The Day My Mom Came To Kindergarten

The Day My Mom Came To Kindergarten

Author: Maureen Fergus

Illustrator: Mike Lowery

Publisher: Kids Can Press

ISBN: 9781554536986

Let’s face it moms and dads...sometimes, there are things that kids just do better than their parents, and that’s okay! Some of the proudest moments as a parent happen when we see our children excel.

Am I the only parent who would love to be a fly on the wall, maybe throw on my invisibility cloak and watch my kids during a typical school day?  Are they polite? Do they raise their hands and wait to be called on? Are they respectful of their teachers and friends? Is their desk messy and gross, do they clean up and follow directions? Are they the talker in class?

What's great about The Day My Mom Came To Kindergarten is that it's not the student causing trouble, it's the parent proving yet again that kids are better at certain tasks than their parents.

This is a wonderful book for little ones getting ready to attend a school setting and it doesn’t necessarily have to be kindergarten, preschool children would understand this book as well. It's a great way to enforce the dos and don'ts of school without harping on them and allow them to grow more comfortable with what they'll be doing at school.   

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Luca Lashes Visits the Doctor

Luca Lashes Visits the Doctor

Author: Nicole and Damir Fonovich

Illustrator: Kim Stace Thomas

Luca Lashes, LLC

ISBN: 9781937924201

Meet Luca, and his magical eyelashes. He blinks twice and they grow long to help him be brave and strong. As is common practice, Luca is due for a well-visit and needs a shot but finds himself a bit apprehensive about the doctor’s office. Lucky for Luca, he has those magical eyelashes and some encouragement from his mommy and the staff at the doctor’s office. He gets through his visit with no tears and a clean bill of health.

Luca Lashes Visits the Doctor is the sixth book in the Luca Lashes series aimed at reader’s ages 0-4. It is a continuation of the Luca Lashes series of books dealing with children’s first experiences such as first dental visits, first haircuts, and swimming lessons. There is even a “Suggestions for Parents” page in the back of the book with neat tips and great advice to help your children cope with upcoming first milestones.

Did you know that the Luca Lashes series is available in Chinese, English, French, Italian and Spanish? There is a whole team of people behind the scenes that help make each Luca Lashes story come alive.

There are currently 18 books planned in the series with more to come in 2014. I encourage parents to check out the Luca Lashes website, it’s a ton of fun, very educational, and there are even apps available for download to enhance the reading experience.

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Chunky Sugars

Chunky Sugars

Author: Sara Banard

Illustrator: Joshua Stolte

Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing

ISBN: 9781939217202

An adorable baby bear cub and his mama spend some quality time together sharing snuggles and, of course, some chunky sugars. What are chunky sugars you ask? Well, I’m sure you've shared enough of them with your own cubs, those sweet smooches you can never get enough of.

So what does our adorable baby bear cub and his mama like to do you ask? Well, they like to play outside, swim with the fishes, and eat all the honey and blueberries they can find. Mama also loves to share those special chunky sugars all over her chunky baby’s cheeks, fluffy head and feet. So when you read Chunky Sugars to your little cub, be sure to dish out all the sugar you can, but don’t forget to count those hearts, look for bee’s and say a quick hello to Mother Nature while you’re at it. Oh, and watch out for those new baby teeth, they hurt!

Chunky Sugars is an adorable book written by Sara Banard who happens to dish out chunky sugars to her own chunky babies. Joshua Stolte is the man behind the adorable illustrations in Chunk Sugars that have an eye catching, 3D like quality to them.  They are fun to look at, but not overwhelming for your little ones.  They also offer a wonderful way to introduce new words to your children’s vocabulary with images of bee’s and fish, hearts and hugs, even teeth.

Chunky Sugars is the perfect introductory book for your own chunky baby, and whether you call them smooches, kisses, planting a smacker or a chunky sugar, you’ll appreciate the message behind this adorable book. 

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Flood

Flood

Illustrator: Alvaro Fernandez Villa

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

ISBN: 9781623700010

Notice that there is no author listed for this book. That’s because there isn't one. Flood is a completely visual experience for readers. It doesn't need words; its impact is that powerful.

This book is recommended for readers ages 6-8 and I definitely agree with this rating. I wouldn't recommend Flood for younger children unless a parent sees fit. Flood deals with a very real, possibly disturbing event that younger children might not understand or will interpret differently than intended.

This book teaches us an invaluable lesson. Mother Nature, while beautiful, can show her fury. Natural disasters can’t be stopped and are usually devastating. Personal belongings and effects washed away, ruined. Never to be recovered again.

What’s more important than the storm itself is what happens when the worst of it clears. When we witness communities come together to help one another rebuild their homes and businesses, schools and hospitals. Cleaning up the community, shaping up the community, striving to make it better than it was before. That’s a powerful message to send to children.

I personally feel this is a very wise book to share with young children, especially ones old enough to understand the impact that Sandy had on the East Coast of the United States. The storm coverage for Sandy was intense and emotional, so consider taking the time to explain to little ones that there is always the potential for something positive to come out of something so negative.

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No Ordinary Apple

No Ordinary Apple: A Story About Eating Mindfully

Author: Sara Marlowe

Illustrator: Phil Pascuzzo

Publisher: Wisdom Publications

ISBN: 9781614290766

Release Date: Summer 2013

5 bright shiny apples for this gem of a book!

If you’ve got yourself a picky eater at home, No Ordinary Apple is a definite read.

First, let’s start out by meeting Elliott, a handsome young boy who desires an afternoon snack after a long, ordinary day at school. He’s appalled when offered an apple as a snack, he’d prefer, as most children probably would, some sugary sweet junk good.

“An apple? Don’t you have any candy?”

From there, we follow little Elliot on a tasty journey where he discovers there is more to that ordinary apple than meets the eye, and ear, and nose, and mouth.

No Ordinary Apple is more than just a book about eating mindfully; it’s a book about engaging one’s sense’s when eating food, trying new foods, or giving foods that was once deemed unlikable another chance.

This book is brightly illustrated with lively pictures and vibrant colors. The cover drew me in immediately. The illustrations are so interesting that you readers will likely stay on a page to admire the handiwork of Mr. Pascuzzo long after reading the text. And while this book is meant for children 4 and up, younger children can easily appreciate the story and graphics as well.

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