Taro Gomi: Wiggle and Hide and Seek

Play and reading go hand-in-hand with two new works from Taro Gomi. It's a delight just to have more fun imagery from this master, right?



Wiggle has a clever hole drilled through the entire work. By putting a finger into the hole, the reader can make the cat wiggle its tail, the elephant swing her trunk, and the crocodile flash his fang. Giggles will abound.



Hide and Seek is a first seek and find board book. On the left side of the spread is a question and an object to be found in the right side of the page. Totz will be challenged to find the glove hidden on the rooster, the crocodile hiding a toothbrush, and the turtle hiding a scooter.

Enjoy these two releases originally published in Japan. Your totz will experience the fun of reading.

Wiggle
Hide and Seek
by Taro Gomi
Chronicle Books, 2013

Poetry Friday: Hush, Little Horsie

Happy Poetry Friday! Enjoying Hush, Little Horsie by Jane Yolen and illustrated with the delicate paintings of Ruth Sanderson. Whether on the farm, plain, by the sea, or on the moor, the mother horse is nearby waiting and watching her baby.

Hush, little horsie,
Asleep on the moor.
Your mama is close--
That's what mamas are for.

She'll watch when you play,
And she'll watch when you leap.
And when you are tired,
She'll watch as you sleep.

Best to you as you enjoy poetry with your totz today!

Hush, Little Horsie
by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Ruth Sanderson
Random House, 2013 

Tiny Tab Books: Bunny Boo and Teeny Weeny

Two new releases from Nosy Crow are Bunny Boo Has Lost Her Teddy and Teeny Weeny Looks for His Mommy. These Tiny Tab Books feature tabs to pull, changing the imagery in the cutouts. Teeny Weeny is on the search for his mother, while Bunny Boo needs her bear to go to bed.

The straight-forward text is offset by the tabs which begin as a guessing game and on later readings turn into a memory game. Illustrations are cute, featuring many patterns with a painterly feel. Little fingers will enjoy exploring these two small board books.

Bunny Boo Has Lost Her Teddy
Teeny Weeny Looks for His Mommy
illustrated by Jannie Ho
Nosy Crow, 2013

Poetry Friday: Peek-a Zoo!

Happy Poetry Friday, with a companion to the classic Peek-a Who? Joan and I welcome, Peek-a Zoo!

Peek a MEW!
Peek a KANGAROO!
Peek a COCKATOO!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Nina Laden, for creating this fun for our totz. We love the gouache paintings. So much joy edge to edge in this little gem. Enjoy, everyone!

Peek-a Zoo!
by Nina Laden
Chronicle Books, 2014

Jojo's First Word Book

I'm so excited about the release of Twirl! These are hefty, innovative board books. Think of them as the Cadillacs of the genre. First up for our totz is Jojo's First Word Book by Xavier Deneux. Introducing Jojo and Lulu, brother and sister rabbits who showcase words about themselves, the home, the outside, and animals.

With a handle to carry the book and thick tabs to divide the sections, you'll be amazed at the breadth of this work. Flat shapes, bright colors, and a cheerful script with small embedded stories will keep your totz' attention. The cover is raised with cutouts as are each silhouetted division.

Find Jojo and grow familiar with Twirl. You're going to love them!

Jojo's First Word Book
by Xavier Deneux
Twirl, 2014

Poetry Friday: Odd One Out

The Odd One Out is a retro spotting book by Britta Teckentrup. Released from Big Picture Press, it's regular-size and full of rhymes.

"Hello! Good morning!"
a flock of birds tweet.
As the sun rises,
they're ready to eat.

A yummy bird breakfast
wriggles and squirms --
but which of these birds
has caught the worm?

Enjoy spotting on this Poetry Friday!

The Odd One Out, a spotting book
by Britta Teckentrup
Big Picture Press, 2014

More, more, more: The World of Mamoko in the Year 3000

For the Big Kid in your family, there's a big board book, another entry of Mamoko, but this time the characters are in the year 3000. Your young readers will have fun with over 25 characters who begin with a plot question on the first spread. The book can be read front to back following one animal at a time. Otherwise wordless, your Big Kid becomes the storyteller as he follows the images across futuristic scenes and circumstances.

I can so see this imagery printed on material for clothing and décor. Can't you? Love it!

The World of Mamoko in the Year 3000
by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski
Big Picture Press, 2014

Bedtime and Pottytime for Chickies

These are so cute! With a repeated refrain that sing-songs across the page, these pesky chickies will delight your totz. The padded board books are fun to hold, as well.

In Pottytime for Chickies, the little chicks discover all the alternate uses for the potty while claiming all along they know what the potty is for. They splash, unwind paper, and bounce on the hand towels. They are lovingly reminded and redirected by other barnyard animals that they do know what to do. Success for the chickies comes with a "tinkle, tinkle, tinkle."

In Bedtime for Chickies, they invent excuse upon excuse why they can't go to sleep. They keep the sleepy barnyard awake being thirsty, going potty, and wanting a story. The chickies remind each other to wipe their beaks, wash their wings, and finally to be quiet.

Seriously, you are going to love these chickies!

Bedtime for Chickies
Pottytime for Chickies
by Janee Trasler
HarperFestival, 2014

Poetry Friday: Firefly July

I saw the buzz and eagerly awaited getting a copy of Firefly July, a Year of Very Short Poems. It's as beautiful as it is touted! How lovely to assist a young reader to understand poetry with Melissa Sweet's images. The combination is lovely. From William Carlos Williams and Emily Dickinson to Ralph Fletcher and April Halprin Wayland. Thanks for the collection Paul Janeczko!

In Passing

Open-backed dumpy junktruck
stacked full of old floor-fans,
unplugged, unsteady, undone,
free-whirling like kids' pinwheels
in a last fresh breeze--
What a way to go!

Gerald Jonas

Firefly July, A Year of Very Short Poems
selected by Paul B. Janeczko
illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Candlewick Press, 2014

Heaven, God's Promise for Me: Anne Graham Lotz

Here's an interesting work that will provoke thoughts and discussion. What does Heaven look like? Laura J. Bryant pictures the state for your totz in Anne Graham Lotz' Heaven, God's Promise for Me.

Two children ponder where their dead grandmother has passed to. With words and images springing out of the Bible, they are able to gain peace. Their grandmother has no more pain in Christ's presence. She is safe in the light.

Verses are taken literally and illustrations portray them in the same way. There is liberty taken for what the place may be like in a variety of details, but the image of Christ's face is kept hidden.

Thought provoking with a call to follow Christ, this work has the potential to comfort your totz.

Heaven, God's Promise for Me, Board Book
by Anne Graham Lotz
illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
Zonderkidz, 2014