Tuesday, 6 May 2014

0 E is for Eric Rohmann : My Friend Rabbit : Review

Part of the A to Z authors Illustrators

E is for Eric Rohmann


Pic Coutesy:http://www.ericrohmann.com/

Eric Rohmann
Winner of the Caldecott Medal for My Friend Rabbit is an author and illustrator.

Books that Bubble Ink has read :
My Friend Rabbit

Books read to the Bubbling:
My Friend Rabbit

Bubble Ink pick:
My Friend Rabbit

Bubbling Pick:
My Friend Rabbit

Some more that we think are great:
Oh! No.

We will review My Friend Rabbit.

The Book:
My Friend Rabbit is written and illustrated by Eric Rohmann and is a Caldecott Medal winner for 2003.

Buy Now

#CaldecottCollector s click on image to Buy Now or on Flipkart here
The Bubble:
The book is about a Rabbit and a Mouse who are friends. Rabbit though means all well gets into trouble with everything he does.
The Mouse gives his airplane to the rabbit to play invites big trouble for him. The airplane gets stuck. Rabbit, again, meaning only well, gets animals one by one for the mouse to reach the tree, he himself lifts the animals up to get the airplane out. He has the most awesome ideas always! He plans to get the animals one on top of the other and he climbs a top of all of them, he holding a squirrel and the squirrel holding the mouse to fetch the airplane out of the tree branch.
The animals all tumble down except rabbit , who again meaning well saves the mouse by holding onto the airplane with the mouse abroad. And the end is hilarious.

Bubble Ink's verdict:
We love the lovely illustrations in this book. The animals are illustrated in an unique way and the teeny-weeny rabbit carrying the huge animals is cuteness overload. A beautiful story of friendship can be told in the most humorous and playing way only through picture books. Caldecotts are Caldecotts not without a reason.

We picked this book up from Hippocampus Bangalore without paying attention to the medal (not sure how the nonCaldecott obsessed me missed it, then ) on the cover but liking the illustrations on a quick flip, and the book just didn't fail us in any way.
We give it 4-bubbles.


Bubbling's verdict:
Bubbling loves books these that have stuff getting piled up and then tumbling down for her to say "Daaaammmmaaaaaaaaaaal". So , this book is one of her giggly reads by the sight of the huge animals being carried by the bunny.
It is a bubbling-tantalizing-three.

Monday, 5 May 2014

0 D is for David Shannon : No! David Book review

Part of the A to Z Authors/Illustrators

D is for David Shannon

David Shannon:
Winner of Caldecott Honor for No!David and well known for his David books.






Pic Courtesy :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shannon

Books that Bubble Ink has read :
No! David, Oh! David, Too many Toys

Books read to the Bubbling:
No! David, Oh! David,

Bubble Ink pick:
No! David

Bubbling Pick:
No! David

Some more that we think are great:
A bad case of Stripes.

We will review here,  No! David.

The Book:
No! David is written and illustrated by David Shannon and is a Caldecott honor for 1999.
The author illustrated parts of this book when he was a 5 year old boy knowing only to spell the word No and his name. He did a remake of the book and it came to be called No! David.



The Bubble:
An almost wordless picture book, which on each page has the naughty David do the things he shouldn't be doing and his Mom calling out to him, "No! David". 
We love the pictures that show all of David's naughtiness as he tumbles down a fish tank, kicks a ball to break the vase, puts on a superman cape when sent to bed, makes noise with pots and pans, his toy-strewn floor and his gross digging nose act!

Bubble Ink's verdict:
A great book to remind a parent on how many times the toddler hears a "No..." during their growing up years. We love the last page of how despite all the No s the mom hugs the child and says "Yes, I love you".
Been there, Done that, Felt that - Moment that.

A must read with every toddler. Bubble Ink personally likes this book for the delight it brought to the bubbling on its read and how that giggle and chuckle that she makes is contagious.

We borrowed our copy from Hippocampus Bangalore.
We give it 4-bubbles.

Bubbling verdict:
Not many books are an instant hit with the bubbling with its very first read. This one, is! We brought it from the library this evening and have already done 5 non-stop reads. At every page, I narrate what David is doing and ask what did his Mother say and she goes "No, David , No" and then I say "David is a..." and she completes ..."Naughty boy" - with the naughtiest giggle. 

It is a bubbling-full-five.

Saturday, 3 May 2014

0 C is for Crews : Freight Train Review

Part of the A to Z of Picture books

Donald Crews:
Winner of 2 Caldecott honors, he writes and illustrates his books mostly based around vehicles.
Pic Courtesy: http://inspirationlaboratories.com/the-virtual-book-club-for-kids-author-list-2013-2014/

Books that Bubble Ink has read :
Freight Train

Books read to the Bubbling:
Freight Train

Bubble Ink pick:
Freight Train

Bubbling Pick:
Freight Train

Some more that we think are great:
Truck (Caldecott Honor), Ten Black Dots, Big Mama's

We will review here,  Freight Train.

The Book:
Freight Train is written and illustrated by Donald Crews. The book is a Caldecott Honor 1979.

The Bubble:
The book introduces the components of the Freight Train in different colors and its journey through day and night, through tunnels, over bridges and past busy cities. Red caboose, Orange tank car, Yellow hopper car, Green cattle car, Blue gandola car, Purple box car, Black tender and a black steam engine are all chugging their way on the tracks. The journey is illustrated beautifully as the train moves in these lovely colors through tunnels, passing cities, during daylight and in the night.

Bubble Ink's verdict:
The illustrations in this book are exceptional. We love how the static Freight train is shown introducing most of the lovely rainbow colors and then the moving Freight train looks prettier appearing to be movie with those lovely colors.
We love the details in the illustrations , specifically the pages, where going through the tunnel, the part of the train is hidden as being inside the tunnel and the passing by cities page showing high skyscrapers.


The book is great for introducing colors, playing a game of color matching and to learn the components of a Freight Train.

We bought ours in a book sale.
We give it 4-bubbles.

Bubbling's verdict:
The bubbling didn't take to this book all that well, meaning she wouldn't bring the book on her own to be read. However, we always sing the Mother Goose Freight Train song whenever we pick this book.
It is a bubbling-teeny-two.

Friday, 2 May 2014

0 B is Brown, Margaret Wise : Runaway Bunny Review

Part of the A to Z Authors/Illustrators

Margaret Wise Brown:
Most famous for her classic , Good Night Moon, she has written some beautiful ones.
Pic Credit:http://www.abdopub.com/shop/pc/configurePrd.asp?idproduct=13433

Books that Bubble Ink has read :
Good Night Moon, Big Red Barn, Runaway Bunny, Home for a bunny

Books read to the Bubbling:
All the 3 except Home for a bunny(a recent buy).

Bubble Ink pick:
Runaway Bunny

Bubbling Pick:
Runaway Bunny.

Some more that we think are great:
The Color Kittens

We will review here, the Bubble Ink and Bubbling pick : Runaway Bunny

The Book:
The Runaway Bunny is written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.




The Bubble:
This book is about mother-child love with some beautiful illustrations alternating in black and white and color. It is the story about a baby bunny which wants to run away from the mother bunny and the mother bunny who retorts saying he will run after the baby bunny to find him.

We love the different imaginative forms that the baby bunny thinks up to run away and the mother bunny devising the fitting form to find him. 
When a fish, the mother would become a fisherman to fish for him; When a crocus in the garden, the mother would become a gardener to find him; When a bird, the mother would become the tree to fly into. 

Sampe Lines:
"If you are gardener and find me", said the little bunny, "I will be a bird and fly away from you."

"If you become a bird and fly away from me," said his mother, "I will be a tree that you come home to"


Bubble Ink's verdict:
At least one mother child book is a must own in every child's library. If you are little one loves bunnies or if these illustrations appeal to you, this might that ONE.
We were impressed by the bonding and the protective nature of mothers that the book brings out in the form of text and illustrations. The text touches you, the illustrations move you. 
We give it 4-bubbles.

Bubbling verdict:
We had this since the bubbling was a little over 18 months. While she wasn't ready then to understand the mother-baby thing, she loved the illustrations and we both delighted spotting the baby bunny disguised in the many forms. She loves the mountain climber page and spotting the bunny hidden so intelligently amidst the mountain peaks.
It is a bubbling-fab-four.

Thursday, 1 May 2014

0 A is for Ahlbergs - Peepo Review

Part of the A to Z of Picture book authors and illustrators.

This is the first author roundup at the Bubble Ink blog. 

An author round-up post will have the following sections:

Author/Illustrator introduction

Books that the picture book lover Bubble Ink has read : This will include books read at libraries, borrowed from friends or even bookshop reads :).

Books read to the Bubbling: Some of the books may not be age-appropriate for the bubbling, so the ones read to her will be listed here.

Bubble Ink pick: This is my favourite choosing only from the ones I have read by the author

Bubbling's pick: Bubbling favourite from the ones that have been read to her.
More reads that we think are great : This is also limited to the books that we have come to hear. Any suggestions on this are welcome as comments in the blog.

The Ahlbergs:
A husband-wife duo with Allan, the writer and Janet the illustrator.


Coutesy: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/authors/janetandallanahlberg.htm

Pic courtesy: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/authors/janetandallanahlberg.htm
Books that Bubble Ink has read :
Peepo, Each Peach Pear Plum, FunnyBones, Clothes Horse and other stories and The Pencil.

Books read to the Bubbling:
Peepo and Each Peach Pear Plum

Bubble Ink pick:
The Pencil (This is only Kid-Lit eBook that we own)


Bubbling pick:
Peepo


Some more that we think are great:
Starting School, Previously have been on our wish list.

This post will review the book - Peepo.

The Book:
http://www.flipkart.com/peepo/p/itmdursv8wwwptbk?pid=9780141337425&affid=bubbleink
Peepo is written by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by Janet Ahlberg.




 The Bubble:
A perfect first book for babies , the book has a circle cut out on every page to have a peek on to what it happening around the baby. For babies, the baby illustrations are easy to relate to, for toddlers - peeping entertains, for older toddlers - it is a great game of guessing. 
The book features the activities of a baby from morning till bedtime and what he sees from his crib, in his high chair, in his push chair, at the park, on his sister's lap.It offers a small peep to what he sees the rest of the family doing and the following opens to the family scene. The book ends on a beautiful note with the baby put back to bed leaving the read guessing what he sees in his dream.

Bubble Ink's verdict:
We love the pretty and detail oriented illustrations. The page spread that shows the scene of the family has been done with a lot of attention to detail. Details to the extent of the baby's night suit being hung to warm on the oven door to the baby actually wearing it to bed when kissed good night. The text says the sisters are looking for a tin to go fishing and the next scene has the sisters sitting beside the pond fishing with the tin nearby. Details like this and the lovely rhyming text will sure have this book grow with the baby.
We bought ours at a book-sale.
We give it 4-bubbles.

Bubbling's verdict:
The bubbling didn't have this book as a baby but when she was about 2 years old when she still loved Peek-a-boo books and also had a liking for babies. So the book was an instant hit. She explains what the baby does on each page and we discuss the page which shows the rest of the family.
It is a bubbling-tantalizing-three.

The post contains Flipkart affiliate links. Should you choose buy these books through the site, please use the link. Bubble Ink will make a small commission out of your purchase and we ll use the money we make for Bubble Ink giveaways

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

0 Z is for Zoe-Beans

Part of the A to Z blogging challege.
The challenge that started with A for Annabelle ends with Z for Zoe.

The Book:
Zoe and Beans - The Magic Hoop is written and illustrated by Chloe and Mick Inkpen - they are father-daughter duo.



The Bubble:
This book in the adorable Zoe and Beans series is about Zoe and her dog Beans who transforms himself into different things while jumping through her magic hoop. Zoe tempts her dog, Beans with some chocy bears to jump through the hoop- the magic hoop and that transforms Beans into a rabbit. Zoe is delighted having Beans as a rabbit . She can't wait and further tempts Beans to jump again offering some more Chocy Bears. Beans is now a mouse and she doesn't seem to like it.

She makes him jump again and he then becomes crocodile and then an elephant at the next attempt. While he jumps as a crocodile to become the BIG elephant - he gets stuck inside the hoop. Zoe then devises a plan for him to go on a diet with No chocy bears! Does, Beans the elephant stay away from Chocy Bears? Does Beans come out of the hoop and what does he come out as ? Himself, the dog? or anything else?

The illustrations are real pretty - the little girl, her adorable doggie , her Binky Boo and the multicolor hoop - Beautiful.


Bubble Ink's verdict:
We love how little ones love magic and can never have enough of it. We love the introduction of the twist in the story when the girl isn't liking the magic that the hoop is doing. We love love the illustrations.

We bought ours at the LightRoom bookstore. It is one of the books which you hadn't even heard of once before - neither the title nor the author/illustrator , but you buy at stores by flipping through the pages. Such books turn out to be some of our best buys!
We give it 4-bubbles

Bubbling's verdict:
Bubbling has watched some older kids play Hula-Hoop and she loves the illustrations in the book and names the different animals that Beans becomes in the story.
It is a bubbling-tantalizing-three.



Tuesday, 29 April 2014

0 Y is for Yay, You

Part of the A to Z challenge #atozchallenge

The Book:
Yay, You is by Sandra Boynton. 



The Bubble:
Perfectly sub-titled Moving Out, Moving up, Moving On!, the book is a perfect read for all ages. It is best suited when you are moving schools, graduating, moving cities, shifting jobs or for just a light read to liven up your mood.

It tells all the things that you want to hear to feel good about yourself, to feel confident about the decisions that you have made or yet to make and to feel just great about doing what you are doing. It lists many different options like map reading and travelling, going fast, going slow, loving art, Nothing preachy! 

Sample lines:
And whatever you do -
now or later,
big or small,
loud or quiet-
whatever you do,
don't worry.
Just try it.
Whatever you do,
whether near or so far,
I know you'll be great.

You already are!

Love, love those lines.

Bubble Ink's verdict:
A must read for every one. It was an adorable and touching read. Love the illustrations with the cute Pookie. When the most profound life's lessons are told with cute illustrations like these, who would think it is advice?

Love the page that says , 
Hey, What s the hurry anyhow?
There are places to get to, projects to do,
people to talk with and lunches to chew ,
but Stopping a while is ok , too ( this page has the Pookie, blowing bubbles - We love bubbles - blowing bubbles is the best thing on this earth, we believe).

Atleast one page or a line is sure to touch you in a way of "Been-there-felt-that" feeling or "just-what-i-wanted-to-hear" moment! 

A borrowed read.
A sure 5-bubbles.

Bubbling's verdict:
Since the book was a borrowed read , it was not read to the bubbling. My little bubbling isn't the age yet for this one! But am going to have her read this , for sure, whenever she is ready.
So no bubbling verdict on this one.