Gaston

Miss Bonnie at The Storybook Shoppe introduced us to the most wonderful tale, Gaston, by Kelly Dipucchio and Christian Robinson. A poodle and bulldog puppy both learn what it means to be part of a family -- no matter what you look like or how you act.  The O'Regan's fell in love with the beautiful illustrations, the simple message and the charming tale about finding your place. 

You see, Gaston was a bit different than his family.  His sisters and brothers ate politely and quietly yapped. But not Gaston. He had trouble doing what he was told. He had trouble because he was different! 

One day at the park, Gaston and his family had a chance meeting with another dog family. Like Gaston's family, they had a dog that didn't quite fit either.  Antoinette was a poodle and a bit out of place, too.  Should they switch?

It may look right.  It may seem like the right thing to do. But did it feel right? They switched families and gave it a shot. 

In this adorable tale, children learn that family is all about whom you grow up with.  It's not about what you look like or even how you act.  It occurred to me that this might be a wonderful book for adopted children! Of course, there's a charming ending to the book, too. Gaston and Antoinette fall in love and have puppies of their own. We just love that they "taught them to be whatever they wanted to be." 

This book is truly a fabulous addition to any home library - each page is a piece of artwork. My 5 year-old daughter, Molly, loved the characters and wanted to read it again and again.  You can buy it here on our blog -- without even leaving your home! As a thank you for supporting The Storybook Shoppe (our local independently owned children's bookstore) we will take 10% OFF the list price.  Just check out below! 

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Little Lola

No doubt by now if you have school-aged children, they've headed off to the classroom to start a new school year.  Early September is such an exciting time! Children are enthusiastic about heading back and there's such promise in the air.  At The Storybook Shoppe, we think there is nothing more joyful than children who are passionate about learning and reading especially.  Here are my little ones, Molly (age 5) and Connor (age 2), who are at May River Montessori, just down the street from the Shoppe! We took these cute first day photos. Did you take some first day photos? We'd love to see them! 

This book, Little Lola by Julie Saab and David Gothard, was recommended to us by The Storybook Shoppe and is perfect for little ones (especially ages 4-6) who have just gone back to school.  It may spark some further enthusiasm as Little Lola, a cat, just adores school and has all sorts of adventures there! She loves riding on the school bus, story time, learning to read, arithmetic, the playground, playing with other children, and most of all - she loves share time!  We loved the mischievous adventure at share time when she introduces a mouse.... and you will too. It's quite funny! 

At a young age, it's rare to hear children who don't like going to school. On occasion, we will hear of some children who just "don't want to go" from time to time. This could mean a lot of things such as they aren't challenged enough, they find the work too difficult, they aren't getting enough sleep, there are changes going on at home. Though communication with parent and teacher is the best solution,  The Storybook Shoppe has a variety of books that help ease tensions and make attending school even more exciting. Reading to your children can help reduce anxiety and make it even more "fun."  We invite you to come in and see our wide selection of back to school books. (We are closed for some sprucing right now but we will reopen 9/22, please come see us then!) 

While you wait for us to reopen, you can buy Little Lola by Julie Saab right here on our blog, just by clicking below.  We will ship it directly to your door! As a thank you for supporting our store, we will give 10% OFF.  Happy reading and happy back to school time! 

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One Cool Friend

Miss Bonnie at The Storybook Shoppe recently introduced our family to a real treat in children's literature. One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeco with pictures by David Small is a hilarious and quick-witted adventure of a boy who takes a penguin home from the aquarium. My 5 year old daughter, Molly, thought the quirky and eccentric father was a fun character (he is!) and we adored the illustrations, truly worthy of a Caldecott Honor. 

What fun would it be to have your own exotic pet? A penguin would be fun for a little one, wouldn't it? Ice skating, bathing, hanging out in the freezer... Molly seemed to think this all sounded like a funny idea. Read it to your children and ask -- what animal would you like to bring home from the zoo or aquarium? Let their imaginations go! 

We loved how this book stretched the imagination.  The author has taken the concept of taking a penguin from the aquarium all the way through -- from how the boy got there one day, how the boy arranged to sneak him out, how he fed the penguin, entertained it and kept it comfortable.  It has a hilarious ending that further solidifies that quirky Dad! 

The staff at The Storybook Shoppe highly recommends this one for our young readers with imaginations. It's perfect for boys or girls and makes a wonderful addition to any home library.  You can buy it now, right here on our blog, for 10% OFF! 

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If An Armadillo Went To A Restaurant

If an armadillo went to a restaurant, what would she order? Would it be spaghetti and meatballs or a plate of ants and worms with beetles, too? In this book, If An Armadillo Went To A Restaurant by Ellen Fischer and Lauren Wood, children get to find out what an armadillo might eat -- and what plenty of other animals might eat, too! 

This adorable book came highly recommended to our family this afternoon by both Miss Wendy and Miss Bonnie at The Storybook Shoppe.  We took the book home and dove right in.  We learned what a sea turtle, rattlesnake, butterfly, giraffe, wallaby, hedgehog, giraffe and a few others eat. It's a clever book, really! As children learn about the animals, where they live and what they eat, it's also funny, a bit sassy, and entertaining. It's perfectly illustrated to keep things fun, dynamic and interesting for children to follow along. 

The O'Regan children especially enjoyed the last page with a menu and this message: "What would you order?" As I read off the items (chocolate chip pancakes, PB&J Sandwich, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and other kid friendly foods), my daughter, Molly, and son, Connor, rattled off which they would choose. (I was only a bit disappointed that less cliche and more varied foods weren't included. Certainly there are plenty of children who go beyond this menu! Chicken vindaloo? Indian curry? Pad Thai? It could happen!)  But the menu idea was a fun and interactive end to the book! 

Do you know a child interested in animals? Move beyond the farm and barnyard animals and introduce them to a wallaby, octopus, and others in this adorable book.  You can buy it now, right here on our blog for 10% OFF. Just check out below using Paypal and it will be shipped straight to your door within days. Thank you for supporting The Storybook Shoppe, Bluffton, South Carolina's independent children's bookstore. 

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Lindbergh - A Tale of a Flying Mouse

I often go into The Storybook Shoppe several times a week. Sometimes I go to take photos for our Facebook page, sometimes I go to shop for a birthday party gift, other times I go to take Molly and Connor after school or daycare to shop.  Last week was one that I had the pleasure of visiting three times in a week. On each occasion, three different staff members all recommended Lindberg, The Tale of the Flying Mouse. 

With not one glowing recommendations but THREE, I had to get this one home. Only one problem. Molly took one look at the cover and said she didn't want to read it. To my horror, I was unable to do my assignment! (And talk about judging a book by it's cover!) So I sat down by myself and read this book that Molly proclaimed "scary" and "dark." 

What's the problem? I thought. Cute book about a mouse running from cats that learns to fly. And such beautiful illustrations! 

When a  new, mechanical mousetrap is invented, all the mice flee to America, the land of the free. But how will they flee with large cats guarding the ships? This mouse must learn to fly. He must be the courageous and daring mouse who defies all odds and triumphs the dangers of the cats, owls, other mice, and of course, the plane!  What a great message about being courageous and perseverance. 

When I returned the following week, Miss Bonnie asked what I thought of Lindbergh, The Tale of The Flying Mouse. I told her that my 5 year old daughter, Molly, thought it looked to scary and it was dark. At that time, she let me in on the lesser known fact of this book. It's a World War II analogy, one that parallels Nazi Germany. 

Hiding from cats, escaping torture devices like mouse traps, sneakily planning an escape to a distant land, this mouse does everything a Jewish person running from Nazi's had to do.  I had the chills. How could I have missed it? How did Molly subconsciously get creeped out by it? I read it again and again. Each time, I picked up something new.  And yet, if you didn't know this fact -- you would just have guessed it was about aviation and a mouse's determination to build the best flying machine ever!  This is one of my favorite things about children's literature. There are just so many layers. 

The Storybook Shoppe and our staff recommends this book for students just learning about World War II and Nazi Germany, perhaps in 3rd or 4th grade, or little ones that are interested in aviation.  It's appropriate and interesting for a wide range of ages and makes a fabulous addition to your library! 

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Three Bears in a Boat

Are you a fan of David Soman's series Ladybug Girl? In the O'Regan household, we love the bold heroine in the series. We were introduced to his latest, Three Bears in a Boat, which is entirely different and in my opinion, even better.  My 5-year old daughter, Molly, loved it too. 

Three siblings go on an adventure of a lifetime in search of replacing their mother's broken sea shell. (The naughty bears broke it trying to get forbidden honey from the jar!)  The three bears sail on a boat to distant islands searching under water, in caves, and high and low for the perfect replacement. 

When things get rough and they start to blame each other, a terrible storm threatens their boat. And just as soon as they work together, cooperate and support one another, the storm clears and they are safe. It was a metaphor that was understood by my 5 year old.  It's smooth sailing when you work together. Rough seas when you don't. 

We loved the matriarch in this book, too. She's soft, caring and understanding when they return and admit what they have done. But in typical mom fashion, they still have some punishment and they don't get any dessert.  This brought a lovely reality to the book and showed consequences for their wrong actions. 

All in all, I loved everything about this book.  The illustrations are phenomenal, the story is well told, and the message is clear. I highly recommend this one to all of our Storybook Shoppe readers.  You can buy it here, right now on our blog by checking out with PayPal below.  Save 10% OFF and support a local independent bookstore, The Storybook Shoppe! 

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The Christmas Wish

Here's a book that will instantly bring the magic of Christmas to your home: The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert (with eye-popping photographs by Per Breiehagen) captivated my daughter, Molly and me, too!  It's a story about a little girl, Anja, who lives "in a place so far north that the mothers never pack away the wool hats or mittens."  Anja's lifelong dream is to become one of Santa's Elves and the story is about her pursuit to find Santa across the frozen tundra.

Her journey is made possible by a friendly bird, a talkative horse, a shy but strong ox, a cuddly polar bear, and a thankful reindeer.  Each animal has it's own persona and each is incredibly endearing.   Hard to say if we liked when Anja read to the polar bear the most...



Or if it was it was when they arrived early to meet a friend, and decided to take a nap together...



Or if we liked it when the horse gave her a ride because Anja was tired...



When Anja finally gets to the North Pole, her wish of meeting Santa Claus comes true! Santa Claus thanks her for making the long journey and tells her she is an extraordinary girl that brings kindness and joy to those around her all year long.  Then he asks if she will drive the sleigh!  This breath taking picture nearly convinces me of Santa....



When they arrive, Santa hands her a bell and tells her that if she ever needs anything, she should ring it.  A moment later, Anja awakes in her bed without any sleigh tracks or Santa, but she is holding a bell.   Readers are left wondering if it was all a dream.

My daughter absolutely loved this question, and it's an excellent transition into the topic of "is Santa Claus real?" I asked her if she believed the story was true and if Anja really made that incredible journey with all of those wonderful animals.

She had a wide smile after a moment and said - "MOM! It has to be true because the little girl was holding the bell!" Bravo, Molly!  This is a wonderful story about believing in the magic of Christmas.  We will treasure this story and it's spectacular, spectacular photographs for seasons to come. (Per Briehagen was a photographer for National Geographic, the photos are real.)

Buy The Christmas Wish now, right here on our blog and support The Storybook Shoppe! You will save 10% OFF the list price and pay only $5 shipping right to your door.  PayPal is a safe and easy way to pay... click on the BUY IT NOW BUTTON below! This one makes a great gift for the holidays.

The Snatchabook

Reading to our children at home is such a wonderful evening activity.  After a crazy meal time (Connor's usually throwing food, the dogs are barking, and Molly's usually whining for a special treat) and right after a fun-filled bath (water everywhere, including the floor), sitting down with my kids to five or six books is a real treat.   No one makes a sound except for the reader!

Miss Nancy recently recommended The Snatchabook by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty, and we have been enjoying it night after night.  Eliza Brown, an adorable rabbit, discovers that all of her friends favorite books are being snatched up! Someone is coming into their rooms at night and stealing their stories.

Keen to solve the mystery of what was happening to all the books, Eliza finds a creature -- mournful and full of shame -- that says, "I'm just a little Snatchabook."   This creature who you soon learn to love, says: "I know it's wrong, but can't you see -- I've got no one to read to me!"    Wouldn't you know it that Molly instantly said, "that's so sad, Mommy!"  Given how much we treasure reading to our children, it certainly would be sad if a child didn't have anyone to read to them.

A lesson is learned by everyone in the end as The Snatchabook puts back all the books he has taken. All is forgiven when everything has been returned.  And I bet you know who's reading to The Snatchabook?

"And if you take a closer look you might just see the Snatchabook, perched happily on someone's bed... listening hard to each word said."  YOU!

What a lovely story!  It's perfect for pre-K or K, or young readers on their own. It also makes a great gift for birthdays for someone who loves books.  Buy this treasured book now, right here on the blog, and support The Storybook Shoppe, Bluffton SC's only children's book store.  You'll receive 10% off the cost of the book as a thank you!

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Normally $16.99

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$15.21 plus tax and shipping

Creepy Carrots

Miss Nancy at The Storybook Shoppe recommended Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reyonlds to us a few weeks ago, and I just had to share this one with you for Halloween.  My daughter, Molly, has a bit of dark side when it comes to choosing books. She gets a kick out of "scary" subject matters.  Creepy Carrots satisfies her curiosity for "scary" with this delightful book about Jasper the rabbit who fears his favorite treats are out to get him.

Jasper, like all rabbits, loves carrots.  He loves them so much that he visits the carrot patch on his way to school, on his way home, on his way to little league practice.  He can't get enough!  It seems he is quite greedy, actually.

Copyrighted material used via Amazon

But soon Jasper feels like the carrots are following him. They're creeping him out! While he brushes his teeth, while he's sleeping, are the carrots he loves so much following him?  They're haunting him everywhere he goes!

Often times when I finish a book with Molly, I ask her, "what do you think the author was trying to say to us?"  (It's easier than: what's the morale of the story?)   She had to think about this one for quite some time then she said that maybe he had too many carrots and they were mad at him.   Smart 4 year old.  I think she's right, maybe there is a message about greed in this one.   There is also a clever ending that negates all the "scary."

One of my favorite things about Miss Nancy and her staff at The Storybook Shoppe is that they introduce our family to books I never would have picked up.  This isn't one I would have gravitated towards but it is a HUGE hit right now for Halloween. The illustrations by Peter Brown really delight and it's a book that keeps you guessing until the end.  Are the carrots really following Japser? Or is it just his imagination?

Buy Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds now, right here on this blog, and support a Bluffton, SC children's bookstore.    By buying books on our blog, you are supporting a local community!  We're offering 10% off as a thank you.

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