Picture Book Saturday

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
By Mo Willems
Published 2012 by Balzer + Bray
One of the rare picture books that I eagerly awaited, I ended up waiting far too long for this one (due to some collection development craziness at my library, but that's a whole other issue). I'm sad I had to wait so long because this book is fantastic. I'm pretty convinced that Willems can do anything and it will be amazing, so I'm not surprised that this book had me laughing out loud from page one. Though I suspect this might be more for adults than for kids, there is still plenty in here for kids to love. I love the little details for observant readers - the first two-page spread of the kitchen is my favorite in the whole book. Don't wait to read this one!

A Rock is Lively
By Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long
Published 2012 by Chronicle Books
Though they've done a few titles in this vein previously, this is my first experience with Aston and Long's unique take on non-fiction. It won't be my last. I love the simplicity paired with a good amount of information. The illustrations are beautiful, which certainly doesn't hurt. I may be a bit biased as I used to always slog home rocks whenever I went on any sort of outdoor excursion, but I think Aston and Long make rocks exciting even for those who've never felt a particular calling to geology. The beauty of the language and the illustrations make this a definite new favorite for me.

Dog Breath
By Carolyn Beck, illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan
Published 2011 by Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Sigh - this book with its incredibly appealing front cover is going to be traumatic for some kids. You see, this is not just a book about a sweet dog and all the silly and loving things he's done. This book is about that dog because he's passed away. Though it's never actually stated in the text, it is implied and I think will be jarring for kids who just expected to read a story about how dogs really are man's best friend. That being said, this book is a very sweet tribute to canines and there is certainly a place for it. I just hope parents realize the sensitive subject when they pick this one up.

Bea at Ballet
By Rachel Isadora
Published 2012 by Nancy Paulsen Books
Two Isadora books in a short time period - what an unexpected delight! I don't really remember reading Isadora before but I had to pick this one up - my coworker has a delightful toddler named Bea who could easily be a stand-in for the little girl in this book (though the real Bea doesn't take ballet - yet). This is a very simple and charming book about a young girl starting ballet. It's very lovely in its simplicity and will definitely be a hit with all young ballerinas.

Picture Book Saturday (44)

Let's Go For a Drive
By Mo Willems
Published 2012 by 2012
I know that I have professed my love for Willems before, but seriously - if you are not reading these, you are definitely missing out. The Elephant & Piggie books are really for all ages - it's impossible to read them without laughing out loud, feeling moved by the beautiful friendship between the two main characters, and acting out the best parts. In their newest adventure, the friends want to hit the road, but, Gerald being Gerald, there is a bit of a delay in getting started (Gerald is just a very cautious elephant). I absolutely love everything about this book and I think this series is just getting better and better. Please keep doing what you're doing, Mo!

Think Big
By Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Vanessa Newton
Published 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
This is a very fun and inclusive celebration of art. Scanlon and Newton embrace all forms of art - acting, dancing, singing, painting, cooking, and more. It's really lovely to see Scanlon illuminate the meaning of art, and it will be important for kids to see that many of their favorite activities are art. The illustrations are very stylistic and complement the text wonderfully. This book is perfectly suited to toddlers and preschoolers - short text and bright colors will catch their eyes and keep them engaged.

I'm Not Sleepy

By Jane Chapman

Published 2012 by Good Books

I'm a sucker for Chapman's illustrations - they are just so adorable and I want to cuddle all the little creatures she depicts so sweetly. Even with my dislike of birds, this new book of hers is no exception. A little owlet is absolutely not sleepy, no matter what Grandma says. Mo will try everything he can think of to put off bedtime and Grandma, being a grandma, obliges. Eventually, though, she'll prove she can outwit little Mo and get him to sleep. This is a very fun bedtime story and would work well in a pajama storytime.

If I Built a House

By Chris Van Dusen

Published 2012 by Dial

Jack has a big imagination, as we learned in Van Dusen's earlier If I Built a Car. Now, he's thinking that his family's house could use some improvements - a racetrack here, a flying room there - the possibilities are endless! In rhyming text, Van Dusen shows what wonders a house could hold if the design were left to a kid. I think he hits on all the things that kids enjoy most in his house design and readers will love imagining how wonderful a house like this would be. I think Van Dusen's style is beautiful with its retro flair and vivid color palette. This is sure to be a hit.

Program: Family Storytime

Alas, this will be my last storytime post, at least for some time. As of October 1st, my position as Empress of Tween was officially made full-time, leading me to resign from my second part-time position. This means I will no longer be leading storytimes, though that may change in the future. So, here was my last family storytime.

Welcome, introductions and reminders

Opening rhyme: "My Hands" - I still really like this rhyme. I think I would have kept it for a while and I'll use it again if I start doing storytimes again in the future.

Book: Castles, Caves, and Honeycombs by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Lauren Stringer - our theme this week was houses and homes, so I thought it'd be nice to start with a story that includes many different kinds of homes. I really liked this simple rhyming text that introduces readers to a wide variety of animal homes. The pictures are lovely as well. I had the kids name the different kinds of animals on each page.

Song: "The Tempo Marches On" by Jim Gill - here's the deal, I didn't like any of our flannel options and I couldn't find a relevant song for the theme, so I just decided we'd do two different activity songs. I should probably use more music in my storytimes anyway. The kids really liked this one and I am sorely out of shape as I was winded afterwards.

Book: Where To, Little Wombat? by Charles Fuge - I liked this one because it featured animals and their homes that children might be less familiar with and I always like showing them something new. Little Wombat decides he is bored with his home so he visits his friends and tries living with them. Needless to say, it doesn't go according to plan. The book is silly but has a suitably sweet ending and the pictures of wombats, koalas, and emus are adorable.

Big Book: The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood - I absolutely adore this book. And I think the illustrations translate especially well to the big book format. The mostly blue color palette is soothing and dreamy, perfect for the cumulative story of the house where everyone is sleeping. However, I don't think I paced it properly and I think, because of that, the kids didn't enjoy it as much as they might have.

Song: "Silly Dance Contest" by Jim Gill - the Hap Palmer CD was still MIA, so I once again stuck with old favorite. The kids were especially good about making silly faces this time around.

Book: Goldilocks and the Three Martians by Stu Smith, illustrated by Michael Garland - I chose this book because the other preschool and family storytimes during the week had performed the Goldilocks puppet show and I wanted to carry that theme over to our Saturday morning storytime. I chose this version over the more traditional because I tend to prefer silly over straightforward. And, this one had a lovely ending, perfect for wrapping up our whole storytime.

Closing: "Wave Goodbye" by Rob Reid - alas, I lapsed and forgot one of my body parts to wave during my final recitation of our closing. No one ever minds, but I wish I just had it memorized already. We said goodbye and were on our way.

And that was my houses and homes family storytime! What would you do?