My View Book Review: The Toothless Puppy by Karen and Ashley Almon

Title: The Toothless Puppy: A Tale of Differences

Author(s): Karen Almon, Ashley Almon

Illustrator: Agung Nurhidayat

Publisher/Year: Dog Haus Publishing/2016

Back cover blurb: When Campbell discovers she’s not like other dogs, she goes sniffing for answers.


Like most puppies, Campbell is energetic, playful, and happy. But one day, she discovers she is missing a tooth. Right away, her mind swirls with questions: Did I lose my tooth? If I find it, can I put it back? Why can’t I be like the other dogs who have all of their teeth? Campbell worries she won’t fit in because she’s different. So she sets off to look for her missing tooth. But she’ll need help from her friends to find what she’s looking for. And maybe what she seeks isn’t really her tooth after all, but rather acceptance, reassurance, and love.

Even though the story is about a puppy, we can all relate to Campbell’s problem, can’t we? Think back to when we were kids. At some point we began to notice our differences–in how we looked, dressed, spoke, etc.–compared to other kids. But we didn’t want to be different. We wanted to be like our friends and peers, whom we sometimes perceived as being better than us. Like Campbell, being different made us feel self-conscious. We didn’t want to stand out. We wanted to fit it. We didn’t know that our differences made us unique, made us special. If we knew then what we know now, many of us, myself included, would perhaps have been much more confident.

Books like The Toothless Puppy can help kids today. Told gently, with lovable, colorful animal characters, the story assures children that it’s okay, even great, to be different.

Picture Books At The Library 116

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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Two mice each claim the boulder, until someone bigger intervenes.

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When Danny’s sister doubts his boast that he can drink the entire sea, he not only proves he was right, he swallows everything else too.

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A little girl shares magical secrets about her backyard world. 

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Energetic and enthusiastic Ladybug Girl visits the museum with her grandfather.

Meet a whole host of baby animals and learn how their parents keep them safe.

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Muddle prepares a surprise picnic for his best friend, Mo. But will Mo eat it?

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With flute in hand and drums in tow, Benny teaches the other babies how to put on a show.

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Lou can do a lot of things, but she’s never climbed a tree. Is she brave enough to try?

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From Afghan hounds to zuchons, count these canines of every shape and size as they enjoy their favorite thing: riding in cars.

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When best friends Fox, Rabbit, Hedgehog, and Mouse discover a book in the woods, they set off to return it to its owner.

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A boy recounts all the “bad guy” stuff he did throughout the week.

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Mingo the flamingo is injured and becomes lost during his first migration.

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New in the neighborhood, Colette desperately wants to make friends, so she makes up a story about a lost pet.

Barkus, a large dog, comes to live with Nicky when her uncle goes traveling.

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Pete is not a boulder, or a squirrel, or a bird. He’s a little elephant who doesn’t like to wear pants. Cute!

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Ethel the cat, who is very set in her ways, is surprised when, in the course of her usual day, she unexpectedly turns blue. Sweet!

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A girl and her puppy get to know one another. Adorable!

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Letter C and K argue when K accuses C of stealing all the best words that start with the “k” sound. Clever with really fun art too!

Shari’s Berries’ 20 Desserts Inspired By Children’s Books

Kid Lit enthusiasts, check out Shari’s Berries’ awesomely clever graphic depicting twenty delicious pairings of beloved children’s books and sweet treats!

Graphic created and owned by Shari’s Berries at http://www.berries.com/. Thanks to Julissa at Shari’s Berries for sharing!

Picture Book Personals (43)

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Picture Book Personals

Bear and boy seek berries of every kind.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Jamberry

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Madeline

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Yep!

 

Halfway Point: New Year=New Beginnings (plus June’s Winner and July’s Prize)

In January of this year, I posted about a year-long giveaway called New Year=New Beginnings that I’m offering here on Frog on a Blog–a new prize each month for folks who comment on blog posts. With so much negative energy floating around in the world, I wanted to do something positive to show my gratitude to my followers, fans, and friends for their support.

I cannot believe the year is half over already! Where did the time go?! So far, I’ve given away five prizes, January through May, and have enjoyed every second of it. I love giving! 🙂 Before I announce the winner of prize #6 (June’s prize) I want to say thanks to everyone who’s stuck with me so far. I really appreciate it! I know I didn’t offer much original content for June for you all to comment on or share. I plan to change that for July. And I have already started with a guest post by Susanna Leonard Hill, which you can take a look at by clicking HERE.

Now, let’s recap the prizes I’ve given away so far and announce the winner of June’s prize!

January’s prize was a copy of my book The Peddler’s Bed.

February’s prize was an adorable plushie Curious George.

March’s prize was a set of Pilot’s pens, a Night Writer 2-pack with LED lights, perfect for writing in the dark, and a must have for writers or travelers.

April’s prize was winner’s choice of either a picture book manuscript critique (for writers) or a Personal Library Kit (for book lovers).

May’s prize was a set of two darling bookmarks: A Hippo and a Crocodile.

June’s prize was a Maurice Sendak Nutshell Library box set that includes four tiny classics: Alligators All Around, Chicken Soup With Rice, One Was Johnny, and Pierre.

And the winner of June’s prize is…

Krissy (Massey)

Congratulations, Krissy! Please contact me with your address by clicking HERE. Your Nutshell Library will be on its way to you very soon.


If you haven’t won a prize yet, there are still six more chances to win this year! Check out July’s fabulous prize! And even if you can’t win because you’ve won already or because you’re not a US resident, I still welcome your comments and appreciate your support of Frog on a Blog.

July’s prize is a set of two music CDs by the amazing Emily Arrow: Storytime Singalong volumes 1 and 2! These CDs feature original music inspired by picture books. So cool!

Comment on this post or any post during the month of July for your chance to win. For more information on how to qualify for prizes, click HERE.

Due to contest/sweepstakes regulations in other countries, this giveaway is available to U.S. residents only. I’m very sorry fans and followers from other nations. I still appreciate you! All winners are chosen at random.

Picture Books At The Library 115

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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A jaguar asks a coati who asks a cockatiel who asks a sloth to wake him up in exactly ten minutes. Will the sloth be able to stay awake that long?

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In this fictional story, Amelia Simmons, writer of the first American cookbook, creates an Independence Cake in 1789 to offer the newly elected President, George Washington.

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Lonely Blobfish invites everyone to a party, but miscommunication leads to unexpected results. 

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Percy tells a lie, and it turns into a monster. As Percy’s guilt grows, so does the monster, which gets hungrier and hungrier.

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A shy little girl wears a cat mask to help her feel braver.

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Life was sweet for Benedict the bear until the day the bees went on strike. Great early intro to beekeeping!

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Next week there’s a talent show for grandparents at school. Jeremy’s worried that his grandma doesn’t have any special talents.

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A boy accompanies his grandfather on the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a demonstration in Washington, DC, on Memorial Day to pay tribute to American veterans.

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A little girl gets ready for school, almost all by herself.

 

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A lonely fisherman nurses an injured bird back to health then alters his course in order to take the bird home.

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Children tend to a garden, digging, planting, watering, and weeding.

 

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Moo Moo the cow decides she wants to be a ballerina.

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When two little fish with big personalities have to share the same tank, there are rough seas ahead.

 

 

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At the end of the school year, the children of Room 3 and Mrs. McBee find their own ways of helping each other get ready to leave and say good-bye.

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Follow a gorilla family as they imagine their baby’s future. Great gift for a graduation or baby shower!

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All the forest animals want the gold leaf for themselves. Beautifully illustrated!

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A young girl spies on her new neighbor, a boy who is building something from planks of the fence between their backyards. Nearly wordless with a lovely message and clever use of color!

 

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A young girl helps her grandfather adjust to his new home in the city by inventing a fantastical fishing game. Super imaginative!

 

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A little boy must give up his new dog after he gets hurt caring for him, but never gives up on his dreams of them being together. Incredibly moving!

 

When Your Books Go On A Blog Tour (plus a Giveaway)

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It’s been a while since I’ve participated in a book blog tour. That’s why I’m extra excited to be a part of the amazing Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog tour celebration of her TWO brand new children’s books WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES and WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH! Take a look at the covers; could they be any cuter?!

I wanted to know how Susanna created her “When Your” series. Her blog tour offered the perfect opportunity to find out! Susanna, the page is yours!

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for joining the When Your Books Blog Tour fun!
Lauri thought it would be interesting to talk about writing a series today, since that’s something a lot of us haven’t attempted.
So let’s talk! 🙂

It may surprise you to know that I did not set out to write a series!
Nope.
The WHEN YOUR… books began with a case of the hiccups. (Mine 🙂 )
I don’t know about you, but in my household of 5 kids we have plenty of hiccup remedies…none of them particularly successful, mind you, but all of them guaranteed to induce silliness.

So on the day I got the hiccups, I started thinking about those ridiculous remedies – chasing, tickling, laughing, breath-holding, scaring, drinking backwards etc. – and I suddenly had an idea for a story: When Your [child/animal/something?] Has The Hiccups!

I sat down to write – my goal to produce that one single story.
But as you writers all know, the mind works in mysterious ways, and creativity begets creativity.

I wrote the hiccup story, but before I was even finished with it, I started thinking about sniffles…and baths…and haircuts… 🙂
“Hmmm…,” I said to the dogs who were asleep under my feet. “I wonder if I have more than one book here…!”
The dogs (shockingly) did not reply, but I felt I was onto something.
I knew something about series, obviously. We’ve all read them. But what I was used to thinking of as a series were things like Fancy Nancy – several books that feature the same familiar character in varied situations.
That was not what I had.

So I had to think a little about exactly what makes a series.
Clearly, there has to be an element of coherence – something to hold the stories together even without that familiar main character.
In the case of the WHEN YOUR… books that element of coherence is theme.
Every book in the series addresses “things kids sometimes find unpleasant.”
Baths.
Sniffles.
Haircuts.
Bedtime.
Hiccups.
Etc… 🙂
I would not write a story for this series about how much fun someone’s birthday is – that would not fit!
A common theme is important and helpful, but since the characters change from book to book, I knew I needed more than that.

As I moved from writing the hiccup book to writing the sniffles book, I deliberately incorporated several things:

1. A similar tone and voice.
All the books feature an unseen narrator who offers advice.
The overall tone of the books is humorous.
2. A similar objective.
All of the books are instructional – they tell you how to do something.
3. An animal character who is particularly well-suited (in a kind of backwards way) to the situation – e.g. a lion who needs a bath (because cats hate water) or an elephant with the sniffles (because what could be worse than sniffles with a nose like that?!)
4. A child who is in charge.
5. No adults.
6. An ending where, without realizing it or objecting to it, the child ends up doing whatever s/he was trying to get the animal to do 🙂

Because the stories are about things kids sometimes find unpleasant, I wanted to inject humor, hoping to make those objectionable things seem a little more palatable.

And because these objectionable situations are things kids often have to be coerced into, I wanted the child character to be the one in control (since kids tend to lack that in real life! 🙂 ) and I didn’t want any adults.

As a result, even though each story features a different child, a different animal, and a different situation, they have a cohesiveness that holds them together and makes them feel like a matched set even though each story is just as capable of standing on its own.

Elephant14-15

Text copyright © 2017 by Susanna Leonard Hill
Illustration copyright © 2017 by Daniel Wiseman
Used by permission of Little Simon

LION-spread-5b

Text copyright © 2017 by Susanna Leonard Hill
Illustration copyright © 2017 by Daniel Wiseman
Used by permission of Little Simon

I hope that gives you a little idea of one way you might go about writing a series. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer in a timely fashion. 🙂

Thanks again for joining the blog tour fun, and I hope you’ll enjoy the books if you get a chance to read them!

And thank you so much, Lauri, for having me here today and for so kindly hosting this stop on the blog tour!

It was my pleasure, Susanna! You’ve given us all a mini lesson on writing a picture book series. Awesome! 

And as if things couldn’t get any better, Susanna is generously offering one signed copy of each book, WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES and WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH, to one lucky winner.

To win, all you have to do is share your favorite book series in the comments!

A winner will be chosen at random and will receive their books after July 12.

Let’s keep the blog tour fun going! Be sure to visit the rest of the stops on the tour. The schedule is posted below. And don’t forget to visit Susanna’s blog for the “When Your Books Go On A Blog Tour” kickoff post. You may discover more chances to win fabulous prizes. Click Here!

Blog Tour Schedule (1)

Don’t forget to share this post using #whenyourbooks!  Every time you post with #whenyourbooks you get an entry in the end-of-tour raffle for a Special Prize!

Click Here to find out more!

Picture Book Personals (42)

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Picture Book Personals

Bold little girl seeks end to pains while eleven friends seek toys and games.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Madeline

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

The Paper Bag Princess

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Did you get it?

Picture Books At The Library 114

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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Join a young girl and her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, as they experience the joys of taking a goshawk out for a training flight.

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Lucy is not tired and she is not going to take a nap today.

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When something happens that’s terrific, you can’t help but feel a sense of happiness and wonder. Share that feeling with someone else.

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When a lengthy to-do list gets in the way of playtime with dad, one boy turns obstacle into opportunity.

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Little Pig is too small to go to sailing camp with his brothers and sisters, so his grandfather makes him a model ship to sail on the stream.

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Each day, rain or shine, Honey works in her garden, and each day, the little girl who lives next door is right by her side.

Follow a gecko as he scurries through the grass and trees searching for food and avoiding danger.

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Horse, Cat, Goat, and Pig practice their instruments, filling the barnyard with happy sounds.

Big Bear doesn’t pay attention to the old oak tree when it tells him to share his berries with his friends.

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On her ranch, Lexie watches over baby letters while they grow into words; she herds words into sentences and hitches sentences together to tell a story.

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Lucy knows how to do everything. When Toshi arrives, Lucy thinks he does everything wrong because he does things differently.

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A long-empty birdcage takes a chance and leaves behind its attic home to find a bird to keep.

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Discover the big ways this little insect contributes to the beauty of the environment.

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A mother and son use a unique call and response phrase to stay connected, even when Mom has to be away.

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Inspector Croissant begs Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast to help him find the source of a terrible odor.

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When Shark Dog gets homesick, will he decide to return to Shark Dog Island or will he stay with his new best friend?

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The letter B is missing from this book. Until it comes back, the reader is going to sound really, really silly.

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Ice Boy has been told to never go outside, but he wants more from life, so he goes to the beach. Cute!

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A little fox explores the forest during his very first year. Sweet!

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The mailman works hard to create peace and happiness in the neighborhood by delivering letters to everyone, but he never receives any letters himself. Gorgeous art!

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Goat keeps telling Frog he is not a unicorn, but Frog truly believes he is. Will the power of positive thinking cause real magic to happen? Tons of fun!

Picture Book Personals (41)

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Picture Book Personals

Princess seeks kidnapped prince and possibly new wardrobe.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Paper Bag

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Stellaluna

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Awesome!

Picture Books At The Library 113

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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A little girl imagines herself as Wonder Woman.

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Hattie makes friends with the monster in the lake and saves him from being captured by the townspeople. Gorgeous illustrations!

Reginald the T. Rex feels like an outcast because he prefers to eat fruits and vegetables instead of meat.

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Three robot brothers have trouble falling asleep.

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A young boy decides that he is ready to jump off of the diving board.

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Fifteen children’s book artists draw their favorite colors and explain why they love them.

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From flip-flops to fireworks, summer has something for everyone.

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The ghost of a goldfish searches for a new home and a friend.

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A little bulldozer wants to help the other trucks, but a little surprise keeps him from doing his job.

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Two little nuts keep on rolling and rolling until they finally roll all the way home.

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Cats of all shapes and sizes scamper, yawn, and stretch, and sometimes they pile into a stack.

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An energetic youngster tries to coax his dad out of bed very early in the morning.

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A toad in the road causes chaos and car crashes.

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A toddler creates Godzilla-like mayhem.

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A fox becomes a little chicks daddy.

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An interesting group of characters put a robot together, wind him up, and watch him go.

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Even the biggest blunders can spark the brightest inspiration when you’re an artist. Clever!

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Two cockatoos make stew for two toucans and some gnus too. Clever wordplay!

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Number 6 claims that 7 ate 9 and now 7 is after him. Fun!

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Sukie, a small dog, is afraid of everything. How will she overcome her fears to save her beloved stuffed monkey. Cute!

Picture Book Personals (40)

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Picture Book Personals

Young bat seeks way to land on her feet.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Stellaluna

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

The Rainbow Fish

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Too easy?

Picture Books At The Library 112

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

Lots of cute and sweet in this bunch!

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Wherever Gloria goes, she spreads glitter along the way, even through town. The townsfolk have had enough.

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Nina is determined to go fishing with her grandfather on his old banca boat even though he says a boat is not a place for girls.

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Long ago, there lived a princess named Cinnamon, with pearls for eyes, who never spoke, until a tiger came to the palace and changed everything.

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When Wade’s antlers become wiggly and he realizes they’ll be falling out soon, he tries his best to keep them as long as possible.

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Cub is full of energy and wants to play and explore, but Tiger just wants to take a nap.

The fruit have a dance party in the kitchen while we’re all asleep at night.

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A badger wants to know what his rabbit friend is waiting for and asks lots of questions in order to get clues and guess.

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Discover what airplanes, helicopters, and blimps do to get ready for bed after a hard day’s work.

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When the moles are running low on food, it’s up to Morris, the littlest one, to save the day.

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A little girl takes care of her beloved baby doll.

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Pirate dinosaurs sail across the sea in search of buried treasure.

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A father expresses his love for his son through a love song.

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A mother and child plant flower bulbs in the fall, wait through the winter, and see them bloom in the spring.

Picture Book Personals (39)

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Picture Book Personals

Beautiful sparkling fish seeks happiness.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Rainbow Fish

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Love You Forever

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Sweet!

Picture Books At The Library 111

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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A boy, expecting a kitten for a pet, receives a lion instead, and must learn the proper way to care for it.

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As Little Red is transported across the countryside, down a river, and through the city, he feels anxious about his destination.

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Feeling unappreciated during the performance, a magician’s assistant grabs the wand and performs some feats of her own.

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Three little pugs set out, each with a plan to build the perfect house, but the big, bad cat is lurking nearby.

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Kids have all kinds of feelings and questions when their moms or dads are incarcerated.

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Norton and Alpha always find a use for the things they collect on their walks together, but one day, they encounter something very unusual and very baffling.

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To build a surprise, the carpenter ants measure caterpillars, butterflies, and other insect friends in units of ants.

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Celebrate the third year, full of make-believe, new friends, and growing independence.

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A spot runs away from its cheetah and has many exciting adventures.

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All the animals are afraid of the Giant Jumperee who is hiding inside Rabbit’s burrow.

A boy walks through the forest and discovers all the wonders within.

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Shawn loves sharks more than anything, so he isn’t happy when Stacy is assigned ‘sharks’ for the big class project and he’s stuck with ‘seals’.

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Sea Monkey is afraid he might sink and Bob is afraid he might float. But together they are safe.

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George wants to build the best sand castle ever, but when he meets a strange new creature, the night takes an unexpected turn. Sweet with A+ illustrations!

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When Clem goes out one day, Shorty finds a package addressed to Clem. He will most definitely not open it. So Much Fun!!

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Plankton tries hard to get Mister Mussel to return a friendly greeting, but when Mussel finally opens his mouth, the results are unfortunate for Plankton. Funny!

May’s Winner (plus June’s prize)!

In January, I posted about a year-long giveaway called New Year=New Beginnings that I’m offering here on Frog on a Blog–a new prize each month for folks who comment on blog posts. With so much negative energy floating around in the world, I wanted to do something positive to show my gratitude to my followers, fans, and friends for their support.

January’s prize was a copy of my book The Peddler’s Bed.

February’s prize was an adorable plushie Curious George.

March’s prize was a set of Pilot’s pens, a Night Writer 2-pack with LED lights, perfect for writing in the dark, and a must have for writers or travelers.

April’s prize was winner’s choice of either a picture book manuscript critique (for writers) or a Personal Library Kit (for book lovers).

May’s prize was a set of two darling bookmarks: A Hippo and a Crocodile.

And the winner of May’s prize is…

Pat Kolceski

Congratulations, Pat! A hippo and a crocodile will be on their way to your house very soon!


June’s prize is Maurice Sendak’s Nutshell Library box set that includes four tiny classics: Alligators All Around, Chicken Soup With Rice, One Was Johnny, and Pierre.

I loved these when I was a child and I still own a set today. 

Comment on this post or any post during the month of June for your chance to win. For more information on how to qualify for prizes, click HERE.

Due to contest/sweepstakes regulations in other countries, this giveaway is available to U.S. residents only. I’m very sorry fans and followers from other nations. I still appreciate you! All winners are chosen at random.

Picture Book Personals (38)

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Picture Book Personals

Woman seeks way to tell son she’ll always love him.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Love You Forever

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Are You My Mother?

899602

All right!

 

 

Picture Books At The Library 110

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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Donkey tries to convince the farmer that all the other animals have left the farm, but the farmer doesn’t believe him.

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Flowers can resemble other things, like birds, ballerinas, and monkeys.

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While fishing, Mr. and Mrs. Muskrat meet a giant, magical fish who grants them one wish.

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All around the world, families carry their little ones in many different ways.

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When the wind interferes with everything Argyle Fox tries to play outside, his mother suggests he think of something made for a windy day.

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Grizzle Grump has just woken from his long winter slumber, and he’s hungry.

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It’s time for all of Hattie Peck’s children to leave the nest.

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At the end of a long day guarding the galaxy, it is time for Groot to settle down.

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When an alligator shows up to class one day, Mrs. Iraina and her ballet students are very surprised, but welcome her into the class anyway.

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Little Lion is teased by the other animals for being so small, but he finds a way to prove his worth.

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Joseph puts a plan into action to discover what his parents do at night after they tuck him into bed.

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As war rages, Peter and his father flee their home, taking with them a treasure more precious than jewels.

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A bug decides to take up residence in the fur of a grumpy bear.

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Ollie is jealous of his baby cousin Lily because his grandma seems to love her more than him. Beautiful art!

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When Zebra accidentally steps on Lion’s toe, Lion gets angry and begins chasing Zebra in what turns out to be a remarkable show. Fun!

My View Book Review: If I Could Climb Trees by Jeff Minich

 

Title: If I Could Climb Trees

Author: Jeff Minich

Illustrator: Renan Garcia

Publisher/Year: Nuggies Inc./2017


Coco the puppy is back and ready for fun in volume 5 of the Nuggies picture book series by author Jeff Minich and illustrator Renan Garcia. Coco dreams of climbing trees. She wants a birds-eye view of the world. She imagines the amazing things she might see, a vast ocean with a sandy beach or snow-capped mountain peaks. Coco wants to leap from branch to branch like the squirrels and lick sweet sap like the ants. When the sun goes down, she’ll stretch out on a sturdy limb as the lights of the city twinkle in the distance. And as she begins to fall asleep, she’ll wonder what the birds, and the bugs, and the squirrels dream about. Maybe they dream about doing the things that puppies do.

If I Could Climb Trees is a sweet and inspiring ode to dreams, not just the dreams we have while we’re asleep, but the dreams each one of us aspires to. Once upon a time, I had a dream to publish a book and see it on the shelves of libraries and bookstores. My dream came true with the publication of The Peddler’s Bed. My husband dreamed of earning a black belt in karate. He accomplished that goal and now actually has a fifth degree black belt. 

I believe that kids should be encouraged to follow their dreams. This colorfully illustrated book with its super cute animal characters is a great starting point for light discussions about their hopes for the future. If we encourage and support the aspirations of children, there’s no doubt that one day they will reach great heights…perhaps higher than a little puppy that climbed a tree.

To read a review of volume 2 in the Nuggies series, All The Other Nuggies, click HERE.

For more information about the Nuggies book series, click HERE.

Picture Book Personals (37)

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Picture Book Personals

Baby bird seeks missing mother bird.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Are You My Mother

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Good Night, Gorilla

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Of course!

Picture Books At The Library 109

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I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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Little Shaggy, a fuzzy monster, is tired of everyone calling him little until his mother brings home his new baby sister.

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Pandora lives alone in a world of broken things. One day, something falls from the sky…a bird with a broken wing.

A tortoise from the Galapagos Islands goes on an adventure–at her own speed.

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Two friends discuss things that are scarier than riding the roller coaster.

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When Swanda first moves to the city, she misses the wildlife she left behind. But she soon discovers that Brooklyn has a wildlife of its own: pigeons.

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For the rabbits, birds, and squirrels, the tree is home, but when two new arrivals show up to create their dream house, the tree is in jeopardy.

When Lola’s beautiful wool is cut off, she runs away and hides, until the day she discovers a surprise.

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When Charlotte asked her parents for a pet, a rock wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.

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A girl living in a dangerous city finds a way to feel safe as she goes about her day.

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A king’s daughter undertakes a difficult task to rescue her six brothers from the enchantment imposed on them by their wicked stepmother.

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It’s time to go to the pool. But a fruit should never forget her suit.

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Fleeing a home destroyed in the Syrian Civil War, Sami worries about the pet pigeons he left behind.

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A letter from someone who was once an exasperating second grader reveals her experiences with a teacher who brought out the best in her.

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As winter approaches, a bird and her chick flee south, a mouse and her child build a nest, and a rabbit pair races ahead of a wolf and cub, all seeking home. Lovely!

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Louie has a great life–the life every chihuahua dreams of, until things suddenly change and Louie wonders if he should run away. Love, love, love the ending!

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Olivia wants to hear what’s being said about her, so she blends in as best as she can. Hilarious!

Picture Book Personals (36)

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Picture Book Personals

Animals seek good night’s sleep in zookeeper’s cozy home.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Good Night Gorilla

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Katy and the Big Snow

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Got it!

Happy Book Birthday to WHAT CAN YOUR GRANDMA DO? by Anne Sawan

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HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • TITLE: What Can Your Grandma Do?
  • AUTHOR: Anne Sawan
  • ILLUSTRATOR: Sernur Isik
  • PUBLISHER: Clavis Publishing
  • RELEASE DATE: May 16, 2017
  • FORMAT: Hardcover
  • SUMMARY: Next week there’s a talent show for grandparents at school. Some grandmas are excellent cooks, one grandpa is a painter, others are very good dancers. But Jeremy’s grandma doesn’t have any special talent. Or does she?
  • AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: Five More Minutes 

Picture Books At The Library 108

PB at the library 2

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

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Poppy Louise is not afraid of snakes, spiders, roller coasters, or the dark, but there may just be one thing that scares her.

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When his new born sister is not what he expected, a boy struggles to accept her.

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Little Wolf can hardy wait. Tonight he will howl the moon to the top of the sky. Can he do it just like Big Wolf? Clever!

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Colin is tall and orange. Lee is round and green. Can they ever be friends?

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A sister and brother witness something extraordinary in the woods and make some new friends.

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Little Hippo is the youngest and smallest in his family and sometimes feels like the tiniest animal in the world.

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When Sam starts to organize his things, he quickly runs into trouble. Where should he put things that belong in more than one category?

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A young boy wakes up on a summer morning and looks out at the sea. He goes about his day, but all the while, his mind strays to his father who is digging for coal deep beneath the sea.

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Boats of all shapes and sizes travel on the river, through every season, toward the sea.

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Jackson’s mom is getting married, and Jackson is nervous about his role and his new family.

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Charlotte, a serious scientist, uses the scientific method to solve her problem: being squished by her many brothers and sisters.

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Celebrate the differences and similarities between ten families as they eat, sleep, work, and play together.

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This rhyming tale envisions the bedtime rituals of animals from whales to otters, squirrels to gorillas.

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Liam wants to play with his twin brothers, but they’re always competing and things get out of hand.

Raisin has a lot of favorite things, but change is not one of them, and when her mother has a new baby, everything changes for the worse. Adorable!

Picture Book Personals (35)

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Picture Book Personals

Big, strong crawler tractor seeks lots of snow to plow.

What Classic Picture Book Am I?

Katy

Leave your best guess in the comments below. Find out the answer when the next Picture Book Personals is posted.

And the answer to last week’s Picture Book Personals is…

Swimmy

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Nothing fishy here!