Pied Piper Pics

The town of Dull-On-Sea welcomes the Jolley-Rogers family and things will never be the same. The family doesn’t quite fit in but when Tilda meets the new neighbors she knows something good is happening. The town folk complain even as things around them turn all things pirate.

Pay attention to the illustrations in this book and try to spot all the “pirate stuff” on every page.

Jim Duddle has created a place where pirates visit and a town where readers will like to live.

Check the WRL catalog for The Pirates Next Door.

Thomas and Joseph were pigs. “Don’t you just love first lines?”   

In the story Oink, the pigs were very happy being pigs but the other farmyard friends thought they were sloppy and decided to fix them.  Needless to say Thomas and Joseph got the better of their friends and in the process, got their pig sty cleaned up.

With Henry Cole’s charming illustration and Margie Palatini’s clever story, this book will become one of your favorites to check out from the library.

Remember whenever people are telling you what you need to do just say, OINK?

Check the WRL catalog for Oink

Moo Moo, Brown Cow is a fun book for preschoolers that are learning how to count and identify colors. A bright orange kitty asks a different animal on each page how many babies they have. Different numbers of baby animals are depicted so that at the story’s conclusion the last animal is found to have a total of ten babies. Presented in a rhyming text format the kitty asks of a blue goose, “Honk honk, blue goose, have you any goslings?” to which the blue goose replies, “Yes kitty, yes kitty, five fat goslings.” The illustrations of the animals are large and are complimented through the use of bright watercolors used to indicate the color of each animal. An additional plus of the story is the use of the proper terms when referring to different baby animals. Baby frogs are froglets, while baby goats are kids for example. The story ends with all the animals asking the kitty, “Mew mew, little kitty, have you any kittens? To which the kitty replies, “No kittens, no kittens-but many, many friends.” A wonderful story that little ones will enjoy as they follow the little kitten while counting each baby animal as it is presented.

Check the WRL catalog for Moo Moo, Brown Cow.

Looking for a new holiday storybook to treasure when the Christmas holidays roll around each year? The hip new story, Santa Duck may just be the answer.

Nicholas Duck wakes the morning before Christmas determined to find Santa to tell him about the presents he would like so he will avoid receiving any undesirable gifts such as the socks and underwear he seems to get each year. On his way out the door, however, Nicholas discovers an early Christmas gift that curiously turns out to be a Santa suit.

He puts on the suit, goes out and is met by a chicken that mistakes him for Santa. The chicken unloads his Christmas wish list on Nicholas. The story continues with various animals mistaking Nicholas for Santa and sharing their gift lists with him. Nicholas decides that the Santa hat is confusing everyone and so he tries to give the hat away. Everyone continues to think he is Santa. Fed up with being bombarded with gift requests, Nicholas makes a run for it but stumbles into Santa Claus!

Santa is eager to hear what everyone has requested, thanks Nicholas for his help and then disappears. Nicholas is dismayed by Santa’s abrupt departure when he realizes he forgot to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. On returning home Nicholas discovers a note from Santa thanking him for his help. Finding great comfort in the note, Nicholas forgets all about his Christmas list and instead realizes that helping Santa out was the best gift of all.

Comical and upbeat with cartoonish characters Santa Duck is of a quality to be packed away and rediscovered each year along with such holiday favorites as How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman and even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Check the WRL catalog for Santa Duck.

Mad at Mommy is a simple story packed with the strong emotions of a little boy rabbit that is angry at his mother. The little rabbit has a laundry list of complaints about mom. She sleeps in late on Saturdays. She is always telling him to hurry up, hurry up. And she yells at him for nothing; what’s wrong with water overflowing from the sink? To top things off she says she can’t marry him even when he gets bigger! Angry and frustrated the little rabbit declares he is going someplace far, far away and closes the door behind him. Taking notice of his departure the Mommy rabbit sits up in bed. The door soon reopens with the little rabbit announcing that he has returned to retrieve the ball he had left behind. In returning the little rabbit takes the opportunity to ask if his mother had missed him and finds the reassurance he had sought in her reply of, “SO much!”
I found this to be a good story for preschoolers as it addresses basic emotions of anger and frustration that often arise in the relationship between child and parent. At the same time the story promotes the assurance of a parent’s unconditional love that every child wants and needs. I found the text of the story to be sparse but effective. It directly communicates the little rabbit’s anger. Further, Sakai’s use of washed out pastel colors in the story’s background illustrations allows the little rabbit and Mommy characters to become the focal point of the story and are less distracting to very young listeners.

Check the WRL catalog for Mad at Mommy.

There was an Odd Princess who Swallowed a Pea by Jennifer Ward is a fun fast read for all ages of children. The princess starts out swallowing a pea and quickly goes through all things royal. From wands to castles nothing is safe from this hungry little princess and each meal is followed by a satisfying BURP! Have your kid make the burp at the end of each round and you will have a storytime winner.

Check the WRL catalog for There Was an Odd Princess Who Swallowed a Pea.

Don’t you wish all of your school supplies would get together and do you homework for you?

In Arthur Yorinks book Homework that’s just what happened. Tony is a one of those kids who doesn’t like homework and would rather be reading comic books. His pen, pencil, and fountain pen take over after Tony goes to sleep and after much bickering about who is the most important they come up cleaver story. Tony wakes to find his homework completed but is inspired to add his own touches to the story.  The bickering of the school supplies and the illustration by Richard Egielski make this a fun read for any school age group.

Check the WRL catalog for Homework.

No Biting, Louise by Margie Palatini is one of those stories adults will love as much as children.

Louise [an alligator] has just figured out she has wonderful new teeth and is biting everything. She is biting her friends, her mother and everyone at the beach! Grandmother says the biting phase will stop and it does only to be replaced with another equally fun thing to do.

Matthew Reinhart has illustrated Louise as a charming alligator toddler with a large sharp tooth of which, she is so very proud.

This is a book you’ll read again and again!

Check the WRL catalog for No Biting, Louise.

Lovers of the I Spy books, Where’s Waldo?, and other visual game books will love this one.  But beware, it is not easy!  I Spy Spectacular celebrates the 20th anniversary of the I Spy collection.  Each spread is different.  We start with blocks, move to Arriva, Window Shopping, On the Boardwalk, Nutcracker Sweets, Carnival Warehouse, The Naughty Kittens, and so on.  There is also a page that includes Extra Credit Riddles.

The photographs are stunning and each one has a very unique style.  The riddles are simple, but finding the objects is not.   Younger children will enjoy just naming all the things they see in the pictures.  Older children will have fun finding everything mentioned in the riddles.  This whole series is another good way to foster visual literacy with children.  It’s also a good choice for a writing exercise.  Children will have fun creating their own stories for each puzzle.

I Spy Spectacular can be a great way to enjoy a rainy day.   Have fun, enjoy, and good luck hunting.

Check the WRL catalog for I Spy Spectacular.

This book is a new take on some favorite fairytales.  Singer has developed a   collection of reversible verses for such favorites as Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel, to name a few.   Each verse is clever and when reversed it provides a whole new take on the story.  For example, in Hansel and Gretel the first verse is from the perspective of the witch and when reversed it is from the perspective of Gretel.

Each double spread is split, with the verses on one page and the illustration on the other.  The illustrations are done in vivid colors and are somewhat stylized. As with the verses, there are two pictures bound together, each side illustrating one of the verses.   The concept of the book is clever and the execution is stunning.

Young children will enjoy identifying the stories from the rhymes and illustrations.  Older children can do even more.  Mirror Mirror can be a great starting point for a writing project.  This is a good guessing game, a visual treat, and a book that teachers can use in many ways.   Enjoy!

Check the WRL catalog for Mirror Mirror.

Bailey is your average dog… or is he?  He likes chasing squirrels, digging holes, eating bones and so on, but he also likes going to school. His day begins with washing up, picking out something to wear and running for the school bus.  While some of his classmates are not as eager, Bailey can’t get to school fast enough.  He unloads his backpack, brings the teacher a special bone, and eats his homework.  He loves math and lunch. After lunch he shares his report, goes to art class, and recess. He’s a master dancer and singer, and he enjoys reading some books, while others make him sleepy.  Then it’s back on the bus to go home.

A simple story told by asides from his classmates, some of whom love Bailey and others who are more skeptical.   Bailey is a remarkable combination of dog and little boy which makes him an amazing storybook character.

Most of the text appears as speech balloons from his classmates allowing multiple reactions to Bailey’s antics.  The illustrations are signature Harry Bliss, appealing and dotted with little surprises that children can discover.   Bailey is adorable and will be loved by dog lovers everywhere.

Children in preschool and early elementary school will relate to Bailey’s thoughts and actions, seeing their own school day mirrored from a doggy point of view.  Anyone who loves dogs will love Bailey.

Check the WRL catalog for Bailey.

When Logan tries to call his Grandma to wish her a “Happy Birthday,” he gets a series of wrong numbers. Lift the flaps to see who answers each call. Each animal is very busy preparing for an event. What could it be? Then Logan connects with Crocodile who is checking out a recipe for Logan Pie. The large green reptile invites the boy over to be lunch! Logan is not interested. Happily, Grandma calls and invites Logan and his mom to her birthday party. She assures him that Crocodile is not invited.

Kids will enjoy the surprises found under each flap. I have used this title with a group successfully. I think reading it with a child or two tucked around you would be even more satisfying. Brightly colored illustrations with text including beeps and taps make a lighthearted experience.

Check the WRL catalog for Hello, Is this Grandma?.

On a rainy day, I often comment to friends, “It’s a nice day for ducks.” If Frogs Made Weather suggests the perfect weather for ten different animals from a frog to a polar bear. Marion Dane Bauer’s poems and Dorothy Donohue’s illustrations create a double-page spread for each animal. There is a variety of verse forms included. Some are rhymed; others are not.

A portion of a small boy can be spotted in each picture but each illustration is focused on the animal. The legs and sneaker-clad feet of the child peek from the branches and leaves near the robin’s nest. One poem reads: “If polar bears made weather, snow would pelt. Snow would sting. Snow would pile and drift and cling. If polar bears made weather, we would never see spring.” And in the background, the boy in warm clothing is making a snow bear.

Ms Donahue’s textured, cut paper collages give the sense of three-dimensions to the large-scale picture book. The full color illustrations suggest the mood of the weather as described in the poetry. This book is a great size for using with a small group.

Check the WRL catalog for If Frogs Made Weather.

As cities send houses, stores, and factories out into areas that used to be farmland, it becomes harder to remember the country as it once was. And for children born into suburbia, there are no memories to lose. Grandpa’s Tractor tells the story of a small boy who travels the twisted subdivision streets with his grandpa to find the remains of the family farm. A boarded-up farmhouse and a barn with the roof fallen in remain. But the biggest reminder of the past for Grandpa is the rusted hulk of the red tractor.
The boy listens to his grandfather’s memories of work and fun centered on the busy red tractor. He begins to see the tractor as it was and not as it is. Old man and young boy share a common bond to the history of the land and the family.
I remember my Grandpa’s tractor and the small farm that he worked after he finished his other job. This book would be an excellent discussion starter for late elementary classes on how communities change over time. The rich illustrations of Grandpa’s memories will also be enjoyed by younger children. I would recommend this book for small groups who will be close enough to enjoy the detail in the pictures.

Check the WRL catalog for Grandpa’s Tractor.

Winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, If I Built a Car is an imaginative and fun read for all. When a young boy decides to reinvent his father’s car the possibilities are limitless. He finds inspiration in rockets, planes, trains, and even the Wiener-mobile! The planned new and improved car has features like retractable wings, giant fins, a jet engine, chrome accents, a polymer gel body for safety, a fireplace, fish tank, pool, instant snack bar, Robert the Robot and so much more. From looks, to feel, to smell this concept car design is nothing short of incredible and extreme. Author Van Dusen successfully shows that imagination is only bounded by the limitations we put on it and a little inspiration is all that’s needed for amazing creations. So grab your young one and immerse yourself in this rhyming tale full of vivid illustrations!

Suitable for children ages 3 and up.

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Author Judi Barrett offers up some helpful tips for young readers in this laugh out loud book Never Take a Shark to the Dentist. The list includes suggestions like, “Never sit next to a porcupine on the subway”, “Never go shopping for shoes with a centipede” and “Never go to the bank with a raccoon”. Large colorful pictures add to this book’s appeal and clearly illustrate the consequences of not heeding the author’s warnings. The story concludes by stating one thing you actually CAN do. Perfect as a read-aloud or a beginning transition to reading alone, this book will certainly provide entertainment for all listeners and readers.

Suitable for children ages 4 and up.

Princess Hyacinth has a rather unique problem; she floats! Taking a walk, playing outside and making friends are all things the Princess knows very little about. Her parents insist she stay in the castle where they can reach her at all times. The King and Queen use weighted clothes and seat belt straps to make sure the Princess remains grounded during the day and only at night does the Princess float in her Royal Underwear! But one day, the Princess decides to venture outside all by her self. What ensues involves a lot of balloons, one little boy and a very special kite. What will happen to Princess Hyacinth without the castle ceiling to hold her? Read Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated to find out!

Suitable for children ages 4 and up.

The dragon books I selected this week were chosen because they winked at me from our new books shelf.  But, as I searched for my third book of the week, I realized no dragon tribute week could go by without a nod to two of the masters of the picture book world.  Audrey Wood and Mark Teague have both won over the hearts of picture book readers everywhere with such great books as The Napping House and Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School and I felt it would be almost criminal not to include their phenomenal work The Flying Dragon Room.  While this is an older book (first published in 1996) it well withstands the test of time.  Wood’s creative, whimsical plot and Teague’s joyously exuberant illustrations combine for a moving journey into a child’s imagination.

Perfect for both storytime and for sharing one on one, I highly recommend The Flying Dragon Room!

Check the WRL catalog for The Flying Dragon Room.

What is better then a perfect day at the beach?  A day at the beach with a dragon!  How does one get a dragon you might ask?  Well, according to When a Dragon Moves In, if you build a perfect sandcastle, a dragon will move in!  A wonderful day at the beach ensues as a young boy and his dragon play ball, blow bubbles, dance, and roast marshmallows.  Would you believe a dragon can also protect your sand castle from bullies?  It’s true!  But be careful, you don’t want your dragon to be found.  That means you’ll have to hide him…and hiding dragon smoke is never easy!  Find out what other fun and trouble can happen When a Dragon Moves In.

Check the WRL catalog for When a Dragon Moves In.

Who doesn’t dream of owning a pet as a kid?  We all wanted cats and dogs, and if we dreamed really big, a horse!  But this book is for the really big dreamers.  This boy wants…a dragon!  Me and My Dragon is perfectly imagined with absolutely gorgeous illustrations and rich, intense colors.  The author shows his child-like imagination with his spot-on rendition of a doctors visit and home-made “dragon house”.  A cute story for boys and for all who have dreamed of a special pet to bring home and cherish.

Just remember, whatever you do, don’t feed him broccoli!

Check the WRL catalog for Me and My Dragon.