Life with Kids

Going  once... going twice... gone!  Summer 2010 is now history and we are entering a new school year, a brand new season, and discovery of some more exciting reading material to digest.  Speaking of eating and digesting here is a series of fabulous little books that belong in the school library. My son adored this character and I actually presented the book to him with a personalized straw for his own reading pleasure.

Title: The Ink Drinker
Author: Eric Sanvoisin
Illustrator: Martin Matj
Ages: 8 and up

If your household is caught up in the Vampire craze here is a little vampire book with a macabre twist that your kids will surely enjoy.   A boy who hates to read finds himself stuck in his father’s bookstore over vacation. He hates books, hates being trapped there so decides to spy on customers.  One strange-looking gentleman catches his eye as the man shuffles through the bookshelves.  The guy isn’t browsing, he’s (yes!) he’s sticking a straw between the pages and sucking heartily.  The boy discovers that when he opens the book after the man has exited that the pages are totally blank.  The fellow had sucked up the ink on every printed word in the book.  With caution and fear the boy follows the weird, pale fellow into the cemetery where the boy ends up developing a taste for something, much more filling and satisfying than mere blood.   Fun, a little dark and shadowy but highly entertaining.

Continue the Ink Drinker adventures with:  A Straw for Two, The City of Ink Drinkers and Little Red Ink Drinker.  Grab a straw and start draining those pages.

Title: More Life Size Zoo
Author: Teruyuki Komiya
Photography Toshimitsu Matsuhshi
Ages: 4-8

This book begins with a table of contents that looks like a map of the zoo.  When you turn the page, you’re face to face with a wolf named Kinako whose licking her chops.

On right side bar you:

The rest of book follows similar pattern as readers meet Okayu a baby gibbon, Sally, a five-year-old Panther, and Shouta, a four-year-old seal.

The outstanding feature of this book is that the pictures are life size.  Special foldout sections show up-close looks at a male lion, polar bear, and hippo.

End pages show more photos and basic info regarding animal’s habitat and size. The book is kid friendly and provides many learning opportunities.

Check out:

• LifeSize Aquarium (excellent too)
• More Life-Size Zoo: An All-New Actual-Size Animal Encyclopedia
• Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants; An Actual Size Animal Encyclopedia
• Zoboomafoo