A hilariously funny everybody book which helps us to explain the origin of the Yankee Doodle tune and make sense of it all.  The story begins with the bored Yankee taking the suggestion from his pony that they go into town.  The horse suggests that he could go shopping for a feather and place in in his hat and call it macaroni.  The Yankee questions the logic in this plan.   The horse then enlightens us that the term “macaroni” was often used as a synonym for “fancy”.  They pony nearly makes a case for going into town when the Yankee hurts his feelings in a last ditch effort to win the argument. To make amends, he ends up going into town with his pony…in a sporty car.  Everyone’s happy by the end. Tom Angelberger has another winning book, besides his success with Origami Yoda books.

This is a great beginning drawing book.  It opens with some basic drawing warm ups, and some practice in looking at vehicles and seeing the shapes that make up the machine.  Then it goes into the basic ways to draw a large variety of vehicles.  There are interesting facts telling about each one.  This book not only teaches drawing, but has actual photos and a bit of history about each one.  Great book especially for boys who like to draw.

This book is amazing, and extremely interesting.  There are so many details about getting into space, and living there.  The book covers much of the history of the ISS becoming what it is today.  It answers may questions children ask about being an astronaut.  The book has clear pictures taken on and from the space station.  This is a great addition to our non-fiction section of our library!

This is a fun simple book for drawing characters.  The step by step numbered instructions are easy to follow.  The colored example at the end makes them look so professional.

I think children will enjoy learning to draw from this book.  There are fourteen different characters, and instructions at the end of the book for adding motion, dialogue, and emotion.

Nice beginning drawing book.

I liked this color book.  It is written as a rhyme, and teaches primary and secondary colors.  It is a fun way for children to learn about colors.

The pictures are bright and cheerful.  The font in large and easy to read.  It would be a quick easy read with a young group of children.

This is the second book in The Spindlewood Tales I’ve read and I have yet to come across any depth either in the story or the characters.  It’s pretty much a dark and dreary tale, and although it’s not stated, it must take place during the Dark or Middle Ages.  They call it a city, but it’s really a village, called Hangman’s Hollow… charming.  Children are nonexistent, banished, stolen, jailed.  Mr. Jarvis, the antaognist, lives for the sole purpose to find hidden children and drag them off.  Captain Dooley, a wooden toy sailor made from a tree from the woods, will answer any question posed to him and sniffs out children, who are then hauled to the woods.  The war is between the village’s Jarvis and the woods, with the children used as pawns.  The story is about three children hiding from the evil, and the constant threat of being discovered.  There is quite a bit of action within the 170 pages, which should please immature readers.  More capable readers will question the reasons for the misery, as well as want to know more about the children, and why there aren’t any people willing to stand up for them.  This story needs a true hero.

This is a funny rhyming story about dinosaurs and many styles of wrestling.  It is a funny combo, but lots of fun.  Boys especially would enjoy this book.  The pictures are colorful and expressive.  The vocabulary is simple, so young readers could enjoy the read.  The font is bold and easily read.  Fun story, especially for those who enjoy wrestling.

This was a very interesting read.  The book talks about the many different types of therapy horses, and the resulting helpful affects on the people they are serving.  It talks about not only the horses, and types used, but the vast number of people involved in this type of therapy.

The book is encouraging and interesting.  I am a bit afraid of horses, and could see by reading, how some types of horse therapy would help people like me overcome fears, and grow in confidence and courage.

It is a unique kind of book, that horse lovers, or someone looking for books on different carrier options would enjoy.  It has nice clear pictures, with large easily read font.

This is a great unique book!  It teaches shopping skills, and about marketing, and value.  There are thought provoking questions in boxes on many pages.  The end of the story teaches a bit about advertising, and has a project for the reader.

The story is fun, and something most kids could identify with.  The font is bold, and easy to read.

I liked how it covered a broad range of shopping options, and how the boy found the best one for him.  Fun way to talk about budgeting.

Opening and reading this book is a bit like opening a surprise package–something I had not expected, but what a nice surprise.  Homer Pudding, age 12, is a misfit in his family.  His father is a goat farmer who has prize-winning dogs, his mother is a prize-winning baker, and his sister is a self-absorbed teenager.  Homer hates going to the annual fair and his family loves it.  He would much rather spend his time poring over maps and daydream about treasure hunting.  His dog, Dog, is a basset hound and his best companion but is pretty useless as far as dogs go.  He does have a talent, however, for smelling  treasure.  Homer acquired Dog upon his Uncle Drake’s death, along with his uncle’s seat on the L.O.S.T. Society.  This Society stands for Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, and their goals are to hunt for treasure, not for personal gain but for the satisfaction of the hunt, and turn the artifacts and any treasure over to the appropriate museum for the public to view and enjoy.  Homer receives a letter asking him to attend the next Society meeting and off he goes.  The people he encounters are very unusual and bizarre, to say the least.  Zelda, a giantess, who flies a ‘cloudcopter,’ Hercules, a boy of similar age who is afraid of his own shadow but belongs to a family of extroverts, and Lorelei, an also same-aged orphan competing with Homer for his seat on the Society.  Together, the three youngsters set off on an adventure that includes skydiving, spelunking, escaping a grizzly bear, and form a steadfast friendship. When Homer returns home, his family hasn’t even realized he’d been gone, as they’d been so involved in the fair.  Book three of this series is out, and all three books would be an excellent addition to any elementary school library.