Poetry Friday: Maisy's First Numbers and Colors

How about a couple little rhymes from Maisy for this Poetry Friday?



"Three spotted butterflies.
Flitter,
flutter,
fly!

Four scaly yellow fish,
swimming on by!"



"Charley's picked bananas,
a big yellow bunch!

Green pears for Cyril,
munch, munch,
munch!"

Maisy's First Numbers
Maisy's First Colors
by Lucy Cousins
Candlewick Press, 2013

Hop, Skip, and Jump, Maisy! Lucy Cousins

It's no secret that I'm a Maisy fan. I like the bold, bright colors and fat black outlines in these books. This is a hardcover book, but it's geared young like all Maisy books, and could easily become a board book. So it seems perfect for readertotz.

The pop-ups enhance the energetic movements here--kicking a ball, touching toes, and jumping rope, among others. The pop-ups move really well and are cute and clever. Although it's not as sturdy as a board book, it should hold up to use.

In the afternoon, Maisy skateboards and skips and jumps rope, like this.
Sidebar: Who else can skip?

Perfect to get your energetic totz going!

Hop, Skip, and Jump, Maisy!
Lucy Cousins
Candlewick Press, 2012

October Picture Book Pick: I'm the Best

We usually title these monthly picks as 'for the older sibling', but this one skews young, so we're going with 'picture book pick' this time. Lucy Cousins has a knack for creating eye-catching, age-appropriate books, and this is one of those. How many times have you heard your totz say: I'm the best? I know I said it a lot when I was a kid, which usually launched a squabble or at least some hurt feelings among my siblings and me. This book begins with:

Hello, I'm Dog, and I'm the best.
These are my friends--Ladybug, Mole, Goose, and Donkey.
I love them.
They're great, but I'm the best.

Uh-oh, I feel a squabble coming on, don't you?
Dog proceeds to point out all the things he can do better than his friends, adding "I win." Double uh-oh. Saying that in my family when we were kids definitely started an argument.

Dog's friends have hurt feelings, and they counter by pointing out they ways in which they are the best. Dog has an epiphany and apologizes. But he's still THE BEST in the end!

Very cute, Lucy Cousins!

I'm the Best
Author-illustrator, Lucy Cousins
Candlewick, 2010

Lucy Cousins: Maisy's Snowy Christmas Eve

This is a simple story with a satisfying plot that's likely to go over well with totz (and me!) As Maisy and a cast of animal characters prepare for Christmas, the question "But Where is Eddie?" is asked over and over. Finally we go look for Eddie and find him buried in snow. The animals help him out--Eddie is an elephant.

That night everyone gathered
around the tree to sing Christmas carols.
And Eddie sang
the loudest of all!

This is a sturdy board book that's 30 pages self-cover, 5" x 5.75" with glittery snow on the cover! I love glitter when it's used well like this.

Maisy's Snowy Christmas Eve
Author-illustrator: Lucy Cousins
Candlewick Press

Lucy Cousins: Maisy's Toys Los juguetes de Maisy

A first introduction to French for totz 18 months and older.
What's in Maisy's toybox? Turns out there's:
la pelota, ball
los bloques, blocks
and more!
A simple, useful book illustrated in the bold black line and bright colors of Lucy Cousins. Other books in this dual-language series include: Maisy's Animals (Los animales de Maisy), Maisy's Clothes (La ropa de Maisy), and Maisy's Food (Los alimentos de Maisy.)

Maisy's Toys Los juguetes de Maisy
Lucy Cousins, author-illustrator
Candlewick Press

Maisy's Fire Engine: Lucy Cousins

My girls and I have always been a huge fan of Lucy Cousins. In fact, I may have to dig out our all time fav to review soon. But, Maisy's Fire Engine recently came to my attention, and I wanted to share it first.

So, yes, boys love books about transportation. Girls may also find an interest in books about vehicles. But why not combine a book about a fire engine with an emotional story? This is exactly what Lucy has done! All totz will be engaged. Best of all, Maisy is at the wheel. Girl power!

As Maisy and Cyril check the fire engine, Little Black Cat is scared and flees to the roof of a nearby house. Through the fire fighters help, there's a rescue and then a fun ride together. All the action occurs in eight full bleed spreads.

With her trademark bright, flat colors and heavy black outlines, Lucy tells a simple compelling story for your readertotz. I'm a great lover of her simple lettering and bold backgrounds.



Inside Story



Check out The Maisy Fun Club for great activities with Maisy!

Maisy's Fire Engine
Lucy Cousins
Candlewick Press, 2002