Hugs, Kisses and Love: New Valentine's Day Children's Books

I noticed a theme as I recently searched through the new 2012 children's books appropriate for Valentine's Day: Hugs and Kisses! A plethora of XOXOXOXOXO with a smackerel of ♥ LOVE ♥. I've included a list below of the new titles in case you're planning a trip to the library this weekend.

All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri
Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril
The Best Kind of Kiss by Margaret Allum, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond
The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh, illustrated by Judi Abbot
Goodnight, I Love You by Caroline Jayne Church
Hedgehug: A Sharp Lesson in Love by Benn Sutton, illustrated by Dan Pinto
Hugs from Pearl by Paul Schmid
Just Because You're Mine by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Frank Endersby
The Kiss Box by Bonnie Verburg, illustrated by Henry Cole
Mr. Prickles: A Quill-Fated Love Story by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon
One Love by Cedella Marley, illustrated by Vanessa Newton
Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Pinkalicious: Pink of Hearts by Victoria Kann
Snowy Valentine by David Petersen
Time for a Hug by Phillis Gershator and Mim Green, illustrated by David Walker
Where Does Love Come From? by Accord Publishing, illustrated by Milena Kirkova
You: A Story of Love and Friendship by Stephen Michael King
Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell



Also, here's a compilation of my past Brimful Curiosities' Valentine's Day posts for your viewing pleasure:

A String of Hearts by Laura Malone Elliott, illustrated by Lunn Munsinger (Heart Garland Craft)
Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas and Fancy Nancy: Heart to Heart (Cut Heart Banner)
Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman, illustrated by Lynne Avril Cravath (Candy Airplane Valentine)
The I LOVE YOU Book by Todd Parr
Peek-a-Boo, I Love You! by Sandra Magsamen

Bunny Valentines with Dum Dum Lollipop Tail
Quarter-fold Heart Pocket Valentine's Day Card
Homemade Valentine's Day Cards - both vintage and modern styles

We're busily preparing for a science fair so we haven't had a chance to prepare much for Valentine's Day yet this year! I imagine we'll have a busy upcoming weekend. We have nearly 50 Valentines to write out for my kids' upcoming Valentine's Day class parties. Are you busy with Valentine's Day preparations?

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

The Secret World of Arrietty - Disney Movie (based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton)

In college one of my friends belonged to an anime club. At the time I just couldn't understand the appeal of this animation style. The characters with huge eyes and dubbed voices seemed rather strange to me. Now, 15+ years later anime and manga/graphic novels are mainstream, and I've grown to appreciate the artwork and storytelling (mostly).

Anime adaptions of classic literature are not unheard of. I'm rather excited for Disney's movie The Secret World of Arrietty to open in U.S. theaters on February 17th. This Japanese animated fantasy film is based on Mary Norton's classic story The Borrowers. From the look of the previews, the classic story is updated, and "the Borrowers" live in a modern, suburban setting. The film was originally released in Japan in 2010 and did well in the box office. I'm interested to see how it fairs with U.S. audiences. Due to the animation style, I imagine it will appeal to a broader age range than the typical Disney animated movie.

Hopefully the release will also ignite a renewed interest in Mary Norton's original book! I'm reading The Borrowers aloud to my daughter this month. If you own a Kindle, you can download a copy of The Borrowers by Mary Norton for only $1.59 on Amazon.com.

A number of well-known celebrities provide the voices of the characters in the U.S. movie release including Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Bridgit Mendler and Carol Burnett.

Here's the studio's summary of the movie:

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all. From the legendary Studio Ghibli (“Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”) comes “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers.”

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (2/3/12)

Welcome to this week's edition of FTTB! Full to the Brim is a weekly list I compile by hand of children's book giveaway online contests. Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I *try to* publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. If I missed your book giveaway, feel free to mention it in the comment section or send me an email.


Book giveaways:
Chasing Supermom - Book Giveaway Ends 2/6
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
No Time for Flashcards - Book Giveaway Ends 2/4
Ring Around the Rosie , Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes , Humpty Dumpty and Pat-A-Cake!
Babes and Kids Review - Book Giveaway Ends 2/10
set of 5 Chuggington Books
Spanglish Baby - Book Giveaway Ends 2/5
Scholastic Art and Imagination Pack
Take It From Me - Book Giveaway Ends 2/4
Gryphon House Books: The Budding Gardener, The Budding Chef, L Is For Lion and What Does A Lion Say?!
Thrifty Nifty Mommy - Book Giveaway Ends 2/16
Being Wendy by Fran Drescher
MomCentral - Book Giveaway Ends 2/7
Kohl's Cares Eric Carle books: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Written by Bill Martin), 10 Little Rubber Ducks, Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? and The Very Busy Spider and plush animals
Thrify and Thriving - Book Giveaway Ends 2/3
American Girl doll Kanani and book
Energizer Bunnies' Mommy Reports - Ends 2/11
Scholastic Valentine Book Prize Pack
That's IT Mommy - Ends 2/7
Workman Publishing Books: Love the Beastie and The Splendid Spotted Snake
Baba's Farm Life - Ends 2/8
The Sneezy Wheezy Day by Sharon Cramer
5 Minutes for Mom - Ends 2/6
The Perfect Name For You personalized storybook
Little World After All - Ends 2/6
“Have You Filled A Bucket Today: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud
5 Minutes for Books - Ends 2/8
50th anniversary edition of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas - Ends 2/9
Lilly's Chocolate Heart by Kevin Henkes and other heart goodies
Toddler Approved - Ends 2/8
I Love you Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt, Amos and Boris by William Steig, Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Ready Set Read - Ends 2/14
I Love You More by Laura Duksta
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Ends 2/5
Mystery box of 25 books


Magic Tree House Facebook Sweepstakes - Enter to win a copy of Magic Tree House #46 Dogs in the Dead of Night signed by Mary Pope Osborne, and its companion Fact Tracker, Dog Heroes, signed by Natalie Pope Boyce - Ends 2/29

Win a Free Jan Brett Visit to your School or Library Facebook Contest - Ends 4/9

Paddington Goes for Gold competition: Win a copy of the brand new Paddington picture book, 'Paddington Goes for Gold' - Ends 2/23

Lee & Low Books February Giveaway: Tofu Quilt, written by Ching Yeung Russell. - Ends 2/29/12

Bob Books Early Readers Giveaway - one winner each week, from now until February 17.


Scholastic Storybooks Treasury DVD Giveaways
A Mom's Take - Ends 2/17
Africa's Blog - Ends 2/9

UK Only Book Giveaways:
Book Reviews for Mums - Ends 2/10
Socks by Nick Sharratt & Elisabeth Lindsay
Playing by the Book - Ends 2/10
Usborne Write Your Own Story Book

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby - Groundhog Day Snack

How much winter would a woodchuck predict if a woodchuck could predict winter? The woodchucks (a.k.a. groundhogs) emerged from their burrows this morning. Some saw their shadows (including the famous Punxsutawney Phil) and many didn't (among the ranks our own state prognosticators, Jimmy the Groundhog of Sun Prairie and Wynter the Groundhog of Milwaukee). Those silly groundhogs never seem to agree when it comes to forecasting the weather!

The majority of the Groundhog Day groundhogs are male. Why is that? At least here in Wisconsin we're trying to level the playing field. Wynter the Groundhog from Milwaukee is female.

This morning we read a book titled Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox. It's about a girl groundhog named Brownie who sees her shadow and complains about having to wait for spring.

"Shadows mean more winter, and more winter means waiting. Wait, wait, wait." Brownie stomped her foot. "Phooey!"

Brownie is so busy being impatient she doesn't see a red fox lingering nearby. The fox pounces on Brownie and plans to eat her for breakfast. What to do? You guessed it -- implement the old, ever reliable "outfox the fox" tricks. After some quick thinking, Brownie convinces the fox that he has missed breakfast time and now must wait for lunch. Brownie cleverly keeps the fox plenty occupied all day long with skating and looking for signs of spring. When suppertime arrives, both animals witness the first sign of spring and the fox hungrily devours a snack (a tasty wintertime treat, at that)!

Carmen Segovia's painted illustrations are really quite lovely with the striking contrasts of the red fox and red-scarf-wearing groundhog against the snowy winter landscapes. The story of how this book came to be is quite unusual. Carmen Segovia displayed a series of illustrations at the Bologna Children's Book Fair depicting a groundhog waiting for spring. The illustrations were discovered by Sterling Publishing and Segovia's editor sought out an author to write a story for the little groundhog. Susan Blackaby created this adorable tale of patience and friendship with the little groundhog sketches in mind. It's the perfect picture book for reading on Groundhog Day or really any cold, winter day that leaves you impatient, longing for some spring cheer!

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby, illustrated by Carmen Segovia. Sterling Publishing (January 2011); ISBN 9781402743368
Book Source: Review Copy provided by publisher

Related Links:
Carmen Segovia - Website
Carmen Segovia - Blog

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ Groundhog Day Snack ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
In the story, Brownie and Fox sit down for a picnic of cocoa and cinnamon toast. This morning for breakfast we had our own cinnamon toast treat shaped like a groundhog! We did not, however, pounce on our meal. No red foxes in our house.

The kids used Cheerios for the ears, mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth and a big, fat blueberry for the groundhog's nose.





"Only with winter-patience can we bring The deep-desired, long-awaited spring." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Add your kids craft post to the Kid's Get Crafty linky at Red Ted Art's Blog. Join in Read Aloud Thursday at Hope is the Word. Wrote a post about play? Join the It's Playtime party! Find more great book tie-ins at JDaniel4's Mom Read, Explore, Learn link-up.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Wordless Wednesday - No Sleds Needed

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Red Sled by Lita Judge - Popsicle Stick Sled Craft

Children beware -- you may not want to leave your sled outside at night. Or maybe you should. A forest creature might snatch the sled up one winter evening, take it for a joy ride and return it with a thanks, leaving only a few tracks outside to tell of the adventure. One can hope!

Lita Judge is one of our newest favorite author/illustrators. She grew up enjoying wintery weather and, according to her latest book, Red Sled, as a child she often wondered about the tracks left behind by the woodland animals. Judging from the animals' expressions in the book it appears she also knows a thing or two of the joys (and perils) of sledding downhill.

Red Sled is a nearly wordless picture book that shows the events that occur when a child leaves a red sled propped against the side of a home. A bear wanders by, notices the sled and sneaks away with it, scrunch, scrinching through the snow. The bear invites a rabbit friend for a fun, moonlight ride. As the sled flies downhill, other animals pile on one-by-one, gadung, gadunging on the snowy surface together while making gleeful noises. The impromptu sledding party results in smiles shared by all.

The illustrations in this endearing book are truly remarkable, from the animals' exuberant expressions to the little boy's wonderment at the tracks found near his sled. My kids giggle with delight at all the silly sledding antics and the faces the animals make. The adorable, bundled-up, red-hatted child reminds us of the classic character in Keats' The Snowy Day. The text consists only of a few joyful utterances and onomatopoeias like "sssssffft" for the sound the sled makes as it glides across the snow. The wordless silence punctuated by random sounds is a perfect textual interpretation of a sledding experience. Judge's Red Sled so beautifully captures the exhilaration of a sledding adventure that you'll want to immediately head to your favorite sledding hill!

Red Sled by Lita Judge. Atheneum Books for Young Readers (November 2011); ISBN 9781442420076; 40 pages
Book Source: Copy from public library

Lita Judge spent part of her childhood living with her grandparents in Wisconsin. In an interview with Jules at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast she tells how this experience helped partly inspire her to write Red Sled. There's also an adorable photograph of a grizzly bear she grew up watching (apparently her parents are wildlife photographers).

Related Links:
Lita Judge - Website




❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ Popsicle Stick Sled Craft ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄

My kids, like many nowadays, think that all sleds are made of plastic. In fact, after reading this book I realized my kids had no firsthand knowledge of the flexible flyer or runner type of sled. This became even more evident when we tried constructing some popsicle stick sleds. My daughter thought the runners belonged on top of the sled for the rider to hold onto! Too funny!



We followed the Family Fun Classic Sled directions to make our popsicle stick sleds. The craft is fairly simple and child-friendly, except for the part that involves cutting the popsicle sticks. I could barely hack through the sticks with our tin shears, so adult-assistance is definitely required for the cutting part of the craft!


The little red sleds are the perfect size for miniature animals. My kids used some mounting putty to attach small toy animals to the tops of the sleds. They had a lot of fun helping the animals careen down the wooden sledding ramp!



I think perhaps we'll leave the sleds outside overnight and see if any real animals want to give sledding a try. Maybe the mourning dove that leaves tracks around our patio door is hankering for a new pastime. :)



Link up your Monday book posts at Teach Mentor Text's meme: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! or Book Sharing Monday at Smiling like Sunshine.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)