Book Review (Revisited!) :: Who Will Haunt My House on Halloween?

**This book review is part of a post that was originally published on 08 June 2010.**

Who Will Haunt My House on Halloween?
Written by Jerry Pallotta

Illustrated by David Biedrzycki

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

Copyright 2007

"It's Halloween! I'm scared! I wonder who will haunt my house tonight?"

Summary:  A sweet little girl has an eventful night answering her door as the trick-or-treaters arrive...and she's receiving some scary visitors, such as werewolves, zombies, and witches! Yikes!

Mary Elizabeth's Musings:  This is definitely an enjoyable book to celebrate Halloween with your little, little ones! With easy prose to capture the attention of the very young, and stunning, colorful illustrations, you will find your children reaching for this book again and again for some frightful delights! The illustrations really make this book shine, due to their amazing, life-like images at the hand of David Biedrzycki. 

I would recommend this book for ages 1 1/2 - 5 years old.

What My Child Is Reading :: Week of 6 September 2010

I came across this wonderful meme, "What My Child Is Reading," over at my newest blogging discovery, Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns! Take a minute to peek inside this wonderful blog ... I know that I am super-thrilled to have found it!

Fall is most definitely in the "literature" air here in our little corner of the world! This is my favorite, favorite time of year, especially when sharing children's literature with my little ones. 

We can be found reading all manner of books about apples, school, fall, leaves, and Halloween!

Here are our latest picks:

Who Will Haunt My House on Halloween?

Written by Jerry Pallotta

Illustrated by David Biedrzycki

Publisher's Summary:  It's Halloween night.  While a mother is upstairs getting her daughter's costume ready, lost of trick-or-treaters stop by the house - from werewolves, ghosts, and zombies to witches, bats, dinosaurs, and more! But are they really ... real?

Let It Fall

Written and Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Publisher's Summary:  Mounds of color, raked up high - jump right in and watch the sky.

One Smart Cookie:  Bite-Size Lessons for the School Years and Beyond

Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrated by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer

Publisher's Summary:  One Smart Cookie offers a fresh batch of words that encompasses everything you might say to a child, whether it's the first day of preschool or the last day of high school.  Cookie-centric definitions range from wanting to know everything about cookies (curious) to thinking carefully about what kind of cookies to make for your friend (ponder).  This book mixes Amy Krouse Rosenthal's morsels of wisdom with the delicious illustrations of mother-daughter duo Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer.  This is one vocabulary list that will resonate well beyond the school years.

What have your children been reading lately??? I would love to know!!!

Book Blogger Hop Time!

Book Blogger Hop time is here again, courtesy of Jennifer over at Crazy for Books!

This week's question is:  Do you judge a book by its cover?

And my answer is ... a resounding YES!!!

Yep, folks, this avid reader and teacher is guilty of picking up a book based only on the cover illustration! I must say, however, that my intuition here has proven correct most of the time.

In fact, I discovered my absolute favorite series (pictured below) based upon the delicious cover illustrations!

 

The Complete Wreck (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-13)

The children's novel I just finished was swiped off of the library shelves only because I fell in love with the darling mouse on the cover! (Come on, admit it - she's adorable!!)

The story was just as heartwarming as the illustration, too!

So, yes, I do judge a book by its cover ... and I'm proud of it!!

Book Review #16 :: My Mother is So Smart!

My Mother is So Smart!

by Tomie dePaola

Published by  G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group

Copyright 2010

"I knew from the time I was really little that my mother was smart.  She always knew when to change my diaper.  She always knew I was hungry before I cried."

Publisher's Summary:  Moms are pretty awesome.  They know just what to do to make a kid happy and the world a better place.  They are so smart! Tomie dePaola's heartfelt ode to the fabulousness of moms is a perfect book for the whole family to share.

Mary Elizabeth's Musings:  How can anyone go wrong with a book by the simply marvelous Tomie dePaola??? This lovely book is no exception to Mr. dePaola's gift to the world of literature.  Written from the absolutely unadulterated perspective of a little boy, this book reveals the many ways that mothers are able to know every last need of her child.  Mr. dePaola's simple, yet always effective prose gives us a glimpse into the genius of his wonderful mother. 

A message of warning to all mothers:  Grab a tissue before reading this book ... you will cry!!!

I recommend this book for ages 3-8 years.


Other books by this author:

 

Back in the Blogging World!

Hello, dear readers...

I'm officially back in the blogging world!

Where have I been??

Well, let's just say that August of 2010 was not the greatest month in the world for me.  My husband's dear grandmother passed away, which was exceptionally difficult on our family.  In addition, I underwent sinus surgery.

On the flip side, August marked our eldest son's start of the first grade.  He is off to an amazing year!

I can't wait to dive back into children's literature with all of you!!!!