New Holiday Books

Holiday books are arriving almost daily now — here are a few:

The First Night by B. G. Hennessy is a simple retelling of Jesus’ birth, illustrated with lovely paintings that were originally painted on wood.

 

 

Hanukkah Haiku by Harriet Ziefert has a haiku for each night of Hanukkah. The illustrations are very bright and cheery, showing another candle added for each night of Hanukkah.

 

When Santa Lost His Ho! Ho! Ho! by Laura Rader tells how Santa lost is jolly laugh, but regained it with the help of the world’s children. The busy cartoon-like illustrations have lots of funny details for kids to find.

 

I See Santa Everywhere by Glenn McCoy is a funny story about a little boy who imagines he sees Santa everywhere he looks, from a worker at the county fair to a customer in the tattoo parlor. After pouring out his worries while lying on a therapist’s couch, he is assured that his mind is just playing tricks. However, a surpise ending implies otherwise!

 

Hurry! Hurry! Have You Heard? shows a myriad of animals scurrying to visit the stable and welcome the newborn baby.

 

 

Reindeer Christmas by Mark Kimball Moulton tells of a family who cares for an exhausted deer, not realizing that this particular deer is very dear to Santa Claus. They receive a special gift on Christmas morning as a reward for all the care they’ve given animals over the years.

Concept Books: Counting and Numbers

The Bunnies’ Picnic by Lezlie Evans tells the story of eight bunnies who cooperate to make a delicious dinner. It doesn’t ask kids to count anything, but does make reference to counting the bunnies in the rhyming text. It has very cute illustrations by Kay Chorao too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell counts from 1 to 10 as a family shops for groceries, and then from 10 back to 1 as they arrive home, unload, and cook dinner. The text is very simple, and the story is illustrated with intricate cut paper and pieced cloth pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Many Blue Birds Flew Away? by Paul Giganti is, as the subtitle states, a counting book with a difference. Readers are asked not only to count items in the pictures, but also to do basic subtraction.  For example, in a picture of a parking lot, kids count the number of cars, the number of trucks, and how many more cars there are than trucks. It is probably a better counting book for a kindergartener or first grader than for a preschooler, but younger kids could still count the objects and enjoy looking at the paintings by Donald Crews that illustrate the book.

 

One Lighthouse One Moon by Anita Lobel is more than a counting book. It has three “stories” in it that teach, in very simple text, the days of the week, the months of the year, and numbers from one to ten, using the activities of the people (and a cat) who live in and around a lighthouse. The book is illustrated with beautiful watercolor and gouache paintings by the author.

 

 

 

 

 

City 123 by Zoran Milach shows numbers in four different ways. The numbers 1-10 are on the page, with the highlighted number in red. The number’s name is spelled out in text on the page, and a photo (taken somewhere in the city) that has the number in it is shown on the opposite page. If children look closely, they can also count objects on the page that add up to the highlighted number. For example, on 3′s page, there are three tires on the cement truck.

After each set of four numbers, a two-page photo spread appears that shows all of the numbers counted up to that point. The first one is of a warehouse, with doors numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is a very clever counting book that observant kids will love.

All Sorts of Numbers by Hannah Reidy shows objects used by children as they play, and asks readers to count from one to five. A rhyme appears on each page that ends with a request for kids to count. The final page is filled with various objects and asks kids to count only the balls. Emma Dodd has added colorful illustrations to the simple text.

New Books

Monkeys and Dog Days by Kate Banks is a nice easy reader. It is an interesting story about a family getting a dog and learning about the responsibilities of caring for her. It is also a little lesson in disguise about what happens when you do NOT care for your dog. Nothing happens to Fudge the dog, but one of the siblings is hurt when she ignores him and pays attention to his brother Max. When dad points out that Max has been doing all of the work to care for Fudge, Pete realizes that he needs to help out more if he wants to share dog ownership.

 

 

 

 

Twenty-Odd Ducks by Lynne Truss is a picture bookfor upper elementary school kids about punctuation. The way punctuation changes meaning is made very clear through both the wording and the cartoon pictures on each page. Readers can very clearly see the difference between “Jack’s parents; who could be happier?” (as they sit with Jack’s A+ paper and blue ribbons) and “Jack’s parents, who could be happier” (as they sit while Jack spills a guest’s drink and bounces off the walls). I don’t think kids younger than third grade would really get the joke, but my 11-year-old found it to be a very funny book.

Animals in Winter by Martha E.H. Rustad is a very simple nonfiction book for preschoolers and younger school aged kids that briefly touches on what various animals do in the winter (migrate, hibernate, etc). It doesn’t have enough information for any kind of report, but has large full color photos and very simple text, written at a first grade level. There are instructions in the back to find the publisher’s approved Internet sites, but I didn’t visit any of them to see how extensive the information there is.

 

 

President Pennybaker by Kate Feiffer is a fun book to read this year. It’s aimed at kids older than preschool — lower to mid-elementary aged kids. When Luke Pennybaker’s dad won’t let him watch TV even after doing chores, he decides that life is so unfair that he will run for president, with is dog Lily serving as a running mate. He promises all sorts of rash things like unlimited dessert eating, and pets for every child in America. After a victory, however, he discovers that making everyone happy is not as easy as it would seem. After serving for only a week, he steps down and leaves the country in the capable hands …er, paws…of his Vice President, Lily.

An Old Favorite and a New One Too

Old Bear is Kevin Henkes newest picture book. It’s really more of a spring story in spite of the nice autumn themed cover. Old Bear falls asleep when the snow starts flying and dreams of all of the year’s seasons before waking on a beautiful spring day.

I love the chunky watercolor illustrations and the text is short enough to keep the interest of even very young children.

 

 

 

 

 

 We got a new copy of an older story, James Marshall’s Red Riding Hood. Whenever I re-read one of his books, I again mourn the fact that he isn’t still writing. This version of Little Red Riding Hood is definitely one of my favorites. The illustrations are simple but sly, with Marshall’s trademark cats hanging out at Red’s and Granny’s houses.

No victim, Granny is a sassy lady who is obviously a voracious reader. Upon being rescued, she is mostly relieved that she can read again (it was too dark inside the wolf!). Amusing and non-gory, this is a recurrent storytime selection.

New Halloween Picture Books

New Halloween books are arriving daily and we have a display of all of our halloween books already set up in the youth area. A couple that caught my eye are:

Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex is an amusing parody of the classic picture book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. The cartoon illustrations are mildly scary, but also amusing.

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Night by Marjorie Dennis Murray has elaborate digital illustrations showing a group of assorted witches, monsters, and ghouls preparing for a halloween party. Their party ends up being so scary that their little guests run away in terror. The rhyming story bears a resemblance to “The Night Before Christmas”, and shows the group enjoying their party after scaring away the human trick-or-treaters.

Fall Programs!

You can register for our fall programs now — babytime, laptime, storytime, and a bunch of other great happenings!

Here’s a cute new halloween book that caught my eye:

Where’s My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi has Little Baby Mummy getting lost while playing one last game of Hide and Shriek before bed. He hears all kinds of scary sound that turn out to be acquaintances like Bones, Glob, and Drac, among others. Of course his Mummy finds him just as he’s getting too frightened and lovingly tucks him into bed. This story is slightly scary, but not too creepy for preschoolers.

Back to School Books

You can now register online for any of our fall programs!

It’s that time again. Here are some books to help build excitement and sooth concerns about the start of the school year:

 

My Preschool by Anne Rockwell

This story follows a little boy during his day at preschool, from cheerful hellos in circle time, to painting colorful pictures and playing at the water table to passing out paper cups for snack.

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! by Ann Redisch Stampler

 Emily Beekman is so nervous about starting school that she makes her mother promise to stay with her forever, but after Emily makes friends and settles in, she and her teacher must convince Mrs. Beekman to break her promise and stay home.

 

Jake Starts School by Michael Wright

No one can pry a frightened Jake away from his parents on the first day of school and so the three must watch as his classmates have fun until at the end of the day his teacher finally gets him to let go.

Off to First Grade by Louise Borden shows each member of a first grade class, as well as their teacher, principal, and a bus driver, expressing excitement, worry, or hope as the first day of school begins.

In Happy School Year! by Susan Milord, children gather for a first day of school celebration that calms their worries about the day.

Eliza’s Kindergarten Surprise by Alice B. McGinty tells how Eliza, on her first day of school, fills her pocket with objects–buttons, a pebble, a napkin, and a piece of yarn–that remind her of her mother, whom she misses very much.

In Off to Kindergarten by Tony Johnston, a young boy lists all the things he will have to take with him on his first day in kindergarten.

Ready, Set, School! by Jacqueline Mitchard

Rory the raccoon conquers his fear of spending an entire night away from home, he is prepared to tackle the challenge of starting school just one week later, whether his parents are ready or not.

 

There are many, many more fun books about school. Just ask your favorite librarian to show you where they are!

Wordless Books

It always breaks my heart a little to hear a parent tell a child, “No, put that book back. It doesn’t have a story — there aren’t any words”. Just because there aren’t any words doesn’t mean there isn’t a story! Wordless books are sometimes much richer than books with a written narrative because they have to tell the whole story in images.

“Reading” a wordless book with your child helps serve as an initial step toward reading. It builds vocabulary and comprehension, and can result in astonishing interactive conversation. Wordless books help kids understand how the details in a picture help build the story. Page through the book and have your child tell you the story. Ask her questions and relate the pictures to his real world. After you take home a few wordless books, you’ll be as big a fan as I am. Here are a few to get you started:

In Un-Brella by Scott E. Franson, a little girl uses her magic umbrella to give her the weather she wants, regardless of what the conditions are outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A girl watches as the activities across the street from her bus stop become a Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleishman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In The Adventures of Polo by Regis Faller, Polo the dog sets out from his home and enjoys many adventures, including sailing his boat on top of a whale, roasting hot dogs over a volcano, and taking a ride in a spaceship built from a mushroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Hogwash by Arthur Geisert will have your kids poring over the enormous and complicated contraption that Mama Pig uses to get her little piglets clean.

 

 The Wave by Suzy Lee shows a little girl’s first experiences at the beach, from being afraid of the roaring waves to playing on the shore with the gulls screaming overheard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barbara Lehman has three fantastic wordless books: Rainstorm, Museum Trip, and my favorite, The Red Book. This last story is about a magical, red, wordless book and the friendship than develops around it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Wiesner is probably the most famous author of wordless books. His story Tuesday was a Caldecott Honor Book. He also wrote June 29, 1999, and won the Caldecott Medal with his brilliant story, Flotsam. In Flotsam, a boy finds a remarkable camera when it washes in from the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many other wonderful wordless books. Just ask the youth librarian to help you find them!

Summer Reading Club

August 2 is the last day to turn in your summer reading club calendars and get a bag of fabulous prizes. Teens have until August 9 to turn in blue slips.

Here are a couple of fun new picture books:

Mermaid Sister by Mary Ann Fraser is an appealing story about a young girl named Shelly who advertises via a note in a bottle for a sister. A mermaid named Coral arrives for the position and the girl’s family agrees to take Coral home. Shelly is thrilled with some aspects of having a sister (painting toe nails and fins, dancing together) but not so happy with others (Coral’s tuna can collection and shed scales). She’s especially peeved that Coral plays with her brother. That definitely wasn’t in her plan. After a bit of homesickness on Coral’s part, everything works out when Coral visits her family and reappears with a surprise — a mermaid brother.

 

Rosemary Wells has a new book out starring everyone’s favorite bunny, Max. His long-suffering sister Ruby and her friend Louise decide to open a lemonade stand to earn enough money to buy matching flashing rings. When the two send Max away, he comes up with his own moneymaking scheme. When Grandma takes him to the store to spend his earnings, guess who buys the last flashing ring?

Fun Summer Programs

If you get a chance to see either The Spoon Man or John Ball Zoo’s Traveling Zoo program this summer at a local library, make sure to catch one or both programs. The Spoon Man was very entertaining and I got many compliments on how much library visitors enjoyed seeing him. Ashley from John Ball Zoo was an engaging and informative speaker. Here are some photos from the two programs.

Going Buggy at the Library

Pictured here are some great bugs kids have brought to us to help decorate the library in our “Catch the Reading Bug” theme.

Summer Reading

Kids are often encouraged by their teachers to read over the summer, but did you ever wonder why? The book The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen provides all kinds of fascinating information about the benefits of reading. For example, did you know, studies have shown:

Kids who read just five books over the summer had a 3% gain in reading comprehension test scores

Summer reading improves writing, spelling, vocabulary and grammar — in fact, it is better than direct instruction at improving these skills!

What if your child “hates” reading?

Read TO her! Even as your kids get older, read aloud to them as often as possible. Children who are read to read more show better literacy development. Even college students read more and better books when they are read to.

Let your child see you reading. Children read more when they see other people reading.

Allow your child to read what he wants to read, whether it is comic books (comic book texts can be complex), factual nonfiction books, magazines, or books that are “too young” for him. If a child enjoys reading, he will move on to more difficult books. Audiobooks are another good option. A child can either follow along with a book or simply enjoy having a book read aloud to her by a fantastic narrator. Listening to audiobooks improves all of the same literacy skills as reading a book, with the exception of spelling.

Fun Picture Books

Mommy Do You Love Me? by Jeanne Willis is a reassuring story for any kid who has ever done something “naughty” and then wondered if his mom will still love him. Even after he gets muddy, loses a race, and ruins a flower, his mother assures him of her enduring love. He again questions her love after she yells at him. He is not only told that his mom will love him no matter what, but is given a chance to tell her that he also will love his mommy no matter what she does.

Belinda Begins Ballet by Amy Young is a nice story about staying true to yourself. Forced into the role of clown in the school talent show by an insensitive teacher, Belinda is mortified. After seeing an older ballet student dance, she realizes that she too wants to do ballet. She practices at home, and without meaning too, turns her clown routine into a graceful dance on the night of the talent show. Backstage, her teacher disapproves, but the older ballet student encourages Belinda to keep dancing.

 

A Couple of Boys have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee is a funny story about two boys named James and Eamon whose ideas about Nature Camp are very different from those of Eamon’s grandparents. The pictures tell a very different story from the words, as when James is described as being “very sad when his mother drove away”. The picture shows him enthusiastically waving with a huge smile on his face. In spite of their differing wishes, in the end both grandparents and kids are happy with the way the week turned out.

 

Who’s in Rabbit’s House? by Verna Aardema isn’t a new book; it’s been around for over thirty years! I hadn’t ever read it until this month, when I took it home to read to my kids. My ten-year-old found it amusing and my five-year-old wanted to read it over and over and over again. She had parts of it memorized and wanted to “read” it to me. It’s sort of a “story within a story”, as it shows Masai villagers gathering to watch a play as the players ready their masks. The illustrations show the players acting out the tale the words tell. It’s a fun folk tale with a repetitive refrain and an amusing ending.

Summer Reading Club coming soon!

Our summer reading club will start June 9. Babies, toddlers, kids, and teens can register starting that day, and I’m really excited about the changes in the club this summer. There is no minimum amount to read — kids just put a sticker on a calendar for any day they read. When they have 25 stickers on their calendar, they can come in and collect their prizes.

We have some really great programs at the library this summer too. The program schedule is now available, both in the library and online.

Mr. Putter and Tabby

Cynthia Rylant’s series Mr. Putter & Tabby was a favorite of my ten-year-old when she was learning to read, and now my five-year old loves it as well. Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race is the newest in the series, and though perhaps not as realistic as some others, it is amusing. Mr. Putter’s neighbor, Mrs. Teabury, convinces him to sign up for a senior marathon by telling him that second prize is a train set. Mr. Putter & Tabby have many other adventures, available at the library as books, audiobooks, storybags, and e-audiobooks.

New Picture Books

Never Take a Shark to the Dentist (and other things not to do) by Judi Barrett is an updated take on her book Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing, written almost forty years ago. Colorful illustrations and one sentence per page show why you should not sit next to a porcupine on the subway or take a giraffe to the movies.

What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd tells of one boy’s musings on various pets after his mother promises him a pet and asks what pet they should get. He wants everything from an elephant to a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but his mother has a sensible reason for why none of them would work…until the last suggestion.

Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley is a sweet friendship story featuring a small bear who is friends with a caterpillar. He attempts to protect his friend from the dark, wind, rain, and cold until one day he finds his friend’s cocoon empty. A beautiful silk moth flutters by to reassure him that all is well.

Ha Ha Baby! by Kate Petty shows the lengths to which one unusual family will go to just to get their baby to smile.

 

A Few More New Picture Books

The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say Moo by Jonathan Allen is a funny little picture book about baby animals trying out other animals sounds. It has darling illustrations and a little surprise ending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dog : Princess Fairy Tales (no author) is cute, if only because of the puppies in the book. In the story, a puppy princess makes the mistake of asking her fairy dogmother for a prince to come to the ball her mother is giving her. When all of her little puppy girlfriends show up, but only ONE prince appears, the girl pups have to decide if he is worth fighting over. Happily, they decide there are more important things in life than boys.

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems is another in the series about the energetic preschooler disguised as a pigeon. This time the pigeon has wanted a puppy FOREVER (or at least since last Tuesday), and won’t give up until he gets one. However, he soon gets a lesson in the trouble with getting exactly what you wish for.

 

 

 

 

 

 Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera is a new take on an old song. My five-year-old caught on right away and enjoyed singing along with me.  It has sweet illustrations and a surprise at the end.

A Few New Picture Books

The Jellybeans and the Big Dance by Laura Numeroff is a great story with nice illustrations. Four girls with very diverse interests end up in a dance class and have a rough start that includes crankiness and a lack of cohesiveness. The main character manages to bring them together with a common love of jellybeans, and is in turn coached out of her performance anxiety by her new friends. My five-year-old loved this book and we read it half a dozen times.

When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart is more of an informative picture book than a story. It illustrates for kids how various forest, field, wetland, and desert animals shelter when it rains.

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett is a simple story great for toddlers. A little girl and her toy monkey imitate many different animals before falling asleep at the end.

Mama’s Little Duckling by Marjorie Blain Parker tells of a little duckling who longs for independence, but isn’t always as aware as he should be. By the end of the story, however, he earns the right for a little space from mom. My five-year-old asked for multiple readings of this when we had it home from the library.

Mrs. Muddle’s Holidays

Have you ever known someone who was always a lot of fun and found simple everyday life a reason to celebrate? In Mrs. Muddle’s Holidays by Laura F. Neilsen, things change when Mrs. Muddle moves next door to Katie. Holidays were already celebrated in the neighborhood — everything from Ramadan to Pioneer Day — but no one ever celebrated many of the days Mrs. Muddle did. She hung yarn on trees for First Robin Day, held worm races for Earthworm Appreciation Day, and eventually got the entire block to join in celebrating Let’s Pretend It’s Summer Day one February. Then Katie organizes Mrs. Muddle Day as a surprise and a unique way to thank her joyful neighbor.

Marble Magnets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some photos of the Marble Magnet craft program I did this morning at Northview Extended Day Care. The boys were somewhat reluctant to do a “craft”, but I think they ended up liking it!

Spiders by Nic Bishop

Spiders by Nic Bishop is a gorgeous close-up look at spiders. The photos are so realistic that my 5-year-old made me hold the book while we read. The information is straightforward and simple enough to hold a preschooler’s attention, but not so simple as to turn off an older reader. This is a great nonfiction title.

Bonjour, Butterfly

Bonjour, Butterfly by Jane O’Connor is a new title in the popular Fancy Nancy series. Girly-girl Nancy is very upset when her grandparents’ anniversary party prevents her from attending her friend Bree’s butterfly-themed birthday party. She has a good time with her grandparents anyway, and special visit to see real butterflies helps soothe her feelings.

Banana Split Pizza

Banana Split Pizza and Other Snack Recipes by Heather E. Schwart has mouthwatering photos and recipes for about a dozen snacks kids can prepare with just a bit of help from an adult. Most of them are pretty dessert-like, rather than savory, but almost all of them look really tasty. My 10-year-old chose several she was very interested in making — and tasting! Monkey Pudding and Other Dessert Recipes by Kristi Johnson is another book in the same series that has some delicious looking fare.

A Visitor for Bear

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker is the story of a mouse who persists in keeping a bear company — even though the bear has been very clear that visitors to his home are not welcome. Having been turned away at the door, the mouse pops up in the cupboard, the drawer, in the refrigerator, and even in the teakettle. The bear finally gives up and has tea with the mouse, discovering in the process that he does indeed like having visitors — as long as they’re friends.

Priscilla Superstar!

Priscilla Superstar! by Jocelyn Hobbie is an energetic picture book about an exuberant girl seeking a hobby. She tries many things, but doesn’t find quite the right activity until she attends a roller ballet with her best friend. Suddenly she has found her niche! Unfortunately, when she takes lessons she spends a lot of time falling. With practice though, she is soon rolling everywhere. Disappointed when she doesn’t win the role of “princess” in a production, she is reassured when her best friend reminds her that the princess is stuck in a tower while she, Priscilla the wind, will be able to flutter and fly all over the stage. Cheered, she soars in her performance and feels like a star.

Goose and Duck

Goose and Duck by Jean Craighead George is a gentle, sweet easy reader. In the story, a goose imprints on a boy when he comes upon it while it’s hatching. The goose follows him and copies his every move. Then a duck imprints on the goose after hatching and the three play a sort of “follow the leader” until fall comes and the two birds “know who they are” and fly south. The boy isn’t unduly upset because “that’s the way it is with birds”.

Woolbur

Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski is an amusing story about a little sheep who doesn’t want to follow the flock, so to speak. He has his own ideas of how things should be done and, declares, “I know…isn’t it great?” when his parents point out that he’s not doing things the way everyone else does them. His yoga-practicing grandfather attempts to reassure his parents, but they worry and worry and finally tell him he MUST do things the way everyone else does. Woolbur is taken aback, but ends up obeying in his own unique way. My five-year-old and I found both the story and the pictures very entertaining.

Spring Family Sunday Programs

Our first spring family Sunday program is this coming Sunday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m. Kite expert Gordon Negen will be here to talk about kite history and safety — and to help you build your very own kite. Perhaps it will soon stop snowing so you can fly your new kite!

We have more family programs coming up — Harpbeat on March 9, The Land of Imagination with LaRon Williams on March 16, and Bats of the World on March 30. There is no registration required, so bring the whole family — and some friends too.

Spring Programs are Starting!

Here are some winter storytime participants busily working during craft time. You can register now for spring storytime, as well as many other programs for kids, teens, and adults here.

Books Open Doors : a display of altered books

The very talented 7th and 8th graders at Crossroads Middle School have a great display at the library of the altered books they created in art class. They’ll be here until the end of the month, but here are some photos of the display.

Drummunity

Here are some pictures from last Sunday’s Drummunity program. The group sounded great and I heard lots of enthusiastic comments after the progam was done. Next up — Renee Hudson, who is a very entertaining magician, brings her show this Sunday, January 20 at 2:00 p.m. It’s free and open to all ages.

A Zebra’s World

A Zebra’s World by Caroline Arnold is a lovely nonfiction book with cut paper illustrations. It’s accessible to preschoolers, but not too simplistic for kids in early elementary grades. The book gives information on the growth of baby zebras, and how the herd eats and protects itself. At the end are some facts and a map showing where zebras live.

Family Sunday Cardmaking Program

There were some really creative and lovely cards created at our cardmaking program last Sunday. Drummunity is tomorrow and I can’t wait to hear the beautiful music you will make!

GREAT family program next Sunday!

I’m very excited that Drummunity will be at the library next Sunday, January 13 at 2:00pm. They are fabulous – and their program is something people of all ages really enjoy. Come one, come all!

Bob the Builder

Here are a few photos from our recent Bob the Builder program. It was a great success!

Winter Storytime Starts Soon!

You can register online now for the winter storytime session. We kick it off next week with a Bob the Builder program on Wednesday morning at 10am, Wednesday evening at 7:00pm, and Thursday morning at 10am. After Bob, we’ll have weekly babytime, laptime, family storytime, PJ storytime, and preschool storytime every week until May! Follow the link to register.

Peanut

Peanut by Linas Alsenas is an amusing picture book about a lonely older woman named Mildred who finds a stray “puppy” at the park one day and takes him home. Since her new pet will only eat peanuts, she gives the dog (really an elephant) the name Peanut and happily settles in until a man from the circus appears to reclaim the animal.  Mildred is bereft, even after seeing that Peanut is happy to be back with the circus, until she sees a stray “kitten” at the park to take home (really a camel). The kids I read this to at storytime laughed a LOT over the book and a couple wanted to take it home — definitely the mark of a successful read!

Ivan the Terrier

Ivan the Terrier by Peter Catalanotto is an amusing book about a naughty Jack Russell terrier making mischief. There’s really not much story to it, but my 10-year-old pronounced it “hilarious” and my 5-year-old wanted to read it multiple times. The story’s narrator tries several times to read a folktale — The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Gingerbread Man, etc — but each time is interrupted by Ivan. The little dog chases the goats, takes a bite out of the gingerbread man, and generally makes a nuisance of himself. Finally the narrator gives up and begins a story about Ivan — only to find that the pup has gone to sleep!

Elephants Can Paint Too!

Elephants Can Paint Too! by Katya Arnold is a fun nonfiction book that reads as easily as a picture book. The author teaches art to children in New York and painting to elephants in Thailand, Indian, and Cambodia, and she compares and contrasts the two groups of students in her book. The narrative is illustrated with photos of both child and elephant students. Tucked in among the lighthearted observations are facts about elephants and an explanation of why they had to learn to paint in order to survive.

Where In the Wild?

Where in the Wild? by David M. Schwartz is a great nonfiction book for kids, accessible even for preschoolers. My five-year-old wanted to read it over and over again. It has gorgeous photographs, each of which shows an animal camoflaged in its natural surroundings, along with a verse about how it stays so well hidden. When you open the page out fully, the same scene is shown with the animal highlighted. Some of the animals are extremely well hidden, which made it a fun challenge try and spot them without peeking.

The Old House

 

I was perusing the new books we got this week and my favorite is a picture book called The Old House by Pamela Duncan Edwards. A neglected house is sad and lonely because it hasn’t had a family living in it for a long time. After some encouragement from the oak tree and a squirrel, the house pulls itself together to persuade the family of its worth.