave…whose sticky fingers and tear-stained faces peeked out from the window as I was directed to walk away since I was “upsetting the children.” After sobbing in my car for what seemed like weeks, a friend of mind recommended Audrey Penn’s amazing book, The Kissing Hand. The powers of this book seemed to be widespread at this time, but for anyone who is facing a teary first few weeks of school, it might be just what the doctor ordered. In this lovely little book, Chester Raccoon wants to stay home with his mother instead of going to school. His mother (a significantly more enterprising mother than I) tells Chester of a secret – a “kissing hand” in which she takes her son’s little paw and kisses it right in the middle. When he feels sad or lonely at school, all he has to do is take that kissing hand and press it to his cheek to feel all the love his mother has for him. It may sound sappy, but it worked for me and my sons and turned what once was a saline-laden experience into a new tradition of comfort and love.
Share this:
Silly School Riddles, or How to Annoy Lady Gaga
Silly School Riddles
Written by Lisa Eisenberg, illustrated by Elwood Smith
Ages: 6 and up
If your kids are anything like mine, they can’t resist a good joke. My older son’s current favorite is “Why was the mummy late for dinner? Cause he was wrapped up in his work.” And we all cracked up recently at my dear friend’s son who asked, “How do you annoy Lady Gaga? You poke her face.” Get it? Poker Face? Love it.
If your kids have a tendency toward knee slaps and belly laughs, or even just want to impress their friends with a few jokes on the first day of school, then check out Lisa Eisenberg’s Silly School Riddles. It’s a zany, fantastic collection of great riddles, accompanied by Elwood Smith’s hilarious illustrations. Wanna try one? OK. Which state is the best place to buy school supplies? Why, that would be Pencil-vania, of course. C’mon, admit it. That one’s a keeper.
Share this:
50 Years of Snowy Days
Amazing to think that it has been 50 years since Ezra Jack Keats published his quietly groundbreaking children’s book, The Snowy Day. Today, we celebrate that achievement with the 50th Anniversary edition of the book – available now at bookstores near you. Not only is The Snowy Day one of the most lovely and gorgeous books of its generation, it brought with it the added triumph of being, what is widely known as, the first mainstream children’s book to feature an African-American child as its lead character. Peter, in his bright red snowsuit and matching elfin hat, not only made footprints across a snowy landscape, but made important footprints across American literature. For me, the success of Ezra Jack Keats, long a hero of mine, is not necessarily in his choice of Peter’s ethnicity, but in his ability to create a piece of literature in which the ethnicity of the child was not the focus of the book. His simple tales of childhood and city life speak not just to one but to multiple audiences – carving out a new lexicon in children’s literature that has been spoken from then on. If you have never read The Snowy Day or even if you’ve read it 100 times, please celebrate this special anniversary by sharing it with your children – a generation who, hopefully, won’t even notice that Peter is any different from them.
My Mama's Goodnight 