This book, told in the first person by Amy Elizabeth, takes place when Clifford, everyone’s favorite red dog, was a little puppy.  This story focuses on Elizabeth’s search for a Mother’s Day gift for her mother and how Clifford ruined all the choices so they had to be purchased.  Even the card was a disaster because Clifford put paw prints on the card and on Elizabeth’s sweater.  Mother loved all her bedraggled presents and assured Elizabeth that she knew what to do with the sweater.  Unimaginative people who watched TV commercials in the ‘50s might think mother had a favorite detergent in mind but her solution is creative and makes the ending special.  Because the cost of this paperback is the same price as a greeting card, consider sending this book to your mother because “Even though Clifford is all grown up, he’s still his mother’s little puppy.”  Recommended for large and small public libraries, home and day care center collections.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

Hoberman, Mary Ann.  FATHERS, MOTHERS, SISTERS, BROTHERS:
    A COLLECTION OF FAMILY POEMS.  Illus. by Marylin Hafner.  Boston:
    Little, 1991.  32p.  90-43222    0-316-36251-4; pb., $5.95  Gr. K-5  811.54

    This Reading Rainbow Book has been reissued in paperback.  Take this opportunity to
replace worn or lost copies or add a new or additional copy.  The paperback is welcome
because other editions are out of print.  There are poems for every member of the family:
grandparents, siblings, parents, cousins, and other relatives.  The 26 poems are up to
Hoberman's high standards and the illustrations enhance the text.  Purchase for school, public, and home libraries.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI 49855
    32 years of experience as a school library-media specialist

 Minarik,  Wlse Holmelund.  FATHER‘S FLYING FLAPJACKS.   Illus. By
    David T. Wenzel.  Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear series.  New York: HarperFestival,
    2002.  14p.  0-694-01687-X; bd. Bk., $5.99   PreS    BB

    Little Bear and Father Bear make flapjacks to surprise Mother Bear.  Flour flies all over, an egg is dropped on the floor, and a flapjack is flipped on the floor.  Mother is surprised and pleased.  There isn’t much to the story but mothers might appreciate reading this in May for Mother’s Day.  The disappointing news is that illustrations are Sendak-like but are not quite the same as the original pictures of Little Bear.  This story is not as good as some of the stories in the easy readers about Little Bear so these copycat stories in board book format are not as exciting as the original stories.  Without Sendak’s illustrations, these books are like a cheeseburger without the cheese.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

Parr, Todd.  THE DADDY BOOK.  Illus by author.  New York:  Little, Brown,
    2002.  32p.  0-316-60799-1; hb., $14.95  2001-029097  PreS-Gr. 2  E

    Dedicated to his own and different types of daddies, Parr shares differences on each double-page spread in humorous ways.  “Some daddies wear suits”  is opposite the page showing “Some daddies wear two different socks.”  The childlike drawings in bold colors against equally bold colored backgrounds are similar to those found in Parr’s previous books including the very popular IT’S OK TO BE DIFFERENT (Little, 2001).  Even without the sticker, “Free Greeting Card Inside,” it would make a good Father’s Day present for years to come.  All libraries large or small, school or public, need this book.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

Ruelle, Karen Gray.  MOTHER’S DAY MESS.  A Harry and Emily Adventure series, 
    Level. 2.  New York: Holiday, 2003.  32p.  0-8234-1773-5; hb., 14.95   
    ISBN 0-8234-1781-6; pb., $4.95.    Gr. 1-2      ER

    There are four chapters in this easy reader about a brother and sister kitten who are planning to give their mother a Mother’s Day present.  When they ask their mother what present she gave her mother, she replies: “She said I was her favorite Mother’s Day present.”   The kittens think this is silly so they plant some flower seeds, make pancakes, and provide a card showing a mother cat enjoying breakfast in bed.  The gifts sound good but Emily forgets to water her plant, the pancakes contain unusual ingredients, and Emily jumps on the bed and upsets the breakfast.  Mother is a good sport and says that she loves the idea that they planned and worked on the presents “But most of all, I love that you wanted to make me happy.  And I love both of you!  You are my favorite Mother’s Day present.”   Then Father Cat takes them out for breakfast.
    By spring, some first graders will be able to read this easy reader to themselves.  Reading this book aloud to their mothers will make a great present for them.  The story is amusing and heartwarming and will make a outstanding addition to school and public library collections.
    Mary Ann Paulin, Director; Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, Michigan
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

Sidman, Joyce.  JUST US TWO:  POEMS ABOUT ANIMAL DADS.
    Illus by Susan Swan.  Brookfield, CT:  Millbrook, 2000.  32p.
    0-7613-1563-2; lib.bdg., $22.90.   98-51454   Gr. 1-4   811.54

    Cut paper collages in bright colors are an integral part of the poems in this book.  At the end of the book there are photos and an informative paragraph of each of the 11 animals beginning with the Emperor Penguin and Giant Water Bug and ending with the Klipspringer Antelope and South American Titi Monkey.  The Nile Crocodile is the only creature that uses four instead of two pages for the poem.  The text flows with the water and the reeds along the banks.  Other animals along the Nile are also included in the rhyme and illustrations.  This book does a magnificent job of serving it’s dual purpose; a science book that explains the role of dads in nature and a poetry book.  Display this book for Father’s Day in public libraries and use it in science and poetry classes in schools.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

[ To the top of this page ]