Category: picture books

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Halloween Picture Books for Spooky Fun Read-Alouds

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire, by Flavia Z Drago, (Sept. 2023, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536233322

Ages 3-7

Flavia Z Drago returns to the world of Gustavo the Shy Ghost (2020) and introduces readers to Vlad, a vampire whose passion is fashion – but he’s so worried that his friends will discover that – GASP! – he has rosy pink cheeks that make him look “horribly alive”! He tries to design fabulous fashion to disguise his cheeks, but he know that deep inside, he isn’t being honest to himself or his friends. One day, he discovers that Shelley, his best friend, has been keeping a secret of her own, and the two form an even stronger support system that inspires them to love their unique qualities and encourage uniquene in others. Mixed-media illustrations and folk-art illustrations bring this story to life, with positive, affirming storytelling. Readers will love spotting Drago’s other characters, Flavia and Gustvavo. A delightful addition to picture book collections. Download a free activity kit at publisher Candlewick’s page!

 

 

 

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm, by Kaye Baillie/Illustrated by Diane Ewen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645787

Ages 3-6

In this Halloween-y take on There Was an Old Lady… a young zombie gobbles up everything around him with amusing consequences. Young zombie, a green-skinned kid with head bandages, a torn green shirt and bright red ragged pants, munches his way through a bevy of creepy crawlies and ghouls, from the titular worm through bats, ghosts, and trolls until his tummy finally gives out. A fun seasonal take on the cumulative favorite, the rhyme scheme makes for a fun readaloud, with phrases like, “He swallowed the bat to catch the worm. / I don’t know why he swallowed the worm. / It made him squirm” and “He swallowed the troll to bother the beast, / Who grizzled and grumbled at being his feast”. As the story continues, kids wll be able to chime in with some passages they remember, and there are plenty of chances to get readers up and squirming, fluttering and flapping, giggling, and cackling. Colorful, expressive characters are cartoony, never scary, and endpapers show everyone who ends up in the Young Zombie’s hungry maw. A fun additional purchase for holiday collections.

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm was originally published in 2022 in the U.K.

 

 

Billy and the Beast, by Nadia Shireen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645893

Billy is a little girl who can think fast – and she needs to, because she and her trusty sidekick, Fatcat, have to thwart a big, hairy beast from eating some adorable forest friends… and Fatcat! Billy is a girl of color, out on a stroll with her feline friend, saying hello to a Hedgehog, a Fox, some mice, and bunny rabbits, when they come across a big, blue, hairy Beast who’s making a “big pot of TERRIBLE soup” and needs “all sorts of unusual ingredients”. A quick look at the recipe, and Billy realizes that those ingredients include the animals she and Fatcat just encountered on their walk! Her quick mind and resourcefulness helps her come up with ways to keep the animals safe from the Beast, but when he reveals his final ingredient, Billy decides to enact some old-school fairy tale justice in a laugh-out-loud resolution. Cartoon artwork and expressive facial expressions make this a great read-aloud choice. Pair this with Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Tom Knight’s Bone Soup (2018) for a snacky storytime.

Billy and the Beast was originally published in the UK in 2018, and has two companion books, Billy and the Pirates and Billy and the Dragon.

 

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark, by Michelle Robinson/Illustrated by Mike Byrne, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684647286

Ages 4-7

Boo is an adorable pumpkin who doesn’t like Halloween: she isn’t scary and she doesn’t want to be! All the other spooky pumpkins in Boo’s patch are chosen, but poor Boo sits all by herself. She doesn’t have scary cutout eyes or a wicked smile; she’s round, has big, friendly eyes, and a sweet smile. It turns out that she’s the best pumpkin choice for a brother and sister who venture into the patch: the little boy, dressed as a bat, is afraid of scary things! Told in rhyme, this sweet story takes the spookiness out of Halloween and talks about the fun: being with family, dressing up, and choosing the perfect pumpkin from the pumpkin patch; a pumpkin that will softly glow and keep the creepy stuff away. The brother and sister are brown-skinned, with expressive faces; Boo is softer than her fellow Jack-0-lanterns. She’s round and softly outlined; she’s a colorful orange with slightly more orange cheeks and bright green stringy arms, legs, and hair. A fun rhyming readaloud for holiday collections and a great opportunity to hand out pumpkin crafts!

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark was originally published in the UK in 2022.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A bunny who needs a home, a welcoming willow tree, and the power of kindness. This is the moving story of Willow and Bunny.

Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise,
(Oct. 2023, Two Lions),
$17.99, ISBN: 9781542025690

Ages 4-7

 

A Bunny finds home in the loving branches of a willow tree, who keeps him warm and safe. When a stormy spiral tears through the forest, terrified animals run in search of shelter and find it within Willow’s embrace. With Bunny to help soothe them, Willow holds and protects all the animals from the storm, holding steady and strong in the face of the storm’s rage. After, when the animals discover the disastrous effect the storm has had on Willow, they come together to help her heal, and to spread her love. Using soft natural colors, Caldecott Honor artist Denise creates cozy settings using a soft, maternal glow of sunlight against the backdrop of warm greens and browns, creating the embrace of nature taking in the lone Bunny. Willow appears massive compared to the tiny bunny, but never overpowering; she is welcoming, beckoning, protective of her new charge. Schulte’s story weaves itself around the reader, creating a tale of mutual love and respect, of community, and empathy, while describing the chaos and terror of a disaster and the hopeful aftermath as members come together to heal and rebuild. This is a Giving Tree for a new generation, where everyone contributes to the benefit of all.

 

“This tale provides a vehicle for conversations both about weather catastrophes and, more generally, about strong bonds that endure through change.” —Publishers Weekly


“The cozy, kindhearted story is beautifully told, mixing moments of sweet simplicity and light peril with a gentle hand. . . . A gratifying glimpse of generous friendship.” —Booklist

Anitra Rowe Schulte is the author of Dancing with Daddy, which won the Christopher Award and the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award. She has worked as a journalist for The Kansas City Star and the Sun-Times News Group, as a staff writer for Chicago Public Schools, and as a publicist. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their three daughters. Visit her at http://www.anitraroweschulte.com or @anitraschulte on Twitter.

Christopher Denise wrote and illustrated Knight Owl, a 2023 Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestseller. He is also the illustrator of many critically acclaimed children’s books, including Anika Aldamuy Denise’s Bunny in the Middle, Alison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow, and Anne Marie Pace’s Groundhug Day, as well as several in Brian Jacques’s award-winning Redwall series. Christopher lives with his family in Rhode Island. Visit him at http://www.christopherdenise.com and @christopherdenise on Instagram.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Nibbles goes to bed… or does he?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Nibbles: The Bedtime Book, by Emma Yarlett, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $16.99, ISBN: 9781684644933

Ages 4-7

Nibbles, my favorite book-nibbling monster, is back at bedtime in this latest adventure. After a long day of escaping into libraries and eating his way through all the books, it’s finally bedtime and Nibbles is in crate… but a quick lift of the flap shows readers that he isn’t: he’s off on another book-nibbling escapade, hilariously chomping his way through bedtime stories like The Ugly Duckling, Cinderella, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Will Nibbles finally slow down and get tired? Will fairy tales ever be the same? Flaps and die cuts reveal Nibbles’s adventures to readers, and the bright yellow monster pops off the quieter, darker backgrounds, letting readers easily spot him. A little bit of rhyme, mixed with exasperated storytelling and fractured fairytales, give readers a little something for everyone. A delightful addition to fairy tale collections.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Memo and the Unexpected Gift delights!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Memo and the Unexpected Gift, by Funda Özlem Şeran & Ezgi Keleş/Illustrated by Ezgi Keleş, Translated by Amy Marie Spangler, (Sept. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781662512926

Ages 3-7

A lonely young boy named Memo lives with his grandmother and adopts an unlikely pet in this adorable story, translated from the original Turkish and available in the U.S. Memo loves his grandmother and tries to help her around the house, but she can’t see very well and gets tired very quickly, so Memo’s alone a lot of the time: until he finds a small kitten outside his house on a rainy night. He quietly moves the kitten into their home – Grandma can’t see it, right? – and cares for it, and the kitten grows strong and healthy. And BIG. In fact, Memo realizes, he hasn’t adopted a cat: he’s found a lion! As much as Memo loves his new friend, he also knows that a little cottage in a small town is nowhere to live for a lion, so he makes a decision that will bring unexpected, sweet surprises. Adorably narrated, with gentle and colorful illustration that show slice-of-life moments that become increasingly more humorous, this is a story that will win giggles and “awwwwww”s aplenty during readalouds. An unexpected hit for collections.

 

Funda Özlem Şeran is a Turkish author. Born in Istanbul in 1984, Funda received both her BA and MA degrees in political science and international relations from Marmara University. Her published works include horror anthologies, adult urban-fantasy novels, sci-fi novellas, and various children’s books. Her short stories have won several national awards, and she is published in Italian and Dutch anthologies. Follow her on Instagram: @fundaozlemseran

Ezgi Keleş is a Turkish author and illustrator. She was born in Istanbul in 1984. Ezgi graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and has worked as an art director at several advertising agencies. Now she writes and illustrates children’s books and magazines. She is a mom to one child and one cat. See more of her art on Instagram @ezgikeles.

Amy Marie Spangler is cofounder of the AnatoliaLit Agency in Turkey and the commercial and literary translator of numerous books and short stories. From 2007 until 2015, she headed the fiction-translation group of the Cunda International Workshop for Translators of Turkish Literature, and she has taught in the translation-studies departments at Boğaziçi University and Istanbul Okan University.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: The Light Within You, by Namita Moolani Mehra and Kamala Nair

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Light Within You, by Namita Moolani Mehra/Illustrated by Kamala Nair, (Aug. 2023, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542039123

Ages 4-8

A young girl named Diya is looking forward to visiting her Nani during her family trip to India for the Diwali celebration. She doesn’t yet feel at home in her new country, but when she returns to India, it’s the most wonderful sort of homecoming: the community, the preparations, all of the joy of home wraps Diya in warmth as she spends time with her Nani, where she imparts loving wisdom about Diwali and embracing her inner light: “Your inner light is your special spark! It will bring you joy and brighten the world around you”. With Nani’s guidance, Diya thinks of ways she can share her light – and her culture – with her American friends. As Diwali concludes and Diya prepares to return back to the States, Nani shares loving moments with Diya one last time, and Diya returns, renewed and ready to share herself and make new friends. Warm digital illustrations show expressive, gentle characters whose body language speaks volumes with loving embraces, leaning toward one another, and sharing smiles and deep conversation. Spreads show colorful bazaars and cultural clothing that flows and displays gorgeous patterns; Indian treats, like jalebi and laddoos, decorate the tables and mentions in the story. New vocabulary is bolded in the text and explained in a glossary at the end of story, where readers will also discover an author’s note that explains the religious history of Diwali, and a poem. There is a beautiful glow to lights throughout the illustration, and Diya’s time in India is swathed in shades of warm violets and pinks. The glow stays with Diya when she returns to the states, letting readers share her inner light. A celebration of Diwali, family, and home that readers will turn to again and again, The Light Within You is a must-purchase for holiday collections.

The Light Within You has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

 

★“Nair’s jewel-toned illustrations, sprinkled with dots of light, reinforce the text’s essential themes and its core bond between two family members who share a special connection and light each other up.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★“Mehra and Nair are exhaustive in creating the atmosphere. . . . There is a little something for all readers.” ―School Library Journal (starred review)

 

 

Namita Moolani Mehra is a children’s book author, cookbook author, and food and parenting writer. She wrote the picture book Anni Dreams of Biryani, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat, and the children’s cookbooks The Magic Spicebox and Superfoods for Superheroes. Namita also runs a social-impact business called Indian Spicebox that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children in India. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied in Chicago, and worked in New York for over a decade. She currently lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.namitamehra.com, and follow her on Twitter @namstwit.

Kamala M. Nair grew up in Kerala, a small state on the southwestern coast of India surrounded by exotic wildlife, stunning beaches, lush green hills, and turquoise backwater. She is a professional architect and a children’s book author and illustrator. She recently illustrated The Way Champs Play, written by tennis champion Naomi Osaka. Kamala loves to travel and be immersed in the beauty of culture, architecture, and people around the world. She currently lives in Kerala. Follow her on Instagram @kamala_nair.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Meet Skeletina!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Skeletina is an adorable skeleton girl who lives in the in-between world. Her stories are inspired by Mexican culture, and what time of year is better to introduce Skeletina than Hispanic Heritage Month – and with Halloween and Día de los Muertos on the horizon? Come meet Skeletina and her friends!

Skeletina and the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo, by Susie Jaramillo, (Sept. 2022, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: (Eng.) 9781945635465 (Spa.) 9781250851055

Ages 3-6

Skeletina’s first book is an introduction to the spunky young girl and her world. She lives in the in-between, “the one place where the dead and living come together”; the living can vist there in their dreams, and the dead can wrap up any unfinished business. Skeletina visits with some of her friends, accompanied by her skeleton dog, Pancho, and seems to be in charge of keeping the in-between happy for everyone: she catches bugs that turn fears into nightmares, soothes the noisy prankster Rattles, and plays music to calm the nervous Sombra. Graphite and color pencil artwork beautifully creates an otherworldly feel. Skeletina and her friends are inspired by calavera artwork and Mexican folk art touches brighten and enliven the spreads. Endpapers show all of Skeletina’s friends, whom we can expect to meet in future books, all inspired by Mexican culture, made child-friendly. La Llorona, pictured here as a weeping ghost, “always makes things worse”, while Rattles (Matraca, or Rattles, in Spanish), “shakes everything” and looks like a collection of clattering surfaces. Easily readable and enjoyable for all ages, this is a series to keep on your shelves and in your storytime collections.

Skeletina and the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo is available in both English and Spanish.

 

 

 

Skeletina and the Greedy Tooth Fairy / Skeletina y el Hada Marada, by Susie Jaramillo, (Sept. 2023, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: (Eng.) 9781250872012 (Spa.) 9781250872005

Ages 3-6

Skeletina helps a young girl get her teeth back from Hada Marada, the Tooth Fairy’s greedy sister, in this second Skeletina story. As Skeletina spends time with her dog, Pancho, on a rainy day in the in-between, she discovers a crying girl, distressed because her teeth are falling out! Skeletina immediately knows who’s behind things, and sets off, with Olivia – the crying girl – to fetch those missing teeth. But Olivia learns that Hada Malvada grows stronger with every lie a child tells, so she has to own up to her fibs in order to restore her pearly whites. Graphite and pencil artwork is vibrant, providing a dreamlike landscape with giant horseflies, colorful fairies, and giant chocolate statues. Jaramillo beautifully makes black and white live separately with full color illustration. Cultural details are present in the background spreads, laying a rich Mexican tapestry to the story. Skeletina gently delivers a message about honesty and being true to onesself within a playful story about a mischevious fairy. Endpapers feature Skeletina, Pancho, and Señor Tic Toc peeking out of openings in the in-between house. Available in both English and Spanish, this is a delightful story for readalouds. Find more books and animations on the Encantos app.

Posted in picture books

Blog Tour: Ruby and Lonely, by Patrice Karst & Kayla Harren

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The author of The Invisible String takes on intense loneliness in her newest work, Ruby and Lonely.

Ruby and Lonely, by Patrice Karst/Illustrated by Kayla Harren,
(September 2023, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781662508042
Ages 5-8
Ruby is a young girl who feels lonely. Overlooked. The other kids at school don’t seem to notice her as they play together. Her siblings are always busy with their friends, and her parents are busy either working or zoning out in front of the TV. She doesn’t have the words to express herself, so she withdraws further, disappearing into her loneliness, until a teacher suggests that “examin[ing] it from all angles and giv[ing] it a name” will help solve things. Ruby decides to name her problem Lonely, visualized first as a black and white reflection of Ruby in the mirror. Ruby decides to befriend Lonely, spend time alongside Lonely, and the two begin spending time together. Comfortable with her solitude, Ruby gains more confidence, drawing the attention of other kids and finally giving Ruby the ability to ask for what she needs, including time with her family. As Ruby gains more confidence, Lonely takes on color and steps out of the mirror, an inner light shining through her. But Lonely also knows when it’s time to hand Ruby the reins, and quietly returns to the background, still colorful, quietly cheering on Ruby and “waiting deep inside, whenever Ruby needed her”. A gentle story about loneliness and learning that confidence comes first from spending time with oneself, Harren uses color and realistic illustration to deliver Karst’s message. Ruby’s red hair shines once she and Lonely embrace one another; her clothes go from muted darker colors to bright yellows, blues, and pinks; her face turning up and smiling, moving from a head-down, preoccupied frown. An author’s note and questions for discussion round out the back matter. A good book to have on hand for social-emotional collections.



Patrice Karst is the bestselling author of The Invisible String, which has sold more than a million copies and been translated into fifteen languages, and its companion titles, The Invisible Leash, The Invisible Web, You Are Never Alone: An Invisible String Lullaby, and most recently, The Invisible String Backpack. She is also the coauthor of The Invisible String Workbook with Dr. Dana Wyss. She also wrote The Smile that Went Around the World. Patrice is passionate about spreading her message of love across the planet. Born in London, England, she now lives in Southern California. Learn more at www.patricekarst.com.

Kayla Harren is an award-winning illustrator of children’s books, including A Boy Like You, written by Frank Murphy, and The Boy Who Grew a Forest, written by Sophia Gholz, among other titles. She recently illustrated Thursday, by Ann Bonwill, which Midwest Book Review called “an impressively presented picture book of healing and hope for young children.” Her work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, and 3×3 Magazine, and she won the Highlights for Children Pewter Plate Award. She lives in Minnesota. Learn more at www.kaylaharren.com.




Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Bears Don’t Cry reminds us to have empathy

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bears Don’t Cry!, by Emma Chichester Clark, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684645145

Ages 3-6

A young girl named Clementine and her mother have a lovely friend named George, who also happens to be a bear. He’s “no ordinary bear”, as Clark states: he loves to read and spend time with Clementine and her mother, sitting in their garden or helping around the house. When George ventures out on his own to visit the library, though, he learns that not all people are like his two friends at home. Terrified of a bear wandering their streets, they react… well, kind of how you’d expect. George’s feelings are hurt; he’s humiliated, and bursts into tears, but Clementine comes to the rescue and gives the crowd a lesson in kindness. A sweet way to start off the new school year, readers will be reminded not to  make judgements based on appearances and predetermined ideas; when someone’s feelings are hurt, the best way to react is to show empathy and care. Expressive illustrations will pull at heartstrings. Clementine and her mother present as white, and there is some diversity in the crowd as George explores the town. Originally published in Great Britain in 2022, Bears Don’t Cry is available in the U.S.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

A Bed of Stars and a camping trip with Dad

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A Bed of Stars, by Jessica Love, (Apr 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536212396

Ages 4-8

A child and their father set out on a camping trip “to shake hands with the universe”. The road trip is as delightful as the night under the stars, with vivid descriptions and experiences: “We drive out of the city, which smells like rubber and french fries…”; everything the two see and enjoy together comes to life under Love’s pen and watercolors. Pausing to enjoy a sunset; observing different flora and fauna; dreaming under the stars all comes to life for readers as Love weaves a story celebrating the time spent together between a parent and child. When the child expresses fear of going to sleep under the “bigness” of the universe, Dad is there to allay those concerns, telling the child that we are all made of energy, from stars to bugs: “We’re all friends and family. Maybe if you learned their names, they wouldn’t feel so much like strangers”. A surprise awaits the child at home, bringing this loving tale of family and discovery full circle. A gorgeous story to share with readers. A Bed of Stars has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Back to School Picture Books

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The end of Summer Break is nigh, but don’t fret. Here are some fun picture books to get readers into thoughtful school mode.

Marker, by Anna Kang/Illustrated by Christopher Weyant, (June 2023, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542039611

Ages 3-7

The companion to Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant’s Eraser (2018) is every bit as playful, wonderful, and perfect for back-to-school reading. The teacher’s school supplies are having their meeting and getting ready for the first day of school. Marker has always been one of the teacher’s go-to supplies, but there’s a new supply in town: Pinking Shears! The decorative scissors make beautiful, decorative cuts and she quickly earns admiration from the other supplies, even taking Marker’s spot in the vaunted “Teaching is my Superpower” mug. Her self-confidence diminished, Marker makes a mistake, which upsets her so much, she makes another mistake! Her friends rally around her, and Marker’s fear comes out: she’s permanent. Her mistakes can’t be erased. Luckily, these supportive supplies are there to save the day, and help Marker understand that it is okay to make mistakes. Kids will love being reunited with their school supply friends, including Eraser, Pencil, and Sharpener. Kang uses character dialogue to tell the story, and creates a delightful character study using the familiar aspects of each of the supplies: Stapler, for instance, can’t wait to “sink [their] teeth into those math packets”, and Post-Its helps construct a play city out of their notes. Class Rules include familiar guidelines like, “Be respectful and kind”, “Include others, don’t exclude”, “Raise your hand to speak”, and “Listen”. Filled with school supply puns and wonderful messages about making mistakes, Marker should be on the top of your back-to-school purchases and read-alouds.

 

Twenty Questions, by Mac Barnett/Illustrated by Christian Robinson, (March 2023, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536215137

Ages 4-8

Award-winning creators Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson join forces to present this thought-provoking and fun book, filled with questions – and the answers can go anywhere! Barnett and Robinson begin with a fairly straightforward exercise: a bright green tree with a bevy of animals in and around it, accompanied with a question: “How many animals can you see in this picture?” From there, the questions become more fun, more interesting: a tiger threads itself through a spread of leaves, and the question asks, “How many animals can you not see in this one, because they’re hiding from the tiger?” A police car meanders by a group of women, and Barnett asks, “Which of these ladies just robbed a bank?” Interesting, colorful mixed media illustrations punch up a series of questions that ask readers to stretch their imaginations. The final spread is a great conversation opener for students. A sense of fun runs through the book – share that feeling with the kids! An excellent choice for picture book collections. Download a Teacher Tip card at Candlewick’s website.

Twenty Questions has a starred review from Booklist and was an Indie Next pick.

 

Never Let a Diplodocus Draw, by Rashmi Sirdeshpande & Diane Ewen, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645800

Ages 3-7

The third book in “Never Let a Dinosaur…” series from Sirdeshpande and Ewen is here! The imaginative young girl is back with a new dinosaur and a new adventure, this time, teaching her diplodocus to draw. In cumulative fashion, the diplodocus lets her imagination run wild, becoming a global art sensation; her artwork selling for “gazillions” of dollars and her scupltures in demand from mayors all over the world’s cities. What happens when the paint factory can’t hold any more paint? You’ll have to read to find out. The story touches on the many ways we create and enjoy art, and Ewen’s colorful illustations place humans and dinosaurs side by side. A fun readaloud with a playful conclusion, Never Let a Diplodocus Draw is a cheery art storytime readaloud and pairs wonderfully with its predecessors, Never Show a T-Rex a Book and Never Let a Stegosaurus Do Sums.

 

All the Wonderful Ways to Read, by Laura Baker/Illustrated by Sandra de la Prada, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 9781684645473

Ages 3-7

Inviting readers to join the “most welcoming club in the world”, Baker weaves a rhyming tale about all the ways there are to enjoy a story: “Will you pore over / e…ve…ry / word in a hush? / Or speed to the end in / an almighty rush?”Animals and humans enjoy books in a variety of locales, from a tent under the stars to a hot air balloon in this paen to the joy of reading and imagination. Baker touches on favorite genres and formats, like graphic novels and poetry; the process of finding that just-right book; and the experience of reading: “Will you laugh out loud? Gasp out loud? Call out together?” Reading is an activity that unites readers, thus creating what Baker calls – with great reason – “the most welcoming club in the world”. de la Prada’s cheery illustrations show groups of readers together; parents and children, and solitary readers alike, all enjoying a story and showing everyone that there’s no one way to enjoy a book. Navy blue endpapers display a variety of outlined characters reading; books are a bright yellow, offering a beacon to adventure. An excellent readaloud choice for those first weeks of school, for library class visits, and storytimes alike. All the Wonderful Ways to Read was originally published in Great Britain.