Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:24:55 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/ www.preschoolentertainment.com en-us http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/images/images/preschool.jpg http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/ maggieball@compulsivereader.com http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=925 The text is peppered with vivid and funny comic style illustrations that immediately draw the eye. Homeschoolers and teachers can build several lessons around this book and children will hardly know they're being taught. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:24:55 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=924 Kevin McNamee, author of a large number of childrens' books, including, most recently, The Soggy Town of Hilltop, and the Amazon listed If I Could Be Anything talks about his latest book, his life as a writer, his family, and more. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:23:11 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=923 Beautiful washy watercolours with lots of fun detail from toothpaste tubes to babies in strollers works perfectly with the text, drawing in the eye and encouraging children to think of their own images and wishes. Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:07:03 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=922 Although Prince Huckleberry arrives to Princess Strawberry Rose, it’s Brambleberry who saves the princess and the kingdom – with the help of her friends. Definitely says some deep stuff about friendship and forgiveness and girl power. Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:58:54 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=921 Happy new year. How are you going with your resolutions? If you’re like 80% of the population, you’ll have already broken your resolutions by February. So just what is a resolution and what’s the point of making them if we never keep them? A resolution is just another word for goal: it’s a commitment to improve our lives. Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:21:17 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=920 The author of A Note for Children talks about her book, her background, on music teaching, and lots more. Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:42:48 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=919 It's very clever, and whether the book is used as a serious learning tool to accompany formal lessons, or just another entertaining read that will impart an understanding of music to young children, it's a valuable and innovative book that will enhance any child's library or make a superb gift. Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:13:50 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=918 The author of Mending Lucille talks about her book(s), her inspirations, on working with an illustrator, her themes, other projects, and lots more. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:54:52 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=917 The soft watercolour/pastel illustrations are evocative and are perfectly balanced to the intensity of the text and the young girl's perspective. The girl's big blue eyes and the mixture of need and stubbornness in both the girl and her father create memorable characters that are offset the obvious warmth and kindness of Chrissie. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:48:08 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=916 The Bonus Features included on this DVD is a game called Songs of Sodor. The game is fairly simple, a musical memory game. While using a remote control you place the arrow on the screen above the train engine that blows a musical note. Upon completing four in a row the game plays a complete song. The other feature is three read-a-long stories. You have the choice of reading along with a narrator or on your own. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:06:35 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=915 All in all this is a terrific offering of a classic that parents will enjoy reading, in increments, to young cat lovers, and older children will enjoy reading to themselves. You may even find that your child invents his or her own cat poems, complete with illustrations. If nothing else, you’ll learn just how to address a cat, which is no small thing. Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:16:29 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=914 But it’s the message that’s really important, and Nicola Chait has made that message really clear to young readers. Putting the saving water message into the context of everyday life for toddlers and preschoolers makes it easy – don’t wash the cat, or let the tap run, shut the taps tightly, use buckets to collect water, share baths (I like that one), re-use water wherever you can (a good tip for adults too), and sharing ideas with the class. Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:13:31 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=913 The creator of dirtgirlworld talks about her new series and how it was developed, the novel animation, key messages for kids, their responses, the show's goals, and lots more. Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:20:44 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=912 The backyard setting is absolutely magical, but it’s so similar to what you’ll see just outside your own door, that it will inspire children to go outside once the show is over, and explore their own world of dirt, bugs, insects, home grown food (yum), and to sing and cartwheel around. This is just a wonderful show that will hold its own with multi-aged children and keep on giving long after the television is turned off. Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:15:16 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=911 The drawings use native American designs with rich colors. You feel at sea and watch the stars come out as the night gets dark. The repetition of good night, little baby, good night, is helpful to teach youngsters the words. Kids are likely to recognize the animals after a read or two. It will feel to them almost like going to the zoo. It is a very comforting book, saying cuddle with mom and go to sleep again and again. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:27:23 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=910 The author of 10 Little Hermit Crabs talks about her new book, her inspirations, on working with an illustrator, the collaborative process, Ella Kazoo, on performance, her next book, and lots more. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:33:51 -0500 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=909 There are quite a few books on the market that feature canny chickens. Though in reality they aren’t always the smartest creatures in the barnyard (don’t tell my kids I wrote that), there are a number of books where the hen comes up trumps against other animals or other chickens in the pecking order. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:30:57 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=908 Reading the book is fast, but I bet your child will ask you to read it again and again. You won’t mind either as children dissolve into laughter when you pretend to be a waving hermit crab, or watch them counting quite happily. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:06:50 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=907 Mommy calls me Monkeypants is not a storybook per se. It’s a series of statements written in a gentle but unobvious rhyme. Although the vocabulary does not make it an early learner read-along-kind of book, children will probably memorize it and they will definitely understand the words. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:16:31 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=906 The stories work perfectly together, teaching children about the way that perspectives differ, and the whole design, with its simple naïve ink drawings, and even the way the stories are laid out on the spine, is just wonderful. Your child might just be a tiny bit outraged when reading about the way the boy uses the duck (wearing him as a hat, or leaving him to plug up the hole in the bath), until you flip it and realise that the relationship is a symbiotic one. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:02:36 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=905 The book has puzzles, a treasure hunt, instructions on making a boat, a diorama, baking fishcakes (we made them and they’re good!), a maze, and instructions on how to draw Tashi, along with a short story. The book is a great way to help along reluctant readers, and for those reading really well, the games and story will provide many hours of diversions (and you may even get dinner made for you). Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:22:23 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=904 Leila narrowed her eyes, shook her head slowly, and sighed deeply the way one does when they see someone burn Easy Mac or lose their sunglasses on top of their head. Then she walked away and joined a small group of girls playing Guess Who while I watched her, head tilted, bemused. You never know how they'll react and that's just one of the lessons I've learned since becoming a preschool teacher. Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:52:27 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=903 Mr Chicken goes to all the famous tourist attractions, and does a reasonable job at imbibing French culture, even picking up a few words of the language as he visits the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, takes a boat ride on the Seine, runs up the outside of the Eiffel Tower, and visits the Palace of Versailles. Hobb’s Notre Dame is particularly well drawn, and Mr Chicken on the roof-top makes Quasimodo seem like a pretty boy. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:59:43 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=902 Old Pig is tremendously moving, and utterly sad in its way, but also exultant. On her last day with Granddaughter, Old Pig slowly feasts her eyes on “the trees, the flowers, the sky – on everything,” and Granddaughter does so with her. From Ron Brooks’ delicate pastel images, to the rich language of the text, and even the soft typeface, this is a beautiful book that will stay with you long after you dry your eyes. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:08:34 -0400 http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=901 In any case, if you’re lucky, only the adults will pick up on the darkness, which provides a nice antidote the sweetness of most childrens’ picture books (overt sweetness is never an issue with Gaiman and McKean). Children will be too busy laughing, or pointing out all of the amazing things that lurk in Mister’s hair. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:33:47 -0400