Saturday Mornings for Kids

JUST AS SATURDAY MORNING TV PROGRAMMING IN THE 50s and 60s was reserved for KIDS, so PWR reserves Saturday Mornings for recommendation of Kid’s books.

This amazing story of Trisha, who has trouble reading (the letters and words just look all squiggly and move all over the page) and is taunted and bullied because of it resonates with dyslexic children and their parents and grandparents everywhere. It is not until the fifth grade, when Trisha meets Mr. Falker, that she receives help–and what a difference it makes in all areas of her life. Trisha’s story is autobiographical, written from Polacco’s own experiences in school. The ending is so moving that it made me burst into happy tears!

I recommend this for any boy or girl who has trouble reading.

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Thanks, Carla, at Carla Loves to Read for finding this cool image.

TODAY’S choice for Saturday, November 5th, 2022 is…

What a “very proper young man” is Elliot. If you don’t believe me, just read his. book.

When Elliot’s dad noticed Elliott sitting with all his stuffed animals, thinking “Kids, masses of noisy kids” in response to Dad’s proposal of going to “Family Fun Day at the aquarium,” he never dreamed he would soon be sitting at the aquarium reading his National Geographic

while Elliott discovered P-E-N-G-U-I-N-S !!

While his father was distracted, Elliot asked, “May I please have a penguin?” “Sure,” replied Elliot’s dad, handing him a twenty dollar bill. Elliot selects the smallest penguin and puts him in his backpack.

What follows next when Elliot arrives home and lets the penguin out is hilarious, disastrous, boisterous FUN!

Third graders can read this book themselves. Others might ask parents or grandparents to read it to them.

It is a darned good, funny book.

p.s. Two copies of this book are available at Rae’s Reads in Alvin. Call Rae first, since shop hours have not yet been set.

hanks, Carla, for the lovely illustration.

This is going to be a post without pictures, with the exception of the picture above. because it is about a book without pictures. The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (and, no, there will be no picture of the cover; this is a post without pictures, remember ? ) is a white book with its title written on it in black–that’s it! No pictures!

The first page has just these words, “This is a book with no pictures.” /Second page, just the words, “It may seem like no fun to have someone read you a book with no pictures.”/ Third page: It probably seems boring and serious. Down at the bottom of the page, “Except…”/ Next page: “Here is how books work: Everything the words say, the person reading the book has to say.”Following page: “No matter what.” / Following page: “That’s the deal. That’s the rule.” Skip down, down, “So that means…Even if the words say…”/ New Page: Red, capital letters–“BLORK”–comment at bottom of page, “Wait–what?/ The doesn’t even mean anything.”/ New page: Blue capital letters–“BLuuRF”–Below that,”Wait a second–what?! This isn’t the kind of a book I wanted to read! And I have to say every word this book says?…Uh-oh…”/ Next page: “I am a monkey who taught myself to read.” Down, down…Hey! I’m not a monkey!”

This silliness continues through the book until the person reading to the kid is saying he/she is a robot monkey and his head is made of blueberry pizza, and is making all kinds of noises, guaranteed to put the kid in a silly mood and guaranteed to elicit lots of giggles and guffaws.

It is a fun, fun book. What parent or grandparent is not willing to make a fool of himself/herself to make a kid laugh?

No picture Sign Off,

RAE

SATURDAY MORNING FOR KIDS AT MIDNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT

THANKS to Carla at Carla Loves to Read for this image.

This is a book I am reading (haven’t finished) for today, Saturday (oops, it’s now Sunday!) October 9th.

This is a hilarious book about a kid who in 1935 goes to live at Alcatraz.

His dad is the electrician at the prison, and he and his mom live in special quarters on the island. So far, he has begun school at the tiny institution of learning for the kids of employees, and has been told Al Capone, THE Al Capone, works in the prison laundry; thus the title…

The reason I didn’t finish the book in time is a GOOD one!

******I AM GOING TO OPEN A USED BOOKSTORE****in my hometown of Alvin, Texas. It will be called “Rae’s Reads,” and if all goes well, it will be a non-profit. I don’t plan to make any money–well, maybe enough to pay taxes, insurance and utilities–but it is something I have been dreaming about and planning for over ten years. My goal is to get books out into the community and to circulate them. I plan to have a couple of huge baskets of FREE books. I have about 350 books, a card table (I am going to look at Goodwill and second-hand stores for a couple more, and a bookshelf. (I am having another built currently.)

I have found a house mid-way between the Alvin Library and my house, near the high school practice fields. CLOSING IS WEDNESDAY of next week!

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED AND YOUR PRAYERS A’ COMING. This is literally a dream come true.

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON 9/17/22

Today’s Saturday Mornings for Kids is also for adults. It is for anyone dealing with being a Southpaw. These two books are easy enough for kids to read, with plenty of cartoons, but interesting enough for adults to enjoy. It is the perfect book for parents and grandparents to teach a kid to celebrate rather than curse his/her left-handedness.

The first book deals with famous left handers as well as encouraging facts about being left handed.

Interesting myths and facts about Southpaws, including where the term came from.

This second book is the one I discovered in a box of books donated to my Bookstore Endeavor.

The Natural Superiority of The Left Hander has many fun-filled facts with great illustrations about left handed people. The book was published in 1979 and is dedicated to “the citizens of Left Hand, West Virginia, population 450, and every one a Left Hander.”

Did you know that in the UK, it is against the rules to play polo left-handed? This rule even applied to King Charles, who in his polo playing days was known as The Prince of Wales. There are more left-handed boys than girls, and no reason has been found…YET! Did you know that there’s on population where left-handers are in the majority? Among gorillas!

Many more facts and issues of left-handedness are explored, and they are presented in a fascinating manner–even to righties like me!

This post has been presented by Right-Handed Rae in honor and appreciation of her Leftie Friends!

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS ON SUNDAY EVENING (9/4): NYC AGAIN

YOU GUYS probably get tired with my obsession with NYC, but I found in a box of donations the perfect counting book of all things NEW YORK.

It’s a heavy paper-board book, thick enough for young hands to turn the pages easily while a parent or grandparent guides them through it.

Yes, there is only ONE Statue of Liberty. I went to it when I was three years old but have no memories of it. I think the boat ride to see it would be neat.

Yellow Cabs are everywhere in The Big Apple. Here are FIVE of them.

NYC pizzas are the best. Could you eat EIGHT? (Neither could I!)

TEN Cony Island hot dogs take up two pages. Now, after looking at the book, you can count to ten and know a lot about NY.

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO RICHARD (Age 5) AND ROBERT (Age 3) AND MY NEW WRITING CENTER FRIEND AT THE UNIVERSITY WHERE I WORK.

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS

KIDS’ BOOKS ARE REVIEWED ON PWR ON SATURDAY MORNINGS,
much like Saturday mornings were saved for TV cartoons in the 50s and 60s. Mom and Dad could sleep in while the kids sat down in front of the TV with a bowl of breakfast cereal.

Today’s recommendation is a picture book that will delight both boys and girls while teaching them a lesson about sharing.

Some think Pugs are so ugly they’re cute!

Pig was a Pug who was not only so ugly he was cute, he was selfish and greedy–a pig! He was piggy about his food, his toys, and didn’t want to learn to share. As he told his Trevor, his weenie dog housemates, “I know what your game is, you want me to SHARE!/But I’ll never do that!/ I won’t and I swear!”

Pig selfishly gathered all his things into a pile so high that when he went to the top of the pile, he tottered and fell out the window! Poor Pig the Pug.

What happened and how Pig finally learned to share is the rest of the story, and I guess you’ll have to check out the book from your school or public library to find out. While you’re reading this rhyming, silly story, enjoy the fantastic illustrations. Aaron Blabey is not only a good author, but a great illustrator who knows his Pugs.

SATURDAY MORNING FOR KIDS, LATE SATURDAY NIGHT

SATURDAYS ARE RESERVED FOR REVIEWING KIDS’ BOOKS ON PWR.

REMEMBER the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary? They’re back; actually, they never went away, just the same homespun wisdom and humor with new covers. I think I read all the Ramona books, but it was only as an adult I discovered Amber Brown. Those too are great books for kids. If your kids or grandkids are into chapter books and series, I highly recommend these two series as something they will really love.

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS ON SATURDAY EVENING

Thanks, Carla, for the use of your illustration .

Saturday mornings on PWR (Powerful Women Readers) are reserved for recommendations of kids’ books, just like Saturday morning TV programming in the 50s and 60s (cartoons) was. Today’s recommendation is a whole series.

Gators are funny, and when they play detective, they become even funnier.

I found this particular 2020 publication in my Little Free Library and had a ball looking it over. John Patrick really knows what tickles kids’ funny bones. It is done as a graphic novel, and I’m glad I began with Book One. The illustrations are priceless and the word balloons are easy to follow. Any precocious 8-year-old could read it to himself, but a 5-year-old could appreciate the jokes as he was being read to. Even reluctant readers as old as thirteen are sure to enjoy the slapstick and even more subtle jokes and will enjoy following the plots.

I highly recommend this whole series after examining the first book, firsthand, and looking over the other books in the series online. It is a reader-starter for those who are independent, avid readers as well as those who prefer computer games to “plain old books.” Best of all–they are F.U.N.N.Y.

SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR KIDS

Today’s selection is a book I ordered for my niece’s husband (and his daughter age 4) to read together. They are both huge Star Wars fans.

I have seen Jeffrey Brown’s cartoons before, but this one is priceless!

Imagine Darth Vader, in full regalia, seated at an outer space bar with a four-year-old Luke Skywalker in his Jedi clothes, admonishing Luke, “Don’t make bubbles”, as little Luke blows instead of sips his beverage. Throughout the book, Darth Vader protects and corrects his son in a fatherly way until by the end of the book, when Little Luke hugs Darth’s leg and says, “I love you, Dad,” we are inclined to feel that perhaps good ole Darth “ain’t so bad after all.” At the end, Vader’s Little Princess is mentioned as another Brown book, one which is a MUST for my father-daughter duo.