The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-nine

Many of us have wishes that we wish would come true. We drop pennies into wells, wish on rainbows and on the first star that we see in the evening, and we hope that we will find the lucky coin in the Christmas pudding. Most of the time our wishes don't come true, but every so often they do.

In today's picture book you will meet two little children who really do need to have a few of their wishes granted,  and you will meet a cat who likes nothing better than to grant wishes.

Amazing Mr. Zooty

Emma Chichester Clark

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Andersen Press, 2006, 978-1842705926

   Mr. Zooty is a rather extraordinary cat who goes around looking “for people to help out.” One day he is in the park when he sees two small children who are trying to catch falling leaves “for luck.” The children, Sam and Lucy, take the three leaves that they catch to their mother, who praises the children saying “We could do with some luck.”

   When he hears this, Mr. Zooty gets to work. He takes a shabby coat out of his red suitcase and pretends to be a poor elderly cat who is down on his luck. Though they don’t have any pennies to spare, Lucy does not hesitate to give Mr. Zooty the three lucky leaves, and when he collapses, Lucy, Sam, and their mother take the cat home. After all, “everybody needs a little help sometimes.” Little do they know that Mr. Zooty is going to return their kindnesses in many wonderful ways.

   Every so often one needs to read a feel-good book, and this picture book is just that. Children will be delighted to see how Mr. Zooty helps the two children and their mother, and they will love the delightfully unique way in which the cat grants wishes.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-eight

Just before I was born, my parents got a puppy, so I was lucky enough to grow up with a dog in the house. Balloo was a wonderful canine person who taught me a great deal about courage, patience, and unselfish love, and because of her I have never really been afraid of dogs. I do have some friends who are terrified of them, and it is painful to see how afraid they get when a dog walks towards them.

Today's picture book tells the story of one little boy who is afraid of dogs, and who discovers something really important about fear.

Not afraid of dogs

Susanna Pitzer

Illustrations by Larry Day

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Walker, 2006, 0-8027-8067-9

   Daniel is not afraid of spiders, or snakes, or thunderstorms, but he is afraid of dogs. Of course, Daniel won’t admit that he is afraid of dogs. He insists that he simply doesn’t like them.

   Everywhere he goes, Daniel avoids dogs. He climbs the stairs if there is a dog in the elevator, he crosses the street if a dog is walking down the sidewalk, and he leaves the park if a dog is there.

   One day he comes home to find out that his mother has agreed to take care of Aunt Rose’s dog Bandit. Daniel is furious, and he refuses to come out of his room, even for dinner. That night Daniel has to go to the bathroom. How can he be sure that he won’t encounter Bandit, and what should he do if he does come nose to nose with the little dog?

   In this charming and sensitively written book, Susanna Pitzer shows her readers how our fears can be crippling, and how they often doesn’t make any sense. Sometimes the thing that we are afraid of is actually not a threat at all.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-seven

Though it is still warm here in southern Oregon, it is officially fall, so today I have a fall-ish book for you to enjoy.  It may be eighty something degrees outside, but in the pages of this book I can experience a day that is cold, blustery, and stormy. How nice!

Nuts

Paula Gerritsen

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Lemniscaat, 2005, 978-1-932425-66-6

   It is fall, and it is time for Mouse to collect nuts so that she has food during the winter months that lie ahead. Wearing her red coat with the big pockets and her warm scarf, Mouse heads across the big field towards the big nut tree that stands near the farm.

   As Mouse approaches the furrowed field, Gull warns her that a storm is on its way, but his warning is blown away by the wind. In the field, Hare tells Mouse to “Get out of here” or she will get run over by the tractor. Mouse cannot hear Hare’s warning because of the “roar” of the tractor’s engine. In the meadow, Sheep warns Mouse that there is a dog behind her, but the dog’s barking is so loud that Mouse does not hear what Sheep says.

   When Mouse gets to the nut tree, the storm is so fierce that she takes refuge in a hole at the base of the tree. Snug and safe, she falls asleep. Little does she know that she is going to get a dreadful surprise when she wakes up.

   In this visually stunning picture book, Paula Gerritsen gives her readers a picture of a blustery autumn day in the country. Children get to meet some animals, and they get to follow the adventures of a plucky little mouse, whose plans are greatly upset by a sudden storm.

Poetry Friday - A review of the Cuckoo's Haiku

Many people get a lot of pleasure from watching birds. They set up feeders in their gardens or in front of a window, and some people keep a list of all the bird species that they have seen. In today's poetry title, Michael Rosen brings together his love of poetry and his enthusiasm for bird-watching to give readers a delightful reading experience. This is the kind of book that children and adults alike will enjoy.

The Cuckoo’s Haiku and other birding poems

Michael J. Rosen

Illustrated by Stan Fellows

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 and up

Candlewick Press, 2009, 978-0-7636-3049-2

For many of us poems are synonymous with rhymes. We are familiar with poems that have a bouncing rhythm, stanzas, and rhyming words. The thing is that poetry comes in a wide variety of forms. Some don’t rhyme at all, and some, like haikus, are only three lines long.

   For this book, Michael Rosen has written a collection of beautiful and evocative haikus that look at twenty-four commonly seen American birds. He has organized the haikus by season, showing us the species that we are most likely to see at that time of year.

   In spring there is the eastern bluebird, a pretty little bird that sings “spring’s first song” while it sits on “a staff of wires.” Then there are Northern Cardinals, bright red birds that are the “first feeders at dawn” and the “last feeders at dusk.”

   In the summer you are likely to hear the northern mockingbird, that “one man bird band” that can create so many sounds. This is also the time when common grackles can be seen taking sips of water from potholes in the road.

   For each poem Stan Fellows has created a double page spread pencil and watercolor illustration. There are notes about the bird species on the pages as well. These short notes are expanded on at the back of the book where readers will find “Notes for Birdwatchers and Haiku Lovers.”

   This book would make a splendid gift for readers who likes poetry, and for bird lovers of all ages.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-six

Happy fall everyone (who is the northern hemisphere)! In honor of the autumnal equinox, I have a picture book that is about fall. Sort of. In a odd sort of way.

Fall Mixed Up

Bob Raczka

Illustrated by Chad Cameron

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Lerner, 2011, 978-0-7613-4606-7

   Most of us know what to expect in the fall. Leaves change color and fall to the ground, animals prepare for the winter by gathering food, flying south, or hibernating, apples turn red, and pumpkins turn orange. Imagine what it would be like if all these things were mixed up. What would fall be like?

   Well, for a start leaves would “float up into / blue skies overhead.”  Bears would gather nuts, geese would hibernate, and squirrels would “fly south in / big figure eights.” Children would leap into piles of sticks instead of into piles of leaves, and they would get “stuffing and / drumsticks for treats” instead of candy on Halloween night.

   In this topsy-turvy picture book, Bob Raczka’s clever verse is paired with Chad Cameron’s amusing art to give children a book that they can look through again and again, looking for the things that “aren’t right.” There are ‘mistakes’ not only in the art, but in the text as well.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-five

There are some people who, try as they might, cannot seem to stay out of trouble. Even when they are endeavoring to avoid trouble, it seems to find them. This picture book for written for the poor souls and it sure to  make readers of all ages laugh. After all, who can resist a little dinosaur who tries to wash a dirty rug in a dishwasher!

Uh-Oh!

Mary Newell DePalma

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Eerdmans, 2011, 978-0-8028-5372-1

  Some little dinosaurs can play nicely together, building creations with their wooden bricks. And then there is the kind of little dinosaur who likes to bounce on the sofa, and who ends up knocking over all the brick creations and a potted plant.

   Of course the naughty little dinosaur gets into trouble for making a mess, and he is told to sweep up all the plant soil. The problem is that this particular little dinosaur is accident prone, and he knocks a milk jug over with the broom, making another mess. “Uh-Oh!” He had better clean up all that spilled milk.

   The little dinosaur ends up using a rug to mop up the milk, which he puts into the dishwasher to get clean. Not reading the instructions on the soap container, the little dinosaur adds LOTS of soap to the machine. He gives a sigh of relief, imagining that his troubles are over, but alas they have only just begun.

   This mostly wordless picture book is sure to amuse young children who are find themselves getting into trouble far too easily. Not only are the dinosaur’s misadventures ridiculously funny, but the story’s ending is quite perfect.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-four

Today's picture book is so beautiful and magical that I don't want to waste any time giving you an introduction. Enjoy!

Butterfly Tree

Sandra Markle

Illustrated by Leslie Wu

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Peachtree Publishers, 2011, 978-1-56145-539-3

   One September afternoon, Jilly is on the beach playing fetch with her dog Fudge. As she looks out across the lake, a strange cloud gathers over the water. To her “it looks like it’s raining black pepper from a clear blue sky.”

   As it gets closer, the cloud gets bigger and bigger, and Jilly sees that it is orange in color, not white or gray. It also “shimmers.” Imagining all kinds of things, the girl runs up to the cabin where her mother is loading up the car. Instead of being afraid of the strange cloud, Jilly’s mother rushes down towards the beach.

   In the woods Jilly and her mother see an orange Baltimore Oriole, and an orange kite, but no orange cloud. What did Jilly see on the beach and where is it now?

   In this remarkable book, Sandra Markle’s lyrical text is paired with gorgeous paintings to give young readers a singular picture book experience. The author perfectly captures the sense of wonder that Jilly experiences when she finally understands what the orange cloud is, and we can celebrate the fact that she got to share this amazing moment with her mother.

   At the back of the book, the author provides her readers with further information about the animals that make up Jilly’s orange cloud.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-three

Being a confirmed dog lover, I really enjoy reading books that feature dogs in some way. In today's picture you will meet a dog who has a fondness for anything that is red in color. His passion for red objects gets him into trouble, and it also encourages him to be brave and cunning.

The dog who loved red

Anitha Balachandran

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Kane Miller, 2011, 978-1-935279-83-9

   Raja is a dog who loves red things, and whenever he can, he finds something red and he chews it. One day Raja chews Mr. Lal’s grey and red socks and he is such a nuisance  that Tanvi decides to take Raja to the park.

   Usually Raja and his dog friend Champ play with a red ball, but today the red ball is missing and Champ is very upset because he “can’t find it anywhere.” Raja asks the other animals if they know where the red ball is, but none of them are helpful. Then Raja sees the red ball lying in Mr. Mehta’s garden, which is a truly terrible thing because grumpy Mr. Mehta hates dogs. Somehow Raja has to get the red ball back without getting caught.

   Young children are sure to enjoy this color filled picture book with its loveable main character. Young readers will find it hard not to cheer for Raja as he does his best to rescue the treasured red ball from the dog hating Mr. Mehta.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-two

Many people are attracted to the idea of having an exotic pet. How cool it would be to take a lion for a walk in the park, or to go to school with a snake draped over ones shoulders. The problem is that lions, snakes, monkeys, parrots, and other exotic animals can be a bit unpredictable. In today's picture book you will meet a little boy who has a pet rhino and who discovers that rhinos can be rather unusual animals.

My rhinoceros

Jon Agee

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-545-29441-6

   One day a boy buys a rhinoceros at an exotic pet shop, and he soon discovers that he really does not know much about rhinos. His pet is “shy” and does not do much. He doesn’t fetch balls, sticks, or Frisbees and he won’t do any tricks.

   When the boy consults a rhinoceros expert, he learns that rhinos only do two things. They “Pop balloons and poke holes in kites.” Dear me. In the boy’s opinion both of these things are rather “pathetic.” Not only that, but this particular rhinoceros shows no inclination to pop balloons or poke holes in kites. Perhaps the little boy would have been better off with a hippopotamus for a pet.

   As they read this story, children will laugh out loud when they see how the little boy’s unusual pet finally proves that a rhinoceros is not a boring pet at all. With a simple text and amusing illustrations, this picture book is sure to appeal to children who dream of getting an exotic pet of their own.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-one

When I worked in a school I used to greatly enjoy seeing how my students were able to create a magical world out of things that they found in the school yard. A tree with low hanging branches became a pirates cave. A hanging bar became a bridge across a precipice. In today's picture book you will see how a little girl turns an everyday kind of event into a journey that is full of magic and wonder.

The girl on the yellow giraffe

Ronald Himmler

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Star Bright Books, 2004, 1-932065-93-8

  It is a warm sunny day, and a little girl and her grownup leave their apartment in the “beautiful stone castle,” travel in the “magic box” (the elevator) to the street, and there the little girl sits astride her yellow giraffe (her little wooden scooter). Thus begins a wonderful journey that is full of wondrous people and things.

   As she travels down the sidewalk, the little girl says hello to all kinds of people. She sees a “wizard” feeding birds and a “magician” juggling colored balls. There are “monsters and dragons” working on the roads, and in the park there are gardens and fountains to play in and other wonders to enjoy.

   In this delightful picture book, Ronald Himmler shows us how a little girl’s imagination transforms a simple everyday outing to the park into a remarkable journey full of adventures and magical people and creatures.

   Throughout the book, the simple text is beautifully paired with Ronald Himmler’s expressive artwork.