Eat Up, Bear! Terry Pierce

We can share our spaces. Eat Up, Bear! describes how people and bears can coexist. Campers can latch their boxes, hikers can pack their food out, coolers can be locked, and folks can throw away their trash. The repeating refrain is fun and catchy:

"There, there. Eat up, bear!

Good bear food is everywhere."

Teach your first readers good outdoor behavior as they learn to share their spaces with wildlife. Support Yosemite Conservancy with this upcoming, helpful title. 

Eat Up, Bear!

by Terry Pierce

illustrated by Nadja Sarell

Yosemite Conservancy, April 2021

More, more, more: My First Day

There's so much beauty in this upcoming picture book. My First Day takes the reader down the Mekong Delta to school as a Vietnamese boy paddles alone through the waters. Similarities and differences of experiences blend in the common feelings shared for walking or boating through firsts. How can you not marvel at this hero's journey through rain, forests, and waves? 

The cover possesses the soar into the the future, but I find it doesn't fully capture the richness of other illustrations. The interior holds a stunning light you don't want to miss. This is a top pick from publisher Make Me a World, and the author and illustrator team Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien. Brilliant! 

My First Day

written and illustrated by 

Phung Nguyen Quang

and Huynh Kim Lien

Make Me a World, February 16, 2021

Baby Raccoon, Finger Puppet Book: Yu-Hsuan Huang

 

There's an absolute zoo of these titles available for your readertotz. The series is from Chronicle Books, and illustrations are by Yu-Hsuan Huang. They are adorable and sturdy and with soft faces of the featured animal. Nonfiction facts accompany the puppet and illustrations.

"When Baby Raccoon and his family have a meal,

they wash their food in the stream.

When Baby Racoon plays,

he romps and rolls with his sister."

You can introduce your first readers to wildlife with this fun series. Expect puppet hugs and kisses.

Baby Raccoon, a Finger Puppet Book

illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang

Chronicle Books 

Richard Scarry's Good Morning, Busytown!

 

Why not introduce your first readers to Richard Scarry's Busytown? You can now do that easily with the Good Morning, Busytown! board book, available January 6, 2021. All the familiar characters are running around town: Huckle Cat, Firefighter Smokey, Lowly Worm, and more.

Pages feature the residents depicted on the tabs. Join Huckle Cat and Lowly as they make their way across town to school, giving and receiving greetings along the way.

"Good morning, Postman Pig!"

says Huckle.

"Why, good morning, Huckle!"

says Postman Pig. "Have a

wonderful day!"

Take a visit to Richard Scarry's Busytown! There's so much to explore. 

Richard Scarry's Good Morning, Busytown!

by the Richard Scarry Corporation AG

Golden Books, 2021

More, more, more: Lilah Tov Good Night: Ben Gundersheimer

 

This precious book is not to be missed. The main character is saying good night to all around her after a "long and beautiful day." 

"Lilah Tov to the roosters and hens

Lilah Tov to the bears in their dens"

The depth of the work is in the secondary story, or actually the main story. The family is leaving their home in the night and traveling on foot to a new land. She says good night to the creatures she passes, the beach, and the waves. She speaks to the stars at sea, and the fish. Finally, reaching land, the journey continues until she is in a new home. There she snuggles down and wishes the reader, and all, a good night. The family menorah has traveled the distance from one window to another.

Brilliant beauty. The art was done in pencil and digitally rendered. Noar Lee Naggan's paintings are luminous. The best of the best from publisher Nancy Paulsen, as usual. 

Lilah Tov Good Night

by Ben Gundersheimer

illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan

Nancy Paulsen Books

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Sandra Magsamen

Here's a tiny tale from the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Shortened for first readers, Sandra Magsamen's work, which is illustrated to look like stitched cloth pieces, illustrates phrases from the quiet mouse to the reindeer pulling Santa through the sky, the night before Christmas. 

"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,

everyone was quiet, including the mouse! 

Join this little community of animals ready to celebrate Christmas!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas!

by Sandra Magsamen

Scholastic

Music: Jill McDonald

Here's another title in the Hello, World! series. Music by Jill McDonald is the best of nonfiction for your readertotz. You can introduce musical instruments with what resembles cut paper illustrations. Large sound words accompany main text entries and smaller printed facts. 

"HOOT!

A harmonica is small enough to fit in your pocket.

You make a sound by breathing in or out through the holes. 

*A harmonica is sometimes called a mouth organ or a blues harp."

Familiarize your first reader with the instruments and consider which to try first!

Music

Hello, World!

by Jill McDonald

Doubleday 

Christmas Cheer: Ingela P. Arrhenius

How about a Bookscape Board Book for the holidays? Christmas Cheer brings a little scene of the holiday to your readertotz. 

"Christmas cheer is everywhere.

Inside, gingerbread cookies are decorated.

Outside, snowmen are built."

The charm of the work is the soft palette of shaped pages. Big-eyed characters celebrate the season together. Happy holidays to all!

Christmas Cheer 

a Bookscape Board Book

by Ingela P. Arrhenius

Chronicle Books, 2020

More, more, more: Sound, Shhh...Bang...POP...BOOM!

For the older siblings of your readertotz, look for the picture book, Sound, Shhh...Bang...Pop...Boom! With nearly dayglo colors, the sound vibrates straight out of this fascinating book. Graphic flat overlays of color create our auditory world. 

Within the main text, such as:

"In the sea of known and unknown sounds,

we look for order and harmony. This is how music is born."

there is small text which labels images: organ, accordion, French horn. Further info is delivered, as well:

"Even vegetables can serve as great musical instruments. A band called The Vegetable Orchestra plays music on vegetables and then makes soup out of them." 

This BolognaRagazzi Award winner, for best nonfiction in 2018, isn't confined to musical instruments. It explores city sounds, language, animals, people of sound, and people who speak in silence. The work is brilliant. Appreciate sound and then the lack of it. 

Sound, Shhh...Bang...POP...BOOM!

by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv 

translated by Vitaly Chernetsky

A Handprint Book

Tiptop Totz' Toys: Suzy Ultman and Taro Gomi

Chronicle Books has fun for you and your totz. Two items will encourage reading the authors' books, while readertotz play and learn. 

The first is Masha and Her Friends, a Wooden Nesting Doll Puzzle. I've adored Suzy Ultman's board book, Masha and Her Sisters. This puzzle is a natural follow up. Whether little hands reposition the double-sided, graduated pieces or display them in the notched slots, there's imagination to be inspired. Wood toy lovers will be delighted by this version of Masha. 

Taro Gomi's Play Anything Cards are a handy source for card playing enjoyment. An original group of characters fill the cards; yet, wee ones will likely recognize Gomi's distinctive illustration. They might reach for his My Friends to read after the game. 

Happy playing and reading! 

Taro Gomi's Play Anything Playing Cards

Masha and her Friends, Wooden Nesting Doll Puzzle

Chronicle Books

build!: Xavier Deneux

Readertotz touch and learn as they read this board book of puzzles titled build! While a man and woman build a house together, each left side of the spread offers one or more removable puzzle pieces to be placed on the right side. Bricks, a roof, a door and more must be delivered correctly. Xavier Deneux's sparse, hard-edged shapes are a compliment to the concept of the book. 

"We'll need a solid foundation.

A bulldozer will make our work so much easier!"

build! is A Handprint Book to read and play with. Watch your totz build a house with two adorable characters. 

build!

by Xavier Deneux

touch think learn

A Handprint Book

For the Older Sibs: Wonder Women, a Bingo Game

Looking for another activity to round out the homeschooling Covid day? Wonder Women, a Bingo Game is a fun, educational resource. Illustrated by Laura Bernard, released by Magma for Laurence King, Isabel Thomas provides text for each woman featured. 

The featured women include Annie Leibovitz, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Yayoi Kusama. Here's a portion of the entry for Jacinda Ardern:

"Jacinda became involved in politics as a teenager and began campaigning for a kinder and fairer world. She became an MP in the New Zealand parliament at 28 and Prime Minister of New Zealand at 37-its youngest leader for 150 years."

And then you know how bingo rolls. Get your card and select your caller. It's time for B-I-N-G-O!

Wonder Women, a Bingo Game

by Isabel Thomas

illustrated by Laura Bernard

Magma, for Laurence King

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

Piece It Together: Owl Aboard!

 As we sit at home together, how about a family puzzle? With large pieces for your totz and smaller pieces for older folks, you can create a story together. Piece It Together, Family Puzzle, Owl Aboard! is available from Chronicle on November 10th. The work is illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan and Petra Hollander. Here's one more way to bond in the midst of our times. One piece at a time. Stay safe, all! 

A Little Zodiac Book Series: Daria Harper

For those with a love of the stars, Chronicle has released A Little Zodiac Book series. Daria Harper's text walks first readers through the traits of the featured zodiac. Observations are tot specific and relatable. Each book begins with the corresponding refrain:

"Hello, baby Taurus,

Who will you be?

Let's look at the stars.

What do you see?"

The nightscape out the nursery window features the associated star pattern. Rhymes continue.

"Only life's finest

will do for you.

The softest of blankets,

the nicest shampoo."

Anna Hurley's simple, graphic shapes and consistent palette unify the collection, beautifully. If you appreciate astrology, these will shine on your readertotz' shelf. The full collection is available. Here are links to three. 

Baby Taurus

Baby Gemini

Baby Aries

by Daria Harper

illustrated by Anna Hurley

Chronicle Books, 2020

Happy Hair: Mechal Renee Roe

Beautiful black hair is celebrated in Happy Hair, written and illustrated by Mechal Renee Roe. Cool curls, a fab fro, or bangin' bantu are some of the ways to show you love being you. 

"Pom-Pom puffs, pretty & stuff! I love being me!"

"Blowout! So much hair, everywhere! I love being me!"

How will your readertotz style their curls today? Cool Cuts is a companion work also available in board book form in 2021. Be inspired with your wee ones as you read this self-affirming delightful board book together. 

Happy Hair

Cool Cuts

written and illustrated by Mechal Renee Roe

Doubleday, 2020

Satirical Open Board Book: WHAT HURTS EVERYONE

 For those blue voters and the undecided, I've created an Open Board Book over at On Point. You can see and share the full text and imagery of WHAT HURTS EVERYONE as you prepare to #Vote! 

Take care in this season of difficulty and change! 

Happy Book Birthday: I Say a Little Prayer for You at Bedtime

 

And she's born today! As the author, I'm so happy to share this lullaby of peace with our first readers. I hope I Say a Little Prayer for You at Bedtime calms spirits and comforts as each settles down to sleep. 

I actually wrote the work in the middle of the night, and it was during our collective mourning following the passing of the great Aretha Franklin. I will always hear her sing the title of this work, set by my delightful editor, Celia Lee. 

Olivia Chin Mueller's soft illustrations of falling night create a perfect tone for the text. Her detailed strokes sweep across the imagery. 

"Little ones curl up and rest, bless each home and tiny nest." 

Whether you are curling up to sleep or "still zooming 'round," may this work find you and yours full of peace. 

(The bear in the photo I received from my father on the day I was born. She's about to turn 56!)

I Say a Little Prayer for You at Bedtime

by Lorie Ann Grover

illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Scholastic, Little Shepherd, September 1, 2020

More, more, more: Heart on Pluto

The heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio of Pluto is the focus of this picture book for the older siblings of your readertotz. Joining New Horizons, we travel across the solar system to reach our beloved dwarf planet. There, nitrogen ice warms and vaporizes day and night like a beating heart. 

Karl Jones' text is straight forward while Andrew J. Ross's illustrations soundly resonated with me. There is such tenderness given to the imagery and scratchy font.  

All of the symbols within the picture book work together to comfort. From our smallest planet, to a long journey to find love, to messages of love sent and received over long distances, young readers might find solace in our current isolation from Covid 19. Celebrate Pluto and our love for each other through this beautiful work. 

Pluto's Heart

by Karl Jones

illustrated by Andrew J. Ross

Penguin Workshop 2020

Little Muir's Night: John Muir

I'm happy to recommend Little Muir's Night, illustrated by Susie Ghahremani, for your readertotz. In John Muir's words, if the world is seen as a dewdrop, the universe can be perceived "as an infinite storm of beauty." 

As the sun sets, the owl draws in the night. First readers will enjoy spotting the creatures of Yosemite National Park from the bats to the bear. The work, along with the companion, Little Muir's Song, will support the park itself. 

As John said, "Let children walk with nature." In our isolation during Covid 19, may you and yours find time to do so. 

Little Muir's Night

by John Muir

illustrated by Susie Ghahremani

Yosemite Conservancy, August 11, 2020