Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith (of Bone and RASL fame) is a great introduction to the comic book format for your child. Little Mouse has just been informed he’s going to the barn and needs to “get ready,” so he decides to put his clothes on. We’re taken through the step-by-step process of putting on one’s clothes, including the universal struggle with buttons, punctuated by speculation of the fun things to be done in the barn. Finally, Little Mouse is fully dressed and ready to go, when Mama Mouse reminds him that mice don’t wear clothes. What a twist! The art is sweet, filled with friendly autumn pastels, and the whole book is infused with humour and charm. It’s a truly memorable story about a routine that your child can relate to. See this book listed in our catalog
A Circle of Friends
Submitted by Ms. Allana!
A Circle of Friends by Giora Carmi is a very touching book. If it doesn’t stir you, check your pulse. A story in pictures, no words necessary, and a great way to introduce this art form to younger readers. Put your own words to these beautiful images, and encourage a child to do the same, and all in all this will be a wonderful experience. This is a timeless story about compassion, sharing, giving, and goodwill that will warm hearts and soothe souls. Children’s author Peter Sis had this to say: “A good picture book is like a good symphony. The art, the story, and the treatment come together in one voice. Open this book and listen…” See this book listed in our catalog
Say Hello
I Can Be Anything
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
I Can Be Anything! by Jerry Spinelli takes a common theme–what will I be when I grow up–and gives it a charming twist. In rhyming phrases a little boy considers: “When I grow up, what shall I be? Of all the many, many jobs, which one will be the best for me? Pumpkin grower? Dandelion blower? Paper-plane folder? Puppy-dog holder?” Spinelli considers all of the possibilities, and the best part is all of the jobs are things a kid can do right now, without having to go through all the waiting of growing up. At the end, Spinelli provides the solution: the boy is going to choose every one of the jobs! The watercolor-and-acrylic illustrations show the imagined scenarios, and include a group of rabbits that appear on each page. See this book listed in our catalog
Woof: A Love Story
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Normally when you think of a dog and a cat you don’t picture star-crossed lovers. But that’s only because you haven’t read Woof: A Love Story by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Holly Berry. In this story, our Romeo is a dog, who loves doing typical dog things, until he meets his Juliet… a cat! When the dog sees the cat he falls instantly in love with her, and tells her so, proclaiming: “I love you!” “You’re pretty,” and “Climb down. I adore you.” But all she hears is “WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF” and runs and hides. The poor dog is devastated, so he decides to console himself the way a dog likes to–by digging a hole. And he finds a bone! A Trom-bone to be exact. And he plays the trombone, turning his powerful emotions into music, which is a language everyone can understand. Finally the cat understands his feeling for her, and tells him, “I love you” too. Of course all he hears in “Meow” but he knows what she means. See this book listed in our catalog
The Flower Man
Submitted by special guest blogger Ms. Karen from the Lexington Park branch!
Are you a push-over for a great children’s picture book? Then pick up a copy of The Flower Man by Mark Ludy. A delightful wordless picture book, The Flower Man is the story of a bright-eyed old man (drawn in color) who moves into a dreary, unfriendly neighborhood (drawn in black and white), and proceeds to change it one person at a time through his generosity–and his flowers! As the Flower Man’s influence spreads, each page becomes brighter, and the highly detailed pictures which tell the stories of the town’s inhabitants will engage a child’s story-expanding imagination. Whether enjoyed together or “read” by a child alone, The Flower Man is sure to brighten your world too! See this book listed in our catalog