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The Regional YMCA is proud to endorse the following products
from Amazon.com. Your Regional
YMCA receives a
percentage of every sale, which helps build
strong kids, strong families, and strong communities.
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 The 26 characters in this
rhythmic, rhyming baby book are a lowercase alphabet with attitude. "A told b, and b
told c, 'I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree'"--which probably seemed like a
good idea until the other 23 members of the gang decided to follow suit. Lois Ehlert's
chunky block illustrations show the luxuriant green palm standing straight and tall on the
first page, but it begins to groan and bend under its alphabetical burden. First the
coconuts fall off, then ("Chicka chicka... BOOM! BOOM!") all the letters also
end up in a big heap underneath. A very simple board-book version stops there, but this
original text goes on to introduce the helping hands of the 26 uppercase "mamas and
papas and uncles and aunts." (Baby to preschool) |
 What better way to explain to a child that it's OK
to be different? Leo the Late Bloomer is a classic of American children's stories with
brilliant illustrations that bring the tale to life. Leo the young tiger doesn't lead a
"normal" child's life and his Father is constantly worried that something is
wrong with his son. Leo experiences many of the childhood frustrations that we are all too
familiar with such as being unathletic, unartistic or ostracized by your peers. Over time
Leo absorbs what the others have been doing and eventually blossoms with a newfound love
for life. This book brilliantly conveys the revelation of a child discovering his or her
place in the giant world. Leo the Late Bloomer is a timeless classic with a relevant
social message and is an enjoyable read for any age child --This text refers to the
Hardcover edition. |
 "Everyone," in this case is a snoring
granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing cat, a slumbering mouse... and a
wakeful flea! Uh-oh. Looks like the napping house won't be napping for long. With their
very own brand of humor, Audrey Wood and Don Wood create an appealing bedtime book
compatible with Margaret Wise Brown's classic Goodnight Moon. This small, square
board book, with its rhythmic, repetitive text and witty pictures in shades of
ever-brightening blues and greens (as the night turns to day), is sure to be a winner with
preschool insomniacs. The sleepy household congregates on Granny's bed, slowly building a
very relaxed pile of bodies in shifting positions. Young readers will enjoy tracking the
critters as they make their way, one by one, to the bed--and then guessing what will
happen when the wakeful flea joins the heap. (Baby to preschool) |
 This exceptional board-book
tells a beautiful and timeless story about a daughter's attempt to find the limit of her
mother's love. Barbara Lavallee's exquisite illustrations of Alaska, with their
exaggeratedly foreshortened perspective and rich tones of violet, blue-gray, and
gray-green, tell of an easy declaration ("I love you more than the raven loves his
treasure, more than the dog loves his tail, more than the whale loves his spout")
that is pushed, and pushed, and ("What if I put salmon in your parka ... and ermine
in your mukluks?") pushed. There's a quiet joyfulness in both the antics of the Inuit
mother and daughter and in the animals--including a polar bear and a musk ox--that the
daughter imagines she might become. A charming story for mothers and daughters of all
ages. (Baby to preschool) |
 This is an excellent children's book. I use it every
year in my classroom because my students can identify so well with Grace. There are so
many language arts activities that can be used with it. Grace is an unforgettable
character. She knows what she wants and is undaunted by would-be obstacles in her path.
With the help of loving family members she can do anything she sets her mind to!
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 Picked on, pecked, and jostled,
Daisy the hen is not quite as happy as her Happy Hens market basket might suggest. One
evening, fed up with the other pushy hens, Daisy crawls into one of the baskets by the
river, and falls asleep. Unaware of the rising river, this put-upon bird winds up floating
downstream, past marauding monkeys, snorting water buffalo, and a greedy fisherman. Will
Daisy ever make her way back to the home of the little girl Mei Mei and the six happiest
hens in all of China? Breaking away from her usual Scandinavian illustrations and stories,
Jan Brett embraces the beauty of China in this Story About Ping-inspired picture
book. Bamboo poles frame the lavish illustrations of picturesque villages, strangely
shaped mountains (Brett incorporates images of the animals into the ranges), and
river-life characters. As in The Hat and her many other tales, Brett advances the
plot with miniature border details. (Ages 4 to 7) |
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| While we fully
endorse all of these wonderful book selections, the commentaries are from various
book reviewers on the Amazon.com web site and do not represent the sole or express
opinion of the Regional YMCA of Western CT or its employees. We invite you to shop
in confidence and Thank You for supporting Your YMCA! |
The Regional YMCA is a community service organization dedicated to building strong kids,
strong families, and strong communities through the development of spirit, mind, and body.
We strive to serve all, regardless of financial or physical need. |
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