BIG PLANS

Learn more about Bob Shea at his website

OR about Lane Smith at his website

The Book That Eats People

Art! by Patrick McDonnell

Click here to find out more about Patrick McDonnell

Wombly and I loved this book for a couple of reasons:

• It introduces Down Unders to the concept of art
• Patrick McDonnell ALWAYS has a feel good message to his books. Always nice to have a little bit of that in life!
• Wombly was reminded of Harold and the Purple Crayon, the way Art was running around with a paintbrush.
• Annnnd... Wombly found the book inspiring!

Happy Reading!

~ NaomiRuth, Wombly the Wombat

10 Picture Books I Read Recently and Loved

I was thinking about what book I wanted to review next and I just read a bunch of picture books I really enjoyed so I thought I'd just list 10 of the ones I've read recently that I loved (in no particular order).

1. The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer

This twist on the classic "Boy Who Cried Wolf" tale will have youngsters giggling. Tim describes the crazy things he sees and his parents don't believe him. Does he have a really big imagination or could there actually be truth in his tales?

2. Edgar Gets Ready for Bed by Jennifer Adams, Illustrated by Ron Stucki

Edgar is your typical toddler (though he is, of course, a raven). Whether it's getting ready for bed, cleaning up, or eating dinner he adamantly replies "Nevermore!" Besides being a cute read, the hidden Poe references will have adults chuckling along (look for a Poe jack-in-the-box and a wobbly house of Usher).

3. Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

As someone who grew up in a household where we often played with cardboard boxes, I fell in love with this book the first time I read it. Found it in our library and reread it recently and loved it just as much. What is a cardboard box? Anything you want it to be!

4. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The bear has lost his hat. He goes looking for it, asking every animal he comes upon if they've seen it. He's about to give up when he realizes that he's seen his hat and knows exactly who took it. The ending may go over very young children's heads, but slightly older children (and those reading the book to them) will be able to read between the lines and enjoy being in on the joke with the bear and the author.

5. My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown

Bobby and his teacher don't really get along. He's a little ... spirited, and he's sure she is a monster. But when they bump into each other outside of the classroom, Bobby is forced to take another look at the person he thought he knew so well. The subtle morphing of the teacher in the illustrations adds nicely to the gentle message that teachers are more than just their classroom persona.

6. Turtle Island by Kevin Sherry

Turtle is all alone in a giant ocean, so when a boat full of animals crashes on his shell he's excited to make new friends. The animals like Turtle, but they miss their families so they set out to head back home, leaving Turtle alone again. But the animals have a surprise in store! The beautiful watercolor backgrounds add to the gentle feeling of family and friendship built through the story.

7. Horton and the Kwuggerbug and More Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss

This collection reprints stories that were never completed as picture books. Light on the images because of this, it's still a delightful read. No one rhymes like Dr. Seuss!

8. Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman

The three bears get carried away and accidentally break their mother's favorite shell. They set out on a grand adventure to replace the shell and meet many interesting characters along the way. The artwork is gorgeous with nods to Melville and LeGuin. And while the three siblings do face appropriate consequences, the love between them and their mother leaves the ending on a happy note.

9. Found by Salina Yoon

Bear finds a lost stuffed bunny and sets out to help the toy find its way home. But as he carries the bunny around and it becomes part of his life, Bear isn't quite ready to let go when the bunny's owner finds him. With a true Toy Story 3 type twist, Bear and bunny have a happy ending.

10. Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers

This is the kind of book where you just feel like these people got together, started spit-balling ideas, and then came up with something utterly ridiculous and are brilliant enough to make it work. With additions to the "original" illustrations and changes to the dialogue, the innocuous "Birthday Bunny" turns into a battle of epic proportions. (Besides this book really reminded me of my favorite StrongBad episode)(Seriously, click on that link)

Have you read any good picture books recently? I'm always happy to add more to by TBR pile!

Down Unders: Lost and Found by Shaun Tan

Book Details:

• Written by Shaun Tan

• Illustrated by Shaun Tan

• Published by Arthur A. Levine Books (an imprint of Scholastic)

Important Things to Know:

• These stories are dark and deal with things like depression, loneliness, and the problems of colonization.

Why Wombly and I Enjoyed This Book:

• Shaun Tan just does beautiful art. There are so many layers. I've read this book three times, Wombly has read it twice, and each time we see something new. I stared at one of the pages for a good long while, tracing my fingers across every detail I could. And then Wombly started poking me because he wanted to continue with the story.
• The stories are so powerful. They deal with difficult issues while maintaining hope, all without being up front and in your face. There's a lot of use of symbolism. The message is fluid and subtle. I really, really enjoy subtlety in a story. Probably because I tend to be rather terrible at being subtle.
• Wombly loved that Shaun Tan trusted him as a young reader. Sometimes we read Down Under books and it feels like the author doesn't trust Wombly (and other Down Under readers). Like truth has to be sugar-coated or glossed over or forgotten. It was good to feel trusted, to know the author took the reader seriously.

Wombly and I Read This Book Because:

• My friend introduced me to Shaun Tan and I have been reading him ever since. He just came out with a new book Rules of Summer, and I wanted to re-introduce Wombly to Shaun Tan since we haven't read him for awhile.
• We hope that you, too, will read this book and be able to experience these three emotive stories that Lost & Found offers.

You Can Find This Book At:

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-a-Million
• Or an Indie Bookstore near you!

Press Here

Book Details:

• Written and Illustrated by Herve Tullet (who is French, so if you can read French you can experience his website in French.)
• Published by Chronicle Books
• It has been translated into other languages, like Russian.

Wombly and I Loved this Book Because:

• I could sit and read it again and again and still be amused each time
• It's a great book for helping a child's imagination, I think
• I love the colors of it
• Wombly enjoyed that he could interact with the book
• I love that I could sit in the library and giggle to myself over a board book. There's some kind of magic in a book that allows you to do that. Or, as the Chronicle Books page for this book will tell you: "It's not magic. It's the power of your imagination."

I Read This Book Because:

• It was published by Chronicle Books and I trust their stuff. (For example: The Hieroglyph Detective, and The Templeton Twins)

You Can Find The Book Here:

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-a-Million
• Or find an indie store near you!

The Hills are Alive With the Sound of Julie Andrews

I have loved Julie Andrews ever since I can remember.  The first time I heard something she sang was when I was about 5 and we were rehearsing a number for my dance recital...the song Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music.  As I grew older I learned all of the songs from The Sound of Music, thanks to my grandmother, who loved the movie.  My sister can also confirm that The Sound of Music soundtrack was one of the few tapes we were allowed to play in their car when we took vacations.  Although I cannot quite understand why it took me so long to actually see the movie in full.  Usually when we watched it I was only allowed to see up to "So Long Farewell" and then it was off to bed with me like the rest of the VonTrapp Children.

As I grew older I of course finally saw the end of The Sound of Music, and also Mary Poppins.  When the Princess Diaries I was more excited to see Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse than the actual storyline.  It still is one of my favorite movies that I can just put on and lose myself in.

So that brings me to last month.  I follow a few former Borders Managers and Asst Managers.  Some of which have gotten other jobs with in the book industry.  Imagine my reaction when one  of them posted that Julie Andrews would be doing a book signing at Fairfield University Bookstore in Fairfield, CT.  I didn't know what to do!  I posted on facebook asking my friends if I should even consider going.  I mean it's an hour and a half away from me, and I didn't even have details yet. The answer was a resounding YES!

So a couple days after the announcement the details came through.  Tickets would be available if you purchased one of her children's books.  They would start giving out tickets February 1st at opening.  So I questioned myself again...did I really want to drive to Fairfield twice in 1 week.  I decided to leave it up to fate.   If I ended up with a closing shift or off on February 1st I would do it.  As luck had it, I didn't have to work until 2 on Feb 1st so my mom and I took the trek (so that we could get a book and line ticket for my sister as well).  Apparently all the tickets were taken within 2 hours of the store being open!

So today was the day!  My sister Jennifer and I arrived at the bookstore around 1:45, an hour prior to lineup.  We had our tickets and because we were early ended up being placed 20 and 21st in line.  Around 2:30 they started queuing us up.  Honestly the only complaint we had was that we were queued too early.  The signing started later than scheduled and because we were queued in a tight space (and not really moving) our backs started to hurt.

An impromptu sing-a-long took place while we were waiting to go to the signing area. Imagine a whole bunch of strangers belting out Do-Re-Mi for Julie Andrews (who was already in place) to hear.  Amazing and fun! Around 3:15 or so the first 25 people were brought up to the signing area.  The girls in front of Jennifer and I posed an interesting question, "What do you say to Julie Andrews."  I pondered it the entire time we were queued and upstairs.  The line moved rather quickly and soon I was waiting to actually meet her, I heard her say "hello" to the girls ahead of me and I really couldn't believe it.  She seriously sounds the way you hear her in movies.

Finally it was my turn.  I went up to her table and just stared at her, she really is a beautiful woman.  She asked how I was and I said "Good."  I then blurted out "I have loved you since I was 5 years old"  She replied "Oh how nice!"  She then asked if the book I had was for me and I said "No it's for my 10 month old daughter."  She then said "I hope she grows to love it."  I told her "I will ensure that she does."

Then it was time for me to go.  Yes there were no photographs, or any personalization, but it was because her schedule was so tight.  I am so very blessed that I got to see someone who I have idolized for a very long time, that I truly didn't care about it!

I do have to give kudos to the staff at Fairfield University Bookstore, who put on a great event.  They had their cafe staff running back and forth to the queue to get people drinks if they wanted them. Their bookstore staff were very personable and friendly to all the people who showed up!

A big thanks to Craig Kennedy whom without I would have NEVER found out about the event!!!!

By the way it is quite surreal going to this bookstore, it was fomerly a Borders so all the fixtures, sign holders, shelf talkers etc. are Borders things.  It made me sad in a way.....


Here I am in line with my book (and post-it with my place number)

Here is the autograph!

The Pop Up Book

When I was a kid my sister and I had 2 pop up books that I remember.  One was the stories of Jesus and the other was one about American Monuments. When I started at Borders 9 years ago it looked like pop up books were making a comeback due to two men, Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart.

These two men have redefined the pop up book for the world today with very intricate designs and even some cool light effects.  Every year around this time people are always looking to see if the holiday Sabuda books are on sale.  Which of course they aren't but man if they were you would really be getting alot of bang for your buck.

One of my favorite holiday titles from Mr. Sabuda is Winter's Tale.  At the end there is a house that lights up.

Every time there was a new release for a Sabuda or Reinhart we would always await the book to come in so we could get a sneak peek.  Now at this point I would never pay the money for them, because Anastasia would either rip it to shreds or attempt to eat it.  But you can be assured that when she is a bit older I will shell out the $20+ so that we have these wonderful works of art.

So my question to all you blog readers there, do you have a favorite pop up book?

Thanks for reading this, and I am so sorry I have missed the past couple of months...being a working mom has really stretched me thin!!!!

And just because you haven't seen her in a few months here is Anastasia and I a couple weeks before Christmas!  And to all you Borders fans, that is actually one of my SBC shirts that I treasure!

What Wombly Found in the Mail Today

Today Wombly and I went to our post office and guess what? We had a package! It was from Rebecca T. and guess what was inside?

This may be a dramatized version of what really occurred

Wombly is trying to guess what it might be!
Also: I loved that not only was the packaging recycled, it was from Canada.
Yay for Canada!

Adorable books! Wombly immediately wanted to read them.

The books are called Found You, Little Wombat! and Where To, Little Wombat? by Charles Fuge and Angela McAllister. They were originally published in Britain by Gullane Books (they look like they have some adorable picture books, so go check them out!) and have been printed by Sandy Creek Press, an imprint of Sterling Publishing, here in America. There appears to be a whole series of these Wombat Books and it makes me extraordinarily happy. Wombly is quite delighted that little children are finding out more about wombats.

The first book, Found You, Little Wombat! is about Little Wombat. He's playing hide and seek with his friends and gets distracted by flowers, when... Oh No! It starts rainy and Little Wombat realizes he is far from home and his friends aren't anywhere nearby. He hunkers down and uses a mushroom as an umbrella. Will he be okay? Will his mother find him? Will he splash in giant puddles of water?

In the second book, Where To, Little Wombat?, Little Wombat's mother is cleaning out the burrow and Little Wombat is bored. He wants to live somewhere new and exciting. He wanders off to find a new place to live. Will he be successful? You'd have to read it to find out!

So, go forth my Down Unders! Read these brightly illustrated accounts of Little Wombat. 

Barnes and Noble (where my versions of the books were purchased. Woo!)
Books-a-Million
Indie Bookstore Near You!

Picture This! Suzy Lee (And Contest Winners)

Hello Down Unders! Today we will be looking at a picture book. I love picture books. It's how we introduce our children to the world of both books and art. It's a way to bond with kids. And honestly? They are totally for adults as well. I love when I read a good picture book that is engaging to both young readers not-as-young readers.

So, today I figured I'd start with one of my favorites picture book authors: Suzy Lee. Although, she is more of a picture book Illustrator, than author. The two books of hers that I have read are Shadow and Wave. Both were put out by Chronicle Books.

(On a sidenote: I just want to say I love Chronicle Books, they are one of the publishing companies I always keep an eye out for.)

I love these books because without using any words at all Suzy Lee is able to tell a story. A story that is intruiging, that draws the reader into a new world. And I just love the artwork. It's distinct, the pictures are vibrant. She chooses 3-4 colors to tell her story, which I find especially fascinating.

Shadows tells the story of a girl and her imagination. Waves is about a girl at the beach. Both are simple in their telling, but the impact of the artwork leaves a lasting impression.

I aboslutely love these books, and will buy her books whenever I see them.







AND... No, I did not forget. Today is the end of our RL Stine contest!

The winner of ZombieTown is:

Rachel

YAY!!! *throws sparkles*

The winner of The Haunted Mask is:

Amy Lee Sanders

YAY!!! *throws some more sparkles*

Winners, please email me your addresses to bwobny@gmail.com and I'll get those books out to you either Friday or Saturday. Huzzah!

Have a good week my lovely Down Unders. Check back next week to meet someone who will be helping me with my reviews *wiggles eyebrows to keep you in suspense*

Where It All Began

You wouldn't chose to work in a bookstore unless you love to read.  I always find it odd when I meet someone who doesn't like to read.  How could someone not enjoy curling up with a good book and escaping somewhere without leaving the comfort of your couch?  I've loved to read as long as I can remember but how did this love start?  Let's take a look at some of the first books we remember.  

Alan: "One of the first books I remember reading to myself was 'Are You My Mother' by P.D. Eastman. Although I had since then become an avid reader, when my dad gave me 'Tarzan of the Apes' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, when I was 10, I was forever changed. For the next several years, and through several more of the adventures of Lord Greystoke, if I wasn't in a tree with the rest of Kerchak's tribe of anthropoids, I was huddled up with a book." 

Claire:  "I remember being in love with Dr. Seuss books, I know I always had 'One Fish, Two Fish' around. I think the first books that really started my love of reading was the Little House on the Prairie series. I don't remember how how I was, I think first grade, and I remember reading a page and then my mom read a page, back and forth. I remember I got the entire set for Christmas. I loved those books!"

Eileen:  "When I was little my parents and grandparents read to me a lot. Mostly Dr Seuss and Berenstein Bears. In late kindergarten/ early first grade I got 'The Horse and His Boy' and 'Little House on the Prairie', which were my first 'big books' to read by myself. I read them over and over, and have been begging for more ever since!"

Jess P. "My parents always had my sister and I read before we went to bed. The first book I remember reading on my own was 'The Mouse and the Motorcycle' by Beverly Cleary. It was a great story for a younger reader. There were also two other books in the series so I got hooked wanting to know more about Ralph S Mouse!"

Naomi:  "Go Dog Go' by PD Eastman was the first book I remember reading on my own without any help. And then, after that, I just wanted to read everything. It didn't really take much, since I had already been exposed to the love of reading via my mother and sisters."

Rachel:  I had always enjoyed books from a young age and religiously read Dr. Seuss, Jan Brett, and Eric Carle. However, it wasn't until my dad brought home a hardcover copy of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone' that someone had found in a garbage that I really embraced reading and discovered my passion for magic and fantasy."

 

Rebecca: "When I was really little, my favorite book to have read to me was 'Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss.' I started reading at a young age, so I know I read a lot of books, but the first book I really remember being affected by was 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott. I distinctly remember it being the first book that made me cry. It was the first time I realized how powerful the written word can be and the impact it can have on people."  

It seems like Dr. Suess had a big impact on most of us.  He had an impact on me too but the opposite of everyone else.  I was scared of The Cat in The Hat and wanted nothing to do with another Suess book after that!  

When I was little, my dad read to me every night.  It was normally a short story or poem from a book he had as a kid called, "The Bumper Book."  It was full of little short stories and poems like "The Owl and the Pussycat."  He also read a lot of "Golden Books" to me, my favorite was "The Poky Little Puppy."  As I got older and learned to read on my own the first chapter book I wanted was "The Baby Sitters Club: Little Sister #2, Karen's Roller Skates," by Ann M. Martin.  This series was a spin-off of "The Baby-Sitters Club."  I distinctly remember finding this book at the mall at the "Book and Record" store.  Yes, I am old enough to have shopped in a store that sold actual record albums!  I read some of it to myself and my dad read some to me.  I instantly fell in love with the little town of Stonybrook, Conneticut and went on to read all the books in the series and ultimately found my true book love with "The Baby-Sitters Club" series.  I've been constantly reading ever since.  I read a variety of books but I still re-read "The Baby-Sitters Club" books to this day.  Like a great friend, they are a great source of comfort on a bad day. 

What about you ?  Please share with us some of your early reading memories below. 

Christmas Books for the Kid in all of us!

Well there are only 2 more shopping days left until Christmas!  Have you gotten all your presents yet?  I know I haven't, in fact today is when my husband and I will finish doing our shopping! When I started working for Borders "back in the day" (as my staff will attest) I was primarily a kids seller.  I don't know how I got roped into it, but I always found myself in the kids room suggesting titles to customers who had NO clue as to what to get a child they only saw a handful of times a year.

I decided for my first post to talk about the Christmas books that I really enjoyed as a child.  If you are looking for a good kids book to get for the holiday, perhaps this will inspire you.

The first book I love during this time of year is The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg.  I have great memories of my elementary school librarian reading this to our class every year.  I always hoped that the Polar Express would come to my home and pick me up just so I could visit the North Pole. *sigh*  Oh well, maybe my children will get that experience!

The second book I love is that classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.  Who can forget this classic tale about The Grinch and his quest to steal Christmas, only to be foiled by his own heart?  I always wanted some roast beast!  Where can I get it?

My next recommendation may not be familiar to some of you, it's The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Richard Scarry.  It's a cute story (complete with scratch and sniff stickers) about a little bear who is learning all about Christmas.  My favorite scratch and sniff page to this day is the hot chocolate.  We still have this book at my parents and it still smells!!!!

For older kids, I suggest The Best Christmas Pageant ever by Barbara Robinson.  What happens when a rambunctious family takes over the church's Christmas Pageant....well you will find out if you read this book. This includes the classic line "Hey Unto you a Child is Born!".  I honestly think I would be freaked out if this happened in my church, but hey it makes for a great story!

My final suggestion is The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado.  It's a tear jerker but for good reasons.  It tells the story of a lamb with a birth defect who learns that indeed there is a reason as to why we are all here.  I will not give away the ending, but it truly magnifies the meaning of Christmas!

Well I hope you all enjoyed my suggestions for you!  If you liked them great, if not that's okay too!  I look forward to hearing from you and writing for you all next month!