{Blog Tour} Reading at the Kids Table: Max the Brave by Ed Vere + Giveaway

Two of Katie's favorite things are her kitty cat and reading. So, when I was approached to take part in a blog tour for Max the Brave including her, I couldn't say no. Especially once we had the book in our hands and Katie was running around the house in that adorable red cape.

For our stop, Katie and I both share our thoughts on the book below. We've read the book several times together already, and I swear each and every time, Katie couldn't help but say, "Awwwwww!!! He's so cute!"

But before we get to her actual thoughts on the story, here's a little about the book:


Title: Max the Brave
Author: Ed Vere
Series: Max
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: September 8, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Max is a fearless kitten. Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There’s only one problem—Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn’t have to be Max the Brave all the time…

Join this adventurous black cat as he very politely asks a variety of animals for help in finding a mouse. Young readers will delight in Max’s mistakes, while adults will love the subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor of this new children’s classic.

Katie's thoughts:  Max was such a cute kitty and it was soooo funny that he didn't know what a mouse was! Especially when he thought a monster was a mouse and the mouse was a monster! The pictures were so cute and Max was funny and reminded me of my silly kitty. She doesn't like to wear bows or collars either!

Jen's thoughts:  Max the Brave was absolutely adorable. The story and illustrations were simple and appealing, with vibrant colors that were very eye-catching and pictures that just popped on the page. It was a bit on the younger side for my little reader -- who's 7 and reading at twice the level as her classmates -- but we both enjoyed it all the same. I love that it's a story about a kitty trying to be big and brave, only to discover that sometimes life is more about knowing who and when to trust rather than simply being brave. It had a very Are You My Mother? vibe, but I have to admit, I much preferred this book and it's simplistic illustrations, besides the fact that it focused on an adorable kitty who dislikes bows. =) We'll definitely be checking out the rest of Ed Vere's work!

About the author:

Ed Vere is an author, artist and illustrator with a long track record of success in the picture book category. Max the Brave was named one of The Sunday Times’s 100 Modern Children’s Classics. His book Bedtime for Monsters was shortlisted for the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize and Mr Big was chosen by Booktrust as the official Booktime book for 2009 (and was distributed to 750,000 British schoolchildren making it the largest single print run of a picture book). Vere was the World Book Day illustrator for 2009.

Find Ed:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you and your little one are brave like Max and take on this adorable little adventure! Here are some other resources for you and your little reader:

Max the Brave website
Max the Brave activity kit
Max the Brave educator kit

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Labels: blog tour, children's books, ed vere, funfunfun, kids, max the brave, reviews, sourcebooks

{Blog Tour} Reading at the Kids Table: Ninja Bunny by Jennifer Grey Olson

My little girl has just blossomed as a reader after her second year in school -- I can't believe she's going to be a second grader in the fall! -- so when I was approached about being involved on the Ninja Bunny blog tour and including her, I couldn't say no. Especially once we had the book in our hands and saw how absolutely adorable it is for ourselves.

For our stop, Katie and I both share our thoughts on the book below, but we've also got an interview with the author and illustrator extraordinaire. The publisher and marketing team have also put together some fun promotional materials for you to share with your own little ninja, too! But first, here's a little about the book:

Title: Ninja Bunny
Author: Jennifer Gray Olson
Series: n/a
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A fresh, funny, and hip picture book about a little bunny who wants to be…a ninja!

How to be a SUPER AWESOME NINJA:

· Rule #1. You must always work alone.
· Rule #2. You must be super sneaky, especially in the most dangerous of situations.
· Rule #3. A super awesome ninja must: possess incredible strength, achieve invisibility, master the skill of climbing, gain the ability to fly…

Our little bunny is ready to embark on his path to becoming a ninja. But is he cut out for the ninja life? Especially if it means leaving his friends behind?

Katie's thoughts:  I really loved the pictures. I liked at the end where Ninja Bunny said "Uh oh," and then the bear said, "Uh oh," and then the rest of the bunnies helped Ninja Bunny. I learned how to be, like, a super awesome ninja, and I also learned that you also need to have friends by your side even when you think you can handle things on your own. Oh, and I also liked the part where Ninja Bunny was falling instead of flying. =)

Jen's thoughts:  This book was so adorable…we've already read it a few times since we received it! Katie's at the end of the age range for this story, so she was able to read the entire thing herself and understood it all with relative ease, even if some ideas she picked up via context clues. And we both just loved all of the images of Ninja Bunny, flying around or caught in trees as he practiced his super awesome ninja skills. I also really loved this book's message:  that you can do things yourself, but you'll have even better success sometimes if you'll only let others help you.

Ninjas show up in different variations in children’s books. How did you come up with the idea of a ninja bunny and the rules?

Every day before I begin my illustration assignments, I do a warm-up sketch. One morning Ninja Bunny just showed up. Originally there was an off-scene narrator telling him what ninja rules to follow, but that was later replaced by the rule book, which seemed more tangible and easier for the reader to engage with.

Did you ever want to be a ninja?

Um, every day. No past tense. Ninjas are awesome.

Ninja Bunny shows readers the importance of understanding both the text and the images. There is also an element of humor throughout the story. How did you plan this out as you worked on the book?

I’ve always loved picture books where the text and the illustration are at odds with each other. It makes the reader feel like they’re in on the joke. I definitely wanted to keep that feeling throughout the book. Ninja Bunny’s character also helped to keep a sort of slapstick feel to the images. His clumsiness is trumped only by his confidence, which is fun to play with visually.

With three children, what kind of routine do you have for writing and drawing?

With three kids ages eleven, nine, and three, my routine has to stay fairly flexible. The one rule I try to stick to is that when I have designated work time, I actually work. This—as anyone who works from home knows—can be almost impossible. Between housework, the kids’ school responsibilities, and a million other distractions, it’s hard to stay focused. For the most part I try to save the things that require my attention the most for when my mother-in-law or husband are on kid duty. But as with any job, things come up that are time-sensitive and have to be addressed regardless of whether the three-year-old just got into my makeup and is now covered in mascara.

Do you have a special area in which you like to work?

I work from my home studio. It’s usually covered in crayons, stickers, and coffee cups. Here it is in a very unnatural state of cleanliness.

Are you working on any new projects that you can share with us?

I am! I’m currently illustrating The Good Dog and the Bad Cat, the sequel to The Good Dog, written by Blue’s Clues co-creator Todd Kessler. I’m also thrilled to share that I’m working on the sequel to Ninja Bunny! Our bunny friend will test whether his ninja skills will help him as he faces his greatest challenge yet . . . his little sister. It’s set to release in fall 2016.

Since summer is coming up, what are your favorite summer activities in your community?

With my kids, most things we will do this summer involve water. We usually try to get to the beach once a week in the summer. We’ve also recently moved within walking distance of a really awesome splash park, so I’m excited to get over there as much as we can.

What are your favorite bedtime stories to read with your boys?

Currently my boys are pretty absorbed in what they’re reading on their own, and as they read faster than me I’d probably only slow them down! Eli (nine years old) just finished Eragon, his first attempt at taking on a bigger reading challenge. Ethan (eleven years old) is just finishing up An Ember in the Ashes, and he loves it! That being said, they will almost always sit in on Charlie’s storytime. This week she’s into everything Seuss, as well as The Day the Crayons Quit and Louise Loves Art. Oh, and Ninja Bunny, of course . . .

About the author:

JENNIFER GRAY OLSON is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in art education. She is a glassblower and sculptor. In addition to writing and illustrating, Jennifer is also the co-coordinator of the SCBWI Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino illustrators’ schmooze. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two boys, and baby girl.

Find Jennifer:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Be sure to check out the rest of the fun on the tour this week and next!

NINJA BUNNY BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

Monday, 6/8:  Mundie Kids, Review and Giveaway
Tuesday, 6/9:  Jenuine Cupcakes, Author Guest Post
Wednesday, 6/10:  My Friends Are Fiction, Author Guest Post
Thursday, 6/11:  Book Rock Betty, Review w/ Kids and Fun Post!
Friday, 6/12:  The Starry-Eyed Revue, Interview and Review

Monday, 6/15:  A Dream Within a Dream, Review and Giveaway
Tuesday, 6/16:  Vi3tbabe, Review w/ Daughters
Wednesday, 6/17:  The Forest of Words and Pages, Review w/ Son
Thursday, 6/18:  Love Is Not a Triangle, Review w/ Children
Friday, 6/19:  Kidlist, Review

And now some fun for your little ones! You can share Ninja Bunny and his mad ninja skills with your kids in the form of a certificate, maze, connect-the-dots, and more below!

My ninja name would be Zip Zam Hee. How about you? :P

Happy reading & ninja-ing! =)

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Labels: author interviews, blog tour, children's books, funfunfun, jennifer grey olson, kids, ninja bunny, random house, reviews

{For the Kiddos} Review: Herman's Letter by Tom Percival

Title: Herman's Letter
Author/Illustrator: Tom Percival
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Publication Date: November 11, 2014
Source: finished copy from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Herman the bear and Henry the raccoon are best friends. But Henry's moving far, far away! So what do they do? Promise to write each other all the time and stay best friends forever, that's what.

But being pen-pals is easier said than done, especially when your best friend seems to be having way more fun than you are. . . .

Filled with interactive lift-the-flaps and great read-aloud potential, this heartwarming friendship story is an ideal pick for a cold night's story-time.

First, I thought we'd start with Katie's thoughts on this book:

I think that they were really, really, really good friends. They liked sending letters because they liked each other and had to be far away from each other.

When asked what she liked best about Herman's Letter, she had this to say:

It was kind of funny that he got mailed. I liked the pictures and that I could read most of it. I liked when they started sending letters to each other, and I also liked the post cards they did.




Herman's Letter is a charming little tale of an adorable friendship between a bear and a raccoon and their dedication to each other, even in the face of adversity. They're separated from each other for the first time in their lives, and they're learning that while absence does make the heart grow fonder, it also makes it that much more difficult to maintain a friendship.

This book was the perfect read for a cold winter night, cuddled up with my Katiebug and some hot chocolate. Katie read the story to me and graciously allowed me to read all of the letters between Herman and Henry. There were only a couple of words she stumbled over, but with a little help, she was able to figure those out herself. Katie will be seven in a few months, and I think this book was spot-on for her reading level, though she is reading two levels above her classmates at school. Even so, it's a sweet story to read to your own little one, even if they're not ready to read it yet themselves.

Tom Percival is best known for his illustrations in the Skullduggery Pleasant series -- which sounds awesome now that I've taken the time to look it up -- but I really enjoyed his fanciful and endearing drawings in Herman's Letter. And the inclusion of those fun little lift-the-flap letters made the story just that much more lovable. Katie loved flipping them up to see the contents as much as I enjoyed reading them to her. It was just lovely and such a colorful and vibrantly illustrated story.

Herman's Letter is such a touching story about the great lengths friends go to for each other. It's full of heart and meaning, and it's such a great story for a child to experience at this age, when they're starting to make lasting friendships and learn the true value of friendship for themselves.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Tom Percival writes and illustrates picture books (you know, for kids) as well as illustrating books written by other people. The most well known of these is probably the excellent Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy.

He grew up in a remote and beautiful part of South Shropshire. On reflection this seemed rather more remote than beautiful, owing to the fact that he lived in a small caravan without electricity, mains water or any sensible form of heating. He thinks that he’s probably one of the few people in his peer group to have learnt to read by gas lamp.

Surprisingly enough he has never been called ‘hippy’ (to the best of his knowledge).

Tom now lives in an actual house with his girlfriend and their two young sons.

His favourite colour is turquoise and his favourite number is usually seven.

Find Tom:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Labels: beautiful covers, bloomsbury, children's books, herman's letter, katiebug, kids, reviews, tom percival

Kiddy Fall Favorite's #1

Tis the season for Fall reads, and while Jen and I have made a list and are diligently trying to make our way through it, my little girl has a list of favorites we must read this time of year too.

Really what this post is about... I'm backed up on reading. I have no reviews to set up. It's sad really, but that's my life now. Especially this time of year. We are constantly on the go, doing fall activity after fall activity. This picture taken here was at a pumpkin patch hear our house. Old Homestead. It's a tradition to go there every year but we get our pumpkins else where because this place charges out the ass.

Every October we drag out all of Aubrey's Halloween / Fall related books. And we read them over and over through out the month. One that we've had for a long time is The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything. This one, I'm not really sure if its meant for this category, but it always ends up in that pile, because the old lady is scared of All The Things (Even though she says she's not). This is what Aubs says. lol

She loves this book, and I think she's got it pretty much memorized by now. So there is very little of it that I actually read to her. 

A new favorite that we recently added to our pile is We Love Fall. We found it at a used book store by Aubrey's dance class. I think she likes this one so much, because the wording is light. It's not too involved, and with her learning to read, she likes things she can try to read herself. We've read this one a million times since we grabbed it. 

Another great find from that bookstore is... It's Pumpkin Time! She really likes this one and I do too. I love it because of the gardening talk. Pretty much it goes through the whole process of growing a pumpkin, and since we've grown them in our garden before, Aubrey was pretty into it. At the end it even has an educational page that shows you illustrations of what the seed looks like as it's starting to grow. Very cool.

So are there any fall favorites your kids love to read? We are constantly adding to our pile of holiday reads and always open to suggestions. We have a ton more that I think I will share with you all, and perhaps I can get Jen and Katie to join in. 

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Labels: fall, It's pumpkin Time, kids, The little old lady who was not afraid of anything, we love fall

{Kids} Review: What Does the Fox Say by Ylvis & Svein Nyhus

Title: What Does the Fox Say
Author: Ylvis
Illustrator:  Svein Nyhus
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Publication Date: December 10, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Do you know what the fox says? Based on the hugely popular YouTube video with more than 200 million views, this picture book is packed full of foxy fun.

Dog goes woof. Cat goes meow. Bird goes tweet and mouse goes squeak…

But what does the fox say?

The lyrics of Ylvis’s YouTube sensation “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” meet Svein Nyhus’s playful illustrations in this irresistibly entertaining read-aloud picture book.

By now, surely you've all seen the YouTube video that inspired this book.  I was only directed toward it in the last month or so, but once I showed it to my daughter, it was played on a daily basis in my house.  And the song is now stuck in my head forever as a result.

As with most YouTube sensations, it started out innocently enough.  Says Bård Ylvisåker of THE FOX: "This song is made for a TV show and is supposed to entertain a few Norwegians for three minutes — and that's all. It was done just a few days ago and we recently had a screening in our office. About 10 people watched — nobody laughed." (From the duo's website.)  So, it wasn't intentionally a children's song, but I know plenty of kids who love it, my own included.

Which is how this gorgeously illustrated book came about, I'm sure.  The text of the book is the song from the video verbatim, but the illustrations are what make this book worth it.  They're the kind that I'd frame and hang on my daughter's wall:  colorful, expressive, and whimsical.  They pair perfectly with the hilarity of the song/video.

I read this to my daughter last night, and she loved it, just as I expected she would.  Actually, first, we played the video as we read along to the song, singing along with it.  Then we went back to the beginning and read the words while we perused the illustrations.  The review copy wasn't formatted perfectly, but it actually made it easier to hold the book so that she could see as I was reading it to her.  In the hardcover format, I'm sure there will be no such issues.  I can't wait for Katie to have a finished copy and experience the beautiful illustrations up close and in person.

I already have plans to purchase the hardcover for Katie for Christmas, as well as for all the nieces and nephews.  I actually kind of want my own untarnished copy, too.  It's the perfect addition to your child's book collection, or your own, if, like me, you have an affinity for collecting pretty books or books with pretty things between the covers.

About the authors:

Ylvis is a comedy duo from Norway consisting of brothers Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker. They debuted as professional variety artists in 2000 and have since had a string of highly successful variety shows, humoristic concerts, TV shows, radio shows and music videos. They are currently the host of popular Norwegian talk show, I kveld med Ylvis ("Tonight, with Ylvis"). Their song "The Fox" went viral on YouTube in September 2013 with over 230 million views, which brought the brothers to international attention.

Find Ylvis:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

About the illustrator:

Svein Nyhus is a Norwegian illustrator and writer of children's books. Svein Nyhus was born in Tønsberg as the twin brother of caricaturist Egil Nyhus. He took his education at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry from 1981 to 1985. Svein Nyhus has illustrated his own texts as well as books by his wife, Norwegian poet Gro Dahle. His own books include Drømmemaskinen ("The Dreammachine", 1995), Pappa! ("Daddy!", 1998), Verden har ingen hjørner ("The World Has No Corners", 1999), Lille Lu og Trollmannen Bulibar ("Little Lu And Bulibar The Wizard", 2001), Ingen ("Nobody", 2002) and Jeg! ("Me!", 2004), Opp og ut ("Up And Away", 2008) and Sånt som er ("Things That Are", 2010). In 2004 he illustrated Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns, a picture book written by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. His books have been translated into several languages.

In 2013 Svein Nyhus illustrated What Does the Fox Say?, a children's picture book based on Ylvis's YouTube hit The Fox.

Find Svein:

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

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Labels: children's books, illustrated, katiebug, kids, reviews, simon schuster, what does the fox say, ylvis

{Kids} Review: My Little Pony Volume 2: Friendship is Magic by Heather Nuhfer & Amy Mebbereson

Title: My Little Pony Volume 2:  Friendship is Magic
Author: Heather Nuhfer, Amy Mebbereson (illustrations)
Series: My Little Pony
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Source: from publisher for review via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Get ready for another unforgettable adventure in the land of Equestria! Twilight Sparkle and gang are confronted with a perilous new danger in the form of a long-unseen enemy!

Okay, so I'm really behind the times (and storyline) of My Little Pony.  I've also never been a comic book/graphic novel person, but I think that has more to do with my addictive personality -- er, need to collect pretty books -- than anything else.

But my daughter is a huge fan of My Little Pony, most especially Pinkie Pie (that was the theme of her 5th birthday party), and we watch the cartoon together every Saturday morning.  So, when I saw this up for grabs on Netgalley, I knew it was meant to be.  And since Katie didn't feel like drawing a book cover for her weekly feature this week, we decided to review this one together...sort of.  I'll translate her excitement as best I can.  :)

Initial reaction when I showed Katie what we were going to read before bed all this week: EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Translation:  You're the bestest Mommy in the whole wide world and I love you so much for thinking of me!

Halfway through when one of the ponies goes missing:  I hope I don't have nightmares. Translation: Mommy, this book is kind of scaring me.  I hope they find the missing pony soon.

Final thoughts:  I'm so glad everypony got a happy ending in Ponyville!  But it could've used more Pinkie Pie. Translation:  I liked the story, even if it did scare me at times.  More Pinkie Pie, please!!!

Despite a darker premise, the ponies remain true to their characters and provide the usual comic relief. There are some scary nightmare creatures that might be a bit much for some kids, but Katie did alright with them. The artwork for the nightmare creatures was dark and eerie, and the writing for their dialogue was done in red inside of black cartoon bubbles, which made for difficult reading on Katie's Nook, but I don't think that will be as much of an issue in the final print editions.

The story was adorable, and we both really enjoyed it. And I always like the messages the ponies have to teach us about love and friendship. This one focused on self-esteem and believing in yourself and trusting in your friends to do the same.  All in all, it was really cute, and we can't wait until the next volume!

Rating:  

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Labels: comics, graphic novels, katiebug, kids, my little pony, reviews