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Archive for the ‘Giraffe Meets Bird’ Category

Kids’ Book Buzz: Reviews by kids, for kids

Posted on November 17th, 2015 by pajamapress

Kids’ Book Buzz is a website where children’s books are reviewed by their intended audiences: kids! Here’s what they had to say about some of our latest titles.

Kiss, Kiss

Kiss, Kiss | Jennifer Couelle & Jacques Laplante |Pajama Press “This book is very nice because it shows you all sorts of nice kisses. Kisses show someone that you love them, and some kisses are long, and some are short, some are loud and some are wet. This shows people kissing, and dogs kissing, and birds kissing, and even fish kissing. But it isn’t sloppy or gross, because the pictures are just little cartoon pictures. Some of the words rhyme but it isn’t really a poem and there aren’t very many words. I like the pictures where the mom or dad is giving the child a kiss, or the grandma. There are lots of hearts because the kisses show love. Sometimes a mom might give a kiss to help her child feel better if he got a scraped knee, and sometimes a kiss is to say hello or goodbye. Then at the end it says “I Love You!”

You will like to read this book because the pictures are really fun with lots of colors and funny animals and kissy lips. Maybe you will give this book to someone you love.”

Reviewed by Liesel, Age 4

Princess Pistachio and the Pest

Princess Pistachio and the Pest by Marie-Louise Gay, translated by Jacob Homel“A little girl named Pistachio wants to explore a cave with her friends, but instead, her mother wants her to take her little sister to the park. Pistachio thinks that is going to be so boring. First, she gets accused of being a thief, which is so embarrassing. Then, she falls into a witch’s garden and almost gets turned into a toad. Worst of all, she gets kicked out of the park because a warden thinks she meant to take money from the fountain, but it was her little sister, Penny. Everything terrible that happened that day was all Penny’s fault. But it was not boring. When she tells her mother what happened, her mom decides to call someone to look after them, since it’s too much for Pistachio. She calls the witch!  Pistachio is horrified. Even though she hated her day with her sister, she tells her mother not to worry. She’s sure they will have fun together.

I really liked this book. It’s hilarious, and it’s a short chapter book with pictures. It’s very exciting too. No book could be boring with witches, police, and thieves, especially not this one.”

—Reviewed by Paloma, Age 9

Once Upon a Line

OnceUponALine-COVER-FAKE-FOIL_RGB_500px“Once upon a Line is like no other book I have ever read. There really isn’t a story written, but instead you need to use your own imagination to finish off a story. Each page is a different picture and story for you to make up. They said the pictures were from a Great-Uncle George, who was a magician and had a magic pen. They say that every picture starts with a line and you need to find the line in each picture, as well as find the magic pen.

Once upon a Line was a great book. I liked looking for the starting line and magic pen on every page. I loved sitting with my mom and sister and we each took turns continuing the story for every picture. Some stories were easy to continue and others were harder. The illustrations were very detailed, colorful and some where really funny. My favorite page was the prince who dreamed in color and dreamed up a dragon. It was really fun making up your own story and using your imagination.”

—Reviewed by Jewel, Age 7

Giraffe Meets Bird

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender“There’s this giraffe that meets this bird. The bird was in its nest, in its egg, and when it hatched, giraffe saw it, because Giraffe is so tall. Giraffe thought the bird was cute and nice when he saw it, and Bird and Giraffe both learned what the other one liked, and had to learn to be nice. But they didn’t always get along, because sometimes they didn’t like what the other one did. Bird didn’t like Giraffe telling him what to do, and Giraffe didn’t like Bird bonking his head. So then they didn’t seem to like each other. But then when there was trouble coming, they went into this tree and helped each other because they were friends.

I liked this book because I like looking at the pictures, and there are fun things to look at in it. I like the part where the lion family comes and where the giraffe jumps into the tree. I was glad that Giraffe and Bird decided to be friends, even though they didn’t always get along. The pictures are really nice. This is a good book about being good friends.”

Reviewed by Liesel, Age 4

Bad Pirate

Bad Pirate by Kari-Lynn Winters and Dean Griffiths“Bad Pirate is about dog pirates that think being a pirate is about being saucy, bold, and selfish. The captain’s daughter, Augusta, is kind, nice, and helpful. Her dad and the other pirates think that is very, very bad. Augusta finally tries to be selfish, and then when there is a storm, her selfish act puts the whole ship in danger. So, she goes to help fix the sail, even though its not her job, and when her dad growls at her, she has to get saucy with him. Will he get mad at her? Will he let her fix the sail or will he let the ship sink? You have to read the book to find out!

Augusta is brave because she stands up to her dad, and is kind even when he tells her she should be selfish. I like this book because it was cool. I love pirates, and I like all the different characters. I really like all the details of the illustrations, they look like real dogs. And I like all the different breeds. I also like the ship. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes pirates, or wants to be nice, even if sometimes their friends aren’t.”

—reviewed by Lily, Age 6

Four Pajama Press Authors on the 2016 TD Book Week Tour

Posted on September 1st, 2015 by pajamapress

Pajama Press is excited to announce that four of our authors and author/illustrators will be touring as part of TD Canadian Children’s Book Week 2016.

R.Bender

Rebecca Bender, author and illustrator of the Giraffe and Bird books and illustrator of Peach Girl by Raymond Nakamura

Wallace Edwards, author and illustrator of the forthcoming Once Upon a Line

S.Ellis.website

Sarah Ellis, author of A+ for Big Ben and Ben Says Goodbye

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Margriet Ruurs, co-author of A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison

TD Canadian Children’s Book Week is an annual festival that celebrates Canadian children’s books and the importance of reading. This year 30 authors, illustrators, and storytellers will travel to events in every province and territory, presenting to over 28,000 participants.

Visit the Canadian Children’s Book Centre and the  TD Book Week website to learn more.

Sal’s Fiction Addiction calls Giraffe Meets Bird “a treat”

Posted on August 11th, 2015 by pajamapress

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender“…As she did in that first book, Rebecca Bender gives us memorable and lovable characters. Her double page spreads provide a close-up look at the developing relationship. Her expressive characters are quite the pair. As you can see from the shared quotes, she uses words that are synonymous to describe their relationship. It allows her young readers to build vocabulary without really knowing that it is happening.

If you haven’t met Giraffe and Bird, you are in for a treat. Your little ones are sure to thank you for introducing them to this charming pair.”

Click here to read the full review.

“Sincerely Sweet”—Kirkus reviews Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender

Posted on June 29th, 2015 by pajamapress

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender“The unlikeliest of friendships grows, baby step by baby step. As Bird emerges from his shell, Giraffe’s head looms nearby. Giraffe is “surprised,” and Bird is “amazed.” Each double-page spread of Bender’s story focuses on a small development in the duo’s relationship, using crunchy vocabulary in large, emphatic type to explain it. Giraffe is “fascinated” by Bird’s growth. It’s not all smooth sailing. If Giraffe wants Bird to give him a scratch, he has to be “polite.” Bird wants to be alone in his tree, but Giraffe was there first: “sharing is hard” and “tough.” The standoff reaches a kind of solution when Bird falls into the tall grass. Giraffe scoops him up just as a young lion seems ready to pounce, jumping so high that he lands in the tree, the safety of which Bird and Giraffe don’t mind sharing this night. Next morning, there’s no sign of the lion, and they know that it’s time to leave. But who should stay at the tree and who should go? The final double-page spread depicts a line of three walking elephants (baby elephant in the middle), with Giraffe sitting on the back of the lead elephant and Bird perched in his small nest on top of Giraffe’s head. Attractive, bright acrylics give Bender’s animal characters personality, especially fuzzy, cantankerous Bird, and her friendship story is nicely modulated, with vocabulary lessons neatly tucked in. Sincerely sweet. (Picture book. 3-5)”

Winnipeg Free Press reviews “gorgeous” and “vibrant” Giraffe Meets Bird

Posted on June 23rd, 2015 by pajamapress

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender“…With gorgeous illustrations done in vibrant acrylics, Giraffe Meets Bird tells how an unlikely friendship developed between these two.

Good for reading aloud, this vibrant picture book tells an important lesson: despite minor clashes, true friends will be there when you most need them.”
—Helen Norrie

Click here to read the full review.

Giraffe Meets Bird “a wonderful book to share with younger children”—Resource Links

Posted on June 18th, 2015 by pajamapress

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender“This is the third book by this accomplished author/illustrator featuring Giraffe. The earlier volumes both received OLA recognition, and I would expect that this one will too. In contrast to many books for preschool and young readers, the author introduces a rich and varied vocabulary to express the emotions felt by both the characters. Not restricting herself to “mad”, “glad” and “sad”, the characters are “fascinated”, “thrilled” and “peeved” at different points in the story. The text is limited to one or two sentences per page and difficult words are in a large and different font. The text is accompanied with delightful, full page coloured, acrylic illustrations by the author. The huge difference in size of these friends is not mentioned explicitly, but the illustrations present the problem brilliantly. When the two meet a family of elephants the concepts of small and big, bigger and biggest are quite clear. This will be a wonderful book to share with younger children to feature unlikely friendships and explore emotions.”

Thematic Links: Friendship; Emotions

—Mavis Holder

Rebecca Bender at first-ever Uxbridge Town-Wide Book Fair

Posted on May 26th, 2015 by pajamapress

On Friday, May 29, Uxbridge, Ontario, will be showing the world how much it loves to read. That day marks the beginning of the town’s first-ever town-wide book fair, a multi-day event that will support local schools and showcase Canadian authors.

Uxbridge Read-In Poster

Friday’s kick-off will see Brock Street closed for an hour-long flash-mob read-in event attended by elementary students, teachers, family, and friends. From June 1–4, a different Canadian author will be featured each day, including Rebecca Bender (Giraffe Meets Bird) on June 2nd.

Giraffe Meets Bird by Rebecca Bender

A portion of purchases at Blue Heron Books, the event organizer, may be applied to the school of the buyer’s choice throughout the first four days of June.

The organizers encourage literature lovers to share their reading photos online at #ReadIN.