Two-For-One Today: A Flashback and a Giveaway

This is one of my all-time favorite photos. It's a picture of Danger Boy and his first friend (which really means the child of my friend). The two of them could not have been more opposite. DB walked at 8 months, his friend at 18 mos. DB rarely sat still for a moment, while his friend was content to contemplate her surroundings for hours on end. The one thing they had in common though was their love of books. Is there anything more adorable and heart-warming than a pudgy toddler hand clutching a well-worn board book? Not to me there isn't. And two toddlers with board books in pudgy hands? Be still my heart.

On to the giveaway part . . . Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt. Now I can't comment firsthand on the book, because I haven't received my comment yet, but it is a book and there is a dog on the book cover so I'm pretty sure the young Danger Boy would give it his seal of approval.

Here's what's up for grabs:

One (1) Grand Prize winner receives:

• Autographed copy of Max Spaniel (by illustrator David Catrow)
• One (1) Jumbo kids magnifying glass

Four (4) runner-up winners will also receive a copy of the new book

That sounds pretty cool to me. Here is the blurb from the publisher:

Max is no ordinary dog. He is a great hunter! His prize of choice? Dinosaurs! But Max simply can’t hunt dinosaurs inside. For that, he must go on a true adventure to the unexplored wild of the backyard. As this zany canine prowls the yard, he encounters bicycles, toys, a rake, and a gardening hose. But to Max, the intrepid dinosaur hunter, these items are no mere playthings and grooming implements–they are dinosaur bones! Piece by piece, the bloodhound puts together a towering display of dinosaurian strength that he is sure will strike fear into the hearts of any trespassers!

From David Catrow, beloved illustrator of the energetic Doggone Dogs and I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More, comes an equally entertaining picture book for young adventurers! Catrow’s text is simple and sparing, allowing his fantastic illustrations to shine brilliantly. The sketch and watercolor artwork is colorful and alive with movement and silliness.

This is the perfect fast-paced read for children who are ready to get up and go! Catrow’s design makes this book fantastic both for a read-aloud storytime and for beginning readers who aren’t quite ready for chapter books.

This contest will be up for a month--to enter just leave a comment. To make it fun, let me know what your favorite book to read-aloud is. Not that's that a question I could answer--too many choices--though I will admit to great memories of reading the Henry and Mudge books to Danger Boy before he could read them to himself.

 

Good luck!

Comments

[Jocelyn]

Pick me--AND MY DINOSAUR-LOVING SON, PACO DINKO! We YUVVS our books, honey, my lad and I. We read aloud every damn day. Here's the best to read aloud: anything by Mo Willems, from his Pigeon who wants to drive the bus to his elephant and piggie characters. In one book, Piggie throws a ball really hard, but actually really lamely, and it lands behind him a few feet. Piggie, however, is certain he has done the best throw ever...and the reason the ball is a few feet behind him is that he THREW IT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD, and then that's where it ended up. When I read that book aloud to my 6-year-old, he nearly needed to be re-potty-trained.

[Smalltown Mom]

I'd like to win this for my great-nephew, Hank, aka Mr. Thomas.

With my own boys, Where the Wild Things Are was our top read-aloud. I had it memorized! "and they roared their terrible roars,and gnashed their terrible teeth." and my boys roared and gnashed along!!!

[kcinnova]

Looks A+adorable, but please don't add me to the contest. My kids are beyond this book but I can say that they would have loved it just by the cover!

[imom]

Adorable picture! I have many pics of my kids "reading" books when they were little.

Max Spaniel looks and sounds like a great character. I wish I still had little kids to read aloud too.

I too have so many read aloud favorites, but the first one that came into my head was one that my day care kids always wanted to hear called I Went Walking. When my kids were a little older my husband and I would take turns reading the Harry Potter books aloud. Good times!

[Manic Mommy]

We're headed to the bookstore today! I'll be sure not to buy this one in case I win!!

Oh, and my favorite to read aloud is I Wish That I Had Duck Feet by Dr. Seuss. I HIGHLY recommend it!

[wenderina]

I'm entering for my great-nephew Little Man A as captured on searchingforanevenbalance.blogspot.com and his soon to arrive little brother. If little brother is anything like Little Man A, he'll be a bibliophile of the first magnitude.

[Jen]

I would love to have this book for Dylan! I think David Catrow is so talented. I have SO many favorite books to read, but for some reason (mommy brain) I can't think of titles right now. I love to read rhyming stories. I just got Dylan on video finishing the rhyme on each page of a book we got from the library. How he memorized the words that quickly baffles me!

[Suz]

This picture is just precious. The girls and I saw a toddler in the backseat of his parents car yesterday reading a little board book and all 3 of us ooohhheed and awwed. I had so many favorites to read, hard to choose. Maybe MY favorite would have to be Goodnight Moon.

[MIssM]

Our favorite book to read out loud (and sometimes completely act out) is The Big Brag by Dr. Suess. We use accents for the rabbit, mouse and bear, and we always mix it up. Plus, there is a nice little moral to the story :)

[kellyg]

We love our books here too! I had several books come to mind. We are especially fond of Sandra Boynton. I still have Pajama Time and Moo, Baa, La, La, La memorized. And if you like making silly barks -- Doggies. Then there are two Don and Audrey Woods books -- King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and He Won't Get Out and The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear.

I think my kids are just about the right age for your giveaway book. And my little girl LUUUUUUUUVS dinosaurs AND doggies.

[mandy]

That is a great photo. Both my boys, different in personality and interests as they are, love reading. As a former English teacher this makes me breathe a little easier for their futures.

[Jackie Hall]

My son always wanted me to read Green Eggs and Ham aloud to him. We read it so many times he had it memorised by the age of two and his uncle thought he could read becasue every page he turned it to Blake would know the words that were on the page. :-) I love that book to this day. Now we have a great newphew on the way. I would love to be able to get this little dog book and give it to him. What fun he and his parents could have!

Thank you for the opportunity to win a new book!

[blognut]

What a beautiful picture!!

[allmycke]

Somewhere - in a box - I have a picture of my son when he was 3 years old and had decided that he could read books on his own.
After I had read a story to him, he put himself to sleep by reading a book - any which way - but it made him so happy.
That was 27 years and umpteen moves ago - I just hope I can find that picture...

[Marie J]

It looks adorable! My favorite book out loud is The Little Engine That Could, with all the good boys and girls and all the train voices to do.

My husband does a mean Are You My Mother?, did you know the dog is named Rufus? He is at our house anyway!

[Tricia Z]

We would love to read this book! Thank you so much for this chance!

[she]

You're right. That is the cutest photo EVER!

[Honey Mommy]

This book looks great for boys, and I have two of them! We would love it if you would send a copy our way!

[Danielle Gerstenberger]

I have 3 boys and they all love for me to read the book I Love You Stinky Face to them! It's such a cute book. I am so excited about this giveaway! I'm trying to get a jumpstart on Christmas presents and this would be such a great present, especially for my youngest son, who is all about books!

[Mozi Esme's Mommy]

I'd love this book! We had a good time reading Skippyjon Jones out loud...

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

[Winning Readings]

Not an entry; just a note that we've posted about this at Winning Readings:

http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2009/08/max-spaniel-dinosaur-hunt_18.html

[melvin]

Pictures are amazing...

Thanks for sharing...
___________________
Melvin
Naton wide cash is easy and fast

[Swati]

Ooooh, I just read a review of this book, and it seems wonderful. Hope I get lucky :)

[angie]

I always read books aloud to my children and now I have a granddaughter to carry that trait on with. I love to read about Georgie the ghost, Curious George and many others what ever we had we read together
shopannies@yahoo.com

[Janelle]

My daughter loves the Elephant & Piggie series by Mo Willems. She's just starting with the early reader books. Thanks for the giveaway.

[tonny]

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This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i am actually pleassant to read everthing aat alone place.