Category: Preschool Reads

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Interactive fun: This is Frog, This is Crab

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I fell in love with This is Owl, by Libby Walden and Jacqui Lee, a year ago. It’s interactive fun for storytime and anytime, and it lets you be absolutely silly with your littles! Two more This is… books have hit shelves, thanks to Kane Miller; both authored by Harriet Evans, with Jacqui Lee staying on as illustrator, and they are every bit is adorable and fun as This is Owl. Pep up your storytime!

This is Frog, by Harriet Evans/Illustrated by Jacqui Lee, (July 2019, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-61067-997-8

Ages 2-6

More interactive animal fun! The narrator invites us to gently shake the book to help Frog jump, and then we assist frog in moving flies toward him for some food, avoid being a toucan’s snack, find shelter from the rain, and find his way back to the water. The text invites readers to help out on every page, with flaps to lift and pages to shake. Frog is wide-eyed and looks vaguely concerned, which will give readers gleeful giggles as they jiggle, hug, and lead him around the book. I read this during a Facebook Live storytime and received several messages from parents telling me their littles loved it! The book is largely rendered in lush greens with bright backgrounds to pop against. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers with exploring fingers.

This is Crab, by Harriet Evans/Illustrated by Jacqui Lee, (Jan. 2020, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-68464-064-5

Ages 2-6

More die-cut, interactive silly fun! Crab opens up a wealth of possibilities for finger-clacking, shuffling shenanigans. We start off by gently tempting Crab out of his cave, then accompanying him in a walk across the ocean floor. Readers need to be mindful – Crab has a bad habit of pinching others, and tries to take things that don’t belong to him! Readers steer him away from Octopus and negotiate how to play nicely with a decorator crab, and play a game of underwater hide and seek. When cracks show up in Crab’s shell, readers also have a chance to help Crab shed his old shell. Too much fun, with a colorful underwater playground to wander in. Let your readers clack their crab pincers and shuffle sideways to add to the fun!

The This is series is essential for storytime collections. They’re just too much fun to read and explore.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Small and Indie Spotlight!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

As I continue catching up to my TBR, I’ve got more independently published books for you to enjoy. Take a look!

Tucker and the Garbage Truck, by Sarah Brown/Illustrated by Oscar Franco, (May 2020, Independently Published), $12.97, ISBN: 979-8648207370

Ages 3-6

Tucker is a little truck who discovers a big garbage truck winding its way through his neighborhood. Tucker approaches the garbage truck and asks him about his job, and the garbage truck invites Tucker along as he makes his stops, explaining why he enjoys his job. He’s too big to be one of those itty bitty trucks or cars, and he likes helping keep the town clean! At the end of the day, Tucker is happy to have made a new friend and has learned about a new job: Garbage Truck!

Digital illustrations are cute, and the text is easy to read. Kids who Disney’s Cars movies and shows, plus vehicle books like Kate and Jim McMullan’s I’m Fast! and I Stink! and Byron Barton’s board books (Train, Trucks, Planes) will enjoy this one.   Author Sarah Brown has a series of Tucker books available on her Amazon author page.

 

Carrie’s Flight (Grandma’s Closet #1), by Lois Wickstrom/Illustrated by Francie Mion, (March 2019, Independently Published), $12.99, ISBN: 978-1090828224

Ages 4-7

A little girl named Carrie discovers some of her grandmother’s boxes in a closet, and pulls them into her room, where she video chats her grandmother to ask what they are. When Grandma invites Carrie to open the boxes, she discovers feathers! And wings! Donning a pair of wings for herself, Carrie soon realizes she can fly like the starlings outside her window, and joins them in flight. She heads to her grandmother’s home for a visit, and when the birds beckon her home, she flies back. A gentle Icarus story for younger readers, this is a sweet story about a girl and her grandmother, with a fantasy spin. The artwork is dreamlike, with soft colors, and the text has emphasized fonts on certain words for added interest. If the text were laid out over and around the images, it would flow better, but the overall story is cute and will appeal to younger readers. A nice bedtime story to share. An author’s note on how starlings arrived in North America and their environmental impact adds an interesting nonfiction touch to the book.

 

How I Made a (Tiny Wacky) Friend (My Crazy Stories), by Daniel Georges, (Aug. 2019, Independently Published), $15.99, ISBN: 978-1088442432

Ages 5-8

This is my first dip into the My Crazy Stories series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. William is a kid who likes keeping to himself. He likes to spend time by himself, making spooky masks in his room, and enjoys being out and about when there’s no one else around: until “this kid” shows up: a new kid moves into the neighborhood, and William starts seeing him EVERYWHERE. It’s really cramping his style! When his parents invite the kid and his family over for dinner, William is ready to give the kid the scare of his life – but when he puts on one of his scariest masks, the boy is THRILLED. He loves scary stuff, too! The two new friends bond over their shared love of monsters, and Willy and Olly – that’s “this kid’s” name – become fast friends, spending their days at the playground and reading monster stories together. They even bestow secret code names upon each other, because “Good friends always have secret code names”. A spread at the end of the book invites kids to put pictures of themselves and their friends into the book, and give themselves secret code names.

The book is fun, narrated in the first person by William, and is so relatable to kids, especially kids with more introverted tendencies (or children dealing with a new sibling). The artwork is fun, colorful, boldly outlined. I was really happy with this book, and will keep an eye out for the other books in the series. A fun book to help kids break down complex emotions.

Dana Digs In, by Laura Pedersen, (Apr. 2020, Independently Published), $8.75, ISBN: 979-8638193270

Ages 4-7

Dana is a biracial girl who lives in an urban community and does not like the taste of the tomatoes in her salad. It’s not that she doesn’t like tomatoes, she doesn’t like the store-bought tomatoes her parents have bought! Her father explains that tomatoes are often picked before they’re ripe, and ripen on a truck, which gets Dana thinking about waste and pollution. She’s determined to find a better way to get good food, so she researches how and where to start a community garden – and discovers the perfect spot in a future building area that she can use for a few months. After getting the seeds started and learning to compost, she’s ready – and she gets help! The community pitches in and they have a healthy harvest, a portion of which Dana donates to the local food pantry. When it’s time to relocate the garden, Dana discovers that she’s got a couple of options – exciting! Dana Digs In shows how dedication, ingenuity, and research makes all things possible, no matter what age.  The artwork uses word balloons to illustrate dialog and nicely shows the steps involved in figuring out how to set up and run a community garden. Read during a Discovery Time/STEM program and encourage kids to start their own seeds – or do a food scrap program and show kids how to start their own crops from food scraps in their kitchens!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Halloween Books: Bears and Boos

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bears and Boos, by Shirley Parenteau/Illustrated by David Weber, (July 2020, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536208375

Ages 2-5

In the seventh Bears outing by Shirley Parenteau and David Weber, the bears are getting ready for Halloween and couldn’t be more excited! They rifle through a box of costumes, but as they get excited, manners give way to chaos, and little Floppy’s knocked right on her plushy behind! Floppy decides to let everyone else have their turn, but when the fuzz clears, there’s nothing left for Floppy but a crumpled sash. The other bears realize their mistake, and each takes a turn in giving part of their costume to Floppy, creating a wonderful costume. Now that they’re all ready for Halloween, they can all enjoy their holiday. As Shirley Parenteau writes, “When the bears all share, the bears all win. Let the Halloween celebration begin!”

A gently rhyming story that makes for a wonderful readaloud about sharing and kindness, kids and adults alike will recognize the chaos that can happen when emotions run high and even small tasks, like choosing a costume from a box, becomes a free-for-all. Having the teddies empathize with their friend and share their costumes with Floppy teaches a valuable lesson about kindness. The acrylic artwork is soft in color and depicts the teddies in their different colors, with cheerful costumes. Soft orange endpapers feature hanging ghost decorations for a fun Halloween feel. A fun Halloween addition to an adorable series.

Shirley Parenteau’s author website has downloadable resources for educators and caregivers, including writing prompts and drawing sheets.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Halloween(ish) Stories: Do Not Go in There!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Do Not Go in There!, by Ariel Horn, (July 2020, imprint), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250189493

Ages 3-7

Two monsters. One door. One monster wants to go in, and the other is too afraid to consider it. Bogart and Morton are two best friends who see things a little differently. Where Morton is excited and ready to embrace the unknown, Bogart is terrified! So when a closed door presents the opportunity to go discover what’s on the other side, Bogart says no way: there could be wolves! Morton, on the other hand, is drawn to the shiny doorknob and the bright red door: what if it smells like candy? The two debate back and forth on what scenarios lay behind the door; Bogart imagining unknown terrors, Morton turning those fears around into exciting new adventures. Who will win out?

A fun look at optimism and pessimism, Do Not Go in There! also shows kids that we can all be different and still be friends. And where one friend is scared, another friend can soothe that friend and help them try something new. It also illustrates how our imaginations work, whether to overwhelm or take us away to new heights. The artwork is cheery and bright, and the text color changes to reflect Bogart’s and Morton’s sides of the conversation. Bogart and Morton are adorably fuzzy, gently colored monsters that kids will love. Invite readers to each adopt a character and read out loud, or imagine fun Halloween scenarios that would be behind the door: will there be witches flying on lollipop brooms? Werewolf puppies? Teachers Pay Teachers has free, adorable Halloween clipart that you can invite readers to use to illustrate their story. A perfect not-so-scary story for preschoolers!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Some Dinosaurs Are Small… but some are quite large!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Some Dinosaurs Are Small, by Charlotte Voake, (Aug. 2020, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536209365

Ages 3-6

Some dinosaurs are small. Some dinosaurs are big! A small dinosaurs wanders through the jungle with a little shopping basket, gathering food to munch on. Three bigger dinosaurs start following our little friend, looking for their next meal. Those bullies are in for a big surprise, though… An adorable story with factual text for beginners – “Some dinosaurs are small. / They have tiny flat teeth for munching through fruit and leaves. / Some dinosaurs are big. / They have huge pointy teeth and sharp claws” – the story takes a very satisfying turn that will leave readers giggling and cheering. The watercolor and ink artwork tells a playful story, while the text gives readers the facts; together, they create a fun story that will delight dino fans.

Charlotte Voake is an award-winning author and illustrator.

Education.com has some fun dinosaur worksheets, including this A to Z activity, a lowercase alphabet dot-to-dot, and an uppercase dot-to-dot.

Some Dinosaurs Are Small has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s Fox vs Sloth in My Book (not yours)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Book (not yours) (Lento & Fox), by Ben Sanders, (Sept. 2020, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-68464-065-2

Ages 3-6

Lento the sloth has a heck of a story for us readers… after a little nap, that is. But while Lento snoozes, Fox decides to steal the show! The book is a comical back-and-forth between the two as Fox and Lento jostle one another out of the way to take center stage, breaking the fourth wall and making this a great read-aloud for two readers, or for one reader to get some voice practice on. Lento dons Valkyrie horns and braids to sing about being the book’s star, while Fox does a soft-shoe with hat and cane to say otherwise; Fox takes off in a hot air balloon as Lento pleads with the audience to stick with him. Can these two figure out a way to share the page? You have to read and find out!

A giggle-worthy book, My Book (not yours) will leave the littles in stitches as Lento and Fox become more outrageous in their attempts to take control of the book. Bright red Fox and teal Lento come alive off the spare white page, with minimal design to take the focus off the two. Their actions speak louder than their words: hilariously so.

Toddlers and preschoolers will recognize themselves as the two jockey for attention in progressively wilder ways, each proclaiming that “it’s MY book!”, and adults will get a laugh as they see their own littles in Fox and Lento. For readers of a certain age (ahem), the book evokes memories of the old Mad comic Spy vs. Spy – albeit a much kinder version. Enjoy.

Originally published in Australia in 2019, Lento and Fox have another book, My Pet (not yours), which looks like it’s another laugh-out-loud read. Let’s hope they visit the U.S. shores soon!

My Book (not yours) has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Blue Giant needs your help to save the oceans!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Blue Giant, by Katie Cottle, (June 2020 Pavilion), $16.95, ISBN: 9781843654452

Ages 3-7

A young girl named Meera and her mother head to the beach to have a relaxing day, when a large, friendly, blue giant emerges from the water. He’s made up of water and sea life, and he tells them that he needs their help! Meera and her mom put on their scuba gear and head underwater, where the giant swirls around, showing them all the pollution underwater: bottles, plastic bags, fast food containers, it’s just a mess! Meera and Mom immediately start pitching in, but they realize this is too big a job for just two people: once back on land, Meera and Mom recruit others, who also recruit others, to clean up the beaches. Like the book says, “…when everybody helps out… even the biggest messes can be fixed!” A note at the end offers ways to reduce single-plastic usage, including easy ways for kids to help out, like taking a canvas bag to the store or carrying a reusable water bottle.

This is a companion to Katie Cottle’s 2019 book, The Green Giant, and examines a different area of pollution this time; where The Green Giant looks at deforestation and destruction of green spaces, The Blue Giant pleads the case for our waters, which are horrifically polluted, primarily by single-use plastics.

The illustrations are primarily rendered in shades of blue, with sweeping underwaterscapes that show incredible levels of junk floating around. A particularly moving panel shows the Blue Giant swirling around Meera and her mother, stirring up a whirlwind of garbage to surround them. Keep both this book and The Green Giant together for natural-world storytimes and Earth Day storytimes, activism and social justice storytimes.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

That Dog! is an extraordinary sleuth!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

That Dog!, by Emma Lazell, (Apr. 2020, Pavilion), $16.95, ISBN: 9781843654476

Ages 4-7

Emma Lazell’s follow-up to last year’s Big Cat is just as hilarious! Penny is a lady who loves dogs, and her assistant, Pat, is charged with getting them. But THEY’RE DOGNAPPERS! Penny tells Pat about the latest dog on her mind: he’s spotty all over. The thing is, Pat isn’t too bright; he brings back a spotty.. snake. Pat doles out a different character trait, and each time, Pat brings back the wrong animal! But That Dog is on the case, because the police are on the hunt for these kidnappers and the dogs they’ve stolen; and That Dog is putting together lots and lots of clues!

Loaded with sight gags and moments just begging for kids to call out, “THAT’S NOT A DOG!”, That Dog! is a comic story of observation and following directions. The watercolor artwork is cartoony and silly, with clues not-so-hidden around the spreads: Penny’s Wanted! poster is framed on her wall; That Dog reads a newspaper where Pat is the cover story; he even completes a crossword puzzle that lets readers know that he’s no ordinary mutt!

Originally published earlier this year in the UK, That Dog! is here on U.S. shores, and I can’t wait to see what Emma Lazell has for us next. In the meantime, publisher Pavilion has some great free That Dog! downloads: a free weekly planner, an activity kit, and a how to draw That Dog! sheet.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Biggest Story is all up to YOU!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Biggest Story, by Sarah Coye/Illustrated by Dan Taylor, (March 2020, Kane Miller). $12.99, ISBN: 9781684640454

Ages 3-7

What do you do when you’re in the mood to hear a story, but Mom is just too busy to tell you one? Errol is a little boy who finds himself with that very dilemma – until Mom tells him to make up one on his own! But where to start? Errol is stumped, until an ant in his garden suggests he puts some ants in his story. That gets Errol’s wheels turning… and then the cats weigh in! As Errol’s story comes together, it seems like all sorts of animals within earshot – and then some – want a piece of the action! Mom finally sits down with her tea and is ready to hear Errol’s story… are you?

How much fun is this story? (Hint: SO much fun!) Errol is a little boy who just needs a little guidance in unleashing his imagination, and gets it from his mom and a big bunch of new friends. The ending begs for a sequel, and so will readers. In fact, after storytime, ask your kiddos how they’d continue the story and be prepared for some great answers. The Biggest Story is here to help, too: there’s a story generator at the end of book to guide kids into thinking up their own adventure. The digital artwork is bright and cartoony, with comic book panels and word bubbles used during Errol’s story to set it off from the overall book. The animals are all friendly and chatty, ready to help and get their 15 seconds of fame.

Publisher Kane Miller has a downloadable word search (and answer sheet) for readers. If you’re interested in storytelling activities, The Imagination Tree has some really good ideas.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Halloween(ish) Books: Witchy Things!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Witchy Things, by Mariasole Brusa/Illustrated by Marta Sevilla, (Aug. 2020, NubeOcho), $16.95, ISBN: 9788417673604

Ages 4-8

Oh no! The witch is furious! A potion explosion turned her hair blue! BLUE! Not Blood Red, or Ash Gray, or Booger Green, but BLUE FAIRY BLUE! The Witch is furious, so she’s off to prove that blue hair doesn’t make her any goody-goody: she’s going to snatch a kid. She discovers a boy named Adam playing in the park with some dolls and immediately thinks he’s some rotten kid stealing his sister’s dolls, but she discovers that making assumptions about others is just as wrong as people making assumptions about her! Adam proceeds to drop some wisdom on the Witch, telling her to stop doing what she thinks she’s supposed to do, based on what people think, and do what makes her happy. And isn’t that the best advice you’ve heard today?

Originally published in Italy in 2019, Witchy Things is available in Spanish as Cosas de Bruja. The text won the Narrating Equality contest. It’s a story about looking past appearances and assumptions and celebrating just being oneself. The artwork is cartoony fun, with a furiously blue-haired witch, complete with hairy wart (kind of looks like a cute spider) on her nose and her very expressive familiars, a black cat and two rats. Fun, sweet, and with a good message, Witchy Things/Cosas de Bruja is a Halloween story about which witch you want to be. (See what I did there?)

There are some great self-esteem activities for kids available online. Teachers Pay Teachers has a free, downloadable set of self-esteem bookmarks for kids to color in and use; 5 Things I Love About Myself are printables that allow kids to write about what they value in themselves. Education.com has a free, downloadable Venn diagram of differences and similarities than be used in conjunction with this book; ask kids to think about what makes Adam and the Witch the same and different.