Holly Meade: John Willy and Freddy McGee

How about a re-release of Holly Meade's John Willy and Freddy McGee? First seen in 2007 in board book form, it's receiving another turn as Amazon purchased Marshall Cavendish. The gouache and cut paper illustrations are inviting and detailed. I particularly enjoy Holly's black line.

The more complex plot of two hamsters escaping their cage and exploring, with a climax in the pool table, is accompanied by a heavier text. The work is appropriate for the older totz in your family. It's easy to see this was originally a full picture book.

John and Freddy are completely adorable, and thankfully, no animals were hurt in the reading of this board book. Not even the Basset Hound or black and white feline.

John Willy and Freddy McGee
by Holly Meade
Marshall Cavendish Children, 2007

Poetry Friday: Tea Time by Karen Rostoker-Gruber

How about a review for Poetry Friday? Perfect!

Amazon has launched their own imprint, Two Lions, and as they unroll, their acquired Marshall Cavendish backlist has been made available, such as my good friend, Dia Calhoun's, work, Avielle of Rhia. But that would be for you when your totz are napping. :~)



For Poetry Friday, let's enjoy Karen Rostoker-Gruber's Tea Time with illustrations by Viviana Garofoli.

"It's almost tea time.
Please get ready.

Put a hat and
tie on Teddy.

Pick your dress
and purse to go.

Pull your tights up--
nice and slow."

With large heads and quaint smiles, the little girl, her teddy, and dog prepare for tea with Mother. I'm getting ready to celebrate my own daughter's wedding at her tea shower. This book will be perfect for smiles all around.

Happy Poetry Friday, and enjoy a cuppa!

Tea Time (Board Buddies)
by Karen Rostoker-Gruber
illustrations by Viviana Garofoli
Two Lions

April Pick for the Older Sibling: Aaron Zenz's the HICCUPotamus

There was a hippopotamus
Who hiccupped quite-a-lotamus.
And every time he got’emus. . .
. . . He’d fall upon his bottomus.

Wordplay is one of my favorite things, and it abounds in this clever picture book by author-illustrator, Aaron Zenz. When hippopotamus gets hiccups, his friends employ various “helpful” methods of assisting him to overcome them. (His friends include a yellow elephant, and a rhinoceros using dental flosserous.)

After much hilarity as well as trial and error, hippo is finally cured. And then. Hic! Hic! Hic! His friends come down with cases of hiccups themselves as shown in this page, rendered in Prismacolor pencil:

















Inside Scoop:
Multi-talented Aaron Zenz has worked as a fine artist, graphic designer, multimedia designer, and illustrator. He’s also the author of one of my favorite blogs, Bookie Woogie, which he creates with his children. It's a VERY entertaining format which provides an informative view of what kids really think and say about books as they're reading them.

the HICCUPotamus
Aaron Zenz, author-illustrator
Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (September 2009)
(Previously publication by Dogs In Hats, 2005)

~ Joan Holub, author