Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown

"A Is for Amber" designates the series which takes place when the famous Amber Brown was younger and her parents were still together. In this adventure (perhaps her last; Ms. Danziger died in 2004), the seven-year-old Amber loves second grade and her unconventional teacher, Mrs. Light. She even likes the class rules till a new one pops up—all desks must be kept clean. Poor Amber, neatness is not her thing, until Mrs. Light tells the class about Deskarina, the Desk Fairy, who leaves treats for a neatly organized space. The lively story, Ambers' second-grade friends (including Justin, who now tells chicken jokes), and her amusing but realistically difficult struggle for neatness will undoubtedly resonate with beginning readers. What fun to see Amber, wearing at last her hard-earned blue ribbon from Deskarina! Tony Ross's wonderfully immediate ink and watercolor illustrations continue to capture the essence of Amber in all her untidy charm. Some of the best depict Amber's visualizations of the Desk Fairy and her Desk mobile, topped by the little girl's glowing pride when she wins the ribbon and then her rueful look as she sees her cluttered bulletin board at home. This latest, perfectly-pitched tale will appeal to beginning readers whether Amber is an old friend or this is a first encounter with the author's endearing creation. Paula Danziger will be missed. The title has been reissued a part of the "Penguin Young Readers" series and is designated a Level 3 and Guided Reading Level "K." The opening page contains a note to parents and educators about the series and tips for making best use of this kids book.
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Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown

Biscuit's Valentine's Day

Biscuit and his little mistress are a cute team. In this kids book with big flaps, they are busy making valentines for friends and family. Biscuit has a spool of ribbon in his mouth and a valentine stuck to his paw, but he trots off to give a greeting to kitty, neighbor Puddles, and the little girl's grandparents. Best of all, when they get home, there are valentines in the mailbox and an especially big valentine for little Biscuit. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other kids books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.
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Biscuit's Valentine's Day

Juliet The Valentine Fairy

Valentine's Day is supposed to be full of love and happiness, but this year things have gone terribly wrong. "Friends and families are fighting. Sweethearts are falling out of love. People are not thinking about one anothers feelings!" It seems that Jack Frost and his goblin crew have stolen three magical Valentine's Day presents (the presents stand for three kinds of love—family love, sweetheart love, and friendship) from Juliet the Valentine Fairy. If the presents are not returned to Fairyland, a spell cast by Jack Frost will "ensure that every card or present will have the opposite effect of what it should." Can best friends, Kirsty and Rachel, work together to save this special holiday? Or will their quarreling guarantee Jack Frost's success? This chapter book, which follows the format of previous books in the Rainbow Magic series, is illustrated with simple line drawings. Daisy Meadows is the pseudonym for the four writers who created this commercial series. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other kids books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.
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Juliet The Valentine Fairy

No Valentines for Katie

At Katie's elementary school, Valentine's Day is filled with fun and excitement when the class does math and reading that centers on a heart theme. Excitement increases when the teacher assigns students the job to write their names on a slip of paper and deposit it in a pretty Valentine box. Each child selects a name from the box, creates a Valentine for that child, and writes something nice about the classmate. Katie chooses the name of the new boy Barry and paints him a Valentine. But after all of the Valentines are done and read, Katie discovers that she did not get a card and her feelings are hurt. Then she realizes she did not put her name in the box. The teacher asks for a volunteer to write something nice about Katie on the board and Barry volunteers. Barry thinks that he did not get a card either until Katie jumps up and gives him the one she made for him. Much to their delight, Katie and Barry discover that they both said the same nice thing about each other. The day ends well when Barry is invited to walk home with Katie and her friends. This book works well for guided reading and emerging and early readers. It contains three short chapters with short sentences and big print. Readers can identify with the simple problem and solution. A bonus that includes a glossary, discussion questions, a writing project, and a fun recipe for heart bread sticks is at the back of the book. The book comes from the "Katie Woo" series that contains delightful stories for holidays. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other topics you would like to have discussed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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No Valentines for Katie

My Fuzzy Valentine

This is an excellent, sturdy board book with fun, fuzzy things for your baby to feel as you read. I bought this Valentine's book for my 18-month-old grandson, who loves books and Elmo. He loves it and brings it to me and his parents to read often. he also likes to "read" it by himself, feeling the fuzzy shapes. A super-fun kids book for babies and toddlers. As all Elmo Sesame Street books, this is cute.
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My Fuzzy Valentine

Piece = Part = Portion: Fractions = Decimals = Percents

Some mathematical concepts are hard to grasp. Elementary school teacher and author Scott Gifford admits he too, at a younger age, "was flummoxed by fractions, daunted by decimals, and puzzled by percents." In the full page introduction, piece, part, and portion are discussed as similar but different concepts. "Hello Hola Bonjour" are the friendly greetings the introduction uses to welcome us...a similar concept expressed in three different ways. In the rest of the 32 pages, each two-page spread illustrates the concepts in four different ways. One of my favorites is a full page picture of two feet with red socks. The left big toe is sticking out of a hole in its sock. On the neighboring page we see: "1/10 of your toes .10 10%." Other images that kids can relate to include one gym shoe, one piece of pie in its tin, one whole pizza, one egg sitting in its carton, and one soccer player wearing a jersey surrounded by ten more jerseys. This book reinforces that age-old formula: 1 picture = 1,000 words.
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Piece = Part = Portion: Fractions = Decimals = Percents

I'm a Little Teapot

In this expanded version of the traditional song, the little teapot shares his dreams with two children as he waits on the stove for someone to make tea. His imaginary escapades include a boat ride in China, a bullfight in Mexico, a space outing, a trip to the opera, a pirate ship ride, a foxhunt and a jungle hide and seek game. The cute teapot is very versatile in all these exploits. For example, his spout becomes a fishing rod on the Chinese boat, an orchestral horn at the opera and a trumpet on the foxhunt. The children's story ends with a tea party for all of the children's family and friends (including some they met on their trips, the fox and an alien). The illustrations are cheerful. Even the back to back two-page spreads in the jungle show smiling snakes and lizards. The watercolors use the entire palette from a particularly attractive pink, yellow and green kite to a brown bull frolicking into a red cape in a red-rimmed arena. The musical score and adapted lyrics are included in the back of this kids book. This would be quite enjoyable as a parent and child sing-a-long. This children's reading book is for kids reading level ages 4-8. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other children's books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.

I'm a Little Teapot

Manners at School

I recently bought this for my twin sons, who are just new to kindergarten last year. They did not go to preschool, so most of the rules of school were unfamiliar to them. It is a cute little book for introducing kids to good manners in school and I am pleased with the purchase. The children's book covers one idea for each 2-page spread: raising your hand, sharing, paying attention when the teacher is talking and so on. The interior illustrations are very much in line with the cover art. I will definitely buy the other kids books in the line. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 4-8. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other children's books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.

Manners at School

The Kids' Karate Workbook: A Take-Home Training Guide for Young Martial Artists

Excellent, hands on manual for instructors to offer their karate students. It is nearly impossible to write a technical manual that is general enough to span across many styles and specific enough to be useful. Didi Goodman really did nailed it with this children's reading book. The illustrations are a terrific tool, especially the little quizzes the kids can take. Loved it. This reading book for kids is for children's reading levels ages 9-12. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other children's books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your family and friends. Remember to always praise your child. Keep reading.

The Kids' Karate Workbook

The Princess Test

Lorelei does not seem to fit in very well with her own family, but she does seem to have all the attributes of a real princess. So when a bride search begins for Prince Nicholas, Lorelei is very lucky indeed to find herself at the castle gates. Prince Nicholas is immediately taken by Lorelei and would like to see here become his wife. The royal parents have quite an array of tests that she must pass before they are satisfied she is the right woman for their son. This fractured fairy tale is a fun read and gives the reader another version of Han Christian Anderson's, Princess and the Pea story. This children's reading book is for kids reading levels ages 4-8. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other topics you would like to have discussed. Share this post with your friends. Remember to always praise your child.

The Princess Test