...and just like that she's back!

I totally disappeared on you for a while! This summer was totally crazy. We had the best summer reading attendance ever and of course that made me very, very, very busy. Hopefully though, all will begin to take on a slower pace now. School starts in just a smidge over three weeks. That will bring with it a whole new round of busy, but at a slightly slower, less manic pace.

With the school year also comes the hope of cooler weather and FOOTBALL! I freaking love football. I am so excited to meet back up with my Fantasy League for our annual draft day. We seriously have the best time. I may never live down selecting Hoyer in the first round, but when I get ribbed with that I just show that I came in 4th last year and beat out 8 other people! I'm really hoping to bring home a first place finish this year. I was dead last the first year, 2nd the the second year and 4th last year. Look out STILL CONFUSED LEAGUE, I'm coming for you!

I did get a chance to review a few picture books this past week and I found two that are incredible and that I can't wait to purchase for my library.

The first one was called SNAP!  This was a delightful book full of water color drawings. I was mesmerized by how the author took something as seemingly as simple as a crayon breaking and come up with an entire story! I know my kids want to throw away crayons as soon as they break. This child though found a whole world of things to do with broken crayons. It was quite lovely and I am so very excited to add this to a storytime in the near future! This book is set for publication on September 22nd. I hope you will fall in love with it as much as I have.

The other book was called The Night Children. The illustrations in this book are very reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are". Usually the illustrations compliment the text, but this was really the other way around. The illustrations were quite simply amazing! I loved them so much. They stole the show in this picture book. This book is set for publication on August 18th.

I hope that you will love these two titles as much as I did. I reviewed a few other picture books this week, but they weren't anywhere near as amazing as these two.

Did you like today's blog? Have any comments or questions? Let me know in the comments section below! Have a wonderful day

Picture Book: Worms by Bernard Friot

Worms by Bernard Friot

 Pub Date: September 1st, 2015

 What is the best thing to do when you're sitting at a boring dinner??? Why add worms to the mix of course!!!

This is an adorable picture book about the best of plans gone awry! This is the story of a little boy forced to attend a fancy dinner by his father for his boring employees. What else is a little boy to do? This book has delightful animations that make the simple text come to life. It is sure to enthrall every reader from the youngest to the young at heart!

Most importantly this can also be a morality lesson book. What comes around, goes around! Simplistic and hilarious at the same time!

Ami Rubinger: Picture Books for the Very Young

I was looking through NetGalley and I ran across a series of picture books by Ami Rubinger. I really liked what I saw and I will be adding these to the collection to use in storytimes for preschoolers!

 

 Big Cat, Small Cat

I love a picture book that encourages kids to guess. This book teaches kids about opposites. It doesn't always tell them what the opposite is though, it leaves it open for the reader or listener to fill in the gap themselves. I also liked that it didn't stick with basic opposites of big/little, tall/ short etc, but explored more varied opposites. Some that are even quite silly.

 

 I Dream of an Elephant 

I loved how Ami didn't shy away from the color orange. She could have left it out of her book entirely, but instead she went right and ahead and included this color in a very special way. Like the other two books Ami helps the reader out through rhyme and the colors in the illustrations, but leaves the actual answer up to the child! 

 Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10

I really find that I like Ami Rubinger's style. She gives the kids the context clues to figure out what is next. It's really a great way to encourage kids that they know the answers without giving it to them. As you count up in the book, there is a little rhyme for each dog. You know what the number is, but she leaves it blank so that the kid can take a guess and feel great when they get it right.

What do you think of these picture books? Do you think they would be helpful in teaching little ones these early essential lessons? Let me know in the comments below. #bookreview

New and Forthcoming Picture Book Reviews

All The Little Fathers by Margaret Wise Brown. The illustrations is what will really draw the reader in. They are quite simply beautiful. The textures will draw the eye of the adults, while the kids will love the colors. This book would be perfect for an early reader storytime and great for a Father's Day themed one.

 

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. This is really an inspiring book for kids. Throughout the book the little girl will inspire anyone to just keep trying. Sometimes it's best to take a step back from your work, but then you just might see what you needed to see all along. This could be great used in a STEM themed storytime.

The Snake Who Said Shhh by Jodie Parachini. A great picture book that teaches children it's OK to be different. Seth the snake has a lisp! This sets all the jungle animals to laughter. In the end though they learn maybe all Seth wants is quiet!

The Lion Who Lost His Roar, But Learned How To Draw by Paula Knight. I absolutely adored this book! The colors are very eye catching. For little ones just learning colors this could be a very useful book in teaching them!

What's In Your Pocket? by Ruth Symons and Laura Watkins. This was an adorable book. I could see it being used as a tool for teaching older siblings about the coming of a new baby.

When I Grow Up...by Gil McLean. What should I be when I grow up? That is the question Fergus wants answered. The only problem is that everyone gives him different answers. What's a puppy to do???? Find out what Fergus learns in this cute book. The softness of the illustrated animals will make the children want to pet the book!

What do you think of these new titles? Any out there you think I need to know about? Drop me a comment and let me know!


#bookreview

My Favorite Storytime Books!

I love picture books...is there any wonder I handle youth services for my library? As much as you love to plan out themes sometimes its just best to stick with the ones you love. I recently did a storytime and I simply called it Librarians Choice. These were the books I read! 


Press Here by Herve Tullet

If you have never run across Herve Tullet I feel kind of bad for you. He is truly a fantastic genius. He creates these picture books that keep you flipping back and forth through the whole book to try and find the end. You're either following lines, or using your fingers as finger puppets. They are just so incredibly interactive. Press Here will not let you down! If you are planning a magic theme or just looking for a fun book then here it is. Once you open the pages you are drawn into its magic! The best part is there is so much going on in it that if you have a well behaved group they can join in the fun. It is all up to you!



 The Book With No Picture



















A book with no pictures??? Really??? This one by B.J. Novak is a sure winner. What he does with the text in this book is nothing short of amazing!  Plus what kid doesn't like hearing the word BUTT every now and again.


The Day The Crayons Quit ***2015 Bluebonnet Winner***

 The Day The Crayons Quit is the 2015 Bluebonnet Award Winner. I found this book almost a year ago now and I fell in love with it. The kids love it too, especially when the peach crayon talks about being naked. I don't know why, but kids really really love that kind of thing...who am I kidding, I DO TOO!



Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is an oldie but a goodie. You can look for it on YouTube and show this book as a cartoon or song instead. Kids love the simplicity of the rhyming, the cadence of the text and the personification of the letters. Yes I know, kids don't know what personification is, but they still like it!

Knuffle Bunny

Knuffle Bunny....I LOVE TRIXIE. This cute toddler is beyond words adorable. She hasn't learned to speak yet, hence the confusion in this book, but it all turns out right in the end. The kids really love it when you get into Trixie's tantrum. Go ahead...give it a whirl. It is scientifically proven that stomping your feet will make you feel better!

Do you have a favorite picture book? If you do please share it with me in the comments section below!