Friday Blog Round Up

Congrats to Eric Carle on the big 80!  The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be celebrating this event in a number of ways, including a Birthday Bash and Children's Book Festival with the Western Massachusetts Illustrators' Guild, on June 13th. If you can't make it, be sure to check out their online gift shop. The bath spout is one of my favorites.   

Oh, the Places You'll Go!, that Dr. Seuss classic, is the focus of a new scholarship sponsored by Random House. President Chip Gibson announced Random House Children's Books, "will award one 2010 graduating high school senior $5,000 toward post-secondary education." Visit www.ohtheplaces.org for details.

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has yet another interesting interview, this time with illustrator Amy Ackerley. I still haven't stopped laughing from seeing her illustration of Patrick the penguin with a plunger on his head.

If you're in the market for some picture book illustrations you need to check out the R. Michelson Galleries. They have a terrific selection; everything from Dr. Seuss to Mo Willems. They even had a show for one of my favorites, Thomas Locker. If you're in the Northampton, MA area, this jewel of a gallery is worth a visit. You can even pick up an autographed copy of one of Mr. Michelson's picture books.  

Have you signed up yet for Scholastic Mini Books?  Now's the time my book-savvy friends. There is quite a selection, including resources on favorites like The Grouchy Ladybug and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Hope you have a super summer folks. If you're looking for some summertime books reviews, be sure to visit me on TeacherShare. Until then, keep reading and enjoy the sun!

Picture Book Thursday: Art for Everyone

Fly, Kit Fly!: A Story of Leonardo and a Bird Catcher
Written and illustrated by John Winch
Little Hare
Ages 4-9

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet

Written and illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson

Simon & Schuster

Ages 5-9

The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art

Written and illustrated by Bob Raczka

Millbrook

Ages 8-16

Fly, Kit Fly!: A Story of Leonardo and a Bird Catcher

This book was published a year or two ago but it's a good one to have for your classroom. This bit of historical fiction is based on the real meeting of Leonardo da Vinci and his life long friend Giacomo. Challenged to capture a red-tailed kite for the prince, the young boy completes his mission by offering a model built by da Vinci. Combined with rich red infused illustrations, this book is a fun tale and visual treat.  

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet

This has to be one of the most interesting alphabet books on the market. Filled with truly abstract artwork and accompanying alliterative text, this title is well suited for old and young students alike. I think my favorites are "Fast Food Frenzy" featuring french fries and "Hoopla!" every Slinky aficionado's dream. Nice job Stephen T. Johnson!

The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art
What a innovative way to help children to appreciate art. Bob Raczka "interviews" a number of the figures found in the paintings of Vermeer, allowing him to comment on artistic style and symbolism as well as everyday life in the 1600s. You're going to enjoy reading this as much as your students will.

Activity

After having a class discussion about Leonardo da Vinci, students can draw pictures of their own inventions. Bind the drawings together to create a class book or display them on a bulletin board.

For more book reviews during our summer hiatus, be sure to hop on over to TeacherShare.

Video Wednesday -- Weston Wood clips

I have fond memories of watching Weston Woods film strips in my Elementary school library; the excitement of watching a book come to life, the whirl of the projector, the smell of old books, the carpet square under my seat. I still get a little thrill when I watch them.

Recently, I added 36 clips of my favorite Weston Woods videos to our video center. It wasn't easy picking through 400+ books, but it sure was fun.

I found some new favorites, such as Knuffle Bunny and Is Your Mama a Llama? As well as some true classics, including Blueberries for Sal and Strega Nona.

I always liked this one -- Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears? -- for the colorful illustrations (courtesy of Leo and Diane Dillon). Watch: 

See all 36 Weston Woods video clips.

And visit our friends at Weston Woods if you don't see a clip you remember. They've got hundreds!

New Review Tuesday: What's Next?

This week on Kid Lit Kit we're focusing on the best books of the school year. I certainly have dozens of nominations for that category, from The Hunger Games to Chains to last week's The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. But since my posts have spotlighted the newest books to hit shelves, I thought it might be fun to take a sneak peak at the great reads that lie ahead. To me, that's the wonderful thing about children's literature—there's always a new adventure around the corner.

Here are some of the upcoming titles that have me the most excited.

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo. My fiance and I just finished reading an advanced reading copy of DiCamillo's latest. We both cried. A lot. This is DiCamillo at her best, and I predict big things for the orphan Peter Augustus Duchene, who goes on a search for an elephant after a fortune teller hints the animal might lead Peter to his sister. (Sept. 8)

Al Capone Shines My Shoes, by Gennifer Choldenko. I literally squealed when I saw an advanced reading copy of this much-anticipated sequel to the delightful Al Capone Does My Shirts. I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet but I'm putting it on the top of my summer beach read pile. (Sept. 8)

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. The sequel to The Hunger Games! Need I say more? (Sept. 1)

 Going Bovine, by Libba Bray. A surprising and incredibly captivating departure for the author of the Gemma Doyle series that began with A Great and Terrible Beauty. When 16-year-old Cameron is diagnosed with mad cow disease, he embarks on an epic and hallucinatory road trip that you really have to read to believe. (Sept. 22)

What's on your reading horizon? What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Feel free to share in the comments.

It's been a blast talking with you about great children's books this year. Thanks for checking in and as always, happy reading!

Friday Blog Round Up: Duck! Rabbit! and an Olivia poster

Cathleen at Chronicle Books tipped me off to a bunch of cool book features they have online. They include teacher guides, printable posters and videos. Check out the links for the following: Duck! Rabbit!, Little Oink, and Horse Crazy.

Chris Gall is currently being featured on the Little Brown Books You Tube channel. Hear about his inspiration behind Dinotrux! or check out another video to hear Patrick McDonnell, Stephenie Meyer, or James Patterson.

Over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, there's an interview with one of my favorite illustrators, Christopher Denise, as well as author Kristy Dempsey. It's also worth taking a look at his Web site; you'll get a full sense of his artwork. Keep up the good work Christopher!

With all the festivities around last week's Children's Book Week, there are still so many fun resources out there. I'm assuming this poster of Ian Falconer's Olivia is still available and worth the 60 cents for your classroom.

There's something about Mir that makes me want to pull a chair up to the table at Kitchen Table Reviews. This week she's blogging about Tedd Arnold's Super Fly Guy -- and fly he is!

You know the drill folks. Have a happy weekend and we'll see you back here next week!

Picture Book Thursday: Chicks

The Missing Chick
Written and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
Candlewick Press
Ages 4-8

Little Chick

Written by Amy Hest

Illustrated by Anita Jeram

Candlewick Press

Ages 4-8

Tough Chicks

Written by Cece Meng

Illustrated by Melissa Suber

Clarion Books

Ages 4-8

The Missing Chick

I have to admit, right off the bat, that I am a Valeri Gorbachev fan. His artwork has always reminded me of that of Garth Williams, another of my all-time favorite illustrators. He once again delivers with The Missing Chick, a Richard Scarry-esque mystery about a missing chick. With good-hearted help from the police, firefighters, neighbors, and a detective, the chick is found safe and sound in a laundry basket. The cute characters and simple plot will keep children engrossed. 

Little Chick

I honestly was not expecting this book to be able to pull off three entertaining stories, but they're all very sweet. Children will find them affirming as Little Chick struggles with life's wonders. "The Carrot That Would Not Grow," "The Kite That Would Not Fly" and "The Starry Night" all feature the nurturing relationship between Little Chick and Old-Auntie.  

My favorite tale has Old -Auntie offering some words of wisdom: "'A tall carrot is certainly nice,' agreed Old-Auntie. 'But sometimes,' she whispered, 'a small carrot is just what you need.'"  This book could easily become a beloved classic.

Tough Chicks

Are they tough? Well they're certainly not punks, but tough in more of a resourceful and inquisitive way. Much to the chagrin of their barnyard buddies, they also know how to have a good time, diving after barn flies, roping the roosters, and rolling in the pigpen. When it's time to save the day, they jump into action, stopping the tractor from hitting the hen house -- and then going so far as to repair it. These are some chicks I'd want watching my back!

Activity

Take a white paper plate and cut it in half in a zigzag fashion. Attach the two halves with a brad fastener to create a "cracked egg."  Cut out a chick from yellow construction paper and glue it to the back of one half of the plate.  When the egg "cracks" the chick should peek out.

Video Wednesday -- John Green Interview

It takes a special kinda guy to admit to reading the Baby-Sitters Club books -- and John Green is just such a guy. The author of funny-and-true YA books, like his newest Paper Towns, talks about the origins of "nerdfighters," how he creates characters, and how reading those aforementioned Baby-Sitter Club books helped him understand high school girls -- sort of.

Watch John Green's full interview, including a reading of Paper Towns.

New Review Tuesday: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

I'd been reading rave reviews for Jacqueline Kelly's new middle-grade novel The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and finally got a chance to read it myself this past weekend.

Wow! What a rich story about a young girl growing up in Texas during the turn of the 20th-century. Eleven-year-old Calpurnia is a nature enthusiast who begins to investigate why the yellow grasshoppers in her backyard always grow bigger than the green ones. With the help of her grandfather she realizes the yellow grasshoppers have a biological advantage: they blend into the dry Texas grass.

First-time author Kelly does an amazing job at weaving the science in the story with Calpurnia's struggle to find herself in a rough-and-tumble house filled with brothers. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate would be a great summer reading recommendation for kids in grades 5 and up.

If you're interested in exploring the evolution angle, pair Calpurnia with Deborah Heiligman's recent biography of the Darwins, Charles and Emma.

Another interesting comparison might be Ellen Klages' The Green Glass Sea, also about an 11-year-old girl coming of age within a scientific context, but this time WWII Los Alamos.

Nonfiction Monday: Travel

Get ready for summer travel with this fiction/nonfiction book pair and activities for K-2.

Facts First

Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills
by Scot Ritchie

Reading level: Grades 1-3
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press

Follow Sally and her friends as they search for Max the dog and Ollie the cat while traveling across different types of maps.

Pair With

The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman
by Darcy Pattison (Author)
and Joe Cepeda (Illustrator)

Reading level: K-2
Hardcover/Paperback: 52 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

In this story told in postcards and letters, different travelers take a life-sized wooden man across the country.

Activities...

Participate in the Oliver K. Woodman Map Project and geo-tag Oliver's travels.

Plan ahead for the next school year with these Travel Pal Scrapbook lesson plans.

Print and perform this mini-book, A Play: Follow the Map and make the map center in the lesson plans.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to ACPL Mock Sibert blog and add your blog to this week's Round-up.

Friday Kid Lit Round-Up

According to PBS, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat is coming to TV this fall in the new animated series "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!" With comedian Martin Short giving voice to the whacky feline, "the world's most beloved cat will whisk preschoolers off on a voyage of scientific discovery for the first time ever as an animated TV series..."

I'm guessing any number of you Twilight fans would have loved to trade places with beauty salon owner Casey Ray. She found the script for New Moon laying in the trash and went to lengths to return it to the studio. Nice job Casey!

Have you taken a look at the handy summer reading book list that's part of the Summer Reading Challenge? Which titles are new to you? I bet you'll find a few fun selections to share with your favorite young friends.

I'm not sure how I missed it, but Jennifer posted a list of class made ABC books that looks just super. Ideas include photographing students as they shape their bodies into letters and finding objects in the classroom that begin with each letter.

While I'm bringing this to your attention too late to win a copy, you'll still definitely want to check out the reviews for Chicken Butt. I'm trying not to judge a book by its title but it's a struggle people. Let me know what you think.

OK folks, you know the drill. I'm off to write a lesson plan or two and I want you to have a super weekend. I'll catch up with you next week.

Picture Book Thursday: This Little Piggy

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby?

Written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

Candlewick Press

Ages 4-8

Being a Pig Is Nice: A Child's-Eye View of Manners

Written by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrated by Dan Krall

Schwartz & Wade Books

Ages 4-8

Ping Pong Pig

Written and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church

Holiday House

Ages 3-6

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby?

Any child adjusting to a new sibling at home will easily relate to this story. When mom brings home Cornelius' baby brother, Cornelius becomes discouraged by what the newest piglet can't do and is ready to send him back.  

(My brother tried the same thing when my sister arrived home. He added the additional flourish of locking himself in his room. Thirty years later he's made the adjustment.)

With some reassurance from mom and some quality time with his new brother, Cornelius is more than willing to welcome home his new brother.

Being a Pig Is Nice: A Child's-Eye View of Manners

This fun and goofy take on a child's book of manners features a variety of creatures and their topsy-turvy ideas on what it takes to be polite. Being a quiet owl? That's a no-no. A racing snail? Another bad idea. My favorite is a non-splashing elephant, being frowned upon by his dad. "I won't say it again, mister! Splash me this instant, do you hear? -- or ELSE!" Dan Krall's illustrations only add to the fun.

Ping Pong Pig

Ping Pong Pig is one resilient porker who wants to fly but doesn't like to help the other farm animals as he bounces about. Chaos ensues as he knocks over hay, ruins apples, and splashes mud on the barn. With a little help from his friends, in the form of a trampoline, Pig "flies" and attempts to pull his weight with the chores. This quirky tale is bound to have your students laughing at Pig's antics.

Activity

After enjoying Being a Pig Is Nice, have students create paper lunch bag puppets based on their animal of choice. Using the puppets, they can take turns acting out "bad manners" for their classmates.

Video Wednesday - Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

I was traipsing around YouTube the other day and nearly tripped over this beautiful trailer for the book Blueberry Girl, read by Neil Gaiman. Normally, I have to admit, I'm a little creeped out by Gaiman, Newbery medal or not, but the beautiful prose and bright illustrations in this picture book may have won me over.

Such a sweet and tender story about a prayer for a little baby girl growing up.

New Review Tuesday: Mouse Was Mad

The wonderful thing about picture books dealing with anger and other difficult emotions is that they offer kids such a relatable experience to their own lives, and usually a way of coping with those emotions as well.

In Mouse Was Mad, by Linda Urban, illustrated by Henry Cole, Mouse tries to hop, stomp, scream, and roll around through his anger, but those are the strategies used by other animals (Hare hops, Bear stomps, Bobcat screams, and Hedgehog rolls), and they just don't work for poor Mouse. It's only when Mouse stumbles on his own coping mechanism—standing very, very still—that he begins to feel better.

Students in grades K–3 will no doubt have sympathy for Mouse, but also laugh out loud at Henry Cole's illustrations, which show Mouse falling into mud puddle after mud puddle after each unsuccessful attempt at dealing with his anger.

Urban, author of last year's charming middle-grade novel A Crooked Kind of Perfect, has found a unique lens into a universal problem, offering a surprising resolution that readers may just want to try out themselves!

Read Mouse Was Mad along with Molly Bang's fantastic When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry, Lisa Jahn-Clough's Alicia Has a Bad Day, Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and even Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.

Compare and contrast Mouse's actions with the actions of the main characters in the other stories and make a list of the different ways they end up feeling better. Which are ways that kids might use when they're feeling grumpy?

Did I miss your favorite picture book about anger? Share in the comments.

Nonfiction Monday: Children's Book Week

Celebrate Children's Book Week May 11-17 with these books and activities for Grades K-8.

That Book Woman
by Heather Henson(Author)
and David Small (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-3
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Atheneum

Cal is not the readin' type, but that Book Woman keeps coming up the mountain and Cal learns to read so he can find out what the words say. (Inspired by the Pack Horse Librarians, the "Book Women" who carried books on horse or mule into the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky in the 1930s.) 

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World…One Child At A Time Young Reader’s Edition
by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Authors), Adapted by Sarah Thomson

Reading level: Grades 4-8
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Dial

Rescued by villagers in Pakistan while mountain climbing, Greg Mortensen returned their kindness by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Activities...

Download the Children's Book Week Bookmark and print one for each child in your class.

Visit Scholastic's Professional Development Articles and Curriculum Ideas for National Children's Book Week 2009.

Students can write their own books with these Author Activities for National Children's Book Week.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Book Scoops and add your blog to this week's Round-up.

Friday Blog Round Up

Leanne Italie has created an interesting list of famous moms and their favorite kid-lit lines. See if you can make the match for this quote from Charlotte's Web: "You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you." Was it Cokie Roberts, June Lockhart, or Lori Loughlin?

Now is the time of year to get your students geared up for summer reading. Check out the Summer Challenge, where kids read, play, and get the chance to win prizes all summer long.

And I know how much you all enjoy a good contest. Throw in a chance to win a copy of Meg Cabot's Airhead and you've got yourself a bucket load of fun!

Librarian Approved recently got me turned onto the idea of playing with books. On the one hand, I think it would drive me somewhat loopy to see books bandied about during play but some good points are made.  After you read the list, I'd love to hear your comments.

If you're not familiar with Bridget Zinn, DeoWriter describes her as, "a YA public librarian and YA writer. Lots of energy and sweetness."  She is currently battling cancer and her treatment is "aggressive and expensive." A number of folks in the kid-lit world have gotten together to help raise funds for her, starting with an online auction. This is a perfect chance to make a donation yourself, or hold a fundraiser with your school or students. Send me a note if you need some ideas.

Alrighty, I'm off to read up on what's new in poultry-themed picture books. Have a super weekend and I'll see you back here next week.

Picture Book Thursday: And For My Next Trick...

Moon Rabbit

Written & Illustrated by Natalie Russell

Viking

Ages 3-6

This Little Bunny Can Bake

Written & Illustrated by Janet Stein

Schwartz & Wade

Ages 4-8

Miffy the Artist

Written & Illustrated by Dick Bruna

Tate

Ages 4-8

Moon Rabbit

Wow!  This book had me rooting for Little Rabbit to find a soul mate. After falling asleep at the park, this city-loving rabbit meets a brown rabbit with the same taste in music. In fact, he plays the guitar. After dancing, picnics, and fun, Little Rabbit begins to pine for her life in the city. When she returns, it's with the knowledge that there is a kindred spirit out there and they can keep in touch by visiting. Combine this sweet story with Natalie Russell's use of color and printmaking skills and you have a book your students will enjoy.

This Little Bunny Can Bake

I make it a policy not to skip the endpapers when I'm reading a book, so when I saw these endpapers included recipes, I was intrigued. They all look yummy. When you get to the recipe for "Chocolate Salami" don't worry, there's no actual salami involved.

If you want to learn how to make some of these desserts, and you happen to be an animal, you might consider Chef George's School of Dessertology. Bunny does, along with a host of goofy animals. The back story told through the illustrations is as likely to keep you laughing, as it is your students. (The picture of the mouse raising his hand in the measuring cup is priceless.)

Miffy the Artist

You can take the rabbit out of the museum but you can't take the museum out of the rabbit. When Miffy gets back from a visit to the museum, she is inspired to create her own works of art and then posts them to create her own exhibit.  

Dick Bruna's use of primary and secondary colors and simple shapes makes for an endearing and straightforward title. Simply put, this is THE perfect book to read to young students preparing for a museum visit.

Activity

This is an activity I just completed with my class. I downloaded color copies of famous works of art and had my students choose one to reproduce. They used markers for the outline and then filled in with colored pencils. Once they were mounted on construction paper "frames," I hung the artwork in the hall alongside the color copies. Students from neighboring classrooms continue to comment on how much they enjoy our museum.

Video Wednesday: Sid Fleishman Interview

Talk about a fascinating guy! Elder statesman Sid Fleishman has written over 50 books for children and adults, and has dabbled in magic, movies, and newspaper reporting. We met up with him last November and asked him about picking character names, the Charlie Chaplin bio he's been working on, and much more. So much, that I couldn't decide on which clip I liked best to highlight.

I finally decided on this clip; Fleishman talks about the magicians' manual he wrote in high school, which is still in print. I had no idea there were publishing houses just for magician books. Fascinating!

Watch the full Sid Fleishman interview.

New Review Tuesday: Kaleidoscope Eyes

I'm in awe of the multifaceted talent of author Jen Bryant, who in the past few years has delivered powerful novels-in-verse such as Pieces of Georgia and Ringside 1925, as well as incredible non-fiction picture books including the 2009 Caldecott Honor A River of Words (pictures by Melissa Sweet) and February's Abe's Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln.

Bryant's newest book is Kaleidoscope Eyes, another novel-in-verse but one that takes us to a different time and era than Bryant has explored before. Set in 1968, Kaleidoscope Eyes tells the story of thirteen-year-old Lyza, who discovers three mysterious maps and together with friends Malcolm and Carolann discovers they may lead to the buried treasure of the legendary pirate Captain Kidd.

It may sound like an over-the-top pageturner, and Kaleidoscope Eyes will definitely appeal to middle school adventure fans, but Bryant based the novel on a true story, and each page is filled with rich historical detail. Bryant's simple verse style makes her a great recommendation for reluctant readers, who will also appreciate the quick pace and plot twists of Kaleidoscope Eyes.

It would be fun to pair Kaleidoscope Eyes with other books featuring maps, such as Harry Potter's Mauraders Map, and have students recreate the maps and present them to the class.

Have you read any of Jen Bryant's books? What's your favorite? Share in the comments!

Nonfiction Monday: A Taste of Asia

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, so let's begin with a taste of Asia for Grades K-8.

How My Parents Learned to Eat
by Ina R. Friedman(Author)
and Allen Say (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-2
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

An American sailor and a Japanese student teach each other how their families eat.

Hiromi's Hands
by Lynne Barasch

Reading level: Grades 3-5
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee and Low Books

In this true story, a Japanese-American girl grows up and learns how to make sushi in her father's restaurant.

What the World Eats
by Faith D'Aluisio (Author)
and Peter Menzel (Photographer)

Reading level: Grades 6-8
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Tricycle Press

See what 25 families around the world eat in this photo-essay filled with maps, charts and recipes.

Activities...

Discover Asian Pacific American stories with these lesson plans and videos from Scholastic.

Visit the Asian Pacific Heritage Month pages at the Library of Congress for lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids using primary sources.

Write a Reader's Theater script for your K-8 classroom with these Asian Folktales Lesson Plans.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Chicken Spaghetti and add your blog to this week's Round-up.

Friday Blog Round Up

All the talk of Jacques Cousteau at GreatKidBooks has me reminiscing as well.  Although I only have vague recollections of watching his specials as a tot, to me he was the Jeff Corwin of the ocean. You don't want to miss Manfish, the new book about his adventures.

So I was checking out some top 10 picture book lists on BookLights when I came across this tidbit: Can you guess which funny man and picture book author/illustrator used to write for Sesame Street?

I'm with Christine at the BookBench. Our recent record breaking heat wave had me ready to pull out every winter-themed book I could find, but she saved the day for me with a favorite Poppleton book.

Are you interested in winning a copy of Janet Halfmann's new Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea? Then pop on over to ReadingRumpus for numerous ways to enter the contest.

Newsflash! "Mir gives her son the week off to do some birthday bonding with her daughter over a great book." Now you know how much I enjoy KitchenTableReviews. It's worth a peek to see which book was birthday worthy.

Alrighty folks. I'm off to find the latest on bunny picture books for next week's review. Have a super weekend and we'll see you then.