Read, Write, Repeat.

Almost everyone likes a day at the beach. And this is the perfect time of year to forget the snow and the cold and think of sand between your toes.

If you’re looking for a picture book to help you do just that, check out A Beach Tail (Boyds Mills, 2010) by Karen Lynn Williams and Floyd Cooper.

The book tells the simple story of Gregory and dad spending a day at the beach. Gregory uses a stick to draw a lion in the sand. When his dad suggests he add a tail, Gregory does, and it turns out to be the longest tail a lion every had.

In fact, Gregory gets so caught up in drawing the tail that he gives himself a tour of the beach and temporarily loses sight of his father. (Although he does discover a purple jellyfish, a horseshoe crab, a ghost crab and a jetty.)

But when he needs to find him again, he just follows the tail back to his lion — and his dad.

Today’s guest reviewer: Aidan

Age: 7

Things I like: Playing chess, reading and playing sports like basketball.

This book was about: A boy named Gregory drawing a lion in the sand.

The best part was when: Gregory passed all the animals while he was drawing the tail.

I laughed when: Gregory made a funny face.

I was worried that: He wouldn’t find his dad.

I was surprised when: The water splashed up by the jetty.

This book taught me: To never leave a lion.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Gregory.” “Dad.” “Lion.”

My favorite pictures in this book were: The horseshoe crab and the jellyfish.

Other kids reading this book should know: You shouldn’t leave your dad. 

You should read this book because: It has a lion in it.

Thanks, Aidan!

Karen Lynn and Floyd both have lots of books — and awards – to their credit. Floyd won the 2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and Karen Lynn’s book have been named to several notable books list. The two have even worked together before — 20 years ago — on the picture book When Africa Was Home.

You can learn more about Karen Lynn Williams by visiting her website or reading her blog.

You can learn more about Floyd Cooper by visiting this website. Or read this interview at The Brown Bookshelf. 

If you’d like to see what others had to say about this book, read these reviews:

• Bookends: A Booklist Blog.
• Library Voice.
• Kids Lit.

When I first skimmed Bella and Stella Come Home (Philomel Books, 2010) I thought it was sweet and set it on my stack of books to review.

Each time I’ve read it since then, it’s grown on me more. Why?

Well, the story itself is charming. Bella moves to a new house, and she and her stuffed elephant, Stella, don’t think it’s anything like as nice as the one they left behind.

It’s also the model of simplicity. (Anyone trying to edit down a picture book manuscript to just the things that matter should use this as an example.)

Then, Anika Denise has some lovely lines. (For example: “Mommy says the house ‘has character.’ Stella wants to know what character is. ‘I think it means dusty,’ I say.”) 

Finally, there are the illustrations. Oh my goodness, they’re gorgeous. Christopher Denise shows light beautifully, whether it’s coming through an open window or reflecting on the house Stella leaves behind. And his portrayal of a pouting elephant is simply sublime.

Now, let’s hear from our guest reviewer, Josie. You’ll notice that her shirt coordinates perfectly with the book cover.

Today’s reviewer: Josie

Age: 6

I like: Playing board games with my friends.

This book was about: That Bella misses her home.

The best part was when: She got to meet her new neighbors.

I laughed when: Bella and Stella were playing cards together with the boy and his giraffe. (By the way, Josie says her favorite card game is Uno.)

I was worried when: Bella opened all the doors. I didn’t know what would be behind them.

This book taught me: That’s it’s OK to move.

Three words that describe this book are: “Move.”  “Friends.” ”Home.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “I think she may be right.”

My favorite picture in this book is: When everyone is playing cards.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The new house.

You should read this book: If you’re sad about moving or if you miss your old house.

Thanks, Josie!

If you want to know more about this book, you can check out this review at Where the Best Books Are.

Want to learn more about the Denises, a husband-and-wife team who also created Pigs Love Potatoes? You can visit their website or read one of their blogs. Christopher’s is here, and Anika’s is here.

There are all kinds of lies.

Little white ones.

Nasty, malicious ones.

And real whoppers.

In The Big Whopper, the second book of Patricia Reilly Giff’s early chapter book series The ZigZag Kids, it’s Discovery Week at the Afternoon Center. And Destiny Washington wants to think of something new to discover.

Instead, she ends up telling a really big whopper — that she’s distantly related to George Washington.

And then she doesn’t know what to do about it. 

Let’s see what today’s guest reviewer has to say.

Today’s reviewer: Julia

Age: 8

I like: Volleyball, horses and playing with my friends.

This book was about: A girl tells a story about that her great-grandfather is George Washington, but he’s really Abraham Washington. Then she knows she told a big whopper, and she doesn’t want her teacher to know.

The best part was when: Two older high school kids pushed a big cart of paper and the kids got to ride in it.

I was surprised when: Destiny said who she was related to.

This book taught me: It’s easier to tell the truth. That way your stomach doesn’t get tied in knots.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Lying.” “Funny. “ “Honesty.” At the end, Destiny is honest.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “Abrehem Washington Father of our Kuntry. My greatest great grandfather. ” And “Telling fibs was not the way they did things at the Zelda A. Zigzag After School Center.”

You should read this book because: It teaches other kids not to lie. And Destiny, too.

You can see Cora’s review of the first book in the series here.

Or, you can learn more about Patricia Reilly Giff by:

• Visiting this website.
• Reading this blog.
• Or reading this interview from the Teaching Authors blog. (Which originally offered the first two books in the ZigZag Kids series in a giveaway. Which I was lucky enough to win.)

Want to learn more about illustrator Alasdair Bright? Visit his website.

Today, we begin a two-part look at the new Zigzag Kids early chapter book series by Newbery Honor author Patricia Reilly Giff.

All the books in this series are set in the after-school program at the Zelda A. Zigzag School, so readers meet the same group of children in each book. However, each book focuses on a different child as the main character.

The first book in the series, Number One Kid, (Wendy Lamb Books, 2010) features Mitchell McCabe, who wants to be the best. But what will his friends think of his desire to be number one?

Let’s ask today’s guest reviewer.

Our reviewer: Cora

Age: 7 

I like: Eating beef-and-bean burritos. Listening to music on my iPod Nano. Playing Wii — mostly Wii Fit. And, I like playing with my American Girl dolls — Samantha, Rebecca, Julie and Mia.  

This book was about:  A boy named Mitchell McCabe who’s always trying to solve mysteries. Whenever anyone loses something, he wants to be the one who finds it. He got a shirt that says “I’m #1.” He wears it every day. Mitchell’s younger sister, Angel, doesn’t like it that his shirt says he’s number one. 

The best part was when: A younger kid at Mitchell’s school named Trevor lost a mask he had brought to school and Mitchell found it. Life was all happy again!

I laughed when: They kept saying to stay away from Habib because he had poison ivy all over him, and Mitchell was especially scared of him!

I was worried when: Mitchell thought Angel had drowned. They were swimming at their school pool, and Mitchell couldn’t find Angel. He saw her sinking down, but she was actually diving down to find something she saw on the bottom. But when she came back up Mitchell saw that she hadn’t actually drowned.

I was surprised that: Mitchell wasn’t good at math. Well, he was OK, but he still had to get tutored. 

This book taught me: To never go near someone with poison ivy or you will get his or her poison ivy!

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The drowning part, because when I first read that part I was freaked out! But remember, she doesn’t actually drown.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Silly.” “Surprising.” “Awesome.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: Mitchell and Angel were eating apples that had worms in them. And Angel spit hers out and said, “I might end up in the hospital because of you, Mitchell ‘Number Eighty Seven’ McCabe.” (She didn’t want to call Mitchell “number one.”)

You should read this book because: You can learn a lot from it! Like don’t be mean to people. And stand up for your brother or sister if someone’s being mean to them — like when Angel told Peter not to call her brother Mitchell a loser. 

Thanks, Cora. You did an awesome job!

Want to learn more about Patricia Reilly Giff? You can:

• Visit this website.
• Read this blog.
• Or read this interview from the Teaching Authors blog. (Full disclosure: I actually won both books in a giveaway from the Teaching Authors blog.)

Want to learn more about illustrator Alasdair Bright? Visit his website.

And come back soon for Julia’s review of the second book in the series.

There’s no denying that Goodnight Moon is a timeless classic.

But, maybe, your child has requested it as a bedtime story for 822 consecutive nights, and the end doesn’t seem to be in sight. You need a break, and your child needs to branch out.

Give Good Night, Little Sea Otter (Star Bright Books, 2010) a try. Janet Halfmann’s picture book will be a welcome relief.

It’s delightful on several levels. The story is adorable, with a baby sea otter saying good night to all the animals nearby. Mixed in with all the good nights are lots of fun ocean facts.

Then there’s the art. I’ve always liked otters, but illustrator Wish Williams made these especially cute. And the other sea life is sweet, as well.

So go ahead and read it — even if your child isn’t addicted to Goodnight Moon. 

Now, let’s hear from our guest reviewer.

Our reviewer: Danni

Age: 4

I like: Flowers, hearts, cheeseburgers, swimming, ballet and gymnastics.

This book was about: A baby sea otter saying good night to everything.

The best part was when: The sea otter fell asleep in his mama’s arms.

I laughed when: The whole ocean sang good night to the baby sea otter.

I was worried when: I saw the picture of the crab.

I was surprised that: The baby sea otter finally fell asleep. I thought he would never go to sleep.

The book taught me: That seagulls squawk when they talk and that sea otters wrap themselves up in seaweed when they go to sleep.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The baby sea otter dipping his face in the water to say good night to the fish.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Good night,” “crabs,” “sea otter.”

My favorite line in the book is: “Good night little sea otter, the entire ocean sang back to him.”

You should read this book because: You can learn about the different animals and fish in the ocean.

Thanks, Danni!

If you’d like to learn more about Janet Halfmann and her other books, visit her website.

Everything you do matters.

That’s the theme of The Boy Who Changed the World (Tommy Nelson, 2010) a picture book written by Andy Andrews.

The book is based on a concept called the butterfly effect – that an action as small as a butterfly flapping its wings can influence weather patterns across the world.

But the book doesn’t talk about butterflies.

It looks at the life of Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug. He began life as an Iowa farm boy. As he grew up harvesting food, he became concerned about people who didn’t have enough to eat, so he went to school to study how to grow more food. The seeds he ended up developing helped feed hungry people all over the world.

That’s a good story right there, but Andrews shows that Norman couldn’t have made the contribution he did without help from other people who also wanted to make a difference.

People like Vice President Henry Wallace who supported Norman’s efforts to develop those special seeds. People like inventor George Washington Carver who taught a young Henry Wallace to love plants and nature. People like farmer Moses Carver who rescued a small George Washington Carver from outlaws who had kidnapped him.

Each action over several generations led to Norman’s being able to develop his very special seeds.

Let’s see what today’s guest reviewer has to say.

Our reviewer: Sonia

Age: 8

Things I like: My unicorn, reading, jumping rope, telling jokes and playing on the computer.

This book was about: A boy named Norman who changed the world. He wondered what it was like to be hungry all the time, and he wanted to help people who were. So he learned about plants and fed two billion people. But he couldn’t have done it without a lot of other boys before him.

The best part was when: The book says, “Or maybe it was …” Because Norman and Henry and George and Moses ALL changed the world.

I smiled because: I thought Norman’s hair was funny. It was curly in the front and straight in the back.

I was worried when: The Quantrill’s Raiders rode into the farm and burned the barns and kidnapped George.

I was surprised when: I learned about the butterfly effect.

This book taught me: Lots and lots of people can change the world by doing small things.

Words that best describe this book are: “Change.” “World.” “Butterfly Effect.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “Every little thing you do matters.”  And “That means YOU can be the kid who changes the world.”

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The cool picture of Norman and Mr. Wallace in Washington, D.C. There are two butterflies on the window. And then in the back of the book there are more butterflies. In fact, there are butterflies on almost every page.

You should read this book because: I liked the story.

Thanks, Sonia!

Here are some things Sonia thinks she could do to help change the world:

• Not litter.
• Be kind and nice.
• Help people with no food.
• Work with animals.
• Smile.

This is Andrews’ first children’s book. He’s also written two adult books, The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List. To learn more about author Andy Andrews, visit his website.

To learn more about illustrator Philip Hurst, visit his website.

Other blog reviews of this book include:

• The Randleman Review
• More the Murrayer