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Friday, June 26, 2009

Viva Cisco - Patrick Shannon

Who knew a parrot could be such an adventurous sport and...well, a pain?

In three tales of attempted stardom, attempted detective work and successful heroism, Topopootl's own Cisco the Parrot keeps his friends on their toes. In the first, he decides to take up flamenco dancing, wrestling and high-altitude flight - none of which work too well with a parrot's wings. The second story, he finds his calling (sort of) in detective work, helping Topopootl find the mysterious thief nabbing its residents' prized possessions. In the third tale, a Topopootl festival in honor of the town's surrounding skunks peaks Cisco's interest, and he sets out to find the festival's origins, ending up with a task much bigger than he expected.

Cisco and his furry (and not so furry) friends are written with great, human-esque personalities, all with great senses of humor and wit. Cisco is funniest of all, reminding the reader of a friend or colleague who is always going out of their way, no matter how goofy they appear to be, to add some adventure and excitement to their life. A joy to read, Viva Cisco will be a laugh-out-loud funny book for anyone who likes a few crazy animals in their stories.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

No, Never! - Sally O. Lee

An adorable tale with a great lesson, "No, Never!" follows Daisy the dalmatian as she learns the significance of responsibility and how it'll help her achieve her dreams.

Like almost every kid, Daisy is not happy about doing chores and homework, seeing no benefit in it other than to burden their day and distract from playtime. She consistently declares she will not take a bath (I'm sure resulting in some odor issues), not wash the dishes or eat her veggies, believing that all of these things are just obstacles standing in her way from becoming the world's best author and the next Lance Armdog. But her mother clarifies the importance of her current chores, those of which will teach her the skills and responsibility she will need to achieve those things and so much more. Basically, no one wants a stinky bicycle rider.

The story and illustrations are beyond adorable and extremely colorful, providing entertainment for kids and the adults reading to them. The lesson is even better, and something any generation can learn from. A great addition to the kid's bookshelf.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Adventures of Snip in Oregon - Betty S. Moir

This pooch is just dog-gone talkative, he is!

Betty S. Moir creatively and adorably tells the numerous tales of the Moir family pet, Snip, including the regular table meals and comfy belly rubs. Each short story tells of another adventure Snip is involved in, including helping rescue one of the family's children, ridding the farm of a pesky raccoon, and critiquing one of the kid's driving. Yes, Moir even gives Snip a voice, and my! does he have a lot to say!

Not a sad tale one exists in the book, accompanied by family photos and adorable illustrations by Yumi V. Vong, which accurately recreate the story and puts a crystal-clear picture in your mind of what's going on. You can easily picture this lovable, happy-go-lucky canine defensively barking at a ready-to-aim skunk or sneaking around the farm in search of squirrel invaders. Snip is the accurate portrayal of at least one family pet in everyone's childhood, the dog (or cat...or fish, if you prefer) that, in unintentional ways, seemed almost human. Being one of those people who has been lucky enough to have two dogs who have been just that way, I found this story adorable, well-written, and a must for all pet-lovers and their kids.