LEVI STRAUSS GETS A BRIGHT IDEA by Tony Johnston

For anyone reading Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea, the “fairly fabricated tale” with have you laughing at the language and in awe of the illustrations. Levi Strauss gets his bright idea to create pants after building tents to keep men protected from Mother Nature. He puts his invention to the test, and before Levi knows it, gold miners were excited to have pants that didn’t fall off after a hard day of work. An author’s note at the end of the book explains some history about Levi Strauss and his role in the invention of blue jeans. It also notes that this book “stretches” the story of the invention of blue jeans “to near popping.”

The illustrations fit the book perfectly: pictures painted on to old pairs of jeans. Adults will most likely appreciate the technique, but it shouldn’t get lost on children. You can find this book in the Easy section under E JOH.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Do you want a way to turn your child’s frustration into a smile? Try Pete the Cat. All you will have to do is sing, "I love my blue shoes, I love my blue shoes . . ." and that frustration just might turn into a smile.

Pete is a mellow cat who gets a new pair of white shoes and he LOVES his white shoes so much that he bursts into song. As he is walking along singing his "new shoes" song, he steps into a large pile of strawberries changing his new, white shoes a different color. But does Pete get upset and cry when his new shoes are not white anymore? Well, you will have to read this book to find out! Pete the Cat gets across a message about being positive no matter what happens, and it does it without being preachy. The fun and funky illustrations are based on art by James Dean, one of Georgia’s own. Great story to read aloud and great illustrations make this one great book and an instant favorite for your family! You can go online to harpercollinschildrens.com and download this fun song. Find this book at E LIT

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

Set in medevail times this funny and enchanting story is an original blend of "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses". Thirteen year old Reveka, an herbalist's apprentice, is trying to break the puzzling curse that the twelve princesses are suffering from. Every morning their shoes are in tatters and the princesses are exhausted, although they claim to have spelt all night and remember nothing. Anyone that tries to hide in their room to see what is happening either disappears or falls asleep and never wakes up, but Reveka is determinded to break the curse, not because she has much use for snobby princesses, but for the reward money, which could buy her a position as a master herbalist. As she struggles to under the the curse, she is drawn into deeper mysteries and learns about life and death, love and loyalty, courage and despair. This is a delightful and exciting story with a touch of raomance for ages ten years and up and can be found in the juvenile fiction section of the library under J HAS