One of the perks of being a blogger is getting to try out products or services before they hit store shelves. But, the one thing I love to review and find the greatest benefit from is a good children's book. Growing up, my mother instilled a love of reading in my brothers and I. I still have vivid memories of my childhood, when my mother would snuggle up to me in my twin bed, and read me a few good books. At the time, I was sharing a room with my middle brother, which meant that I only had half of the room to myself. The one thing splitting the room down the center was an oversized bookcase that was passed down in the family. With 6 shelves in total, my brother, who was taller at the time, had the top three shelves to fill, and I had the bottom three. I always loved walking into the room and seeing the bookcase filled to the brim with books. And, usually after birthdays or holidays, my brother and I would either have to go through our books and pull out books we longer wanted, or start a small stack on one side of the bookcase to accommodate our growing collection.
And, when it came time to start school, I was already reading books with 4-5 word sentences by the time Kindergarten rolled around. My mother, who was a stay-at-home mom while my brothers and I were in school, would make time for each of us in the late morning or afternoon, and would read to us, practice spelling, learning how to write, and simple math. Even back in pre-school, I found her mini teaching sessions helpful as I was able to count to 50, knew all my colors, shapes, etc. and had a large vocabulary. And, this knowledge continued to grow with all the new books, along with favorites, she would read to us. As I grew, so did my love of books. I would bring books to show and tell and talk to the kids about why it was my favorite. I even read books to my teddy bears at our pretend tea parties, or would play teacher with my friends, just so I could share my favorite books during play dates. :-)
As the years went by, I found myself excelling in school, especially in the Honors English classes I was taking. By the time I started my freshman year in college, I had already passed the ACT tests for English and math and was able to skip freshman English classes for math and English because of my high scores on these advanced placement tests. I had enough credits to minor in English, but opted for Psychology instead. Reading and writing has always been a love of mine, and now I get to share this with my girls. Even before they were born, I was reading to them in the womb. And, when they finally arrived into this world, they each had a bookcase in their bedroom's filled with books. Our daily routines consist of a mid-morning story time, followed by bedtime reading with Daddy. A few times a week, I also make a point to take the girls to the local library for story time, and for them to browse the kid's selection of books. There is no greater feeling than seeing my girls get excited about books, just like I do. Even when we are not reading together, the girls love going to their bookcases and pulling out books to flip through. I am now catching Savannah pretending to read to Arabella, as she flips through some of her favorite books, giving her own rendition of the story based upon the illustrations. :-)
Just a couple of week's ago, Savannah started part-time preschool. By the end of the week, the teacher had pulled me aside and told me how impressed she was with Savannah's knowledge base. She already knew all her colors, shapes, numbers, ABC's, and even simple math -- all at age 3 yrs. old. I told the teacher I had been practicing with her, and then shared a handful of the books I was using as teaching tools the next day with her. She asked to borrow them to share with the class, and has since picked up each title and a few more to add to her current pre-school curriculum, all from Candlewick Press -- one of my favorite children's publishers. While Arabella is not ready for pre-school yet, I am sharing these same books with her, and she is on her way, like Savannah in mastering her ABC's, colors, counting, and more.
If you have toddlers or pre-schoolers, and love sharing fun, educational books with them, why not consider checking out one or more of these titles from Candlewick Press. Many are board books, which are great for even the youngest of learners. I love them because Arabella, while trying to catch up to Savannah in development stages, still loves to to rip pages in paperback books, or will chew on a book if she is teething. Board books like these tend to hold up more. :-)
| Synopsis: "Noodle loves to go for a walk in the park to see the animals and flowers. He also loves to play at the playground! Another lovely, sturdy, interactive Noodle story that will delight the youngest of readers. These tactile tales with satisfying and simple rhymes are loved by babies, toddlers, and their parents, and boost language learning skills.
When
Noodle visits the park, he plays on the swing and watches the birds and
the bees. And you can, too, with this touch-and-feel book."
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $8.99 / $10.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763665770 / 9780763665777 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Board book / Board Book |
| age range: 1 yr - 3 yrs |
# of pages/size: 10 / 6 5/16" x 6 5/16" |
My Thoughts:
Savannah loved these touch and feel books when she was little, and now Arabella is following suit. There is just something about them, that keeps Bella's attention. She can have a whole pile of "Noodle" books around her on the floor and sit there content for over an hour. I make a point to have a few of these sturdy board books in the car or diaper bag, and pull out when the girls get antsy. They come in handy at the doctor's office, or even the grocery store.
If your little one is just being introduced to books, they will love these touch and feel books. They are great for sensory development!
Synopsis:
| "In his first
board book, highly collected graphic artist Paul Thurlby presents a
stunning alphabet that helps to make the shape of each letter memorable.
From an awesome A to a zippy Z, this is the perfect ABC board book for
the very young and hip.
Discover an alphabet like no other!"
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $9.99 / $11.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763666181 / 9780763666187 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Board book / Board Book |
| age range: 1 yr - 3 yrs |
# of pages/size: 26 / 6 1/2 x 8 1/4" |
My Thoughts:
This is one of Savannah's favorite books, and one that really helped her to learn the alphabet. Not only does it have a great retro feel from the catchy illustrations, but each letter of the alphabet is paired with a board you usually wouldn't think of, like "V" is for "vicious" or "J" if for "Jazz." Savannah's pre-school said that this ABC book has become a hit with the class, and has had parents ask what the name of the book was, as they were surprised at how quickly their children were picking up the ABC's, as well as impressed at the words they were relating each letter to. :-)
Now, whenever Savannah is in school, Arabella is pulling this book from her sister's bookcase to have me read it to her. And, like her big sister, Arabella can pick up the letters and tell me what she sees in the illustrations. I am definitely a proud Mama! :-)
Synopsis:
| "Charley’s
picked bananas, a big yellow bunch! Green pears for Cyril,munch, munch,
munch! Maisy and her friends all have their favorite foods, from
Tallulah’s oranges to Eddie’s blue lollipop to Maisy’s juicy red apples.
When they all join together for a picnic, they make a tasty rainbow --
yum!
What a concept! Bright colors and bouncy, rhyming text in a Maisy board book make early learning friendly and fun. "
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $6.99 / $8.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763668044 / 9780763668044 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Character and Series / Board Book |
| age range: 6 mos and up |
# of pages/size: 14 / 7 1/16" x 7 1/16" |
My Thoughts:
My girls love "Maisy" books, especially the sticker books, which let them create their own stories with the stickers. But, this and the "Maisy's First Numbers (shown below)" really helped the girls learn their numbers and colors. I would highly these concept books for parents with toddlers/pre-schoolers, as they really do make learning your colors and numbers fun for little ones. The illustrations are bright and eye catching, and fans of "Maisy" books will especially love these board books, which feature Maisy and her friends.
Synopsis:
| "One stripy
tiger, go go go! Two strolling tortoises, slow slow slow! What better
way to learn to count than exploring animals with Maisy? Three
butterflies flutter, four fish swim along, five snails enjoy the
rain—and everyone comes back on the final spread for a recount.
What a concept! Bright colors and bouncy, rhyming text in a Maisy board book make early learning friendly and fun."
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $6.99 / $8.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763668052 / 9780763668051 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Character and Series / Board Book |
| age range: 6 mos and up |
# of pages/size: 14 / 7 1/16" x 7 1/16" |
Out of my two girls, Arabella is the one who is more into dolls. I would have thought Savannah would have been, seeing that she was little when we brought Arabella home. She would see us cradling her little sister, and mimic us with her stuffed animals. But, then when Bella starting crawling and being more mobile, Savannah switched to loving "Toy Story" and all things trains, and stopped playing with dolls. But, her dolls didn't get lonely, as Bella crawled right over to them and would scoop them up and cuddle with them. Now, at almost two years old, Bella can't go anywhere without a baby in toe. And, come bedtime, before she is ready for bed, she had to put her dollies to bed. :-)
While there is no third child in our future, as we are still trying to get one night of uninterrupted sleep, this would definitely be a book I would share with the girls about welcoming and taking care of a baby. Even though Bella does an amazing job of caring for her dollies, this book shares everything you need to know about caring for a diaper from giving them milk, taking them for walks, and even how to change a diaper, with a fun interactive diaper little readers will love trying to tie.
This book, which is geared towards children ages 3-5, offer fun pull-tabs and touch and feel elements making learning about and getting ready for a new sibling fun.
Synopsis:
| "Turn the
pages, lift the flaps, and see animals of all shapes and sizes bring the
world of opposites to life. From slow snail to fast cheetah, heavy
hippo to light butterfly, smooth frog to prickly porcupine, Petr
Horácek’s brightly colored pop-up animals and interactive flaps make
early learning irresistible and fun.
Celebrated illustrator Petr Horácek offers a pop-up introduction to opposites with the help of a variety of creatures."
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $15.99 / $18.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763667765 / 9780763667764 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Novelty / Hard Cover |
| age range: 3 yrs and up |
# of pages/size: 20 / 9 1/16" x 9 13/16" |
My Thoughts:
This was the first time I had picked up a Petr Horácek, but will not be the last. While I enjoy reading the other books I am sharing with you in this post from Candlewick Press, I have to say this book about opposites, as well as Petr Horácek's other book, "One Spotted Giraffe" about counting are my two favorites. I was always a fan of pop-up books growing up, and can't get over the amazing illustrations, and how as you lift most of the flaps they make the illustration come to life...like a lion's mouth opening as if it is roaring, or a butterfly's wings fluttering as if in flight. Truly mesmerizing, and a great book to share little ones. Petr Horácek makes teaching opposites to young learners fun, and gets them involved in learning by keeping them engaged with the interactive pop ups on each page.
If you, or your child are fans of pop up works, or just vibrant, fun children's books, then you will want to check out Petr Horácek's "Animal Opposites" or "One Spotted Giraffe." Once you open the first flap of one of these books, you will not only smile, but be thanking yourself for buying this book to share with your child.
Synopsis:
| "Very young
children can identify animals, count them, and discover numerals in this
stand-out selection. Spreads filled with realistic depictions of
colorful creatures -- everything from pandas to lemurs -- entice readers
to count the animals, then flip the flap to reveal a corresponding
pop-up numeral. And then the surprise: the numeral looks just like the
animal -- fur, spots, stripes, and all! Toddlers and preschoolers will
delight in this bold, innovative concept book, a fantastic tool for
making numbers noticeable for little learners.
Count from one spotted giraffe to ten darting fish in this perky pop-up book from renowned illustrator Petr Horácek."
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $15.99 / $19.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763661570 / 9780763661571 |
| on sale date: 09/2012 |
type/format: Novelty / Novelty |
| age range: 2 yrs and up |
# of pages/size: 20 / 9 1/16" x 9 13/16" |
Synopsis:
| "Your neighbor
says red is angry like a dragon’s breath, but you think it’s brave like a
fire truck. Or maybe your best friend likes pink because it’s pretty
like a ballerina’s tutu, but you find it annoying -- like a piece of gum
stuck on your shoe. In a subtle, child-friendly narrative, art teacher
and debut author Jessica Young suggests that colors may evoke as many
emotions as there are people to look at them -- and opens up infinite
possibilities for seeing the world in a wonderful new way.
What
is your blue like? A lyrical ode to colors -- and the unique ways we
experience them -- follows a little girl as she explores the world with
her family and friends."
| ||
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $15.99 / $18.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763651257 / 9780763651251 |
|
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Picture book / Hard Cover |
|
| age range: 4 yrs - 7 yrs |
# of pages/size: 32 / 9 13/16" x 9 1/16" | |
My Thoughts:
This is Savannah's favorite book, as it her favorite color at the moment is blue. :-) In addition to having her favorite color on the cover of this book, she along with Bella love having me read this ode to colors, and seeing the beautiful illustrations that fill each page with colors like blue, red, yellow, grey, brown, etc. This book does a great job in showing young children how people see things differently, including colors.
Synopsis:
| "Once its icy
sweetness is gone, a discarded ice-pop stick is lonely until young Rosie
comes by and lays it in a cigar box with others like it. But this stick
wants to be something! Meanwhile, just before bed, Rosie sees her
parents worrying over their bills. That night, wishes intertwine when
Rosie dreams of a horse named Stickerino galloping out of the cigar box.
"Where to?" he asks. "Anywhere with treasure!" says Rosie. A girl and a
horse galloping over cities, jungles, and an ice pop mountain leads up
to a clever heist of a gold-filled pirate chest -- and a happy ending at
home -- in this wildly imaginative adventure.
If
an ice-pop stick can dream of being a horse, what magic might follow? A
fanciful tale by Russell Hoban, mischievously illustrated by Quentin
Blake."
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $15.99 / $19.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763664006 / 9780763664008 |
| on sale date: 02/2013 |
type/format: Picture book / Hard Cover |
| age range: 4 yrs - 8 yrs |
# of pages/size: 32 / 8 1/4" x 11" |
My Thoughts:
You may find your child not wanting to throw out their wooden Popsicle sticks after reading this cute story to them. I know, as Bella was the one who started hoarding her sticks, in hopes of turning them into a magical horse like Rosie did. I couldn't blame her, as this story takes children on an imaginative adventure and makes them believe that anything is possible, including finding treasure. This is one book worth picking up and sharing with your little one. It has become a staple during our bedtime reading, and one Savannah can't wait to bring to show and tell soon. :-)
Synopsis:
| "An
interactive, engaging and exciting exploration of math, from the
invention of zero to the geometry of a donut! Clear, humorous text,
bright illustrations, and interactive novelties help explain such topics
as numbers, geometry, probability, transformations, and statistics. The
focus is on making math accessible and exciting, so each topic has an
investigation for young numbersmiths to try at home.
Incredible ideas + interactive flaps and tabs = math made easy!"
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $18.99 / $21.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 0763668818 / 9780763668815 |
| on sale date: 08/2013 |
type/format: Novelty / Hard Cover |
| age range: 7 yrs and up |
# of pages/size: 16 / 10 13/16" x 10" |
My Thoughts:
While a little advanced for my girls, this interactive flaps and tabs book will definitely come in handy when they start learning math in school. Does your little struggle with math, or not find it enjoyable as it is hard? Why not pick up with fun boo, which does the impossible...makes math fun!
Synopsis:
| "It starts out
as a regular trip to the store with Mom, but then Lily does a dreadful
thing: she flings her beloved stuffed toy, Bobbo, high in the air, only
to have him land on top of a school bus just as it’s pulling away! Lily
is inconsolable. What if she never sees Bobbo again? Little does she
know (though the reader can see) that Bobbo is having an exciting
adventure at school -- and will be well cared for until he finds his way
back to Lily. In her deft portrayal of a preschooler’s worries, Shirley
Hughes offers a comforting peek into an appealing world to come.
Lily
fears she has lost her favorite stuffed toy forever in Shirley Hughes’s
wonderfully reassuring follow-up to Don’t Want to Go!"
| |
| suggested retail price (U.S./CAN): $16.99 / $0.00 |
isbn-10/isbn-13: 076366524X / 9780763665241 |
| on sale date: 03/2013 |
type/format: Picture book / Hard Cover |
| age range: 0 mos - 20 yrs |
# of pages/size: 32 / N/A |
Disclosure: I was sent samples from the publisher in order to write up an honest review. The views shared are mine and mine alone.
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