Long time no see!

"What's up with you Kiki? You take a cruise around the world or somethin? "
No, I just took a big break from blogging.
I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I can talk about it now..
The Dog, Elle, has gone to another place. At first I looked for her every day.
I sat out front of the house, waiting.
I waited in front of the TV in her spot.
I sat on her bed, waiting for her.
I cried and cried, and called for her, but, she never came back.
My people were trying to tell me something, but I didn't listen.
So, I finally quit looking for her.

She hasn't come back, but another Dog, who looks sort of like Elle is here now, and we get along ok.
He is very pretty, for a dog, and he is very energetic. Some days he will let me sit with him and talk.
Other days, he just wants to chase me around! Huff!
But, he does like to watch TV, and he loves my people, and all of us are 'His' cats. So I think we are going to be just fine. His name, is Moochie.

There are pictures of Elle here, and I still think of her...

^. .^
      

Back to School already?

It seems like we just got out for the summer! Darn! If your little one is having trouble with the idea of going to school for the first time; or back to school again, let me suggest some books that may help.

First, I love the book KINDERGARTEN DIARY written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis.

Annalina is not too sure about starting Kindergarten and she documents her first month in this playfully adorable book. She is worried about, Big Kids and if they're mean; what she will wear the first day, she doesn't want to wear socks; and, how scary her teacher will be. She realises after a month of Kindergarten that she and her classmates in room 2K will be just fine!

The book FIRST DAY, written and illustrated by Joan Rankin, is about Haybillybun's first day of school at the Yappy Puppy Play School! He is worried that all the other puppies will make fun of his fluffy fur and long name. But, all the other puppies have long silly names too, and he ends up having lots of fun. Haybillybun's mother is the one who has trouble with him being gone!

A very cute story, and who wouldn't want to go to a school called Yappy Puppy Play School? I mean come on! How completely adorable!  

    

My next recommended book for starting school is THE KISSING HAND by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak.

Chester the racoon does NOT want to go to Kindergarten! He wants to stay home with mom. So, his mother shows him a secret way for him to carry her love with him to school!

Not only was this book a New York Times #1 bestseller, it recieved the Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Educational Journalism in 1994.

A very sweet book about school induced separation anxiety.

 

Other books by Audrey Penn featuring Chester the Racoon

            

And of course I can't sign off without reminding you of my favorite Kindergarten Kitty, Yoko!

   and   

YOKO WRITES HER NAME and YOKO

both written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells; whose books I adore!

Ok, that's it for now, I have so much more reading and TV watching to do to that I might never catch up!

Have fun at school!

Mrrrow for now!

Kiki C.

 ^..^

Mm'Brow?

Hi everyone! I have not posted in so long, it's rather embarassing..
I found a new book review website that is mostly for Young Adult titles, and well, the author of that blog has invited me to be a guest reviewer and poster! I'm so excited! Well sort of, lets see if I can keep up with the demands of guest reviewing and posting when I let my own blog go for so long! Hufff!

In the mean time, I must tell you of the latest books I have read and enjoyed!

So, the first book I recommend is  Yoko's Show and Tell by Rosemary Wells.

    The latest Yoko book, it is the story is of the cute little kindergarten kitten, Yoko and a special antique doll sent to her by her Grandparents in Japan. Yoko wants to bring her doll for Show and Tell and talk about Girl's day in Japan. Her mother tells her 'No' ...  then stuff happens when Yoko decides to sneak her little doll to school against her mother's wishes. Uh oh! It is adorably illustrated, as are all of Ms. Wells' books, and the story is not only a cautionary tale, but one of unconditional love, and redemption! All this in a child's picture book!


A truly touching story that brought tears to my eyes, is the book 14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy. Published by Peachtree in 2009, this is the story about Maasai Tribal members in Kenya, who after they hear the story of the attacks in New York City on 9/11, present a herd of 14 sacred cows to help in America's healing... what a sweet sweet story! Sigh, it made my heart melt. There is a website also  http://www.14cowsforamerica.com/ 
The Maasai are truly our allies.

I love this book, you will too.

Mrroww for now!

~ Kiki C.

Howl-O-Ween!

Hi! It's Kiki and Elle with our picks for Halloween ( howl-o-ween as Elle says) and Fall books and movies. Well, maybe. Maybe there might be a movie or two. Elle hasn't had much to say about TV lately.

I don't blame her either, I have nothing against the state of New Jersey. Nor do I have anything against any people from New Jersey, in fact one of my best friends is from New Jersey. However, any TV shows lately that have New Jersey or NJ in the title.. *cough cough, hack hack, wheeze* sorry... fur ball.
Elle has been watching old re-runs, and DVD's a lot lately. I saw her go bury the remote in a hole out back. I think that's her way of saying 'TV... bleh'

So, let's move on to Books shall we? My favorite Halloween book of all time - DOGZILLA! By Dav Pilkey.
It stars mice, and a beautiful Welsh Corgi named Leia. The illustrations are photos of the various mice and dog. The story is about a city of mice called Mousopolis and how they save their city from the monster Dogzilla. Dogzilla is awakened from the volcano by the tempting aromas of Mousopolis' First Annual Barbecue Cook-Off, and the city must work together to save themselves from the destructive power of the dreadful Dogzilla! It's funny, it's cute, it's got a surprise ending! Adorable! Don't miss it!

                               

I really like Dav Pilkey's books ( Super Diaper Baby, Rickey Ricotta, Captain Underpants) and I must tell you about Kat Kong also. Another monster book with a cat as the main character, and the same mice from Dogzilla. Just too cute!

Both are worth your time to read, and I swear that no dogs, cats or mice were harmed in the making of these books!

Mrrow for now!

Kiki C.

My favorite classics for children

I know everyone has different ideas on what makes a book a classic, but I'm talking about books that are part of everyone's growing up. They are part of our cultural heritage, and are part of what is called 'Cultural Literacy.' This means everyone knows about it, or has heard of it. When I say, Mary had a little Lamb, you can finish that sentence. Everyone knows the nursery rhyme Mary had a Little Lamb. Or Pat-A-Cake. You get it, right? If I say Winnie the Pooh, you should know who I'm talking about!
Ok, books that have contributed to our collective cultural literacy, this is my top ten. I would recommend buying these for your bookshelf to hand down to your children and grandchildren!


1. Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

2. Bible Stories for Children

3. Aesop's Fables - by Aesop

4. Anderson's Fairy Tales - by Hans Christian Anderson

5. Grimm's Fairy Tales - by The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm.

6.Winnie the Pooh - by A.A. Milne

7. The Tale of Peter Rabbit - by Beatrix Potter

8. Wind in the Willows - by Kenneth Grahame

9. A Child's Garden of Verses - by Robert Louis Stevenson  

10. Tales of the Arabian Nights - by Anonymous, pick one with nice illustrations.
  


There you go. Find nicely illustrated editions and read them to your children or grandchildren. So they wont grow up disadvantaged! Or only know the Disney versions!


Mrrow for Now,

Kiki 'Toothless' Candi

^..^

A Word From The Dog

Elle, my flat-mate, cohort, friend, colleague and favorite dog, has just brought to my attention that the DVD 

  How To Train Your Dragon 

 

   will be available to buy this Friday, October 15th!  On both DVD and Blu-Ray!

Worth getting for your personal collection says Elle! File this under Movies that make me Puurrr....

^..^
       ~
Kiki

More Greek Heroes from Rick Riordan

One of my favorite authors, Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, has finished the first book in his new series called The Heroes of Olympus. The book is called
The Lost Hero
  Actually this book isn't available until this Tuesday, October 12th. So I haven't read it, but, I have read the first chapter and now can't wait to finish it! 


Also by Rick Riordan if you haven't seen this one yet, The Red Pyramid. This is book one in another series - The Kane Chronicles, having to do with Egypt and Egyptology. One of my favorite subjects!

If you haven't started the Red Pyramid yet, what are you waiting for?

Ok, before I go, two great picture books for little children,

Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarty and  1000 Times NO by Tom Warburton 

How many ways can your toddler say NO!?

Both are very cute and great for storytimes! Also, Hondo and Fabian has a sequel called Fabian Escapes by Peter McCarty where Fabian the fat kitty, goes on an adventure outside! 

Adorable illustrations by Peter McCarty, the pets are both so fat and cute! Sorta like me, but I'm not really fat, it's just my fluffy soft fur... 

..ahem..

sooo.. Mrroww for now!

Kiki C.