I am so pleased to have a great relationship with publishers who generously send me books to be reviewed.  In 2009, I was able to donate over 1200 books to my library and other local libraries that I received from publishers for review. 

I review books from both publisher copies and library copies.  What the publisher copies allow me is the ability to see books that my library does not have ordered, read books before they are released, find gems that the libraries have missed, and read books with no overdue fines! 

So thank you publishers for another great year of collaboration.  I appreciate all you do for me and other bloggers in the kidlitosphere.

Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin is another in the charming Click Clack Moo series.  This time the duck, cows, sheep and pigs have decided to enter a talent contest at the fair.  The cows sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, the sheep sing Home on the Range, and the pigs do interpretive dance.  Duck manages everyone and makes sure they are rehearsing.  But once they get to the fair, the judges don’t seem to appreciate their talents until Duck jumps on stage and saves the day.

Like all of the books in the series, this one begs to be read aloud.  It is such fun to sing like a cow or a sheep.  And the final twist to the story will have children giggling along. 

Share this one with preschoolers on up.  Even elementary age kids will enjoy the humor here.  Be careful because you will find yourself riding in the car and having to sing aloud like the cows and sheep.  A small price to pay for such an enjoyable read.

Oh No, Not Ghosts!  by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Adam McCauley. 

This is one of those books that I had to sneak out of the house to get it back to the library.  My sons absolutely loved it.  It is the perfect Halloween read-aloud with a myriad of creepy creatures.  A brother and sister who are being quiet to let their father sleep hear a wailing sound.  The boy tries to reassure his sister that it is the wind, not ghosts, but all she hears is ghosts and cries, “Oh no, not ghosts!”  As he tries to reassure her, he continues to name other creatures she shouldn’t fear and the pattern continues.

The pictures are creepy but cartoony, and each monster is revealed to be imaginary in the illustrations.  It is a great book to read aloud, because of the little girl’s reactions.  Just play those up in a different voice or the book can be confusing to listen to.  What fun!  A perfect book to give kids a few safe shivers.

Red Cygnet Press publishes children’s books written by promising college students.  From shots of the covers alone, the art looks very well-done.  I look forward to reading some of the titles.  The website offers reviews of the books as well as sample pages.  You can also sign up for emails on their books. 

Chronicle Books publishes a variety of books, including titles for children and teens. You will recognize their titles as being multicultural, clever, and eclectic.

Bumble Bee Productions is a publisher of children’s books. They have two new books coming out this fall, including a new Ruby Lee the Bumble Bee book.

Dawn Publications is a publisher of nature books for children and adults. Their site offers a list of new releases, those coming soon, special sales, specific series, and specific topics.

Tundra Books is a Canadian children’s book publisher that specializes in bringing books as works of art to children. Their site offers information on their authors, new releases, teacher resources, and downloadable documents like catalogs and award lists.

TwoCan & NorthWord Books publish informational books for children. NorthWord also publishes picture books and specializes in wildlife books.

Peachtree Publishers has a special area, Treehouse for Kids, that has their catalog of books, information on events, selected favorite characters, and teacher’s guides.