Which Would You Rather Be by William Steig with illustrations by Harry Bliss is a fabulous book for children about the really tough questions in life: Would you rather be a stick or a stone? A cat or a dog? Rain or snow? A magic rabbit asks a boy and girl to answer these hypothetical quandaries, and I’m sure your boy or girl will be happy to provide input as well. This can lead to wonderful discussions about similarities and differences between things and situations, in addition to preferences and various opinions people have about them. Plus… it’s just fun!
Recommended for Kids
Pete & Pickles
I recently attended the Great Books Consortium, in which Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed (creator of the comic strip Opus) was chosen by a committee of children’s librarians from across the state of Maryland, as the best picture book of the past year. It’s certainly an interesting story, about a pig named Pete, who lives a quiet and simple existence, until he runs into Pickles, a runaway circus elephant. At first Pete is alarmed by the changes Pickles brings to his life, but soon finds himself unable to live without the unpredictable pacidurm. The book deals indirectly with the loss of a loved one, so it may not be suited to especially sensitive children.
Good Night Gorilla
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann is a cautionary tale for unobservant zookeepers. In it, a very tired zookeeper is doing his nightly rounds, saying “good night” to all of the animals, beginning with Gorilla, who deftly snatches the keys from his belt and begins setting his fellow animals free. The zookeeper heads home to go to bed, unwittingly followed by the entire menagerie. This is unacceptable to the zookeeper’s wife, who sends all the animals back to their pens. “Good night zoo,” she says, but that crafty Gorilla has a surprise for her. This charming story, told mostly through illustrations, is a true treat.
Tadpole Rex
Take a journey to prehistoric times with Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus. Meet Rex, a feisty tadpole, born in a swamp that forms in a Tyrannosaurus’s footprint. Watch him as he slowly transforms into a ferocious frog! Rex attacks duckbills and nearly trips a triceratops, releasing his fiercesome “Ribbet!” as he jumps through the air. This book is especially good for boys, but children in general tend to be fascinated by the transformation from tadpole to frog (or caterpillar to butterfly). It’s also full of fun sounds to make, like the “bloop” of bubbles in primordial goo, the “fleep” of Rex’s growing appendages, and of course, the “stomp” of his dinosaur neighbors. The book may even lead to a conversation about frogs, and how amazing it is that they have been on earth countless more years than we have!
A Taste of Colored Water
Matt Faulkner’s A Taste of Colored Water is an engaging story about an important issue. When Abbey Finch informs Jelly and LuLu that she saw a fountain of colored water in the big city, they decide they need to see it for themselves. It’s probably just one of Abbey’s crazy stories, but what if isn’t? Can you imagine a fountain of water all the colors of the rainbow? And probably the flavor of assorted fruits! So they decide to tag along the next time Uncle Jack has to drive to the city. But Jelly and Lulu live in the south during the civil rights movement. And the “colored” sign over their fountain of water, is just part of the unfair Jim Crow laws popular there at the time. It’s an unfortunate discovery for them to make. Being children, they wonder “what color does a person have to be to get a taste of colored water?”
Baseball Hour
I love Baseball Hour by Carol Nevius with illustrations by Bill Thomson. In it we are privy to an hour of practice for a little league baseball team. Every type of child is represented–all races, boys and girls, tall and short, lean and portly–working as a team, having fun, and competing. Watch them jog, stretch, toss and catch balls, swing bats, and win! Talk to your child about the importance of exercise and teamwork with this action packed story filled with realistically detailed sepia-toned illustrations. This book truly scores a homerun!