Back to School Review-The Pout Pout Fish

The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School, Deborah Diesen, Dan Hanna

Amanda and Babycakes

Published June 24th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Younger Readers

Hardcover, 32 pages

Source: Purchased for First Day of School!

If you have a little one and you don’t know Mr. Fish then get yourself to the book store!  We love The Pout Pout Fish so much at my house.  The story is sweet, the illustrations make us laugh and I love any book that gives me chances to smooch my daughter’s cheeks while reading.  

The Pout Pout Fish Goes to School arrived just in time on my daughter’s first day of school.  We had sit down and read it immediately and then read it again at bedtime.  This book totally lives up to the first two stories about Mr. Fish! Poor Mr. Fish has been dropped off at school for the very first time and becomes lost on his way to his classroom.  He becomes overwhelmed when he can’t write his name, draw a rhombus or start doing math and is ready to swim on home.  I loved Mr. Fish’s teacher and her easy message about learning and not giving up.  The pictures cracked me up as always, they’re bright and cheerful and just silly enough. Babycakes also points out the funny details and is “reading” along with me.  The rhyming makes this fun to read and easy for her to remember which is perfect.

We’re going to be reading this a lot over the school year and I definitely think you should check it out if you’ve just brought little kids to school!

5 stars!

Babycakes Reviews 2 Books

The Mermaid and the Shoe, K.G. Campbell

Amanda & Babycakes

Published April 1st 2014 by Kids Can Press

32 Pages

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads..

Each of King Neptune’s 50 mermaid daughters boasts a special talent, except for little Minnow, who seems to be good only at asking questions. When she finds a strange object, Minnow follows her questions to a wondrous place and finds answers, including the answer to the most important question of all: Who am I? A gorgeously illustrated story about finding one’s purpose.

What a pretty book!  We’re definitely shoe girls at our house, so this lovely red shoe floating through the sea was perfect for Babycakes and I to read together.  The language was beautiful as well which I really appreciate in a kids book.  I want my child to have both the easy reading books and the ones where I know she’s going to to use adult words.

Poor Minnow doesn’t think she has a special talent like her 49 sisters, but she is really good at asking questions.   Like another little girl I know!  She does have one really mean older sister who tells Minnow that she’s useless which was so sad to read.  Thankfully Minnow doesn’t listen!

Minnow bravely goes exploring to see what this red shoe could be and where it comes from.  I love for my daughter to read about brave little girls and I loved how King Neptune praised Minnow in the end.

Babycakes loved the colors and the sea life and we immediately read this one a second time.  I will happily keep reading this for my daughter to hear about a smart little mermaid who asks good questions and explores the world.

5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

And

There’s a Mouse Hiding In This Book

To be published September 1, 2014 by Capstone Young Readers

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads..

This Tom and Jerry interactive picture book holds a surprise on each page! Where is Jerry hiding? On the title page, on the back cover, or somewhere in between? Little readers will howl with delight each time they open the covers and try helping Tom find the mischievous mouse. Perfect for storytime.

This was great for a little reader! This was interactive for my daughter-count before turning the page, turn the page sloooowly, shake the book…  She made me read it 4 times in a row! Tom is chasing Jerry through his book and asks the reader for help.  Even not knowing who Tom & Jerry are my 3 1/2 year old enjoyed this.

As a parent this was a cute flashback to Tom & Jerry.  I love reading books with Babycakes that get her active and talking back to the characters.

4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for this advance read copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Review: Children Are Naughty

Children are Naughty, Vincent Cuvellier and Aurelie Guillerey

Amanda and Babycakes   

Published: May 13th 2014 by Flying Eye Books

Hardcover, 28 pages

Source: Edelweiss

From Goodreads…

Children are naughty and parents are nice.

Some children bite and don’t share their toys and there are some who fight and make lots of noise. Let’s remember that parents were young once too! But were they as nice back then?

A tongue-in-cheek story about right and wrong, giving kids the opportunity to learn through laughter.

For something different, my three year-old and I decided to review a book together.  I’m doing my best to make sure she’s a book addict as well.

(reading with Auntie Holly!)

I loved the idea of this book because yes, children are naughty! And aren’t parents always nice?  No? Just me?

The description says this book is for 3-7 year-olds and I think trying it older on the spectrum is a better idea.  My 3 year-old loves to read and looks at her books daily and unfortunately she could not keep her interest in this one.  It was meant to be funny, but maybe it was just a bit over her head at 3.5.  I see the authors are in France so I wonder if there is also something lost in translation?

I did like the drawings-particularly of the little boy who threw his spinach on the floor after it had been lovingly prepared by his father. The horror!

For us this was a 2 star read.  Just didn’t work, but I’ll try again when she’s a bit older!

Thank you Edelweiss and Flying Eye Books for this advanced copy to read.