Bonnie Ferrante's Blog, page 22

Homework – Recycled Sundays

As soon as the soft spring air is filled with sounds of robins seeking mates and feet seeking soccer balls, my children will begin counting the days until summer vacation. The older they get, the more I join in there relief when school is out. No more homework. It isn’t that there’s too much homework … Continue reading Homework – Recycled Sundays

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Suess. Book Review.

  I remember when this book first came out. Every principal and vice principal who had to MC a high school or elementary school graduation ceremony latched onto this book as a holy text. It was read to classes year after year and then continued to be spread by parents gifting it to their children. … Continue reading Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Suess. Book Review.

Guest Post by Dr. Bob Rich: What Makes a Children’s Book Stand Out?

Bob is a professional grandfather. Any human under 25 years of age may take advantage of the offer of becoming his grandbaby. Therefore, everything he does, including his writing, is aimed at making this planet a better place for its young people. He wants a survivable future, and one worth surviving in. Our global culture … Continue reading Guest Post by Dr. Bob Rich: What Makes a Children’s Book Stand Out?

A Girl Who Can Hold Her Own Against a Bully – The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz. Illustrated by Dan Santat. Book Review.

Click here to buy The Three Ninja Pigs The Three Ninja Pigs This fractured folktale is a take on The Three Little Pigs that I thoroughly enjoyed. The three pigs decide they are going to stand up to the bully, the Wolf, who is blowing down houses. They train at the ninja school. The first one … Continue reading A Girl Who Can Hold Her Own Against a Bully – The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz. Illustrated by Dan Santat. Book Review.

The Three Grasshoppers by Francesca Bosca. Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri. Book Review.

This tall children’s picture book features three grasshopper friends, Charlie, Connor, and Carl. These talented musicians sing and play their instruments, write songs, and entertain the other grasshoppers. As winter approaches, they realize they have not stored enough food to survive the cold weather. Charlie tells the story of the grasshopper and the ants and … Continue reading The Three Grasshoppers by Francesca Bosca. Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri. Book Review.

The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague. Book Review.

This is pretty close to the original version except instead of leaving home and saying goodbye to their mother, the pigs live on a farm with human beings. It begins, “Once there were three little pigs. They lived on a farm, as most pigs do, and were happy, as most pigs are. Then one day … Continue reading The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague. Book Review.

A Clever Variation – The Three Bears, An Alphabet Book by Grace Maccarone. Illustrated by Hollie Hibbert. Book Review.

Click here to buy The Three Bears ABC This is an alphabet book that also tells the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It begins, “A is for alphabets, and here it is.” The alphabet is superimposed on a tree. Then the story begins. “B is for bears. There were three Bears – Mama … Continue reading A Clever Variation – The Three Bears, An Alphabet Book by Grace Maccarone. Illustrated by Hollie Hibbert. Book Review.

Potato Peel Treasure – Recycled Sundays

I am pleased to see the city is selling compost bins. I could never understand the logic behind the disposal of compostable trash. First the consumer purchases plastic bags in which to store kitchen and yard waste. The plastic, of course, means drilling for oil, transporting the stuff, and processing it, damaging the land, air … Continue reading Potato Peel Treasure – Recycled Sundays

The Three Little Dinosaurs by Jim Harris. Book Review.

This 8″ x 10″ picture book uses dinosaurs in place of the three little pigs and a Tyrannosaurus rex in the place of the wolf. The dinosaurs use some traditional phrases such as, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in!” And “then I’ll huff and puff and I’ll blow your house in!” But the … Continue reading The Three Little Dinosaurs by Jim Harris. Book Review.

Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came to Dinner by Charles Santores. Book Review.

The illustrations catch the readers attention by virtue of their realism. The pigs seem as though they could grunt and waddle away at any moment. Each pig is unique and portrays individual personalities through their expressions. The story goes in an unusual direction. A sow has two piglets on a farm. These are not meat … Continue reading Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came to Dinner by Charles Santores. Book Review.