It's kids' books week!
The irresistible Pigeon is back with his friend Duckling in Caldecott Honor winner Mo Willem's "The Duckling Gets A Cookie?"
The adorable Duckling asks politely for a cookie and gets one - with nuts. Pigeon shows up and asks how he got one and Duckling tells him, he just asked. The Pigeon is upset, he asks for plenty of things, like driving the bus, hot dog parties, to stay up late and a lot of other things, but never gets them! Why doesn't the pigeon ever get what he wants? But he is surprised when the Duckling gives him the cookie! Suddenly, the Duckling isn't so bad after all.
This is a hilarious story done with simple but brilliant artwork that will have kids and grown-ups giggling.
"The Duckling Gets A Cookie" is published by Hyperion. It is $15.99 and is for ages 2 to 6.
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Children learn manners through an encounter with a dinosaur in "Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur" by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Tim Bowers.
A little girl meets a dinosaur in a grocery store. She learns to introduce herself, say excuse me, please and thank you, apologize and other good manners.
This book is a good one to introduce to young children that are learning what to do and say and certain situations. The art is whimsical to go along with the story and will entertain kids.
"Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur" is published by Alfred A. Knopf. It is $16.99.
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Another girl learns about making money and running a business in "Pretty Penny Cleans Up" by Devon Kinch.
Penny is trying to help her friend Emma earn money for a concert ticket. She gets an idea to start La Perfect Pup Salon to style and bathe dogs. Penny instructs her friend on her "Pretty Penny Saving Setup" which is a box for saving money, a jar for sharing money or giving it charity and a purse for money you can spend. They soon have plenty of dogs and a cat to style. By the end of the day, they count their earnings and find they made 30 dollars, which they will split. But first they have distribute the money between savings, donations and spending!
This is a great book to start a savings vs. spending dialogue with kids and how running a business works. And the artwork is bold and and bright.
"Pretty Penny Cleans Up" is published by Random House. It is $16.99.
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A lovely book about an interesting group of orphans is the creation of Emily Winfield Martin in "Oddfellow's Orphanage."
One day, a bear-drawn carriage brings an orphaned girl who doesn't speak, Delia, to the doors of Oddfellow's Orphanage. Along with Delia, readers will get to know and love the occupants and their world, including Headmaster Bluebeard (a distant relative of that Bluebeard,) Ava, a girl whose only possessions are three finches, three bears named Boris, Greta and Little Bear who used to be performers, Professor Silas who teaches Cryptozoology to the students - and takes them on an expedition to meet the Lock Ness monster, Felix, a troubled boy who cuts off Delia's braids, but tries to apologize later, Nurse Effie, a pretty and kind woman, Hugo, a hedgehog who likes to eat, Daniel, an honorable boy, Ollie, who has an onion head and a cheery disposition, Professor Stella who lived at Oddfellow's as a child and is now a professor of astronomy, Han, who tends to the bears and fixes the orphanage and Imogen, who has tattoos and comes from a long line of Illustrated Men and Women.
The story takes place throughout the year, and follows Delia as she goes from newcomer to part of this odd but warm family. The artwork is simple but lovely, giving off a 1930s vibe, and helps create the atmosphere of the story.
"Oddfellow's Orphanage" is published by Random House. It is $14.99.
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Two rabbits are on the case when a little girl's parents go missing in "Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire!" by Newbery Honor and National Book Award-winning author Polly Horvath with illustrations by Sophie Blackall.
Madeline's always been a bit different than her hippie parents. She is the one who chose to go to public school and get a part-time job. And it is because of that job and a walk through the woods, that she misses being kidnapped by a group of too-smart foxes who need to contact her code-breaking uncle to continue their unsavory business practices. And then Madeline meets Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who have decided to become detectives and are willing to help her find her parents and get them away from the foxes' evil clutches?
Their investigation will take them from sneaky foxes to code-breaking marmots in this humorous story of mystery and talking animals.
This chapter book will entertain kids still into talking animals and has plenty of humor and outrageous situations to keep them reading.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinare" is published by Schwartz & Wade. It is $16.99.
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A girl is drawn into her favorite book in Eve Marie Mont's "A Breath of Eyre."
Emma feels like an outsider at her prep school and even at home with her father and stepmother.
She has a crush on cute family friend Gray Newman, but he will never see her as more than a friend.
When a friend of her deceased mom gives Emma a copy of "Jane Eyre" little does she know that Emma will be sucked into the book literally as a lightning storm makes her wake up in the body of Jane. Now Emma has the brooding Mr. Rochester to contend with, but is there a possibility for romance in her real life? Is Emma destined to be Jane forever or herself?
This is a cute romance story that will delight those who would love to become a character in their favorite book.
"A Breath of Eyre" is published by Kensington. It is $9.95 and 325 pages long.
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A young girl is swept away to a world where young people study to become the best characters they can be in "Storybound" by Marissa Burt.
Una Fairchild, orphan and quiet nobody, bumps into a strange boy in a library one day. From there, she is whisked into the land of Story, where young people struggle to become a Hero, Sidekick, Damsel or Villain. Una's new friend, Peter, finds her dialogue strange, but agrees to help her, and from there Una is swept up into a story of her own.
This is a fun adventure story for kids with plenty of heart.
"Storybound" is published by Harper. It is $16.99 and is for ages 8 to 12.
Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com
