Picture Books with Morals

I made a list today of some of our favorite picture books that teach morals, so I figured I might as well share it here, too.

Acceptance:

The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
Chicken Big by Graves

Being Happy with what You Have:

Old Hat New Hat by the Berenstains

Bravery:

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
The Woods by Paul Hoppe
The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark by Diesen

Creativity:

Fanny by Holly Hobbie
Not a Box by Portis
A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
Go to Bed, Monster by Wing

Friendship:

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt
Otis and Sydney and the Best Birthday Ever by Numeroff
A Visitor for Bear (and the rest of the series) by Bonnie Becker
You Will Be My Friend by Peter Brown
Fox Makes Friends by Adam Relf
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
Enemy Pie by Munson

Obedience:

Strega Nona by dePaola

Positive Attitude:

Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Miss Rumphius by Cooney
The Pout Pout Fish by Diesen

Persistence:

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Fleming

Reading and Writing:

Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Crimi
Library Lion by Knudsen
More Bears by Nesbitt
Calvin Can't Fly by Berne
Max's Words by Banks
Interrupting Chicken by Stein

Service:

Little Blue Truck by Schertle
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Spinelli

Sibling Relationships:

Max and Ruby series
Flora and the Very Windy Day by Birdsall
A Birthday for Frances by Hoban

A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker

A Bedtime for Bear (Bear and Mouse) by Bonny Becker is definitely a favorite around here, as are A Visitor for Bear (Bear and Mouse) and The Sniffles for Bear (Bear and Mouse). Somehow, we have missed A Birthday for Bear (Bear and Mouse), which will quickly be remedied. It's already in my Amazon cart.

My Welly-Girl, who is now 7, is a voracious reader. I'm running out of middle grade and young adult fairy tale romances to pass on to her! If I can't keep up with what my kids are reading, I don't know who can.

This review, which is more of a summary, is about a wonderful picture book...which she likes despite the lack of romance.

Anyway, it was written by her. I'm bribing my kids to write up reviews for the blog, so expect more.

A Bedtime for Bear (Bear and Mouse), written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton.
Review by Welly-Bell, Age 7.

One evening Bear heard someone knock on his front door...it was Mouse. "I am here to spend the night," he said, so they played chess until it was bedtime.

When it was bedtime, Bear reminded Mouse he had to be absolutely quiet.

Mouse got ready for bed. Bear got ready for bed.

Mouse hummed. "My ears are highly sensitive!" cried Bear.

"Can you hear this?" said Mouse.

"WILL THIS TORMENT NEVER CEASE?" wailed Bear.

When Mouse finally went to sleep, Bear thought he still heard noises. He was scared. He woke up Mouse, who checked the room. Then Bear told Mouse a bedtime story about a scared, little mouse and a big, brave bear.

I like this book because Bear is funny.

Book Review: Liberty Lee's Tail of Independence by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes

As you know, I've been a blog-slacker lately. Who knew that having four kids and a big house would be so time-consuming? Anyway, publishers have been asking me to review various titles, and I've been passing most of them by. Sad, but true.

However, when I was asked to participate in the blog tour for Liberty Lee's Tail of Independence, I didn't want to say no. I'm always looking for fun ways to teach my kids about important subjects. The founding of the United States of America is a very important subject to me.

Liberty Lee's Tail of Independence is a picture book narrated by a mouse named Liberty Lee. He takes us on a journey through the history of our beloved country.


The story is both informative and interesting. It is written in rhyme. Rhyming can be tricky, especially when trying to pack it full of facts, but the author/illustrator team, Peter and Cheryl Barnes, do a surprisingly good job combining the two.


On the first page, we meet Liberty Lee. Then he jumps into his "tail":


"To begin, let's go back more than 400 years
To meet the first settlers--the first pioneers.
Across the Atlantic from England they came
To seek opportunity, fortune, and fame!"

He then goes to the 13 colonies, the Boston Tea Party, the Revolution, and the Declaration of Independence. It's a great overview for children who are learning about our history.

After the story, there are 7 pages called "The Tail End" that describe the events mentioned in the book in more detail.

Although I enjoyed the character Liberty Lee, I think the book might be a more effective learning tool without mixing fantasy and history. When the mouse mentioned his fictitious ancestors, it threw me off for a minute. Here's an example:

"There were carpenters, shopkeepers, sailors at sea,
And farmers--like my uncle, Hamilton Lee.

At planting tobacco, you'd find no one better--
He worked any farm that would pay him in cheddar!"

In contrast, I love the section about the Continental Congress writing the Declaration. Here's part of it:

"They debated, and then on the 4th of July,
In 1776, they said, "Aye!"--
They voted together, with great dedication,
For liberty, freedom, and starting a nation.

Fifty-six patriots signed right below
The powerful words they decided would show
That these United States would forever be
One nation, under God, independent and free!"


PS. Happy Birthday to our Country (this month) and to me (today).  :)

Cybils Time Again

The Cybils award was announced yesterday. Hooray! For the Love of Books! I love the Cybils because they are chosen by book-lovers around the world. I've been a judge several times. I missed it this year, since I was busy baby-growing (and my hubby is a little overwhelmed by the number of books around here...)

Anyway, don't miss the shortlists, either. Out of hundreds of books, each group of judges picks their top few for these shortlists. Then a different panel of judges chooses one top selection.

You can see my review of the fiction picture book winner, Me...Jane, right here. You know, I really heart picture books.

Loves.

Big Week for Children's Literature

The following are excerpts from a Press Release about the ALA Awards, which were announced this week. I added Amazon links. I'm not familiar with many of these (shamefully), but I'm excited to check them out.

NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 23, 2012

Contact: Macey Morales

American Library Association announces 2012 Youth Media Award winners

DALLAS - The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas.

A list of all the 2012 award winners follows:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:

“Dead End in Norvelt,” written by Jack Gantos, is the 2012 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Farrar Straus Giroux.

Two Newbery Honor Books also were named: "Inside Out & Back Again," written by Thanhha Lai and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; and "Breaking Stalin’s Nose,” written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, and published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

“A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka, is the 2012 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Blackout,” illustrated and written by John Rocco, and published by Disney · Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group; "Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith, and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership; and “Me … Jane,” illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

“Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley, is the 2012 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon& Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Why We Broke Up,” written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group; “The Returning,” written by Christine Hinwood and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group Young Readers Group USA; “Jasper Jones,” written by Craig Silvey and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.; and “The Scorpio Races,” written by Maggie Stiefvater and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:

Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans,” is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Two King Author Honor Book recipients were selected: Eloise Greenfield, author of “The Great Migration: Journey to the North,” illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist and published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and Patricia C. McKissack, author of “Never Forgotten,” illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

Shane W. Evans, illustrator and author of “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom,” is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book is a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership.

One King Illustrator Honor Book recipient was selected: Kadir Nelson, illustrator and author of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans,” published by Balzar + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:

Ashley Bryan is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime achievement. The award, which pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Storyteller, artist, author, poet and musician, Bryan created his first children’s book in first grade. He grew up in the Bronx and in 1962, he became the first African American to both write and illustrate a children’s book. After a successful teaching career, Bryan left academia to pursue creation of his own artwork. He has since garnered numerous awards for his significant and lasting literary contribution of poetry, spirituals and story.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:

The Jury chose not to award a book in the category for children ages 0 – 8 because no submissions were deemed worthy of the award.

Two books were selected for the middle school award (ages 9 – 13): “close to famous,” written by Joan Bauer and published by Viking, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; and “Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures,” written by Brian Selznick and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic.

The teen (ages 14-18) award winner is “The Running Dream,” written by Wendelin Van Draanen and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:

• “Big Girl Small,” by Rachel DeWoskin, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• “In Zanesville,” by Jo Ann Beard, published by Little, Brown & Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
• “The Lover’s Dictionary,” by David Levithan, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• “The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens,” by Brooke Hauser, published by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
• “The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern, published by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. 
• “Ready Player One,” by Ernest Cline, published by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.(ISBN: 9780307887436)
• “Robopocalypse: A Novel,” by Daniel H. Wilson, published by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.
• “Salvage the Bones,” by Jesmyn Ward, published by Bloomsbury USA
• “The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures,” by Caroline Preston, published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
• “The Talk-Funny Girl,” by Roland Merullo, published by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:

Susan Cooper is the 2012 Edwards Award winner. Her books include: The Dark Is Rising Sequence: “Over Sea, Under Stone”; “The Dark Is Rising”; “Greenwitch”; “The Grey King”; and “Silver on the Tree.”

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States:

“Soldier Bear” is the 2012 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Dutch in 2008 as “Soldaat Wojtek,” written by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by Philip Hopman, translated by Laura Watkinson and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

One Batchelder Honor Book also was selected: “The Lily Pond,” published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., written by Annika Thor, and translated by Linda Schenck.

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

“Diego Rivera: His World and Ours,” illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Duncan Tonatiuh and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS.

Two Belpré Illustrator Honor Books were selected: “The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred,” illustrated by Rafael López, written by Samantha R. Vamos and published by Charlesbridge; and “Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match /Marisol McDonald no combina,” illustrated by Sara Palacios, written by Monica Brown and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee and Low Books Inc.

Pura Belpré (Author) Award:

“Under the Mesquite,” written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, is the Belpré Author Award winner. The book is published by Lee and Low Books Inc.

Two Belpré Author Honor Books were named: “Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck,” written by Margarita Engle and published by Henry Holt and Company,LLC.; and “Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller,” written by Xavier Garza and published by Cinco Puntos Press.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:

“Balloons over Broadway:  The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade,” written by Melissa Sweet, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Four Sibert Honor Books were named: "Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene ‘Bull’ Connor," written by Larry Dane Brimner and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press, Inc.; "Drawing from Memory," written and illustrated by Allen Sayand published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; "The Elephant Scientist," written by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson, photographs byCaitlin O’Connell and Timothy Rodwelland published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company; and "Witches!: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem" written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzerand published by the National Geographic Society.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book:

"Tales for Very Picky Eaters," written and illustrated by Josh Schneider, is the Geisel Award winner. The book is published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Three Geisel Honor Books were named: "I Broke My Trunk,” written and illustrated by Mo Willems, and published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; "I Want My Hat Back," written and illustrated by Jon Klassen, and published by Candlewick Press; and "See Me Run," written and illustrated by Paul Meisel, and published by Holiday House.

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:

“Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley is the 2012 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon& Schuster Children's Publishing.

Four other books were finalists for the award: “Girl of Fire and Thorns,” written by Rae Carson, published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “Paper Covers Rock,” written by Jenny Hubbard, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books; “Under the Mesquite,” written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, published by Lee and Low Books; and “Between Shades of Gray,” written by Ruta Sepetys, published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group USA.

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults, ages 12 – 18, each year:  

“The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery” written by Steve Sheinkin, is the 2012 Excellence winner. The book is published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Four other books were finalists for the award: “Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom and Science,” written by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos, published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; “Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition,” written by Karen Blumenthal, published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way),” written by Sue Macy, published by National Geographic Children’s Books; and “Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein,” written by Susan Goldman Rubin, published by Charlesbridge.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work.  For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit the ALA Web site at www.ala.org.

A Butterfly is Patient by Dianne Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long

Book Review: A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long


Are you familiar with An Egg is Quiet and A Seed is Sleepy? A Butterfly is Patient is every bit as educational and beautiful as the two books that proceeded it.


When it comes to nonfiction picture books, these take the cake. I LOVE THEM.


When reading to younger listeners, you can simply read the short, poetic sentences on each page. "A butterfly is helpful...A butterfly is a traveler...A butterfly is patient. The egg hatches, the caterpillar emerges, feasting on leaves before it wraps itself into its warm, protective chrysalis, patiently waiting...to soar."


Older listeners/readers will enjoy reading the more in-depth information provided.


The scientifically accurate illustrations are stunning and interesting.


Again, we love these books. What else can I say?

The Woods by Paul Hoppe

Book Review: The Woods by Paul Hoppe

My kids love to be scared. They beg their dad to hide and pop out screaming.

And it just so happens, that for kids who love to be a bit frightened, The Woods by Paul Hoppe is a big hit.

Especially for little 2 year old Y. I guess it makes him feel brave.

In the story, a boy can't find his bunny anywhere. There's only one place left to look. The Woods.

He's not afraid until he meets a big, brown bear...but then he discovers that the bear is just afraid of the dark, so he shares his night-light.

They come to two giants, then a fire-breathing triple-headed dragon, and finally the big, hairy, monster who stole the boy's bunny.

He is very brave.

The words are sparse and simple, and the illustrations are fabulous.

Hogwash by Karma Wilson, Illustrated by Jim McMullan

Book Review: Hogwash by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jim McMullan

This is such a fun book! I mean, I went into it with a biased opinion, since I'm a die-hard Karma Wilson fan...but truly...this one is so fun!

Farmer decides to clean his animals until they're all spic-n-span. Everything goes swimmingly until Farmer reaches the hogs.

They are very opinionated about staying dirty.

What will Farmer do? He tries showering them with a hose (that just makes more mud), bribing them with pizza ("Just leave it by the sty."), and flying over in a crop-duster. 

You'll have to read the book to see who comes out the winner. You may be surprised. 

Everyone (including Dad and Me) are really enjoying this entertaining, rhyming new release. Love it!!!

For the Little Truck Lovers

There are two books that I am currently reading to Wy-Wy about 500 times per day. Surprisingly, I'm not too terribly sick of them either, because they are super fun, with great rhythm and rhyme. Both of these are highly recommended for little truck lovers.

And once you've read them a few million times, start leaving words out at the ends of the lines. Let your little one try to fill in the rhymes.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by new author, Sherri Duskey Rinker, and experienced illustrator, Tom Lichtenheld


Crane, Cement Mixer, and Dump Truck have worked and played all day at the construction site. Now they're tired, and getting ready to sleep in the soft dirt.

As they go to sleep, your little one will want to follow suit because of the contrast between the fun play and the soft sounds of night.

Wy is obsessed with dump trucks, so I'll share with you his favorite pages.

Dump Truck loves to work and haul.
He carries loads both big... and small,
He moves the dirt from place to place,
Then dumps it with a happy face.

One final load spills on the heap (crrrunch!);
Now Dump Truck's tired
And wants to sleep.

He lowers his bed, locks his gate,
Rests his wheels; it's getting late.
He dims his lights, then shuts his doors,
And soon his engine slows to snores.

Shh...goodnight, Dump Truck, goodnight.

Cute, huh? I knew it would be love at first sight for Wy...What I didn't know, is that I would love it, too.

 Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry

We've had this book for a few months, and I think any member of the family could quote parts of it.

Little Blue Truck is happy-go-lucky and kind to everyone. The farm animals all say hello when he passes.

But when a big, dump truck comes along, speeding through town, feeling very self-important, the animals don't pay much attention.

Zooming around a corner, the Dump gets stuck in the mud. He calls for help, but the animals ignore him.

Along comes cheery Blue to save the day, but the job is too big for him alone. When Little Blue calls for help, all the animals come running.

There was one part of the rhyme that took me a couple tries to get, but the rest is flawless in its rhythm.

Little Blue Truck has definitely become a favorite around here (and not just with Wy-Wy.)

Hot off the Press!!!

I received some new picture books for review, and I'm excited to tell you about three that are super fun. There's a picture book, a board book, and a book that falls somewhere in between.  :)

Press Here by Herve Tullet

I love when a picture book interacts with young readers in a unique, creative way. This book definitely does that.

Young readers follow simple instructions on each page. Their actions result in changes in the dots. For example, it says to tap five times on the yellow dot, and then when you turn the page, five dots are there. When you shake the book to one side, all the dots fall that direction. When you blow the book, the dark background creeps away.

Press Here would be great for preschoolers and new readers who can manage words like 'finally' and 'straight'.

The pages of the book are sturdy, somewhere in between a board book and a normal picture book.

Along with a whole lot of fun, this book is great for young children learning to follow directions.

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Jane Goodall is well-known for her work with animals, particularly chimpanzees...but what was she like as a child? In Me...Jane, you'll find simple text, enchanting artwork, and a small girl who loves her stuffed chimp, Jubilee.

Jane always loved nature. As she explored and studied books about nature, she had Jubilee to keep her company. He even came along when Jane hid in Grandma Nutt's chicken coop to find out where eggs came from.

This book is full of the wonder of childhood. The story doesn't give much information about Jane herself, but it shows her ever-growing love for the world around her and shows how she lived her dreams.

The end of the book has a biography about Jane Goodall and a note from her to the readers.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I enjoyed it much more than I expected I would.

Rocket Town by Bob Logan

What Rocket Town may lack in story, it makes up in uniquely eye-catching artwork. After all, most board-book chewers...I mean readers...can't sit through a whole lot of words anyway.

Little lovers of rockets and things that go will enjoy this fun little book about rockets, big and small, especially the countdown to blast off at the end!

Happy Reading.

xoxo,
Emily

My Name is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry, illustrated by Mike Litwin

Book Review: My Name is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry, illustrated by Mike Litwin

When Alexander's father says that it's time for breakfast,  the boy answers, "My name is not Alexander!"

Throughout the day, he pretends to be various famous men...Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Chief Joseph, Fred Astaire, and Jackie Robinson.

Within the book, you don't learn very much about these greats, but on the endpages, there is more info about each of them.

In the end, Alexander pretends to be his father, who is equally as wonderful to him as the other greats.

Finally, Alexander is himself. He falls asleep, dreaming of who he'll be....tomorrow.

Welcome Spring with Picture Books!

I can't wait for Spring! You know how Target has that section where everything costs a buck or two? Well, this week, we found some mini tomatoes and bell peppers in little pots. I'm so excited to see bits of green pop through the soil in my kitchen.

In honor of the approaching season, here are one-word reviews of our favorite spring-ish picture books...

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming: Gardenlicious!

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston: Anticipatory!

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Aston: Alive!

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin: Farmlarious!

Duck and Goose by Tad Hills: Rivalrous!

Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson: Friendtastic!










And, of course...
The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Delish!








(And yes...if you've been here a while...part of this post is recycled. I'm really tired...Good night.)