Category: children

Author: Beatrice Masini
Illustrator: Anna Laura Cantrone
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-88776-898-9
Pages: 32
Price: $17.95

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Filomena the seamstress makes wonderful wedding dresses for the brides in her town. But as she sews these lovely creations for others, she dreams of her own wedding someday.

When Rusty finally gets up the nerve to propose, she sets to work on her own dress. Rusty grows lonely, never seeing Filomena, as she sews day and night on her masterpiece. Finally the wedding day arrives, but what’s happened to Filomena? And even more worrisome – where is Rusty?

Future brides will be awed at Filomena’s efforts to outdo every other dress she’s made, by adding so many flowers, ruffles and frills that no one would recognize her. And Rusty’s stunned surprise at Filomena’s appearance will leave kids giggling. But all ends well, as Rusty finally recognizes his bride and the two lovebirds get married.

Delightful illustrations by Anna Laura Cantone accompany this charming story. Originally published in Italian, Here Comes the Bride is an enjoyable and fun read, reminding kids that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Olga Cossi
Illustrator: Gary Bernard
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9768655-8-2
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

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Kang Yi is only seven years old and a girl. But although her culture forbids her to be a Sherpa – a porter and guide through the Himilayas – that’s what she wants to do more than anything else.

Her brother, Pemba Sherpa, must go down the mountain every day to carry firewood up to his schoolroom so they can have heat for their classes. But one day she follows him down, determined to carry wood, too. What happens on the path that day changes both of their lives forever.

Pemba Sherpa was dedicated to Pemba Doma Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest via the North Face. It shows the courage even a young girl can have in the face of adversity, and how she can rise above her cultural limitations. Beautiful watercolor drawings accompany this delightful and inspiring story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrator: Mike Blanc
Publisher: VanitaBooks
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9800162-9-1
Pages: 40
Price: $15.95

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Matthew Brian Jackson’s mom is in the Air Force. She gone off to fight in the war, and Matthew doesn’t understand why she left. But his grandpa shares his own story of what it was like when his father went to fight in World War II.

Author Vanita Oelschlager shares her own father’s pictures, postcards, and letters in this beautiful fictional tribute to a man who proudly served his country. Postcards From a War shows kids what it’s like to live with an absent military parent, and how much those parents still care about their kids even though they’ve had to go away.

This story is told with the utmost respect for the US military, sharing the gratitude the author feels towards their service to our country. And while it doesn’t explain why wars happen in the first place, it offers hope that someday today’s generation of kids may find a way to avoid it, and come to more peaceful solutions to the world’s problems.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Amy Friedman
Illustrator: Jillian Gilliland
Music: Laura Hall
Publisher: Friedman & Danziger
Genre: Children / Audio CD
ISBN: 978-0-9790867-0-0 / 978-0-9790867-1-7 / 978-0-9790867-3-1
Price: $18.95 / $16.95 / $18.95

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Kids have always loved a good story, especially those that describe magical places far, far away. And stories about animals and clever maidens can keep them fascinated for hours.

In the Tell Me a Story series, Amy Friedman has created some of the most interesting and memorable tales children have ever heard. These stories are read by stage and screen’s most talented actors, and accompanied with music by renowned composer Laura Hall.

“Kerplunk” is a funny tale about an animal who panics over the sound of something falling, and works all the other animals into a frenzy without knowing why. “A Sense of Theft” is a playful look at what really constitutes stealing. And “Whisker of the Lioness” lets us see that sometimes we already have the answer to our problem, and we don’t even know it.  And many other fun stories are included.

If you’re looking for a new way to entertain your kids with clever tales that make them think, Tell Me a Story will be a big hit. These stories can be listened to again and again, and enjoyed by all ages. I highly recommend this wonderful audio series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author & Illustrator: Schim Schimmel
Publisher: SchimmelSmith
Genre: Children / Nature
ISBN: 978-0-615-29509-1
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

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Young Caterpillar is just about to go to sleep before his metamorphosis. But before he does, Old Monarch visits him after a year’s journey around the world, and shares the secret of Earth’s treasure.

In his travels around the planet, Old Monarch has seen all the wondrous sights of Africa, Antarctica, the oceans, and the forests. He visits gorillas, dolphins, penguins, and snow leopards. And he’s constantly awed by the beauty of this amazing treasure he’s found.  So now he wants to let Young Caterpillar in on this secret, just as he overheard father lion tell his son.

In this beautiful book, Schim Schimmel has once again created a masterpiece in color, with bright, vibrant and stunning animal pictures to delight the reader. This timeless message of treasuring the earth’s beauty comes alive in his magnificent illustrations, reminding us that only we can save this planet before it’s too late. The Butterfly’s Treasure belongs in every nature lover’s collection.

Reviewer: Alice Berger