Review: The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Came to New York by George Matteson and Adele Ursone

The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Came to New York by George Matteson and Adele Ursone.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: October 2012
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780618992157

Review: HOOOONK! HOOOOONK! The big tugboat sounds as it nears the mark where the festive Christmas tree will stand tall. A little girl goes with her Mom and Dad on an exciting tugboat adventure. They go up the Hudson River to pick up a special surprise for the State of New York! It takes some time as they go back down the Hudson river, but as the family arrives in New York, the little girl stands and watches in the pilot house as the crowd goes by waiting for the tree to arrive at the special destination. But, will they make it without the tree falling off of the tugboat? The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Came to New York,, written by George Mason and Adel Urson and illustrated by James E. Ransome, is a childrenÕs book that will spread the Christmas Cheer!

The Christmas Tugboat is a great read aloud although some of the vocabulary is a higher level than the preschoolers who are the intended audience. The authors include words like barge and buoys. A dictionary reference or definition in the front or back of the storybook would have helped. The storyline in the book flows well and it makes sense of the events that are happening. However, in this case the illustrations in the book may have been a little too dark in color and too much in some areas for this specific age group. Also, the words could be a little clearer, they could have been bolded or lighter/darker. The Christmas Tugboat is a book that adults will enjoy to read to their child during the Christmas season.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to a little child because of some of the hard, challenging vocabulary and darker pictures. But, for an older audience, The Christmas Tugboat would be a good choice, and I recommend it to that age group.

Review written by Lily (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Clarion Books for providing a copy of The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Came to New York for this review.

Have you read The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Came to New York? How would you rate it?

Review: You Look Yummy! by Tatsuya Miyanishi

You Look Yummy! by Tatsuya Miyanishi. A Tyrannosaurus Series Book.

Museyon
Publication Date: November 2015
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9781940842066

Review: ROOAARRR!!!! YOU LOOK YUMMY! You Look Yummy! by Tatsuya Miyanishi is about a baby Ankylosaurus who thinks that a Tyrannosaurus is his daddy. Even though that the Tyrannosaurs knows that he is not his dad, they learn how to love each other. The baby Ankylosaurus wants to be like his dad, but the Tyrannosaurus knows that will never happen. But will Ankylosaurus know what Tyrannosaurus will do next???

I think that this book is made for kids from ages 4-6, but I recommend You Look Yummy! to all ages. There are quite a lot of pictures and not many words on a page; also, the words are not very hard, little children can easily figure out what they mean. And the only negative thing about this book is the setting, where it does not enhance any part of the story. The backgrounds are colored in bright colors (orange, red, yellow, etc.) that will capture the attention of young children and have them wanting to look longer before moving on to the rest of the book.

Review written by Ansh (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Museyon Books for providing a copy of You Look Yummy! for this review.

Have you read You Look Yummy!? How would you rate it?

Review: The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition by Chris Van Allsburg

The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition by Chris Van Allsburg.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: September 2015
List Price: $19.99
ISBN-13: 9780544580145

Review: Imagine being on a train in the middle of the night, and then all of a sudden you see lights, lots of them. Now imagine knowing that you will meet Santa Claus. You would want to explore, right? Well those are the exact thoughts that are going through Hero Boy and Hero GirlÕs minds in The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.

On Christmas Eve select children get the chance to see Santa Claus at the North Pole. two of the kids get lost in the North Pole they explore and see many things you wouldnÕt usually see. They see elves, some flying reindeer, and the elvesÕ homes. Hero Boy, towards the end of the book, gets to meet Santa Claus in person. He returns home on Christmas Day, and one of the presents he opens is a bell from SantaÕs sleigh. He now strongly believes in Santa and his elves.

The Polar Express is intended for ages 4-7, however this book can be read by anyone of any age. Although kids ages 4-7 would need help to read the book, it is children's fiction, so they would enjoy it most. For example the words outstretched and barren are words they wouldnÕt understand. The main characters in the book are Hero girl, Hero boy, and Billy. Together they go throughout the North Pole and see things you wouldnÕt normally see everyday, like elves and Santa Claus. The art in the book is very detailed and nicely done. However a younger child might think the paintings are a little busy, and because the book is during the night, the pictures are a little dark. These things might make the book seem a little overwhelming for them. Overall I do very much think that all ages would take pleasure in The Polar Express, it is a very well written book, and the pictures are fantastic.

Review written by Mekenna (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition for this review.

Have you read The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition? How would you rate it?

Review: Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wrong by Shannon Anderson

Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wrong by Shannon Anderson.

Free Spirit Publishing
Publication Date: August 2015
List Price: $9.99
ISBN-13: 9781631980473

Review: Do picture books with bright colors and unique pictures excite you? What about books that are poetic? Then you will love the book Penelope Perfect by Shannon Anderson about a young girl named Penelope.

Penelope is a girl who thinks she has to be perfect all the time. Every day she goes through the same routine and does the same things at school and at home. Penelope has everything figured out from the start of the day to the end and is very neat. But everything changes when her alarm clock doesnÕt work one morning.

Penelope Perfect is a great read aloud for children who donÕt read yet or like picture books. Penelope Perfect has vibrant and colorful pictures and has a poetic structure to it. Penelope Perfect is a book full of excitement. I definitely recommend Penelope Perfect.

Review written by Jessica (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Free Spirit Press for providing a copy of Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wrong for this review.

Have you read Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wrong? How would you rate it?

Review: We're in the Wrong Book! by Richard Byrne

We're in the Wrong Book! by Richard Byrne.

Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: September 2015
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9781627794510

Review: Are you looking for a short children's book? If you are, WeÕre in the wrong book! by Richard Byrne is the best book to buy. This book, even though small, is fun for toddlers and preschoolers. It's great for read alouds and early readers. The characters are cute and they are fantastic for younger kids because theyÕre small and understandable. The entertainment is mostly for little kids. The colorful pictures help put together the plot and there fun to look at. The vocabulary is perfect for any young children. We're in the wrong book by Richard Byrne definitely deserves 5 stars.

We're in the Wrong Book is about two kids [Ben and Bella] who get knocked off their book and are lost jumping through pages trying to look for it. As they jump through pages they find many different books like mazes, biographies, and comics. You will have to read the book to see what happens next.

Review written by Angelina (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Henry Holt and Co. for providing a copy of We're in the Wrong Book! for this review.

Have you read We're in the Wrong Book!? How would you rate it?

Review: Across the Blue Pacific: A WWII Story by Louise Borden

Across the Blue Pacific: A WWII Story by Louise Borden.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: September 2015
List Price: $7.99
ISBN-13: 9780544555525

Review: The sub is missing. What happened? In the story Across the Blue Pacific by Loius Borden a girl named Molly is sharing her childhood memories of what happened to her in World War II.

Across the Blue Pacific is a higher-level reader childrenÕs book. The age for enjoyment is probably between 3rd grade and 5th grade. The vocab level is probably 4th grade and higher. The plot line however is for 2nd grade and higher. I would personally enjoy this book because it is a fun to read childrenÕs book, and because she is telling the story through her recollection so she can also add emotion. The moral of the story is even better than the book itself. It proposes that if there is a story worth telling again it is worth remembering. Overall I recommend you read Across the Blue Pacific because it is just a great easy read. A special thanks to Louis Borden for writing Across the Blue Pacific.

Review written by Alex (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Across the Blue Pacific: A WWII Story for this review.

Have you read Across the Blue Pacific: A WWII Story? How would you rate it?

Review: Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: September 2015
List Price: $8.99
ISBN-13: 9780544582392

Review: 3,2,1 LIFT OFF!!! Have you heard about Apollo 11 but not known that much information about it, then this book is perfect for you then; it explains how the astronauts and the other 400,000 people managed to get a man to land on the moon. In 1969 three people managed to go to the moon through all the dangers of space with a lot of people on earth helping with the mission, and readers will learn about this experience in .Team Moon by Catherine Thimmesh, a book which is intended for readers in upper elementary and middle school (third grade and up), because of its length . The vocabulary is appropriate for kids of these ages because it has some complicated words Team Moon was written to inform people about Apollo 11 and how everyone involved managed to do it. I think that adults would enjoy it because it has a lot of information, good plot, and good pictures. The illustrations on the pages go perfectly with the text. For example while the reader is learning about lift off thereÕs a picture of the rocket ready for lift off. The astronauts aboard Apollo 11 were very brave and the people at mission control were very dedicated to the cause of getting Buzz, Neil, and Michael on the moon. I believe that Catherine Thimmesh put a lot of time, effort, and into writing researching Team Moon because it has a lot of facts, quotes from astronauts and NASA workers, and pictures behind the scenes of the Apollo 11 mission.

Review written by Ethan (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon for this review.

Have you read Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon? How would you rate it?