Little Chick (No Author attributed, despite google search, 1997)

Logline:

Little Chick has a great imagination, but also a proclivity towards impulse.

London:

I see it as Little Chick looking into the future, not daydreaming.

Ben:

Little Chick and his persistent stalling at bedtime remind me of two people I can think of off the top of my head.

What It Would Be Like To Be In This Book:

"If I were Little Chick, I would stay up longer and all I would do is wake up Chester and Chickita", says London.  Ben can't get past the handsome rooster. Man, is he ever handsome.

Six Snowy Sheep (Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Gordon Tessler, 1994)

Logline:

Six Snowy Sheep disappear number by number into the snow.

London:

I like how there's six snowy sheep drinking hot cocoa on the last page, but I really cannot figure out which one is the one that shoveled them out. It is it the first one, the fourth one or the fifth one? It's not the one with the green hat.

Ben:

I like the way the book proceeds, with the repetition meant to aid young readers and the pentameter setting on thorny, tongue twister mode.

What it would be like to be in this book:

Ben opts to go first. "One word: COLD!" If London were the sheep that dug them out, she would just "get her best friend and her twin brother." (She'd pretty much just leave the rest, she contends.)

Christmas Trolls (Jan Brett, 1994)

Logline:

When Christmas-themed things begin disappearing from the house, Treva sets off to investigate.

London:

I like when Treva gives the trolls her horse and the trolls give Treva their horsey.

Ben:

As is typical of Jan Brett, we get to learn the true meaning - in this case, of Christmas - and the illustrations are the best part. The story lacks gravity, but it remains enjoyable.

What it would be like to be in this book:

"If I were Treva" says London, "I would teach the trolls the real meaning of Christmas. And I would give them five Christmas trees - or two, for their rooms." Ben would probably just hang around the forest until dark, barely noticing the trolls. Ben loves the forest.

Favorite Pages - Ben (week of Dec 12)

This fox is awesome! And the Knoxes, too - - they named their kid Nixie!


A tongue twister AND A bizarre costume! The gifts just keep on giving!


Have you ever seen anyone enjoy a snack with such vigor?! They love it. The just LOVE it.

Favorite Pages - London (week of Dec 12)

Why not 100 instead of 16?



I like the "L's" because my name is London.



I love that Minerva Louise, instead of liking the hat and the scarf, she just sits on the box.

Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve (Janet Morgan Stoeke, 2007)

Logline:

Minerva Louise encounters Santa Claus and is brandishing her typically naive observations.

London:

She doesn't know anything.

Ben:

I love her dry wit. It's so conceptually funny that a hen is off put by every single thing that happens despite not knowing much about anything.

What it would be like to be in this book:

If I were Minerva Louise, London posits, "I would at least know one thing!" Ben is still wondering why she thinks a chimney is a well. It seems like that one - to a farm girl - should be obvious.

Dr. Seuss's "ABC" (Dr. Seuss, 1963)

Logline:

The ABCs are pretty great when you get right down to it. Storied, too.

London:

I like how everything is alliteration'ed.

Ben:

I can't tell you how much I like everything about this book: The illustrations are delightful ("Jim is after him" is downright scary), the random swaths of letters - "spelling ax and extra fox" (why would you need an extra fox?) - and the way the children seem to respond to learning their ABCs.

What it would be like to be in this book:

London says: "If I were David Donald Doo, I would dream of just a duck dog, because I wouldn't have time to dream of a dozen donuts. Also, I would also have the biggest rhinoceros in the whole entire world (just like Rosy). Ben says "Darn tootin', Sammy Slick! Your mother told you that you'd get a belly ache! Why, oh why didn't you listen?"