Just so you know...

We're still here and we're still reading, but for the past few night's we've been reading a lengthy book. It's a classic and it's full of beautiful pictures. I think it'll be another couple nights before we're finished. Stay tuned...

54. The Little House

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A big city grows around a little house.
From our library.

Mom's Review: We got this book today via amazon (along with school books for me, but that's beside the point). I ordered this book because my husband said it was his favorite book when he was little. If you know my husband, you know that this is not surprising,and in fact, is a bit insightful of his interests. The book has a lot of words, but they're all important. No superfluous words or nonsense. The book is really cute in that it anthropomorphizes a house in the country that is eventually overcome with the city. It's an cool evolution. Don't worry, it has a happy ending for the house.

Daughter's Review: It was a pretty book.

53. So, What's it Like to Be a Cat?

So, What's it Like to Be a Cat? by Karla Kuskin illustrated by Betsy Lewin
From our own library.

A boy interviews a cat.

Mom's Review: I really like the set up of this book. It's just plain cute. A little boy with a notepad interviews a cat. The cat is very honest and quirky, plus the books rhymes which is always a bonus for me because it makes it fun to read.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had a cat in it.

52. If You Take a Moues to the Movies

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff Illustrated by Felicia Bond
This is from our library.

Christmas-themed "If you give..." book.

Mom's Review: Another fun book by Laura Numeroff. What a smart idea. One of those "Duh! Why didn't I think of this?!" for kids' books. Oh well, I didn't think of it,but I'm glad some one did. Here's our review of another Laura Numeroff book.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because the mouse went to the movies.

51. The Runaway Bunny

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown Pictures by Clement Brown
Classic story of a little bunny who wants to run away, but his mom promise to follow him wherever he goes.

Mom's Review: How can any parent not love this book? I just learned that since it's original publication in 1942, it has never been out of print. I don't think further explanation is needed. Read this book to your kiddo(s).

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had bunnies in it. (shocking!)

50. The Man Who Cooked for Himself

The Man Who Cooked for Himself by Phyllis Krasilovsky pictures by Mamoru Funai
A book from our library

A man almost goes hungry until he realizes he can rely on the land.

Mom's Review: Yet another childhood book. I've always liked this book because I loved how the man realized that food comes from the land. I liked watching him concoct meals with his findings. I guess I have always enjoyed reading about food!

Daughter's Review: I liked it because there is food in it.

49. Bread and Honey

Bread and Honey by Frank Asch
from our own library

Ben the bear paints a picture of his mom and is influenced by friends he meets on the way home.

Mom's Review: Another childhood book. This book was always just "ok" to me. Even as a kid, I thought, "why is Ben changing his picture? Now it doesn't look like his mom!" Not a favorite, but still, it's cute.

Daughter's Review: I like it because there is painting in it and I like to paint.

48. The Little Bit Scary People

The Little Bit Scary People written by Emily Jenkins illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
(borrowed from the library)
A story about all the different people who are kind of scary, but really, they're just like everybody else.

Mom's Review: A really clever book idea. I skimmed it before we read just to ensure that is was OK before bedtime reading material. It is! I like how it showed so many people who can be scary to little kids,and then showed them doing something fun. Also, I thought it was a smart move to make two of those "scary" people relatives of the narrator.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it was a little scary.

47. Pickle Things.

Pickle Things by Marc Brown

A whole lot of pickle rhymes about things that are not made out of pickles and things that you can and can do with pickles.

Mom's Review: This was my absolute favorite book when I was little. I would "read" this book over and over. Taking cues from the illustrations, and the bits I memorized from my dad reading it, I felt very proud when I "read" it. Tonight after we read it, Abby did the exact same thing that I did. It was surreal.

Daughter's Review: I like it because (can you guess?) it has pickles in it.
(As an aside, she's reading it again now.)

46. I Love It When You Smile

I Love It When You Smile by Sam McBratney Illustrate by Charles Fuge
A baby kangaroo is having a bad day.

Mom's Review: This is a really cute story about a little guy who is just having a bad day and no matter his mom does, and she does a lot, he just won't smile. Eventually his mom gets all muddy,and that makes the little bugger smile! Typical. And therefore, very charming.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it has kangaroos in it.

45. Jack's Garden

Jack's Garden by Henry Cole
Informational book about garden life.

Mom's Review: The illustrations are worth giving this book a look. There really isn't a story, per se, just tidbits about the phase of a garden. We enjoyed looking at the pictures and discussing the variety of flowers and bugs. The words were almost a second thought.

Daughter's Review: I like it because it has butterflies in it.

44. Art

Art by Patrick McDonnell

A little boy named named Art creates art.

Mom's Review: I love this book mainly because it encourages creativity. I love the idea of being a part of a painting and this little guy Art is actually in his work, so that's coolness right there. What is also enjoyable, but was probably lost on Abby, was the double entendre of the boy's name: THERE'S NO STOPPING ART... WHEN ART IS INSPIRED I love that line. As an aside, Patrick McDonnell is also the creator of Mutts.

Daughter's Review: I like this one because it had art in it.

43. Fairytale News

Fairytale News by Colin and Jacqui Hawkins

Jack (from Jack and the beanstalk fame) delivers newspaper to miscellaneous fairytale characters.

Mom's Review: Bluntly speaking, this book sucks. It's the retelling of fairy tales with a Jack as the newspaper boy tying all the stories together. It was way too long. And way too boring. I really did not like this book one bit.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because Little Red Riding Hood is in it.

42. Caramba

Caramba Written and Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Caramba the cat learns that being different is OK.

Mom's Review: I really embrace the moral of this story: It's OK to be different. Everyone is unique and can find their way in the world with their own talents. LOVE IT! However... Caramba the cat was different from other cats because he couldn't fly. Did I miss something? In this book, cats can fly. To me that's weird and I'm having difficulty accepting it. I don't know why, it just doesn't makes sense and it annoys me that I'm just supposed to accept that all cats can fly. I don't know why this is an issue especially since cats don't talk or wear suspenders either. Perhaps I need to expand my imagination a bit.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had a cat and a pig in it.

41.Captain's Purr

Captain's Purr by Madeleine Floyd
The story of Captain and his adventures.

Mom's Review: At first I thought the story was sort of boring. Very matter of fact story about what a cat does during the day. But at night, when he goes out (for the record, I disagree with letting cats out at night)he rows in his boat to meet his sweetheart. Cute! The illustrations are worth buying/borrowing this book. I actually think I want to put this on my "to buy" list because the watercolors(?) are just that beautiful. It's obvious that Ms. Floyd knows her cat because the depictions are perfection: from cleaning his ears, to sleeping on books, to washing his back. All of the positions are dead on. Definitely a book for cat lovers. I would buy a print of the first page of this book and hang it in my living room.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because he was handsome.

40. Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth

Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth story by Alison McGhee pictures by Harry Bliss
A second grader spreads scary teeth-stealing stories about a first grade teacher.

Mom's Review: I enjoy the partnership of Alison McGhee & Harry Bliss. Cute, clever, and sharp illustrations that the adults reading the story can enjoy. The stories are mature, but told in a fun way so that kids are interested.

Daughter's Review: I liked the story, but I liked the candy box part the best.

39. On the Day You Were Born

On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier

A story about everything that happens on the day you are born.

Mom's Review: Today was a day that being a mom was flat out damn hard. Without getting into specifics, I needed to read this book to remind myself about how miraculous life is. And to remind myself that she was once a helpless little (OK, not-so-little)person who looked up with large eyes and cooed and smiled. And screamed and squealed, and I didn't understand any of it... Wait. Nevermind. OK, this book romanticizes the joys of new life, but sometimes you need that especially when your daughter could beat the pants off of Meryl Streep in "Best Lead Actress in a Drama." Today was a day that had me gnawing at a cork because it was stuck in the bottle of wine. The illustrations are reminiscent of Matisse, which is cool and I like the story, albeit a bit "granola crunchy," still charming. And the last page always makes me want to cry:

"Welcome to the spinning world," the people sang,
as they washed your new, tiny hands.

"Welcome to the green Earth," the people sang,
as they wrapped your wet, slippery body.

And as they held you close
they whispered into your open, curving ear,
"We are so glad you've come!"

Daughter's Review: I'll tell you why I like this book. I like this book because it went around the world.

38. Prince Bertram the Bad

Prince Bertram the Bad story & pictures by Arnold Lobel

A nasty prince gets his due.

Mom's Review: Karma is a bitch, isn't it Bertram? Seriously, this book is awesome. I love the illustrations. I am finding myself drawn to simple, cross-hatched sketches lately, this book has them. I like the story because it's about a nasty little dude getting put in his place by a witch. Of course, in the end, the witch is frozen (karma?) but the now dragon Bertram saves her. And then turns into a happy little boy. It's honest and simple. And I wonder what's wrong with me because I'm thinking, why would the boy-dragon help save the woman who made him the dragon? And, once the boy-dragon is converted back into a human, why doesn't he take revenge upon the witch? And then I think, "Duh, woman, it's a kid's book. Stop over thinking." Cute, fun book. Good moral: Just be nice.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because I like books.

(I think I have to use my friend Heather's idea and record these little interviews with Abby. It is so much more complicated then it needs to be. *sigh*)

37. Mad About Plaid

Mad About Plaid by Jill McElmurry
A little girl gets afflicted with a plaid disease.

Mom's Review: Not too impressed. The verse was OK. It felt like this story had the potential to be so much more than it was. It was kind of silly and quirky and then just sort of fell flat. We'll probably read it again, but it's not a favorite.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had plaid in it.

36. Silly Suzy Goose

Silly Suzy Goose by Petr Horacek
Suzy Goose wants to be different.

Mom's Review: I'm gonna be blunt. I hate this book. At first you think, "Oh cool, this will be about individuality..." until the line, "Perhaps it is better to be just like everyone else, thought Suzy Goose...but not always." Ew. I know, there's that little disclaimer: "...but not always." But seriously?! I desperately try to instill in Abby to be herself (she often wears two different shoes), to feel confident in her special abilities, and to not feel awkward when others point out her unique qualities. It is better to be different, so suck it Suzy Goose.


Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had goose in it. (sense a theme with Abby's responses?!)

34. Guess How Much I Love You

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney Illustrated by Anita Jeram
Classic story of a parent's infinite love.

Mom's Review: Another one of the first books that I bought for Abby. It is so beautifully written, and now that Abby is 4 1/2, it seems even more relevant than ever because she consistently tries to quantify her love for me, which is quite charming, really. She stretches her arms until they meet behind her to demonstrate. She often tells me that she loves me more than anyone. Of course I reply with the same words. Two nights ago she asked me if I love her or Daddy more. I explained that I love them both, just in different ways. She looked at me, defeated, and said, "That is the meanest thing you have ever said to me!" I have told her many times, that when she wins her award, I better have a front row seat.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had rabbits.

33. A Very Brave Witch

A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee and Harry Bliss
In this story, witches are afraid of humans, except for one brave witch.

Mom's Review: Firstly, I have to say, that yes, I know it's not Halloween, but that doesn't really matter in my household. If Halloween season could be all year, well, that would be just about perfect. Anyhow, this book has been read and reread so many times, I can't even count. Before tonight's reading, my husband reminded us that before Abby could even really talk, she'd interject and say, "Poof!" when it was time. Wasn't that just yesterday? *sigh* The story itself is brief, but the illustrations are fun. Lots of details for the adults reading the story. For example, in the costume cellar, there is costume of Lucy Van Pelt and even the witch mask that she wore in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" And, in one glimpse of a cemetery, there is a tombstone with Joey Ramone's name on it. Cute, fun, seasonal read. Highly recommend.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had witches in it.

32. Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes A kitten thinks the moon is a bowl of milk in the sky.

Mom's Review: This was one of the first books that I purchased for Abby. I remember exactly when I bought it. New Years Eve, 2005. She was not yet a month old. So, I have sort of emotional ties to the book, but it is a really cute story about a silly, confused kitten. I've always like it because it demonstrates the vision of little one. How things that adults see all the time, things adults take for granted can be interpreted and seen in a new way.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because the kitten got splashed. It made me feel worried because the kitten kept getting in big trouble.

31. The Housekeeper's Dog

The Housekeeper's Dog by Jerry Smath
The housekeeper's dog is sent to a boarding school where he turns into an elitist.

Mom's Review: Another book book from my childhood. When I selected it, Abby said, "Can we quit it with the old books?" Of course, she listens intently to each word, so I don't know what her deal is. Anyhow,this book is a fun little tale. The illustrations are colorful and fun to look at.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because the dog was funny.

30. Good Morning, Good Night

Good Morning, Good Night Illustrated by Melanie Mitchell Designed by Laurie Young
A good night book written in verse.

Mom's Review: We've had this book for awhile. I've always liked the rhymes and the fold out pages. No plot really, just a book about what animals do during the day to make them so sleepy at night.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it has animals in it.

29. Once Upon a Potty

Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel
Prudence is getting potty trained.

Mom's Review: I don't know why this book was dusted off and read tonight, but Abby wanted to read it. I think that she likes that it's about bodily functions. The book is cute, minus the made up word for vagina. Every time I read it to her, I said vagina instead of "pee pee" and used pee pee instead of "wee wee." And yes, I know that urine doesn't come out a vagina, but really, am I gonna say urethra?

Daughter's Review: I liked when she pooped on the potty. It was funny.

28. Socks for Supper

Socks for Supper by Jack Kent
A poor couple trade socks for milk and cheese.

Mom's Review: Yes. Another book from my childhood. This is a comfort book for me. It represents warmth and safety. It is a sweet book. I always enjoyed the old man and his wife's relationship. They seem very kind and loving. I highly recommend this book. Try and find it if you can. It's kinda pricey on Amazon! Also, my sister showed me this video on youtube. It's a lego stop-motion video of Socks for Supper. Take the three or so minutes and watch it.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because they had a lot of cheese.

27. Miss Mopp's Lucky Day

Miss Mopp's Lucky Day by Leslie McGuire Pictures by Jody Silver
Miss Mopp is a baker who is heading to town with her goods, but realizes she forgot something. Just at the moment when a bunch of animals were going to grab her cakes, she remembered what she forgot and headed back home.

Mom's Review: Another book from when I was a kid. I loved this book for mainly one reason: I love Miss Mopp's kitchen filled with cakes and cupcakes. And the book lining? LOVE IT. Lots of cupcakes with pink frosting and a cherry on top. I know that has nothing to do with the book, but it's difficult for me to separate my adult self from my kid self with these books from my youth. The story is still cute, bit for me, this book is about the illustrations of the cakes.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because all the animals came for cake.

26. But No Elephants

But No Elephants by Jerry Smath

Grandma Tildy is ready and willing to buy animals from the pet man, but she doesn't want a freakin' elephant, already!

Mom's Review: This is one of my childhood books. It's kind of silly that there's a street-wandering pet salesman, but you just have to brush that aside and accept it. (She tells herself.) Grandma buys up his animals and they are helpful. Eventually, she ends up with the elephant and regrets it almost immediately because he breaks her house and eats up all of her stored food. The elephant feels badly so he walks his newly adopted family to somewhere warm. And of course, they all live happily ever after. I don't really know or even care what the moral is, to me, it's a good book because it's one of my childhood favorites and that's all I have to say about that.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because of all the pets in it.

25. We Are best Friends

We are Best Friends by Aliki
Two best friends are separated by a move. They eventually make new friendships while still keeping in touch with each other.

Mom's Review: It's kind of odd that we chose to read this book tonight since just this afternoon Abby was worrying about keeping in touch with her friends when we move (at least 2 years down the road!)It's a very practical, easily understood story. In this age of Facebook and email, the idea of writing letters to each other is quite unlikely, but the concept is the same. Keep in touch with each other and you can maintain your friendship. As an aside, I often wonder how Abby's world will be different from the one I grew up in. Odds are she won't really disconnect from friends since Facebook is alive and well. I'm sure at some point, Facebook will have evolved into something else, but I wonder what the dynamics will be like.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had pretty pictures.

24. Only One Neighborhood

Only One Neighborhood by Marc Harshman & Barbara Garrison Illustrated by Barbara Garrison
Plotless book about one vs. many

Mom's Review: Not really a story book at all. More of a concept book. Abby is way to old for this book, I'm fairly certain that the combination of the illustrations and the fact that she was exhausted kept her still for the reading of this book.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because it had a lot of pretty pictures in it.

23. The End.

The End by David LaRochelle & Richard Egielski

This story starts with the ending first.

Mom's Review: I thought this was a cool "cause & effect" type of story cleverly told backwards. After we read it, I thought I'd be all snazzy and try to read it from back to front. Didn't work too well. It probably could have worked, but I was tired and didn't have the brain power to make it flow properly. It would be a cool idea if there was a book that could be read from the front and back, but who has the patience to do that? Certainly not me!

Daughter's Review: I like it because I like giants.

24. King Puck

King Puck by Michael Garland Fairies use their magic to enable a lonely farmer's goat to speak; he subsequently wins the honor of "King Puck."

Mom's Review: Whimsical story based on an Irish festival about naming a goat the "only King of Ireland." There really wasn't much to this story. I felt like I wanted more details, or more whimsy, or something. It felt kind of rushed.

Daughter's Review: This was cute because he got to be crowned king.

23. Starring Lucille

Starring Lucille by Kathryn Lasky Illustrated by Marylin Hafner
Lucille get a tutu from her grandmom for her birthday and celebrates with a performance for her family.


Mom's Review: Nothing spectacular. Easy little, predictable read. We're pretty much into ballet things here lately (in case you didn't notice) so we scoop up a lot of ballet books while we're at the library.


Daughter's Review: I liked it because it was her birthday and she looked pretty cute.

22. Crickwing.

Crickwing by Janell Cannon
A cockroach with a wonky wing is tired of being picked on, then he picks on some ants. Then then ants capture him. Then the ants let him go. Then he helps the ants and joins their colony.

Mom's Review: I have to be honest. I really didn't like this book at all. I wanted to. I really enjoy Cannon's "Stellaluna." But this one? Ugh. It was just boring. And overly wordy. I know Abby didn't care for it either, because she was not paying attention at all. I'm really disappointed in this one.

Daughter's Review: I didn't like it. I thought it was boring. I think Daddy thought it was boring too. I think everybody thought it was boring.

21. Ballerino Nate.

Ballerino Nate by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley picture by R.W. AlleyAfter seeing a ballet at school, Nate decides he wants to be a ballerina. He feels shy because he is a minority in the ballet-field, his teasing brother is no help. He eventually means a male dancer (who is striving to become a ballerino) and realize that mean can be dancers too.

Mom's Review: I really enjoyed how this young boy really wanted to be a ballerina despite taunting from his older brother who "knows everything." I also actually learned that a male ballet dancer is called a ballerino. Didn't know that. Now I do.

Daughter's Review: It was pretty weird because I never saw a boy dance.
(Mother's Note: a bit sad that she's already aware of these annoying stereotypes.)

20. Iggy Peck, Architect

Iggy Peck, Architext by Andrea Beaty Illustrated by David Roberts

From a very young age, Iggy Peck likes to build things.

Mom's Review: Very enjoyable, lyrical verse. Cute story about a smart boy!

Daughter's Review: (our conversation):
Me: What did you think of this one?
Her: I liked it!
Me: Why?
Her: OH MY GOD! I JUST LIKED IT, OK?!!?!?
Me: *sigh*

19. Charlie & Lola: Say Cheese!

Charlie and Lola: Say Cheese! by Lauren Child Lola tries to stay neat & tidy for her first ever school photo.

Mom's Review: Not too impressed with this Charlie & Lola book. I don't know why, but I find it annoying when every sentence ends or begins with "Charlie says" or "Lola says" or "Lotta says." It's the written equivalent to "Mom, can I..." "Mom, do you..." "Mom, you said..." "Mom, please..." "Mom, don't..." etc. It's annoying to read and more annoying to read aloud. On the plus side, I love the drawn collage-y illustrations.

Daughter's Review: I liked it. I don't know why.

17. Stone Soup

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
Three clever (conniving?) soldiers manage to make an entire village contribute their prized (and hidden) crops to create Stone Soup.

Mom's Review: This can be looked at a couple of ways, I'm going to go with the not-so-cynical view (surprising, I know.) Three hungry soldiers manipulate the greedy villages into feeding them. I'm going with the less cynical view because the soldiers shared the soup they had the villagers create with them. I think the meaning of this book was lost on Abby.

Daughter's Review:* I liked it. I never had stone soup.

*I would like to point out that the daughter is much more interested in the books than she leads on by her reviews. I ask her open-ended questions in the hope of more information, but she knows that I want more details and purposely withholds. Thus is the nature of the mother-daughter relationship.

16. Kipper and Roly

Kipper and Roly by Mick Inkpen

Kipper the dog buys his friend Pig a hamster for his birthday, but quickly falls in love with the little furball.

Mom's Review: I love the TV show Kipper. I do. I'm a bit saddened that my daughter would prefer the mind-numbing antics of teenagers (a la Hannah Montana & iCarly)to the simple, nothing but lovable Kipper and his friends. There is no teen angst on Kipper, only the occasional word from Arnold. There is not brushed forward, floppy hair on teenage boys on Kipper, just Kipper and his friends celebrating the ordinary. *sigh* Alas, Kipper has taken up residence in our imagination again through books. Genius! The book reads almost verbatim as the episode, so that has caught the child's attention. While reading it, I feel remiss that I do not have the clever British accent that Kipper does. I wish I had the quirky background music, but I don't. Instead, I will read Kipper over and over with the soundtrack playing in my head.

Daughter's Review:I liked it.

15. Nobody Notices Minerva

Nobody Notices Minerva by Wednesday Kirwan A little dog girl does a whole bunch of bad stuff to get noticed and then decides being good is a better way to get noticed.

Mom's Review: Cute story about a little girl desperately trying to get the attention of her parents. Middle child syndrome, it seems like. She does have an older brother and a younger sister. Cute illustrations and for some reason, I really like the name "Minerva."

Daughter's Review: It was pretty neat. I liked when she drawed on the door.

14. The Secret

The Secret by Lindsay Barrett George Sort of like whisper down the lane in the animal kingdom.

Mom's Review: I did not love this book. I didn't even really like it. It wasn't bad, it was just kind of anti-climatic. No real story. A snail tells a mouse a secret, the mouse tells a beetle... The illustrations are cute, but that's about it. I think Abby's too old for it.

Daughter's Review:It was nice. It was short.

13. Homegrown House

Homegrown House by Janet S. Wong illustrated by E.B. Lewis The poetic tale of a girl who moves a lot and spends time with her Grandmom. And that summary does no justice to the story.

Mom's Review: I absolutely LOVE this book. Love it! The imagery of the words is profound. This is a long excerpt, but so worth reading...
The very best house I've ever been in is Grandmom's house.
A dozen different colors on the walls,
the kitchen a warm butter yellow
to make you hungry.
The bedrooms mossy green
so you can pretend you're hibernating.
Closets spilling -
surprises!
A garage with lavender
hanging upside down
letting loose its smell
every time you slam the door.
Nails and nuts and bolts and screws
for robots.
Giant brown moths hiding
in cardboard boxes everywhere,
each one full of a different holiday.
Seriously? Seriously. Amazing.
And the water color illustrations? Lovely. Absolutely beautiful.
This is a book we borrowed from the library, but I really want to buy it.
~
Abby is too young to appreciate all the intricate words and details, but she did like it when the Grandmom mentioned that the idea of living near a stream would make her have to pee all the time.

Daughter's Review: I liked when the Grandmom said water makes her pee. I liked the pictures.

12. Lilly's Big Day

Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes

Lilly desperately wants to be the flower girl in her teacher's wedding.

Mom's Review: A little mouse girl so desperately wants to be in her teacher's wedding. She practices all the time, even after she realizes that she will *not* be in the wedding. Eventually her teacher gives in and lets her be the flower girl's assistant. Of course the real flower girl has cold feet and Lilly saves the day! Not really sure how I feel about this book. What's the moral? Be a pain in the ass and your teacher will give you a pity position? I don't know, perhaps I'm reading too deeply into this. (Shocking, right?!) After all, it is a child's book. Superficially, it's a cute tale about a little girl who wants to be on display and showoff for her friends and family. I guess we can all relate to that. My favorite part: the wine drinking hippy mouse dad with the clog shoes and yin-yang t-shirt.

Daughter's Review: I like every part of it.

11. Ballet Kitty

Ballet Kitty by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams
A cat who loves pink and ballet can't find her ballet shoes.

Mom's Review: This book is OK. It's very pink (a minus in my mind). The story is just OK. Pepto kitty can't find her ballet shoes, she whines a bit, but then forgets all about them when her friend comes over and they start to have fun. At the end of the book she finds them "Just where she had left them the night before!" I just don't feel like there's much to this story. BUT... it's been read many, many times. Overall: "Eh."

Daughter's Review: I like when she was a ballerina.

10. Septimus Bean & His Amazing Machine

Septimus Bean and his Amazing Machine by Janet Quin-Harkin pictures by Art Cumings
In a time long ago, Septimus Bean invents a machine, but he's not sure what it does. He brings it to the King and Queen, and with the help of the young princesses, they realize exactly what he invented.

Mom's Review: Another book from my childhood. When I was a kid I didn't really like this book because it was too wordy. As an adult, I do enjoy reading the verse, it's clever without being forced; but it is still a bit wordy. Several pages could be edited out without being missed, I'm sure. It was fun to see the different things that Septimus' machine could be: a washing machine, a flying machine, or a floor cleaner. In the end, it was neither of those things. When the "flying machine" crashed, all the parts came apart and spread all over "the green." The princesses soon began to play on the parts and the king realized that Septimus invented the first playground. That's kind of cool.
"Come back, oh come back," called the King and the Queen.
"You've invented a playground, Septimus Bean.
And what could be nicer to visit every day
than a place you've invented for children to play!"
PS. Septimus Bean looks like a super lanky Conan O'Brien

Daughter's Review: I like when they made the playground.

9. Rabbit's New Rug

Rabbit's New Rug by Judy Delton & Marc Brown
An OCD rabbit gets a new rug (duh) and invites his friends over to see it, but then doesn't want anyone to step on it.

Mom's Review:
I'm completely biased because this was one of my favorite books when I was little, mainly due to the pictures. I love the inside covers. They are illustrations of Rabbit's rug; I always thought that was so neat. I love(d) the bold colors and thick outlining of the illustrations. I also loved the party at the end of the book. I used to (kinda still do) want to go to the party at the end. Rabbit's tree house looks so comfy, cozy, and welcoming: from the insane pink sofa (OMG! I just had a revelation... I think I know why I love his sofa... when I was little my parents used to have a pink velvet sofa & love seat set!) I seriously just realized the connection. Anyhow, I loved the pink cake he had, and the bowl of candy. I don't know why, everything about it seems fun. The story itself, is OK, but I do love the snarky comments by Fox. If I was a character in the book, I'm pretty sure I'd be a Fox.

Daughter's Review: I liked when he got his new rug.

8. The Old House

The Old House by Pamela Duncan Edwards
A neurotic old, abandoned house whines because no one wants him. Eventually a family falls in love with his charm, buy him, and fix him up.

Mom's Review:
I'm not sure why I really like this book, but I do. The house is whiny and complaining, even his friends notice it. But, I think I just like the idea of an old house that wants to be fixed up and loved.


Daughter's Review: I like when they painted the house.

7. The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum

The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer & Nicolette Ceccoli

I don't really feel like a summary is necessary because, like a movie on Lifetime, the title explains the story. Unlike a movie on Lifetime, this book is sharp and smart.

Mom's Review: I don't even have the words to explain how much I enjoy this book. The words are poetic and free-flowing. My favorite lines are the last few: Now in her room and in her dreams, inside the castle inside the museum, inside this book you hold in your hands, you keep her company in a magical world. Do you see her? She sees you. *sigh*
The illustrations are stunning. Flat out, hands down, beautiful. And, ya know, I really hate to describe something as "beautiful" because it's such an overused word that all true meaning is lost. The art work reminds me of Art & Ghost's work. I adore her work. Adore it. I have two pieces of it and each time I look at it, it transports me somewhere magical. But, back to the book's illustrations: after you read the book, just look through its pages. You will see something you didn't see before. I promise you. Also, here is the illustrator's website if you'd like to peruse her imaginative work.

Before I continue on with Abby's review, I'd like to say, she is a minimalist. Her responses remind me of something Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords would say. Something similar to, "Your beard is good." but at a more relevant, four-and-a-half year old level.
Daughter's Review: "It was good."

6. Walter the Farting Dog

Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle & Glenn Murray
A dog with a flatulence problem saves his family with his toxic fumes.

Mom's Review: Kids love dogs. Kids love farts. Dogs fart. Kids love farting dogs. This book was better than I thought it would be. We've had it for years and have read it many times. I'm still undecided about the art work. It is cleverly done, but there is something off-putting about the looks of the characters.

Daughter's Review: I think it's crazy.

5. Olivia

Olivia by Ian Falconer
Olivia the pig experiences life and deals with her little brother.

Mom's Review: I have to be honest. I probably wouldn't be interested in the book if it wasn't for the show. I really love the character of Olivia. Over dramatic (in a cute, bearable way) and entertaining. I did like the simple black and white drawings with the bright splashes of read here and there. I also really like Olivia's visit to the museum when she was looking at a Degas painting and the author asked what we thought Olivia was thinking about. Clever. I also enjoyed how Olivia explained that she could do a Pollock painting in 5 minutes and then proceeded to paint a Pollock-esque mural in her home. There were a few lines that I really liked: "This is Olivia. She is good at a lot of things."

Daughter's Review: I like Olivia because I liked the pictures. I like when she tries on all of her clothes.