Won Ton by Lee Wardlaw, ill. Eugene Yelchin Henry Holt & Co., (2011)

 

This Haiku tale follows a bony little kitty-cat from the shelter to his new home. He's as suspicious of his new surroundings as he is excited about them. 

Told from Won Ton's perspective we watch him resist everything new...his bed, his food and even his new name.  He's a bit snarky which I love and even a bit tougher than he needs to be, but ultimately we get to see the big softy that he is. My favorite moment is of course is his moment of surrender when he and his new owner lay belly to belly. It makes me smile just thinking about it!

A bony kitty

At first resists his new home

Then makes it his home.

Sixteen Cows by Lisa Wheeler, Harcourt Inc. (2002)

 

Kids love cows. That milk-making farm animal is so instantly recognizable by the tiniest of kiddies that they are quite beloved. Plus, everyone can moo.

Anyway, this story, about two singing cattle ranchers whose herds accidentally get all mixed up by a tornado, forces a seemingly predestined meeting between Cowboy Gene and Cowgirl Sue. They fall in love, marry and permanently blend their moo-d. I mean, brood!

But what makes this very simple story so brilliant is the rhythm of the rhyme. It's perfect sing-song rhythm makes the story easy and fun to read three times in a row or 50.

What's more is I've overheard my kid reciting the cows' names to herself. So, it's clearly impressed her in all the right ways. And, of course, as with all rhyming books, I make the kid complete the rhyme herself.

You may know this already, but they really can do it. Shoot. I didn't know. Now I do. And, I like it.

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs Missing Treasure! by Giles Andreae, Margaret K. McElderry Books (2008)

 

We all love Giles Andreaede and his brilliant Captain Flinn adventure series. This was our first of the collection. No rhyming here, just so well written that my daughter fell hard for it from the age of two. Cap'n Flinn and friends enter a hidden door at the museum and tumble down into a world of pirates, dinosaurs and treasure maps! They free hostages, battle dinosaurs and safely return missing treasure all in an afternoon. 

No brainer for Cap'n Flinn and Mr. Andreae. It  is a pleasure to read and reread. Even a year and a half later it remains a favorite. Plus, I learned how to say Giganotasauras. Try it! You'll feel so smart! But, I know you already are.

Can You Make A Scary Face by Jan Thomas, Beach Lane Books (2009)

 

 BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT!

Huge surprise! The cover art appealed to me though I didn't care for the title. It didn't sound like enough of a story and I certainly didn't expect the reaction that came from my 3 1/2 year old.  As we lay in bed reading she ripped off the covers, jumped up and responded with glee to every command. "Stand up," "Sit down," etc. Perplexing.

What's great is that it's easy to remember, so anytime, anywhere you can "play" the book...at the airport, at Thanksgiving, at the doctor's office. Get other kids involved, parents, random passersby...make it a worldwide sensation! (Sorry, delusions of grandeur again.) I also like having a little insider joke between just the two of us. The outsiders think, "Man, those two are so fun."

I won't yet go on about Jan Thomas' other books, particularly, The Dog House. Watch for that review soon. "Nevermind! Don't wait! Just go check 'em out now. Yeah I'm talking to you!"

BAILEY by Harry Bliss, Scholastic Press (2011)

 

Bailey the dog is a student at the local elementary school. He loves school and is beloved by classmates and teachers. While he is completely invested in his classes (check out his boisterous performance in music class) he is also burdened by his natural canine instincts. For example, he chases a bird and misses the school bus. He eats his own homework.

But what I really love for my kid is that there is so much to see on each page. We read the page then stare at the pictures looking for the details...the clock on the wall, his closet neatly organized with collars. He keeps a stick in his locker. At lunchtime, he digs thru the trash. I know. Spectacular.

It's easy for my kid to point out all the other things going on in the picture because the pics are so large. It just adds another layer to the story. Two for one. Love it!

Everyday school activities cleverly overlapping with classic dog behavior make this story a sweet and charming tail! I mean TALE! I know. I'm hilarious.

We are Troubled Schoolgirl!

 

We love the library and librarians!  They have EVERYTHING! We find treasures from years past! We don't need books from 2013. My kid's almost 4. There are years upon years of great books to find.

We go to the library, plant ourselves in the children's section and pick the most interesting books. 

Did you know you can take home 30 books and no one bats an eye? Plus, you can return them with no receipt and no questions asked. What the what?! Yup. The library rules.

Now we are giving you an ongoing list of our favs!