Max Said Yes!: The Woodstock Story by Abigail Yasgur & Joseph Lipner

Stars: *****

Change the Universe Press (May 2009)
978-0-615-21144-2
Illustrations by Barbara Mendes
Picture Book 32 pages

I received this book from KSB Promotions for review. I'll be honest, I don't know much about Woodstock. My parents were born in 1956 and 1960 and 9 and 13 when it happened so needless to say, they didn't attend. So when I heard of this book, I was intrigued. What better way to learn the very basics of Woodstock than reading a picture book about it.

2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival which is why Change the Universe Press came out with this book. Let me share some outside praise the book received:

"Lets the light of Woodstock shine on a new generation," raves Richie Havens, guitarist and singer who was the opening act at Woodstock. Naomi Howland, children's book author and illustrator says this book "is a jubilant reminder of Max Yasgur's generosity." Elliot Landy official photographer of the 1969 Woodstock festival: "A good way to introduce little children to the most positive cultural event of the century - the 1969 Woodstock Festival."

The story gives the basics of what happened in simple, but not too simple words, good for ages 4-9 perhaps. The illustrations are very hippie-esque with bright colours and lots of peace signs and swirly colours. A child reading the book will have some questions, especially what the Aquarian age is. This would be better read together with an adult. The back of the book has a note on the Woodstock Festival that explains it more and the words to the Woodstock song by Joni Mitchell.

The ONLY problem I had with the book is the last two lines which read:

"Ask mom and dad, who won't forget
Yasgur's farm, where thousands met."

Well as a parent, if I'm reading this to my children, not only did their parents (me) not go to Woodstock, neither did their grandparents (as mentioned above.) So this may be confusing to some.

The book was written by Abigail Yasgur, who IS related to Max and her husband and co-writer Joseph Lipner. You can find out more at http://www.maxsaidyes.com

Mailbox Monday - August 24

I missed last week so this is a large list.

As always, titles, author, summary and where it came from below. I skipped the amazon links this time because I don't have enough time but if you want to buy one of these books and support SMS Book Reviews, you can shop through this link: Amazon.com

See what everyone else got in the mail at The Printed Page.

Ripley's Believe it or Not! Seeing is Believing - All new, 6th volume packed with facts, photos and all kinds of world records. Received through publicists for Ripleys.

Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker - Teen fiction about a girl with Anorexia. Received through direct contact with author.

Indigo Awakening by Dr. Janine Talty, DO - Doctor's memoir of forging an authentic life in a turbulent world. Received as part of a Book Tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Educating Esme by Esme Raji Codell - memoir of a teacher's first year. From Algonquin Books

Cookie by Lisa Woomer - a picture book to teach children nutrition from Bostick Communications

My Ambulance Education by Joseph F. Clark - memoir of being an EMT, offered to me because I posted pussreboot's review of Ambulance Girl.

We Know What You're Thinking: What Canadians Think and Why by Darrell Bricker & John Wright of Ipsos Reid - sent to me from HarperCollins

How Saying Yes to Depression Leads us into Healing by Melissa Sarazin - memoir and self-help for those with depression, offered by Bostick Communications

Gifts From the Child Within by Barbara Sinor, Ph.D. - book on healing your inner child. My 3rd review book from Loving Healing Press

Addiction: What's Really Going On? by Deborah McCloskey, CADC and Barbara Sinor, Ph.d. - memoir on a heroin treatment program. 4th review book from Loving Healing Press

Move Over, Rover by Kyra Kirkwood - from Random House, a book on naming your new puppy based on it's personality.

The Turkey's Treat by Marie Sanderlin Metroke - a humorous picture book about Christmas Turkey from Bostick Communications.

Dieppe: Canada's Darkest Day of World War II by Hugh Brewster

Stars: ****

Dieppe: Canada's Darkest Day of World War II
978-0-545-99420-0
Scholastic Canada (July 2009)
Ages 9 and up

Summary: On the night of August 19, 1942, a force of five thousand Canadians launched an attack on the Nazi-held French port of Dieppe. When all was said and done, and the Allies were forced to retreat, nearly a thousand Canadian troops lay dead and almost two thousand were taken prisoner. Through meticulous research and interviews with veterans both in Canada and at Dieppe, Hugh Brewster has created a fascinating and haunting historical tour of the planning and execution of this tragic raid, and it's aftermath.

I received this book as an unexpected extra from Scholastic with the hopes that I'd review it. I don't normally read books about wars, whether fiction, non-fiction or children's books. I'm just not interested in learning more about that part of our history. However my husband does enjoy history and although he's not a book person, this book is full of pictures and small anecdotes as it's meant for older children so he read it as did I.

My husband said it was pretty good but he thought it was too technical, even for children 9 and up. I agree. I never paid much attention in history class so I don't know all the facts or much about WWII so I figure I'm at about the same level in understanding as a child over 9. However I had trouble following what was going on. Perhaps it's just that I wasn't all that interested in the topic though. I suppose if a preteen or teen was interested in learning more about the war at Dieppe then they would enjoy the book more.

The book is a mixture of real photographs, scanned images of dog tags, badges, maps and the like and man-made illustrations of what went on.

You can see a spread from the book at Scholastic's website.

About the Author:
Hugh Brewster is a Toronto-based historian. His two previous acclaimed Canadian military history titles, At Vimy Ridge and On June Beach, were both nominees and winners of various awards. As a result of his engaging presentation-style, he is in high demand to give talks and presentations at schools and libraries.

Too Too Many Tutus by Suzanne Davis Marion

Stars: ****

BookSurge Publishing (Feb 2009)
978-1439218471
Picture Book 32 Pages

A picture book for ballet and colour lovers. Christina is getting ready for ballet class and can't decide between all her different coloured tutus, she has too too many tutus.

Each tutu is good for a different reason:

"If I wore the green tutu I could dance on the bright green grass. The green treetops would be over my head. I could twirl around the bushes with their different shades of green leaves. I could do an outdoors dance."

"If I wore the yellow tutu I could dance in the sunshine with the yellow butterflies, beside the sunflower and daisies. I would match them in my yellow tutu."

I won't wreck the ending but Christina eventually decides which tutu would be the very best with the help of her mommy.

It's a beautiful story, a great introduction to colours and a cute book for ballet lovers as I said before. The illustrations by Marj Hales are very cute and done in watercolours. The only problem I have with it is the girl looks different in the different illustrations, which doesn't make sense as it's supposed to be the same girl. In some she's blond, in some she's a brunette. Some she looks 6, some she looks 10. However this isn't something a child would pick up probably. My three-year-old daughter loves it.

Other's Reviews
Everyday I Write the Book (short review)
One Person's Journey Through a World of Books
Chicks With Books

Mailbox Monday - August 10

This week I received 6 books, all of which are for children, which is rare. The 6 books are also only from 3 different sources.

First I'll list titles, authors, where it came from and quick summary. Then below you'll see the book covers and have a chance to purchase (or pre-order) them from amazon.

Visit The Printed Page to see who else particpated in Mailbox Monday.

Eagle Eyes, Houdini's Gift and The Don't Give-Up Kid by Jeanne Gehret, M.A. - from KSB Promotions
All three books are about children with disabilities or ADD/ADHD.

Awakening Consciousness: A Boy's Guide and Awakening Consciousness: A Girl's Guide by Robin Marvel - direct offer from author
Cool workbooks for children from spiritual (and Pagan) families. Some topics covered: Aurus, Chakras, Meditation, Spirit Guides, Angels, Grounding (your body, not to your room), Pendulums, Aromatherapy, Crystals and more.

The Green Green Pear by Manjula Naraynan - from Bostick Communciations
This green pear wishes he was anything but, then turns into other things and finally decides he'd rather be who he really is.

Hello, Good-Bye by Arlene Alda

Stars: ****

978-0-88776-900-9
Tundra Books (March 10, 2009)
Juvenile Nonfiction Ages 2-5
32 pages

I received this book from Tundra Books for review. Arlene Alda is indeed the wife of Alan Alda, you know, from M.A.S.H. I wasn't aware she wrote children's books but she does have a few others and is an award-winning photographer as well. Her photographs appear in this book of opposites.

It's a very simple book, showing opposites on opposite pages with accompanying photographs. [For example: cold (snow on a tree) and hot (palm tree on a beach)] The photographs are wonderful and opposites that aren't normally put in opposites book are covered, such as straight and slanted or quiet and loud or parked and on the go.

It's not necessarily the best opposites book out there but I do like that it thinks of the not-so-obvious opposites.

Getting There by Marla Steward Konrad

Stars: *****

I received this book from Tundra Books for review.

It and another book, Mom and Me by Marla Stewart Konrad are the first two books in the new World Vision Canada Early Readers Series. All royalties from the sale of these books go to support World Vision's work with children. More on that later.

978-0-88776-867-5
Tundra Books (March 10. 2009)
Juvenile Nonfiction Ages 3-6
24 pages $14.99 CDN

Getting There is a picture book all about how people all around the world get places. for example: walk, run, ride a camel, bike, boats, swim, be carried and more. There are no illustrations in these books. Only real photos of real people are used for the series. The photos indeed do depict a wide variety of people from a wide variety of places.

I highly recommend the series as worthwhile books for your preschooler to learn basic concepts and all about the world.

Buy Getting There by Marla Stewart Konrad from Amazon
Visit Tundra Books
Visit World Vision Canada
Ten Questions with Marla Stewart Konrad (from Open Book Toronto)

Mailbox Monday - August 3

It's Monday again and I got some more mail this week.

Go to The Printed Page to see what others got in the mail this week.

Book titles, authors, descriptions and where I got it from are below. Then below that you'll find the book covers and a chance to buy them at amazon (or pre-order if it's an ARC)

Bran Hambric: The Fairfield Curse by Kaleb Nation - received from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for a tour. You can see my review Sept 1. It won't be published till September. Here's a bit of info: "What if your mother was a criminal? What if her crime was magic? What if magic ran in the family?" You can find out more at www.branhambric.com

The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene - also from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for a tour in October. My review goes up October 13. It follows the pattern of the 12 Days of Christmas but the illustrations are creepy as are the words!

Pre-Order