Five New Board Books

My Lucky Little Dragon. Joyce Wan. 2014. Scholastic. 14 pages. [Source: Review copy]

You are my lucky little dragon
my clever little snake
my happy little horsey
my snuggly little sheep
my silly little monkey
my chatty little rooster...

You Are My Cupcake by Joyce Wan remains my favorite, favorite, favorite board book. It lends itself so well to singing, and as a song it is practically perfect in every way. I can't say that My Lucky Little Dragon works as a song; it may be possible with effort and imagination, but, as a read aloud, I think it works well enough. Everything about this one is super sweet. And it would probably make a great companion book for those families who loved Wan's previous board books.

My favorite pages? My silly little monkey; my trusty little puppy; my playful little pig.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

Giraffes Can't Dance Number Rumba Counting Book. Giles Andreae. Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. 2014. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

One wobbly Gerald tries to find his feet.
Two leaping leopards, skipping to the beat. 
Three high-kicking hyenas, springing through the air.

A fun counting-to-ten concept board book starring oh-so-playful animals with easy-to-turn pages. I liked the eight bold baboons getting in the groove. And I loved the nine cheerful chimps who waltz and jive and prance. The illustrations are just fun!

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

A Big Hug for Little Cub. Lorie Ann Grover. Rosalinda Kightley. 2014. Scholastic. 18 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Morning dawn, I stretch and yawn.
Momma's near, purrs in my ear.
Come, let's play this bright, hot day.
We run free. So much to see. 
Grasses sway. I lead the way.

I liked this sweet and gentle board book starring a lion and cub. It follows parent and child from morning to night. I liked the writing. My favorite bit:

Hear a sound, so we duck down. Momma, now, will show me how. Stalk and pounce. Tumble and trounce. 

It is a pleasant, very pleasant book for sharing with a little one.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Tickety Toc Count Our Friends! 2014. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I'm sharing another counting book with you today. This counting book only goes through five. It stars the characters from Tickety Toc: Tommy and Tallulah, Hopparoo, McCoggins, Madame Au Lait, Pufferty, and Chikidee. The writing, as you might expect, is not the best. The rhyming is serviceable at best. This board book exists solely because of the TV show.

The pages are easy to turn. And for little ones who do love the TV show, this is a perfectly fine book to put in their hands. But it's not a wonderful read!

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

How Does Baby Feel? Karen Katz. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 14 pages. [Source: Library]

Baby wants milk and crackers. 
How does baby feel?
Hungry.
Baby gets a tummy tickle?
How does baby feel?
Happy.
Baby is yawning.
How does baby feel?
...

 If you and your little one loved What Does the Baby Say? there's a very good chance you'll both love How Does Baby Feel? Like What Does The Baby Say? (and so many other Karen Katz titles) this one is a lift-the-flap book. Readers are given clues about the text, the answers are revealed under the flaps. It is a simple book to be shared one-on-one at story time. It's a lovely board book.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Lego Phonics (2014)

Lego Super Heroes Phonics. Quinlan B. Lee. 2014. Scholastic. Includes 10 Books and 2 Workbooks. [Source: Review copy]

The Lego Super Heroes Phonics pack includes ten books: five books focusing on short vowel sounds, five books focusing on long vowel sounds. The books are all set in the DC Universe.

The writing. I won't lie. It's a phonics book. Even though the characters are super heroes, it feels like a phonics book. But. I suppose they have a purpose!

Book #1 Meet Batman (short a)

What is that in the sky?
It is a flash!
It is a bat!
We need the man in the mask.
We need Batman!
Batman jumps in the Batmobile. He needs a plan. He needs to get to his lab. Fast!

 Book #2 Get That Cat! (short e)

"Help!" a man yells. Catwoman has a gem. Quick! Get help!
"Meow! Come here, my pet," she says. Catwoman is set to get away.

Book #3 Come Quick (short i)

Superman hears Batman from far away. Batman says, "Come quick!" "Quick is what I do best!" the Flash says. "I will be there in a flash!" The Flash gets to the spot. There is just a big hill of bricks. "Why did Batman say to come quick?"

Book #4 Stop the Bot (short o)

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Lex has a big robot. The bot has got Wonder Woman.

Book #5 Up, Up, and Away (short u)

This is Superman. He can run fast! He can jump high! He can do much more than any man! The sun makes Superman strong. He can pick up a bus so it does not get crushed.

Book #6 Two-Face Chase (long a)

Batman races to the bank! There is a crane in the way. He hits the brakes! "I hate to be late!" Batman yells.

Book #7 Mr. Freeze (long e)

Batman and Robin are in the Batboat. "I feel the need! I feel the need for speed!" says Robin.

Book #8 Ride On! (long i)

"You cannot hide this time, Bane," says Batman. A bike rides by in the dark. Is it Bane? It is Catwoman! she smiles. "Are you looking for me?" she says. "I will not hide this time."

Book #9 No Joke (long o)

All of Gotham City is at home in bed. No one is out. Except one lone man...
The Joker! "This smoke will help you sleep...forever!" he yells. "And that is no joke."

Book #10 Get a Clue (long u)

Batman gets a note. It says: "I have the guy in blue. Do you want him back? You know what to do. Look for me and get my clues." 

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Library Loot: First Trip in February

New Loot:

• Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
• The Boy on the Wooden Box with Marilyn J Harran and Elisabeth B. Leyson
• Heart beat by Elizabeth Scott
• Ruth, Mother of Kings by Diana Wallis Taylor

Leftover Loot:

• Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World by Alison Weir 
• The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, The Playboy Prince by Jane Ridley
• Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
• The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck
• The River Between Us by Richard Peck
• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange
• Mansfield Park Revisited by Joan Aiken 

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.   

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Week in Review: January 26-31

And Be A Villain. (Nero Wolfe). Rex Stout. 1948. 256 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
1066 And All That. W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman. 1931/1993. Barnes & Noble. 116 pages. [Source: Bought]
Duchess of Drury Lane. Freda Lightfoot. 2013. Severn House. 256 pages. [Source: Library]
Seven Stories Up. Laurel Snyder. 2014. Random House. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
The First Dragon. The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica #7 James Owen. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
A Woman's Place. Lynn Austin. 2006. Bethany House. 450 pages. [Source: Book I Bought
The Dancing Master. Julie Klassen. 2014. Bethany House. 432 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
With Autumn's Return. Amanda Cabot. 2014. Revell. 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]

This week's favorite:

My favorite this week may just be my favorite of the entire month of January. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Laurel Snyder's Seven Stories Up. The novel opens circa 1987, Annie, our heroine, is preparing to meet her (dying) grandmother for the first time. They meet. It's a bit overwhelming--a mix of good and bad, perhaps. The love the grandmother has for the granddaughter that she's never met because of the horrible relationship she has with the daughter--well, it's heartbreaking. But I can see how Annie might not now how to take on that much emotion from a stranger. She goes to bed, she wakes up in 1937! Same room. Same hotel. (In the modern setting, the family-owned hotel had been closed awhile.) Annie meets Molly, a girl just her age. It isn't long before she realizes that Molly IS her grandmother...this one is OH-SO-MAGICAL. Loved every page of it!!!

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Other challenge updates

For the L.M. Montgomery challenge:

• The Road to Yesterday. L.M. Montgomery 1974. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. 252 pages.

For the British History Reading Challenge:

• Lady of the English. Elizabeth Chadwick. 2011. Sourcebooks. 544 pages. [Source: Library] 
• 1066 And All That. W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman. 1931/1993. Barnes & Noble. 116 pages. [Source: Bought]
• Duchess of Drury Lane. Freda Lightfoot. 2013. Severn House. 256 pages. [Source: Library] 
• Royal Affair: George III And His Scandalous Siblings. 2006. Random House. 384 pages. [Source: Library] 
• The Revolt of the Eaglets. Jean Plaidy. 1977. 320 pages. [Source: Bought] 
• Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought]
• The Courts of Love. Jean Plaidy. 1987. Broadway Books. 576 pages. [Source: Bought] 

For the Year of Rereading Challenge:

• The Story of the Treasure Seekers. E. Nesbit. 1899. Puffin. 250 pages. [Source: Bought] 
• Good Morning, Miss Dove. Frances Gray Patton. 1954. 218 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
• Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Orson Scott Card. 1996. Tor.  351 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
• The Time Machine. H.G. Wells. 1895. Penguin. 128 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
• Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought]
• Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen. 1811. 352 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]   
• A Woman's Place. Lynn Austin. 2006. Bethany House. 450 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
• The Merchant's Daughter. Melanie Dickerson. 2011. Zondervan. 285 pages. [Source: Library]

For the 2014 TBR Pile Challenge:

• 1066 And All That. W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman. 1931/1993. Barnes & Noble. 116 pages. [Source: Bought]
• And Be A Villain. (Nero Wolfe). Rex Stout. 1948. 256 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]   
• Good Morning, Miss Dove. Frances Gray Patton. 1954. 218 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
• Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Orson Scott Card. 1996. Tor.  351 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 

For the Chunkster Challenge:

• Lady of the English. Elizabeth Chadwick. 2011. Sourcebooks. 544 pages. [Source: Library] 
• Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought]
• The Courts of Love. Jean Plaidy. 1987. Broadway Books. 576 pages. [Source: Bought]  

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Completed Challenge: 2014 Sci-Fi Experience

Sci-Fi Experience
Hosted: Stainless Steel Droppings (sign-up post) (review site)
December 2013 - January 2014
# of Books: I'm hoping for seven

• The 5th Wave. Rick Yancey. 2013. Penguin. 457 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
• Unsouled. Neal Shusterman. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 416 pages. [Source: Library] 
• Dangerous. Shannon Hale. 2014. Bloomsbury. 400 pages. [Source: Review Copy] 
• Across A Star-Swept Sea. Diana Peterfreund. 2013. HarperCollins. 464 pages. [Source: Library] 
• Shift by Hugh Howey. 2013. CreateSpace. 608 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]   
• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. George Lucas, Alan Dean Foster. 1977. 247 pages. [Source: Own]  
• Star Wars: Episode V: Empire Strikes Back. Donald F. Glut. 1980. 214 pages. [Source: Bought]
• Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. James Kahn, George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan. 1983. 181 pages. [Source: Bought]
• The First Dragon. The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica #7 James Owen. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 304 pages. [Source: Library]  
• Risked (The Missing #6). Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages. [Source: Library]  
• The 100. Kass Morgan. 2013. Little, Brown. 277 pages. [Source: Library]    
• Aquifer. Jonathan Friesen. 2013. Blink. 303 pages. [Source: Library]  
• Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Orson Scott Card. 1996. Tor.  351 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
• The Time Machine. H.G. Wells. 1895. Penguin. 128 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]  
• Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought] 

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

January Reflections

In January, I read 45 books.

Eight books were rereads: Good Morning, Miss Dove; Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus; The Time Machine; Doomsday Book; Story of the Treasure Seekers; Sense and Sensibility; The Merchant's Daughter; A Woman's Place.

Without really planning it, I read SIX time travel books in January! Seven Stories Up, The First Dragon, Risked, Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, The Time Machine, and Doomsday Book.

Board Books, Picture Books, Early Readers:

1. Patti Cake And Her New Doll. Patricia Reilly Giff. Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. 2014. (Jan) Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
2. The Runaway Hug. Nick Bland. Illustrated by Freya Blackwood. 2013 (Dec). Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
3. A Book of Babies. Il Sung Na. 2014. (Jan). Random House. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
4. Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble. Tatyana Feeney. 2014. (Jan) Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
5. Small Bunny's Blue Blanket. Tatyana Feeney. 2014. Random House. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
6. All Fall Down. Mary Brigid Barrett. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2014. Candlewick Press. 16 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
7. Pat-a-Cake. Mary Brigid Barrett. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2014. Candlewick Press. 16 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
8. Ten Tiny Toes. Caroline Jayne Church. 2014. Scholastic. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]    

Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction:

1. The Real Boy. Anne Ursu. 2013. HarperCollins. 341 pages. [Source: Library] 
2. Seven Stories Up. Laurel Snyder. 2014. Random House. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
3. The First Dragon. The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica #7 James Owen. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Risked (The Missing #6). Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages. [Source: Library]  
5. The Apprentices. Maile Meloy. Illustrated by Ian Schoenherr. 2013. Penguin. 432 pages. [Source: Review Copy] 
6. The Story of the Treasure Seekers. E. Nesbit. 1899. Puffin. 250 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. The 100. Kass Morgan. 2013. Little, Brown. 277 pages. [Source: Library]   
8. The Living. Matt de la Pena. 2013. Random House. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
9. A Corner of White. Jaclyn Moriarty. 2013. Scholastic. 375 pages. [Source: Library]  
10. Aquifer. Jonathan Friesen. 2013. Blink. 303 pages. [Source: Library] 

Adult Fiction and Nonfiction:

1. Good Morning, Miss Dove. Frances Gray Patton. 1954. 218 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
2. Pastwatch The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Orson Scott Card. 1996. Tor.  351 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
3. Lady of the English. Elizabeth Chadwick. 2011. Sourcebooks. 544 pages. [Source: Library] 
4. And Be A Villain. (Nero Wolfe). Rex Stout. 1948. 256 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
5. 1066 And All That. W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman. 1931/1993. Barnes & Noble. 116 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. Duchess of Drury Lane. Freda Lightfoot. 2013. Severn House. 256 pages. [Source: Library]
7. The Time Machine. H.G. Wells. 1895. Penguin. 128 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
8. Royal Affair: George III And His Scandalous Siblings. 2006. Random House. 384 pages. [Source: Library] 
9. The Revolt of the Eaglets. Jean Plaidy. 1977. 320 pages. [Source: Bought] 
10. Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought]
11. The Road to Yesterday. L.M. Montgomery 1974. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. 252 pages.
12. The Courts of Love. Jean Plaidy. 1987. Broadway Books. 576 pages. [Source: Bought] 
13. The Boys in the Boat. Daniel James Brown. 2013. Viking. 416 pages. [Source: Library]
14. Alexander the Conqueror: The Epic Story of the Warrior King. Laura Foreman. 2004. Da Capo Press. 211 pages. [Source: Library] 
15. Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen. 1811. 352 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 

Christian Fiction and Nonfiction: 

1. Dear Mr. Knightley. Katherine Reay. 2013. Thomas Nelson. 336 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
2. A Woman's Place. Lynn Austin. 2006. Bethany House. 450 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
3. With Autumn's Return. Amanda Cabot. 2014. Revell. 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]
4. The Merchant's Daughter. Melanie Dickerson. 2011. Zondervan. 285 pages. [Source: Library]
5. The Dancing Master. Julie Klassen. 2014. Bethany House. 432 pages. [Source: Review copy]
6. Dare to Love Again. Julie Lessman. 2014. Revell. 416 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
7. Every Waking Moment. Chris Fabry. 2013. Tyndale. 400 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] 
8. How To Read the Bible Through the Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture. Michael James Williams. 2012. Zondervan. 288 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
9. Crazy Busy. Kevin DeYoung. 2013. Crossway. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
10. Bruce and Stan's Pocket Guide To Studying Your Bible: A User-Friendly Approach. Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz. 2001. Harvest House. 112 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
11. The Captive Maiden. Melanie Dickerson. 2013. Zondervan. 304 pages. 
12. Woman's Guide to Reading the Bible In A Year. Diane Stortz. 2013. Bethany House. 144 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews