Submitted by Catherine from Lexington Park!
Every kid wants a pet. But which pet will be best for the family? This is the question posed in the book What Pet to Get? written and illustrated by Emma Dodd. In the story, Jack tries to convince his Mom that a polar bear might be a great pet. Luckily Mom reminds Jack that polar bears don’t like central heating. Dinosaurs are out too, due to being extinct. “What a shame,” says Jack. The book progresses through a series of animals, with wonderfully bright illustrations that seem to pop off the page. At the end of the story, Jack and his Mom work out a compromise that delivers quite a pet into their lives.
Beetle Bop
Submitted by county youth coordinator Janis!
Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming. This bug book has great boy appeal! Beetles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and in only a few words this book tells many facts about them. The eye-catching pictures are sure to be a hit with all bug enthusiasts.
Uno: Blue Ribbon Beagle
Submitted by county youth coordinator Janis!
Uno: Blue Ribbon Beagle by Stephanie Spinner. I found this book when I was looking for some early readers and immediately fell in love with Uno. Uno is a little 15 inch beagle that won the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in February 2008. This wonderful non-fiction book tells all about Uno’s life, training, and his family. With adorable pictures it is a must read for anyone who loves dogs or wants to learn more about showing their dog.
Blueberry Girl
Although Mother’s Day has passed, and Father’s Day is still a fair ways away, I couldn’t resist blogging about Blueberry Girl, the newest book by the fabulous Neil Gaiman, beautifully illustrated by Charles Vess, which is ideal to share with a special daughter. It’s a poem Gaiman wrote for his friend musician Tori Amos, when she was pregnant with her daughter. It’s a prayer to the powers that be to bless a baby girl as she grows in the world. To save her from nightmares at three, bad husbands at thirty, from dull days at forty, false friends at fifteen. “Her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep,” Gaiman writes — a lovely sentiment for every “blueberry girl.”
Hug Time
Hug Time is an adorable story by Patrick McDonnell, creator of the “Mutts” comic strip series. Jules is a kitten who is so filled with love, he wants to give the whole world a hug, so he makes a Hug To-Do List and sets off. He hugs his friends, and all the birds in the park. He gets on a boat to find a whale to hug. He travels to Africa to hug an elephant. He explores the rain forest and discovers a new species (which he promptly hugs). He hugs a tiger, a panda, even a wombat (hooray)! He even goes to the north pole to hug a polar bear. While we may not be able to hug the world, we can start spreading the love by hugging those closest to us.
Slugs in Love
I was beyond tickled to discover Slugs in Love by Susan Pearson, and illustrated by Kevin O’ Malley, a veritable epistolary masterpiece for the Pre-K crowd! In the story we meet a particularly romantic pair of slugs–Marylou and Herbie. Marylou just loves everything about Herbie. Her heart is simply filled with poetry whenever she thinks of him! So one day she decides to leave him a love note, written in slug trail. Herbie is flattered of course, but doesn’t know which slug is leaving him such soulful slime. He keeps trying to arrange a meet-up. “Marylou:” he responds, “You could make my life complete! I’d love to meet someone so sweet.” but the rain washes his message away! Will these star-crossed lovers ever be united? Check out Slugs in Love to find out!