"The Penguin Quartet"
by Peter Arrhenius
Reading level: Ages 4-8

When four penguin fathers find themselves bored silly while watching over their unhatched eggs, they decide to take a trip to New York and play jazz! Silly? Yes!

Kids will love the big, colorful pages of this book. Plenty to keep the eyes busy whether reading or being read to. The story continues when the four penguin daddies find themselves becoming quite popular on the jazz scene. They play several clubs, are interviewed by the press, and even appear on T.V.

As any dutiful father would, the penguin quartet returns to their unhatched eggs before their new family members arrive. Upon their return they have plenty of stories to tell of their journey, and lots of silly pictures to show off.

This is a humorous and playful book packed full of colorful, happy images. Children will giggle at the wackiness of it all, and the adults will enjoy the subtle parenting puns inserted for their benefit. Simply an all around fun tale.


"The Worst Kid Who Ever Lived on Eighth Avenue"
by Laurie Lawlor
Reading level: Ages 4-8

We've all heard the tales, the tales of that one kid. The one who was so naughty, so bad, that he was dubbed "the worst kid who ever lived" in your neighborhood. Well, Leroy, now an adult, was that kid in Mary Lou's neighborhood.

Mary Lou and her friends share their theories of how Leroy is probably in prison now, or perhaps has joined the army. Later, Mary Lou and her friends see the now grown Leroy suspiciously burying a bag in the backyard of his parent's house. Suspecting wrong doing and unlawful acts, they put on their investigator caps and begin collecting clues.

The children find different clues, and draw all the wrong conclusions, assuming that Leroy has committed a hideous crime. They soon find out that Leroy, now a fire marshall who trains tracking dogs, had put his faithful old dog to rest in the backyard. After talking to Leroy, and taking the time to get to know him, the children realize that they were wrong about Leroy and that he had grown to be a responsible, caring adult. Leroy was no longer the worst kid who ever lived on Eighth Avenue.

This story teaches a valuable lesson about jumping to conclusions and judging a book by its cover. It's possible that some children may be upset by the fact that there is mention of the death of a pet dog, but that is overshadowed by the presence of a new puppy that Leroy will begin to train. Large print and easy words make this a great book for beginner readers.

More Info: The Penguin Quartet | The Worst Kid Who Ever Lived on Eighth Avenue

About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. Subscribe to her free weekly kid's craft newsletter, Busy Little Hands, by sending any email message to mailto:kidscrafts-on@mail-list.com or by visiting her website at http://familycorner.com

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