Hillenbrand, Will Books

This Little Piggy with CD: Lap Songs, Finger Plays, Clapping Games and Pantomime Rhymes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Disappointing 2 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The on-line description of this book and CD led us to believe that there were many songs on the CD. Unfortunately, there were only a handful. We felt a bit deceived. On the plus side: (1) The book itself has wonderful pictures; (2) The history of each rhyme is interesting to an adult; (3) The descriptions of how to involve a child are very good.

The parents loved it 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

All those songs you remember from childhood, but have no clue what the words are beyond the first three. This is a great way to share time with your child, whether simply soothing them with song or having fun and teaching them music.

--aw

All three love it 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have three children oldest almost 5 and they all love this book & music so much. We rented from the library and I tracked it down on here.

Editorial Review:

A timeless collection of songs and rhymes – with a bonus 15-minute CD inside!

A delightful anthology of more than sixty lap songs, clapping games, and action rhymes. Featuring familiar favorites such as "Goosey, Goosey, Gander" and "I’m a Little Teapot." Includes direction for play, historical tidbits, and fourteen simple musical arrangements for piano and guitar.

Kiss the Cow!

Phyllis Root

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Never. Not a chance. Annalisa wouldn't dream of kissing Luella the cow, even though her mother kisses her every day after singing her a song and milking her. Still, inquisitive Annalisa is awfully interested in milking Luella, and one day she sneaks off and does everything just the way her mother does--all except for the kiss on the nose. The next day, Luella refuses to give any milk. And the day after that is the same. Annalisa's mother and her many brothers and sisters beg the stubborn little girl to relent, but Annalisa says "Never!... Never, never, never." Will the whole family have to live without milk and cheese forever? Or will Annalisa's innate curiosity get the best of her?

Both Phyllis Root and Will Hillenbrand claim to have tried to kiss cows while working on this story, but to no avail. "I was willing," Hillenbrand says, "but the cow wasn't." With red-haired Annalisa's little nose in the air throughout the story, readers will almost hear her cries of "never," and will surely identify with one whose feelings of absolute certainty can occasionally change. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Down by the Station

Will Hillenbrand

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Zoos -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Down by the station, early in the morning," before any visitors arrive, who exactly is riding that zoo train? Hop aboard and find out! See the elephant calf waving good-bye to Mommy and Daddy. And there's a pink flamingo chick, ready to ride. Who's this sleepy black-and-white cub? Still wrapped in a blanket, the panda isn't quite awake yet. The train chugs merrily along, picking up baby animal passengers. But beware! There's danger in the pond beside the tracks. Will the seal pup and baby penguin escape from the circling crocodiles?

Will Hillenbrand, illustrator of Counting Crocodiles and The House That Drac Built, has always been curious about what goes on in a zoo before opening hours. Adapting a traditional children's song, Hillenbrand depicts his charming vision, and presents a parallel journey of a school bus approaching the zoo while the train is making its rounds. Children, as diverse as the chicks and cubs and kits, bound out of the bus to seesaw with the elephant and play kickball with the seal. And the napping panda? He's found his match in a blanket-toting boy. "Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go!" Basic song notation is included in the back for budding musicians. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Counting Crocodiles

Judy Sierra

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Counting Crocodiles may feel familiar to you, perhaps due to its folktale roots, maybe because Will Hillenbrand's artwork is so marvelously, comically, stylistically perfect, or perhaps because the delightful rhyme is so much like that of Lewis Carroll or Edward Lear. Here's a sample: "On an island in the middle of the Sillabobble Sea / lived a clever little monkey in a sour lemon tree. / She ate lemons boiled and fried, / steamed, sauteed, pureed, and dried. / She ate lemons till she cried, / 'I'm all puckered up inside!'" Meanwhile, Hillenbrand's full-page illustrations provide unending delights. In the first, most lemony of spreads, the snail is holding a whole lemon in her mouth, the fox has a glass of lemonade, and the lemon tree is laden with a blender, juicer, rolling pin, peeler, spatulas, and pans. The monkey looks suitably soured by the whole state of affairs.

On the second page, the monkey spies a banana tree on a similarly deserted island. Of course, she craves a few of these fine fruits. And she wonders aloud how many crocodiles there might be in the Sillabobble Sea. One crusty croc emerges to imply slyly that there are so many crocs that she could easily walk on their backs to the banana island, and invites her to count them. She counts them: "... one crocodile with a great big smile, / Two crocs resting on rocks, / Three crocs rocking in a box, / Four crocs building with blocks," and so on, until she counts "Ten crocs dressed like Goldilocks." Impatiently, the rascally reptiles ask her how many of them there are, she stalls, she counts them again, and lo and behold! in all the splashing and cavorting, the monkey (with the help of the fox and the snail) gets her bananas! This is one of the most delightful picture books around! (Ages 4 to 8)

Preschool to the Rescue

Judy Sierra

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An excellent book for a bedtime story 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a simple, enjoyable story involving toy cars, a cute villain, mud pies, and preschool children as the heroes--ideal for reading to a preschooler!

The writing is simple, lyrical, and easy to remember. After only a few reads, our two-year-old knew the story well enough to act it out with her toys. The plot teaches that things that might seem a little scary can be overcome, and that with teamwork, anything is possible.

My 4 year old girls love this "boys" book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

My 4 year old twin girls love this book. They both want to read it again and again. They know it by heart and they still want to read it.

Editorial Review:

Look out! There's a sleepy, creepy, deeper-than-you'd-think mud puddle on the preschool playground, and it has swallowed up a pizza van, a fire engine . . . even a tow truck! But don't worry, this group of clever preschoolers knows just how to rescue them!
The talented duo who brought readers the popular Counting Crocodiles and The House That Drac Built have created an irresistible playground adventure.

The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story

Rebecca Hickox

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

What do you get when you take Cinderella's glass slipper and transport it to the Middle East? The Golden Sandal! Rebecca Hickox's delightful retelling of an Iraqi folktale "The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold" has all the makings of any good Cinderella story--the mean stepmother, the young oppressed girl, a big shindig, a kind, magical creature who helps the girl dress up for the event, an enamored young man, a lost-and-found shoe, and the promise of a happy ending. However, with the Arabian twist, the girl's name is Maha, the benevolent creature is a fish, the shindig is a "grand henna," and the shoe that ultimately saves Maha from a cruel fate is none other than a golden sandal.

Rebecca Hickox, author of Zorro and Quwi, Per and the Dala Horse and Matreshka, teams up with the well-loved illustrator Will Hillenbrand of The Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Counting Crocodiles, and the award-winning Wicked Jack to create this fresh twist on a familiar tale--guaranteed to keep youngsters riveted until the satisfying ending when justice prevails! (Ages 4 to 8)

Whopper Cake

Karma Wilson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Delightful! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great illustrations and a fun rhyme combine for another great book from Karma Wilson. I'm buying extra copies to give as gifts, it's the perfect birthday gift!

Fun rhymes and fun story! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Another great book from Karma Wilson. Grandpa bakes a HUGE cake for grandma because her heart is so big, she deserves it. The story is fun and the rhymes are original. My nearly 4 year old son laughs every time we read this. There are funny tag lines as you read the story, which my son now likes to throw in on his own, so it is great at encouraging participation. My only complaint is the use of improper grammar ("fetch me up an oar" and lots of words where the "g" is dropped from the "ing" - like "itchin"). I realize it is meant to be cute and quaint, but for a book designed to be read to children who are learning to speak properly, I think it's inappropriate. I actually went through our copy of the book and used a pen to correct everything, and the story is just as fun with proper English.

Editorial Review:

Grandad bakes Grandma a whopper of a birthday cake. Includes recipe and directions for chocolate cake.

Andy and Tamika (Andy Russell)

David A. Adler

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Fun, easy reading for young children or struggling readers. 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Andy & Tamika is a realistic fiction trade book that is centered on the experiences of a young boy named Andy. This book includes many elements of the different types of realistic fiction such as, relationships with the nuclear family and alternative family situations, relationships with peers, relationships with animals, cultural diversity, and a slight element of suspense. In addition, periodic illustrations throughout the book provide appealing representations of the characters and settings that are involved. This book is part of a series by David A. Adler that follows The many troubles of Andy Russell and proceeds School Trouble for Andy Russell.
This book is recommended for 9-12 year old readers but would probably appeal more to the younger children in this age range and/or benefit struggling readers at the older end due to its limited vocabulary, larger font and shorter sentence structure. Since this story is part of a series, young readers who identify with the characters and like the variety of story details, would most likely enjoy reading the other books offered by this author. I liked this book for its variety of realistic fiction elements but would prefer a book with greater vocabulary and more advanced writing structure for children of its intended age.

Editorial Review:

Tamika prepares to move in with the Russells temporarily. Meanwhile, Andy makes a surprising new friend--and discovers what family really means.

Biggest, Best Snowman (Young Hippo Animal)

Margery Cuyler

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

You are Never too Small to Do Big Things 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Little Nell wants to do big things like BIG Mama and her older sisters do. "No you can't" they tell her, "You're just too small". In this story The Biggest, Best Snowman, Little Nell learns that she can do big things, despite what her family says. This delightful tale teaches children that they, like Little Nell, are never too small to do big things when they really try. This message is conveyed through repetition and symbolism. The captivating illustrations and fairy-tale elements in this story keep a child interested, while reinforcing the message of the book. I recommend this book as a great read for children ages 2-8 and their parents, or anyone who wants a little boost of confidence and self worth.

REPETITION: At the beginning of this story, repetition is used to emphasize the seemingly huge difference between Little Nell and almost everything around her. "Little Nell lived with BIG Mama, BIG Sarah and BIG Lizzie in a BIG house in a BIG snowy woods". The word "BIG" in all caps appears over and over again throughout the book and is associated with almost everything but Little Nell. Finally, when Nell shows her family that she has built the "Biggest, best Snowman that ever was" ,they ask her to help make a "BIG yummy lunch" and give her "BIG" hugs and kisses. Although Little Nell is still small, this repetition of the word "BIG" involves her in the "BIG" things too by the end of the story.

While Nell and her friends build the snowman repetition is used to emphasize the hard work they put in to do a big thing. Little Nell "patted and matted and batted the snow into a ball", then "rolled and rolled it and rolled it" to Reindeer who "nudged it and nudged it and nudged it" to Hare. Each of the 4 friends (Little Nell, Reindeer, Hare and Bear Cub) perform a similar repeated motion for each of the three pieces of the snowman. The effort the friends put into the building of this big snowman becomes clearer with each repetition.

SYMBOLISM: The symbolism in The Biggest, Best Snowman is simple enough that a child can easily understand. A child reading this book can learn that not only could they build a snowman like Little Nell, but that they could do any other big thing, if they will just try. Nell is a symbol for every child who has ever been told they are "too small". Most children can relate to this feeling, which helps them see themselves symbolically represented in Little Nell. The Snowman itself will symbolize something different for every reader- perhaps learning to ride a bike, playing an instrument, or even learning to read. These are big things that big people do to a child. The Snowman is symbolic of a big thing the child wants to achieve through hard work and determination. Little Nell has animal friends who help her build the snowman. These friends represent a parent, a teacher or sibling that can help to do the big thing. It is through the symbols in The Biggest, Best Snowman that a child can relate and learn from the story.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Will Hillenbrand provides the beautiful and interesting illustrations in The Biggest, Best Snowman. These illustrations serve to entertain while drawing out certain elements of the story that reinforce the message that someone small can do big things. The illustrations powerfully emphasize the difference between little Nell and her surroundings. Young children who cannot read will still get the idea by looking at the pictures. In one illustration near the beginning of the book, we find Little Nell, shorter than the table, surrounded by BIG Mama, BIG Lizzie, and BIG Sarah. This enhances Little Nell's diminutive appearance. BIG Mama wears a bright pink polka dotted dress, and an apron. BIG Sarah is portrayed wearing a lot of jewelry (including a pair of Christmas ornament earrings) and elaborately styled hair. BIG Lizzie is portrayed with multiple colors in her hair, and multiple ponytails. Little Nell, by contrast, wears no jewelry or ornaments of any kind. She wears a simple red sweater, with her straight black hair pulled back into a single ponytail. In an illustration near the end of the book, however, Little Nell is lifted up in an embrace to the BIG level of BIG Mama and BIG Sarah. In the final illustration, we see a triumphant Little Nell high in the air, perched upon her creation- "the biggest best snowman that ever was". The difference in how Little Nell is portrayed at the beginning of the book and how she is portrayed at the end show that little Nell has proven that she can achieve something big, and gained confidence.

FAIRY-TALE ELEMENTS: The main function of the fairy-tale elements included in The Biggest Best Snowman is to entertain and interest the child. Little Nell has three anthropomorphic friends: Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub. Children know that animals can't talk, so this non-realistic element provides a "magic" or "fairy-tale" quality to the tale. Besides, what child hasn't wished that his or her pet could talk? These unrealistic characters let the child slip into a fantasy realm where their wish can come true. Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub encourage Little Nell to teach them how to build a snowman, and then help her do it. These characters are the only ones who believe in Little Nell, and, being animals who do not know how to make a snowman, let Little Nell take the lead in doing her big thing.

This delightful winter tale conveys a positive message to children, and is entertaining at the same time. The children who hear or read this story will learn through repetition, symbolism, illustrations, and personified characters to say with Little Nell: "Yes I can."

Editorial Review:

Nell is told by her BIG sisters and her mother that she is too small to help out, but everyone, including Nell, feels differently after her forest friends give her the confidence to build a large snowman.

The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence

Judith St. George

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Everyone would agree the one and only Declaration of Independence deserves the best. After all, it’s at the heart of our country. But since it was signed in 1776, the Declaration has had as many ups and downs as the United States itself. It has been rolled up, copied, hidden away and traveled by horseback, sailing vessel, mail truck, railroad car and military tank. After being front and center of a new nation, it has escaped two British invasions and survived for more than two centuries of both peaceful times and devastating wars.What a journey! And it remains proudly the one and only Declaration of Independence.

Judith St. George, author of So You Want to Be President?, and Will Hillenbrand give readers a witty and wonderfully illustrated true story of the invincible Declaration, giving heroic testimony to the grit and determination of the country itself.A fun and fascinating way to share the history of the document that gave the American people their freedom.