Bug on a Bike by Chris Monroe

Bug on a Bike
by Chris Monroe

Chris Monroe brings together whimsical watercolor and ink illustrations and rhyming text to create a delightful read aloud. Bug gathers all of his friends to follow along on a bike ride. Bug is not telling anyone where they are going, but because his friends trust him, they follow. Up hills and down valleys, through the forest they ride. Not knowing at all where the destination of their guide. Along the way a variety of unusual "friends" are collected including an "athletic pickle" and a "shiny, round nickel". At last the friends arrive at their destination ~ Bug's Birthday Party. After making their way on such a long journey the animals quickly dive into the food and fun.

This is would be a great addition to a children's library collection. It combines children's love of birthday parties and fun characters with rhyming text and fun illustrations. Combine this book with other birthday books in order to create a celebratory story time to celebrate everyone's birthday.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Lerner Publishing Group has provided a complimentary electronic copy of this book for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or the publishing company and is solely my opinion.

The Books Have Gone to the Animals

Dylan's Day
by Tim Hutchinson

Narrated by a playful brown dog named Dylan. This beautifully illustrated books begins as Dylan awakens in the morning and begins to go through a mental list of all of the important tasks of the day, sniffing and searching around his home. The most vital charge of the day is to locate the "big fat cat that lives next door". Dylan runs around and through the house in search of the "big fat cat", but when the big fat cat finds Dylan, runs as fast as he can back to his bed to forget the "big fat cat that lives next door".

I love dogs. Cats are okay too, but I love dogs. Dylan's Day reminds me of my ever excited and loving dog, Angel. She wants to be friends with my Georgia cat, who will be 18 in July. She can never get close enough to Georgia to love on her because she brings out the claws and begins to hiss as soon as Angel gets close. The illustrations bring this book to life. Some pages have full page illustrations, others spotlight one theme / area with a surrounding white background. The somewhat muted colors are soothing and do not overpower the charming story of a typical young dog who loves adventure.

I highly recommend this book for all library with a children's collection. This will be a well loved book by toddlers, as well as older elementary children who love dogs.

A No-Sneeze Pet
by Diana G. Gallagher

On the way to the dog park, Kyle and Mia see their friend Emma and invite her to go along with them. Emma is excited, but reluctant to get too friendly with Rex, Kyle's dog. Mia and Kyle soon discover that although Emma loves animals and desperately wants a pet, her mother is extremely allergic to animal fur.

Kyle and Mia decide they are going to do whatever they can to find the perfect "no-sneeze pet" for Emma. The three friends visit and talk to a number of people to get an idea for the very best pet for Emma, one that will not bother her mother's allergies - fur-free. They visit the pet store, a friend's brother who owns a snake, the Bird Lady, a man with an iguana, and finally a little girl who owns a hamster. After visiting all of the various pet owners Emma finally makes her decision. You will have to read the book to see which "no-sneeze pet" Emma chose.

I would recommend this book for children from age 5 to age 8. The text is not too challenging for early readers or too simplified for more advanced readers. It is a low level reading book, but will be grabbed by animals lovers. There is a table of contents showing each of the eight chapters, a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts,Internet links for online activities and pet care tips for the pet Emma eventually chooses (again, you will have to read the book to find out the animal she chooses).

Cassie and the Woolf
 by Olivia Snowe

We all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but in this modern retelling, the main character is named Cassie Cloak, and she wears a red raincoat. Instead of taking nicely packed lunch from her mother, Cassie runs by the Deli in order to pick up her grandmother's Sunday dinner. Unlike the original tale, this story does not have a wolf, but a Woolf ~ an eighth grade boy named, Caleb Woolf.

I don't want to spoil Ms. Snowe's version of the tale. I will just say, it reads more like an episode of CSI or The Mentalist. All of the familiar characters are included Cassie Cloak (Red Riding Hood), Caleb Woolf (the Big Bad Wolf), Grandma, Dr. Hunter (the Lumberjack). No one gets eaten, but there is plenty of deception.

Personally, I don't care for the illustrations. The color scheme of black, white, and red fits well with the story line, but had I been reading a traditional copy of the book (not an e-book) I think the cartoonish illustrations might have been a distraction. However, they might be more appealing to the target age group.

At this time four books are to be released August 1st in the Twicetold Tales series. Included in the series are the following titles: Cassie and the Woolf, Girl and the Seven Thieves, Home in the Sky, and Sealed-Up House all written by Olivia Snowe. I have not had the opportunity to read the other titles, but the titles are intriguing.

At the end of the book there are some wonderful elements, including a brief synopsis of the original book first published in 1697 by Charles Perrault as Le Petit Chaperon Rouge.The author also gives the reader a chance to create their very own Twicetold Tale by making selections from a variety of lists. It is a great way to aide in the creative writing process and encourage young writers to blossom in a non-threatening manner. I think I would write my story about a  princess who doesn't want to get married. She lives in a tree fort in New York City with a dog. One day is visited by the terrible queen who gives her a pretzel. Hmmm...I guess I need to add more details to make it a great story, but I have an outline, and so will anyone who reads this book and accepts the challenge.

I would highly recommend Cassie and the Woolf for school and public libraries.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Pinwheel Books, Capstone Press, and Twice Told Tales have provided a complimentary electronic copy of each of these books through NetGalley.com.

Thank You!

It is official...I am the mother of a high school graduate. [I would insert a picture here, but I don't have a single picture of us together in his regalia from yesterday!!!!!!!!! ~ Can you sense my frustration?]

If you read my post from yesterday you will understand that I have an "abnormal amount" (to quote a portion of my son's Salutatorian Address) of respect for my responsibilities. With that being said, it is now my time to thank some very important people.

Family.
Let's start with his grandparent. His paternal grandfather (Granddad - WMB) always wanted to see Timothy's report card. In the beginning he would pay Timothy for each A. After a while it became too expensive, but he was involved and supportive. His paternal grandmother (Grandma - LBB) sadly passed away the week before Timothy entered kindergarten. However, knowing the importance of a good education, we all know she was watching him always from above. Moving to his maternal grandparents (MorMor - MHM and PaPa - LJM), who had the wonderful opportunity to see Timothy on a daily basis through his elementary years when they would pick him up after school and then in high school when they would take him to breakfast at least three days a week and then on to school. All of his grandparents encouraged Timothy to strive for excellence in education, it was not an option, but an expectation.Thank you.

Now moving to the next ring of the family. His aunts, uncles and cousin, although not seen on a regular basis, were always supportive. Honoring him at graduation through their attendance at the ceremony were his Uncle Bill & Aunt Cindy, Uncle Rudy & Aunt Lindie, Aunt Krystal, Aunt Jenny, and his cousins Ashley, Charlotte, & Lacey. Attending via the live streaming feed, Uncle Gene & Aunt Iris, Uncle Tim and cousin Judy. Through telephone conversations, Facebook comments, and cards all of these family members have had faith in his abilities and cheered him on.Thank you.

Friends. 
It is heartwarming to have friends who care about your child, especially their education. I am going to begin with our best friends.

I have already mentioned Uncle Tim, but he deserves to be mentioned again. He has been my husband's best friend for 36 years. He is Timothy's uncle in name, but more importantly in love. He is his godfather and Timothy his namesake. Thank you.

My best friend, Lori, and her family have provided a great deal of comic relief ~ especially in the early years when our kids were little, but also a sounding board since they got to experience each milestone a year in advance since their eldest graduated last year. Thank you.

Our church friends were a constant show of love and support for Timothy from the very beginning of our membership in fall of 1997. Countless hugs, prayers, written & spoken words of encouragement proved to be sent or given at just the right time and always with the most sincerity.Thank you.

To Timothy's school friends, I would like to thank you for your patience with my son. He was not the typical high school student. He has some quirks. He is highly opinionated. He is a geek. However, those of you who have dealt with him through the years continue to love him. The praise showered on him will forever be in my heart. To all members (coaches and students) of the distinguished NHS Academic Decathlon team, thank you! You provided Timothy with he highest level of intellectual debates, studies, and competition, allowing him to be an accomplished member of an elite team. Thank you.

Last, but by no means least, to "our" Rebecca. Words cannot truly express my love for you. You have shown a love for my son I never dreamed he would find in high school. I can tell, by the way you look at him, the love you have in your heart. Until you are a mother, I don't believe you will understand how much it means to me to have someone love my son as much as you seem to love Timothy. It makes my heart sing to see the two of you together and to hear your conversations. You are intellectual equals and don't ever let anyone tell you differently. I am grateful for your patience with my son. Trust me, I know he is not the easiest person to be around. He tends to want to express his opinions, every once in awhile! So Rebecca to you, I say thank you.

Irving ISD.
My husband and I are both products of Irving ISD. A lot of things in Irving have changed a great deal since we were children, however the dedication of the faculty and staff members of the Irving Independent School District to the students of Irving has never wavered. It was very apparent by the countless number of congratulatory greetings, cards, and comments over the years, especially the past few weeks. These teachers, administrators, and support staff care about their students and want only the very best for them. Thankfully the Internet has allowed us to re-connect with former teachers, whether it be through Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, being able to convey our appreciation for their dedication is very important. As an educator myself I know the sacrifices that are made for "our kids" [for clarification, this means our students, once they are enrolled they become a part of us]. I would like to especially thank the faculty & staff members of the following schools: Townley Elementary (especially to Ms. Richardson, Ms. Bennett, Ms. Terrill, and Ms. French), Lee Britain Elementary (especially to Ms. Moss and Ms. Palisi), Lamar Middle School (especially to Ms. Weinstein, Ms. Guerin, Mr. Gelber, Ms. Moro, and Ms. Malone), and Nimitz High School (especially to "Mama" Cowen, "Coach" Christenberry, Mr. Greg Jackson, Langsather, Ms. Galemore, Ms. Sargent, Ms.Pachnick, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Sitton, Ms. Thoppil,  Ms. Bradley [Happy Birthday!], Ms. Roper, Mr. G., Mr. Nolly, and Mr. Cobb) . District Administrators (especially Ms. George and Ms. Zeske) and School Board Members (current and former) also deserve our gratitude for their desire to help create the best educational environment for all students. As a parent of a new high school graduate, it is my duty to thank you for 12 wonderful years, amazing faculty & staff, a wealth of knowledge & your dedication to the students of Irving ISD. Thank you.

Last, but not least.
In closing, I have to give thanks to my wonderful husband for his love of our son. It is difficult sometimes for a father to show his love for his son, especially when he is a teenager (and knows everything!). Thank you for your devotion and for always advocating for our son. Your expectations were consistently in direct correlation with mine. We set a high bar of expectations and Timothy always aspired for the highest possible level of success, without our pushing. We are an amazing team, and I do believe we did a great job ~ together. Thank you.

Closing.
In closing I must say a lot of thank yous were expressed, but it is important to thank those who have helped to create an environment of success. Whether through the smallest gesture of support to the highest recognition for a student, each and every person who has come into my son's life has made a mark of impression (difficult times / people created just as much of an impact and have made us realize how God directs us onto the path He wants us to take ~ even if it forces us into our discomfort). A person can never express their appreciate too much, therefore all of the thank yous. Please understand, each and everyone of these thank yous is heartfelt and sincerely. To paraphrase one of our favorite songs, I know he has been changed for the better, because he knew you.

Thank you.