Andy's Storytime

Today I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

Amazon.com Review

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson

About the Author

Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has been translated into 70 languages and sold over 55 million copies. Carle illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 170 million copies of his books have sold around the world. In 2003, Carle received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now called the Children’s Literature Legacy Award) for lifetime achievement in children's literature. In 2002, Eric and his wife, Barbara, cofounded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (www.carlemuseum.org) in Amherst, Massachusetts, a 40,000-square-foot space dedicated to the celebration of picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world, underscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form. Eric Carle passed away in May 2021 at the age of 91. His work remains an important influence on artists and illustrators at work today. www.eric-carle.com

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Today I read I am a Rainbow by Dolly Parton.

From Thriftbooks.com

Beloved music legend Dolly Parton provides children with a fun way to talk about their feelings in this colourful, upbeat picture book. And by understanding their own feelings, they can learn to respect the feelings of others. I Am A Rainbow will encourage children of all ages to acknowledge their feelings and take control.

About the Author

Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, actress, producer, businesswoman, and philanthropist. The composer of over 3,000 songs, she has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and given away millions of books to children through her nonprofit, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

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Today I read If the Dinosaurs Came Back by Bernard Most.

Review

In this delightful book, a small boy imagines a world where dinosaurs perform public services. “Bold lines accentuate imaginative, humorous ideas. A natural for student response: students formulate their own outcomes about what would happen if the dinosaurs returned. An overwhelming favorite in the early grades.”—The Reading Teacher

About the Author

Bernard Most has written and illustrated many popular children's books, including The Cow That Went OINK, If the Dinosaurs Came Back, How Big Were the Dinosaurs?, Whatever Happened to the Dinosaurs?, and Where to Look for a Dinosaur. He lives in New York.

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Today I read Big Al by Andrew Clements.

From Amazon

Poor Big Al! He just wants to make friends. And in the whole wide blue sea you can't find a nicer fish. But because Big Al is large and scary-looking, the little fish are afraid to get to know him.

What can he do? He tries everything he can think of -- from disguising himself with seaweed to burrowing under the ocean floor so he'll look smaller. But something always goes wrong, and lonely Big Al wonders if he'll ever have a single friend. Then one frightening day, when a fishing net captures the other fish, Big Al gets the chance to prove what a wonderful friend he can be!

About the Author

Andrew Clements (1949–2019) was the author of the enormously popular Frindle. More than 10 million copies of his books have been sold, and he was nominated for a multitude of state awards, including a Christopher Award and an Edgar Award. His popular works include About Average, Troublemaker, Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money, and more. He was also the author of the Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series. Find out more at AndrewClements.com.

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Today I read Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang.

Review

"Bright watercolors of animals doing their thing are winning accompaniments to the narrative’s welcome message that it’s OK to be down sometimes." —School Library Journal

"Great bibliotherapy for the crabby, cranky, and cross. Oscar-nominated animator Max Lang's cartoony illustrations lighten the mood without making light of Jim's mood." —Kirkus Reviews

"Crisp illustrations featuring a broad cast of animated, boldly colored animals ...will draw readers into Jim’s situation until the reassuring outcome. " —Booklist

"[A] reassuring picture book about feelings." —Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Suzanne Lang is the author of the New York Times bestselling Grumpy Monkey books as well as several other titles. When she’s not writing books, Suzanne writes for animation. When she’s not doing that, she hangs out with her very funny kids, feeds her many pets, and tries (but usually fails) to take a nap!

Max Lang has illustrated over 20 books including all of the books in the Grumpy Monkey series. When he is not making books he makes films. He has co-directed several animated films including The Snail and the Whale, Zog, Room on the Broom, and The Gruffalo. He has received a BAFTA, two Emmys, two Oscar nominations, and many other honors for his film work. In his spare time he tries to make his kids laugh with dad jokes, and when he inevitably fails, he takes his dogs for a walk.

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Today I read Mickey Meets the Giant by the Walt Disney Company.

From Amazon.com

Mickey Meets the Giant is an adaptation of the story of "The Valiant Little Tailor" starring Mickey Mouse. Although it is not a book adaptation of the Mickey cartoon "Brave Little Tailor", Gustav, the giant from that short, is the antagonist of the story. Learn how Mickey scares the giant enough to run away and never come back, and why the thankful people of the town of Cedar Grove declare Mickey their hero. Color illustrations; 48 pp.

About the Author

Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (/ˈdɪzni/; December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, voice actor, and film producer. He was a prominent figure within the American animation industry and throughout the world, and is regarded as a cultural icon, known for his influence and contributions to entertainment during the 20th century. As a Hollywood business mogul, he and his brother Roy O. Disney co-founded The Walt Disney Company.

As an animator and entrepreneur, Disney was particularly noted as a filmmaker and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created numerous famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Disney himself was the original voice for Mickey. During his lifetime, he won 22 Academy Awards and received four honorary Academy Awards from a total of 59 nominations, including a record of four in one year, giving him more Oscar awards and nominations than any other individual in history. Disney also won seven Emmy Awards and gave his name to the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the U.S., as well as the international resorts Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney Resort.

Disney died from lung cancer on December 15, 1966, in Burbank, California. He left behind a vast legacy, including numerous animated shorts and feature films produced during his lifetime; the company, parks, and animation studio that bear his name; and the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Today I read Gwendolyn’s Pet Garden by Anne Renaud.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3—Although it is Gwendolyn's dearest wish, her parents refuse to let her have a pet. Not a cockatoo, not a gerbil, not even a shrimp. However, since Gwendolyn is so eager to have something to care for, her parents do give her a wooden box—full of dirt. Gwendolyn's displeasure doesn't last once she's read up on gardening, and after a librarian offers her free seeds from the seed library. Patient and attentive, she names her marigolds, zucchini, and herbs, and observes garden magic. At last she has something of her own to talk to, care for, and watch grow. Gwendolyn's ebullience and can-do spirit spring from a jaunty text that is well-matched by the mixed-media illustrations. The bendy bodies, surprised hair, and ski-slope-shaped noses of her parents will bring smiles, as will the concentration and glee captured in Gwendolyn's facial expressions and body language. A final page gives fun suggestions for creating a garden of one's own (pizza garden, anyone?) and explains how seed libraries work. VERDICT Die-hard pet lovers may wish for a different outcome but will appreciate how Gwendolyn makes the most of disappointment in this appealing and spirited book.—Jan Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County Public Sch., VA

Review

“Gwendolyn’s ebullience and can-do spirit spring from a jaunty text that is well-matched by the mixed-media illustrations. The bendy bodies, surprised hair, and ski-slope-shaped noses of her parents will bring smiles, as will the concentration and glee captured in Gwendolyn’s facial expressions and body language. A final page gives fun suggestions for creating a garden of one’s own (pizza garden, anyone?) and explains how seed libraries work. Die-hard pet lovers may wish for a different outcome but will appreciate how Gwendolyn makes the most of disappointment in this appealing and spirited book.”—School Library Journal

About the Author

Anne Renaud is the author of fifteen children's books, including Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament, which was a Bank Street Best Book and an Ontario Library Association best book. Her nonfiction titles include The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan (nominated for the Quebec Writers Federation Prize for Children, the Silver Birch Award, and the Rocky Mountain Book Award) and Fania's Heart (winner of the Canadian Jewish Literary Award). Her poems, articles, tales, and craft projects appear regularly in children's magazines. She lives in Westmount, Quebec, Canada.

Rashin Kheiriyeh is an award-winning illustrator, author, animator, and painter who has published over eighty children's books in more than a dozen countries. She has received fifty national and international awards, including the Sendak Fellowship Award, the Bologna Book Fair New Horizon Award, the Golden Apple Award (Slovakia), and the FAJR Film Festival's Crystal Roc Award (Iran). She has a Doctorate in illustration and a BFA and an MFA in graphic design. She's the artist for Sugarland (Shekarestan), the most popular animated TV series in Iran, and is also a lecturer in the art department of the University of Maryland. Some of her clients include the New York Times, Google, Kennedy Center, and Stanford University. She was born in Iran, and now lives in Washington DC.

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Today I read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

Amazon.com Review

This timeless Dr. Seuss classic was first published in 1960, and has been delighting readers ever since. Sam-I-am is as persistent as a telemarketer, changing as many variables as possible in the hopes of convincing the nameless skeptic that green eggs and ham are a delicacy to be savored. He tries every manner of presentation with this "nouveau cuisine"--in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, with a goat, on a boat--to no avail. Then finally, finally the doubter caves under the tremendous pressure exerted by the tireless Sam-I-am. And guess what? Well, you probably know what happens, but even after reading Green Eggs and Ham the thousandth time, the climactic realization that green eggs and ham are "so good, so good, you see" is still a rush. As usual, kids will love Dr. Seuss's wacky rhymes and whimsical illustrations--and this time, they might even be so moved as to finally take a taste of their broccoli. (Ages 4 to 8)

Review

"The good doctor has scored another triumph."--The New York Times

"Limited vocabulary but unlimited exuberance of illustration."--School Library Journal.

About the Author

Theodor Seuss Geisel—aka Dr. Seuss—is one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time. From The Cat in the Hat to Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, his iconic characters, stories, and art style have been a lasting influence on generations of children and adults. The books he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss (and others that he wrote but did not illustrate, including some under the pseudonyms Theo. LeSieg and Rosetta Stone) have been translated into 45 languages. Hundreds of millions of copies have found their way into homes and hearts around the world. Dr. Seuss’s long list of awards includes Caldecott Honors, the Pulitzer Prize, and eight honorary doctorates. Works based on his original stories have won three Oscars, three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Peabody.

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Today I read Go, Dog, Go! from P.D. Eastman's Book of Things That Go.


Review

"The canine cartoons make an elementary text funny and coherent and still one of the best around."--School Library Journal.

From the Inside Flap

Whether by foot, boat, car, or unicycle, P. D. Eastman's lovable dogs demonstrate the many ways one can travel. The new text emphasizes the concept element of the original while maintaining its rhythm and charm.

From the Back Cover

Whether by foot, boat, car, or unicycle, P. D. Eastman's lovable dogs demonstrate the many ways one can travel. The new text emphasizes the concept element of the original while maintaining its rhythm and charm.

About the Author

P. D. Eastman was one of the stars of the Beginner Books line with beloved classics like Are You My Mother?; Go, Dog. Go!; The Best Nest; and more!

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