​A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen introduces the reader to a brother and sister.  The sister loves to read and write her own stories.  While watching his sister write one day, the boy voices his desire to write stories too.

His sister tells him that he can write too.  The boy is not convinced.  While he knows his letters, he feels that he does not know many words.  The sister encourages him to use the words that he does know.

Before he knows it, the boy has developed his own special way of writing.  A story begins to materialize on the once blank page.  Along his writing journey, he becomes stuck and needs some help from his classmates.  Will they be able to help him complete his story?

I found this book to be a fun read.  As a fellow author, I could definitely relate to the boy's case of writer's block.  I also found his creative way of writing to be very imaginative.  The design of the interior reminded me of a comic book, which I think children will find very appealing.

The illustrations by Mike Lowery have a classic simplicity.  I greatly enjoyed the humor hidden within the background images, such as the shark getting hit on the head with a soccer ball and the disappointed vampire.  I did not, however, care for how Lowery portrayed humans.  I feel like their noses all look like feet.

Overall, this is a great story that teaches children to use their imagination to create stories about the world around them.  This book is best suited for children ages 5 through 10.  I feel that this story could also be incorporated into a kindergarten curriculum.


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Mousetropolis by R. Gregory Christie tells that tale of two mice that lead very different lives.  City Mouse lives in the super busy city of Mousetropolis.  He has become fed up with all of the noise and bustle and decides to visit his cousin, Country Mouse.

Country life is not at all what City Mouse had thought it would be.  He enjoys attending the jamborees, but cannot stand the food.  And all of the peace and quiet is driving him crazy!

Country Mouse decides to head back to Mousetropolis with City Mouse to see what all the excitement is about.  Mice are dancing everywhere.  Gourmet food is for sale on every corner.  But danger also lurks among the crowded streets.

Will City Mouse and Country Mouse ever find the lifestyle that they are looking for?

While I found Christie's illustrations to be whimsical and creative, I found the story to be greatly lacking in substance.  The book is titled Mousetropolis, but the reader is suddenly transported to a country setting of unknown origins.  The focus of the story is not the city of Mousetropolis, but on the characters of City Mouse and Country Mouse.

I also found the story to be too fast paced.  I wish that the book would have been longer and that City Mouse would have tried more things while in the country than just eating and dancing.  I feel like there is a great imbalance between the attention given to the City Mouse and Country Mouse characters.  The text seems to focus more on City Mouse than Country Mouse.

The story also appeared to end very abruptly.  While both mice have decided that they are "home," the reader is left to wonder why they made the choices that they did.  Older readers may be able to make the connection regarding the decisions made by the mice, but I feel that younger readers will struggle with this aspect and become confused.

I did greatly enjoy some of the adult humor that was hidden within the illustrations.  I love the wording on the city mouse clothing (Swiss, Sharp)!  I also loved the illustration of the city mice on their cell phones and tablets.  Too funny!

This story is appropriate for children ages 3 through 7.  
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In Little Pig Saves the Ship by David Hyde Costello, Little Pig dreams of going to sailing camp with his brothers and sisters.  But, he is still too little to join in on the fun.  His brother, Tiny, gives him a piece of rope and a book about knot tying before he leaves.

Little Pig practiced his knotting skills every day.  He soon became bored and was delighted when his Poppy appeared asking for his help to complete a small, wooden boat.  Little Pig and Poppy worked tirelessly until the toy boat was completed.

The sea faring pair spent their days sailing the boat across the stream.  One day, a gust of wind blew the boat into the current and headed straight for a waterfall!  Will Poppy and Little Pig be able to reach the ship before it tumbles into the icy depths?

I found this to be an enchanting read.  I absolutely love the illustrations!  I also like how the illustrations vary in style from page to page. Some are full page spreads while others feature a single image on a mostly white page.  My favorite illustration is where Little Pig is teaching himself to tie knots.  The comic book style spread really captured my attention.

This story is a fantastic read for children ages 3 through 10.  Children will fall in love with Little Pig and cheer him on through out the book.  I cannot wait to see what adventure Little Pig will go on next!


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The Day I Ran Away by Holly Niner introduces the reader to a young girl named Grace.  While getting ready for bed, she proudly tells her dad that she ran away earlier that day.  Her father asks her why she ran away and receives quite an earful.

Grace was not able to wear her favorite shirt.  They were out of her favorite cereal and she was put in a time out for yelling at her mother.  Feeling bad for how she acted, Grace heads to her room to make a card for her mother.  That's when her day really took a turn for the worst...

With her wagon loaded full of toys and trusty Charlie Dog by her side, Grace is ready to leave it all behind and run away.  Will she be able to go through with her plan?  Is there anything that can change Grace's mind?

I absolutely loved this book!  I was enchanted from start to finish.  One of my favorite aspects of this book is that the entire text is a dialogue just between Grace and her dad.  This reminds of me of the close relationship that I had with my father as a child (and still do).  I love how her dad remains calm throughout the story and really listens to Grace while validating her feelings.  

Isabella Ongaro's illustrations are amazing!  I especially love the Charlie Dog character.  He is so cute and his expressions and antics are adorable.  I also love the style of the illustrations as well as the vibrant color palate that was used.

This story is a great read for children of all ages.  The timeless theme of home being where the heart is can be felt with every turn of the page.  Children will definitely relate to Grace and her feelings.


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No More Noisy Nights, by Holly Niner, introduces us to Jackson, a sweet mole who has just moved into his new underground home.  After spending an entire day unpacking, he is ready to go to bed.  Jackson soon discovers that he has a ghost living in his attic that likes make noises at night.  On the second night, Jackson finds a noisy boogey monster living in his basement.  The third night, he discovers a playful pixie living in his piano.

How will Jackson ever sleep again with so much noise in his house?  Is there anything that he can do to make the loud trio quiet down?  Will Jackson have to find somewhere else to live?

I found this story to be a delightful read.  I loved getting to meet the cast of colorful characters that all inhabit Jackson's home.  While I like Guy Wolek's charmingly delightful illustrations, I do not like the fact that they appear to be fuzzy and out of focus.  I feel that may be a distraction to young readers (and may concern older readers about their eyesight).

Overall, this is a great book for children ages 3 through 9.  Jackson's subtle problem solving skills will really get young readers thinking.

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They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel tells that tale of a cat walking through the world and how the creatures he/she encounters perceive him/her.  Everyone that the cat meets views him/her very differently.  Some see the cat as skinny, while others see him/her as fat.  Some think the cat is friendly while others think the cat is mean.

Could all of the creatures be looking at the same cat?  Could all of their perceptions be correct?  Most importantly, how does the cat view him/herself?

I absolutely loved reading this book!  Wenzel takes the complex concept of personal perception and makes it easily attainable for children to grasp.  The illustrations are simply stunning!  It is very clear to see why the book won a Caldecott Honor Medal.  Each illustration represents a new perspective and incorporates a mixed media style.

I also love how Wenzel incorporates science into the book.  The illustration of the worm's perspective of the cat highlights the fact that worms "see" by feeling the vibrations in the ground.  Still another scientific illustration appears when the cat passes a bat.  This illustration demonstrates how bats use echolocation to see the world.

This book is a must read for book lovers of all ages.  Children will especially delight in the colorful cast of characters that the cat meets along his/her journey.  I believe that this book could also be incorporated into school curriculum to help teach children about respecting the opinions of others. 

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