Category: Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction)

Activity and Coloring Sheets, Children's Literature (Ages Birth - 7), Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction), Reviews

Review: I Want Everything by Sophy Henn

BentenShisho

Henn, Sophy. (2026). I Want Everything. Beach Lane Books.

*Downloadable activity sheets at the end of this post!

In this edition of Sophy Henn’s “Everything” series, this little ghost wants EVERYTHING. Does he though? The little ghost is there to ask him some questions to clarify.

Do you want the hiccups? A hungry lion? An octopus as a hat? Mushy peas? The big ghost realizes…huh, I don’t want that. But he wants everything else he thinks.

Then we go through a few more silly scenarios, and the biggest ghosts figures out he really does NOT want EVERYthing.

So, what DOES he want?

“NOTHING! I guess I don’t want anything!” he cries. But is that true as well? Just as before, the little ghosts helps him talk it out and he realizes, maybe there are SOME things he wants.

Like a friend.

Where do you think he is going to find one of those?

This is a super cute book that addresses black and white thinkings…in this case, wanting everything, or nothing. And it’s good, silly, funny banter between the two ghosties that helps the reader figure out that maybe there are some shades of grey in this conversation worth considering.

Recommended Ages: 3-6

Activity Sheets:

Original Source:I Want Everything! | Book by Sophy Henn | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

i want everything downloadable activities
Children's Literature (Ages Birth - 7), Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction), Reviews

Review: The Most Haunted House in America by Jarrett Dapier

BentenShisho

Dapier, Jarrett. (2022). The Most Haunted House in America. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

The premise behind this rhyming picture book is that a skeleton band goes to play at The White House, which they know to be haunted.

But first you a see a party, with folks in costumes, and the skeleton band hitting all their instruments with great big tones.

The Obamas are even giving out candy to trick-or-treaters, wizards, and cowboys, monsters and more as the bads fly by. They invite the band inside.

But much to the band’s surprise, there is already a party going on inside, as ghosts start popping out of the pictures! Abe Lincoln and Abigail Adams, even ghost animals are slipping and sliding to the groovy rhythm.

I have no idea where the giant cat came from. Neither does the skeleton band, and they look like they are freaking out just a tiny bit.

And as they enter another room, all the living and the dead, the monsters and the costumers are all dancing the night away like nothing is amiss, until the skeleton band tells them to run, which just makes for one awesome Halloween party up and down the mall.

Finally, as dawn arrives, the first lady waves goodbye, the ghosts return to their pictures and the monsters to their graves, including the skeleton band who returns to the underground, to rest until the next Halloween bash.

I was a little ho-hum about this book until the Obamas showed up, and then I kind of thought it was amazing. It is so mirthful, while being spooky, though it is far more wordy (as in it has a much higher word count) than most picture books. So, while it wouldn’t make for a good library storytime, it might make for a fun longer bedtime book and also a great book for someone really interested in drums and drumming! (there’s lots of percussive verbiage in it)

This book was written but a person who actually played percussion, dressed as a skeleton, at The White House! There’s also a section at the back that talks about the ghost stories from The White House, as they do actually call it the most haunted house in America. Apparently, Abe Lincoln is very frequently seen there among others.

Recommended for Ages: 5-7

Activity and Coloring Sheets, Children's Literature (Ages Birth - 7), Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction), Reviews

Review: Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht and Jarvis

BentenShisho

Toht, Patricia. (2019). Pick a Pumpkin. Candlewick Press.

*Downloadable activity sheets at the bottom of this post!

This book is about exactly what it sounds like…picking a pumpkin! You follow a family through picking out their pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, picking the perfect wagon full of them for their family (my kinda family! I also love the look on the face of the dude with the doughnut…ugh, no…you are actually NOT getting my donut, thanks.)

It talks about getting cider and apples, taking your pumpkins home and prepping them for carving.

And selecting a crew to help you carve! Grown-ups to help you cut the top off, friends to help you scoop and decide what kind of face you want on your pumpkin! Scary, funny, silly, sad.

But don’t forget the decorations, and your costumes.

Then you pick up your pumpkin and discover the magic of lighting it and putting in a place of honor where it becomes a pumpkin no longer but…

A JACK-O-LANTERN!!

This book is gorgeous. Jarvis is an amazing artist. Moody, and colorful, textural…fun and accessible. LOVE. The book plot by Patricia Toht is simple, classic and lovely, and of course, rhymes for fun with phonics. It is a classic and I would not be sad to read it every year.

Highly recommend.

Recommended Ages: 3-7

Activity Sheets:

Original Source: https://www.candlewick.com/9781536207644/pick-a-pumpkin/

pick a pumpkin activity kit
Children's Literature (Ages Birth - 7), Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction), Reviews

Review: How to Help a Pumpkin Grow by Ashley Wolff

BentenShisho

Wolff, Ashley. (2021) How to Help a Pumpkin Grow. Beach Lane Books.

“How to Help a Pumpkin Grow” by Ashley Wolff is a book about patience, cooperation, gardening, friends, Fall and more. Let’s get to it.

This little border collie is starting a garden. He is planting pumpkins! First, he must dig, and sow (plant) his seeds.

Then he keeps them warm and safe, with a little mouse watching. The little mouse wants to help a pumpkin grow! Together they help secure the garden from a hungry crow.

Then they ask the crow “You want to help a pumpkin grow?” Together, they tend the garden with onlookers from outside the fence.

And so the dog asks “You want to help a pumpkin grow?”

Together they continue to tend the garden, and stake up the plants as the pumpkins get bigger and bigger as does their friend group. Together they have made an amazing harvest!

Just look at all the pumpkins they have grown together.

Now it is time to enjoy them together, whether in yummy pies…

…or by the glow of candlelight. Happy Halloween!

This is a great rhyming book, which is, of course, excellent for early learning skills, but also, as I said above, a great example of patience, friendship and reward. Sometimes littles forget the good things that come at the end of long chores or tasks. It’s important to remind them, everything in good time. It’s worth the wait.

Recommended Ages: 3-7

Activity and Coloring Sheets, Children's Literature (Ages Birth - 7), Picture Books/Easy Books (Ages 3 and up) (Fiction), Reviews

Review: Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey

BentenShisho

Blabey, Aaron. (2021). Pig the Monster. Scholastic.

*Downloadable activities at the end of this post!

Spoiler alert! I was NOT a fan of this book, now, nor of the series. While the illustrations are great, and I do mean really awesome, the story…man this pug is MEAN. And I thought, oh, maybe there is a redeeming story ark. Nope…just gross and mean and I didn’t like it. Some kids dig that sort of thing, so if your kiddo is that sort, feel free to give it a go. The activities are fun though, and as much as I hate giving a bad review, I think it is important. However, it is just my personal opinion, so again, keep that in mind.

So, here is said pug. The author says straight up, hey, this pug gets a little extra during Halloween.

When he feels short-changed, he apparently results to vandalism. The page before this was him egging someone’s house and toilet papering their car (although the reference to fixing their little read wagon was funny). But dude, don’t be telling kids that the way to vent their anger is by making other people miserable! (again, nothing in this story that says, hey this behavior is wrong). Cuz I guarantee, you leave poop on my doorstep, and I’m gonna find out who you are. 😛 What a jerk!

So again, jerk be doing jerk things. He eats chocolate. Another dog says, dude you can’t do that. (It is poisonous bro, not just gonna make you gag) But Pig is like, don’t you tell me what to do! So, he stuffs it down until there is an issue and then the other dog swings him around by the feet until he pukes. Charming.

Then they try to say, oh Pig is much better. He’s way nicer. But he looks thrilled, doesn’t he?

Yeah, but not so much. *le sigh* Oh well. As I say, can’t win ’em all.

If you want to read this to your kiddos, suggested age would be 5-7, but I would be pointing out how Pig is pretty darn mean, so that they don’t try to emulate his behavior.

Activity Pages:

Original source: https://www.scholastic.com/site/pig-the-pug.html

Scholastic_PigMonsterActivities