Stephanie Calmenson
Stephanie Calmenson was working as a teacher when she saw an artist's portrait of a monkey in a magazine that cracked her up. She decided to make a counting book, a book that would feature monkeys and would focus on addition and subtraction. One Little Monkey was her first book in the early 1980s and it was published by Parent Magazine Press. That sense of humor and playfulness are a part of Stephanie that really comes through. We met for breakfast at a coffee shop in New York where we chatted for this interview. She is the type of person who instantly makes you feel comfortable and we had a lot of laughs-at breakfast, no less.
While Stephanie loved teaching, budget cuts had a real impact. In her first year she had 50 kids in her classroom, which was not too good, but the really neat part of it was that she was teaching in her old school. Stephanie was caught in a financial crunch and made a move into the publishing world. Her first children's book position was at Doubleday. When she started her new job she was working on a Master's Degree. Charles Reasoner was an inspiration in her children's literature course and he encouraged her to try writing books. Joanna Cole of "Magic School Bus" fame was also working as an editor and she needed an assistant. Stephanie got the job and Joanna became Stephanie's other mentor. Eventually they did several books together. Collaborating with Joanna was great fun-for the "Gator Girls" series, they would bat ideas back and forth-type and talk-sharing the document electronically.
As Stephanie grew in her abilities, she left to take on the editorship of Humpty Dumpty. Unfortunately after a few months it folded and she was laid off. She went freelance and then there was an opening at Doubleday. Now she returned as Joanna's colleague. Eventually, Stephanie let that job and became Director of the Book Club at Parent Magazine and Joanna left to become a full-time writer.
She rents a house on Long Island tending to go on the off season. A great place to take her dog Rosie. Prior to finding Rosie, Stephanie had obtained a dog from the pound. It turned out to be sickly and to not have a good disposition. She did her research and bought Rosie. This experience is related in two books Shaggy Waggy Dogs which contains photos and rhymes for each bred to communicate the dog's nature and Rosie: A Visiting Dog's Story. Her Tibetan Terrier was trained to be a visiting dog. She loves kids and language, nothing could be better than connecting the two. There is a daycare center in her building and when she comes thorough with Rosie all the kids cluster around. Stephanie wryly commented that Rosie gets more fan mail than she does.
Stephanie has a large enough body of work (more than 100 books) that she has been able to make her living at books. She also does some school conferences and visits. Many of her books are filled with humor. Jokes abound with titles such as It Begins with an A, The Giggle Book, The Principal's New Clothes, and The Teeny Tiny Teacher. She also has compilations of games and activities such as Miss Mary Mack and Other Children's Street Rhymes, The Eentsy, Weentsy Spider, and Pin The Tail On The Donkey and Other Party Games. All of her books bring a smile or touch something deep within us. As Stephanie said-she considers herself a teacher on paper and someday she plans to go back to the classroom.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
For more information on Stephanie Calmenson, visit her web site www.stephaniecalmenson.com.
Reviews
Bug in a Rug: Reading Fun for Just-BeginnersJoanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen
This charming book by the author of "The Magic School Bus" series brings together twenty-three interactive poems, stories, and songs especially designed to make reading exciting and fun for children and parents together. Children can follow their leader, the adorable Reading Bug, and meet the alphabet at the colorful Letter Parade. There are rebus stories and at the end of the book, kids can enjoy reading five appealing mini-books that offer one to five-word stories. This book is truly a pleasure to experience, one that will surely be read over and over again. 1996, Morrow, Ages 4 to 7, $16.00, $15.93 and $7.95. Reviewer: Catherine Campbell Wright
ISBN: 0-688-12208-6
ISBN: 0-688-12209-4
ISBN: 0-688-12210-8
Best Books:
The Children's Literature Choice List, 1997 ; Children's Literature; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 1997 Beginning Readers United States
Crazy Eights and Other Card Games
Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen
Introductory chapters teach children about suits, face cards, shuffling, cutting the deck and other basics. The fundamentals are followed by 20 chapters that clearly explain the rules for popular card games, from easy ones such as "go fish" to more complex games such as casino. The simple illustrations clarify card placement and add some humor. A good choice for families looking for new diversions on rainy days. 1994, Morrow, Ages 5 up, $15.00, $14.93 and $6.95. Reviewer: Dr. Judy Rowen
ISBN: 0-688-12199-3
ISBN: 0-688-12200-0
ISBN: 0-688-12201-9
Dinner at the Panda Palace
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Mr. Panda keeps his cool as his restaurant fills with patrons; from the first tired and hungry elephant to two weary lions, three little pigs escaping from you-know-who, until the party of ten chickens. Mr. Panda proves to be a gracious host who creates a special table for one last patron, making sure he feels as welcome as the others. Short rhyming quatrains move the story along. Detailed pictures of joyful critters invite young readers to count the groups as they slide, waddle and tumble in for dinner. Also available with an audiotape. 1991, HarperCollins, Ages 3 to 8, $16.00, $14.89, $7.95 (book and tape), and $4.95. Reviewer: Carol A. Flowers
ISBN: 0-06-021010-9
ISBN: 0-06-021011-7
ISBN: 0-694-70054-1
ISBN: 0-06-443408-7
Engine, Engine, Number Nine
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Paul Meisel
Engine, engine, number nine is rolling down the railroad line to the county fair. Along the way it stops to pick up Bess and her round, pink pet pig, Jake and his mooing cow, Sal's crowing roosters and honking, quacking ducks and geese. When the band and families with giggling children board, the train is jammed with a happy, noisy crowd. After a busy day at the fair, the riders board the train with their prizes. On the way home, the only sounds are the rumble of the wheels on the tracks and the blowing of the whistle as passengers doze contentedly in their seats. 1996, Hyperion, Ages 3 to 7, $13.95 and $13.89. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford
ISBN: 0-7868-0155-7
ISBN: 0-7868-2127-2
The Frog Principal
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Denise Brunkus
A not-too-skilful magician turns Mr. Bundy, "the best principal in town," into a frog in this fun-filled variation on the tale of the enchanted frog prince. When he rescues their ball from a pond, the students must fulfill their promise to let him be their frog principal. He displays some zany behavior in this role, to the amazement of the kids, until he returns to his normal form, or almost. Lively watercolor and colored pencil illustrations depict a group of kids being their real, in-school selves, while the anthropomorphic frog has a great time. The scene where the kids make their promise while creating negative magic with crossed fingers and sneaky looks is a classic. 2001, Scholastic, $15.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
ISBN: 0-590-37070-7
Fun on the Run: Travel Games and Songs
Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen
Songs, jokes, and all sorts of games to play or sing on long trips are included in this anthology of travel activities. Keep your children from driving each other and you crazy with geography, writing, and word games. Hopefully, using the many game suggestions will make the trip go faster for everyone. There are traditional favorites such as license plate counting and travel bingo as well as new ones such as Magellan, which involves finding the shortest route between two cities. Families could use this book for vacation travel and teachers could use it on field trips. 1999, Beech Tree, Ages 6 to 14, $17.00 and $6.95. Reviewer: Wendy Pollock-Gibson
ISBN: 0-688-14660-0
ISBN: 0-688-14662-7
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2000 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Parent's Guide to Children's Media, 1999 ; Parent's Guide to Children's Media, Inc.; United States
The Gator Girls
Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrations by Lynn Munsinger
Allie and Amy are best friends. School is over and they have a list of things that they anticipate accomplishing during summer vacation. Their plans are cut short, however, when Allie's family decides to send her to summer camp. The girls hurriedly try to fit in all the planned activities before Allie has to leave for camp, but constantly run into Marvin. He's an obnoxious alligator who is always seeking their attention by doing something stupid. Amy finds out there is an opening at camp and she can go, too. As they board the bus for camp on the big day, they find Marvin is going, too. The girls decide that Marvin is pretty funny and not as obnoxious as they thought. 1995, Morrow, Ages 6 to 8, $15.00 and $14.93 and $4.95. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger
ISBN: 0-688-12120-9
ISBN: 0-688-12121-7
ISBN: 0-688-15297-X
Gator Halloween
Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole offer another beginning chapter book starring the rambunctious young alligators met previously in The Gator Girls and Rockin' Reptiles. This time, best friends Allie and Amy are planning to help out with a neighborhood festival to raise funds for new playground equipment, but they are forced to maneuver among stumbling blocks such as "obnoxious" boy alligators and the dreaded swamp flu. The brief story is well paced and rings true to the activities and vocabularies of modern youngsters, reptilian or not. The plot is not wildly exciting or fascinating, but Lynn Munsinger's cute and colorful illustrations add visual interest that will help keep the attention of readers who are just moving from picture to chapter books. 1998, Morrow Junior Books, $16.00 and $15.93. Ages 7 to 9. Reviewer: Donna T. Brumby (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-688-14784-4
ISBN: 0-688-14785-2
Get Well, Gators!
Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole
Illustrations by Lynn Munsinger
Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole offer another beginning chapter book starring the rambunctious young alligators met previously in The Gator Girls and Rockin' Reptiles. This time, best friends Allie and Amy are planning to help out with a neighborhood festival to raise funds for new playground equipment, but they are forced to maneuver among stumbling blocks such as "obnoxious" boy alligators and the dreaded swamp flu. The brief story is well paced and rings true to the activities and vocabularies of modern youngsters, reptilian or not. The plot is not wildly exciting or fascinating, but Lynn Munsinger's cute and colorful illustrations add visual interest that will help keep the attention of readers who are just moving from picture to chapter books. 1998, Morrow Junior Books, Ages 7 to 9, $16.00 and $15.93. Reviewer: Donna T. Brumby
ISBN: 0-688-14786-0
ISBN: 0-688-14784-4
ISBN: 0-688-14785-2
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Good for You! Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
These simple, original rhymes are perfect for toddlers. They can play peek-a-boo with colors, identify body parts, learn animal sounds, count with blocks, have a letter parade and much more. The bright watercolor paintings will hold the attention of the youngest readers, but they will probably have the most fun doing the actions in the book. Boys and girls from a variety of ethnic groups are represented, and both genders are pictured doing a variety of activities. This is a comprehensive collection of 24 rhymes so adults can read one or two sections at a time to the younger children. The only drawback is the book is rather large and heavy and the pages not sturdy enough for one and two year olds to "read" on their own. Even so, this is a great resource for parents and for teachers to use in a toddler classroom. 2001, HarperCollins, $16.95. Ages 1 to 4. Reviewer: Cheryl Peterson
ISBN: 0-688-17737-9
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2002 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
State Reading Lists:
2X2 Reading List, 2002 ; Texas
It Begins with an A
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Marisabina Russo
This ABC book is a collection of rhyming riddles, Calmenson tries to get kids to deduce what an item is. The text and pictures work really well together. For example, for the letter F the text reads "It is the part of your body you put in your shoe. It starts with an "F" and we each have two." Kids are asked "What is it?" There is plenty of humor in the text and the illustrations and the pictures include a multicultral cast. For those who need help, the answers are on the last spread. A great way to have fun learning the alphabet. 1994 (orig. 1993), Hyperion, Ages 3 to 7, $4.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 1-56282-122-9
ISBN: 1-56282-123-7
ISBN: 1-56282-689-1
Kindergarten Kids: Riddles, Rebuses, Wiggles, Giggles, and More!
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Activities and special days are highlighted in the poems and illustrations in this 32-page book. From their arrival ("Good Morning! How are you today?") to their departure ("See You Later, Alligator!") these kindergarteners search the classroom for Mr. Wig, the guinea Pig; celebrate a loose tooth; make popcorn; are "puzzled by this puzzle"; understand that everyone makes mistakes; and wiggle, iggle, wiggle. There are also poems for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, and One Hundred Days (in which the poem has 100 words). The poem at the end, "Kindergarten Kids," is ideal for an assembly. Multicultural children populate this classroom and seem to be having a wonderful time. Kindergarten teachers will want this for back-to-school and will reach for it over and over again throughout the school year. 2005, HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-06-000713-3
ISBN: 0-06-000714-1
Marbles: 101 Ways to Play
Joanna Cole & Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrations by Alan Tiegreen
Get ready, get set, shoot your marbles! One of childhood's most endearing pastimes has finally made it into the limelight with this excellent resource. From the creators of approximately one dozen children's activity books such as "Anna Banana: 101 Jump-Rope Rhymes" and "The Rain or Shine Activity Book: Fun Things to Make and Do" comes a new, exciting book about creative marble play. Organized into circle games, hole games, shooting games, and assorted games, this fun volume introduces beginners and expert mibsters to 101 marble games including classics such as Ringer and Dropsies and marble versions of popular games such as Football and Tic-Tac-Toe. Each game includes information about the number of players, difficulty level, and object of the game, accompanied by step-by-step instructions and humorous illustrations. In addition to describing specific marble games, the authors also discuss the history of marbles; marble basics, stakes, and surfaces; how to play marbles with information about how to shoot a marble, marble measurement, and special marble vocabulary; and how to start a marble collection. Grab your marbles and get ready for some fun. This book offers a little something for everyone. 1998, William Morrow, Ages 5 up, $16.00 and $7.95. Reviewer: Debra Briatico
ISBN: 0-688-12205-1
ISBN: 0-688-12206-X
ISBN: 0-688-12207-8
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 12th Edition, 1999; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 1999; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
Marigold and Grandma on the Town
Stephanie Calmenson
Pictures by Mary Chalmers
This chapter book focuses on a special day for two bunnies, Marigold and her grandmother. They shop for hats, feed the ducks and enjoy what turns out to be a messy lunch. Marigold wants everything to be perfect for her day with grandma, but somehow everything keeps going wrong! Grandma assures Marigold that any day she spends with her granddaughter is perfect. 1994, Harper Trophy, Ages 6 to 9, $14.89 and $3.75. Reviewer: Wendy Mann
ISBN: 0-06-020813-9
ISBN: 0-06-444229-2
Perfect Puppy
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Thomas F. Yezerski
This book is a delightful read for children and the adults who care for them. It illustrates the trials and joys of caring for a pet and the power of unconditional love. When Puppy finds a home with his girl, he vows to behave perfectly so that his girl will love him. He imagines that he will be house broken, learn tricks and even help around the house. In trying to earn his girl's love, the puppy makes many mistakes. To his dismay, the puppy finds that house training and tricks are not so easy to learn, and when he thinks he is being a helpful "puppy paper shredder," he is actually destroying his girl's homework! Feeling dejected and sure that his girl could not possibly love such an imperfect little puppy, he runs away. To his great surprise the girl ventures out into the rain looking for him. She takes him home, gives him a bath and a treat and the two settle in together while she rewrites her homework. She cuddles him and lavishes praise on him and he knows that to his girl, he really is a perfect puppy. The puppy's first-person narrative makes the story especially endearing, as the puppy often interprets the girl's actions and words inaccurately. The illustrations are delightfully tender and illustrate that perfection is not a requisite for love. The puppy's antics will delight younger children while the story's message will touch adults. 2001, Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin, $15.00. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Bethany Miller Cole
ISBN: 0-618-01139-0
The Principal's New Clothes
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Denise Brunkus
In this variation on Hans Christian Andersen's tale, Calmenson creates a contemporary version set in a school. Mr. Bundy is the principal of PS88, and he is known to be a sharp dresser. He also believes that he is a good principal. He is tricked into believing that he is getting a new suit of clothes and just like in the original story, those who should have known better-the Assistant Principal and the brightest kid in school are also duped. Finally during an assembly, a little kindergarten girl named Alice points out what everyone sees. She gets a gold star for telling the truth, and the kids pass up clothes for Mr. Bundy, because he really is a good principal. 1989, Scholastic, Ages 5 to 8, $14.95 and 4.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-590-41822-X
ISBN: 0-590-44778-5
Rain or Shine Activity Book
Joanna Cole & Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Allan Tiegreen
This book gives directions for over ninety songs, games, magic tricks and, arts and crafts. Games include number of players and the object of the game. Craft activities include a list of needed materials and step by step easy to follow directions. Jump rope games and songs as well as classic games such as hopscotch, giant steps, and Simon says are explained and illustrated. The illustrations are clear and concise. This book would be a resource for schools, home, and daycare centers. One of the authors, Joanna Cole, is the creator of the popular Magic School Bus books. 1997, Morrow Junior Books, Ages 5 to 10, $9.95 and $20.00. Reviewer: Rae Valabek
ISBN: 0-614-29271-9
ISBN: 0-688-12131-4
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 12th Edition, 1999 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Ready...Set...Read--Laugh
Compiled by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
An ideal Christmas gift for young readers. Included are gems such as Nancy Shaw's Sheep in a Shop and other stories, poems, riddles, and games. Kids love it because they feel so grown up reading a book that has 143 pages. Large typeface with pictures from the original stories make this a special treat. Your child can choose a favorite to read-aloud on Christmas Day. 1995, Doubleday, Ages 4 to 7, $24.95. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-385-32119-8
Rockin Reptiles
Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Best friends, (and alligators) Amy and Allie, thought nothing could ever come between them. Then Gracie Alligator moves to Swamp Street. Gracie invites Allie to make jewelry with her. And she invites Amy to make cookies with her. But the real problem comes when she accidentally invites both girls to the popular Rockin Reptiles concert. She only has one ticket. Will these three alligators find a way to resolve this problem and still remain friends? This beginning chapter book could be a nice read-aloud for young elementary school students. It is also a good transitional book for students who are ready to move beyond picture books and easy readers, but aren't quite ready for full novels yet. The book contains nine short chapters. Colorful line drawings appear on nearly every page. 1997, Morrow Junior Books, Ages 6 to 9, $15.00 and $14.93. Reviewer: Dori Butler
ISBN: 0-688-12739-8
ISBN: 0-688-12740-1
Best Books:
Children's Choices, 1998 ; International Reading Association; United States
The Children's Literature Choice List, 1998 ; Children's Literature; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, April 1997 ; Cahners; United States
State Reading Lists:
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 1999-2000 ; Pennsylvania
Rosie: A Visiting Dog's Story
Stephanie Calmenson
Photographs by Justin Sutcliffe
Calmenson entertains and delights with this heartwarming story about her dog, a Tibetan Terrier who was trained to be a visiting dog. Stephanie makes it clear that even though the dog is trained, it must have the right temperament to begin with. She and her dog make visits to the sick-old and young. The wonderful photographs show Rosie bringing joy to kids and seniors in a nursing home. Calmenson explains the training requirements and points out much that may not be obvious such as the dog's acclimation to wheelchairs, medical tubing, traveling on the subway, etc. Readers of this story about Rosie might also enjoy Dr. White by Jane Goodall, another true story about the healing power of a canine friend. 1998 (orig. 1994), Clarion, Ages 4 up, $16.00 and $5.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-395-65477-7
ISBN: 0-395-92722-6
The Teeny Tiny Teacher
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Denis Roche
Stephanie Calmenson has adapted an old English folktale into a delightful, frightful ghost story for young children. A teeny tiny teacher and her teeny tiny class discover a teeny tiny bone on a teeny tiny walk. The teacher puts the teeny tiny bone into her pocket to save for a teeny tiny science lesson. But when someone calls out in a not so tiny voice demanding their teeny tiny bone back, the teeny tiny students become frightened and hide under their teeny tiny desks until the teacher shouts in her loudest teeny tiny voice, "TAKE IT!" The illustrations capture the classroom setting in a way that readers will surely recognize. Children and adults will enjoy reading this teeny tiny ghost story more than a teeny tiny bit! 1998, Scholastic Press, Ages 4 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Mary Hamilton
ISBN: 0-590-37123-1
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 12th Edition, 1999; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, November 1998; Cahners; United States
Welcome, Baby! Baby Rhymes for Baby Times
Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrations by Melissa Sweet
From birth through toddlerhood, before childhood consciousness opens up to free and blank and other sorts of more grown-up poetry, the singsong comfort of rhyming verse reigns supreme. Here is a collection of thirty-three poems for and about babies that carry on the tradition of rhymes and repetition, rhythm and unambiguous affection for the very young. Some of the verse is perfectly metered and will be completely satisfying to the young listener, beginning with the prefatory poem ("For Baby") that celebrates the arrival of a new little one. Others like "Diaper Song" might be the answer to a desperate parental need for distraction at critical moments. "Barnyard Chat" is intriguing because it consists entirely of animal dialogue, without any human translation at all. The delight of it is that none is needed. The illustrations here are large and friendly, and offer room for an older toddler to linger and make the connections of who says what. Similarly, "All Aboard!" offers opportunity for parent-child indulgence in an all-time favorite bouncing game. Calmenson demonstrates a sense of the emotional and physical needs of toddlers in these poems, which are rich with lists of everyday objects, people, sounds, and sensory stimulation. The illustrations provide a range of polychromatic faces across the generations. Some of the poems are less satisfying, perhaps because the meter is short of perfect3/4not something one can afford to gloss over in this poetic form that is so strongly dependent on spoken rendering. Certainly, Christina Rossetti might have quibbled. There is more than one way to read the lines, for example, in "Messy!" so that the reading of it out loud becomes an uneven process. The result feels marginally unfinished, lacking the delightful physicality of other poems in this collection (e.g., "Giddyap!" or "Silly Toe Song" both of which boast of impeccable meter). Moreover, the almost-rhymes in some places (e.g, "stroller" with "Roll him! Roll her!") don't quite get to where they seem to be headed. "Peekaboo, Kangaroo!" hums along in terrific read-aloud beat, until it trips over itself with an extra syllable in the fifth stanza. Still, on the whole, this is an attractive collection of verse for the very young. The last poem, "Butterfly Kiss," ends the whole thing on a lovely note, so we are left with a very sweet, very tender scene3/4a mother leaning over to kiss a suitably angelic sleeping baby face. 2002, HarperCollins, Ages 3 mo. to 2, $16.99. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
ISBN: 0-688-17736-0
Yours Till Banana Splits: 201 Autograph Rhymes
Compiled by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Alan Tilgreen
So what are autograph rhymes, you ask? They are those funny little sayings that kids (mostly girls) write to their friends on the back pages of yearbooks. This book contains 201 of the best known collected from the books of friends and acquaintances of the authors. Rhymes about friendship, school, romance and just plain silliness are a special way of saying "remember me." 1995, Beech Tree, Ages 7 up, $15.00 and 6.95. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger
ISBN: 0-688-13185-9
ISBN: 0-688-14019-X
Added 01/01/03
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If you’re interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.