Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay

from goodreads

4 stars

Yesterday we went to Kiwanis Park. They have a pool there which is like a lake where it is shallow around all the edges and then gets deeper in the middle. While the kids and I were paddling around a butterfly decided to flit around us. It went from head to head as if it was trying to figure out which one of us was the most sweet to land on.

There is something about butterflies that make me smile. When I see them I feel at peace and that I am in some magical point in time. They are so delicate and beautiful. They definitely give me a lot of joy.

Synopsis

A little girl moves from her country home to the city. She is sad to be leaving behind the beautiful butterflies. When she notices that beside her house is a park called Butterfly Park she is excited and can't wait to see butterflies again.

My Thoughts

This was a a sweet story. My older kids really liked it. They liked when everyone got together to build a butterfly garden in the park.

I liked how it showed that children's interests and desires help to build community. It was through the children's desire for butterflies to remain in Butterfly Park that children and adults alike pulled together to make it a beautiful place. I loved that.

I loved the whimsical quality of this book. I loved how the little girls dress looked like butterfly wings. It was just lovely

Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt by Barbara Smucker Illustrated by Janet Wilson

from goodreads

4 stars

 

I woke up today, not knowing what it would hold. Little did I know that I would be a winner! "What did you win?" you might ask. Well, I'll tell you. Waterloo Public Library had a contest yesterday (it was a holiday hear in Ontario) and you had to email this person a book tittle with the word Walk or Walking in it. So I emailed the title The Walk by Richard Paul Evans. This morning when I was checking my email there was a message from the library saying I won. I won a pedometer!!! Pretty swanky, I'll say. I'm am super excited to pick it up. I have been thinking for while that I should wear one, and now I can. My only question is... was I the only entrant, or was the competition fierce. I think I will go with the fierce description as it makes the winning all that more awesome! Yes I know I am a geek for being this excited about winning a pedometer. I gotta take my excitement where I can get it.

 

Synopsis

 

Selina lives on a farm in Pennsylvania. She loves looking at the bits of material her grandmother has in her stash. Each piece is a memory of their life. She especially loves the Bear Paw quilt top her grandmother has made. Selina's family has to move from their farm because the camps on each side of the civil war are leery over the Mennonite community for not taking a side in the war. Selina's family has to move to be safe from harm. This is a beautiful tale of family, sacrifice and memories.

 

My Thoughts

 

I wasn't sure what to think about this book when it was brought home. Miss G., my 5 year old, brought this from her school library and was so excited to have it read to her. I was like "really?!?"  as this is not her usual book (thank goodness!) So, we read it. I think my daughter liked it because around each picture is a quilted boarder with beautiful material. And as we read the story she was got even more excited because the place where Selina and her family move to is where we live. I got to tell her how we had been to the train station that Selina got off the train at, and that maybe she even walked where our street is now. (Back in those days our street was probably someone's field.) After reading it Miss G. asked, "Did this story happen in real life?" I told her, "While this story and Selina were probably made up, this happened to people and so in that way, yes, it did happen." She was super excited.

 

So this book was a hit. I even enjoyed it too. It is a bit wordy for really young children. The story flows beautifully. I love how the story shows so much fun and warmth within the family. Yes, living on the farm was hard work, but it was still fun and the family truly loved each other. I loved how special Selina's character felt when her grandmother showed her the scraps of material. It allowed me to catch a glimpse into the lives of these people and it was beautiful. I also liked how the story told a bit of history that might not be known too much. I knew that some of the Mennonite families around Waterloo came from Pennsylvania but I didn't really know the reason why. I just figured they wanted some more nice farm land. It is great when a kids book can tell history without it seeming dull and boring.

 

The illustrations were beautiful. As mentioned before I loved the quilt boarders that are around each illustration. It adds so much character. 

 

It was very cool to learn that the author lived, for many years, close to where we do. I read her book Underground to Canada growing up and loved it. I visited Waterloo a lot as a child (I am not originally from here), I wonder if I ever passed her at the market or at the University? It is very cool when there are those connections.

 

The only thing about this book that is a negative is now I am itching to get out my sewing machine and start quilting. (I don't have the time for that right now). Miss G. has already demanded a bear paw quilt for her bed. I guess I will have to add it to my to do list.

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

from goodreads

5 stars

We are all better in the household. The sickness is gone. And that was perfect timing. Yesterday was a SNOW DAY!!!! When Miss G. woke up and learned that she didn't have to go to school, because there was so much snow, she ran down to the mud room to start putting on her snow pants. My husband told her she had to wait until Mommy was up (7:00 does not exist in my world right now, come talk to me at 7:45 earliest).

She patiently did, and while I was snuggling with Miss P. I heard Miss G. creep into Miss V.'s room and excitedly tell her (while channeling her inner William Shatner) there was no school because there was Too. Much. Snow. 

It is nice when you get to see the excitement of the snow day personified. I love watching the snow fall, but, the aftermath of shoveling and dripping snow clothes don't fill me with the excitement it used to. But, when you have a 5 year old so excited it is hard not to have a smile on your face. I love the magic of childhood.

Synopsis

The plain brown tree has magic to be unleashed. Follow the directions and see the tree be transformed.

My Thoughts

This was an absolutely lovely book. It is interactive and you learn things. The best part is that the kids are having so much fun they don't even know they are learning things. It is kind of like Don't Push the Button. Instead of simply pushing the button though, you get to tap the tree, rub the tree, brush the tree, give the tree a kiss, blow like the wind and more.

The tree starts just bare and with the first tap a green leaf appears, then more. Eventually the tree goes through the stages of an apple tree, with blossoms then fruit, then fall colours back to winter. It is a fun interactive way for kids to learn about the cycle trees go through with the seasons.

When Miss P. had to blow on the tree she did and then said "ooh hot". So precious. When Miss G. made the blossoms appear she was so excited and you could see her eyes just light up.

This is a great book for little kids. It is beautifully illustrated. It is just as much fun to read as an adult as it is for the kids. This will definitely be a family favourite.

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

from goodreads

5 stars

Growing up I loved July. At the beginning it was strawberry picking time. We had wild strawberries on our property and then there was a farm not too far away where we could pick strawberries. I love picking strawberries. It is hot work but so delicious.

Near the end of the month the raspberries were ready. We had two or three bushes of wild raspberries. Nothing is better than fresh raspberries over vanilla ice cream. Yummy! I loved picking the raspberries because I felt I was surrounded by them and was part of the bush. They were everywhere just waiting to be picked.

In late July, early August, we started picking blueberries. There were bushes at our favourite beach and at the farm again.

I'm not sure if we actually made anything with the berries. I think we might have just eaten them as is. Personally I think that is the best way to have berries anyways.

Synopsis

This is a fun, whimsical book about a boy and a random bear. They flit along through finding the joy and fun in berries.

My Thoughts

I love this book. I have loved it since the first time I read it when I was six. The pictures are so beautiful. There are little gems hidden all over the page. I love how lily pads are crackers with butter. Trees have bread fro leaves. The cattails are marshmallows. As a kid reading this it was simply magical.

Now as an adult I appreciate the actual words and flow of the poem more. As a kid I really had no idea what the book was about I was just drawn by the illustrations. Now I appreciate the soft lull and then crescendo that the words of the poem convey.

This is simply a beautiful book. It makes me want to go berry picking every time I read it.

Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe by Wallace Edwards

from goodreads

5 stars

I'll be honest. Lately I wonder if my children are really my offspring. They have been bringing home the most horrid books from the library. No good story, no good illustrations. Seriously there are only so many Scooby-doo adventures this mom can take. But then last week a miracle occurred. My oldest brought home this book and the angel choirs sang in the background. Who knows what this week will bring but at least my sanity has been restored for a while at least.

Synopsis

Uncle Wally's shoe goes on an adventure through dream land. It is written in the same vein as The House that Jack Built.

My Thoughts

The pictures in this book were gorgeous. I loved the tiger theme throughout. Sometimes you saw an actual tiger, sometimes it was the pattern on a scarf. It was really neat. The pictures were truly a treat for your eyes as you looked in every corner to find something new and whimsical. They were serious magic.

I loved the rhythm and rhyme that the book followed. My kids were excited to see what the shoe was going to be used for next. The story wasn't as exciting the pictures but hey, you can't have everything. And the pictures more than made up for anything that was lacking in the story.

This is definitely one that I want on my shelf.

Winter's gift by Jane Monroe Donovan

from goodreads

4 stars

This as been a long and cold winter. And, just as you think it is warming up, another cold snap happens. Winter just won't let up. Oh well! At least the sun is out today and the sky is blue. I can laze on my couch in the sun this afternoon drinking a warm herbal tea and reading. I definitely don't mind that part of winter.

Synopsis

The events in this book take place on Christmas eve. There are two story lines. The first is of a recently widowed old man going about his life and reminiscing of his wife. The second is of a wild mare who has lost her way from her herd and is stuck in the snow. When the two story lines meet the horse is saved and is and the man has a new found hope for his future and perhaps in a small way, misses his wife a little bit less keenly.

My Thoughts

I loved the illustrations in this book. They were very realistic. I sort of want them in a calendar they are  so beautiful. When you look at them you feel the cold air of winter, but you also feel the warmth of inside. They were simply wonderful.

As for the story, it wasn't too bad either. Once again the story was real. There were now flowery words or dumbing down of events. You got to understand how much this man pined for the love of his life. How much she meant to him and how sad he was that she was gone. It is kind of nice for kids to see. That those kind of deep connections still exist in this world where a lot of times marital relationships are taken for granted and dissolved so often. It was nice to see that once the man helped the horse and saw the foal that he felt hope again for his life of tomorrows. It is nice to show kids that even when we are sad, or things aren't exactly how we would like them, there is always a hope for a brighter tomorrow. That things will look up and there is always something to keep us going.

I found the ending kind of abrupt. One minute it is winter time in a barn, you turn the page and suddenly it is spring, with no other explanation. Perhaps none is needed but I just found the change a bit sudden and felt a bit hanging. The book did feel as complete as it could of been. But that could just be me.

The King Has Goat Ears by Katarina Jovanovic illustrated by Philippe Beha

from goodreads

4.5 stars

When I was young I had a cassette tape (that's right, a good ol' cassette tape with walkman) of Robert Munsch stories. There was one story that was not a Munsch story. I don't know the title or who the narrator was. I don't even remember all the words of the story. I remember one line, "Each blade of grass whispered to the other 'the King of Togo Togo has two horns'". Even my husband remembers that line, it must have been a popular tape. This book reminds me of that story. It allows me to remember and know how happy my childhood was.

Synopsis

Poor King Boyan has goat ears on his head. Because of that he never leaves his castle and getting a hair cut is quite difficult. When he needs a hair cut he summons a barber and then that barber is never seen again. There is now a shortage of barbers. Igor is an apprentice to the only barber left. He agrees to go cut the King's hair. When the King asks Igor how he looks Igor says he looks fine, and then is sent home. But Igor knows the kings secret and can't tell anyone, but needs to let it out, so he digs a hole and yells in his secret and covers it up. Will the secret stay safe?

My Thoughts

This is a cute story. The pictures are cool. They are made up of various textiles and that makes them really special.

I liked how this story shows that you can be happy no matter what you look like. Really it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you are happy and love yourself. It shows how when you stop worrying about things that are out of your control, self-confidence can build.

This book also showed how secrets can spread even when we think we are being careful. Words are powerful things. We need to be careful with them.

The adult in me thought a few things were strange. Like, Why didn't he keep one barber in the castle all the time and just use him? Why did he have to get a new barber each time, even though the other barbers were still in the castle? Wouldn't the people already know he had goat ears, assuming he had them since birth? My kids just accepted things as fact and didn't worry themselves about "the details". Me and my logical brain!

So one the whole I really enjoyed this book. My children really enjoyed this book. That there is a winning combination.

Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis

from goodreads

3 stars

This is one of a series of books starring ladybug girl. Each book deals with a social issue/emotional issue. It is nice when children's literature can help parents navigate the teaching of social conventions and learning social cues. It is an abstract thing and can be hard to grasp, even by adults. So, it is nice when books can teach without seeming to preachy.

Synopsis

Lulu, aka Ladybug Girl, has invited her fellow bug squad members to her house for a play date. Lulu has it all mapped out in her head of how she wants it to go. When somethings don't go the way she planned Lulu has to decide what is more important, strict adherence to her rules or having her friends be happy.

My Thoughts

I loved the illustrations. They were colourful and realistic. For me they were the highlight.

The story however was rather lack lustre. I felt nothing was really all that interesting. Most of it was just kids on a play date. No real drama. It wasn't until almost then end when the conflict finally occurred. But then, it was quickly resolved. There was no build up or anything, just BLAM, then done.

I do like that it helps kids know that not everyone will do things exactly how you would want them to. And, that we need to figure out what is more important, your friends happiness or having your way.

I might check out some of the other books in the series, though I am not in a rush to do so.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

from goodreads

5 stars

It is nearing the end of the first week of December. Christmas preparations are in full swing. My family and I cut down our Christmas tree last weekend. The smell is heavenly. With all this thought of Christmas I decided to read A Christmas Carol. It is the first time I have actually read it. I have seen many movie renditions, even with Scrooge McDuck, but I had never taken the time to read it. I'm so glad I took the time this year.

Synopsis

Ebeneezer Scrooge is a misery old man who is a penny pincher and uber tightwad. The accumulation of wealth is his soul focus in life, and his social conscience is rather lacking. On Christmas eve he is visited by four ghosts

: the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley, the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present and the ghost of Christmas future. Through his experiences with these ghosts Scrooge learns what is truly important in life and decides how he wants to live his life from now on.

My Thoughts

This was a truly delightful tale. I don't know why it took me so long to read it. Perhaps it is because it is written by Dickens. Dickens can be wordy and thus, at times, be hard to follow. A Christmas Carol is not horribly wordy and was a very fast read. So don't be turned off by the fact it is Dickens, it is very readable and does not make your head hurt.

The edition I read was illustrated by P.J. Lynch. The illustrations were so beautiful and enhanced the story. Some illustrated additions have rather grotesque images. The pictures in this edition made you feel the warmth of Christmas and chronicled the change in Scrooge very well. They were perfect.

I love how positive this book is. It shows that no matter what are faults are we can change, it is never too late to change, and it is worth the effort to make those positive changes.

I also like how the spirits did not lecture Scrooge on his faults. They simply showed him how things were and left it up to Scrooge to feel guilt and sadness and come up with the idea to change. Quite often we are well aware of our own imperfections. We don't need people harping about them. Gentle reminders and kindness help us change more than lectures.

Although this story is over done in movie renditions, even the Muppets have a version, it is so worth the read. And this time of year is the perfect time. It will definitely help put you in the holiday spirit.

Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett

from goodreads

4 stars

I love Jan Brett books. Mostly for the detailed illustrations. My favourite book of hers is The Mitten. Just looking at the front cover of this book I knew that her classic, detailed style would enchant me into this story. If you have never picked up one of her books before I really urge you too. And while you read the book, take time to really observe the illustrations. I find something new and wonderful in them every time I look.

Synopsis

This is basically the story of Cinderella but played out by chickens on a cold winters night in a Russian forest.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. Not so much for the story but, for the illustrations. They were beautiful. I loved the way she used different varieties of chickens to play different characters. Cinders was a plain gray chicken. The Prince was a cockerel with the biggest tail plume ever. I loved the chickens with the long head feathers. They worked with their role in the story.

I loved the details on the dresses and the ice palace and the chicken tower. In so many illustrated children's books that kind of detail is not there. In fact it is usually the simpler the better. Brett shows that illustrations can be complex yet, simply convey the story. She shows that illustrations are worth pausing for a moment to explore.

The story itself is essentially Cinderella. There is no new twist to it, and for me there really doesn't need to be. My children liked the book for the story, but as you can tell I liked it for the illustrations.

So if you like chickens and you like Cinderella, then you will like this book. If you like beautiful artwork then you will like this book. It is definitely worthwhile to pick up.