Mailbox Monday - 2/20/2011

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme started by Marcia at The Printed Page.  You can read all about it at the Mailbox Monday blog.  Well, the mailbox has gone on tour.  This month's host is Library of Clean Reads. 

I love this meme because it lets me take a peek into other bloggers' mailboxes and find out what they received over the last week.  I will warn you, it does lead to more books as you will find many that you want because of others mailboxes.  If you'd like to join in on the fun, post about your books and link up!

I had a pretty big week this week, so there's only one picture of all the books stacked up.  This week I only had to make one trip to the post office because there was a package that wouldn't fit in the mailbox.  Clicking on the book titles will take you to their Goodreads page.

Starting from the bottom of the stack:

Before There Was Mozart by Lesa Cline-Ransome, from Random House
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming, from Random House
Adventures in Nowhere by John Ames, from Pineapple Press for a Pump Up Your Book Tour
Flesh & Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy by Al Marrin, from Random House
The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander, from Walden Media
Throat by R.A. Nelson, from Knopf Books for Young Readers
The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier, from Knopf Books for Young Readers
Four Seasons by Jane Breskin Zalben, from Knopf Books for Young Readers
Exposed by Kimberly Marcus, from Random House for a blog tour.  I will be reviewing this one on the 22nd, with a guest post from the author on the 23rd.
The Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena & Voyage with the Vikings by Paul McCusker, from Tyndale House Publishers for a blog tour in April.
Tall Story by Candy Gourley, from David Fickling Books
Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster, from Random House
Twosomes: Love Poems from the Animal Kingdom by Marilyn Singer, from Knopf Books for Young Readers
Animal Colors by Beth Fielding, from EarlyLight Books
Nosh, Schlepp, Schluff by Laurel Snyder, from Random House

What came into your house?

Review: Bunny Kisses

I found the cutest book for my nephew's Easter basket and I wanted to share it with all of you!

Title:  Bunny Kisses

Review Copy Provided by:  Random House Children's Books

About the Book:  SMOOCH! Little ones will love to press the sound button to give Bunny and his friends lots of sweet kisses! Filled with classic art and touch-and-feel elements on every page, this interactive book is the perfect baby gift! 

My Review:  This is a sweet little board book!  It's not your typical board book as it's shaped like a heart.  Random House originally released it in December, 2007 as the perfect Valentine's gift, but since it is a Pat the Bunny book, I felt it was just as appropriate for an Easter basket.

Each page has something different for your little one to touch and feel: a curtain, a pig's belly, a kitten's tummy, a puppy's blanket, and teddy's tummy.  Each page talks about Bunny kissing the other animal and when that happens, you or your child can push the button on the book to make a kissing sound.  Kids are sure to love that!

Like other Pat the Bunny books, the colors are muted and the pictures are big and bold to catch a little one's eye. This is one that the little one in your life is sure to enjoy!

Two for Toddlers

I have been dying to share these books with you this week!  Board books have been on my radar this past year because of my nephew.  A year ago March 3rd, he arrived and our family was so exited!    You might remember this blog post from last year.  Well, I have been a doting aunt and try to get my hands on all kinds of books for him.  He loves them!  Thanks to Chronicle Books, I have 2 more to add to his collection.

Brayden a year ago...and Brayden today...see, he has his tub of books beside him.  My sister-in-law has to change them out periodically because he has so many.

Now, for the books...

Title:  In My Flower
Author/Illustrator:  Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich
Review Copy Provided by:  Chronicle Books

About the Book:  Turn the colorful die-cut pages of this irresistible board book to discover just what makes little butterfly's flower so cozy. Bright pictures, sweet reassuring messages, unique layered pages, and an adorable finger puppet combine to create interactive reading and playtime fun!
My Review:  What a perfect springtime book!  I love the cut-outs on each page and the way that the parent or child can manipulate the butterfly as a finger puppet.  Board books are great for the little ones, but they are so much more fun when they are interactive.   The pictures are bright, which makes them very eye catching for the baby or toddler.  5 short pages that are sure to delight your little one!

Title:  High Five with Julius and Friends
Author/Illustrator:  Paul Frank Industries
Review Copy Provided by:  Chronicle Books

About the Book:  Julius and his friends offer up high fives on every page of this irresistible board book! Each spread encourages kids to celebrate amazing everyday achievements—from sharing their toys to just being themselves—and features a touch-and-feel texture that will keep little ones engaged as they strive to be and do their very best.

My Review:  This is a touch and feel book and my nephew absolutely loves touch and feel!  High Five is a very positive book.  The monkey, Julius, gives high fives for being a superstar, sharing, looking both ways before crossing the street, eating, putting away clothes and being a rock star.  I really like the positive message that it sends to kids.  The bright, vivid colors make it very appealing to little ones and the touch and feel is a huge plus!  Each character holds up their paw, which is enlarged, and the baby/toddler gets to feel it.  Just a cute book that is sure to keep your youngster coming back for more!

Review: Good Egg

Since today is Good Friday, I thought I'd post my review of a cute little Spring/Easter book titled, Good Egg.  I first saw this book on the Shelf Awareness newsletter, so I contacted the publisher about reviewing it.  I was so pleased when a received an email reply asking for my address to send the book and saying how great my blog was! 

Title:  Good Egg

Author:  Barney Saltzberg

Review Copy Provided by:  Workman Books

About the Book:  Meet Egg. Cuter than a button, enormously personable, and talented, too. Say "sit," and Egg sits. Good Egg! Say "roll over," and egg rolls over. What a good Egg! Of course, Egg does all of this with a toddler's help, who lifts the flaps and pulls the tabs and operates the wiggle behind the wiggle-waggle. But that's the most fun part: interacting with the Egg. 

My Review:   This is one of the cutest little board books I've seen in a long time.  It is the story of an egg, told in one or two word sentences.  Each page is interactive with pull tabs to make the egg do what you command, like roll over or speak.  What happens when the egg speaks will delight children.  Just the interactiveness of the book will have children falling in love with it and asking you to read it over and over again.  I love simple books for the very young because any more than that won't hold their attention.  I want to be able to read to little ones and this book is perfect for that with it's short sentences, bold colors, and surprise ending.  This would make the perfect addition to an Easter basket, which is what I plan on doing with it, for my nephew.  I'm sure it will be a hit! 

Review: Can You Cuddle Lika a Koala?

Title:  Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?

Author/Illustrator:  John Butler

Review Copy Provided by: Peachtree Publishers

About the Book:  FROM LEAPING LIKE A FROG to winking like an owl, acclaimed author-illustrator John Butler will delight the very young with this simple, interactive look at different animals and the way they move.

Butler's lavish portraits feature wide-eyed animals in their natural surroundings. The simple text will invite spirited responses from young children as they imitate the animals in the story, until finally, at the end, they are instructed to "Close your eyes tight and rest your sleepy head."

My Review:  I have always loved board books for the youngest readers.  Not all books can be made into board books though, so I love it when I find good ones for baby shower gifts, birthdays or Christmas.  Since my nephew was born last week, I'm drawn to them even more because I feel like he can't have too many books, even at a week old.  So yes, this one will be going to him.  It is really a cute book.  John Butler introduces our youngest readers to animals and the movements they make like a creeping mouse, a swinging monkey, and a splashing otter to name a few.  This book also rhymes which I think is essential in books for the very young as they begin to play with language.  Sometimes rhyming can be over done, but in this short little book, with rhymes only at the end of each page, it is just right.

The illustrations are sure to catch a youngster's eye.  The animals are large and in the forefront, stretching across two pages.  The colors are pastels, not vivid, but still look touchable.  Butler creates beautiful pictures to complement his sweet book.

I am sure that the littlest reader in your life will love this book, not just because it's just right for them to hold, durable enough to withstand them, but because of the animals that they will love and the lines that they are sure to memorize or at least mimic.  This is one that I will recommend to others and add to my list of books to give as gifts.

Review: 2 Board Books for Baby

If you follow my blog, you know that my brother and sister-in-law are expecting my first nephew, Brayden, in March.  My brother knows, that as a teacher, I believe in giving books as gifts, and my nephew will be no exception.  I have recently received 2 board books, that I'm sure he'll love; he just doesn't know it yet. :)

Title:  Peek - a- Boo, I love you!

Author:  Sandra Magsamen

Review Copy Provided By:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

About the Book:  This adorable peek-a-boo book invites little ones to play along with their favorite animals, with soothing rhymes and engaging illustrations as only Sandra Magsamen can deliver. The anticipation of what's hiding on the next page will keep kids guessing and giggling all the way to the surprise ending - when a heart-shaped mirror reveals who's loved most of all!

My Review:  This is a cute book to give as a baby shower gift.  I would not recommend letting baby have it alone because of the flaps in the book, but it is great for reading to baby.  The rhymes are catchy and the pictures give clues as to what's under the flap.  I like the script used in this board book.  It is not your typical block font, but it's large enough for little eyes to notice.  Magsamen has given us another wonderful book to enjoy with babies!

Title:  Listen, Listen

Author:  Phillis Gershator

Illustrator:  Alison Jay

Review Copy Provided by:  publisher, Barefoot Books via The Picnic Basket

About the Book:  Introduce young readers to the sights and sounds of the year - from summer's sizzling sun to winter's crackling snow. Featuring breathtaking illustrations by internationally renowned illustrator, Alison Jay, this book will open your child's eyes and ears to the world around them!

My Review:  I enjoyed this oversized board book.  Kids love noises, and this book is full of them, from the noises the insects make in summer, to the silent sounds of winter.  I can just hear young children mimicing the sounds that are read to them in this delightful book.  Children love to learn about the differences in the seasons and this book will help them to do just that.  The muted colors and rustic looking illustrations by Alison Jay, add character to this book.  I especially liked how she added faces to the flowers and made them come to life on the page as you read, "Pop, pop, bulbs sprout.  Leaves grow, flowers shout."  An added bonus at the end is an "I Spy" like page for each season that I'm sure kids are going to enjoy.  Even though this is a board book, usually for babies, toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy it as well.  This is a review for The Picnic Basket, so this book receives a 4 - recommend without reservation.