Trout are Made of Trees

Trout are Made of Trees
Written by: April Pulley Sayre
Illustrated by: Kate Endle

Did you know trout are made of trees?  Really?  This title intrigued me from the beginning as I stumbled upon this book at the library. As I read it to my five year old I  found out it was an amazing concept for her as well!  So amazing in fact, that more reads are necessary to fully comprehend this unbelievable idea of the life cycle!    The simplicity the author uses really lends this book to become a read aloud so that much (simple) discussion can ensue.  I am a huge fan of basic science books for young kids to build background and introduce what can be complex ideas.  Beautiful basic colorful illustrations match this text perfectly. This is a great one!

When Winter Comes (again!)

When Winter Comes
Written by Nancy Van Laan
Illustrated by Susan Gaber

Yesterday was spring, today it is winter again. Such it is this time of year! On especially snowy days, like today, I like to pull out the winter books and get reading. When Winter Comes is a snowy story and also one of the books I asked for and received for Christmas because I love it so!

In Nancy Van Laan's simple and sweet story a dear family goes out for a walk in the winter and on their way they discover what happens in nature during winter time. Starting with the leaves on the trees, and moving from small to big animals, and even fish, the author uses repetitive question for each item, "Where oh where do the ______ go when winter comes and the cold winds blow?"

Next of course you here the answer, in rhyming verse to boot. To wrap up the story, the little girl is the final creature, who rests in her bed on an winter evening. This book is simple, with basic concepts, similar to those in Time to Sleep , by Denise Fleming, which would be a great companion book!

How Do you Sleep?

Written by: Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud
Illustrated by: Kristen Kest

Typically, children enjoy reading about things that are somewhat familiar. Often, they also like to read about animals. Have you noticed? How Do you Sleep? is a combination of the two well-loved angles. I love simple non fiction books for young children --and this is one of them. Each few pages tells how a different animal gets his rest. Birds have nests, Bears have caves where they curl right up, and frogs have lilly pads. In a classic way of ending, the author tells how children get their own rest (by wriggling to sleep of course)! This is a simple sweet story that gently teaches the basics about animal sleep. I love it!

Princess Peepers

Written by:Pam Culvert
Illustrated by: Tuesday Mourning

Oh the princess rage! My daughter has fallen victim to the princess storm. Has yours?

Princess Peepers is a darling book about princesses, suitable for all princess lovers, spectacle-wearing or not. Princess Peepers is a sweet princess who has some very stunning glasses, and she is quite okay with that, until other princesses aren't. Because of this she decided to get rid of them, and she falls into some trouble. Fortunately she also falls into something else, which of course turns out happily ever after (and she's back to wearing glasses of course)!

The pictures in this book are darling and very worthy for your little princess to study. I love the glasses and the gowns (I admit to being half-princess myself!) Illustrator Tuesday Mourning, besides having the coolest name, also has an etsy shop! It is fun to note that author Pam Culvert has had plenty of experience with peepers, as she wore glasses as a child herself and inspired her story.

We enjoy this as a very girlie read at our house and I hope you do too!

Things that are Most in the World

Things That Are Most in the World
Written by: Jodi Barrett
Illustrated by: John Nickle

Upon reading the title Things That Are Most in the World, I was led to thoughts of a non-fiction book full of fascinating facts. This book is a far cry from that! In what appears to be true to the author Jodi Barrett's style, this book contains the silly, unbelievable, whimsical situations that could only occur in fiction! The text relies on the ending "est", with each page containing something that is the most --using the est ending. What is the hottest thing you can think of? Barrett is sure it is a fire-breathing dragon eating pepperoni (pictured on the cover), and indeed that sounds and looks hot, hot, hot! What about the silliest, or the highest? The stickiest?

When used as a read-aloud this book begs for conversation, not only about the authors crazy ideas (including a giant wad of bubble gum as the stickiest!) but about you and your child's own ideas of what is most. Endless extensions of this book are possible --from simply thinking through things that are the most, to finding real things that are the most, to writing your own book with either or both! The very last page of this book pleased me, as it is meant to be photocopied and filled with your child's very own "est" word, sentence and illustration! I recommend you get reading and thinking, because this book is one of the silliest I've found!

Long Night Moon

Written by: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated by: Mark Siegel

I have always loved the moon, although I have had more time to look at it in days past. Recently my little boy observed on his own that the moon looked like it had a face. I regret to say that I did not go outside and look at it with him during this moment, but I did help him understand how the moon looked to have a face as it shined through his bedroom window. The moon is a mysterious thing, doing such amazing things as pulling and tugging at the ocean and washing the world in silver light. There are many tales of the moon to choose from, and so many are great bedtime stories. This story, Long Night Moon, is by a favorite author of mine, Cynthia Rylant. It begins like this, "Long ago Native Americans gave names to the full moons they watched throughout the year. Each month had a moon. And each moon had its name..."

As you might guess, this book goes through each month's full moon with a few simple sentences for each. The pictures, done in charcoal, are fantastic and well thought out. The end of the book includes a few paragraphs by artist Mark Siegel, and its obvious how serious he took his pursuit of illustrating Rylant's magical words. It's wonderful to hear from the artist, whose role is huge in any children's picture book.

This book is a quiet one, for a quiet moment, under the light of the full moon at its best! Perhaps more appreciated by the slightly older or more thoughtful child, it does present an opportunity for pursuing more information related to the Native American moons. Perhaps you can research this together. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pumpkin
Written and illustrated by Jeanne Titherington

It's gardening time! Along with gardening time come gardening books, and although we like to read them all year round, they are especially fun when the growing begins. Pumpkin Pumpkin is a simple favorite I have enjoyed with all of my children.

Pumpkin Pumpkin is short and sweet, and yet to the point too. Through these few sentences there is no doubt what happens with the pumpkin seed through the stages, all the way the carved jackolantern, and the saving of the seeds. The illustrations in this book are muted and delightful, adding a lot to the sweetness of the story. I have always used this book as a read aloud, but it would be great for a beginning reader, as it has much repetition in its short simple sentences. Happy reading, and to those who enjoy it, happy gardening!

Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve

Minverva Louise on Christmas Eve
By: Janet Morgan Stoeke

If you have not yet met Minerva Louise, I highly encourage you to do so soon. She is great! Minerva Louise is a pleasant, sweet, slightly dull, and very funny chicken who lives on a farm of course. She is always mistaking one thing for another, inspiring giggles along the way. In Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve this silly chicken just can't understand the farmer in the red hat. She tells him plainly to watch out or he will fall, but to no avail --he slips down the chimney! She decides to follow him and is amazed that there is a new tree inside the house, which must have gotten cold, and the white hen with wings on top must be the one who laid the beautiful colored eggs that adorn it! Minerva Louise has had about enough when she sees the farmer in the red hat putting his stuff in her people's socks, but in the end she is happy to get her own present, and enjoys it just as a sweet and silly chicken should.

Also try: Minerva Louise and the Red Truck or A Friend for Minerva Louise!

Books for Babies!

Dear Zoo: A Lift the Flap Book by Rod Campbell

When my oldest son was a baby we had a bedtime routine of reading the same books before he went to sleep. After reading the books I would kiss him good night and he would go right to sleep. Oh, if only every child was this easy! Routines are helpful for all babies and children, and so is reading, so perhaps that's where the bedtime story ritual comes in so handy. All three of my children enjoyed Dear Zoo when they were babies, and it's my all time favorite baby book. It has animals, flaps, simple brightly colored pictures, and repetition. What more can you ask for?

Other tried and true baby books from my house include (all in board book form of course): Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Baby Booky: Booky (Baby Booky) by Mary Engelbreit. If there's another baby in time I will have to add Tomie's Baa Baa Black Sheep since I am in love with it. What are your favorite baby books?

Emma Kate

In Emma Kate, a little girl and an elephant are the best of friends. They go to school together, eat lunch together, and most importantly reads books together. Then, at the end of the day, the two say a sweet goodnight to Mom and Dad.

Does anyone else like Patricia Polacco? I do. Patricia has a very original style of illustrating, and once you are familiar with one or two of her books, they are easy to pick out as well as fun. I have not read all of Polacco's many books, but so far, this is my favorite. Elephants are heavy, and wrinkly, and they have long eyelashes --all fun things to notice with your child when viewing these excellent illustrations.

My three year old daughter and I really enjoy reading Emma Kate together. I began wondering if this story might have her thinking a little, when after a few reads she began asking what the little girl's name was. We know that the mom calls her daughter sweet pea at bedtime, just the same as my daughter. But the elephant is of course Emma Kate. Or is it? It might take a while for a child to catch this! This book is worth rereading to find new details in the pictures, but Emma Kate is still short, sweet, and one to smile through together.

To enjoy some Emma Kate printables, see Patricia Polacco's website here.

Hoodwinked

Hoodwinked, written and illustrated by Arthur Howard, is full of kid appeal. The story features Mitzi, a small red-haired witch, who likes everything to be creepy. She prefers creepy breakfast cereal, creepy slippers, creepy relatives, and now she is searching for a really creepy pet. The lady at the creepy pet store, (who has long blue teeth!) tries several times to please Mitzi, but some pets are too buggy, some are too batty, and some Mitzi decides just need some thinking over. What to do? Mitzi's new pet practically comes knocking on her front door, but is it creepy enough?

Mitzi reminds me an awful lot of my children, who only think they like all things creepy. This creepy-loving, small and freckled, red-headed witch is anything but creepy, which makes the illustrations perfect for young children. My three year old daughter really enjoys this book, but even as uncreepy as it really is, for younger kids it's best read in the daylight, because according to my daughter, nightlight shadows have a tendency to become a little creepy otherwise.

Too Many Pumpkins

Isn't there just something magical about pumpkins? All kids seem to love them. Even more so, there is something magical about Too Many Pumpkins: filling the porch, the lawn, and kitchen. This story gives you and your child your fill of pumpkins, and all the magical things that go with them. The pictures in this book, by Megan Lloyd, are wonderfully detailed and perfect for entertaining old and young eyes both.

The cute old gardener Rebecca Estelle remembers a time where they had nothing to eat but pumkins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and so she never wants to see a pumpkin again. But somehow a stubborn pumpkin plant, originating from a smashed pumpkin, grows despite neglect, and Rebecca Estelle meets her match of pumpkins. She manages to use up the pumpkins she thought she detested, to the delight of the town.

I love the fact that this story is based on a true experience by author Linda White's grandmother, who lived during the great depression, and really did eat pumpkins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An enjoyable book my kids and I haven't tired of yet-- and although we read it anytime, it's perfect for October!

In a Blue Room

At my library, they entice picture book readers by standing books up on top of the low bookshelves. This is one of my favorite places to search for great books, because the children's librarian here has such great taste. Because this book still had a clean and intact cover as it stood on top of the shelf, I could tell it was new, and the beautiful cover illustration drew me in immediately. I have not come back! In a Blue Roomis my current number one favorite when it comes to picture books.

In a very yellow room, a mother brings sleep-encouraging items to her little one. Consistently, the little girl demands each to be blue. None are, but her mother manages to convince her sleepy daughter to settle in for bedtime. Finally, as the little girl can withstand sleep no longer, she finally (and wonderfully) gets her wish for blue.

The text and pictures in this book are a match made in heaven. Tricia Tusa does great illustrations, and I have seen some, but after seeing this book, I would like to see more. They are perfect! Each illustration is done at a beautiful and creative angle, with details that give a lot of feeling to the home and atmosphere, and the relationship between mother and daughter. (I wish I could live in the adorable house!) Tusa also has a way of making magic known in her pictures, as she does in this book.

Jim Averbeck is an author I am not familiar with, but I hope this is not his last children's book. One thing I appreciate about a children's book author, is when it's obvious that they are truly familiar with children. This appears to be true with Averbeck. The little girl's insistence rings very true to me during the reading. The mother is as sweet and patient as all mothers wish to be, but also as inventive. This is a simple but clever story, one that can be read and appreciated at different levels by various ages, making it a book that allows much revisiting.

To see an interview with artist Tricia Tusa, click here.

George and The Dragon

George and the Dragon, written and illustrated by Chris Wormell, is a book that took me by surprise. When I started into this book my thoughts were along the lines of "Wow! This is a really great, simple book for young children who like dragons." It seems like just what a dragon-loving child would like, as it hits on all the major points of dragon life, with accompanying illustrations. But then there's more. This book takes a clever turn, and the dragon is faced with his own fear, an amusing one.

Have you seen a dragon brush away an army? Have you seen a dragon steal a princess, smash a castle wall, and burn down a forest with his fiery breath? Have you ever seen a scared dragon? The illustrations in this book clearly show you. Written with short and simple but expertly crafted sentences, this book is a must-have for dragon lovers! My six year old recently told me that he didn't want to pick books with me, he doesn't like books that are about dogs and cats. (And that's apparently all I choose.) He likes heroes. This story meets both of our good-book standards, is without dogs and cats, and has a very small and unlikely hero to boot.

Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by Margaret Chavos-Irvine

Have you noticed how girls clothes can be a little tricky to put together? Unlike boys clothes, which all seem to match each other, girls clothes all seem to need to be kept with their matching pieces. Pants can be pink and polka-dotted, socks can be blue and purple striped, and dresses can have orange and green flowers. Should you really put those together?

My daughter has a strong will, and also a strong opinion about what she wears. She also believes if mom picks it out, it is not a good choice. To my dismay, other little girls walk around wearing matching clothes, and I wonder how their mothers talked them into it.

Ella Sarah is a girl after my own daughter's heart. She knows just what she wants to wear, no matter who else has an opinion. Margaret Chodos-Irvine illustrates her own story, and perfectly captures the true look of a determined toddler in tantrum mode! This book is a must-read for any opinionated daughter, and her mother.