Family Fun!

White Noise, by David Carter; Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2009; $22.99; www.simonandschuster.com.  

Leave it to this amazing artist to top himself as he concludes the elegant, five-volume, pop-up series that includes One Red Dot, Blue 2, Yellow Square and 600 Black Squares. In this volume, Carter adds the concept of noise to his stunning graphics: each pop-up has been artfully designed to make a sound. “Rainbow bubble blast … and crackly white noise,” for example. Each turn of a page will provoke gasps of “how did he do that?”
 

Pink! Rocknoceros, Rocknoceros, LLC, 2009; $15; www.rocknoceros.com; ages 2 to 6.

What do you get when you pair a kazoo with three guys from Virginia? Alternative rock from Rocknoceros, of course! Together with an educational underbelly, Pink! reminds listeners to tell their grandmothers how much they love them, describes how a train moves and the stations it stops at, teaches how to tell time, and more. Singing a capella with barbershop harmonies and imitating the sound of a train with drum brushes gives a glimpse into the imaginative style of this group.
 

Finding Lincoln, by Ann Malaspina, illustrated by Colin Bootman; Albert Whitman, 2009; $16.99; www.albertwhitman.com. 

Louis has to write an essay about Abraham Lincoln, but it’s 1951 in Alabama and African Americans can’t use the “whites only” public library. When Louis tries to visit the library, he is turned away. But one librarian tells him to “come back tomorrow after five.” When Louis returns, the librarian has selected just the right book for his assignment.

Author’s notes provide information about similar events and about Lincoln. The illustrator, Colin Bootman, is a former Coretta Scott King Honor artist. This historical fiction picture book showcases injustice and bravery, and celebrates the joy of libraries and the passion of librarians.

“A perfect book to celebrate Martin Luther King’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays.”
– Librarian
 

Winston the Wide Mouth Frog and Other Fantastic Folktales, Glenda Bonin, Story Works Group; $15; www.storyworksgroup.com.

 

Good stories, well told – what more do you need? Good values? This CD covers that, too. Travel the world with stories from Mexico, Wales, Paraguay, Greece, Brazil, Alaska, and more. Gentle humor. 

Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits, Activision, 2009; $49.99; www.activision.com; ages 12 to 14.

 

Requires: Nintendo DS and DS cartridge attachment with special keys (Guitar Grip). This little gem recreates the fun of the popular console game on Nintendo’s handheld. In this go around, players master fan requests, demonstrating why they should be celebrated as true rock stars. The set list includes such tracks as “Dimension,” “Violet Hill,” “Do the Panic,” “Sweet Sacrifice” and “Unconditional,” plus 23 others. This was a hands-down kid tester favorite! 

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle, by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, and Mary Nethery; Little, Brown, 2009; $17.99; www.lb-kids.com.  

As difficult as it is to find ways to talk to kids about the war in Iraq, this touching animal story succeeds and includes photos of a special friendship. Nubs, the leader of a pack of wild dogs in war-torn Iraq, is just barely surviving when a Marine befriends him. But Marines aren’t allowed to have pets, and when Major Brian has to leave for the Jordanian border, Nubs limps after him alone … for 70 miles … across the desert. The two get separated again but find each other and again, and today they live happily together in San Diego.

The story prompts good discussion around the dinner table, with such questions as, “What does a Marine’s job involve?” “What is it like living in a war zone?” “Where on the map is Iraq?” and “Who helps whom more – Nubs or Brian?”
 

$79.99; www.jakks.com; for ages 8 and up. Become a super sleuth and find anybody or anything in the dark of night! The hands-free headset, worn like goggles, uses infrared night-vision technology and an LCD viewing screen to reveal details in total darkness up to 50 feet away.

Sleep is for the Weak: The best of the mommybloggers including Amalah, Finslippy, Fussy, Woulda Shoulda Coulda, Mom-101, and More!
Edited by Rita Arens, Foreword by Stacy Morrison, editor of Redbook; Chicago Review Press, 2008; $11.95; www.chicagoreviewpress.com.

While many of these short essays from popular mommy blogs are outrageous, they are also sweet, poignant, funny and, most of all, authentic. They touch moms – who thought only they fantasized about running out for diapers and never coming home – with solace, laughter and tears born from a wide range of viewpoints and shared experiences. This is a must-read for all the “real” moms out there who curse both the experts and “super-moms” who make it seem so easy! Great reading for in-between feedings, naps, playtime and chaos – and if it inspires you to write down your own reflections and experiences, all the better.

“Much needed comic relief! My husband read one of the stories in it and got a good laugh out of it, too!”
– Mom Tester

I laughed out loud, I cried, I loved this book! It made me realize I’m not alone.” 
– Mom Tester
 

Shout! Factory, 2008; 120 min.; $13.99; www.shoutfactory.com; for ages 5 and up. This animated series, based on the children’s books by writer/illustrator Martin Baynton, features an adolescent girl who serves as an apprentice knight. Jane and her dragon friend get into all sorts of scrapes and end up learning lessons of integrity, loyalty, friendship and courage. This DVD comes with a slew of bonus features, including an interesting one about how the animation is produced.

Judge’s comment:  “Baynton has faithfully recreated a medieval setting with castles, knights and dragons that have enormous kid appeal.”
 

For more dragons, check out:

Judge's Top Pick!

by Michael Shoulders, illustrated by Teri Weidner; Sleeping Bear Press, 2008; $15.95; www.sleepingbearpress.com. Family members welcome Baby Bear with love and by reading aloud favorite books as they encourage the baby’s first words.