Tag Archives: k.t. blue

Thursday: The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

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What if the wolves were adorable and kind and the pig was the real stinker? That’s exactly what Eugene Trivizas has examined in his wildly funny “The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Pig.” Imagine, the three wolves, fuzzy and sweet – and all they really want to do is build their own home. The first? Bricks, from a generous kangaroo. But the Pig (looking quite like a large pink Tony Soprano) arrives with a sledgehammer and tears it to pieces. The next? Cement. But the Pig will stop at nothing and brandishes his jackhammer. As the structures become stronger, the Pig gets meaner until the wolves decide they’ve had enough. Want to know what happens next? All I’ll say is that it involves quite a number of flowers and a tarantella. A fun take on an old story that will make you think twice about pigs and their tempers.

Tuesday: Shark vs. Train

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When the PBS kids’ show, “Dinosaur Train” debuted, a dear (and hilarious) friend of mine quipped that the producers just sat down in a room and mashed together two words that would immediately appeal to little boys and then made a show out of it.  Having now watched Dinosaur Train ad nauseum, I think it also has to do with the fact that they had an entire episode on poop.  I was reminded of that same concept of the little boy title mash-up when I came across Chris Barton’s “Shark vs. Train.” I mean, really? A shark versus a train? What little guy could resist that just based on the title alone?! Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to read this original and clever book and find that , despite its WWF-esque title, it is WONDERFUL. Shark and Train are pitted against each other in a variety of battles: high diving, burping…the only one where neither wins is the video game competition since, as Train says, “sure would help if we had thumbs.” The book is fast-paced and hilarious and each subsequent battle is funnier than the last. This is my new favorite little boy read..

Thursday: The Paper Bag Princess

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What happens when the Princess seems to do quite well all on her own? This is the crux of Robert Munsch’s glorious “The Paper Bag Princess” in which Princess Elizabeth learns what lies behind the handsome face of Prince Charming, AKA Prince Ronald. When Elizabeth’s castle is burned down by a dastardly dragon, thereby destroying her wardrobe  and kidnapping Ronald, she’s forced to take matters into her own hands. The Princess rescuing the Prince? What a fabulous idea! And she does just that, dressed only in a paper bag. But when she ultimately finds Prince Ronald and he scoffs at her imperfect appearance, Elizabeth finds that the fairy-tale ending for her might just be a little different than she thought. This book is a wonderful take on the classic fairy tale that should serve as a great lesson to Princesses everywhere.

Tuesday: Children Make Terrible Pets

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Meet Lucy. She’s your typical brown bear. Fuzzy. Brown. Wears a pink skirt and a pink bow in her fur. One day, while toodling through the forest, she comes upon a little boy whom she promptly names “Squeaker.” Lucy’s mother reluctantly allows Lucy to keep her new “pet” but with the warning that “children make terrible pets.” And, boy, is Lucy’s mom right. Squeaker refuses to be potty trained, ruins the nice furniture and causes general chaos throughout the quiet bear household.  For anyone who has ever thought that your child was at least part wild animal, this is the book for you. It’s utterly adorable and turns the age-old “mama, can i keep him?” story on its fuzzy little ear. A must read.

Wednesday: Sneezenesia

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Do your children like boogers? Mine do. They even like the word “booger.” If you ever see my children and want to make them laugh, just say “booger.” It’s a sure thing. So imagine my utter joy at finding Deb Lucke’s quirky and wonderful “Sneezenesia” in which a little boy at the supermarket sneezes so hard he forgets his name. And with each sneeze, he loses a little bit more knowledge. Math equations…names of Presidents…they all come out of his schnozzola with each “achoo.” I don’t think I could have scripted a more wonderful  book for my sons – knowledge as boogers. Tremendous. But how will he get the knowledge back? Sniff around and you may find out.

Friday: Art and Max

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Never before have I seen a children’ s book that more articulately and beautifully captures the artistic spirit than David Wiesner’s “Art and Max.” It should come as no surprise that Wiesner has come up with yet another gem of a book – he is one of two people to have ever won the Caldecott for three different books (“Tuesday”, “The Three Pigs” and “Flotsam) – all of which are worth buying and immediately loving.) What sets “Art and Max” apart from the others, though, is that it truly challenges readers big and small to think about the creative process of artists and appreciate the different ways and methods in which art can be made. Lofty subjects for young readers, but Wiesner makes them come to life magically. Art and Max are two lizards. Art is a serious artist – one who studies form and shading and lines. Max just wants to be an artist and, despite Art’s instruction, moves ahead with his own way of creating and we find that both can be beautiful. I really can’t recommend this book more highly – it’s a masterpiece in its own right.

Monday: Iggy Peck Architect

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Few are the children who know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. I, at the age of 5, wanted to be a veterinarian. Then an archaeologist. Then a pediatrician. Then a librarian. (We’ll just gloss over the period in which I wanted to become a Canadian.) Iggy Peck, however, knows exactly what he wants to be: an architect. From the age of 2, he has been constructing buildings from whatever materials he could lay his hands on..who could forget his tower made of dirty diapers and glue? But when his 2nd grade teacher tries to squash Iggy’s passion for building, you won’t believe how he changes her mind.  Andrea Beaty and David Roberts have created a delightful story in rhyme that will warm the hearts of readers young and old.

Thursday: Interrupting Chicken

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Today’s review is…”Hi, Mama!”..sorry, anyway, today’s review centers on…”Whatcha doin’ Mama?”..sweetheart, I’ll be right with you…as I was saying…”Can I type too, Mama?”…

For those of us who absolutely adore our children but who find ourselves biting the insides of our cheeks  every time our children interrupt us, do I have the book for you. “Interrupting Chicken” by David Ezra Stein is a hilarious take on a child’s penchant for iterruptus storytimeus. Little Red Chicken LOVES to read with his father, but he’s just so concerned for all of the fairy tale characters in the books that he can’t help but interrupt the story to help them avoid calamity.

Hansel and Gretel: Don’t go in! She’s a witch!

Little Red Riding Hood: That’s NOT your grandmother!

Chicken Little: It’s only an acorn!

You get the picture. And your children will to – as this delightful story continues. But how in the world does Little Red Chicken’s story end up interrupted by his father? You’ll just have to get those book and…”Are you done yet, Mama?”…find out.

 

 

 

Friday: The Pencil

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I grew up on Crockett Johnson’s “Harold and the Purple Crayon.” And I continue to love the idea of a little boy creating a new world with just a blank wall and a little imagination.  And while no book will ever come close to winning my heart over Harold, I do believe he has some stiff competition in Allan Ahlberg’s “The Pencil.” The story begins with a pencil…”a lonely little pencil, and nothing else.” But soon, this little pencil is creating worlds and people and animals and all is well until those people and animals start to have a few demands of their own. And even when the pencil draws himself an eraser to get rid of a few items, his eraser takes on a rather unseemly life of its own. What’s a pencil to do? Grab this book and find out…before you get erased.

Wednesday: Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt

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Nate the Great is at it again – this time with a truly spooky Halloween mystery. Little Hex, the cat, has disappeared and only super sleuth Nate the Great can get to the bottom of this mystery. With a compelling tale and great little boy humor, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat’s book is a favorite for Halloween. A great chapter book for early readers with plenty of jokes and silliness to keep your little book worms engaged.