Victoria SaxonReseñas

I love a good treasure hunt. I enjoyed the Frozen Fever film and the book was very enjoyable too. I liked the extra flourishes (like the girl asking who's your favourite princess). 3 stars from me, 4.5 for the target audience.

Fun mystery for younger readers. I was a little bored but I'm not the target audience.

Christopher Robin is upset that Pooh never remembers to say thank you, so Pooh practices it over and over with his friends in this cute little rhyming board book.

(My Pooh Project: I love Winnie the Pooh, and so does my wife. Having a daughter gave us a chance to indoctrinate her into the cult by buying and reading her every Pooh book we came across. How many is that? I’m going to count them this year by reading and reviewing one every day and seeing which month I finally run out. Track my progress here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23954351-rod-brown?ref=nav_mybooks&she... )

Kanga and Roo play an "I Spy" game, finding shapes around their home and in Rabbit's garden. A bit dull if you don't have a toddler pointing out shapes on the page along with Roo.

Though Pooh appears on the cover, this is a rare Pooh book that doesn't have Pooh, Tigger, or Piglet inside, just Kanga, Roo, Eeyore, Rabbit and Christopher Robin. It's like an original Star Trek episode with only Uhuru, Chekhov, and Sulu.

(My Pooh Project: I love Winnie the Pooh, and so does my wife. Having a daughter gave us a chance to indoctrinate her into the cult by buying and reading her every Pooh book we came across. How many is that? I’m going to count them this year by reading and reviewing one every day and seeing which month I finally run out. Track my progress here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23954351-rod-brown?ref=nav_mybooks&she... )

This is a collection of brief, lukewarm adaptations of Disney feature films, a lot of them being direct-to-DVD sequels. The stories hold little interest for me, so I made a game of trying to track down the original sources for them, since this collection is published without any creator credits, which I always find annoying and rather slimy.

The copyright notices on the verso page generally point at some storybooks that were published at the time the movies were released. But when I was able to locate and look inside some of those books I found that the versions presented in this collection tended to be abridged. It uses the exact same pictures -- though some are omitted, for space I suppose -- but the scripts are fairly consistently cut down or fiddled with. I've included comparisons of first sentences below when I was able to find them.

A Bug's Life: The Quest for the One Big Thing

This tedious counting story has one ant finding a tasty treat that she wants to bring back to the anthill, and she recruits one new friend every page to help until they reach the number twelve. Most of the other stories in here seem like adaptations, but I don't remember anything like this from the film, though it has been decades since I've seen it. Boring.

So while not an adaptation of the movie, it is rather an adaptation of the book A Bug's Life: The Quest for the One Big Thing (1998, ISBN 0786831987), with story by Lou Fancher and paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. The illustrations are straight out of that book, though Fancher's script has been abridged and altered throughout.

Opening line of the original book: "In late summer, Princess Dot waited eagerly for the circus bugs to return to the ant colony for the harvest."
Opening line of this version: "Princess Dot was eagerly waiting for the circus bugs to return to the ant colony for the harvest."

Atlantis: The Lost Empire - The Final Stand

The climactic battle of the movie is recounted. It's all slam-bang action without any context as to who the characters are beyond a shallow good vs. evil interpretation. I think I saw the movie when it came out, but I don't remember for sure and this does little to remind me.

Source book: Atlantis: The Lost Empire - The Final Stand (2001, ISBN 073641083X), adapted by Tennant Redbank, illustrated by Judie Clarke, Samantha Clarke, and Caroline Egan.

The Tigger Movie: Family of Tiggers

This is a loose adaptation of the three-minute "Round My Family Tree" song sequence by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman that happens in the middle of the movie, wherein Tigger imagines all the wonderful things his Tigger ancestors must have done throughout history. It's mostly amusing, though the sexy, long-legged female Tiggers in miniskirts are a little disturbing.

Source book: The Tigger Movie: Family of Tiggers (2000, ISBN 0786832649), written by Victoria Saxon, illustrated by Josie Yee.

Opening line of original book: "Afternoon sunlight lit up the Hundred-Acre Wood when Owl invited Tigger and Roo for tea."
Opening lines here: "Afternoon sunlight lit up the Hundred-Acre Wood. Owl had invited Tigger and Roo for afternoon tea in his tree house."

Dinosaurs: Aladar's Story

Another movie I saw long ago and have mostly forgotten. I can see why, based on this nothing little story about walking to water.

The Little Mermaid II: An Icy Adventure

A simple but serviceable adaptation of the movie. Not sure why the sub-title was changed, nor was I able to find the original source from which this version may be drawn.

Toy Story 2: Buzz's Story

An adaptation of the 1999 film, the illustrations are lifted from the book Toy Story 2: Buzz's Story (1999, ISBN 0786832339), which was adapted by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld with concept art by Judith Holmes Clarke, drawings by the Disney Storybook Artists, design by Susan Saroff, and painted by John Alvin. The script is abridged and significantly altered from Zoehfeld's.

Opening line of the original book: "I could see the potential for trouble."
Opening line here: "I could see trouble coming."

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Three Friendly Tales
Bare-bone adaptations of the "Pooh Gets Stuck," "Rabbit Gets Lost," and "Bounce, Tigger, Bounce" sequences from the film. The same illustrations were also used in Winnie the Pooh CD Storybook: The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh / Piglet's Big Movie / Pooh's Heffalump Movie / The Tigger Movie by Karen Comer, but the text is very different.

Chip N' Dale: A Nutty Visit to the Zoo
Inspired by the Donald Duck animated short film, "Working for Peanuts" (1953): Directed by Jack Hannah; Story by Nick George and Roy Williams
Illustrations directly taken from the Little Golden Book Chip n Dale at the Zoo (1954, 1974): Title page info: Told by Annie North Bedford, Pictures by the Walt Disney Studio, Adapted by Bill Bosche from the motion picture "Working for Peanuts"
images at https://www.ebay.com/itm/274395786111

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• A Bug's Life: The Quest for the One Big Thing / written by Lou Fancher, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (originally published 1999, ISBN 0786831987)
• Atlantis: The Lost Empire - The Final Stand / adapted by Tennant Redbank, illustrated by Judie Clarke, Samantha Clarke, and Caroline Egan (originally published 2001, ISBN 073641083X)
• The Tigger Movie: Family of Tiggers / written by Victoria Saxon, illustrated by Josie Yee (originally published 2000, ISBN 0786832649)
• Dinosaur: Aladar's Story / adapted by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, illustrations by Judith Clarke, Brent Ford, John Alvin (2000, ISBN 0786832592)
• The Little Mermaid II: An Icy Adventure / unknown
• Toy Story 2: Buzz's Story / adapted by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
• A Goofy Movie: Cross-Country Chaos
• Mickey Mouse: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Monsters, Inc.: The Big Boo Rescue
• 102 Dalmatians: Going to the Dogs
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Three Friendly Tales
• Chip 'n' Dale: A Nutty Visit to the Zoo
• Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure - One of the Pack
• Mickey Mouse: Brave Little Tailor
• Aladdin: The Return of Jafar - Iago to the Rescue
• Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World - A Princess Pleads for Peace

Fun little story, told by Tigger, and this is why I'm having reservations about it: it's written exactly like Tigger talks... with funny words and misspelling ("saber-toof tigger", "gymnastickal", "sandywiches" etc).
Okay to read aloud to little kids, not so great for first readers.

Traditional Literature - Motifs

In this particular version of The Princess and the Frog, both of the main characters are turned into frogs and have to find their way to turning back into humans. While they're on this adventure, they find that they love each other.

I don't really care for this version because I don't think that it teaches a very good lesson other than perseverance and going for what you want. I think that this one is more about finding love and depending on someone other than yourself.

The story of the movie Ratatouille, in which a rat obsessed with gourmet food moves to Paris and becomes a chef - hidden inside the toque of the hapless Linguini.

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A simplified retelling of the 2013 Disney movie, in which Anna and Elsa are kept apart due to fears of Elsa's powers (ice magic), but when their parents are lost at sea, Elsa must take over the kingdom.

Most frequently used adverb: "accidentally."

This children book condenses down the movie Frozen, shortening it enough to put into a children's book. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of Frozen however I do think this book condensed it well enough without leaving out too much detail. I think this is a good book for beginner readers who enjoy the movie.

The short version of the notorious movie, Frozen. This is my daughter’s favorite book out of her collection. At this point she can read it from memory. Honestly I’d prefer her reading the book to me than watch the movie again. Easy read and ability to under stand for beginners.

This is from the series Beauty and the Beast. Belle, the main character, babysits chip, the teacup. Chip could not play but he could help out with cleaning. Belle created a field day specially for Chip and he won the competition of catching sugar cubes. This is a good book to read to your child at home since it is different from Beauty and the Beast. It has more action and fun moments throughout the book.

Summary:
This picture book is dealing with two sisters that are having trouble handling the things life is throwing at them. They feel that they are strong together and can take on any challenge with the both of them. Elsa is the older of the two and has magical powers that allow her to make things out of ice and snow. Anna is the younger sister. The conflict begins when the two girls are playing in the castle and Elsa accidentally freezes her sisters head. To fix her, their parents take them to the trolls. After the incident and being told by their parents to be more careful the two siblings do not see each other very much at all for their own safety. Their parents get lost at sea after and Elsa is crowned queen. Elsa freezes Anna's heart in another incident and after going back to the trolls they tell her the only way to fix her this time is by an act of true love. Most thought it would be from a kiss, but it was actually from the very strong love the two sisters have for each other that saved her.

Personal Reaction:
I loved the movie and had a good feeling I would like the book as well. I have a sister as well and it made it easy to relate to the story in that way and helped me to like it more.

Classroom Extension:
1. This book would help anyone with siblings and family to understand that family is forever, and that things might not always go the way they are supposed to but a sibling will always be there when you need them the most.
2.This book will always be an excellent choice to read during the holiday season and could be helpful to decorate the classroom to use a little creativity.

Flik finds that his inventions aren't nearly as exciting to anyone else as they are to him. Thorny, more than anyone, is getting fed up with Flik's useless inventions. Under pressure from Thorny to join the other ants collecting food, Flik finds a way to have the best of both worlds, combining two inventions into one harvesting machine and saving countless hours.

Honestly found this one boring and too complex for small children. The pictures are captivating but that's about all and I'm surprised it became so popular at holding the attention spans of children as well as it did.

The story from the new Frozen cartoon, Frozen Fever, is told in novel form in this short children's chapter book. The story surrounds Anna's birthday, which Elsa is planning as a surprise extravaganza to make up for all the birthdays they missed. She manages to keep Anna in the dark until the big day, and enlists the help of Kristoff and Olaf to manage all her complicated plans. She takes Anna on a thrilling treasure hunt, giving her meaningful gifts at certain spots to evoke special memories. Meanwhile, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf are arranging the party and cake in the big ballroom. Elsa's grand plans begin to go awry, however, when she develops a magical cold: every time she sneezes, little baby snowmen appear. Elsa denies anything is wrong, but just when her cold overwhelms her and she thinks everything is ruined , she realizes that Anna's best birthday gift is not the party or the surprises, but being with Elsa and all their friends.

The writing is just average, a common result when the goal is not to tell an original story, but to just retell in words a popular movie or television show. The biggest problem is that the book is intended for young readers, but the language is not scaled for the audience. Also, instead of using literary techniques to grab interest or build suspense, it just blandly retells what happened in the movie. Of course, fans of Anna and Elsa won't mind. Another plus is that the book includes a set of stills from the movie; these were the highlight of the book for my girls. In short, this is a mediocre book, but Frozen fans will be happy to have it.½

Summary: This story follows the Disney movie, Frozen. Sisters Ana and Elsa were once very close but after an accident with Elsa's magic powers that left Ana hurt they became estranged. In an effort to repair their relationship Ana goes on a journey to find Elsa and make things right.

Personal connection: I think this is a great story and it gives a great lesson.

Class use: Talk about true friendship and what makes someone a true friend.

Summary:
This picture book is the story of two sisters who aren't ready for the things life is throwing at them, but realize together they can handle anything. Elsa is the older sister who has magical powers that allow her to make things out of ice and snow. Anna is the younger sister. One day when Elsa and Anna are playing in the castle and Elsa accidentally freezes Anna's head. Their parents take them to the trolls and heal Anna but worn that they need to more careful. After that the sisters don't really get to see each other so that they can both remain safe. Their parents unfortunately get lost at sea making them even lonelier. Elsa is crowned Queen and is able to keep her secret until her and Anna get into a fight. Elsa runs away and Anna has to try and find her. Another accident occurs where Elsa freezes Anna's heart. The trolls say the only to fix this one is by an act of true love. Everyone thinks it has to be by a true loves kiss but it actually comes from the love the sisters have for one another.

Personal Reaction:
I saw the movie before I read the book, and since I loved the movie I knew I would love the book. This was the first book I every read to a group of students so now I have an even stronger like for it.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. This book would make a nice lesson on siblings and family and how even though they fight sometimes the love that is there will always be strong.
2. During the winter time this would make for a fun art and/or science project making craft snowmen and exploring the snow.

This book was about Flik the Ant whose hobby is to invent things. During this story, Flik invents two different things, a stalker chopper and a picker-up-and-mover machine. Thorny the Ant gets angry with Flik because he wastes time making inventions and not helping collect food. Flik comes up with the idea to combine his two inventions in order to help save time and energy for the other ants while collecting food.

I thought this story was great because it highlights the positive effects of perseverance and hard work. The text was easy to follow and the illustrations helped tell the story as well.½

The story was about an ant that wanted to create that something that help out his environment. There was an angry and nasty ant names thorny who didnt care for flip's invention he thought they were worthless.Even the other worker ants believed that his inventions was not useful and served no purpose.So one day Flik finally made a machine that helped save time for the workers ants. This story was about having the will to succeed and that try and try again does pay off

Summary:
A girl wants to open her own restaurant, but doesn’t have the money. She works two jobs to save up the money, but has no outside real life. She kisses a frog to turn him back into a prince, but she gets turned into a frog. They go through a lot of trouble to get turned back.

Personal Experience:
When I was little, I read this book and imagined being a frog.

Classroom Extension:
1. My class would study different types of frogs.
2. I would have my students write a story about them being a frog.

Enjoyed the book but a lot of entertaining parts were missing from the movie. This of course is usually the norm but would have liked to see the author provide more supporting characters from the movie. This is one of my boys' favorite movies. Every time they see an orange fish of any type it is always Nemo so we really enjoyed reading this book together.

A great storytime book for young readers or a way to teach book to movie adaptation to all audiences. Also, good to show not fully-abled people what they can achieve (a lot of attention is shown to the fact he only has one fully functional fin)