Posts Tagged ‘children’s books’

Enjoy some classic snow stories with your children this holiday season with newly released anniversary editions.

The Snowy Day: 50th Anniversary Edition by Ezra Jack Keats

In his 1962 Caldecott Medal winning book, Ezra Jack Keats introduced us to a little boy named Peter who would forever change the face of children’s literature. Fifty years have passed and the snow day adventure with bold color and imagery continue to capture the imagination of children today. It is a beautiful oversized edition with eight pages of bonus material.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Henry the Explorer by Mark Taylor and Illustrations by Graham Booth

Mark Taylor wrote many books for young people and those following the adventures of a boy Henry and his dog Angus are remembered childhood favorites. First published in 1967, Henry the Explorer shows us a boy inspired by an exciting book as he traipses out in the world the day after a blizzard. It is hard work, but boy and dog have come prepared.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Let it snow.

So many great new titles to share with you this year to help your family celebrate the holiday season. Remarkable illustrations grace these thoughtful tales - some new and others treasured classics worthy of these unique renditions. Enjoy the story of the first Rockefeller Center tree, a “Captain Santa” who delivered Christmas trees across Lake Michigan, intricately-cut paper illustrations of the traditional nativity story, new characters from Olivier Dunrea, and much more.

Lighthouse Christmas by Toni Buzzeo and Illustrations by Nancy Carpenter (Ages 5-8)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Olivier Dunrea (Ages 3-8)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel and Illustrated by Jim LaMarche (Ages 5-8)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long (Ages 3-5)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

The Christmas Tree Ship by Carol Crane and Illustrated by Chris Ellison (Ages 6-10)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Mary Engelbreit’s Nutcracker (All Ages)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

The Story of Christmas from the King James Bible and Illustrations by Pamela Dalton

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Chanukah Lights by Michael J. Rosen and Illustrated by Robert Sabuda (Ages 5 and up)

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah by Olga Ivanov and Illustrated by Aleksey Ivanov

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Happy Halloween!

For all you moms and dads out there, if you’re planning on attending grown-up festivities this year, there are some costume considerations. If you’re looking for a unique disguise, we hear from TIME that you should steer clear of the Pregnant Beyonce, Gaddafi, Kate Middleton, or Protestor ensemble. And secondly, if you live on the East Coast, make sure all costumes are equipped with snow gear!

The kids are undoubtedly focused on treat consumption and parades, but some themed books can be a great way to balance out their partying with some quiet time. We’ve compiled our favorite new Halloween books for the year and in it you’ll find brave little girls, graveyard dogs, vampire-kids, goblins, and the always popular Edgar Allan Poe. Wishing everyone a fun and safe Halloween!

Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe by Scott Gustafson (Young Adult)

Most adults are familiar with the eerie works of Edgar Allan Poe and this time of year his works seems to be especially apropos. If your child enjoys the fright and chill of the Halloween season, this tale of the great writer in his youth will pique his or her interest. “To truly unravel that life of mystery and imagination, we have to start at the beginning, when the man was just a boy, and when Edgar was called Eddie. For before Poe became the Master of the Macabre, it seemed that the Macabre was master of him.”

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Emmy and the Rats in the Belfry by Lynne Jonell and Illustrated by Jonathan Bean (Ages 9 and up)
If you don’t know Emmy yet, she is the charming but unnatural little protagonist who can talk to rats. In this third book of the acclaimed Emmy series, she thought her life was going to take a turn toward normal but veers dramatically off in the direction of revenge and fur.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Frangoline and the Midnight Dream by Clemency Pearce and Illustrated by Rebecca Elliott (Ages 4-8)
What happens to sweet little girls in the deepest dark of night? If they are Frangoline they escape and awake all creates of the night, ignoring the moon’s plea to return to bed. She’s scared of nothing as she tromps through the woods and old churchyard, but will something finally make her wish for home?

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann (Ages 4-8)
This brand new story from Caldecott Medal winner, Eric Rohmann, brings a new twist to the boy and his dog story. When Sam’s beloved dog Ella dies, he is not feeling in the Halloween spirit. The spooky night wraps around him with danger and he needs help. His trusted old friend returns to his side in this sweet, but spooky tale.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Gibbus Moony Wants to Bite You! by Leslie Muir and Illustrated by Jen Corace (Ages 4-8)
Jen Corace’s illustrations are back and this time, with a bite (we loved her work with Mathilda and the Orange Balloon, Little Pea, and Little Oink!) It’s the first children’s book for painter and poet Leslie Muir, and she spins a tempting little tale of a vampire learning not to bite, “We’re fruit suckers, my boy,” said Grandpa Waxing Moony, “and proud of it.”

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Little Goblins Ten by Pamela Jane Illustrated by Jane Manning (Ages 3-7)
Trudge your way through the forest home of Mommy Monster and her little monster one to the beat of the beloved nursery rhyme “Over in the Meadow.” They find ghosts who scare, zombie who stare, werewolves who roar, and many, many, more.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

Eric Carle certaintly needs no introduction to parents. He has spent his career creating one of the most colorful and appealing collections of books for young children. This week he adds an inspiring and unique new title. The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse tells the story of an artist who freely paints the world with unique eye - elephants are orange, polar bears black, and crocodiles a dramatic red. It is inspired by the work of the renowned Expressionist painter Franz Marc, who famously used abstract blue horses in his paintings.

Eric Carle will be signing copies of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse in the New York City area on Saturday, October 1st at 11:00am-12:30pm at Books, Bytes and Beyond (ticketed signing) and Monday, October 3rd at 6pm - Barnes & Noble, Union Square.

Watch a video with Eric Carle discussing the book.

Available at Amazon.com and Independent Booksellers

We LOVE Pete the Cat with his easy going attitude when facing life’s messy challenges. We were were thrilled to see him back with a new adventure by New York Times bestselling author Eric Litwin and artist James Dean, Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes.

With his ever-present charm and coolness, Pete teaches kids to move forward through life with a positive approach in all situations. A perfect read for youngster with those inevitable back-to-school jitters.

Available at Amazon.com

New back-to-school books with familiar faces:
Amelia Bedelia’s First Field Trip

The Berenstain Bears Come Clean for School

Splat the Cat Back to School Splat

Treat your kids to a pet…story. The characters in these new titles are sure to amuse and delight the animal lover in all of us.

Melvin and the Boyby Lauren Castillo
Available at Amazon.com

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond, Illustrations by Diane deGroat
Available at Amazon.com

Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrations by Bob Shea
Available at Amazon.com

Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Children have big dreams of what they want to be when they grow up, and sometimes they come remarkably true. In his unassuming and treasured style, award-winning author and illustrator Patrick McDonnell delivers a picture book for all ages about the big dreams of a little girl named Jane who wished to take care of animals in Africa.

This lovable little story takes anecdotes directly from the autobiography of Jane Goodall and follows her and her toy chimpanzee Jubilee as she discovers and falls in love with the natural world. She dutifully observes and studies animals and imagines spending her life helping and protecting them.

Children will be inspired to take pride in their own big dreams and believe in the possibilities of their future.

“The life of each one of us matters in the scheme of things, and I encourage everyone, especially young people, to make the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment.” Jane Goodall.

Available at Amazon.com

Love is in the air. It’s that time of year again for the indulgent chocolate, cheesy cards, and romantic dinners—maybe even flowers. For our kids it usually means swapping miniture expressions of devotion via the always popular, character-of-the-moment laden valentine day card.

As they celebrate their own friendships, they can enjoy reading about what makes them work - the sharing, the differences, and the fun to be explored. Our children have already met some exceptional pairings in Frog and Toad, Henry and Mudge, and Toot and Puddle. This week, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, introduce your children to these new friend duos who share adventure and eccentricities.

Forsythia & Me: A Book About Two Amazing Friends by Vincent X. Kirsch
Meet Forsythia and her best friend Chester who is always amazed at the things that she can do: perform a piano concerto backwards on her head, tame all the wild animals at the zoo for teatime, and paint a portrait of the royal family. When Forsythia is not feeling well one day, the tables are turned and she is completely pleased with Chesters loving attempts to cheer up his best friend: he performs a pirates jig, bakes her a cupcake, and rearranges her stuffed animals. True loving friendship is brought to life with Vincent Kirsch’s generous ink drawings.

Available at Amazon.com

Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake
Painter and Ugly are sled racing dogs that do everything together. Their friendship can be seen especially when they communicate with their “language” of “Yips!” Even when they are sold and separated, they manage to come together again at the big Junior Iditarod race. Author Robert Blake traveled to North Pole Alaska and stayed with a family to get to know sled racing dogs and their world. He delivers this world to his readers with strong and lively paintings of Painter and his best friend Ugly.

Available at Amazon.com

Felicity & Cordelia: A Tale of Two Bunnies by Lisa Jahn-Clough
These two bunnies are great friends with different ideas about fun. Felicity is looking for adventure and sets off in a hot air balloon, while Cordelia stays home and bakes pies for her return. When Felicity runs into a bit of trouble, she sets her sights on home and her dear friend who she hopes is missing her too.

Available at Amazon.com

Halloween. It’s seems simple enough—candy and costumes. But with all of the school parties and trick-or-treating excitement for sugar-infused little ones, it can quickly turn into a meltdown situation. Sit the little creatures down for a quiet but festive read this weekend to balance out the mayhem. It might also be a relief for parents to meet a few new Halloween characters that do not include your neighbors and friends impersonating The Situation, Snooki, Lady Gaga, and Avatar Jake.

Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown (Ages 4-8)
If your child is into Halloween in the spooky and gorey kind of way, he will relish the latest collection of poems by Calef Brown. Scatterbrained and silly word play coupled with rich illustrations introduce the reader to a hungry raven gorging on spiders, dinner with the grim reaper, a vumpire caught staring at the catchers neck, tarantula ranch, and feuding Texas witches…just to name a few.

Available at Amazon.com

Zen Ghosts by Jon J Muth (Ages 4-8)
Addy, Michael, and Karl are back with their beloved Zen panda friend Stillwater and this time, it’s Halloween. By the light of the full moon Stillwater (is it really him?) graces the children with a bit of a ghost tale on the eerie evening. He shares the retelling of Senjo and Her Soul are Separated which is an ancient Chinese koan about self and duality. A koan is a question you must answer yourself with no exact solution but rather a new way to show understanding. The lesson can be a relevant one for children who question their own identity and how it might change when presented to different people in their day (Do I act like the same person to mom and dad as I do my friends?) Jon J Muth gifts the reader once again with beautiful watercolor illustrations complete with unexpected holiday charm of floating ghosts and jack-o-lanterns come to life. Crisp fall colors adorn the childrens Halloween preparations and the full moon scenes are enchanting.

Available at Amazon.com

The Curious Little Witch by Lieve Baeten (Ages 4-8)
Who else would be flying around late at night under the full moon but a charming and curious little witch – Lizzy. She spots an old house all lit up and tumbles in to explore – and breaks her broom! She meets the Music Witch, the Kitchen Witch, and the Bedroom Witch who offer their own type of magic but none can save her broom. That is, until she encounters the Tinkering Witch who in the blink of an eye upgrades her broom complete with rocket-power. Kids will appreciate the extra half page presented on each double-page that offers more detail of the story as the action occurs. The book ends with a cross-section of the whole witchy house. It’s an international bestseller now available in the US.

Available at Amazon.com

We read to our children and it all begins with the words on the page. If we’re lucky, once in a while the words seem to move on their own – brought to life by their beauty, significance, or intrigue. The best children’s books also benefit from truly unique and absorbing renderings that move the characters from thought to personality for the reader. These books are standouts for the year, written with personality and charm.

Philea’s Fortune: A Story About Self-Expression by Agens de Lestrade (Ages 4-8)
Philea lives in a world where words are produced in a factory and must be bought to be spoken. This poses a problem for those with little means, like Philea. With love in his heart for Cybele on her birthday, he has only three stray words that he has collected and saved for just such an occasion. It’s a beautiful tale about sincerity and honesty where children can discover that a hearts expression is more important than what money can buy.
Available at Amazon.com

13 Words by Lemony Snicket (Ages 4-8)

This is the story of one despondent blue bird and his sympathetic dog friend, traversing through a day with a haberdashery, a mezzo-soprano, and plenty of cake. It is amusing and appealing complete with surprise illustrations by Maira Kalman that expand the journey for the reader.
Available at Amazon.com

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee (Ages 4-8)
Introducing a new pair of hilarious and peculiar friends from best-selling authors Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Bink is short and lovable, Gollie is tall and self-confident. They adventure through three interconnected stories where they can be found roller skating, eating pancakes, loving socks and frogs, and enjoying their tree house. Children will appreciate current expressions and the relationship of two headstrong girls with witty dialogue. Drawings by Tony Fucile add constant movement that follows the humor and mood of the delightful characters.
Available at Amazon.com