Masha and Her Sisters
Written and Illustrated by Suzy Ultman
Chronicle Books    3/01/2017
978-1-4521-5159-5
10 pages      4 ½” X 8”     Ages infant—3

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“Meet MASHA’S family.
They are a perfect fit!

“Meet Masha and her family in this charming die-cut novelty board book inspired by Russian nesting dolls. Featuring shaped pages with brightly painted edges, and culminating in a satisfying finale, these nestled dolls reinforce a sweet message: they may be different, but they’re a perfect fit! Each sister is depicted with illustrations that celebrate her hobbies and personality:

“Masha the Collector has keys, leaves, buttons, and more.
Larisa, the Performer, (is) a ballerina.
Olivia, the Chef, has a whisk, spoon, and snack.
Gayla, the Nature Lover, has an owl and wolf.
Natasha, the Storyteller, (has) a book and a smile.”
[PRESS RELEASE]

Review
[WC 175]
Open the cover and meet Natasha, a black-haired storyteller. If this board book had text, Natasha would most likely be the narrator. Look at her back and you will find all the tools she needs to write a story. Pull Natasha down and new doll appears. This is Gayla. Gayla loves nature and is a pet-parent to an owl and a wolf. She also carries with her a tent and snow boots, skis, and poles. Turn the doll-shaped pages—or dolls—by pulling the doll down. Doing so reveals one more doll until you meet Masha, the largest doll. and the collector.
Masha and Her Sisters are Russian nesting dolls, or matryoshka dolls. If they were actual dolls, they would most likely be wooden and of decreasing size placed one inside the other. The elaborately decorated dolls contain objects representing her hobby or personality (storyteller, nature lover, chef, performer, and collector). Masha and Her Sisters will delight young girls who love dolls. Young children will delight in creating their own stories about each doll.

MASHA AND HER SISTERS. Text and illustrations copyright © 2017 by Suzy Ultman. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Series: Cozy Classics
Written and Illustrated by Jack and Holman Wang
Chronicle Books   5/01/2017
978-1-4521-5252-3
24 pages   5 ½” X 7”    All Ages

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“CUDDLE UP WITH
A CLASSIC!

“Teach your child simple words, concepts, and stories—and an appreciation of the classics! In each book, twelve adorable needle-felted scenes and twelve child-friendly words capture the essence of a beloved masterpiece.
“In Frank L. Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a storm transports Dorothy to the magical Land of Oz. Can she defeat the Wicked Witch and find her way home? It’s a first words primer for your literary little one!” [PRESS RELEASE]

Review
[WC 243]
The story begins with a tornado, here called a storm. The storm tossed Dorothy, her dog Toto, and their home into the air. When the house finally lands, it squashes an evil witch, killing her—oops! Dorothy is in the Land of Oz, but wants to return home. The good witch tells her to follow the yellow brick road.
What will your toddler read? From the beginning, the story is this: storm, oops!, yellow. Can you remember what happens next? Maybe these words will help: silly, stuck, and scared. If you said Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, you understand how the Cozy Classics Series work. The needle-felted illustrations have a life-like, three-dimensional look readers will enjoy. It seems these hand-made scenes get better with each new Cozy Classics released.
Parents who love the classics, and want to introduce their children while the children are young and open to many new things, will love this board book. Twelve words, and related scenes, depicted one per spread, relates the entire story in a way children can easily comprehend. Twice, the authors use alliteration to help young children remember the words and build their vocabulary: silly, stuck, and scared and wizard, witch, water.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has never been told so simply and splendidly as it is told in the Cozy Classic Series. New Cozy Classics include Tom Sawyer, Jane Eyre, and Oliver Twist, all with re-designed illustrations.

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (COZY CLASSICS). Text and illustrations copyright © 2017 by Jack and Holman Wang. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.

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MASHA AND HER SISTERS:  Amazon—Indie Books—Apple Books—Chronicle Books
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ:  Amazon—Indie Books—Apple Books—Chronicle Books
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Add to Your Goodreads Shelf
Masha and Her Sisters HERE.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Cozy Classics) HERE.

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Reprinted with permission from MASHA AND HER SISTERS © 2017 by Suzy Ultman, Chronicle Books. Illustrations © 2017 by Suzy Ultman.

Reprinted with permission from THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (COZY CLASSICS) © 2017 by Jack and Holman Wang, Chronicle Books. Illustrations © 2017 by Jack and Holman Wang.

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Copyright © 2017 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

Masha and Her Sisters
Written and Illustrated by Suzy Ultman
Chronicle Books 3/01/2017
9781452151595
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Series: Cozy Classics
Written and Illustrated by Jack and Holman Wang
Chronicle Books 5/01/2017
9781452152523