Review: Christopher Sat Straight Up in Bed

Oh, my goodness! I was happy to receive the news that I had one another children's book for reviewing purposes from LibraryThing. It was great to hear from Rachel A. Bomberger, the internet marketing manager for eerdmans.com/youngreaders.

About The Book

It's the middle of the night, but try as hard as he might, Christopher can't sleep. He keeps hearing a noise thundering through the house: HONK SHOO! Could it be an elephant trumpeting outside his window? Or a bear in his closet? Maybe it's a dinosaur stomping down the street? Christopher gathers up all his courage, and readers follow close behind as he tiptoes down the hall to find out where or what the noise is coming from…

About Book Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (February 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802853595

 About the Author

Kathy Long is the author of five published titles, including The Runaway Shopping Cart (Dutton) and God is Near (Augsburg Fortress). Kathy lives in Missouri.

Patricia Cantor was an award-winning illustrator and a teacher of art at California State University-Fullerton and California State University-Long Beach until her death in 2012. She previously published Sleeping Bootsie with Random House. Visit her website at www.patriciacantor.com

Rainbow illustration by Patricia Cantor

My Thoughts

Have you ever laid in your bed at night, trying to go to sleep, and you hear something? If you have an active imagination like Christopher, then I'm sure you can relate to the boy's journey in trying to figure out just what or who those night time sounds may be. Pressing on, he envisions all sorts of characters, from an elephant and a bear, to a dinosaur or mountain lion. Kids will love this sequence of events. The heartfelt story has a warm conclusion for Christopher, feeling safe and secure by jumping into bed with his loving grandparents, only to discover who the real noise maker is!

5/5 stars! Great story, so cute. I loved the book!

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review. I was not compensated. All opinions are my own.

Christopher Sat Straight Up in Bed






“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Book Review: God Gave Us You

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren and art by Laura J. Bryant

I am indeed a fortunate woman to have 3 vibrant grandsons, whom I adore, and then when our precious granddaughter arrived, we were overjoyed to see her and welcome this sweet baby into the family. This delightful board book sums it all up!

Product Description

When a charming polar bear cub climbs into bed one night, she asks her Mama a very important question:

“Where did I come from?”

As Mama bear tucks her youngest cub under the quilts, she lovingly explains, “We wanted you very, very much, and we are so very glad because…

“God gave us you.”

Perfect for bedtime, naptime, storytime or anytime, God Gave Us You builds children’s self-esteem and assures each one that he or she truly is a treasured gift from the Lord.

From the Inside Flap

When a charming polar bear cub climbs into bed one night, she asks her Mama a very important question--one that little "human cubs" often wonder about, too: "Where did I come from?"

As Mama bear tucks her youngest cub under the quilts, she gently, tenderly, and reassuringly communicates the message loving parents everywhere (bears and non-bears alike) want their little ones to hear: "We wanted you very, very much, and we are so very glad because--"God gave us you."

Perfect for bedtime, naptime, storytime or anytime, God Gave Us You provides a valuable opportunity to build children's self-esteem every day and assure each one that he or she truly is a welcomed, precious, and treasured gift from the Lord.

Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Board book: 22 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; Brdbk edition (July 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307729915
• ISBN-13: 978-0307729910

My Review

I am a huge fan of Lisa Tawn Bergren's stories, especially this one that conveys an all time message of loving, being loved and knowing that you are loved. The main characters, Mama Polar Bear and her Little Cub share a warm relationship with tender dialog that begins with a question and from their touches upon  a loving message that children are a gift from the Lord. 

I recommend God Gave Us You (board book) for gift-giving and an addition to your library for bedtime story sharing, plus Sunday Schools, Day Care for babies and toddlers and Christian families. Knowing God's love is a wonderful foundation to grow upon. I LOVED the book! *****


Thanks LibraryThing for sending God Gave Us You for review.







“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis


My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Beautiful Illustrations: The House in the Night

 I was so moved by the beautiful illustrations in Susan Marie Swanson's charming picture book. Just looking at the details of the light on each page is incredible. Not only do I love the house but especially seeing the sun glow, the table light shine and the moon glowing will spark a child's imagination and comfort them to dream on end. The book has short, easy to read sentences as well. For example, "Here is the key to the house. In the house burns a light." Susan is an award-winning poet. Her work ignites a journey beginning with a small story inside the house and then flying on a bird all around the town, of course with a well-lit starry sky.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; 1 edition (May 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618862447
• ISBN-13: 978-0618862443

Biography

SUSAN MARIE SWANSON is the author of Getting Used to the Dark: 26 Night Poems and the picture book Letter to the Lake, both illustrated by Peter Catalanotto. As a visiting poet in schools, she reads and writes poetry with children. Her reviews and essays about children's literature regularly appear in Riverbank Review, for which she is a contributing editor. Ms. Swanson lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* A young girl is given a golden key to a house. “In the house / burns a light. / In that light / rests a bed. On that bed / waits a book.” And so continues this simple text, which describes sometimes fantastical pleasures as a bird from the book spirits the child through the starry sky to a wise-faced moon. The cumulative tale is a familiar picture-book conceit; the difference in success comes from the artwork. Here, the art is spectacular. Executed in scratchboard decorated in droplets of gold, Krommes’ illustrations expand on Swanson’s reassuring story (inspired by a nursery rhyme that begins, “This is the key of the kingdom”) to create a world as cozy inside the house as it is majestic outside. The two-page spread depicting rolling meadows beyond the home, dotted with trees, houses, barns, and road meeting the inky sky, is mesmerizing. The use of gold is especially effective, coloring the stars and a knowing moon, all surrounded with black-and-white halos. A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Ilene Cooper.

I was amazed by the gorgeous illustrations! 5*

The House in the Night 

 

 

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Bedtime Book: Milton the Early Riser

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (April 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671669117
• ISBN-13: 978-0671669119

Product Description

The first one to awake, Milton the Panda tries hard to wake all the other animals but to no avail.

About the Author

Robert Kraus, New Yorker cartoonist and cover artist, created numerous classic picture books for very young children, including Leo the Late Bloomer and Milton the Early Riser.
Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey have illustrated many books together -- he draws the outlines and designs the pages; she paints the illustrations. Aruego, a native of the Philippines, was a lawyer before becoming an illustrator, and now lives in New York City. Dewey was born in Chicago and also lives in New York City.

 About The Book

Milton the panda bear can't sleep. There is a big wind storm which re-arranges all of the animals in the land, so to keep himself occupied, Milton puts them all back where they belong. By the time all of the animals wake up, Milton is so tired, he finally falls asleep.

Colorful pictures and a good story to read, especially at bedtime. 5 stars!

As some of you know, I just got back from visiting my newborn granddaughter. And as you can see, sometimes she's asleep but other times... well, you know.

What have you tried to help babies fall asleep? I think motion and music helps.


-- LadyD

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Calming Rhyme by Laura Numeroff: When Sleep Sheep

Remember Laura Numeroff's best-selling book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? Well, I just finished reading a calming rhyme to my grandson last night. It's called When Sheep Sleep. Here's the Amazon blurb about the book:

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810954699

Laura Numeroff grew up in Brooklyn, with her mother, father, and two older sisters. Her house was filled with books, art, music and folk dancing.
She attended Pratt Institute and graduated with a degree in communications and a contract for her first children's book, AMY FOR SHORT, published in 1975 by Macmillan.
A New York Times best-selling children's book author, Laura is best known for the series based on her book IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. First printed in 1985, "Mouse" is in its 40th printing. The fourth book in the series, IF YOU TAKE A MOUSE TO THE MOVIES was on the New York Times Children's Best Seller list for five months- nine weeks at number one.
Publisher's Weekly listed IF YOU TAKE A MOUSE TO THE MOVIES as the number two book for children in 2000 (Harry Potter was number one) and at one point, Laura had three books on the New York Times Bestseller List in the same week.
In 2000, IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE was featured on the Oprah show three times, and was recommended by Oprah's first kids' book club, as well as being noted as Oprah's favorite children's book of the year on her Christmas show. "PIG" was also on Publisher's Weekly Bestseller List for over a year. In addition, the series has sold over 4.5 million copies, been printed in fourteen languages, and won the prestigious Quill Award in the picture book category.
Some of Laura's other books currently in print are: WHAT MOMMIES DO BEST/WHAT DADDIES DO BEST, DOGS DON'T WEAR GLASSES, THE CHICKEN SISTERS, WHY A DISGUISE? The first two books in Laura's JELLYBEANS book series made the New York Times Best Seller List.
Hillary Clinton, President Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush have all read Laura's books to kids. First Lady Michelle Obama, her mother, her daughters, Malia and Sasha read Laura's book at the 2010 Easter Egg Roll on the White House Lawn. Laura was one of ten children's authors invited to a literacy day in Washington during the Bush administration in 2001. She has also visited over 100 elementary schools and has been a speaker at teacher conferences around the country.
Laura donates book sales to FIRST BOOK, a non-profit organization that provides brand new books to children who otherwise would not have access to them. She has also donated all royalties from THE HOPE TREE- KIDS TALK OUT ABOUT BREAST CANCER, to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Laura has appeared on The Today show twice as well as Good Morning America. On her December 13th, 2000 appearance on The Today Show, Laura donated 500 Mouse mini-books with doll ornaments to the show's toy drive.
When not writing, Laura takes tennis lessons (she says she's not very good but loves it anyway), reads to children in hospitals and foster homes and calls herself a book and movie fanatic.

My Thoughts:

This is a wonderful children's book for two-year-olds! Repetition and rhyming make this book a huge success for toddlers to enjoy. In this book, a little girl can't fall asleep because the sheep are asleep, so she counts other animals. The illustrations by David McPhail are gorgeous with warm tones that are soothing to look at. I love this book! ***** stars!

Have you read it to your loved ones?

~ LadyD

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis

Tour: This Little Prayer of Mine by Anthony DeStefano

Cover of This Little Prayer of Mine

Product Description

Nothing Compares to Childlike Faith
I know you're up in heaven, God,
and can hear my voice from there.
I'm just a little child.
Will you answer my short prayer?
So begins this delightful book that affirms God's readiness to answer our prayers, no matter what our age.
With engaging rhymes and beautiful illustrations, This Little Prayer of Mine assures children that God is always near--watching, listening, caring, and eager to respond to their requests. They'll also learn that prayer isn't just about asking for things, but about sharing their feelings of sadness and uncertainty as well as of thanksgiving and joy.
Most importantly, This Little Prayer of Mine reminds children—and those who love them—that they can trust God to tenderly care for them, no matter what the future holds.

Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1 edition (February 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307458040
• ISBN-13: 978-0307458049

 About The Author

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

Everyday we must live in a close trusting relationship with God, always looking to Him for comfort and direction through prayer. This Little Prayer of Mine is the springboard for helping children to establish that type of life-long relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Both parents and children alike will praise Anthony DeStefano for this amazing little book.

Bernice A. King 
Daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Coretta Scott King
Other than breathing, there is nothing more important for any child to learn – and learn deeply and well -- than to pray.  Talking with God should be as easy and natural as breathing and as necessary.  What a blessing Anthony DeStefano’s little book is!
Pat and Shirley Boone

My Review:

What I Liked About the Book:
* Beautiful Illustrations
* Good Bedtime Story
* Great Interactivity
* Gift Giving

This Little Prayer of Mine

It is comforting to know for children (and adults, too) that God's love surrounds them when life seems scary or you are all alone. Calling out to God and just talking to Him is a wonderful way to encourage the presence of God in prayer. I love books on prayer and you'll find on the front cover that this book is "Endorsed By National Day of Prayer." The illustrations by Mark Elliott add so much to each page of the story line. I found this children's book so inspirational, written from Anthony's heart, that I wanted to recommend this book to you for your library purchase and gift giving. It is a wonderful message of faith and inspiration that strengthens and reinforces children of every age  in that every day hope and assurance that God is love. He truly does listen to our prayers. This will be one of those book's that is continually asked for bedtime reading . It's a real simple message for all children and adults and that is to be loved...  and with assurance, I can say that God does truly love you.  You'll be happy you purchased this wonderful book... it's a great read! Anthony DeStefano has a winner with this one!

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

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The Napping House by Audrey Wood

One of the books from my list of Support Your Local Library Challenge is the Napping House by Audrey Wood and her husband Don Wood is the illustrator.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books (September 1, 2000)
• ASIN: B001JEG5ZA

Five sleepy-heads having a good sleep, then comes along number 6 and all heck breaks loose. What a creative tale. With it's rhyming paragraphs, little children can learn the words, quickly. Encouraging them to love reading by reading this book to you. The style of the writing (the rhyme scheme used) and illustrations (watercolors) renders the book adorable by any reader of any age. I liked the book and give it 5 stars.


From the jacket flap:

"Cumulative rhymes are reassuring - they soothe and amuse and stay with us throughout our lives. This gentle story about "a napping house" will do all those things. It's a simple tale - just a cozy bed, with a snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing - but wait! there's a surprise, a delightful surprise, in store, and the youngest listeners will want to hear it again and again.
Superb full-color illustrations bring the quiet moments and small scenes to life with variety and grace. They supplement the tale, filling in charming details that go beyond  the story and reflect a change in weather as well as in mood. Furry pets you yearn to stroke, floppy pillows, wet raindrops, and big, sleepy yawns, all convey the essence of rhymes and make them memorable.
Together author and illustrator have created a classic treasure for children and their children's children."

For more information, visit Audrey Wood Clubhouse

This book is the Winner of the 1984 Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers. This book is also a 1984 American Library Association Notable Book for Children.


Audrey and Don Wood live in Santa Barbara, California. They have written many well-loved books.


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Bedtime Books

Do you have a favorite bedtime book? After reading these three bedtime books to my Grandson, here is the end result... a precious moment, for sure.

There's no better way to end your day than snuggling together reading books. Here are a few mom favorites to make this time extra special.

1. Good Night Moon
The ultimate classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations.


Description:
Board Book

From Margaret Wise Brown, this epic of children's literature will lull your child to sleep without an effort of the incident.

In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room--to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one--he says goodnight.

In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.

Goodnight Moon


2. Guess How Much I Love You
A classic sweet tale about the love between a parent and child.



Description:
Hardcover

“’I Love you as high as I can hop,’ laughed Little Nutbrown Hare…
'But I love you as high as I can hop,' smiled Big Nutbrown Hare - and he hopped so high that his ears touched the branches above."

An incredibly sweet tale about the love between a parent and child, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney tells the story of Little Nutbrown Hare expressing his love for his father, Big Nutbrown Hare, only to have his father reciprocate the feelings to an even greater degree. With fantastic illustrations and a lovely message, Guess How Much I Love You is the ideal book to share with your child.

Guess How Much I Love You


3. Goodnight Gorilla
The story of a sly gorilla who pickpockets the zoo’s night watchman's keys.



Description:
Good Night, Gorilla

Board Book

Good Night, Gorilla, written and illustrated by Peggy Rathmann, is the story of a sly gorilla who pickpockets the zoo’s night watchman’s keys as he does his rounds. Stealthily following the watchman, the gorilla uses the keys to open up all of the other animals’ cages, who then also join the caravan. Told mostly through the rich illustrations of Rathmann, Good Night, Gorilla truly epitomizes the old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And a hilarious picture may be worth a few more.

Good Night, Gorilla

-- LadyD