Book Review: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

Imaginary friends are hanging out all around us adults and we don't even notice most of the time.  They're sharing cupcakes, drawing pictures, having conversations and going on adventures with the whimsical youngsters in our lives.  (When I do a head-count during storytime, I should probably start including all the imaginary friends in the room.  That would definitely boost my numbers.)

Have you ever asked your little one where that imaginary friend came from?  In The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, author and illustrator Dan Santat offers an answer to this question.  They're all relaxing together over in the land of rainbows and misty mountains, awaiting the glorious day when a child beams them up (see page 4 for more information).  Beekle waits every day for his turn, but it never comes.

Sleepover with Beatrice & Bear

Are you looking for a sweet story that will help a child with the topic of separation? Here's your book!

Sleepover with Beatrice & Bear is a heartwarming story about two unlikely friends with very different sleep schedules. One spring day Beatrice and Bear stumble upon each other, and quickly a friendship is formed. They didn't just become friends, they became the absolute best of friends. They do everything together, but what are they to do when Bear has to hibernate for the winter? You have to read it to find out!
This story gives a great idea for how a child can cope with loved ones they see intermittently - what to do while they wait! And how to share the time they spent away from each other.

Pick up Sleepover with Beatrice and Bear, by Monica Carnesi, at your local library to ensure a fun time for all!  

~ Roller Derby Librarian

Gifted Toddler or Preschooler?

Gravity by Jason Chin will spur your burgeoning genius in the playpen or your fledgling engineer in the sandbox to Einsteinian heights of intellectual prowess. Well, maybe not Einsteinian, but Newtonian at the very least! This visual edification of the abstract concept of "gravity" will send the Wiggles scurrying in ignominious defeat as little ones everywhere pack this mentally stimulating tome into diaper bags, strollers, and grandpa's knitting or golf bags. From the plummeting copy of the book depicted in detail-rich watercolor on the first page to the comical depiction on the absolute last page of a startled child trying desperately not to drop the jug of lemonade that suddenly falls into his hands, Chin holds young (or perhaps not so young) scientists' attention effortlessly.

The simple oversized text compels the reader to follow the star-blazing path of book, toys, and fruit as they first defy and then helplessly succumb to the law of gravity. The eye-popping view of the sun as it looms over this drifting collection of childhood flotsam successfully brings into focus the interconnectivity of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. A compilation of preschooler-friendly facts rounds out this exceptional foray into exploring one of the most important forces of the universe.

MightyM  

Haiku presented by Koo

Koo is a charming panda bear who will melt your heart and tickle your funny bone in this very delightful first introduction into the Japanese form of poetry known as haiku. Hi, Koo! A year of seasons by author and illustrator, Jon J. Muth, captures the essence of each season with simple haiku and beautiful paintings that you and your children will want to read over and over.  Very helpful is the author's note defining traditional haiku, "made up of seventeen sound parts called on (pronounced own) --- divided into three lines with five, then seven, then five on." Muth, however, does not adhere to this rigid structure because he believes..."haiku is like an instant captured in words---using sensory images."

Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster by Mike Wohnoutka

Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster by Mike Wohnoutka is a classic tale of an unlikely friendship.

Judging by the cover illustration, things at first glance don't look so good for Little Puppy.  Big Green Monster, with his stegosaurus-like spine ridges and sharp, pointy teeth, is fixing a decidedly unfriendly expression on him.  In contrast, Little Puppy, (whose head is about the size of one of those pointy teeth), smiles expectantly up at Big Green Monster and wags his tail.

Irresistible Illustrations

Never judge a book by its cover, so they say.  Though I tend to agree with the literal and metaphorical implications of the all-too-familiar saying, I have to say that I can't help myself when it comes to picture books.  Some are just so stunningly illustrated that they are irresistible.  And, on the rare occasion when those gorgeous illustrations reveal a beautiful story, we have something quite remarkable in our hands.  Such books are truly works of art, to be read again and again for years to come.  Here are few titles that have recently ended up in my "wow" collection at the library:

My Bus

My Bus, by Byron Barton is a fun little book that's sure to become a read aloud favorite.

Joe drives a bus.  He picks up and drops off a variety of brightly-colored chunky-sized cats and dogs all over town.  As the animals board the bus the count is predictable....one dog gets on at stop number one, two cats get on at stop number two, etc, until the bus is full of cats and dogs.  When the animals get off the bus, however, they do so in random groupings -(two cats and one dog, one cat and two dogs, etc.),  and with varying purposes and destinations, (some board a boat, others take a plane...) and so it goes until only one dog is left on the bus with Joe.  This is Joe's own dog, as it turns out, and the two leave the bus at the station and head for home in Joe's little car.  

More than a good little story, this book introduces the concepts of ordinal and cardinal numbers as well as different forms of transportation, a variety of verbs to convey different kinds of action, and simple counting from one to ten.  It's perfect for toddlers and a good choice for preschoolers or even beginning readers. 

-Miss Meg

Kindergarten Jitter Busters

Helping to wrestle "First Day of School" panic to its knees a la Ready and Waiting For You, our last featured book, can make any child feel as brave as a superhero. With that in mind, here are three more new books that offer innovative, if unorthodox, game plans to make sure even the shyest child comes out on top.

Oliver and his Alligator by Paul Schmid introduces a painfully shy little boy who, on his first day of school, "...felt his brave wasn't nearly as big as he needed it to be." His solution? Why, to stop by the swamp of course--and pick up an alligator! Whenever he's asked a question or feeling overwhelmed, he mumbles, "Munch, Munch!" Oliver becomes calmer as his alligator mysteriously grows fatter... Schmid's droll text and illustrations will tug grins from even the most wan-faced, quaking child.

If you were a T-Rex, would you be afraid of school? No, because dinosaurs always win! Bob Shea's unruly dino is ready to invade the hallowed halls of academia. Even glitter and glue haven't got a chance against a red, over-energized, toothy lizard.

 Reluctant scholars will embrace Dinosaur vs. School as the perfect book to sneak into a backpack for moral support.                                           

All right, there's no way out--You-have-to-go-to-school!!! Now what? Sarah Maizes' On My Way to School  gives kids plenty of options as to their modes of transportation: a pirate ship, kangaroo, covered wagon, and, yes, a tiger-filled school bus. There is nothing subtle about Michael Paraskevas' illustrations. Livi the reluctant, cowboy boot-wearing student is resplendent with her out-of-control pigtails and garish red and green pet frog. Going from an unidentifiable mound beneath the covers to queen of the classroom is as uncomplicated as turning a page for Livi and her revved up imagination. Children will forget all about first day of school jitters as they excitedly point out the crazy pigtails on...a blue elephant?        MightyM

First Day of School Blues

In neighborhoods all over the country crowded hallways are filled with teary-eyed parents and wailing children. Ah, the trauma. Oh, the guilt. What if there were a way to bypass all this gut-wrenching "First Day of School" drama? In Ready and Waiting for You, everyone on the bus and in the school is waiting for your child. Page-sized "gate folds" invite little hands to open the "doors" to reveal friendly faces welcoming the anxious child to the exciting world of school. See? There's nothing to worry about!

The multiracial children and adults featured are cleverly created from colorful torn-paper. Illustrator Catherine Stock takes the reader on a cheery visual tour from the bright yellow school bus to the sunny classroom and everywhere in between.

Judi Moreillon's cheerful repetitive text practically begs the child to read along. The invitation at the book's end will help put most fears to rest while creating a mindset of hopeful expectation:

          "Come in. Come in.
          Come in through this door...
          We won't be a whole school till you do.
          Everyone's waiting for you!"

MightyM

Book Review: The Monkey Goes Bananas by C.P. Bloom

Sometimes you just need a good laugh.  When you and your preschooler run into one of those times, I suggest The Monkey Goes Bananas.  This new picture book by C. P. Bloom and illustrated by Peter Raymundo is laugh-out-loud funny.

This exuberant book gets the story started right away on the title page, where we see our hero deep in "The Thinker" style contemplation. Next, on the copyright page, we discover that The Monkey is trying to figure out how to get to a lovely bunch of bananas that are on the next island.  At first, he simply tries crossing The Water to get to the banana island, but soon he finds his situation complicated by The Shark.

Book Review: Dot by Patricia Intriago

I've been seeing dots lately.  No, it's not a result of heat exhaustion; though I'd love to see some wet dots falling from the sky sometime soon.  Actually, I've been seeing dots in some lovely, well-rounded picture books.  The dot deluge all began with Dot by Patricia Intriago. The contrasting, simple imagery makes it great for babies, the clever wordplay makes it intriguing for preschoolers, and the minimalist design makes it thrilling for adults.  I especially love the juxtaposition of the hard dot and the soft dot, complete with a child's finger pressing down on the dot to test its flexibility.  Can you hear the loud and quite dots making different sounds?  How would a happy dot look? What about a sad dot?  Take this book home and you'll find out, along with a dab or two of other surprises!

Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!

There's bad and then there's BAD. Well-behaved prehistoric pals calmly color, paste, and build, but T-Rex can't seem to get with the program. Blocks topple, scissors fly, and artwork shreds amid Tyrannobully's reign of destruction. Classmates finally band together and ostracize the obstreperous miscreant. No fun! Even little thunder lizards can feel sad and lonely. Bit by bit, step by step, the repentant reptile makes amends and is welcomed back into the fold despite an inadvertent catastrophe. At long last peace prevails in "Dino-topia," or maybe not...

Zachariah Ohora's playful illustrations are boisterously paired with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen's sparse but cleverly rhymed text in Tyrannosaurus Wrecks! Children finding themselves adrift within the hierarchical confusion of classroom politics will take comfort in seeing that even misbehaving dinosaurs can get a second chance.

MightyM

Book Review: The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water

Picnics! Camping! Thunderstorms! Fireworks! Daisy chains! Swimming! These words all conjure up great summer memories! Well...maybe not so much swimming...if you're at all timid of the water.  Some of us take to the water like fish and others have to be coaxed, ever so gently.  And while we may all eventually learn how to swim, we don't all like the sport with the same enthusiasm.  Now crocodiles are born to the water and thrive in that environment. So what about The crocodile who didn't like water? Unlike his brothers and sisters this little crocodile does not like the water. He is really great at climbing trees, but everyone else would rather be in swim club.  He wants to play with his siblings. Afterall he can see they are having a great time splashing about. So he trys very hard to overcome his fear.

Book Review: Breathe by Scott Magoon

     Every so often a picture book crosses my path that I just fall in love with.  Breathe by Scott Magoon is definitely one of those books.  

     Breathe follows a day in the life of a baby white whale.  The book opens with an illustration of the mother whale lifting her baby up to the water's surface for a nice deep breath.  From there the baby whale goes on an exploration of his world where he plays, swims, makes new friends and, most importantly, always remembers to take a few moments to just breathe.  

Bean Bags and Beyond!

For those of you who have been to a storytime at any Pima County Public Library branch, you know that we love bean bags.  We are borderline fanatical about them.  And, so are the kids.  In fact, at Himmel Park Branch, if the storytime doesn't end with the bean bag song, well, you better have some scarves or a parachute to distract the group from the terrible fact that you didn't play the bean bag song.  It can get ugly, believe me.  There has been crying, screaming, and clawing of the face, even. Pure anguish can result, and, let me tell you, combine that with a toddler and you'll have some scary stuff brewing. So, we LOVE the bean bag song.

Where Have You Been?

Have you ever wondered where a cat or a squirrel has been or where a bird flies or a whale sails?  Those are the kind of questions answered in  Where Have You Been? a lesser-known book by legendary children's author Margaret Wise Brown (Good Night Moon).  As you read along you'll learn a bit about each animal's habitat....little bee has been in the pink apple tree, while little mole has been down a long dark hole.  

The simple rhyming stanzas that introduce each animal share the same format, making this an ideal book for interactive storytelling as well as an interesting alternative for children who are learning to read.   The pattern of the repetitive text is so easily replicable that you might find yourself playing the game of thinking up new stanzas for animals not pictured in the story.  And by pointing out the pattern, you'll be helping your child learn about and better understand what a pattern is, an important concept in math, art, and science.  

Be sure to note and enjoy the beautiful and humorous illustrations by husband and wife team Leo and Diane Dillon.   Enjoy!   - Miss Meg

Joone by Emily Kate Moon

Meet Joone, an adorable and quirky five year old who lives with her Grandpa and her turtle, Dr. Chin. Joone shows us what a day in her life looks like, and reminds us to enjoy every minute of ours.

I don't think they make books any cuter than this. Joone, written and illustrated by Emily Kate Moon, is an adorable picture book about the what makes life special - the little things. The illustrations were created in gouche and pencil - and fit the sweetness of this story to a tee.

Enjoy!

~ Roller Derby Librarian

Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover

 With all the tutu-flouncing wannabe princesses flitting through homes and birthday parties, one wonders if daughters everywhere really did get eaten by Cinderella. Aside from instigating an overdue intervention to stem the "pinkpocalypse," there is an another option out there for beleaguered parents. Enter books like Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover.

The eponymous, stuffed, lavender-haired doll does EVERYTHING with her girl, Amelia. Unfortunately, Amelia's dog does not view this friendship with favor. The growling canine stalks after Princess Sparkle-Heart as she attends tea parties, royal weddings, and bubble bath extravaganzas. It's not the dog's fault clumps of stuffing are discovered scattered all over the house (and in between his teeth). After the crying and wailing die down, Mom and Amelia set out to engineer the best makeover ever.

Josh Schneider's Orphan Annie-ish illustrations and timely story transform what could have been "just another princess book" into something every little girl allergic to tulle will treasure for a long, long time.

MightyM

Book Review: Stella's Starliner

If you haven't yet discovered Rosemary Wells, read on.  And if you have, well, read on.  I have been entranced by her many characters over the years including Max, Ruby, Yoko, and Sophie and was recently delighted to discover her newly published picture book, Stella's Starliner.  Stella is a young fox who lives with her mom and dad in a silver house by the side of the road.  Inside the house is tidy and compact with a room for sleeping, a room for being awake, and a kitchen for eating pancakes on Sunday morning. Stella has everything she needs and not a worry in the world. Until the day a band of bullying weasels stop by and say mean things to Stella declaring she is poor and her house is nothing but a tin can.  "Their words stung Stella's heart like the stings of bees."  Being a sensitive fox  she won't tell mama what is bothering her because she doesn't want her to feel the stings too. But wise mama knows and comforts Stella with an imaginative story about the Starliner sailing through the Milky Way and landing on a bright, sunny island.

Book Review: Pom and Pim

      Little Pom and his stuffed toy of indeterminate species, Pim, are off for the day. They are lucky that it is a bright warm day, but as Pom carries Pim along, he trips on a rock and they both fall down.  Bad luck!  Or is it? Because he is on the ground, Pom discovers some money – good luck!  This picture book by Lena and Olaf Landstrom is a clever and preschool-friendly retelling of the old Chinese good luck/bad luck parable. Pom and Pim was originally published in Swedish under the title Pom uch Pim, and it’s kind of fun to think of the blending of different cultures that brought this book together.