What Is That Thing?

Kevin McNamee sent me a PDF of his new picture book, What Is That Thing, for review. The book is about a girl named Jenna who has a big imagination. Since I was (and still am on the inside) a kid like that I can certainly identify with her as she goes from outer space, through a fairy tale castle, and into a jungle while her mother expects her to help out.

But Jenna must face reality. That strange thing in her house is a new baby sister and the baby is real. Kids in similar situations will probably enjoy this book a lot. My one complaint about is that brand-new babies don't smile, but otherwise McNamee has done a great job of capturing what the experience of having a new sibling can be like.

Illustrator K.C. Snider provided colorful pictures that show both Jenna's imaginary adventures and the real world in a cute way.

Frederico, the Mouse Violinist

My internet friend, Mayra Calvani, sent me a pdf of her newest book, Frederico, the Mouse Violinist, and I love it!

Frederico is a mouse who watches the famous Stradivari make the finest violins in the world and longs to play one himself. Although a mouse is far too small to play a violin, Frederico keeps trying and one day.... well, I won't give away the ending.

The illustrator, K.C. Snyder, combines cute mouse and realistic violin pictures to convey both the fictional story and factual information perfectly.

This book contains just enough about violins and how they work to be both informative and entertaining for kids. It would make a great gift for children from four to eight years old, especially if they're interested in music.

The book is available at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/frederico.htm