Pages

Monday, July 29, 2019

Pirates Don't Go to Kindergarten Blog Tour: review & giveaway



Pirates Don’t Go To Kindergarten 
By Lisa Robinson 
Illustrated by Eda Kaban 
August 1, 2019 
Two Lions 

Yo, ho, ho! It’s a mutiny against kindergarten! 

Pirate Emma is about to start kindergarten! But Emma’s not so sure she’s ready for a new captain and crew. Especially since Cap’n Chu—the roughest, toughest, awesomest preschool cap’n ever—is right down the hall. So Emma decides to head back to the preschool ship to see if she can stir up a mutiny against kindergarten! Is that what she really wants? Or does she just miss her beloved Cap’n Chu? Batten down the hatches, mateys, because the first day of school is going to be stormy! 



Pirate Emma is not so sure about kindergarten. Her new classroom is kind of neat, but just not the same without her awesome preschool teacher, Cap’n Chu. So what’s a pirate to do? Sail back to preschool, of course! Can Cap’n Chu and some of Emma’s new mateys help her come around to kindergarten? 

Pirates Don’t Go To Kindergarten is a charming, laugh-out-loud picture book with a helpful message. Lisa Robinson’s clever use of pirate lingo, her pitch-perfect voice, and sweetly relatable story will delight and captivate little readers. Transitioning from preschool to kindergarten can be daunting and hard, and Robinson explores this monumental time with whimsical humor and encouraging heart. Eda Kaban wonderfully brings the story to life through colorful, engaging illustrations, full of fun details and expressive characters.

With lively text, amusing word choices, entertaining illustrations, and an ever spunky heroine, Pirates Don’t Go To Kindergarten is a shipload of fun! 





Lisa Robinson was born in Kampala, Uganda, to volunteers of the Peace Corps who later became world-traveling diplomats. When she was a child, her family moved frequently, so books became her best friends. She now works as a psychiatrist and writer. She holds an MFA in creative writing for young people from Lesley University. Pirates Don't Go to Kindergarten! is her debut picture book, and she has more books forthcoming, including Pippa's Night Parade, illustrated by Lucy Fleming. She lives in Massachusetts with her scientist husband, two daughters, and three cats. Learn more at her website, or on Twitter: @elisaitw. 
 Eda Kaban was born and raised in Turkey. Her travels brought her to the United States, where she studied illustration. Her work can be seen in galleries from San Francisco to New York and in a variety of publications. Her recent children’s books include We Are Brothers, We Are Friends by Alexandra Penfold and Pink Is for Boys by Robb Pearlman. Her illustrations have been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Creative Quarterly, American Illustration, and 3x3. She lives with her husband and their two Siamese cats in Oakland, California, where they continually water their plants too much. Learn more about the artist at www.edakabanstudio.com. 



Win  copy of 
Pirates Don't Go To Kindergarten!
Two Lions have generously offered one new copy for one winner.
-US only
-ends  8/4/19
-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, stolen prizes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Beautiful New & Upcoming Picture Books


Today I have some beautiful new picture books to share with y'all...



It’s Your World Now 
By Barry Falls 
July 30, 2019 
Pavillion Books 

Barry Falls' debut picture book is a brilliantly illustrated, funny and thought-provoking celebration of where you might go and what you might do in life.  

"As for you my bouncing ball, well you can truly have it all. Yes, you can set the world alight, my child-so-small, your future's bright." 

A beautiful, lyrical and funny celebration of the world and the potential of every individual within it. This is the perfect book to read to children to help them appreciate the wonderful things that exist in the world, and the wonderful things that they can do, as well as allowing them to understand some of the setbacks that may happen. And in the end, whatever happens, the child is reassured that their parents will always love them. 


An absolutely beautiful celebration of life and dreams! The lyrical text will delight and dazzle, while the eye-popping illustrations and details will captivate and amuse. The sweet, powerful message and its pitch-perfect delivery had this reader tearing up a bit.


The Green Giant 
By Katie Cottle 
July 2, 2019 
Pavillon Books 

A beautiful eco-tale encouraging us to put down our devices and save the planet; written by an award-winning author and illustrator.  

You've met the Iron Giant, the Big Friendly Giant and the Selfish Giant. Now meet the Green Giant! 

A young girl, Bea, and her dog, Iris, are staying with her grandpa in the country. Bea is bored, but Iris's adventures lead them to the small and rusty old greenhouse next door. Inside the greenhouse, Bea finds... a giant. A giant made entirely of plants and greenery. Bea is scared, but the giant reassures her and explains that he has escaped from the grey city. Bea and the giant become friends, but can they do anything to make the grey city, and the world, a greener place? 

A brilliant new picture book that highlights our concern for the environment, greening our cities, guerrilla gardening and making the world a better place. 

The Green Giant is a clever and artistic exploration of the importance of taking care of our planet. Little readers will be fully engaged by the imaginative story and easily grasp the timely message. Lively illustrations and mesmerizing pops of greens help bring the story to life.


Forgotten Beasts 
By Matt Sewell 
October 4, 2019 
Pavillion Books 

Matt Sewell's follow-up to the mega-hit Dinosaurs is a beautifully-illustrated large format look at the amazing beasts that time forgot – from the relatively well known, such as the sabre-toothed tiger and woolly mammoth, to the obscure monsters that walked the earth millions of years ago – many now forgotten. New findings are being made every year, and research is showing us exactly how these beasts looked and how they lived. 

Creatures illustrated and described include: 

Sabre tooth tigers and woolly mammoths 
Glyptodon – an armadillo as big as a VW Beetle car Megalodon – a monster 60 foot (18m) shark Water King penguin – a red and grey penguin the size of a man Ornimegalonyx – a huge Cuban flightless owl, the largest owl that ever existed, at over 3 feet (1m) tall Deinotherium – a strange-looking and huge, elephant-like creature with tusks positioned on its lower jaw and curved, facing downwards Short-nosed bear – a massive fearsome bear that kept North America human free Megatherium – the giant sloth, as large as a modern elephant 

Less celebrated than the dinosaurs, the range of beasts is equally impressive, every one a scary, amazing creature that actually stalked the planet. Like the dinosaurs, these beasts are awe-inspiring in their variety, with amazing details not seen on animals today and in a wide variety of furs, feathers and colours, making for a stunning collection of illustrations. 

This stunning look at some of history's more unusual beasts and animals is a wildly captivating page-turner! Readers of all ages will have so much fun learning about each fascinating creature through the easily understood facts. With an awe-inspiring collection of illustrations, so full of color and details, this book will keep readers thoroughly engaged.


Firefly Home 
By Jane Clarke 
Illusrated by Britta Teckentrup 
June 11, 2019 
Nosy Crow 

There’s no place like home, but poor Florence Firefly is lost, and there are so many bright lights shining in the night sky she doesn’t know which way to go. She’ll need some help to find her way back home. In this brilliant interactive picture book, children can help Florence on her journey by encouraging her to fly faster, suggesting which direction to take and making a wish. 


Firefly Home is a lovely tale about one little firefly's journey home. Simple text and lush, collage-like illustrations, along with fun interactive elements, combine to create a beautiful and engaging story experience.


How To Be On The Moon 
By Viviane Schwarz 
June 4, 2019 
Candlewick Press 

In the follow-up to How to Find Gold, best friends Anna and Crocodile are going on another intrepid adventure -- this time, to the moon. 

It's almost impossible to get to the moon. It's out in space, which is dark and empty, and it's very far away. If Anna and Crocodile are going to make it to the moon, they'll need some special skills, like being able to do math and having a lot of patience. They'll also need to build a rocket. Not to mention the sandwiches for the journey. Luckily, when Anna and Crocodile put their minds together, nothing can stand in their way. Full of the same cheerful charm that made How to Find Gold so endearing, Viviane Schwarz's pitch-perfect text and wonderfully colorful illustrations launch this story off the page in a true celebration of curiosity and the magic of imaginative play. 

How To Be On The Moon is an amusing, quirky tale about one adventurous little girl, her crocodile pal, and their unforgettable journey to the moon. Sweetly silly text and pops of texture and color collide together in one exciting tale.


What Does An Anteater Eat? 
By Ross Collins 
July 9, 2019 
Nosy Crow 

Anteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. But Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Maybe the ants will know - and maybe the answer isn't quite as obvious as you may think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again. 


With giggle-inducing text, adorable pictures, and a delicious surprise ending, What Does An Anteater Eat? will delight and amuse readers of all ages.


**Disclaimer: I received copies of the titles above for review/feature purposes. All thoughts, opinions, and reviews are my own.