He’s a wild horse that shook off any rope that came near him. A fast horse that didn’t want to be caught, he loved his freedom. Unfortunately, one day he wakes up to a dry riverbed. He gets so weak that they’re able to get a rope around his neck and Thunderhoof cannot shake it off. Thunderhoof has now been caught!
Back at the ranch, they take good care of him, yet no one can ride him. Thunderhoof keeps knocking them off. They let him go and he’s FREE! He’s a wild horse again sleeping under the blue sky. Yet now…..he’s sad. He misses the individuals at the ranch, so Thunderhoof goes back to the ranch. The ranchers put a saddle on him again and attempt to ride him. This time things are different.
I just came across this book which is amazing since it was copyrighted in 1971. I liked the simple pictures as they accompanied the text very nicely. The text was big and simple with short sentences. The story had meaning and I liked the facial expressions. I’m glad I found this one to share with the grandkids. 5 stars
I enjoy reading Dan Yaccarino books. This book is another entertaining read in graphic novel format with 7 chapters. The book reads fast, with lots of action and activity and if you aren’t careful, you just might learn something about London while you’re at it.
Betsy and her brother Bones are taking a trip to London. Betsy has an agenda all planned out, with all the things that she would like to do and see while she is there and Bones, he was just looking for a great adventure. Betsy, with her planner in hand, had the days planned out, her notebook filled out with details and times while Bones just wanted to live in the moment and hopefully, some of the things that he wanted to do would land in his lap. It was humorous following those two around London.
Bones seemed to be in charge most of the time, as his sporadic adventures led the two everywhere. Betsy frustration was present as her planner was not being utilized yet she seemed to be seeing the different parts of London and even marking things off her London List. I laughed multi times at Bones excitement and spontaneously as they traveled about and then, seeing Betsy trailing behind him, frazzled and untight. When was she just going to enjoy the trip or talk to Bones about perhaps giving her a day to plan the activities. As you read, you have to remember the targeted audience so parts of this story might be over-the-top but for children, they will like the craziness of Bones.
I enjoyed how the author threw some actual history into the book. Reciting some facts about the different places that they visited in London without being bored or preaching, the information was interesting and something I feel kids will find interesting. Overall, it is an entertaining, comical, educational read for me. 4.5 stars
I thought this was a great story! It was a fun, entertaining read about a mole named Winona Mole who liked her quaint, quiet little town of Hinderberry Falls. Winona Mole lives with her dog Toby and she enjoys crocheting. From the age of 3, Winona has had a crochet hook in her hands, and some yarn close by. Winona has become quite an artist with yarn over the years!
Winona and along with the entire nation have been fixated on the reality show Yarn Is Everything! Daily, contestants go head-to-head competing to see who can create the most realistic creation out of yarn. The competition is fierce as the contestants’ crochet items that, when placed beside the real item, are hard to decipher. Obsessed with this show, Winona watches intently. She’s good, she knows how to crochet, she’s been doing this art her whole life, yet when she attempts to duplicate the items that she sees on the television, she falls short. Her creations do not match what has just won the prize, Winona items look crocheted. They don’t look real; they look like yarn. How can they be that good?? What is Winona missing?
For her birthday, Winona and her father drive three hours to visit a museum. It’s the Museum of Woolen Arts and Yarn Stitchery, a trip that changes her life. Although the museum houses many different types of yarn crafts, Winona is only there to see the exhibits on crochet. It was the best birthday present ever! Winona is still buzzing with excitement when they return home and she unpacks. Inside her bag, Winona discovers an identical replica of the Spirit Hook, a crochet hook that they saw at the museum, and she’s excited about this surprise birthday present from her dad. With her new crochet hook, Winona crochets like never before.
This book was fun. I liked how Winona is determined with her craft. She continues to create and to try to get better. When she gets the new hook, she knows something has changed but she doesn’t let it get to her head. Her impatience was hilarious, “ But when she checked three minutes later, she was frustrated to find there was no response from the good people at Yarn is Everything! Productions.” She had only weeks to train and boy, she trained. The ending was funny and well, a mystery.
4.5 Stars Children’s, YA, Middle School – just about anyone who needs a book to escape
I don’t know why I haven’t read this one until now. As a substitute teacher, I have read parts of this book multiple times as teachers love to share this one as a read aloud in their classroom. Funny thing though, I’ve never got to hear the ending of this book. Unfortunately, I’ve had to read to the students the sad and frustrating journey that Ivan endured at the beginning of this book, all the while trying to grasp exactly what was happening.
I listened to this book which was fabulous! I highly recommend using the audio of this book as I felt connected to the characters and I could definitely feel the emotions running through the story. I loved the bond that the characters had with one another. Even though Ivan was supposed to be the star attraction, he didn’t play upon that title. He cared about all the animals around him and their well-being. As the story unfolded, I could feel that his spirit was broken but I don’t think Ivan knew why or the extent of what he was feeling. Ivan was just going about his day, day-after-day doing what he typically does. It is when his routine changes, Ivan begins to change and he begins to see that life can be different.
I thought the ending of the book seemed rushed to me. The beginning set up the story, and I fell into a rhythm of life with the characters and then suddenly, life changed and it was bam, bam, bam, and it’s over. I’ve already picked up the audio of the second book in this series, so this 60+ Nana is ready for what happens to these friends. 4.5 stars.
This book is hilarious! I read this one to my 6-year-old grandson and we laughed and laughed. A birthday gift from his Uncle Larry turns into an awesome present he wears them.
His uncle knew that he liked underwear, but the weird yellow wool pair was STRANGE! He didn’t think the moon looked full as he looked out his window, but we sure did (the full yellow moon took up most of the page in the book). He read the warning label that came with the underwear and he slipped them on. Instantly, his body began to change. Shivering, tingling, his body was changing into the underwearwolf. Growling and a grunting, he flew out the window and was now on the loose. Tearing up the neighborhood! He knew he should take off the underwear but then he would be BUTT NAKED and he didn’t want that to happen.
He doesn’t stop. He takes to the streets, swinging from roofs and lampposts. He’s having the time of his life. He knows he really should take off the underwear, but he doesn’t. The night is getting crazy and then, he hears them. They are calling him. Who? Yep! He runs into the dark woods where he meets them, and the ending of this book will have you smiling.
As an adult I thought this book was funny. The boy puts on the underwear, and he turns into The Underwearwolf. Covered in fur, complete with big ears, long arms and legs, he transforms and runs through the night under a full moon. He runs, jumps, climbs and acts crazy while wearing the underwear. He knows that he should take off the underwear but, if he does that, he will be butt naked and he probably will turn into a regular boy again. So, he doesn’t and he continues on into the night. It’s only when the night starts to turn into the next day does the boy realize that his fun is about to come to an end and he has to do something about the underwear. The illustrations are cute in this book, and I liked how the boy acts like a “maniac” and a “menace” but he doesn’t do anything harmful. My grandson thought the book was funny and he liked how the boy changed. A fun book to read. 5 stars.
Always the extreme with this guy! He’s a hoot!! Scaredy reads his horoscope and finds out that he’s supposed to get a surprise. What! He doesn’t like surprises so …. Of course, he gets all dressed like he is going on a safari hunt, and he sets out to look for this “surprise.” Scaredy finds a crate under his tree and Scaredy thinks of all the horrible things it can be. A shocking robot, an octopus that will ink him, a dinosaur egg that will hatch (and who knows what will happen then), and of course there are other scenarios that has Scaredy all nervous. Scaredy tries his best to get rid of the crate with the help of Ivy. I loved how Scaredy wanted to move, and then, he wanted to move the crate to Antarctica. Ha! Good thing Scaredy has some logical friends.
When the gang finally get the crate open, it proves not to be so scary. But they do have more problems to solve. Always more problems, ha. Things do calm down for a while…..just for a while and the gang does have some fun. And the story, it somehow ends in Antarctica 😊
I have to be in the mood for Scaredy as he jumps all over the place for me. I do like how his imagination works as he dreams up lots of ideas for things, but I don’t like his negativity. There seems to be too much of it. I did like this book more than some of the other books I have read about Scaredy. 4 stars
This is part of a series of books which can help an individual learn to read. This book is devoted to short vowel sounds with constant digraphs. Letter combinations that create a new sound. Combinations like CK, NG, KN are used in this book. The author uses three rhyming words on each two-page spread in this book; to create a sentence and it’s then illustrated on these pages for the reader. The author takes those words and illustrates them first. Then, there is a sentence and an illustration based on that sentence.
On the first two pages the words are Chin, Shin, and Thin. The sentence is: “His chin and his shin are thin. “The rhyming words are highlighted in bold print in the sentence, and the illustration is colorful and it shows a man pedaling a bicycling. There is also a mouse on each 2-page spread throughout the book and the mouse asks the reader a question about the words that were used on these pages. This book seems simple yet it’s a great concept for new readers to grasp. Repetitive, rhyming, simple, and a great way to get emerging readers exposure to these concepts
What I liked: * easy to understand * easy to follow * large print * illustrations are colorful and go with words on the page. * rhyming * words used are illustrated (for clarification) * difficulty of this book gets harder as you progress through it * great as a refresher for vocabulary words
What I didn’t care for: * the book progress (which is good) but at the back of the book, there are added rhyming words added to the sentences which are not illustrated and part of the 3 rhyming illustrated words for that 2-page spread. Which could be confusing or hard for some readers.
Overall, I liked this book, and I think I am going to check more of these out for my grandson this summer as he is going into 1st grade and I think it would be a good series to keep him reading. 5 stars
This is a very basic board book which addresses where different creatures poop.
The creatures range from ants, beetles, grasshoppers, bears, bats, bees, seals, seagulls, jaguars, sloths, etc. So, you see….it’s a wide range of creatures. The concept is simple but important for little ones. Where do these creatures’ poop at? In the air? In a rainforest? In a desert? In the water? From a tree? So many different places! At the end of this book, the author asks the reader, “Where do you poop?”
And it gives the answer with great illustrations with a variety of children sitting down on the potty. 4 stars
What I liked:
the easy-to-read text * great color scheme * the easy-to-read text * text has repeated words * characters have great facial features *variety of children *variety of animals and situations * subject matter
I liked this book a lot! With colorful illustrations and a great message – this book gets huge marks from me. Judgy Bunny is a negative bunny at the beginning of the book. The reason? He is not part of the group, or he just likes to see the negative in every situation. It’s “too hot!” or “I can do that better!” or “that is terrible.” Some of the situations involve other bunnies and some do not. The book changes gears when Judgy Bunny is invited to join the other bunny’s party. Judgy Bunny gets all snooty at first and is resistant to join, it’s like he wants them to beg him to come.
When the other bunny grabs his hand and pulls him to the party, Judgy Bunny is shocked! Does he have a good time? No, he’s still miserable until something happens at the party which Judgy Bunny feels is his fault. The other party guests are shocked but…….the party continues on.
I liked Judgy Bunny emotions in this book. I liked how the other bunnies accepted him into their party and how their party continued on after Judgy Bunny joined them. I liked how they didn’t try to “cheer him up” but just accepted him as he was.
The expressions in this book were good and helped tell the story. I think this story would be a great read a loud for children. 4.5 stars for me.
Duck and Duck want to make some money to buy themselves a boat for the water. They set themselves up on the beach trying to sell tacos and they’re ready to make some money. They’ve worked hard and now they’re ready. But wait, who is that in that other food truck? It’s Goose and he’s selling food too! No way!! Duck and Duck are mad but they try harder to make their food/business look better. When its time to sell…..the line outside Goose’s truck is long! Duck and Duck have no one in their line. Goose is going crazy with all the orders, he can’t keep up and his customers are not happy.
Duck and Duck feel defeated and start to walk away but Goose realizes that he needs help. Goose suggests that maybe they can work together! They then come up with a plan to combine their foods and sell taco items. Taco pizza, taco burgers, taco hot dogs, etc. What a plan!! They start whipping out orders and everyone is happy! The ending is cute. Bright colorful illustrations. Fun rhyming text. 5 stars.
