Reader Views

Ferdinand Uses the Potty: An Empowering Toilet Training Tale

“Ferdinand Uses the Potty” by Jay Tucker is a book about a frog who is potty training.  The opening page reads: “T’was the middle of the night some time ago, and our friend Ferdinand was in slumber.  While dreaming of race cars and candied bugs, he felt a leak that required a plumber!”  Ferdinand is confused as he can’t figure out what the problem is and thinks that he might have a leaky ceiling.  When he wakes up in the morning he told his friend what had happened and his friend told him that it was because he had wet the bed.  His friend reassures Ferdinand that it had happened to him to when he was little too.  The friend tells Ferdinand to use the potty and then his bed won’t be wet anymore, but Ferdinand is afraid of the sound that the toilet makes when it flushes.  Ferdinand tries to get around using the potty, but finds out that the only way that it is going to work is if he actually does it.

Here are comments from my two boys:

Cayden:  “I thought it was funny that the frog didn’t know that he wet the bed in the beginning and he thought it was the roof leaking and he needed an umbrella!  I liked the rhymes in the book and the end when the frog goes potty.”

Max:  “This was a funny book!  I liked when the frog wasn’t scared of the potty anymore, but it said he won’t wet the bed anymore because he uses the potty now.  But I use the potty now too and sometime I wet the bed still, how come?”

As you can see, my children really enjoyed the story although Max, who has been using the potty for about six months, still has a bed-wetting accident here and there and couldn’t figure out why the frog wouldn’t have accidents sometimes too.

Overall though, I thought that “Ferdinand Uses the Potty” by Jay Tucker was a very creative book and really enjoyed the rhyming text throughout the book.  The writing was humorous and delivered a positive message.  I really think that this would be a fun book to use when potty-training your child.

Ferdinand Uses the Potty: An Empowering Toilet Training Tale
Jay Tucker
Loving Healing Press (2009)
ISBN 9781932690828
Reviewed by Cayden (age 5) and Max (age 3) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (10/09)

Mandy The Alpha Dog: The Chronicles of the K-9 Boys and Girls on Locus Street

Sophia: I think this a funny and sad story about a cute little dog named Mandy. It was sad because a trainer man was being mean to her. I like stories about dog and puppies. This book starts off telling about Mandy’s life as a puppy and how she went to the pet store to be sold. The mean man who bought her wanted to train her to be a show dog, but she couldn’t learn what he wanted her to. He took her to the pound. A nice family picked her up from the pound and gave her a new home. But, Mandy started biting the children and the parents were mad. The family had to figure out what to do with Mandy now.

My favorite part of the story is when Shadow asked Mandy if she was shaped like a beach ball because she ate so much when she grew up! Mandy told Shadow that she ate so much, because the mean man would hold her food back and this made her eat a lot now. The drawings are really funny too!

Madeline: This is a funny story about a Beagle named Mandy and her best friend Shadow the Dalmatian. Mandy has bad dreams about her life when she was a puppy. One day Mandy tells Shadow her dreams are so scary because her dreams are her life. It all started when “Mr. Master” bought Mandy from the pet shop. He was so mean to her. He would take her food away and keep her locked in a room. He couldn't teach her to be a show dog so he sent her to the pound. Mandy was happy to get away from the mean man.

Four days later a family finds her and takes her home. One day Mandy bites one of the little boys. The family was very sad and took her to the pound. They felt bad so they went to the pound and gave her another chance. A few months later the boy jumps on Mandy while she was asleep and she bites him again. The family decides that Mandy needs to go.

I really like the drawings in this book! The funniest drawing is of the man wearing a T-shirt that reads, “Mean Dog Training Machine.”

My favorite part of the story is when Mandy is describing the heat of the cage at the pet shop. She says to Shadow, “Yeow! Hot, hot, ouchy, ouchy!”

We think children will really enjoy “Mandy The Alpha Dog” by Paula Shene.

Mandy The Alpha Dog
Paula Shene
PublishAmerica (2009)
ISBN 9781608367108
Reviewed by Sophia (age 6.75) and Madeline (age 8.5) McElroy for Reader Views (10/09)

In Madera Canyon

Sophia: 

I like this story about a canyon. I read all about lizards, hummingbirds, bears and cougars. I never heard of a kestrel bird or a tanager bird. They are very colorful birds.

I like the beautiful front cover with the hummingbird. My favorite parts of this book are the pictures. The best picture is the tanager bird.

Madeline:

This book is about many different animals in Madera Canyon. I like how the author repeated the lines and added new lines on every page adding to the story. This is a very interesting book. I learned new birds such as: trogons, tanagers and kestrels. The best part of the story is when the hawk gently rides the breeze.

I love how the illustrator created the pictures with his scratchboard with watercolor technique in “In Madera Canyon” by Jane E. Holt. My very favorite illustration is the black bear hugging the tree because it’s very cute.

In Madera Canyon
Jane E. Holt
Wheatmark (2009)
ISBN 9781604940022
Reviewed by Sophia (age 6.5) and Madeline (age 8) McElroy for Reader Views (9/09)

No, Never!

This story is about a dog named Daisy who doesn’t want to do anything! She doesn't like taking baths, cleaning her room, eating vegetables or listening to her Mom. Daisy only wants to do what she thinks is fun. In the end she listens to her Mom.

My favorite part of the story is when Daisy wants to write a book, because, I want to write a book. That would be really cool.

I really like the pretty, good artwork and the patterns of the brush strokes in the paintings. My favorite picture is Daisy winning the “Tour-de-Daisy” because I love riding my bike. I also like all the pages with the pictures of the things she doesn’t want to do. I like the “dog spot” and “swirly” pink and teal pages in “No, Never!” by Sally O. Lee.

No, Never!
Sally O. Lee
BookSurge (2009)
ISBN 9781439239087
Reviewed by Sophia McElroy (age 6.5) for Reader Views (9/09)

Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains

This book is about a woman named Vernita - she is a Queen. Every year she invites her friends to stay. Each friend stays for one whole month of the year. She invites her friends to come and learn about all exciting things in Blue Ice Mountains in the Land of Quails.

In this book I learned a lot about bears, seals, glaciers, flowers, science and more! My favorite visitor was Tyler Ann who came to visit in December. I liked this visit because they got to ride in a sled pulled by reindeer! I also enjoyed the month of June where I learned a lot about Bald Eagles. Did you know that Bald Eagles can dive up to 100 miles per hour? That’s pretty amazing!

I think this book is similar to the other book by Dawn Menge, “Queen Vernita’s Visitors” because all the friends are the same, but there are some new characters as well. “Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains” is a very educational book; I really learned a lot about many different animals and things in nature.

Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains
Dawn Menge
Outskirts Press (2009)
ISBN 9781432711696
Reviewed by Madeline McElroy (age 8) for Reader Views (9/09)

I Like Lots

“I Like Lots” by Isaacsen-Bright is about a boy who likes to eat junk food (and a lot of it).  The book starts out with him looking pretty normal.  It talks about the things he likes to do such as going to sport events and eating three hot dogs in an inning.  Instead of swimming or playing in the swimming pool, he just likes to float around.  The pictures of him get plumper and plumper as the story goes on.  In the middle of the book, he can’t find clothes that fit and he doesn’t have any pep.

He finally goes to see the doctor and the doctor tells him that he has gotten too heavy and that he will feel better if he loses some weight.  The doctor give him three rules:  eat better, exercise more, and stick with it.  So, he starts to read books about how to eat better, he starts biking and walking his dog, and he drinks water instead of soda.  The pictures of him shrink, and he starts to feel better.

I would recommend this book to parents who have kids who have a problem with eating too much junk food and not exercising enough.  It wasn’t the most fun book for me to read but it could be really helpful to a kid who has a problem.  The advice in “I Like Lots” by Isaacsen-Bright was good for everybody.

I Like Lots
Isaacsen-Bright
Llumina Kids (2009)
ISBN 9781605941721
Reviewed by Evan Weldon (age 7) for Reader Views (10/09)

Jamie and the Angel: Meeting Her Guardian Angel

“Jamie and the Angel” is the story of a very shy, young girl and the amazing revelation that changes her life.

Jamie felt different from other children but wasn’t able to understand why she felt sad inside.  She longed to have friends but she was teased and made fun of so this wasn’t a possibility.  Add to this a home life with an older brother who didn’t want to be bothered, a military father who was gone a lot, and a mother who was very busy, and it’s easy to understand how Jamie would feel sad.

Grace:  “I felt bad that the other kids made fun of her.  It’s not like that at my school.”

Ella: “The other kids should be nice.  I would play with her and share my toys.”

Jamie could see things that others couldn’t.  Things like people standing over children in school trying to help.  When Jamie tried to explain what she was seeing, her parents told her it was just her imagination.  She felt very alone.

One night, Jamie had a long conversation with God and asked for help in understanding what was happening to her.   Soon after, she meets her Guardian Angel who reveals to Jamie that what she has experienced is a gift and that it’s okay.

Grace: “The Angels wings are really pretty.  She seems nice; I'd like to meet my Guardian Angel.”

Ella: “She is pretty but I think I would be scared if I saw an Angel.”

Grace: “I'm glad that the Angel made her feel better and made her happy.”

The author did an admirable job of explaining the concept of a special gift in the case of clairvoyance through the eyes of a young girl and showing how it impacted her life.  While this book took a decidedly spiritual look at clairvoyance, I believe that anyone could read this book and find a way for them to deal with their own special gift.  I enjoyed the part where Jamie’s parents dismissed her concerns as an overactive imagination. This may seem like a curious choice as a favorite part but it was this particular exchange that reminded me as a parent to listen to my children and always try to be sure of the difference between imagination and genuine concern. For children, everything is new and different, and sometimes that can be scary. Helping our children understand all the new and different things they experience is one of our most important jobs as parents.

The illustrations by Richa Kinra brought the book to life and helped explain the story to children as young as mine.

I was impressed at the author’s ability to take such a complex subject and put it in a story that young children such as mine could enjoy as well as children in elementary or middle school. Maybe that’s really my favorite part of “Jamie and the Angel” by Carol Guy, the fact that there’s something everyone can take away from the story. That is this book’s special gift.

Jamie and the Angel: Meeting Her Guardian Angel
Carol Guy
Marvelous Spirit Press (2009)
ISBN 9781615990023
Reviewed by Grace (age 5) and Ella (age 4) Gleichner and Mom for ReaderViews (10/09)

Indian Summer

When Marcie Horton has the sensation of flying on her way to the local children’s fair, her whole world is changed. Did she really fly? Plus the mysterious girl running in front of her through the maze… is that a hallucination too? As she takes a trip to the lake her grandparents live on, things get weirder and weirder. When her friend Kaitlyn’s dad plans to build luxury estates on the nearby James Woods, Marcie’s sensations get a lot worse. Will she figure out how to stop these unexplained visions? Or will she be stuck trying to determine the meaning of it all?

Although the storyline is calming, interesting, and intriguing, it also gives a feeling of suspense. It’s like trying a new food for the first time. At first you don’t know whether or not it will be good, but then as you barely bite into it, you can taste some of the enjoyable qualities. As you take more bites, the more enjoyable it gets.

The author was very successful in carrying out the purpose of the publication.  When I was young, I always dreamed of flying. I even dreamed that I could be able to fly whenever I wanted. I still wonder about a sixth sense, too. Talking to people in the past and future, knowing what is going to happen, reading minds; all those, and other psychic abilities amaze me.

I recommend this book to every young reader across the nation, from ages 8-11. Tracy Richardson is a fabulous author, and if this author keeps writing, I certainly hope to read many more of her books. I thought “Indian Summer” was superb, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.

Indian Summer
Tracy Richardson
Luminis Books (2010)
ISBN 9781935462255
Reviewed by Brenna Bales (age 11) for Reader Views (9/09)

Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse

"Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse" by Ellen F. Feld brings the Morgan Horse series back to life! This time the star, Heather Richardson, meets Katie and her horse, Hot Shot. Katie introduces Heather to barrel racing, which is a sport for horses. Heather thought it was so much fun that she became interested in barrel racing as well. Soon she meets Rimfire, another barrel racing horse. She thought he was beautiful and could not wait to ride him. It was love at first sight! It must be a coincidence when Rimfire turns out to be a Morgan Horse! (I think a Morgan is a horse breed.) Soon Rimfire is bought by Heather’s best friend, Nicholas. Rimfire goes to many barrel racing competitions, but when he goes missing, yikes! See what happens when you read about Heather and Rimfire.

This book is wonderfully adventurous. I love how Heather and Nicholas develop a relationship with Rimfire. This book was fun to read and review and it’s definitely a keeper!

My favorite things about this book are the skillfully named chapters and the great storyline! I learned a lot about barrel racing and horses!

"Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse" by Ellen F. Feld is highly recommended and I won’t be exaggerating when I say that this book is spectacular!

Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse
Ellen F. Feld
Willow Bend Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9780970900210
Reviewed by Sara McGinn (age 9) for Reader Views (4/09)

Nettie Does the NCT: North Country Trail

The author’s main point was that if you ever get a chance to go on the North Country National Scenic Trail you should, but don’t litter, and don’t disturb wildlife. I liked the main point, but she never really used an interesting phrase to catch my attention, and the character’s lines were dull. Here’s an example: "…I also told my mom where we were going and when we would be back." I know she’s trying to tell kids to be safe, and always tell a parent where you are going, but it could be worded better. She could say something more casual like "Oh, and by the way I made sure that my mom knew where we are going." I only think she should write like this for kids my age because more kids could relate, and she would catch our attention. She definitely carried out the point of the publication throughout the book very well.

This book would probably be for kids between 4 and 8 because of the way it’s written and the word choices that she makes. Also, if those kids live near the North Country National Scenic Trail, they should read it to learn more about the North Country National Scenic Trail.

I really like the tall blue rectangle on almost every page that gives some information on what they are talking about on that page - it can be really helpful.

I recommend that if you are making a book about something kind of plain like the North Country National Scenic Trail for kids my age, use colorful language and things we can relate to. I also recommend to Ms.Jinkerson to try to write little kids books because you would be really good at it.

In conclusion, if you’re between the ages of 4 and 8, live near the North Country National Scenic Trail and want to learn more about it you should read "Nettie Does the NCT" byLorana A. Jinkerson. Ms. Jinkerson should keep trying to write for little kids. And finally if you’re planning on reading this book, don’t just read my opinion. (Ms. Jinkerson if you’re reading this, it’s just my opinion, and I’m not trying to be mean.)

Nettie Does the NCT: North Country Trail
Lorana A. Jinkerson
Xlibris Corporation (2009)
ISBN 9781441533029
Reviewed by Katie Malone (age 11) for Reader Views (9/09)