Margie PalatiniRezensionen

No doubt about it, Oliver's having a very bad hair day. His parents and sister try to help. They push, they pull, they spritz and they spray; they goop, they glop, and they mousse. But Oliver's hair is still way out of control. And today's class picture day!

Moose, with his spectacular moosetache, is trying to organize the perfect Christmas, but he absent-mindedly skips one major bit of Christmas decor and has to come up with a quick substitute.

The story is fairly dry as we spend half the book just watching Moose decorate and run errands. The fact that he has a family doesn't even come up until the halfway point. The solution is almost amusing, but I was so bored by that point I didn't care.

First sentence: Yawn.

Premise/plot: This year there have been a whole line of books in the Critter Cam series. This one stars a monkey wearing a camera in an helmet. The plot is super simple. Readers observe the world from two perspective--third person perspective and first person perspective. Monkey is having quite a day.

My thoughts: I liked this one okay. Not my favorite in the series. Not my least favorite in the series. It does feature "monkey speak" which some may enjoy. I certainly enjoyed monkey chatter as a kid.

First sentence: Swim, Shark. Swim. Swim. Swim. Swim. Teeth. Lots of Teeth.

Premise/plot: An imaginative take on what a shark might do for fun all while wearing a helmet with a camera.

My thoughts: I enjoyed greatly the critter-cam early readers starring a cat and a dog. I did not like--at all, not even a little bit--this one starring a shark. It just didn't make much sense to this over-thinker. It just didn't. It was weird. Of course, some readers might enjoy this one or find it funny.

First sentence: Ball? Get the ball! Get the ball! Get the ball!

Premise/plot: The dog in this one is wearing a camera on his helmet. This camera will provide readers with a unique point of view. This is very much a day-in-the-life of perspective of a fun-loving pup. Fortunately this is a forward-facing camera.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I don't know that I loved it as much as the Critter Cam early reader starring the cat. But it was good fun. I think young dog lovers will appreciate this one.

First sentence: Jump, Kitty. Jump. Jump. Jump. Dunk, Kitty. Dunk. Dunk. Dunk. Dunk.

Premise/plot: The kitty that stars in this early reader is wearing a camera to capture the antics of day-to-day life. The illustrations show ALL the action. First from an outsider perspective, second through the cat's first-person perspective. The illustrations are super-expressive. For example, when the cat is "hunting" the fish.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! It is gimmicky. I won't lie about that. If the premise of a cat wearing a camera appeals to you, then the book will probably delight. Definitely for cat lovers, pet lovers, etc. It's a simple book. But for me--as a cat lover--I just loved every page of this one.

Independent Reading Grades 3-5

Moose misses his family-his aunties from Moosissippi, his cousins from Moosachusetts-the whole clan. But when everyone arrives at Moose Lodge, things don't go quite as Moose had planned. Alone with his sports equipment and long lists of coordinated activities, Moose despairs of ever being able to bring his family together. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse a swarm of moosekitos starts biting! Is it the end of a perfectly perfect vacation-or the beginning of a very moosey kind of togetherness?

Independent Reading 5+

My husband read this to our daughter repeatedly when she was in early grade school. He had a voice for the tooth that was absolutely hysterical. This is an excellent read aloud (especially if you do funny voices).

We like this book but I always felt it was bit too long as a read aloud.

"So perfectly perfect!"

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This was a cute book about Moose wanting a family reunion where everyone could spend time together. However, at the reunion everyone ends up doing different things. Finally everyone is brought together when "Moosekitos" attack.

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In this book, two hungry wolves in disguise attempt to raid a sheep farm.

When Chucky Ducky feels the earth beneath him grumble and rumble, he runs to alert the other barnyard animals to the coming earthquake. Just as a wily weasel is about to take advantage of their fears, the true source of the rumbling is revealed.

Piggie Pie is a humorous story about a hungry witch who needs piggies to complete a spell. She looks in the telephone book for a place that sells pigs and finds Old McDonalds Farm. She travels to the farm to discover there are no pigs to be found anywhere. This is because the pigs have disquised themselves as other animals to outsmart the witch. Soon a wolf comes around and tries to convince the witch that the two of them are better off leaving the farm and having lunch together.

Mooseltoe is a delightful book that tells of endless Christmas preparation that always falls short at the end. I totally relate to the moose in this story,. No matter how organized I think I am, I always forget something or run out of time! I love the story and the illustrations are wonderful.

This would be a great read aloud! It's a funny take on the fable that teaches the importance of working together as everyone has different strengths that can be used to come together. I really enjoyed the writing and the repetition can help young readers and keep them entertained with the humor. It was a great humorous story with a lesson about teamwork.