Book Review: Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan

If the title of the book intrigues you, you probably have a small child at home. Or perhaps, your little one loves monsters like my son. Henry and Eve are the main characters who are going through a whiny stage. Their father warns them, if they continue, a monster will come and eat them up. Henry and Eve, of course, do not believe him and continue with their complaints and bad attitudes. Eventually, a monster does capture them and takes them to "the bad side of town." After much arguments between the monster and his wife plus the neighbors, Henry and Eve stop whining and escape. The book ends with the children behaving well, but "to tell you the truth" they still sometimes whine.

I chose this book from the library's new shelf because I hoped to combat my son's new fondness for highly nasal and sometimes deafening conversations while playing to his love of all monsters. When I read it to him word for word, he was intersted in the monsters but ignored the whiny children. When his dad made his own rendition of the story, as he usually does, Bobo was terrified. Instead of the children escaping, they were devoured by the monsters. Needless to say, we had a sleepless night after that ending.

As a whole, this book is better suited for older children who understand the difference between real and make believe. It is understandable to try to associate a consequence with an action, but being eaten by monsters may not be the best one. Most of the reviews of the book agree it has humor better suited for parents rather than children. The illustrations are simple line drawings with little color. The large pages have lots of white space and the text is littered with dialogue.

Book Review: Big Wheels by Anne Rockwell

Construction books are fascinating for 2 and 3-year-olds. They show how everything works. My son (2) is in love with Big Wheels by Anne Rockwell. He is a frequent visiter of construction sites and a relative expert on "BIG TRUCKS." Rockwell uses illustrations to demonstrate the job of each construction vehicle in bright colors. She adds an element of whimsy by using pigs as the people who drive these trucks. The text is simple and is printed on white space left at the bottom of the illustrations.

If you are looking for even more construction books (and if you have a toddler, I know you are) try: Easy street by Rita Gray; Dig, Dig, Digging by Margeret Mayo; or Curious George and the Dump Truck by Margret and H.A. Rey.

Book Challenge: Role Reversal

Our book club is meeting Monday, November 29th from 4:30 to 5:30. You'll have the break to read a book for our challenge this month. If you are a boy, read a book with a girl as a main character. If you are a girl, read a book with a boy as a main character.

For our meeting we will be exploring Pioneer Days. Pilgrims, the West and covered wagons are just some of the topics we will discuss and use in our activities. This is our last meeting before the end of the year, so don't miss out.

Book Review: Pumpkin Moon by Tim Preston

Halloween can be a scary time for a child. Pumpkins seem to be a safe topic to introduce your child to the fall season and the holiday. My son, who just turned 2, is fascinated with the moon. Tim Preston's book is the perfect story to relate something safe, like the moon, with something new, like Halloween.

The story takes place on October 31st. It shows children dressed up, making Jack-o'-lanterns and trick-or-treating. The real story takes place after all the children have gone to bed. Then, the jack-o'-lanterns get to have their fun. They go to a party on the moon. Everything is safely in place in the morning.

The illustrations are large and detailed, so you can add your own commentary to the sparse narrative. This would be a good book to share with a group of children.

Challenge Club for Girls and Boys

So, we only had one boy so far at our meeting, and he was somebody's brother. Not a problem! We've invited them, right girls? Our theme this month is Fantastic Creatures, which are creatures no longer seen on earth today (yay for dinosaurs!). Your CHALLENGE BOOKS for this month were Minnie and Moo: Attack of the Easter Bunnies, or The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. You can claim your prize for reading one of these books at our meeting on Monday, October 25th at 4:30. We will be making some fantastic creatures of our own!

Book Club: Wild Animal Challenge

Our reading challenge is less than a week away. The two books you were challenged to read for the theme wild animals were Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan and Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan. Both books have animals that get into tons of mischief. You can claim your prize on Monday, September 27th @ 4:30. We will also have our usual fun with games and crafts.

Book Review: Julius: The Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes

I've noticed quite a few lovely pregnant bellies lately, so I thought I should do a review of a book for introducing a new baby into the home. Most of these types of books are so sweet and wonderous, but Henkes reveals a darker and funnier side to bringing home baby.

The book begins with Lilly acting the part of a wonderful sister. She reads and sings to her mama's belly. Unfortunately, the story changes when Julius actually comes home. Lilly discovers a new baby takes up too much attention, and he stinks!

Everyone thinks Julius is the baby of the world. Everyone, except Lilly's cousin, Garland. Garland thinks the very same things that Lilly has said throughout the book. So, you would think that Lilly would be overjoyed to have a partner in her baby brother drama club. Oh, no!

Now, Lilly is the one to hail: "Julius is the baby of the world!"

This book captures the essence of sibling rivalry perfectly. Brothers and sisters are going to have disagreements. It is inevitable. If someone on the outside of this tenuous relationship tries to start trouble, though, they will be faced with a united front: family. Henkes uses humor to bring this concept to those who are experiencing the love/not-so-much love relationship for the very first time. Jealousy and sharing are hard concepts for pre-schoolers. Read this book and let yourself laugh about it!