Read, Write, Repeat.

Everybody is good at something.

And if people are lucky, they have family and friends who support their talents and interests.

But, sometimes, that doesn’t happen.

Such is the case for the little matador, the hero in Julian Hector’s picture book The Little Matador (Hyperion Books, 2008). His parents are famous bullfighters, and they want him to follow in their footsteps.

But the little matador doesn’t see the point. He’d much prefer to draw — especially animals. And he’s good at drawing, too. His parents try to dissuade him, but when he persists in drawing, they march him down to the stadium so he can face his first bull.

What happens then? Let’s hear from Ella, today’s guest reviewer.

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Today’s review: Ella

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Swim, play tennis and ride my bike.

This book was about: A little matador whose parents want him to bullfight. He wants to draw instead.

The best part was when: The bull frog was acting like, “He’s stronger than ME?”

I smiled when: The animals posed so the little matador could draw them.

I was surprised when: The little matador wouldn’t fight the bull. I would have run if it was me. Bull horns can hurt.

This book taught me: You should do what you want. You should be what you want.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Funny.” “Creative.” “Happy.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “After all, nobody wants to see a matador draw.”

My favorite picture in this book is: When the bull is charging at the little matador.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The little matador’s drawings.

You should read this book because: It’s funny. I think other kids would like it a lot.

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 Thanks, Ella!

Julian Hector wrote the text and drew the illustrations for this book. Want to learn more about him? You can:

• Visit his website.
• Read this interview about his work on The Little Matador.
• Read his blog.
• Review this biography.
• Check out this kid review of  Monday is One Day, another book he illustrated. Or this kid review of The Gentleman Bug.

Official disclaimer:

Oh, by the way, I won this nifty book in a giveaway sponsored by Mike Jung, a book blogger whose own book – Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities – comes out this fall from Arthur A. Levine Books. Once it’s released you really should get a copy. I’m just saying.

Come On, Rain! (Scholastic, 1999) by Karen Hesse and Jon J. Muth is a beautiful book all the way around.

It’s premise is simple enough. It’s a sweltering, oppressive summer day in a series of sweltering, oppressive summer days, and Tessie and her mother have just about had it with the heat.

Tessie is convinced it will rain.

At first, that seems like wishful thinking, but then the reader sees that Tessie has picked up some clues her mother has missed. So when the rain comes rushing down and everyone dances in the street, it’s a well-earned triumph for Tessie.

Hesse’s language is beautiful. Tessie’s voice is spot-on. And Muth’s illustrations gorgeously convey the heat and the rain’s blessed relief. I also loved the diverse neighborhood he created with all the residents waiting and hoping for the same thing.

What else makes this book cool? Or hot?

Let’s ask today’s reviewer.

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Name: Maria

Age: 7.5

Things I like to do: Ride my bike, draw, play baseball. And, I like getting wet.

This book was about: A girl who wanted rain to come and she kept saying, “Come on, rain!” and it came and she got her friends and they danced in the alleyway and then their moms came running out to join in the dancing.

The best part was when: The rain came.

I smiled when: The rain came.

I was surprised when: Most people would be surprised when the rain came, but I knew it was coming.

Three words that best describe this book: “Rain.” “Hot.” “Pouring.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book: ” ‘We sure did get a soaking, Mamma,’ I say. And we head home, purely soothed, fresh as dew.” I also liked all the words describing the rain sounds.

My favorite picture in this book: The one of their feet all running down the street chasing each other in the rain.

Others kids reading this book should watch for: When the rain starts to come.

You should read this book because: It’s surprising and funny.

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Thank you, Maria!

If you’d like to learn more about Karen Hesse, who won the MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and is most well-known for her Newbery Award-winning young adult novel Out Of The Dust, check out this biography.

If you’d like to learn more about Jon J. Muth, who wrote and illustrated the 2006 Caldecott Honor winning Zen Shorts, watch this video interview.

Throughout history, there have been some notable battles.

• David vs. Goliath.
• King Kong vs. New York City.
• The Green Bay Packers vs. the Chicago Bears.

Now, another battle for the ages can take its rightful place on this list — Shark vs. Train (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2010).

This picture book, by Chris Barton and Tom Lichtenheld, features a shark and a train fighting for bragging rights about who’s best at burping, playing video games, selling lemonade, raising money, trick-or-treating and more.

Neither contestant is willing to give an inch. And each one is convinced of his total superiority. And while their story is hilarious, they don’t see the humor.

Who really reigns supreme?

Let’s let today’s guest reviewer weigh in on this epic battle.

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Our reviewer: Drew

Age: He just turned 5!

Things I like to do: Play baseball, build with Legos and play with my cars and trucks.

This book was about: A shark and a train playing games.

The best part was when: The shark and train went trick-or-treating and the shark got all the candy because the people were scared of him.

I smiled when: I smiled through the whole book.

I was worried when: The train lost all of his cars in the ocean.

I was surprised when: The shark and the train were doing stunts in the air.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Funny.” “Pretend.” “Crazy.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book was: When the shark had a lemonade stand and said to the scuba diver, “Whaddaya mean, ‘It’s a little watery’?!”

You should read this book because: If you like sharks or trains — they are doing silly things in this book.

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Oh, Drew says the boys playing with the shark and train at the beginning of this book reminded him of when he plays with his cousin, Tyler. If they were the boys in the book, Drew would be the shark and Tyler would be the train.

Thanks, Drew!

If you’d like to learn more about author Chris Barton, visit his website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, visit his website.

When Anju Loved Being an Elephant (Sleeping Bear Press, 2011) tells the story of Anju the elephant.

When Anju was young, she loved her life.

She loved living on the Indonesian island of Sumatra with its cool lakes and refreshing mud holes. She loved her mother and herd family and her friends.

That changed when she was sold to an American circus. Anju traveled across the country, entertaining crowds. Then, years later, she moved to a small zoo where she was the only elephant.

By this time, Anju no longer loved being an elephant. She was lonely. And tired. And sad.

But things are about to change again. Anju is going on yet another trip. And it just might be to a better place. Can she love being an elephant again?

Let’s see what today’s guest reviewer thinks.

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Today’s reviewer: Philip

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Climb trees, play with my friends, play outside. I love going outside, but I hate it when it’s raining.

This book was about: An elephant named Anju. She was kept in circuses and tied to posts for hours and she made friends, but then her friends were sold. Finally, Anju was sold and taken to a new place on a long journey. The person there tood good care of her and introduced her to other elephants. There was a pond and grass.

The best part was when: When Anju was sold to that girl and had lots of other elephants to play with.

I smiled when: The lady was nice to him.

I was surprised when: Not much surprises me. I’ve got good reflexes. I am super good at climbing trees.

This book taught me: Elephants don’t like being cooped up. Or losing their friends.

Three words that best describe this book: “Love.” “Courage.” “Elephants.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: When Anju remembered her childhood.

My favorite picture in this book is: When Anju meets her new owner, and there is food.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: Anju being loved and how kind and gentle some people are.

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Thank you, Philip!

You can learn more about author Wendy Henrichs by visiting her website. You can also read a review of another picture book written by Wendy here.

You can learn more about illustrator John Butler and see his beautiful animal illustrations at his website.

Today’s guest reviewer is a bit of a nature enthusiast. She enjoys all kinds of animals — especially in their natural habitat.

So I was confident she’d appreciate Birds of a Feather (WordSong, 2011) a collection of poems about different types of birds by Jane Yolen with photographs by Jason Stemple.

And she did.

The book features two-page spreads, each containing one of Stemple’s glorious photos followed by one of Yolen’s marvelous poems about that particular type of bird. Small sidebar boxes provide an interesting fact about each bird. I especially liked the brevity of these. They told just enough to intrigue but not overwhelm.

When it came time to take a photo of Sonia with the book for this blog post, she insisted on doing it outside — even though it was raining heavily — because, “That’s where the birds are. It only makes sense.”

So I bowed her superior judgement, followed her outside and took her photo. Yes, I got a little wet, but it was worth it to maintain this blog’s artistic integrity.

Besides, I figured it could have been worse. She could have asked me to climb a tree.

Take it away, Sonia!

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Today’s reviewer: Sonia

Age: 10

I like: Animals — especially horses and pigs – my gerbil and my cat.

Favorite fact I learned: That the kingfisher slaps fish against a tree to kill them. I also liked his blue mohawk.

Most surprising fact I learned: That crows can work together to beat an eagle when they need to.

Most unusual bird: The hooded merganser. It looks like it has a huge brain. It also sort of looks like the bride of Frankenstein. Or maybe like it’s an ancient Egyptian.

Cutest bird: The chickadee. It’s a sweet, little puffball.

Most mysterious bird: The cedar waxwings. They look like they’re wearing masks.

Best beaks: The marbled godwit. Its beak is long. And its head is really tiny. And, the oystercatchers’ beaks are bright orange.

The funniest poem: The one about the terns. It used the word “turn” a lot. And the one about the owl uses “hoo” and “who.”

Favorite poems: The one about the kingfisher that starts, “Hey, girl.” And the one about the kingbird that calls it a “flying ninja.”

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Thank you, Sonia.

If you’d like to learn more about Jane, you can visit her website. (For a kid review of another Jane Yolen book, check out Elsie’s Bird.)

If you’d like to learn more about Jason, you can visit his website.

Almost everyone has had a moment where they realize what a small spot in the universe they actually hold.

For some people, that’s a relief. There’s much less pressure. For other people, that realization inspires them to work harder to try and leave their mark, no matter how small.

For the little boy in Light Up the Night (Hyperion Children’s Books, 2011) — a picture book written by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine — that realization is part of an amazing trip throughout space.

But the boy doesn’t leave everything behind. His favorite blanket turns into a rocket to take him on his journey and bring him safely home.

Now, let’s meet Matthew, today’s guest reviewer. He says he would be very interested in going into space, seeing the entire world from above, and possibly meeting some aliens.

Take it away, Matthew!

Our reviewer: Matthew

Age: 7

Things I like to do: Use the computer, play on the iPod, draw and read.

This book was about: Stuff inside of stuff, inside of stuff, inside of stuff. (Editor’s note: This is a great way of describing a cumulative story, which this book is!)

The best part was when: The boy saw the planets and the sun.

This book taught me: About hemispheres.

My favorite words or phrase from the book: “Stars so bright they light up the night in my own little piece of the universe.”

My favorite picture from the book: When the blanket turnes into a rocket!

Three words that best describe this book are: “Space.” “Repeating.” “Night.”

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The aliens with all the eyes.

You should read this book because: It’s interesting.

Thank you, Matthew!

Want to learn more about Jean Reidy?

• Visit her website.
• You also can read her blog, A Totally Random Romp.
• And, just because you can never have too much Jean Reidy, here’s an interview she did with Mindy Hardwick about Light Up The Night, writing, revision and more.
• Want even more? Check out this post from when Jean visited my blog before — when she was doing a fundraising auction for an African library.

Let’s not forget illustrator Margaret Chodos-Irvine.

• She’s a 2004 Caldecott Honor winner for Ella  Sarah Gets Dressed. To learn more about her, you can visit her website.
• Or read this great article about how the story of Ella Sarah came about.
• Margaret’s artwork and process were also featured on the must-see blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. If you’ve ever wondered how picture book art happens, this is a good spot to start your research.

Wisconsin author Janet Halfmann has written a lot of picture books. More than 30, in fact.

That’s why we’re declaring this “Janet Halfmann Week” on Read, Write, Repeat.

 Today, Will joins us to talk about Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish (Christy Ottaviano Books, 2011).

This nonfiction picture book follows a starfish through a normal day. It features the starfish’s almost continual search for food and its efforts not to be eaten itself. There is drama, fun information about marine life, and enough interesting details to make you say, “Ewwww.”

Janet’s clear, informative text and Joan Paley’s bright, eye-catching illustrations make this a very engaging read. (The illustrations are a collage, using hand-painted papers from which Joan cuts shapes to create bold and colorful illustrations.)

Before he begins the review, Will would like to go on record as saying that he would rather not eat any of the things the starfish considers eating in this book — like mussels. He much prefers pizza with sausage and pepperoni toppings.

With that duly noted, take it away, Will!

Our reviewer: Will

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Play sports like football, baseball and basketball, lift weights, watch the Green Bay Packers.

This book was about: A starfish and the sea and how it got away from a bird that wanted to eat it.

The best part was when: The starfish fell into the sea and away from the bird.

This book taught me: Starfish can grow back their rays, or legs, in a year if they lose one.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Star.” “Fish.” “Interesting.”

My favorite picture in this book is: The picture of all the stars in the night sky. And the picture of the seaweed. There’s lot of detail.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: Things about starfish that they didn’t know before. Like that a starfish eats by pushing its stomach outside its body.

You should read this book because: You will learn something.

Thank you, Will!

This book is doing well.

• It won the Wisconsin Writers Tofte/Wright Children’s Literature Award.
• It also is a Washington Children’s Choices Picture Book Award Finalist.

Want more resources?

• A few days ago, we featured a kid review of another Janet Halfmann book, Fur and Feathers. You can check that out here.
• Janet has two other recent releases, both with animal themes. Check out Home in the Cave , a picture book about bats, and Eggs 1, 2, 3 … Who Will the Babies Be?
• You can find out more about Janet at her website. You also can read this interview.
• You can see more of Joan’s artwork at this website.

If you know kids who love animals or crafts, Fur and Feathers (Sylvan Dell, 2010) might be just the right picture book for them.

The book, written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein, features Sophia.

She’s a helpful little girl who offers to sew exactly the right coat for each of her animal friends after they lose their fur, feathers and scales. Animals line up to explain what they need and why. (Polar Bear needs white fur to stay warm and hide in the snow. Fish needs scales, but with slime. Snake needs scales too, but dry ones.)

Today’s reviewer, Danni, was fascinated by Sophia’s efforts to give every animal just what it required.

Here’s what she had to say:

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Today’s reviewer: Danni

Age: 5

I like: Tacos, swimming, panda bears, chocolate, ice cream and going to the park.

This book was about: Animals that lost their fur and stuff. And a little girl who helped them.

The best part was when: Sophia saw the polar bear at the zoo with the heart behind her ear.

I laughed when: The penguin had to put on a dress.

I was worried when: I saw the snake and thought it might be poisonous.

I was surprised that: The fish could stay out of the water for that long.

This book taught me: Dreams are really fun.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The animals in all of the funny outfits.

Three words that describe this book are: “Animals.” “Sophia.” “Losing their coats.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book was: “That bear has a red heart behind her ear.”

You should read this book because: It is fun, and animals put on clothes.

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Thank you, Danni!

Janet Halfmann and Laurie Allen Klein previously teamed up for another book, Little Skink’s Tail , that explores the various kind of tails different animals need.

You can find out more about Janet at her website. You also can read this interview.

And, you can learn more about Laurie at hers. You also can read this interview.

This is the second Janet Halfmann book Danni has reviewed. She also shared her thoughts in this review of Good Night Little Sea Otter.

Janet has two other recent releases, both with animal themes. Check out Home in the Cave about bats and Eggs 1, 2, 3 … Who Will the Babies Be?

And because Janet is having such a productive year in the children’s book world, we officially declare this week to be “Janet Halfmann Week.” We’ll have a kid review of another one of her titles coming up in a few days.

Please stop by again to see it!

When adults go exploring, they often consult a map, travel manual or visitor’s guide.

Now, when young beachcombers in your life go looking for mermaids, they’ll have a resource all their own.

It’s The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids (Tanglewood Press, 2012) by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Marie Letourneau.

This picture book provides all the clues small seafarers will need to increase their odds of finding an elusive mermaid.

Today’s guest reviewer loves to visit the beach — as you can see in the photo above – and would very much like to meet a mermaid one day.

Here’s what she had to say about this book.

Our reviewer: Amelia

Age: 4

Things I like to do: Play with my brothers, color and do projects.

This book was about: Mermaids that like to play hide and seek. They hide from people, but they also help the people find them.

The best part was when: When the little girl finds the mermaids.

I smiled when: When the mermaids primped and styled themselves.

I was surprised when: I was surprised by all of it.

This book taught me: Mermaids are real, and they live in the ocean. Daddy and me are going to find some next time we go to the ocean.

Three words that best describe this book are: I don’t know what describe means.

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: Magic!

My favorite picture in this book is: Mermaids playing in the coral with sea horses.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: Another kid trying to steal it, because everyone is going to want to have it.

You should read this book because: I love this book, and we’re going to read it tomorrow at bedtime too. Mommy is going to love it too.

Thank you, Amelia!

If this book is popular at your house, you’ll also want to find its predecessor, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies from 2010. 

If you’d like to learn more about Ammi-Joan Paquette, you can visit her website. You also can read this review of her book for older readers, Nowhere Girl.

If you’d like to learn more about Marie Letourneau, you can visit her website.

Oh, and if you want to see some kids’ ideas for what Ammi-Joan’s and Marie’s next book could be, visit Tara Lazar’s blog. She held a cool contest.

Meanwhile, have fun searching for mermaids. And when you find one, take its picture and send it to me. Maybe I can post it on this blog!

It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live. Everyone wants to feel useful and appreciated.

Take Chirchir, the main character in Kelly Cunnane and Jude Daly’s picture book Chirchir is Singing (Schwartz & Wade, 2011).

She lives in a Kenyan village and just wants to make herself useful like all her other family members.

But Chirchir drops Mama’s water bucket, spills Kogo’s tea, and sends Baba’s potatoes tumbling down the hill. Isn’t there something Chirchir does best?

Let’s ask today’s guest reviewer, Amber, who knows all about families that work together.

Amber has a mom, a dad, an older sister, a younger brother and a baby sister. Things get busy at her house, so she says she tries to help out wherever she can.

Our reviewer: Amber

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Sing and make art.

This book was about: A girl who loved to sing and wanted to help work, but she messes up, and her family tells her to do something else, but she keeps messing up. Then, she plays with the baby who’s crying and sings to it and he’s happy.

The best part was when: She kept singing.

I smiled when: She sang to her little brother.

I was surprised when: She kept messing up.

This book taught me: To keep working, and there’s always stuff for you to do.

Three words that describe this book: “Singing.” “Helpful.” “Family.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “Everyone has work to do. But I will sing my song for you. Our house is nice and neat. Chai bubbles strong and sweet. From the garden, lots to eat. No worry, baby, I will sing so you can sleep.”

Thanks, Amber!

To learn more about author Kelly Cunnane’s books and cultural workshops, visit her website.

To learn more about illustrator Jude Daly, you can see samples of her work.

And here’s another review of Chirchir is Singing. And yet one more.