Picture Book Review

Something Old: Seven Little Rabbits by John Becker; illustrated by Barbara Cooney- The repetition and rhyme in Seven Little Rabbits is great for the newest of readers and the youngest of listeners. It is a charming story with catchy verses that will stick with you long after you've finished reading.

Something New: Perfectly Percy by Paul Schmid- Balloon time is a happy time. That is, until a nice round balloon becomes... a popped balloon. And, for a small porcupine, a popped balloon seems inevitable. Luckily, Percy is a clever little porcupine who comes up with a "Perfectly Percy idea" to once again make balloon time a happy time.  

Something Borrowed: I Know a Wee Piggy by Kim Norman; illustrated by Henry Cole- Norman and Cole's story follows one wee piggy who "wallowed in brown...upside down, he wallowed in brown." But, of course that little piggy didn't stop there. Oh no, he wallowed in a whole lot of colors..."all over the fair!" I Know a Wee Piggy is an entertaining tale readers will want to enjoy again and again.  

Something Blue: Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Jane Chapman- Jane Chapman's work stands out in that while it is recognizable from story to story, it is also a perfect match for the tale to be told. And the characters she portrays are absolutely lovable, as is the case in the bestselling Bear Snores On.

Picture Book Review

Something Old: Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood; illustrated by Don Wood- Quick as a Cricket identifies some of the countless personality traits that vary from child to child, and it is also understanding of the many moods that just one child can hold. From "loud as a lion," to "quiet as a clam;" and, "tough as a rhino," to "gentle as a lamb," this story is symbolic of the one thing that each child is--unique. 

Something New: On My Way to Bed by Sarah Maizes; illustrated by Michael Paraskevas- Combine Michael Kaplan's Betty Bunny with Mercer Mayer's Little Critter and you get... On My Way to Bed. Sarah Maizes' character, Livi, has the spirit and cunning that readers will love, much like Michael Kaplan's Betty Bunny books.  It should be noted, though, that this book is very, very similar to Mercer Mayer's Just Go to Bed, which is somewhat of a negative for the story as a whole. Sarah Maizes' take on it is cute, though; one which includes a fun conclusion. And the illustrations are wonderful from the start.   

 

 Something Borrowed: Barnyard Lullaby by Frank Asch- It's bedtime on the farm, and each mother has her own special lullaby ready for her little ones. Even though the restless farmer thinks of it as too much noise, the baby animals "hear the music and understand the words." To them, "it is a beautiful lullaby,"  much like it will be to your own little ones at bedtime.

Something Blue: You Are My I love You by Maryann Cusimano Love; illustrated by Satomi Ichikawa- There is a gentleness to Satomi Ichikawa's illustrations that are absolutely perfect for a bedtime tale. And the subtle playfulness and spirit of youth that is depicted throughout the story is perfect for the littlest of listeners.

Picture Book Review

Something Old: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd- From a runaway bunny, to a bunny who knows just where he belongs--at home, being a bunny-- Margaret Wise Brown's story continues to build and build until it comes full circle. This is a technique that continues to be seen in other picture books as well, such as It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, as well as Laura Numeroff's If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Although the technique has been replicated, there is no match to the classics that Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd created.

 Something New: Someone's Sleepy by Deborah Lee Rose; illustrated by Dan Andreasen- A bedtime story in rhyme is far from original, but the illustrations in this sweet tale transform what could easily be dubbed an ordinary story into something more extraordinary. The artwork is refreshing and very appropriately portrays a sleepy bedtime scene.  

Something Borrowed: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld- Few have had the chance to learn a cloud's point-of-view; but, thanks to Cloudette, now we all can! It is definitely an imaginitive story in which readers get to enjoy learning about one little cloud who sure has some "big and important things to do!"

Something Blue: Grandpa's Tractor by Michael Garland- In Grandpa's Tractor, Michael Garland successfully uses contemporary methods to re-create old-fashioned scenes. Because, although the artwork is crafted digitally, the story still imparts moments of days gone by and reminds us all of our own favorite childhood memories.