Archive for January, 2010
January 30, 2010 at 11:57 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6, Holiday books ·Tagged Ages 3 - 6, Aurora Australis, Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, friendship, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Independent Bookstores, My Penguin Osbert, Osbert in Love, Picture Book, travel
Cupid strikes at the South Pole in this “love”ly follow up to Elizabeth Cody Kimmel’s My Penguin Osbert. Osbert returns to the doorstep of the black-haired little boy who received him at Christmastime along with some of his friends, hoping to attend the “Once-in-a-Century South Pole Extravaganza.” They want the black-haired little boy to take them there in his new helicopter. Traveling due south, the group arrives just in time for the festivities. While the southern lights catch everyone’s attention, it’s the girl penguin, Aurora Australis, who catches Osbert’s attention. The black-haired little boy tries to tell Osbert time and again it’s time to go home, but Osbert is so busy playing flipperball, bellysliding and making a giant snow penguin with Aurora, he doesn’t want to leave. Sadly, the black-hair boy makes his way back to helicopter sans Osbert, only to find his flippered friend and Aurora waiting for him there and ready to go!
A “cool” book that is just right for Valentine’s Day. The slightly larger format of this picture book really makes the the illustrations pop. Though the story may seem wordy at first glance, don’t be deceived. The text is in slightly larger than average print and the story moves along quickly. The larger text helps to makes My Penguin Osbert in Love a good read-aloud, allowing you to see the text more clearly and not lose your place if you look up to your audience. One read of this book and you will be in love with Osbert, too.
My Penguin Osbert in Love, by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, illustrated by H.B. Lewis, Candlewick Press, $16.99 (ages 3-6)
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January 29, 2010 at 2:47 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged ages 4-8, alliteration, Four Fearless Foxes and Fosdyke, Henry Cole, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Orchard Books, Pamela Duncan Edwards, Princess Pigtoria and the Pea, Some Smug Slug
Princess Pigtoria and the Pea, by Pamela Duncan Edwards; illustrated by Henry Cole
The team that brought us Four Fearless Foxes and Fosdyke and Some Smug Slug is back! Princess Pigtoria is very poor, so she proceeds to pursue Prince Proudfoot, who is looking for a perfect princess. Things are complicated by the appearance of Percy-the-Pizza-Pig, who delivers Pigtoria’s pizza. The Princess invites Prince Proudfoot’s staff to join her in polishing off the pizza, “and everyone performed the polka until they were pooped.” You’ll have to peruse the pages personally to find out the rest of the plot, but I guarantee it’ll be peppier than a pitcher of pineapple punch.
Princess Pigtoria and the Pea, by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illustrated by Henry Cole, Orchard Books, $16.99; ages 4-8
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January 28, 2010 at 12:59 pm · Filed under Ages 10 - 12, Ages 14 and Up, Ages 8 - 10
Are we proud of Harriet for maintaining her identity as a nonconformist? Or are we frustrated by her difficulty relating to others in an emotional way? That was the debate over the January book club selection of Harriet the Spy.
We also discussed:
- How the setting of New York added to the story.
- The lack of adult coddling in Harriet’s world; parents (and nannies) ignore their children, can’t clean up after themselves, and have too much to drink on a regular basis. And yet it’s treated in a completely blasé manner. Perhaps this is why Harriet, Sport, and Janie are so cynical for eleven-year-olds.
- The contrast between this book and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The former is an omnicient narrator with a distinctly analytical tone, which feels like reading a psychoanalytical case study. The latter is a first-person narrator with a subjective tone which feels like reading your best friend’s diary. The group conclusion is that Harriet has greater depth of plotline, while Margaret has greater depth of character.
- The school dynamics of sixth grade.
- Harriet as a role model.
Any other points to add?
Our next meeting of the Young Adult Book Club (for adult readers) will take place Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m.. Our February pick is Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten. Nina’s sister Ellie has spent the past two years waiting for her sister to come home. When Ellie suddenly finds a clue that might lead to Nina’s whereabouts, she decides to find her, no matter what it takes. Accompanied by her new cute, mysterious friend, Ellie embarks on a madcap road trip in search of more clues. Will she find Nina? Pick up a copy and find out for yourself. E-mail us at info@hooray4books.com or call us at 703-548-4092.
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January 26, 2010 at 6:55 pm · Filed under Events ·Tagged events, music
The trio of Rocknoceros rocked our storytime corner Saturday, January 23rd with music from the new album Pink! Coach, Williebob, and Boogie played to a pakced crowd of kids and adults keeping them clapping, boppin’ and hoppin’ to the fun music. The trio even played a locale specific song with “Virginia.” Everyone enjoyed the ode to our homestate. Rocknoceros talent on the guitar, tamborine and acordian kept the crowd engaged through the entire show. You can check out part of their performance and our interview with them on our YouTube Channel as well as on the Rocknoceros website.
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January 24, 2010 at 11:01 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged children's books, Henry Holt and Company, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Independent Bookstores, Jeremy Draws a Monster, monsters, Peter McCarty
Similar to “Harold and the Purple Crayon”, Jeremy has a magic blue marker. So one day, when he is really bored, he starts to draw; from the head to the toes, he draws a monster. But the monster is rude. He doesn’t say please and he asks Jeremy to draw him one thing after the other. Then at night, he plops down in Jeremy’s bed and doesn’t leave any room for Jeremy to sleep. Jeremy has to be quick to think of a way to get rid of this very rude monster, hopefully he can draw something that will help the monster go away!
Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty; hardcover; $16.99; Henry Holt and Company, ages 3-6
Happy Reading, Maryam
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January 15, 2010 at 12:23 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8 ·Tagged ages 0-3, board book, david soman, dress up, girls, jacky davis, ladybug, ladybug girl
Erin’s pick of the day this cold January Friday is Ladybug Girl Dresses Up!
Hot off the presses (released January 7, 2010), this new Ladybug Girl book is sure to delight current fans and gain some new readers. Follow Lulu as she tries on different costumes and re-invents herself in several ways. She’s an astronaut, a tiger, and of course the one and only Ladybug Girl.
This board book is a great gift for your own toddler dress-up enthusiasts (ages 1-3).
Ladybug Girl Dresses Up!, by David Soman and Jacky Davis, Grosset&Dunlap, $5.99
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January 12, 2010 at 1:41 pm · Filed under Ages 10 - 12, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 and Up ·Tagged Auschwitz, Dr. Josef Mengele, Eva Mozes Kor, Holocaust, Hooray for Books, Lisa Rojany Buccieri, Mengele twins, Surviving the Angel of Death
I have not read Surviving the Angel of Death, written by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri, but today while working in the bookstore I read many wonderful and inspiring reviews of this book and now I can hardly wait to meet Eva Mozes Kor when she visits Hooray For Books! on February 4. Surviving the Angel of Death is a true story, written for teens who are comfortable learning about the experience of a child in Auschwitz. Eva Mozes Kor was 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. Eva and her twin sister, Miriam, were not sent to the gas chamber like their parents and two older sisters. Instead, because they were twins, they were put under the care of Dr. Josef Mengele, also known as the Angel of Death. The twins were subjected to sadistic medical experiments and forced to fight daily for their own survival. In a narrative told with emotion and restraint, readers will learn of a child’s endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil. This is a story told about Eva both before and after the Holocaust, a story of recovery and forgiveness. One reviewer wrote, “the difficult subject matter was presented with sensitivity and grace.” Another reviewer wrote, “the reader comes away with the feeling that even in the midst of the unspeakable, people can survive and go on to have satisfying lives.” I can’t wait to read this book!! I hope you can join us when Eva Mozes Kor visits Hooray For Books! on Thursday, February 4 from 5-7 p.m.
Surviving the Angel of Death: The Story of Mengele Twin in Auschwitz, written by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri, Tanglewood Press, October 2009, $14.95
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January 8, 2010 at 1:53 pm · Filed under Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 and Up ·Tagged award winning, boarding school, e. lockhart, feminist, frankie landau-banks, secret societies, YA, Young Adult
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a must-read for any young adult fiction lover. It’s received acclaim ranging from the ALA’s 2009 Printz Award to a starred review in School Library Journal—”An empowered female hero like Frankie is a rare and refreshing find.” The book became our latest read through its equally impressive word-of-mouth rave reviews.
After spending her first year at boarding school as a mousey debate-team nerd, Frankie undergoes a transformation on which many YA books are based: she dates the most popular boy in school. Yet Frankie doesn’t leave her analytical mind behind as she navigates the waters of the popular crowd.
Frankie’s plan to infiltrate her school’s secret society is daring and comical. She is a multidimensional character who can be at once a “nice girl” and a machiavellian puppet master. You will enjoy reading about her strong personality and keen outlook on the world. The narration is a charmingly intense inner monologue of wordplay and social critique. At the same time, Lockhart’s story is a lighthearted look at prep school teen culture.
Pick up a copy of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart next time you’re in the store (or call us to reserve your copy at 703-548-4092). Paperback, $8.99, Hyperion.
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January 7, 2010 at 11:34 am · Filed under Ages 10 - 12, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 and Up, Ages 3 - 6, Ages 8 - 10 ·Tagged all ages, all things bright and beautiful, ashley bryan, Atheneum, cecil frances alexander, Hooray for Books, hymn, paper cutouts, poetess
All Things Bright and Beautiful, by Ashley Bryan (All ages)
Based on the well-known hymn, Ashley Bryan’s latest book is an explosion of life and color. Each page celebrates the diversity of life, whether it be human, plant or animal, with exuberantly colored paper cutouts. Bryan uses his mother’s embroidery scissors to bring this poem to life in his own unique way — on the final page, God’s hands are made of a myriad of colors ranging from tan to pink to deep brown. There’s a short biography of Cecil Frances Alexander, Irish hymn writer and poetess, at the end of the book, as well as the words and music to the hymn.
All Things Bright and Beautiful, by Ashley Bryan, Atheneum Books For Young Readers, $16.99
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Cupid strikes at the South Pole in this “love”ly follow up to Elizabeth Cody Kimmel’s My Penguin Osbert. Osbert returns to the doorstep of the black-haired little boy who received him at Christmastime along with some of his friends, hoping to attend the “Once-in-a-Century South Pole Extravaganza.” They want the black-haired little boy to take them there in his new helicopter. Traveling due south, the group arrives just in time for the festivities. While the southern lights catch everyone’s attention, it’s the girl penguin, Aurora Australis, who catches Osbert’s attention. The black-haired little boy tries to tell Osbert time and again it’s time to go home, but Osbert is so busy playing flipperball, bellysliding and making a giant snow penguin with Aurora, he doesn’t want to leave. Sadly, the black-hair boy makes his way back to helicopter sans Osbert, only to find his flippered friend and Aurora waiting for him there and ready to go!
