One Voice, Please: Favorite Read-Aloud Stories by Sam McBratney

McBratney, Sam. 2008. One Voice, Please: Favorite Read-Aloud Stories.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.
Becky's Book Reviews
Young Readers
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One Voice, Please is a delightful gathering of stories--some familiar, some not-so-much--perfect for reading aloud to children of all ages. Family-friendly reading, if you will, that while kid-friendly is not unappealing to adults. Most stories are two to three pages, and could easily be read in a few minutes. This is a good thing. Perfect reading to fill in those gaps during the day when you don't quite have enough time to get settled into a longer book--like a novel or even a traditional picture book.





Originally published in Great Britain in 2005, the collection has recently been published in the U.S. With over fifty stories, there is sure to be something that is just right for your mood. The book would be a great edition to the classroom as well. My personal favorite was "Many Littles Make A Lot."

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Cleary, Beverly. 1955. Beezus and Ramona.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.

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Originally published in 1955, Beezus and Ramona is a true children's classic. Beezus, age 9, and Ramona, age 4, are the stars of Beezus and Ramona. This story is told from Beezus' perspective. (I believe the others in the series are told from Ramona's perspective.) This is how it opens: "Beatrice Quimby's biggest problem was her little sister Ramona. Beatrice, or Beezus (as everyone called her, because that was what Ramona had called her when she first learned to talk), knew other nine-year-old girls who had little sisters who went to nursery school, but she did not know anyone with a little sister like Ramona." If you've read any of the Ramona series, you know what she's talking about. Ramona. That love-to-hate, pesky little sister who is always into something. She has to be one of the best-loved, most-memorable characters ever created.

In Beezus and Ramona, we see the family dynamics of the Quimby household and the tension between two sisters. Beezus is almost perpetually frustrated with her younger sister. And Ramona is well, Ramona. Prone to wanting what she wants when she wants it.

I must have read this series dozens and dozens of times growing up. But I haven't read it recently. I probably last read it in 1999. Ramona is just as great as I remembered it. Each chapter has a scene that I almost know by heart. From the opening chapter, where Ramona's fascination with steam shovels lead her to destroy a library book, to the last chapter where Ramona's imaginative "acting-out" of Hansel and Gretel leads her to bake her doll, Bendix, in the oven and ruin her sister's birthday cake in the process.

I highly recommend this series to readers young and old. I think they make especially nice read-alouds!

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

Gifford, Peggy. 2007. Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little. Photographs by Valorie Fisher.

Peggy Gifford is brilliant. That is all I have to say about it. Not really. That would be a very short review indeed. But let's just say that I loved, loved, loved Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little. And does my love extend to the incredibly charming and funny photographs? Of course!!! Valorie Fisher is marvelous. Loved, loved, loved those as well. Especially the ones of the messy/clean bedroom. And the mud-splattering ones. Who am I kidding? I loved the mall. All I can say, is that in my opinion, Moxy Maxwell is a must read for everyone. I don't care how young or old you are, I think you'll love Moxy Maxwell. She's just that kind of girl.

Chapter 1

In Which Moxy Maxwell Begins to Read Stuart Little

Her name was Moxy Maxwell and she was nine and it was August and late August at that. It was so late in August that tonight was to be the "Goodbye to Summer Splash!" show at the pool. Moxy was one of eight petals in the water-ballet part. She and the other seven petals were going to form a human daisy at the deep end while carrying sparklers in their left hands.

Next year Moxy planned to do a rose solo. Moxy Maxwell was just that sort of girl--the sort of girl who even at nine had big plans. In fact, last April when Miss Cordial asked the class to write a list of Possible Career Paths, Moxy had needed a third piece of paper. Moxy was going places all right.

She was going to her room. And she was going to stay there until she read every word of Stuart Little. Mr. Flamingo,who was going to be Moxy's fourth-grade teacher this fall, had assigned the book for summer reading. They were going to have a quiz on it too--on the very first day of school. And tomorrow was the very first day of school.

Now, Moxy loved to read books. She loved books so much that sometimes she would stay up all night and read. It's just that Moxy liked to read what she wanted to read and not what someone told her to read. (1-2)

Are you hooked yet? Curious to read more? I know I sure was. Moxy had me from the very beginning. The book is her journey of excuses and delays--in other words her procrastination--in facing the inevitable...the reading of Stuart Little. It is very entertaining. It is very funny. It is authentic through and through. The family relationships were dynamic. The book is practically perfect in every way.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor

Becky's Book Reviews: http://blbooks.blogspot.com/

Becky's Christian Reviews: http://stand-firm-then.blogspot.com/

Reading With Becky: http://readingwithbecky.blogspot.com/

PS-This is POST 100. YAY! On Review 100, I'll be offering a Giveaway. Watch for it. It won't be long.

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

Toys Go Out: The Adventures of A Knowledgeable Stingray, A Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.

Toys Go Out is a book that I loved. It is a book I love now as an adult. And it is a book I would have loved as a kid. It stars three lovable, unique characters: Lumphy, a stuffed buffalo, StingRay, a stuffed stingray, and Plastic, a red ball. The three share adventures in and out of the Little Girl's room--and on and off the High Bed. The book is told through six short stories.

"In the Backpack, Where It is Very Dark" explores the strangeness of going to school for show and tell through the eyes of toys that DON'T know where they are going or why. Did they do something wrong? Are they on their way to the dump? Why is it so dark? And why does it smell so bad?

"The Serious Problem of Plastic-ness" focuses on Plastic's identity crisis. Told that "the truth" can be found in books...and that the books hold the answer to everything. She tries finding out what kind of animal 'Plastics' are--their natural environment, what they eat, what they do, etc. What she finds shocks her. It seems that there are no animals named plastic. In fact, it says she's artificial. What does artificial mean anyway? As Plastic explores her environment and asks probing questions, she finally realizes who and what she is.

"The Terrifying Bigness of the Washing Machine" focuses on the adventures of Lumphy, who by chance gets dirty and has to brave the washing machine, Frank. What he finds through it all surprises him.

"The Possible Shark" focuses on StingRay as she is left home from the family beach-trip because she is "dry clean only." And follows the dangerous adventures of Plastic as she experiences some of what the ocean and beach have to offer.

"How Lumphy Got On the Big High Bed And Lost Something Rather Good-Looking" focuses on Lumphy and StingRay. Lumphy has always been jealous that StingRay got to sleep on the High Bed with the Little Girl. He wants his chance to become a favorite. A bedtime essential. He begs and begs to get his chance. Can StingRay deliver? Will Lumphy get his wish? Or will he find that sometimes you don't want what you wish for after all...

"It is Difficult to Find The Right Birthday Present" focuses on all three toys as the Little Girl's birthday approaches. It's hard to find a birthday present when a)you're a toy who can't leave the house b) you have no money or no clue as to what money even is or what it can buy and c) everything in the house already belongs to the Little Girl or her family. Are gifts of the heart just as exciting to receive?

Great read-aloud for 5 and up

Recommended Readers: 7 and up

Posted by Becky Laney, regular contributor

Becky's Book Reviews