Inside Jacket » published 2010

Frankie Stein Starts School by Lola M Schaefer, Illustrated by Kevan Atteberry

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:15:54 +0000

In Frankie Stein Starts School by Lola M Schaefer and illustrated by Kevan Atteberry, Frankie is different. He certainly doesn’t look like his parents. And he certainly doesn’t act like them either. He’s just a tad too clean cut and non-scary looking. Which happens to make him the scariest Stein of all.

Frankie is ready to start school at Miss Wart’s Academy for Ghouls & Goblins and he’s very excited. But his classmates – witches, skeletons, and vampires – won’t sit next to him and make fun of him for not looking like the rest of them.

But Frankie declares that he can be scarier than all of them. By the end of the school day, Frankie undergoes a grotesque, bone-chilling, ear-shattering, and bloodcurdling transformation until he becomes scarier and scarier. When he leaves for home after his first successful day of school, he has made many new friends and proved that even with his rosy red cheeks and blond hair, he can be scary as well.

The illustrations are bright and silly. Kids will enjoy copying Frankie’s antics.

Links of interest: Lola Schaefer website, Kevan Atteberry website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. July 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0761456562
Source: Review copy for 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Frankie Stein Starts School is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Maw Books has an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Indiebound, Powell’s, and Amazon . When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, Maw Books earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog. There is no cost to you.

Broom, Zoom! by Caron Lee Cohen, Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:01:15 +0000

Broom, Zoom! by Caron Lee Cohen, Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier is a book for the youngest of children.

A little witch with a big red pointy hat wants to take a late night flight on a broom but discovers that goblin is using it to sweep up spilled flour. After going back and forth about each needing the broom, the little witch helps goblin clean it up. Afterwards, she takes goblin on a broom ride.

The text is very simple. Most lines are only a few words.

“I want the broom.”
“I need the broom.”
“I want it.”
“I need it.”

Many spreads just have a single word. Makes for easy reading for those with the shortest attention spans. The illustrations are also simple with large swaths of flat color. I wasn’t in love with the character illustrations but a story of friendship and working together which the youngest children should enjoy for it’s simplicity.

Links of interest: Sergio Ruzzier website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. August 10, 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 1416991131
Source: Review copy for 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Broom Zoom is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Scaredy-Cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:41:58 +0000

Scaredy-Cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton is my first introduction to Splat and I found him so cute that I must go seek out Rob Scotton’s other books featuring the same character. It’s Halloween and Splat is in search of the scariest costume. But no matter what he does or wear, everybody else is scarier than him. Even his jack-o’-lantern is funny instead of scary.

But when his teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple tells a ghost story in the dark, Splat gets so scared that he throws his jack-o’lantern up in the air and it lands straight on his head! Unable to see anything, he stumbles around and scares the entire class! Splat may be more scary than silly after all!

The illustrations in Scaredy-Cat, Splat! are adorable! I don’t even really like cats all that much but Splat looks so soft and cuddly that I’d love to take him home with me. I particularly loved Splat’s friend Spike dressed as a mummy. Too cute. I think a couple of the pages of text at the very beginning were a bit too long as I much preferred the more brief text in later pages. But a fun story to read out loud.

A great Halloween book that kids will love.

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Harper Collins, August 24, 2010.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0061177601
Source: Library copy. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Scaredy-Cat, Splat is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman, Illustrated by Bonnie Leick

Natasha Maw — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:53:08 +0000

I know I’ve been saying this a lot about the Halloween picture books that I’ve been reviewing this past week but I have another book for you that is sooooo cute and adorable that I can hardly stand it. Have you seen Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman and illustrated by Bonnie Leick? It’s a new one this year and one that you have to have!

Rhyming text describes one little monster’s going to bed rituals: bathtime and scrubbing every scale, tangling his hair, bedtime snack of worm juice and baked beetle bread, brushing his fangs, reading a book, checking under the bed for scary children, and snuggling in with a night-light (an eyeball of course).

Sweet dreams, Little Monster.
My darling, sleep tight.
With Mama nearby,
you’ll be safe through the night.

What absolutely steals the show in this book are the gorgeous illustrations. Just enough cuteness and just enough ick. Bonnie Leick certainly knows how to make me wish I could bottle up that little monster, put him in my pocket, and take him home with me. I love the clawed monster feet on all the furniture. Lots of bugs. Lots of spiders. Bats and mice as well. Both of my kids got a great kick out of the worm juice and baked beetle bread. They love to point out the jar of eyeballs on the copyright page.

Although perfect for the Halloween season, I’d read this book all year round. Oh man, the illustrations are just too adorable. I can hardly stand it.

Links of interest: Helen Ketteman website, Bonnie Leick website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. August 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 076145683X
Source: Library copy. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Goodnight, Little Monster is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Ollie’s Halloween by Oliver Dunrea

Natasha Maw — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:49:06 +0000

Ollie’s Halloween by Oliver Dunrea is just about the cutest Halloween picture book that I have read. Oliver Dunrea’s popular characters Gossie, Gertie, Peedie, BooBoo and Ollie all make an appearance in what can only be called an adorable tale.

Gossie is a wizard. Gertie is a chicken. Peedie is a dragon. BooBoo is a bunny. And Ollie is a mummy. It’s Halloween night and the goslings are all on the prowl. They hoot, they howl, they creep, they scare and they stalk. It’s Halloween night, a night to beware. But most important, it’s a night about sharing.

I love Oliver Dunrea’s books and this one also hits the mark. Love the characters, love the illustrations, love the story. If you have little ones in your house this Halloween, don’t miss picking up Ollie’s Halloween. You’ll want to add it to your permanent collection. It’s just too cute to miss.

Links of interest: Oliver Dunrea website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. September 6, 2010
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0618532412
Source:Library. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Ollie’s Halloween is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott

Natasha Maw — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 10:54:29 +0000

In Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott, on the night of a full moon just before midnight, the young son of a barber does what he’s never allowed to do: leave the house by himself. Well, he’s not really alone when he’s accompanied by his friend Vlad the Vampire is he?

Together they prepare the barber shop for the regulars who soon will arrive. These aren’t your ordinary regulars though. It’s a special clientele: monsters! It’s busy all night and our young barber is prepared for all kinds of different haircuts and styles. Rotting tonic, horn polish and stink wax are all on hand. But things gets tense when there is a knock at the front door – surely it couldn’t be a human wanting a haircut at this time of night? But not to fear, our young barber knows how to take care of business.

A fun book to read this Halloween season. A great cast of monster characters who are simply taking care of their monsterly looks.

After all, even monsters need haircuts.

Links of interest: Matthew McElliogott website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers. July 20, 2010
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 080278819X
Source: Picked up a review copy at Book Expo America. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Even Monsters Need Haircuts is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijitten

Natasha Maw — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:20:42 +0000

Be sure to add The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo to your picture book Halloween reading this month.

Trick-or-treating has always been fun and safe especially when the town can count on the mysterious masked boy to wrangle up all the Halloween hoodlums. In fact, he’s done such a good job keeping Halloween safe that for years he hasn’t had to step in at all.

But that changes when a group of Goodie Goblins shows up wrecking havoc. There is even talk of canceling Halloween for good! The Halloween Kid back to the rescue! But are his skills too rusty? Can he overcome the Goblins or will the town need to come to his rescue?

I loved the fun western take on a “yee-ha-halloween!” The story was really entertaining to read and so fun to read a loud to the boys by getting into character. Very clever. But what I loved even more where the fantastic illustrations. I adored the vintage feel of the entire book.

The Halloween Kid is a new release so don’t miss it this year!

Illustrations copyrighted to Rhode Montijo.
Links of interest: Rhode Montijo website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction picture book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. August 3, 2010.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 1416935754
Copy Source: Library
The Halloween Kid is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards

Natasha Maw — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:00:45 +0000

When I was in New York City this past May I attended a book signing event at Books of Wonder with a good dozen debut authors. Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards is one book that I picked up there because I simply couldn’t resist it.

One - it’s free verse.

Two – it’s historical fiction.

Now some of you may be inwardly groaning to yourself because you don’t like free verse or historical fiction. But for me it’s a match made in heaven. A guarantee that I’ll read the book. I love free verse novels. Adore. Combine that with historical fiction and Three Rivers Rising was a no brainer purchase for me.

Dust jacket summary:

Sixteen-year-old Celestia vacations with her family at the elite resort at Lake Conemaugh, a shimmering Allegheny Mountain reservoir held inplace by an earthen dam. Tired of the superficial cheer and sly judgements of the society crowd, she much prefers to swim and fish with Peter, the hotel’s hired boy. It’s a friendship she must keep secret – her parents would never approve – and when companionship turns to romance, it’s a love that could get Celestia disowned.

These affairs of the heart become all the more wrenching on a single, tragic day in May 1889. After days of heavy rain, the dam fails, unleashing twenty million tons of water onto Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in the valley below – the town where Peter lives with his father.

Told my multiple narrators, Jame Richards’s searing novel in poems explores a cross-class romance, the random hand of disaster, and a tragic and indelible event in American history.

What I really liked about Three Rivers Rising was how nostalgic it felt. How I was really taken back in time not to just a different time but to a completely different way of thinking. To a time where family appearances meant more than that actual family. Where one doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice the limb to save the tree, so to speak. To a time where romance between the classes was merit for being disowned. I loved the struggle between the characters as they simply tried to love each other.

I enjoyed the free-verse quite a bit. I always do. I have found with other readers that free-verse is something that either you love or hate. I’m solidly on the love side. However, I found the free -verse here to read more as prose rather than poetry making me wonder how the novel would have fared simply as prose. But it’s fair to say that I’m glad it wasn’t prose but instead free-verse.

I had never heard of the Johnstown flood prior to reading Three Rivers Rising and Richards does an excellent job building up the tension prior to the dam breaking and describing the ensuing disaster and recovery. While Johnstown wasn’t the only city hit in this flood, there were more than 2,200 deaths in that area alone. Reading about this incredible disaster against the backdrop of family and forbidden romance was exciting.

Jame Richards includes an author’s note, a South Dork Dam chronology, and further reading recommendations. I have found that I like this kind of extra information in the historical fiction that I read.

I simply loved this book.

Links of interest: Jame Richards website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Free Verse Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers. April 10, 2010
Hardcover, 304 pages. ISBN 0375858857
Copy source: Purchased from Books of Wonder, NYC
Three Rivers Rising is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler

Natasha Maw — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:50:52 +0000

I had to mention Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler here on the blog because as many of you may remember we are thick in the middle of potty training around here (uh . . . for about a year actually). With a three day weekend here and with no plans to go anywhere we decided to hit it full force again. When I saw this book on the Cybil’s fiction picture book nomination list (for which I’m a panelist) I knew that it was one that I wanted to look at early on.

Sadly, as has been shown in my earlier posts about other potty training books, my sons love of potty training books does not necessarily translate to success on the potty. I wish he had has much enthusiasm for the potty has he does reading his books. I read Bear in Underwear three times back-to-back today with cries of “Again! Again!” We would have kept going if I wasn’t sick and my voice gave out. My husband also told me he read it a few times this morning as well. I did notice my five-year-old pick up the book later and read the text to himself from memory (to clarify: he’s not the one in need of help, that would he his little brother).

In Bear in Underwear, Bear is playing with his forest friends when he finds a backpack full of underwear. He tries on each pair looking for the perfect fit but they are either too big, too small, too loose, too silly, too girly, too dirty, or too itchy. It isn’t until he tries on a pair of tighty whiteys that he finds the perfect fit.

What you can’t tell from the cover illustration is that the underwear on the cover is plush. My boys thought that was hilarious. But their most favorite part of the story is seeing a back shot of Bear’s bum. They would laugh and laugh over that one a good long while. Overall, a good book for my boys. I told my youngest later, “Hey, you’re wearing underwear just like Bear!” to which he responded proudly, “Yes, I am!” A nice success until I found him in his bedroom slyly changing that wet underwear into a new dry pair. Sigh . . . off to hunt for another puddle somewhere.

Links of interest: Todd H. Doodler is a pseudonym for Todd Goldman (no surprise there – as soon as I saw the last name Doodler for a children’s author, I figured it was too good to be true). More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Blue Apple Books. March 1, 2010
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 1609050169
Source: Library copy. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Bear in Underwear is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson, Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler

Natasha Maw — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:58:59 +0000

Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler is the biography of Wangari Maathai who won the Novel Peace Prize in 2004 for her environmental activism which included founding The Green Belt Movement which teaches people to take care of the environment by planting trees, recycling, and seeking alternative energy sources. She was the first African woman and environmentalist to receive the award.

Her mother had taught her to revere and love the trees of Kenya. When few girls went to school, Wangari’s parents managed to send her where she excelled in science. She won a scholarship to attend college in Kansas where she learned that a woman could do anything she wanted to. She found her strength as a woman scientist. America had changed her.

When returning to her homeland she accepted a teaching job at the University of Nairobi in a profession were there were very few woman teachers and even less female scientists. But she also witnessed a change happening in Kenya. Trees and the land were being destroyed and so much that the people depended on was lost. Wangari had an idea that started as small as a seedling but that would effect much change in the environment of her country and that was to plant trees. “We might not change the big world but we change the landscape of the forest,” she said.

Seeds of Change is Wangari Maathai’s inspirational story. It is a story of planting more than thirty million trees in Kenya. It is also a story of overcoming and persvering through those who work against you. It is a story of woman’s rights. It is a story of giving back to the Earth when we take too much from it.

To quote the book, “She understood that persistence, patience, and commitment – to an idea as small as a seed but as tall as a tree that reaches for the sky – must be planted in every child’s heart. ‘Young people you are our hope and our future,’ she said.”

An excellent portrayal of Wangari Maathai. And a great reminder that even as an adult, I learn so much from picture books.

Links of interest: Jen Cullerton Johnson website, Sonia Lynn Sadler website, The Green Belt Movement, Wangari Maathai biography on Nobel Prize site.
Genre: Non-fiction picture book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Lee and Low Books. June 30, 2010.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 160060367X
Copy source: Review copy sent from publisher.
Seeds of Change is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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