It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

Easter is still a few weeks away, but that also means there's plenty of time to build-up that pre-Easter joy. Today's read is a classic for the season, especially for all of those Peanut fans out there. I was curious to see the latest, board book format...and might secretly be a Snoopy supporter. 

So, let's dive in and see how these eggs roll!

IT'S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN

by Charles M. Schulz

Simon Spotlight

Board Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

The snow has melted, flowers are blooming, and the Easter Beagle is on his way! At least, according to the ever-trusting Linus Van Pelt. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, and the rest of the Peanuts gang are a little skeptical. 

"Good grief!" crabby Lucy says. "There's no Easter Beagle!" 

In the vein of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, this Easter classic, based on the television special, features the beloved characters created more than 50 years ago by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. Peppermint Patty is perennially aggravated with Marcie, Sally is still lovelorn yet litigious ("Never trust a man with a blanket," she fumes. "Get me my lawyer!"), and Charlie Brown is disappointed once again in his holiday hopes.

GOODREADS     /     AMAZON    /      WALMART

MY TIDBITS

This this the latest edition of a much loved tale, It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. This comes as a large-sized board book, with the usual, sturdy pages. The illustrations are bright and bold, and just as fans have always known Charles M. Schulz's beloved cartoon to be. During the first pages, each two-page spread shifts between the various characters and their pre-Easter preparations. These meet together for a few moments as the main theme gets going, and then, split again to let each characters' situation sit. Of course, Linus' belief in the Easter Beagle steers everything and leads to many fun interactions between the characters.

The text is rather heavy for the youngest readers and is more suited toward kindergarteners and above. Charlie Brow and Co's fans are going to get the most joy out of this one, since it lets the main characters from the series shine with their various personalities. It hits with the usual Peanuts atmosphere and leaves off with a nice surprise.

Peanut fans will enjoy picking this one up and visiting it especially around the Easter season.

Love From Snoopy by Charles M. Schulz

Time for a little more love, and today's read heads exactly in that direction. With the ever-beloved Snoopy heading into the spotlight, love should beam from every page. I'm not exactly what direction this will go but have no doubt it will be cute.

LOVE FROM SNOOPY

Peanuts

Charles M. Schulz

Illustrated by Scott Jeralds

Simon Spotlight

Board Book

32 pages

ages 2 to 6

Say I heart you with the world’s most loveable dog—the one-and-only Snoopy—in this uplifting and heartwarming picture book perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day of the year!

You are cooler than cool. I love you more than the grandest adventure…

Snoopy is a beagle with a heart of gold. Even when he’s soaring through the sky or having fun with other escapades, he has so much love for the rest of the Peanuts gang. Show your loved ones how much they’re adored with help from Charlie Brown’s best friend!

GOODREADS     /     AMAZON     /      B&N

MY TIDBITS

Snoopy fans are in for lots of love and good feelings with this read.

This is a board book for the younger readers out there and brings across the warming message of love. Snoopy is front and center on each page, accompanied by a short phrase about love. These are very general and directed toward the reader, giving off wholesome vibes the entire way through. 

The illustrations are simple but set Snoopy in slightly different scenes, which fit to each phrase. The few words on each page make this a quick read, which is no problem for even young listeners to understand. It's sweet and brings across the goodness of being loved on each and every page. 

Snoopy's Beagle Scout Tales by Charles M. Schulz

Today's read isn't really anything new but heads into a much-loved direction. The Peanuts gang was well-known to me and my siblings, and my kids still enjoy watching some of their seasonal shows. I'll admit that I'm always a bit skeptical when it comes to the continuation of such series once the author is no longer creating them. So, I'm hitting this one with mixed expectations.

SNOOPY'S BEAGLE SCOUT TALES

Peanuts Graphic Novels

by Charles M. Schulz

Simon Spotlight

Middle Grade Fiction

ages 8 and up

160 pages

Enjoy nature with the Peanuts gang in this graphic novel that features classic Schulz comic strips, previously published stories, and an all-new original camping-themed story!

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang spend time in the great outdoors in this collection of graphic novel short stories that includes the classic Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown! 

GOODREADS     /     B&N      /       AMAZON      /      BLUE BIRD CROZET

MY TIDBITS

The Peanuts gang heads to outdoor-camp adventure with all of their quirks and ideas to face new obstacles in their very own way.

This is a collection of five stories, each one heading outdoors to the realm of summer camp. At the beginning, there is a table of contents to help readers quickly locate the tale they want to visit. While one of these is written by Schulz (not illustrated, though), the other four originate from other authors but remain true to Schulz's general style. Between each one, there are short, original comic snippets from Mr. Schulz.

This is an endearing collection with the gang as they're known and loved. Charlie Brown is his usual, awkward self as he tries to overcome new obstacles. While even normal life aspects tend to give him trouble, he faces bullies and more in these adventures, always with his friends at his side. Of course, the Peanuts' gang has their inner-ripples, which lead to all sorts of funny situations. And Snoopy is underway with his troop of birds to sneak in that extra zest at all the right moments.

The stories are grabbing and hit a bitter-sweet note of truth, while keeping humor high. But that's also one of the reasons this gang is so enjoyed. Young readers will find many situations they can identify with and giggle (or roll their eyes) most of the way through. There are more than a few life lessons and times to groan right along with Charlie Brown, making it a relevant read to still enjoy. Some of these do come across with a tiny bit more bite than Schulz had, but it still remains very much along the lines Peanuts has embodied.

It was interesting to compare the artwork from the original to the 'new'. The artists have remained mostly true to Schulz's style but with clearer lines and brighter colors. This does make the reading easier/clearer for the intended age group. The wonderful personalities of the characters also guarantees that the reading skills are gently pushed thanks to the, sometimes, broader vocabulary in the dialogue. 

It's a fun collection for young Peanut fans or those who enjoy well-done, situation humor. 

 

Today's read... It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

Today's read comes from the classic Charlie Brown series and was a yearly 'must' around Halloween in my childhood...but in TV form. My sister still keeps this annual tradition in her family, while it kind of got lost in mine as we lived in Germany. My kids find it cute, but I can't seem to get the same excitement drummed up for it as my sister does. 

Anyway, I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of the latest edition. This one comes in board book form and is large and gorgeous. But I'm going to stop there and just let you continue to read on and find out more.

IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN

by Charles M. Schulz

Simon Spotlight

Board Book / Holiday

32 pages

ages 2 and up

A spooky season classic gets new life in this lap board book edition of the Peanuts gang’s whimsical Halloween adventures!

It’s Halloween night, and the Peanuts gang is busy dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, and bobbing for apples. Meanwhile, Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin to rise from the pumpkin patch and bring toys to all the children of the world. Could this be the year it finally appears?

© 2023 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919289-it-s-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O65ZWCQ

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-charles-m-schulz/1102298949

MY TIDBITS

There's a reason this tale has turned into a classic, and this book makes it fun to let the younger end of the reading audience enjoy it whenever they would like.

The board book is large, spanning around a foot in length. The pages are a tad bit thinner than the standard, sturdy board books. So, this one will take more of a beating than a standard picture book but does need a bit of care. The pages are easy to wipe off for smaller mishaps.

The illustrations carry familiar settings, characters and scenes, and are very bright and bold. The larger size of the book makes each one fun to sink into. The text is on the heavier side for a board book, but does a good job at condensing the original tale down into a readable amount for the intended age group. In other words, this one makes a nice read-aloud and will have fans of the show as well as others kept in the story. 

It's a lovely way to enjoy the classic tale and keeps the spirit of it nicely. The characters come across well, and while I did find the ending a little abrupt, at first, it's not really considering the age group. I enjoyed this version quite a bit and am adding it to my book shelf because this one will continue to be a favorite for years to come.

Review: Countdown to Christmas! by Charles M. Schulz

Yesterday, we picked out our Christmas tree, making today the perfect time to start the holiday fun. I got my hands on a lovely read...yep, this one made me smile. Since Advent's Calendars are a standard tradition in our household, this one slid right in.

So, Peanut fans get ready because this one is perfect for you! 

PEANUTS 

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS!

With a Story a Day

by Charles M. Schulz

Illustrated by Robert Pope

Simon Spotlight

Children's Holiday Fiction

63 pages

ages 6 to 8 (and up, too)

Get into the Christmas spirit with the Peanuts gang in this joyful collection of twenty-five stories—one for every day of December from the first through the twenty-fifth—with original illustrations and foil on the cover!

This collection of Peanuts stories celebrates everything wonderful about the Christmas season—writing Christmas cards, shopping for presents, going to holiday parties, going sledding, drinking hot cocoa, and baking cookies for Santa! There’s a story for each day of the month to make the wait go faster!

© 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

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MY TIDBITS

The preparation for Christmas with all of it's wish lists, cards, tree shopping, present wishing and nervous expectations make this into an adorable read...but Peanuts is in a class all of its own.

This is a collection of 25 stories, each derived from the beloved Peanuts tales that many of us know and love. The stories have been realigned to fit a short reading for each day. The scenes will awake memories for those, who are already Peanut fans, and give new readers a glance at all those things which made the characters, who they are. This is not done in comic form, but rather, short story tales with a large illustration or two to set the scene.

The stories are written for lower middle graders or those chapter book readers, who have a good handle on their words. But this also works ( and in my opinion, is better) as a read-aloud. The tales are  snippets from the larger comic plots, but they are changed just enough to make them fit a short story form. There are other alterations and twists, and a few end with a slightly incomplete atmosphere. Still, all of the wonder which makes Lucy, Charlie, Snoopy nd the other characters, who they are, shines through. 

It's a fun read to get ready for the holidays and will make more than just Peanut fans smile.