Seeing Red: The Planet Mars Seeing Red: The Planet Mars Written by Nancy Loewen Illustrated by Jeff Yesh Publisher: Picture Window Books ISBN: 978-1-4048-3953-3 Ages: 7-12 Review and lesson plans by Donna O'Donnell Figurski Seeing red, makes me think of strawberry licorice, a fire engine racing down the street, a ladybug, a plump, juicy tomato, and, of course, Mars. Mars the fourth planet from the sun is called the “red” planet.  And there’s a good reason for that. Its soil contains the reddish metal called iron. Mars can be seen in the night sky from Earth with the naked eye. It’s our neighbor. Mar’s landscape is similar to that of Earth. It has rolling hills, canyons, and mountains. It has north and south poles and they are cold, really cold. But, then most of the planet, Mars, is cold. It is pretty far from the sun, you know. Its temperature can be as cold as minus eighty degrees. Brrr! I’m not packing my swimsuit for a vacation there anytime soon. And even if I did, it would be a pretty lonely time. Scientists believe there is no life on Mars—at least they haven’t found any yet. So, all those stories you might have heard about aliens or Martians . . . well don’t believe them. But, you can believe the cold, hard facts that you read in Seeing Red The Planet Mars written by Nancy Loewen and illustrated by Jeff Yesh. You can believe that Mars has many dust storms and that it is a very bright light in the night sky. You can believe that two moons, called Deimos and Phobos orbit Mars. You can believe that a Martian day is just thirty-seven minutes longer than an Earth day, but a Martian year is nearly twice as long as an Earth year. Go ahead believe! And if you ever hear about Marslings or Earthtians . . . well, that’s a different story. Keep an open mind and ask any of Mrs. Figurski’s Kiddles. FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers: a critique group “I liked Seeing Red,” said Timmy. “It’s not a storybook,” said Ethan. “It is an informational book.” Timmy nodded. “Because it tells you about the planet.” “That means it is nonfiction. It tells you about Mars, the fourth planet from the sun,” continued Ethan. “And it tells you why the planet is red,” said Timmy. “The reason why Mars is red, Timmy, is because it’s the color of rust,” said Jewel. It is made out of iron and metal, so it looks red.” “What I like is that it’s different from every other planet,” said Jewel, “because it’s red and not any other planet would be all red.” “Well, there are other planets,” said Mikaela, “like Earth. Earth is blue and green. The blue stands for water and the green stands for land.” “Earth is the third planet in outer space,” added Callie. “And, Mars is the fourth planet from the sun,” said Johnny. Mikaela nodded. “Scientists found that Mars was too cold for people to live on,” she said. “I wonder why it’s so cold on Mars.” “Because its so far away from the sun,” explained Andreo. Mars is the last inner planet,” said Jewel. “The other four are called outer planets. Inner means they’re closer to the sun. Outer means they are farther.” “It’s really freezing on Mars,” said Timmy. “It’s minus 80˚,” said Mikaela. “That means 80˚ below zero,” explained Timmy. Andreo nodded. “Negative 80˚,” he added. “It means very, very cold,” said Johnny in a very, very, serious voice. “I would have to put on ten snowsuits,” said Callie and everybody laughed. “Mars is the same temperature as our South Pole,” said Jewel. “Very, very cold,” said Johnny again. “Mars has two moons,” said Andreo, “Deimos and Phobos.” “In 50 million years one of the moons is going to fall down . . . and hit Mars,” said Johnny. “ And . . . destroy Mars,” added Andreo. “Good thing . . . Mars is a lifeless planet,” said Jewel. “It doesn’t have life, air, water, food, or people,” she explained. “But . . . of all of the planets we know, Mars is most likely to be home to extra-terrestrial life, or aliens,” said Ethan. “Like Mrs. Figurski,” said Andreo and everyone giggled. “Yeah, said Mikaela. “Our first grade teacher, Mrs. Figurski, said she’s a Marsling . . . but I don’t believe that!” “She is a Marsling!” Andreo added with a laugh. Johnny shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said, but he didn’t look entirely convinced. “She always said that I’m an Earthtian . . . and I don’t believe that either,” said Mikaela with conviction. “There IS nothing on Mars,” said Callie and then she closed the book. TEACHER TALK WE’RE GOING ON A MARS TRIP: Language Arts/ Reading/ Science Okay, so I know people don’t live on Mars. There’s no water to drink or air to breathe, but I can pretend, can’t I? So . . . I’m heading to Mars and I’m going to take one thing from each letter of the alphabet. Make a list of each letter of the alphabet. Place one letter on each line. (See below) Have children work in groups of two, three, or four. Give each group one alphabetical list. Children will work together to decide what they can bring on their trip to Mars. (Some letters are pretty hard. See examples below.) Air     Blankets; Boots; Batteries     Candles that Burn Oxygen; Camera     Doctor     Electricity     Flashlights; Flares     Gloves     Helmets    I-pod; Ice Cream      Jump Rope     Kite     Light     Magnets     Night Goggles     Oxygen     People     Questions     Rover     Snowsuit; Space Suit     Telescope; Tents     Underwear     Variety of Ropes     Water     Xylophone     Yellow Rubber Ducky     Zippered Spacesuits TRIVIA COMPrehension: Language Arts/ Reading/ Science There are a lot of facts about Mars . . . and some myths, too. But let’s concentrate on the facts . . . just the facts. Children can work in groups of two or three. Each group should locate at least five interesting facts in the book, Seeing Red The Planet Mars. Have them write their facts down on paper. (Examples below) Then ask each group to write questions to correlate with their answers. Type the facts and the questions into a computer and print. Cut apart each fact and question. Glue the facts onto 4” x 6” orange colored construction paper. (or any color you wish) (laminate for durability) (save on a 1” loose leaf ring) Glue the questions onto 4” x 6” green colored construction paper. (or any color you wish) (laminate for durability) (save on a 1” loose leaf ring) Next, split the class in half. Give one half of the class a fact card. Give the other half a correlating question card. Then have one team read a question card while the other team answers with a fact card. Then switch it about and ask the fact cards first. Have fun and learn something interesting about Mars. Facts: A Martian day takes 24 hours and 37 minutes. Mars was named after the Roman god of war. Mar’s soil contains iron. Questions: How long is a Martian day? Who was Mars named after? What kind of metal is in Mar’s soil? SUGGESTED WEBSITES: (Although I examined these websites and found them to be very helpful, please use them at your own discretion.) National Geographic Kids – Destination: Mars Mars “The Red Planet” More Mars "The Red Planet"   Mars Information for Kids Field Trip to Mars Just for Kids National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mars Adventure SUGGESTED BOOKS: Planet Mars written by Seymour Simon Mars written by Steven L. Kipp A Look at Mars written by Mary R. Dunn Our Solar System: Mars written by Dana Meachen Rau   A Day with No Crayons A Day With No Crayons Written by Elizabeth Rusch, Illustrated by Chad Cameron Publisher: Rising Moon ISBN: 0873589106 Ages: 4-8 What do wild watermelon, tropical rain forest, dandelion, and neon carrot have in common?   Farmer Cap Farmer Cap Written by Jill Kalz, Illustrated by Sahin Erkocak Publisher: Picture Window Books ISBN: -13: 9781404831391 Ages: 5 to 7 Farmer Cap . . . to say he is a little strange, a little off-center, and a lot eccentric is being kind. He is like no farmer I have ever met. Of course, you can count on half a hand the number of farmers I know. But, I’ve read the Farmer in the Dell and he seemed kind of normal, except, of course, for letting the cheese stand alone, but that is a whole other issue.   A Little Peace A Little Peace Written by Barbara Kerley Publisher: National Geographic Children's Book ISBN-13: 978-1426300868 $16.95 Ages: all ages Peace—a simple word that packs a lot of wallop. For me peace is a comfortable place, a quiet space, the absence of car motors, the hum of air conditioners, or the whir of the refrigerator. Peace is being curled up by the fireplace with a good book or lying in the sand at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California. Peace is feeling the warmth of the sun or marveling at the millions of stars twinkling in the night sky of Taos, New Mexico. Peace is stilling my mind.   Fix-It Duck Fix-It Duck (Board book) Written and illustrated by Jez Alborough Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers ISBN-13: 978-1933605302 $7.99 Ages: 1-8 Fix-It Duck is no ordinary duck. He means well, but whenever he is near—LOOK OUT! Bad luck seems to follow this duck. When a drop of water falls into Duck’s tea—that’s bad luck. When Sheep’s window won’t close—that’s bad luck. Sheep’s jeep’s flat tire is bad luck, too. But, when Sheep’s house rolls into the pond, that’s the toughest luck of all.   Gorillas GORILLAS Written by Meish Goldish Publisher: Bearport Publishing Company ISBN 13: 978-1-59716-369-9 ISBN 10: 1-59716-369-4 $23.96 Ages: 6-12 When I think of gorillas, I think of wild, jungle beasts. My guess is that most folks do, too. Gorillas are massive animals. Some males stand as high as six feet and weigh as much as six hundred pounds. That’s a lot of gorilla! Though gorillas are intimidatingly huge and look rather fierce, most gorillas are peaceful, non-aggressive animals, unless provoked, of course.   Love the Baby LOVE THE BABY written by Steven L. Layne illustrated by Ard Hoyt Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN: 1-58980-392- $15.95 Ages: 0-5 “Help me love the baby!” “Help me love the baby!”  Everybody said it. Mama said it. Papa said it. Even Nana said it. Can you believe Nana said it too? Little Rabbit was happy when Baby came home from the hospital. Who wouldn’t be? Little babies are pretty exciting, especially when you’ve waited for nine months for that little brother or sister to arrive. Most children think  - instant playmate! But when Baby came home from the hospital on that day that the flowers were blooming, Little Rabbit realized that the Baby was no playmate – no playmate at all! He couldn’t do anything - unless you counted crying. He did that plenty well. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, Mama and Papa and Nana, yes, even Nana, gave Baby all of their attention. So what would you expect? How could Little Rabbit love the baby? Jealousy abounded! Frustration swelled! Anger overwhelmed! His world turned upside down when his new baby brother arrived.   Grandpa For Sale GRANDPA FOR SALE written by Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum illustrated by T. Kyle Gentry Publisher: Flashlight Press ISBN-13 9780972922586 ISBN-10 097292258X $15.95 Ages 4-8 For five hundred dollars, Lizzie imagined the exquisite tree house she could buy. For one thousand dollars, she could buy a small boat with her own name engraved on both the front and the sides. Imagine -- the S. S. Lizzie!   Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman: Hero of the Underground Railroad written by Lori Mortensen illustrated by Frances Moore Picture Window Books 978-1-4048-3103-2 $17.95 Ages 5-9 Everyone loves a hero! Someone to look up to! Someone who can do superhuman things! Someone who accomplishes deeds that you wish you could! Superman was a hero, a comic book hero, created by Siegel and Schuster in 1938. Mighty Mouse came on the scene only four years later, in 1942, with the imagination of I. Klein. Mighty Mouse’s refrain, "Here I come to save the day," brought hope to many a distressed cartoon character. As a child I loved Nancy Drew. She was my hero. I couldn’t get enough of her. She was self-confident. She was feisty. She was courageous and brave and honest and independent and strong. She wandered haunted mansions and traveled deep, dark tunnels to find truth; and I read every book I could l lay hand to. Rosa Parks was a hero in 1955. She changed the way our country viewed black people. Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus resulted in a Supreme Court ruling, which said that segregation on buses was unconstitutional.   If You Were a Conjunction IF YOU WERE A CONJUNCTION written by Nancy Loewen illustrated by Sara Gray Picture Window Books 1-4048-2385-9 $25.26 Ages 7-10 Conjunctions may seem like pretty insignificant words. You can’t get an image of them like you can with other words, like . . . baby OR teddy bear OR a warm summer day at the beach, BUT conjunctions play a very important role in our language.   Who Likes the Snow? WHO LIKES THE SNOW? written by Etta Kaner illustrated by  Marie Lafrance Kids Can Press ISBN: 978-1-55337-842-6 ISBN: 1-55337-842-3 $14.95, Ages 4 – 7 Snow tumbling from the sky Flakes big and small. I wonder why they’re whirling by? I wonder where they’ll fall?   Tudley Didn't Know TUDLEY DIDN’T KNOW written and illustrated by John Himmelman Sylvan Dell Publishing ISBN: 0976494361 $15.95 Ages 3 – 8 Peter Pan believed he could fly. The Little Engine believed that she could pull the toy train over the mountain. Many people believe in a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and some folks believe in fairies. (If you believe in fairies, then clap your hands. I’m clapping and I hear a lot of other clapping hands, too.) Believe!   Farmer McPeepers FARMER MCPEEPERS and HIS MISSING MILK COWS by Katy S. Duffield, illustrated by Steve Gray Rising Moon ISBN 0-87358-825-8 $15.95 Ages 4-8 The milk cows on Farmer McPeepers’ farm are simply up to NO good. I mean, have you ever seen milk cows fishing FROM a row boat, jumping double Dutch rope, skateboarding, or flying kites? “Outrageous!” you say. “Ridiculous! Impossible!” Well then, would you believe milk cows playing a fiddle, do-si-do-ing, or waiting in line at the local movie house? Yep! Down by Farmer McPeepers’ farm you’ll see all this and more. So go on. Open Farmer McPeepers and His Missing Milk Cows. But try not to laugh. I dare you!   When I Was Built WHEN I WAS BUILT by Jennifer Thermes Henry Holt and Company ISBN 0-8050-6532-6 $16.95 Ages 4-8 “Who’s been eating my porridge?” Just about everyone recognizes those words FROM GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS. But, really, have you ever wondered who has taken a bath in your bathtub, or sprawled in front of your fireplace, cooked dinner on your stove or climbed the stairs to your bedroom . . . before you moved INTO your house?   The Sundae Scoop THE SUNDAE SCOOP by Stuart J. Murphy, illustrated by Cynthia Jabar HarperCollins Publishers 0-06-028925-2 $16.89 Ages 6 and Up Most kids love ice cream. They love as it drips down their fingers and smears their noses and they love to swirl their tongues around its creamy flavor. So what could be more fun than making ice cream sundaes for the school picnic? In THE SUNDAE SCOOP written by Stuart J. Murphy, Emily, Lauren, and James decide to do just that.   My Brother Dan's Delicious MY BROTHER DAN’S DELICIOUS by Steven L. Layne, illustrated by Chuck Galey Pelican Publishing Company 1-58980-071-0 $14.95 Ages 6 and Up “Monster Fear!” We’ve all had it. Come on. Admit it. Remember shadows drifting across your bedroom walls, curtains flapping in the night, or spooky noises bumping behind your closet door? “Quick!” you yell. “Shut it!” Then you jump into bed and dive under the covers. Remember the last time a monster visited you?   Grandfather Counts GRANDFATHER COUNTS by Andrea Cheng, illustrated by Ange Zhang LEE & LOW BOOKS, Inc 1-58430-010-8 $16.95 Ages 5 to 8 When Gong Gong arrived, Helen’s life turned upside down. I mean, he couldn’t even speak English. How was Helen going to communicate with him? Sure, he was her grandfather, but why did mom have to give him Helen’s bedroom? Why couldn’t Gong Gong sleep in Cece’s room . . . or Henry’s? Helen loved standing at her bedroom window to watch the trains hurry down the tracks. She loved counting the cars from engine to caboose. Now Gong Gong was in her room with only Chinese in his head.   John Glenn JOHN GLENN by Thomas Streissguth Bridgestone Books an imprint of Capstone Press 0-7368-1625-9 Ages 5 to 9 Have you ever wanted to be a hero? Ever thought you might grow up to do something you were really passionate about? I think we all hope to make our mark on the world. With me . . . it’s teaching and writing. John Glenn pursued his passion and made history. In 1962 he became the first person to orbit the earth. Thirty-six years later, Glenn again put his stamp on history when he became the oldest person to travel in space.   Tinka TINKA by Rainy Dohaney Anne Schwartz Book Atheneum Books for Young Readers 0-689-85261-4 $15.95 Ages 3-7 Sure you’ve heard of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina . . . each no bigger than your thumb. But have you ever heard of Tinka? No? Then, you are in for a treat. Tinka is a sheep. She’s soft and cuddly and absolutely adorable. But, Tinka is no ordinary sheep. She’s as small as a cupcake. She can fit in your hand or you can easily tuck her away in your pocket. Sounds fun, huh?   Unique Monique Unique Monique     UNIQUE MONIQUE by Maria Rousaki, illustrated by Polina Papanikolaou Kane/Miller Book Publishers 1-929132-51-4 $15.95 Ages 4-8 At the shopping mall today I saw a boy with blue hair, a girl with five rings in her nose, and another with hair standing straight up. I think they call it “spiked.” Some might call it weird. It does look a bit strange, but I think it’s creative. It’s a statement. It says, “Look at me! I am unique!”   Suki's Kimono   Suki's Kimono SUKI’S KIMONO by Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch Kids Can Press, Limited 1-55337-084-8 $15.95 Ages 5 to 8 The first day of school is special. Hey, every school day is, but I have to admit that the first day holds a bit of extra magic. It’s a day of newness . . . new classroom, new teacher, new backpack, maybe even a new outfit or a pair of new shoes. Yes, it’s a very important day.   READ IT! READERS: FAIRY TALES READ-IT! READERS: FAIRY TALES Picture Window Books ISBN: 1-4048-0240-1W 12 Book Set $167.40 (Single Titles $13.95) Ages 4 to 9 Do you ever want to believe something; I mean really, truly want to believe, even though you know it can’t possibly be true? Maybe you just want to believe because everyone else does. Or have you ever decided that you didn’t like someone because of how they look? These story concepts are as old as time, and there are many lessons to be learned from them.   Fossil Tales Fossil Tales   FOSSIL TALES by Meish Goldish Chelsea House Publishers ISBN: 1-7910-7411-0 $13.95 Ages 9 - 12 Did you know that the word, “dinosaur” was not even a word before the 1800s? Nowadays that word tumbles off the lips of most children, even as young as preschoolers. Children are fascinated with dinosaurs. They are in awe of their size and their strange looks, so it was no wonder that there was an audible buzz from the KIDDLE CRITers as I prepared to read FOSSIL TALES to them.   An Ant's Day Off An Ant's Day Off   AN ANT’S DAY OFF by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Nina Laden Simon & Schuster Children's ISBN: 0-689-82274-X $15.95 Ages 4 – 8 years Working! Working! Always working! That sums up Bart’s life in AN ANT’S DAY OFF written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Nina Laden. Moving sand from one tunnel to the next, day after day -- hey, that’s the life of a sand ant!   The Case of Vampire Vivian The Case of Vivian Vampire     THE CASE OF VAMPIRE VIVIAN By Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Amy Wummer KANE PRESS ISBN: 1-57565-127-0 Ages 5 – 8 years $4.99 Well, she is sort of weird -- that new girl who just moved in -- her hair all sticking out like bat wings. How can you ignore thatbat shirt she’s wearing and those bat stickers on her notebook and what about her bat earrings? Now isn’t that a “bat” much? Who can blame Molly for thinking Vivian is a vampire? Wouldn’t you?   Selma   Selma   SELMA written and illustrated by Jutta Bauer Kane/Miller Book Publishers ISBN: 1-929132-50-6 $7.95 All Ages It’s a “quiet” story. But quiet and gentle are what children yearn for. In their fast - paced lives of soccer games, dance classes, and play dates a quiet book is a welcome respite. SELMA, written and illustrated by Jutta Bauer is no bigger than an index card, yet it packs a whopping, powerful punch. How can a tiny sheep know about happiness?   The Dirty Cowboy The Dirty Cowboy     THE DIRTY COWBOY written by Amy Timberlake illustrated by Adam Rex Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN: 0-374-31791-7 $16.00 Ages 4—8 You know, there’s something to be said about loyalty and obedience, but Eustace Shackleford Montana may have gone too far the day his cowboy took a bath. When the Cowboy said, “Dawg! No one touches these clothes but me. Hear?”, Eustace took the Cowboy at his word. What good dog wouldn’t? On that fateful day under the New Mexico sky, Eustace demonstrated his dedication to his Cowboy . . . to the limit. That’s definitely an A+ dog and THE DIRTY COWBOY written by Amy Timberlake and illustrated by Adam Rex is an A+ book.   Capstone _ Pebble BEAVERS by Margaret Hall Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2063-9W $11.95 Grades PreK-2   COYOTES by Patricia J. Murphy Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2072-8W $11.95 Grades PreK-2   FOG by Helen Frost Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2093-0W $11.95 Grades PreK-2   PENGUINS Emily Rose Townsend Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2357-3W $11.95 Grades PreK-2 SITTING BULL by Lisa Trumbauer Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2371-9W $11.95 Grades PreK-2   WOODPECKERS by Emily Rose Townsend Capstone Press Pebble Books ISBN: 0-7368-2070-1W $11.95 Grades PreK-2   CAPSTONE PRESS produces a vast range of non-fiction titles for Pre-K through 12th grade. These easy to read fact-filled, photo-illustrated books are a great addition to your personal library, but they are also especially valuable for teachers and students as a resource tool in any classroom. High interest topics combined with reading ease make these books fun to read. Pebble Books are written for beginning readers in grades Pre-K to 2nd grade.   Blueberry Mouse Blueberry Mouse     BLUEBERRY MOUSE written by Alice Low illustrated by David Michael Friend Mondo Publishing ISBN: 1-59336-111-4 $15.95 Ages 3--7 I’ve heard of a greenhouse, the Whitehouse, and even a house of cards. I’ve heard of a townhouse. I live in one. But, who ever heard of a blueberry house? Well, Blueberry Mouse, of course! Blueberry Mouse, written by Alice Low and illustrated by David Michael Friend, tells of a mouse as sweet as she can be. And, why not? She nibbles the whole day long . . . on sweet, juicy blueberries inside her blueberry house.   The Giant Jelly Bean Jar THE GIANT JELLY BEAN JAR The Giant Jelly Bean Jar written by Marcie Aboff illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye Dutton Children's Books ISBN: 0525472363 $13.99 Ages 5-8 Beans! Beans! Beans! There are lima beans, coffee beans, kidney beans and refried beans. I love them all! But my favorite kinds of beans are jelly beans – and every flavor, too. Cherry, grape, lemon-lime, licorice . . . YUM! Double yum for strawberry and banana.   Out and About at the Supermarket OUT AND ABOUT AT THE SUPERMARKET Written by Kitty Shea Illustrated by Becky Shipe Picture Window Books ISBN: 1-4048-0295-9W Ages: 4-9 $17.95 This is a selection of non-fiction titles from Picture Window Books. Featured is OUT AND ABOUT AT THE SUPERMARKET by Kitty Shea, illustrated by Becky Shipe. Kiddles love to learn facts. They love to spout them off in the least expected places. It makes them sound so smart and . . . oh so worldly. You’ve heard of name-droppers, well you can just think of them as fact-droppers. This sample of Picture Window Books will have KIDDLES dropping facts all over the place.   Whose House Whose House?     WHOSE HOUSE Written by Barbara Seuling Illustrated by Kay Chorao Gulliver Books Harcourt Children’s Books ISBN: 0-15-216347-6 Ages: 3-7 $16.00 Houses come in so many colors and sizes and shapes. Some are tall and skinny and rise high into the sky. Some are kind of fat and have acres of land around them. That’s called s-p-r-a-w-l-i-n-g. Some are in big buildings called apartments and some are tiny, little cottages or bungalows. Houses are made of wood, brick, stone, or mud, and some are even made of ice. There are castles and palaces and mansions. There are igloos, and houses made of grass, which have thatched roofs. I’ve seen purple houses and bright yellow and green houses. Once, I even saw a pink house with blue shutters. That was pretty scary unless, of course, pink and blue are your favorite colors. So, with so many different kinds of houses, how can you ever choose which house is exactly right for you?   Mud Pie for Mother Mud Pie for Mother     MUD PIE FOR MOTHER by Scott Beck Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers 0525470409 $14.99 Ages 3 to 6 Shop! Shop! Shop ‘til you drop! Race from store to store. Search for the “perfect” gift. Sound familiar? We all do it. In MUD PIE FOR MOTHER, written and illustrated by Scott Beck, Little Pig searches the farm for the perfect birthday present for his mother.   Myrtle Myrtle     MYRTLE written by Tracey Campbell Pearson illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson Farrar Straus and Giroux ISBN: 0-374-35157-0 Ages: 3-6 $15.00 There are bullies everywhere, but don’t you hate it when you find them in your own back yard? Once at the grocery store checkout as I waited patiently, grasping a bunch of broccoli, a woman pushed her overflowing cart right in front of me. Every day on my 20 mile commute to school, there are cars that bully their way into the line exiting the highway. Can’t they see the 50 cars waiting, patiently? HOW RUDE! That’s what Myrtle would say and I fully agree with her. “RUDE! RUDE! RUDE!” These are the bullies in my back yard.   Paul Needs Specs Paul Needs Specs     PAUL NEEDS SPECS written by Bernard Cohen illustrated by Geoff Kelly Kane/Miller Book Publisher ISBN: 192913261 $15.95 Ages 5-9 Paul asked, “Has the world gone fuzzy, . . .?” What a scary feeling to have your world blur in front of your eyes, especially when you are a child no bigger than Paul. The world hadn’t gone fuzzy or blurry or misty or foggy . . . well not really. But, Paul’s eyesight did. Author, Bernard Cohen takes us on a trip to the eye doctor. What a strange place that is! Paul tries many different lenses. Some make him see fat and some make him see tall and I wonder if some do nothing at all. Then Goeff Kelly adds his zany, very psychedelic illustrations, which will make readers howl. This book should definitely allay the fears of any child who needs to get glasses. PAUL NEEDS SPECS is a real eye-opener.   Big Week for Little Mouse Big Week for Little Mouse     BIG WEEK for LITTLE MOUSE written by Eugenie Fernandes illustrated by Kim Fernandes KIDS CAN PRESS ISBN: 1-55337-665-X Ages: 2-5 $14.95 Birthdays come and birthdays go, Some come fast and some come slow. Birthdays are a time of fun . . . For you, for me, for everyone. Little Mouse can hardly wait. For her it’s time to celebrate. . . . and celebrate she did, but not before she finished her chores. Preparing for her birthday party was lots of work. Little Mouse had to mop and scrub and pick flowers and hang up balloons. Yes, it was a busy week for Little Mouse.   Circle Unbroken Circle Unbroken     CIRCLE UNBROKEN written by Margaret Theis Raven illustrated by E. B. Lewis Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN: 0-374-31289-3 $16.00 Ages 6-9 Life goes on and on and on like a circle unbroken. Traditions pass from family to family, from generation to generation. Traditions that define what a family or a culture is, are invaluable and must be treasured and cherished. Margot Theis Raven’s new book, CIRCLE UNBROKEN demonstrates this concept as she weaves and intertwines a story of how a young boy was stolen from his village in Africa and brought to the New World . . . a world that for many showed promise, but for this young boy brought only the loss of his freedom. “But long night after long day, he (the boy) sewed baskets in the old way . . . preserving the traditions and memories of those who were plucked from their homes and villages in Africa and thrust into slavery in America. As years and years have passed, the tradition of the sweetgrass baskets is still being weaved in South Carolina and the Georgia Lowcountry . . . proof that the tradition remains alive.   No Money No Problem No Money? No Problem!   NO MONEY? NO PROBLEM! written by Lori Haskins illustrated by John Nez Kane Press ISBN: 1575651416 Ages 4-8 $4.99 Don’t you just hate it when you don’t have enough money to buy what you want? You know -- that dress with the pink and orange umbrellas in the store window downtown, or the complete set of square marbles, the one-of-a-kind, kind, or maybe it’s the dyed-purple alligator purse that you have been dying for. Okay . . . so maybe you never wanted a dyed-purple alligator purse. Well, neither did I, but you know what I mean.   Carla's Sandwich CARLA'S SANDWICH CARLA’S SANDWICH written by Debbie Herman illustrated by Shelia Bailey Flashlight Press ISBN: 0972922520 $15.95, Ages 4-8 Whole wheat, rye, croissant, wrap, toast, bagel – all yummy sandwich covers. Turkey, peanut butter, jelly, liverwurst, cow’s tongue – all yummy sandwich fillings. Uhh . . . well, maybe not cow’s tongue – I’ll pass on that. But there are endless combinations and varieties of sandwiches to fulfill just about anyone’s desire.   Flusi the Sock Monster Flusi, the Sock Monster FLUSI, the SOCK MONSTER written and illustrated by Bine Brändle Kane/Miller Book Publishers ISBN: 1-929132-69-7 $15.95 Ages 5-6 Kiddles love monsters – any kind of monsters. Well, maybe they don’t exactly love them, but they are fascinated by them. There are the creepy monsters that hide under the bed and the scary ones in the closet. The best monsters are the ones that slip and slither across the wall in the moonlight. My mother tried to pass them off as the shadows of my drapes blowing in the wind. Yeah right, MOM!!!!   The Only One Club   The Only One Club THE ONLY ONE CLUB written by Jane Naliboff illustrated by Jeff Hopkins Flashlight Press ISBN: 0-972-92253-9 $15.95 Ages 4-8 It’s scary feeling different . . . not monster scary, or falling out of bed scary. Not darn! I forgot my homework scary either. Feeling different can set you apart . . . maybe the rest of the kids won’t like you kind-of-scary or they’ll make fun of you kind-of-scary. But in The Only One Club, Jennifer uses her “different-ness” to her advantage and soon all of her classmates are looking for ways to show how they are different, too.   Jose Born to Dance JOSÉ! Born To Dance JOSÉ! Born To Dance written by Susanna Reich illustrated by Raúl Colón Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books ISBN: 0-689-86576-7 $16.95 Ages 5-8 José Limón was born to dance and like the CHIC recording of the late 1970s, DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, José did! Of course, Limón, born in Mexico in 1908 wasn't dancing the latest disco craze nor was he swaying to the more recent country song by Lee Ann Womack, I HOPE YOU DANCE. His dream wasn't realized until many years later when dance, dance, dance, became José's life, love, and passion.   Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo CINCO DE MAYO written by Marc Tyler Nobleman pictures by a variety of contributors Compass Point Books: Let’s See Series ISBN: 0-7565-0768-5 $14.95 Ages 6-9 The whole world has one – each year it comes around again and again and again. In Poland they call it Piàtego Maja. In Germany it is known as Fünfter Mai. The French say Cinquième de Mai and the Italians say Cinque di Maggio. Here in the United States, we call it the Fifth of May. For many countries it is just another day, but in Mexico, it’s called Cinco de Mayo and it’s a very important day in their history books. Marc Tyler Nobleman provides us with a glimpse into this festive holiday in his book entitled, none other than, CINCO de MAYO.   Water Beds Water Beds Sleeping in the Ocean WATER BEDS SLEEPING in the OCEAN written by Gail Langer Karwoski illustrated by Conne McLennan Sylvan Dell Publishing ISBN: 0-9764943-1-0 $15.95 Ages 3-8 Water Beds - Sleeping in the Ocean, written by Gail Langer Karwoski and illustrated by Connie McLennan is a bedtime story. It’s a scientific book filled with information about the sea and how animals sleep in the depths of the ocean. It’s a book that children will love to hear over and over again, and it’s a book that parents will love to read, as they lull their “little person” to sleep on the gentle waves of his dreams.   Camilla Chameleon Camilla Chameleon written by Colleen Sydor illustrated by Pascale Constantin CAMILLA CHAMELEON written by Colleen Sydor illustrated by Pascale Constantin Kids Can Press ISBN: 1553374827 $16.95 Ages 4 – 8 Cream of Tomato Soup, Cream of Broccoli Soup. . . Yum! Yum! M-a-a-a-ay-b-e Cream of Leek Soup, BUT, come on! Cream of Chameleon Soup or Cream of Pterodactyl Soup? You’ve got to be kidding. That’s a stretch . . . a playful stretch, a delightful stretch, a weird and wacky stretch. Yes, Camilla Chameleon written by Colleen Sydor and illustrated by Pascale Constantin is a fanciful stretch all the way to Camilla’s long . . . very, long hopscotch-playing tongue to her favorite soft drink, Fizzy Fizzy Make Ya Dizzy Rootin’ Tootin’ Root Beer.   Palapalooza Palapalooza PALAPALOOZA written by Daphne Skinner illustrated by Jerry Smath Kane Press ISBN: 1-57565-163-7 $4.99 Ages 5 - 7 You’re a pal! or What a pal! – two great sayings – comforting sounds. Having a pal IS a comfort. It means having a special friend -- someone that really likes you. It means not being alone, though there’s nothing wrong with being alone, and I even enjoy it at times. But, for most Kiddles there is safety and comfort when being with a pal. It means being one of the gang, the group. It means having someone to do something with. It doesn’t matter what . . . climb a tree, swing on a vine, read a book together. It doesn’t matter what; it’s the “being” together part that feels good.   Donna Figurski Bio   Donna O'Donnell Figurski has authored the column, TEACHER'S PETS on SmartWriters.com since 2002. She works with a team of elementary-aged school children, called KIDDLE CRITers, who review the books with her. The review group consists of about seven to fifteen children ranging in ages from 6 to 12 years old. One section of the review, called FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers, includes comments by the children. Since Donna is also a 1st grade teacher, she designs lessons for teachers to use with the books she reviews.  This section is called, TEACHER TALK. Donna also suggests additional books, as well as two or three websites, which teachers may use to compliment the reviewed book. Of course, there is also Donna's review.   Donna O'Donnell Figurski   Author, Educator and Book Reviewer If you would like to have your book considered for review by Donna and the KIDDLE CRITers, please contact her at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Although she cannot promise that every book will be reviewed, she will try her best to feature as many books as possible. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it