Ten Eggs in a Nest by Marilyn Sadler

This is a very cute counting book.  I love how it's presented!

Random House Children's Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Mama chicken has several eggs and is sitting on them waiting for them to hatch.  Papa rooster wants to know how many, but that's bad luck.  So he's anxiously awaiting birth and one egg hatches.  Oh my, he just has to buy a worm for it.  He races down to Worm World and the pig there gives him one on the house.  When he gets home, he has more babies!

You learn to count, learn addition, and just have fun watching the rooster race back and forth.  He's bursting with pride and is so handsome he makes you smile.  What a great way to learn to count.  Counting little chicks is fun!

Happy reading.

Alice from Dallas by Marilyn Sadler

Alice is a cowgirl.  A young cowgirl, but she's dedicated to it.  Imagine how she feels when another cowgirl shows up in class.  She's from Texas and has spurs and a hat, too...

Abrams Books for Young Reader's sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  You can find a copy at your local bookstore now.

Alice has never had any competition before.  After all, her Dallas is in Pennsylvania and there aren't a lot of cowgirls there.  When Lexie shows up, she's got a bigger hat and more charm.  When Lexie ties her hobby horse to the tree Alice uses, it's a bit much.  But when she has her big hat hung on the peg that Alice uses, that's it!  Alice throws the hat on the floor and challenges her to a showdown!

Lexie wins the lasso competition but Alice wins the dancing.  When Lexie falls down during her attempt to dance, she bruises her foot.  She's not in school the next day and Alice can't stand it. She goes to visit to see if she's OK.  Then, suddenly, the two cowgirls become friends.  And Alice finds out that Lexie is from Texas, Indiana.

The use of town names to find their identities amused me.  The artwork is simple and lovely and has a feel of tall tale telling.  The cowgirls agree to help each other learn the things they excel in so it's a happy ever after.  Here's a fun read for your young one.

Pass It On! Marilyn Sadler

One Halloween I went to an all girl party where we played various parlor games.  One of those was "Pass It On".  We made a big circle, the first girl read the note and then we took turns whispering in the ear of the girl of next to us what we heard.  What it got turned into by the time it made it around the circle was hilarious!  The animals in this picture book don't have much better luck...

Blue Apple Books allowed me to download an ebook to review this book (thank you).  It will be published April 24th, 2012, so mark it down on your TBR list for the future.

The cow gets stuck in the fence and when her friend, Bee, comes to visit, she asks him to help her.  He's too small to help her so he sets out on a quest to get to get aid.  As each animal repeats the message, it gets stranger and stranger and it's amusing to read.

Michael Slack did the illustrations and they are bright and colorful and contain a touch of whimsey.  Your young one's eyes will drink up colors and laugh out loud at the silly animals misinterpretations of the original request.

Why not share a fun story with your young ones during a short reading time?  They'll enjoy it and you will, too.

Happy reading.