Baby Santa and the Gift of Giving 9.30.14

I read Baby Santa and the Gift of Giving by M. Maitland DeLand
I received a free ARC from Greenleaf Book Group through NetGalley
5 Stars



Baby Santa is back and traveling to New York this holiday season to help spread some cheer. From collecting money to visiting children in the hospital to helping to serve a holiday meal, Baby Santa and the Bond family go all over New York. With rhyming text, readers will learn wonderful ways to help others, share the spirit, and enjoy the holiday. Each stanza flows really well. The pictures are clear, crisp, and match the rest of this series. Baby Santa has won me over.

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii

I read I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 by Lauren Tarshis
I received a free ARC from Scholastic through NetGalley
5 stars



Marcus is a slave boy in Pompeii the day before Vesuvius is about to explode. Of course no one knows what a volcano really is or that anything bad is going to happen. It's life as usual. Marcus's life isn't so great. He and his father were separated, and he doesn't know if he will ever see him again. When the gladiator fight comes to town, more chaos ensues. How will Marcus survive the volcano, and will he find his father?

Oh Pompeii. How could anyone survive that disaster?

Going in, that's what I thought about this book. I know the idea behind this series, but I really saw this one being a stretch. I wasn't sure how the author would pull it off. Pull it off she did! I guess I didn't even think about the fact that many people did escape. They fled early.

Marcus's survival was a great story of historical fiction. Tarshis did a wonderful job of teaching young readers many facts about the time. I was captivated by the story, reading it very quickly. Any child who loves this series will find a winner in this addition.

I Ate a Cicada Today

I read I Ate a Cicada Today by Jeff Crossan
I received a free ARC from Big Bound Books through NetGalley
2.5 stars



The concept behind this one is cute. Rhyming text, singing along, and crazy things happening with some odd animals. The execution failed. The rhymes were forced at best. I couldn't get into the flow at all. The extra tidbits given are neat, I guess, but it took me a couple of pages to just stop reading them. I went back later to read them.

The illustrations aren't that great. They don't catch the eye. The colors are lackluster. I have to say, I had high hopes for this one. With better rhymes and more catching illustration, this could have easily become a story time classic. I was greatly disappointed.

Angry Little Puffin (9.28.14)

I read The Angry Little Puffin by Timothy Young
I received a free ARC from Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. through NetGalley
5 stars



"What a funny-looking penguin!" That's all the poor little puffin ever hears. Does no one realize how different penguins and puffins are? Well, after reading this book, everyone will know many of those differences. And that ending, oh so sweet.

An educational, fun, and sweet book, I fell in love with this one instantly. The pictures are simple, colorful, and cute.  It was fun to read aloud. I was getting animated without even trying. I can't wait to try it out in story time.

A Button Story

I read A Button Story by Emil Sher and Cindy Revell (illustrator)
I received a free ARC from Annick Press Ltd. through NetGalley
3 Stars



1, 2, 3, oh! Where's the 4th button? A trip to the button store will complete the jacket. But there, on the floor, is the other button. Now there are button friends.

This is an interesting one. I liked the pebble story. I was hoping I would like this one more. Lots of kids like finding buttons, and there are a lot of unusual button shapes in this story. Also, it is illustrated as a nice fall story. Unfortunately, this one fell short. It felt like it should rhyme, but it mostly didn't. There could have been a great story here, but it was just blah to me.

A Pebble Story

I read A Pebble Story by Emil Sher, Cindy Revell (illustrator)
I received a free ARC from Annick Press Ltd. through NetGalley
3.5 stars



Making a face out of pebbles, a little boy needs green pebbles to make the smile. Going out and searching, he finds different pebbles in different places, but no green pebbles. What will he do?

This is a very short, simple story. The best part is the illustrations. I would do it as a lap read for small children, ages 2-4, or for a child who really likes collecting rocks. It might also work for an introduction for an art project involving pebbles.

Dino-Boarding

I read Dino-Boarding by Lisa Wheeler, Illustrated by Barry Gott
I received a free ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley
4.5 stars



The sport dinosaurs are back, and they are taking to the boards! Surf, skate, and snow, they cover all the bases at Mt. Mastodon. Which dinosaur and team will win it all?

An interesting addition to the dino series, I like this one. These aren't traditional sports, and that makes it fun and educational. The rhyming scheme is spot-on, just like I would expect from this series. Kids who love the series will welcome the addition. Also, the kids who like boarding will be so happy to have a fun picture book about their favorite sport.