Children’s Author and Illustrator Week- Day 6

Here’s a book that you might have to spend some time looking for online, because you won’t find it in any store.

Photo courtesy of http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com

In a special box is an old, but in pretty good condition (for a book published in 1961), copy of this book.

This was MY favorite book as a child.

My mother had to read this one to me all.the.time.

As you know, turtles are slow movers. Myrtle is no exception. And like the old story goes, Miss Myrtle is challenged to a race of speed by another animal.

For a while, it looks like she’s never going to make it to the finish line.

BUT: she finds a way, to all the animals’ surprise, including her own. And earns everyone’s respect in the end.

Myrtle Turtle is written by Diane Sherman and illustrated by Jean Tamburine.

My husband surprised me with a copy when I was pregnant with our first child, and I treasure it.

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week – Day5

Katie and James and their little dog, Harry are preoccupied in the kitchen making bread.

Too bad, because there are strange noises coming from the living room.

Great rhyming, onomatopoeia, and a surprise visitor that FINALLY gets the attention of every one in the room.

Yum Yum! What Fun! is written by Mara Bergman and illustrated by Nick Maland. The illustrations and colors used by the author reminded me of the story Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.

My son and I took turns guessing who would finally notice the various visitors coming in through the window. We laughed at their reactions when they realized that there was a surprise visitor climbing inside to join the party.

An ending with a twist, Yum Yum! What Fun! will keep the little ones entertained, moms and dads too.

photo courtesy of Amazon.com

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Review- Day 3

[I'm ahead of the game here. It's Monday. Groundhog's Day. And thanks to a virus thought up by some jerk with too much time on his/her hands, my pc at home is not fit to blog on.

So I have to go elsewhere so that I don't get behind on my challenge for the week.]

Today’s book is The Dreamtime Fairies by Jane Simmons.

The Dreamtime Fairies

This sweet little book tells the story of Lucy and her brother Jamie. Lucy loves to sleep, while her brother sometimes finds himself a little apprehensive about what lurks in the dark corners of their bedroom.

One night, Jamie and Lucy’s stuffed animal, Bear are having a hard time falling asleep. So Lucy decides they need to take a trip to get help from the dreamtime fairies. Off they fly in search of these lovely fairies who can help them get to sleep. They come across various animals that help them find their way into the woods where the fairies live.

When they finally reach their destination, the fairies come out of their dark homes and help the children and the animals fall asleep.

The story is so soothing and sweet (I can’t remember ever helping my little brother fall asleep), and the illustrations are beautiful. Dark blues give the readers a sense that they are traveling through the night and woods with Lucy and Jamie. The comforting glow that the fairies gave off when they came out of the darkness had my son ready to call upon them to help him get to sleep.

My son rated this bedtime story: 8 fairies. (I asked him why 8, he said he wished I’d read it more than once)

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week-Day 2

My son loves wermaids.

You know, those mythical, half-human, half-fish creatures.

Wermaids.

As I was looking through the display in the children’s area of our library, I saw this book and knew before I opened it that it would be great for bedtime:

Photo from amazon.com

This pretty little girl is Meriam.

She’s a mermaid, although she keeps her fin hidden and keeps you guessing.

Meriam doesn’t like bedtime.

Can’t say I blame her. If I could spend my time traveling underwater, swimming with the fishies and dolphins and pearl diving, I wouldn’t want to go to bed either.

But Meriam’s mom insists, and helps her get ready for bed.

Mermaid Dreams is by Mark Sperring, and will appeal to any child who is hesitant to give up playing for bed. The illustrations are done by twin sisters, Kate and Liz Pope. They won an iParenting Media award in 2004 for their first picture book, Wanda’s First Day. I can see why.

I’ve been trying to find the right words to describe the illustrations in this book, and there’s really only one word that keeps coming to mind:

Jazzy.

There are lots of colors (but not too bright), different things to look at on every page. My son studied each page, looking at everything they drew. The drawings are child-like, making it very appealing to children. Definitely worth taking finding a copy.

Other books by Mark Sperring:

• The Fairytale Cake
• Find-a-Saurus
• Wanda’s First Day (illustrated by the Pope Twins)