Picture Book Saturday

How to Cheer Up Dad
By Fred Koehler
Published 2014 by Dial
Little Jumbo's dad is having a bad day. Little Jumbo doesn't know why, but he comes up with a plan to cheer him up. It's a very cute story that parents will relate to quite easily. Little Jumbo does not acknowledge that it's his actions that have soured his dad's mood and, of course, this is often true with small children. It might work a little better if, by the end of the story, Little Jumbo learned this, but it's still pretty cute. I liked the simplicity of the illustrations as well and I think kids will find them appealing.

This is a Moose
By Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Published 2014 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I was drawn to the gloriously posed moose on the cover of this book. Right from the front, he suggests that this story is going to be some fun and he's not wrong. This is a tongue-in-cheek little tale of a director who wants to make a serious movie about a moose but his moose star has other ideas. This is a very funny tale that is sure to have kids laughing like mad about the antics of the moose and his relatives. It only gets funnier as the story goes on, with a big surprise at the end. The illustrations are bold and eye-catching and this is definitely going to be a hit with the storytime crowd.

Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep
By Barney Saltzberg
Published 2014 by Disney-Hyperion
Chengdu is a panda who cannot fall asleep. Everyone else is comfortable and sleeping, but not Chengdu. He has to find just the perfect spot and he finally does. Of course, when he does, it means someone else is no longer sleeping. This is a story that kids (and their parents) will definitely relate to but with some fun twists that readers will enjoy. The illustrations are adorable and suit the story very well. My only complaint is with the fold-out pages - they are not going to hold up in the library very long. But a sweet story all the same.