The Ugly Pumpkin

Inventive, amusing, and surprising. Riotously colorful illustrations. The bright colors, bouncy rhymes, and engaging pumpkin combine to make this a charming children's book with a happy and surprising ending.
Pumpkin pickers pooh-pooh the orange, barbell-shaped 'ugly pumpkin' in October. Fortunately, November brings the lonesome veggie some new friends and an epiphany. Expressive hand-lettered pages convey strong emotions.
Simple rhyming text. Children familiar with the story of the Ugly Duckling will recognize the parody here. Horowitz creates the mood with a wide range of expressions. This Halloween 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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The Ugly Pumpkin

The Hallo-wiener

Children will immediately identify with Oscar, a little "wiener" dog with many of his own problems. Because of his unusual shape and size, the rest of the dog and cat community often teases Oscar. To make matters enen worse, Oscar's mother surprises him with a homemade Halloween costume. The hot dog costume, complete with mustard and a bun, is not exactly what Oscar had in mind. Not wanting to hurt his mother's feelings, Oscar decides to wear the costume, even though he knows the reaction it will evoke from his friends. Burdened by the size of his costume, Oscar tries to trick-or-treat with his friends despite incessant teasing and hounds who take all the treats before Oscar can make it to the houses. Oscar feels that all is lost. Suddenly, a ghastly monster appears and frightens the dogs so much that they jump into a nearby pond to hide. Because of his short stature, Oscar is able to discover the true identity of the monster and expose it as a couple of ornery cats. Oscar rescues his friends and becomes a hero. The colorful illustrations and rich language compliment this hilarious tale. Readers will cheer for Oscar as he goes from a "Wiener Dog" to a "Hero Sandwich." This Halloween 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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The Hallo-wiener

Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes

Knock, knock! Who's there?" Are the familiar opening lines of this collection of Halloween-themed knock-knock jokes. The play on words leads to some funny responses that children will enjoy reading and telling to other people. Most of the jokes have all lines of words visible on the page; however, each layout has a couple responses that are under the flaps. Children will need to lift the flap to read the punch line for the knock-knock joke. Some children may find some difficulty understanding the puns. The color illustrations reveal a storyline that runs through the book. The story begins with a boy and a girl looking for their Halloween outfit at a costume shop; then the two children in their pirate and witch costumes go out to trick-or-treat in the neighborhood. The two children attend a costume party and enjoy other frightfully fun Halloween activities including a haunted house. Their Halloween concludes at home where they look over their treats. This Halloween kids book is a entertaining collection for those children who enjoy Halloween and knock-knock jokes. This Halloween 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child. A quick reminder that all Halloween children's books on the website are now on sale.

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Halloween Howlers

Big Pumpkin

This Halloween story is a perfect for young listeners who still seek comfort during Halloween and who are ready for a fun story. The repetition, internal rhymes, and places for chorusing involve and reassure young listeners. The Halloween story presents traditionally frightening figures in a friendly light. The tale centers on a green-faced, grumpy witch who is craving a piece of pumpkin pie, but she can not separate her huge pumpkin from its vine. A ghost, vampire, and mummy believe themselves strong enough to triumph, but they find that success only comes with cooperation. The satisfying end brings shared pumpkin pie and friendship, providing yet another subtle reassurance. There are also sounds and speech that make this a natural read-aloud for parents. This Halloween kids book is for children's reading levels ages 4-8. As a friendly reminder, all children's Halloween books are on sale now. 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.

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Big Pumpkin

Froggy's Halloween

Halloween is approaching and Froggy can not decide what he should be. How about Super Frog flying through the sky or Ghost Frog haunting friends and family, or better yet, what about dressing up as a Vampire Frog? Well, after a week of pondering and rejecting a variety of costumes, Froggy decides to become a Frog Prince. He really looks cute and Frogilina finds him irresistible. After a narrow escape from his amorous pursuer, Froggy finishes up his trick-or-treating, but when he gets home he finds that his sword has cut a hole in his bag and it is empty. Never fear Mother saves the day. Another delightful addition to the Froggy tales. This children's Halloween book is for kids reading levels ages 3-5. 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.

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Froggy's Halloween

Apples and Pumpkins

A little girl visits a local farm with her mother and father. When the leaves on the trees turn red, yellow, and orange it means it is time for picking apples and pumpkins. Written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by her daughter Lizzy, this picture book (first published in 1989) is modest and straightforward. The rosy-cheeked family drives to the farm where they are greeted by the owner, Mr. Comstock, who immediately gives them a basket perfect for apple picking. Geese, chickens, and a turkey follow the family as they walk to the orchard. The little girl climbs a small tree to grab the reddest apples. After their baskets is full they head over to the pumpkin field, where Dad cuts the best one from the vine. These fall traditions are followed by Halloween activities. A full-page spread illustrates a partially carved jack-o'-lantern as well as the finished product, glowing in the dark. Finally, it is time to go trick-or-treating. Mom hands out apples, not candy, to costumed children, while Dad and daughter go trick-or-treating up the street. Wearing a black robe, pointy hat, and green mask with a long warty nose, the little girl is dressed as a witch, of course! A good-natured story, that shows a family outside doing fun fall and Halloween activities. The simple text is easy for young listeners to follow and could be useful in a primary classroom to teach sequential events and descriptive writing. This Halloween 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 topics you would like to have discussed. Share this post with your family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Apples and Pumpkins

Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School

Cam Jansen is excellent at solving mysteries, partly because she has a photographic memory. Whenever she looks at something, she "clicks" in her mind and takes a picture of it. She is called "Cam," as in short for camera, because her mind works like a camera. It is the 100th Day of School and each class is celebrating with treats that begin with different letters of the alphabet. Cam's class is having food and drinks that start with the letter "P," pretzels, popcorn, pineapple juice, and pizza. When Ms. Dee sends Cam and Eric to the cafeteria to get the pizza, it is missing. The cafeteria manager is sure she left three pizzas on racks next to the oven, but there is no pizza in sight. Cam solves the mystery when she studies the alphabet cards in the classroom. She finds the pizza in Mr. Baker's room. His students had thought it was theirs because they had the letter "C" and saw so much cheese. Emergent readers will enjoy reading this simple chapter book independently. It is a part of the "Viking Easy-to-Read" series. 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School

Mr. Putter & Tabby Run the Race

One April, Mrs. Teaberry talks her friend into taking part in a marathon race for seniors. Mr. Putter says he has "not run anywhere in thirty years" and has forgotten how, but he decides to give it a shot since one of the prizes is a train set. He trains a little and has tea with Tabby a lot. On race day he is intimidated by how fit the other racers are and he soon falls to the back of the pack. Tabby and Mrs. Teaberry's dog, Zeke, watch from the top of a car. Unable to stay still, Zeke jumps down and joins the runners, creating chaos and some unexpected results as well. Gently humorous and with underlying messages of friendship and sharing, this is a good addition to the series. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are expressive and enliven the text. 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Mr. Putter & Tabby Run the Race

Maisy Takes a Bath

Maisy loves taking a bath. She prepares the tub with lots of foamy bubbles. She helps duck float carefree in the warm water. But just before she can plop into a tubful of fun, "ding dong," the doorbell rings. It's Tallulah, ready to play tennis! Maisy passes on playtime because it's her bathtime. She runs upstairs to get undressed and jumps into the bubbly bath. The doorbell rings again. Dripping, Maisy answers the door to find Tallulah once more. Maisy says she cannot play because it's her bathtime, but she invites Tallulah to come and play later. Tallulah has a better idea. She runs passed Maisy, undresses, and splashes into the tantalizing tub. Hooray! Maisy and Tallulah found out that bathtime can be playtime. Cousins' colorful and familiar characters warm their way into readers' heart--and tubs. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 2-5. 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.

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Maisy Takes a Bath

Lighthouses for Kids: History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities

Lighthouses are the beacons of our past and they still attract us. Children run up the steps, into the round rooms, asking what was it like to grow up in a lighthouse. Some of the answers are in House's book. In many short biographies, House introduces lighthouse children and their lives. They lived where they could not find friends easily. They could not get to the library or to school easily. They had to pay close attention to the weather. And when writing about William Spear, Jr., who grew up in Delaware, excitement came just by opening a can of food—if the food was salvaged from a shipwreck. "Mother would open a can hoping that it would be beans or tomatoes, and we would be delighted to find out that it contained peaches or cherries." House melds the disciplines of history, science, and engineering in this book, explaining all aspects using terms and experiments that will attract both readers and doers. While lighthouses as a group are not part of most curricula, the book does address physics of water pressure, the physics of light, and the curvature of the Earth. It also looks at the history of seafaring in the United States and how changes in boats affected the need for lighthouses. But more to the point, the book is just fun, with wonderful photos, interesting biographical sketches, crafts and experiments. It will be enjoyed. Back matter includes lighthouse resources, a selected bibliography, and an index.This kids book is for kids reading levels ages 9-12. 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Lighthouses for Kids

Katy and the Big Snow

For over sixty years young children have identified with Katy the snowplow who was always waiting for her big chance to plow her way to fame. For winter after winter, Katy has few opportunities to show off until the year of a big blizzard. Now Katy is challenged to keep chug, chug, chugging her way to rescue the citizens of Geopolis, helping all kinds of stranded people get to the hospital, to the airport, and, of course, to get safely home. This reissue of the story in paperback form is fancied up a bit with sparkle on the cover and stickers at the back. Children will certainly enjoy these add-ons but in the end, they are not necessary. It is Burton's tribute to perseverance and her wonderful sketchy drawings that will make yet another generation of children eager to hear the adventures of Katy again and again. 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Katy and the Big Snow

Mommies Say Shh!

In a frenetically busy barnyard, the rambunctious livestock run wild, give chase, buck, and play tug-of-war with the brightly clad members of a farm family. Each spread features one kind of animal with simple text declaring its signature sound: "Cows say moo, moo, moo." The din and the activity build until all of the animals join together in a chorus of noise. In response, the final page shows a mother with her sleeping baby and reads, "Mommies say shhh, shhh, shhh. And bunnies say nothing at all." The text is standard animal-noise fare, but the inclusion of the silent bunnies is a clever twist. One variation that may confuse some children is that the dogs say "buff, buff, buff." Polacco's highly recognizable pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are full of life, with much to discover in repeated readings. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 1-4. 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.

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Mommies Say Shh!

Maisy Goes to Preschool: A Maisy First Experiences Book

Maisy is confident and acquainted with the routines of preschool. She clearly has no separation issues. She hangs up her coat, joins in making music, listens to a story, and so on. Throughout the day, the young mouse and her friends have a good time. As always, Cousins's bright color illustrations are simple and appealing. The solid black lines around objects help them to stand out on the page, drawing children's attention. Reassuring and fun. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 2-5. 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.

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Maisy Goes to Preschool

Llama Llama Misses Mama

Bright and early one morning Mama Lama awakens her little one and goes through the busy morning routine before driving him to preschool. Meeting the teacher, Llama hangs back and when Mama leaves he shyly waves good-bye from the window. Clutching his stuffed "lovie" Llama does not join in the games or activities, eats alone, and sheds quiet tears for the Mama he wants to return. Classmates sensitive to his feelings gently lure him into the rest of the days schedule until before he knows it… Mama is back. He runs to her open arms and at day's end concedes that he not only loves Mama but school, too. This universal childhood experience is treated with warmth and sensitivity. His anxiety over being separated from Mama is palpable as is his joy at her return. Rhyming couplets move the story along and the oil paintings with their soft palette accurately portray little Llama's range of emotions. This is perfect preparation and reassurance for little ones embarking on their first steps away from Mom. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 3-6. 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.

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Llama Llama Misses Mama

Safe at Home

Nick Crandell loves to play baseball. He is the catcher for the junior varsity team and is looking forward to playing on the summer baseball team. One day, he notices the varsity coach watching him practice and though he thinks little about it, he is amazed when the coach comes up to him and offers him the catcher's position on the varsity team—a position now not next year. The varsity catcher has broken a wrist and the team needs Nick. However, the uncertainty of being able to play with the older boys seeks to destroy the remarkable chance that Nick has been given. The older boys are not happy to have the JV player on their team and the pressure of their displeasure affects Nick's confidence and play. It is not long before the lack of confidence infiltrates all of Nick's life; his relationships with friends, with family, with school all suffer as he struggles to prove his ability to play varsity. One big blow out with his best friend, Gracie, and Nick knows that he must rethink his complaints against those who really do care about him. This is a sweet story of young teen identity and how sports can both help and hurt that process. Lupica's fans will enjoy this addition to his "Comeback Kids" series for young readers. This kid's book is for young readers reading levels ages 9-12. Leave us your comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Let us know what other kid's books you would like to have reviewed. Share this post with your family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Safe at Home

Fire! Fire! Said Mrs. McGuire

The old rhyme used for the title is the framework on which Radunsky has built his new visual tale of a race to a surprise ending. Through the keyhole cut through the jacket, cover, and first pages we glimpse the light of a fire at which the small, polka-dot-dressed mouse Mrs. McGuire is pointing. "Where? Where?" asks Mrs. Bear. Mrs. Brown replies "Downtown!" The rhyming questions are traded from mouse to mouse, as the fire is shown through the painted keyhole. Finally, as Mrs. McDavis slides down stairs with a sack of potatoes, the fire appears through a cut-out keyhole again. Turning the page reveals the surprise. The initial setting is an interior done in dark tones: black floor, large brown teddy bear, somber patterned wallpaper. White mice in varied colored dresses catch our attention because of the color contrasts. Computer- generated, somewhat surreal images add to the offbeat fun, enhanced by casual-looking typeface. This children's picture book is for kids reading levels ages 4-6. 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.

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Fire! Fire! Said Mrs. McGuire

A Boy, a Dog, a Frog, and a Friend

Continuing the adventures in A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog, Mercer and Marianna Mayer bring back this wordless classic about an outdoors romp between a boy and his pals. In winsome black-and-white pictures that challenge readers to come up with their own text, a boy with his dog and frog friends travel to the pond for some fishing. But when a turtle grabs hold of their fishing line and starts a commotion, they set out to catch him, until he winds up floating lifelessly on the water. Thankfully, though, it is only temporary: After the three have dug a hole to bury him in, the turtle springs up with gratitude for his friends' generosity, fishing pole in his mouth and happy as a clam. A lively follow-up that's perfect for young readers to sink their imaginations into. This children's book is for children reading levels ages 0-4. 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.

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A Boy, a Dog, a Frog, and a Friend

A Circle Here, A Square There: My Shapes Book

Shapes. The quick research showed more than 150 board books addressing shapes published since 2005. It is a popular subject. On each spread of this children's book, the single word for the shape is printed in big letters. Then one or more examples are presented; usually, one large one is shown. For circle, we see a big scoop of ice cram in a sugar cone. The square is a big package tied with a bow. In both cases, kids are looking at the items with eager anticipation. The triangle is a piece of pizza, the rectangle a collection of containers on a ship. Other shapes include oval, heart, diamond, crescent, and octagon. The latter did seem a bit out of place, but the example of a stop sign will be familiar to most toddlers. This childrens's book is for kids reading levels ages 0-4. 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.

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A Circle Here, A Square There: My Shapes Book

Babymouse #9: Monster Mash

In this ninth book in the popular "Babymouse" graphic novel series, young readers follow Babymouse, a spunky anthropomorphic mouse, as she prepares for Halloween. Every time she tries to enjoy herself though, mean cat girl Felicia Furrypaws is there to tell Babymouse that girls have to wear pretty costumes (even though Babymouse wants to go as a zombie), that trick-or-treaters must coordinate their costumes (even though Babymouse hates dressing up as a fairy), and that Babymouse has to invite Felicia's friends to her party (even though Babymouse is pretty sure the girls are evil). But when the bullies make Babymouse vandalize houses on Halloween, Babymouse realizes they have crossed a line. Can she stand up to them and have a happy Halloween? With the creation of brother-sister team Jennifer and Matthew Holm, Babymouse provides readers with a witty heroine who loves to banter with an unseen narrator that communicates via caption boxes. Blessed with a runaway imagination, Babymouse is constantly fantasizing that the Creature from the Black Lagoon is in her locker or that some rolls of toilet paper have turned her into a mummy—daydreams that are perfectly captured by the book's squiggly line drawings. Overall, Babymouse: Monster Mash provides a fun, fast read that will leave kids hungry for the rest of the series. 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. This children's book is for kids reading levels ages 4-8.

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Babymouse #9: Monster Mash

Slam Dunk, Volume 1

Although Inoue's imported teen sport-romance manga Slam Dunk-a big hit back in Japan-is ostensibly about the love of basketball, it really starts out as a chronicle of love and rejection in high school. The series' towering, red-haired hero, Hanamichi Sakuragi, is first shown in utter dejection, after having been rejected by 50 girls in a row (apparently, people are keeping count). But saving him from utter despair is the appearance of the angelic Haruko Akagi, who flirtatiously swoons over his stature and wonders whether or not he plays basketball. After some gentle considerations of whether he's interested ("If only I could walk her to school!! Then I could die happy") Hanamichi sets about trying to get on the basketball team. Haruko disappears from the pages not long after she has conveniently set the plot device in motion, leaving Inoue free to depict Hanamichi's attempts be accepted by the arrogant upperclassmen who dominate the team. It comes as a disappointment to Hanamichi-a hot-tempered kid who prefers to pick fights and slam dunk than learn how to actually play the game,-that winning Haruko's heart is going to take some work. Inoue's pacing is frantic, if somewhat padded, but he manages to maintain a welcome sense of humor amid all the adolescent gamesmanship. This kids book is for kids reading levels ages 9-12. 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 family and friends. Remember to always praise your child.

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Slam Dunk, Volume 1