#MMBBR #Review #KissesForKindergarten by by #LivingstoneCrouse #MackyPamintuan

Stella Isabella Harden

contemplating kindergarten

declared she didn't have to go,

because her puppy told her so.

School is about to begin, and Stella Isabella Harden decides that kindergarten just isn't for her. Instead, she decides to spend the day learning from her puppy named Buster. Together these two adventurers plan a day full of playtime, teatime, naptime, and storytime.

After every "lesson," Stella gets the best reward: a kiss from her best friend and favorite puppy. But will she change her mind about kindergarten before the first day of school? Join Stella and Buster in this lyrical read-aloud and uplifting story about growing up.

From Booklist review:

“In Crouse’s delightful kindergarten-readiness tale, lyrical couplets playfully emphasize how the transition from home life to school can be a frightening experience for youngsters. Pamintuan adds warmth and tenderness to frolicsome scenes of the cartoonish figures in saturated colors, by focusing on Stella and Buster’s close-knit relationship. Including a kindergarten-ready checklist, this debut is a perfect read for kiddos nervous about their first day of school.”

A perfect book to help your child get ready for Kindergarten.  I adored this book and know that it will help so many kids transition to school.  It can be so very scary to leave home and be away from your loved ones.  Children need to find other things to focus their attentions on and to find ways to make the change easier.  This book, with its colorful illustrations, allows a child to focus their energies on the exciting parts of school, rather than the scary parts.  I cannot wait to give this to my favorite Kindergarten teacher to read to her kids on the first day of school!!  

About the Author and Illustrator:

Livingstone Crouse has spent the last 20 years either selling, editing, or writing books for children. He's even done all three at once! So recently he decided he'd focus entirely on writing the kinds of books he likes to read, books in verse that are filled with heart, word-play, and lots of laughs. Books like this one. Livingstone lives in a large, 200-year old farmhouse in New York's Hudson Valley with his husband and a dog named Kat. (And you can be fairly certain that Livingstone Crouse is not his real name. But don't tell anyone!)

Macky Pamintuan was born and raised in Davao, a city in the southern Philippines. As a young child, drawing was his favorite pastime and an activity that brought him delight and satisfaction. Early on, his parents discovered that giving him paper and pencil was a sure way to keep him busy, quiet, and out of trouble. He still remembers the day when he successfully drew Mickey Mouse and Superman, a huge breakthrough and a sweet triumph. He moved to San Francisco at age 21 and in 1998 enrolled in the Academy of Art College to pursue illustration. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in December 2003. When not illustrating, Macky enjoys playing basketball, his other true passion.

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