Ten Apples Up On Top and Johnny Boo – A Kid's Review

Reviews by Johnny Boo, age 4
  

 Ten Apples Up On Top
Author/illustrator: Dr. Seuss/Roy McKie

Ten Apples Up On Top is about animals who try to make the apples fall off the animals' heads. I liked it because they had 10 apples up on their heads. My favorite part was when they hop with four apples. I would recommend this book to kids who like The Cat in the Hat.

 Johnny Boo & the Happy Apples
Author/illustrator: James Kochalka

Johnny Boo & the Happy Apples is about a ghost who eats a sad apple and gets a super floopy noodle arm. I liked it because the ghosts are so cute. My favorite part was when the apple fell on the Ice Cream Monster's head. It's sad because Johnny Boo and Squiggle go into the Ice Cream Monster's tummy. It's happy when Johnny Boo super-booed. I would recommend this book to kids who like monsters and ghosts.

More Johnny Boo

• Johnny Boo: The Best Little Ghost in the World
• Johnny Boo: Twinkle Power
• Johnny Boo & the Mean Little Boy (August 31, 2010)

 Johnny Boo and Tintin's self-portraits with apple prints:

Books of the Week – August 28, 2010

Here are our favorites from the past week:

Tintin (7 years old)

Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders
Author/illustrator: Mike Townsend

A humorous graphic novel retelling of several Greek myths, this book has encouraged Tintin to seek out other books about Greek mythology. He loved this book so much that he read it three times this week.

Laughs, Hoots & Giggles
Author/illustrators: Joseph Rosenbloom/Joyce Behr, Sanford Hoffman

With over 400 pages of jokes and riddles, this is one of the better joke books Tintin's gotten from the school library. He sat down immediately after school and read the first couple of chapters.






Johnny Boo (4 years old)

Knuffle Bunny; Knuffle Bunny Too
Author/illustrator: Mo Willems

I'm sure everyone with a preschooler has heard of these books about a girl and her bunny, and this isn't the first time Johnny Boo's gotten them out of the library. I know a book's a hit with Johnny Boo if he makes us act it out every night for a week. We are impatiently awaiting the September 28th arrival of Knuffle Bunny Free (ex: Mommy, when is Knuffle Bunny Free coming out? In a few weeks... You mean tomorrow? No, in a few weeks... Oh, you mean the day after tomorrow? Etc.).

Poppleton and Friends
Author/illustrator: Cynthia Rylant/Mark Teague

This book, about a pig and, of course, his friends, contains three short stories, of which "Grapefruit" is Johnny Boo's favorite (although he loves the others too). Johnny Boo begged me to buy a grapefruit yesterday so that he could see whether his lips would turn outside-in. They didn't.


More Poppleton

• Poppleton
• Poppleton Everyday
• Poppleton Forever
• Poppleton in Spring
• Poppleton in Fall
• Poppleton Has Fun
• Poppleton in Winter

Max Disaster #1 – A Kid's Review

Review by Tintin, age 7

Max Disaster #1: Alien Eraser to the Rescue
Author/illustrator: Marissa Moss

Max Disaster is about a cool scientist kid who makes a lot of science stuff. I liked it because Max made lots of eraser people. My favorite part was when the alien eraser got stuck in the trash, and when he got out he said, "I'm free!" The worst part was when Max's parents unmarried each other. I would recommend this to kids who like to do science experiments.

More Max Disaster

• Max Disaster #2: Alien Eraser Unravels the Mystery of the Pyramids
• Max Disaster #3: Alien Eraser Reveals the Secrets of Evolution

Tintin's "Godzilla puff" experiment:

Tintin and Johnny Boo's eraser people:

Books of the Week – August 21, 2010

Here are our favorites (all graphic novels) from the past week:

Tintin (7 years old)

Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dodgeball Chronicles
Author/illustrator: Frank Cammuso
Reading level: Ages 9-12, GN220L

Tintin has a thing for King Arthur stories, and this was no exception. In this version Artie King proves he's the king of Camelot Middle School, much to the disappointment of the cruel Mrs. Dagger and the dodgeball-loving bullies. Tintin also loved the second book in this series, The Dragon Players.

Sardine in Outer Space 3
Author/illustrator: Emmanuel Guibert/Joann Sfar
Reading level: Ages 9-12

In the third Sardine in Outer Space book, space pirates once again take on the evil Supermuscleman and his sidekick Doc Krok. Tintin is looking forward to reading the rest of this graphic novel series.


Johnny Boo (4 years old)

Benny and Penny in Just Pretend; Benny and Penny in the Big No-No; Benny and Penny in the Toy Breaker
Author/illustrator: Geoffrey Hayes
Reading level: Ages 4-8, GN90L; GN30L; BR 

Johnny Boo had to get all three of these easy-reader graphic novels out of the library (again). The books, about two mouse siblings who usually play nicely together and learn a couple of lessons along the way, are great for beginning independent readers and for children who like to act out stories with a parent or sibling.

Otto's Orange Day
Author/illustrator: Jay Lynch/Frank Cammuso
Reading level: Ages 4-8, GN230L

Another great TOON Book, Otto's Orange Day is about a cat who learns why he should be careful about what he wishes for. This one is a bit more advanced than the Benny and Penny books, but kids who aren't quite at this reading level would probably still enjoy reading the fun sound effects while a parent reads the rest.



For more TOON Books fun, you can hear the books being read with the TOON Reader, or check out the cartoon maker. Here's a cartoon Johnny Boo made all by himself (please excuse the 4-year-old-boy-with-older-brother humor):

Books About Back to School

Here are some back-to-school books we've been reading to get ready for Tintin's first day of 2nd grade and Johnny Boo's first day of pre-K.

Zack at School
Author/illustrator: Jonathan London/Jack Medoff
Reading level: Ages 4-8, 30L

On his first day of school, Zack the chimp learns many things, including how to have fun. If you can't get this hard-to-find book at your local library, check out Froggy Goes to School, also by Jonathan London.

David Goes to School
Author/illustrator: David Shannon
Reading level: Ages 4-8, BR

David has trouble following some classroom rules. Johnny Boo learned what it means to be tardy, something we are very good at.

Morris Goes to School
Author/illustrator: B. Wiseman
Reading level: Ages 3-6, 190L

Morris goes to school and learns to read and count. Other must-get Morris books are Morris the Moose and Morris and Boris at the Circus.

My Weird School #1: Miss Daisy Is Crazy
Author/illustrator: Dan Gutman/Jim Paillot
Reading level: Ages 7-10, 700L

It's the first day of 2nd grade, and the kids are surprised to find out that Miss Daisy doesn't know anything--or does she? Tintin read this book in one sitting and can't wait to read the rest of this series.

Books of the Week

Here are our favorites from the past week:

Tintin (7 years old)


Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Author/illustrator: Louis Sachar/Julie Brincklow

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Crazy things happen to the kids at this crazy school. Hardly any pictures in this one, but our Tintin is devouring it nonetheless. If you enjoy this one, check out its sequels, Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger and Wayside School Is Falling Down.


The Adventures of Tintin: Red Rackham’s Treasure

Author/illustrator: Hergé

Reading level: Ages 9-12

In yet another exciting Tintin adventure, the boy reporter is hilariously hindered while searching for something. If you like this, you will probably enjoy the rest of the Tintin series.




Johnny Boo (4 years old)

The Cat on the Mat Is Flat
Author/illustrator: Andy Griffiths/Terry Denton

Reading level: Ages 4-8

An easy reader full of funny short stories. After checking this out of the library, Johnny Boo demanded that we buy it. See also The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow, by Andy Griffiths.

How Rocket Learned to Read
Author/illustrator: Tad Hills
Reading level: Ages 4-8

Although Johnny Boo already knows how to read, he loves seeing Rocket learn and was hoping there'd be more Rocket books out there for him to read.