Start Your Reading Engines…

Posted by Debbie on Sep 12, 2008 | 122 Comments

There’s a lot of talk in education circles about the literacy gender gap. Boys are lagging behind girls in reading and writing.

I’ve heard author Jon Scieszka of Guys Read.com on NPR talk about how to close this gap. One of his suggestions for closing the literacy gender gap is encouraging male role models for reading. 

I love reading to Baby Mwah, and so does my husband. But our choices of reading materials are quite different. While I’ve been reading Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, Richard Scary, and other children’s classics, I’ve caught my husband reading Car and Driver Magazine and the Wall Street Journal to the baby with far greater enthusiasm than I’ve ever seen him muster for Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. As exciting as Car and Driver Magazine is, I’m trying to encourage my husband to read more child-friendly books.  

I recently received review samples of some new transportation-themed children’s books, and I was happy to see that my car-loving husband enjoyed reading them as much as I do.

Roadwork! is chock full of illustrations showing each step of how a road is built. Vividly-illustrated pictures of machines, rhyming verses and fun sounds (screek, squelch, swish, ping, bang, tap, and more) make this book a joy to read.

Clemence and His Noisy Little Fire Engine: A Mini Bugs Book is part of the Mini Bugs Series. Learn the parts of the truck and make siren sounds as you race to the rescue on a fire engine with Clemence the bug and his friends.

If you’re tired of making animal noises while you read, go along for a car ride to Grandma’s House in Beep Beep or for a train ride in Choo Choo instead. Your pre-schooler will VROOM VROOM and BEEP BEEP along with the car and CLACK CLACK and TOOT TOOT along with the train.

Win It:
Candlewick Press is giving away a set of Mini Bugs books to one lucky Mamanista reader. For a chance to enter, visit www.candlewick.com and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm EST on September 19, 2008 letting us know your favorite Candlewick Press Children’s Book.

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More in: Books, Books (0-3), Books (Fiction), Books (Pre-School), Books (School Aged), Contests, Uncategorized
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  • EG said:

    Good Grief, I didn’t know we’d have to pick from hundreds of books! My boy is really into transportation, and really into shoes. There’s only one book about shoes and it’s too old for him. So maybe we’d go for opposites, with “Big Little” or “Quiet Loud”

    #1 Sep 12, 2008 at 11:00 am
  • Jennifer August said:

    Who doesn’t love “Clarice Bean: The Utterly Complete Collection” – if you love Charlie and Lola this is the set to get! I love how everything just sounds better and you can hear the british accent in the words :)
    Also Maisy!

    Good luck to me! ;)
    jenniferaugust @ yahoo.com

    #2 Sep 12, 2008 at 12:08 pm
  • Elaine R said:

    I recall my daughter loving the book Judy Moody by Megan McDonald when she was younger.

    #3 Sep 12, 2008 at 12:14 pm
  • Heather said:

    My kids are really interested in the election so I immediately clicked on; Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out!

    #4 Sep 12, 2008 at 12:40 pm
  • Stephanie V. said:

    A visitor for Bear looks fantastic!

    #5 Sep 12, 2008 at 1:17 pm
  • Alexa Allison said:

    I LOVE Tale of Desperaeux — such a sweet, uplifting book!

    #6 Sep 12, 2008 at 2:03 pm
  • lise said:

    my daughter loves watching and reading anything from Charlie and Lola. we already have several books but would love to add: I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed.

    #7 Sep 12, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  • bunny said:

    I love the Cinderella board book.

    #8 Sep 12, 2008 at 9:35 pm
  • Cindi said:

    I adore the book “Time To Play!” Please enter me in your delightful drawing. Many thanks, Cindi

    #9 Sep 12, 2008 at 10:10 pm
  • judy brittle said:

    I really like the book Time to Play! That looks fun with the lift the flaps. Thank you!

    #10 Sep 13, 2008 at 12:18 am
  • Janet F said:

    Guess How Much I Love You is my favorite.

    Thank you!

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

    #11 Sep 13, 2008 at 3:49 am
  • lorene said:

    I like I am not sleepy, something my 3 year old always says

    #12 Sep 13, 2008 at 11:10 am
  • Abby said:

    The Cinderella board book looks like something my girls would love!

    #13 Sep 13, 2008 at 12:19 pm
  • Deanne Steele said:

    The Emporer’s Egg is a great one.

    #14 Sep 13, 2008 at 3:03 pm
  • ellen cunningham said:

    A Present for Santa Claus looks awfully cute. Thanks for the chance.

    #15 Sep 13, 2008 at 4:47 pm
  • Belinda A. said:

    Time to Play! by Nigel Gray looks right up my daughter’s street!
    belinda_streak(at)hotmail(dot)com

    #16 Sep 13, 2008 at 6:00 pm
  • Carolyn D. said:

    I love the White House, Looking In, Looking Out book!

    #17 Sep 13, 2008 at 6:29 pm
  • Amanda said:

    “Guess How Much I Love You” is an all time favorite of ours.

    #18 Sep 13, 2008 at 10:37 pm
  • maquel said:

    I love the Cinderella story.

    #19 Sep 14, 2008 at 12:09 pm
  • Kathy Conley said:

    Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! looks fabulous!

    #20 Sep 14, 2008 at 2:56 pm
  • Pat Connors said:

    Judy Moody is a favorite of ours.

    risanjax@Metrocast.net

    #21 Sep 14, 2008 at 3:40 pm
  • Aimee said:

    Definitely “Guess How Much I Love You” – what a classic! :)

    #22 Sep 14, 2008 at 10:27 pm
  • jennifer bowen said:

    wow there are so miny nice books and well i realy dont have a fav but please enter me in to the give away i love to win a book for my little one

    #23 Sep 14, 2008 at 11:30 pm
  • tiffany pettey said:

    this will look good under the tree

    #24 Sep 15, 2008 at 10:01 am
  • Elizabeth M. said:

    I’m really interested in having the older kids read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane!!

    #25 Sep 15, 2008 at 10:46 am
  • stephanie said:

    A Visitor for Bear looks adorable!

    #26 Sep 15, 2008 at 1:42 pm
  • Jill L said:

    The Secret History of Giants. I think it’s one that all my kids would enjoy.

    #27 Sep 15, 2008 at 1:44 pm
  • Jenn S. said:

    I think my daughter would love to read “Philippa Fisher’s Fairy Godsister”

    #28 Sep 15, 2008 at 1:52 pm
  • Sandy said:

    Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter’s Companion

    #29 Sep 15, 2008 at 1:53 pm
  • Michael Capp said:

    Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures

    #30 Sep 15, 2008 at 1:54 pm
  • susan varney said:

    time to play is nice

    #31 Sep 15, 2008 at 2:07 pm
  • jffryclough said:

    “roadwork” would be an absolute hit around here.

    #32 Sep 15, 2008 at 2:49 pm
  • mary enos said:

    Time to Play is THE book!

    #33 Sep 15, 2008 at 2:50 pm
  • Margaret Smith said:

    Thanks for this giveaway. I like the Yes Yes!: A Box of Board Books. Thanks so much.

    #34 Sep 15, 2008 at 3:21 pm
  • Carolyn Nedrow said:

    All Pigs Are Beautiful: Read, Listen and Wonder sounds interesting!!!
    cjnedrow@gmail.com

    #35 Sep 15, 2008 at 3:47 pm
  • Vicki Wurgler said:

    I picked – A Visitor for Bear

    #36 Sep 15, 2008 at 3:59 pm
  • Adrienne Gordon said:

    The White House book is great.

    #37 Sep 15, 2008 at 4:13 pm
  • Rebecca Snodgrass said:

    I think i like the visitor for bear book.

    #38 Sep 15, 2008 at 4:44 pm
  • Ana said:

    A visitor for bear looks interesting.

    #39 Sep 15, 2008 at 4:46 pm
  • Gina said:

    The Tale of Despereaux!

    #40 Sep 15, 2008 at 5:03 pm
  • Louis said:

    “Time To Play!” is my favorite

    #41 Sep 15, 2008 at 5:09 pm
  • Mia J. said:

    I think A Present for Santa Claus looks great.

    #42 Sep 15, 2008 at 6:45 pm
  • Lisa L. said:

    Time to Play! Looks like it would be very exciting for my niece :o)

    #43 Sep 15, 2008 at 7:45 pm
  • Nora Scott-Platt said:

    Judy Moody, M.D.: The Doctor Is In!

    #44 Sep 15, 2008 at 7:55 pm
  • Denise said:

    A Present for Santa Claus

    #45 Sep 15, 2008 at 7:56 pm
  • shannon Baas said:

    Guess how much I love you.

    #46 Sep 15, 2008 at 9:19 pm
  • Renee g said:

    I would enjoy reading Time to Play with my nephew.

    #47 Sep 15, 2008 at 10:56 pm
  • Chrysa said:

    “The White House, Looking In, Looking Out” looks great!

    #48 Sep 16, 2008 at 12:04 am
  • Terra Heck said:

    My favorite would be Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village. I think my son would like it.

    #49 Sep 16, 2008 at 1:51 am
  • Desiree said:

    The Emily Windsnap: Three Swishy Mermaid Tales set caught my eye for my granddaughter ;)

    #50 Sep 16, 2008 at 2:57 am
  • Felicia said:

    Guess how much I love you would have to be a favorite, thank you

    #51 Sep 16, 2008 at 3:35 am
  • teresa said:

    The Dragonolgy Handbook looks to be so very cool, and something every little boy would love ~~~

    #52 Sep 16, 2008 at 5:28 am
  • Sharon Jones said:

    Our White House. Looking In Looking Out…love this. THANKS

    #53 Sep 16, 2008 at 6:14 am
  • TONI SULLIVAN said:

    GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

    #54 Sep 16, 2008 at 6:25 am
  • Kathy Scott said:

    I think that we would enjoy Time to Play.

    #55 Sep 16, 2008 at 7:57 am
  • Betty N said:

    Guess How Much I Love You is my all time favorite book. I was asked to read to one of my grandchildren’s kindergarten classes and I chose this book. One of our bookstores had a sale and I could buy the large classroom size book for the same as the regular size storybook. So I bought one for the classroom and I took my regular size to read to them. They loved them!

    #56 Sep 16, 2008 at 9:21 am
  • Steph said:

    My favorites were Maisy’s Pirate Treasure Hunt, Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter’s Companion and Time to Play!

    #57 Sep 16, 2008 at 9:33 am
  • carol said:

    would love to win this for my grandkids..my grandson would love it…thanks for the great giveaway

    #58 Sep 16, 2008 at 10:10 am
  • Desmond said:

    Guess How Much I Love You — classic!

    #59 Sep 16, 2008 at 10:26 am
  • lisa f said:

    guess how much I love you

    #60 Sep 16, 2008 at 10:50 am
  • Jodi said:

    My youngest is really into dragons right now. I think he’d love “Baby Dragon.”

    #61 Sep 16, 2008 at 10:57 am
  • Barbara Fox said:

    Three Swishy Mermaid tales sounds like something my grandaughter would like me to read to her.

    #62 Sep 16, 2008 at 11:12 am
  • Kate said:

    We are having fun reading AlphaOops! today, makes my son giggle.

    #63 Sep 16, 2008 at 12:14 pm
  • charline s said:

    Time to Play!

    #64 Sep 16, 2008 at 12:30 pm
  • kristi blackstone said:

    A visitor for Bear sounds cute!!! I’d love to win for my son

    #65 Sep 16, 2008 at 3:18 pm
  • Susan Ledet said:

    The White House book looks great.

    #66 Sep 16, 2008 at 3:19 pm
  • M.A. said:

    Always have loved “East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon”.

    #67 Sep 16, 2008 at 4:22 pm
  • RebekahC said:

    Great contest! I really like the look of the older kid book “Fairy Godsister” over on their site. Looks cute. All their books look great though.

    RebekahC
    littleminx@cox.net

    #68 Sep 16, 2008 at 4:24 pm
  • Sylvia Belle said:

    Time to Play for my grandchildren

    #69 Sep 16, 2008 at 4:31 pm
  • alison said:

    The cinderella board book would be great for my little girl. Thanks!

    #70 Sep 16, 2008 at 5:19 pm
  • Donna Vance said:

    Dogs on the Bed looks like a great book. I keep trying to convince my daughter our dogs don’t belong on her bed but she loves to let them sleep with her.

    #71 Sep 16, 2008 at 6:01 pm
  • valerie mabrey said:

    Time to Play

    #72 Sep 16, 2008 at 7:30 pm
  • Vicky Boackle said:

    i like the emperor’s egg.

    #73 Sep 16, 2008 at 7:59 pm
  • Cherie J. said:

    Time to Play! for my daughter.

    #74 Sep 16, 2008 at 11:30 pm
  • R Hicks said:

    Three Swishy Mermaid Tales seems like it might make a good read

    #75 Sep 17, 2008 at 12:59 am
  • tiffany pettey said:

    a visitor for bear

    #76 Sep 17, 2008 at 2:06 am
  • kari F said:

    Tale of Desperaeux is my pick!

    #77 Sep 17, 2008 at 5:41 am
  • Tari Lawson said:

    I think “War is…: Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War” would be a great book for my 14 yo to read.

    #78 Sep 17, 2008 at 6:21 am
  • hetal gandhi said:

    Cinderella story will be my choice
    herry123_us@live.com

    #79 Sep 17, 2008 at 11:34 am
  • Jennifer M said:

    Maisy’s Pirate Treasure Hunt

    #80 Sep 17, 2008 at 12:34 pm
  • Anna said:

    My favorite would probably be Guess How Much I Love You

    #81 Sep 17, 2008 at 3:44 pm
  • Tina Rath said:

    I agree with Anna and state that our favorite is Guess How Much I Love You
    author: Sam McBratney

    #82 Sep 17, 2008 at 5:13 pm
  • Jodi said:

    I love Guess How Much I Love You, it is a great book.

    #83 Sep 17, 2008 at 6:13 pm
  • Hil'Lesha said:

    Tale of Desperaeux

    #84 Sep 17, 2008 at 7:25 pm
  • Kathy said:

    What great books! Candlewick Press favorites in our house include Farmer Duck, Guess How Much I Love You, and One Duck Stuck.

    #85 Sep 17, 2008 at 7:58 pm
  • Gianna said:

    Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out! :)

    #86 Sep 17, 2008 at 8:00 pm
  • Erma Hurtt said:

    I LOVE Tale of Desperaeux, so sweet.

    #87 Sep 18, 2008 at 7:33 am
  • Christine said:

    Great books! We love Guess How Much I Love You.

    #88 Sep 18, 2008 at 10:21 am
  • Brenda S. said:

    My favorite would probably be Guess How Much I Love You. Thanks!!

    #89 Sep 18, 2008 at 11:31 am
  • Kasey P said:

    Swishy Mermaid Tales sounds like it would be interesting.

    #90 Sep 18, 2008 at 11:38 am
  • Gina Stratos said:

    Three Swishy Mermaid Tales
    gkstratos@yahoo.com

    #91 Sep 18, 2008 at 12:39 pm
  • Jennifer Hedden said:

    Cinderella board book

    #92 Sep 18, 2008 at 12:45 pm
  • Sherry R said:

    My favorite is Guess How Much I Love You!

    #93 Sep 18, 2008 at 12:47 pm
  • Alicia Webster said:

    “A Present For Santa Claus” by David Wood. My kids are already biting-at-the-bit for Christmas to arrive!
    Alicia Webster
    5webs@comcast.net

    #94 Sep 18, 2008 at 2:02 pm
  • joy said:

    Guess How Much I Love You.

    #95 Sep 18, 2008 at 2:40 pm
  • Carissa D. said:

    I like Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out.

    #96 Sep 18, 2008 at 2:44 pm
  • Kimberly said:

    My grandkids would love “A Visitor For Bear” and I would love to win the giveaway books to share with them. Thanks for the chance to win your great giveaway!

    #97 Sep 18, 2008 at 2:50 pm
  • beth shepherd said:

    Thank you for having this! I really would like to read The Tale of Despereaux with my 3 kids. The movie is coming out soon and the books are always better than the movie so that would be my choice. Thank you!
    tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

    #98 Sep 18, 2008 at 3:23 pm
  • Erin said:

    The Yes Yes!: Box of Board Books looks perfect for my little one. Great illustrations and exciting concepts to keep her attention.

    #99 Sep 18, 2008 at 3:32 pm
  • Jaclyn Reynolds said:

    The Emporer’s Egg-a favorite in our house. Tons of great books to choose from. Thank you for the fun contest and chance to win!!

    #100 Sep 18, 2008 at 5:11 pm
  • Ed Nemmers said:

    “Three Swishy Mermaid Tales”

    #101 Sep 18, 2008 at 7:39 pm
  • Liz Sawyer said:

    Philippa Fisher’s Fairy Godsister is super!

    #102 Sep 18, 2008 at 9:19 pm
  • Millicent C. said:

    Times to play and also the three swishy mermainds!! Thanks for the chance to win such a great prize!

    #103 Sep 18, 2008 at 10:47 pm
  • Julie B said:

    A Visitor for Bear…cute book!

    #104 Sep 18, 2008 at 10:52 pm
  • Alecia Gibson said:

    My favorite book is Judy Moody by Megan McDonald. Thanks!!

    #105 Sep 19, 2008 at 12:33 am
  • Marilyn said:

    I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed.

    #106 Sep 19, 2008 at 12:41 am
  • Peggy Gorman said:

    I would pick “Philippa Fisher’s Fairy Godsister” looks like a fun read

    #107 Sep 19, 2008 at 12:41 am
  • Lindsay Laird said:

    My son loves “Kiss Goodnight”

    #108 Sep 19, 2008 at 1:10 am
  • Karen Rennirt said:

    My favorite is Baby Angels.

    #109 Sep 19, 2008 at 1:44 am
  • Talitha Lee said:

    Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures

    #110 Sep 19, 2008 at 2:03 am
  • jo anne apostol said:

    Guess how much i love you is our favorite book. My son and i make up our own ways of showing howmuch we love each other. SOmetimes, he uses a measuring tape… :) Funny guy!

    #111 Sep 19, 2008 at 2:48 am
  • Patricia Hill said:

    I would love A Visitor for Bear for my grandkids.

    #112 Sep 19, 2008 at 6:08 am
  • Kathy D said:

    Guess How Much I Love You

    YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH CHILDREN’S BOOKS…..

    #113 Sep 19, 2008 at 7:18 am
  • sarah said:

    i like baby angels

    #114 Sep 19, 2008 at 10:39 am
  • kathy pease said:

    i like All For Pie, Pie For All

    #115 Sep 19, 2008 at 12:17 pm
  • Michelle H. said:

    There are many nice books on this site, including “1-2-3 Follow Me!”.

    #116 Sep 19, 2008 at 1:46 pm
  • Kristan said:

    guess how much i love you.

    #117 Sep 19, 2008 at 4:06 pm
  • hazel hunt said:

    Who doesn’t love “Clarice Bean: The Utterly Complete Collection”

    #118 Sep 19, 2008 at 4:56 pm
  • Donna Kozar said:

    The book “Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out” looks good.

    #119 Sep 19, 2008 at 9:47 pm
  • Veronica Garrett said:

    Cinderella is my favorite.

    #120 Sep 19, 2008 at 10:17 pm
  • Janet said:

    I heart the Three Swishy Mermaid Tales!:)

    #121 Sep 19, 2008 at 11:19 pm
  • Lily Kwan said:

    Chancey of the Maury River sounds very interesting!

    #122 Sep 20, 2008 at 5:58 am