sam's sandwich

Sam's Sandwich, by David Pelham, is a lift-the-flap book that is gross and icky in the funniest way.  Sam, a doting brother, offers to make a sandwich for his sister Samantha.  Thoughtful, right?  What she doesn’t know is that he places a slimy, not-so-delectable surprise in each layer.  The hilarious rhyming text gives clues as to what each surprise entails, and children will have a ton of fun guessing what is hidden in each layer.  This book will have children talking!  

We have an older edition published by Penguin Books, however, Candlewick Press has just published a 25th Anniversary Edition of Sam’s Sandwich.  Click here to watch a preview of the book.

bedtime math

“We want kids to feel about math the way they feel about dessert after dinner.” -- a quote from author Laura Overdeck about Bedtime Math. This is the third book in the brilliant series written by her and illustrated by Jim Paillot: Bedtime Math: The Truth Comes Out.  There are a hundred math problems that accompany different intriguing topics that kids are curious about (e.g., Have carrots always been orange?)—with three different challenge levels for each math problem—wee ones, little kids and big kids, plus a bonus question. We’ve been going through the first book with Avery and she has been seriously enjoying it!  This series not only makes math fun, but practical, since kids are able to see how math is used in real life.  This is one of the best gifts we can give our children—showing them how their education plays a big part in them understanding the world. Happy reading and solving math problems!

city cat

Written by Kate Banks and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, City Cat follows a family on a beautiful trip through Europe.  City Cat tags along, traveling by hitchhiking on different modes of transportation, visiting sites and cultural landmarks in each city.  His trip is encapsulated in Banks’ lovely rhyme and Castillo’s warm and amiable sketches.  The language is rich with a sophisticated lexicon, so if you're reading this with a young child, it would be good to read it at least a few times to explain the definitions and nuances of unfamiliar words.

The ending is slightly wistful when you realize that City Cat doesn't have a place he calls home.  He's a roamer.  This book is a great introduction to a handful of major European cities with short descriptions at the end about the landmarks that City Cat visits on his journey.  Click here for a preview of City Cat.