Submitted by Ms. Brenda!
Aren’t hugs great?! They’re just wonderful, but they can be tricky. It’s important to know how to hug in any situation. You don’t want to hug someone too tightly. Oh, no! And you certainly don’t want to hug and run. Or freeze up. Or even get stuck in a hug! This book, How to Hug by MaryAnn MacDonald, gives us great advice on how to give the perfect hug. For instance, if you find yourself wanting to give someone who is angry a hug, wait! You don’t want to rush this one. You will find that it’s better, for everyone involved, to give the angry person a little time and space. And you can always try again later. The illustrator, Jana Christy, uses colorful animals with such cute expressions you can imagine just what they’re thinking. However, the ostrich’s expression is hidden in the sand. Sometimes, friends are too shy to hug. And that’s okay, too. Happy Hugging!! See this book listed in our catalog
Press Here
Submitted by Ms. Catherine!
Press Here by Henré Tullet. When I was little, I always loved books that kept me involved. They could be the complicated ones that had buttons to push that made music, or fuzzy pages to represent bunny fur. Or it could be the “I Like to Help Mommy” book in which my mother would replace the main character’s name with my own so I could pretend it was about me! Henré Tullet’s new book, Press Here, is a fantastic interactive picture book that will stimulate the imagination of kids and adults! The book opens simply with a yellow dot and the direction to “press here and turn the page.” Where most books that give you this direction would make noise or light up, Press Here is different. The following page displays two dots with the text “Great! Now press the yellow dot again.” Instead of lighting up, this book engages the imagination of the person reading it. Each page follows the same pattern, showing a new illustration with a new set of directions. At first glance this may not seem all that engaging, but the simple directions and bright colors truly capture the attention of whoever is reading it. Adults and children alike will be mesmerized by this book. Don’t be surprised to find yourself pressing, turning, shaking, and following whatever other directions you find inside. Check out this book and press here! See this book listed in our catalog
Wink the Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed
Submitted by Ms. Allana!
Wink the Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed by J.C. Phillips. “It was the happiest day of Wink’s life when he was accepted to the Summer Moon School for young ninjas.” “Silence is the weapon of the ninja” Master Zutsu said, so “Look at me!” are not the words you’d expect to come out of a young ninja in training’s mouth! Wink, however is different. He is the flamboyant, attention seeking ninja. He likes bright colors and loud noises. “The blossom that flaunts its color is soon plucked” says the irritated Master Zutsu. The story continues as the frustrated ninja begins to realize he missed his calling, and is finally rewarded in a way that suits his personality and talents. A great read for young school aged and an excellent read-to-me for pre-school children. See this book listed in our catalog
The Loudest Roar
Submitted by Ms. Jill!
The Loudest Roar by Thomas Taylor. Clovis is a tiny young tiger with a very loud roar, and he’s proud of it! So proud, in fact, that he wants all the other animals in the jungle to know that he’s the “fiercest, most roaringest tiger in the whole wide world.” Clovis spends his time sneaking up on other creatures so that he can jump out and scare them with his loud ROAR!!!! He chases the parrots from their fruit tree, startles the wildebeest out of their swamp, and even sends the mighty elephants stampeding across the plains. It’s all a lot of fun for a little tiger, but the other animals are getting fed up. Finally, the monkey hatches a plan, and everyone in the jungle helps to teach Clovis a lesson he won’t soon forget. But can the fiercest, most roaringest tiger really change his ways? Your young tigers will love to roar out loud along with Clovis in this simple story that’s just right for preschoolers. Thomas Taylor’s lush full-spread illustrations perfectly capture Clovis’ sneaky ways and the startled animals’ priceless expressions. This is a terrific read-aloud for groups, or just to enjoy with your own little tiger. See this book listed in our catalog
Sylvia and Bird
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
I was immediately struck by the illustrations in Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Rayner, and had to pick if up and read it as soon as I saw it. It really pulled at my heart-strings! It’s the story of a dragon named Sylvia. She is beautiful, and lives in a beautiful home, but she is the only dragon she knows of, possibly the only dragon in the world, and this makes her feel very lonely. One day she meets Bird, and they become best friends. They spend lots of time having fun together, but when Bird goes to “chit-chatter” with her bird friends, Sylvia is sad again. Bird wants to help Sylvia find other dragons, but they soon realize all they really need is each other. This is a sweet story about the power of friendship to cross boundaries, and overcome obstacles. See this book listed in our catalog
Should I Share My Ice Cream?
Submitted by Ms. Amanda!
Should I Share My Ice Cream is the newest edition to the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems (and, in my humble opinion, the best in that series so far). Willems tells a story of two friends, one ice cream cone, and a big decision! On a hot day, Gerald buys an ice cream cone, but, in his excitement and love of ice cream, he forgets that his best friend, Piggie, would want an ice cream cone too, and he does not buy her one. This brings Gerald to the troubling question: “Should I share my ice cream?” Gerald has a huge battle with himself about sharing his awesome and cool ice cream cone with his best friend. He thinks of reasons why he should and should not share. Perhaps she does not like the flavor, then it would be wrong to share a flavor she does not like with her. Or she doesn’t know that he has ice cream, so maybe he should eat it before she can see it. Finally, he decides that it would make Piggie happy if he shared his ice cream with her, and he goes off in search of Piggie determined to share his… NOOOOOOOOOOOO! The ice cream has melted while Gerald was making up his mind! Just then, when Gerald is sad that both he and Piggie will not get to have any of his ice cream, Piggie shows up with an ice cream, and shares it with Gerald! After all, that is what friends are for. Wouldn’t you share your ice cream with a friend? See this book listed in our catalog