Frederick

Frederick by Leo Lionni

Frederick the mouse preps for winter in an unusual way.

Mom's Review: Don't let the apparent simplicity of this book trick you; it is a complex tale! I love this book because of what it advocates: creativity. Frederick is an introspective little artist who helps his utilitarian friends embrace their imaginations. I don't think Abby has fully grasped the dimensions of this book, but I can tell she knows there's a message in there.

Daughter's Review: I like it because I LOVE mouses.

Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault Illustrated by Fred Marcellino


The tale of the smart cat who wore a pair of boots.

Mom's Review: OK, I'll admit it, I became curious about the origins of Puss from the Shrek movies. Sue me. Sure, I've heard of Puss, but not until Shrek was I curious of his past. I really like this book because (in my best Abby impression): I like cats and I like pretty pictures. Puss is one clever cat. Yeah, he's manipulative and sneaky, but whatever. He's a talking cat. In boots. Would I recommend it for your kiddos? Difficult to say. Read it yourself first. It's definitely written at a level more advanced than what a five-year-old can comprehend. Also, Puss kills a bunny (Abby thought that was awesome... should I be concerned?!), there are some nasty threats(Puss threatens to turn some working people into sausage meat if they don't comply with his wishes). Overall, I like this book, the illustrations are absolutely stunning. If you don't want to read it to your child, at least show him/her the pictures and make up your own words. They're that appealing.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because I like pusses. That's it.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon

The tale of a chain reaction of a mosquito's buzzing.

Mom's Review: Not one of my favorite books. It's one of those chain reaction things that you hope will have a really cool conclusion. Except it doesn't. And an owlet is killed by a falling monkey. (Skipped that sentence while reading, but the child still picked up on it.)Avoid this book. In my opinion, you don't want a children's book to have dead baby animals in it. Despite the Caldecott Medal, the artwork didn't do much for me.

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

Song and Dance Man

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman illustrated by Stephen Gammell

A Grandpa who used to be a vaudeville performer entertains his grandchildren before dinner.

Mom's Review:
Seriously, I love this book. I think parts of it were lost on Abby; we need to discuss some concepts such as "the good old days" and what exactly vaudeville is. For me, however, I loved it for a few reasons: 1. I love the idea of climbing up into an attic to finding treasures. We had an attic in our old house. We didn't have any treasure. One of my goals in life: have a fun attic for grandchildren (no pressure, Abby!) to explore. Also, it must contain at least one of the following items: a sewing dummy, a large hope chest, a map that leads to pirate's gold; however, the gold must end up saving the town from demolition. (Goonies never say die!) 2. Vaudeville is completely enchanting to me. 3. Seriously? This is a Grandpa who can still shake his money-maker? Awesome!
I think this book is more for adults who have a fondness for the past. (Um, hello! That's me!)That being said, kids can still enjoy it. What kid wouldn't want to see a grandparent sing and dance?
This book won the Caldecott Medal, so the pictures are pretty captivating as well.


Daughter's Review: I liked it because I like dancing. That's it.

Christmas Recap

So, it's been over a month. Books have been read, I've just been lazy. I kind of suck that way. Here are the books that we read over and over (and over and over) this holiday season.

The Polar Express written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg

I bought this book for Abby when she was a year old. We've only read it now mainly because I saw some of the movie in my pre-mom days (oh so long ago, it seems!) and was completely unimpressed. Yeah, I'm going on record with that. I don't care what you say, the movie bored me. I found the characters creepy and reminiscent of those duracell battery people. Anyhow, I should have known better. The book is always better than the movie, even in the case of children's books.

Mom's Review: The illustrations are beautiful. I've always been drawn to extreme light and dark contrasts. This is why I love Edward Hopper's work. The story is cute and heartwarming and inspired us to take our own little trip on the the not-to-be-copyright-infringed "North Pole Express" in New Hope, PA. It was fun, just wish we had cool scenery to look at instead of, as my husband put it, "dead trees in rich people's back yards."

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

~
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown Illustrated by Elfrieda De Witt


A lonely mouse become Santa's special helper.

Mom's Review: I had this book when I was little. I still have the copy, but since it's battered and tattered, and stained, I bought Abby her own copy; I think around the same time that I bought The Polar Express. I love this book. This is a completely biased opinion. That's just the way it is. I love the rhymes and I love Santa Mouse. I always felt sad that he was so lonely and had to make up his own friends. Happily, Santa never forgot about him and took him under his wing. Santa is cool that way.

Daughter's Review: I like it because I like Santa and I like presents. And I like mouses.

~

A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
Do I really need to recap this book? If so, go to hulu and watch it. And then come back here and thank me for introducing you to the depressed, cynical anti-hero child that is Charlie Brown.

Mom's Review: The book is a good recap of the TV show. But, I'm just gonna admit it, I like the show better mainly because you get the tone of the characters voices which add so much to the lines. My favorite line, "I know no one likes me, why do we need a holiday season to emphasize it?" Oh Charlie Brown, you are my kindred spirit.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because I like dogs and Christmas. And that's it.

~
Step Inside The Nutcracker: A Magical 3-Dimensional Fairytale World Story Retold by Janine Amos Illustrated by Marsela Hajdinjak Krec

So, we went to see The Nutcracker ballet with some friends. We had a great time. It really was magical. I think it was so great because I had minimal expectations. I figured Abby would be bored and antsy-pants, so when she was well-behaved and intrigued, it made me smile and I had a wonderful time! She picked this book out with a Barnes & Noble gift card she got for her birthday (thanks, Mike and Rochelle & Julian!)
It's a beautifully illustrated, three-dimensional book. You can just look at this book over and over. No words will do the artistic design of this book justice.

Daughter's Review: I liked it because I like the show and the Sugarplum Fairy and the Queen. And the nutcracker. Mostly all of it.

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.

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.