First sentence: Lily wanted a doggy, but her mom said dogs were too messy, too smelly, and far too much trouble. So she got Lily something else…Kitty! He was a bit scruffy…and no good at tricks… but otherwise he was quite cute, especially when you tickled his tummy. And Mom was right, he wasn't any trouble at all…at first.
I loved, loved, loved Naughty Kitty! Lily can't believe ALL the trouble her kitty has gotten into today. But readers know something that Lily doesn't. And that is more than half the fun in this oh-so-playful read along adventure. Hint: A tiger has escaped from the zoo! The real story, of course, is communicated through the illustrations! I loved seeing the tiger sneak around on each and every page. I loved how clueless Lily was. And Kitty, as you can imagine, is quite an adorable, innocent-looking kitten. Everything about this one just worked for me!!!
Definitely recommended!
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
First sentence: High above the jungle floor, the fearless explorer glimpses a rare spotted Addiebeast. She sails through the treetops, quickly closing in on the elusive creature. Zoe! Addie! We're leaving in five minutes! "Only five more minutes? I'm not ready! It's still adventure time! And exploring time! And chase time! And…and…and… It is definitely NOT leaving time! I repeat, it is NOT…" Four minutes! "Is there no respect for the explorer and her quest?"
I have enjoyed the previous Zoe books. I definitely liked this one. I like Zoe and Addie. I like seeing them at the park or playground. I like seeing them being so active and using their imaginations. I like the storytelling too. How the story closes with Zoe embracing the story of it. The adventure is now done, now it can be told and retold. It is a way to continue the fun and still be obedient! I liked how the illustrations switch back and forth from the real world situation (playground) to the imaginative jungle of Zoe and Addie.
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
First sentence: A boy had a pet fly. He named him -- Fly Guy! Fly Guy was the smartest pet in the world. He could say the boy's name -- Buzz! One day Buzz said, "Fly Guy, we are going on a picnic!" Buzz and Fly Guy played chase all the way to the park.
For young readers who enjoy the Fly Guy books, this new one should prove just as enjoyable. Buzz and Fly Guy are enjoying their day together when they notice that others at the park have pets. Buzz decides that Fly Guy should have a pet too. They think about all the typical pets. But. As readers may guess, a typical pet just won't do. A frog? A cat? Not best friend material. Fly Guy hears Buzz describe all the best traits a pet should have, and he realizes he's had a pet all along.
I am not especially a big fan of this series. I think series books are important for young readers, and this one is a good choice for those in the target audience.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10
First sentence: Hello, Moon! Can we talk? I get lonely down here sometimes. What I want to know is… Do you have a bouncy bed? I like bouncing on my bed. Do you go to the park, Moon? I like going down the twisty, turn slide. Do you like chocolate ice cream? That's my favorite food. Do you pretend you're a crocodile? Do you play pirates? So do I! What else do you do?
A curious but lonely little boy has a conversation with the moon in Francesca Simon's latest book, Hello, Moon! I enjoyed the illustrations and the story. I thought it was very creative and playful. I think it's a bit unusual for a bedtime story, which, could be a very good thing depending on if your child connects with the book. After all, there are only so many times you can enjoy reading stories about sleepy bunnies and lambs.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10
First sentence: Here is the boy up in the tree where he built a house overlooking the sea. Yes, this is the tree house that Jack built. Here is the fly that buzzes by the tree house that Jack built. Here is the lizard that snaps at the fly that buzzes by the tree house that Jack built. Here is the parrot who pecks at the lizard that snaps at the fly that buzzes by the tree house that Jack built. But who swats the parrot?
The Tree House That Jack Built did not work for me. Then again, I'm not usually a fan of any adaptation of the House that Jack Built. This one had potential in the beginning. But with the introduction of the parrot, well, the text just lost it. It lost the rhythm and the rhyme and the patterning. By the end, I felt it was a mess. That being said, the best thing about this one is the bright, bold illustrations by Mark Teague. I really loved the illustrations. I thought they were very well done.
Text: 1 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10
© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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