The Children’s Book Review Turns One
Have you ever heard the expression: time flies when you are having fun? Sure you have. It’s an expression that certainly rings true for the Children’s Book Review. March 18 marked our first anniversary, and so I thought I would share with you some of our highlights.
- In fall 2008, The Children’s Book Review was selected for inclusion in the American Library Association’s Great Web Sites for Kids. Thank you to the ALSC’s GWS Committee members who voted for us.
- All of the author interviews were so much fun, but making my first podcast from my interview with Emily Gravett was a gratifying moment — click here to check it out. Click here to read the interviews from the following fabulous authors: Graeme Base, Bonny Becker, Tomie dePaolo, Deborah Diesen, Bobbie Hinman, Ingrid Law, Jon Scieszka, David Shannon, and Eric Wight.
- Growing my team from me to three, with two enthusiastic book lovers. The first addition was Luisa LaFleur. Her specialty is reviewing bilingual books for “budding linguists”. Our latest induction is Amanda Lynch — an English major, book selling (and lover) extraordinaire — stay tuned for an official introduction. Read more
Animalia: Graeme Base
Animalia
by Graeme Base
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 15, 1986)
… “Animalia came from a great love of animals and a desire to create a book with huge amounts of detail and things to discover. That was the sort of book I remember enjoying as a child,” says author Graeme Base. …
A book that I vividly remember from my childhood is Animalia, written and illustrated by Graeme Base – Base was born in England, moved to Australia with his parents at age 8, and is still living there. It is an alphabet book jam-packed with amazing detailed illustrations of animals, and teamed with a short poem featuring words beginning with each letter. Every page contains loads of animals and objects to spy, which is wonderful to keep children and parents a-like happily engaged. There is also a picture of a boy to be found on every page, which just so happens to be a picture of Graeme Base as a child. Animalia has been honored and awarded numerous times – rightly so!
After celebrating its 20th aniversary, Animalia has now become a television series based on the book, which airs in Australia, Canada, England (BBC) and the United States (PBS).
Links:
Animalia TV website.
TV Review – Animalia – The New York Times.
Interview with Graeme Base at RIF Reading Planet.
Animalia DVD Press Release – by David Lambert, at TVShowsonDVD.com.
2008 Animalia Coloring Calendar
Animalia – Television Series – a post by Yvonne Russell, at Grow Your Writing Business.
Alphabet
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 20 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (April 8, 2008)
If you are familiar with Matthew Van Fleet’s New York Times Bestselling book Tails, and you love it, you will not be disappointed with his latest book, Alphabet. It is a sensory delight with its lift-the-flaps, touch-and-feels, and scratch-and-sniff pages. The book is so well made that you can let your toddler go to town pulling and pushing this alphabet masterpiece. From the bouncing kangaroos to the beautiful blue dragonflies, there’s something in this book for everyone. And those who need an extra challenge will enjoy spotting the four plants and animals that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Alphabet is a beautiful book to have and to give as a gift!
