The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Avoided this series until I just couldn't ignore it any longer, it was being mentioned constantly. I rolled my eyes, "Really...another take on Cinderella? Oh, okay, I'll try it." I love audio books and WOW, narrator Rebecca Soler is perfect! Loved the series so much, I bought all the hardbacks, too. Hubby just finished Winter yesterday. Daughter-in-law Kelly will get it next! We agreed that each book was fantastic! The way she brought in new fairy tale character per book was so fun. When I first got Scarlet, I panicked, my brain was screaming, "where's Cinder, where's Cinder? Ahhhh, there she is", and then I fell in LOVE with the additional characters and how she imagined each story. While listening to Winter, I would say to hubby, "Uh-oh....how in the world are they going to get out of this mess?" And while hubby was reading, I'd have him tell me what was happening! 

When I tell people about the series, my last carrot is always, "you know the scene at the ball? She doesn't lose her slipper, she loses her cyborg foot!" 

OH MY GOSH!!! Just went here http://thelunarchronicles.com/books/stars-above/ and she has a companion book coming out in February called Stars Above, separate new stories for all of us fans to gobble up! WOOHOO!!!!! CAN'T WAIT!! 

November 5th: I Am Henry Finch by Alexis Deacon and Illustrations by Viviane Schwarz

Viviane Schwarz is becoming a favorite illustrator of mine, while Alexis Deacon is fairly new to me. But I'm enjoying her books! This one has Henry realizing his, and his fellow birds, potential. Kids will not only like the story but they will love Schwarz's fingerprint pictures.

November 4th: Socks by Son Mi Young

An adorable book about something we wear all the time...socks! Toddlers and young children will love this book because everyone loves SOCKS!

November 3rd:On the Ball by Brian Pinkney

Great illustrations that show a boy who learns about keeping his eye on the ball.

November 2: If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON'T! by Elise Parsley

What could possibly happen when Magnolia takes her alligator to school for Show & Tell?

Book Trailer

November is Picture Book Month Nov.1st: Beegu by Alexis Deacon

Beegu crashed his alien spacecraft on earth. Who will be nice to him? Who won't?

A sweet book about friendship, loneliness, family, differences, and the power of being a kid.
 

#bookaday Nobody! by Erin Frankel and Illustrated by Paula Heaphy

I thought Nobody! by Erin Frankel was one of the better books on bullying. In my opinion, writing a book about bullying is extremely hard. This one has some great advice and information in the back that I think will be helpful. Since I have not read No Kidding About Bullying, but if you have, please let me know what you thought.

#bookaday Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

Rah, Rah, Radishes is another one of her wonderful books! Again, she has AMAZING photographs and at the end of her book, lots of science info. 5 Stars

#bookaday Zombelina by Kristyn Crow and Illustrated by Molly Idle

Great book about being yourself, persistence, love of family, and dancing! 5 Stars

#bookaday Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood and Illustrated by Meg Hunt.

Wonderful fractured Fairy Tale by one of my favorite authors, Deborah Underwood. She don't need no stinkin' man. =) Just a place to work on her passion...spaceships! Girl Power! BOOK LOVE!! 5 Stars

#bookaday Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books by Karen Leggett Abouraya and Collages by Susan L. Roth

The true story of demonstrators clasping hands and surrounding the Alexandria library.

#bookaday Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Colors by Keith Baker

The cutest and most active little peas you'll ever come across! Great illustrations!

#bookaday Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale by Sally, Lloyd-Jones Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

Her little scarf and umbrella caught my eye first. Then the font was so fun, I knew I would love this one! Poor Doreen...you'll have to read this hilarious book to find out about all the trouble that Doreen's getting into. And she has NO clue it's happening all around her.

#bookaday There's a Dinosaur in My Bathtub by Catalina Echeverri

When I start giggling the moment I see the cover, I figure I'm going to love the book. And indeed I did! Of course this dinosaur is from France...and has a mustache. Such fun!

#bookaday Here is the Baby by Polly Kanevsky

A simple book about a family and a baby.

#bookaday Outside by Deidre Gill

Winter is fun when you use your imagination.

#bookaday Crinkle, Crackle, Crack: It's Spring by Marion Dane Bauer

A fun noisy story about the arrival of spring! 

#bookaday Stone Angel by Jane Yolen and Illustrated by Katie May Green

The story of a girl and her family fleeing Paris during WWII and how an angel is watching over them.

#bookaday Everything by Emma Dodd

A wonderful book about a parent's love for their child.

#bookaday Doug Unplugs on the Farm by Dan Yaccarino

LOVE the colorful, fun illustrations as we follow Doug visiting the grandbots.

#bookaday The Daring Nellie Bly; America's Star Reporter by Bonnie Christensen

Wonderful book about one of the first female reporters!

#bookaday Hound Dog True by Linda Urban

Wonderful! A great beginning of the year book to read aloud at school or home. Mattie and her mother have moved so many times that Mattie fears for the first day of school, which is coming up soon. But this time they have moved in with family. Her Uncle Potluck is the janitor at the local elementary school and Mattie gets to go with him and help out. She takes her trusty notebook with her, writing down everything she is learning from her Uncle about taking care of a school. She's so shy that she's hoping to be her Uncle's assistant at recess and lunch time because she knows, from experience, these are the hardest times when you're the new kid.

Mattie has a secret that she can't tell anyone. We, the reader, know what it is and we feel for her, because it's so much bigger to her than it needs to be. Luckily, with the help of Uncle Potluck, Poor Moe, Quincy, principal Bonnet, and others, Mattie's secret helps her realize that her passion is hound dog true!

#bookaday Why Dogs Have Wet Noses by Kenneth Steven and Oyvind Torseter

A new twist to Noah's Ark. Fun! 4 Stars

#bookaday If Kids Ran the World by Leo and Diane Dillon

A great book about how kids are changing the world! 4 Stars

Curious Garden by Peter Brown

An early book of Peter Brown's that is as luscious to look at as all of his other books. My students LOVE Peter Brown and they'll like this one about spreading gardens in unusual places. 4 Stars

#bookaday But! by Tim Hamilton

Laughter burst out when I saw this book on the shelf. Aren't the illustrations hilarious? I always hope the book is as funny as the pictures..and this one is! Fun read aloud because on each page each it ends with BUT... Adults will love this book as much as the kids! 4 Stars

#bookaday Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass

Love this book full of colorful photographs of food. Name as many purple fruits and vegetables as you can...go ahead...I'll wait. La, la, la....mmm hmmmm. Did you name corn, broccoli, kale, peppers, peas, beans, asparagus, cauliflower, or tomato? You didn't? Well, wait until you see the OTHER foods that can be all the colors of the rainbow. 5 Stars

#bookaday The Little Bear Book by Anthony Browne

Cleaver bear walks through the woods helping animals with his magic pencil. Colorful illustrations! 3 Stars

#bookaday Gwendolyn Grace by Katherine Hannigan

You know you're in trouble when your parents call you by your first AND middle name, right? Yep...there's a new baby in Gwendolyn Grace's house and she keeps getting in trouble for waking up the baby. 4 Stars

#bookaday The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

My love of books in verse is growing and growing. We need books of diversity and this is one of the best. A story of twin brothers in full basketball mode at their middle school don't realize the big changes they're about to go through. Author, Kwame Alexander, uses the mean rap stylings of one the twins, Josh, to tell their story.

"A bolt of lightning on my kicks
          The court is sizzling.
                     My sweat is drizzling.
Stop all that quivering.
          Cuz tonight I'm delivering."

This 2015 Newbery Award and Coretta Scott King Honor award would be a great read aloud in every home and classroom. 5 Stars

#bookaday Little Elliot Big City by Mike Curato

Sweet story of a new and wonderful friendship. Adorable illustrations! 5 Stars

#bookaday Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall

What a great way to show what self-esteem and uniqueness looks like. Red looks like something else on the outside but is completely different on the inside. Follow your heart, knowing what your talents are! Fabulous book! 5 Stars

#bookaday Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie

Wow! I am just discovering this series. Very cute, and what beautiful, fun illustrations. 4 Stars

#bookaday Rules by Cynthia Lord

Wow...her first book gets a well-deserved win with a Newbery Honor award! This is about a twelve year old girl who feels ignored because her younger brother David has autism. Even though it deals with family dynamics because of the autistic brother, this book won an award because of its universal appeal and the realistic trials and tribulations this family, especially the sister, go through. What a great read aloud for ANY family or classroom! 5 Stars!

#bookaday All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

It wasn't long after I started this book that I knew it was going to become a favorite. After finishing, I proclaimed it so, second only to To Kill a Mockingbird. As in Mockingbird, every time I think of it, feelings will grip me with such imagery that it's like I was there...like I experienced it...like their memories are mine. Is it not the test of an excellent book how it makes you feel? And when their fear, their hunger, and their love can physically affect you, is this not proof of its power? His writing is so gorgeous that it took my breath away again and again. I know that years from now, when I think of this book, these emotions will still wash over me, and no matter how heartbreaking, I will welcome them.

#bookaday Perloo the Bold by Avi

While we were waiting for our plane in Orlando, I spoke with a family about Star Wars. I had noticed one of the boy's R2D2 backpack. We didn't say much, just a few words about our mutual love of all things Star Wars and how fun the events were at Disney World. The father and his oldest son both resumed their reading, as did I. Dad had an ebook while his son had a copy of Perloo the Bold by Avi. Being a former elementary librarian, I was shocked that I had not heard of this book by such a famous and familiar author. (It still makes me laugh at myself that I don't know every book in the world...just because I wish it, doesn't make it so.) I wanted to ask him about it but I didn't want to interrupt their reading. Sometimes my introvert characteristic of noticing EVERYTHING is annoying, but this particular day, I watched the father and son interact, enjoying every minute. At one point the father shared something from his book with his son. His son then asked him a question about it. I didn't actually hear any of the words they were saying, I just watched their faces, while trying not to gawk. Whatever the father was telling him, he did so in such a respectful way, and extremely interesting to his son. I could almost see the wheels in his brain mulling over what his Dad was telling him. The look and rapt attention on his face was wondrous. He would ask him more questions and the look on his face was priceless in its intensity and wonder. It gave me such joy to witness this as an onlooker and one of my favorite memories of our whole trip. Reading is such an incredible gift. To witness the love of books makes me grateful and so very happy.  

I came home and went straight to the library and today just finished Perloo the Bold. A fun fantasy about a shy bookworm named Perloo who finds out that after the death of the leader of their tribe, she has proclaimed that Perloo now be in charge. He never imagined such a notion and does not want anything to do with it. But beyond his control he is thrown into stopping a war between his tribe and another. It's a great story of knowing who you are and standing up for yourself, as well as being about how war should be avoided at all costs. Wonderful.  

#bookaday Jessica's Box by Peter Carnavas

Jessica wants friends...she tries different tactics but finds out she just needs to be herself.

#bookaday Fun in the Sun by David Catrow

Hands down, David Catrow is one of my favorite illustrators. They are always bizarre and fun!

#bookaday Rooting For You by Susan Hood and Matthew Cordell

Fun and informational book about a seed who's afraid to grow...there are scary things out there! Matthew Cordell wrote and illustrated the wonderful hello! hello!

#bookaday The Big Green Book by Robert Graves and Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Written the year before Where the Wild Things Are was published, Sendak's drawings go perfectly with this odd little story. Robert Graves wrote, I, Claudius, but wanted to write a children's book. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl's books, the young boy's parents have died and he's staying with and aunt and uncle who are "not very nice". He finds a book full of magic and plays tricks on them. In the end they are encouraged to be better relatives.

#bookaday If I Wrote a Book About You by Stephany Aulenback

Pretty pictures!

Little Red Riding Hood illustrated by Sybille Schenker and Translated by Anthea Bell

The title on the book is a cutout, as is most of this amazing, beautifully crafted treasure! Be sure to look at both sides of the cutouts...but I'm sure you will want to read it again and again and again.

Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis

The wonderful Peter Sis (be sure to look up all of his other great books) has come up with a perfect summer book all about how ice cream was invented and found around the world.

Bulldozer's Big Day by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann

The team of Fleming and Rohmann come up with a great idea for bulldoze loving kids!

#bookaday Strongheart: The World's First Movie Star Dog

Dog lovers will enjoy the true story of the first dog to be the star of a movie. How did Etzel von Oeringen, a puppy born far from Hollywood, during WWI? All I will tell you is that it started when he was born to award winning police dogs.

#bookaday Touch the Brightest Star by Chistie Matheson

Christie Matheson's book will remind you of Herve Tullet's Press Here. Readers are instructed to press here, swipe there, pat the deer, blink your eyes and many other actions. Kids will LOVE this book.

#bookaday Big Blue Thing on the Hill by Yuval Zommer

Yuval Zommer's fun book and illustrations will delight children and adults alike. The animals have lived in peace until a big blue thing parks in their forest. Their antics to get rid of it are hilarious. The surprise ending is perfect.

#bookaday Eye to Eye by Steve Jenkins

Steve Jenkins is one of my favorite non-fiction writers because his books are always informative and his illustrations are fantastic, made form torn and cut paper. He has lived in Boulder, Colorado since 1994.

#bookaday A Bird is a Bird by Lizzy Rockwell

With the colorful illustrations and simple explanations, your burgeoning young ornithologists will love this introducition to birds in this non-fiction book, You know what I say...if you want to learn something new, start with a picture book! 5 stars!