It’s been over a week that I’ve had some fantastic news I had to keep a lid on and now I can finally share it with everyone! Just yesterday the announcements for the Cybils 2011 Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book judging panels were announced and I’m excited to say I made it on board for the first round of judging!!!

First, you might ask what exactly is an “easy reader/early chapter book”? Well, the Cybils definition first:

These are the books that help kids make the leap from hogging Mom’s lap at storytime to sneaking a flashlight under the covers. It’s an important transition, and including this genre was an acknowledgement that these books didn’t properly fit with either picture or middle grade books.

As for an example, take the following past winners:

Yes, a bit heavy on the Mo Willems side, but you seriously cannot go wrong with an Elephant and Piggie book in my opinion. For more ideas, check out the past nominations from last year and get your nominations ready for this year! I want to see those books nominated!!! In all categories, the ones you loved this year. Nominate them and give them the love they deserve! The nominations open on October 1st and will remain open until the 15th, so don’t delay and have your selections ready!

Last year I had the opportunity to judge in the second round for fiction picture books and I had a blast! This year I’m excited for the change up, the chance to try something “new” and the amazing opportunity to work with some of the best book bloggers out there! My fellow judges in both rounds are truly incredible and many are good friends of mine. I feel honored to be on this wonderful team headed up by the wonderful Terry Doherty from the Reading Tub and the Family Bookshelf.

Round One
Katie Ahearn from Secrets & Sharing Soda
Sherry Early from Semicolon
Darshana Khiani from Flowering Minds
Name Catherine Nichols from The Cath in the Hat
Sheila Richburg from BooksNhand
Danielle Smith from There’s a Book
Amanda Struckmeyer from Team Struckmeyer

Round Two
Ashley Barrineau from YA Library in Training
Katie Davis from Katie Davis
Amanda Furman from Maestra Amanda’s Bookshelf
Stacey Loscalzo from Stacey Loscalzo
Zoe Toft from Playing By The Book

Again, I’m thrilled beyond belief to be on such a wonderful panel of judges for an amazing organization! I can’t wait for the books I’ll be reading this year and hope that a few of my favorites may even make the cut as well. It’s going to be another fantastic year for the Cybils, I’m positive!

Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-8
Publishers Summmary:

Lulu is so excited for the Bug Squad to come over for a playdate, and she has all kinds of things planned for them to do – right down to eating cupcakes. The cupcakes are special because each one has a candle that Lulu thinks everyone should blow out at exactly the same time.

But when things don’t go just the way Lulu planned, feelings are hurt and apologies are necessary. Sounds like a job for Ladybug Girl, who knows how to be brave and say she’s sorry, even when it isn’t easy.

Littlebug Speaks Up: “Oh! Another book with the bug girl. These are my very favorites. I think the very best best part of this one is the doggie on the front. Woof! Woof! I really do wish I could have my own doggie. One day maybe.

“This is a really fun one with the bug girl too because she gets to play with all her friends and I like my friends. They play outside, start a club and have cupcakes! Cupcakes are the best! She does get a little sad, but her friends are the best and they make up. I’m asking mom if I can have friends over too, that would be so fun! Maybe we can dress up like the Bug Squad too!”

Mom’s Two Cents:“Ladybug Girl is back and this time she has the whole Bug Squad gang along to play. They set up a club location, decide on superpowers, paint and eat cupcakes. When things don’t go according to Ladybug Girl’s plans though she takes matters into her own hands and ends up hurting her friend’s feelings. What comes next is a lesson in friendship and forgiveness that neither will forget.

“I’m absolutely in love with this series! My Littlebug loves the entire idea of having her own set of wings so much that I think I may have to break down and make her some in the very near future. David Soman’s illustrations have a lot to do with that, they’re a little more grown-up and I’d imagine they’d suit kiddos around ages three & up, but they’re gorgeous and seem to come to life with each turn of the page.

“Another aspect that’s wonderful about the series, besides the illustrations and it’s ability to reach kiddos, is it’s ability to teach children without feeling “teachy”. Hopefully that makes sense, but what I’m attempting to say is that it’s themes are written well enough that readers don’t feel as though they are having a message shoved at them. Throughout this book in the series the theme is of course friendship, but also forgiveness. Learning to say that you’re sorry isn’t always easy (even for adults), but reading about it in books such as the Ladybug Girl series can make it easier to comprehend for learning minds.

“Ladybug Girl takes off on another adventure, but this time with her friends in The Bug Squad. This is another delightful addition to a powerful series of picture books that teach children to be kind to one another, to forgive, to share, make friends, compromise and much much more. With gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful message there’s no doubt parents & children will love The Ladybug Girl series; we’ll certainly be continuing to add to our collection!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 3 to 8. Make learning about emotions and important concepts easy for young kiddos in this delightful series about Ladybug Girl.

Find Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis at the following spots:
Powell’s Books
Indiebound
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Dial Books for Young Readers, 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.

Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and Jacky Davis
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-8
Publishers Summmary:

Lulu loves the beach. Well, she’s never been there before, but she knows she will love it. And then she sees the ocean and it is big and loud and rough. That’s okay—Lulu wanted to build sand castles and fly her kite with Bingo anyway. But while they are building their sand castle, the sneaky ocean comes in and tries to steal Lulu’s favorite pail. This is a job for Ladybug Girl!

Lulu conquers her fear of the ocean when she remembers that Ladybug Girl can do anything, in this gorgeously illustrated companion to the popular series.

Littlebug Speaks Up: “Oh! Did you know we live next to the beach? It’s so pretty! I love the water and I really like going to the playground next to the beach. So fun!

“I think if I was the Ladybug Girl I’d be afraid of the water too. It’s really big! Big big water! And I love building sand castles so that would be so fun, more fun than the big big water. Maybe if my mom helped me in the water I might like to play in it like Ladybug Girl did. My favorite is the picture in the front of the book with her reading a book, I like reading too! And maybe one day I’ll have a dog too.

“This is one of the best books! I hope I can get some wings like Ladybug Girl and fly into the water with my mom.”

Mom’s Two Cents: “It’s Ladybug Girl’s first time to the beach with her trusty sidekick Bingo. They’re ready for adventure and most of all swimming in the ocean waves. But once she sees the ocean for the first time with it’s roaring power the fearless Ladybug Girl suddenly becomes interested in many things other than swimming. Distracting herself with sand castles, ice cream, kite flying and more she’s able to put off her fears. It’s only when Ladybug Girl is called into action that she overcomes her fears and discovers just how much fun the beach really is.

“We absolutely loved Ladybug Girl at the Beach! It may be because the main character shares an affinity for bugs like we do, but I know my Littlebug thoroughly enjoyed seeing where she’d go next. From the very beginning it was a hit not only because of the bug aspect, but also because of the beach. As Littlebug mentioned we do live near the beach and she was (even at her very young age) able to relate to Ladybug Girl quite a bit. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something and another to follow through, especially when that obstacle happens to be a huge wave of water and you’re a very small girl. It was a wonderful message and one I hope to continue to share with both kiddos as they get older.

“Ladybug Girl at the Beach is a story about letting go of your fears and letting nothing get in the way of your potential. It’s the perfect message for young readers who may be attempting to conquer something that seems just a bit bigger than they are. In addition to the theme of the book, the illustrations are also quite lovely and even our Littlebug is now dying for her own pair of wings like Ladybug Girl. This is definitely a series of books we’ll continue to add to and share in our home for years to come.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2 to 8. A story for young readers that will have them more determined to conquer their own fears as they come their way.

Make sure to enter our giveaway for your chance to win a set of two Ladybug Girl books!

Find Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and Jacky Davis at the following spots:
Powell’s Books
Indiebound
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Dial Books for Young Readers, 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.

Book Dreaming is just that. It’s a feature I’m going to use to highlight those books that make you dreamy or possibly just end up making you dream about them. It could be anything from newly released books to one’s that are already out that I can’t get out of my head to those I can’t seem to get my hands on soon enough!

Today’s Book Dreaming pick? Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein. As many of us were, I was a huge fan of Silverstein’s poetry growing up. Seriously, how could a kid not fall in love with a poem about a finger eating snail of sorts that lives in your nose? Not to mention a poem about selling your younger sibling?! What Shel Silverstein wrote was what children only dreamed of doing or happening to them, even if those dreams were a little whacky. Perhaps, the more whacky the better? I know that’s what drew me in and I’m sure if I asked a room full of fans there would be a different poem for each person. So, when I discovered there was to be an additional book of his poetry published by HarperCollins when I attended ALA Mid-Winter I nearly died with joy! This is absolutely a book I’ll be buying and most definitely sharing with my children as they grow up. What about you? Due to be released September 2011, is this one to add to your library?

Shel Silverstein, beloved author of the acclaimed and bestselling poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up, will have a brand-new book of poetry published by HarperCollins Children s Books in September 2011. This is only the second original book to be published since Silverstein s passing in 1999. With more than one hundred and thirty never-before-seen poems and drawings completed by the cherished American artist and selected by his family from his archives, this collection will follow in the tradition and format of his acclaimed poetry classics.

Silverstein fans, which is your favorite poem?

Pre-order Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein at the following spots:
Amazon
Powell’s Books
Indiebound
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

The Adventures of Oook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen From the Future by Dav Pilkey

Published by The Blue Sky Press (An Imprint of Scholastic)

Pages: 176

Ages: 7 and up.

Publishers Summary:In this all-new graphic novel, George Beard and Harold Hutchins present the sensational saga of two silly caveboys named Ook and Gluk. Ook and Gluk have a pretty awesome life growing up together in Caveland, Ohio, in 500,001 BC—even though they’re always getting in trouble with their nasty leader, Big Chief Goppernopper. But Ook and Gluk’s idyllic life takes a turn for the terrible when an evil corporation from the future invades their quiet, prehistoric town. When Ook, Gluk, and their little dinosaur pal, Lily, are pulled through a time portal to the year 2222 AD, they discover that the world of the future is even worse than the devastated one they came from. Fortunately, they find a friend in Master Wong, a martial arts instructor who trains them in the ways of kung fu, so that they may one day return home and make things right again. And, like the other Captain Underpants books, The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future features the world’s cheesiest animation technology, “Flip-O-Rama,” in every chapter.

It’s 500,000 B.C. and Ook and Gluck are on a rampage, terrorizing the evil leader of their cavecity Caveland. When Chief Goppernopper has had enough and coincidentally runs into a future “Goppernopper” who has time traveled back to the past he decides to go after Ook and Gluk. In an attempt to solve the problem, Ook and Gluk seek out the help of a wise and talented martial arts trainer from the future named Master Wong. Master Wong teaches them everything he knows and eventually they are able to return to their village and set things right.

The Adventures of Oook and Gluk – Kung-Fu Cavemen From the Future is a hilarious story. From page one to the very last page you can’t help snicker and chuckle at the humor that runs through each and every page. There are little things like the name of the city Ook and Gluk live in, “Caveland, Ohio” and the pronunciations of their names that creates some very silly banter between the characters. Take a look at the interior spread for a small taste:

Overall I think this was such an entertaining and quite goofy book. The characters and their journey are something I think young readers, especially reluctant ones, will truly enjoy. If I had any concerns about the story it would be that there are quite a few spelling errors throughout the story and the cavemen “speak” like cavemen. Granted, in the back of the book there is a section titled “Cavemonics” that teaches readers all about why they speak the way they do. The story is also “supposed” to be written by very young writers, George Beard and Harold Hutchins who are both around ten years old. Had the “Cavemonics” appeared a little earlier in the book I may not have been so concerned about the grammar/spelling errors, but I do worry it may foul a few readers up. Otherwise, it’s still a very enjoyable read and one that fans of the Captain Underpants series are sure to want to pick up!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 7 to 12. Kung-Fu masters and Captain Underpants fans watch out Ook and Gluk are on there way! Perfect for reluctant readers looking for a great laugh.

Take a look at The Adventures of Ook and Gluk Book Trailer!
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Giveaway!

Thanks to the wonderful people at Scholastic books I have a spectacular holiday giveaway for There’s A Book readers that includes this Ook and Gluk graphic novel! Take a look:

Give the gift of reading to your child this holiday season! Scholastic books make the perfect stocking stuffer for any child on your list.

We have a HUGE prize pack filled with the most popular children’s books in the marketplace to offer one lucky reader! Titles include CAPTAIN SKY BLUE, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID, OOK and GLUK as well as TONY BALONEY, ODIOUS OGRE and I SPY CHRISTMAS A CHRISTMAS TREE!

Make sure to stop by the Scholastic Book Store for many more titles to enjoy!

This book was provided for review and giveaway by the publisher Scholastic. Thank you!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered! Please check back soon for more great giveaways!

I am so thrilled to be participating in this months Cross-Bloggination and, as an added bonus, to be able to guest post here at Danielle’s There’s a Book! For months now I’ve been getting some of my favorite children’s recommendations from Danielle and, if you are here reading this, you are smart for having her on your list to read!

I had a bit of a struggle choosing my favorite book for August – I have to say I read quite a few depressing books. Of course, there’s Mockingjay which is huge right now and then there was What is Left the Daughter by Howard Norman which.. really had me down and out. I experienced two sets of short stories for the first time both both left me feeling a bit bleak and dreary as well.

So for my August choice I want to talk about a book that, while depressing at first glance, held such a story of faith and hope that I couldn’t help but be touched deeply by it.

Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River is the story of a family fractured by a horrifying event. I say fractured but I don’t mean in the sense you’re probably thinking right now. The act of the oldest boy, done for protection and… even a bit of revenge, tears this family apart and they learn the hard way of what it means to live on faith.

There was a passage in this book that spoke of miracles and how we make light of them today. I’d like to quote that passage now.

Let me say something about that word: miracle. For too long it’s been used to characterize things or events that, though pleasant, are entirely normal. Peeping chicks at Easter time, spring generally, a clear sunrise after an overcast week- a miracle, people say, as if they’be been educated from greeting cards. I’m sorry, but nope. Such things are worth our notice every day of the week, but to call them miracles evaporates the strength of the word.

Real miracles bother people, like strange sudden pains unknown in medical literature. It’s true: They rebut every rule all we good citizens take comfort in. Lazarus obeying orders and climbing up out of the grave-now there’s a miracle, and you can bet it upset a lot of folks who were standing around at the time. When a person dies, the earth is generally unwilling to cough him back up. A miracle contradicts the will of earth.

This is an unbelievable story narrated by an 11 year old boy. It’s a picture of America in the raw, a challenge to open our eyes and a plea to return to faith. I’m usually not a big fan of Christian literature because I find the stories to be somewhat cliche and devoid of any true warmth but Peace Like a River had me crying buckets of tears and feeling as if my soul had been touched in a very close and intimate way.

You can view my full review of Peace Like a River by Leif Enger the end of this month at The Lost Entwife. Thank you to Danielle for hosting me here today.

Thank you so much Lydia! I’m so happy to host this monthly feature here and I’ll hope you’ll take a look at my post over at Gwen’s site, Chew and Digest Books.