Swim! Swim!
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
Swim! Swim! is the story of Lerch, a fish, and his desperate attempts to make a friend. He tries to befriend the pebbles, the plastic diver in his tank, the bubbles, and then, well, the cat. The cat arrives outside his tank and talks to Lerch, but he calls him “Lunch.” Young readers and story time audiences will be greatly relieved by the final, friendly twist to the story, and the comic book setup is just perfect for this book. See this book listed in our catalog
Hugless Douglas
Submitted by Ms. Amanda!
Hugless Douglas by David Melling is an adorable book I fell in love with the minute I picked it up. Douglas is a brown bear who wakes up one spring morning and goes in search of a hug! He looks for a BIG hug, but when he hugs a rock he finds it is too heavy. He looks for a TALL hug, but when he hugs a tree he does it all wrong and gets splinters. Next he looks for a comfy hug in a bush, but finds the bush is filled with sheep who do not want to be hugged by a bear. Poor Douglas doesn’t know where to look next, so he asks an owl for a hug, but that just makes the owl angry. Then he finds a rabbit. The rabbit doesn’t want a hug either, but he knows where Douglas can find a hug. The rabbit takes Douglas by the paw and leads him to a cave. When Douglas goes in the cave to look for a hug, he finds someone he knows… his Mommy! Douglas then snuggles into the biggest, warmest hug! See this book listed in our catalog
The Twelve Prayers of Christmas and The First Christmas
The First Christmas illustrated by Sophy Williams (a changing-picture book) is a wonderful version of the Christmas story. It’s simply told, but features changing picture panels on every other page to make it even more interesting and special. The images of all the key characters are charming, but when you slide the last panel and see Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus, it really shines. See this book listed in our catalog
Librarian on the Roof
Submitted by Ms. Catherine!
Here in St. Mary’s County, children are always in and out of our libraries. But in Lockhart, Texas, librarian RoseAleta Laurell couldn’t get any children to come to the library! The Dr. Eugene Clark Library didn’t have a children’s section. RoseAleta realized that something needed to be done. So, when simply asking for money for the library didn’t work, she decided to take things to the next level. RoseAleta decided that she wouldn’t come down from the library roof until the town raised enough money to build a children’s area for the library! In Librarian on the Roof, written by M.G. King, and illustrated by Stephen Gilpin, we see the story of RoseAleta Laurell unfold, with bright, fun illustrations, that will make you smile, and cheer along with the town of Lockhart, Texas as this librarian hero brings books to children of all ages. Based on a true story, this is a great book for children and parents to read together, and then talk about the importance of reading, and the importance of standing up for what you believe in! See this book listed in our catalog
I Need My Monster
When I was little, I was terrified of monsters living under my bed. So, I made a monster trap, so that I could catch the monsters and keep an eye on them. That’s the thing about monsters in bedrooms. As long as you and your monster come to an understanding, everything will be okay. In I Need My Monster, written by Amanda Noll, and illustrated by Howard McWillams, the monster who lives under Ethan’s bed, Gabe, takes a vacation. Poor Ethan is left dealing with substitute monsters, who simply do not live up to the greatness of Gabe. One after another, the monsters show up. But monsters with painted fingernails, slurpy long tongues, and bows on their tails are just not scary enough to keep Ethan in bed! If the monsters can’t keep Ethan in bed, how will he ever get to sleep? Don’t worry–Gabe and Ethan are reunited in the end. Ethan is finally able to get some sleep, and Gabe is happily growling and drooling green goo the whole night through. If your child is worried about the monster under his or her bed, this book is a great to help them not feel afraid. And if they’re still afraid, a well placed monster trap (a shoe box with a hole cut in the side) set by their bed will capture any scary monsters that might be lurking underneath. See this book listed in our catalog