Tag: lift-the-flap

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Baby and Toddler reads!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got such a cute collection of baby and toddler books, most tested with my storytime kids and/or my little grandgirl. The grand is only a couple of months old, so the best reaction is the big eyes and kickie feet, but that means the world to me. Without further ado, here we are, new books for lapsits.

Animals Everywhere: A Lift, Look, and Find Book, by Stéphanie Babin/Illustrated by Robert Barborini, Marie Caudry, Jessica Das, & Marie Kyprianou, (Aug 2025, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9791036381454

Ages 3mos-5

Twirl is on my short-list of go-to baby and toddler reads. They put out such fun and interactive stories, and they’re nice and durable, standing up to multiple reads. Animals Everywhere is so much fun, because it’s got lift the flips AND gatefold pages, really laying out a fun experience for emerging readers and lapsitters. The book takes readers to six areas where animals abound: In the Country, On the Ice, In the Forest, On the Farm, In the Rainforest, and In the Backyard. There are seek and find challenges on each spread, inviting readers to look for different animals. There are lift the flaps that give readers a peek at who’s sleeping or playing in each area, and gatefold spreads open, showing readers the full area where people and animals interact together. Brief text provides a little bit of information on each area the animal inhabitants. Pages are sturdy, but if you’re putting this into circulation, buy two; the gatefolds are going to take some abuse. Absolutely adorable for board book collections!

Want to print some seek and find coloring pages for post-storytime activities? You can’t go wrong by visiting Highlights, the grandma/grandpa of seek and find!

 

The Greatest Gift by Emma Dodd, (May 2025, Candlewick Press, $17.99, ISBN: 9781536241174

Ages 2-6

Emma Dodd’s parent-and-child/caregiver-and-child books are just beautiful. Her verse is heartfelt, the interaction between adult and child animals is so gentle and loving, and the foil-accented pages bring a touch of magic to every read. Here, an adult zebra frolics with their child and speaks about all that they wish they could give: “I would give the world to you, / if I only could. / I’d give you the sun, the moon, / and everything that’s good”; “I’d give you the mountains / and the glittering stars up high / shining far above us / in the dark night sky”. The savanna stretches out before them as they cross streams, run through fields, and snuggle together. The adult concludes their verse by stating that the greatest gift they can give the gift of love. It’s a comforting sentiment and statement about love and the desire to give our kids everything, but the knowledge that we will always give them love. I always recommend Emma Dodd’s books because she always manages to figure out a new way to tell children what’s in their parents’ and caregivers’ hearts.

 

 

Our Gorgeous Baby, by Smriti Prasadam-Halls/Illustrated by Eve Coy, (March 2025, Candlewick Press), $8.99, ISBN: 9781536239324

Ages Birth-3 years

Narrated by an elder sister, Our Gorgeous Baby is a sweetly amusing celebration of a new baby: “Our baby’s eyes are not brighter than the sun. / And no, she’s not as light as a feather. She weighs a ton!” Sister is always with her baby sister as she makes messes, acts silly, wakes everyone up at night, and has the stinkiest diapers! Our Gorgeous Baby is a humorous warts-and-all look at the truths of having a new baby in the house: and how we adore every second of them. The rhyming verse makes for an easy readaloud and the mixed media illustrations are warm. A good addition to board book and new baby collections.

 

 

Maisy Big, Maisy Small: A Book of Rhyming Opposites, by Lucy Cousins, (Jan. 2025, Candlewick Press), $15.99, ISBN: 9781536236293

Ages 2-5

I love a good concept book, and who doesn’t love Maisy? Maisy Big, Maisy Small is a rhyming book of opposites that will be a winner on shelves. The bright colors and bold outlines are a beacon to young readers, and the big, bold black lettering is so easy to read. There are tons of sight words in this book that will add to readers’ burgeoning vocabularies. Cousins gets joyfully creative with her interpretations: “Maisy Stripes” and “Maisy Spots” show Maisy covered in stripes and spots; “Maisy One” shows a singular Maisy on the page against a bright yellow background; “Maisy Lots” show a cheerful plethora of Maisies across a bright blue background; “Maisy Round” features Maisy with a round belly and legs, “Maisy Square” shows Maisy as she may look on a Minecraft screen. The book is just fun, and that’s the point of learning. An excellent choice for concept collections.

Need more Maisy? Visit Maisy’s Fun Club for coloring sheets and activities.

Posted in picture books, Toddler Reads

Three Board Books for Spring and Easter

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It is no secret that I love board books. Having a new grandbaby to share all these great new board books with? GOLD. Here are a few I’ll be tucking into her Easter basket – and reading at Spring storytimes!

Egg Hunt with Max and Moo, by Susie Lee Jin, (Jan. 2025, Schiffer Kids), $9.99, ISBN: 9780764368851

Ages Birth-3

Max and Moo are having an Easter egg hunt, and you’re invited! Fun lift the flaps and a playful story show the two joining their friends preparing and enjoying the egg hunt. Doubling as a concept book, Egg Hunt helps reinforce colors as readers discover the eggs and the friends they’ll discover on the way. Characters from Max and Moo’s previous adventure, Peek-a-Moo!, show up here and will delight readers who are familiar with them. Bold, colorful illustration with bold, black fonts make for easy reading. Durable flaps will hold up to multiple reads. A fun read for holiday and board book collections!

Visit Susie Lee Jin’s website for fun and free downloadables and more about her books.

 

Oh So Sleepy Head to Toe, Illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama, (April 2025, Scholastic), $8.99, ISBN: 9781546139409

Ages Birth-3

This is more of a bedtime story, but there are adorable animals, including a bunny, so Spring it is! Animal friends are all getting ready for bed, and it’s up to readers to soothe them to sleep. Rub Little Sheep’s fuzzy tummy; smooth Little Pup’s blanket, pet Little Bunny’s ears: touch-and-feel pages and the repetitive “Goodnight” on each spread will soothe and relax readers and provide a gentle bedtime routine. If you’re holding a pajama storytime, encourage your attendees to repeat the behaviors on their own stuffed friends. Gama’s illustrations are adorable, with bright colors and cartoony animals, all curled up under their covers. A final directive to readers to “Wiggle your toes. Stretch your arms. Close your eyes” provides more interactivity and leads them into their own slumber (or the close of your storytime). Don’t miss this one.

 

Spring ABC, by Jannie Ho, (Jan. 2025, Candlewick Press), $7.99, ISBN: 9781536237689

Ages Birth-3

It’s a Spring alphabet! Filled with Spring images, this ABCedary is sure to be a hit. Cheerful, colorful illustrations will capture any reader’s attention, with playful alphabet choices like Apple Blossoms and Daisies; Ho thinks up creative ways to highlight other letters, like G, choosing the word “grow” and showing a worm next to a series of growing saplings; X for Extra Eggs, and Z for Zipper, showing the zipper of what could be a spring jacket. The book is well-constructed, with hardy pages that will hold up to multiple readings. A concept books essential, make sure to put this in your collections.

Spring ABC is the fifth book in Jannie Ho’s ABC series – visit her website to find out more!

 

Posted in Toddler Reads

A Pair of Board Books for Sleepy Readers

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Don’t let a stuffed animal sleepover program go by without some cute books on hand! Here are a couple I’ve been enjoying.

Oh So Sleepy  Head to Toe, Illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama, (Jan. 2025, Cartwheel Books), $8.99, ISBN: 9781546139409

Ages Birth-3

A group of sleepy animals are tucked in and ready for bed. Readers can smooth Little Pup’s blanket; pat Little Bunny’s velvety ears, and give Little Chick a kiss goodnight as they prepare fto go to sleep. Each spread features a young animal getting ready to sleep, with a patch of textile that lets readers touch and soothe themselves as part of a bedtime routine. Each spread lets readers join in wishing the animals good night: “Goodnight, Bunny! Goodnight, Pup!” Colorful illustrations show drowsy animals comfortable in cozy bedding. Short and sweet, with easy-to-read text, this is a heartwarming way to bring the day to a close. The soft textures help soothe young readers as they head off to sleep. A very cute addition to board book collections; you may want a Storytime Reference copy for yourself.

 

Can I Sleep Here? Baby Monkey, by Ella Bailey, (Jan. 2025, Flying Eye Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781838742218

Ages Birth-3

The sun is setting and it’s time for Baby Monkey to go to sleep. Where to go, though? Baby Monkey stops at a bushy branch, a leafy plant, and a nesting hole, but there’s always another family sleeping there. Will Baby Monkey find a place to bed down for the night? Flaps reveal different animals in the potential sleeping areas; the story follows a question-and-answer pattern on each spread, with Baby Monkey’s repeated question, “Can I sleep here?” acting as the nudge for readers to lift the flap and discover who’s sleeping in the spot. The latest in a new board book series, Can I Sleep Here? Baby Monkey is the companion to Can I Sleep Here? Baby Dolphin (2024). Animals have expressive faces and the flaps are sturdy and will hold up to multiple reads. A fun new animal series for board book collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads, Uncategorized

Big books for little ones: board books and more!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You know I love a board book bonanza, but I’ve got other interactive books to crow about, too! Let’s go right to it!

Ultimate Spotlight: Caring for Earth, by Sandra Laboucarie & Sarah Reynard/Illustrated by Julie Mercier, (March 2023, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9791036353239

Ages 4-6

Twirl’s Ultimate Spotlight series is such fun for pre-readers and emerging readers. Loaded with interactive devices like lift-the-flaps, pull tabs, and spinners, each book is like a little adventure. Caring for Earth, the newest book in the series, is a fun and informative look into conservation and preservation. Spreads on respecting nature, creating gardens, eco-friendly living inform grown-ups and children about the many easy ways we can take action to keep our Earth green: create and support a seed library; compost food waste; switch from liquid soap to bar soap, and take a healthy walk when you can! Spreads on gardening show readers the different layers helpful in creating a layered ecosystem. Translated from the original French, the verbiage runs smoothly and is easy to read to younger learners. Flaps and pulls are sturdy and hold up to use (but I always suggest keeping an extra in your reference collection if you want to hold one for storytime and STEM programming). A good addition to a very fun series.

 

Hello Hummingbirds: Read and play in the tree!, by Hannah Rogge/Illustrated by Emily Dove, (May 2023, Chronicle Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781797210094

Ages 2-4

This adorable book comes with two hummingbirds, attached to ribbons, that readers can use to swoop and play with the hummingbird narrator. A friendly hummingbird greets readers and takes them through a day in the life: swooping and flying, enjoying flower nectar, sheltering and building a nest. Quick, fun facts thread through the narrative, while the colorful artwork and playful fonts engage readers. The book stands up and pages open to become a tree. The pages are sturdy and the ribbons seem to hold up to extra tugging, making this a good storytime/playtime choice.

Let’s Go to Color Camp!: Beginning Baby, by Nicola Slater, (June 2023, Twirl Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781797218724

Ages 0-3

The Beginning Baby friends return on a trip to Color Camp – and they need help identifying colors! Tabbed flaps with colors help children turn to a favorite color, or they can page through the story where they’re invited to identify colors in the camp surroundings as the Beginning Baby friends paint, eat lunch, go swimming, and enjoy a day at camp. The retro art and expressive, friendly animals are eye-catching, and the sturdy pages will hold up to multiple readings. Great for a read-aloud and quiet skill-building, this is a fun addition to a fun series.

 

Posted in Toddler Reads

Phoebe Cakes leads a doggie A-B-C in An Alphabet Tail

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Phoebe Cakes and Friends: An Alphabet Tail, by Michelle K. Dumont/Illustrated by Jennifer Zoe Taylor, (Sept. 2022, Susan Schadt Press), $14.95, ISBN: 979-8985071306

Ages 2-4

Last week, I posted a list of author Michelle K. Dumont’s favorite dog books for National Dog Week. This week, I’m happy to talk up the adorable lift-the-flap board book she wrote to celebrate her own special needs bulldog, Phoebe Cakes. Phoebe introduces herself in a note at the beginning of the book, guaranteeing that you’ll fall in love with her as quickly as I did. From there, it’s all about the doggos as Phoebe frolics across each spread with a different dog of the alphabet, from Affenpinschers to Irish Setters, Newfoundlands to Zapadno Sibirska Lajkas. Rhyming text and colorful artwork with adorable dogs running, roasting marshmallows, napping, and playing peek-a-book make this perfect dog lovers everywhere. Each letter of the alphabet is set off a large frame, with bold green and pink colors, with each breed running across the top of the page. Lift-the-flaps divulge fun facts about Phoebe. An Alphabet Tail is a very cute abcedary, and will hold up to multiple reads. Dog fans will enjoy learning about new dog breeds and want to hear more about Phoebe.

An Alphabet Tail is the second Phoebe Cakes book, joining A Mardi Gras Tail, which published earlier this year. There are more books planned, and you can follow Phoebe’s adventures on Instagram to keep up with her.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

What is The Most Important Thing?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Most Important Thing, by Antonella Abbatiello, (March 2022, Red Comet Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781636550220

Ages 3-6

A group of animals has a discussion about what each considers “the most important thing”. Is it to have long ears, to hear any potential danger? Quills, to protect oneself? Maybe it’s a long neck, to keep an eye out for danger. Each animals takes a turn expounding on why a quality they possess is the most important, and the other animals envision themselves with those traits in amusing, large-size foldout spreads, and the recurring rhyming phrase, “That could be true. / Perhaps it is so. ‘ It could be [trait], / but how can we know?” helps readers with predicting what’s coming next. A wise owl weighs in with the importance of uniqueness and variety being important, bringing home the message that everyone is unique; everyone has a special quality that makes them special and important. Flaps are sturdy and fun to fold out, and the illustrations of elephants with quills; flying snakes and foxes; giraffes and alligators with gopher teeth, and more make this a home run for storytime reading.

The Most Important Thing was originally published in Italy in 1998, and it beautifully holds up today. Download the free activity kit through the Red Comet website and have copies on hand for a storytime activity.

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Visiting neighbors, Moonlight Prances, and board books for all!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Be My Neighbor?, by Suzy Ultman, (Feb. 2022, Chronicle Kids), $15.99, ISBN: 9781452177120

Ages 2-4

Hello hello hello! A family of cats has moved into the neighborhood, but they’re still settling in, and want to bake a batch of cookies to greet their neighbors. They need a few things in order to get things underway, though: maybe you can help? Seek and find meets lift the flap in this entertaining book with a playful and chic sense of style. The cats head to each house on their block – each spread in our book – to ask for a different ingredient, letting readers play and explore the different flaps to find the ingredients. Ingredients all collected, the family heads home to bake and deliver the yummy cookies! The repetitive, introductory phrase, “Hello, hello, we are new. May we borrow *INGREDIENT* from you?” eases readers into a comfortable routine, and each animal’s home is filled with delightful little details. The cats have hanging balls of yarn as an art piece, while a panda soaks in a tub, a “nap time” tea bag submerged in the water. The horse family has a coffee table book of Horse Tales and a pony puppet theatre, and the koalas are a STEM-loving family with a lab and a Jane Goodall fan club banner (that reveals a Katherine Johnson fan club banner on the flip side). They’re so much fun, so personal with little details, that kids will turn to this one again and again. Flaps are sturdy but small, so the littlest toddlers may need someone to ease those flaps open at first. Absolute fun.

 

Moonlight Prance, by Serena Gingole Allen/Illustrated by Teagan White, (Apr. 2022, Chronicle Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781452174068

Ages 0-3

An enticing rhyming, interactive board book inspired by the author’s late night with her infant son, Moonlight Prance is a celebration of nocturnal animals that is an adorable bedtime story. Sturdy sliding panels and pull tabs let readers play with foxes and fireflies, hedgehogs and porcupines, and other adorable animals illustrated by artist and naturalist Teagan White. Pair with its companion book, Sunrise Dance, also by Serena Gingole Allen and Teagan White, publishing in April 2022, for an animal storytime that takes readers through a whole day with cheerful, playful animal friends.

Bundle and display with books like Sleepyheads, by Sandra J. Howatt and Joyce Wan; Sandra Boynton’s The Going to Bed Book, and Isabelle Simler’s Sweet Dreamers. Want to stick with the nocturnal animals theme? Mrs. Jones Creation Station has a nice list of books for you.

 

 

Sunrise Dance, by Serena Gingole Allen/Illustrated by Teagan White, (Apr. 2022, Chronicle Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781452174051

Ages 0-3

When the Moonlight Prance is over, the daytime animals wake up for a Sunrise Dance! The companion book to Moonlight Prance is every bit as interactive and playful, with daytime dwellers like shimmying salmon, dancing dragonflies, and marmots who mambo. Sliding panels, pull tabs, and movable discs let playful little explorers in on the fun as they move a group of dancing ducklings back and forth on the book’s cover, help dragonflies dance across the pond, and more. The rhyme is playful, introducing groups of animals at play, and the illustrations show the sunlight growing in strength across the spreads; starting with a pinkish sky as the sun first awakens through to a warm light that brings out the gentle color in all the animals and their surroundings. A young boy appears at the end, inviting readers to talk about what they plan to do on this bright day. Great to partner with Moonlight Prance or read alone, Sunrise Dance is a fun way to engage little learners and teach them about diurnal animals, versus the nocturnal friends they meet in books like Moonlight Dance.

 

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Board books make great stocking stuffers!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

They’re portable, they’re sturdy, they fit in a stocking as easily as they do a purse or a toddler’s hands: board books are great gifts!

The Sun Shines on the Sea, by Michael Slack, (Sept. 2021, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536215694

Ages 3-5

The gentlest way to introduce the concept of the food chain to preschoolers, The Sun Shines on the Sea is a lift-the-flap board book that lets the flaps do the talking. While the sun shines on the sea, phytoplankton grow, and hungry krill snack on the phytoplankton as they soak up the sun, and that’s where the flaps take over: the story makes reference to a predator moving, swirling, and gliding past, and flaps reveal what’s in their bellies: “A shoal of fish swirls around the krill”, and a flap reveals a krill in a fish’s tummy. The story is factual, easy to understand, and begins and ends with the sun shining on the sea. The digital artwork is colorful, the sea life are kid-friendly, and the flaps are sturdy.

If you’re using this in an underwater story time, this is a great time to sing “Slippery Fish” and use some flannels. I really like this recycled cardboard aquarium craft, and you can easily make it a grab and go. Don’t have a cheese box? Trim some cardboard from cereal boxes, glue into a circle, and back it with construction paper.

 

Where’s Brian’s Bottom? A Veeeerrrry Long Fold-Out Book, by Rob Jones, (Oct. 2021, Pavilion), $9.95, ISBN: 9781843654667

Ages 0-3

Weiner dog fans will love this hilarious fold-out book. Brian is a dachshund who can’t find his bottom! Readers can help him as they unfold the book to search through five rooms, meeting a variety of Brian’s acquaintances to help with the search. The concertina book folds out into over 6 feet of Brian, and takes readers through different rooms of the house, his body streeeeetching along the way. Kids can identify different rooms, animals, and sounds, and repetitive questions invites readers to chime in. The endpaper at the front of the book features a wall of framed photos – Brian, naturally, takes up two frames – with animals that readers will meet during the course of the story. Each side that folds out tells a different story: one takes place during the day, one at night, with different events that you can invite readers to tell you about. The bold, cartoon artwork is eye-catching, and readers will love discovering something new with every turn of the flap. Absolute fun.

Where is Brian’s Bottom? is the first in a board book concertina series from Pavilion; I’ll be keeping an eye out for more.

 

 

 

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth, by Emily Haynes & Sanjay Patel, (Aug. 2021, Chronicle Books), $8.99, ISBN: 9781797212524

Ages 3-5

I was so excited to see a board book release for one of my favorite picture books, Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth! The story of how Hindu god Ganesha and the poet Vyasa create the great epic, The Mahabharata, translates beautifully to board book. The illustrations are colorful, vibrant, and eye-catching; the storytelling pace works in this format, and the author’s note at the end explains the story behind the story: how Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth isn’t a literal retelling of the classic legend, but more of a kid-friendly reimagining that kids can relate to, like breaking a tooth on a jawbreaker sweet and learning to channel a meltdown into something more productive.

Publisher Chronicle has a Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth activity kit, with a coloring sheet and fill-in-the-blank epic poem.

 

 

Dog’s First Baby, by Natalie Nelson, (Oct. 2021, Quirk Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781683692799

Ages 2-5

Told from a dog’s point of view, Dog’s First Baby is a board book with a fun spin on things as a family dog discovers someone new joining the household: a baby. Dog isn’t sure whether or not to be thrilled with this latest development, as baby’s front paws pull his ears and hurt; with time, though Dog sees that maybe the two aren’t so different after all: they both howl; they both like to play tug-of-war; they both enjoy a good stretch, and baby sure likes to share food, and, as Dog says, “I admire this”. A great book for new parents who may be getting ready or are in the early stages of introducing a new baby and a dog, Dog’s First Baby embraces the chaos of those early months: Baby dropping food all over the floor (which Dog happily cleans up); Baby and Dog howling and wailing together; Baby attempting to ride Dog; Baby and Dog making messes together. The book also captures those moments that are worth every mess: Baby asleep on Dog’s flank; the two sitting in a chair together, and Dog’s quiet presence whenever Baby is near, whether they’re walking together or sleeping in the same room. Deep, rich colors and textured lighter colors make this a beautiful book to look through.

Quirk and Natalie Nelson have a companion book, Cat’s First Baby, coming in March 2022. I can’t wait! In the meantime, this is a perfect storytime book and gift book. There’s a free, downloadable activity kit available, too.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Animals, Animals, Animals for all!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ultimate Spotlight: Polar Animals, by Sandra Laboucarie/Illustrated by da-fanny, (Aug. 2021, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9791027608782

Ages 5-8

As kids area getting ready to put on sweatshirts and jackets, the Ultimate Spotlight: Polar Animals are here to show readers how they handle the extreme weather in the Southern Hemisphere. Five spreads, loaded with flaps, pull-tabs, pulls, and fold-out spreads illustrate how penguins, orcas, whales, musk oxen, polar bears, and more animals eat, travel, and live on land and in the ocean. A brief, factual paragraph introduces readers to the subject matter on each spread: Born in the Cold, Eating Underwater, Traveling Underwater, Winter and Summer in the Tundra, and On the Ice Sheet. Interesting facts run through each spread: penguins use their wings to swim, not fly; humpback whales have baleen plates, not teeth; a seal’s clawed front flippers help it cut breathing holes in thick ice. Sturdy flaps and pulls will stand up to multiple reads; the illustrations and facts will make this an interesting book that will keep toddlers happy during a read-aloud, and preschoolers and emerging readers fascinated as they discover and learn about life in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Cool Antarctica has beautiful photos and facts about Arctic and Antarctic animals, as well as recipes, PowerPoints, and other school resources.

 

The Ultimate Book of Animals, by Anne-Sophie Baumann/Illustrated by Éléonore Della Malva, (Aug. 2021, Twirl Books), $22.99, ISBN: 9791027610006

Ages 5-8

This oversized beauty is chock full of activities for curious little minds and hands. With more than 50 flaps, pop-up, pull-tabs, mini-books, and more, kids won’t know where to look first! A great starter animal encyclopedia, The Ultimate Animal Book has spreads on Animal Bodies, Birth and Growing, Body Coverings, movement, the five senses, movement, and more. Each spread is loaded with manipulatives for kids to explore: lift the wings of a seagull or a macaw or pull a tab to learn how horses, cats, bees, and bald eagles see; pull a tab to see a snake’s slithery tongue, and lift flaps to discover the inner workings of all sorts of animals, from a pigeon to a dolphin. Loaded with facts that let kids learn hands-on, this is going to be a popular book in your collections. Preschool shelves should absolutely keep one of these on-hand for their science/STEM stations.

Put out the animal coloring sheets and display with other interesting animal books – maybe take a spread to draw attention to related books in your collection! If you were doing a spread on Animal Hearing, you could feature books like What If You Had Animal Ears?, by Sandra Markle; the immortal Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr., and Caroline Arnold’s Did You Hear That? Animals with Super Hearing.

 

Magnetology: Animals, by Maud Poulain/Illustrated by Camille Tisserand, (Sept. 2021, Twirl Books), $22.99, ISBN: 9791027609987

Ages 3-5

If you have play areas, this is the book for you! Perfect for science stations and play areas (and a pretty darn nice gift), Magnetology: Animals includes 45 magnetic pieces and a strong cardboard envelope, built into the book, for storage. Five magnetic spreads let readers create their own animal habitats across the Arctic, a forest, the Savanna, the rain forest, and a coral reef. A few lines on each biome gives readers an overview of each area; short fun facts across each spread give readers more to read and learn. Let kids create their own habitats, mix and match animals, and create their own stories! Consider putting a rubber band around the top of the page to keep pages open and offer some toy animals, too, if you have them available. Illustrations are colorful and eye-catching. Toddlers can easily get in on the fun. Make animal board books available around the play area, if you’ve set one up. Some recent favorites of mine include Giuliano Ferri’s Go Fish and Lo Cole’s Ten in a Hurry; Turn Seek and Find Habitats, and Brita Teckentrup’s Little Animal series.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Let’s get the school year off to a great start!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You want books for back to school? I got books for back to school!

 

My First Ready for School, by Roger Priddy, (May 2021, Priddy Books US), $9.99, ISBN: 9781684491384

Ages 3-5

Priddy Books does it again; I’ve loved their board books and early learning books for babies since my own now-fourth grader (fourth grade!) was born. This preschool activity book is the perfect Welcome to School gift for preschoolers, and a great add to preschool shelves and collections in your classrooms and libraries. It’s all about concepts, early learning, and fun: there are pull tabs and flaps on every single page, all getting the little ones ready to experience a school day. Learn what to put in your school bag, with pull-down flaps that reveal what goes in your pencil case, lunch box, gym bag, and backpack; use the pull tab to discover all the great activities taking place at school, like playtime and storytime; learn about mixing colors, school shapes, patterns, and more! The book is tough, strong enough to stand up to repeated use, with bulky board pages, strong tabs, and secure flaps. Colorful and friendly animal characters will greet little readers and help them sharpen their pattern and shape recognition, counting skills, and sight words. Get a few of these in your collections if possible; they’re a great investment.

 

 

Let’s Be Safe, by Alice Le Henand/Illustrated by Thierry Bedouet (Oct. 2021, Twirl Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9782408028497

Ages 0-3

I am a big fan of Twirl Books’s Pull and Play series. This outing, Let’s Be Safe, teaches readers about safety while doing everyday tasks. Familiar animal friends from previous books in the series are back, like Little Kangaroo, Little Cat, and Little Monkey, and their parents gently guide them through scenarios that could end up with tears – but don’t, thanks to some smart thinking and safe action. Little Crocodile wants to come down the stairs by himself – great! – and Dad lets him, as long as he holds onto the railing. Little Kangaroo wants to stand up to play in the tub, but Mom cautions against it, because slipping and falling really hurts. Isn’t it better to sit and play? Pull tabs illustrate the before-and-after, with the Little Gang modeling safe behaviors as parents lovingly explain and stand by to help. Parents will appreciate the modeling on what to say to newly independent toddlers and preschoolers, and kids will love pulling the tabs and seeing their animal friends be safe. Win-win for all.

 

The New Kid Has Fleas, by Ame Dyckman/Illustrated by Eda Kaban, (June 2021, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250245243

Ages 3-6

Award-winning author Ame Dyckman’s story about welcoming the new kid is a study in kindness and discovery. There’s a new kid at school, and she’s a little… different. Naturally, the rumors fly when the mean girl tries to spread rumors, but our narrator, who ends up paired with the New Kid for a science project, discovers that she and her family are pretty cool, after all! The New Kid – who we discover is named Kiki – is different, with a different family and a different home. She doesn’t wear shoes, she howls, she chases squirrels, and her family seem to be wolves! After spending a day working on a school project, though, our narrator – a young boy – embraces Kiki’s family, tussles with her brothers and sisters, and, in a laugh-out-loud moment, “goes with the flow” when it comes to using the restroom. Turns out, welcoming the new kid is a far more fun way to go than being mean! Digital illustrations capture the fun spirit of the story and show the growing friendship between Kiki and her new friend, and I loved the use of a wolf’s shadow to illustrate the Kiki is more than meets the eye. What a great way to teach kids to extend a friendly hand to new students. Another win from Ame Dyckman!

Visit Ame Dyckman’s author page for more information about her books.