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Grandma is full of surprises when she takes Jenny and Joanna on a special carriage ride through the snowy streets! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open carriage....
"Jingle Bells"--this version of Jingle Bells--has a subtitle: "An Adaptation of the Traditional Song." You have been notified that this is not your open sleigh. Very well, let's begin.

"Jenny and Joanna woke up early." Their Grandma is taking them on an airplane for a trip to New York. At the hotel they see a line of carriages and choose the "biggest and shiniest"as theirs (which is strange because the three of them completely fill the seat). The girls are about five and nine. Grandma is short and stout.

As they drive through Central Park, the tinkling of the bells on the harness is the only sound. It is also snowing. Grandma says, "Let's sing!" They sing Jingle Bells. Because the driver is standing to sing, he is knocked out of the carriage by a tree limb. Grandma eventually works her way into the driver's seat and slows the galloping horses. Not knowing the path, Grandma drives them one way the wrong way into traffic.

Still, she's a grandma and grandmas know just what to do. And she does, and the men help her, and they arrive back at the hotel.

The artwork by Maryann Kovalski is perfect--vaguely impressionistic like a memory, full-paged, and colorful. "Jingle Bells" is such a fun, pleasant, endearing story about Christmas complete with New York and snow and a wild carriage ride. You can't beat that. ... Read more

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Word count: 4072. ... Read more

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Being the middle child can be rough. Harry should know: he is the middle child in a family of monsters. He’s not old enough to do the things his older brother, Bruxley, is allowed to do, and he’s too old to make "cute" messes the way his little sister Bronwen does. Harry’s mama loves him "as much as a mountain and as wide as outside," but when Mama is too busy to appreciate what Harry does, Harry explodes. Finally Harry musters the courage to ask the question that every child yearns to ask: which child is Mama’s favorite? Luckily, Harry has a clever mama—she lets Harry discover for himself that he already knows the answer.Sparkling prose, full of language play and alliteration, and expressive, detailed illustrations bring to life a swampy world of silly monsters and lovable characters who resolve a universal childhood issue with humor and heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fantastic Book for all ages....
My daughter age 3 at the time, we stumbled across this book at our local library and every opportunity we had we checked it out. I finally bought it for her for this past Christimas, she is now 4 1/2 and she still loves it just the same.... She always asks me, who is YOUR favorite monster mama? It relates to kids, especially with brothers/ sisters, (being the middle child) its very cute.... We really like the creepy beasites... very cute story :) We still read it, over and over.

Great Book
What a wonderful book.It addresses a universal problem in a gentle, humorous way.I plan to give it as part of every second child baby gift to help ease the introduction of a new baby into the household.My oldest grandson loves monsters so this has been a great way to get him to think about jealousy.Highly recommended.

A MONSTER-OUSLY GOOD READ-ALOUD BOOK!
My class LOVED this book at storytime. They laughed out loud at the hilarious illustrations and descriptions of this loving monster Mama and her solution to a common middle-child/monster problem! Highly recommended for class read-alouds and intimate bedtime readings with your own little monster! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fun! If you like tongue twisters you'll love this one!
Perfect for the preschooler, to help develop language skills and rhythm.Great if you can get it with the audio tape where the author reads her own work....makes it easier on Moms and Dads to get the tongue twisters right. ... Read more

Product Description
Rain, Rain is a Level Two First Flight Reader with a rhythmic text and musicality that makes it perfect for read-alouds.It marks the return of the irrepressible trio from the bestselling Wheels on the Bus and Jingle Bells.In Maryann Kovalski's latest song-filled adventure, a rainy day dashes Jenny and Joanna's hopes of a day at the beach. But never underestimate Grandma's ingenuity! ... Read more

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An Adaptation of the Traditional Song, BIG BOOK from Theme 7: Wheels Go Around ... Read more

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Jeanette accidentally leaves her cat Kitty Doyle outside during a big snowstorm and fears for her safety. ... Read more

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A picture book for children ... Read more

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A picture book for children ... Read more

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The reclusive man who lives in the big house next to Roland and his family and doesn't like children finally responds to kindness and reveals a secret. ... Read more

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Brenda and Edward are two happy dogs who want to live in cozy cardboard box behind a French restaurant. One day, Edward -- a night watchman at a garage across town -- forgets to take his dinner to work. When Brenda rushes out after him, she gets lost in the busy city streets. Edward returns home to find Brenda gone and is left heartbroken, until one fateful day when the two are reunited. ... Read more

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This is a lovely book.Very simple, yet concisely conveys the wonderful world of these two dogs.It is very easy to read (with exquisite illustrations) and the elementary language heightens the emotional impact of the story rather than detracting from it.Really this is such an unassuming, beautiful, touching book that anyone of any age should read it. ... Read more

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More than anything, Rivka wants to celebrate Thanksgiving. She has learned all about the holiday in school and knows her family has a lot to be thankful for in America. But Rivka's parents are Jewish immigrants from Poland, and they wonder what Pilgrims and Indians have to do with them. Is Thanksgiving really a holiday for Jews?

Rivka's grandmother, Bubbeh, decides to take over: She will bring Rivka to see the Rabbi Yoshe Preminger -- and whatever the Rabbi concludes, Rivka will have to live with. Rivka knows that Thanksgiving is a holiday for all Americans, from all backgrounds and religions. But how can she convince the esteemed Rabbi Preminger?

Elsa Okon Rael and Maryann Kovalski bring the bustling Lower East Side to life in this heartwarming story. Set in the 1910s, Rivka's First Thanksgiving is about respecting old traditions while embracing new ones, about giving thanks and celebrating freedom in America. Perhaps most important, Rivka's story teaches us that even the wisest adults have something to learn from children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Why should Thanksgiving be important for the Jews?
Rivka's First Thanksgiving explains in moving detail why Jews have special reasons to be thankful for the freedom and safety we have found in the U.S.Parents and teachers should review the Yiddish vocabulary (found in a glossary in the back) before reading to children.I recommend this book for classroom reading and discussions at home, with an ideal audience of 4th through 6th graders.Younger children will have difficulty with the wordy text and the mentions of disturbing events (like pogroms) from Jewish history.It also depicts some aspects of traditional Jewish life (such as a rebbetzin who covers her hair with a wig and batei-dinin--rabbinic courts) with which many children will be unfamiliar.I have had particular success with this book in discussing with my 6th-grade students (who still get excited by a good picture book) how Thanksgiving is unlike other "American" holidays (like New Year's, Halloween, etc.) and merits Jewish communal celebrations as well as celebrations at home.

Meet the Illustrator!
Hear an interview with Rivka's First Thanksgiving illustrator Maryann Kovalski on The Book of Life podcast's Thanksgiving Special episode (November 2007) at www.bookoflifepodcast.com!

Children are Hungry to understand American traditions
The recent political atmosphere makes this book even more profoundly important. Children see the need and are starving to understand each other's cultures. I read it to my 11-yr and 13-yr. Puerto Rican - American born niece & nephew a couple of days before Thanksgiving, wondering if they'd be too old & too sophisticated to enjoy it, (they are Harry Potter fans.) This book both empowered them and satisfied their need to more fully understand how children from a different culture (Jewish) relate to "Thanksgiving." It 's apparent thatwe've gotton away from the roots of this American holiday and that "Thanksgiving" had never clicked in their heads. It helped them to understand why people from other countries still come to America today. My "kids" strongly identifed with "Rivka's" courage to stand up for her own point of view .They were thoroughy engaged in the story and loved the illustrations-and so did I. J. Gardner

An enchanting book!
Elsa Rael's book fills a truly needed place in American-Jewish children's literature and children's literature on the whole. The story of a clear headed and plunky little girl who mounts up steep wood tenement steps to confront first one austere little rabbi in his book-filled room to a whole roomful of them to explain why Jews should celebrate Christmas is wonderful! The Lower East Side is everyone's heritage, and Ms. Rael and her magical illustrator bring it to life. You see the world of the 1930's through the eyes of a child. Original and heartwarming.

The Jewish Immigrant Experience
In rich and spirited prose, accompanied by warmly rendered illustrations, Rivka's First Thanksgiving captures the texture and cadence of early 20th century Jewish immigrant life in New York City. The story teaches children the importance of old traditions, as well as the necessity for creating new ones. The reader can almost smell the turkey -- and the challah! ... Read more

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A cumulative tale relating how the cake came to be made before Mack ate it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Lots of fun--wonderful rhythm, long on appeal!
I began reading this to my daughter when she was just a few months old, and I have never tired of it. Now, my daughter is nearly 2-1/2 and she still loves hearing the tale over and over. The illustrations are clear andcolorful, and it's fun to look for the egg in each one. The text (a laHouse that Jack Built) does a nice job in showing the progression ofrelationships:"This is the corn, that fed the hen, that laid theegg, that went into the cake that Mack ate.etc."

Here is the(well-earned!) praise from the back of the book:

Booklist said, "Arollicking cumulative tale...a perfect preschool read-aloud."

SchoolLibrary Journal said, "Will delight audiences."

Los AngelesTimes said, "If you want to share a hearty laugh with yourpreschooler, get your lap ready. [This is ] one of those rare picture booksan adult won't mind reading thirty-seven times in one week." ... Read more

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omar goes to the pond with friends. ... Read more