Waukegan Public Library - children’s

Have You Heard About... Giants Beware!

Fran J — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 06:32:19 +0000

… the smallest giant hunter of Mont Petit Pierre? Giants Beware! in this wonderful graphic novel by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre. Young Claudette is ready to take on any monsters she can find, a difficult prospect since she is not permitted outside the walls of her home town. However, she manages to get out with the help of her younger brother, Gaston, her best friend, Marie, and her dog, Valiant. Together, they overcome many obstacles to find the dreaded Baby-Feet-Eating Giant.

This is a wonderful story about bravery, loyalty, and being willing to admit when you’re wrong. The artwork is cartoonish, but surprisingly detailed, particularly in facial expressions. The characters are well-defined and mature over the course of their adventure. They also are not constrained by stereotypes — Claudette is a rather bloodthirsty girl, eager to hunt monsters like her parents, while Marie wants to become a princess; Gaston wants to be a blacksmith and a chef. The story shows the values of different skills and the need to work together to achieve goals. However, it never gets preachy, staying interesting and fun throughout the story.

If you enjoy medieval fantasies with strong girl characters, give this great graphic novel a try!

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on audiobook

Fran J — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:07:54 +0000

… the many voices of Jim Dale, the narrator for the Harry Potter audio books? As my first foray into the world of audio books, I tried listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a couple months ago, and I felt like I was discovering the series all over again. I won’t go into a plot summary of the Harry Potter books, since most everyone is familiar with the story, but I will say that listening to the books on CD is completely magical.

Jim Dale, a well-known British actor, narrates the entire series, and brings the characters to life in a way that goes beyond mere imagination. (Need proof? Listen to Chapter four of The Sorcerer’s Stone, when we are first introduced to Hagrid. Jim’s voice for the bearded giant exceeds anything our imaginations could ever convey.)

And while nothing will ever be able to take the place of my Harry Potter book collection, I’m really happy that I gave these audio books a listen. It’s like being treated to story time as an adult, and by the time I finish the seventh book, I know that I will be just as sad to leave Hogwarts as I was when I first finished the series. So, thank you, Jim Dale. Thank you for bringing Harry Potter to life for me again.

Reviewed by Katie (staff)

Have You Heard About... Bailey

Fran J — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 06:01:00 +0000

… the rewards and challenges of elementary school? Harry Bliss’s Bailey takes us through a normal day for one student, who just happens to be a dog. Bailey may be the only dog in a school full of humans, but he has the same problems as everyone else. Will he miss the bus? What if he gets stuck on the slide? Being a dog adds a few problems, too – most students don’t eat their own homework or get in trouble for painting with their tails in art class. However, Bailey also has fun at school. He loves math and is a great dancer.

This is a sweet book with low-key humor. It would be particularly good for children who are nervous about starting school or a new grade. Bailey goes through a normal day, with some good times and some problems. The teachers and other students have a nice mix of reactions to Bailey and his sometimes odd ways of dealing with everyday activities.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... the picture books of Steven Kellogg

Fran J — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:41:16 +0000

… some great picture books that stand the test of time? This is a two for one review…my favorite picture books of Steven Kellogg!

My sister and I used to read The Mysterious Tadpole and Much Bigger than Martin over and over and over again when we were little girls. Now my sister has been reading them to my daughter. (Aren’t they cute?)

The illustrations are very creative, the stories are a lot of fun, and Mr. Kellogg represents librarians very well. You don’t have to be a librarian to appreciate that Ms Severs in The Mysterious Tadpole is referred to as a friend. When Louis meets her on the street and fills her in on what’s been going on with his tadpole from Loch Ness, she devises a brilliant solution and helps to facilitate a happy ending. Total librarian, right?

In Much Bigger than Martin, Mr. Kellogg aptly describes the growing pains a little brother goes through along with all of the creative ideas he comes up with to grow “much bigger.” These are the kinds of books that parents can appreciate right along with their kids. I don’t think it has to be a childhood favorite! Enjoy!!!

Reviewed by Heidi (staff)

Have You Heard About... Chopsticks

Fran J — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:29:33 +0000

… the best friends who do everything together? In Amy Crouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon’s Chopsticks, the title characters are best friends. They do everything together – swim in the sink, balance with peas, even practice their martial arts moves against the asparagus! One day, one of them gets hurt. The uninjured one is reluctant to go out on his own, but he learns to try new things. When the hurt chopstick is all better, they have lots of new activities to try together.

This cute picture book would be a great choice for best friends who are forced to spend some time apart. It’s filled with characters from the kitchen and medicine chest. A combination of text and visual puns keep things lighthearted (when injured, “Chopstick was quickly whisked away,” by a whisk with a red cross painted on its handle), and the story’s moral is obvious without being forced.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Piggies in the Kitchen

Fran J — Tue, 29 May 2012 06:29:30 +0000

… Mama Pig’s surprise? In Piggies in the Kitchen by Michelle Meadows, you will see what can happen in the kitchen when Mama Pig leaves for the day. Her darling little piggies decide to make her a birthday cake, but they make a big mess instead.

When Papa Pig comes home, he helps them so they won’t get hurt when using the oven. Mrs. Cow, Mrs. Sheep and Mrs. Mouse are also in this wonderfully illustrated story. Will Mama Pig be surprised or will she be mad at the mess in her kitchen?

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... 39 Clues

Fran J — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:44:07 +0000

…the fast-paced adventure starring Dan and Amy Cahill, two normal kids whose lives are thrown into a tailspin when their beloved grandmother dies? Their story is told in the popular 39 Clues series.

Dan and Amy are orphans who have spent most of their lives in the care of indifferent, ever-changing nannies. The only bright spot is Grace, their grandmother who has a zest for life and regales them with stories of her adventure-filled past. When Grace’s will is read, Dan and Amy learn that they are part of the most influential family in history and their relatives include Beethoven, Benjamin Franklin, Shaka Zulu and Princess Anastasia. They embark on a race across the globe with their latest nanny (who is harboring secrets of her own) in search of 39 clues which, when assembled, will make the owner the most powerful person on earth.

Reviewed by Sara (staff)

Have You Heard About... Little Treasures

Fran J — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:26:09 +0000

… the sweet pet names parents call their children? Little Treasures, by Jacqueline Ogburn and Chris Raschka, looks at endearments used around the world. From “honey” and “pumpkin” to “little coconut candy” (docinho de coco – Portuguese) and “my chick” (mi pollita – Spanish), families everywhere have silly names they use for the children they love. This book gives examples from fourteen different languages used around the world.

A book this broadly based cannot hope to be comprehensive. However, it gives a good overview of languages spoken in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The endearments are given in translation, in the language’s normal script (transliterated where necessary), and with a suggested pronunciation. The illustrations show a wide variety of children and adults, and the text emphasizes the fact that families love children throughout the world. This is a sweet book for parents to share with their children, and possibly come up with a special pet name just for them.

I wonder if my nieces should be “my bubble of joy” (yeinay filiklik – Amharic), “little beetle” (chrobáčik – Slovak), or “flower bud” (nuppunen – Finnish)!

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Library Lily

Fran J — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:15:37 +0000

… The little girl who loved to read? When Lily learns to read, her mom takes her to the library to get her very own library card. Lily loves to read. Thin books, fat book, new books, old books, touchy-feely-furry- type books, any type of book you can imagine is a great adventure. Lily likes to read so much that she is called Library Lily.

Gillian Shields does a terrific job in describing how Lily forgets to do much of anything else. When Lily goes to the park, instead of playing, she has her nose buried in a book. When her mom tells her to go and have some fun, Lily walks around and reads all of the different signs. All of a sudden another little girl, named Milly, comes along. Milly hates to read. Milly would rather be playing. In becoming friends, these two forge a friendship where they learn to have great adventures together outside, exploring and then reading about all the exciting adventures in books. In fact, they learn that it’s a great big world outside to explore, and you can always find the most perfect book at the library to go with what you find outside and more!

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Press Here

Fran J — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:34:27 +0000

… the great interactive picture book? Apparently, I really missed the boat on Herve Tullet’s Press Here. It was one of the rare picture books to make it onto the New York Times Bestseller List, there has been a ton of positive press about it, we have two copies in the library, yet I had never read it. A friend recommended it, so I got a copy and brought it home to Marie, my almost-2-year-old.

She had a blast! This book is not a beautiful story. It doesn’t have scenic illustrations, but it is the most interactive book she and I have read together, including her pop-up books. The first page has a yellow dot on a blank what page and simply says, “Press here and turn the page.” Once you press the yellow dot and turn the page, you see that your participation has caused the dot to multiply! Gently rubbing this other dot will cause the dot to change color. Tapping on a different dot will create rows of new dots in the same color. Shake the book to mix the dots around. Clap to make the dots grow in size. It’s so simple, it’s brilliant!

Marie and I were laughing and laughing! When it comes time to shake the book (my favorite part), Marie shakes more of herself than anything else. Adorable! Don’t miss the fun. Enjoy!!!

Reviewed by Heidi (staff)