Review by Booklist Review
The popular husband-and-wife authors join together in this new direction for both: an advice book. Arranged in a chronological format, with one page dedicated to each day of the year, the book features three sections in each daily entry: a quotation from a children's book, a short passage of advice, and an affirmation. March 29, for example, features a quote from Paula Fox's novel Western Wind (1993): You can't take words back . . . They sit there like big damp frogs. The following advice speaks about regret for something that was said, and the closing affirmation is, Today if I feel myself about to release a word I'll regret, I'll bite my frog. Subjects cover a broad range of topics, including contacting grandparents, buckling seatbelts, resisting peer pressures, and turning off the TV. Readers can dip in at random and read a page per day or as many as they choose. The advice, while often humorous, is practical and age appropriate. Young book lovers will delight in the quotations (as will teachers and librarians), and fans of the Chicken Soup series will eat up this appealing offering.--Rutan, Lynn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This small and elegant gift book spotlights 366 quotations from children's books, one for each day of the year. The Spinellis use excerpts from works by such authors as Tomie dePaola, Donna Jo Napoli, Avi, Roald Dahl and Madeleine L'Engle as springboards to provoke contemplation and positive choices. For March 18, a line from Linda Trice's Kenya's World (" 'What is that music?' Kenya asked. 'It's jazz,' Daddy said. 'Jaaaazz' ") is followed by a suggestion to give "America's music" a try. While readers may find some sentiments corny (on giving: "Inside me is a miracle waiting to happen... I could give for a thousand years and never use up half of my heart"), the advice offered is genuine and inspiring. Ages 10-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-In a departure from their usual works, the Spinellis turn their skills to inspiring readers with quotes and promises for every day of the year. There is a single-page entry for each day, and each one begins with a quote from children's literature. For example, the quote for November 4 is, "When he was in school he longed to be out, and when he was out he longed to be in," from Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth. A quote for December 5 is from Dr. Seuss's The Lorax: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better." Anne Frank's birthday on June 12 is commemorated with a quote from The Diary of a Young Girl: "In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart." Each quote is followed by an explanatory note. Each note is then summarized into a short promise on which readers can reflect. For example, The Lorax entry tells readers to find one thing they care about and ask how they can make it better. The book covers a vast array of topics and themes, from serious to silly, and is inspiring and helpful. This is a book that that kids can dip into throughout the year.-Kristen Oravec, Flint Hill Middle School, Oakton, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The celebrated husband and wife team up to present a inspirational calendar book. Each page, for every day of the year (including Leap Day), includes a quote from a children's book, a short interpretation and finally an affirmation. A typical example, from November 26: A quote from Strider, by Beverly Cleary, "I admire Mom, even when she's mad at me, and I know she loves me," is followed by a brief commentary on weathering family disagreements, including, "Love is the key. Where love abides, anger is a passing visitor." The affirmation: "My parents love me. When I fight with them, that's easy to forget. Repeat: My parents love me." This format is effective in several different ways. The quotes from children's literature will ring familiar chords and may inspire some readers to seek original sources. The dates of the entries are unaccompanied by days of the week, so the calendar never becomes outdated. The advice is pithy and upbeat and addresses many issues that young teens encounter. Less useful for library collections, this would make an excellent gift. (Nonfiction. 10 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
