Bizzy Bear: Fun on the Farm by Benji Davies
Published by Nosy Crow
Pages: 8
Ages: 1 and up
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Push and pull the sliders!
Introducing Bizzy Bear, the busiest bear on the block! With chunky sliders to push and pull, these robust little board books are perfect for active toddlers. Rich in visual detail and with touches of humor, they are set to become firm favorites in the family library. Bizzy Bear’s off to lend a hand on the farm. Toddlers can help him count the ducks, feed the goats, and f ind the eggs before he waves bye-bye.

Littlebug Crows: “Bizzy Bear is the best! It would be super neat to work on a farm all day with all the animals everywhere. My favoritest would be the kitty I think, but the doggies and the cows are neat too.

“Oh! I think the rooster is the funnest page! He pops up and then you see the baby chickies, the mouse and the mamma chickens. At the very end the farmer waves goodbye on his tractor. Bizzy Bear is super cute and his day on the farm is the bestest!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Bizzy Bear is ready for a day on the farm! He’s planning to visit the ducks, feed the sheep, collect the eggs and have a fun day around all of the animals that can be found in this exciting place. Follow along and move the pieces as Bizzy Bear spends his day having fun on the farm.

Before I knew these were interactive board books I fell in love with Bizzy Bear. Isn’t his little face simply adorable?! The illustrations for this series happen to be one of my absolute favorites and they’re so appealing to little kiddos. When the first two books arrived Littlebug was instantly in love with Bizzy Bear. She pulled and pushed and watched as he made his way around the farm and it’s inhabitants. It was wonderful to see her interact with the book almost before I had any opportunity to even do so myself and once we could sit down and read it together her face just lit up.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Bizzy Bear: Fun on the Farm board book is it’s actual sturdiness. That may seem odd, but if you’ve ever been around a destructive toddler the last thing you want to give them is an incentive to rip a book apart by providing things to pull on. Well, in the case of the Bizzy Bear board book series the quality is so impeccable that it’s extremely difficult for a toddler to rip it apart, not to mention they most likely won’t want to because they’ll enjoy it so much. That being said, they may still rip and pull but hopefully they’ll only manage to pull the ducks out, “one, two, three.”

Bizzy Bear: Fun on the Farm by Benji Davies is another delightful title from publisher Nosy Crow that will have toddlers giggling with joy and parents enamored with a very cuddly looking character. An interactive day on the farm with pull, push and turn tabs made in such a way that strong toddlers will have a difficult time pulling apart, makes this not only a visually appealing read but physically fun as well. Bizzy Bear is just the sort of character toddlers love to interact with and carry with them where ever they go. This is a fun day on the farm that won’t be soon forgotten and certainly one to be shared with the little ones in your life!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 1 to 3. Introduce your toddlers to an interactive push & pull series they won’t soon forget. Perfect for “little paws”!

Here’s a look at this delightful book as it’s read to two young kiddos:

Find Bizzy Bear: Fun on the Farm by Benji Davies at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Also available as a marvelous iPad & iPhone app! Look for our review of that coming in the next couple of days!

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of this book as well as many other fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Pip and Posy and The Super Scooter by Axel Scheffler
Published by Nosy Crow
Pages: 32
Ages: 1 and up
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summary:

Pip’s playing happily with his scooter in the park when Posy comes along and decides that she wants to have a turn. But she doesn’t know how to ride a scooter, and Pip has to come to the rescue.

Littlebug Loves Pip and Posy: “My favoritest thing about these books is that Pip and Posy are just like me and my big brother. Sometimes I’m not very good about asking to use his stuff, kind of like Posy with Pip’s scooter. I would love to ride a scooter like Pip’s! I think I probably would have taken it too, but Posy gets hurt. It’s so sad. But she has Pip to make her all better with a band-aid, one of my favoritest things!

“Maybe next time I will remember to ask my big brother Turkeybird to use his stuff because he makes sure I don’t get hurt and takes care of me. My mom also said it’s polite to ask first and maybe he wouldn’t be upset if I asked. That would be great! I love Pip and Posy!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Pip and Posy are back at it again! In this edition of the new series from Axel Scheffler they learn that it’s important to use manners and ask before taking someone else’s belongings. Posy decides all she’s ever wanted at that moment is to ride Pip’s very fun scooter, but what she doesn’t do is ask Pip if she can or if he will help her learn to use it. What begins as a careless act ends in the kind forgiveness of a good friend as Pip helps bandage up Posy and helps her home after a day of play.

Another wonderful story in the world of Pip and Posy! Of course having loved the first Pip and Posy story, The Little Puddle, we were thrilled to read & review another. What I may have only lightly touched on in my previous review was the fact that I love how applicable this series is to young kiddos, specifically toddlers & preschool age children. In both of the books we’ve read thus far the characters are in everyday situations that have been, in our experience, things happening in their lives right now. In the case of The Super Scooter, Littlebug is admittedly terrible about asking her big brother to borrow his things. This isn’t something I see coming to an end any time in the near future, but it’s still an issue that needs to be addressed and is often hard to find good picture books they can relate to. Pip and Posy and the Super Scooter is the perfect solution!

Not only does Pip and Posy and the Super Scooter address the issue of asking permission to use another’s belongings, but it also sheds light on some basic etiquette rules in a way that doesn’t feel pushy. By Posy apologizing for taking the scooter and then thanking Pip for bandaging her up, children are able to see multiple ways to incorporate the manners they learn about daily. It also shows kiddos the power of forgiveness. I was surprised by how forgiving Pip was, but then thought back to situations with Littlebug and Turkeybird. It’s always surprised me how quickly they forgive one another, a trait we could all use I’m sure, but without fail it happens each and every time. Pip forgiving Posy was another situation where you see how well the series relates to this age group, but also demonstrates the possibilities of a positive outcome when we’re forgiving of each other. It’s wonderful.

Toddlers and preschool age children need books they can relate to and specifically ones that they fall in love with because of gorgeous illustrations & fantastic characters. The Pip and Posy series by Axel Scheffler is exactly that. In this case, Axel Scheffler takes an ordinary situation involving sharing and turns it into a multi-layered lesson. Pip and Posy and the Super Scooter is easily a favorite of Littlebug’s because she relates so well to the characters and as a parent I value the lessons she’s learning from these wonderful characters. I’d quickly and easily recommend this series to anyone reading to young kiddos, you won’t be surprised by how much they love Pip and Posy but you will most likely be pleasantly surprised by how well written & illustrated the series is.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 1 to 7. Toddlers and preschoolers will love Pip and Posy and parents will love the lessons their children are learning. A much needed series we love reading over and over again!

Pip and Posy Activity Page (PDF)

Visit the official Pip and Posy website! (Your kiddos will love it!) Below is a video of the author, Axel Scheffler (also know for The Gruffalo), as he reads Pip and Posy and the Super Scooter:

Find at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, , for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of this book as well as many other fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Noodle Loves Bedtime by Nosy Crow and Illustrations by Marion Billet
Published by Nosy Crow
Pages: 10
Ages: 1 and up.
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

With Touch and Feels for little paws!
Say hi to Noodle, a brand-new character for babies and toddlers! Busy, inquisitive, and cute as a button, Noodle just loves to have fun. This series of bright, robust touch-and-feel board books with simple rhyming texts provides plenty of details for parent and child to talk about and explore. Follow Noodle through his bedtime routine: splashing in the bath, drinking milk, and cuddling up with fluffy lamb. Familiar and reassuring, with lots of detail to point out and name.

Littlebug Loves Noodle: “Did you know that Noodle and me like all the same things?! It’s so neat! One of my very favoritest parts of the day is bedtime and Noodle likes it too. He likes to take a bath and that’s the best because you get to go swimming! Noodle also has a fluffy sheep and gets a drink before bed. But the neatest part of Noodle going to bed is when he brushes his teeth! The toothpaste in the book is sticky! It’s so so neat!

“Noodle is my very most favoritest because he likes to sleep just like I do! He’s the best!”

Mom’s Two Cents: It’s bedtime! For Noodle that means taking a bath, getting a drink, brushing his teeth and getting tucked into bed with his favorite fluffy sheep by his wonderful mommy. Toddlers will love to follow along as Noodle does many of the very same things they do at bedtime.

Again, another huge hit in the Noodle series! Noodle Loves Bedtime is one of those books that has “gone missing” in our home numerous times only to be discovered tucked away with a neat stack of two or three other of Littlebug’s favorite reads in her reading spot. This isn’t at all surprising to me because the second it arrived in our home she was instantly in love. Noodle is a character much like Littlebug; he’s at that toddler age where everything is new and exciting but still needs a bit of reassurance from a loving mom. It’s this that will immediately attract other young readers and will most likely become an instant hit in the homes of toddlers everywhere.

Noodle Loves Bedtime is another tactile adventure as well and much like Noodle Loves to Cuddle it doesn’t fail to impress. Coming from a mom with a very destruction little girl I’m often weary of books with small openings or crevasses where little fingers can reach in and rip the pages apart. When I first opened the pages of Noodle Loves Bedtime I was instantly worried because I was so in love with the illustrations and story, but what I didn’t anticipate was how much Littlebug would love it as well. It’s that connection, I believe, that has her cherishing these marvelous books. What’s wonderful about that is that she’s able to enjoy the fun tactile aspects she loves so much without me worrying that she’ll destroy them at any minute. Our favorite by far is the toothpaste page in which the actual toothpaste is sticky, and still is after months of touching! It’s hilarious, fun and especially excited for young readers.

If there is a toddler in your life than you simply must have Noodle Loves Bedtime as well as the other Noodle books by Nosy Crow. In this edition you follow the delightful panda Noodle as he gets ready for that all important time of day, bedtime! This would be a perfect “going to bed” book in addition to being a marvelously interactive book for tactile learners. Our family simply could not be without our Noodle Loves books and Noodle Loves Bedtime is certainly a favorite I recommend to young readers everywhere!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 6 months to 4 years. A delightfully engaging bedtime book for tactile toddlers that will be an instant favorite!

Find Noodle Loves Bedtime by Nosy Crow and Illustrations by Marion Billet at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Love the sound of this Noodle Loves book and want more? Take a look at the other books in the series coming soon:

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of this book as well as many other fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

The Story of Christmas: Text based on the King James Version and Illustrations by Pamela Dalton
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 32
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Pamela Dalton’s exquisite, intricate scissor-cut illustrations wonderfully illuminate The Story of Christmas. Deeply reverent, richly detailed, and teeming with life, Dalton’s images follow the story of the Nativity from the appearance of the Angel, to the shepherds who came from the fields, and to the three wise men who followed the star to pay respect for their new king. Working in a Pennsylvania-German folk-art tradition, rich with lovingly rendered animals and figures, Pamela Dalton has created a book that takes a deserved place among the finest celebrations of Christmas.

Turkeybird and Littlebug Snuggle In: “Christmas is so so neat! We both can’t wait to get all of those neat presents and be super silly all day in our jammies. But mom and dad said that we will also be going to church on Christmas. (Isn’t that kind of funny? We may try and sneak in a couple of toys!)

“This book is all about why we have Christmas and the pictures are so pretty. We really like the pictures of the baby Jesus and all the angels. Mom said that we have Christmas because it’s to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, which seems super super neat to us. This was a very quiet book, but we both really liked seeing what Christmas is all about.”

Mom’s Two Cents: Told through the eyes and hands of the talented illustrator Pamela Dalton, the story of the birth of Jesus Christ comes to life in the pages of this gorgeous picture book.

Pamela Dalton’s illustrated telling of The Story of Christmas is what I would consider a rare find. This is a story that is the crux of most Christian beliefs yet finding a version of the story that is appealing to both children and adults can be a daunting task. Often picture book versions of the story are much more cartoon in nature making them much too young for older readers and more mature versions of the story become quite boring for small children. Pairing the story with Pamela Dalton’s beautiful artwork was a brilliant idea. Not only does the story come to life, but it reaches a far broader audience than most versions have in the past.

Through this version of The Story of Christmas readers follow along with the text from the King James version of the Bible as Pamela Dalton’s gorgeous and intricate art bring the story to life. Our family will be reading this version for many years to come as it has quickly become a family favorite and I’m certain that other families in search of a high quality yet accurate portrayal of this important part of Christianity will love it as well.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2 and up. The beauty of the Bible story of Jesus’ birth coupled with gorgeous illustrations that young and old will appreciate. Perfect for the Christmas season.

Find The Story of Christmas: Text based on the King James Version and Illustrations by Pamela Dalton at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook! Also, don’t forget to look over our special feature of Chronicle Books we did in November for Book Publishers 101!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Oh, What A Christmas! by Michael Garland
Published by Scholastic Press
Pages: 40
Ages: 4-8
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

When the harness to Santa’s sleigh breaks mid-flight, Dasher, Dancer, and the rest of the reindeer gang fly off into the night…leaving Santa and all of his presents stranded! Who will guide Santa’s sleigh and save Christmas now? Luckily, Santa lands near a tiny barn filled with sleepy animals. With a twinkle in his eye, Santa sees a solution and wonders how well cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and an old hound dog can fly.

Littlebug Giggles: “Hehehe…Have you ever seen a pig fly? Or a cow? Or a dog? Hehehe. It’s so. Hehe. Funny! Hehe.

“Poor Santa gets left by all his silly reindeer and has to fly with a barn full of animals. It’s the silliest Christmas book ever! My favorite part is the magic dust he sprinkles all over the animals. It’s just like fairy dust! They fly away together, even the sheep! And then take all the presents to the little boys and girls everywhere. In the end the animals end up with the best Christmas ever and they got to fly all around the world helping Santa too!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Christmas Eve is here! Santa’s sled is loaded with goodies and gifts for children around the world, but when the reins connecting his flying reindeer snap Santa is going to need some extra help. Fortunately for Santa he lands in a barn full of animals ready for a Christmas adventure in the skies! Before you know it the presents are delivered and there’s a special surprise for Santa’s newest helpers.

This is purely a fun enjoyable Christmas read for little ones and those reading it to them. Both Littlebug and Turkeybird spend most of the book in fits of giggles as they watch the weary barn animals fly through the air helping Santa. Even though we don’t stress Santa much in our home they do know that he certainly shouldn’t be being helped by barn animals, but his reindeer. What we try to stress is that it’s important to help however we can when someone is in need, which is just what the barn animals do no matter how confused they may be about accomplishing the task at hand.

This new take on the classic Twas the Night Before Christmas is incredibly delightful. Michael Garland applies his characteristic gorgeous illustrations to a fun adventure with Santa and an entire cast of weary but helpful barn animals. Oh, What A Christmas! is a picture book we’ll continue to read each and every Christmas season as we strive to bring laughter and a spirit of giving to our home.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2 to 6. A fun take on The Night Before Christmas that animal loving kiddos will giggle through each and every page.

Find Oh, What A Christmas! by Michael Garland at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic Press, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale
Published by Nosy Crow
Pages: 32
Ages: 1 and up.
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Dinosaur Dig! has everything that boys love — diggers, dinosaurs, and dirt — plus a bit of counting thrown in for good measure. Bursting with energy, noise, and a splashy, surprising ending, this is an absolute riot of a book.

Dino Crazy Kiddos: “What are they building?! Digging digging digging! We love counting all the dinosaurs on every page and they really must be building something super super neat.

“Our favoritest part is when they finally go for a swim in their great big new pool! We didn’t even know dinosaurs liked to swim. How silly! Turkeybird’s favorite dino is the Iguanodon but Littlebug loves the Megalosaurus (because it’s pink!). This is such a fun book and we love counting all the silly dinosaurs as they dig, scrape and crunch in the ground!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Thump! Crash! Clatter! Clunk! Scrape! Sploosh! As the dinosaurs dig away at their construction site their numbers increase and their project gets more & more involved. Count as the number and variety of dinosaurs adds up until the very last page when the final project is revealed.

It’s no secret, our family has a huge reservoir of dino-lovers. Not only has the Turkeybird been a fan since I can remember, but as soon as Littlebug could start playing with his dinosaurs she grabbed them and wouldn’t let go. One of the first series of books we introduced to both kiddos were the “How Do Dinosaurs…?” series by Jane Yolen and they instantly fell in love. So when I discovered Nosy Crow had a new dinosaur book coming out I was obviously interested, as were the kiddos. The illustrations are actually quite similar to the style found in Yolen’s series that’s illustrated by Mark Teague which was a huge bonus because it felt like you were revisiting an old friend.

What sets Dinosaur Dig! apart from other dinosaur books is the brilliant text and gorgeous characterization. Often counting books are either too simple with only three to five word sentences per spread making it somewhat boring for older readers who may be past the “learning to count” stage. Dinosaur Dig! has just the right balance with a well written opening sentence followed up by a rephrasing of the same sentence along with action words on each spread. This set up makes it easy for very young readers/learners to focus on the numbers but also makes it enjoyable for older readers who enjoy reading and interacting with the dinosaurs on the page. There are also the scientific names of the dinosaurs on the inside cover of the book, which the Turkeybird loves learning! In addition to this, each of the dinosaurs are realistic, but not scary at all, making them easy to connect with for young readers who love these pre-historic creatures.

Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale is a stand out counting book that not only toddlers, but pre-school age dino-fans will absolutely love! Our family has quickly fallen in love with the delightful illustrations and text by Penny Dale that has reminded us of one of our absolute favorite dinosaur series by Jane Yolen. This is a fantastic book for families with toddlers and preschoolers who love dinosaurs and love to count. Dig, crunch and count through the pages of Dinosaur Dig! as these dinosaurs build their very own surprise ending that young readers will be thrilled to read about!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 1 to 4. Mix counting with a childhood favorite, dinosaurs! Read along and try to guess what they are building. Perfect for dinosaur fans and readers learning to count!

Find Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of this book as well as many other fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.