Five Little Monkeys jumping on the bed

Written By: Eileen Christelow

For lyrics, youtube video and more, visit http://mytoystory.com

The very hungry caterpillar

Written By: Eric Carle

I have read a lot of reviews about this book and Eric carle’s book in general. This is the first time I have managed to get one in hand and boy! it is beautifully written and illustrated. 2 to 3 lines per page at the most with bold and bright colors catching the eyes.

The first time I read this book to my daughter, she was alarmed to see the caterpillar transform into a butterfly. She kept saying it is not a beautiful butterfly, it was a scary butterfly. After the third, forth read she loved the book and pretty much by-hearted by the fifth time. The illustrations are through pictures spawning the size of the page. Very simple to read. Her favorite page of all is the one where the caterpillar eats through a lot of different foods and ends up having a stomach ache.

Its a fun read and educational at the same time. The caterpillar eats different fruits on different days of the week. Also the number of items he would eat would increase by the count of 1. The pictures on the flap would also demonstrate the number of items. I would read the first one – On Monday, he ate through an apple. Would ask her – What comes after Monday. She would immediately say – On Tuesday, he ate through pears. I would ask – How many pairs? She would say -2 pears. And so on.

She loves the part where the caterpillar eats through a lot of foods, especially her favorites – cake, ice cream, lollipop and water melon. And guess? The caterpillar is not tiny any more, it has transformed into a huge, big, strong caterpillar. He then creates a cocoon and shelters in it for the next 2 weeks.
She asks – Mommy, what is a cocoon. I tell her its like her blanket where she cozily sleeps. Just like that, the caterpillar wraps himself inside the cocoon. Two weeks later, nibbles a hole and voila! Becomes a beautiful butterfly.

My daughter is very fond of, obsessed, fascinated with anything pink and/or princess. The third or forth time we read this book, she wanted to be a butterfly when she grew up. But she wouldn’t let go of her pink princess fascination. So the latest is she wants to be a beautiful pretty pink princess butterfly!!

Sam goes to school

Written by: Mary Labatt
Illustrated By: Marisol Sarrazin.

A little puppy named Sam watches other kids going to school and wants to go to school himself. He quietly sneaks onto the school bus and hides under the seat. A girl spots him and wants to take him to school. She hides him in the back pack and leaves him with a cookie in the school. But Sam being the curious and fun-loving type, jumps out of the back pack, tries to read, write and paint with the kids. In the process messes with the kids stuff. Miss Min walks in and calls Sams family to pick him up. Story ends with the note that Sam cannot go to school.

I would have liked if there was something that said schools are not for puppies, but puppies have other places to hang out, to be with other puppies and dogs. Even cats. That was the first thing my daughter asked on the first day we read this book – Why mommy? Why can’t Sam go to school? I replied – Schools are for girls and boys. Sam can go to the park and play with other puppies. Otherwise he is going to mess with the kids stuff and kids are not going to be happy about that.
So, now when we read this book, we end it by saying aloud – Sam, this school is for girls and boys, you can go to puppy school, maybe. ok?

Books picked from the library on 01/09

1. Sam goes to school

2. Five Little Monkeys

3. The very hungry caterpillar

4. The blue Kangaroo

5. Best friends

Getting started

Finally a jump start. No claims to make this a book review site. Rather a log of the books my daughter reads and her reactions to them.