Picture Book Review

Something Old: Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh- Mouse Paint is a wonderfully simple story that accomplishes so much in so few words. It is educational, entertaining, and nothing short of picture book brilliance.

Something New:  The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers- Daywalt and Jeffers are a perfect team in creating a perfectly unique story that inspires the imagination in its readers. It is amusing, amazing, and most definitely earns "an A+ for creativity!"

Something Borrowed:  Pet the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly and James Dean- Pete certainly is one cool cat, especially in his COOL, BLUE, MAGIC sunglasses. In this tale, Pete is his usual entertaining self, and encouraging as well, as he opens readers' eyes to seeing the day in a whole new way.

 

Something Blue: If I Could Keep You Little by Marianne Richmond- In her words and art, Marianne Richmond has captured the thoughts of parents and loved ones everywhere on what it feels like to experience their little ones "growing into who they're meant to be." It is a charming read-aloud for you and your little one.  

Picture Book Review

Something Old: The Napping House by Audrey Wood; illustrated by Don Wood- The Napping House is a trademark book by way of using repetition as a tool to aid emerging readers. The sentences may be simple in form, but the story is far from ordinary, as is the artwork. The Napping House has everything you look for in a picture book--the perfect illustrations that help tell the perfect story.



 Something New: Rock-A-Bye-Room by Susan Meyers; illustrated by Amy Bates- Together, Meyers and Bates use a more subtle approach at incorporating classic nursery rhymes into a beautiful new tale. It is a sweet story that has everything you are looking for at bedtime.

 

 

 

 Something Borrowed: Dream Away by Julia Durango & Katie Belle Trupiano; illustrated by Robert Goldstrom- Dream away, dream away, sleepyhead, love. Set sail for the ocean of stars up above. 
After reading the rhythmical verses, and exploring the enchanted illustrations, you cannot help but let your thoughts drift off to the perfect dream.  
 

Something Blue: The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood; illustrated by Renata Liwska- The idea for The Quiet Book is a novel one, but the drawings are what truly tell this unique story. The charm and innocence to Liwska's characters is what helps make this story one-of-a-kind.

Picture Book Review

 Something Old: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost; illustrated by Susan Jeffers- There is much wonder in a quiet wintry woods, as this story is sure to show.  The words of a renowned poet, plus the artwork of an accomplished illustrator, certainly does make for a wonderful picture book; one which is a great introduction to American poetry.

 Something New: Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail by James Horvath- With rhyming text and bright illustrations, children will enjoy reading on as this group of busy dogs puts in a full-day’s work pushing and plowing, hoisting and hauling, and of course…digging! And at the end of the day all that hard work pays off, as they’ve finally built a place all their own—a new dog park!

Something Borrowed: Toy Boat by Randall de Seve; illustrated by Loren Long- A little boat alone on a big lake is not what the Toy Boat expected as it wondered what it would be like to sail free. The ending to the little boat's journey is a happy one, though, as it sails back to the boy who made it, and to the place where it is meant to be.

Something Blue: The Hat by Jan Brett- The setting in a Jan Brett book is always perfect for the tale being told. This is especially true of  The Hat, a great companion book to The Mitten. And the characters she creates are loveable and adorable; ones which readers cannot help but root for, as is the case with little Hedgie, whom we follow in his silly misadventure in The Hat.