Christmas at Last

Board book: Christmas At Last! Sam Hearn. Illustrated by Penny Dann. 2015. Scholastic. 16 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It's Christmas at last, and outside it's snowing. The stockings are hanging. And the fire is glowing.

Premise/plot: Christmas at Last is told on stocking-shaped pages. Each page reveals what a particular bear received in his or her stocking. The bears in the family: Daddy Bear, Momma Bear, Bonnie Bear, Bobby Bear, and Baby Bear. At first the presents seem to make sense: a hat for Daddy Bear, a scarf for Momma Bear, a pair of mittens for Bobby Bear. But by the end of the book that has changed. The presents all turn out to be clues for a fun family activity. Will little readers--or adult readers--guess what's going on before the big reveal?

My thoughts: I liked it more than I thought it would. Why? Because it has more story to it than I initially thought. I liked the bears. I liked the cozy Christmas scenes. And I like that readers need to solve a mystery. That added a tiny bit of depth to the book, which is what Christmas stories even for the very young need, in my opinion. 

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? Jean Fritz. Illustrated by Tomie dePaola. 1977/1996. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

I am so glad I read Jean Fritz's Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? I found this one to be a delight. And not just because I happen to love Horrible Histories' Born 2 Rule. (I should probably make that love, love, love, LOVE. I love Horrible Histories, the show in general, and the songs very, very much.) I've almost always enjoyed studying British literature and British history more than American. Though in the case of this book, you get a bit of both!

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? is about the reign of George III. How he came to the throne, what kind of king he was, what he was remembered for, etc. A lot of the focus is on the conflict, the war, with the American colonies. But it isn't just about the American Revolution either. Plenty of attention is placed on the royal family which I loved.

This biography is definitely for mid-to-upper elementary students. A good read aloud for first grade it isn't! There is a lot of text per page, but, there are also plenty of illustrations. And the illustrations are by Tomie dePaola. Some are in color, others are in black and white. But the important thing is that there are illustrations. I've mentioned it before, but, it's worth repeating. When I had to choose a nonfiction book for report, required reading, I decided which book based on the length and the number of illustrations. This one would have been well received by me!

I read a reprint edition that came out circa 2009. It was originally published in 1977.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

There's No Such Thing As Little

There's No Such Thing As Little. LeUyen Pham. 2015. Random House. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Everyone says I'm little. I really don't agree. If only they could see what I see when I look at me. There's no such thing as LITTLE.

Premise/plot: A "little" boy and a "little" girl show that there's no such thing as little. The text is simple. The text abounds in questions and surprising answers. For example, "A little snowflake?" "No, a unique snowflake." Or my favorite, "A little idea?" "No, a fantastic idea." The questions all appear on pages with a lot of white space or blank space. And the answers all appear on pages that are bright, bold, beautiful, and FULL. To me these pages speak of joy and life showing indeed that there is no such thing as little.

My thoughts: I like this one. I don't love, love, love it perhaps. But I do like it. I think visually it works well. I love the illustrations, I do. And I love the premise. It's a unique book, and an interesting one. I'm very glad I read it.

I could definitely see this one being a great choice for anyone wanting to try the "whole book approach" to reading picture books WITH children. (Megan Dowd Lambert writes of the whole book approach).

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Complete Tales

Complete Tales by Beatrix Potter. 1986/2006. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

Would I recommend reading The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter? Yes, for the most part. Even if I didn't love, love, love each and every story within the collection, I would definitely say that the book is worth having--whether you buy it or borrow it from the library. I love it's completeness. I love that it isn't just a selection of her best-known or best-loved stories. I loved that the book presents her stories in the order of publication. I also love that each story is introduced to readers. Not that this background information would be something you'd need to share with children, but, for adults it's fascinating to learn more about the writing process and the author's personal life.

The book includes:

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit
• The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
• The Tailor of Gloucester
• The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
• The Tale of Two Bad Mice
• The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
• The Tale of The Pie and The Patty Pan
• The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher
• The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit
• The Story of Miss Moppet
• The Tale of Tom Kitten
• The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
• The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
• The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
• The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
• The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
• The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
• The Tale of Mr. Tod
• The Tale of Pigling Bland
• Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes
• The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse
• Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes
• The Tale of Little Pig Robinson

The book also features her "other works." These are "Three Little Mice," "The Sly Old Cat," "The Fox and the Stork," and "The Rabbit's Christmas Party." Some of these are works-in-progress. She'd done the illustrations, or drafts of illustrations, but never completed the text.

The book, I think, definitely celebrates her life as a writer, it celebrates the writing and publishing process--the journey. It was great to have such a thorough collection. I did "discover" new-to-me Potter stories that I'd not read before.

My top ten

1) The Tailor of Gloucester
2) The Tale of Peter Rabbit
3) The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
4) The Tale of Two Bad Mice
5) The Story of Miss Moppet
6) The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
7) The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
8) The Tale of Tom Kitten
9) The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
10) The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse

Do you have a favorite story by Beatrix Potter?! I'd love to know what it is!
© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows. Kenneth Grahame. Illustrated by David Roberts. 1907/1983. Simon & Schuster. 244 pages. [Source: Library]
I loved, loved, loved rereading The Wind in the Willows. I wasn't exactly planning on rereading it this year. I wasn't. But. I was looking for a good audio book to check out from the library. I saw Wind in the Willows on the shelf; I checked it out. I listened to it. That could have been the end of it. But, of course, it wasn't. I had to read it too. I just had to. I could no more resist rereading the book than Toad could resist driving an automobile.

What do I love about the book? Well, many things. I love the characters. I love, love, love the relationships between the characters. And the adventures!!! Plenty happens in this one! Does Toad deserve all that he gets? Maybe, maybe not. But Toad is, without a doubt, unforgettable!!!

The edition I read had illustrations from Ernest H. Shepard. The illustrations were great: some were in color, others were in black and white. They made a great book seem even greater.

Would I be hosting the Edwardian Reading Challenge if it wasn't for me "having" to read The Wind in the Willows right NOW? I'm not sure. But I'm so glad I followed my heart!!!

My favorite quote:

"What are we to do with him?" asked the Mole of the Water Rat.
"Nothing at all," replied the Rat firmly. "Because there is really nothing to be done. You see, I know him from old. He is now possessed. He has got a new craze, and it always takes him that way, in its first stage. He'll continue like that for days now, like an animal walking in a happy dream, quite useless for all practical purposes. Never mind him."

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews