Tag: rhyming

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Books for your Christmas storytime

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s that time: the Christmas storytime! Here are a few good ones to consider.

 

Socks: A Christmas Kid’s Lament, by JD McPherson/Illustrated by Anika Orrock, (Sept. 2024, Walker Books), $15.99, ISBN: 9781536237023

Ages 3-7

Singer-songwriter McPherson’s picture book debut is about a Christmas present kids dread: SOCKS. A young boy creeps down to his Christmas tree early one Christmas morning, fully expecting any number of toys and discovering a dreaded pair of socks. SOCKS! For Christmas! The rhyming story escalates as the boy searches his home and pleads his case: “No ‘Are we there yet?’ in the car! / I ruined no vacations! / A few coins in the swearing jar, / but for impassioned declarations!” Santa flies over towns all over the world as children appear to exclaim the same disdainful refrain in different languages. But is there more to the grand sock distribution? Keep reading, and you’ll notice that other presents do show up, and that Mrs. Claus feels very differently about her socks. A sweet story about appreciating the meaning behind gift-giving, and a chuckle for anyone who’s received a gift they were less than pleased with. Orrock’s retro digital artwork adds a fun sense of play to the story. Scan a QR code to hear McPherson’s song, “Socks” and try out a few lines during storytime.

 

 

Everett Green: The Not-So Christmas Tree, by Freddy Wexler/Illustrated by Fanny Berthiaume, (Oct. 2024, Random House Books for Young Readers), $14.99, ISBN: 9780593567944

Ages 4-8

“Everett Green was a small palm tree with big dreams”. He’s a singing, dancing palm tree that’s tired of being ignored and knows he’s meant for greater things, and then he sees it: the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, featured on the news. With that, Everett’s off to New York! The only problem? Flights are delayed! Everett’s stuck at an airline gate on Christmas Eve! What’s a tree to do? Well… he’s got a captive audience, so Everett seizes the opportunity, grabs a mic, and starts spreading holiday cheer. One by one, the crowd joins in and before anyone knows it, there’s a dancing and a Christmas sing-along, dancing, and good feelings all around. Everett returns to his old digs at The Sandy Straw, where his Christmas act is embraced and lauded. The moral of the story: joy is where you find it, so spread it where you can. It’s a touching and relevant holiday message that carries meaning beyond the holidays. Photoshop illustrations are bold and bright; endpapers feature beribboned pineapples and Christmas ornaments across a bright yellow background. A fun holiday read that has plenty of opportunities for interaction with a group.

 

 

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett/Illustrated by Jon Klassen, (Sept. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536223767

Ages 4-8

Easily one of my favorite kidlit powerhouse combos, Barnett and Klassen just make great books. This time, they examine the classic question: How does Santa go down the chimney? They admit there are no easy answers, but there are suggestions that go from innocent – “Does he cinch up his belt?” – to the laugh-out-loud hilarious: “Does Santa ever get stuck partway down and need one of the reindeer to give him a kick?” Kids and adults alike have pondered these very same questions for years! Klassen’s graphite and ink illustrations pair perfectly with Barnett’s text, showing Santa and his reindeer in the funniest of situations, including a peek at Santa’s underwear as he goes down the chimney backside first. Ending on a sweet note and preserving the mystery, this is a perfect readaloud for holiday season.

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? has starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, Booklist, and was an Indie Next pick.

 

Santa Yeti, by Matthew Luhn/Illustrated by Luke Flowers, (Oct. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 9781684646036

Ages 3-7

What’s more fun than a cute rhyming story? A cute rhyming story about a yeti who’s tired of being cold! Frank is a yeti who dreams to vacationing somewhere warm, like Brazil. He stumbles upon Santa’s toy factory on Christmas Eve, deciding to stow away in a present bound for Brazil, but things go sideways when the box tears and Frank scares Santa right out of the sled! Santa gets dropped into a warm Brazilian pool, and it’s up to Frank to save Christmas. Thankfully, he’s up to the task and gets a nice reward next Christmas: a vacation in Key West. Luke Flowers’s illustrations are adorable, colorful, and filled with fun details. The endpapers feature postcards from warm climates with drawings of Frank taped into the scenery; back endpapers have drawings of Santa, Mrs. Claus, an elf, and a reindeer joining Frank taped into a postcard from… you guessed it, Brazil. The rhyme scheme is bouncy and light, pairing sweetly with the fun illustrations. Perfect for a Christmas read-aloud, this will become a book you’ll reach for every year.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Snow Is… wonderful!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Snow Is…, by Laura Gehl/Illustrated Sonia Sánchez, (Oct. 2024, Simon & Schuster), $18.99, ISBN: 9781665915595

Ages 3-7

The anticipation of a snowy day comes alive in this rhyming story about the first snowfall of the season. A child looks out the window and watches the flakes fall. Dashing outside, they run back to get their father and dog, and it becomes a family day as Mom and baby sibling join them for snow castles, snowmen, and snowball fights. Sánchez’s illustrations revel in the joy of the first snowfall: the child dances and runs, the father laughing and covered in snow, mother rushing to join the fray, baby tucked safely into a carrier. Gehl’s rhyming story brings all the childish fun to readers, describing everything that snowfall brings to mind: “Snow is the birds huddled close in their nest. / Snow is your heart pounding hard in your chest”; “Snow is bright eyes / and small cheeks / cold and rosy. / Snow is a castle that’s roomy yet cozy”. Cool blues and whites come together with the warm reds of the family’s clothes to bring a winter feeling to the reader.  What a wonderful way to welcome the winter! Perfect for storytime.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

More Construction Fun with Pigs Dig a Road

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pigs Dig a Road, by Carrie Finison/Illustrated by Brian Biggs, (Sept. 2024, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers), $19.99, ISBN: 9781984816542

Ages 3-7

A construction crew is getting ready to build a new road to the Hamshire County Fair. Headed up by Rosie, the crew chief, this crew of pigs is ready to work, but they can’t seem to get things quite right and rely on Rosie to fix things. But Rosie’s exhausted, and needs some help to pull it all off before the fair begins. It’s time for the rest of the team to pull together and get the road done on time! Finison’s lively rhyming text is fun with cheerful, while Brian Biggs created loads of sight gags to keep listeners giggling and invested. Teamwork is the heart of the story here and Finison shows readers that teams work best when everyone has a say. Vehicle fans will love the parade of excavators, dump trucks, pavers, and other machines trundling through each spread. Boldly outlined and brightly colored, the pigs and their surroundings will lift spirits and the expressive characters will keep readers smiling as listen to Rosie attempt to rally her crew: “Curly, Pinky—helmets, please!
Stinky, stick your feet in these.” Endpapers show a variety of pigs at the wheels of different machines. A win for storytime and for picture book collections, and a great first purchase.

Visit Carrie Finison’s webpage to sign up for her newsletter and learn more about her books. Visit Brian Biggs’s website to see more of his illustration work and learn more about his books.

 

Posted in Toddler Reads

Check out this high-contrast board book series that grows with your baby!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Kane Miller has the inside line on a board book series that grows with your baby: author Lily Murray and illustrator Jane Foster have new, high-contrast board books made for cuddle time. Originally released in the UK, the publisher has brought them to the U.S. Let’s take a look.

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (0-3 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649105

Ages 0-12 months

Four rhyming animal stories make up this first board book: an elephant uses her trunk to sing a special song; a panda snoozes and spends a day at play; a playful whale spends the day with under-the-sea friends, and a bunny spends the day exploring before retiring to her burrow for bedtime. Developed for babies 3 months old and younger, the high-contrast black-and-white illustration work is perfect for baby’s developing brains. The animal illustrations include contrasting shapes and patterns to help babies develop visual focus, and the simple rhyme is easy and soothing to read: “Little whale dives through the seas, / Where turtles swoop and glide. / She meets a friendly starfish / Who asks to hitch a ride”.

 

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (3-6 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649112

Ages 0-12 months

As baby gets a little bigger, Foster adds a splash of color to her illustrations and Murray includes fun activities in the storytelling to engage baby and caregiver: “Now here comes an octopus / Tickling your tummy. / Tickle, tickle everywhere / Tickling’s so funny!”; “There’s Panda! Smiley Panda, / Waving back at me. / I see Panda! Hello, Panda! / And Panda sees me”; “Little Elephant, stomp your feet. / Little Elephant, waggle your nose. / Little Elephant, flap your ears. / Little Elephant, touch your toes!” Caregivers will enjoy tickling and identifying noses, feet, and ears during lap time and cuddle time. The animals from the Baby’s First Stories 0-3 months return, providing comfortable continuity, and the rhymes incorporate movement, questions, and answers while adding blue backgrounds and details to the black and white images and patterns help developing eyes grow stronger and continue creating neural networks.

 

 

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (6-9 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649129

Ages 0-12 months

The animal friends celebrate baby’s new milestones with stories about daily routines: Panda goes through a morning routine of waking, washing up, and getting dressed; Bunny enjoys a tasty lunchtime; Elephant has a bath after playing in the mud all day, and Whale gets ready for bed. As baby reaches 6-9 months, these rhymes parallel a baby’s busy day and include questions like, “Have you finished, Little Bunny? / Let’s clean you up, don’t wait!” and playful phrases like, “Gently, gently, with a towel, / Rub-a-dub-a-dub! / All clean, Little Elephant…  / …till the next time you find mud!” A cheery splash of orange joins the blue, black, and white illustrations and makes the animals’ patterns stand out, easily recognizable. An adorable way to go through the day’s activities and teach babies about routine.

 

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (9-12 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649129

Ages 0-12 months

New friends, additional color, and more complex stories await developing babies and toddlers. Murray and Foster introduce new animal friends, including a tortoise and a duck, all sporting vibrant, high-contrast patterns. Playful text and question and answer formats make reading interactive, inviting readers to search for Bunny, help cheer Panda up and scratch his nose, find Elephant’s missing clothes, and guess where Whale’s friends are hiding. Active phrasing and rhyming text keeps babies engaged, and fun wordplay allows for playful storytimes: “Who’s this coming now, / Creeping oh so slow? / Plod-plod-plod! It’s Tortoise! / Where did Bunny go?”

Each book is easily read and enjoyed by a variety of ages while offering a grow-as-you-go approach to the special milestones of baby’s first year. Bold, high-contrast artwork and fun, rhyming text that becomes more complex keeps baby’s attention while assisting development. The series is an excellent addition to early childhood collections and makes a great gift for a new baby.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Duck Goes Meow is great storytime reading

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Duck Goes Meow, by Juliette MacIver/Illustrated by Carla Martell, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684648962

Ages 3-6

Rhyming, onomatopoeia, and an adorable cast of animals make Duck Goes Meow a storytime essential. Cow leads a group of animals singing their animal sounds, and everyone is on track – Dog says “Woof!”, Cow says “Moo!”, Hen says “Cluck!” – until Duck chimes in with a confident “Meow.” The animals all pitch in to help Duck try again and again, to no avail; the reason is charming. A fun animal story that invites plenty of participation, Duck Goes Meow is an unexpected and sweet adoption story, too. Animal sounds are bold and contained in word bubbles, making it easy to cue younger readers to be part of the fun during a read-aloud. Colorful, bold illustrations make this an excellent choice for younger learners. Read this one with Jules Feiffer’s classic, Bark George, for an animal sounds storytime. Endpapers show duck tracks crossing paths with kitten tracks, giving readers a hint to the story. Originally published in New Zealand in 2023, Duck Goes Meow is inspired by the true story of a mother cat adopting a duckling; tell families for extra squeals of joy. Download free discussion questions at Kane Miller’s website, on the Duck Goes Meow book detail page.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Night Blooming Jasmine: An evening walk brings discovery

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Night Blooming Jasmine, by Diane de Anda/Illustrated by Kendra Binney, (June 2024, Star Bright Books), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1-59572-976-7

Ages 4-8

A young girl named Jasmine is fast asleep with the night-blooming jasmine vine outside her window calls to her, inviting her to go outside and discover the world that comes to life outside at night. Encountering frogs and crickets, sleeping dogs and hungry opossums, Jasmine explores the world that wakes up when we go to sleep. Written in occasional rhyme, the verses illustrate the quiet wonder of night, with a playful view, as seen through the eyes of a child: “The spotted hound lies on his back; / his feet run in the air. / Deep in his sleep he’s rousting birds / and chasing down a long-eared hare”. Parallel to the plant with whom she shares a name, Jasmine heads back to bed to “end her nighttime bloom”. Soft, blue-hued illustrations set a calming stage for bedtime reading; Jasmine sets herself apart from her world as she wears a pink nightgown. Back matter includes animal facts on the various nocturnals that appear in the story. A bedtime story that promises dreamy adventures, Night Blooming Jasmine is a great choice for collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Zoom off to bedtime with Sleep Little Dozer

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sleep, Little Dozer, by Diana Murray/Illustrated by Cleonique Hilsaca, (June 20245, Random House), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593119044

Ages 2-6

It’s been a full day for Little Dozer, but when Papa tells him, “Let’s roll! Time for bed!”, Dozer is concerned: Mama is working late! How will Dozer fall asleep? No worries: Papa knows the routine. This sweet rhyming bedtime story is just what a child needs when a parent is working late or traveling and another parent – maybe not the usual parent or caregiver – is left to handle bedtime. Papa Dozer is a large bulldozer with a bushy mustache; Little Dozer is a tiny bulldozer. The vehicles all have bold, friendly expressions and colors are soft, gentle, wonderful for bedtime. Much of the story is Papa’s bedtime rhyme, which Little Dozer chimes in on; it’s relatable to kids who have their bedtime routines down pat. Visions of numbered jeeps fill in for a human child’s “counting sheep”, and various vehicles bed down for the night as Dozer struggles with anxiety over not being able to sleep without Mom. Endpapers show truck-shaped clouds against a night sky. A very cute and comforting story that vehicle fans will ask for at bedtime, and a good addition to collections.

Pair with Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train Dream Train, both by Sherri Duskey Rinker, for a fun pajama storytime.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Paw-sibilities are endless! This Little Kitty in the Garden

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

This Little Kitty in the Garden, by Karen Obuhanych, (Jan 2024, Knopf Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593435175

Ages 3-7

Obuhanych spins a delighful rhyming tale about cats and gardening. Endpapers bring readers in with dirty kitten paw prints over bright colored leaves; the verso and recto pages show a cheerful garden with a marmalade cat peeking up from the leaves. Five kittens are ready to “help” their people garden today, and immediately set to rummaging through the tools and starter plants. They play in the garden, sneezing at pollen and poking at various flora and fauna as their humans work around them. When everything has been planted and cleaned up, the exhausted helpers take a nap in the garden bed. Cat lovers will want multiple reads of this sweet and silly story. Mixed media illustration is bold, bright, and textured. A playful story that will make anyone reading it or listening to it happy.

This Little Kitty in the Garden is a companion to Obuhanych’s 2023 book, This Little Kitty. You can see more of Obuhanych’s artwork at her website.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wheels and Springs and Moving Things: School of Monsters talk work

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Wheels and Springs and Moving Things!, by Sally Rippin/Illustrated by Chris Kennett, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684649211

The Australian School of Monsters chapter book series arrives on American shores with a rhyming picture book/seek-and-find adventure. Each character in Wheels and Springs and Moving Things! introduces readers to a member of their family, offering rhyming clues to their jobs: can you figure out what they do? Spreads alternate between clues and a solution, featuring the occupation and related vocabulary. Frank’s Dad, for instance, is a farmer: clues include “My dad digs the earth to plant seedlings and trees, / which grow into homes for the birds and the bees”. The following spread shows Frank and his father in a tractor and trailer; Frank exclaims, “He’s a farmer!” and readers are treated to a spread filled with farm-related vehicles and equipment, all labeled for expanding vocabularies. The monsters are adorably kid-friendly, colorful, and sport cheery expressions. Additional activities, including seek-and-find challenges, await readers at the end of the story. Endpapers sport bats with different occupations fluttering about: one wears an astronaut’s helmet; another carries a letter. It’s a fun addition to collections where Where’s Waldo and other seek-and-find books do well.

Author Sally Rippin’s website includes a School of Monsters activity pack and parent pack, available for free. Publisher Kane Miller also has a special page dedicated to Rippin, a 2024-2025 Australian Children’s Laureate!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Put down your phone and Look Up!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Look Up! Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution, by Britt Gondolfi/Illustrated by Amanda Romanick, (Apr. 2024, Paw Prints), $18.99, ISBN: 9781223188089

Ages 5-7

This hilarious rhyming story serves as a cautionary tale to look up from our screens once in a while. Set in New Orleans, a group of pigeons watches as the people below them rush around glued to their phones, never noticing anything around them. One pigeon, Fontaine, wants to change things for the better and comes up with a laugh-out-loud method that’s sure to get people’s attention. Black-lined colorful illustrations give an edge to the story, with little touches of New Orleans in the background details; Cafe du Monde and the French Quarter give life and character to the setting. Romanick captures the bustle of the city and the cluelessness of a populace riveted to their screens and beautifully captures the perspective of the birds staring down at the humans, lamenting their lack of attention. Fontaine dons a red beret and commands his legions, and the fallout will have readers squealing with delight. Give this one a read – I can’t wait to have a screen-free storytime with this one.