Author Archives: webauthorings
Everyone knows that the little kids’ table is the place to be for any holiday or family gathering. They just know how to have fun!
This silly, rhyming story follows a group of rambunctious cousins from table setting to dessert. A universal theme, The Little Kids’ Table will have kids–and parents!–howling with laughter.
From Kirkus Reviews:
The little-kids’ table is where the fun is. Duh! Grown-ups can keep their fancy-schmancy dishes and the icky green stuff they put on them. At this celebration of the family meal divided into adult and kid tables, much of the charm resides in Riehle’s unselfconscious couplets—”Mom piles food high on all of our plates, / making us try the foods we know we’ll hate”—combined with the creative mischief afoot at that table. This is not a food fight à la Animal House. It’s making goofy faces out of the gross food on the plate or hanging a spoon on your nose or putting peas in your cousin’s milk—that is if there is any milk left after squirting it out your nose during a fit of laughter. Yeah, there will be some cleaning up, but not a week’s worth. A healthy measure of background business complements the main event, like when the Labradoodle makes good its entry and does what Labradoodles do best: knock stuff over. And there are what can only be called sweet touches, like Mom going cross-eyed from all the crackling energy or one twin pouring ketchup into a teacup balanced on the other twin’s nose. Uhles’ artwork doesn’t stretch much, but the color is as solid as that of old, wooden blocks. She presents a modern American extended family, with a variety of skin tones and ethnicities in evidence. Who wouldn’t want to join this table? All you have to do is hang a spoon from your nose. (Picture book. 3-6)
The love between a mother and her child is precious and everlasting. No two relationships are the same, yet there are shared experiences and memories to which every mother can relate. From the warm embrace of a hug to the soft whispers of encouragement, some of the many ways a mother expresses her love can be found in M is for Mom: A Child’s Alphabet.
M is for Mom is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services.
Did you know that helicopters can fly forward, backward, and side-to-side? Or that the wingspan of a jumbo jet is almost twice as long as the distance of the Wright Brothers’ first flight? Since recorded time, man has looked to the sky and dreamed of ways to fly there. A is for Airplane: An Aviation Alphabet celebrates the roots, inventions, and spirit of the science of flight.
In the Alphabet Series’ usual cheerful style, each spread in this picture book combines a quick rhyme for each letter, a dramatic watercolor painting, and a long detailed sidebar packed with history and technology. Some of the rhymes feel trite (for Helicopters: “H is here to save the day, / helping those who are in harm’s way”). But the science and engineering will grab older readers, from the facts about the International Space Station (orbiting the Earth every hour and a half at an altitude of over 200 miles) to the details about becoming a pilot. Then there is the fascinating history of the Tuskegee Airmen, including the prejudice they suffered and their achievements; the biographies of pioneers Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and the Wright Brothers; and the National Air and Space Museum today. The back matter includes “fun questions and answers,” but no bibliography. Grades 2-4. –Hazel Rochman, Booklist
With its multitude of mountains and the highest elevation east of the Rockies, it’s no wonder West Virginia’s nickname is the “Mountain State.” Abundant natural resources make it a leader in both industry and recreation, from glassmaking to rock climbing. Historic sites and sights include Harper’s Ferry and the annual Native American Pow Wow, along with Lost World Caverns and White Sulphur Springs. Noteworthy West Virginians include Chuck Yeager and Olympian Mary Lou Retton.
From Children’s Literature Review: Another welcome addition to the alphabet series on states delves into the uniqueness of Kentucky. Each letter features a poem and more in depth information about the topics brought forth in the poem. It is a great way to introduce children to a state that they might be visiting on a trip, moving to with their family, or have a family history with a state. This particular book has tie-ins with the capital of Kentucky, Frankfort. The state flower, Goldenrod, and the state tree, the Tulip Tree, and the state butterfly, the Viceroy, are all cleverly worked into their part of the alphabet. At the end of the text, there is a facts page to quiz the reader about what they just learned. A reference list gives website listings for further information on items mentioned in the book. The author is a native Kentuckian and her love of the state is shown in this unique book.
—-Children’s Literature