How many of us recently watched one of many versions of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”? I know we watch it each December in our house. Have you ever thought about who Charles Dickens was? The world he lived in? How he grew up?

That’s exactly what the new children’s book, A Boy Called Dickens, does. Written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix, this new 2012 release, is geared towards children ages 4 and up.  But can I be brutally honest here?  I personally loved this book myself…..

With my first look at the cover I was hooked.  I immediately felt familiar with the characters, some seemingly  familiar to those from “A Christmas Carol”.  The illustrations simply set the stage for old London, and couldn’t be more perfect.

While the book is fictional, much of the book is drawn from bits and pieces that Dickens himself described.  He had what most of us would consider a difficult life, but became one of the most famous writers of all time.  A great lesson can be drawn from the book, one that even young children can identify with.

BUY IT: On sale at Amazon for $12.23 List price is $17.99 for Hardcover

(A complimentary copy was provided for review, courtesy of Random House. All statements are the honest opinions of the author.)

I’m sure your kids/grandkids/nieces (the list is sooo long) have heard the story of the Three Little Pigs. Who hasn’t? But I have just read a version that’s out of this world…..literally.

I’m talking about The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot, by Margaret McNamara & Mark Fearing.

Instead of three little pigs, we meet three little aliens. A big difference up front – they have a Mama alien. The Mama wants the kiddos to go out in the universe and find a planet of their own, but warns them of the Big Bad Robot. With a hug and important advice to always stick together, Mama sends them on their way.

Of course, you probably see where this is going…..and it’s done so creatively. The first alien spots a planet right away. So did the next. But one alien, well, he found a faraway place, built a home amazingly well, and had enough room for the whole family (just in case they showed up – HA!). It wasn’t the coolest, but it was safe!

In comes the Big Bad Robot, and yes, the little aliens all end up in the safest house together. While it’s a classic story we all know well, what a creative and fun take on it.

There’s some science in the book too……..where kids will learn about the planets. Facts like Mercury is the closest to the sun, Venus is the brightest planet, which ones are made of gases or have rings. This book would be a great addition to a school or home library!

(Complimentary book was provided for review, courtesy of Random House. All opinions are the honest thoughts of the author. This post contains an affiliate link.)

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**
Congratulations to:
#6 Shelly T

Cooper and Me is a new book series for children which focuses on a black Labrador Retriever, whose adventures help kids deal with emotions and challenges that they may face during childhood.

“Cooper and Me” was the very first book and discussed the common fear of attending the first day of school. I really enjoyed the book (as I have a little one with kindergarten just around the corner). We’ve now had the chance to read another book in the series, “Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure”.

This book follows Cooper and his fellow dog friend as they enjoy a fun winter day in the snow. Unfortunately, they have a bit too much fun and soon find that they’ve gotten lost, as the snow has blinded them.

What I love most about this book is that it makes for great conversation with your child. While I’ve talked to my 4 year old so many times about what to do if you happen to get lost, this book is yet another tool to reinforce the lesson.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES: The back of the book also contains a few pages of extra activities which revolve around knowing your surroundings and what to do if you get lost.

• Information about “ME”
• The People who Take Care of Me
• Life Lesson: Being Prepared and Safe in Case You Get Lost
• Connections questions
• Learning Together questions

The book is written by 11-year old Alexa Peters and her mother, Monique Peters. $1 of every Winter Adventure book sold will go to advance research & treatment of pancreatic cancer, via the Lustgarten Foundation. You can purchase this and more in the series at Cooper and Me!

Now for some extra fun for my readers….

GIVEAWAY

One (1) lucky winner will receive a copy of the book “Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure”!

HOW TO ENTER:
For your main entry, Leave a comment and tell me why you’d like to win! That’s it!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
You can earn one (1) extra entry for each of the following (leave as separate comments please for each entry):

2. Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post (tell me which one)
3. Subscribe to A Frugal Friend via email or in a reader
4. Like A Frugal Friend on FB
5. Like Cooper and Me on FB
6. Follow A Frugal Friend on Twitter
7. Follow Cooper and Me on Twitter
7. Tweet the following as is: Giveaway: *Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure* Childrens Book – about getting lost! http://tinyurl.com/83bdl66
8. Grab my button for your site and/or Add me to your BlogRoll

Giveaway ends at midnight (central time) on Sunday, January 15th, 2012! Valid for US residents and addresses only. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be randomly selected. I’ll announce (and contact by email) the winner on this post and the winner will have 2 days to get back to me for delivery details. Limit one set of entries per household.

(Complimentary product was provided for review. All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of A Frugal Friend)

My daughter unwrapped this beautiful book last night……and we proceeded to read it together as a family before bedtime.

I’m talking about the new children’s book, The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMarche.

The story is simply heartwarming. While our home is filled with many holiday books, this is one that I hope to be reading with my future grandchildren.

It’s 1931….a rough year for many. Henry is a young boy, seemingly the only child in a hard working family. His father is out of work and the family lives in a drafty shack. On Christmas Eve, Henry and his father cut some trees and travel into New York City to sell them.

When the day is done, they give away the remaining trees to the construction workers in the area who had let them set up and sell there. The workers (and Henry) decorate the tallest tree. This would become the very first Rockefeller Center tree. Before they leave, Henry grabs a pine-cone to remember the day.

On Christmas morning, those same workers surprise Henry’s family with a simple and magical gift…….they had leftover lumber and knew the family could use a good home. A huge blessing.

Henry plants the pine-cone, which grows into a great (and tall) tree. Years later, as an adult, he is approached to have the tree be “THE TREE” for the Rockefeller Center, where after the holidays are over, the tree is milled into lumber that Habitat for Humanity uses to build a home for a family. Henry knew exactly what he needed to do.

I love this story. It teaches so many lessons…..about hardship, about giving, etc. I hope it will inspire my daughter……in fact, I think it already has.

In the back of the book, the history of the Rockefeller Center tree is unveiled….and it really did start with the workers digging the foundation for the Center. There is also commentary about Habitat for Humanity.

Side Note: After reading this to my daughter, I was able to surprise her and tell her that I’ve been to the Rockefeller Center tree with my own mom years ago.  I pulled out my scrapbook and shared my pictures with her.  I hope one day to take her to New York City during the holidays and visit the tree, just like I did with my mom.

This book will make you smile!

BUY IT: On Amazon: The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree – as of writing this, it is so popular that it’s temporarily sold out. Click to check and see (you can still order though)!

(A complimentary book was provided by Random House for review. All statements are the honest opinions of the author.)

You didn’t think I’d forgotten Fiction Friday, did you? Well, it’s just a day late….more like Saturday Story-time.

This week, I’m featuring a Must-Have for all you Dr. Seuss fans…..and it’s so HOT, that it’s a New York Times Bestseller right now!

I’m talking about The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss.

Yes, Lost Stories of Dr. Seuss – these stories were never published in hardcover form.  Unless you are my Grandmother’s age, you likely have never even heard of these.  Dr. Seuss wrote for magazines during the late 1940’s and 1950’s……and over time, the stories had largely been forgotten. In fact, the author, Charles D. Cohen, takes us on a journey of how this new release came to be. I was so intrigued…….and for any Dr. Seuss fan (young kids may not be so interested), the history lesson is quite fun.

Stories included in this new hardcover book:

• The Bippolo Seed
• The Rabbit, the Bear, and the Zinniga-Zanniga
• Gustav, the Goldfish
• Tadd and Todd
• Steak for Supper
• The Strange Shirt Spot
• The Great Henry McBride

I have to admit that when I received the book, I sat down and read all 69 pages by myself…..and laughed quite a bit too.

Who said Dr. Seuss was just for kids?

Since that time, I’ve read at least one story each night with my 4 year old……she loves Dr. Seuss, and always giggles at his rhyming creations. The stories are fun and silly of course, but talk about such things as greed (The Bippolo Seed), that makes a great introduction for a chat with my daughter on the topic.

Two Thumbs Up…..and a great gift idea for the holidays!

(Complimentary book was provided for review, courtesy of Random House. As always, all statements are the honest opinions of the author.)

I have only heard of this…..but you’ve got to check it out:

Goodnight iPad: a Parody for the next generation

Apparently the story ends with the family reading “Goodnight Moon”!

While I’ll never give up our worn copy of “Goodnight Moon”, this might have to be added to our library!!

Enjoy!

We’ve been busy painting this afternoon…..a triceratops dinosaur. The head is red, the tail is blue, and my daughter has had the most fun! So, I thought this book was fitting for our Fiction Friday……

Artsy Babies Wear Paint

This adorable board book is the latest title in the popular childrens book series, Urban Babies Wear Black, by Michelle Sinclair Colman. Beginning each page with “Artsy Babies…….”, the book tells all the great things these types of babies do. Oh, they do have fun! They wear paint of course by, you guessed it, spilling while painting a masterpiece.

They also show at all the best galleries…….don’t think New York, think mom’s refrigerator.

Adorable and charming!

Other books in this popular series:

• Urban Babies Wear Black
• Rocker Babies Wear Jeans
• Country Babies Wear Plaid
• Winter Babies Wear Layers
• Eco Babies Wear Green
• Foodie Babies Wear Bibs
• Beach Babies Wear Shades
• Sporty Babies Wear Sweats
• Jet-Set Babies Wear Wings

BUY IT: Just $6.99 Amazon – part of the Buy any 3 eligible books, get 1 Free deal

I just couldn’t wait another week to bring you the latest childrens book from Judy Sierra……..because I love it! It’s a fun and whimsical book to add to your collection before winter hits.

ZooZical

Winter has hit Springfield hard……….there’s snow everywhere. You can imagine what that has done to business at the zoo. The children aren’t visiting, so the animals are grumpy. Thus begins the tale of ZooZical.

One of the small hippos and a young kangaroo started to have a bit of fun, musical fun. All of a sudden, the animals started not feeling so bad……and they decided to put on a ZooZical, an animal version of a musical. Every animal seemed to have a talent. The elephants were singing, “Do your ears hang low,” and the bunnies were singing, “If you’re hoppy and you know it”………and the gorilla, well he belted out, “For he’s a jolly gorilla”.

With songs picked out, costumes made, and scenery completed, all of Springfield arrived at the zoo for the ZooZical. I’m not going to spoil the actual show for you…..needless to say, it’s original and witty! Kids will love hearing familiar tunes, but with humorous new lyrics!

As always, I’m a huge Judy Sierra fan. Check out another review I’ve done for Tell the Truth, B.B. Wolf.

(Complimentary books were provided for review. As always all statements are the honest opinions of the author.)

We’re so excited when toddlers count to 10…….but there comes a time when they need to learn to count to 100 (and beyond)! We’ve been using a chart of 100 to teach my 4 year old, but I’ve found the perfect book to reinforce what she’s trying to learn.

Let’s Count to 100!

This is an amazing addition to our library. Each page illustrates 100 cartoonish items….from animals to kids and vehicles too. While you might think that 100 of an item on a page is overwhelming, author-illustrator Masayuki Sebe organizes in groups of 10 to make it easier for children. So on a double page of 100 fish, there are 10 groups of 10 different type of fish.

There are questions asked throughout the book too for extra fun in counting. For example, on the page of “100 cats”, children are asked how many have striped tails. More counting fun.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a preschooler like me!

Adorable monsters are the featured characters in the new book by Jane Yolen, Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters. Reminding me of the lovable monsters from Disney’s Monsters Inc, this book brings monsters down to a level that toddlers and preschoolers can really identify with.

Not so scary monsters with horns, antennas, multiple eyes and more, go through a typical day like any other preschooler. They play on the playground, hurry back to their cave with backpacks in tow, eat dinner (not sure about the ingredients), take a bath, and yes, even say their monster prayers.

These monsters do everything that a typical preschooler does throughout their day…….right down to not being sleepy at the end of the night (but falling asleep so quickly).

Adorable!

There’s a new addition to the popular “How Do Dinosaurs” book series….this time having to do with birthdays!

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Birthday? is the new board book for children……so sweet for some-one’s birthday.

The authors, Jane Yolen & Mark Teague, partner up again to answer the question on every child’s mind…..how exactly do dinosaurs behave at a birthday party? Do they hog all the cake or do they share?

Each page features a dinosaur, and if you look closely (usually by the tail), you’ll spy the name of the dinosaur written there for children to learn the names. Some are easy like a T-Rex, but there are others like Lambeosaurus that children might not know yet (unless they watch Dino Dan every chance they get).

(Complimentary books were provided for review. No other compensation was received. All statements are the honest opinions of the author).

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**
Congratulations to:
#23 Gina H

Cooper and Me is a rhyming book for children, which focuses on a young girl ready to go to school for the very first time. She’s been told that dogs can’t go to school, and she’s quite upset…..she loves her dog Cooper. She can’t face her fear without Cooper by her side.

Mommy to the rescue……and I have to admit this is brilliant. Mommy surprises the little girl with a miniature stuffed Cooper, one that she can take to school with her and give a hug to whenever she is sad or scared. Even better, inside is a picture of her family and a pocket to keep something small.

Such a sweet book with a great lesson for a child who is apprehensive about school, or any new experience.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES: The back of the book also contains a few pages of extra activities.

• My First Day of School fill in the blank questionnaire
• Questions for discussion between parents and children about fear/nervousness
• Life Lesson
• Learning Together questions

The book is written by 11-year old Alexa Peters and her mother, Monique Peters. The book was inspired by Alexa’s very own first day of school.  Alexa wanted to go beyond her book and help children less fortunate…..so she works with the Happy Hearts Fund – which improves children’s lives through education and programs in natural disaster areas.

Now for some extra fun for my readers….

GIVEAWAY

One (1) lucky winner will receive a copy of the book “Cooper and Me”!

HOW TO ENTER:
For your main entry, Leave a comment and tell me why you’d like to win! That’s it!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
You can earn one (1) extra entry for each of the following (leave as separate comments please for each entry):

2. Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post (tell me which one)
3. Subscribe to A Frugal Friend via email or in a reader
4. Like A Frugal Friend on FB
5. Like Cooper and Me on FB
6. Follow A Frugal Friend on Twitter
7. Follow Cooper and Me on Twitter
7. Tweet the following as is: Giveaway: “Cooper and Me” Childrens Book http://tinyurl.com/44e74zs @AFrugalFriend #giveaway #win
8. Grab my button for your site and/or Add me to your BlogRoll

Giveaway ends at midnight (central time) on Friday, November 4th, 2011! Valid for US residents and addresses only. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be randomly selected. I’ll announce (and contact by email) the winner on this post and the winner will have 2 days to get back to me for delivery details. Limit one set of entries per household.

(Complimentary product was provided for review. All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of A Frugal Friend)

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**
Congratulations to:
#102 Glenda

I’ve got a 4 year old little girl who is just fascinated with dinosaurs.  She doesn’t just like to play with them, but she really wants to know the facts.  Whether they were a carnivore or herbivore…..yes, she knows way more than I ever did.

She is so completely in love with anything dinosaur, and that includes Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train!

Halloween TV Specials: This year, October is extra fun on PBS Kids:

• Thursday, October 20th – Dinosaur Train “Haunted Roundhouse/Big Pond Pumpkin Patch” Episode Premiere

(repeats on October 24, 28, 30, and 31)

• Monday, October 17th - Sid the Science Kid “Spooky Science Special”  Episode Premiere

(repeats on October 25, 28, 30, and 31)

Halloween Costumes: If I hadn’t already bought her costume months and months ago, I know someone who would LOVE to be a Dinosaur for Halloween!

• Dinosaur Train Costumes for purchase
• Make your Own Buddy Dinosaur Costume (Sew and No-Sew Options)
• Make your own Sid the Science Kid Costume

Of course, there’s even more fun with the new book, The Spooky Scavenger Hunt (Dinosaur Train)!

Here’s the Scoop:

Mr. Pteranodon takes Buddy and Tiny on a nighttime trip to the Big Pond for a spooky nature walk! Mr. Pteranodon and the conductor insist they can’t be scared, but when the conductor’s mom jumps out at them, everyone gets a good scare! This simple storybook is perfect for read-aloud fun!  Ages 4 – 8

Now for some extra fun for my readers….

GIVEAWAY

One (1) lucky winner will receive a copy of The Spooky Scavenger Hunt (Dinosaur Train)

HOW TO ENTER:
For your main entry, Leave a comment and tell me who this Dinosaur Train book would be for if you won! That’s it!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
You can earn one (1) extra entry for each of the following (leave as separate comments please for each entry):

2. Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post (tell me which one)
3. Subscribe to A Frugal Friend via email or in a reader
4. Like A Frugal Friend on FB
5. Like PBS Kids on FB
6. Follow A Frugal Friend on Twitter
7. Follow Henson Parents on Twitter
8. Follow PBS Kids on Twitter
7. Tweet the following as is: Win a new Dinosaur Train Halloween Book for Kids! http://tinyurl.com/65wuoqs @AFrugalFriend @PBSKids #giveaway #win
8. Grab my button for your site and/or Add me to your BlogRoll

Giveaway ends at midnight (central time) on Monday, October 24th, 2011! Valid for US residents and addresses only. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be randomly selected. I’ll announce (and contact by email) the winner on this post and the winner will have 2 days to get back to me for delivery details. Limit one set of entries per household. Note: I don’t handle the shipping, so I can’t personally guarantee shipment by Halloween, but I will notify PR as soon as I get winner’s information.

(Complimentary book was provided for review. All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of A Frugal Friend)

I am so excited about this new release because we just love this book series.

This is the latest in the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” popular book series for kids by Laura Numeroff!

If You Give a Dog a Donut

Just released this week…..and we can’t wait to read it!