"Waiting for Wings" was written by Lois Ehlert and published in 2001.
This book is a simple story of caterpillars hatching from their eggs, entering their cocoons, and becoming a butterfly. If that was simply what the book entailed, the book would be boring. What makes the book interesting is that the pages are all different sizes, and children experience the subtle changes of a caterpillar as it becomes a butterfly. Another element of the story is making the metamorphosis into a poem. "Out in the fields, eggs are hidden from view, clinging to leaves with butterfly glue."
Lois Ehlert has created a wonderful world in this book and exposes children to the different kinds of butterflies. The illustrations are full of color like a flower blooming or a butterfly taking it first flight. If the child is old enough and has the interest, butterfly and flower identifications are given in the back. This is a wonderful read with your children and perfect for sparking your child's interest in the world around them.
I emphasize the fact, that when an author takes the time to hone in his or her artistry and does not just throw together a book, I appreciate it.
I encourage families with young children from zero to seven to first read the book straight through. The poem is well worth it. When your children asks for it again or you read it again, start to point out the little yellow eggs, the caterpillars on the leaves, the different butterflies on the page, or the different colors on the page.
Thank you and your thoughts on the book are apreciated.
June 29, 2009
June 28, 2009
The Old Tree
The Old Tree was created by Ruth Brown, and it is a story of a pigeon delivering mail to the animals of a tree.
The story opens up with the pigeon talking with Mrs. Rabit who had her seventeenth child. Everybody has some gossip on the other inhabitants in the tree- like the grumpy old badger, the rabit kids, the parakeets, or Mr. woodpecker- to just name a few. As she meets with each character and hears the gossip from them, she always asks if they know what the white "X" means on the tree. They all don't know what it means until Captain Crow hears about the "X".
Now Captain Crow is the last individual to here about this "X", but it is he who sounds the Alarm. "DONG~ALONG, DONG~ALONG."
After looking through his telescope, Captain Crow discovered that every tree with the white "X" were being cut down by woodmen. This greatly concerned the animals, and the rest of the story is about the ragtag individual worked together to save this tree.
In my opinion, this book is a delightful read with your children from zero to seven. The illustrations are warm and delightful. The artistry is not forced but melts in with the story being told.
It is important to appreciate the effort that Ruth Brown took in this book, because some children books are hard to reread to your children. As parents, how many times do our children want us to reread a book? Don't we want to enjoy it on some level and not get bored. It is my opinion that books that can stimulate a child's interrest while giving the parent something knew to find in each read is a great children's book. Just the feel and touch of the book is a great experience.
Finally, this was my first experience reading this book: I opened the book with my twentieth month old boy and we just flip through the pages. We enjoyed the pictures without reading it. Watch out for the last page, beace a tree pops out of the book. Transitioning from looking at two dimensional pictures to a three dimensional paper tree gave my little boy a fright. He was not expecting it. After a hug and a kiss, I showed him the tree and we read the book. My boy and my daughter just love to hear this story and anticipates the tree at the end. We enjoy seeing grumpy old badger dancing with Mrs. Rabit and the other characters having a party.
I don't know if I conveyed the beauty and elegance of this book, but my children and I enjoy love reading this book and I hope your family will too.
Thank you.
The story opens up with the pigeon talking with Mrs. Rabit who had her seventeenth child. Everybody has some gossip on the other inhabitants in the tree- like the grumpy old badger, the rabit kids, the parakeets, or Mr. woodpecker- to just name a few. As she meets with each character and hears the gossip from them, she always asks if they know what the white "X" means on the tree. They all don't know what it means until Captain Crow hears about the "X".
Now Captain Crow is the last individual to here about this "X", but it is he who sounds the Alarm. "DONG~ALONG, DONG~ALONG."
After looking through his telescope, Captain Crow discovered that every tree with the white "X" were being cut down by woodmen. This greatly concerned the animals, and the rest of the story is about the ragtag individual worked together to save this tree.
In my opinion, this book is a delightful read with your children from zero to seven. The illustrations are warm and delightful. The artistry is not forced but melts in with the story being told.
It is important to appreciate the effort that Ruth Brown took in this book, because some children books are hard to reread to your children. As parents, how many times do our children want us to reread a book? Don't we want to enjoy it on some level and not get bored. It is my opinion that books that can stimulate a child's interrest while giving the parent something knew to find in each read is a great children's book. Just the feel and touch of the book is a great experience.
Finally, this was my first experience reading this book: I opened the book with my twentieth month old boy and we just flip through the pages. We enjoyed the pictures without reading it. Watch out for the last page, beace a tree pops out of the book. Transitioning from looking at two dimensional pictures to a three dimensional paper tree gave my little boy a fright. He was not expecting it. After a hug and a kiss, I showed him the tree and we read the book. My boy and my daughter just love to hear this story and anticipates the tree at the end. We enjoy seeing grumpy old badger dancing with Mrs. Rabit and the other characters having a party.
I don't know if I conveyed the beauty and elegance of this book, but my children and I enjoy love reading this book and I hope your family will too.
Thank you.
June 18, 2009
The Sea, The Storm, and The Mangrove Tangle
The Sea, The Storm, and The Mangrove Tangle was written by Lynne Cherry and published by
This is a great book describing the life and struggle that a mangrove tree goes through as it sets root and grows into a large mangrove island. I do not know what technique she used to draw the illustrations, but it is enjoyable to look at with my daughter.
The book goes into detail about the different animals claiming the mangrove tree as its home. The pictures give a great illustration for children to see as it grows.
What I felt important to share with my daughter was how long it took for the creation of a small mangrove island.
"The propagules grew into many mangroves. For seventy years this mangrove
tangle grew and spread out farther and farther."
and
"A hundred years had passed since the first propagule planted itself here
and the mangrove tangle had become a big mangrove island."
These statements are awe inspiring to me. I understand that this information is not anything new for an adult, but looking at it through a child's eye I see that our lives are so short. It is at these points that I make it clear that it is important for us to take care of the world that God has given us.
This book is a great book for children to see and understand how beautiful this world is. The undertones of this book is conservation and education for young reader. In my opinion, it was done artfully and tactfully. Parents are given a seed to start a conversation with their young children and educate them further.
My last quote is this:
"As a flock of pelicans dove for fish, two fishermen came by. One
said, 'Lets cut these mangroves down and create a shrimp farm.' The other
fisherman replied, 'But these mangroves are the only trees that can grow in
the salty seawater. Many of the fish in the ocean start their lives in
nurseries around these islands. If we destroy the mangroves, we destroy
the fish which give us all live.'"
I understand that in reality that fishermen given these circumstances would be hard pressed not to cut it down when they have a family relying on them. As a children's book I find that it portrays the pressures on the island as well as it can given the audience.
This book encourages me to keep good habits that are not harmful to the world around me, and teach my children to my mindful of their actions as they grow up.
Thank you,
Ronald Bruinius
This is a great book describing the life and struggle that a mangrove tree goes through as it sets root and grows into a large mangrove island. I do not know what technique she used to draw the illustrations, but it is enjoyable to look at with my daughter.
The book goes into detail about the different animals claiming the mangrove tree as its home. The pictures give a great illustration for children to see as it grows.
What I felt important to share with my daughter was how long it took for the creation of a small mangrove island.
"The propagules grew into many mangroves. For seventy years this mangrove
tangle grew and spread out farther and farther."
and
"A hundred years had passed since the first propagule planted itself here
and the mangrove tangle had become a big mangrove island."
These statements are awe inspiring to me. I understand that this information is not anything new for an adult, but looking at it through a child's eye I see that our lives are so short. It is at these points that I make it clear that it is important for us to take care of the world that God has given us.
This book is a great book for children to see and understand how beautiful this world is. The undertones of this book is conservation and education for young reader. In my opinion, it was done artfully and tactfully. Parents are given a seed to start a conversation with their young children and educate them further.
My last quote is this:
"As a flock of pelicans dove for fish, two fishermen came by. One
said, 'Lets cut these mangroves down and create a shrimp farm.' The other
fisherman replied, 'But these mangroves are the only trees that can grow in
the salty seawater. Many of the fish in the ocean start their lives in
nurseries around these islands. If we destroy the mangroves, we destroy
the fish which give us all live.'"
I understand that in reality that fishermen given these circumstances would be hard pressed not to cut it down when they have a family relying on them. As a children's book I find that it portrays the pressures on the island as well as it can given the audience.
This book encourages me to keep good habits that are not harmful to the world around me, and teach my children to my mindful of their actions as they grow up.
Thank you,
Ronald Bruinius
Llama Llama red pajama
Llama Llama Red Pajama was writen by Anna Dewdney and published by Viking, a Penguin Group.
Let me just quote the whole book for my readers. If you think the poem is cute, the illustrations are soft and warm for any child to view.
Llama Llama
red pajama
reads a story
with his mama.
Mama kisses
baby's hair.
Mama Llama
goes downstairs.
Llama llama
red pajama
feels alone
without his mama.
Baby Llama wants a drink.
Mama's at the kitchen sink.
Llama llama
red pajama
calls down to
his llama mama.
Mama says
she'll be up soon.
Baby Llama
hums a tune.
Llama llama
red pajama
waiting waiting
for his mama.
Mama isn't
coming yet.
Baby Llama
starts to fret.
Llama llama
red pajama
whimpers softly
for his mama.
Mama Llama
hears the phone.
Baby Llama
starts to moan...
Llama llama
red pajama
listens, quiet,
for his mama.
What is Mama Llama doing?
Baby Llama
starts boo hoing-ing.
Llama llama
red pajama
hollers loudly
for his mama.
Baby Llama
stomps and pouts.
Baby Llama
jumps and shouts.
Llama llama
red pajama
in the dark
without his mama.
Eyes wide open,
covers drawn...
What if Mama Llama's GONE?
Llama llama
red pajama weeping, wailing
for his mama.
Will his mama ever come?
Moma Llama, RUN RUN RUN!
(The next page shows the Llama Mama rushing, panicking, and opening the door of the baby llama's room.)
Baby Llama
what a tizzy!
Sometimes Mama's
very busy.
Please Stop all this
Llama drama
and be patient
for your mama.
Little Llama
don't you know,
Mama Llama
loves you so?
Llama llama
red pajama
gets two kisses
from his mama,
snuggles pillow
soft and deep...
Baby Llama
goes to sleep.
__________________________
I recieved this book free from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. She started this foundation in Tennesee where it caught on in other states. It is not in every district. A person would have to contact their local library to see if it was offered. If you have children from birth to five years old, the imagination library will mail children's books to your house. I strongly recomend being apart of this coalition. If your area is not apart of this coalition, find out how it can.
I like this book. I looks like time and energy was invested in this book. My children enjoy the rythm and rhyme of the story. I like the rythm and rhyme, too.
In the illustration we feel the emotions of the baby llama, and we feel empathy for him. Haven't we all been scared once? The love we see from the mother is so heart warming. If we have not felt this motherly love before, we experience it in this book, and a parent's love is conveyed.
I recomend this book for children and parent. I also recomend it for adults who do not have children or ever plan on having children. I think that there is something special in reading a good children's book from Dr. Seus to the Little Engine who said, "I think I can". It is no shame to read books with pictures as an adult. Just appreciating good work and craftmanship is special.
Thank you,
Ronald Bruinius
Let me just quote the whole book for my readers. If you think the poem is cute, the illustrations are soft and warm for any child to view.
Llama Llama
red pajama
reads a story
with his mama.
Mama kisses
baby's hair.
Mama Llama
goes downstairs.
Llama llama
red pajama
feels alone
without his mama.
Baby Llama wants a drink.
Mama's at the kitchen sink.
Llama llama
red pajama
calls down to
his llama mama.
Mama says
she'll be up soon.
Baby Llama
hums a tune.
Llama llama
red pajama
waiting waiting
for his mama.
Mama isn't
coming yet.
Baby Llama
starts to fret.
Llama llama
red pajama
whimpers softly
for his mama.
Mama Llama
hears the phone.
Baby Llama
starts to moan...
Llama llama
red pajama
listens, quiet,
for his mama.
What is Mama Llama doing?
Baby Llama
starts boo hoing-ing.
Llama llama
red pajama
hollers loudly
for his mama.
Baby Llama
stomps and pouts.
Baby Llama
jumps and shouts.
Llama llama
red pajama
in the dark
without his mama.
Eyes wide open,
covers drawn...
What if Mama Llama's GONE?
Llama llama
red pajama weeping, wailing
for his mama.
Will his mama ever come?
Moma Llama, RUN RUN RUN!
(The next page shows the Llama Mama rushing, panicking, and opening the door of the baby llama's room.)
Baby Llama
what a tizzy!
Sometimes Mama's
very busy.
Please Stop all this
Llama drama
and be patient
for your mama.
Little Llama
don't you know,
Mama Llama
loves you so?
Llama llama
red pajama
gets two kisses
from his mama,
snuggles pillow
soft and deep...
Baby Llama
goes to sleep.
__________________________
I recieved this book free from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. She started this foundation in Tennesee where it caught on in other states. It is not in every district. A person would have to contact their local library to see if it was offered. If you have children from birth to five years old, the imagination library will mail children's books to your house. I strongly recomend being apart of this coalition. If your area is not apart of this coalition, find out how it can.
I like this book. I looks like time and energy was invested in this book. My children enjoy the rythm and rhyme of the story. I like the rythm and rhyme, too.
In the illustration we feel the emotions of the baby llama, and we feel empathy for him. Haven't we all been scared once? The love we see from the mother is so heart warming. If we have not felt this motherly love before, we experience it in this book, and a parent's love is conveyed.
I recomend this book for children and parent. I also recomend it for adults who do not have children or ever plan on having children. I think that there is something special in reading a good children's book from Dr. Seus to the Little Engine who said, "I think I can". It is no shame to read books with pictures as an adult. Just appreciating good work and craftmanship is special.
Thank you,
Ronald Bruinius
March 6, 2009
Disney Princess
I read the book of Disney's Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Snow White. It just makes me sick to here that my daughter loves to hear these stories over and over.
In my critique of these books, it may seem that I am putting a high standard on children's books, but I found such well written children's books that I want to share them with you.
Granted the tales of Cinderella and Snow White are classics and any critique of them would only bring up old memories of a little girl waiting for prince charming who never will really come. The simple writings are fine and organized well from the version that I found.
My problem was Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. Walt Disney did not even take the time to organize its paragraphs in a logical format. The beast seems like a jerk, and I feel now real compassion for his situation. In the coming days, I am going to show you a version of the Beauty and the Beast that makes you feel compassion for the beast. The writing engages you and the reader can follow the flow of the story.
Join me as I share with you children books that I find in the Library and read to my daughter.
Ronald Bruinius
In my critique of these books, it may seem that I am putting a high standard on children's books, but I found such well written children's books that I want to share them with you.
Granted the tales of Cinderella and Snow White are classics and any critique of them would only bring up old memories of a little girl waiting for prince charming who never will really come. The simple writings are fine and organized well from the version that I found.
My problem was Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. Walt Disney did not even take the time to organize its paragraphs in a logical format. The beast seems like a jerk, and I feel now real compassion for his situation. In the coming days, I am going to show you a version of the Beauty and the Beast that makes you feel compassion for the beast. The writing engages you and the reader can follow the flow of the story.
Join me as I share with you children books that I find in the Library and read to my daughter.
Ronald Bruinius
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