By Rebecca Stead, published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books Twelve-year-old Miranda encounters shifting friendships, a sudden punch, a strange homeless man and mysterious notes that hint at knowledge of the future. These and other seemingly random events converge in a brilliantly constructed plot.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
By Phillip Hoose, published by Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney, published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers The screech of an owl, the squeak of a mouse and the roar of a lion transport readers to the Serengeti plains for this virtually wordless retelling of Aesop's classic fable. In glowing colors, Pinkney's textured watercolor illustrations masterfully portray the relationship between two unlikely friends.
All the World
Illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon and published by Beach Lane Books
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors
Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman and published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
So, I wanted to ask you, what have you read and which ones do you plan on reading? As soon as I reach my goal of "support your local reading library book challenge", I'll start on this list.
I find myself always making "a future book to read" list especially after reading my viewer's lovely reviews.... thank you!
Rules: * Grab the book nearest you. Right now. * Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence. * Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. *Post a linkalong with your post back to this blog Storytime with Tonya and Friends * Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Hope you'll join us. Here's mine:
"If they get you to explode, their unconscious, low-energy prefrontal cortex lights up and likes it."
Bear is going to the swimming hole, but first, he must find his friends. There's a clatter in the tree! Is it Mouse? No . . .
"Who?" calls Bear.
Something quickly scampers by! Is it Hare? No . . .
"Who?" calls Bear.
Someone seems to be hiding from Bear and his friends. Who is it? WHO?
How Bear and his forest friends discover a NEW FRIEND will enchant young readers. Karma Bear's New Friend a perfect summertime read-aloud companion to the bestselling Bear Snores On. Wilson's playful text and Jane Chapman's radiant illustrations make Bear's New Friend a perfect summertime read-aloud companion to the bestselling Bear Snores On.
Bears New Friend is a sweet story with a simple plot. Karma Wilson writes in rhyme text for the early reader and well drawn, charming illustrations are produced with rich, green forest backgrounds by Jane Chapman. Bear and other kind forest animals find and welcome a shy new forest friend (an owl). This delightful children's book is a perfect summertime read aloud story. I recommend this book for toddlers, preschool, and kindergarten. I love this book! 5 stars!
PreSchool-Grade 2—Louisiana life is good for a sonorous-voiced rooster with a blue head and the brown hen named Miss Cleoma. That is until a bad bout of chicken measles steals the rooster's crow and makes him ripe for Mrs. Miser's "silent rooster stew." A desperate Miss Cleoma two-steps a "rooster-in-danger dance" down the road, seeking help from Mr. Joe Beebee, the best musician around. Meanwhile, Mrs. Miser's attempts to grab her ax to deal with the rooster are delayed as farmyard animals pitch veggies in front of her (think of the Greek myth of Atalanta and the Golden Apples) that simply must go into the stew first. Mr. Joe Beebee comes to the rescue, gathering neighbors and musicians who converge on Mrs. Miser's house ready to create a music-filled party. The rooster is inspired to crow, Mrs. Miser sells her "seven-vegetable stew" to partygoers, and good times ("Bons temps!") are had by all. Saturated in Cajun and Creole cadences and sensibilities, this rollicking, multilayered tale is at once lyrical and tongue-in-cheek funny. The playful illustrations are a clever mix of collage and bright watercolors that feature varying perspectives and impressively expressive poultry. The spreads are overlaid with panels of handmade paper containing the pictures, with chickens dancing a red-dotted trail over, under, and around them. The sheer insouciance of both text and art will have readers dancing the two-step and sharing that chicken joy as well. Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI
Miss Cleoma, "a plain brown hen," loves the crowing of the blue-headed rooster, but when he loses his voice after a case of the chicken measles, he is threatened with becoming "quiet rooster stew." Deciding that music will cure him, Cleoma sets out to find Joe Beebee, the best fiddle player there is. Good-natured Joe returns with Cleoma, gathering musically inclined neighbors on the way, and when they play the song "about waltzing on the moon," the blue-headed rooster crows "as if the world were brand new and he was off to see it." Martin's cumulative tale may be overly long, but it has some fine turns of phrase, and Sweet's mixed-media illustrations, picturing exuberant, brightly hued characters on backgrounds of creamy paper, have a buoyancy that elevates the text. An author's note recognizes Louisiana musicians, "who play music so good it could make quiet roosters sing," and the story pays homage to the area and the music with the occasional Cajun phrase. Janice Del Negro
Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of Snowflake Bentley, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal. She grew up on a farm in Maine and now she lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
About The Book:
Joe Beebee's music, folks say, will take you up so high, your problems look small enough to stomp on. But, worries a plain brown hen, can it make a quiet rooster sing? can it save her best friend from becoming Quiet Rooster Stew? Will Joe Beebee even play for chickens?
With art as fun as waltzing on the moon and with words as lively as a fiddle, this book captures the power of music to heal and of friendship to endure.
How I love this book and author's style of writing. I grew up on a farm, raised 2 daughters on a 100-acre ranch and I still live on a ranch in an avocado grove! I love chickens and Melissa Sweet's illustrations are gorgeous and so very colorful. The book begins with: "Everybody in St.Cecilia Parish knew of Joe Beebee (down Redbean Road). His music set empty shoes to dancing."
From the jacket flap - " When people danced to Joe Beecee's music, they forgot bad knees, tight shoes, backaches, blisters, and beetles. They forgot sickness, sadness, and sin." Well, one day the roo got the measles and lay low. Everyone knew that a rooster who couldn't crow anymore was headed for rooster stew! The story line is excellent as the plot unfolds and we are introduced to more characters. You've got to read this book because it is so good!
My favorite page is the 2 page illustration of the whole village dancing: "Joe Beebee played the song about going to Texas, His fiddle took them up like a swing on a big old tree - with room for all: two-legs, four-legs, wings, and fins - up so high their worries looked small enough to stomp on." While the band played their favorite song about waltzing on the moon, the rooster raised his head! It was a pure chicken joy to hear the rooster crow, coup-a-doodle-dodoo. And I love the ending of the story... a must read! 5 stars!
In the very back of the book the author adds:
"On the plains of Louisiana, Lafayette and west, there have been, and still are, musicians who play music, music so good it could make quiet roosters sing - Amede Ardoin, Adam Fontenot, Dennis McGee, Canray Fontenot, Nathan Abshire, Alphonse "Bois-Sec" Ardoin, Iry Lejeune, the Balfa Brothers, Clifton Chenier, Boozoo Chavez, Marc Savoy, Michael Douchette, Buckwheat Zydeco, John Delafose, Christine Balfa, and many others."
Chicken Joy on Redbean Road has a special place in my heart because my cousin was a D.J. in New Orleans. Right when Katrina hit, he was able to get out with his guitar and all of his music possessions. My cousin now has a successful music career in los Angeles. Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti at this time.
Books Bought is a meme hosted by Cindy of Cindy’s Love of Books. I just love seeing what books everyone bought. I have several birthdays coming up in March so I'm shopping early! Most of my purchases this week are for my grandson's of course. I did find a wonderful book for my piano students to check out as well.
One restless night, Thomas looks out and sees a shooting star flash by. Determined to see where it went, Thomas sets out into the darkened countryside. The strange nighttime sights and noises add up to a wonderful after-dark adventure for Thomas.
From the Inside Flap
One restless night, Thomas looks out and sees a shooting star flash by. Determined to see where it went, Thomas sets out into the darkened countryside. The strange nighttime sights and noises add up to a wonderful after-dark adventure for Thomas.
Product Details
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher:Random House Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (April 23, 2002)
One of my grandsons is 4 years old and a perfect age to hear this well written and beautifully illustrated in the picture book, Thomas, and the Shooting Star. The book opens with a 2-page colorful starlit sky and all the engines are fast asleep except for Thomas. All of a sudden Gordon, the big blue engine, wakes up and sees a huge shooting star and decides to play a joke on Thomas. Gordon tells Thomas that if he finds the star, the star will tell him how to fall asleep.
So Thomas goes off in search of the star and along the way, runs into Percy who is delivering the mail. Thomas leaves before Percy can tell him that Gordon is tricking him again. He then sees Harold who tells Thomas that Gordon is being sneaky and that he won't be able to catch up with the star. Thomas gets very sleepy on his way back to the shed where Edward is waiting for him. While talking, Thomas finally falls asleep.
I love this perfect bedtime book, especially the gorgeous illustrations by Tommy Stubbs! Thomas and Thomas' friend Harold have the cutest expressions on their face. The charm of the book and the beautiful, peaceful star-lit sky will most assuredly draw you in! I highly recommend adding the book to your children's library! 5 stars!
My Greek Aunt Sophia insisted, in a very loving way, that I read this book Falling in Love with Sophia by Robert Krantz. I was wondering if any of you have read the book and if so, what is your opinion?
If you're interested in joining us in this fun blogging game, here's what Friday 56 is all about:
Rules: * Grab the book nearest you. Right now. * Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence. * Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. *Post a link along with your post back to this blog http:startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends at http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/ * Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST. Here's mine:
" Angie and Dimitri were getting pretty serious, right?"
Laura Sepesi asked me to review her book, The Guardian of Kelmar and I said YES! You see, I have been following her blog for some time now because she offers very valuable tips for new writers such as myself. I have found her advice so valuable, enhancing my writing skills that I just couldn't wait to receive her book.
When that day arrived and I received her package in the mail, my first reaction, to be honest with you was, "How will I ever finish such a big book?!" I was so used to reading children's picture books to my Grandson's in five minutes! What I'm about to tell you is mind boggling and very much over the top. I discovered in reading the first three sentences of Laura's book that I was completely drawn in. She had professionally accomplished what I have been studying at CBI Clubhouse... and that is showing without telling in three sentences. Laura created action and an inciting incident! Even though this is her first publication, she truly writes as if she has been writing for over fifty years!
I finished the first three chapters right away and kept glancing at her picture in the back of the book because I was so amazed at Laura's very professional writing skills for such a very young age! I even read out loud the book's opening lines to one of my piano clients who is an author of novels and movies. I saw her yesterday and told her how much the book had impacted my life! "So you finished the book?" she asked. "Yes, I closed the book and started sobbing out loud!"
And so, this journey with The Guardian of Kelmar will begin fresh and anew for you when you purchase this great novel and find out for yourself! I sincerely hope you will pass on the recommendation as I have because I firmly believe we have an award winning author here. Laura's writings are timeless, magical, brilliantly descriptive and so very much alive. Good over evil is a winning ingredient for Laura's The Guardian of Kelmar.
Product Description Carmen Fox's life is lonely and insignificant-- that is, until the day she stumbles upon an ancient book and a key engraved with five mysterious letters. Suddenly, Carmen is thrust into Kelmar-- an amazing new world of magic, where she finds herself at the center of a century's old war between good and evil. Carmen must undertake sorcerer training if she is to survive the challenges that await her. Can Carmen master her powers and defeat the villainous Magicon alliance? With the help of a fascinating creature named Blaze and unforgettable friends, Carmen begins an incredible journey to discover her destiny.
* About The Book - My Review:
Laura Sepesi's Book I of the YA fantasy trilogy is a brilliant novel! It is a well-written story that had me riveted from the beginning! The book begins with Carmen Fox, the main character who later learns she is chosen to be The Child of Destiny. In the magical world of Kelmar, you will find animals talking with people. You will learn about the special bond between a Master and a Partner and meet the Souls of Destiny.
As with all good magical story plots, this novel is filled with exciting battles between the good Kelmarians and the evil magicons. You'll turn every page reading about the sword with red stones, feeling the Dragon's Claw near you and seeing crystals embedded in clay ceilings. Upon encountering The Dark Master, you will want to read til the very end to find out if Carmen defeats the dark sorcerer and if so, how does she do it? Laura wraps it up so well with this golden theme, "Fighting to protect what and who you love is true courage." I have a great respect for Laura and the power of her words that flow through her pen. I can't wait to read her next book. I highly recommend The Guardian of Kelmar to my friends. It is worth reading. It is truly worth buying. 5 stars!
The Guardian of Kelmar
About the Author
Laura Sepesi began writing at an early age, composing several stories by the time she entered middle school. Her love of storytelling continued into high school, during which time, she imagined the story of the Kelmar Trilogy. She began drafting The Guardian of Kelmar the summer she graduated, and continued writing as she worked toward a degree in elementary education. Laura completed The Guardian of Kelmar at age twenty-one, in pursuit of her dream to become an author. She is currently working on Book 2 of the Kelmar Trilogy.
For great writing tips, visit Laura's blog and website: http://laurasepesi.blogspot.com/ www.laurasepesi.com
Oh, how I love New York Times BestsellerDuck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic! It is so funny and I'm very pleased with myself that I went to our local library and can now say I completed Book #3 of Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge. http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/ I hope you'll join us. Mine is the mini challenge and I should be able to conquer my goal this new year being that most books on my list are picture books!
"Genuinely funny. Urbanovic’s vibrant watercolor and pencil illustrations are humorous and expressive. Adults looking for a read aloud choice that will really ‘quack up’ their audience will find this title just ducky." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Like the first Max story, the cartoon cover is irresistible and the comical illustrations spice up the clever story. As silly and funny as the Marx Brothers movie of the same title." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Urbanovic creates a slapstick delight with her wildly expressive characters and expertly conveyed physical comedy. Like its best-selling predecessor, this is sure to be a read-aloud hit." -- ALA Booklist About The Book:
Right away we are introduced to the main character, Max the duck. He begins cooking this amazing soup because he has cooked many other delicious kinds of soup before. Maxwell Duck feels something is not quite right with his new creation. Having previously sipped a samplewhile stirring his soup, he decides a very necessary herb is needed from his garden to make his soup perfect!
Later on towards the middle of the book, we are introduced to several more character who are Max's pals. There's Brody the dog and Dakota cat. The story line moves along and the plot thickens... almost literally! You see, those two pals now believe their friend Max fell in the soup! While they grab the ___ well, you've just got to check out this one and read it to the very end. It's really a very good story and a funny one at that! 5 stars!
I have very fond memories of my mother preparing this Greek soup for me on a chilly day to warm me up inside!
Papou's Greek Soup
6 (14oz.) Cans Swanson’s Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
3 Stalks Celery, Chopped
Cavendar’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning
(yellow, red & white bottle found at Safeway, Cost Plus World Market or specialty food markets)
½ C. Long Grain White Rice
4 Large Eggs
Juice of 2 Lemons (use the softest ones you can find)
In a large pot, add chicken broth and celery and bring to a boil, season broth to taste with Greek Seasoning.
In a fine sieve strainer, rinse rice under cold running water for about 1 minute until water runs clear. This removes some of the starch from the rice so that it doesn’t become sticky in your soup. Add rinsed rice to broth and cook over med. heat until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, separate eggs with yolks in a small bowl and egg whites in a very large mixing bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Whip whites with a mixer or your Kitchen Aid until you get soft peaks. Set egg whites aside. Add the juice of 2 lemons to the egg yolks and mix well with a fork.
Once rice is tender, turn off heat and let the broth cool for about 30 minutes. This is important so that when you add the eggs to the broth, it doesn’t curdle into scrambled eggs. When broth is cool, ladle the broth, leaving rice in bottom of the pot, into your egg whites, mixing on medium speed until all broth has been incorporated. Add egg yolk mixture to the broth and egg whites and mix again on medium speed until soup is completely combined and has a creamy light yellow appearance. Before serving, return all soup back to the soup pot and re-heat until hot, stirring often. Serve immediately. If you have leftovers the next day, you may need to add a little water, as soup tends to thicken overnight.
* Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children: "The Lion & the Mouse,” illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney. Published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers.
* Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: “Going Bovine,” written by Libba Bray. Published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House.
* Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: “Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal,” written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Published by Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
* Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished beginning reader book: “Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!,” written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes. Published by TOON BOOKS, a division of RAW Junior, LLC.
* Robert F. Sibert Medal for most distinguished informational book for children: “Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream,” written by Tanya Lee Stone. Published by Candlewick Press.
There are more awards to see. Visit the link above to view the entire list. Did your predictions come true? I shall read the Lion and the Mouse for sure!
Congratulations to all the #alayma winners and those who were considered! SO inspiring!!!! Warmest Regards, LadyD
The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel is a Caldecott medal Winner of 1973. I am learning about awards. Do you know them? Randolph Caldecott Medal—The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of 19th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the ALA, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Elizabeth Bluemie wrote an excellent article with pictures and descriptions of all the awards. A great resource can be found at:
So, what are you hoping to hear in tomorrow's announcement from the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards?
* The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel
Product Description
While chasing a dumpling, a little lady is captured by wicked creatures from whom she escapes with the means of becoming the richest woman in Japan. Product Details
This is a story of a funny little woman who lives alone in her own little hut. She makes dumplings and one day, to her surprise, a dumpling escaped through a crack in her floor. As she reaches for it, the floor gives way and the woman finds herself on a most unusual road surrounded by statues. They sound the alarm that the evil demon oni may be watching.
As the title of the book suggests, the funny lady finds everything in the world so very amusing that she chuckles, "Oh, tee-he-he-he, I'm not afraid of the oni." Soon the funny little woman is cooking for all the Oni in their homes with the help of a magic paddle. By the end, however, the woman wishes to return to her house and it is only when she is able to make the Oni laugh at her that she is able to escape and prosper.
The illustrations are well done by Blair Lent and so picturesque in simplicity with jade green forest scenes and brightly colored orange kimono. I especially like the lesson on character building, good things can come out of bad situations as long as you believe in yourself. The little woman kept her laughter even in a bad situation and that laughter is what helped her out of that bad situation. In addition to being a great folktale, Arlene Mosel's The Funny Little Woman is a Caldecott Medal Winner of 1973.
I am participating in one reading challenge, one blogger game and one meme for this new year. I have found that these activities keep me on a somewhat organized schedule in addition to posting book reviews. This week I was pleasantly surprised to receive many comments from fellow book readers and so a big "thank you" to one and all for stopping by LadyD Books! * http://wildaboutnaturewriters.blogspot.com/
Books Bought is a meme that Cindy hosts on her blog, Cindy's Love of Books. http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com If you want to take part all you have to do is list the books you have physically bought in a week, every two weeks or whenever. Just leave a comment on her blog. Cindy adds: DISCLAIMER: I can not be responsible for accessive book buying that this meme might cause.
If food dropped like rain from the sky, wouldn't it be marvelous! Or would it? It could, after all, be messy. And you'd have no choice. What if you didn't like what fell? Or what if too much came? Have you ever thought of what it might be like to be squashed flat by a pancake?
From the Publisher
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagues by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the pople feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.
I like the book, very creative and imaginative. Price? $6.99... What do you think on this one... have you read it? It's a bit too advanced for my 2 Grandsons but I'll wait as I have placed Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in their library for future reading. Although I must confess, both are avid pasta lovers!
Rules: * Grab the book nearest you. Right now. * Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence. * Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. *Post a linkalong with your post back to this blog http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com and to Storytime with Tonya and Friendsat http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/ * Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Here's mine:
I received this particular paperback book from a friend...
I loved the length in the 6th sentence with descriptive words so much so that I had to go with it and share with all of you... here goes! Have you ever come upon a sentence structure like this one before?
"Sylvia Townsend Warner is witness to the delight one may savor in one's mid-sixties."
"In the evening," she recorded in her diary, "the Amadeus [Quartet] played opus132; and I danced to the last movement, I rose up & danced, among the cats, & their saucers, and only when I was too carried away to stop did I realize that I was behaving very oddly for my age- and that perhaps it was the last time I would dance for joy."
One of the most fulfilling aspects to a challenge is personal satisfaction in achieving one's goal. I have taken my first step towards the 2010 Support Your Local Library Readings Challenge! http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/
I finished reading Book #1 on my list... Purplicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann.
Product Description
It's purple Pinkalicious!
Pinkalicious loves the color pink, but all the girls at school like black. They tease her, saying that pink stinks and pink is for babies. But Pinkalicious doesn't think so…that is, until her friends stop playing with her. Now Pinkalicious has a case of the blues. But could she ever turn her back on her favorite color?
In the follow-up to the bestselling Pinkalicious, a young girl remains true to herself and discovers that pink isn't only a pretty color, but also a powerful one.
About the Author
Victoria Kann's award-winning artwork has graced the covers and pages of many magazines, newspapers, and books. She is the illustrator and coauthor with Elizabeth Kann of Pinkalicious and Purplicious, which were both New York Times bestsellers. They also wrote Pinkalicious: The Musical, which premiered in New York City to sold-out audiences. Victoria teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Recently she built a tree house for her Princess Pinkerbelles. She often hears galloping in the house and wonders if it's Goldilicious or just her Pinkerbelles.
About The Book:
The book begins with Pinkalicious in an art class facing her peers who are not supportive of her choice of colors which is mainly "pink"! Have you ever been surrounded by a few friends who continually voiced their opinion on what you were doing, whether you welcomed it or not? How did you feel about it? What did you do?
As the story line unfolds, we see that Pinkalicious is having a real hard time standing up to peer pressure. She is drowning in a sea of doubts and begins to believe that others may be right. Perhaps there are other colors to choose but somehow all of these feelings make Pinkalicious very sad.
This wonderful children's book is full of bright, colorful illustrations by Elizabeth Kann. She is a doctor whose writing has appeared in a variety of publications. You can visit Elizabeth online at: www.elizabethkann.com
I especially love the way the main character, Pinkalicious, returns to her art class and her conflict is resolved with a new friend and a new perspective. A very cute book for ages 4-8 ... worth reading! The overall theme, "be true to yourself" encourages young people to be yourself and that's a good thing! 5 stars!
Writer and illustrator, Gina C. Browning, says some of the verses in her poetry book first came to her in her dreams as she was recovering from surgery years ago. The poems and illustrations in Moonbeam Dreams gradually evolved into “a keenly rhymed, fantastical romp through a fantasy land, with weird and wonderful characters for readers of any age to enjoy.” Her poetry truly is for the young at heart. Browning thinks her dreams are fun and adventurous, as she always looks for the positive side to everything. Her book encourages children not to be afraid of the dark, and to believe in themselves and their abilities so that almost anything is possible. Browning says dreams can come true “either in daylight or night” if you believe in them strongly enough.
Moonbeam Dreams is a delightful children's fantasy book and a wonderful bed time story so perfect for all the little people, like my Grandson's, to all who are "young at heart"! Gina browning brilliantly invites us all to visit the "land of Beddie-Byes" with her bright and beautiful illustrations along with her Dr.Seuss- like- rhymes.
The book begins with the invitation to put on "white wings of love" that will take you anywhere in fantasy land. I love Gina's choice of words that paint pictures for the reader such as: "Imagine your bed in a bowl of sweet cream - floating down rivers of marbles and beads."
Then with this easy read picture book, you'll continue with the journey meeting very interesting characters created from Gina's wonderful imagination such as newts in lycra pantsuits, blue frogs in the trees, butterflies dripping with gems from their wings and gorgeous illustrations of mermaids and seahorses that are a delight for any young reader to see!
What I especially love about Moonbeam Dreams is the warm, positive, fun loving story that encourages children to keep dreaming... to really believe and wish "the right wish"! Gina concludes with, "The sky is NO limit! So let yourself IN it! Whatever you wish will be right!" 5 Stars and I recommend Moonbeam Dreams to friends... worth buying! Moonbeam Dreams
I look forward to reading more from this upcoming poet! Thank you, Cheryl, at Pump Up Your Book Promo Tour for the opportunity to review this delightful children's book. I loved it!
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