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Latest blog posts from crazy 4 kids books

The Most Interesting Bookstores in the World
Readers are booklovers and booklovers love libraries and bookstores. Some of us make it a point to visit well-known libraries and bookshops as we travel. If I ever get to Buenos Aires, the El Ateneo bookstore pictured here will definitely be on my itinerary. It looks magnificent and practically...
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Published a month ago

Review: Late for School
For many families, getting out the door and to school on time each day is a challenge. But what happens if the teacher wakes up late? That is the premise of Stephanie Calmenson's inventive story accompanied by Sachiko Yoshikawa's whimsical illustrations. Mr. Bungles has a strict rule that...
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Published a month ago

The Case of the Missing Books
Although not specifically a book for the teen-YA crowd, The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom is a terrific introduction to genre fiction for teens looking for a good read. Very commonly, genre fiction such as science fiction, romance, and mystery are the first adult books that teens read...
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Published 2 months ago

Banned Books Week
Even though I've been distracted by other things (like working for my clients) and not keeping up with this blog very well, I can't let Banned Books Week pass without a comment or two. Special interest groups or individuals who force the banning of certain books from school and public libraries...
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Published 2 months ago

"Mrs. Riley Bought Five Itchy Aardvarks" and Other Painless Tricks for Memorizing Science Facts
Brian P Cleary and J.P. Sandy have written and illustrated (respectively) a marvelous science books for kids. Filled with mnemonic devices (tricks that help us remember facts), this book is chock full of poems and memory tricks for earth and space science, physical and life science, and the...
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Published 2 months ago

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad
Silent Music by James Rumford is a wonderful yet heartwrenching tale of a young Iraqi boy named Ali who loves to play soccer, listen to loud music and practice calligraphy. As he practices the intricate Arabic letters of simple words and family names, he says:"I love to make the ink flow - from...
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Published 3 months ago

Review: I Know an Old Teacher
This story based on the old song "I know an old lady," is a zany take on that song written by teacher Anne Bowen. One day as she watched and listened to her students singing the song, she wondered what it would be like to have a teacher star in the song/story and she started eating the class pets...
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Published 3 months ago

Review: Turtle Girl
With the emphasis on the development of reading and math skills during the last few years, many elementary schools have pushed science instruction to the margins. So, it's wonderful to read a good story that is built around a science topic.Turtle Girl by Carole Crowe and illustrated by Jim...
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Published 3 months ago

Review: What the Moon Saw
Earlier this summer I found myself in Denver for a meeting. It is impossible for a book person to visit Denver without making a pilgrimage to one of the greatest independent bookstores in the country, The Tattered Cover. What made the trip even better was that I was in the company of three other...
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Published 3 months ago

Poetry Friday: This is Just to Say - Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
It's been many moons since I've shared a poem for Poetry Friday, so I've been saving this book. Written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, this book holds delights on every single page.It has the two characteristics that the best of children's literature always exemplifies -...
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Published 3 months ago

A World of Words
I found this delightful book at the library last week. It's a wonderful example of how books have staying power long past their copyright dates. A World of Words by Tobi Tobias and illustrated by Peter Malone uses the ABCs as a device to spotlight quotes from famous poets and writers. Originally...
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Published 4 months ago

The Boy Who Wouldn't Share
Anyone who spends any amount of time around young children knows that the concept of "sharing" can be difficult to convey. One of the first words most children learn is "mine". Edward is such a child in The Boy Who Wouldn't Share written by Mike Reiss and illustrated by David Catrow. The opening...
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Published 4 months ago