Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Children’s Picture Book

  • READY… SET… FROG! by Katharine Mitropoulos – Children’s Picture Books, Children’s Friendship Books, Children’s Animal Stories

     

    One can’t help but smile upon meeting the bespectacled green splay-toed creature on the opening pages of Katherine Mitopoulos’ delightful children’s book, Ready … Set …Frog!

    The story centers around the charming, lively character Frogathan Spots, aka Frog, who loves a challenge. When Frog learns his street is hosting a neighborhood fair, complete with an obstacle course, he starts anxiously preparing for the event. Unfortunately, his friends keep interrupting his practice set-ups, asking for help with their own business. Almost ready to bow out of the contest, Frog musters the courage to join the fun along with a rabbit, kangaroo, and grasshopper. Though the final results may not be all that Frog hoped for, the lessons he learns are truly trophy-worthy.

    Within this whimsical tale, Frog realizes the importance of helping others.

    Whether picking an apple for a mole baking a homemade pie, assisting a tall giraffe to wear a floppy purple hat on a sunny day, or rescuing a stranded little feline, Frog is there to help his friends in need. When Frog realizes he hasn’t had time to practice for the race, his mother helps him see that he did his training, just in unexpected ways. Perhaps more important is his mom explaining that it’s okay to say no sometimes to helping others, and instead take the time we need for our own endeavors. Like anything else, learning to balance our own needs with those of others takes time and practice.

    Mitropoulos’ heartfelt, creative storyline is highlighted by Laura Watson’s endearing illustrations.

    These anthropomorphized characters take on charming quirks as we see them seated at the breakfast table with plates of flies, glasses of milk for the kids, and coffee for the adults, happily perusing the morning paper. Mom and daughter accessorize with bows, jewelry, and fluttering eyelashes, while dad sports a striped necktie. These friendly amphibians have expressive facial features that will draw in young readers and adults sharing storytime.

    Watson mixes natural shades for her illustrations with bright pops of color and vibrant shades of green that highlight the characters in center stage.

    Mitropoulos’ well-crafted story, in combination with Watson’s artful designs, will both teach and entertain.

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • PEBBLES And The BIGGEST NUMBER by Joey Benun, illustrated by Laura Watson – Picture Books, Children’s Science Books, Science & Nature

    Pebbles the butterfly loves to count as much as he can in his garden. But soon enough he gets curious, and in Pebbles and the Biggest Number by Joey Benun, he embarks on a science-filled quest to find the world’s truly gigantic numbers.

    While the numbers start small, they quickly grow bigger and bigger, as do the wild events that Pebbles must face. Our butterfly guide wanders from forests to deserts, and encounters earthquakes, tsunamis, and even an avalanche. Each landscape and natural disaster pushes Pebbles onward to meet new friends and find even bigger numbers.

    How big can the numbers get?

    You’ll find no made-up numbers in Pebbles and the Biggest Number. Everything from a quintillion to a googolplex actually exists, though it isn’t long before the numbers become nearly impossible to imagine. However, there is a handy sand chart in the back to put some numbers into immense perspective. This is the kind of book that kids will sit with for long hours and astound you with the facts they’ve learned.

    The friendly creatures and beautifully rendered landscapes of Pebbles’s journey will engage young and curious minds. Complete with extra notes and definitions in the back, this book will continue to teach even after the story ends.

    Pebbles and the Biggest Number is hopefully the start of a great new series explaining the world to young readers. With its wonderful descriptions and knowledge, this book comes highly recommended!

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • GALDO’S GIFT: The Boovie by Eleanor Long & Trevor Young – Animated, Picture Books, Children’s Fantasy Stories

     

    In Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie, Eleanor Long & Trevor Young create an interactive animated story that helps children learn about their unique gifts through an imaginative tale and diverse vocabulary.

    The first page opens with a poem sharing a personalized gift with the reader. Then, we meet the frog King, and his kingdom Galdovia. His land is “where the wild wind whistles while the songbird sings” and he narrates the story, voiced by Brian Murphy.

    The townsfolk of Galdovia move on the page in textured illustrations. They need a hero to undertake an important adventure, with the promise of a gift from the King to whoever completes this quest. Enter four great heroes who start their journeys in the hope of earning the King’s reward.

    The four fearless heroes of this story are hilarious!

    Any child or child at heart will notice the innocent humor in this story. Even their names (Strompoff, Brendara, Mustafo and Doogood) are silly, along with their exaggerated physical appearances.

    The four are hysterical to watch as they employ clever alliteration-described skills to obtain the king’s gift. The animations show deliberate attention to a child’s curiosity and imagination. Overall, the story is a very joyful read.

    By helping children to see their individual gifts, it empowers them to become better people.

    We do not all share the same gifts as the fearless four, but individually we learn our strengths and purpose. Galdo’s Gift teaches us to hone our abilities while growing up.

    Often adults convince children they must become something they are not capable of or comfortable with. Long & Young foster a child’s worth and esteem as inner flames which must be stoked. We all admire great heroes, but once we play to our strengths, they show us the heroes inside ourselves. This story teaches us this lesson without sounding overpowering or insensitive to a child’s curiosities and insecurities.

    More importantly, by encouraging a child’s strength, we empower and boost their confidence. Galdo’s Gift encourages us to use our strengths and magical gifts, one adventure as a silly great hero at a time.

    Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie by Eleanor Long & Trevor Young won Grand Prize in the 2019 CIBA Little Peeps Book Awards for Early Readers and Picture Books.  This interactive masterpiece is available on Apple i-Tunes.

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • The MOUSE, the MOLE, and the MAGNIFICENT MOSS-COVERED HOUSE by Stirling C., Illustrated by Donna Washington – Children’s Picture Book, Beginner Readers

    The MOUSE, the MOLE, and the MAGNIFICENT MOSS-COVERED HOUSE by Stirling C., Illustrated by Donna Washington – Children’s Picture Book, Beginner Readers

    In The Mouse, the Mole, and the Magnificent Moss-Covered House written by Stirling C. and illustrated by Donna Washington, Milly Mouse moves into a brand-new home. She works tirelessly making the perfect space for herself. Every day, she awakens with a purpose; her tight schedule of baking and cleaning keeps her busy, but she always allows herself time for painting.  Milly soon realizes she’s missing one thing, a friend.

    As she begins to explore a tunnel she finds, she eventually discovers exactly what she needs. Morton Mole has lived in the moss-covered hill for years. His home is overflowing with books and maps. Morton begins each day slowly, taking his time to figure out the one thing he wishes to accomplish that day. Morton’s favorite part of the day is when he writes, but just like Milly, Morton is lonely. While exploring his tunnels, he too will discover the one thing that will make his life perfect.

    With many picture books, the drawings are secondary to the story, not so with this one. Washington’s illustrations are exceptional. Through the drawings, the reader sees details that aren’t part of the text. From the subtle to-do lists on Milly’s wall to Morton’s map, these drawings do more than just tell the story; they enhance it, taking it beyond the text, which is important since young children learn so much about life visually. The illustrations make Milly and Morton both modern and timeless. A coloring book exploring the further adventures of Milly and Morton and encouraging children to write their own tales and draw their own illustrations is also available.

    This backward and forward book emphasizes the differences in Milly’s and Morton’s personalities. An ingenious page with a hole shows the exact moment when the two characters meet and instructs the reader how to continue. Morton’s story mirrors Milly’s but highlights the differences between them.  Neither character is shown as more important than the other. Both of their traits are essential and valuable to society. The world needs busy bees, like Milly, and deep thinkers, like Morton. This charming book shows children how two completely opposite characters can become the best of friends. It celebrates our differences and shows how valuable those differences can be.

    A beautifully illustrated story about unlikely friendship and good neighbors for the very young and old alike. A joy to experience!