Margo's Musings: What's Up With Wombats?

This week, Margo’s favorite pick was a big hit with the whole family. My little sister couldn't resist the cover and we were all curious. Turns out none of us really knew anything about wombats before we read it! They really are fascinating.

Wombats Are Pretty Weird is a nonfiction text that is perfect for read aloud! Abby Cushman is the illustrator and the author. She sure is funny! We loved reading all the little jokes, and there is a snake throughout the book commenting on the facts and they are hilarious. Margo looked for the snake and pointed each time she spied it. Through our laughter we were amazed about all the things we were learning about wombats. Once you learn about their unique poop and their bottoms, you will wonder how you never knew these things before!

Love the illustrations and speech bubbles used throughout the book. Text was displayed in a way that was easy to process. loved the way humor was used to help us learn and remember key facts. This book will have you laughing out loud and wanting to know more! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about animals and likes to laugh.

We were excited to learn the author has another book that just came out called Flamingos Are Pretty Funky. I know what we will be getting from the library next!

Has anyone else read Wombats Are Pretty Weird? Or have yours read another book by Abi Cushman? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

~F

Margo's Musings: What Will Happen to the Project?

When we saw The Barnabus Project on display at our local library this past weekend I have to admit, I couldn’t wait to read it. I was curious about what it would be about and totally understood why my little sister, Margo, ran to it and snatched it off the table.

Barnabus lives in a lab because he is a Perfect Pet. He lives near his friends and the men in the green suits come and feed him his favorite foods- cheese and peanuts. One day the guys in green suits come in to check on Barnabus and the others in his area and  they are all rejected. They don't meet the standard for a Perfect Pet and this means they need to go back to the starting point and become a perfect mouse or elephant, not a mouse/elephant. But Barnabus is worried that becoming perfect may mean he doesn’t love his favorite foods or the things that make him him. His friends are worried too and they realize the only thing they can do is escape. But can they do it before the men In green come back? Where will they go? How will they survive? They aren’t sure, but they know they have to do it!

The illustrations in this story are absolutely beautiful. So many details are hidden within the pages and there are new things to discover with every reading. The creatures are fascinating to look at, and I had fun pouring over the pages. The colors really set the mood of the story and turning each page was a true delight. 

I love the messages In this book because teamwork is crucial and it’s important to be who you are. I enjoyed the book for the complexities in the story, and Margo loved the simplicity. The story offers similar takeaways to people of all ages, but it also offers something different depending on the reader's age. That helps make this a truly special book for the whole family. 

I think kids and adults of any age can enjoy this book together (or alone). The Fan Brothers worked together to create this masterpiece and it has been a treat to read and reread. I highly recommend this book and am sure it will become a favorite after the first reading. 

Has anyone else read The Barnabus Project? Or have you read another book by The Fan Brothers? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~F

Margo's Musings: What Fell From the Sky?

When we got to the library last week my little sister, Margo, was drawn right to the marble on the cover of a book. I couldn’t blame her. It looked magical! 

We took home It Fell From the Sky by The Fan Brothers and began reading right away. In the story, a mysterious item lands in the grass, and the insects are amazed. What is it? Where did it come from? They all have their own theories. Then the spider claims it as his, and he tells his friends that together they will build a place called WonderVille where other insects can come and see this curiosity. It takes a long time to build, but the exhibit is a hit. Ticket prices increase, the lines get longer, and Spider gets richer. He doesn’t notice that all the rest of his friends have left until a creature comes and snatches the item. Now what will Spider do? Where is everyone? He had been selfish, and now the garden is trampled and he's alone. Will Spider's friends come back? 

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The way the marble stands out is magical and it makes it easy to see why the insects were mesmerized by it. The story made me want to take out my marbles and look at them closely. Which is what I did with Margo- showing her the colors and designs under my magnifying glass. We even went out and explored the lawn to see if our insects had any curiosity shows happening. None we have found so far, but we will keep looking.  

It Fell From the Sky is a book that helps teach a lesson about selfishness and greed, but it also shows us that we can work together and be better. It was a treat to read. There are so many details to explore on each page that this book will be fun to read again and again. 

Has anyone else read It Fell From the Sky? Or have you read another book by The Fan Brothers? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: Why Did the Snail Cross the Road?

Sometimes we spy snails in my dad's garden. My little sister, Margo, loves them and always stops to talk to them. So, I wasn't surprised when we made our weekly trip to the library and Margo ran over to Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor and snatched it up. She hugged it right to her chest with a wide smile. 

In the story, Snail see delicious looking cabbage across the road. It looks far, but Snail isn't about to let that stop him. He scoots off. It's hard work crossing the road, and Snail needs to rest. There's a loud rumbling and the road shakes, but he's okay. Some antsy ants want Snail to move out of their way, and then it starts to rain. Of course, Snail offers them shelter in his shell, and they all have a nice chat about things that make them antsy, like cabbage. Once the weather clears Snail is back on his way- but there are even more obstacles in his way. Will Snail make it to the cabbage? 

This was such a wonderful story. The illustrations are just perfect for the storyline! Margo was rooting for Snail the whole time. I love that Snail moved at his own pace and didn't let his goal of delicious cabbage prevent him from showing kindness to other creatures who needed his help. The story was short and sweet, but showed us about friendship, determination, and perseverance. I would love to have tea inside Snail's shell! It looks so cozy. We have already read this book a couple times and added our own Snail Crossing sign out in the garden. I am sure after reading this Margo will be bringing gifts to the snails out in the garden to help them.

Has anyone else read Snail Crossing? Or have you read another book by Corey R. Tabor? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~ F

Margo's Musings: Lines? Scribbles? Both?

As soon as we walked into our town library, my little sister, Margo, was drawn to a table with award nominees on it. She looked and pointed at a few and then spotted Line and Scribble written by Debora Vogrig and illustrated by Pia Valentinis. Margo grabbed it off the table and tucked it under her arm. I have to admit I was curious about it too. 

When we got home and started reading it together, we both loved it. The story involves Line and Scribble. As the story is told we see the different things each can draw or do. Sometimes we see them used to create the same object, but with their own style (like the cover). I especially love when the two friends start joining together and creating artwork that is a mix of both of them. Margo thought the pictures were fun and sometimes funny, while I was also thinking about the relationship between Line and Scribble. Definitely a clever book. The style draws your eyes in, and I especially like the red accents that could be found on the pages. 

I like that this is a book that can be read over and over again because it is both simple and complex. I would definitely recommend Line and Scribble to kids who like a great story and who like draw. I know the story inspired Margo and me to do some drawings with different styles. This was definitely an awesome find at the library. Now I will have to check back to see if it wins the award it was nominated for! 

Has anyone else read Line and Scribble? Or have you read another book written by Debora Vogrig or illustrated by Pia Valentinis? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Margo's Musings: What's the Hurry?

My sister, Margo, loves sloths. They are pretty cute! So of course she spotted Sloth at the Zoom when we went to our town library last week. 

Sloth is supposed to be going to the zzzzzoo to relax and take it easy. But she accidentally gets dropped off at the zoom. Instead of taking naps all day, Sloth is watching animals rushing around. She can't believe her eyes. After she's been there a while she is ready to try to make some friends. But all the other animals never stop, and their speed makes conversation hard. Sloth doesn't understand "busy" and prefers to spend time listening to the leaves rustling and the sound of the wind. It seems like everyone is too busy to get to know her. When Sloth meets Snail they are actually able to have a conversation. It's slow, but neither of them seems to care. Will the two become friends? Will the other animals ever stop and take a break so they can all get to know each other? What will happen if they don't?

Orbie's illustrations were perfect for the story. The colors were great and the sky and foliage looked so pretty. Sloth won me over with her cuteness, and I thought the dialogue was easy to follow. Margo loved looking at the pictures of the different animals. While my sister pointed at the pictures of the animals being busy, thinking they were funny, it made me reflect on how sad it is to rush through life. There is so much to be gained from simply sitting and listening to the world around you. It can be good for the mind and soul! I would definitely go to the zzzzzoo over the zoom!

This a book that can be enjoyed by kids and adults. It would be a good reminder to adults that there are lots of benefits to stopping and listening. I think parents should give their kids plenty of time to observe the world, and I'm lucky mine do! This is a great addition to a any classroom or library.

Have you read Sloth at the Zoom? Or have you read another book by Helaine Becker? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~F

Margo's Musings: Say Cheese!

Last week when I visited the town library with my little sister, Margo, she was drawn in to the display with all the new books. I have to say there were lots of covers that had me intrigued! Although she enjoyed all the books we brought home, she did have a favorite.

The Worm Family Has It's Picture Taken by Jennifer Frank and David Ezra Stein is a book with adorable illustrations and a good message. The cover drew me in because the worms looked so sweet  and I wanted to know their story. Why were they getting their picture taken? It turns out that they're getting their first family photo done and Emma couldn't be more excited. She can't wait to see the picture hanging on the wall. But then, she starts looking at all the family photos her friends have, and she worries that since her family can't smile or fix their hair that their picture won't be as good. What are they supposed to do? Is it even worth getting a picture if they don't look fancy? 

Seeing the facial expressions on the different worms' faces really added to the story. The book will make readers think about how often we compare ourselves to others, and how often we think we need to act like or dress like our friends. I liked that Emma comes to some good conclusions as her family goes through the picture process. This is a great book to read with kids and talk about why we shouldn't compare all of our physical attributes to our friends. It also spotlights how important it is to be ourselves. 

This story has definitely become part of our house this past week. Margo is going around with her fake camera taking pictures of any insects she can find, and talking to them. Listening to her communicate with her subjects always makes me chuckle. She loves trying to boss them around! I recommend this book to kids ages five and up who like funny books and worms.

Has anyone else read The Worm Family Has It's Picture Taken? Or have you read another book by Jennifer Frank and David Ezra Stein? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: Why Would Crocs Eat Rocks?

Our family has been so excited to be able to visit our local library in person again. There is something magical about walking among all the books and seeing shiny covers beckoning you over.  The only hard part was narrowing down which books we would bring home with us this week. We've been reading a ton of great stories, but my little sister, Margo, has a favorite. The best part is, she likes to reread it together- but we don't need to reread every page, since it is a book full of facts. 

Eat Your Rocks, Croc! is written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Pete Oswald. It's a fascinating picture book filled with unique facts about animals from all over the world.  We are introduced to Dr. Sugar Glider on the opening pages, and we travel to different countries with them as they help animals solve some puzzling problems. Each page has a question for the doctor and then their explanation of the wild and weird. Did you know that crocodiles actually eat rocks? I had no idea before I read this book, but now I know why they eat them, and that they aren't the only animal that does! I love rocks, but I am glad I don't have to gobble them up to aid with my digestion.

The facts and the illustrations really work together in this book. I think the information could have been a little advanced for Margo, but the clever illustrations help make the facts easier to understand. Plus, my sister loves how bright and vibrant the pictures are throughout the book. There are lots of details and humor involved in the illustrations, which helps me to remember the information, and they make my sister laugh out loud. She can't get over a fish wearing a bib and having a fork and knife. I have to admit, the words and the pictures make the book fun and informative. The sidebars on the sides of each page add extra facts and scientific terms, which I really soaked up. 

I love learning new things and would recommend this book to people of all ages who enjoy discovering that the world around them is filled with animals that have unique capabilities and qualities. Plus, you will be able to amaze your friends and family with the cool facts you learned. I definitely plan to read more books by this author. 

Has anyone else read Eat Your Rocks, Croc? Or have you read another book written by Jess Keating or illustrated by Pete Oswald? We'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Happy Reading!
~F

What Happens When a Garden Starts Growing?

Our town library is open with limited hours, and of course my parents make sure we get in each week to find new stories. It's exciting to see all the great book displays. Spring is the theme in the library, and Margo was drawn to the cover of this week’s favorite. 

The Curious Garden was written and illustrated by Peter Brown. The unique looking trees and shrubs on the cover made me wonder if the book would be about a real or fantastical garden. I would love to read about both!

Liam lives in a dreary city. Most people stay inside, but he loves to be outside, no matter the weather or how gray the day seems. One day while out walking he notices stairs near the old railway, and he has to climb them to see where they lead. Liam is surprised to find dead plants among the broken railway. He can tell they need care even though he isn’t a gardener. Every day Liam tends to the garden. Sometimes he waters the plants too much and other days not enough. But he is learning. As the months go by, the garden flourishes and starts to spread out, growing along the old railway.  New plants and flowers bloom. Color is everywhere, until the snow comes. Liam plans during the winter, and when spring arrives he's ready with his tools to help the plants wake up from their sleep. It doesn’t take long before the plants are thriving, and each year they spread out more and more. The plants in the garden are curious and want to know what's out there, so they keep moving and expanding. More gardeners start helping take care of the plants and flowers. The city is coming alive with beauty, and it is fabulous to watch! 

The Curious Garden is a book that will make you want to get your hands in the soil and help nurture the plants! The illustrations are beautiful and it is fun to look at all the details included on each page. My little sister, Margo, had a blast because she could spot Liam, with his bright red hair, in every picture. She’d point and laugh, “There he is!” The story helps remind the reader how important it is to treat our planet with kindness. We can help make it a happier place. Each effort we make changes our surrounding, and others may even catch our enthusiasm. I love to grow plants, and seeing everything start blooming in the spring fills my heart with hope and happiness. Even though the seasons change and our greenery gets covered in blankets of snow, we know that the world will burst with color once again. It’s the perfect time to read this book and get inspired to help some plants reawaken and grow. We are already planning our garden and will get to work as soon as it warms up a bit (we need to let the bees and other bugs finish resting for a little longer). I know we will be reading this book a few more times before returning it to the library. It's impossible not to fall into the illustrations! 

Has anyone else read The Curious Garden? Or have you read another book written by Peter Brown? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: Are Little Girls and Unicorns Real?

Do our local librarians know my little sister, Margo, or what? The library is still doing curbside pickup and we look forward to the surprise books they add to our bag each week. They know that Margo loves unicorns and the picture book they shared has been read aloud at least ten times this week. Luckily, the book is so beautiful none of us minded all the readings! 

Uni is a happy unicorn. While she's a typical unicorn, she has her own special differences. She also believes that little girls are real. Everyone else believes they are only made up characters in stories, but Uni just knows in her heart that real girls exist, and she's determined to find one. Everyone talks about Uni like she is silly, but they know she will grow out of her thinking. Not too far away there is a little girl who just knows unicorns are real. Like Uni, people think the little girl will grow up and change her mind. Margo loved looking at all the pictures of Uni. She's been looking for unicorns everywhere since we stopped reading the book. She also seems very proud of being a little girl, like the one in the story. 

Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is an adorable picture book that will beg to be read again and again. Uni is so sure of her belief that little girls are real, just like the little girl is so sure that unicorns are real. I do hope the two will find each other in the books that follow. The illustrations by Brigette Barrager are bold and beautiful. I love the bright colors, as they add even more magic to this sweet story. I love the way Uni and the little girl have similar experiences. I know this will be a big hit with anyone who loves unicorns. I have enjoyed many books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal in the past and this was another winner. I already know that Margo will be asking for a Uni the Unicorn book next week! Personally, I am excited to read one too. 

Has anyone else read Uni the Unicorn? Or have you read another book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~ F

Margo's Musings: Will Stone and Stick Stay Together?

We're still getting curbside pickup from our local library, and we feel so lucky. Our librarians chose awesome books for us to check out. 

Stick and Stone was written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Just looking at the cover we knew it was going to be a good book. Stick and Stone is so cute! What a team.

Stick and Stone are both alone and then they become friends. When pine cone is being prickly and mean to Stone, Stick stands up for him and helps make the situation better.  

Don’t we all like to have friends who have our back? 

When a storm hits, things get rough for Stick and Stone, and they're separated. Readers won’t be disappointed when they find out how the two are reunited. Adorable! 

It’s a book that can be read quickly and enjoyed by people of all ages. You'll turn the last page and feel your heart swell with happiness. 

Stick and Stone is a book that tells its story with a simplicity that tugs at your heart. The illustrations are super fun and appealing.The book's message is about friendship. It’s nice to have buddies that stick up for you. 

Margo and I loved seeing the character’s facial expressions, and we enjoyed their adventures. During the storm Margo was saying, “Oh, no! Oh, no! Be careful!” Even though the storm causes problems, things end well, because in a tight spot, friends help us out. This book was a winner for us. Now Margo has been playing with sticks and stones in the yard, making up her own stories. We look forward to reading more books by this author and illustrator.  

Has anyone else read Stick and Stone? Or have you read another book written by Beth Ferry or illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: Will Sweetie Get Her Wish?

We are still getting curbside pickup from our local library. We make a few requests and then ask our librarian to select 5 surprise reads for us. All the books are awesome- but the unexpected books make us doubly happy.   

We were so entertained by Dandy written by Amy Dyckman and illustrated by Charles Santoso. We've read a few of Amy’s books before, so we figured we were in for some fun. Looking at the cover Margo guessed that the book was going to be about her favorite flower, the dandelion. She loves them because she loves yellow and bumble bees, and she knows they are so bright they can cheer you up just looking at them.  

In the story, Daddy is looking out his window at his meticulously groomed lawn when he is horrified to spot a dandelion. A weed! In his gorgeous yard! So he rushes out to get rid of the eyesore ruining his lawn. Just as he gets out to the dandelion, he sees his daughter, Sweetie, and she's introducing him to Charlotte, her new best friend. Charlotte is the dandelion. Daddy is on a mission to get rid of the offending weed, but he doesn’t want to do it in a way that will upset Sweetie. He devises plans to get rid of it, so she won’t know it was him. All his friends from the neighborhood can’t get over the horror of having a dandelion right in the middle of a perfect yard, and so they watch Daddy with lots of anticipation. What is Charlotte’s fate? You will need to read this sweet picture book to discover what happens when you want to spread some beauty.

Dandy is such a cute book, and I love the messages. Sweetie’s love for her dandelion is so adorable and Daddy’s obsession with his lawn is something a lot of people can understand. Seeing all the ways that Daddy tries to get rid of Charlotte had us cracking up. We were hoping he would change his mind and let Charlotte live, and I won’t give anything away- I don’t want to ruin the twist and turns of the story.  But I will say- there were some fun surprises towards the end of the book. The story makes you think about what you would and wouldn’t do for those you love.  It also makes you see that what one person sees as a terrible weed- another sees as a beautiful flower. The illustrations are fantastic. The characters’ feelings are expressed perfectly and the style really goes well with the messages embedded in the words.  Overall, the story makes you think about dandelions and how they came to have such a bad rap. People go to such pains to get them out of their lawns, and they have many important functions. Dandelions have health benefits to people, but they also make your yard healthier for other plants. So much good! This was a big hit for us, so I expect Margo will be finding her own Charlotte when we go outside. Of course, we will be putting in an order for more books written by Dyckman when we go to the library next week.

Has anyone else read  Dandy? Or have you read another book written by Amy Dyckman or illustrated by Charles Santoso? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: Can an Egg be Too Good?

We are still getting curbside pickup at our local library. This week we asked our favorite librarian to surprise us with a few books she thought we'd like. It's exciting to have a bag of books that you might not have found on your own. My little sister, Margo, and I couldn't wait to dig in and start reading.

We were thrilled to discover The Good Egg written by Jory John and illustrated by Pete Oswald.  We've read a lot of books by Jory John, so we knew we were in for a treat. When we looked at the cover Margo was obsessed with the eyeglasses.  She kept saying, "Glasses. Oh- big glasses." I have to admit the egg on the cover does look pretty cute with those spectacles on.

In the story there is an egg. He's a very good egg. It seems crazy to him that the other eggs are so reckless and misbehave all the time. No matter how much he tries to get his friends to behave, they will not listen. This causes him a ton of stress, and he starts to crack. The good egg realizes he needs to go away and be by himself. While he is gone he starts to take care of himself; even pampers himself. Being away, he misses his friends and starts to learn that he can't be responsible for their behavior. Trying to control them wasn't making anyone happy. When he rejoins his friends in the carton, he has a new attitude. Of course, he still wants to be good—but he realizes it's possible to be too good and not enjoy life.

The book has some really great messages. Sometimes we need reminders that we can't control other people and what they do. We can only control ourselves. I also think it's important to take care of our health, so that was a point that hit home with me.  The illustrations are awesome. The facial expressions on some of the eggs is priceless.  Of course, the main character wormed his way into our hearts with those big blue eyes and enormous glasses. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good picture book. I can see it being used in school to help students learn lessons about behavior, self-care, and finding the balance in life.

The Good Egg is part of a series of books with similar titles (The Bad Seed, The Cool Bean, etc.). We look forward to checking those out as well.

Has anyone else read The Good Egg? Or have you read another book written by Jory John or illustrated by Pete Oswald? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Margo's Musings: An Astronaut Painting the Moon?

We had a curbside delivery of books at our local library, so we ordered what we wanted ahead. Usually my little sister, Margo, loves running around and looking at the displays, and she picks the books we read. She still gave her thumbs up or thumbs down when we looked at the catalog, but her favorite book from this week's haul was one I requested, The True Story of Alan Bean: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon. 

Looking up at the night sky is one of my family's favorite activities. It's a special time when we check out the constellations and the Moon. The Moon is amazing, and I think it would be fantastic to be an astronaut. The title grabbed my attention right away.

The True Story of Alan Bean: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon is written by Dean Robbins and Illustrated by Sean Rubin. It tells the story of Alan as a boy, how he thought things looked, and his dream of becoming a pilot one day. When grew up and became a pilot, he also took painting classes. It was interesting to learn that he painted what he saw and let his imagination take over.  

As an astronaut he couldn't believe what the Moon and Earth were like from space.  He took pictures and even performed experiments on the soil. Once back on his home planet, Alan felt the pictures didn't do the Moon justice; they didn't show the magic. Alan set up Moon models and worked like a scientist to get everything right. Then he started painting what he saw and he let his imagination run wild.  He worked and worked until he felt his painting showed how the Moon made him feel. It was fascinating to learn about the ways he enhanced the textures in his artwork. 

Alan is an inspiration as an artist and an astronaut. The book has biographical information at the end, which I liked, but I think most of that went over Margo's head.

The pictures in the book caught our attention, but Alan's story made us fall in love with the Moon all over again. Margo and I set up easels and painted the Moon. I used a brush to paint, but my sister used her hands. Next week we'll do paintings of Earth.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who like space, painting, and using their imagination. You are sure to be inspired.

Has anyone else read The True Story of Alan Bean: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon? Or have you read any other books written by Dean Robbins? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F