Dawn Aldrich Signing

Join us on Thursday, April 30th, at 4:00 PM to meet Dawn Aldrich, author of the picture book Auntie's House.

Told from the child's perspective, Auntie's House answers the universal questions of every child left in the care of someone other than a parent: "What will I do all day long? Are there fun things to do here? Will Mommy come back for me?"

Dawn Aldrich is a native to New England. She resides in Connecticut with her husband, Peter. Together they've raised two adult children and have one granddaughter. She holds an Associates Degree in Radio & TV Communications from Endicott College and a Bachelor's Degree in Christian Education from Houghton College.

What just arrived...

I just had the pleasure of checking in a few books that look really good. The first one I pulled out of the box was Nana Cracks the Case!, by Kathleen Lane. The back cover reads, "Nanas, you see, are not supposed to become backhoe operators or marine biologists or circus performers (actually Nana did not join the circus, she only substituted while the trapeze artist recovered from a broken leg), and they must never--because they are so very fragile, you see--become detectives." Tell me you don't want to read the book now! I sure do. It even has a reversible cover, "perfect for sneaky detective work!"

The next one was called Escape Under the Forever Sky, by Eve Yohalem. It's about a girl who is the daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia, and she gets kidnapped. It is apparently based on a true story, and looks riveting. (I read a few pages in the middle. Now I want to read the whole thing.)

Finally, for you fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace, a book called Little Oink. Similar to their book Little Hoot, in which an owl wishes he could go to bed earlier, Little Oink is about a piglet who wishes his parents would let him clean his room. Cute!

The Dog Who Belonged to No One

I have another cozy fall book for you today. This one is about a dog who, as the title says, belonged to no one, and a "little slip of a girl named Lia" who spends her time helping her parents in their bakery. Both dog and girl are lonely, with no one in particular to call a friend, until they meet one rainy night. Amy Hest tells their story in an interesting parallel fashion--a bit about the dog, a bit about the girl, and so on until their paths cross. There's nothing really surprising about the plot, but it's the kind of story I would enjoy reading to a child on a rainy day while curled up on a comfy chair with a blanket and maybe some homemade cookies fresh out of the oven. A sweet and cozy kind of book.

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

We were pleased to have Nancy Elizabeth Wallace visit us last week. She is the author and illustrator of many picture books, including Leaves! Leaves! Leaves!; Apples, Apples, Apples; Paperwhite; Fly, Monarch! Fly!; Alphabet House; Look! Look! Look!; and many more.
During her visit, Ms. Wallace showed us some of the different kinds of paper she uses, including those recycled paper things you get with coffee--she used one of those for a road in one of her books.The kids who attended were also able to try their hand at some paper art by making butterfly magnets.

A Babysitter for Billy Bear

We just got in A Babysitter for Billy Bear, by Miriam Moss; it is a sweet book that would be great for preparing a young child for the experience of staying home with a babysitter for the first time. Moss's gentle prose follows Billy Bear through the evening as his mother gets him ready for bed and then goes to her pottery class, leaving him with a friend. He can't sleep, and goes downstairs, telling the babysitter he is worried his mother won't be able to find her way home in the dark. She reassures him, showing him the streetlights and the moon and stars, and he goes to sleep. Nothing groundbreaking, but the story would help to get a child comfortable with the idea of going to bed without Mom.

Spring Events

We have a number of fun events coming up at The Alphabet Garden!

The first is our Teachers Only Night on May 21st from 6:00-8:00 PM. There will be refreshments; door prizes; and a 20% discount; as well as guest speaker Susannah Richards, assistant professor of reading/language arts at Eastern Connecticut State University; and author Bob Shea, author of the picture book Big Plans. Please call (203) 439-7766 to RSVP.

On Thursday, May 29th, at 4:00 PM, we are excited to welcome Billy Steers, author of the Tractor Mac books. Come meet the author and make a fun craft! Call to reserve a signed Tractor Mac book.



And on Thursday, June 12th, at 4:00 PM, we will be visited by Bill Thomson, illustrator of Karate Hour, Building with Dad, and most recently, Baseball Hour. These books would make great gifts for Father's Day, teachers, coaches, and kids!

A Visitor for Bear

Bear has a sign on his door: "No visitors allowed." One day a mouse comes for a visit. Bear tells him he is against the rule--no visitors allowed! The mouse, however, is persistent. Finally Bear gives in to the mouse's request for a fire in the fireplace and a cup of tea--on the condition that the mouse leave immediately after. But Bear is in for a surprise. The mouse compliments his fire and his headstand skills and laughs at his jokes! Suddenly visitors don't seem like such a bad idea, after all. The noble mouse, however, is determined to hold up his end of the bargain by leaving right away.

"Don't go!" wailed Bear, throwing his body across the path.
"But I gave you my word," said the mouse, pointing at the "No Visitors" sign.
"Oh, that!" cried Bear, pulling down the sign and tearing it up. "That's for salesmen. Not for friends."

And... they all lived happily ever after.

I don't think there is anything about this book I don't like. It would be fun to read aloud, exaggerating Bear's comically dramatic responses to finding the mouse, yet again, in his house. And the illustrations are lovely--large, simple, warm and homey.

Best suited for ages 2-5.

New Sandra Boynton Titles

Sandra Boynton is one of my favorite authors/illustrators for infants and toddlers, and it amazes me how often she comes up with new books. Just recently she released another book and CD pair called Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits from Way Back Never. It looks like just as much fun as her other music, and features Davy Jones of The Monkees.

Another recent Sandra Boynton book is Bath Time!, a squeaky book to read in the tub. Perfect for a first-birthday gift.