Read, Sing, Play and... Hibernate with Me (Book Review)

My husband was originally going to play this ukulele, but our daughter refused to let go.

It’s a big, scary world out there, and children sometimes need a little reassurance that they are safe and loved.

Hibernate with Me does precisely that by coupling a feel-good rhyme with delightful illustrations of a parent bear comforting his or her cub. Written and illustrated by Benjamin Scheuer and Jemima Williams, respectively, this book works well as a bedtime story and/or lullaby.

That’s right: a lullaby. In fact, Hibernate with Me was first written by Scheuer as a song, with the words lending themselves nicely to a children’s story. While the book functions first and foremost as an illustrated tale, with no musical prowess required, the last spread of the book features the lyrics, chords and melody.

And that, for my little musical family, is what helped this story really stand out for us. That’s not to say the book doesn’t work on its own—because it does—it’s just that we’ve never had a book inspire us to break out our instruments and learn an entirely new tune.

I admit there are a couple chords in this song that I had forgotten how to play, so I had to consult with my trusty cheat sheet.

My husband, a multi-instrumentalist, started off learning to play it on the piano, and then one day during nap time, I plucked away at the ukulele until I figured out the melody (no small feat for me, considering I’m self-taught and reading music is slow-going at best). It felt like quite an accomplishment, which isn’t something I normally expect from children’s literature.

Ultimately, we decided the song sounds lovely on the ukulele, and in the process of recording the below video, our daughter commandeered one of my instruments and started to play along. There’s one linguistic slip-up here, but we didn’t dare try to recreate this, for reasons evident to anyone who has ever spent more than an hour alone with a toddler.

Recommended by the publisher for kids ages 4-8, our 2.5 year old had no problems following along. She’s an anxious little thing at times, and the book’s message of comfort and security was not lost on her. We also think the song, when removed from the context of a children’s book, could double as an endearing tune for a friend or significant other.

Our video features less than half of the song and was recorded prior to hearing the official release, which I’m also including below.

The official video features illustrations from the book. And, well, the melody as it was actually intended.

We Love "Love, Z" (Book Review)

“That’s a really good story.” –My two-year-old bibliophile

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I honestly don’t know what to say about author/illustrator Jessie Sima’s Love, Z that wasn’t already captured so succinctly by my daughter, so how about if I instead tell you what my husband and I BOTH said after we read the book for the first time?

That’s right: one simultaneous “Awwww!” moments before our daughter said “Read it again, please.”

It really is a darling story. It tells the tale of a little robot who finds a message in a bottle. Most of the letter is too smudged to read, but Z can make out the words “Love, Beatrice” at the very bottom. But little Z doesn’t know what love is, so the robot embarks on a quest to find out.

Friends, family and followers of my blog know I have a soft spot for cute robots, particularly since I draw one myself (though I’ll be the first to admit mine isn’t as cute as Z). But you don’t have to have a predisposition for sentient robots to enjoy Love, Z’s adorable illustrations and heartwarming tale.

Highly recommended for kids 2-8. Whether they’re learning to ascribe words to their emotions; they’re starting to read on their own; or you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day present that is on-point, super sweet and sugar-free: Love, Z is for you.

Stop That Yawn! (Book Review)

Comic book parents rejoice! “Stop That Yawn!” is a great way to introduce your young child to the genre. It’s also the quintessential anti-anti-bedtime story.

Written by Caron Levis and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, this large format hardcover book reads like a children’s story but is artfully drawn like a comic. It’s a fun twist on bedtime stories, with the protagonist – a young girl named Gabby – trying her darndest to fight off those nighttime Zzzzs.  

(A quick pause here to say: I think every parent can relate to that battle.) 

Accompanied by her Granny, Gabby heads out to Never Sleeping City where all sorts of childhood wonders await. But wherever Gabby goes – no matter how hard she tries to stop it – she’s followed by a trail of yawns. The world around her becomes increasingly “cozy and quiet and peaceful” as Gabby fights bravely to resist.  

The publisher recommends this book for ages 4-8, but my 2 year old has no problems paying attention from beginning to end. In fact, my only word of caution for the parents of toddlers: don’t be surprised if your kid shouts “stop that yawn!” every time you start. Yawning in our household will never be the same.  

“Stop That Yawn!” is highly recommended for:

• Parents who enjoy comic books and want a fun way to introduce their young kids to the genre.

• Anyone in search of a unique bedtime story.

• Toddlers who fight bedtime like it’s their one true enemy.

The Winner and Still “Chompion” (Book Review)

Halfway through “Chomp Goes the Alligator,” I was growing a wee bit anxious for all of the poor animals being grabbed, one by one, by the hungry alligator.

By the final page, I was pleased not only with the happy ending (apologies for the spoiler; whatever you do, don’t show your toddler this review) – but also just the all-around amazing mechanics behind this book. It’s a die-cut marvel but doesn’t sacrifice the story for looks.

The “touch-and-feel” component of this book is irresistible to young fingers.

It teaches numbers and counting, all with a fun cadence. It teaches animals. It teaches textures. And it even teaches manners – all with tactile/touch-and-feel experiences; pop-ups; cutouts that somehow tie two very different images/pages together; and a “tab” you can pull to make the alligator's mouth go up and down with every “chomp, chomp, chomp.”

It took our kid a couple tries, but she quickly got the hang of pulling this tab to make the alligator’s mouth move. Now she’s a pro and smiles the whole time she does it.

This book is so full of layers and lessons, I found myself asking “Where has (author and illustrator) Matthew Van Fleet been my whole (parenting) life?”

Turns out he’s been creating books of this caliber for over 20 years, but “Chomp Goes the Alligator” was my first introduction to his work. My husband and I love it but – and I suppose this is important – our 2-year-old loves it, too. She’s requested to read it more than a dozen times since we got it, and she LOVES to work the “chomp, chomp, chomp” mechanism all by herself.

I really can’t say enough good things about this one. So many layers. So much learning. So much fun. Highly recommended for ages 2 and up. 

A word of advice to parents: you might want to store this away from toddlers still working on impulse control. Our daughter — who lists “ripping paper” among her hobbies — can’t seem to resist thumbing through this one on her lonesome, which was bad news for the pop-up page at the end. We’ve repaired it to the best of our ability, and the tear hasn’t prevented her from requesting to read it. It’s in our regular rotation, and I suspect it will be for years to come.

Día de los Muertos (Book Review)

Día de los Muertos is an educational board book that teaches young readers about “The Day of the Dead” – a festival celebrated in some parts of Mexico that honors loved ones who have passed.

Written by Hannah Eliot and illustrated by Golden Globe-nominated Mexican artist Jorge Gutierrez, this book is visually engaging and chock-full of insight into the occasion. Although the bulk of the story is told in English, bilingual lessons are scattered throughout (primarily as captions to select illustrations, though Spanish words are occasionally defined in the text). As the mother to a child being raised speaking both English and Spanish, I was happy to see those Spanish “Easter eggs."

My only caveat: since this is a board book, I expected it to be for a very young audience. But in fact, there is a decent amount of copy (to be fair, I can’t imagine cutting it down further without losing essential narrative), which is why I recommend Día de los Muertos for ages 4-8 (though it could work as an educational tool for older kids, too). My 2-year-old had no problems sitting still for this, but I'm not sure how much she retained. We’ll revisit it as she gets older; it’s worth the wait (and the board book format gives it a longer shelf life, notwithstanding toddler chewing and book-throwing tantrums).

Día de los Muertos is the second board book in the “Celebrate the World” series, which features special occasions and holidays across the globe (the first book in the series covered Ramadan). Whether you’re teaching kids about their own culture or exposing them to worlds beyond their front door, this series is shaping up to be a fine addition to classrooms (and home libraries) for teachers and parents alike.

BUYING TIP: Halloween (and with it: Día de los Muertos) will be here before we know it. Whether you’re creating a goodie basket for a young reader or looking for door prizes for your Halloween party, consider adding Día de los Muertos to the fun.