M is for Mischief

M IS FOR MISCHIEF: An A to Z of Naughty Children

Written by: Linda Ashman
Illustrated by: Nancy Carpenter

So you think your kids are naughty sometimes?  Well, trust me, they are not! The poems in this book, one for each letter, are about the most mischievous kids you can imagine.  Even your own kids won't believe it!  This book is a fun anthology of poems arranged by letter and with vocabulary emphasized by letter as well, each with very very unbelievably horrifically mischievous naughty children! (So naughty mostly I think your kids wouldn't dare to copy them!) :)  A fun book obviously with letter value, high interest factor for kids, and rich and different vocabulary.   Mischievous!

Red Sings from The Treetops: A Year in Colors

Red Sings From The Treetops: A Year in Colors

Written by Joyce Sidman
Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

 Poetry can be such a sweet but elusive thing to me. I am not a well-read when it comes to poetry, but each time I read it, I love it! As a reader, I am accustomed to reading quickly; understanding.  Poetry makes me slow down, and think a little more; sometimes a lot more.  That is what makes it so refreshing and worthwhile.   I know this about myself and poetry, and I see the same thing with my children, and so Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colorssat waiting in my book pile for a bit before I was ready to slow down enough to read it.  When I did--I loved it!  LOVE!

The book is what it claims to be: a year in colors.  Starting with Spring and ending with Winter you travel through the seasons with colors, and you see them all the while through words as well as pictures.  Oh, the art!  The art is so amazing, the colors (so fittingly) are so right on, that it makes my heart sing!  I adore the colors in this book.  The paintings are indeed what caught my daughter on her first run through, she found much to point out and much to talk about, and loved to guess which color was about to be explained in the season through the next poem. We loved this book.  As is typical for me, I also love that this book has a lot of rereading potential--more to learn each time, and more for my children to discover as they mature.

Poetry can be an interesting thing for children--my children.  All readers are different, inlcuding young ones, and I see this when we are reading poetry as well.  Poetry  is wide-ranging and so there are types to suit each taste.  My children all love funny poems.  My children especially love poems with accompanying amazing pictures.  But then, my children are also different.  The five year-old daughter I read this with is busy, she chatters and moves a lot.  Perhaps she is most still typically, when she is reading!  But this book's pictures found reason for her to say things, lots of things, while we read.  Because of this she missed a lot of words, but she didn't miss an experience.  With more readings she will catch more words, more meanings, will ask more questions, and find still more to talk about in the illustrations.  When I think of another child of mine, a son, I think at this same age he would have listened and caught more language, as language is his love, maybe missing more of the pictures.  All kids are different, all people are different, and there are books and poems to suit us all.  Sometimes one may suit most of us, but in different ways.  Oh, the joy of reading, and sharing a book with another!

We loved this book, the 2010 Caldecott Winner (I have not mentioned this yet, have I?) I am grateful for the award, because the popularitiy if it made the cover familiar to me.  What if I would have missed it?  Oh thank goodness I didn't, because we so enjoyed the red singing from the treetops! I hope you do too.

Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems

Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems
Written by: Kristine O'Connell George
Illustrated by: Kate Kiesler

I am fascinated with poems because I know there is magic in them. I love the brevity of many and the feeling in so few well chosen words. I know that they are good for children, even if I can't articulate why without passing on reasons given by someone else. Poems are mysteriously good things to me in their short but true breath of meaning. (I do like the short ones best)!

Introducing poetry to children can be fun when a theme is involved, especially if it revolves around their interests, or better yet your combined interests. This book of camping poems is a fun mix of thinking and lighthearted poems, poems about marshmallows and sleeping bags, owls and caves, and many other camping situations. Although these couple dozen poems are probably best for the slightly older child, I can see the illustrations and rhythm pleasing younger ones.Enjoy a fun and different collection of poems meant of course, especially for you campers! Check it out!

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight
Written by: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrated by: Peter Sis

One of my sons and I really like picture book dragons. What's not to like about breathing fire? I have some favorite dragon books, like George the Dragon, and Herbert The Timid Dragon. I have run across some slightly odd dragon stories, like Hush, Little Dragon. (I had to read that book twice in a row I was so taken aback!) The Dragons Are Singing Tonight is different from the rest as it's a book of poems about dragons. I was thrilled to find this in my tiny rural library just down the road. This lovely little library appears to have about 10 poetry books, and this happens to be one of them, whichI think speaks well of the book. The poetry in The Dragons Are Singing Tonightis written by poetry man Jack Prelutsky himself. The illustrations by Peter Sis are very worthy, as you can see by the cover. I think you'll like this one whether you are a dragon-lover, poetry-lover, or neither!

Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry

Similar to my venture for the perfect nursery rhyme book , I went on a venture for the perfect first poetry book. This wasn't the book I ended up with, but if it would have been around then, it would have been perfect! I'm not going to say I'm a poetry expert, or even that I've seen a huge number of early poetry books, but this book is different from what I have seen, and perfect for little ones.

Here's A Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry contains little poems for little people with little attention spans. Perfect. There is almost always only one or two poems per page. The words are large, making it easy to read, as well as making the words a visual feature for little eyes. The illustrations are large and simple, colorful, and of course adorable. You can tell that by looking at the cover, can't you?

Our local library has this book, and we have checked it out and enjoyed it more than once. All of my children enjoy it, and we all seem to have chosen our favorite poems. As much as I would love too, I don't buy all the books I love. But if I did, I would most certainly own this one. If I ever venture to find a first poetry collection again --and I might--this will be my first choice.

When do you go on your first poetry book expedition? Well, that depends on who you ask. My opinion is that you can't start poetry too early. I think the rhymes and illustrations in this book would easily please a baby if read in short intervals. Depending of course on temperament, and how accustomed to being read to a child is, I think this would also make a great one or two year-old birthday gift. I know my children would have loved it. Beyond that certainly the three to five year old set would enjoy it. It's wonderful to find books that grow with a child! Rhyming is an important literacy skill, and hearing rhymes over and over has got to be one of the most enjoyable ways to acquire it. Babies love rhyming, and so do young children. And when it's this well done --so do I.

I'm not the only one who appreciates this book. It is currently up for the Beehive Award for 2009!

To hear another book-lover succinctly discuss the importance of rhyme, and her perfect nursery rhyme book, click here.

Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose by Scott Gustafson

When I was a child I had a sweet nursery rhyme book given to me by my grandma. Although I'm sure I loved reading it, I especially remember spending time looking at the pictures. Looking back at it now, the pictures are still familiar, like old friends, and I remember which were my favorites.

I wanted a book for my daughter to love and remember also, and of course it required superior illustrations. After much searching I was pleased to find this book by Scott Gustafson, which I feel rivals the one from my childhood. Of all the available nursery rhyme books I have seen, I believe this one is far and above the best!

All of my children have been lovers of nursery rhymes, with or without good illustrations. There really is something to Mother Goose rhymes, which is probably why they are still around!

My 2 1/2 year old and I can get through this book all in one sitting, and neither one of us gets bored. My five and six year old still enjoy it, perhaps especially because of the excellent illustrations. The rhymes are classic, and the pictures are simply delicious!