Posts Tagged children’s books
August 22, 2012 at 7:06 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8 ·Tagged ages 3-9, children's books, Hooray for Books, jared lee, pluto, pluto visits earth!, Scholastic, steve metzger
Pluto, the ninth planet of our solar system for so long, was reclassified a dwarf planet on August 24, 2006, 6 years ago. Most of the little ones who will be reading this book won’t remember counting Pluto as they recited the planets, yet we know a lot of you do remember this small planet. No one was more upset than Pluto himself. Word travels very slowly throughout the solar system, after all Pluto is an average of 3.6 billion miles away from the earth. When Pluto finds out from a speedy space rock, he races to Earth to find out why. He passes five of our now eight planets on the way (Mercury and Venus were not on his route), so this story can also help teach the planets to little ones. Once Pluto reaches Earth, he is very angry. Astronomers don’t know what to say, they explain that Pluto just doesn’t fit the specifications to be a planet. Pluto isn’t happy until a child tells him that he is the very best, even if he is a dwarf planet and is very small. Pluto realizes that he is special and zooms back to his spot in the solar system.
Pluto Visits Earth! by Steve Metzger; illustrated by Jared Lee; Scholastic; hardcover; $16.99; ages 3-9
Happy Reading,
Maryam
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August 17, 2012 at 7:10 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged children's books, dog books, Hooray for Books, How Rocket Learned to Read, kindergarten, Random House, rocket writes a story, Tad Hills, zorro gets an outfit
Rocket is using his knowledge from when he learned to read to piece together his very own story. Rocket finds words everywhere, from the world around him, and from his teacher, the yellow bird. When Rocket gathers together enough words, he tries to to write down his story, yet nothing is inspiring him like the books he reads. When his walks keep taking him to a tall pine tree with an empty nest on its tallest branch, Rocket finds the inspiration he was looking for, as well as an unlikely new friend and reader.
This book is great for kindergartners or 1st graders who are beginning to write stories of their own, especially if they’re having trouble finding their inspiration! Rocket teaches that inspiration can come from anywhere when you least expect it.
Happy Reading!
-Maryam
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills; Random House; hardcover
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April 13, 2012 at 6:15 am · Filed under Poetry ·Tagged Candlewick, Candlewick Press, children's books, HarperCollins, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Jane Yolen, National Poetry Month, Poem in Your Pocket Day, poetry, Polly Dunbar, read aloud, Shel Silverstein
Sometimes poetry gets a bad rap. In school, poetry always ended up being the “boring” subject that no one wanted to participate in and I think if kids just had the right poems in their hands, they would see how fun and interesting poetry can really be!
April is National Poetry Month and we have a great poetry section in the store that will certainly spark an interest in your kids. Funny poems, shorts poems, long poems, dog poems, etc. We have something for every reader! If you or your children haven’t yet read any poetry together, April is definitely the month to do so. You can learn more about National Poetry month here.
One of the fun events that happens during Poetry Month is Poem in Your Pocket Day, which we encourage everyone to participate in! It’s easy: just selection a poem that you love, carry it in your pocket on April 26th, and share it with your friends, family, coworkers, etc. Spread the poetry love! 
If you come into Hooray for Books! and share your poem with us, you’ll receive a gift from our grab bag!
Poetry can be cool, fun, and exciting! Just because it’s not a book with chapters or a picture book with lots of illustrations doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. Encourage your kids to read poetry and to have fun with it! We would love to show you some of our favorites in the store.
Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein;$19.99; HarperCollins; Ages 4+
Here’s A Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry by Jane Yolen and illustrator Polly Dunbar; $21.99; Candlewick Press; Ages 4+
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November 16, 2011 at 12:43 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8, Ages newborn - 3 ·Tagged Ages 3 - 6, books, children's books, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, picture books, plush, read aloud
The holiday season is quickly descending upon us all, whether we’re ready for it or not! For shoppers wanting to get a bit more than a book for a holiday gift, we have some fantastic dolls and plush to match some of our most popular books!
We have a Corduroy bear to pair with the classic Don Freeman read, Corduroy, and he is just adorable! We have Peter Rabbit, Pat the Bunny, and the sweet bunny from Goodnight Moon, as well. Perfect, not only for the holidays, but for baby gifts, as well.
Angelina Ballerina, Madeline, Fancy Nancy, and Eloise are all wonderful choices for little girls and we have beautiful dolls by the Madame Alexander company, all set to match your 
book choice.
Elephant & Piggie, the stars of Mo Willems’ hilarious early reader series, now have their own plush characters to go with the silly stories. We have the Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny too!
We have lots of other book/plush pairs for your gifts! Stop in or call to see if we have the pair you’re looking for.
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August 13, 2011 at 2:07 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged Alfred A. Knopf, children's books, Hooray for Books, Judy Sierra, marc brown
”One blustery morning, when frosty winds blew, When families stayed home, and when field trips were few, The midwinter doldrums arrived at the zoo.”
So starts this tale of winter at the zoo where the animals are so bored their spots are falling off and the snakes are tying themselves in knots. What are the animals to do? Why, put on a singing, dancing, acrobatical extravaganza! The animals work on their routines, their songs, and their costumes and sets; they make posters, etc. to have the “who’s who” of the town come to the event. Will it be a success?
What makes this book so cute is the rhyming text, as well as the bright illustrations and added humorous extras: the seals singing their rendition of “The Wheels on the Bus”, the porcupine singing “Oh my darling porcupine.” The book also takes the musical story all the way from idea through final bow, giving readers a complete tale.
A great book for those who love animal tales and who are looking for the next best thing after reading Circus Ship.
Zoozical by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown; 2011; Alfred A. Knopf Publishing; 3-6; $17.99
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June 26, 2011 at 9:09 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged A Ball For Daisy, Ages 3 - 6, children's books, Children's bookstore, Chris Raschka, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Independent Bookstores, Old Town Alexandria, Schwartz & Wade
A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka
Chris Raschka tells the wonderful tale of Daisy the dog and her ball without using a single word. When Daisy’s favorite red ball bursts, the distraught pooch looks as though she may never be consoled. However, a gift from a new friend may turn the pup’s frown upside down. Raschka’s soft, charming, watercolor illustrations are all you need to understand the special bond between this sweet dog and her favorite toy.
A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka; Schwartz & Wade books; Ages 3-6; $16.99
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May 11, 2011 at 2:29 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged Alexandria, CHARLIE CANTRELL, children's books, DISNEY, DR. RACHEL WAGNER, Hyperion, Independent Bookstores
A Friend for Einstein the Smallest Stallion by Charlie Cantrell and Dr. Rachel Wagner
Meet Einstein, a small stallion with a big heart! Einstein is a very tiny pony from a breed of miniature horses. However, Einstein’s size makes it hard for him to make friends with the other horses, and the poor colt is lonely. After interacting with a slew of potential playmates (some kittens and a turtle, to name a few), Einstein meets Lilly the dog. Lilly and Einstein are the perfect match and the two become fast friends! With real-life photographs taken from their New Hampshire estate, Charlie Cantrell and Rachel Wagner present a sweet and unique tale!
A Friend for Einstein the Smallest Stallion by Charlie Cantrell Dr. Rachel Wagner; Disney Hyperion Books; Ages 3-8; $16.99
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December 19, 2010 at 6:55 am · Filed under Ages 8 - 10 ·Tagged ages 8-10, children's books, friendship, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, ice skating, Walker Books
Claire Boucher loves to ice skate. Growing up on a maple farm, she hasn’t had a lot of time for practicing, but has spent each free moment on the cow pond in the backyard, spinning and jumping. At the annual Maple Show, Claire is offered the opportunity to train with a class of elite skaters in Lake Placid, under the direction of a world famous coach. At first, she’s torn as to what to do, not wanting to leave the farm chores to someone else, but when her parents make it possible, Claire jumps at the chance to really skate.
When Claire arrives at the training camp, she is bombarded with catty girls and tough competition. When she has to make the decision to stay or go back to normal life at the farm, Claire must put her dream up against what matters most to her.
This was a sweet story, with a great message for young girls. Claire is a realistic character with goals she’s striving towards, yet her family and home keep calling to her. The decision she was forced to make is one that a lot of kids have to deal with at some point in their lives and it was handled in a believable and interesting way. Great descriptions of the setting, making for a perfect winter read! You’ll want to cozy up with the book and a mug of hot cocoa while reading about Claire’s skating journey.
Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner, Walker Books, Ages 8-10, $16.99
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July 27, 2010 at 12:50 pm · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged Ages 3 - 6, Barry the fish with fingers, children's books, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Knopf, Random House, Sue Hendra
Barry the Fish with Fingers is going to become that bedtime favorite to reread and laugh over each time. Barry is a fish with fingers, the first in fact, and loves to show off what he can do with his new fingers. He loves to show the other fish how he can play the piano, put on a finger puppet show, and even tickle the other fish. All of the other fish can’t wait to have fingers too. So, where did Barry find his fingers and will he be able to find fingers for the other fish too?
Happy Reading, Maryam
Barry the Fish with Fingers by Sue Hendra; Knopf; hardcover; $15.99
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June 17, 2010 at 10:50 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged A Very Big Bunny, Ages 3 - 6, animal stories, bunny, children's books, children's picture books, friendship stories, Hooray For Books Children's Bookstore, Marisabina Russo, school stories, self confidence, self image, storytime books
A Very Big Bunny, by Marisabina Russo, Schwartz and Wade Books, Ages 3-6
Amelia is a very big bunny. In fact, she is the biggest bunny in her class. At recess, the other bunnies say Amelia is too big for jump rope or hopscotch or the seesaw, so Amelia plays by herself. One day, a new student is introduced to the class. Susannah is a very small bunny–the smallest in the class. She is too tiny, the other bunnies say, for jump rope or hopscotch or the seesaw. Susannah and Amelia are left all alone in the corner of the playground. But Susannah doesn’t mind, and soon, neither does Amelia. Together they form an unlikely–but dynamic!–duo. The two bunnies learn that you’re never too big or too small to have a wonderful friendship.
Marisabina Russo’s tale is a sweet story that celebrates what makes every bunny (and person!) unique. Russo’s colorful illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the tale, with adorable bunny rabbits frolicking gleefully in the schoolyard. Children will be entranced by this delightful story of friendship and individuality!
Start your summer reading today!
–Miss Megan
A Very Big Bunny, by Marisabina Russo, Schwartz and Wade Books, Ages 3-6
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Pluto, the ninth planet of our solar system for so long, was reclassified a dwarf planet on August 24, 2006, 6 years ago. Most of the little ones who will be reading this book won’t remember counting Pluto as they recited the planets, yet we know a lot of you do remember this small planet. No one was more upset than Pluto himself. Word travels very slowly throughout the solar system, after all Pluto is an average of 3.6 billion miles away from the earth. When Pluto finds out from a speedy space rock, he races to Earth to find out why. He passes five of our now eight planets on the way (Mercury and Venus were not on his route), so this story can also help teach the planets to little ones. Once Pluto reaches Earth, he is very angry. Astronomers don’t know what to say, they explain that Pluto just doesn’t fit the specifications to be a planet. Pluto isn’t happy until a child tells him that he is the very best, even if he is a dwarf planet and is very small. Pluto realizes that he is special and zooms back to his spot in the solar system.
