More, more, more: Most Perfect You

 

What if your mother asked God specifically for each of your physical characteristics? What if she chose your skin color, your spectacular hair, and the exact shape of your sparkling eyes? Jazmyn Simon's Most Perfect You creates that setting for a young girl to accept and love the body she's been given. Including her big, kind heart. 

Tamisha Anthony's imaginative, sweeping illustrations carry us from the child's home into the atmosphere of possibility and back home again. A reader gains an additional appreciation for the multitude of beautiful options through Anthony's beautiful paintings. 

Help your child to look in the mirror and see their most perfect self. Find many to share this picture book with to appreciate the beauty we've each been given. 

Most Perfect You

by Jazmyn Simon

illustrated by Tamisha Anthony

Random House, 2022

I Want to Be...a Ballerina: Becky Davies

Our first readers can dream big, and the I Want to Be series from Random House can help visualize the accomplishment. I Want to be...a Ballerina illustrates and labels the journey of a young girl from getting ready for her first lesson to performing onstage as an adult. Vocabulary is rich and identifies clothing, steps, and parts of the studio and stage. 

Text is tight and Richard Merritt's flat, colorful illustrations pop but don't overwhelm. They carry the information in a creative way, even turning the layout for impact. 

You can help your own first reader into ballet with this board book. Whether a career ensues or not, they can dance with joy. 

For your teen readers, I, of course, recommend my own novel, On Pointe. 

I Want to Be...a Ballerina

by Becky Davies

illustrated by Richard Merritt

Random House, Little Tiger Press Ltd 2022 

What is Fall? Genie Espinosa

 

What is Fall? gives a cut-out, shaped experience of the season nearly upon us. 

"The days are shorter. Summer is done.

Now FALL is here....

Let's have

SOME FUN!"

Rhymes continue to accompany author/illustrator Genie Espinosa's rounded illustrations created with a soft fall palette. You might need a scarf, or want an apple, or enjoy a bright sunflower this season. Readertotz can explore the cut shapes, be introduced to autumn, and anticipate the coming rhyme. This is a delightful addition to season books for first readers. 

What is Fall?

by Genie Espinosa

Random House, 2021

Unicorn's School Day: Lucy Golden

 

Unicorn's School Day is a fun burst of color and shapes from illustrator Sophie Beer. Author Lucy Golden's text takes Unicorn off to her lessons with friends and Ms. Llama. 

Spinning the wheels on each page will bring silly solutions. What does Unicorn paint, play with, or eat for lunch? Your first reader can decide and be introduced to the corresponding words. Which option is a number, which qualifies as a fruit or flower, and which can be flown? Giggles will be shared. 

The book concludes with the sparkly mural the students have created together. You can also look for Unicorn's Birthday. Let the party begin!

Unicorn's School Day

by Lucy Golden

illustrated by Sophie Beer

Random House, 2021

More more more: Sunny Day, A Celebration of the Sesame Street Theme Song

How has this not been created before? The Sesame Street song begs to be illustrated as a picture book. So how about eighteen illustrators sharing their views? Perfect? Yes! The diversity of imagery and artists allow this imaginary street, and the journey to it, to come alive in one more format. Permission to imagine your own setting is given by the multiplicity of illustrators. 

Be sure to peak under the dust jacket to see the illustration wrapping the cover. Roger Bradfield illustrated for Sesame Street in the 1970s and the style takes me back to my Sesame Street. Also included on the title page is an illustration from Joe Mathieu who has been illustrating Sesame Street books since 1971. 

So, celebrate Sesame Street with this treasure. Find your way with your child. With thanks to the illustrators, the music and lyrics by Joe Raposo and two other lyricists: Bruce Hart and Jon R. Stone. Enjoy your Sunny Day!

Sunny Day, a Celebration of Sesame Street

by Joe Raposo, Bruce Hart, and Jon R. Stone

illustrations by various illustrators 

Random House, 2019

Heads up! This picture book will be released in board book format, September 2021. Woohoo!

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight: Penny Parker Klostermann

Rather than an Old Lady and a Fly, how about an Old Dragon and a Knight? Penny Parker Klostermann's work is a delight, full of surprise and fun solutions. Ben Mantle's illustrations add to the hilarity. 

"With all of that water, he started to bloat.

And that's when the dragon roared and I quote:

'Okay, enough! I have had enough--

More than enough of this swallowing stuff!

Maybe I've been a tad impolite.

Perchance I should only have swallowed the knight.'" 

Find this adorable twist and enjoy each and every page. 

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

by Penny Parker Klostermann

illustrated by Ben Mantle

Random House

Dr. Seuss's Spring Things: Tom Brannon

Random House is releasing three works featuring Dr. Seuss's Thing One and Thing Two:

1. Spring Things
2. Spooky Things
3. Lovey Things

Appropriately, the text is tight and suitable for the board book format.

"Things with ducklings.
Things with chicks.
Things with bunnies doing tricks."

Simplified settings before broad washes of color make the Things and what they are showcasing pop for the first reader. Showers, flowers, mud, and butterflies all are faithfully rendered in Seuss' style by Tom Brannon.

Here's an excellent way to introduce your readertotz to Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss's Spring Things
illustrated by Tom Brannon
Random House, 2020

Leo Lionni's Friends: First Board Books

You can introduce your totz to our beloved Leo Lionni with these board books, inspired by his body of work. Whether celebrating spring or introducing the alphabet, Leo's adorable mice will be loved by first readers. Adults will enjoy the references back to earlier books.

Spring, I know you're
here when I hear the
BUZZ of the bees in the meadow...
(From A Little Book About Spring)

W is for wide wall.
X is for x-tra special surprise.
(From A Little Book About ABCs)

Welcome your totz to the world with Leo's little mice. They help us to see, learn, and celebrate!

A Little Book About Spring
A Little Book About ABCs
illustrated by Leo Lionni and Julie Hamilton
Random House, 2019

Poetry Friday: Wake Up, Color Pup

Wake Up, Color Pup is a gleeful, energetic look at dawn for a little white puppy. Bouncing with rhyme, the pup bounds outside into yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, and green. He meets little animals, insects, and a fish along the way as he follows a bird. The colors collect on his coat, until:

Drip,
drop,
spatter.
Bark!

The rain falls, and all pup's color is washed away. He shivers in the dark gray until finding all the colors in a puddle. With a roll and a shake, the world is awake again with color.

Here is a beautiful introduction and celebration of colorful life. Happy Poetry Friday!

Wake Up, Color Pup
by Taia Morley
Random House Children's Books, 2019

Open the Garage Door: Christopher Santoro

Here is a lift-the-flap which brings a freshness to the vehicle board book. A car is in the garage; a police car is behind a shrub, and a tractor is in the barn. Aside from doors, clever devices are used, like the shrub, to hide other modes of transportation: a tarp covers a motorcycle, a school bus is beyond the curtained window, and a race flag covers the winner.

Start your engines and open the 11 flaps with your readertotz.

Open the Garage Door...
illustrated by Christopher Santoro
Random House, 2019

Poetry Friday: Where Do Diggers Celebrate Christmas?

For your construction worker and transportation enthusiastic totz, there's Where Do Diggers Celebrate Christmas? for the season. Diggers, cherry pickers, tanker trucks and more get into their holiday spirit.

"Where do Zambonis spend Christmas
after all the ice is clear?
Do they skate across a frozen lake,
spreading Christmas cheer?"

A white mouse takes the reader through Brianna Caplan Sayres rocking rhyme and Christian Slade's cheerful illustrations. Happy Christmas Poetry Friday!

Where Do Diggers Celebrate Christmas?
by Brianna Caplan Sayres
illustrated by Christian Slade
Random House, 2018

Poetry Friday: Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?

Happy Poetry Friday to you and your totz! Enjoy this singsong board board of air transport quieting down for the night.

Where do skywriting planes sleep
after writing way up high?
Do moms read them bedtime stories
that are written in the sky?

Where do hot-air balloons sleep
after flames have made them rise?
Do they float off into dreamland
as the sunset fills the skies?

Beautiful, yes?

Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?
by Brianna Caplan Sayres
illustrated by Christian Slade
Random House, 2018

Dr. Seuss's You are Kind

Who better to affirm a child's personhood and one's kindness than Horton the Elephant? Random House has released a small book titled, Dr. Seuss's You are Kind. Horton exemplifies friendship through his previous illustrations in Dr. Seuss books. He listens, helps with problems, and stands up for what is right.

"You teach EVERYONE MATTERS."

This is the perfect nugget of truth for your readertotz in today's atmosphere. Show them Horton who never gives up.

Dr. Seuss's You are Kind
Random House, 2018
Seussville.com

Just a Duck? by Carin Bramsen

Now a rhyming board book Just a Duck? tackles acceptance of who we are with our own strengths and limits. Duck wants to be a cat, yet he isn't able to climb and keep up with his friend Cat. When the latter finds himself in deep water, Duck is able to help with duck abilities.

Illustrations include double and single spreads, along with comic frames on two pages to show passing time and movement. Both creatures emote through facial expressions and big gestures.

There is much to discuss with first readers from this cheerful, accepting work.

Just a Duck? Duck and Cat! Series
Carin Bramsen
Random House, 2018

Dr. Seuss's 100 First Words: Jan Gerardi

How does this book not exist already? Well, it does, but it is spread out through Dr. Seuss' collection of works. Here now are 100 words illustrated by Jan Gerardi in Dr. Seuss' style. Grouped in categories and introduced by cats in hats, A, B, and C, first readers may learn and be entertained, simultaneously.

There are Wild Animals and Farm Animals, Outside and Home, Clothes and Pets included. The board book is large, so the entries do not feel compressed. I find it particularly fun to recognize familiar characters: Red Fish, Blue Fish, Yertle, and more.

Blocks of color frame the featured illustrated words. White portions hold the iconic font. Enjoy this introduction to the Dr.!

Dr. Seuss's 100 First Words
illustrated by Jan Gerardi
Random House, 2018

Hello World! Jill McDonald

Jill McDonald, author/illustrator, offers up a nonfiction series, Hello World! Whether your readertot is ready for dinosaurs, weather information, birds, the body, or the solar system, Jill delivers age-appropriate content. Her appealing, youthful illustrations appear to be cut and torn paper. Large text for the youngest reader and smaller text for the older, the books will sustain as your tot grows.

Introduce your readertotz to their world. There's so much to see and learn. Hello World! is a first step in discovery.

Hello, World!
Dinosaurs
My Body
by Jill McDonald
Doubleday, 2018

I'm Silly! I'm Scared: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

So much joy in introducing feelings to your totz with My First Comics from sister/brother team: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm.

Tizzy Tornado is, of course, silly. But how often can one end up being too silly and cause damage? I'm Silly! helps wee ones to see levels of silly and what is enjoyable to others.

Chilly the snowflake is scared. Sometimes without even knowing why. With brave effort, Chilly finds fun beyond fear.

Comics graphics and panels are approachable and offer nudges into reading. Look for this series which also includes I'm Sunny! and I'm Grumpy. So many feels!

I'm Silly!
I'm Scared
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Random House, 2017

Love You, Hug You, Read to You! Tish Rabe

How about prompting questions for you to ask your totz below the board book text?

What is Little Bunny holding?
Who is sitting with Little Bunny?
What did they all do today?

On each spread, Random House and author Tish Rabe provide further interactions to accompany Frank Endersby's pencil and watercolor paintings. All bears the message:

There are three things I'll always do...
love you,
hug you,
read to you!

What do you think? Are the additional questions helpful? Of course the work can be read straight through without pause. Different totz and readers will approach the book differently. As long as we all continue to read together daily!

Love You, Hug You, Read to You!
by Tish Rabe
illustrated by Frank Endersby
Random House

I'm a Monster Truck: Dennis R. Shealy

I'm back from my trip to the Middle East, and one of the first things I heard is that there's a readertot who likes monster trucks. "Do you have a book on them you could recommend?" Well, I do!

I'm a Monster Truck by Dennis R. Shealy just came to my attention.

"I smash!
I bash!
CRASH!
I love the sound
of breaking glass!
'Cause I'm a...
MONSTER TRUCK!"

Bob Staake's zany graphic imagery is perfect to capture the atmosphere of a monster truck event. Between Shealy's text and Staake's illustration, your totz will feel as if they are in the stands. Sure to be a hit with lovers of locomotion, look for I'm a Monster Truck.

I'm a Monster Truck
by Dennis R. Shealy
illustrated by Bob Staake
Random House, 2011, 2016

Poetry Friday: What Pet Should I Get?

Happy Poetry Friday! It's time to "Make up your mind," with two totz, the boy and girl from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, trying to decide which pet to take home. How lovely to have one more Dr. Seuss book to treasure with back matter to explain context. Enjoy!

"Dad said we could have one.
Dad said he would pay.
I went to the Pet Shop.
I went there with Kay.

And so we went in..."

What Pet Should I Get?
by Dr. Seuss
Random House, 2015