Bookscoops Fall 2013 Giveaway and Review: Only Cows Allowed by Lynn Plourde illustrated by Rebecca Harrison Reed

 

 

 

 

Children will enjoy the vivid watercolor illustrations and the puns that fill the pages of this down-home country book. Adults will love it too- it’s especially perfect for those country romantics who think that moving to the country and starting up a farm are the ultimate dream. If you know someone like this, Only Cows Allowed by Lynn Plourde would make a great house-warming gift! Illustrator, Rebecca Harrison Reed, captures the joy of a brand-new ‘real’ farmer and all the new animals that make up his farm. The first ones to take over the red barn are the cows, who decide they are the best thing that happened to country living and no other animal is needed- much less allowed.

 

As all the other animals prove they have a place on the farm and make themselves at home in the barn, the cows are not happy. When the cows begin to feel outnumbered, they skip out. Check out the book to find out where the cows make their new home. Or… check out this video by Author Lynn Plourde on her fabulous website, Lynn Plourde.com!

 

At illustrator Rebecca Harrison Reed’s website you can see the awards she won for her wonderful illustrations in Only Cows Allowed in 2012!

Rebecca Harrison Reed, illustrator of Only Cows Allowed!

Bookscoops is running a giveaway of one hardback copy of Only Cows Allowed! generously provided by publisher Down East Enterprise, Inc. To enter, please leave a comment about your craziest life dream- whether it’s to start a farm or run a marthon. Leave your answer in a comment on this post, or on our facebook page, for one entry each place. You can also share this review and giveaway via facebook, twitter or instagram. Please leave a comment letting us know what you did, so we can enter you as many times as you deserve! Entries are limited to continental United states only, and our giveaway closes at midnight, MST, October 25, 2013.

 

Little Chipmunk’s Wiggly, Wobbly Tooth by Mary Packard, illustrated by Lisa McCue

If you have a lower elementary aged child, get ready for some wiggly teeth! This book is the perfect fit for those first wiggly tooth experiences. My 1st grader loved this and my preschooler is convinced that he has loose teeth just like Chipmunk. When Chipmunk’s awesome front tooth starts to wiggle even though he takes great care of it, he wonders what is going on. His initial confusion turns into understanding and joy when he realizes all the other kids his age are going through the same thing he is. Chipmunk is a little naive for my taste- what child doesn’t know about losing teeth- but maybe there are some kids like that out there. That particular fact didn’t seem to bother my kids one little bit, and they gave this book a big thumb’s up- and that’s what it’s all about! Do you have any tooth wigglers at your house?

*I received a review copy of this book for free.

A Dress for Me! Shoes for Me! by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Mike Laughead

Shoes for Me! and A Dress for Me! by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Mike Laughead, immediately bring to mind my many adorable nieces. One such niece, age 5, was recently being put to bed by my brother. After laying side by side for quite some time, she said, “Are you thinkin’ what I’m thinkin?” My brother replied, “Sleep?” to which she replied, “Shoes and dresses. They are soooo pretty.” I think I know at least one little girl who would especially love these books!

In A Dress for Me! Hippo goes shopping for a new dress for school. She goes through dozens of dresses of all shapes and sizes until at last her mom is done. But Hippo hasn’t found the perfect dress yet, and begs to try on one more. Girls of all ages will identify with the hunt for the perfect dress and the hunt for the perfect shoes.

In Shoes for Me! Hippo’s feet have grown and it’s time to go shoe shopping. With a parallel storyline of tons to choose from, but none just right until Mom is fed up and ready to leave. Hippo always finds what she’s looking for in the nick of time.

If you have little ladies that love dresses and shoes, these are the perfect companion books to read with them. Fliess has a way with words and her rhymes will bring lots of smiles as you send your little ones off to bed with visions of dresses and shoes in their heads. While you could certainly read one without the other, I recommend getting both- because what girl only needs a dress without a new pair of shoes or a new pair of shoes without a dress?

Time for a Hug by Phillis Gershator and Mim Green illustrated by David Walker

Need an excuse for a hug?

I had a blast reading this board book with my little guy. There are lots of reasons for hugs throughout little rabbit’s day. Even though rabbit has lots to do, there is always time for hugs.

Not only will the carefully crafted verse roll off your tongue, but Walker’s art plants a little bit of spring and summer in your heart. This short, sweet book has it all- numbers, counting, rhyme, rhythm and lots of room for hugs and bed time loves. A perfect gift for Valentine’s Day or any occasion, Time for a Hug is a gift that keeps on giving every time you open it’s pages and share it with your little loved one. Time for  a Hug will make every day special!

 

Check out the Author(s) and Illustrator’s websites:

Phillis Gershator & Mim Green

David Walker

What others are saying about Time for a Hug:

Bookfoolery: “A happy book with a nice rhythm is always a pleasure to read. Time for a Hug is one of those books I can imagine a small child adoring and it’s certainly a great book to snuggle up and read (plus, a good excuse for lots of hugging).”

Lisa Reviews: “This is one of the cutest stories you will see out there. I love the illustrations too. The words are sing songy, so it definitely holds your kids attention.”

*I received a review copy courtesy of Josh Glickman at Sterling Publishing- thank you! The opinions in my review are my own.

Bedtime at the Swamp and The Middle Child Blues by Kristyn Crow and a Giveaway!

All my children love Bedtime at the Swamp and The Middle Child Blues by Kristyn Crow. My favorite part about these books is that they are so fun to read out loud.  These two books are some of our favorites. I had to go out and buy my own copies after receiving these copies for this giveaway. My kids love them so much that they quoted their favorite phrases while out shopping just the other day.

Bedtime at the Swamp is a fantastic bedtime story. Short rhymes and lots of fun. The illustrations by Macky Pamintuan compliment Crow’s text exceptionally well. Bedtime at the Swamp is about a little boy who is supposed to be going home to get ready for bed, but instead ends up hiding from a monster. It sounds scary, but it really isn’t. In fact, the monster ends up hiding with him. I think kids are more likely to giggle at the end of this book than be scared.

My kids’ favorite line

Splish Splash Rumba-rumba bim bam BOOM!

The Middle Child Blues illustrated by David Catrow is just like the title reads,  a story about all the woes and struggles of being a middle child. Lee is told a little too often that he is too small, too old, too young and so forth. This leaves him  sick and tired of being stuck in the middle. To cope with all this middle childness, Lee gets out his guitar and sings the Middle Child Blues. My children once again love Crow’s rhyming and catchy rhythms that go with the classic blues. In fact I wanted to sing through the book.

My children love the illustrations and now my 2.5 year old wants a guitar for his birthday. They couldn’t agree on a favorite line so you’ll just have to read The Middle Child Blues to pick your own.

As mentioned, I am doing a giveaway. I was given an autographed copy of each book by the lovely Kristyn Crow (I don’t want to admit how long ago, but you know I’ve had a baby,  dealt with a daughter’s health issues, finished a book and moved) still, even with all my excuses this is long overdue.

Kristyn Crow’s website. Check out her other books Cool Daddy Rat, The Really Groovy Story of the Tortoise and the Hare and more.

Macky Pamintuan’s website. Macky illustrated Bedtime at the Swamp and he did  illustrations for Flat Stanley as well as Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew.

David Catrow’s website. David illustrated The Middle Child Blues and also  Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon and lots of other fantastic books.

Giveaway details

More then one entry possible. If you enter more then once you can leave one comment telling us everything you did to enter.

1. Make a comment about your favorite bedtime story.

2. Tweet about our giveaway and leave a comment to tell us.

3. Like our Facebook page and leave us a comment to tell us.

4. Post our giveaway on Facebook and leave a comment to tell us.

Bookscoop’s giveaway is limited to the continental United States only. The winner will be randomly chosen and notified shortly after the close of the giveaway. The giveaway will close at midnight, MST, Saturday, January 19, 2013. First person chosen will win Bedtime at the Swamp. Second person will win The Middle Child Blues. We will make reasonable attempts to contact the winner, however if the winner cannot be contacted we reserve the right to randomly choose another winner.

Poopendous! by Artie Bennett

I have to admit I was excited to get this book to review courtesy of Author Artie Bennett. I know it sounds rather odd that a book like this would excite me so much. But not really, when you consider that I am the mother to four boys. We once spent a whole dinner discussing the finer points of passing gas- yes, everyone- well actually, everything that has a digestive tract does this (we had to do our research after we came to a draw). Your possible next book idea Mr. Bennett?

After reading other reviews, I was prepared for much laughter and hilarity. I was not prepared, however, for what we actually got. My two year old has a new bible. Poopendous is his potty training, all about poop bible. He holds this book and studies it like it is the be all-end all book about poop. I only wish it had a picture of a kid actually sitting on the potty instead of running for the bathroom door in desperation. He knows now that pooping is normal (I’m not sure he was wondering, but just in case) and that there are many different animals that do it in many different places. So, he’s decided he is a puppy and needs to poop like a puppy outside. He ran outside with no pants on just yesterday in a serious attempt to prove to me that he is in charge of where he goes to the bathroom. All the characters in his ‘bible’ poop in different places, so why should he be restricted to the toilet?  I just hope he doesn’t take any cues from the monkey in the book, “Monkeys fling when ender stress it helps the monkey decompress.” Over all though it has encouraged him to make all kinds of poops in his potty. Thank goodness!

A big thumbs up goes to this book about the finer facts of Professor Pip Poopdeck’s favorite subject. And just so you know there was no laughter, just quiet internalizing and digesting of these exhaustive facts. By all four of my boys. I was rather surprised. The other children who have been in our home and looked at this book have all gotten a silly grin on their faces. There’s just something special about a whole book devoted to poop- and in rhyme no less. It deserves our utmost respect and hallowed devotion. Kudos to Mr. Bennett and thanks again for the book!

Ramadan Moon by Na’ima B Robert and Shirin Adl

This is a sweet book written in verse about the Muslim celebration of Ramadan. I first learned about Ramadan from one of my neighbors in Forest Grove, Oregon back in 2001. I believe my neighbor was pregnant at the time, and the idea of fasting from dawn to dusk was astonishing to me. Iman (my beautiful neighbor) was cheerful about it though. I wish I had this book back then to help me understand all that was celebrated and looked forward to with henna patterns on hands, Eid day and an increased focus on charity, sharing, praying and giving.

Ramadan Moon is a rich and comprehensive picture book that reaches out to share some of the treasured beliefs of Muslim families everywhere. I love the collage enhancements on the illustrations. Well done!

The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

We are all about fresh starts, here in America. Fresh starts have been forced upon many families as a result of the real estate crash, massive job-losses, or even after the loss of loved ones whether from divorce, death or any number of unfortunate circumstances.  The House on Dirty-Third Street is a glimpse into the resiliency of the human spirit. Gonzalez’s illustrations gradually fill with more and more color as life gets better and better for a struggling little family starting over. There is a truth to the fact that the help they receive comes after the Mother and her daughter first reach out to help their neighbors, and then are humble enough to ask for help at the corner church on Sunday. Soon, their yard and home are filled with people giving service, reaching out to lift their neighbors. It reminded me of the times when communities would gather for barn raisings and accomplish something in a brief amount of time that would be almost impossible to achieve independently.

Magic is real. You can see it all around you in the wonderful acts of kindness that go on in our schools, neighborhoods and churches. Ugly things can be transformed, communities can be changed. Life does get better. We create a wonderful synchronicity when we come together for a worthwhile cause. Kittinger’s nameless character expected starting over would bring adventure and possibly buried treasure. In her journey of beginning again, she really does find treasure- the treasure of a changing and caring community!

What Do Illustrators Do? written and illustrated by Eileen Christelow

I have a child who wants to be an illustrator when he grows up. I used to dream of that when I was younger myself. So, when I saw this book at the library I thought it would be the perfect thing for both of us. I really liked it. I loved seeing the whole process. Some of my favorite visits with author/illustrators have been learning about the development of pictures to final products. Creativity is such a variable thing for everyone. The book, in summary is about two different illustrators each illustrating the same story. It shows how an illustrator designs a character, chooses which perspective to illustrate each scene from, and what tools they use to create their illustrations. Each person comes up with a completely different version of the same book.

I highly recommend this for anyone interested in illustration, young or old. It’s full of great pointers and practical advice. Even my five year old could use some of these pointers, even though he’s not the one interested in illustration. He was in tears today over his homework- he had to draw a picture of his favorite television show, which is Wild Kratts. He was very unhappy with his picture. It wasn’t perfect- the hair, in his distraught opinion looked like birthday candles on a cake instead of spikes. I did try to tell him that even professionals make sketches and mess up a lot and start over. He didn’t want to believe me. They could mess up, but he wanted to be perfect. Without practice. Hmm. That would be kind of nice. I’d sign up for that ability any day.

But, since that’s not likely to happen, I decided to take an illustration class this summer from Julie Oleson. I’m a little nervous. I want to be perfect too. Even though I know I’m not and I will never improve if I throw fits and whine about how I’m not as good as I would like to be. I’m taking the plunge. I signed up for the class. There are no refunds. Wish me luck!

Do you have a life-long dream that you’ve thought about pursuing? Maybe you want to be a writer, or an illustrator, or a dancer? Take some lessons, sign up for a class! You’ll never get there if you don’t start down the path no matter how scary it may be.