It’s a case of mistaken identity in the forest with Where’s My Teddy by Jez Alborough. A little boy, Eddie, is searching for his lost teddy bear, Freddie, in the woods. The trees are dark and scary, and Eddie really just wants to curl up in bed with his favorite toy. But what does he find? An enormous teddy bear! “How did you get to be this size?” he wonders, until he hears a voice crying outside the clearing. Suddenly, a giant bear is stomping toward him, carrying Freddie, and bewailing his smallness. “My ted!” rejoices the bear, and then “A boy!” he screams in fright! The two exchange teddies and dash is opposite directions. The story ends happily with both Eddie and the bear in their own snuggly beds, with their own cuddly teds.
Recommended for Kids
Punk Farm
Punk Farm is a fantastic read by Jarrett J. Krosoczka! What do you think farm animals do when the farmer goes to sleep at night? Well, on Farmer Joe’s farm the end of the day is only the beginning of the fun for his animals. They have to get ready for their concert! Pig plugs in his guitar, Cow sets up her drums, Chicken gets her keyboard, Goat tunes his bass, and Sheep checks the microphone. The other animals are waiting outside to buy tickets, and soon the barn is packed! The crowd goes wild as the band leads them in a punk rock rendition of “Old MacDonald.” Thank you Wisconsin! And don’t miss the sequel Punk Farm On Tour.
Don’t Worry Bear
Don’t Worry Bear is an adorable book by Greg Foley. The titular protagonist, a little bear, is concerned for his friend the caterpillar. Caterpillar is hard at work on a cocoon. He’s going to stay inside it for a while, but promises Bear he’ll see him soon. Bear comes to check on him at night with a flashlight, but Caterpillar assures him he’s not afraid of the dark. Bear comes again when it’s windy and rainy and snowy, but Caterpillar assures him he’s well protected from the elements. Bear is almost care-free until one day he visits the cocoon and find it lying empty on the ground. Caterpillar is gone, but in his place is Bear’s newly transformed friend, a beautiful silk moth!
Superhero ABC
Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod is great for geeky moms and fanboy dads, longing to introduce their children to comic book style superheroes! Each letter of the alphabet is treated to its own unique hero, and an alliterative blurb about them. For example, A is for Astro-man who “is always alert for an alien attack,” B is for Bubble Boy who “blows bubbles at bullies,” and C is for Captain Cloud who “calmly catches crooks.” My favorite by far is Power Pup who “protects pets from the pound.” The illustrations are colorful and quite detailed–in the background of Power Pup, you can see a parrot named Polly, a panting poodle, and a persian cat proclaiming “Pets are people too!” Children learning the alphabet will really like identifying the letters, especially those that spell their name!
The Perfect Nest
The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend with illustrations by John Manders is a very cute story about a very crafty cat. The cat in question, Jack, is attempting to attract the perfect bird, who will lay the perfect egg, which will make the perfect omelet, by building the perfect nest. First, a Spanish chicken arrives and lays an egg, then a French duck does the same, followed by a southern goose! Jack is ecstatic–he could have three omelets, if he can just get these bickering birds out of of the picture, which ends up taking more effort than he had planned. By the time they’re gone, the eggs have hatched, and now three little chicks are calling Jack “mom.” This is a fun read with a chance for you to practice your foreign accents!
Vulture View
Vultures are truly fascinating creatures. Teach your child about these interesting birds via Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre with illustrations by Steve Jenkins. Chances are you’ll learn a lot too. For instance, did you know that vultures glide on pillars of hot air called thermals? Or that their heads have very few feathers because picking from dead animal carcasses is universally messy? You may find these carrion eaters disgusting, but they serve an important role, as nature’s clean up crew! This book is especially good for boys who might think eating garbage sounds funny or cool. You could also take your child bird-watching after reading (I know our library parking lot is a perfect place to see some vultures)!