Bea Reviews Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

Publisher: Cartwheel Books
Source: Classroom collection 
Release Date: December 27th, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

What is the proper way to ask Mr. Panda for doughnuts?

Patiently and politely, Mr. Panda asks the animals he comes across if they would like a doughnut. A penguin, a skunk, and a whale all say yes, but they do not remember to say "please" and "thank you." Is anyone worthy of Mr. Panda's doughnuts?

Steve Antony has captured a cute panda, delightful animals hungry for doughnuts, and a manners lesson. With adorable black-and-white animals and brightly colored doughnuts, Antony's art is bold, striking, and engaging -- and now available in a hands-on board book version that's just-right for curious little ones.

Bea Reviews The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka & Illustrated by Lane Smith

Publisher: Scholastic 
Source: Owned by the reviewer
Release Date: 1991 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

You thought you knew the story of the “The Three Little Pigs”… You thought wrong.

In this hysterical and clever fracture fairy tale picture book that twists point of view and perspective, young readers will finally hear the other side of the story of “The Three Little Pigs.”

“In this humorous story, Alexander T. Wolf tells his own outlandish version of what really happens during his encounter with the three pigs…. Smith's simplistic and wacky illustrations add to the effectiveness of this fractured fairy tale.”
—Children’s Literature

“Older kids (and adults) will find very funny.”
—School Library Journal

Bea Reviews Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover by Audrey Penn & Illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson

Series: The Kissing Hand Series
Publisher: Tanglewood
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 16th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Tanglewood | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

“Are we almost there?” Chester Raccoon asked his mother. Chester is excited about going to his very first sleepover. After his mother drops him off at Pepper Opossum’s house with a Kissing Hand in his palm, Chester and his animal friends have a long day of playing games and eating snacks. But when the animals decide to bed down, Chester can’t go to sleep. While his Kissing ...more

Bea Reviews The Wolf and His Shadow by Thierry Robberecht & Illustrated by Stéphanie Frippiat

Publisher: Clavis
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 11th, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Wolf is afraid, especially of his own shadow.

It’s big and black, and it has really big teeth.

Wolf is embarrassed.

The other wolves will surely make fun of him!
But one day, by a stroke of luck, Wolf discovers that his shadow can be very useful too….

A moving story about a wolf who overcomes his fears.

For brave (and not so brave) children ages 4 and up.

Bea Reviews Hold Your Temper, Tiger! by Carol Roth, Illustrated by Rashin

Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 7th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A playful look at managing tempers for tigers of every age.

Little Tiger has a temper! He stomps his paws, cries, and growls when he doesn't want to do something. But when his mom says “Hold your temper or else,” Little Tiger has to make some changes. Where will he hold his temper? In his pocket . . . in his underwear?

It's The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! Celebrate with a Giveaway!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day, usually on the first day of spring, is celebrated nationally at schools, libraries, and bookstores.  The Eric Carle museum, located in Amherst, MA, celebrates it every year with fun art activities. I've been to the museum and it's wonderful. They have amazing exhibits, not just on Eric Carle's works and fantastic programs for children. Today, with help from the publisher, we're celebrating The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day here at the Nook.

Bea Reviews Steppin' Out: Jaunty Rhymes for Playful Times by Lin Oliver, Tomie dePaola

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 21st, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Capturing the magic and fun of early childhood, this lively collection of poems, from the creators of Little Poems for Tiny Ears, is a book to be treasured.

Being a preschooler means days full of discovery every time you step out of your door. It s a time filled with wonder, at all the sights and sounds of the outdoors and at the huge variety of people there are to meet. This collection of nineteen original poems features little ones eager to explore, whether it s splashing in puddles, riding in an elevator or through a car wash, or visiting the library. They go full-steam ahead to the park, the beach, and dance class, somewhat begrudgingly learn to share and get their first haircut, and enjoy lots of time with their families. Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sounds of poetry through familiar childhood activities, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola's engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver s bouncy poems."

Bea Reviews If I Were A Whale by Shelley Gill & Illustrated by Erik Brooks

Publisher: Little Bigfoot
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 21st, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Books-A-Million | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

From best-selling children's author Shelley Gill comes this colorful, rhyming board book playfully featuring whales found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. Toddlers will love to learn about whales swimming in the deep blue sea in this beautifully illustrated board book that shares simple whale facts in an imaginative way.
If I could be anything, do you know what I'd be? I'd be a whale in the deep blue sea.
Scooping up fishes and flipping my tail, I'd be a minke or beluga whale. 

Bea Reviews ABC Pasta: An Entertaining Alphabet by Juana Medina

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 7th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A is for angel hair acrobat
M is for Macaroni the Magician
and T is for tortellini trapeze artist.
It's an ABC circus that's good enough to eat!

Bea & Steph Review #BabyLove: My Toddler Life by Corine Dehghanpisheh

Series: #BabyLove #2
Publisher: My Art to Inspire
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Challenges: I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In #BabyLove: My Toddler Life, a new children’s picture book by Corine Dehghanpisheh, a curious toddler loves to play… especially with his mommy’s smartphone!

When Mommy finds him using her phone without permission, it’s the perfect teaching moment.  Mommy reminds her little one that what matters most in life is time together filled with love and attention.

Her simple reminder:  Put down our phones.

#BabyLove: My Toddler Life is the second book in Corine’s #BabyLove Book Series.  The first book in the series, #BabyLove: My Social Life, won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Picture Books 0-5. 

Review & Giveaway: Color of the Sun and Moon by Talia Aikens-Nunez, illustrations by Amy Caringella

Publisher: SundanceKid Press
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 30, 2016
Challenges: I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Colors of the Sun and Moon is an English/Spanish STEM book which featuring an inquisitive young girl and her grandmother. The bright illustrations engage children and illuminate the science of the horizon with vibrant colors.

An inquisitive young girl questions her grandmother about the science behind the colors of the sun and moon. With a forward by Spencer Christian. "Colors of the Sun and Moon" is the second book from the new multicultural, multilingual children's press, SundanceKid Press. The mission of SundanceKid Press is to promote cultural, ethnic/racial and linguistic diversity in children's literature. Each page includes the English text along with the Spanish translation. A free audio recording is available on the SundanceKid Press website.

Bea Reviews Ocean Animals from Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick, illustrated by Kwanchai Moriya

Series: Head to Tail series
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 6th, 2016
Challenges:  I Love Picture Books | NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge

Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This nonfiction picture book uses a playful guessing game to introduce eight different ocean animals and some unique aspects of their bodies. First, readers are shown a close-up illustration of an unusual part of an animal's body and asked to guess its owner: ?What ocean animal has a head like this?? Then the following spread reveals the animal's name (e.g., ?A hammerhead shark!?), along with an illustration of the whole animal in its habitat. There's also a brief description of the animal's traits with a special emphasis on the featured body part. For example, readers learn that a blue whale's mouth contains baleen, which help it capture krill to eat, and that the tail of a seahorse curls so it can hold on to sea plants for stability. Young children will recognize that every animal has its own distinctive features and body parts that help it survive. Author Stacey Roderick has created a perfect beginning exploration of the physical traits of ocean animals that's both engaging and informative. Paper collage illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya in bright, eye-catching colors bring the animals to vivid and appealing life. The fun, interactive nature of the guessing game makes this book ideal for a read-aloud. It would be a terrific addition to an early life-science class on the characteristics of living things or on types of ocean animals. A bonus spread includes information on eight more ocean animals. 

Bea Reviews Do NOT Bring Your Dragon to the Library by Julie Gassman & Andy Elkerton

Publisher: Capstone
Source: egalley - publisher in exchange for an honest review; hard cover - local library
Release Date: August 1st, 2016
Challenges: I Love Libraries | I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Smashwords*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Have you ever thought about bringing your dragon to the library? Don't do it! You might have the best intentions, but that dragon will cause nothing but trouble. Using rhyming text and a diverse cast of characters, this charming picture book will provide some important and some not so important library etiquette in a very entertaining way."

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Story Book Knight by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 6th, 2016
Challenges: I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Even dragons can’t resist a good story…

Even though Leo would rather sit at home and read, his parents send him out into the world in the hopes that Leo will become a famous knight. But when Leo comes up against the land’s most fearsome beasts, he soon discovers that scary monsters enjoy a good book as much as anyone…

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway of Max At Night by Ed Vere

Series: Max
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 1st, 2016 
Challenges: I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This is Max. Max is very sleepy. It's way past Max's bedtime. Max has drunk his milk. Max has brushed his teeth. Max has cleaned behind his ears. Now Max just needs to say goodnight...

Max is tired and all ready for bed, but when he can't find the moon to say goodnight to, he sets out to find it. But that's not as easy as Max had hoped...

Witty and heart-warming, this stylish and beautifully illustrated book is the perfect bedtime read.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway of Three! by Tia Perkin

Publisher: Tia Perkin 
Source: bog tour company in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 22nd, 2016
Challenges: I Love Picture Books
Buying Links: Amazon* | * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

"Three!" is a funny little rhyming book about what it's like to spend a day with a preschooler - from getting themselves dressed to making a big mess! With beautiful illustrations (complete with dinosaurs, trains and superheroes) and a catchy story that both parents and kids can enjoy again and again, this is a must-have for your children's book collection.

Giveaway & Review: Sock Monster by Stacey R. Campbell, Illustrated by Elizabeth Thieme

Publisher: Green Darner Press
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 15, 2015 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit* | Smashwords*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When Billy refuses to pick up his clothes the sock monster comes to teach him a lesson.

Steph & Liam Review Blue Whale Blues by Peter Carnavas

Publisher: Kane Miller, A division of EDC Publishing 
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 2015
Buying Links: USBorne Books & More


Blurb from goodreads:

"I've got the Blue Whale Blues, I've got the Blue Whale, BLUE WHALE BLUES"

When Penguin hears Whale singing the blues, he tries to help. But how do you stop a blue whale feeling blue?

A delightful story about a whale with bike trouble and the happy-go-lucky penguin who cheers him up.

Steph and Liam Review The Pea Patch Jig by Thatcher Hurd

Publisher: Creston Books
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

“Where the pole beans climb, where the tomatoes grow fat, where the onions smell sweet and the corn is yellow as the summer sun, that’s the garden of Clem — Farmer Clem.” So begins this story about Baby Mouse, a tiny mouse who loves to go exploring in the garden. But watch out! You never know what might happen when Baby climbs into a head of lettuce, or up a tomato plant, or when there’s a fox on the prowl.

These are some of the ingredients of The Pea Patch Jig — a book as refreshing as a summer evening in Vermont.

Inspired by the traditional song "The Pea Patch Jig," which was unearthed by the great songwriter singer John Hartford.

2016 I Love Picture Books Reading Challenge Sign Up

For all of you of all ages who love picture books but find they don't qualify for your other challenges, or just want an excuse to read them. . .here's a challenge just for you!

Formerly hosted by Book Dragon's Lair. She's cutting back her challenge hosting for 2016 and passed the baton to me.