A Library Book for Bear

I have talked about this series before, but it is still one of my favorites and a new one recently came out (July).  In A Library Book for Bear, our ever loving grouchy friend, Bear, is once again resistant to change.  His always optimistic and never deterred best friend, Mouse, is taking him to the library whether he likes it or not.  Bear of course thinks he already has enough books, 6, at home, covering all the topics he could possibly ever want.  A promise is a promise though, so Bear heads to the library with mouse.  He immediately thinks there are too many books.  Mouse brings him books about all kinds of topics, but Bear is only interested in finding a book about pickles.  Bear's grumblings turn into yelling, disturbing every library patron and drawing the attention of the librarian holding story time and all her rapt listeners.  Coaxed into joining the story, Bear is delighted to hear the book is about a Bear and treasure chest filled with pickles.    By the time the friends head home, Bear has seven new books on a variety of topics and a huge smile plastered to his face.  Once again, Mouse shows Bear that new things are not always bad.

This book is not as good as the others in the series, but I like it for two reasons.  First, it encourages cultivating a love of books, libraries, learning and reading.  I love books that encourage kids to expand their minds and learn new things.  I always love books that encourage reading.  Second, it introduces Bear's interest in pickles.  Since my daughter's nickname is Pickle, I always love it when I discover a book that talks about pickles.  She, of course, likes it too.  Bear and Mouse are always fun characters.  Give this new volume a try.  Happy reading!

Dinosaurs Love Underpants

I've been in a bit of a reading slump.  The last few books I've read haven't been worth sharing.  So instead, I am going to share a favorite picture book with you, Dinosaurs Love Underpants.  It is an adorable book.  I love the illustrations, the rhythm, and the humor.  It is what you could consider an alternate theory on how and why the dinosaurs died out.  It all started when the cavemen grew embarrassed about being naked and made themselves some underwear.  When the dinosaurs saw their new attire, they immediately wanted them too.  The problem was, once they procured them from the cavemen, they started fighting over them with each other.  Thus began the "Mighty Underpants War."  When the dust settled, the dinosaurs had all killed each other off, leaving the cavemen to carry on the tradition of the undergarments.  We are reminded at the end of the book to remember that underwear saved mankind so we should treat them with care.  I just think this book is wonderful.  The pictures are vibrant and descriptive.  The story engaging and entertaining.  I think it is a brilliant telling of how the dinosaurs faded into extinction.  I believe it.  After all, the perfect pair of underwear is worth fighting for.  Happy reading!

The Cat, The Dog...

I came across this picture book the other day and just thought it was hilarious.  It is a very fun retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.  Cat is trying to read the fairy tale out loud to Dog, who keeps interrupting with questions and comments.  Dog wants to know why the wolf would go to so much trouble if he planned on eating Red all along.  If he ran into her in the woods, why not just eat her then.  Also, how smart can Red be if she couldn't tell the wolf wasn't her grandmother.  When Dog first hears the part about the cape/hood, he thinks it is a superhero story.  By the end, Cat is frustrated and Dog is disappointed.  The illustrations are simple, yet effective.  They portray the excitement, frustration, imagination and speculation of the animals quite well.  Adults may find it funnier than kids because the jokes the jokes are more subtle, but it is definitely a funny story.  I always love fairy tale retellings.  This one stuck to the story, just made the interpretation comical.  It showed the story through the eyes of someone hearing it for the first time and questioning the logic of it.  The story is a lot of fun.  It was a bit reminiscent of a comic strip, with the simple illustrations and speech bubbles.  Definitely worth checking out.  Happy reading!

The Miss Nelson Collection

A month of so ago when I saw that all three Miss Nelson books were available in one Hardback collection, I was overjoyed.  I prefer my picture books to be hardcovers, they just last longer.  So now I can have all three of these great stories in one volume.  Even better, the list price is only $12.95.  This is starting to sound like the shopping network, so I'll move on now.

These books have been around forever, longer than I've been alive.  That is a lot of kids who have had the opportunity to be introduced to the foibles of misbehaving in class.  My favorite will always be the first book, Miss Nelson is Missing.  We all fear teachers like Miss Swamp, but the kids today need a little whipping into shape, if you ask me.  The fun illustrations help tell the stories of Miss Nelson's elementary class, and the football team.  Since every school class has at least one naughty kid, usually more than that, this book is the perfect book to remind teachers that turning an out of control classroom around is a possibility.  I love to recommend these stories during back to school time.  I think every teacher, not to mention family, should have this in their collection.  If you don't want all three, definitely pick up the original story and add it to your library today.  Happy reading!

The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand is one of my favorite books to recommend for kids who are scared to go to school for the first time.  For some kids, Kindergarten is scary.  It is not the easiest transition to make.  This book is all about coping with being away from your mother and learning to thrive in school.  Chester Raccoon doesn't want to leave his mother and go to school.  He is terrified of taking that step.  His mother tells him a secret that will help him get through the day.  She kisses his palm and tells him that whenever he is feeling sad or lonely, all he has to do is place his kissed palm to his cheek and remember that his mother loves him and is always with him.  This book is also good for mothers who are anxious about sending off their children to school for the first time.  I know that for some, the fear and anxiety resides solely with the parents, while the excitement and anticipation is solely with the kids.  Just before Chester leaves for school, he kisses his mother's palm and reminds her that he loves her and will always be with her.  I just love this book.  The kissing hand idea works for any new situation they may scare us or our children.  It is a wonderful way to remind each other of our love and support.  It is okay to be afraid of things, but we shouldn't let that fear stop us from trying new things.  Every great adventure has to start somewhere.  Happy reading!

Henny

Henny is another picture book I recently discovered.  It is about a chicken who has born with arms instead of wings.  Now to be honest, she does look a little creepy, but the story itself is enjoyable.  At times she has a lot of trouble with the fact that she can't do things the other chickens can do, like flying.  At other times she relishes in the fact that she can do things they can't, like use chopsticks.  She comes to realize that being different isn't always fun, but it is wonderful once she realizes her potential.  This book is all about being different and how that can be a good thing.  There are times in our lives that being the same as everybody else is all we want.  Fitting in and being accepted can be crucial to our development.  Then, there are times in our lives that all we want to do is stand out, be unique, even special.  Henny experiences both those desires and in the end realizes how wonderful being different can really be.  She may not have wings to fly, but her arms allow her to pilot a plane.  I think that the point is there is no right or wrong way to do things, trying them is what is important.  Even more, accepting who we are and figuring out what makes us special is something that we all need to experience in order to truly be happy.  This is a great book to help illustrate how wonderful being different can really be.  Happy reading!

What Do You Do With an Idea?

I stumbled upon this picture book the other day and was blown away.  It is amazing.  Everybody needs to read this.  The message is applicable to all ages, not just children.  What a great idea for a story.  It follows a child (I don't remember if it is a boy or girl, it isn't important) who has an idea, but has no clue what to do with it.  He tries to ignore it, but the idea just won't go away.  It follows him where ever he goes.  Other people tell him the idea is too big/crazy/unpractical, etc.  All the responses people often have to our ideas.  After awhile the child decides to nurture the idea and run with it.  Soon the idea has grown into something amazing.  The child learns that with what began as a tiny inkling, he was able to change the world.  All it took was believing in himself.  It is really such a great and inspiring book.  If we only believed in half of the ideas that cross our minds, just imagine what we could do.  We too could change the world.  The illustrations are adorable as well.  This is a book that not only should everybody read, they should own it.  The book is great for inspiring all ages.  It can help build confidence and inspire us to dream.  Find a copy of this book today, and let it start you on a new path.  Happy reading!

Gaston

I stumbled upon Gaston the other day and just loved it.  I was looking for new picture books and was immediately drawn to this cute cover.  The book is about two families of dogs.  Gaston is one of four puppies in a litter of poodles.  The fact that he is different, a bulldog, doesn't seem to cross their minds.  He tries very hard at all his lessons in proper etiquette.  After all, the dogs in his family are all about being proper.  One day they go to the dog park and come across another family of dogs, also with four youngsters.  This family is all bulldogs, save one poodle.  The mothers immediately realize what must have happened.  They leave it up to Gaston and Antoinette to decide what to do.  When they switch back to their birth families, nothing goes well.  The poodles are way too refined for Antoinette and the bulldogs are too wild for Gaston.  Besides, they miss their real families.  All is resolved at the next trip to the park.  Once the dogs are back where they truly belong, all is well again.  I just thought this book was adorable.  The illustrations are lots of fun.  This book really touches on the fact that family is about more than blood.  It is about love and affection.  It really is a wonderful, heartwarming book.  I am definitely glad I picked it up.  You should find a copy too.  Happy reading!

My Teacher is a Monster

My Teacher is a Monster is a very cute new picture book from Peter Brown.  I am a huge fan of his, so of course I immediately read this book as soon as I ran across it.  The little boy is convinced his teacher is a monster.  Of course he is a bit of a trouble maker and she occasionally reprimands him for his behavior.  Of course that makes her a monster.  He doesn't like her at all.  The two butt heads.  Then one day they run into each other at the park.  They reluctantly strike up a conversation and soon the little boy realizes she is a lot more like him than he thought.  The illustrations morph from a monster to a lady.  They go their ways and all is well, until they meet in school again and she yells at him for something.  The monster is back in his eyes.  It is a really cute story about seeing people for who they really are.  Teachers are people to, even if they have to be strict in the classroom!  It was fun watching the two get to know each other in a casual setting.  It gave them each an opportunity to understand the other.  The illustrations are wonderful, as always.  Check out this book if you get a chance.  Happy reading!

Hugless Douglas

I discovered Hugless Douglas a couple years ago merely by accident.  It was on a display and, at the time, I had a coworker named Doug.  It looked cute so I picked it up and read it.  I just loved it.  Douglas is a young bear who wakes up from hibernation in need of a hug.  He spend the day trying to find the perfect one.  He hugs rocks, trees, leaves, and various animals.  They are all too hard, too tall, too wrong.  All he wants is a hug, but he just can't find the right one.  A sympathetic rabbit takes him to look for the elusive hug he seeks.  At last they find another cave where someone is waking up, Douglas' mom.  She provides the perfect hug he so desperately needs.  The illustrations are adorable and the story is quite fun.  At one time or another we have all needed a hug.  This book reminds us how the right hug can make all the difference.  It is a really cute book.  Find it, read it, enjoy it.  Happy reading!

Miss Rumphius

I have loved Miss Rumphius since I was a child.  It won the National Book Award in 1983.  It always makes me think of heading up the mountains in Wyoming, where lupines cover the roadside.  My personal connection to the flowers is really what connected me to this book.  The story follows the life of Alice Rumphius, whose greatest dream was to travel the world and leave her mark.  She took with her the seeds of her favorite flower, spreading them everywhere she went.  The following year, fields of lupine sprang up everyone she had been.  It became her legacy.  The illustrations are simply beautiful, full of color and life.  Whenever I see a field of lupine, I imagine her walking that ground, spreading her seeds.  This is a book not to be missed.  As I travel up into the Wyoming mountains this week, I can't help but think of this book and desire to share its beauty with the world.  Happy reading!

From Sea to Shining Sea

Today of all days is for celebrating America and what makes us American.  This collection of American Folklore and Folk Songs is the perfect way to celebrate this countries essence.  It contains over 140 stories, songs, poems and more, as well as over 300 illustrations by eleven Caldecott Medal winner and four Caldecott Honor artists.  The illustrations are wonderful.  This book (which is unfortunately out of print, but perhaps available at your local library or used books store) does an amazing job of taking the reader through the history of this great country.  It starts with Native American folklore, continues with the Pilgrims, the Revolutionary War, westward expansion, slavery, and much more as it moves from the beginning of this country to the present(ish)--it was published in 1993, but doesn't cover much past the 70s.  It also visits fun and humorous folktales, ghost stories, the great American sport of baseball and more.  There are a handful of familiar tales and songs, at least to me, but the majority of it was new to me.  It is over 400 pages long and contains tons of wonderful depictions of our history and culture.  Enjoy and have a Happy 4th.  Happy reading!

The Dot and Ish

The Dot and Ish by Peter Reynolds are two picture books that I absolutely adore.  They are very similar in theme, so I figured I would share both of them together.  The illustrations are wonderful, but the stories are even better.  They both deal with creative expression in children and our responsibility as adults to foster that desire.  These books resonate with me because I have no artistic talent myself.  In The Dot, the child doesn't think she can create a work of art and just leaves a blank page.  Finally, she puts a dot on the page.  With encouragement, her dots become more and more elaborate as she learns to explore her creative side.  In Ish the little boy looses his love of drawing when his brother makes a comment about his pictures not quite looking like what they are meant to be.  Luckily his little sister sees the beauty in his unique artwork, and he is once again able to embrace his love of drawing all the time.  It is really beautiful to watch these children's imaginations soar as they explore the endless possibilities that exist when encouraged to express themselves artistically.  Whether it is through art, writing, music, etc., I hope everyone will encourage their own children to use their imaginations and not hold anything back.  The sky is the limit when it comes to what children can accomplish.  Happy reading!

Sophie's Fish

Sophie's Fish was one of my favorite picture book discoveries last year.  It is just so cute.  The illustrations are wonderful and the story is hilarious.  Jake agrees to take care of his friend Sophie's fish while she is on vacation; after all, how hard can it be to take care of a fish?  While he waits for Sophie to bring her fish to his house, he begins to have a lot of anxiety about fishsitting.  What he originally thought would be a piece of cake, he now thinks will be anything but.  He starts to freak out about what to feed the fish, what books to read, how to comfort him if he misses Sophie, and much more.  Before the doorbell even rings, he has talked himself into telling her he can't do.  When she tells him all she has to do is feed him twice a day, Jake once again decides it will be easy.  Then he meets the fish....It is fun to follow Jake and his imagination through this book.  The pictures perfectly illustrate his most outrageous worries.  I think we can all relate to his feelings of anxiety when we are given a responsibility we aren't sure we can handle.  Read this book.  I promise you will enjoy it.  Happy reading!

Under the Weather

Perhaps you can see a theme here.  If you are familiar with these titles, then you can guess how my holiday weekend went.  It started with my daughter getting the sniffles.  Her pink nose and cough is starting to get better, but as these wonderful stories go, I now am getting sick.  I thought this was the perfect time to discuss my favorite picture books on this common family theme.  Let's start with Pigs Make Me Sneeze.  The sad sap Elephant thinks he is allergic to his best friend Piggie.  Of course it is just that he is coming down with a cold.  By the end of the book he is overjoyed to learn he is not, in fact, allergic to Piggie.  She, on the other hand, is less than thrilled to have caught the bug from Elephant.  Next, in The Sniffles for Bear , you have grumpy old Bear who has come down with a cold.  Being the drama queen that he is, Bear is sure he is dying.  His ever optimist pal Mouse swoops in to try to bolster him up, all while nursing him back to health.  By the end of the book the tables have turned.  Bear must rally in order to take care of poor, sick Mouse.  Finally, in Bear Feels Sick, Bear's forest friends band together to try to nurse him back to health.  Each animal in turn catches the cold and must be nursed by Bear in the end.  Now that I am beginning to feel miserable, I decided to turn to some of my favorite under the weather picture books.  I can only hope that I will be as lucky as the friends in these books and be nursed back to health by my daughter.  I'm not counting on it!  Sickness is a common theme in childhood.  I highly recommend all these books as part of the nursing process.  I know that being read to always makes my daughter feel better, and these titles help her commiserate in her time of woe.  Next time you have a sick kid, or are sick yourself, give one of these fantastic books a try.  Perhaps it will bolster your spirits.  Happy reading!

Christina Katerina and the Box

Christina Katerina is one lucky girl.  When her parents buy a new refrigerator, she quickly claims the box.  Setting it up under the apple tree in her front yard, she first turns it into a castle.  When Fats, the neighbor boy, kicks it over, she turns it into a clubhouse.  That lasts until Fats makes the roof cave in.  No worries, Christina turns it into a race car.  Trying to be helpful, Fats cuts the front off to look at the motor.  Not to be deterred, Christina flattens the box out and turns it into the floor of a mansion.  The two have a wonderful ball, until Fats decides to clean the floor by hosing it off.  Unfortunately that is the end of the box, as it deteriorates in the grass.  Christina's mother couldn't be more happy.  She never wanted the box in her front yard to begin with.  Too bad for her, because Fats' parents just bought a new washer and dryer.  This book is so much fun.  It really captures the imagination of young children.  Where we see a box, they see a world of potential.  My daughter can spend days playing in boxes.  Every time we go to Costco, she immediately claims the box for herself.  I can definitely identify with Christina's mother in just wanting the box to be gone.  Find this book, read it, buy it if you can.  Happy reading!

Tickle Monster

Tickle Monster is a one of those books that I love to come back to.  When it was released it came in a kit with two tickle mitts.  I didn't want to buy the kit, but whenever I read it to my daughter I wish I had those mitts.  It is such a fun book.  I've done this book for a storytime at my bookstore, and I have yet to meet a kid who didn't love it.  It is the story of a fun and loving monster from planet tickle who loves nothing more than to tickle kids.  He starts with their toes and works his way through all the ticklish spots.  At the end he tells the kid he loves him/her and heads back to his planet.  The illustrations are adorable and the fun rhyming tempo lets kids guess where they are getting tickled next.  Since I've never met a little kid who doesn't like to be tickled, this book is one they all can enjoy again and again.  I've made the mistake of reading it at bedtime.  Not the best idea I've had.  Tickling does not inspire relaxation, so perhaps choose another time of day to give this book a go.  Happy reading!

The Tale of Three Trees

The Tale of Three Trees is usually brought out for Christmas and/or Easter.  It is a little late for both, but today is Arbor Day and what better way to celebrate trees than read about three very important trees.  Now I realize the purpose of Arbor Day is to plant trees.  This story is about cutting them down, but it is about a lot more than that.  This book will have little interest to those who are not Christian, although the message is relevant to all.  It is about three trees with big dreams.  The first one hopes to be used to make a wondrous treasure chest to hold great riches.  The second one dreams of becoming a magnificent sailing ship to carry great kings.  The third wishes to grow tall so that people will look up and think of God.  When three woodcutters climb their hill to cut them down, the first two are excited that their dreams are about to come true.  The third tree has a little more trouble seeing her potential as her greatest wish seems to be dashed.  Although each tree doesn't end up as they originally dreamed, each fulfills the purpose they hoped for.  The first is carved into a manger, holding the greatest treasure the world has ever seen.  The second is made into a simple fishing boat that carries the King of Kings as he calms the waters.  The third is made into the cross that forever stands as a reminder of God and his great sacrifice.  As each tree serves an important role in the life of Jesus Christ, we are reminded that God has a plan for us.  Even when we can't see the big picture, it doesn't mean there isn't one.  We all have the potential to do great things if only we dare to dream.  This book is a must for every Christian library.  It has a great message that can inspire all.  Happy reading!

Tuesday Talk: Read Across America Day

One of my favorite days each year is Read Across America Day.  It is celebrated each year on Dr. Seuss' birthday (March 2), or the closest school day.  Since the 2nd fell on a Sunday, this year's observance was yesterday.  As a lover of children's books and a firm advocate of reading, I just love this day.  The whole purpose of it is to challenge every child to pick up a book and read.  While it is celebrated on just the one day, there are events throughout the entire week.  In fact, Dr. Seuss is often celebrated throughout the entire month of March.  While many schools, libraries and book stores choose to read Dr. Seuss books, the rules don't specify that need.  You can read any children's book or books you choose.  The National Education Association started this nationwide reading challenge 17 years ago to honor perhaps the most influential children's author of all time.  Dr. Seuss has touched the hearts and imaginations of children and adults alike.  What better way to honor him then by picking up a book and reading.  I'd like to end with a quote I got off the NEA's website:  "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child."  Happy reading!

Thursday Three: Valentine's Picture Books

So none of these books are strictly Valentine's stories, but they all have a love element to them.  As with every holiday (except Christmas), I tend to lean toward the books that are displayed with the holiday books, but not exactly holiday themed. 
1.  Falling for Rapunzel
This is such a cute and funny book.  It is an hilarious twist on the Rapunzel fairy tale.  When the prince calls up to her, Rapunzel repeatedly mishears him.  This book will have you laughing at every page turn.  It is just so much fun.  When the prince finally rides off into the sunset, he is heading off to his happily ever after with Rapunzel's maid instead of the princess herself.  The ending is just so funny too.  Rapunzel walks down and opens her door, only showing the entire ridiculous exercise was all for naught.  I did a bad job talking it up, but it is definitely a "princess" book everyone should read.  It is SOOO cute and funny.  Definitely one of my favorite picture books.
2.  The Kiss That Missed
Now this is a cute bedtime story.  While there is no romance element to this tale, it does involve an important kiss.  When the King comes in to bid his son goodnight, he hastily blows him a kiss instead of going to kiss him on the cheek.  Unfortunately, the kiss ends up going out the window.  The Prince cannot go to sleep without the kiss, so the Knight is summoned to track it down.  He must brave the scary forest, battle a dragon and overcome his fears, all to bring the goodnight kiss home.  The illustrations are just adorable.  This is definitely a bedtime story worth reading.
3. Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story
This story should be included in everyone's collection simply for the banjo playing, crooning porcupine.  This poor little guy lives in a petting zoo and longs to be loved and cuddled just like all his neighbors.  Since love isn't coming to him, he sets out in search of it.  At every turn he is scorned and sent packing.  That is, until he meets a lovely lady hedgehog.  She doesn't find him unpleasant at all.  This story has cute illustrations and a fun little song on almost every page.  I think this book might be out of print, but I'm sure you can find it at your local library at the very least.  It is definitely worth a read.