Submitted by Ms. Janis!
One Drowsy Dragon by Ethan Long. As an adult dragon tries to sleep, a growing crowd of little dragons make all kinds of noise to keep the tired dragon awake. Each page shows a new scene with increased chaos, progressing from ONE marching dragon clanging on a cup, to NINE rockin’ dragons jamming in a loud band! Finally, TEN tuckered dragons think it’s time for bed, but the big dragon, with its deep snores, wakes up the little dragons! This is a fun counting book, that includes rhymes. This book is also a good story time choice, as it covers several popular picture book topics like counting, colors, dragons, and bedtime. The fun sound effects are also great for sharing with a group of children. See this book listed in our catalog
Colors
Pink!
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
I am completely charmed by Pink! a story by Lynne Rickards, with pictures by Margaret Chamberlain. It’s the tale of Patrick, a penguin, who wakes up one morning to discover he’s turned pink. Of course, he’s quite alarmed by this. Whoever heard of a pink penguin? His mother sends him to the doctor, but the doctor can’t explain why Patrick is pink. You could be green if you were feeling sick. Or blue if you were very cold. But pink? He’ll just have to get used to it. But “boys can’t be pink” Patrick insists. Patrick’s dad shows him a book of birds including flamingos, and informs him boys can be pink! Patrick is slightly re-assured, but when he goes to school the next day he is mercilessly teased for being pink! He decides to pack it up and move to Africa to be with the flamingos. He swims all the way there! When he arrives, the flamingos are friendly enough, but Patrick still doesn’t quite fit it in. He realizes he belongs with the other penguins at the south pole, so he swims all the way home. When he gets there, his parents and schoolmates are so happy to see him! They ask him about his travels and rejoice in his homecoming. Eventually everyone gets used to Patrick being pink, and no one teases him anymore. This is a wonderful book to teach children that being different is OK, and to not be ashamed of anything that makes them stand out in a crowd. See this book listed in our catalog
The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom
Submitted by Ms. Tammy!
In The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom by Steve Smallman, a young monkey sits watching the birds, as they fly past, with their beautiful feathers that look like a rainbow in the sky. He thinks it’s not fair that all the animals around him look dull, with no color like the birds. After finding a paintbox with some brushes, he decides to brighten up the animals with the paints as they take an afternoon nap. Children will be delighted as they see the leopard get his spots, Giraffe get his brown squares, and Zebra get his black stripes! Just as Monkey is finishing up, Bear wakes up and starts yelling. Monkey finds himself surrounded by all the creatures he has painted with his new paintbox. The story ends with Bear painting the monkey’s face red, white, and blue. He also paints the monkey’s bottom a bright blue! See this book listed in our catalog
Pink Me Up
Submitted by Ms. Sue!
Pink Me Up by Charise Harper. Do you like the color pink? The little rabbit in this story definitely does. Every year for the last three years Violet and her mama have a special Mama-and-me day. They are going to the 3rd annual Pink Girls Pink-nic! Violet is so excited. “We will be pink, pink, pink” she hops and sings at the same time, all the way to Mama’s room. But when Mama wakes up with pink spots all over her face, Violet realizes she didn’t put them on for the party. Mama is sick. Daddy offers to take her. But Violet tells Daddy he’s a boy! Daddy finds one pink tie in his closet, and then they decide that daddy can be pinked up. With painted pink polka dots, tape stripes, pink paper, and pink stickers Daddy is perfectly pink! They have the best day ever. “Now all the girls want to Pink UP their daddies, just like me” says Violet. This is a perfectly pink-tastic, pink-abulous book, for the pink at heart! See this book listed in our catalog
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Submitted by Ms. Carol!
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin is a great story. It’s about a cat who absolutely loves his white tennis shoes. He goes around, happy as can be, singing his song: “I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes.” But, oh no! Pete steps in a pile of strawberries! Pete doesn’t let that get him down. He goes right along singing his song: “I love my red shoes, I love my red shoes…” This goes on and on. Pete steps in many things, and his shoes turn many colors, but Pete never lets it get him down. The moral of the story is “no matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song because it’s all good.” See this book listed in our catalog or download the free song and story it comes with
Beautiful Blackbird
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Beautiful Blackbird by Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan is a wonderful book, with an empowering message. An adaptation of a Zambian folktale, it tells a story of long ago, when all the birds of Africa were all the colors of the rainbow, but the most beautiful by far was Blackbird, whose feathers were all black, and thereby reflected all the colors of the world! The other birds longed to be a beautiful as Blackbird, and asked him to share his color with them. So, Blackbird filled a gourd with the color black, and painted markings on all the other birds with his feather brush. Then all of the birds had black spots, stripes, or rings, and were very happy indeed! With lively paper-cut illustrations, and robust poetry, Ashley Bryan weaves a fantastic tale you and your little one won’t soon forget! See this book listed in our catalog