Cockatoo, Too by Bethanie Deeney Murguia This picture book is about as much fun as you can have in a book that contains a total of six words. Take a couple of cockatoos, add tutus, and two toucans. Let the fun ensue. Read this aloud, enjoy the wordplay, and then dance. Just dance. Where’s the Elephant by Barroux At first glance this may seem like little more than a find the animal in the picture story, think Where’s Waldo, but this is very different. The illustrations are beautiful and vibrant, and along with the fun of finding elephant, snake and parrot, is a poignant look at deforestation and the plight of animals. A good conversation starter. Hoot and Peep by Lita Judge Hoot is a wise older brother, and he is trying his best to pass his vast knowledge on to his younger sister, Peep. He tries to make her understand that owls hoot. Just hoot. While all she wants to do is “schweep dignity dong, schweep dignity dong,” amongst other odd tunes. Little siblings will enjoy the outcome to this fun to read aloud story. | When Spring Comes_ by Kevin Henkes Kevin Henkes is a master - a master of simple, beautiful, kid-friendly picture books. This one celebrates the seasons, and especially the emergence of spring. Isn’t that something we all want to celebrate? Add in some adorable white kittens and you have my attention. This is the perfect book for describing the changing seasons to your toddler or preschooler, and it is a lovely read aloud too! Oops Pounce Quick Run! by Mike Twohy I love simple, simple alphabet books. This may not be A is for Apple simple, but it does tell a complete story in little more than twenty-six words. It is your typical mouse and dog tale, with lots of hijinks and a happy ending. A fun read aloud for your budding reader. |
Each year I ask the Children’s and Teen Services staff to submit their favourite books of the year. One of the most contentious categories is always the picture books. We LOVE picture books and we read a lot of picture books. This year our long list included 35 great titles, titles which staff feel passionately about. It was no easy task getting it down to a top ten, but we did it. Below our very favourite picture books of the year. Enjoy! How the Sun Got to Coco’s House by Bob Graham This lovely, quiet picture book follows the sun as it wakes up the world, slowly making its way to Coco’s bedroom. This is a good reminder to take a moment and appreciate a little sunshine, especially in the middle of the winter. I think this would pair really well with Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein. Recommended for ages 3 – 6. The Entertainer by Emma Dodd It is Billy’s birthday and his parents have planned a party. They even hired an entertainer, a guy in a bear suit to amuse the kids. The entertainer arrives and shenanigans ensue. Needless to say there is funny little twist. Recommended for ages 3 – 6. Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Matt Davies Poor Nerdy Birdy. His glasses are too big and his wings are too small. He loves reading and playing video games. He wants to be one of the cool birds, but he just doesn’t fit in. This is a playful exploration of the complications for friendships, not just for the birds. Recommended for ages 4 – 8. I Used to be Afraid by Laura Vaccaro Seeger Seeger (Green, Lemons are Not Red) is back with another picture book full of beautiful, lush paintings, interesting cutouts, and relatable simplicity. A young girl relates the fears she has conquered, and one she hasn’t. Recommended for ages 3 – 6. ...and, now, a few new old additions to the Children's collection that you won't want to miss: 1. New editions of classic Nancy Drew stories: 2. A goosebumps causing, gasp inducing, joy creating, illustrated edition of Harry Potter: 3. 50th Anniversary edition of Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World:
Brave as can be: a book of courage by Jo Witek; illustrated by Christine Roussey In this nice follow up to In My Heart: a book of feelings, a young girl tells us about all of the things that can make her afraid. All those fears seem like a huge monster at first, then as you grow up the fears start to shrink. A good choice if you need to talk about fear with a young child. Ages 2 – 4. I Am Yoga by Susan Verde; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Lovely. Just lovely. The lyrical text encourages children to use movement and breath to help them cope with the busy world and their busy minds. “I tell my wiggling body: be still. I tell my thinking mind be quiet. I tell my racing breath be slow.” Good messages for children and adults alike! Lots of yoga poses are depicted in Reynolds’ beautiful illustrations, and are defined clearly and simply in the author’s note. All ages. Max the Brave by Ed Vere Max is one brave little kitten. He is ready to take on the world. He is not just cuddly and cute, he is brave, and he is ready to chase mice. There is just one problem, Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like. There is a nice twist to the traditional cat and mouse story, and Max’s realization that you don’t have to be brave all the time is refreshing. Ages 3 – 7. I am not an unbiased reviewer, I happily admit I love Marianne Dubuc’s picture books! It started with In Front of My House and each new one is equally fresh and charming. The illustrations are there to be studied and enjoyed, with little treasures and clever little tidbits to be discovered. This new addition to her collection is a joy to read, and I can’t wait to share with a group of kids. It begins on a Monday morning as Mr. Postmouse sets out on his rounds, to deliver mail and packages to a wide range of animals in the neighbourhood. He starts with bear… I love the nods to fairy tales throughout this picture book. Bear is clearly having breakfast - I think we can assume it is porridge - with Goldilocks. Later we see references to Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. These are great conversation starters, and can help really engage children in the story. This little peak into the Rabbit family's home is sure to cause some giggles... Dubuc does not shy away from the pointing out the dangers of the animal world, here Mr. Postmouse it is a bit concerned about the package for the chickens... For a children’s librarian, one of the best things about this book is that almost every animal’s house has books in it! We see a rabbit, a pigeon, a worm, a crocodile, a fish, a penguin, and a goat actually reading. It is subtle and lovely. The story ends with Mr. Postmouse arriving home with one last important delivery. This is a picture book to be savoured and shared. It has a perfect balance of text and illustrations, and it is sure to make everyone smile. Put it on hold today: Mr.Postmouse's Rounds by Marianne Dubuc.
Bernice Gets Carried Away by Hannah E. Harrison Who doesn't love a grumpy cat? Poor Bernice is not having a good day. She is in a bad mood, and her friend’s birthday party is just making it worse. All of her friends get a slice of cake with a yummy frosting rose on top. Bernice gets a plain white square. No frosting rose. How is that fair? That’s enough to put anyone in a bad mood. The cure? Balloons! Watch Bernice get carried away. My Cousin Momo by Zachariah OHora Momo’s cousins are very excited that he is coming to visit. He is from the flying squirrel side of the family, so they are expecting great things. Unfortunately, the cousins are very disappointed. Momo is not who they expected. He is odd dresser. He plays odd games. He chooses to be Muffin Man when they play superheroes. Muffin Man. That’s not good. Momo is an individual; it just takes some time for the cousins to appreciate all he has to offer. Spy Guy: the Not-so-Secret Agent by Jessica Young; illustrated by Charles Santoso Spy guy is spy, not a good one, but he is a spy. He tries hard to sneak about, but he is too noisy, too clumsy, and he doesn’t have the right shoes. Luckily, his Chief has faith in him, and keeps giving him pointers. Spy guy gets his man in the end. Ally-Saurus and the First Day of School by Richard Torrey Her name is Ally, but you can call her Ally-saurus. Ally-saurus LOVES dinosaurs. Armed with her vivid imagination and her knowledge of dinosaurs, Ally-saurus embarks on her first day of school. She is a little surprised when she meets the kids in her class and realizes they don’t all LOVE dinosaurs too, some even love princesses. That’s just weird. Ally-saurus perseveres, and her and her imagination find a way to LOVE school. The Bus Ride by Marianne Dubuc Summer is the perfect time for adventures. Clara sets of for an adventure, a bus ride to grandma's house. Along the way she is joined by an interesting cast of characters, with a few nods to a classic story of a trip to grandma's. Dubuc's illustrations are charming and fresh, and they are full of lots of little secrets for children to discover.
See You Next Summer by Andrew Larsen and Todd Stewart Quiet and beautiful, I love this picture book so much. It is the story of one girl's summer vacation, always to the same place, a week at the beach each year. A cherished week, always the same. This year, there is something new, a friend. A friend just makes it better. The text is structured by day, counting down the week as the pages turn. The illustrations are subtly retro, and so reminiscent of beach life. Just lovely. Good Morning to Me! by Lita Judge Beatrix is quite the exuberant parrot. She loves life, she loves her friends, and she just cannot contain her joy. She knows she should be good and use her inside voice, but, but, it is just so hard. Her excitement bursts through, causing havoc, especially for her best friend Mouse. This is a great read aloud to share to with your little ones who are full of joy and energy. Lita Judge is quickly becoming one of my favourite author-illustrators. If you like this one, checkout Flight School, Red Sled, and Red Hat, plus her non-fiction titles. Gus by Olivier Dunrea Gus is a lone gosling. He enjoys being by himself, it gives him a chance to quietly observe and explore his world. When Gus discovers a nest of turtle eggs he knows just what to do, and he embraces the outcome which will compromise his alone time. Olivier Dunrea’s gaggle of wee ducks and geese keeps growing, and I for one am thrilled about it. All of Dunrea’s picture books are a perfect fit for toddlers. Small Elephant's Bathtime by Tatyana Feeney Small Elephant loves water – splashing in puddles, a nice cool drink – but he HATES taking a bath. The more Mommy tries to get him in the bath, the madder he gets. It is some silly antics from Daddy that finally changes his mind. The design and illustrations in this book are excellent, allowing for lots of room for emotions in the very simple images. If you have a toddler who says “NO” to baths, this book is for you! Everybody Sleeps (but not Fred) by Josh Schneider Everyone is sleeping, the animals on the farm, the fish in oceans, even the ants underground. Fred. Fred is not sleeping, he has too much to do, including jumping, karate chopping, shouting, and searching for Sasquatch. When Fred unexpectedly falls asleep, the author implores “but please, for now don’t make a peep. Just close the book and let Fred sleep.” This is a welcome addition to bedtime reading which will surely cause lots of giggles. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman; illustrated by Laura Cornell A new edition of this modern classic has arrived to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The story of Heather, and her two moms was once groundbreaking and controversial. Now, I think, it is just a lovely story of family love and acceptance. As Heather’s teacher points out, "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another." The addition of Laura Cornell’s beautiful and joyful illustrations will make this a family favourite. Every so often a picture book turns up that perfectly fills a need. This is one such book. While there are lots of books about families, families of all kinds, they often feel a bit prescriptive. This one is just fun, fun and age appropriate (recommended for ages 3 and up).
Families, Families, Families by Suzanne and Max Lang shows many different family compositions: “Some children have two dads./Some have one mom.” “Some children’s parents are married./Some children’s parents are not.” “Some children have many pets…/and some just have a plant.” Each two page spread shows a different family, all adorable cartoon style animals set on photographs. The text and illustrations work together to make this a fun and inclusive read aloud. Young ones will find their family and those of their friends in this picture book, and they’ll see that love is what makes a family. On a day when it feels like winter may never end, as snow and freezing rain come together to ensure that roads and sidewalks are a slippery mess, one might well rely on the cozy comfort of their favourite earmuffs to help keep them warm. As you slip those colourful covers over your ears, have you ever wondered who invented them? Me neither, but a quirky new picture books holds all the answers you never knew you wanted. Earmuffs for Everyone: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the inventor of Earmuffs is Meghan McCarthy’s latest non-fiction picture book, and tells the story of Chester Greenwood and his earmuffs, but it also gives a simple guide to inventing and patents. A good book for a cold day and future inventors. It may even inspire you to visit Farmington, Maine on December 21st for the annual Chester Greenwood parade.
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