Inside Jacket

I Love Christmas by Anna Walker is an adorable picture book for the younger crowd with simple text and the most wonderful illustrations.  Ollie, our cute little main character loves Christmas and everything about it.  The crinkly paper, tinsel, string, baking cakes with his Nanna, stars in the sky, Santa, and sitting in bed on Christmas Eve listening for Santa’s sleigh bells with his dog Fred.

A really nice touch that I really appreciated, was the spread with Ollie playing with a nativity with the line, “I love the cow and happy sheep, the star, the donkey, and the baby asleep.”  For my family, who celebrates Christmas as the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, it was nice to see a picture book that combined both Santa and the birth of Christ as reasons to love Christmas.

Also, loved how the cardstock in this picture book was a bit sturdier.  My boys are inbetween stages with board books and picture books and easily tear pages from books.  This one just might hold up for us.

I’m thrilled to add this Christmas book to my collection.  I love great Christmas books and this one fits the bill.

Links of interest:  Anna Walker website.  I Love Christmas by Anna Walker is a fiction picture book Cybil’s nominee for which I’m a panelist.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. October 6, 2009
Hardcover/Paperback # of pages. ISBN 1416983171
I Love Christmas by Anna Walker is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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I picked up Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty at the library because I couldn’t resist that adorable cover.  Brought it home to discover that it’s a Cybils nominee.  Score!

Poor shy Jeremy lives on the top floor of a three-story apartment building.  Every day he looks down at the other boys and girls playing ball.  But he never goes outside.  One day, Jeremy takes out his fancy blue ball- point pen and draws a monster.  But his monster ends up to be pretty demanding and rude asking Jeremy to draw him a sandwich, a toaster, a record player, a checkerboard, a comfortable chair, a television, a hot tog, a telephone, and a piece of cake.  When the monster asks for a  hat so he can go out, Jeremy thinks with relief that he may be gone for good.

But the monster returns later that night and takes over Jeremy’s bed.  Jeremy’s a smart kid and the next morning draws the monster a bus ticket and a suitcase and helps him get out of town.  But once he puts the monster on the bus, he’s not in his room anymore.  He’s outside!  So . . . he plays ball with the neighbor kids.

I liked this one.  The illustrations are really cute.  I loved the pen and ink line quality to the blue monster.  I loved that the monster wasn’t scary.  Just very demanding.   I liked shy Jeremy and his problem solving skills.  My boys have casually looked through the pages of this one with interest although I haven’t sat down with them yet to read it cover to cover.  My four-year old is the perfect age for the short text.  The book has that special feel to it.  You just know it when you see it.

Links of interest: Peter McCarty website, more book blogger reviews, Travis at 100 Scope Notes has a much more eloquent review of this book than I do.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. September 1, 2009
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0805069348
Jeremy Draws a Monster is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

My boys can not get enough of Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems which we’ve been reading in anticipation for Halloween although I would stress that although great for Halloween with its monster theme is a great everyday picture book.  And I must admit (although embarrassing), that Mo Willems is a new addition to our household.  But he’s been welcomed with open arms.

I have a fun video for you of us reading Leonardo the Terrible Monster together.  At one point, it gets most rambunctious.  Another book that we will be sad to return to the library and will be added to boys permanent wish list.

Links of interest:  Mo Willems website and blog, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Hyperion Book. August 23, 2005
Hardcover, 48 pages. ISBN 0786852941
Leonardo the Terrible Monster is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.