Squirrels elicit emotions on both sides of the spectrum. On one hand you can’t help but say “Awww!” when you see their tiny little paws and crafty antics. On the other hand their voracious appetites at bird feeders and penchant for darting into traffic is more likely to make you say “Arrgghhh!” This month is set aside, however, for enjoying the squirrels in your yard, park, or city. And really, don’t they make life just a little more fun?
Girl Versus Squirrel
Written by Hayley Barrett | Illustrated by Renée Andriani
Pearl built three birdhouses and put them in and near the tree in her backyard. One was shaped like a house, one was a tube, and the other was a tea cup atop a tall stand. After filling the house with suet, the tube with seeds, and the teacup with peanuts, Pearl settled in with her binoculars to wait. Soon cardinals, flickers, finches, and chickadees swooped in. But none of them wet for the peanuts.
Image copyright Renée Andriani, 2020, text copyright Hayley Barrett, 2020. Courtesy of Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House.
Happily sitting next to the teacup was a squirrel with a peanut in its paws. Pearl scared the squirrel away and then went to work to win this contest of wits. She used her hockey stick to raise the teacup’s stand higher and “watched, breathless with anticipated success, but was soon disappointed” as the squirrel easily climbed to the top. Pearl added a mop to make the pole even higher.
But still the squirrel had no trouble getting to the top. “The squirrel stared at Pearl and seized an especially plump peanut.” Just then the “pole began to teeter and totter until…It toppled to the ground,” breaking the handle off the teacup. As the squirrel dashed up a nearby oak tree, Pearl shouted, “‘You’re a bird-feeder-crashing, teacup-smashing, peanut-poaching pest!’” A pest Pearl was not about to lose out to.
Image copyright Renée Andriani, 2020, text copyright Hayley Barrett, 2020. Courtesy of Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House.
While Pearl fixed her teacup, she devised a plan. She gathered supplies and started creating. Soon, a “network of obstacles emerged, each more squirrel-challenging than the last.” The squirrel may have been fast and determined, but the course ensured that “teacup triumph will require nerves of squirrely steel,” Pearl fixed her binoculars on the squirrel and waited.
It didn’t take long before the squirrel was headed in the right direction. He scampered over the rope, spun around the big spool, leaped to the swing, and scrambled through the rest of the course. Until… “CRUNCH!” Pearl was astounded. Then she saw the squirrel head for a nest in the oak tree with three baby kits in it. That’s when Pearl realized the squirrel was a mother. “‘I proclaim your victory,’ cheered Pearl, ‘ and I salute you, fearless, fluffy sister!’” Immediately, Pearl wanted to help this family grow and learn. Now her backyard is a birds’… and squirrels’… and contraption-lovers’ paradise.
“Some Squirrely Facts” about our favorite nature nemesis follows the story.
Image copyright Renée Andriani, 2020, text copyright Hayley Barrett, 2020. Courtesy of Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House.
For anyone who has done battle with a squirrel at their birdfeeder, Hayley Barrett’s story is a delight. Her nimble alliterative phrasing and fun-to-read action verbs will make any story time a joy. Add in Pearl’s can-do attitude and the squirrel’s unstoppable energy and you have the makings of an epic battle—one that readers are sure to want to replicate in their own yards. Barrett nails the experimental nature of children’s building projects, a detail that kids will appreciate and that will endear Pearl to them. Barrett’s nod to girl power provides a strong, uplifting ending. Factual information about birds, bird food and squirrel behavior is interwoven organically throughout the story. That and the fascinating back matter make this a terrific book to pair with classroom lessons.
Renée Andriani’s vibrant, action-packed illustrations will wow kids and have them on the edge of their seats for each page turn. Realistic depictions of the cardinals, finches, chickadees, and flickers that swarm Pearl’s bird feeders will entice readers to learn more about these birds. When Pearl raises her teacup feeder higher and higher, Andriani presents clear images of how Pearl tapes the stand, stick, and mop together as well as the crashing result when the squirrel hops on. As Pearl gathers items from her garage and begins building her obstacle course, readers will be in suspense, waiting to see the final result.
Presented in a wild, two-page spread, Andriani’s portrayal of Pearl’s obstacle course rewards readers with bold, expressive typography and images of the squirrel making her way from station to station with style. The final two-page spread of Pearl’s backyard, is a riot of color as feeders, birds, and mama and baby squirrels nosh to their hearts’ content. Kids will want to linger to catch every detail.
Imaginative, humorous, and educational, Girl Versus Squirrel will become a favorite and will inspire kids to create their own obstacle course. The book would also be a high-interest accompaniment to STEM lessons in the classroom and at home. It would make a terrific addition to home, school, and public library collections.
Ages 4 – 8
Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House, 2020 | ISBN 978-0823442515
Discover more about Hayley Barrett and her books on her website.
To learn more about Renée Andriani, her books, and her art, visit her website.
Squirrel Awareness Month Activity
Squirrely Activity Pages
You can join a girl who’s watching squirrels, find a whole squirrel community to color, see a squirrel enjoying a snack, and follow the numbers to discover… with these printable Squirrely Activity Pages
Today I’m celebrating three books for the Halloween holiday and beyond that are rollicking reads with excitement and heart. These books from favorite authors and illustrators offer distinctly different stories that bring the magic, wonder, and fun of Halloween and lovable ghouls to life. They include a new adventure for a favorite Little Monster, a spooky neighborhood that’s getting a surprising new neighbor, and a construction crew that builds haunted houses at night.
Thanks go to Blue Slip Media and Two Lions Publishing for sending me the books for review consideration. All opinions on the books are my own. I’m thrilled to be teaming with Blue Slip Media and Two Lions in a giveaway of all three books. See details below.
It’s Halloween, Little Monster
Written by Helen Ketteman | Illustrated by Bonnie Leick
It’s Little Monster’s first Halloween and time to for him to put on his costume to go trick-or-treating. He looks out the window with a bit of trepidation at all of the other creatures on his block—a bunny, a bee, a unicorn, a witch, a tiger, and a penguin. Papa puts the finishing touches on Little Monster’s Martian costume and they head outside. Little Monster grabs Papa’s hand and he reassures his little one: “All set to go! / You see things that are scary? / A pirate, a witch, a creature that’s hairy? // Don’t fret, Little Monster. / See there in the street? / That’s not really a ghost— / it’s a kid in a sheet!”
Little Monster and Papa make the rounds of neighbor’s houses as kids howl into the dark night. Papa tells Little Monster there’s nothing to fear, but is there just the tiniest bit of wariness in his own eyes? At one house a witch is “offering cups / of warm, bubbly worm juice!” Papa says, “Yum! Drink it up!” They pass a vampire and get in the middle of a group of “zombies in chains,” but Papa has a plan to fool them and make their escape.
Image copyright Bonnie Leick, 2020, text copyright Helen Ketteman, 2020. Courtesy of Two Lions.
On one porch four ghosts are floating around, but Little Monster doesn’t seem scared. Papa asks, “No shivers and shakes? / Oh, I see why you’re brave— / spider cupcakes!” Trick-or-treat is almost done, but there’s one final house—the scariest one of all. Papa points out: “The yard’s full of graves. / This could be tough. / Shall we trick-or-treat here? / Will you be brave enough?” But Papa’s gung-ho and he marches right through the graveyard where fanged creatures lurk. Then “Boooooooooo!!!” a skeleton jumps with a shout. Who screams? Who laughs? Read and find out!
Helen Ketteman’s third book in the Little Monster series shines with bouncy rhymes that are full of spooky prowling and highlight the excitement of Halloween while reassuring kids that all the frights are just for fun. Little readers will find all of their favorite monsters here enjoying treats and only a few tricks, which will bring giggles instead of shivers. Ketteman’s perfect rhythm creates a story that’s perfect for dramatic read alouds, and the sweet relationship between Little Monster and Papa will have kids asking to hear the story again and again.
Kids will love spending Halloween with Little Monster and Bonnie Leick’s enchanting, not-too-scary illustrations where—among the witches, vampires, and ghosts—bunnies, chickens, fairies, and other cute-as-a-button characters trick-or-treat under a full moon. Little Monster’s street and the neighbor’s houses are cleverly decorated for the holiday, and readers will want to linger over each page to see all the fun. The spooky graveyard, especially, invites a careful look, as the inscriptions on the stones show that those who lie beneath were more monstrously kind than monstrous.
A sure hit for fans of Little Monster and any child looking forward to their first Halloween or who already know what this holiday is all about, it’s Halloween, Little Monster would be a lively addition to home and public library collections.
Discover more about Helen Ketteman and her books on her website.
To learn more about Bonnie Leick, her books, and her art, visit her website.
Ages 3 – 7
Two Lions, 2020 | ISBN 978-1542092081
You can find It’s Halloween Little Monster at these booksellers
Written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt | Illustrated by Luke Flowers
Someone was finally moving into Vampire’s old house. Monster, who lived next door wondered who it might be. He hoped it might be an ogre who would invite him “to swim in his mucky, murky swamp.” Or maybe it would be a “greedy goblin with piles of gold to jump into.” Perhaps it would be a dastardly dragon who would throw greasy barbecues. As Monster practiced how he would say hello to his new neighbor, he watched the movers carrying a trampoline, a unicycle, and lots of trunks.
At last his new neighbor emerged. He was wearing “big floppy shoes” and had “wild orange hair” and “a round, red nose. It was…a clown?” Monster couldn’t believe it. He immediately called the neighbors. “‘Unnnnnhhh, unnnnnhhh, unnnnnhhh,’” said Zombie when he heard the news. Mummy shrieked, and Yeti roared. They all agreed that the neighborhood would never be the same again. None of the neighbors welcomed Clown to their block, so he went around to each house to introduce himself. But no one answered the door. Clown left notes and surprises at each house and went back home. When monster found his gift gummy worms, he threw them in the trash. Clown, meanwhile, sat on his porch “and waited. And waited and sat. No one came around.”
But Clown was naturally happy, so he perked up his dreary house, played a happy tune, and erected a tent. “Monster called a neighborhood meeting. ‘This is out of control!’” he shouted. But Zombie was busy delighting some neighbors with the brain cake Clown had left him, and Mummy was having fun scaring up laughs with the mummy in the box she’d gotten. Yeti was enjoying tricking others into smelling her trick flowers and then spritzing them with water.
Image copyright Luke Flowers, 2020, text copyright Sue Ganz-Schmitt, 2020. Courtesy of Two Lions.
No one was listening to Monster, so he decided to do something about the interloper himself. At midnight, he rattled chains and banged on a garbage can lid. But Clown didn’t hear it. He was out doing good deeds to help his new neighbors. In the morning Monster was awakened by circus music. He immediately picked up the phone, but no one answered his calls. “‘It’s time for me to have a word with that bozo!’” he said. He stomped over, but on the way he couldn’t help but find the music catchy, the smell of popcorn enticing, and Clown’s invitation to cartwheeling class at his circus school at least a little intriguing.
Inside the tent, he discovered all of his friends having doing circus tricks. When he learned that Clown was “zero percent creepy” and lots of fun, he decided to him a chance. He enjoyed the day so much that Monster even invited him to tea on Sunday. As Monster poured out the tea and passed around sludgeberry swirl scones, a moving van rolled up the block. Out popped a…well, you’ll have to welcome them yourself, just like all the other neighbors!
Sue Ganz-Schmitt turns somersaults with the usual tropes involving diversity in her story as it honestly portrays truisms about prejudice and how both injustice on one hand and understanding on the other spreads through a community. While Monster’s reaction to immediately alert the neighbors and hold a meeting seems to get a big response, readers will see that by the time the meeting takes place, most of the neighbors welcome the newcomer and the positive changes he’s brought. Ganz-Schmitt’s well-paced and superb storytelling is loaded with personality, puns, and the perfect light touch that will have readers taking her story and lesson into their hearts.
Luke Flowers does wonders with larger-than-life characters, and his depictions of Monster, Clown, and all the neighbors are pitch-perfect. Flowers sets up his visual delights early with the image of Vampire’s old house, which is gray and foreboding with detailing that subtly turns the stone structure into a bat. Later Clown converts these same details into clown faces that will charm kids. Just as in the circus, Clown makes a surprise entrance, one that little readers will guess at with glee. Snapshots of Monster calling up his neighbors appear to show that Mummy, Zombie, and Yeti are on board with his dismay, but Ganz-Schmitt’s monster-sound reactions are cleverly noncommittal. Add in the neighbors’ obvious delight with the gifts Clown leaves (a full-page jack-in-the-box image will bring shrieks of laughter), and readers will happily be in on the vibe at the meeting-turned-party.
Contrasting illustrations of Monster trying to bully Clown into leaving and Clown helping out around the neighborhood give kids and adults opportunities to talk about important issues that arise at school and in the news. While images of Monster having fun at circus school show his changing attitude toward Clown, when his displeasure seems to rise again with the entry of another unexpected neighbor, readers will see that this time he has a different and more welcoming reaction. (Added note: Make sure to inspect each page carefully for added visual humor.)
A clever story that delivers important messages about preconceptions, discrimination and acceptance with humor and respect for the intelligence and awareness of children, That Monster on the Block is a must for home, school, and public library story times all through the year.
Ages 4 – 8
Two Lions, 2020 | ISBN 978-1542005333
Discover more about Sue Ganz-Schmitt and her books and find That Monster on the Block coloring pages on her website.
To learn more about Luke Flowers, his books, and his art on his website.
Scare up some fun with this book trailer!
You can find That Monster on the Block at these booksellers
Written by Frank Tupta | Illustrated by Kyle Beckett
Ghost town is getting a new family, and they need a house built lickety split. There’s just one catch—the house must be built before the sun comes up. The neighbors are game to get it done. The lot is cleared by “werewolf loggers on the prowl.” First, the foundation must be made, but how will it get done? “Over the hill, / a handy rig! / Frankenstein’s / here to dig.” Cyclops and witches help out to prepare the ground. Once it’s ready, Frankenstein’s bride pours concrete. When the concrete’s hard, the skeleton crew is called in to build the frame. Soon the “frame’s up— / it’s a brand-new house. / They’re almost done, but… / Eek! A mouse! The mouse chases round and round. “Hammer falls, nails splash. Bones crunch, toes smash.” The skeletons are scattered here and there—good thing the mummy doctor is on his way.
Image copyright Kyle Beckett, 2020, text copyright Frank Tupta, 2020. Courtesy of Two Lions.
The sun is peeking over the hill, but the house is not quite done. With a lightning strike, the power’s on, and the witches bring their magic spells to bring the house alive just in time for the vampire family to move in. The vampires love their spacious house “‘complete with dungeon!’ / ‘And trapdoors, too!’ / ‘The scariest place!’ / ‘With the spookiest view!’” The monsters are proud of the job they’ve done. Their “big trucks rumble off the site…and sleepy monsters say Good Night.”
Frank Tupta’s energetic story about building a haunted house for a very particular family will have kids in suspense as all their favorite monsters race the sun to construct the house in one night. Clever monster-talent match-ups, puns sprinkled throughout, and a mischievous mouse will have kids laughing as the monsters work together to build the house with all the trappings of a true haunted house.
With a palette of purples, greens, and golds, Kyle Beckett creates a ghost town where enthusiastic monsters get to work clearing and smoothing a graveyard by the light of a very large full moon. Kids will love the monster trucks these eager neighbors use to fell trees, dig the basement, and stir concrete. As Frankenstein digs a hole with the help of an enormous hand, the ground is appropriately filled with arms and legs and a few errant bones. While the mummy can’t put the skeletons back together, the witches chime in with a fiery bubbling brew that saves the night just in the nick of time. With a group hug, the monsters celebrate their success before driving their machines out of Vampire Valley and getting some much-needed sleep.
Kids who love construction, big machinery, and helpful monsters will be charmed by the jaunty rhymes of the exuberant How to Build a Haunted House that’s perfect for Halloween or any gently spooky story time.
Ages 3 – 7
Two Lions, 2020 | ISBN 978-1542005432
Discover more about Frank Tupta and his books on his website.
To learn more about Kyle Beckett, his books, and his art on his website.
You can find How to Build a Haunted House at these booksellers
Bonus: Reply with your favorite monster for extra entry. Each reply earns you one extra entry
This giveaway is open from October 16 to October 23 and ends at 8:00 p.m. EST.
A winner will be chosen on October 24.
Prizing provided by Two Lions and Blue Slip Media
Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. | No Giveaway Accounts
Triple Treat Halloween Book Tour Activity
Vampire Goodie Box
Would you like your gift of homemade or store-bought cookies, candy, or other treats to have a little bite to it? Deliver them in this vampire box you can make yourself!
Supplies
Recycled pasta box (or any box with a cellophane window in it)
Black Paint
Silver Paint
Black felt, 8 ½ x 11 sheet or heavy stock paper
Red felt, 8 ½ x 11 sheet or heavy stock paper
Googly eyes
Black paper, heavy stock or construction paper
Fabric glue
Regular glue or double stick tape
Hot glue gun (optional)
Paint brush
Scissors
Directions
Paint the entire box silver, leaving the window unpainted, let dry
With the black paint create the pointy hairstyle, with the point descending about 1 inch from the top of the box and the curves ending about 1 ½ – 1 ¾ inches from the side of the box (see picture).
Paint around the sides and back of the box in line with the ends of the curves
From the black paper make eyebrows—these can be pointy or rounded
From the index card make the nose and teeth
I painted the nose darker silver by combining silver and a little black paint
With the glue or double stick tape, attach the eyebrows and nose to the box
With the glue or double stick tape, attach the teeth to the window, fitting them slightly up into the rim of the window.
Attach the googly eyes
To make the cape
Holding the black felt or paper horizontally, cut a piece about 4/5 as tall as the box
Holding the red felt or paper horizontally, cut a piece of red felt so that there will be a ½-inch border of black along the top and sides
With the fabric glue attach the red felt to the black felt. Use craft glue on paper. Let dry
With the hot glue gun, fabric glue, craft glue, or double stick tape, attach the felt or paper to the back of the box
Fold the felt or paper around the sides of the box and attach along the bottom edge with tape or glue
Fold the top of the felt or paper back to make the collar
Attach the bottom portion of the collar to the box near the front edge with the tape or glue.
Fill with your favorite treat!
Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. | Prizing provided by Two Lions
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, National I Love Yarn Day was established for knitters, crocheters, and other yarn enthusiasts to share their art and what they love about yarn crafting. Knitting and crocheting not only creates cozy wearables and distinctive decor, but provides an activity that can be relaxing and calming during periods when you just need some down time. To learn more about the holiday, find free patterns, enter giveaways, and learn how you can share your love of yarn, visit theCraft Yarn Council website.
Where Is My Pink Sweater?
By Nicola Slater
One morning when Rudy woke up, his beloved pink sweater was gone. Sure, “it was a bit too small and showed his belly button. But it was his favorite.” He went to look for it in his tall wardrobe, but all he found was “TEN tumbling cats.” They provided a clue that went like this: “Follow the trail / follow the string / to find your favorite / wooly thing!” Rudy looked down and saw a long strand of pink yarn running along the floor and down the stairs.
Copyright Nicola Slater, 2019, courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
Downstairs, Rudy spied “NINE jiving llamas in fancy-pants pajamas.” They were so busy eating and sipping and dancing under the disco ball, that they never even saw Rudy. But Rudy noticed the string of yarn and followed it. In the kitchen, “EIGHT prima pigerinas” were pirouetting and having tea. They poured Rudy a cup, and while he was enjoying it, he heard a creak.
He took a quick peek in the basement and saw “SEVEN ski-dogs slaloming on the stairs.” They were all wearing something pink, but not his sweater. Back upstairs in the bathroom, Rudy called out to the “SIX soapy blackbirds.” They answered with same clue the cats had given him, so he followed the string out the window…and into a wading pool, where no one wore a sweater bathing suit. The string continued into the sewer, around a worm, past a little bug, and through the house of “FOUR muttering mice” who offered him cheese and a bit of advice. It led him to a croc-cupied outhouse “but no sweater.”
Copyright Nicola Slater, 2019, courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
Here the string ended. Rudy was sad that he hadn’t found his favorite sweater. He couldn’t imagine who would have wanted it. He was pondering this question when out of the bushes popped “Trudy! His number ONE sister.” She was wearing his sweater and it fit just right. It was true that “Rudy loved his sweater, but he loved Trudy more.” And just then he knew he was ready for the pink surprise his friends had brought.
Copyright Nicola Slater, 2019, courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
Nicola Slater’s charming mystery for the littlest readers entices them to follow the pink string to solve this adorable whodunit. Along the way they discover a decreasing number of suspects behind flaps and cut outs on Slater’s vibrant and action-packed pages. Adults will enjoy the nods to mystery tropes, including a fantastical wardrobe, a creaky basement door, and a steamy bathroom, while kids will just love all the lively shenanigans going on in Rudy’s house and neighborhood.
Slater’s lyrical storytelling includes jaunty alliteration, humor, and well-paced, gentle suspense that will keep readers guessing while they practice their counting. The sweet solution to the mystery is family- and sibling-relationship affirming. Rudy’s love for his little sister and hers for Rudy shine and will make readers both young and older smile.
An enchanting read aloud board book for little readers and especially for family story times, Where Is My Pink Sweater? would make a wonderful gift and a favorite addition to home, school, and public library bookshelves.
Ages 2 – 5
Abrams Appleseed, 2019 | ISBN 978-1419736797
To see a portfolio of work by Nicola Slater visit Good Illustration
National Knit a Sweater Month Activity
Design Your Own Sweater
If you could design your own sweater, what would it look like? Would it have stripes? Polka dots? A picture of a puppy, kitten, train, truck, or the logo of your favorite sports team? Use this printable Design Your Own Sweater template and have a bit of fashionable fun!
You can find Where Is My Pink Sweater? at these booksellers
I’m always excited to join in on the book tour for a just-released picture book. There’s nothing like the sparkle in a child’s eyes when they discover a new favorite at the bookstore or library. Today, I’m happy to be featuring a book that will definitely bring on the giggles and have kids kicking up their heels!
Thanks to Blue Slip Media and Two Lions for sending me Super Rooster Saves the Day for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Super Rooster Saves the Day
Written by Maureen Wright | Illustrated by Rob McClurkan
Superheroes were Ralph the rooster’s…well…heroes, and he wanted to be just like them. He already had many of the prerequisites. He could make the sun rise (on nice days), he had a cape (one he shared with the farmer), he could fly (sort of), and “he could make himself invisible…if he pretended he was a weather vane.” But the other animals on the farm were skeptical. All except his best friend Rosie the pig.
There was one major problem. Life on the farm was pretty boring, and no superhero was ever needed. That is until one day when Ralph heard the chicken dance blasting from the radio. He immediately got to his feet with a “cheep-cheep-cheep! / flap-flap-flap! / wiggle-wiggle-wiggle, / and a clap-clap-clap!” Suddenly, he was surging with super powers that helped him leap off the barn roof and “‘fly faster than a speeding pullet.’”
Image copyright Rob McClurkan, 2020, text copyright Maureen Wright, 2020. Courtesy of Two Lions.
He and Rosie were ready to be heroes. It didn’t take long for them to find a tree ablaze in yellow and orange. Ralph summoned his powers with a “cheep-cheep-cheep! / flap-flap-flap! / wiggle-wiggle-wiggle, / and a clap-clap-clap!” grabbed buckets of water and…helped that autumn tree grow? Next, they saw some confused geese flying south when they should have been flying north. It was going to be winter, after all. He leaped into the air and turned them around. It was only when he came back to earth that Ralph learned his mistake.
In search of another task, Ralph noticed large green balls falling from a tree. Once again he cheeped, flapped, wiggled, and clapped, and with a baseball bat sent those balls flying. But what would the squirrels do now that Ralph had sent their winter food far away? the animals asked. Ralph thought it was good that he’d “‘shared those walnuts with the hungry squirrels who live far away from here.’” All this saving-the-day stuff had left Ralph and Rosie hungry. They rushed over to the corn field only to find a flock of crows nibbling to their hearts’ content.
Ralph did his dance and “zoomed around the cornfield, but there were just too many crows to chase away.” The other animals realized that Ralph needed help. At Rosie’s urging, they all did the chicken dance. The crows were so “shocked to see the dancing animals” that Ralph had no trouble scaring them away. That night the animals celebrated Ralph’s awesome powers with a dance party in the barn while Ralph thanked his friends for their help—especially his sidekick, Rosie.
Image copyright Rob McClurkan, 2020, text copyright Maureen Wright, 2020. Courtesy of Two Lions.
Maureen Wright’s super silly story is just the antidote for these indoor days. Full of puns and plays on superhero tropes, the story’s highlighted chicken dance—prefaced with a trippingly fun-to-say phrase—will have kids on their feet, cheeping, flapping, wiggling, and clapping during each rollicking read aloud. Ralph’s well-meaning rescues will have kids giggling as they, like Ralph’s farm-animal friends, will be in on the joke of each mistake from the beginning. The triumphant ending shows what true friendship is all about—and will spark a dance party with the whole family.
As Ralph the rooster finds his superpower muse in the chicken dance, kids will laugh out loud at Rob McClurkan’s depictions of Ralph wiggling his tail feathers in time with the music and instantly being zapped with “POW! WOW!” powers. As Ralph blithely goes about “saving the day,” the facial expressions and reactions of the other animals heightens the humor. Bold comic book-style panels accentuate each step of the chicken dance whenever Ralph calls upon his superpower, giving kids a bit more encouragement to join in.
A super fun book to share for boisterous, let-loose story times at home or during virtual or in-person read alouds, Super Rooster Saves the Day is a lighthearted story with lots of heart that would be a often-asked-for addition to home, school, and public library collections.
Ages 4 – 8
Two Lions, 2020 | ISBN 978-1542007788
Maureen Wright is the author of a number of popular picture books, including Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!, Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze!, and Share, Big Bear, Share!, all illustrated by Will Hillenbrand; the Amazon bestseller Sneezy the Snowman, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin; and Anna and the Tooth Fairy, illustrated by Anna Chernyshova. She lives with her husband, Don, in Athens, Pennsylvania. Learn more about Maureen Wright on her website.
Rob McClurkan is the author and illustrator of Aw, Nuts! and Playdates Rule! and has also illustrated a number of books, including Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald and Sloth to the Rescue by Leanne Shirtliffe. He grew up in Tennessee, where his grandparents’ farm, Saturday morning cartoons, and the Sunday funnies fueled his imagination. Now he lives with family near Atlanta, Georgia.
Long-handled wooded turner, available in kitchen supply stores
Red felt
Yellow bake-able clay
Fabric, 12 inches square
A small piece of white felt or fleece (optional)
White paint (or any color you would like)
Black marker
Fabric glue
Glue gun
Paint brush
Directions
Paint the wooden turner, let dry
Cut the scarf from the piece of fabric
Make a beak from the yellow clay and bake it according to package directions
To make the comb
Cut out the comb from the red felt
Fold the felt in half and glue the end together with the fabric glue
Cut short strips from the folded top of the felt, about ½-inch to ¾ -inch in length
Round the corners of the strips slightly
To make the scarf
Fold the fabric in half
With the long, straight edge of the scarf template along the fold, cut out the scarf
With the fabric glue, glue the two sides of the scarf together so that you have two “right” sides
Let dry
To assemble the chicken
Pinch the bottom of the comb together so that the strips open and the felt pleats a little
With the glue gun attach the comb to the back of the painted turner, keeping the bottom pinched together
Attach the beak to the front of the turner
Draw eyes on the chicken with the black marker
Tie the scarf around the neck of the handle, hold in place with a drop of glue in the back if necessary
To make tail feathers in a turner with a hole in the handle, pinch together a small folded piece of white felt or fleece and push it through the hole in the handle of the turner.
Cut or arrange to look like feathers
You can find Super Rooster Saves the Day at these booksellers
Today’s holiday was established in 1972 by President Richard Nixon to honor the men and women who inspire us to work harder and do our best in many of life’s pursuits. Coaches help us develop a good work ethic, learn how to work as a team, and learn how to focus and achieve goals. Sometimes our most influential coaches can be surprising—as you’ll see in today’s book.
Thanks to Page Street Kids for sending me a copy of Kid Coach for review consideration. All opinions about the book are my own.
Kid Coach
By Rob Justus
Kid Coach knew a challenge when he saw it. And he saw a couch-potato sized challenge lying in his own living room with soda in one hand and a computer, a tablet, and a phone all streaming a different wrestling match in the other. And…yeah…there was a bowl of peanuts there too. Was Kid Coach up to the task of turning this marshmallow into a champion? He thought yes and dragged his dad away from all the distractions.
Copyright Rob Justus, 2020, courtesy of Page Street Kids.
Kid Coach started his dad’s strength training with simple push-ups and an itty-bitty bar bell. But soon those “small wins” led to “bigger challenges and major wins” until Kid Coach and Dad were ready to “wrangle big guys, bad guys, bald guys, (and a scary guy with tattoos of big, bad, bald guys!) in the grandest arena of them all”—the “Wrestle-Rumble Mania Kingdom Tournament of Champions.”
Copyright Rob Justus, 2020, courtesy of Page Street Kids.
At the match the competition is fierce, but Dad “snaps into action” and soon those big, bad, and bald guys in their fancy costumes are being flipped, chopped, and tied into knots. Kid Coach cheers him on, whistling and clapping, until he begins to notice something. “Dad starts to dance a little too long, celebrate a little too much, and rudest of all…he won’t even shake hands! Instead of making friends, Dad’s leaving the other wrestlers sad and mad.
Copyright Rob Justus, 2020, courtesy of Page Street Kids.
That’s when Kid Coach does some soul-searching and realizes he didn’t teach his dad everything about being a true champion. A real champion, he knows, is a leader, someone who inspires others, and “most of all, they make everyone feel like a winner.” By now, Dad was feeling kind of bad himself for being so insensitive. Kid Coach gave him a hug, and the two of them tried to make amends. But the other wrestlers didn’t want flowers, and they weren’t interested in high-fives. So, Dad dug deep and came up with…a “sincere apology” and…a jumbo bag of chips! Now all those frowns have turned into smiles and everyone’s having a blast in the ring.
Copyright Rob Justus, 2020, courtesy of Page Street Kids.
Rob Justus reminds children about good sportsmanship and the qualities that make for a true champion in his visually exhilarating story. Kids will be all in with the couch-potato twist in which a child physically drags his dad—who holds on for dear life—from his leisurely pursuits.
Images of this noodle-thin dad in his flashy robe going up against some real heavyweights will have kids giggling, and his over-the-top celebrations will elicit plenty of laughs. But Justus doesn’t let this behavior go without showing its effects on the other wrestlers—and ultimately on Dad too. As Kid Coach and his dad try to mend fences with the other competitors, kids will see that gifts and token gestures aren’t as meaningful as a straightforward apology. The loving relationship between the boy and his dad is a highlight of the story, and will have readers—kids and adults—engaging in some rough-and-tumble play and plenty of snuggles.
For rambunctious story times with an inspirational life lesson, Kid Coach will be an often-asked-for addition to home, school, and public library collections.
Ages 4 – 8
Page Street Kids, 2020 | ISBN 978-1624148866
To learn more about Rob Justus and see a portfolio of his work, visit his website.
National Coaches Day Activity
Best Dad Coloring Page
Good coaches win lots of trophies, and there’s no better coach than Dad! Let your dad know what a great coach he is with this printable coloring page!
With all that’s going on this year, it’s hard to always stay positive. But trying to stay relaxed during times like these can be beneficial in many ways. Being upbeat can improve your health, lower chances of depression, make you more motivated, and lead to better relationships with family and friends. Yoga and relaxation exercises can help. For kids, reading funny books together can lighten the mood and lead to some much-needed laughter. Today’s book is a perfect place to start!
Thanks to little bee books for sending me a copy of Mootilda’s Bad Mood for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Mootilda’s Bad Mood
Written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call | Illustrated by Claudia Ranucci
Mootilda woke up from her nap with hay in her hair, her pillow tossed to the side, and her favorite lovey lying on the floor. To make her feel better, her moomaw gave her an ice pop, but when “she grabbed the stick and took a lick, it landed at her feet.” Mootilda scowled. “‘I’m in a bad MOOD!’” she shouted. Her moomaw tried to put things right. “‘That’s terri-bull,’” she said. “She smoothed her cowlick, smooched her cheek, and said, ‘Go jump some rope.’”
Image copyright Claudia Ranucci, 2020, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirstie Call, 2020. Courtesy of little bee books.
Mootilda found some friends and started off just fine, but a trip-up sent them all in a heap. “‘I’m in a bad MOOOD!’” Mootilda bellowed. Next, to soothe her exasperation, she tried swimming in the pond with the sheep. But while the lambs easily went “kerplop,” Mootilda did a painful “bovine belly flop.” The sheep agreed that Mootilda’s dive had been a “‘ca-lamb-ity,’” but suggested she take a bike ride. But her ride was not relaxing, and her game of H-O-R-S-E went astray. Mootilda stomped and yelled and thought she had been cursed.
Image copyright Claudia Ranucci, 2020, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirstie Call, 2020. Courtesy of little bee books.
But then the chickens who’d been playing in the bushes nearby told Mootilda their story of woe: a basketball had crashed their block building, their balloon had flown away, and their art projects had all been ruined. Mootilda thought it was quite a “cow-incidence” that they were “in a bad mood too.” That was just the word for what they were feeling, and the chickens scratched and clucked and crowed along with Mootilda. “‘We’re in a bad MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!’” But then, like her moomaw, Mootilda offered each chicken an ice cream dessert. She was just about to take her first lick of hers when… a crow flying by “knocked hers in the dirt.” Mootilda stared at her dropped cone… “and then she laughed. / her laughs rang on and on. / then suddenly, to her surprise, / her gloomy mood was…gone!”
Image copyright Claudia Ranucci, 2020, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirstie Call, 2020. Courtesy of little bee books.
No child will be able to stay unhappy long once they hear Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call’s hilarious moood-boosting story. Rosen Schwartz and Call really milk the farmyard puns for maximum fun while providing a rollicking read aloud with giggle-inducing rhymes and rhythm. Mootilda’s move to cheer up the chickens mirrors her moomaw’s comfort and will remind readers of their own parents’ or caregivers’ reassurances. Mootilda’s reaction to losing her ice cream cone is pitch perfect and the final funny scene brings the story full circle. Kids will love chiming in on the repeated “I’m in a bad mooood” phrases, and as Mootilda proclaims that she’s “over the moooooooon,” you can be sure they’ll ask to hear the story one moooooore time.
Image copyright Claudia Ranucci, 2020, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirstie Call, 2020. Courtesy of little bee books.
Claudia Ranucci’s Mootilda is having the worst day ever, but the deep pout on her pink snout is more endearing than angry. As Mootilda tries activity after activity to have some fun and improve her mood, only to see disaster strike again and again, alert readers will be drawn to the background of each spread, where the chickens are experiencing their own fiascoes, caused by Mootilda’s mishaps. Flapping wings, flying art supplies, a buried sandcastle, a wayward balloon, and an explosion of blocks will keep kids laughing. Bold typography invites kids to read along on the puns, and Ranucci’s vibrant color palette will always brighten readers’ day.
To make any bad day better and any good day exceptional, Mootilda’s Bad Mood would be a fast favorite on home, school, and public library bookshelves.
To learn more about Kirstie Call and her books and to sing along with Mootilda’s Song, visit her website.
You can learn more about Claudia Ranucci and view a portfolio of her work on her website.
Positive Attitude Month Activity
Mooood Brightening Cow Mug
It’s hard to be in a bad mood with a cup of hot cocoa served in this cute cow mug that you’ve made yourself!
Supplies
White ceramic mug, available at craft stores
Black permanent marker or paint for ceramics
Pink permanent marker or paint for ceramics
Brown permanent marker or paint for ceramics
Directions
With the pink marker or paint, draw an oval shape for the nose near the bottom of the mug. Let dry.
With the brown marker or paint, draw two angled nostrils inside the pink oval and color them in. Let dry.
Color in the nose with the pink marker or paint.
With the black marker, color the top tip of the handle where it meets the mug to make the tail.
With the black marker or paint, draw two wavy lines on either side of the face starting at the top, angling toward the middle and returning to the bottom of the mug. Leave white space between the lines.
Draw circles for eyes within the black lines. Add black pupils at the bottom of the eyes.
Color inside the black lines and around the eyes to make the face markings.
With the black marker or paint, make two or three splotches on the back of the mug.
Let the mug dry and follow the directions for the markers or paint to set the color.
Pour yourself a mug of milk and enjoy!
You can find Mootilda’s Bad Day at these booksellers
Today’s holiday was established in 2010 to promote an appreciation for physical paperback and hardbound books. Whether you’re cracking open a brand-new release or gently turning the pages in a well-worn volume, holding an actual book in your hands makes an unforgettable connection between you, the author, and another world—real or imaginary. To celebrate, drop into your local bookstore and peruse the shelves, call up and order, or order online to buy great reads for everyone in the family. An don’t forget to add today’s reviewed book to the list!
Going Up!
Written by Sherry J. Lee | Illustrated by Charlene Chua
Sophie and her dad, Leonard, have been invited to Olive’s birthday party on the tenth floor of their apartment building. She and her dad bake their favorite cookies to bring—”molasses with jam in the middle. It’s my grandma’s recipe,” Sophie says. Sophie and her dad live on the first floor, so just before 2:00, they head for the elevator, where Sophie pushes the button to go up.
Image copyright Charlene Chua, 2020, text copyright Sherry J. Lee, 2020. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.
The elevator stops at the second floor, and when the door opens, “the Santucci brothers, Andrew and Pippo”—two biker dudes—get on. “‘Hey, Little Bit!’” Pippo says to Sophie. On the third floor, a couple and their dog, Norman, get on, along with a “Happy Birthday” balloon. On the fourth floor, Mr. and Mrs. Habib and their grandkids, Yasmin and Jamal, are waiting with a “big bowl of gulab jamun” which they made especially for Sophie and her dad.
Image copyright Charlene Chua, 2020, text copyright Sherry J. Lee, 2020. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.
Things are getting pretty tight in the elevator by the time it reaches the fifth floor, so Leonard puts Sophie on his shoulders and Sophie holds the cookies on her head like a hat. The elevator door opens at the eighth floor to find Grace and Arnie standing there with a bass and a clarinet. Can they fit too? With a squeeze or two, they juuust make it. One more floor to go…. Will anyone else fit?
At last, the elevator reaches the tenth floor, and with a DING everyone runs, cartwheels, dances, and tumbles out—all to wish Olive a Happy Birthday. And who is Olive? Take the elevator up to see!
Image copyright Charlene Chua, 2020, text copyright Sherry J. Lee, 2020. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.
Sherry J. Lee’s warm and welcoming story of a group of diverse neighbors getting together to celebrate the birthday of one of their favorite tenants will delight kids. With the thrill of riding a real elevator, readers will eagerly await the door’s opening on every floor, where they’re introduced to a new family or individual. Told from Sophie’s point of view and rich in dialogue, the story shines with inclusiveness as the neighbors greet each other enthusiastically. Humor and suspense builds as the elevator stops on each floor and more and more people bringing food, instruments, pets, and housewarming gifts squeeze into the tiny space. The elevator provides a natural setting for fun math and observational engagement, and kids will love flipping back through the pages to count, add, talk about spatial relationships, and notice hints about the favorite talents and activities of each neighbor.
With her colored pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, Charlene Chua creates a vibrant apartment building community that works in perfect synchronicity with Lee’s story. Images of the diverse neighbors—from Black Sophie and Leonard to two supposed tough guys (who sport cat tattoos and carry the tiniest of kittens) to a same-sex couple and a South Asian family to Oliver’s owner, who uses a wheelchair—reflect readers’ urban, suburban, and rural experiences. On the journey from the first floor to the tenth, Chua includes a cornucopia of humorous, sweet, and “oh no!” clues that define personalities, add to the suspense, and hint at the identity of the birthday girl. The pull-out page as everyone tumbles out of the elevator is a showstopper that will have readers of all ages pointing, giggling, and appreciating all the residents of this special home. Opportunities to visualize and discuss math concepts occur with each push of the button or turn of the page. After taking this trip, kids will eagerly look for and welcome the diversity and individuality in their own neighborhoods.
Clever, sweet, and organically inclusive, Going Up! is a book kids will want to read again and again. As a charming story on its own and with so many applications for discussion and cross-curricular activities, the book is a must for home, classroom, and public library collections.
To learn more about Charlene Chua, her books, and her art, visit her website.
National Buy a Book Day Activity
I’ve Got the Reading Bug! Collection
When you buy a new book, you need new book bling to go with it! Here’s a printable book plate and bookmark, plus a want-to-read list to help you choose your next new book to buy!
celebratepicturebooks.com 