Photototz: JD Lester

Here's JD Lester as a tot! How adorable is she and the puppy? Thanks so much for playing, JD!

Here's our review of Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants and another post of the cutest video reading.

We'd love to share other totz photos. Send them, authors and illustrators, to readertotzatclearwiredotnet

~Lorie Ann

Poetry Friday: Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants, Video

I was just over at JD Lester's Facebook, and she had posted this sweet video of a mommy reading Monkeypants. So cute and perfect for Poetry Friday!

Let us know if you've posted a reading video with your baby. We'd love to share it!

Catch the roundup with Kyle at The Boy Reader.

Wednesdays Win: Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants by J.D. Lester

This is a special Wednesday because we have a second copy of Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants to give away! This is extra fun because we just got a message in from the wonderful J.D. Lester, author of this book. She was having technical difficulties and couldn't post, so Kathy at Random House passed this on to us from her . . .

"Hi Readertotz! I'm JD, the author of "Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants", and I am such a huge fan of your site! I am excited about your book give-away because, interestingly, that's the same day my little monkeypants (my daughter, Scout) will turn 4. I can't wait to show her your site on her bday. Truthfully, she is kind of weary of hearing Monkeypants now since I wrote it when she was just 6 months old -- but, fortunately, she loves the sequel, "Daddy Calls Me Doodlebug", which is going to come out next year from Robin Corey/Random House in time for Father's Day. Please tell all your mom-readers that I love hearing their funny nicknames for their kids, and I feel such a kinship about how goofy we are when it comes to our babies. So, keep reading, moms, dads and everyone with a special little person in your life - and thanks for inspiring us, Readertotz!"

So drop a comment here for a chance to win Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants. Good luck, and don’t forget to check back to see if you’ve won next Wednesday when we'll announce the lucky winner and also post a new contest for yet another book!

Congratulations, Swati! You won Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants in last week's Wednesdays Win! Please send your snailmail address to joanholub at aol dot com

~ Joan Holub and Lorie Ann Grover

Wednesdays Win: Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants by J.D. Lester

Drop a comment for a chance to win J.D. Lester's new board book, Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants. Good luck, and don’t forget to check back to see if you’ve won next Wednesday (May 13) when we'll announce the lucky winner and also post a new contest for yet another book!

Congratulations, Scarlet! You won Glorious Grandmas in last Wednesdays Win!
Please send your snailmail address to joanholub at aol dot com

~ Joan Holub and Lorie Ann Grover

Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants: J. D. Lester and Hiroe Nakata

In Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants, J. D. Lester uses sweet rhyme to explore nicknames a mother bestows on her child. From Monkeypants to Snuggle-up, Splishy-splash to Polka Dot, your readertotz will be presented a logic for creative name calling done in love.

Hiroe Nakata's sparse watercolors illustrate each phrase. Refreshing white lines embrace most of the imagery while wide swathes of slightly variegated color provide simple backgrounds. The babies are most endearing in each spread.

Inside Scoop:
View more of Hiroe's work at:

Your readertotz will respond so positively to this board book, they'll be creating new nicknames for you!

Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants
by J.D. Lester, illustrations by Hiroe Nakata
Random House, Robin Corey Books, 2009