Noodle Loves to Cuddle 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. There are lots of things that Noodle loves to play with, including a fluffy duck,a cozy blanket, and a bumpy ball. Of course, Noodle’s favorite thing of all is a cuddle with Mommy!

Littlebug Loves Noodle: “Noodle is my favoritest! I love all of his toys and the bumpy ones most of all. Did you know you can see me at the end of this book?! It’s so neat! But where is his daddy? My mom said he must be off at work just like my daddy.

“Noodle is so much fun! I love touching all of his toys. It makes me wish I could take them out of the book and play with them myself!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Noodle is a little boy who loves to cuddle and play just like other littler children his age. From playing with his toys, to hiding under his favorite cuddly blanket he’s always up to something fun and familiar. Children everywhere will love interacting with Noodle’s toys as he goes about his day just like they do.

From the time Littlebug was very very little she was instantly a tactile type of person. Even now, at almost three years old, she still loves to touch everything she comes in contact with from faces to toys nothing is off limits. Instantly I knew that the Noodle Loves series would be a hit with her for this very reason, but until I held the books in my own hands I had no idea how much I would love them as well.

In Noodle Loves to Cuddle the text is simple and easy for young readers to understand, but illustrations are what really stand out. Each page is bright, but not overly bright making the quality of the book that much easier for children to connect with. The touch and feel aspects of the book are also a higher quality than I’ve ever seen before (and I’ve seen quite a few). Littlebug’s favorite (and mine as well) would have to be when Noodle hides under his blanket, resulting in us searching through his toys to find him. Each aspect of Noodle Loves to Cuddle adds up to an incredible picture book that also happens to be interactive enough for the most tactile learners out there.

Noodle Loves to Cuddle by Nosy Crow and illustrated by Marion Billet stands out in a crowded field of touch and feel books for toddlers. It’s illustrations are gorgeous and bold making them easy for young readers to connect with and the text is simple enough for them to completely understand. Each page turn reveals another tactile experience for readers, from fuzzy to soft and even bumpy making it the perfect beginning book that will be carried and read for years to come. Noodle Loves to Cuddle is by far our favorite “touch and feel” style of book for a number of reasons, but above all we simply love Noodle!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 6 months to 4 years. Perfect for tactile kids who love learning by touching and feeling the world around them. By far, our favorite book in this style!

Find Noodle Loves to Cuddle 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.

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 Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler
Published by Nosy Crow
Release Date: 27th December 2011
Pages: 32
Ages: 1 and up.
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Pip comes to Posy’s house to play, and they have a lovely time. But Pip is having so much fun that he forgets that he needs to pee.

Littlebug Loves Pip and Posy: “Puddles! Yikes! Pip makes a puddle in this story and I feel so sad for him. Sometimes I don’t make it to the potty and make a puddle too. I know what it feels like and it always makes me so sad, but mom always says it’s okay and I can try again next time. We clean up just like Pip and Posy and then play some more! I’m so happy I’m not the only one who makes puddles sometimes! I love Pip and Posy!”

Mom’s Two Cents: In the day of the life of a toddler accidents are simply a fact of life. For Pip and Posy who love to play the day away the accident comes in the form of a little puddle. Fortunately Posy is a wonderful friend and helps Pip to clean up, get dressed and get back to playing. The next time Pip doesn’t forget, but remembers and uses the potty.

What a brilliant series! Pip and Posy is a new series by Axel Scheffler who many know from his popular illustrations for The Gruffalo and it has quickly become a favorite of ours. Much like the Tilly and Friends series by Polly Dunbar, Pip & Posy find themselves in everyday situations that most toddlers & preschoolers find themselves in. The illustrations are adorable and Pip & Posy are two characters kiddos can’t help but connect with.

With The Little Puddle it was instant love for Littlebug. We actually received a copy a few months ago and began reading it right around the time she began potty training. Now, this certainly isn’t a “potty training” book, but it absolutely helped! It became particularly helpful after she reached the point where she was no longer relying on pull-ups to catch her accidents. Every so often she’d have an accident and had a tendency to really get upset about it, even seeing Pip have his accident made her sad at first. What was wonderful was how through her reading she learned that it was still important to keep trying to make it to the potty, but if she didn’t it was something that happened to everyone and not to worry. Which to me was an invaluable lesson, and one that’s helped both of us tremendously!

Pip and Posy and the Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler is a marvelous new story for kiddos that helps them understand that everyone has accidents. This could certainly be applied to any number of things and not only potty related accidents. Helping kiddos to know that accidents are a part of life can help to reduce stress and help them enjoy life and childhood that much more. In our home I’ve even seen a reduction in the amount of accidents since our reading of Pip and Posy and the Little Puddle began. The new Pip and Posy series is one I’d highly recommend to anyone who reads to a toddler/preschooler at any time!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 1 to 7. Turn accidents into something that children can move forward from, by learning to let them go and try to be more mindful of in the future. A fabulous new series for toddlers/preschoolers!

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 Little Puddle:

Find Pip and Posy and the Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler 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.

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.

Press Here by Hervé Tullet
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 56
Ages: 2-5
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

Littlebug Gets Crazy: “Press. Tap. Press. Turn. Shake. Press. Clap. Clap! Clap!! Press! Again, again! Can I read this one over and over and over? My mom says it’s okay and it’s one of my very very most favoriest books. It’s super crazy! All of these dots go all over the place when you do what the words on the bottom of the page say. My favorite is to read it with my big brother because we like to take turns pressing and tapping the dots. We laugh and laugh and laugh!

“This is one of my most most most favoriest books ever! If my mom let me sleep with my books I think I’d bring this one but my mom says I’d never go to sleep. Silly mom! If you haven’t read this crazy book you have to! Now! It’s so good!”

Mom’s Two Cents: Opening the pages of Press Here a child enters into an imaginative world filled with dots of all colors and sizes, but it all starts with a simple yellow dot. As pages are turned and actions completed the dots come to life before a child’s eyes. Turn the book, shake the book and even blow on the dots in the book and listen to the laughter poor into your home as children & adults everywhere fall in love with this ingenious little picture book.

Again, as I was with both Dot by Patricia Intriago and Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier I simply wasn’t expecting what I would inevitably get out of these brilliant books. In each reading situation I completely underestimated the potential these books had and I’m incredibly thankful that Littlebug shared them with me. As each came into our home it was Littlebug that made the discoveries and opened her imagination to each book’s pages. As we sat to read them together you could see the world light up in her eyes and I absolutely love when that happens!

Press Here by Hervé Tullet was the first of these types of interactive books that we read and as I mentioned, it was a huge hit! Specific to Press Here the things we most enjoyed about it were the bright colors, the interactivity and the kiddos couldn’t get enough of “having to” start over at the last page. What stood out in my mind was the level of interactivity and the way it’s incorporated. Just when you think you’ve had enough “pressing” Tullet changes it to “turning” or “shaking”. The timing is beyond perfect. Just when you think they will stop laughing and get bored kiddos turn the page and find another aspect to laugh about as if the dots have actually come to life!

Dive into a world of creativity, imagination, and interactivity as you open the pages of Press Here by Hervé Tullet with a child you love. Watch as their faces light up and your home fills with laughter as they discover what their actions will cause the dots to do and become. This is without a doubt a favorite read of ours this year and one that gets read on a near daily basis in our home. If you haven’t read Press Here by Hervé Tullet yet you are certainly missing out and I’d highly recommend you run out and pick up a copy as soon as you possibly can! You and the child you share it with won’t be disappointed!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2-6. A must have book for pre-school to grade school age kiddos! Interactive, thoughtful and hours of fun for everyone reading.

Find 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 Chronicle Books for our monthly feature “Book Publishers 101“. Make sure to stop by the Chronicle Books 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.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, 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.

Family Storybook Treasury: Tales of Laughter, Curiosity, and Fun by Rey and others
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 304
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Family, friends, your favorite characters…bring them all together at story time! Share the book that is sure to entertain, delight, and make the whole gang laugh. The Family Storybook Treasury is a collection of your most well-loved picture books and poetry, now available in one beautiful keepsake volume with bonus audio CD! Includes eight complete picture books:
Curious George and the Firefighters by Margret and H. A. Rey
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
Lyle Walks the Dogs by Bernard Waber, illustrated by Paulis Waber
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margo Apple
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
The Great Doughnut Parade by Rebecca Bond
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
A beautiful treasure to give, receive, and pass down.

The Turkeybird Speaks: “This is such a fun book to pick! Sometimes I pick it for bedtime and try to get my dad to read all the stories in it because it’s still just one big book, but we usually just pick one or two at a time. My favorite is the story about the penguins. There’s a goofy penguin who gets to stop some bad guys from hurting his friends and it’s so funny! I also really like the monkey one because we always used to sing the monkeys jumping on the bed song.

“There are so many fun stories in this one, you don’t want to lose it! I love reading all of the stories and if I could talk my dad into it I’d read the whole thing every night.”

Mom’s Two Cents: Together in one entire book are many reader’s childhood favorite books from Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed to Martha Speaks. The Family Storybook Treasury has numerous books that will leave you feeling nostalgic and looking for a child to pass them along to. Enjoy an afternoon of reading with your favorite child as you turn the pages of this fantastic compilation.

Coming from someone who’s shelves are usually packed to the brim the Family Storybook Treasury was an easy book to add to our collection. Who can resist not only one picture book, but half a dozen put together into one very delightful compilation? I certainly couldn’t and Littlebug & the Turkeybird both have enjoyed reading this one. As Turkeybird mentioned already we do have a couple of favorites: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Martha Speaks and Tacky the Penguin are our top three and the ones that get read over and over again. As a parent, though the size of the book is a daunting 300 pages, this is still a marvelous addition to our home library if for no other reason than the versatility it provides within one bound book. Not to mention the fact that it’s packed with magnificant authors and illustrators.

Family Storybook Treasury: Tales of Laughter, Curiosity, and Fun has been a delightful addition to our home library and one that I’m positive will be read again and again as it’s passed down from child to grandchild in the years to come. There’s no doubt there will be a favorite amidst the over half a dozen full picture books included within it’s pages, but regardless there will be numerous stories to be enjoyed by one and all. This has been a wonderful reading experience to have with both of my kiddos because not only are the authors and illustrators wonderful, but the versatility allows for hours of reading without losing the attention of those young readers. Definitely a picture book collection that should be added to everyone’s home library.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2 and up. A versatile compilation of picture books and poems that will give both young readers and parents hours of reading enjoyment.

Find Family Storybook Treasury: Tales of Laughter, Curiosity, and Fun by Rey and others at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,I’m also offering two copies of to two There’s A Book readers. Thank you! Please fill out the form below and good luck!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for providing a copy of this book for review and giveaway! 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.

Ivy and Bean No News Is Good News by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 128
Ages: 8-12
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

Ivy and Bean need some money. Ten dollars, to be exact. Never mind what for. Okay, it’s for low-fat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for you serving size. Don’t ask why. How are Ivy and Bean going to make ten dollars? Hey, maybe they should write a newspaper about Pancake Court and sell it! Great idea! And easy, too. All they have to do is snoop around the neighborhood. Wow…It’s very interesting what they can find out. It’s even more interesting when the neighbors read about it in the newspaper.

Ivy and Bean are at it again, but this time it’s all in the name of cheese. Well, maybe not cheese, but definitely the delightfully fun and very versatile red wax wrapper around the outside of low-fat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for-you serving size. Everyone at school has them with their lunch except for Ivy and Bean, but they’re on a mission. After Bean’s dad suggests a neighborhood newspaper the girls set out to discover exactly what goes on in the lives of their neighbors, even if that means peeking in a few windows.

This has got to be one of my absolute favorite chapter book series ever! Annie Barrows understands kids so completely well that it has me second guessing her age; certainly she must still be ten years old? That’s probably not true, but what is true is the fact that each one of the Ivy and Bean books will have you in stitches while remembering either your own childhood or imagining your own children doing some of the whacky things that kids just do. Not only adults love this series, but kiddos absolutely relate even at a very very young age. This was the first book in the series that I’ve read with Littlebug and at only two and a half she loved every minute of it.

In this edition of Ivy and Bean, Non News is Good News, the pair are on a mission to get that waxy stuff around the outside of certain cheeses. At first they start off by simply asking their parents who both tell them no and advise them they need to buy their own. One of my favorite scenes was when Ivy tries to tell her mom to get the cheese for her while she’s sleeping. I couldn’t help but imagine the Turkeybird and Littlebug doing that at Ivy’s age, it’s hilarious! Eventually the girls discover that they could actually make money by working (even if that’s not their original intention). Their newspaper, The Flipping Pancake, comes together after snooping around the neighborhood in search of the next great news story. At the end of it all, though Ivy and Bean’s neighbors may be a little put out by their “dirty laundry” being shared it’s certain that the pair learns a little bit about the importance of earning something through hard work.

No News is Good News is absolutely right. Ivy and Bean, on their mission for cheese, discover that maybe the lives of their neighbors are better left behind closed doors and windows. Fortunately though they also discover that hard work does pay off when they are finally able to enjoy their delicious low-fat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for you serving size and the pliable wax that surrounds it. This is a series I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and one I’m eager to read through with both my kiddos as they continue to grow up and do the hilarious things that only kids do. Annie Barrows coupled with Sophie Blackall’s fantastic illustrations make for one of the most superb children’s book series out there.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 5 to 13. No doubt young readers and adults alike with love this hilarious duo and the life lessons they learn along the way.

Find Ivy and Bean No News Is Good News by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Ivy and Bean: No News Is Good News

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of Chronicle Books for our monthly feature “Book Publishers 101“. Make sure to stop by the Chronicle Books 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.

Make sure to take a look at this month’s Book Publishers 101 feature giveaway as well, for your chance to win a copy of Ivy and Bean No News Is Good News!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, 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.

Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 40
Ages: 4-8
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

In this exuberant book, acclaimed graphic designer Craig Frazier does more than simply showcase a vast variety of dots, he encourages young readers to look closely at the world around them. Through his energetic images, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Buttons are dots. Wheels are dots. Ladybugs have dots. And so do the fried eggs on your plate. Lots of Dots is lots of fun!

Littlebug Likes Pink: “The pink dot! It’s my very mostest most favorite dot of all! Next to the purple dot that floats away, the pink dot is my very favoritest dot ever. Every time I see it I have to show my mom!

“Did you know that there all kinds of dots? The ones I like the most, other than the pink one of course, are the ones that look like bubbles, butterflies and balls. There are some that are super super heavy and I always have to pick them up off the page to show everyone how heavy they are, because they’re so heavy, and then set them back down before we keep going with the dots. I love reading this book right now, it’s so much fun! (And I love the pink dot!)”

Mom’s Two Cents: Whimsical dots, dots for licking, dots for snacking and even dots on shirts. In every color and size dots make up many of the things in the world around us. There are dots everywhere, if only you know where to look.

In the recent past there have been numerous books based on how we interact with common things in our environment such as shapes and colors. Dots have been a popular choice as of late, but it’s obvious why. Children love them! We’ve reviewed Dot by Patricia Intriago, now Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier and soon we’ll be posting our review for Press Here by Hervé Tullet. Each has been a huge hit with the kiddos, but Littlebug especially is attached to Lots of Dots. In one day in the recent past I can count at least a dozen times we read it in a single sitting, she loves it that much. The bright colors and situations are undoubtedly a huge draw for her, though she certainly appreciates interacting with pages like the “heavy” page.

Bright colors, situations and plenty of dots have children excited to discover just where the next dot will pop up in Lots of Dots by Craig Fraizer. With situations and places that involve the most common of places such as our shirts, a garden and in the stars children find that they only have to look around from where they sit to discover more dots. Littlebug loves this picture book with a fervor I’ve rarely seen. Much of this has to do with a certain color, but the variety and interaction she finds within it’s pages are also something she looks forward to regularly. Lots of Dots is a creative story that children will not only enjoy reading, but will learn to incorporate into their lives and the world around them.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2-6. Spark the imagination and creativity in a young child by introducing them to the most basic of shapes, a dot.

Find Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier 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 Chronicle Books for our monthly feature “Book Publishers 101“. Make sure to stop by the Chronicle Books 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.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, 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.