The Everything Book Ages 2-6

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ABCs, 1-2-3s, colors, shapes, nursery rhymes, finger games, and more...
The Everything Book has something for everyone!

The Everything Book

By Denise Fleming

Illustrated by Denise Fleming

Edition: illustrated

Published by Macmillan, 2000

ISBN 0805062920, 9780805062922

64 pages Ages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

PreS-Animals of all kinds, lively ...

... insects and birds, and a diverse array of small children romp through this collection of simple rhymes, numbers and letters, and listings of familiar objects. The book includes everything needed ... more » to make it an anthology of preschool interests and concerns, from mealtimes to body parts. It even has traffic lights and trains. The very attractive illustrations, done in Fleming's characteristic bold and energetic style, were produced by pouring cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils, the result being simple forms that are attractively textured, with edges that are just fuzzy enough to look soft and friendly. The brilliant, warm colors are given depth and interest by the inevitable small differences in color produced by this process. Small children will enjoy pointing out the ladybugs crawling or flying or perched quietly on grass blades or leaves in almost every picture. There are, in all, 119 of them to be found, and doubtless young readers will spot every one. This is, indeed, an "Everything Book."-Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA

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Snip, Snip...Snow! Ages 4-8

Sophie has to make due with paper snowflakes until she notices something out the window that promises winter fun.
Snip, Snip ... Snow!

By Nancy Poydar

Illustrated by Nancy Poydar

Edition: illustrated

Published by Holiday House, 1997

ISBN 0823413284, 9780823413287

32 pages

Those who have waited impatiently for ...... the arrival of the first snow will be in perfect sympathy with Sophie. Winter has arrived--the trees are bare, the ground is hard, and she has to wear her heavy jacket. So where is the snow ... more »? Sophie can't wait for sledding, snowballs, and snowmen. Then the weather forecast comes--snow is on the way. Sophie prepares her sled and snowboots and everything she needs for a snowman. She can hardly sleep, but in the morning there's still no snow. In desperation Sophie asks her teacher if they can make snowflakes, and the class creates an indoor paper snowstorm. As Sophie tapes a paper snowman up in the window she sees that tiny flakes are falling and by the next morning, there's plenty of snow to play in. Children will appreciate the predictability, and Poydar uses fluid illustrations to capture all of Sophie's impatience and her unbridled enthusiasm when the snow finally arrives.

Kirkus Reviews Copyright (c) VNU Business Media, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2. Ages 4-8 Sophie is disappointed that although the weather is frosty cold, no snow has fallen. Finally, a winter storm is forecast, but it does not materialize on schedule. In school, she and her classmates decide to make their own paper snowflakes; when Sophie tapes her paper creation to the window, she sees real flakes drifting down at last. The children enjoy the beauty of the quiet snowfall as they walk home, and participate in all their favorite winter activities the next morning. The vigorous text and bright illustrations not only capture the youngsters' unconditional love of snow, but also, amusingly, the adults' disenchantment with it. Sweeping, double-page spreads show expressive, lively cartoon figures against more realistic backgrounds of home, school, and the outdoors. Instructions for making paper snowflakes are included. A seasonal treat for all of those impatient children who anticipate the arrival of wintry weather. Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Ugly Duckling by Pinkney Ages 5-10

“Books give me a great feeling of personal and artistic satisfaction. When I’m working on a book I wish the phone would never ring. I love doing it. My satisfaction comes from the actual marks on the paper, and when it sings, it’s magic."
For over one hundred years The Ugly Duckling has been a childhood favorite, and Jerry Pinkney's spectacular new adaptation brings it triumphantly to new generations of readers. With keen emotion and fresh vision, the acclaimed artist captures the essence of the tale's timeless appeal: The journey of the awkward little bird -- marching bravely through hecklers, hunters, and cruel seasons -- is an unforgettable survival story; this blooming into a graceful swan is a reminder of the patience often necessary to discover true happiness. Splendid watercolors set in the lush countryside bring drama to life.
The Ugly Duckling

By Jerry Pinkney, Hans Christian Andersen

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Contributor Jerry Pinkney

Edition: illustrated

Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 1999

ISBN 068815932X, 9780688159320

40 pages Ages 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12

Outstanding illustrations and some new ...

... characters make Pinkney's retelling of a familiar tale memorable. This time around, there's an old woman who befriends the duck for its egg-laying potential, a hunting dog that happens upon the ... more » duck, a man who pulls the duck out of a frozen river and provides warmth and shelter, and children who comment on the once-ugly duckling's arrival at a pond, saying it is the finest of the flock. As in the original, suffering and loneliness are appeased, and the enduring lessons are reaffirmed: suffering may be necessary for growth and happiness, and loneliness may be overcome. A spirited, artistic adaptation, and a welcome addition to the shelves.

Kirkus Reviews Copyright (c) VNU Business Media, Inc.

K-Gr 4-The appeal of this tale is as ...

... strong today as it was 150 years ago, and Pinkney has done an admirable job of repackaging it for a new generation. His adaptation of the text succeeds in capturing the gentleness and melancholy ... more » of Andersen, although a bit of the social commentary has gone by the wayside. Pinkney does not shy away from including the more disturbing elements, such as the shooting of the geese, recognizing this episode's importance to the fabric of the story. The first glimpse he gives readers of the duckling, having at long last emerged from his shell, exhausted and vulnerable despite his size, foreshadows the events to come and immediately engages children's sympathy. Naturalists will quibble over the artist's choice of birds. This duckling is born into a mallard family, wild, not domestic, and the geese are Canadians, whose range is generally North America. However, these details do not in any way detract from the feast to the eye that these illustrations are, carefully composed and rich in detail. Even those owning The Ugly Duckling as told by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by Thomas Locker (Macmillan, 1987; o.p.)-the most recent "Duckling" of note-will welcome this fresh new version. An artistic tour de force that is worthy of its graceful fine-feathered subject.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Cahners Business Information (c) 1999
Best Books:

The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2000 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States Capitol Choices, 1999 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States The Children's Literature Choice List, 2000 ; Children's Literature; United States Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 1999 ; American Library Association-Booklist; United States Notable Books for Children, 2000 ; American Library Association-ALSC; United States Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, February 1999 ; Cahners; United States School Library Journal Book Review Stars, May 1999 ; Cahners; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Book 2000 United States State and Provincial Reading Lists: 2X2 Reading List, 2000 ; Texas

Jerry Pinkney (born December 22, 1939) is an American illustrator of children’s books. He has received the Caldecott Medal five times,Coretta Scott King Award four times, four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards (most recently 2006 Little Red Hen), four Gold and four Silver medals from the Society of Illustrators, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (John Henry 1994). In 2000 he was given the Virginia Hamilton Literary award from Kent State University and in 2004 the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for outstanding contributions in the field of children’s literature.
Short Biography and Reviews with awards listed of all his books:
http://web.archive.org/web/20070813233427/http://www.childrenslit.com/f_pinkney.html