Create with Maisy review

Why does Maisy keep a Big Box of Everything, filled with glitter, sequins, foil, stickers, paint, brushes, paper, and tons more stuff? Because she loves to make things! Children as young as two will be thrilled to follow her lead, thanks to a brand-new Maisy format featuring both familiar illustrations and photographs by Lucy Cousins(goodreads summary).





From a Beaded Butterfly to a Rainbow Tiger...... Maisy loves to create things with just about anything she has on hand. This book will give you and your family some fun and simple ideas you can make with a few basic craft supplies. By using paint and a cardboard box, you could design a box house or city. Maybe feathers and a paper plate? You can make a feathered mask and put on a play. What about some tissue paper and pipe cleaners? A beautiful bouquet of flowers for a table at your next tea party. It will offer a wide variety of projects (17 in total) with simple instructions and pictures. It is a wonderful way to encourage creativity, motor development skill and eye-hand coordination for our little ones. I also liked the message for grown-ups, as the author encourages supervision on the projects due to the materials being small and the usage of glue or paints. Some ideas do include crafting with seeds, sequins, buttons or beads. Clearly though it is a great opportunity to sit down with your child and spend time. I envision making something fun on a rainy spring afternoon that will brighten up a cloudy day. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-6.~

Title: Create with Maisy - A Maisy first Arts-and-Crafts Book
Author: Lucy Cousins
Pub. date: July 2012, Candlewick
Genre: nonfiction, picture book
Hardcover, 48 pgs.

Open Very Carefully - A Book with Bite review

What would you do if you were settling down for a quiet bedtime story and you realized that a crocodile had fallen into your storybook and was — not to put too fine a point on it — wreaking havoc? Would you slam that book shut and cram it back onto the bookshelf? Or would you be brave enough to peek?(goodreads summary)






This whimsical storybook starts out as a reading of The Ugly Duckling but is suddenly interrupted by a hungry crocodile. The crocodile eats letters and gobbles up sentences while the little duckling tries to think of ways to remove him from the book.  It involves its' reader in a fun way with interaction in some parts. For example, the duckling asks you to rock the book to make him go to sleep or shake the book to make him fall out. Kids could also do some good movement activity to the story while reading out loud to them. The illustrations are quite simple and the words do take up most of the page but the duckling is cute. It was fun to move along for his next expression at the turn of each page. The story is silly, good for a giggle or two and is probably best for younger readers. It leaves room in the end for wondering what the crocodile will be up to next. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-5.~

Title: Open Very Carefully - A Book with Bite
Author: Nicola O'Bryne with words by Nick Bromley
Pub. date: February 2013, Nosy Crow
Genre: picture book
Hardcover, 32 pgs.

Peepsqueak Wants a Friend! review

The farm animals wake up and come running out to play... 2 by 2! Except for Peepsqueak....

Peepsqueak needs a friend! But if he can't find the perfect friend on the farm, where can he look next?(goodreads summary)






Peepsqueak is back again with another fun story and this time he is looking for the perfect friend. All the other chicks are paired up except for him; he is only 1. So he decides to search for a friend who may be beyond the farm. Despite the warnings from the other animals not to go into the woods, Peepsqueak just knows there is somebody waiting for him who will help him become 2.  This lively little guy never wants to be left behind and is determined to find a friend. The illustrations are cute, vibrant and bold just like Peepsqueak himself. As in the first book, it has fun repetitive text that kids will want to read out loud (or shout) along with.  The story flows nicely and is full of expression as well. More importantly, Peepsqueak finds that the best number of friends can come in more than one. I see many more adventures awaiting this cute little chick and I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-5.~

Title: Peepsqueak Wants a Friend!
Author: Leslie Ann Clark
Pub. Date: January 2013, Harper Collins
Genre: picture book
Hardcover, 32 pgs.


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