When the Library Lights Went Out, by Megan McDonald and Katherine Tillotson, ages 4-8
This is the story of the antics of the library puppets after the library closes for the day. Rabbit and Lion are on the hunt for their friend Hermit Crab, who’s nowhere to be found. They find a map, and use it to make their way through the library, using their imaginations all the way. They identify a potted plant as a giant beanstalk and a blue area rug as a giant’s bathtubbut are willing to brave these hazards to find their friend. The illustrations are very appealing, as are the characters themselves.
When the Library Lights Go Out, by Megan McDonald & Katherine Tillotson, Aladdin Books, $6.99
Caméléon Apprend à Nager by Laura Hambleton
Sergio Saves the Game! by Edel Rodriquez (ages 3-6)
So Few of Me,
Mother Hen has seven chicks, but she can only find six! What could have become of that one little chick? Frantically, the distraught mother chicken tears through the house and yard looking for her little downy child! The neighborhood goat, sheep, pig, and duck join in on the search, with no luck! As the entire community comes to Mother Hen’s aid, the little chick is discovered in the most obvious of places! As the barnyard animals leave to go home, the newly found little chick promises never to get lost again.
Roawr! by Barbara Joosse, ill. by Jan Jutte, ages 3-6
I can’t believe I’ve forgotten to tell you all about this fabulous book for kids (especially girls) ages 9 to 12 (and parents) who love exciting stories! This wild tale, filled with dramatic twists and turns, takes place in a world populated by thousands of species of mice (trust me, they’re not yucky but are prized as clever pets and useful companions – with some even being rare collectibles worth national fortunes.) Our heroine, 12-year-old Emiline, aspires to become a famous mousehunter, traveling the world in search of new and unusual species. But almost immediately, she finds herself on an ocean-going adventure as daring, treacherous, and suspenseful as Treasure Island. It’s a great read-aloud and would be a good book club selection.
A Grand Old Tree, by Mary Newell DePalma (Ages 3-6)
On the birthday of the world, God calls together all his creatures. As the giraffe, the elephant, the beaver, the fish, the bee, the cow, and the child pass before their Maker, they are asked if they have been the best they could be. Each one, after contemplating the way he has treated the earth, is able to answer with a resounding “yes!” Satisfied with how his creations have treated their home, God declares that “there is no better birthday present.”
time for Princess Baby to go night-night! Her mommy and daddy ask her to pick up her toys, put her pajamas on, brush her teeth, wash her face, and pick out a bedtime story. But Princess Baby isn’t sleepy! She dawdles, putting off the inevitable. Princess Baby works so hard not getting herself ready for bed that she becomes very, very tired! When Mommy and Daddy come to tuck their little princess in, they have a surprise waiting for them: Princess Baby, already off in dreamland!
