Father Fox’s Pennyrhymes is an old picture book, first published in 1971, and one we had in our house when my sisters and I were growing up. I have very fond memories of it and got it for Christmas this year. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t hold up, as it’s been over 40 years since the first publication, but I think that it does. What I remember most fondly about it, the amazing and intricate illustrations are still just as beautiful to an […]
Picture books, helping me get closer to Cannonball
Maxwell The Monkey Barber by Cale Atkinson – Super cute, quick read, catchy refrain, and a smart, caring monkey barber make this title a good addition to your kid’s library. I’m a Lot of Sometimes by Jack Guinan – The subtitle (A Growing-Up Story of Identity) is apt, the art work cheery and entertaining; the story, informative without being too preachy. Definitely fits into the “what the heck are feelings and what do I do with them” genre of picture books that’s essential if you’ve […]
Books I am Giving As Gifts This Year (Picture Book Edition)
So, there’s going to be three parts to this one – Picture books, early readers/middle grade books, and grown-ups. Because books are perfect books forever, for everyone the end. Up first, picture books. Little Blue Truck, Little Blue Truck’s Beep Along Book, Little Blue Truck Leads The Way & Little Blue Truck’s Christmas by Alice Schertle, Illustrated by Jill McElmurry – Do you have a three-year-old boy in your life? If so, chances are that he is obsessed with cars. And trucks. And construction […]
Picture books for little pals
Are You Sleeping Little One by Hans-Christian Schmidt & Cynthia Vance – An adorable bedtime board book to add to your toddler’s collection: The illustrations are cheerful, sweet & simple – even the snake is cute! The baby animals are all given appropriate names (joey, owlet), so there’s some sneaky learning involved, and (because I am the literal worst when it comes to rhyme schemes and needing the meter to be ab.so.lute.ly perfect, and “flamingo” is pushing it a bit too far syllable-wise,) 9/10 points […]
I for one welcome our Robot Overlords
I wish I had more time to read grownup books, but spending 12 hours a day with tiny humans allows no time to focus on books during the day and a habit of falling asleep watching Poirot every night by 9 pm. I do read a ton of picture books though, so… RoboSauce is by the same authors as Dragons Love Tacos, which I also highly recommend. Their writing style is conversational; they address the reader as “kid” and speak directly to her/him. I love […]
Pro-bookworm propaganda
You know I’m all about anything that makes reading seem like the enjoyable pastime we all know it truly is, so Carmen Oliver’s Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies hits my niche dead on. Adelaide has no need for her teacher to assign her a reading buddy; She has brought her own – a bear. Her bear likes to help her pick out good books to read, is a great listener, and curls up to create a comfy space for her to read in. Adelaide’s […]