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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Tao Nyeu
 I loved the simple stories and the pictures. Short chapters on what happens to the bunnies and how they are taken care of . Everyone is happy at the end, and who doesn't like a happy ending?
Review by Kim Liston, Library Media Assistant, Woodstock Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2
Bunny Days
Dial Books for Young Readers
48 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3330-5
Release Date: Jan 21, 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems
 A cat cheers on her friends as they each show her how they can fly. A cute easy reader for kids learning how to read. Simple text with lots of repetition.
Review by Kim Liston, Library Media Assistant, Woodstock Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Pre-school to Grade 1
Let's Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!
Balzer & Bray / HarperCollins
22 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-172842-6
Release Date: Feb 16, 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Jane O'Connor, Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
 Fancy is learning about poety in school, so she and her family write poems to put on the poetry tree. Cute little story. With a collection of poems in the back.
Review by Angela Pratt, Library Media Assistant, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades K-3
Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire
[publisher]
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-189643-9
Release Date: March 2, 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Artie Bennett, Illustrated by Mike Lester
 The book talks about the butts of people, birds, and animals. The author talks about the differences and how important the butt is. It also calls the behind many names and lets readers know that they are important part of your body
Review by Judy A. Mitchell, Library Media Assistant, Calvin Smith Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-4
The Butt Book
Bloomsbury
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-311-8 (trade)
Release Date: Dec 22, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst
 Sylvia Jean is in her scout group to earn their good deed badge. She decides to help Mrs. VanHooven, who had recently hurt her ankle. Sylvia Jean accidently falls on her and hurts her more. Sylvia Jean helps Mrs. VanHooten secretly and earns her badge. The fun and colorful pictures are great with the wonderful story.
Review by a fifth grade student , South Kearns Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades K-4
Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme
Dutton Children's Books / Penguin Group
28 pages
ISBN: 978-0-525-47873-7
Release Date: Feb 18, 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
 This picture book, inspired by the late Rose Fiitzgerald Kennedy, celebrates the true spirit of community and power of nature, beauty, and faith. It also helps a person know that they can make a difference in life.
Review by Judy A. Mitchell, Library Media Assistant, Calvin Smith Elementary School
Rating: ★★★½✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-4
Rose's Garden
Candlewick Press
34 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4641-7
Release Date: Oct 13, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Anna Dewdney
 Roly Polly is a shy pangolin who awkwardly meets different animals in his habitat. Frightened, he rolls up into a tight ball with his scales facing his foes. Roly Poly accidentally rolls into another pangolin and makes a new friend. This is a great story-time book for kindergarteners.
Review by Amy Gerritsen, Library Media Assistant, Stansbury Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Pre-K
Roly Poly Pangolin
Viking / Penguin Group
31 pages
ISBN: 9780670011605
Release Date: March 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Lisa Wheeler, Illustrated by Barry Gott
 What a great idea...a dinosaur book that rhymes. the brightly colored art work brings the baseball game to life. The clever storyline relates all parts of a real game, even the 7th inning stretch. This book would be perfect for any library.
Review by Janice Hastings, Library Media Assistant, South KearnsElementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Grades K-3
Dino-Baseball
Carolrhoda Books / Lerner Group
32 pages
ISBN: 9780761344292
Release Date: March 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold
 This is a cute book to help beginning readers find something better then Dick and Jane, but with a fresh story line. A fly for a pet is silly but it works. Buzz needs a pet and finds a fly. The fly can say his name, "Buzz," so Buzz is impressed. The fly is smart and knows a good thing. This basic story line is repeated three times with slight changes. The pictures are fun too!
Review by Sue Woods, Library Media Assistant, Cottonwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Pre-K through 2
Hi! Fly Guy
[publisher]
pages
ISBN: 9780439853118
Release Date: July 2006
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Tedd Arnold
This is a cute book to help beginning readers find something better then "Dick and Jane," but with a fresh story line. A fly for a pet is silly but it works. Buzz needs a pet and finds a fly. The fly can say his name, "Buzz," so Buzz is impressed. The fly is smart and knows a good thing. This basic story line is repeated three times with slight changes. The pictures are fun too!
Review by Sue Woods, Library Media Assistant, Cottonwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades PreK-2
Hi! Fly Guy
Scholastic
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-85311-8
Release Date: Jul 2006
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Kevin Henkes
 This was a very fun book about gardens. It illustrates the way a child would dream a garden would be. Don't have to worry about the bunnies eating the garden because all the bunnies would be chocolate.
Review by Jodie Uriarte, Library Media Assistant, Copper Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades K-3
My Garden
Greenwillow / HarperCollins Publishers
28 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-171517-4
Release Date: Feb 2010
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Pat Mora, Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
 This is a dual language book with text in both English and Spanish. It is about a boy that comes home with a surprise in his wiggling pockets. As his Dad investigates, out pop two frogs. The frogs lead them through various places. This has cute pictures and is very simple with few words but is cute and I think early readers would enjoy it.
Review by ReNae Hymas, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Elementary School
Rating: ★★★½✩
Interest Level: Grades K-1
Wiggling Pockets / Los bolsillos saltarines
HarperCollins
22 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-085047-0
Release Date: Jun 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written and Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
 This book is about a kitten who is treated like a child and is allowed to go to school. Once she gets there she finds that she cannot follow the rules because she is a cat and not a person. I thought the illustrations were cute but the main character of the story struck me as bratty. She does, however, redeem herself at the end of the story, but by that time It was too late for me to really like this character.
Review by ReNae Hymas, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★½✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2
Minifred Goes to School
HarperCollins
29 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-075889-9
Release Date: 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Mark Karlins, Illustrated by Sandy Nichols
 This book is about a boy named Lorenzo Fortunato, who does not feel that he fits in with his family, who are performers in the theater. He is more interested in numbers and space and is ignored by his parents and twin sisters. But one night Einstein attends the theater and notices a formula on Lorenzo’s hand and shoes. Lorenzo is surprised to find out that Einstein is interested in him and his project, where Lorenzo shows him the spaceship he has made. They go off to outer space, where everything reminds Lorenzo of home. Lorenzo becomes homesick and when they travel back home he finds his family has missed him too!
This book would be a good story for children who feel they don’t fit in. It also teaches readers that your family always loves you no matter how different you are. The illustrations are very imaginative.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
Starring Lorenzo and Einstein Too
Dial / Penguin Group
28 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3220-9
Release Date: April 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Mark Karlins, Illustrator Sandy Nichols
This book is about a boy named Lorenzo Fortunato, who does not feel that he fits in with his family who are performers in the theater. He is more interested in numbers and space and is ignored by his parents and twin sisters. But one night Einstein attends the theater and notices a formula on Lorenzo’s hand and shoes. Lorenzo is surprised to find out that Einstein is interested in him and his project where Lorenzo shows him the spaceship he has made. They go off to outer space where everything reminds Lorenzo of home. Lorenzo becomes homesick and when they travel back home he find his family has missed him too!
This book would be a good story for children who feel they don’t fit in and that your family always loves you no matter how different you are.
The illustrations are very imaginative.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 1-3 grades
Starring Lorenzo and Einstein Too
The Penguin Group
pages 28
ISBN: 0803732201
Release Date: April 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Cece Bell
 This is a fun story about a tiny little dog named Itty Bitty, who makes a home in an enormous bone. He decides that in order to make the bone feel like a real home he will need furniture and the story shows him traveling on a tiny scooter type vehicle to the department store where he find furniture just the right size.
It is fun to see Itty Bitty turn his bone into a home, the illustrations are colorful and fun to look at.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★½✩
Interest Level: Pre-school-2nd grade
Itty Bitty
Candlewick Press
pages 22
ISBN: 0763636169
Release Date: June 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Terry Golson, Photographer Ben Fink
 This is a cute and funny book about a chicken named Tillie with a mind of her own. The story goes on to show Tillie not doing what the other chickens are doing she likes to explore and find delicious worms to eat. The other chickens take turns laying their eggs in the hen house but not Tillie. The book asks: Where has Tillie laid her egg? and makes it fun for the reader to search for where she has laid them. I think children will love reading and looking for Tillie’s eggs. Very fun book!!
I loved the illustrations, real pictures of chickens, henhouse, garden, kitchen, porch etc… make this a very interesting story.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Kindergarten-3rd grade
Tillie Lays an Egg
Scholastic Press
pages 24
ISBN: 9780545005371
Release Date: January 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Jane O'Connor, Illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser
 Another great book for Fancy Nancy fans. Includes everything on how to host a tea party. Including invitations, decorating ideas, menus, receipes, games and manners. There is even one for dolls tea parties. Very cute.
Review by Margo France, Library Media Assistant, Morningside Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: K - 2nd grade
Fancy Nancy: Tea Parties
Harper Collins
pages 28
ISBN: 9780061801747
Release Date: June 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Penny Ives
 This is a fun story of a drama queen duck, who from the time she was born knew that she was something special and expected everyone to treat her that way. She even expected to have the lead role in the school play. When time for Celestine to do her part she gets stage fright and forgets what to say. She still is able to make a dramatic exit and on the way home she feel a bit sad about forgetting her line, but her mother tells her she will always be a star to her as she tucks her into bed. The illustrations are very soft and pretty and some of the words on the pages turn in circles and curly-Q’s. This would be a great book to help boost any small child’s ego.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Kindergarten-3rd Grade
Celestine, Drama Queen
Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Inc./Templar Publishing
pages 29
ISBN: 0545081491
Release Date: March 2009
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Book Reviews -
Picture Books
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Written by Agnese Baruzzi, Sandro Natalini
 I loved this cute fractured fairy tale about Little Red Riding Hood! It has great illustrations that look 3-D and has actual envelopes with letters you can read, and some of the characters are wearing real clothing from material, there are pull tabs and a wheel that turns with different words showing when you turn it, other illustrations literally pop off the page.
The story is unpredictable where Little Red Riding Hood is trying to help the Big Bag Wolf change his evil ways by serving him vegetarian food, she also teaches him how to clean the house and help others and when he turns out to be every ones favorite Red Riding Hood gets jealous and gets an idea to make her be every ones favorite again. She feeds him meat and it changes him back to being “his wicked old self”.
Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Pre-school - 2nd grade
The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood
The Templar Company/Candlewick Press
pages 17
ISBN: 0763644277
Release Date: April 2009
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