The Enchanted Flounder by Susan Meredith

The author of this work, Susan Meredith, has taken a number of the old tales told by The Brothers Grimm and "cleaned" them up just a bit; adding a few new twists here and there, and overall making them a bit less grim than the originals.

Now before we go further let me perfectly clear. I was raised on these fairytales; the original ones. I had them read to me many times before I was able to read myself. It must also be noted that I am a dyed in the wool traditionalist when it comes to the subject of folk and fairytales. I look with a rather jaundice eye on any work that tinkers with the originals; if indeed the originals can even be identified. I must admit that I began this work, and the other works by this author, with some trepidations...hey, I admit that I was quite prepared not to like them!

Well, I was wrong.

I do remember this particular story quite well, along with all the others, and I must confess to you that many of the old stories told by The Brothers Grimm absolutely terrified me as a child and haunted my dreams for years afterward. Now this did not do me any particular harm, as far as I can tell, and depending upon who you talk to, but trauma it was at the time.

This tale, entitled `The Enchanted Flounder' is the old tale of `The Fisherman and his Wife,' retold in a kinder and gentler mode. It was also just quirky enough to draw quite a few smiles form me as I read it. I can tell you that the original moral of the tale; a story of greed, love, non-love, and such, has not been in the least bit compromised in this new version. No, if anything I feel that the children of today will be able to identify with it even more than the old telling.

The story is simple. A fisherman catches a small white flounder who is actually an enchanted princess who can grant wishes. The fisherman is quite happy with his life and releases the fish without asking the flounder to grant him anything. He returns home and tells his wife. Wrong move! The wife is a rather superficial thing; a greedy woman and is obviously more in love with "things" than she is with the young fisherman. She insists that he return and start making wishes...over and over again!

No spoilers here, but I will tell you that all works out quite well in the end, even is a sort of weird way for the greedy wife. Lessons here are taught and it will not take your child very long to catch their meaning. The author is a very skillful writer.

Possibly new words to the young reader's vocabulary are added here and there in the story. These words are in bold letters and the author has included a delightful glossary in the back of the book explaining the meaning of these words.

THE SKINNY:::
All in all this is a delightful tale; a very old tale which has been enhanced to make it very child friendly. The author has also been blessed with a good sense of humor (Lucky for the adult reader), which makes the book a joy to read to the little ones.

The art work is simple but extremely bold and colorful...it is ideal for this sort of story and each illustration goes perfectly with the text.

Bottom line is that if this book can sway and change the mind of a crabby old traditionalist like myself, then anyone with a more open mind will be completely delighted with this work.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks


The Enchanted Flounder: A new kinder, gentler telling of a fairy tale classic

• Accelerated Reading level:none available
  
• Paperback: 26 pages
• Publisher: Rocking Chair Publications, Inc. (October 5, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0984286667
• Look Inside available
  
• amazon
  

Other Newer Kinder Retellings by Susan Meredith:

Just One Bite by Lola Schaefer, Geoff Waring, Illus.

A Bear.
a Komodo dragon.
an Octopus
a Parrot
a Sperm Whale
a Butterfly
a Rabbit
a Frog
an Elephant
a Worm

It's not just a question of what they eat, but how much!

Curious kids are going to like this one. Just One Bite opens up the world of animals one mouth at a time. With minimal text and bright, colorful artwork they are going to be able see exactly how a giraffe eats, and what. My own personal favorite was the worm. I was surprised at how much they could eat at one time. Who knew?

THE SKINNY:::

Just One Bite is an interesting early-science book that introduces children to the habits and habitats of 11 animals. The animals range from a tiny worm to a giant whale with creatures that inhabit land, sea and air.

I really like the information provided, and the fact that the book is very large and colorful and could easily be used with more than one child.

I could also see homeschoolers and teachers using it as the basis of a science unit where you could expand upon the notion of habitat and food chain.

Our one complaint came from my 8-year old son who wanted more 'exact' artwork, and who had a little trouble interpreting the pictures.

Everyone loved the pages that folded out so that the artwork sprawled over 4 pages!

Just One Bite

• Accelerated Reading level : Generic 2
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 1, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0811864731
• 

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::

Reading Level: generic 2

Interest Level: 4-8

Appellations:
*Starred* review from Kirkus

Related reviews:
Life-Size Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures

Martha Doesn't Share by Samantha Berger

Martha has a new favorite word.
And that word is MINE!

She says it about her pancakes.
She says it about her scooter.
She says it about her dollhouse.
She says it about her blanket, too.
MINE.

In the Samantha Berger's first book, Martha learned about how it was important to say she was 'Sorry'. Now with that out of the way Martha is free to figure out this whole 'sharing' thing. You see, Martha has a little brother, Edwin, and she absolutely does not want to share with him. Not her toys, her blanket, the family lava lamp or even a potted plant. No, with her it's mine, mine, MINE!

The family resolves this problem--*spoiler here* -- in a gentle fashion by leaving Martha with all of these things she covets so much. And guess what? As all we big folk know, it's not so fun to be all by yourself with only things. No,, it's a heap more fun to have someone to play with, and playing with someone does mean sharing.

THE SKINNY:::
My hub and I love the gentle approach that Samantha promotes to resolve this problem. There's no shouting or lecturing, Martha just gets exposed to the 'natural' consequences of her actions.

The kids and I love Bruce Whatley's drawings. Martha and her family are so expressive and huggable, and baby Edwin is an adorable toddler with his wee binkie.

This is a pretty book in my favorite shade of lavender. The jacket has the big picture of Martha, but the actual cover has a smaller silhouette of 'our girl' with her nose in the air.

Good Read-aloud. Good story that kids can relate to.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs


Martha Doesn't Share

• Accelerated Reading level : generic 2
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 7, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0316073679
  

Martha Doesn't Say Sorry

• our review
  

Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier

Some dots are big.
Some dots are small.
Some dots float
and some dots fall.

Which make Lots of Dots, lots of fun!

I have to say that I really like this book and it's great fun to read to kids. The simple drawings and bright colors are really eye-catching and the text makes for a good read-aloud.

The basic concept, I think, is to draw children's attention to the shapes around them. How, for example, a dot can be HUGE, like a drum, or small, like the tiny spots on a ladybug. Craig Fraizier shows them that plus more, like how snacks can be dots (peas), and how "There are dots on shirts" and "dots for the sun"!

THE SKINNY:::

I love books like Lots of Dots because I love to share books with children that I feel don't just have one thing to offer. In the case of Lots of Dots it has great rhyming text and artwork that is humorous as well as thought provoking.

I don't often suggest purchasing books for babies and toddlers because they outgrow concepts books so quickly, but I'm going to suggest you consider this one for your home shelves. The reason is that there is some versatility here. You can read the story and ask older babies and toddlers where the dots are -- most are obvious, some are not -- and you can use the book to teach both colors and the names of objects, as well as simple counting.

Remember too to ask older children to fill-in-the-blank in the rhymes. This is both a good memory exercise and pre-reading practice.

Lots of Dots

• Accelerated Reading level : generic 1
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 22, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0811877159
• amazon

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::

Reading Level: generic 1

Interest Level: Baby thru Preschooler

Can't Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill

[See Don's lengthier review at Amazon] This story is about a little girl named Ava who occasionally has a hard time falling asleep because her mind is oh, so very busy. Her mother suggests she count sheep to help her sleep and this she does. She counts and counts, but as the book informs us:

"[But] her mind was full of ideas and questions, thoughts of today, and plans for tomorrow."

Still, the strategy works and Ava keeps on counting night after night, until finally the sheep ask if they can please stop as they are completely exhausted. When Ava tells them no! the sheep, as sheep will often do, say, "In that case, we quit."

What is to be done now? Well, with the help of the sheep Ava tries some replacements-- horses, chickens, cow and pigs; moose and monkeys, armadillos with hippos. Unfortunately, each animal had some major drawbacks. The buffalo, for example, charges the fence and pretty well wrecks everything.

So what will they do next?

THE SKINNY:::

I have to tell you that Mike Wohnoutka's art is top of the line, funny and fascinating. Extremely detailed but mellow pictures perfectly illustrate the text.

I have read this book to two classes of first graders. A total of 46 very sophisticated, hardcore and jaded little literary critics, and I must tell you that with the exception of one student, Ducky, they loved this book and each class demanded a second reading.

Can't Sleep Without Sheep is a perfect group read. The book is large; the pictures are quite clear; and the text is extremely precise. It is also quite funny -- both pictures and text -- and a pure joy to read to a room full of wee ones.

It would also make an excellent one-on-one read.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Can't Sleep Without Sheep

• Accelerated Reading level : 2.2
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (September 14, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0802720668

Wordless Shakespeare for Kids!

We found 2 Wordless books that were Shakespearean in nature. Both earned *Starred Reviews* from the School Library Journal.

We recommend them because we feel it's never too early to suggest to kids that the classics are fun ;)

The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard
by Gregory Rogers

When a soccer ball goes awry, a boy ends up in the Globe Theater. The bard himself chases the boy who frees both a bear and a Baron before meeting Queen Elizabeth.

Accolades:
*Starred Reviews* from School Library Journal
Widely popular at Amazon and GoodReads
Don's review here.

Reading Level: WL

Interest Level: 4 to 8ish
Look Inside at Amazon




Midsummer Knight
by Gregory Rogers

The Bear from The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard shows up in this book, this time finding himself in the magical forest inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

He's rescued by Puck (the boy from the previous adventure, who's now wearing wings) and soon the pair are thrust into court intrigue.

Accolades:
*Starred Review* from School Library Journal
Widely popular at Amazon and GoodReads

Reading Level: WL

Interest Level: P to 8ish
Look Inside at Amazon

Though whimsical, these books serve to introduce children to the themes and world of Shakespeare.

The Three Bears by Margaret Hillert

I love! Margaret Hillert's books. The reason I'm so enthusiastic about them is that her books tell complete stories and that gives children a real sense of accomplishment when they can read them from beginning to end.


"The Three Bears" is a wonderful choice for new readers. Using just 206 words total (45 individual words) Margaret manages to tell the story amazingly well.

"Here is something.
Red, yellow, and blue.
One is big.
One is little.

Here is one for me."

This is a pattern for Goldilocks and the porridge and chairs and beds. It's got the repetition the beginners need, and yet it makes perfect sense story-wise.

I read many books from her series with my children and I highly recommend them.

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::
45 unique words

The toughest words are: yellow, something, and friend. The rest can be found in the standard Margaret Hillert list (hover here).

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

The Three Bears

• Accelerated Reading level : .06
  
• Library Binding: 30 pages
• Publisher: Norwood House Press; Rev Exp edition (January 15, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 1599530260
• Take-a-Peek-Inside
  

I Like Things by Margaret Hillert

Well, if you've been looking at Margaret Hillert primers, you're probably tired of hearing about me gush about how great her little books are. But they really are good.

"I Like Things" is a fine example of one book that can be tied into other projects. It's a story about a little boy and 'collections'. It starts out which him playing with buttons. He sorts them by color and size and shape and finally makes a necklace out of them for his mother.

I like things.
Big things.
Little things.
Red and yellow
and blue things.

Look here.
Look here.
Here is something I like.
Something pretty.

Look what I can do.
Red, blue, yellow.
I can do it this way.
This is fun.

Following this he looks at a stamp collection with his father.

Oh, look.
Here are good ones.
Good ones for my book.

It is fun to do this,
but I have to work at it.
I find out things, too.
I like to do it.


More types of collecting follow -- shells, rocks, trading cards -- which makes this a very 'rich' book to have in the library because it can be tied in to so many activities. Children can be motivated to start collections --fall leaves, buttons, etc. -- and with all the sorting this book can be mixed in with a math exercise.

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::
64 unique words

The toughest words are: yellow, something, and friend. The rest can be found in the standard Margaret Hillert list (hover here).

Highly Recommend

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

I Like Things

• Accelerated Reading level : 1.0
  
• Paperback: 31 pages
• Publisher: Modern Curriculum Press (January 1981)
• ISBN-10: 0813656028

Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book

This is a cute book that is at least worth picking up at the library for those little ones who are learning their alphabet. The image of this book is a bit deceiving, by the way. The colors are actually the same as those in Brown's classic "Goodnight Moon".

The alphabet examples are pulled from that book. There's 'Aa Air' and 'Bb Brush'. It continues on more-or-less like that until "Ii" where there's a break and instead of a single word we get a sentence: "Ii in the great green room". "Jj Jump over the moon" and a few other phrases are sprinkled about the rest of the text. They handle 'troublesome X' by asking children to find that shape.

At the end the book repeats the familiar words:

Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere
ZZ Zzzz...

THE SKINNY:::

A cute book for young Goodnight Moon fanatics. It will provide an opportunity for adults to cover the alphabet with drawings that are familiar.

There are so many ABC books out there, that it's hard to suggest anyone buy this book if Goodnight Moon is not a favorite. Click on the Aardvark and find it at a library near you.

Pam
Somewhere in the Burbs

Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book

• Accelerated Reading level : 1.0
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (June 22, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0061894842
• Take-a-Peek-Inside

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann Laurie Allen Klein (Illustrator)

What a great read and learning experience for the little ones this work is! Fur and Feathers is targeted for the 4-8 age groups which is just about right. It is quite satisfying to find a children's book that will truly entertain while at the same time teach. This is one of those books.

There is a howling windstorm outside and little Sophia is being read to by her mother. The book is about animals; all kinds of animals from bears to ducks to snakes. As most children will, Sophia falls asleep while being read to. And the dream begins!

The wind swirls and blows, round and round and as it goes faster all of the animals are caught up in the whipping storm. Alas! As the wind blows off go their coats. Fur, shells, feathers, scales and such go flying away leaving the poor animals quite unclothed. Sophia of course wants to help and goes to her closet and finds every piece of clothing she owns and dresses the animals. But this will not do at all! A pig in a jogging outfit, a seal in a suit, a penguin in a tutu! No, it will not do at all.

Our little Sophia is a creative little thing though and pulls out grandma's huge sewing basket. It is full of furs, feathers, sequins and such. Sophia goes to work. Measuring, cutting, stitching and sewing she works throughout the night. Of course by morning the creative little girl has all of the animals "dressed" as they should be dressed; in their natural cover!

Of course the first thing this book teaches is the art of being creative. The author and artist have taken the brick-a-brack found in the sewing boxes of all grandmothers and shown just what can be done with a bit if imagination and ingenuity. (Hey, remember that this is a dream).

Secondly, very sophisticated lessons are being taught as the fantasy is being played out. Those lessons include a very good look at animal classification. What is the difference between mammals, fish, reptiles, gastropods, birds, amphibians and insects? We get a very basic but good summation of the breakdown between kingdom, phylum, family, class, genus, order and species. The author takes a close look at what animals are truly covered with, i.e. hair, hard casing, scales or plates, feathers, wet scales, shells and skin.

All these little lessons are presented in a very subtle way and the child is actually learning much without being truly aware of it. This is truly a fun book to read!

The last four pages of the book are an addition for the adult reader or teacher and cover the subjects of animal classification and coverings quite well and present quite a number of facts and projects for the child and the teacher.

The text is quite well done and very, very readable. This is complimented by some very skillful art work by Laurie Allen Klein. The text and illustrations go perfectly.

As with all of the Sylvan Dell Publications, this work is ideal for the individual child, the class room and would be great for home-schoolers. The book I am reviewing is soft cover and is quite well made...very stout and attractive. I am quite familiar with the hardcover versions this company produces and whether it be soft or hardcover, it is a quality product.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Fur and Feathers

• Accelerated Reading level : 3.3
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: SylvanDellPublishing (August 10, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 1607180758
• Janet's HomePage
  
• See-a-Sample

And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street

Well just about any hard core fan of Dr. Seuss will have read this work, or at the very least know of it. Even those that are not big-time Seuss lovers will at least have heard of it.

In children's literature we have three authors that are almost universally know. First of course is the unequaled Beatrix Potter, then the Brothers Grimm, and right up there with them is Dr. Seuss. Stop and ask anyone, at random, on the street and the chances are pretty good that they will know who you're talking about.

This work, Mulberry Street, is Theodor Seuss Geisel's first published book for children. He, of course, went on to write over 60 others in a long and very, very fruitful career. The first thing that the reader must remember when first reading this work is that it was published in 1937 and as I said, it was his first work. Times were different in1937; different artistic standards, different attitudes. That being said though, the genius of Seuss shines through on every page and frame in this book.

Already, the author has used the odd meter which has become so familiar, the same propensity to draw the strange looking critters and creatures which have become so beloved, and the theme of starting simple and adding to the story as it progresses is quite evident and will be seen through the entire body of his life's work.

A young lad is walking down Mulberry Street and spots a horse and wagon. (Actually, in 1937 this was a very common sight). The boy notes that telling this story of just seeing a broken down wagon just won't to. So being like most little boys our hero starts adding and embellishing. Suddenly the old horse becomes a prancing zebra and then the wagon becomes a Roman chariot being driven by a charioteer. Each page finds our little story teller adding to and modifying his story until the end when we have an entire parade including a police escort, an airplane, brass band, the Mayor and city council and a whole cast of characters included.

In the end, when asked by his father what he saw on his way home from school, reality hits the youth. I loved the ending.

Is this the best Seuss book? That of course is in the eye and mind of the reader. I personally think not, but on the other hand I have not read a Dr. Seuss book that I did not like. I was able to relate to the young man quite well and as a matter of fact, he and I shared many of the same imaginative characteristics at that age. I suspect that most kids into day's world will be able to relate t to this also.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks


And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street

• Accelerated Reading level : 3.6
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
  
• ISBN-10: 0394844947

See Pam's review here.

Great Books for Kids 5 Years and Under

Here's our "Good Reads" list of books for the 5 and Under crowd. We will be adding to it, of course, so check back for more reading ideas.

[If you click on the pictures you'll be linked to our reviews.]

Wordless Books ~



























Books with Words ~