animals – Page 2 – One Chapter

Butt or Face? by Kari Lavelle

5 stars Children’s Nonfiction

What a fun book. “Can you tell which end you’re looking at?” Animals have evolved throughout the years and it’s no surprise that animals use their bodies so that they can survive in their environments. Author Kari Lavelle presents readers with a variety of pictures asking readers to decide whether they are looking at a close-up look at the butt or face of an animal.

They are also asked what animal they think they are looking at. Turning the page, the reader is given the answer and a picture of the animal. The reader also gets some interesting information on that animal.

Most of these animals are not your typical animal, like a hippo or a giraffe. These animals are specific and unique. A Cuyaba dwarf frog, a star-nosed mole, or my favorite the Mary River turtle. I enjoyed reading all the interesting information about each animal and I loved how they covered different parts of the globe.

The different text fonts added a fun element to the book too. The vocabulary might be challenging for some younger readers, but it might also encourage younger readers also.

Advance words: delicacies, coincidental, deceptive, amplifying, parasitic, etc. I thought this was a great book and one that makes nonfiction learning fun. 5 stars

Butt or Face? Volume 2 Revenge of the Butts by Kari Lavelle

5 stars Children’s Nonfiction

What a fun book. Just like its predecessor, this book continues with the question: “Can you tell which end you’re looking at?” Animals have evolved throughout the years and it’s no surprise that animals use their bodies so that they can survive in their environments. Author Kari Lavelle presents readers with a variety of pictures asking readers to decide whether they are looking at a close-up look at the butt or face of an animal.

Most of these animals are not your typical animal, like a bear or an elephant. These animals are specific and unique. An Indian peacock, dugong, saiga antelope, or my favorite the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar. I enjoyed reading all the interesting information about each animal and I loved how they covered different parts of the globe. The different text fonts added a fun element to the book too.

The vocabulary might be challenging for some younger readers, but it might also encourage younger readers also. Advance words: intimidating, dependent, bodacious, regenerate, bulgy, etc. I thought this was a great book and one that makes nonfiction learning fun. 5 stars

This is MY Fort by Drew Daywalt

5 stars Children’s Picture book

I love Monkey and Cake! Yes, this 60+ Nana loves these two. A children’s book written in the format of a graphic novel, these two are as honest and true as it can be. Geared for young readers, they are best friends whose stories are comical, fun, and they really do make you think.

In this story, cake (he really is a slice of cake) is making a fort. Monkey loves fort, only the fort that Cake is making is not for Monkey. Cake is making a fort that does not allow monkeys. Sounds rude and mean yet, in reality, this is how children play sometimes.

Monkey is offended that Cake is creating such a thing. After pondering for a few minutes, Monkey decides to create his own fort which now has Cake intrigued. I loved this! I really loved this!! Cake wants to know what Monkey is up to now. This is such a super read!

Cake and Monkey get into a disagreement and now it seems, Monkey is calm now and Cake is upset. They can’t let the fort get between their friendship. As they go about settling the matter, the ending will put a smile on your face and you realize what a great friendship they have.

My Tooth is Lost! Monkey & Cake #3 by Drew Daywalt

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

In this story, Monkey has lost his tooth, and he’s sad. Cake tries explaining to Monkey that losing a tooth is a good thing and that Monkey shouldn’t be sad. Explaining about the Tooth Fairy, Cake explains how while individuals are sleeping, the Tooth Fairy will take lost teeth that are underneath their pillow and replace the tooth with money. Hoping this will provide comfort, Monkey is not impressed. Monkey doesn’t want money; he wants his tooth.

Cake doesn’t understand. Why would someone want to keep an old tooth? Why would Monkey want to keep his old tooth, what can he do with it when he has the option of getting money and then he could buy something? Turning the page, the reader sees why Monkey wants his tooth back. You’ll have to smile when you see Cake’s reaction and laugh as the book ends. It’s now time for pie. 😊

I love the simple text and how fun the story is. Using text bubbles, the story is easy to follow and having the text bubbles in two different colors for the two best friends is a great addition. With great illustrations that are colorful and have fantastic facial expressions, this is a book you need to pick up. 5 stars.

Top 10 Spooky Mysteries: You Wouldn’t Want to Know About! by Fiona MacDonald

3 stars Children’s Nonfiction

I do like a good mystery, and spooky, yes that would make it extra special. This children’s nonfiction caught my attention at the library. This is a slim book consisting of only 32 pages. Those pages include 3 pages of introductions, two pages for the index and table of contents, and two pages for the glossary. In between all of that you have 10 pages of what the author believes are the Top 10 Worse Spooky Mysteries You Wouldn’t Want To Know About!

A mystery is a problem that hasn’t been solved yet inside this book each of the mysteries the author explains, they contain a “probable explanation printed upside down” on the pages of that mystery. As a reader, you’re supposed to try to solve the mystery before reading the upside “probable explanation.”

So let the countdown begin! Each of the two-page spread mysteries feature some vital statistics on the mystery: the name, place, date, the mystery, why you don’t want to know about it, and it’s “probable explanation.” The rest of the two pages are filled with information and illustrations. There are numerous paragraphs with separate titles describing the mysteries accompanying illustrations which are cartoon in nature. The illustrations take up about a third of the space on these pages.

From aliens to Curse of Tutankhamum to Mary Celeste to Dyatlov Pass incident, these mysteries cover ones that everyone should be familiar with and some that are not. I was surprised at the ones that made the list, and I welcomed reading something that I was not that familiar with.

After reading a short paragraph on the spooky mystery, I would read the vital statistics as that is how the book flowed for each of the mysteries. The supporting information followed as I read, and I was not a fan of how that additional information was presented on the pages. I tried different ways to read this information, but this information just felt disjointed, like some of the FYI Facts that someone had just plastered on the pages. I thought they did a great job with the various sizes and font types that were used on the pages, as they set the different sections of the information off from one another. I have mixed feelings about the illustrations that were used. They did a great job in creating the cartoon art for each of the mysteries but I’m not sure if humorous cartoon art was appropriate for this book. Again, this is just my own thoughts and preference. I give this book 3 stars as I was expecting to love this book but I didn’t.

Squirrel and Bird by Laura Baker

3.5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Great illustrations and I loved the use of just a few colors within the pages as I think that brought a special element to this story. I did think that the wording in this children’s book was a bit jumbled and it didn’t flow very well for me. I did like the message that the book was trying to convey and as I read it, I had to explain it to my grandchildren.

The book centers around Squirrel and Bird. The author tries to tell the reader that Squirrel is the busy, excited, and basically the extrovert of the two. The Bird on the other hand, is the quiet, calm, and introvert of the two.

Hosting a concert, these two best friends are getting ready for the forest friends to listen to them perform. Now, you would think Squirrel would hold center stage and Bird would be nervous and shy yet as the author is explaining how they are getting ready, Bird speaks up and starts to sing. He’s wonderful!

And squirrel, he listens as his friend’s voice bellows throughout the sky. The author reflects on the moment when Bird and Squirrel decide that they can be however they want to be, one size does not fit all.

A great message in the book but I wasn’t fond of the text and how it was presented. It was too cumbersome. 3.5 stars

The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers

4 stars Children’s Picture Book

Oliver Jeffers is one of my favorite children’s authors, so I wanted to read this one. I wasn’t a fan of this one, unfortunately. When the forest animals discover that someone was stealing the branches from the area trees, they started to blame each other. After discussing the issue, they decided that someone else must be the culprit but who? The forest friends start an investigation but now, it’s more than tree branches that are being taken from the forest.

Meanwhile, Bear needs some paper for the 112^nd Biennial Paper Airplane Competition. With 2 large portraits on his wall of his family members, wearing their Championship metals holding their paper airplanes in their hands, Bear is feeling the pressure of competing and winning.

What happens when one of Bear’s paper airplanes lands in the forest floor and the forest friends find it?

I felt sorry for Bear as the forest friends called the authorities on him instead of talking to him. I was confused about Bear’s relationship with the other animals. When Bear is confronted about the missing trees, Bear’s confession was sad, and he knew he was wrong. As far as his punishment, I was hoping for something different, and I didn’t like how it ended. 4 stars.

They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt

5 stars Children’s Chapter Book/ Middle School

This book is so cute! It would make a great read aloud, a great bedtime book or a book for a young reader to read. As a Nana, I laughed many times and I look forward to passing this title along to others who need a great book for the younger individuals in their lives.

This book is about a dog who is now at a shelter and believes his name is No Sam. No Sam has a lot of preloaded thoughts into his head based on the life he has lived with his previous owner, Mike. Why Mike owned No Sam is a good question because Mike worked all the time and No Sam was left in the apartment by himself with the TV left on. No Sam would watch TV, believing what he saw on TV was how life was outside the walls of the apartment.

Told in diary format, Justin’s parents visit No Sam at the shelter and hope that he will make a good friend for their son. No Sam wants out of the prison he is now in and hopes he doesn’t end back with Mike.

Told from the viewpoint of No Sam, this book is hilarious at different spots. Again, No Sam has his own predetermined views of how life should be so every new activity with these new poor defenseless naked monkey-things is a new adventure. From New Sam’s new pooping rug to the beautiful drinking room, to the white treasure chest, No Sam will have you smiling.

It seemed that No Sam just cannot seem to understand the new rules. Here is a family who loves him and is showing him how much, they care for him but there’s confusion on No Sam’s part. This is not the world that No Sam knows. There are a few illustrations inside the book which complement the text. Fantastic book! 5 stars

Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers

4.5 stars Children’s Picture Book

I liked this! Each of the letters in the alphabet has a short story attached to it. This book is big and thick.

The illustrations are plain and simple, without much color.

Each story is short, but they are entertaining and fun. Covering a variety of subjects, these stories will make you think or laugh.

“C Cup in the Cupboard

(Illustration of cup in a bare kitchen cupboard)

Cup lived in the dark cupboard,

It was dark and cold in there

when the door was closed.

He dreamed of living over

by the window where he’d

have a clear view.

One afternoon, he decided

to go for it.

(picture of broken coffee cup)

Unfortunately, he forgot that

The counter was a long way

Down, and made of concrete.”

Cute example of the letter C. I liked how the letter C is used multiple times in the story, and the illustration compliments the story but doesn’t compete with the text for attention. Having to turn the page to get the last part of each story is a good cliffhanger and add to the drama. 4.5 stars

Memoirs of a Parrot by Devin Scillian

3.5 stars Children’s picture book

Who is Polly? I don’t think this Polly wants a cracker either. Brock likes to talk but it seems that no one can talk to him except his friend Tik Tok. Hanging out at Wilbur’s Pet Shop with Tik Tok, Brock gets plenty of visitors but it’s frustrating when no one can speak parrot.

Todd becomes interested in Brock and adopts him. Life has now become interesting for the both of them. When Todd tries to teach Brock how to talk, this parrot is not echoing Todd’s words back to him. Nope, Brock refuses to speak Todd’s language. Todd continues to try to get Brock to respond to his voice, but nothing happens. Frustrated, Todd then explains to Brock that perhaps it’s due to Brock’s intelligence which gets Brock fired up.

Todd is frustrated with Brock’s lack of echoing skills and now, Brock’s feelings have been attacked. When will these two finally get along? They both needed each other. This is obvious, for you can see this how they are around one another, without even saying anything.

With bright colorful illustrations and a good flowing text, this story is cute. I would suggest this for mid -level elementary students. 3.5 stars