Tag Archives: katie m zeigler

Friday: Diary of a Worm

by

There are rare occasions when a children’s book makes me laugh out loud. Roald Dahl does it for me. As does Shel Silverstein. And now Doreen Cronin has added herself to that esteemed list with her book, “Diary of a Worm.” Wanna know the line that literally made me snort? It’s the June 15th entry in the little worm’s diary in which  he writes, “My older sister thinks she’s so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. ” You chuckled didn’t you? Admit it. Want more? Go get this book immediately and be ready to giggle the day away with your kids. Love it love it love it. 

Thursday: Halibut Jackson

by

Certain people are just shy. Some people would rather just sit quietly in the perimeter. For Halibut Jackson, the reluctant titular hero of David Lucas’ book, shyness manifests in camouflage. He has crafted clothes to match any possible scenario – so he literally blends in with his surroundings…the sun, the grass, the flowers. And he’s quite content to exist in his chameleon-like world until he gets an unexpected invitation to a birthday party at the palace. Determined to disappear into the splendor of the palace walls, Halibut sews an outfit that is both ornate and bejeweled. But when Halibut Jackson arrives, the tables are quickly turned and a lesson in being unique is quickly learned. A wonderful story about overcoming the need to blend in…and the beauty of standing out.

Tuesday: Big Rabbit’s Bad Mood

by

Face it. We’re all in a bad mood sometime. Grumpy. Cranky. Oogie. And everyone has a different solution. Mine usually involves lots of See’s candy and reruns of Golden Girls. But for Big Rabbit, his bad mood is seemingly unstoppable. He tries eating chips (a tactic I’ve tried on occasion)…he tries making a salad (nope, that doesn’t help)…he tries watching television (apparently Golden Girls isn’t on)…he even tries doing something quite nasty with boogers. But to no avail. The bad mood just keeps coming and coming and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Even his friends can’t help – since they’re apparently all off doing wonderful things with each other. But when the doorbell rings, could Big Rabbit’s bad mood be a thing of the past? You’ll just had to read Ramona Badescu’s fabulous book and admire Delphine Durand’s utterly charming illustrations to find out.

Monday: Clever Jack Takes the Cake

by

When poor little Jack is invited to the Princess’ birthday party, he can’t imagine why. What could he possibly bring as a present that would please the Princess? But Jack is a clever, resourceful little guy, and he bakes the Princess the most beautiful, delicious cake the world has ever seen and sets off by foot for the fiesta. Tragedy strikes in the form of crows, trolls, bears…a whole menagerie who eat and ruin his gorgeous cake. So when Jack finally arrives, empty-handed, at the party, he has nothing for her but the tale of the hungry forest creatures and the ill-fated baked good.  Surprisingly, his story, told so vividly and entertainingly, is the Princess’ favorite present. Which just goes to show you that a good story beats out a cake any day of the week. (Unless of course it’s a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting in which case we may have to make some adjustments…) Author Candace Fleming and illustrator G. Brian Karas have created a wonderful tale of the power of the spoken word. A treasure for the entire family!

Thursday: CDB

by

We all love William Steig. From “Shrek” to “The Magic Pebble” to “Dr. DeSoto”, dear Mr. Steig can do no wrong. And in the eyes of my two sons, his best work is, by far, “CDB!” – a collection of letter riddles and illustrations that are totally impossible to resist. “CDB” shows two children looking at a bee. Get it? C…D…B? See the Bee? OK. How about this one…a little boy watching a larger boy lick a delicious lollipop says “I N-V U.” Get it? I envy you? Now you’re getting to the brilliance that is Steig and the amazing time you and your children will have figuring out some of the harder ones.  For the adult crowd, the best is “D Y-N S X-L-N.” Let that one breathe for a while…

Wednesday: Christina Katerina and the Box

by

Two things I adore about Patricia Lee Gauch’s book, “Christina Katerina and the Box”…1) Miss Christina Katerina has an endless imagination when it comes to old refrigerator boxes and 2) her friend’s name is Fats Watson. Seriously, anyone who has a friend named Fats Watson is alright in my book. You must remember those days when a new appliance arrived and you were so excited to get your hands on that big empty box and turn it into a fort or a castle or a race car? I do…I loved it when my mom would cut little holes for windows and I’d have a new little cottage all to myself. Christina Katerina is just the same – and despite the fact that Fats ends up ruining or collapsing or sitting atop each of her creations, she never stops until the box literally melts as Fats hoses it down. But fear not, Fats makes up for his ways by bringing over his mother’s old washer and dryer boxes. And it’s off to the high seas for Christina and Fats in their cardboard sailboats. A delightful and imaginative romp of a story.

Tuesday: Andrew Henry’s Meadow

by

This was a magical book to me as a child. I always gravitated towards books in which the children created worlds of their own – and this 45 -year-old book, may be the best of them all. In it, the titular Andrew Henry is driving his family crazy with all of his inventions – until ultimately, he decides to find a new home just for himself. He creates one in the meadow and soon, other children follow him there, each building their own little homes to escape and dream and imagine. Doris Burn’s tale is utterly whimsical and endearing and any child, like me, who loved to find a little hidden spot to create and draw and invent and think, will truly appreciate its simple beauty. A classic to be read again and again.

Monday: Don’t Let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table

by

When I was at summer camp at the age of 9, if anyone put their elbows on the table, the counselors would say “Mabel, Mabel, if you’re able, take your elbows off the table, this is not a horse’s stable, this is a decent dining table.” Trust me, it was awful. And, to this day, if my elbows start to make that climb toward the table, that horrible refrain rings in my ears.  Fast forward more years than I care to admit, and there’s a new Mabel in town. A  better, elbow-free Mabel who LOVES to say grace at the table.  Vanessa Brantley Newton, the author of the wonderful “Let Freedom Ring”, has captured the joy of family and tradition in her hysterical book, “Don’t Let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table.” In it,  the titular Auntie Mabel and her family are sitting down to a big, delicious dinner but before they can dig in, Auntie Mabel must say grace. And for anyone who has ever been at a table where the grace just doesn’t seem to end, and your food gets cold and yet the blessings just keep on coming, this is the book for you. Mabel’s grace stops at nothing…Brussel sprouts, the President, anyone and everything worthy of thanks make it into Mabel’s grace. It’s an adorable and hilarious take on the tradition of grace that will have you giggling into your napkin.

Friday: The Mysterious Tadpole

by

When Louis’ Uncle McAllister send him a package from Scotland, it turns out to be a tadpole whom Louis promptly names Alphonse. A wonderful pet, Alphonse quickly develops a taste for cheeseburgers and grows and grows and grows. Unable to fit in his jar, Alphonse is moved first to the kitchen sink. Then the bathtub. Until, finally, Louis needs to find a new home for his enormous, and rather mysterious, tadpole. When happens next is both touching and brilliant as we discover that Alphonse may not just be an ordinary tadpole, but rather a creature of epic (perhaps even Loch Ness-like) proportions. A delightful read by Steven Kellogg about the love between a child and his magical pet.

Thursday: The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

by

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.