May Pick for the Older Sibling: The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

It is incredible. The duckling gets a cookie just by asking for it. Politely, of course. The older siblings of your totz are going to smile, giggle, and laugh at the pigeon, who is once again incredulous over the way the world works.

As I always say, Mo is the master. While his body of works grows, I'm continually amazed and thankful he is a voice in children's literature.

Enjoy The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? Then, with your family, bake a batch. With and without nuts.


The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
by Mo Willems
Hyperion Book, 2012

The Little Gardener: Jan Gerardi

Now that Memorial Day has passed, it's safe to get the garden in, here in the Pacific Northwest. As everyone plants their seeds across the country, look for The Little Gardener by Jan Gerardi for your totz.

This simple lift-the-flap will get you ready to garden.

"Shovel.
Pail.
Rake.
Hoe.
Tiny seeds in a row."

Included are the ideas to compost and deter insects without chemicals. The board book is part of the Teenie Greenies series, printed on 80% recycled paper with soy ink and water-based varnish. The flat illustrations with lovely textures are precise and clean in The Little Gardener. Pick this little work up and then get that wheelbarrow rolling!

The Little Gardener
by Jan Gerardi
Random House, 2012

Poetry Friday: Snug, by Carol Thompson

Child's Play isn't as widely known here, but I love their contributions that make their way to the US from England. Snug is perfect for Poetry Friday. The format is large with stiff paper and ADORABLE illustrations from Carol Thompson. I love the free, sketched line-work, paper textures, and fluid color. Here's a snippet to enjoy today:

"As snug as a bug
in a very old rug,
Snug as a mole
in his underground hole.
Snug is a bulb deep under snow,
Snug is the earthworm curled up below."

Snug
by Carol Thompson
Child's Play, 2011

Playtime: Maureen Roffey

What a clever novelty board book! (It's not a true board book, but the pages are sturdy enough for totz.) Each page explores a playtime activity and has a pull-down tab that transforms the picture.  A ballerina points her toes, a child reads a book, another skips rope.

The text is simple:

I'm a ballerina.
I can point my toes.

Each spread explores a playtime activity. One of my favorites shows a girl painting a "big hairy spider" which began as a green dot.

A unique book that totz will enjoy, playtime or not!

Playtime
Author/Illustrator: Maureen Roffey
Bloomsbury, 2010

Photo Friday: Reading Totz

As an author, it's such a gift to receive a photo of a reader enjoying your work. Here's today's Photo Friday of the dearest tot reading Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish. The crab shirt couldn't be better!

Enjoy those snapshots or your totz reading today, whether you capture them with a camera or your mind. They are precious.

A Nest in Springtime: Belle Yang

How about introducing your totz to spring, summer, counting, colors, flowers, English, and Mandarin? Author/illustrator Belle Yang delivers all of this in A Nest in Springtime and Summertime Rainbow. Two geese have babies and a family of rabbits go for a walk in summer.

With English on the right hand side and Mandarin characters on the left of the spread, seasonal stories are told. Pinyin pronunciations are provided at the conclusion of the works as well.

Belle's gouache illustrations are vibrant with movement. They read as fresh and direct in our digital age.

Have some fun with these titles with your totz. Mandarin is so beautiful!

A Nest in Springtime, A Bilingual Book of Numbers
Summertime Rainbow, A Bilingual Book of Colors 
by Belle Yang
Candlewick Press

Poetry Friday: Dragon, Robot, Gator Bunny

I have a perfect suggestion for Poetry Friday this week: Dragon, Robot, Gator Bunny, presented by Calef Brown. Picture a drawing pad full of suggestions for doodles, AND rhymes and stickers are included. It's just an all around fun, interactive, inspiring book. Look for it from Chronicle.

"Bugs that walk and bugs that fly.
I drew these. Now you try."

Dragon, Robot, Gator Bunny
presented by Calef Brown
Chronicle Books, May 2012

Hello, Dinosaur!

Scholastic has combined a board book and finger puppets into one with Hello, Dinosaurs! The small board book is permanently affixed to the palm of a plush glove, which sports one dino puppet on each finger. The glove fits a left hand, so you can turn the pages of the book with your right.

Red dinosaur loves to fly.

Orange dinosaur stretches to the sky.

I think this is a unique and engaging way to teach colors, plus it's fun for parentz and totz!

 

Hello, Dinosaur!

Scholastic, 2009

Poetry Friday: Around the Block with Sesame Street

Happy Poetry Friday! Sing with Elmo, totz!

April: Around the Block with Sesame Street

One of my favorites! I'm sure Joan loves these cats and dolls as much as me. Enjoy, totz! One, two...

I Love You, Little Bear: Scholastic

Isn't there just something so sweet about straight forward texture books? Add images of plush bears, a squirrel,  and a fish and the "ah factor" is guaranteed. I Love You, Little Bear delivers with the dearest collage, textures, and photos along with a simple rhyming text.

"Little Bear, Little Bear,
look up high.
Hello,
says Bird in the sky."

Find more about the bears at www.woudours.com and www.ebulobo.com.

I Love You, Little Bear
Scholastic, 2012

Poetry Friday: An Awesome Book

Encourage your totz to dream with An Awesome Book. The illustrations will captivate you for hours. Happy Poetry Friday!

"Please dream for those
who've given up
for those who've
never tried
Please use your dreams
to make new dreams
for all the dreams
that died"

An Awesome Book
by Dallas Clayton
Harper

Giraffes Can't Dance: Giles Andreae

How about a rhyming board book to illustrate that everyone can dance? Even a giraffe? That's exactly what Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees offer in Giraffes Can't Dance.



As all the animals turn out for the Jungle Dance, the giraffe is mocked for being clumsy and a silly fool. But when the giraffe departs and comes across the cricket, the former listens to the latter:

"Listen to the swaying
grass and listen to the trees.
To me the sweetest music is
those branches in the breeze."

Gerald the giraffe breaks into a dance that everyone can appreciate. "We can all dance," he said, "when we find music that we love."

Add this reprint, now in board book format from Cartwheel Books, to your totz' library and kick up your heels together.

Giraffes Can't Dance
by Giles Andreae
illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees
Cartwheel Books, Scholastic

Poetry Friday: Demolition

Here's an awesome book for Poetry Friday. Get ready to demolish!

"Swing the ball. Swing the ball.
Thump and smash and whack.
Bring the top floors tumbling down.
Bang! Clang!
Crack!"

Brian Lovelock's spattered ink illustrations set the tone for Sally Sutton's poetry. Super fun, right?

Demolition 
by Sally Sutton
illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Candlewick Press

Link of Awesome: FindTheData

It's a joy to share Links of Awesome. I encourage you to check out FindTheData. Click here to see the library comparison. What a cool tool! The site provides unbiased data-driven  comparisons. Definitely check them out. There are a billion things to compare even beyond libraries, right? So many things for your totz...

First Time Series: Hospital, Vet

Child's Play just gets it so right. Today I recommend their series, First Time. Included are: Doctor, Dentist, Hospital, Vet, Baby Sitter, Sleepover, Nursery, and Big Day Out.



The stiff paper books are illustrated by Jess Stockham, who has taken the care to portray these new experiences without fear. There's a real honesty in this series which will benefit your totz on multiple levels.

Following several children through each experience, a number of situations are covered to offer familiarity and comfort. In Hospital, one child is having a cast put on, while another has surgery. In Vet, children bring in their various animals. Here is an example of appropriate forthrightness when the boy brings his sick rat to the vet:

"She's quite unwell. She has a lump on her side. (child)
I'm afraid she might not live much longer." (vet)

How helpful to open discussions. Overall, the series remains positive and appealing. It will answer questions your totz may have before their first time visits.

First Time Vet
First Time Hospital
illustrated by Jess Stockham
Child's Play

Poetry Friday: Water Sings Blue

Happy Poetry Month and happy Poetry Friday! What a perfect day to read Water Sings Blue.



Well-crafted, insightful fun poems are joined with Meilo So's free-spirited watercolors. A great match!

Jellyfish

Deep water shimmers.
    A wind-shape passes,
kimono trailing.

Water Sings Blue, Ocean Poems
by Kate Coombs
illustrated by Meilo So
Chronicle Books, 2012

April Community Service: Rock the Drop, 2012

Grab your totz' little hand and run to leave a young adult book in a public gathering place! Right now!

 

How are you rocking the drop? Which book are you leaving for another to find? Post your photo at the readergirlz facebook page and tweet #rockthedrop. It's a perfect day to share your love of YA lit!

If you discover a book left in a public gathering place, nab it and tweet your fabbity find.


Your totz will love this act of kindness.

April Pick For the Older Sibling: Paul Thurlby's Alphabet

Begun as a project to keep himself busy at the start of the recession, Paul Thurlby delivers his rendition of the alphabet. His goal was to join the object featured with the specified letter. Each letter can be found online, where he uploaded them upon completion. Thankfully, an agent discovered Paul and Templar Books brought this collection to life, both book and included poster.

The retro-modern style will appeal to all readers in the family. The imagery stimulates me to create. How about you?





Paul Thurlby's Alphabet
by Paul Thurlby
Templar Books, 2011

Sushi Touch and Feel Stroller Cards

Let's go to the youngest reader format. How about stroller cards? And some sushi? Seriously! There cute cards from Chronicle introduce babies to sushi with assisting touch and feel textures. Sticky rice and crinkly seaweed are included, of course.

I was charmed by this little set, with text labels on the back of each of the ten cards. Snap these onto your diaper bag or stroller for your totz. Before you know it, you may be headed for sushi for lunch...

Sushi Touch and Feel Stroller Cards
Chronicle Books, April 2012