Baby Bible Board Books are simple little books that get the message across in a way that toddlers understand.  I like the short sentences and simple pictures that kept my little ones attention.  I'll have them tell you what they thought about Jesus Feeds the People.  This is one of a set of four books.  I love that my older two can read this book to the younger three.

BABY R (9 mon): Ba goo goo Um.  (She just wanted to eat it, but was not opposed to me reading it a couple of times.)

W (2 yr old boy): "Da boy dumpt the food out."  "Where's tha pishes?" {fishes} "Is dat garlit?" {garlic, we have garlic salt in a shaker on the table.}  I read him the story four or five times and he wanted me to read it again.

M (4 yr old girl): "Good!  Good!"

CJ (6 yr old girl): after reading it to us "Very nice, Mom."

K (7 yr old girl): struggles a little more with reading, but she read it to us too, "It's good.  I like it."

Book information taken from Crest Publications website:

How Cleaning My Room Changed My Life

by Huma Gruaz and Mark Rosenweig

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 63 pages
• Publisher: Alpaytac Inc (July 17, 2008)
• Language: English

I think I am going to make a poster of the secrets in this book for my girls’ room and for our main living areas.  The secrets and tips are at the end of the book; there is even a certificate of achievement there too!

The story is about a messy little boy who looses an item that belongs to his best friend who is moving away.  He needs to find the item before she moves.  He gets help from a fairy (from far away land called Cleanland) and the MySweeper she brings as a gift for the little guy.

My children were comparing their room to the bedroom pictured in the story.  They were saying how they don’t have a lot of little things on their floor but they have lots of clothes and blankets and some bigger toys.  I told them they’d be surprised about what is under that mess!  We don’t have a MySweeper type of cleaner but we do have some brooms and dustpans with long handles that are fun to use; I think we will be focusing on their room in the next few days, using the secrets and tips given in this book!

The story is sweet and easy to follow.  The pictures are detailed and like the “I Spy” books.  There are not specifics to look for but you can find stuff like underwear on the bed post and skipping ropes and balls.

I actually think that my girls’ room is worse than the little boy’s room.  There are three of them living in a small room; there are three beds, two desks, a dresser, another empty be frame and a toy kitchen.  I would separate them but they just end up sleeping in the same room anyway.  The more I think about it and after reading this book and thinking about the suggestions given I think I need to move one of them over to our “guest / spare” room.  Then at night, they can choose to all sleep in one bed if they want, but that would get some of the stuff out of that one little room.  Maybe that way they can keep it cleaner and enjoy their time in the rooms more often.

Thanks to the authors for a great mini manual for keeping our homes and our rooms clean!  A great book that fits the recommendation of ages 2 to 92.  This book was provided for me to review by the publisher.

How Cleaning My Room Changed My Life by Huma Gruaz and Timothy Young provides the perfect example of how one small aspect of your life can make a big difference in every part of it.

My kids rooms are normally the most clean rooms in the house. I feel as though they deserve to sleep in a place that is not full of stuff all over the place. Our main living areas is what accumulates the most stuff. As we read this book, it really made me aware of how much easier life can be if we just return things to their place when we are done. We all know this, but when its there in black and white and you see an example, it really hits home.

My girls really enjoyed this story and sat beside me quietly as I read it to them. We also were shared this book with a friend. Her and I were discussing cleaning one evening and I still had this book out. I showed it to her and she asked to borrow it. She did not plan to, but read the story herself before she read it to her kids. She agreed that it was great story for all.

This book teaches and shows you how what habits you form when you are young can make life easier today, as well as in the future. The helpful cleaning hints at the back of the book are a added bonus. Old and young will benfit from this book. This book was provided by the publisher for review

Written by Huma Gruaz and Mark Rosenweig
Alpaytac Inc, Publisher

I received a copy of this book for review (from the publisher) just in the nick of time. I have five children at home and my stepdaughter visits with us for the summer. I received this book the week before her visit and used it to get my eight year old daughter to clean up her room for her step-sister’s visit!

How Cleaning My Room Changed My Life teaches kids the importance of cleaning. This is the story of Sam, an ordinary kid who is complete unorganized and suffering the consequences of a messy room. Sam is in jeopardy of losing his best friend if he cannot find a very special item he borrowed from her. He decides it is time to clean up his life a little. The story and colorful pictures kept the attention of all my younger children from cover to cover.

The step-by-step guide, "Secrets of Cleanland," at the end of the story is a valuable resource. It includes organization tips, easy-to-remember rhymes to help make cleaning fun and a certificate at the end of the book to encourage the child to continue living a more organized life.

I still owe my daughter the stick vacuum like Sam had in the story. That is definitely an investment I am very willing to make in order to get my children more organized! Thank you Huma Gruaz.

This little book is so sweet! Teaching simple body parts using baby faces and matching drawings. My 22 month old son likes this book a lot and in a few months my newborn will too. The book has a stroller strap that does not interfere with the turning of the pages or with the story itself.

Disclosure: This book was graciously sent to me by HarperCollins Publishing.

A new twist on some old stories.

Mrs. Grizzle babysits the Bear children - Brother, Sister and Honey.  Honey is the baby and always asleep by bedtime, but Brother and Sister are anxious to here a good story.  Mrs. Grizzle is the best storyteller!  The cubs know the classics - The 3 Little Pigs, Goldilocks and The Little Red Hen, among others.  Mrs. Grizzle puts a twist on each classic she tells, and the cubs can't wait to hear what it is.  The "re-titles" include; The Three Little Cubs and the Big Bad Pig, Goldibear and the Three People; The Gingerbread Bear; The Three Billy Goats Gruff Meet the Bogg Brothers; The Little Red Hen; Little Red Grizzly Hood.  There is a weeks' worth of entertainment and treasure at bedtime.

I like this book.  My girls enjoy the Berenstain Bears' books and have enjoyed hearing the twists Mrs. Grizzle presents.  I gave this book to my three year old - she will grow into it - because the older two got book at their birthday party.  She has poured over every page, looking at the illustrations and telling the stories to her dolls and stuffies.  This book is definitely a hit in this home.

Disclosure: This book was graciously sent to me by HarperCollins Publishing.

A book about the seasons.  Old Bear goes to hibernate late in the winter season; it's already snowing.  He dreams of being young again and of experiencing the changing seasons for the first time as an imaginative little cub.

Water color paint and ink.  The use of color in the book is beautiful!  Kevin Henkes uses his mediums very effectively.  I especially like the autumn page bat that could be because I consider that particular season to be my favorite.

The story is extremely simple, but imaginative.  Child-like, without being childish.  On the back jacket cover, some of Kevin Henkes' other works are mentioned.  After reading and enjoying Old Bear I am interested in checking out these other titles from our local library!

Disclosure: This book was graciously sent to me by HarperCollins Publishing.

What Does Mrs. Claus Do?

a book by  Kate Wharton

and

illustrated by Christian Slade

This books provides possible answers to a question I am sure many little children have asked.  I know as a little girl, I wondered what Mrs. Claus did.  What is her job or her role?  What does she do while Santa is away and busy with his activities?  The author provides many many ideas.  I like this book for a number of reasons.  I love the rhythm and the rhyming; the words flow nicely and easily together.  I love the educational opportunities the words provide.  As a homeschool mom, I am always looking for books that are jumping off points for learning.  The different jobs and occupations that are listed are perfect for this.  There are careers listed that I have no idea what is included in the job descriptions!  This book can provide education for me too!

Although no age range is given for this book, when I read it to my bunch (ages 3-7) they listened intentively.  I think they will enjoy it more as they get a little older though.  I would suggest it for children aged five to nine.  And to include the learning opportunity I suggested above, you could extend that age to ten or eleven.

Disclosure: This book was graciously sent to me by HarperCollins Publishing.

by Laura Marchesani

for ages newborn and up

Babies love to look at faces.  This book fits that desire or need!  The book becomes all about your baby when you insert pictures into the photo slots, but is very usable without those photos as well.  Each page tells about an aspect of daily life with a spot for a personal picture showing baby doing said activity be it eating, playing or bathing.  The last is a mirror! 

Too often I've found that the board books with places for photos are flimsy or easily torn.  I have not tried to insert a photo into this book, yet, so I don't know how easy that will be but in my opinion Baby would not be able to get at the photo or the plastic covering it.  A very well made scrapbook - a keepsake for years to come.

Disclosure: This book was graciously sent to me by HarperCollins Publishing.

This is a Fisher Price book with flaps on each page that show you the animal that is being talked about. The pictures are bright and colorful enough to keep the attention of a baby all the way up to my almost 2 year old. She loved lifting the flaps and discovering the elephant, giraffe, toucan,monkey,butterflyand the tiger. But the monkey was her favorite one. Fisher Price yet again did a awesome job.