#MMBBR #ReviewRoundUp #Childrens #PictureBooks @HolidayHouseBks

Dramatic aerial views and an expressive, subtle palette tell a story about a wheelchair-bound girl looking down from her balcony at passersby below and urging them to Look up!

Dog walkers, a bike rider, a kite flier, and dozens of commuters walk by without taking any notice. Then a boy stops and looks up. He lies on the sidewalk so the girl can see him better. A woman joins him. Soon nine people and one dog are lying down and looking up. The girl looks up at the reader and smiles.

Art and text that are dramatic and elegant tell a story of kindness, compassion and friendship. 

This book was awarded an Opera Prima Honor at the Bologna Book Fair.

MY REVIEW:
It may be the mood I am in, but this book moved me.  It is so very simple with very few words and back and white illustrations, but I had an emotional reaction to this book.  It really captures the need for all of us to slow down and "look up". It illustrates that if we slow down, take our time and be mindful in our interactions we will live a much more meaningful and full life. Loved it!

A boy, worried that his little brother on the way will be an empty-headed pumpkin head, takes action by teaching him words and reading him stories in this sweet story of siblinghood.

A boy has a little brother on the way. His mother is eating much pumpkin pumpkin soup, pumpkin dumplings, pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin pie. At first the boy is happy to think that this pumpkin diet will give his new baby brother red hair, which the boy is very fond of. Then the boy has a nightmare where his brother has a pumpkin head with nothing inside but seeds and pulp!

So the boy devises a rescue plan to fill his brother's head with the names of plants and animals and important people, to tell the baby stories and teach him important things.

MY REVIEW:
This is such a funny and sweet story about children and how they think quite literally about things.  So when a young boy sees his mother acting a bit strange while she is pregnant he gets nervous.  She is eating all sorts of pumpkin items and fear starts to overtake him as he is afraid his new baby brother will be a pumpkin head.  So in his effort to protect his sibling he sets out to teach the baby all he knows.  A sweet and tender story about the power of love.

In this zany language arts book, a classroom lesson on leadership gets a boost from little groups of letters called PREFIXES.

It s Leadership Day in Mr. Wright s classroom, and the prefixes are IMpatient to take center stage. After all, they are the greatest leaders around! Prefixes attach to the beginning of words and change what they mean. But they are MIStaken about their role in the day s festivities. . . . Mr. Wright has a lesson on President Abraham Lincoln PREpared. The prefixes are in DISbelief that they could be so carelesslyIGnored. Luckily, Mr. Wright gets a REminder to include them in the lesson and the prefixes are ready to UNleash their power.

MY REVIEW:

I love books that teaching difficult things in a fun and easy way.  I love that a wacky and memorable story can teach such a tricky grammar lesson like prefixes.  Not only is the story super funny, but there are speech bubbles that add to the story.  I love that it is so readable.  Kids would love to listen to the teacher read it aloud or to read it silently themselves.  There is brilliance in these pages that takes learning to another level.   A wonderfully creative and engaging way to teach grammar lessons.  There are other books in this series too, so make sure to check those out as well. 

With a gust of wind a dandelion seeds takes off soaring through the sky. Who knows where it will land? Seeds use ingenious methods to travel to new places, from bobbing along through waves to spinning like green helicopters. A glossary is included.

MY REVIEW:

This book is quite wonderful in the way it describes and articulates the many ways seeds grow into so many wonderful things.  It is very poetic and richly describes the ways with vibrant verbs. The beautiful drawings add another level to the already interesting and dynamic story.  I love that there is a glossary that includes illustrations because it adds another layer to the educational and fun story.  A must for anyone wanted to help children understand the importance and wonder of seeds in nature.  

David A. Adler and Edward Miller are back to bring an amusing introduction to the geometry of circles filled with hands-on activities.

Wheels, clocks and coins. Balls and buttons. Circles are one of the basic geometric shapes and can be seen everywhere. In a book bursting with color and cheer, students can learn the fundamental properties of circles. Terms such as sector, chord and arc are clearly defined. Hands-on activities demonstrate how to find the radius, diameter and area of a circle. With this handy and lively guide kids can avoid spinning their wheels and get on the road to becoming geometry pros.

MY REVIEW:

This book is part of a series that teaches kids all sorts of complicated subjects in a way that is easy to understand.  There is simpler language that is accompanied by illustrations that allow kids to have fun while they learn.  Kids are taught the fundamental properties of circles and couples fun activities that facilitates active learning.  Terms are clearly explained through thoughtful and clear definitions and pictures, which will allow a deepen of learning and will engage all sorts of learners.  A must for any teacher or parent that is trying to teach the concept of circles.  

A charming sock duo does their best to stick together in this rhyming picture book with bright, bold illustrations.

The love story of two socks goes awry in this sweet picture book with cheerful illustrations. Suki and Sosh are a happy sock couple. They have a warm home, a pair of feet and they are in love . . . life couldn't be better. But one day, Suki gets a hole! Before long she is whisked out of the drawer and taken far, far away from Sosh. The other socks warn him, " There s no point in being a sock on your own! "and Sosh knows it s the truth. No one likes an odd sock. What will become of him, and will he ever find his true love again?

MY REVIEW:

This is such a sweet story about a sock couple.  They are in love and determined to stay together, but something happens that threatens their happily ever after...Suki gets a hole and goes missing!!!!  Sosh won't stop until he is back with Suki.  The ending of this story is so very sweet and lovely.  Parents and kids alike will enjoy this book so very much.  The illustrations are so very sweet, vibrant and spark imagination.  A delight to read-a-loud to kids of all ages.  A great story about the power of love and determination! 

A New York Times best illustrated picture book winner, Amy Schwartz has created an endearing picture book about sisters working together.

Four strong-minded sisters go shopping, each hoping to create a distinctive look. Charlie Ann wants to dress like a cowgirl, Ava a princess, and Isabell all in purple. Baby Poppy is completely set on polka dots. All of the girls find something to satisfy their tastes, except for Poppy. But while Mom and baby sister sleep the three older sisters get artsy with their waterproof markers. A bewildered Mom and delighted Poppy wake up to find a new polka dot wardrobe.

This spunky, colorful and sweet book is a tribute to being resourceful and creative.

MY REVIEW:

This story is sheer love.  All the sisters have a distinct style and a personality that matches that style.  They all are clear on what they want and can all find their perfect outfit except Baby Poppy.  I love how the older sisters come together to make sure that Baby Poppy has exactly what she would want.  It is such a endearing story about the power and love between sisters.  It illustrates how important and wonderful it is to think outside the box and to use creative and innovative ways to meet your goals.  It also show simple ways you can spread joy and love!

This nearly wordless book uses onomatopoeia and striking bold illustrations to tell the story of a homeless cat who meets an Asian grandfather on a bus and finally finds a home.

A cat enters a grocery store in search of food, but the proprietor shoos her away. A bus approaches offering shelter, but the large-handed, scary-faced driver shouts SCRAM! When another bus approaches, the cat runs in with a WHOOSH and meets a grandfatherly gentleman who changes the cat's circumstances forever.

MY REVIEW:

This is a very simple book that tells the story more though pictures than words, as this book only contains 14 words.  But the story is rich with heart as you watch a homeless cat find a home with a sweet Grandfather.  Cat on the Bus  is one of those books that speaks to the eyes and connects with the heart.  You are pulled into the illustrations and are left feeling warm inside!  A pure delight!

The family cat destroys everything in his path, and the two girls who love him worry that he may be sick or blind in this story of unconditional pet love.

Crash destroys Kait's drum set, Krissie's doll, Mom's cake and Dad's paint job. The family takes Crash to the vet who says the cat is fine, but Crash topples the laundry as soon as he's back home. One night while the girls are in bed, they hear the biggest CRASH of all. That night, Crash is a hero!

Lined with endearing watercolor illustrations, Crash will warm the hearts of young cat lovers everywhere."

MY REVIEW:

Crash is a cat that seemed to crash into everything.  Being a loving family the kids are worried something is wrong.  Many things are destroyed, but one night Crash is the hero.  A story about love for our pets told in a short but sweet way.    

This funny story has charming ink-and-watercolor paintings and endearing characters.

One snowy day, Pinky is heading to town to get a pizza for himself and his mother. He must run quickly so he doesn't forget: mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, onions and peas.

When the Squirrel boys try to sidetrack him, Pinky becomes annoyed and kicks the tree they're in. The snow from the branches falls down, and Pinky, not knowing it, looks like a snowman.

As Pinky walks through town, everyone is talking about the walking snowman. But Pinky doesn't see him AND he's much too focused on getting his pizza to stop and look for him.

MY REVIEW:

This will certainly become a new winter favorite!  It is so, so, so cute.  The character are all so sweet and the illustrations are a sight to behold.  Pinky is determined to get this mother the pizza she wants and continues to chant the ingredients in a song poem, so he won't forget, all the way to the pizzeria.  He gets caught up in a snowball fight and ends up looking like a snowman.  As he makes his way across town he draws a lot of attention as the "walking snowman", but Pinky has no idea that he is the snowman that they are speaking of.  It is such a tender and creative story and the pictures are so stunning that you can get lost within the town and feel part of it.  Kids and parents alike with marvel at this wonderful and sweet story.  

Caldecott medalist Mordicai Gerstein writes and illustrates an elegant and beautiful story inspired by the characters in Henri Rousseau's Sleeping Gypsy.

A girl, alone in the desert, lies on the sand and sleeps. But she is not alone for long. A lizard, a rabbit, a turtle and other animals scrutinize her when a lion leaps into the scene and claims her for his own.

A silhouette approaches from the distance. He introduces himself as Henri Rousseau, the dreamer of this dream, who plans to paint a picture of it. The animals pose for the artist but criticize his work with comments like you've made my nose too big. So the artist removes complainers one by one from the picture until only the girl and the lion remain.

MY REVIEW:

This book is a bit of magic and imagination all wrapped together.  It is such a cool concept to look at a painting and then create a narrative that may have accompanied it.  It sparks imagination and the concept of dreams realized.  It highlights the fact that criticism can not always be erased, but being critical of others can cause you to miss out on opportunities. What is left after all the animals have stated their thoughts is a beautiful illustration of a girl and a lion.  A thought provoking and insightful story that will stay with me for a long time!

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