Whittling Down the Mountain!

Howdy, PBnauts! Did you have a great Halloween? Boy, I did! And check out this awesome treat Super PBnaut Jeanne sent: a Reese's PB Pumpkin! I'd never seen one before, and did a delighted dance. (Sorry I ripped it open to snarf it before I remembered to take a pic first!)

Writers: does Halloween make you want to write monster stories? It does for me. (Which is funny, because Thanksgiving doesn't make me want to write pilgrim stories!)

Okay, I was so busy rumpus-ing and eating candy this weekend, I barely made a dent in my "PBs To Read" mountain, but here are just a few recent reads. Have you read them? What did you think? If you didn't read them, which would you pick up?

Ballet Kitty by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams (Boxer Books Limited, Sterling Publishing Co., 2007). Kitty can't find her ballet slippers in time for her piroutte playdate! (I feel your pain, Kitty!)

Ballet Kitty: Ballet Class by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams (Boxer Books Limited, Sterling Publishing Co., 2008). More ballet slipper drama when Ginger Tom proves it isn't the shoes that make the dancer.

Brave Charlotte and the Wolves by Anu Stohner, illustrated by Henrike Wilson (Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books, 2009). Brave Charlotte outsmarts the (oddly-named) Wolfie the sheep and his gang, and makes a new friend, too.

Buffalo Wings by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Paulette Bogan (Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books, 2007). Rooster's determined to procure buffalo wings for the big football-watching fiesta on the farm. But what will he do when he discovers what they're really made of?

Creamed Tuna Fish & Peas On Toast by Philip Christian Stead (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, 2009). Super silly rhyming story on the lengths a man will go to in order to ditch his least-favorite food.

The Everything Machine by Matt Novak (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, 2009). What do you do when the machine that does everything for everyone stops working? (You mean, like when Mom has the flu? HA HA HA HA HA!)

Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again by Dave Horowitz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Young Readers Group, 2008). Can anything "egg" the rock-climbing celebrity out of retirement?

Jack the Bear by Christina Leist (Simply Read Books, 2009). Jack the Bear's super-important job is revealed. (Nope, ain't gonna tell ya. Read the book!)

The Marshmallow Incident by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett (Scholastic Press, 2009). From the creators of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.) The long-standing feud between the towns of Left and Right comes to an abrupt halt when some unusual ammunition is used to keep the peace.

One True Bear by Ted Dewan (Orchard Books, Hachette Children's Books, 2009). Beautiful tale about one brave bear's volunteer assignment to become a difficult boy's special friend.

Trouble Gum by Matthew Cordell (A Feiwel and Friends Book, Macmillian, 2009). Ruben the pig gets hold of some gum. Some messy, sticky gum...

When You Meet A Bear on Broadway by Amy Hest, illustrated by Elivia Savadier (Melanie Kroupa Books, Farrary, Straus and Giroux, 2009). Charming how-to manual details what to do if you meet a little lost bear on Broadway, and how to reunite him with his Mama.

Wild, Wild Hair by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by George Cephas Ford (Scholastic, 1997). Tisa knows Monday means one thing: Mama's going to tame her wild, wild hair before school.

Now, I totally have to crow (Rocka-rocka-rooooo!) about this recent fabulous PB discovery. PB Planet Spotlight on... Dear Vampa by Ross Collins (Katherine Tegan Books, HarperCollins Publishers, 2009). (Yes, I know I should have done a Halloween-theme book post, but better late than never!) The Pires have new neighbors. And they're weird. REALLY weird. They stay up all day. They go out in the sunshine. And they have no idea what a good drink really is. Told in humorous deadpan style (no pun intended!) in little Bram Pire's letter to his "Vampa," with a great surprise ending. (Nope, not gonna ruin it for you--read the book!) With Collins' fantastic ink-and-color illustrations, this is sure to be a new family favorite. So... (I gotta say it!) zoom on over to your local bookstore and bring one to your home planet today!

Hey! I just realized I never made good on that promise to review my "I looked for it for twenty years" book from my childhood! Next post, PBnauts!