The writing team of Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple have created numerous gems. Yet, Monster Academy is still in the coal stage. It greatly reminded me of the story Ghoul School by Kevin O’Malley. Had I read Monster Academy first, I would have probably preferred it, yet, I did not. So, if you like Ghoul School (previous reviewed here) you’ll like this (and the reverse is true too, of course). The premise is simple: a “naughty monster” (which of course, means that they […]
A simple, sweet and special story about school.
Hello School! It is our little narrators first day of school. They are nervous, excited and know they will have fun and learn ever so much. Readers will experience what a first day of school can be like. Priscilla Burris (author and illustrator) has made a simple, sweet and special story about school. The illustrations are not completely realistic, but they are realistic, too. The students have expressions that are obvious to understand just by looking at them. She does not have to tell us […]
Princess Arabella goes to school and I go back to the bookshelves to find another book
Princess Arabella Goes to School by Mylo Freeman is part of a picture book series that shows a princess who is not your typical looking princess. Granted, she has adventures like anyone else, but she has her own special take on things. And her own special way of how to be a princess. The colors of the book are great. They are bold and sassy like our princess. They move the story along. They show how Arabella thinks of herself and the world. The […]
The ups and downs of routine changes
The team of Audrey Vernick, Liz Garton Scanlon and Chris Raschka probably had a substitute teacher or two during their school days. However, I wonder if they were as unsure of them as the narrator is of their substitute teacher in Dear Substitute. Finding out that their teacher is out unexpectantly (why did Mrs. Giordano not warn them?) all sorts of feelings pop up for one student. After all, Miss Pelly changes their routines, cannot pronounce some of the student’s names, she reads new books […]
They think, therefore they ARRRR!!!!!
Yo ho ho! And a bottle of Milk! Listen up you scurry mates! I have one whale of a tale to tell you about! When one tough pirate… bus driver… is all about how brrrave and strrrong pirrrates… I mean kinderrrgarteners are when they are off to their first day of school. That is, until his beloved parrot, Polly, flies off because of stormy seas…. Ah… bumpy roads. This leaves him to show that he might not be so brave himself after all. But with […]
Sugary sweetness and a lot of fur, claws and cuteness
This is my Brain Candy (mmm candy…) Kids will love Fuzzy’s Great Escape (Class Pets #1) by Bruce Hale. Me? I enjoyed it, even with the fact that there were a few holes in the story line for me. The story seems to start in the middle of a series. Perhaps there was another series that introduced Fuzzy and friends? There will be others in the Class Pets series, so perhaps he plans flashbacks. (There is a character mentioned that you have never meet as […]