Search Results for: blog punk farm jarrett j krosoczka

Punk Farm – Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Didn’t we all have a rock band we just adored when we were teenagers? We had their posters on our walls, listened to their music at levels so loud that our parents would complain, and we begged and begged to go to their concerts? Well, in reality I never did, but I’ve heard tales, and I know that kind of adoration could get a little out of control. I bet, though, that you never heard a band as cool as Punk Farm. Children’s author Jarrett J. Krosoczka tells us the story of this hip, cool, wild band. I do mean … Continue reading →

Dylan the Eagle-Hearted Chicken – David L. Harrison

With a title like that, how could I resist? Ethel the chicken is a proud mama. There’s something special about this one particular egg—she’s already named the chick Dylan, even though he’s not hatched yet. She hides the egg in a safe place so nothing will happen to him. Already she’s dreaming of who he’ll be. But he’s taking forever to hatch. Stiff and sore, Ethel gets up to stretch, and Cawly the crow swoops down and swipes the egg, right off the nest. Ethel tries to fly after him, but only manages to get ten feet off the ground. … Continue reading →

Uno’s Garden – Graeme Base

Graeme Base is one of the most fascinating illustrators currently publishing on the children’s market. The first time I saw his work was on a poster at the public library about ten years ago, and I’ve been a big fan of his work ever since. In “Uno’s Garden,” we meet a fellow named Uno who wanders out into the forest and likes it so much, he decides to stay. At that time, the forest is lush and green, and he’s surrounded by plants and vegetation. He’s also surrounded by a wide variety of animal life, in this case ten moopaloops … Continue reading →

Koala Lou – Mem Fox

Growing up, my parents called me a koala bear because I was soft and cuddly. I think if they’d known that real koalas are actually pretty mean, they would have chosen a different animal, but that’s neither here nor there. I picked up “Koala Lou” in fond reminiscence of my childhood, and really liked it on its own merits. There once was a soft, sweet baby koala named Koala Lou. She was very beloved by all the animals she knew – the emu, the platypus, and the other koalas all thought she was just the cutest thing. But her mother … Continue reading →

Clever Chameleon – Ali Lodge

I love rich, vibrant colors. I’ve also heard that color helps stimulate the brain – maybe that’s why I like them? They make me feel smarter? At any rate, when I picked up “Clever Chameleon” by Ali Lodge, my eyes (and my brain) felt like they were having a feast. With a rich abundance of jungle green, brilliant yellow, and stunning fuchsia, there’s nothing wimpy or pastel about this book. One day in the jungle, all the animals decided to spend the day playing. The parrot suggests a game of hide and seek, and the elephant volunteers to be “it.” … Continue reading →

Children’s Picture Books by Kathy Mallat

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a sucker for cute illustrations. When I found these picture books at the library, I basically turned into a drippy puddle of goo right there. The first book I’d like to share with you is “Brave Bear.” Bear sees a little bird fall from its nest and land on the ground. He offers to help, but the nest is so high up. Can he do it? He’s scared, but he makes the climb to the top and returns the bird to the nest. With minimal text, the charm of this book is … Continue reading →

Jimmy’s Boa Bounces Back – Trinka Hakes Noble

I enjoyed reading and reviewing “The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash.” When I saw “Jimmy’s Boa Bounces Back” at the library, I was excited to read this sequel. It’s not as cute as the original, I’m afraid. But it’s still a fun story. On the first page, Meggie announces to Jimmy that she has just seen his boa at her mother’s garden club meeting. Apparently her mother needed something to wear that would add just the right touch to her suit, and decided that the boa was just the ticket. Her friends were quite taken with her fashion statement. … Continue reading →

Froggy Books by Jonathan London

I enjoy Froggy. With his great facial expressions and innocent view on life, he charms me and makes me laugh all at the same time. Let’s start with “Froggy Gets Dressed.” Froggy wakes up and sees snow falling on the ground outside. He leaps out of bed and starts getting dressed. Hat, coat, boots, gloves – but wait! Froggy forgot something! Running back into the house, he takes everything off and starts from scratch, this time remembering to put on his underwear. (Puffin, 1992.) Next, “Froggy Learns to Swim.” It’s a hot day outside and Froggy’s mother thinks the weather’s … Continue reading →

More Miss Malarkey Books – Judy Finchler

We continue our Miss Malarkey series with “Testing Miss Malarkey.” A big test is coming up in school, formerly known as the Instructional Performance Through Understanding test, abbreviated to I.P.T.U, and called, by the children, the “I Pity You” test. Miss Malarkey seems nervous about it and has been working hard to prepare the children to do well on it. She says THE TEST (she always refers to it in capital letters) isn’t that important, and that it won’t go on the report cards, but why does she chew her fingernails whenever she talks about it? She’s been cramming as … Continue reading →

Tristi’s Picks: Best Children’s/YA Books Read in 2006

To go along with the blog posted earlier about the best novels I’ve read in the year 2006, I’m sharing with you a list of books for children and young adults that I particularly enjoyed. Again, it was difficult to determine an order; I happened across some wonderful books this year. Click on the book title to read the full review. 1. “Ashes of Roses” by Mary Jane Auch. The story of the Triangle Factory Fire in New York City, I learned a great deal about the young immigrant workers who perished in the fire and the labor laws that … Continue reading →