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Posts Tagged ‘Ages 0-4’
Monday, August 30th, 2010
 + + + Market Day! Colors/Shapes/Opposites/Numbers [With Pop-up Market and Press-out Characters]
Authors: Victoria Roberts, Tomislav Zlatic
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 14 pages
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers (September 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935279785
ISBN-13: 978-1935279785
Book(s) description: Come shopping in the brightest and busiest market you’ll ever find! Learn all about colors, shapes, opposites and numbers with the help of charming characters. Four books, 1 pop-up market and several press-out characters.
Book(s) review: Each little board book is a rhyming and colorful chance to practice colors, shapes, opposites and numbers with your child. These books will interest your toddler and begin his discovery. The press-out characters are for the older set (ages 3-4) and will delight children who fall in love with the characters. Makes a great tote-and-go collection, perfect for the car.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 9-12, Author last name R, Author last name Z, colors, kindergarten, numbers, opposites, preschool, Recommended titles, shapes, Title M
Posted in Book Reviews |
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
 + + + + Begin Smart: Round Balls, Round Balls
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 16 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; 1 Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618942
ISBN-13: 978-1934618943
Book description: Babies love stuffed animals! The lively text adapted from a familiar rhyme, captures the antics of an adorable group of hand-crafted, stuffed animals (bear, puppy, kitten, bunny, and elephant).
Book review: Loved the rhyme and story here. A sure to please read for your toddler. Bright, colorful balls and adorable stuffed animals in eye catching colors will draw your little one’s attention and you’ll enjoy reading the rhyme. Baby will love hearing it!
Tags: Ages 0-4, baby, Begin Smart, colors, preschool, rhyme, shapes, Title B, Title R, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
 + + + + Begin Smart: Where’s Your Nose?
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 16 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618934
ISBN-13: 978-1934618936
Book description: “This teddy bear touches his toes.
Can you touch bear’s toes?
Where are your toes?”
Clear, colorful photos show teddy bears reaching and stretching and touching their knees, toes, and noses. This touch-and-feel board book helps baby identify the parts of the body.
Book review: Get your baby moving and naming those body parts! Little ones will have fun mimicking the teddy bear and finding their own nose and toes. A great book to foster play and learning. Consider this an activity book. 
Tags: Ages 0-4, baby, Begin Smart, body parts, exercise, preschool, Title B, Title W, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Friday, June 4th, 2010
 + + + Begin Smart: Pete’s Potty
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618985
ISBN-13: 978-1934618981
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 + + + Begin Smart: Lily’s Potty
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618993
ISBN-13: 978-1934618998
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Book description: The perennial topic of “the potty” is a welcome and essential addition to Begin Smart’s new Level 5 for children ages 2 to 3 years.
“Where’s my potty?
I have to poo and pee.
Is it under the bed?
Look and see.”
In each story, Lily and Pete search around the house to find their potty at potty-time. Colorful gatefolds throughout the books show how Pete and Lily learn to use their potties. One book for boys and one book for girls make potty-time perfect!
Book review: These little books get the topic of potty time started making what might be a scary new step for little ones quite ordinary. Great to have on hand when introducing the potty. Lets little ones get used to the idea without making a big fuss.
Tags: Ages 0-4, babies, baby, Begin Smart, potty training, pre-school, Recommended titles, Title B, Title L, Title P, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Friday, June 4th, 2010
 + + Begin Smart: My Little Baby
Author: Begin Smart
Board book: 12 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart LLC (March 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1609060083
ISBN-13: 978-1609060084
Book description: Features cat, chicken, penguin and dog that engage the youngest readers with touch-and-feel elements as parents provide the appropriate sounds.
Book review: If you like Begin Smart and you don’t already have a book with tactile features about baby animals and what they say, you’ll want this one. It’s interesting and fun for the new baby reader. BUT, it’s not really different than any other book of the sort on the market, except that it’s Begin Smart and the construction is sturdy, the art is colorful, but the idea for this one is pretty average.
Tags: Ages 0-4, animal sounds, animals, baby, Begin Smat, Title B, Title M, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
 + + + Begin Smart: Counting Duckies
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 18 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618950
ISBN-13: 978-1934618950
Book description: Here rubber duckies count 1 to 5 in a baby’s bathtub and have some fun along the way! Bold colors and rubber touch-and-feel elements will engage babies with hands-on learning.
Book review: A fun book for counting backwards. Your toddler will love reading it forward and backward. Your baby will like the colorful ducks and the whole idea of bath time and splashing around. The touch-and-feel elements, though, don’t stand out in this one as much as they do in other Begin Smart books, they’re hardly noticeable in comparison.
Tags: Ages 0-4, animals, Begin Smart, counting, ducks, preschool, Recommended titles, Title B, Title C, toddlers
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
 + + + + Begin Smart: What Shapes Do You See?
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618969
ISBN-13: 978-1934618967
Book description: “This is a triangle. It has three sides. What is shaped like a triangle?”
Full-color photography featuring clever and playful die-cuts place everyday shapes and colors in the child’s world. Squares, circles, triangles and rectangles are revealed in street signs, buttons, sailboats and many more objects.
Book review: What fun! Fascinating for little ones as they recognize familiar everyday objects and their shapes. Flip-out pages make this and even more interesting discovery.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Begin Smart, Highly Recommended titles, preschool, shapes, Title B, Title W, todller
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
 + + + +Begin Smart: What Color Is Your Apple?
Author: Begin Smart
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618977
ISBN-13: 978-1934618974
Book description: “Here is lettuce. It is a GREEN vegetable. Lettuce grows in the ground.”
Red apples, green peas, orange mangoes, yellow squash and purple plums are just a few of the fruits and vegetables found within this tasty introduction to colors.
Book review: This is a sturdy little colorful book you can really sink your teeth into. Each fruit or vegetable features a flip-out page revealing more fruits and vegetables of the same color. Mouth watering photographs will tempt your little one to explore each new page and make learning colors and naming foods fun.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Begin Smart, boardbook, colors, food, preschool, Title W, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
 + + + + Passing By
Author: Yona Tepper
Illustrator: Gil-ly Alon Curiel
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers; 1 edition (January 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193527936X
ISBN-13: 978-1935279365
Book description: Yael peeks out from her balcony and sees everything that’s happening in the street below, from the cat in the garden next door to a green tractor chugging down the road. Finally, she sees the best thing – her dad on his way home! There’s one surprise after another in Passing By, and children will love guessing where everyone is coming from and where they’re going to.
Book review: The view from Yael’s balcony is awesome and little ones will love guessing and exploring each new discovery. Loved the point of view – young readers will immediately relate. This is what makes reading fun for little ones!
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-5, Author last name T, Highly Recommende dtitles, preschool, Title P
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
 + + + Andy and Sam Hide-and-Seek
Author: Liesbet Slegers
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers; 1 edition (January 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935279351
ISBN-13: 978-1935279358
Book description: An engaging seek and find book for young children – each colorful spread asks simple questions: Where is the rabbit? Who is living in the apple? How many elephants are there in the zoo?
Book review: A colorful first seek-and-find for little ones. Totally engages the little mind and starts them seeking details in each illustration, helping them develop skills that will make them solid readers. Great for long car or plane trips. Especially perfect for young lovers of cats, as there is a hidden cat in each picture.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-5, Author last name S, cats, fun, hide-and-seek, Recommended titles, search and find, Title A
Posted in Book Reviews |
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
 + + + Good Night, Little Bunny: A Touch-and-Feel Bedtime Story
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Sam Williams
Board book: 12 pages
Publisher: Little Simon; Brdbk edition (January 26, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416983015
ISBN-13: 978-1416983019
Book description: Follow a little bunny as he puts on his pj’s, brushes his teeth, and gets ready for bed. Discover touch-and-feel elements throughout this board book.
Book review: A sweet story with rhyming text and touching illustrations. A definite keep for bedtime story time. Your little one will love feeling the different textures (soft bunny, scratchy toothbrush, cotton bedspread, slippery moon…).
Tags: Ages 0-4, animals, Author last name Y, bedtime story, board book, bunnies, Highly Recommended titles, Title G
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
 + + + Kitten’s Spring
Author Eugenie Fernandes
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press, Ltd. (February 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554533406
ISBN-13: 978-1554533404
Book description: It s a bright spring day in the farmyard and Kitten is meeting all sorts of animals and their young, including frogs and tadpoles, owls and owlets and many more. In this first book in the Kitten series, rhyming couplets capture the animals sounds and actions, making it a fantastic interactive read-aloud. Young readers will enjoy mimicking animal sounds, picking out seasonal details in the exquisite mixed-media art and searching for and finding Kitten on every page.
Book review: The mixed-media artwork is eye-catching and delights the young reader. My little one finds this type of artwork fascinating and he devours the detail on each page. This is a fun book that inspires sound and little ones will love the mother and young pairings for each type of animal.
Tags: Ages 0-4, animal sounds, animals, Author last name F, farm animals, Recommended titles, Title K
Posted in Book Reviews |
Monday, February 1st, 2010
 + + + + + The Kissing Hand
Author: Audrey Penn
Illustrators: Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Tanglewood Press (July 25, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933718072
ISBN-13: 978-1933718071
Book description: Chester Raccoon doesn’t want to go to school–he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he’ll love school–with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that’s been in the family for years–the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son’s hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm–smack dab in the middle: “Chester felt his mother’s kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart.”
Book review: As a mother I was very touched by “The Kissing Hand.” This is an idea mothers can share with their little ones and easily implement creating both confident kiddos and childhood memories to treasure.
Here’s the breakdown:
Characters: Chester and his mother quickly resonate with the young reader especially in their dialog where Mother Raccoon is soothing and reassuring, wise and nurturing.
Events / Story Line: It’s Chester’s first ‘night’ of school and he’s nervous and wants to stay home with mother where everything is comforting and familiar. Mrs. Raccoon shows him a special way to keep ‘in touch’ with her throughout the night by teaching him about the kissing hand.
Illustrations: The illustrations are wonderful and remind me of the old Golden Books. Filling the page, detailed and comforting, they underscore the warmth of the narration.
Reader relevance: This is the perfect gift for a child starting school! Little one’s will relate to Chester’s feelings and love the concept of the kissing hand.
Reader Excitability / Overall Presentation: Moms will absolutely be touched. Little ones will immediately take to the idea of a kissing hand – if they haven’t already been doing this at home.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-5, Author last name P, first day of school, kindergarten, Outstanding titles, Title K
Posted in Book Reviews |
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
 * Night-Night, Baby! (Amazing Baby) (Board book)
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 16 pages
Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books; Brdbk edition (August 11, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592239706
ISBN-13: 978-1592239702
Book description: With its calming rhymes and soothing images, this over-sized board book is the perfect ending to baby’s busy day. The gentle, rhythmic text lulls little ones to sleep while building verbal comprehension skills. Special tactile surprises, including a fluffy teddy bear, sparkly foil moon, and die-cut star, capture baby’s attention and improve manual dexterity.
Book review: When your little one is old enough to sit up and snuggle with you while you read, this is a book that is going to stand the wear and tear of sticky little hands and baby drool. Baby will reach for the sparkly, bright colored illustrations, and love the feel of the fluffy sheep. This book is a great way to establish a soothing bedtime ritual. The illustrated baby face matched with pics of a real baby falling asleep will interest your little one, too.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Amazing baby, babies, board book, Recommended titles, toddlers
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
 * * * Wet Friend! (Adventure of Meno)
Authors: Angela & Tony Diterlizzi
Illustrator: Tony Diterlizzi
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416971491
ISBN-13: 978-1416971498
Book review: If you are looking for untarnished innocence, joy and glee read the Meno books. Add me to the fan club, please! My six-year old (and certainly younger children) will love these not only because he can master the language, but also because the story is appealing, silly and fun.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-5, Ages 4-8, Author last name D, baby, Meno, Outstanding titles, Title A, Title M, Title W, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
 * * Big Fun! (Adventure of Meno)
Authors: Angela & Tony Diterlizzi
Illustrator: Tony Diterlizzi
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416971483
ISBN-13: 978-1416971481
Book review: Silly! Definitely a toddler-tickler that will have your tot giggling at the end. The illustrations are nostalgic-esque and remind me of both the Jetsons and the Campbell Soup kids; the books definitely have a ‘nostalgic commercial feel’ and I could just imagine product placement here–great for merchandising, right? Great colorful pages and great lovable characters. For parents that care, this book has very mild bathroom humor which is pleasing to this age group, but is also a heads up for those to whom it might matter.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-5, Ages 4-8, Author last name D, baby, Highly Recommended titles, Meno, Title A, Title B, Title M, toddlers
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
 * * * Begin Smart: Animal Faces
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Bath Book: 8 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Ragbk edition (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618047
ISBN-13: 978-1934618042
Book description: The big animal faces in this soft, cloth book will catch baby’s eye immediately. A sewn-in rattle adds to the fun—shake it to capture, keep, and build baby’s attention span.
Book review: This will be your baby’s new best friend. Perfectly made to be a clutch toy. Baby will love reading along with you and bonding with his new best friend. If my teens (twins) were teeny again, I’d have two ordered for Christmas now, that’s how sure I am that this will become a new favorite toy.
Tags: Ages 0-4, animals, baby, Begin Smart, Outstanding titles, Title A, Title B, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
 * * * Begin Smart: Look Around
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Bath Book: 8 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Bath edition (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618799
ISBN-13: 978-1934618790
Book review: Three out of three stars! Well made, makes noise, colorful and educational. The kind of book your baby can devour (without destroying it) and grow with. Bonus: Older sister or brother can read this one to baby. Win-win!
Tags: Ages 0-4, baby, Begin Smart, Outstanding titles, Title B, Title L, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
 * * Begin Smart: Baby Says Cards
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Cards: 16 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193461856X
ISBN-13: 978-1934618561
Book description: Clear, colorful art makes this set of cards on a teether ring the ideal format for babies just beginning to explore and learn for themselves. A butterfly, a fish, a car, a flower, a bird, and much more—all for baby’s eyes to see. When baby needs to chew on something, just direct him away from the cards to the teether ring.
Book review: Now these are worthwhile for the precocious baby…and who doesn’t have one of those? Start your baby naming pictures and matching them to words while he’s teething and build that early vocabulary. Smart and useful.
Tags: Ages 0-4, baby, Begin Smart, Highly Recommended titles, Title B, toddler
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
 * Begin Smart: Bouncy Baby
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 12 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618659
ISBN-13: 978-1934618653
Book review: This board book has all that I’ve come to expect from Begin Smart: quality construction, durability, highly colorful illustrations and an engaging educational story…but I am concerned that the peek-a-boo flaps will not last long and overall the story doesn’t stand out among other books like these for babies. There are a LOT of Begin Smart books to choose from and this one is easy to look over once you’ve been spoiled by so many others in the Begin Smart line.
Tags: Ages 0-4, baby, Begin Smart, Recommended titles, Title B
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
 * * Begin Smart: How Many Beeps?
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Board book: 12 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618551
ISBN-13: 978-1934618554
Book review: Ohhhhh! For the boy that loves trucks this book has it all. Counting, real beeping, and trucks galore. Take it to the next level–don’t just read about trucks, beep about trucks. Loved it. Loved the rhyme, the interactive horn, the colors. An all around good book for this age group.
Tags: Ages 0-4, babies, Begin Smart, board book, Highly Recommended titles, infant, Title B, Title H
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
 * * * Begin Smart: Peek-a-boo What?
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 18 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618500
ISBN-13: 978-1934618509
Book description: Peek-a-boo isn’t a baby’s favorite game just by chance: after a first birthday, a baby begins to understand that even when something isn’t in his sight, it still exists. He expects that a person or an object will reappear eventually—and when the anticipated finally happens, he’s delighted. This charming book, with flaps to lift and see-through die cuts, will help little ones solidify object permanence. There’s even a place for a photo so that the answer to “peek-a-boo, who?” can be a family member . . . or perhaps the reader!
Book review: Outstanding and fun! Your little one will delight in this picture book and have fun as each page unfolds and shows the surprise inside. Loved the colors, the see-through cut-outs and the surprise ending as described above. A keeper.
Tags: Ages 0-4, babies, Begin Smart, board book, infant, Outstanding titles, Title B, Title P
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
 * * Begin Smart: Push The Button
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 16 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618179
ISBN-13: 978-1934618172
Book description: A soft, vinyl “button,” which shows through the die-cut pages, becomes a flower’s center, a helicopter’s propeller, the knob on a firefighter’s hose, and the crank on a jack-in-the-box. Kids push the button, then turn the page.
Book review: This one is destined to be a favorite. Little ones will love pushing the squeaky button and then look to see what happens next, page after page. A great idea!
Tags: Ages 0-4, babies, board book, Highly Recommended titles, infant, Title B, Title P
Posted in Book Reviews |
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
 * Begin Smart: Hooray For Hands!
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 18 pages
Publisher: Begin Smart; Brdbk edition (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934618470
ISBN-13: 978-1934618479
Book review: As with all the Begin Smart books, this is just the right size for small hands and durable. Hooray For Hands is more suitable for the preschool age. This age group will enjoy following along and listening to the meter and rhyme.
Tags: Ages 0-4, babies, Begin Smart, board book, infant, Recommended titles, Title B, Title H
Posted in Book Reviews |
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
 * * * Lulu’s Pajamas
Author: Lucy Papineau
Reading level: Ages 6-10
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554533716
ISBN-13: 978-1554533718
Book description: Young Lulu has the best Mama and Papa in the world and the best pet ladybug, Lili-Poo. After her Mama tells her a story and her Papa sings a goodnight song, Lulu drifts gently off to sleep in her favorite soft-as-a-butterfly-kiss pajamas. In the morning she decides “never ever” to take them off again! What will she do when her friends laugh and her beloved pajamas show the scars of a busy day at school? Suddenly Lulu can hardly recognize her pajamas, and they sure don’t smell like a pink dream anymore….
Book review: Where was this book when my kids were going through this phase? Loved the concept – wonderfully done! Lulu learns a lesson about wearing the appropriate clothes at the appropriate times. A perfect story for ages 3 – 6; a terrific bedtime story, too.
This book is coming out in September 2009.
Tags: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-8, Author last name P, bedtime story, clothes, Outstanding titles, silly, Title L
Posted in Book Reviews |
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