February! The dead of winter. What better time for some fresh books to curl up with?
Elf
Picture a Tree – Barbara Reid’s latest is a lovely tribute to trees filled with delightful visual jokes and her incredibly detailed plasticene illustrations. Marvelous!
Pigeon Pack – I love Mo. Seriously, everyone loves the pigeon books, and they are so
much fun for sharing. These are definitely worth picking up if you don’t
have them.
One Love – I’m doing a full review on this one coming up, but this isn’t a bad price if you know that you want it. It’s a cute, happy take on community and loving those around you, adapted from Bob Marley’s song of the same title.
The ABCs of Yoga for Kids – an alphabet of yoga poses with simple drawings of kids. For those interested in introducing children to yoga, a good starting place to pick up.
Cat in the Hat: There’s No Place Like Space – I am loving these Cat in the Hat science books. They are done in
Seussian rhyme, of course, and are a pretty nice, simple explanation and
introduction.
You Read To Me, I’ll Read To You Collection – I
love these books for shared reading, and getting 4 together for a good
price is not something you should pass up if you have an emerging
reader. They were, in fact, the only way I could get my shy reader to
read aloud to me until she found her comfort zone, and they are fun
reading, too!
Puff the Magic Dragon – I love books of songs, and this one is a favourite of my kids. If you like to sing yourself, it gives you the words and illustrates them for sharing, or if you are not so much the singing type, it comes with a handy CD to do the job.
Favourite Eric Carle Board Books – Eric Carle. I may not need to say any more than that. He is the author of many modern classics, beloved of kids and teachers everywhere, and if you’ve got younger kids who still do best with the board book format, I should tell you, his books are not cheap, so this is a good buy.
***The Paper Bag Princess – Robert Munsch’s first really big title, and every inch a classic picture book. Hilarious, turning fairy tale convention on its ear, and never fails to make kids howl. If you don’t ahve a copy of this in your house, you really should grab this one.
***Classic Family Favourites Collection – SO. many. seriously good books in this collection. Unless you have some of them already, you should really not pass this up.
SeeSaw
Bear’s Loose Tooth – I admit, I am a sucker for a friendship story, and love love love these bear books. Even the ones that don’t work as well in the series are still wonderful fun and have a great rhythm for reading aloud.
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend – Scaredy Squirrel is funny, neurotic, and a great big hit with kids. The cartoon squirrel with major fear and germ issues is boldly drawn, and always good for a laugh. These do appear often and in packs as well, so if you’re going to want the lot of them, expect that you’ll see it coming up. (or below, in Lucky!)
***David Shannon Library – Shannon is best known for his David books (the best 3 are here), but his drawings and sense of humour have made for some other real gems. A Bad Case of Stripes is a favourite of mine, as is The Rain Came Down. He’s got a comic genius for faces, and a great skill in setting up a story and a mood. This is a great pick if you don’t have some of these yet.
Klutz Cat’s Cradle and Klutz Twisted Critters – I love Klutz books for their fun, kid-oriented activities, their very
clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and the fact that they come with everything
you need to get started. These two are good solid choices for grades
1-3. I like buying these for gifts, so the cheaper price is a nice
bonus.
Make It! – We love books of craft ideas in my house, and this one has a handful of fun recycled-material crafts. Inspiring the crafty and the not-so-creative alike, books like this also help reinforce the skill of following directions and reading for those details. Being DK, it will also feature nice bright illustrations for kids to peruse for inspiration.
Usborne First Encyclopedia of Our World – Books of chunked information like this are great for those kids who like to read non-fiction and for reluctant readers who would rather browse. That it’s not a bad first reference book either only adds parent appeal to this!
The Emperor’s Egg – this cute book tells the story of how father penguins look after their chicks – accompanied by illustrations by Jane Chapman, best know for illustrating the above-mentioned bear books. Cute and informative, and around here? We are all about penguins.
Lucky
Mythbusters Science Fair Book – we are huge Mythbusters fans in my house – my Girl 7 calls it her favourite show, and it really is great fun, so you know if those guys are going to put together a book of science fair ideas? There’s bound to be some good stuff in here that will capture a kid’s imagination.
The Science Kit – I am a big fan of science for kids, and this kit of ready-made
experiments takes the prep work and guessing largely out of the
equation. A good pick for any kid who is curious enough to try some new
things, and makes a good gift, too.
Magic School DVD Library – I don’t recommend DVDs often, but I do really love the Magic School Bus
for its well-done blend of fun story and solid facts, and most kdis I
know love them, too, so there, I am willing to suggest as a good pick.
Klutz Flying Machines – I love Klutz books for their fun, kid-oriented activities, their very
clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and the fact that they come with everything
you need to get started. These two are good solid choices for grades
1-3. I like buying these for gifts, so the cheaper price is a nice
bonus.
Socks – Beverly Cleary is the same wonderful writer behind the Ramona books, aloso in this flyer, but this one is about a cat. For a child who is an animal lover, it’s a sweet read by a premier author.
Calvin & Hobbes Pack – these are funny – you might remember them from a good 20-25 years ago?
They still appeal. I know a friend’s kid who is a major fan, in fact.
Readers and reluctant readers alike enjoy cartoons, so if your kid won’t
gravitate to a full-on novel just yet, these might grab his/her
attention in the meantime, not to mention that you can share some good
belly laughs reading them together!
***Scaredy Squirrel Collection – Scaredy Squirrel is funny, neurotic, and a great big hit with kids. The
cartoon squirrel with major fear and germ issues is boldly drawn, and
always good for a laugh.
Wimpy Kid Pack – this series has been a mega-hit for a few years now, especially with
boys and even reluctant readers, who like the graphic elements that
break up its text. The series is going strong, but is another frequent
flyer, so you can count on being able to pick it up another month, too. (Big Nate Pack, also on this month’s flyer, is a good read-alike if your kid has devoured these.)
Hockey Legends Pack – Mike Leonetti has become the go-to guy for books about hockey and the
greats who played the game. This pack pulls together a couple of more
modern hockey heroes as well as a couple from way back. Great for the
fan of our game.
***Ramona Pack – Ramona. Who doesn’t love Ramona? Spunky, a little naughty, and huge fun to read, she’s a go-to classic, and I adore her. Perfect for grade 1-4 range kids, especially girls, they are also wonderful for sharing.
Tales From the Odyssey: Part Two – Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the Magic Tree House series, and in
this newer series, she retells stories from the Odyssey for easy chapter
readers. I love that classical Greek mythology and epics are becoming
hot – this is great stuff for kids to be exposed to, and the incredible
tales of adventure, monsters, and survival have huge appeal. Part 1 appeared in November, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a set some time in the future.
The Magic Tree House Collection – The first 42 books. I really like the Magic Tree House series, one of the few series that I
really enjoy despite the formula. This is a big collection, and worth
it if you know your kids will want to read them all, but if you don’t
think you need this many, know that Magic Tree House is a regular
offering in various different packs in these flyers, and there will be a
chance to buy a smaller pack later.
Arrow
The 39 Clues Paperback Collection – This series is written by some of the top names in adventurous kidslit,
and keep kids guessing and following along. If you get started with
these, be prepared to have an obsessed kid, but these are another
often-featured set, so you can always put this on the back burner and
know you can order later, too.
D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths – This good old book of myths is a go-to standard, and of renewed interest for all those kids reading Rick Riordan’s books based on these myths. It’s good stuff for kids to be familiar with, too – much referred-to in literature as they get older, not to mention just wonderful for their imagination!
Kane Chronicles, Book Two: The Throne of Fire – Rick Riordan’s other new series, with a fresh set of characters and a
focus on Egyptian mythology, rather than Greek. Riordan is a fantastic
writer, so these are every inch a hit with kids, just like his Percy
Jackson series.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – this series has been a mega-hit for a few years now, especially with
boys and even reluctant readers, who like the graphic elements that
break up its text. The series is going strong, but is another frequent
flyer, so you can count on being able to pick it up another month, too. (Big Nate Pack, also on this month’s flyer, is a good read-alike if your kid has devoured these.)
The Fourth Stall – this is a new one that has met with lots of strong reviews and interest – a sort of Godfather of the school story, revolving around a bathroom stall and the school-age boss who lurks there. Funny, employing some gangster conventions, and a good read.
Black History Fiction Pack – this trio are solid, wonderful titles that bring history to life in the form of great stories with characters that readers care about. Definitely worth picking up if you have a kid who enjoys history, and these have good boy appeal, as well, in the form of male characters and a nice little dose of danger here and there.
The Calvin and Hobbes Lazy Sunday Book – these are funny – you might remember them from a good 20-25 years ago?
They still appeal. I know a friend’s kid who is a major fan, in fact.
Readers and reluctant readers alike enjoy cartoons, so if your kid won’t
gravitate to a full-on novel just yet, these might grab his/her
attention in the meantime, not to mention that you can share some good
belly laughs reading them together!
Inheritance –
Percy Jackson & The Olympians – These. Are. Awesome. Kids have loved them, they read like you’re
watching it happen, and they may just spark an interest in Greek
mythology. I highly recommend these if your kid hasn’t read them yet.
Anne Frank: Diary of A Young Girl – This classic glimpse of life in hiding is definitely for the older kids in this range, and worth introducing by talking about it together. It is one of those books that really puts an identifiable face on history for kids.
I Am Canada: Behind Enemy Lines – these diary-format books highlight major events in Canadian history from
the perspective of someone involved or affected, bringing history to
life. The
quality of these books in
generally quite high.
Guinness Book of World Records – These books have been
favourites for browsing for decades, and appeal to nearly every kid out
there. There is a new one every year, though you don’t need to replace
them annually, really. They are also offered fairly often, as they truly
are popular. They also make for great gift material!
Fudge Boxed Set – This good old Judy Blume chestnut has acquired classic status, and is
still much-requested by kids in grades 2-4. A good book for boys and
girls alike, kids very much relate to Fudge, it seems!
I need to check out the classic family favourites collection…..see what’s all in it!