Submitted by Ms. Tess!
I love Big Bouffant by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown, and find myself relating to the main character Annabelle: I too like to stand out from the crowd, enjoy things that are a bit retro, and get bored if my hairstyle stays the same for too long. In this story, Annabelle is appalled by her classmates’ lack of imagination where hairstyle is concerned. Look at all those boring ponytails and braids! Annabelle needs a hairstyle with pizazz! When she sees a photo of her grandmother, sporting a striking bouffant, she has her eureka moment. Annabelle tries to build her own bouffant (with honey, and mayonnaise, among other unconventional implements) leading to a “hair emergency!” Luckily mom is there to save the day, and Annabelle heads to school the next day with a beautiful (and stable) bouffant. A few students snicker, but the bouffant really takes off, and soon everyone wants high hair! But as soon as she starts the trend, Annabelle grows tired of it, and is on to the next. No girls at school are wearing homemade gowns… If you have a future fashionista in the home, be sure to read them Big Bouffant! (Warning: exposure to this book may lead to ACTUAL bouffants among elementary aged children.) See this book listed in our catalog
Holler Loudly
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
Holler Loudly by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Holler is the young son of the Holler family. His loud voice has always been a problem for him. His parents, teachers, and friends have hushed and shushed him his entire life, but it never helps. He continually gets in trouble for his loud voice. He ruined fishing trips, was kicked out of the movies, and scattered all the animals at the state fair’s hog-calling contest. He’s finally convinced to settle down. But when a tornado comes toward his town, Holler decides there are times to be quiet and times that require LOUD. He decides to take action: he shouts down the tornado, and breaks it up into harmless bits of breezes. Readers, as well as listeners, will have fun with this animated story, and its southern twang. See this book listed in our catalog
Me and You
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Me and You by Anthony Browne is a fascinating take on the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” The illustrations, which I felt were pleasantly evocative of Wes Anderson’s film Fantastic Mr. Fox, portray simultaneously a cheery family of bears in their lovely house and, in stark contrast, a gritty urban setting, home to a small girl with blond hair. As the family of bears take a leisurely stroll through the park (while their porridge cools), the young yellow-haired girl discovers their door ajar, after a distressing walk through a neighborhood full of graffiti, broken windows, and barbed wire. When the bears return to find their belongings obviously tampered with, they are understandably alarmed. Our Goldilocks is also understandably alarmed when she’s discovered where she doesn’t belong, and flees the scene as hastily as possible. “I wonder what happened to her?” the baby bear wonders, but we get to see the girl run into the arms of a caring mother. This is a great book to demonstrate that there is more than one side to every story. See this book listed in our catalog
Everything but the Horse
From Hollie Hobbie, author and illustrator of the Toot and Puddle series, comes Everything but the Horse: A Childhood Memory, a wonderful picture book, derived from a very special childhood memory! I love the beginning: how the reader is introduced to this little girl’s world. The description in each page’s words and drawings endears you to the main character, and involves you in her desperate longing for a horse of her own. She watches with admiration and yearning as the other girls who live nearby ride their “tall and glossy” horses past her house. Some of the antics she performs to make it feel like she really does have a horse of her own are amusing. Will she ever have her own horse? One day, a birthday surprise awaits her in the barn… See this book listed in our catalog
Hello My Name Is Bob
Submitted by Ms. Amanda!
Hello My Name Is Bob by Linas Alsenas. There are different types of friendships, and different kinds of friends. Friends can be different! They don’t have to like the same things or do the same things. Consider Bob and his friend Jack in this book. Bob and Jack are friends, but they are very different, and that is OK! Bob is a boring bear. He doesn’t like to play chase, or travel, but instead likes to count toothpicks, or practice humming. What he really likes to do is sit… just sit! Jack is wacky, and not boring at all. He does wild and crazy things! Jack takes Bob to the ice cream shop, and the alligator swamp, and even to the amusement park! Bob just likes the parking lot at the amusement park, where he can sit (Bob thinks sitting is great). Even though Bob and Jack are so different, they are good friends because Jack can be just a boring as Bob–when he is asleep! See this book listed in our catalog
Mystic Horse
Submitted by Ms. Allana!
Mystic Horse by Paul Goble. “There was a man who dearly loved his horse. But when the man died the horse was no longer cared for, and was continually passed from one person to another.” This book is written and illustrated by Paul Goble, who won the Caldecott medal for his book The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Goble, who grew up in England, has a special interest in the culture and history of the Plains Indians. The bond he feels is clearly portrayed in this wonderful telling of a Pawnee legend about an abandoned and unloved horse that is taken in and cared for by a poor young Pawnee boy who lives with his grandmother. One day the horse speaks to the boy, and guides him to a great victory, but because the boy did not heed a warning given by the horse, he is struck by tragedy. This book is suitable for elementary school aged children who may be beginning to learn about the culture and history of America. See this book listed in our catalog