Week 19:

Once Upon a Memory VS Camp Rex

Once Upon a Memory:

Summary:

When a feather drifts through a child's window, a magical journey begins. As the boy follows the feather, he is swept away to a world filled with adorable animals, where fantasy and reality come together in surprising and playful ways. From the cake that once was grain to the ocean that once was rain, whimsical "before" and "after" scenes offer readers a peek at the world as seen through the eyes of a curious child, ultimately asking the question, "What will you remember?"

Review:

Creativity can often come in simple, small packages. This book is proof of that. It offers a new kind of perspective for a story line that I’ve never seen, and it knocked it out of the park! If there ever was a beautiful children’s book in every aspect, this book is definitely fighting for that spot.

Camp Rex:

Summary:

It’s important to set a few wilderness safety guidelines first. . . like making sure he stays on the trail. And does not disturb the local wildlife. And knows how to build a safe campfire. But sometimes dinosaurs have a different way of doing things, and that’s why it’s best to be prepared . . . for anything!

Review:

This book had me torn. I very much enjoyed the art work. I loved each and every illustration. I just could not seem to care about the story. It didn’t catch my attention as I would have hoped. For the illustrations alone though, I would recommend you check this book out.

The Winner:

Congratulations to Once Upon a Memory! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 18:

A Gift For Mama VS Rooting For You

A Gift For Mama:

Summary:

Oskar sets out—with a single coin—to find the perfect gift for his mother. And he spots it at once: a beautiful yellow rose. But when he meets an artist, Oskar trades the rose for a paintbrush. And when he meets a conductor, he trades the paintbrush for a sheet of music. . . . The bustling streets are full of interesting people and delightful possible presents, and Oskar trades one gift for another, and another, and another! But what he finds by the end of the day is even more precious.

Review:

I loved the premise of this book. It just lets  your imagination round rampant for a while. Trading up and up and up until you get the perfect thing for your mama! This book is sweet, fun and the illustrations are perfect for it. Great job all around!

Rooting For You:

Summary:

It's time for one little seed to come out of his shell. But he's afraid. It's a big world out there. There may be dangers! (Like monsters!) There are definitely obstacles. (Like rocks!) And while there's a good deal of uncertainty, he discovers that he has friends to help guide him on his way and root for him to have his day in the sun.

Review:

This picture book is the first I’ve personally seen where there pages inside that unfolded to open up and down and left and right. It kinda confused me a little in the beginning because of how you have to unfold it. The creative aspect of the pages unfolding to long and different sized spreads did not quite work for me, but hey, it was different. Sometimes that can make a winner since the sea is so often filled with all the same kind of fish. In the end I enjoyed it, and that’s what matters.

The Winner:

Congratulations to A Gift For Mama! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 17:

FOUND VS Maple

FOUND:

Summary:

One day, Bear found something in the forest. When Bear finds a lost stuffed toy bunny in the forest, he begins to worry. After all, the stuffed bunny must feel lonely and want to return safely to its owner and home! But as Bear diligently searches for the bunny's owner, posting notices high and low, he begins to grow attached to his newfound friend. What will happen when the bunny's owner finally comes forward? Was Bear meant to find Bunny all along? Prolific author/illustrator Salina Yoon's spare text and bright, energetic illustrations bring to life this endearing story celebrating love and friendship in many forms, reminding us that nothing is lost that is not meant to be found.

Review:

This was a cute book for all the right reasons. The illustrations were adorable, the story was tender, and the writing wasn’t wordy. There’s a moment of tension, but in the end FOUND leaves you feeling all warm inside.

Maple:

Summary:

When Maple is tiny, her parents plant a maple tree in her honor. She and her tree grow up together, and even though a tree doesn’t always make an ideal playmate, it doesn’t mind when Maple is in the mood to be loud—which is often. Then Maple becomes a big sister, and finds that babies have their loud days, too. Fortunately, Maple and her beloved tree know just what the baby needs.

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I didn’t think much of it by the title and cover. After a few pages though I was engaged and entertained. Maple is a great book for anyone with a child who has a sibling on the way/already here. Oh, and the illustrations are wonderful!

The Winner:

Congratulations to Maple! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 16:

World on a String VS Dragons Love Tacos

World on a String:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

When his best friend, a big red balloon, comes untied in a thunderstorm, Charlie is overcome with sadness. However, inspired by the happy memories of his best friend, Charlie is able to shift his perspective and, ultimately, he imagines his balloon on an amazing journey into the starry night.

Review:

You don’t see as many rhyming books anymore, but World on a String is one of the few. The story was good, but the illustrations just didn’t fit for me. I’m not sure I’d like the style for any children’s book really. As for the overall book though, I enjoyed it, especially the line about the balloons holding up the sky. That was one of the better text and illustration combinations I’ve seen in a while.

Dragons Love Tacos:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

Dragons love tacos. They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble.

Review:

This was a great book! Fun illustrations and a creative story. Some of the best books seem to use this recipe: take something we know, put it in a regular children’s book appropriate scene, add a twist, and there you go, a great book. You will never eat a taco with hot sauce again without thinking of this book!

The Winner:

Congratulations to Dragons Love Tacos! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 15:

Weasels VS Breathe

Weasels:

Age range: All ages.

Summary:

Weasels – what do they do all day? Eat nuts and berries? Frolic in leaves? Lurk in the dark? Argue with squirrels? Hide in their weasel holes? Well, all these are wrong. What they really do is . . . plot world domination. Find out how their dastardly plans are foiled in this hilarious, off-the-wall debut picture book from a shiny new star in the children’s book firmament, Elys Dolan.

Review:

I haven’t seen a book like this before. You’ve basically got two sets of text in a way. There is the story text that is simple and right to the point, and then there is the conversation text placed within the illustrations. There’s a lot of the conversation text, but honestly it’s the best part! The reason I like this is because it allows this book to be enjoyable to all ages, including the parents. The conversation text is the part that will really make the adult laugh, and maybe some of the older kids, while the main text is perfect for a little kid. The illustrations are great! They’re playful, energetic, and light-hearted. You won’t regret reading this book.

Breathe:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

Take a deep breath and dive into a day in the life of a baby whale, told with luminous illustrations and spare text, with a fresh twist on a timeless message.
Swim! Play all day. Breathe. 

Review:

Books like Breathe are the reason a lot of people buy children’s books I believe. It has a gentle heart at it’s core, engaging the reader with serene underwater settings and a splendid color palette. The illustrations make this is a magnificent book to picture gaze with your kids. Their imaginations will love it!

The Winner:

Congratulations to Weasels! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 14:

Cloudette VS If You Hold A Seed

Cloudette:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

Sometimes being small can have its advantages. If you’re a little cloud like Cloudette, people call you cute nicknames, and you can always find a good spot to watch the fireworks. But what about when you want to do something big, like help a giant garden grow, or make a brook babble?

This charming book gets at the heart of what it means to make a difference no matter your size. Young children will find much to relate to in Cloudette as they follow her on her pursuit for greatness.

Review:

I really liked this book. The illustrations weren’t my favorite, but they were cute, so kids will like it I’m sure. The story though! It was great! A perfect little teaching book for learning that no matter how small of an impact you are able to make, what matters is that you make that impact, because it will always matter to someone.

If You Hold A Seed:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

Something magical happens when you plant a dream with a seed. With plenty of love and patience, they can blossom into an extraordinary gift.
To be shared with those you love and those with big dreams, this book encourages us to never give up.

Review:

The ending for this book was great. The story could have had a little more interest to it, but it serves it’s purpose. The illustrations were interesting. I’ve never seen a collage like them before. I don’t think I liked the effect though. None the less, since art is subjective, you may very well like it!

The Winner:

Congratulations to Cloudette! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!

Week 13:

Duck & Goose VS Sparky!

Duck & Goose:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

Like James Marshall’s George and Martha, and Rosemary Wells’s Benjamin and Tulip, Duck and Goose have to work at getting along. You see, Duck doesn’t much care for Goose at first, and Goose isn’t fond of Duck. But both want the egg that each claims to be his. As the two tend to their egg, and make plans for the future, they come to appreciate one another’s strengths. And when a bluebird points out that it isn’t really an egg—it’s a polka dot ball—the two are not dismayed. After all, it is a lovely ball. . . .

Review:

Duck & Goose is a sweet book. The pairing of these two characters makes for a good read. I didn’t find this book to be amazing, but it was enjoyable. Oh yeah, and the illustrations are very good, so that’s a plus too!

Sparky!:

Age range: Probably around 4-8 yrs old.

Summary:

The ingenious author of 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore and a brilliant illustrator and production designer of the Coraline movie have created a hilarious, touching picture book perfect for young animal lovers. Like the Caldecott Medal-winning Officer Buckle and Gloria, Sparky stars a pet who has more to offer than meets the eye. When our narrator orders a sloth through the mail, the creature that arrives isn't good at tricks or hide-and-seek . . . or much of anything. Still, there's something about Sparky that is irresistible. 

Review:

This is one of the very few books I’ve read that I did not enjoy. The story just didn’t do it for me. I found it kind of boring. I’m not a fan of giving a bad review all around, but this just left too much to be desired. Sadly, I’d say this is one to skip.

The Winner:

Congratulations to Duck & Goose! 

We will see you in November!

We’ll see everyone else next week!