Submitted by Allana from Leonardtown!
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. Beautifully illustrated in its simplicity. The Little House sits on a hill surrounded by trees and flowers and all of nature’s splendor in the countryside. Through the seasons you see the little house in the varying light and settings. The little house is content but becomes lonely as the family spend less time there. Gradually, the surroundings change, as technology takes hold. Buildings go up, trams or trains start coming and going, pretty soon it’s the hustle and bustle of a large town or small city. The little house seems to shrink and decline more and more, and becomes really lonely and sad as the owners have forsaken their former home. Finally the little house is “rescued” by a descendant of the family and carried back to the countryside. Even though it’s a different hill in a new location, the little house looks brighter and happier, and once again enjoys the loving care of a family in the beautiful countryside.
Family
What Pet to Get?
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.
The Pet Dragon
The Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann is an adorable tale of a little girl and her mythical animal companion, that also teaches basic concepts about the written Chinese language. Niemann was inspired by a trip to Asia, and a his first lesson about Chinese characters. The most memorable characters for him were the ones that most appeared to be symbolic icons for the ideas they represented. Through the illustrations in this book, Niemann demonstrates how the Chinese characters for words such as “tree” “dog” and “mountain” are all understandably indicative of what they mean. It’s also a really cute story, told like a folktale about a young woman who recieves a dragon, loses him, and then must find him again.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
If bed time is a big struggle in your house, consider reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. Yolen and Teague are the creators of the wonderful “How Do Dinosaurs” series of books, demonstrating appropriate versus inappropriate behavior in a variety of venues. In this installment, they treat us to possible answers to the titular question: Does a dinosaur pout when its time to go to bed? Do they stomp their feet and throw toys around the room? Do they moan and sulk and sigh and cry? They most certainly do not! Dinosaurs, as it turns out, have impeccable manners. When it’s time to turn out the lights, dinosaurs give a hug and kiss to mom and dad and say “good night!”
Diary of a Wombat
Australia is a fantastic place filled with many creatures unfamiliar to us: Kangaroos, Koalas, and an adorable burrowing marsupial called a Wombat–the subject of Jackie French’s Diary of a Wombat, illustrated by Bruce Whatley. It’s told in true diary form, the wombat treating us to her day to day routine consisting mostly of eating, sleeping, and scratching. But one day she discovers she has new neighbors–humans! And these humans have delicious carrots, for which she will do most anything for! This is a very cute book you’re sure to enjoy.
The Stray Dog
I might be a wee bit partial to this book because I am the owner of a formerly stray dog, who I adopted from a shelter a year ago, and now totally rules my life, but this story is great, and I find children really get emotionally invested in it. The Stray Dog, adapted from a true story and artfully illustrated by Marc Simont, tells the tale of a family who grows fond of a homeless canine during a picnic in the park. Mom and Dad and the two kids worry about the mutt they dub Willy until they meet him again, being chased by the dog catcher! “He has no collar. He has no leash.” says the dog catcher, but the little boy takes off his belt. “Here’s his collar,” and the little girl takes off her hair ribbon–“Here’s his leash.” Willy is saved and taken in by the family in this heartwarming book!