Read, Write, Repeat.

Starting a new school year is always exciting and scary. And that’s doubly true for students venturing off to kindergarten for the first time.

Author Catherine Urdahl takes on this topic in Polka-Dot Fixes Kindergarten (Charlesbridge, 2011). Dorothy, who’s better known as Polka-Dot, skips off to kindergarten ready to learn. But she brings a fix-it kit full of her grandfather’s favorite repair tools just in case.

At first, kindergarten doesn’t look like it will be very fun. Her name tag says, “Dorothy,” there are lots of rules to remember and there’s a girl named Liz who doesn’t appreciate Polka-Dot’s name or fashion sense. And, grandpa’s fix-it tools don’t seem to work as well at school as they do at home — at least initially.

Today’s guest reviewer has successfully navigated the waters of kindergarten and, therefore, is thoroughly qualified to comment on this book. So take it away, Brooke!

Our reviewer: Brooke

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Play with my friends and my sister.

This book was about: A girl named Polka-Dot going to kindergarten.

The best part was when: Liz and Polka-Dot made up.

I smiled when: Polka-Dot fixed Liz’s dress.

I was worried when: The boys saw Liz’s underpants.

I was surprised when: Liz’s dress split.

This book taught me: To always be nice.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Fix.” “Help.” “Friendship.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: When she said, “Let’s be friends.”

Other kids reading this book should watch for: Stripes and polka-dots.

You should read this book because: It is a good book.

Thanks, Brooke!

If you’d like to learn more about author Catherine Urdahl, you can visit her website. Or, you can read this blog post where Catherine describes how Polka-Dot’s story came to be.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Mai S. Kemble, you can visit her website. Or, you can stop by her blog.

Finally, if you’d like to see what other reviewers had to say about this book, you can visit:

Books That Heal Kids

Jen Robinson’s Book Page

Author Caroline Stutson says three of her favorite things are cities, dancing and cats.

She combines all of them into her latest book, Cat’s Night Out (Paula Wiseman Books, 2010).

The rhyming book teaches numbers through 20 as it tells the tale (tail?) of cats enjoying the night life. And it’s getting good reviews. Here’s what Booklist had to say:

“It’s Saturday night on Easy Street, and this jazzy counting book reveals that the city’s hot spots are its rooftops, fire escapes, and alleyways, where pairs of cool kitties dance the night away. As music rises into the night air, two cats samba in white, while nearby four more felines boogie in saddle shoes and poodle skirts, and six more tango in capes on fire escapes. Their numbers increase, until finally, when 20 hep cats conga on clotheslines, the neighbors revolt. Stutson’s syncopated rhymes sport fun flourishes of dance and fashion vocabulary (“Twelve town tabbies do the twist, / swinging their hips in dotted Swiss”) and a catchy refrain, but it’s Klassen’s atmospheric, retro illustrations that take the lead. The stellar, digitally rendered illustrations in a muted gray and brown palette may resonate more with urban sophisticates than children learning their numbers, but the detailed cityscapes, hidden numbers and appealing big-city cats will give little ones plenty to explore.”

And now, here’s what today’s guest reviewer, Brooke, has to say:

Our reviewer: Brooke Punzel

Age: 5

Things I like to do: Ride rollercoasters, ride my bike and go to waterparks.

This book was about: Cats dancing on a city street.

The best part was when: They did all their different dance moves and wore new outfits.

I laughed when: The cats were dancing by the stoplight. It was really funny!

I was worried when: The cats were dancing on the clothesline in the city and a tall tree because I was afraid they would fall off.

I was surprised when: The neighbors started yelling at the cats when they were meowing and dancing too noisy.

This book taught me: Not to walk on the clothesline. It also taught me lots of dance names. I recognize some of the dances from the show “Dancing with the Stars.”

Three words that best describe this book are: “Fun.” “Counting.” “Cute.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “Four cats boogie, rock to blues in poodle skirts and saddle shoes.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The mean neighbors and also for the rhyming words.

You should read this book because: It’s funny, and the cats are cute. If you like cats and like to count it’s a good book. If you like dogs, you might think it’s boring.

Thanks, Brooke!

If you’d like to learn more about Caroline Stutson, visit her website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator J. Klassen, visit his website.

Little girls and horses are a lovely combination.

And debut author Rebecca Janni uses them both to good effect in Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse (Dutton, 2010). Add in some pink glitter on the cover, and its appeal to small, feminine horse lovers is undeniable.

And once you open the book, the story delivers. Nellie Sue has a birthday. She’s sure this will be the year she gets a horse. After all, she’s already got the hat, boots and chaps.

All day she gets ready — mucking out the stalls, feeding the chickadees, harvesting grass and eating chili and beans. So when her daddy says, “Hey, Nellie Sue! Got a horse here for you,” she’s not expecting to see … a bike.

But Nellie Sue is game for anything. So she gets on the bike, which she christens Beauty, and tries to ride. Will she succeed? Or will she hold out for a real horse?

Let’s ask Brooke, today’s guest reviewer.  

Today’s guest reviewer: Brooke

Age: 6 (and three-quarters)

This book was about: A girl who wanted a horse.

The best part was when: She got a horse. But it was really a bike.

I laughed when: She crashed.

I was worried when: She crashed.

I was surprised when: She got her wish in a funny way.

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “And I do have that.”

Three words that describe this book: I love it.

You should read this book because: “It’s funny.”

Personally, Brooke says she would like a horse. And if her dad suddenly brought one home, she’d put it in the garage.

If you want to learn more about how this book came to be or about author Rebecca Janni, visit her website. You can see pictures of the book release party here. They even feature pink cowgirl hats!

If you want to learn more about Lynne Averil, the artist behind Nellie Sue’s pink, glittery persona, visit her website.