I recently had the opportunity to check out Callie’s Rules by Naomi Zucker. It’s a wonderful book about a young ladies transition into junior high, learning to be herself, when to follow the rules, and when to make her own rules.

When the town council (led by one mom) decides to cancel Halloween and replace it with an Autumn Fest, Callie decides she has to take action, so she sets out to shape her own Halloween. As she goes along Callie writes down her notes to live by.

Even though I’m not a tween I really enjoyed reading about Callie’s adventures as she learned that she doesn’t have to be just like everyone else, and that people will like her for just who she is.

Image: Edgemont Publishing

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Here’s the scoop on Goblins!

Goblins! explores the adventure of 12-year-old Sam, who seems to live a pretty boring life in a Washington state suburb.

This all changes when Sam and his friend PJ wander into the woods one day and come across a secret trap door, only to discover thousands of goblins living underground along with giant insects and swamp creatures. Sam and PJ must find a way to escape from the goblins and prevent them from discovering humans and the Earth. The book is filled with action, suspense, and laughs, making it a great summer read for kids of all ages.

The contest rules:

To enter the contest leave a comment on this post.

Open to US residents only.

The contest will run until midnight EST on May 23th.

You may earn an additional entry by Twittering about this contest (if you could include @Linetteg in your Twitter it would help me find it), and/or leave a separate comment with your Twitter ID, so I can confirm your Tweet.

I will pick a winner with Random.org, on May 24th and announce the name here, I will also email the winner. They will have 3 days to get back to me, before another winner is chosen.

Good luck!

Image via Putnam

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His teacher gives them time every day to sit down with a book and read. She also challenges them to go beyond the reading level they think they can understand. He has really started to love books and thatmakes me one happy momma.

This book is the sequel to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH . For the most part, everyone on Amazon gives this book a raving review. I told my son I get the book when he’s done.

Here’s a description of the book below the cut. 

Grade 4-7 This sequel to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Atheneum, 1971), written by O’Brien’s daughter, continues the NIMH saga with a focus on the second rodent generation: Timothy, Mrs. Frisby’s son, and Racso, son of the rebel rat Jenner. On his way to classes at Thorn Valley, Timothy saves Racso’s life but is himself severely injured. Both reach the Utopian colony only to discover that the valley and surrounding farms are to be turned into a tourist lake and campgrounds. Insecure and arrogant when he first arrives, Racso learns more than just how to read. In fact it is he who suggests a plan to save the colonysabotaging the dam site computer. Although the rats’ plans fail, the dam opening is postponed by a heroic act of Racso’s father. While the continuation of the NIMH story is most welcome, Conly’s novel lacks the light touch of O’Brien’s work, as well as the richness of character development and description. Timothy, for example, is too perfect a mouse to be very interesting, and the leader Nicodemus is often a tedious moralizer. Racso, on the other hand, is most appealing when he gets into trouble. Mrs. Frisby, Jeremy and Mr. Ages are unfortunately peripheral characters in this story. Conly sets the stage for the next sequel, for one reporter appears to believe that the computer was sabotaged by intelligent rats. Perhaps in the next installment, Racso’s joie de vivre will rub off on the other rodents of Thorn Valley.Yvonne A. Frey, Peoria Public Lib . , Ill.

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Chowder: Chowder is not like most bulldogs. Instead of burying bones, he busily arranges them into a skeletal formation, as an archaeologist would. He gets about town with his doting owners in the type of backpack that a toddler would ride in, and he uses the toilet like a human. His quirkiness leads the neighborhood canines to conclude that he would be better off in a zoo, so it is with mounting excitement that he spots the grocery stores new Critter Corral through his balcony telescope and looks forward to making friends there. Browns static, acrylic-and-pencil compositions and the repetition of visual elements across the page yield strong designs. The rounded figures and precise patterning suggest a Playmobil™ world, with a touch of texture. The scenes depicted through the telescope are circular close-ups, framed in black. The parting shot, showing how Chowder communicates with his new friends even when they cant be together, requires a bit of visual sophistication, as does the book in general. Its wacky comedy and the quest for acceptance will best be appreciated by those whove been around the block a few times. Fans of Anthony Browne and Craig Frazier will sit up and beg for more.

The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder: When Chowder goes off to the Fabu Pooch Boot Camp, as usual he just doesn’t fit in. Chowder tries his best, but his attempts to make himself more fabulous all fall flat. When the First Annual Fabu Pooch Pageant is announced, Chowder anxiously tries to think of a way to stand out. After all, the prize is a one-year supply of Snarf Snacks! Some pups practice their pearly grins, other hounds get massages to relax. One pooch even gets permed! But Chowder finds his calling when he discovers a trampoline. He leaps, he flips, he bounces, and he wows the crowd!

Martha mentioned what a great lesson this book teaches. I think I’ve already fallen on love with Chowder without even reading the books! What a cute little dog he is.

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This book is geared towards kids 8 to 12. Here’s a description of the book from Amazon:

Fans of Superfudge and Fudge-a-Mania will welcome the return of seventh-grader Peter Hatcher and his five-year-old brother, Fudge, who in this comical caper meet distant cousins from Hawaii. The two families unexpectedly encounter one another in Washington, D.C., where the New York City Hatchers have gone so that Fudge, who has developed an obsession with money, can visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The Howie Hatcher clan proves an eccentric lot. Twins Fauna and Flora, unironicially nicknamed the Natural Beauties, would be in Peter’s grade if they weren’t home-schooled; apt to break into corny songs at any moment, they perform together as the Heavenly Hatchers. Their younger brother, who shares Fudge’s real name (Farley Drexel), acts like a dog, growling and licking people. And their father won’t stop calling Peter’s dad “Tubby.” Narrator Peter grits his teeth when the Honolulu Hatchers invite themselves to Manhattan to stay in his family’s cramped apartment, where nestled in their sleeping bags on the living room floor they “slept flat on their backs, like a row of hot dogs in their rolls. All that was missing was the mustard and the relish.” The boy is further appalled when the twins show up at his school and convene an assembly so that they can sing. Peter’s wry reactions to the sometimes outsize goings-on, Fudge’s inimitable antics and the characters’ rousing repartee contribute to the sprightly clip of this cheerful read.

We buy our kids books for Christmas every year and usually it’s a boxed set of some sort. I think that this year I will buy the Pure Fudge : Fudge boxed set, which has Double Fudge, Super Fudge and Fudge-a-Mania. I know this is a set of books that can be handed over to her 8 year old brother and then the 3 year old when he’s ready.

Seeing my daughter enjoy a book so much reminded me when I made time for reading. I’m starting my New Year’s resolutions early and have promised I will read an actual book. I’m shooting for one every 2 months.

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So who and what is Holly Claus all about? Here are some bits and pieces from the press release:

New York, NY PRNewswire– October 16, 2007 – Forever Entertainment and Planetwide Media build a destination website where children of all ages can explore the world of Holly Claus and interact with New York Times
Best Selling Author Brittney Ryan. Children young and old can visit HollyClaus.com, a magical place where readers can explore the dramatic modern myth of Holly Claus, the daughter of Santa Claus. When you
enter the site, the snow is falling. You are instantly transported to a fantasy world–Christmastime in the Land of Forever– as author Brittney narrates her stories set in the mystical world of Holly Claus. Write to Holly Claus, and read her reply online! Read the Royal Mail from the Holly Claus Sleigh Bag. Listen to glorious new songs of the season in Ryan’s angelic voice. Children will return again and again to feast on the wealth of creative Holly Claus activities. Print, cut out, and play with stunning Holly Claus paper dolls, lavishly illustrated by Laurel Long. Publish your own Holly Claus story, with authentic Holly Claus art!

“HollyClaus.com is the place where everyone who visits can be a Princess Forever” says Brittney Ryan. “My wish is to awaken the dream inside the heart of every child for generations to come and to tell children that their wishes, like Holly’s, can and really do come true”.

About Holly Claus

Holly Claus is the heroine of Holly Claus The Christmas Princess (HarperCollins Children’s Books) the beautifully-illustrated and
much-heralded new release by Brittney Ryan, author of the best-selling The Legend of Holly Claus.

When young Christopher writes a letter to Santa Claus, he poses a question no one has ever thought to ask before, “Dear Santa Claus, What do you wish for Christmas?” Miraculously, Santa’s longtime wish comes true, and a baby girl is born — Princess Holly Claus.

But just as the Land of Forever joyously celebrates her arrival, far away an evil is unleashed. A curse is placed on Holly, freezing her heart in ice so her future will be bound by a world of darkness. And with the Gates of Forever now locked, Santa can no longer spread the magic of Christmas to children everywhere. As soon as Holly finds a way
to make a daring escape, she begins an astounding journey to the Empire City, determined to free herself and, once and for all, bring back Christmas.

“The Legend of Holly Claus will capture the hearts of readers young and old, and eventually go down in history as one of the greatest fairy tales of our generation.” — Erika Sorocco, Book Review Columnist, The Community Bugle Newspaper.

Be sure and come back and let me know what you think!

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My son’s school had the good fortune to have children’s book author Antony Lishak visit yesterday. He read them Clickety-Clack, Something to Pack and signed books after school. It was a real treat!

In addition to Clickety-Clack, we also picked up Jumble the Puppy and it was a race to get home to see which we should read first. In Clickety-Clack, a counting storybook, I was also very impressed by Ian Penney’s artwork. Rich and detail-oriented, there’s lots to see and “feel.” And there’s no escaping the appeal of an adorable puppy up to mischief.

Antony Lishak is a former primary school teacher who also has a fabulous website. His writing tips are good ones to remember even for this old dog:

• Think before you write.
• Remember – We are ALL authors.
• Use your own experiences.
• Decide who you are writing for.
• No one ever wrote a story and got it right first time!
• Look for ways of saying what you want to say in as brief a way as possible.

And don’t miss his other site, Creative Writing 4 Kids, where children can read and write stories for publication online.

What children’s book authors have you met?

Tags: children’s books, books, authors, antony lishak, reading, children, kids, playing, fun, family, parenting

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The release date for the 7th and final volume in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has been announced.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be available to the public on July 21, 2007. I guess this means I’d better hurry up and get volume 6 read!!! Do you think Harry will make it through to the end alive?

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The website Book Adventure allows you to generate a list of books that might be of interest to your child. You (or your child) enter the child’s reading level, areas of interest, and whether he/she prefers fiction or non-fiction. You also choose whether you want the list to represent books at his/her reading level, books that will challenge his/her reading level, or books that will be easier to read.

I’m thinking we’ll generate that list, then click on over to the library’s site and see what they have to offer!

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The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden is a huge hit in the UK (available this Spring in the U.S.) with all sorts of facts and figures that would and should interest girls as well, such as:

• The solar system
• Famous battles
• Stories of courage and bravery
• Teaching dogs tricks
• Make a pinhole camera
• Understand the laws of cricket

Girls shouldn’t feel left out. The Great Big Glorious Book for Girls will be published this summer in the UK and has tidbits like:

• Homemade fudge
• Pom-poms
• French cricket
• Making elderflower cordial
• Playing cat’s cradle

If I were to purchase either book, I would purchase both just to maintain a semblance of balance in my pretense of gender equality.

Tags: gender equality, boys, girls, books, childrens books, parenting, children, kids, history

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