My new job as a preschool librarian has made me realize that although there are so many books out there, the quality ones do not always stand out. So I have been searching for books that they will love and help them form a life long love of books.
I was able to pick a few new books from Sky Pony Press to review and after reading these books to the preschool kids I knew that these were exactly the type of books I was looking for! These books would also make a great addition to your home library to inspire those little readers in your life!
Mimi and Matty to the Rescue-
Book 1 Roger the Rat is on the Loose
Author: Brook Smith
Illustrator: Alli Arnold
Hardcover: $14.95
Description:
Meet Mimi and Maty! Mimi is an animal-loving girl and Maty is her three-legged dog. Together, this fantastic duo sets out to rescue any animal that needs help. When their friend George calls and needs to find a missing rat named Roger, Mimi and Maty jump into action! Keeping track of all the clues in their trusty rescue notebook, Mimi and Maty embark on an adventure that involves their nasty friend Icky Vicky and her brother Dicky, the Pom Pom Pie Place, and one smart dumbo rat! Will Mimi and Maty be successful in their first-ever rescue operation? Inspired by the real-life Mimi Ausland (founder of FreeKibble.com) and her special three-legged dog friend, Maty, this is a special book for animal lovers of all ages. Kids will learn the value of helping out others, including their special animal friends.
My Thoughts:
With 88 pages, this book was longer than most of the books I read to the kids at school. I decided to start out reading it to Adeline, my 5 year old, before bed. I had been wanting to start a chapter book but was worried about whether she would be able to follow it by listening to a chapter at a time. I had read an article saying that kids at the age of 5 should be able to comprehend books written for 3rd and 4th grade levels and wanted to test it out. Adeline listened intently to the story. She loved the characters so much and begged me to continue so it only took us 2 nights to finish the whole book. She fell in love with Mimi and Maty and also decided that she wanted a pet rat!! I actually enjoyed reading the book to her and learned some facts about rats that I never knew (did you know rats have belly buttons?!) I read this book to a class of 12 kindergarteners and they too fell in love with the book. They keep asking for more books about Mimi and Maty. It also lead to a great talk about rescuing animals which was a nice added lesson.
Author: Carol Dembicki, Matt Dembicki
Paperback: $12.95
Description: In a watery world where only the strong survive, the reptiles and fish living in a small pond launch a plan to eradicate Mr. Big, a snapping turtle that is terrorizing them. Despite a few protests from some pond dwellers, who warn of the potential consequences this could have, the animals solicit the support of a murder of crows to carry out their plot. But the scheming crows have their own motives to kill the large reptile and decide to use this opportunity to do so. However, as the plan is put into action, a different, greater terror has found itself a member of the pond. Will Mr. Big be ousted forever? Or will the pond dwellers come to realize that even the old snapping turtle might serve his purpose in their small environment? And what will become of the new threat to those living in the peaceful pond?This stunning graphic novel written for young readers illustrates the delicate balance that exists in small, self-contained, natural ecosystems and the relationship between predator and prey. Mr. Big is perfect for the classroom and will appeal to children interested in nature and comics.
Author: Jessica Jacobs
Illustrations: Jacquelyn Roslyn
Hardcover: $14.95
Description:
Living with a peanut allergy is hard, and peanuts are everywhere! Ben ate peanut butter when he was young and he had a bad allergic reaction. At first he was too scared to speak up about his allergy and tell people that he couldn’t be around peanuts. Now at six years old, he knows that speaking up is very important, since he encounters food with peanuts at school, at T-ball practice, at birthday parties, and during the holidays. Because Ben’s friends and family care about him, they are always understanding of his condition and are happy to put away dangerous foods if Ben asks them to.
The Peanut Pickle will help children learn how to tell others about a food allergy and explain that they need a safe environment. It will teach them how to deal with difficult and awkward situations that inevitably arise when a child has a life-threatening food allergy. It also includes a guide for parents to help their children with food allergies.
My Thoughts:
One of the first things that we need to know when working with preschoolers is if they have any allergies. It seems in today’s world the answer is Yes way more than in the past. Just about every classroom has at least one child who has an allergy and a lot of the time it is a peanut allergy. Seeing PB&J is a lunch box staple this can cause some problems for kids. I decided to read this book to all the preschoolers not just the ones with the allergies so they could see what their friends have to go through in order to stay safe. The 4-year-olds really loved the book and were able to empathize with Ben as he dealt with his allergy. We had a great discussion on how it must feel to be different and how it isn’t easy to always have to worry about sever allergies such as a peanut allergy. I recommend this book to all kids who suffer from an allergy or to teachers to read to your early elementary classes. It really helps the kids understand what a peanut allergy is and how what they can do to help.
These books are available online at Sky Pony Press and book stores nation wide. For additional information please visit the website.
– Erika
* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. Erika received the mentioned books from Sky Pony Press free of charge to facilitate this review. This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service. The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.
