Wonder Pets

Wonder Pets series from Nick Jr. 2007. Average Running Time: 90-100 minutes. Nickelodeon Studios.

Annotation:
The Wonder Pets are classroom pets who save animals in trouble after the school day is done.

Personal Reaction: 

The Wonder Pets is an animated series on Nick Jr. featuring three classroom pets- a turtle, a guinea pig and a duckling- who help save animals in trouble after the school day is done.

This series focuses on values like teamwork, kindness and helping others in need. The Wonder Pets features many operatic musical numbers, in which the animals sing in rhyming verse. Rhyming language helps children develop phonemic awareness.

Some parents take issue with so-called "mispronunciation" in the show. Ming-Ming the duckling pronounces her R's as W's, though this is a common speech pattern in young children and I believe it may help normalize an embarrassing issue for kids. Overall, this show is excellent at teaching compassion, ecological awareness and teamwork.

Max & Ruby Television Series

    

Max & Ruby television series from Nick Jr. Running Time: 90-100 minutes. Nickelodeon Studios.

Annotation:
Nick Jr.'s animated version of Rosemary Well's beloved Max & Ruby books.

Personal Reaction: 

Nick Jr.'s Max & Ruby is a television series for preschoolers based on the children's books by Rosemary Wells. Like the books, the show centers on two bunny siblings: Max, a mischievous toddler, and Ruby, his smart and mature older sister.

The story lines generally focus on social skills such problem solving, kindness and getting along well with others- essential skills for young children. Ruby explains situations using words that will build the vocabulary of young children. Because Max is largely pre-verbal, Ruby asks a lot of questions that give children a chance to predict and respond. The pacing and action are gentle, and the relationships portrayed between Grandma, Max and Ruby are positive and loving.

The television series provides a perfect introduction to Rosemary Wells' original Max & Ruby books, which are published in picture and board book format.

So Smart! First Words DVD Series

So Smart! First Words DVD Series. 2002. Running time: 30 minutes. So Smart Productions.

Website: www.store.sosmart.com

Annotation:

A set of DVDs for very young children and their parents intended to develop vocabulary using simple animated stories.

Personal Reaction: 

The So Smart! First Words series is aset of DVDs for very young children and their parents intended to develop vocabulary using simple animated stories. The award winning series has garnered praise from various publications and organizations, including Parenting Magazine.

Each DVD introduces simple vocabulary words for children at a gentle pace, which allows time for children and parents to react to and talk about the words and images. Parents are instructed to talk to their children during the DVDs and to encourage children to dance, clap, laugh and respond to the DVDs in their own ways. Although each DVD is 30 minutes long, parents are asked to use the videos in 10-15 minute increments, depending on each child’s attention span.

The animation employs simple geometric shapes, which spin and tumble into place to create the various animals, vehicles and objects in the videos. Gentle piano music provides the soundtrack, and sound effects add aural interest to the animation. Short sequences take into consideration the attention spans of very young children, but unfortunately the animation is unremarkable and the voice-over narration often falls flat.

The DVDs are promoted for children 9-36 months of age, yet research suggests that television is detrimental for children under the age of two. The So Smart! Series is a satisfactory addition to the number of DVDs marketed to families with young children, yet is really no match for good board books read by an engaging caregiver.

The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand. written by Audrey Penn. illustrated by Ruth Harper and Nancy Leak. 2006. 32p. New York: Tanglewood Press. (1933718005).

Author Website: www.audreypenn.com

Illustrator Website: www.rutheharper.com

Media: watercolor

Awards and Honors: Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Educational Journalism

Audience: 3 and up

Annotation: 
Chester the Raccoon is anxious about starting school until his mother shows him a way he can feel connected to her even when she is away.  

Personal Reaction:

This sweet and gentle book addresses the universal childhood experience of starting school and the fear children feel when they are separated from their parents for the first time. This book could even be used to address a change in living situations or the loss of a loved one for a child.

Mrs. Raccoon uses the “kissing hand” to reassure Chester that her love is always present, even if he is away from her. I particularly like the way Audrey Penn shows the mutual desire for comfort between the mother and son. Before starting his first day of school, Chester gives his mother a “kissing hand” to comfort her while he is away. 

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born. written by Jamie Lee Curtis. illustrated by Laura Cornell. 1996. 32p. New York: HarperCollins. (0064435814).

Author Website: www.jamieleecurtisbooks.com

Illustrator Website: none

Media: watercolors

Awards and Honors: none

Audience: 4 and up

Annotation: 

A sweet and funny tale of adoption for young children.

Personal Reaction:

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born is a book that can help parents discuss adoption with young children. Jamie Lee Curtis touches briefly on the circumstances behind the adoption ("Tell me again how you couldn't grow a baby in your tummy, so another woman who was too young to take care of me said...you would adopt me and be my parents"), but chooses to focus on the unconditional love that exists between parent and child- whether they are biological or adopted. Curtis does an excellent job balancing serious and silly in her story and  Laura Cornell's humorous watercolor illustrations add whimsy to what could otherwise be a heavy topic. The text is written as a child's request for her parents to retell the story of when she was born. It is simple and direct, and perfectly relatable for a young child. The details in Cornell's illustrations make's this a story children will want to explore again and again. 

Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime

Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime. written by Myra Wolfe. illustrated by Maria Monescillo. 2011. 32p. New York: Harcourt Children's Books. (0152061509).

Author Website: none

Illustrator Website: www.monescillo.es

Media: digital media

Awards and Honors: none

Audience: 4 and up

Annotation: 
A book about the age-old challenge of bedtime, featuring a pirate girl with "formidable oomph"!

Personal Reaction:
Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime puts a creative spin on the age-old challenge of bedtime. Myra Wolfe's colorful language is charming and Maria Monecscillo's illustrations lend whimsy to the tale. Wolfe could have easily made the protagonist a little boy, but I love that Charlotte Jane is a boisterous and bold pirate girl. While princess and fairy books are undeniably ever-popular with the under 6 set, a book with a strong girl hero who possesses "formidable oomph" is refreshing!

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti. written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott. 1973. 48 p. New York: Henry Holt.(0805003118).


Author/Illustrator Website: www.geraldmcdermott.com


Media: acrylic 


Awards and Honors: Caldecott Honor, 1973,



Audience: 4 and up



Annotation: 
Anansi The Spider tells the tale of how the Ashanti trickster was saved by his sons.



Personal Reaction:
Anansi is a mischievous trickster. When he falls into trouble while on a journey, each of his six sons uses his own particular talent to save Anansi. Anansi wants to reward the son who saved him with a beautiful globe of light that he has found, but he can't decide which son is most deserving. Anansi asks Nyame, the Sky God, to help decide, and Nyame lifts the globe high into the sky where it remains for all to see as the moon.


Anansi the Spider, a 1973 Caldecott Honor by Gerald McDermott, is a wonderful adaptation of the traditional African trickster tale. Although there are many stories about Anansi by numerous authors and illustrators, this one remains my favorite. It is particularly suited for young children in ways that other adaptations aren't- the language is simple, but punchy, it is told with an economy of words, and the illustrations are bright and attention-grabbing.


McDermott's illustrations are an absolute joy. His boldly patterned backgrounds reminiscent of African textiles, and simple and bright geometric characters, delight children as well as adults. Children also love seeing how Anansi's sons extricate him from each sticky situation. The action is exciting, but never scary.

For other multicultural folk tales, McDermott's Arrow to the Sun and Raven are also exceptional.

The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!

The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! written and illustrated by Mo Willems. 2005. New York: Hyperion Books.

Author/Illustrator Website: http://www.mowillems.com/

Media: pen and ink (colored digitally?)

Awards and Honors: none

Audience: babies and preschoolers


Annotation: A smidgeon of Mo Willems' popular Pigeon character especially for very young readers.


Personal Response:
This book provides a slightly different model of board book creation. It wasn't first published in picture book format, and it wasn't created as a wholly original board book. The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! takes the Pigeon character from Mo Willems' picture book series and creates a shorter, simpler story around him.

I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!. The artwork remains similar, with its thick lines, simple compositions and bold pastel colored backgrounds, but the storyline is thin. Board books- even as short as they are- should still be fun to read. While the sturdy format may introduce Willems' work to a younger audience, the book lacks the spark of the original Pigeon series.

Waiting for Wings

Waiting for Wings. written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert. 40p. 2001. New York: Harcourt Publishing. (0152026088).

Medium: cut paper

Author/Illustrator Website: none

Awards and Honors: School Librarians Book Award, 2001, ABC Children's Booksellers Choice, 2002

Annotation:
A beautifully illustrated tale of metamorphosis by Lois Ehlert.

Personal Reaction:
With rhyming couplets and beautiful cut-paper illustrations, Ehlert tells the story of metamorphosis- a caterpillar's miraculous transformation into a butterfly.

This gorgeous, oversized book depicts the action with a series of half sized pages that line up with the larger spread to show the caterpillar's transformation. After the butterfly hatches, the readers is treated to pages of butterflies flitting between bright and vibrant flowers. It's the perfect subject matter for Ehlert's bold and colorful cut-paper illustration technique.

The back material includes butterfly and flower identification pages, instructions on growing a butterfly garden, and additional information about the lives of butterflies.

Metamorphosis is a natural process that never fails to captivate children's attention. Of the many, many books on the topic, Waiting for Wings is likely the most beautiful, as well as the best for young children.

Sylvan's Book Adventure

From time to time, parents come to me with concerns about their children's reading comprehension skills. Usually they're looking for practice drills that they can use with their child. While my library has a few workbooks like this, our materials are limited.

I recently stumbled upon bookadventure.com, a website that lets children in kindergarten through 8th grade take short quizzes on books that they're read. These quizzes aim to test children's reading comprehension. Children earn points that they can trade for prizes such as a temporary tattoos, books and even a six-month subscription to Highlights Magazine. The website is free to use, but children must register to keep track of the quizzes that they've taken and earn points.

Book Adventure includes quizzes for almost 8,000 books- enough to keep children challenged for quite a while. Titles include picture and chapter books, classic titles like From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil Frankweiler and new books like The Hunger Games.