Picture Book – Page 9 – Sneak Peek Books

Thunder Horse

What if your Aunt Aldora gave you a miniature horse, no bigger than a puppy? And what if the little horse began to grow wings? What would you call him? When he grew large enough, would you ride him? And cherish him?

Thunder Horse is a wonderful story that introduces young readers to Greek mythology and explains how a constellation is formed. The story follows a girl’s journey with her thunder horse named Pegasus. When the girl receives Pegasus as a gift, the horse is tiny, but he soon grows large enough to take the girl for a ride through the sky. Even though the girl knows that Pegasus will eventually leave her, the girl encourages Pegasus to fly. When Pegasus is fully grown, the girl “watched as he rose up, up, till he was only a snow speck in the sky. That’s when I cried.”

The story of the girl and Pegasus is drawn in muted shades that give each illustration a magical feeling. Each picture focuses on the girl and the thunder horse, which allows the reader to feel the girl’s wonder and delight. Readers will be able to put themselves in the pictures and imagine themselves flying above the city. Even though Thunder Horse is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 2 to 12 complex sentences that use difficult vocabulary such as quicksilver, agog, and a-glimmer.

Young readers will be drawn to Thunder Horse because of the beautiful cover illustration of a girl and a Pegasus. While younger readers may not understand the larger themes of love and letting go, they will still enjoy the story and watching Pegasus grow and soar.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

A teacher reads a story about Pegasus, “the winged thunder horse who lived in the palace of the Greek god, Zeus. He became part of a beautiful constellation of stars.”

Spiritual Content

None

If You Take A Mouse To The Movies

“If you take a mouse to the movies, he’ll ask you for some popcorn. If you give him the popcorn, he’ll want to string it all together. Then he’ll want to hang it on a Christmas tree.”

If You Take A Mouse To The Movies shows one little boy’s adventure with his mouse. Each page gives a silly cause and effect, such as when the mouse and boy build a snowman, the mouse will then want to build a fort.

This simple story has one sentence on each page, which makes it a quick read. Each page’s illustration shows the mouse and the boy. Some of the illustrations are sweet, such as when the boy wraps the mouse up in a warm blanket. Other illustrations are silly, such as when the mouse, who is wearing candy cane shorts, sings into a microphone. The easy-to-read text and fun pictures make If You Take A Mouse To The Movies a favorite book for younger readers.

If You Take A Mouse To The Movies will delight younger readers and get them in the holiday spirit. However, if you read the story to your child, your child will likely want to grab the glitter and glue to make ornaments of their own.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Sophie’s Squash

One fall day, Sophie makes a surprising friend during her family’s sunny trip to the local farmers’ market. The friend just happens to be a squash. Sophie calls her Bernice. At first, Sophie’s parents let Sophie care for and love Bernice—taking her to storytime at the library, introducing her to the other squash at the market, practicing somersaults in the garden, and tucking baby Bernice into a crib at night with a bottle. “Well, we did hope she’d love vegetables,” Sophie’s parents humorously justify. However, as Bernice begins to get older and rot, Sophie’s parents try to convince Sophie to cook Bernice, or send her to a food donation site. Even the other children during library storytime look down on Bernice as she ages. However, Sophie is not ready to ever give up her perfect friend—so when Bernice begins to soften and can no longer do somersaults, Sophie makes the difficult decision to put her in a bed of soft soil and wait for Bernice to grow again.

Sophie’s Squash is a wonderfully gentle tale that not only teaches children how to care for the things that they love, but also shows readers how letting go can sometimes lead to new possibilities. Miller thoughtfully weaves her story of Sophie and Bernice alongside whimsical watercolor illustrations in which illustrator Anne Wilsdorf fully showcases Sophie’s somersaults, Bernice’s baby carriage rides, and multiple family trips to the farmers’ market. Even though Sophie’s Squash is longer than most picture books, two or three illustrations sit on each page and break up the text so that there is no more than five to ten lines between each image. The watercolor illustrations also work to bring the entire narrative to life, so viewers still gain a complete grasp of the story by looking only at the pictures. This, coupled with the digestible nature of Miller’s prose, makes Sophie’s Squash perfect for new and learning readers.

Throughout all the quirky shenanigans of Sophie’s Squash, Sophie’s character shines with a heroic agency and independence. Sophie’s care towards Bernice turns this silly story about a girl and a squash into a truly heartwarming story about friendship, care, and even environmentalism. By exemplifying the new path Sophie must take in order to regrow her friend Bernice, Sophie’s Squash creates a powerful metaphor demonstrating the wondrous things that can come from putting something else’s needs— particularly the needs of nature— before your own.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

One of the children at the library points and stares at Bernice, saying to Sophie, “What’s that spotty thing?” In the narrative, this question takes on a teasing tone that may be hard for some children to read.

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

by Hannah Olsson

One-Dog Sleigh

Harness bells jing-jing-jingle under branches frosted white, but is there enough room for everyone when a squirrel, owl, lynx, and other forest animals ask to play? On the ten-year anniversary of One-Dog Canoe, the author-illustrator team of Mary Casanova and Ard Hoyt have created a winter version of their popular picture book.

One-Dog Sleigh is a simple story that focuses on one girl’s sleigh ride with her dog. Around every corner, a forest animal jumps onto the sleigh to join the fun. However, the girl begins to cry when a little mouse hops on the sleigh and adds just enough weight that the sleigh can no longer move. With the help of the forest animals, the girl is able to free the sleigh from the snow. Then all the animals jump into the sleigh and race down a hill. The story highlights the importance of teamwork and shows how problems can be solved by working together.

The illustrations in One-Dog Sleigh are truly special. Each illustration is set against a wintery backdrop, which allows the red sleigh to catch the reader’s eye. The colorful illustrations are full of action. As each new animal joins the little girl and the dog in the sleigh, the girl’s worry and dismay are excellently portrayed with her facial expressions. The animal’s facial expressions are also expressive and add humor to the story. One-Dog Sleigh could start a wonderful conversation about reading people’s facial expressions.

One-Dog Sleigh is a picture book that uses repetition, rhyming, and context clues to help younger readers understand the story. However, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The onomatopoeias and other keywords are printed in large blue text, which adds fun to the page. Each page has 2-3 sentences, which makes One-Dog Sleigh a perfect bedtime story.

One-Dog Sleigh would make an excellent addition to anyone’s winter library. Younger readers will want to read One Dog Sleigh over and over because the simple story and illustrations are so much fun. If you’re looking for other wonderful winter stories to cuddle up with, add A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson and Snowmen At Night by Caralyn Buehner to your reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light

Bear is sad. All of the other animals are afraid of him because he’s so big. But his human friend, Coco, offers to help.

Coco shares her grandmother’s advice: “When life gets dark as winter’s night, share some kindness, bring some light.” They decide to bake cookies to “share some kindness” and make lanterns to “bring some light.” But when the cookies and lanterns don’t work, they must look for other ways to win over the other animals. And while they’re hard at work on their mission of friend-making, Coco and Bear just might discover kindness is a gift that only comes from the heart.

If you want a sweet story with a positive message, then Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light is the perfect picture book to add to your child’s winter reading list. Readers will love the whimsical illustrations full of interesting details. The forest is covered in a blanket of beautiful snow and the animals are snuggled up in their winter clothes. Both Bear and Coco have a splash of red that contrasts the winter wonderland. At first, the forest animals are afraid of Bear, and their fear is clearly illustrated in their facial expressions.

Even though Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 11 sentences that include some complex sentence structure. Despite this, most pages are not text heavy and younger readers will be engaged throughout the story.

When Coco first shares her grandmother’s advice, Bear is not sure what it means. However, when Bear and Coco find a baby deer stuck in the snow, they jump in to help because it’s the right thing to do. Through this experience, the two friends discover the meaning of kindness. Bear says, “I guess kindness is giving away love instead of gifts. It’s doing something nice without expecting anything in return.”

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

If there’s one thing Llama Llama doesn’t like, it’s waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree…but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can’t wait anymore! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that “Gifts are nice, but there’s another: The true gift is, we have each other.”

Llama and his Mama are rushing through the days, trying to get ready for Christmas. In all the hustle and bustle, Llama is frustrated by the wait. Younger readers will relate to Llama, who is in a hurry for Christmas to come so he can open his gifts. When Llama has a meltdown because of all of the holiday drama, Mama takes time to “take a rest and hold the ones we love best.” After a snuggle in Mama’s lap, Llama sleeps soundly on Christmas Eve.

Llama Llama Holiday Drama shows a typical story of getting ready for the holidays. Each page has colorful illustrations that feature Llama and his Mama completing traditional Christmas tasks, such as baking cookies. Each illustration shows Llama’s emotions in a funny way. Each page has 1-2 rhyming lines. Younger readers will enjoy the illustrations and the positive message; the story is bland. Llama Llama Holiday Drama would make a good story to read once, but it’s not one that readers will want to read again and again.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger

Mortimer Mouse needs a new house—a house that’s not so cold, cramped, and dark. Where can he go?

Mortimer sees a huge tree covered with twinkling lights. And next to the tree, a mouse-sized house. And inside the house, a wee wooden manger just Mortimer’s size. But statue people already seem to live there! One by one, Mortimer lugs and tugs the statues out of the house—only to find them all put back in their place each evening! What is Mortimer to do?

It’s not until he overhears a very special story that Mortimer realizes whose house he is sharing and where Mortimer himself belongs. It is the story of Christmas and the night the baby Jesus was born that warms Mortimer’s heart in this magical holiday story.

Readers will enjoy following Mortimer as he leaves his dark, dirty home and searches for a new home. While Mortimer doesn’t understand the significance of the decorations or the manger, younger readers who celebrate Christmas will recognize the common holiday decorations. Suspense is created as Mortimer sneaks into the living room, climbs the Christmas tree, and moves the people out of the nativity. While Mortimer doesn’t know how the people get back into the house, the reader will see a little boy gently placing the people back into the house.

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger introduces the story of baby Jesus. The detailed full-page illustrations use Christmas colors and show Mortimer’s viewpoint. While most of the illustrations do not show Mortimer’s emotions, the words will help readers understand Mortimer’s hopes and feelings. Even though the story is a picture book, parents will need to read the story to their younger children. Some of the pages are text-heavy and many of the sentences are complex. The amount of text will make Mortimer’s Christmas Manger a longer story to read and children may have questions about the Christmas story.

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger is a beautiful story about Mortimer learning the Christmas story and coming to understand the significance of the nativity scene. The conclusion shows how God answers prayers and provides for his people.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

The story of baby Jesus’s birth is retold.
Mortimer says a prayer, “Jesus, you were born to save the world. Perhaps you could also bring me a home?”
After Mortimer’s prayer, he sees a gingerbread house and moves into it. Mortimer prays, “Thank you, Jesus. You’ve made room for me, too.”

The Sequoia Lives On

From tiny seeds to the largest trees, the giant sequoia is a living wonder of nature. Numbers fail when trying to describe this ancient and tremendous tree. The giant sequoia begins life as a seed no larger than an oatmeal flake yet can grow as tall as three blue whales stacked chin to tail. The oldest sequoias have lived as long as forty human lifetimes. The largest are so enormous that twenty children holding hands can’t wrap their arms around their trunks!

The sequoia’s majesty is shown with vibrant full-page illustrations while the text explains the tree’s size in kid-friendly terms. For example, a sequoia’s seed is “a flake no bigger than an ant” but the tiny seeds will eventually be “a tree as heavy as three hundred elephants.” The sequoia’s great size is emphasized, and the illustrations show a diverse group of children admiring the trees. The Sequoia Lives On is a picture book intended to be read aloud to a child the first time. Even though each two-page spread only has 1 to 5 sentences, young readers will struggle with the complex sentence structure and difficult vocabulary.

The Sequoia Lives On teaches readers about the life cycle of a sequoia. The book pairs sequoia facts with beautiful pictures. To give readers perspective, the illustrations compare the trees’ size to the forest animals. While no book can fully explain the majesty of the giant sequoias, The Sequoia Lives On does an excellent job explaining how the sequoia is important to other living creatures including chickarees and the long-horned beetle.

Young readers curious about trees will enjoy The Sequoia Lives On. While some of the text may be confusing to young readers, the illustrations beautifully show the information given in the text. Children will be amazed as they learn about the giant trees. If you are planning a trip to see the sequoias, The Sequoia Lives On is a must-read. However, young readers who aren’t interested in trees may quickly become bored. The Sequoia Lives On will educate readers as well as inspire awe, but younger reads will need an adult’s help to get through to the end of the book.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Bear Stays Up for Christmas

Bear’s friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas! So they wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs. At first, Bear has a difficult time staying awake, but soon he’s so excited for Christmas day that he can’t sleep. When all of his friends fall asleep, Bear stays up and makes each one a Christmas gift. Bear is so busy making gifts that he doesn’t see Santa come. Bear and his friends share their gifts, and then Bear falls fast asleep.

Bear Stays Up for Christmas has adorably cute illustrations that feature many forest animals, including a rabbit, a badger, a crow, a mole, and a goffer. Each page has colorful illustrations. When Bear and his friends go outside, everything is wintery white as the snow falls. Inside Bear’s lair, the illustrations are completed in warm browns. Each picture has some fun details. For example in one illustration, the goffer and rabbit are playing jump rope with the mouse.

Bear and his friends are kind to each other, and they demonstrate what friendship looks like—caring for each other and spending time with one another. Each page of the story has 1-4 lines of text. The text repetition and rhyming make Bear Stays Up for Christmas a fun story to read aloud. Little readers will fall in love with Bear and his friends, who will inspire them to make gifts for their friends. Bear Stays Up for Christmas will entertain readers as well as teach the true meaning of Christmas.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Swashby and the Sea

No-nonsense Captain Swashby has lived his life on the sea, by the sea, and with the sea—his oldest friend. He loves his quiet life just as it is: sandy and serene. When new neighbors settle in next door and disrupt his solitude, Captain Swashby leaves notes in the sand: “Please go away!” But the sea “fiddled, just a little” and changed the message to read, “PL—AY.” Could it be that the sea knows exactly what he needs?

Captain Swashby is reluctant to spend time with his neighbors, but the sea “decided to meddle more than just a little” and soon Captain Swashby discovers that “it was easy for Swashby to have tea with the girl and her granny—and ice cream, and lobster, and s’mores on the beach. It was easy for him to share his special sea glasses.”

Captain Swashby’s story is beautifully illustrated in sandy browns and ocean blues. Sometimes, Captain Swashby scowls and looks like a grump, but that doesn’t stop his new neighbor from asking him to play. The new neighbors—a girl and her grandmother—are African American and they both are adorably cute. The illustrations do an excellent job of conveying the characters’ wide range of emotions. As readers explore the illustrations, they may want to look for the seagulls that are scattered throughout the pages.

Even though Swashby and the Sea is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Parents may need to explain some of the more difficult language, such as serene, civilized, and commandeered. Even though each page only has 1 to 4 sentences, the complex sentence structure may be difficult for young readers.

Swashby and the Sea is a sweet story that little readers will love. Anyone who has met someone that appears a little bit grumpy and unfriendly will relate to the story. In addition, Swashby and the Sea shows the importance of making new friends. Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley is another book that ocean-loving readers will enjoy and it also teaches an important lesson about friendship!

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

When the sea changes his message, Captain Swashby says, “Barnacle bottoms.”

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

A Thousand White Butterflies

As if being new to the United States wasn’t hard enough, Isabella’s first day of school is canceled due to snow!

Isabella has recently arrived from Colombia with her mother and Abuela. She misses Papa, who is still in South America. It’s her first day of school, her “make-new-friends” day, but when classes are canceled because of too much snow, Isabella misses her warm, green, Colombia more than ever. Then Isabella meets Katie and finds out that making friends in the cold is easier than she thought!

A Thousand White Butterflies is a beautiful story that shows that friendship can flourish despite differences. Like many children who have immigrated to America, Isabella misses her home and her father and she worries about making friends. Readers will enjoy seeing Isabella making a new friend and show her friend part of her culture. When the two girls build a snowman, “Katie helps me put Papa’s ruana on the snowman. We add a sombrero vueltiao.” While the story starts with Isabella being upset about moving to America, it ends on a high note with Isabella looking forward to going to school with Katie.

The large cartoon-like illustrations show the magic of snow and friendship. Each illustration shows Isabella’s emotions including frowning, crying, and smiling. Readers will enjoy finding a cat that appears in almost every picture. Each page has 2 to 4 simple sentences and many of the sentences include Spanish. Even though A Thousand White Butterflies is a picture book it is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The end of the book includes the author’s notes on how the immigrant story pertains to their lives as well as a glossary of Spanish words.

Isabella’s story will help readers become more compassionate as they learn about immigration. A Thousand White Butterflies would make an excellent book for parents to read with their children. Parents could use the story as a conversation starter about moving, making new friends, or being kind to others. While the story introduces the idea of immigration, it stays away from the political debate and shows how one specific child has been impacted by immigrating to America. Readers who would like to explore how immigration affects families should also read Mango Moon by Diane De Anda & Sue Cornelison.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Bear Snores On

One snowy night, a little mouse wants to get out of the cold. Mouse scurries into Bear’s cave and starts a fire. When Hare shows up, they decide to brew some tea and pop some corn. As more animals stop by to warm up, Bear snores on! Soon Bear’s cave is full of friends who dance in the firelight. What will Bear do when he wakes up to find his cave full of uninvited guests having a party without him?

Readers will want to cuddle up under a warm blanket to read Bear Snores On. As Badger enters Bear’s cave, he shares a treat with Mouse and Hare. As more animals appear, the group tells stories and dances by the fire. The illustrations beautifully contrast the cold winter snow outside with the warm den and firelight. Bear’s sadness when he wakes up and “blubbers on” is expertly illustrated so younger readers will be able to understand his emotions.

Bear Snores On is a wonderful winter story that is a perfect addition to anyone’s reading library. Each page has 1 to 5 sentences that include imagery, onomatopoeias, and rhyme. The poetic text is perfect for reading aloud. The sweet and surprising conclusion will warm readers’ hearts. A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson is another winter-themed picture book that is a fun read-aloud story.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Such a Little Mouse

In the middle of a meadow, under a clump of dandelions, lives a curious and adventurous mouse—such a little mouse. Every morning in spring, summer, fall, and winter, one, two, three! He pops out of his hole. And off he goes exploring in the wild world.

Spend a year with a little mouse, with his smart gray coat, with his ears pink as petals, with three twitchety whiskers on each side of his nose. The wide world holds many surprises for such a little creature.

Readers will love seeing the little mouse explore his own backyard. The little mouse finds wonder in every season and everything—a snail, a clover, a reflection of himself in a puddle. As he goes about his day, “he brings a little round seed home in his mouth. He packs it away in his storeroom, way down deep in his hole.” As winter approaches, the little mouse’s storeroom becomes full of leaves, fruits, acorns, and other yummy foods. When the snow covers the meadow and trees, “he goes, down into his warm hole.” The little mouse makes himself a meal of acorn bread and seed-and-watercress soup. Then he snuggles down with a book and a blanket. “Such a little mouse, all snug and warm, deep down in his hole, until spring.”

Even though Such a Little Mouse is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 3 sentences that use onomatopoeia and repetition to keep readers interested. Such a Little Mouse is a wonderful story that teaches about the different seasons.

Such a Little Mouse is a sweet story that highlights the importance of preparing for winter. Even though the little mouse stops to enjoy the little things in life, he also packs away supplies for the winter. The little mouse’s days come to life in full-page illustrations that use the colors of each season. Some of the pages include panels that give readers a closer view of the little mouse’s activities. If you’re looking for more books about the four seasons, check out City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Mr. Murry and Thumbkin

Once there were two very different, but lovable mice. Mr. Murry worries about every little thing all day long. He worries especially about his new neighbor, Thumbkin, who moved into the pumpkin next door. Thumbkin is the most laid-back mouse around and has not a care in the world.

While manic Mr. Murry works and frets to get all of his fall chores done before winter arrives, lethargic Thumbkin lazes around in his yard, soaking up the sun and eating fat pumpkin seeds. Will Mr. Murry, who worries too much, and Thumbkin, who worries too little, even be able to get along and meet somewhere in the middle?

Mr. Murry’s world comes alive in comical, full-page illustrations that have realistic details such as Mr. Murry using a cat food can as a wood stove, and a teapot as a home. The two mice’s facial expressions reveal their varying emotions. Many of the illustrations show Mr. Murry and Thumbkin side-by-side, which highlights the differences between the two. While Mr. Murry is doing laundry, Thumbkin is laying around gnawing on a stalk of hay and singing.

Mr. Murry and Thumbkin teaches the importance of hard work and preparing for autumn. Because Thumbkin spent all summer laying around, his pumpkin home rots. But not even this can discourage Thumbkin, instead, he decides to “lie back and take in the view.” In the end, Mr. Murry saves the freezing Thumbkin and gives him a home. The conclusion shows the two mice happily living together, and the two “met somewhere right in the middle.”

Younger readers will fall in love with the two mice and enjoy looking at all of the details in each picture. Each page has 1-6 simple sentences that use rhyming and onomatopoeia. Even though Mr. Murry and Thumbkin is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Mr. Murry and Thumbkin uses humor to contrast two mice as it teaches readers not to worry or laze around too much. Mr. Murry and Thumbkin is a wonderful story that younger readers will want to read again and again.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Clark the Shark

Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and BOOM. Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life and always means well—but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark’s teacher (Mrs. Inkydink) helps him figure out a way to tone it down.

Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm—and knowing when it’s time for indoor voices! The picture book is fun to read aloud because it uses rhyming, alliteration, and fun wordplay such as when Clark makes up a new game called “tail-whump-a-lumpus.” Another positive aspect of the story is that when Clark has a hard time remembering the rules, he turns the rules into a rhyme. “In class, when lessons got exciting, Clark wanted to bounce up out of his seat. Instead, he told himself: ‘When teacher’s talking, don’t go walking.’”

Clark’s struggle to “stay cool” comes to life in bright, full-page illustrations that show Clark and an array of other classmates—a fish, a crab, a jellyfish, and an octopus. The sea creatures are adorably cute as they take on human characteristics such as wearing clothes, reading books, and sitting at a desks. One fish even wears glasses! Clark’s facial expressions are sometimes silly, but they show the shark’s wide range of emotions.

Each page of the picture book has 1 to 7 sentences. Some of the text is large and bold to illustrate the idea that Clark is yelling. Even though Clark the Shark is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Get ready to use silly voices as you read Clark the Shark to your little reader. The book is a perfect introduction to going to school and following the rules, which include staying still during class, not yelling, being gentle with your classmates, and not munching a bunch of your classmates’ lunches. Clark the Shark uses humor to teach readers about controlling their impulses. If you are looking for picture books that use sharks to teach about friendship, you should also add The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark by Deborah Diesen and Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley to your reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective: Bad Bugs Are My Business

While on the way to the bank, someone knocks Scratch over the head and takes his money. The upset flea is desperate to find the culprit, so he goes to detective Ace Lacewing. The detective bug discovers that Scratch has a lot of enemies—a hissing roach, a carpenter ant, and bo weevil.

Ace’s investigation takes him to Scratch’s amusement park, where he goes through the Termite Tower of Terror, Anteater Falls, and the House of Mirrors. Ace’s girlfriend and Police Sergeant Zito “The Mosquito” join Ace on his investigation. Will Ace be able to find the missing money?

Bad Bugs Are My Business uses first-person narration, which allows Ace’s personality to shine. Throughout the story, the characters use some funny insect humor. For example, while interrogating a ladybug, Ace says, “Seems like someone was trying to play flatten-the-flea with your boyfriend.”

As Ace talks to possible thieves, each one points the finger at someone else, which helps propel the story forward. In the end, it’s Ace’s knowledge of insects that allows him to solve the crime. The story has some interesting insect facts and reinforces the importance of family. Unfortunately, the message is watered down because the thief is the one who talks about the importance of family. He says, “You don’t have family, you don’t have nothin’.” In the end, the thief used his “little pupae” to hide his crime.

The picture book’s illustrations bring the bugs’ world to life with bright colors. Readers will have fun looking for all of the insect references. For example, while a group of bugs rides a roller coaster, they pass a sign that reads, “Please Keep Antenna and Legs inside.” The detailed illustrations have so many fun elements that readers will want to look at them again and again. While several pages have no words, many of the other pages are text-heavy and include up to 9 sentences. Even though Bad Bugs Are My Business is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Readers may not understand all of the story’s lessons, such as paying workers a fair wage. Despite this, the basic plot is easy to understand, and Ace’s investigation is fast-paced and interesting. Young readers who are looking for a fun detective story will enjoy Bad Bugs Are My Business. This creative story has all of the enjoyable elements of a mystery.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

When Scratch was heading to the bank, “Bam! He got hit on the head with a carpenter aunt’s toolbox.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Cheer Up

It’s winter and Unicorn and Yeti want to spend time together because they are each other’s best friend. When Unicorn gives Yeti a gift, Yeti wants to give Unicorn a gift too! Then, after Yeti is crunching icicles, Unicorn decides to eat icicles too! The icicles are yummy, but they make Unicorn so cold! Yeti has a solution—he’s going to knit Unicorn a hat, a scarf, and leg warmers for a gift. After Unicorn is warm, the two friends take a walk in the forest.

Unicorn and Yeti is a fun series designed for children who are learning to read. Cheer Up contains easy-to-read text. Each page has a full page of illustrations and contains no more than three sentences. When each character talks, their words appear in different colored quote boxes. Beginning readers should be able to read the text alone and will enjoy flipping through the story multiple times to look at the colorful pictures.

Cheer Up is the perfect book for all young readers—even the ones that become a little bit wiggly after a short time. As the fourth installment in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone story. Unicorn and Yeti show how friends can be different from each other and still enjoy a special friendship. The two friends react to things in different ways and their friendship helps them see another side to the situation. If you’re looking for a fun book that shows the importance of friendship, Cheer Up is a winter-themed book that will warm readers’ hearts.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Room on the Broom

The witch and her hat couldn’t be happier, flying through the night sky on their broomstick—until the wind blows away first the witch’s hat, then her bow, then her wand!

Luckily, three helpful animals find the three missing items and all they want in return is a ride on the broomstick. But is there room on the broom for so many new friends? And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from the clutches of a hungry dragon?

Room on the Broom portrays a witch in a new way. Instead of being scary and evil, the friendly witch happily makes friends with the animals. The witch’s adventure comes to life through the large illustrations, which use a dark and dreary day to contrast with the bright animals and the red dragon. Young readers will love each illustration’s details, such as a fish jumping out of the river and a bird peeking out of a hole in a tree.

The illustrations are not the only fun aspect of the story. The text uses rhyming, repetition, and imagery that makes Room on the Broom an excellent book to read aloud. The surprising and silly conclusion will leave readers with a smile. In the end, the witch’s new friends save her from a dragon. In return, the witch casts a spell to make a new and improved broom that will keep the new friends together for a long time.

Even though Room on the Broom is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 3 to 6 sentences. Even though some pages are text-heavy, the story will keep readers interested until the very end.

Room on the Broom is a great Halloween story that uses humor to teach about kindness and friendship. The silly plot will delight young readers who will want to read the book again and again. For those looking for another unique witch story, The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches by Alice Low is sure to delight.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A dragon threatens to eat the witch. He says, “witch with French fries tastes delicious to me!” The witch’s friends save her.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

The witch says a spell, “Iggety, ziggety, zaggetry, zoom!” The spell makes a “truly magnificent broom” that has enough seats for all of her friends.

Spiritual Content

None

Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle

Simple science text and dramatic illustrations give a close-up view of the fascinating world of the dung beetle. When an animal lightens its load, dung beetles race to the scene. They battle over, devour, hoard, and lay their eggs in the precious poop. Dung is food, drink, and fuel for new life – as crucial to these beetles as the beetles are to many habitats, including our own.

Young readers may get squeamish when they think of a beetle eating dung, but right from the start Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle explains dung in a neutral tone. “Somewhere in the world right now an animal is lightening its load.” Most of the time, animal waste is called dung, but it is also called poop or feces. While humans would never consider eating dung, for a dung beetle, “one animal’s waste is the dung beetle’s treasure.”

Readers may think a picture book that illustrates poop would be gross, but at times the illustrations make it seem surprisingly spectacular. Most of the time, the dung piles look like brown balls. The watercolor illustrations use hues of nature and most of the illustrations are done in shades of brown and gold. The illustrations give a close look at the beetle’s home and body parts. While the focus is on the different types of beetles, the pictures also show the other animals that live near dung beetles. Readers will have fun looking at the elephants, giraffes, and other animals that appear in the background.

Even though Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 6 sentences. Because some of the text is written in complex sentences with advanced vocabulary, young readers may need help. The book ends with more beetle facts, a diagram, a glossary, and a bibliography.

Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle is packed full of interesting facts and shows how beetles help the environment. By the time readers get to the last page, they will realize that dung beetles aren’t gross at all. Instead, readers will discover that beetles are amazing. “Clad in splendor, dung beetles ascend into our world. They are ancient symbols of life and renewal.”

Sexual Content

The book explains the mating of beetles. For example, “Tunnelers mate and stash their eggs deep inside underground vaults.”

Violence

Sometimes dung beetles fight for their food. “Rollers engage in head-to-head combat to defend their dung—and for the promise of finding a mate.”
Different types of dung beetles fight in different ways. “Tunnelers push and pry and twist and turn in underground battles . . . The bigger beetles with larger horns usually force smaller beetles out of the nest and away from dung supplies.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?

Charlie likes school and his teacher, Mr. Tiffin. But he doesn’t like how the class lines up by size, tallest to smallest. Charlie is always the smallest person in his class.

One day, Mr. Tiffin asks the class, “How many seeds in a pumpkin?” The class carefully pulls all of the seeds from their pumpkin. Each group must come up with the best way to count the seeds. One group counts in twos. Another group counts in fives. The last group counts in tens. Even though the experiment isn’t a contest, the students still get competitive.

As students work to discover how many seeds are in a pumpkin, readers will see how one problem can have many different solutions. Counting pumpkin seeds is correlated with Charlie’s dislike of being small. In the end, Charlie sees how being small is not a negative attribute. Charlie learns, “Pumpkin seeds are small but powerful.”

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin is a wonderful story to read during autumn. Each page has large illustrations that show a diverse group of children. Almost every page shows an illustration of a dinosaur as well as many dinosaur facts. Each page has 1 to 6 sentences. Even though How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Each story in the Mr. Tiffin’s Classroom series focuses on one student and includes an important life lesson. How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin blends Charlie’s dislike of being small with pumpkin facts which keeps the story interesting. Readers looking for more pumpkin fun should add Marley and The Runaway Pumpkin by John Grogan to their reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

We Are Water Protectors

Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all. When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

We Are Water Protectors was awarded the Caldecott Medal for being a distinguished American picture book for children. Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, this book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard Earth’s water from harm and corruption. The story speaks against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was protested by the Standing Rock Sioux. The book ends with an “Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge” for the child to sign and date.

Beautiful illustrations highlight the connection between people and nature. The parts of the story that tell about the importance of water are completed in shades of blue with other natural colors. Each page has 1 to 3 sentences written in poetry. Even though We Are Water Protectors is written for children, younger readers will not understand the symbolism or the connection between the black snake and the oil pipeline. The black snake only appears in the illustrations twice, but the snake’s red eyes, red tongue, and large teeth may frighten some readers.

We Are Water Protectors is a call of action that encourages readers to be “stewards of the Earth” and to “fight for those who cannot fight from themselves.” The last two-page spread shows a group of mostly Indigenous people protesting. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t include ways that young readers can help the cause, other than signing the “Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge.” While the book shows the connection between people and nature, it misses the opportunity to show how young readers can take action.

We Are Water Protectors’ illustrations beautifully highlight the plants and animals that “cannot fight for themselves.” Despite this, the symbolism and deeper message will need to be explained by an adult. Parents should read the “more on water protectors” section at the end of the book to better explain the text to younger readers. While the story introduces the importance of water, We Are Water Protectors is better suited for older readers.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Danbi Leads the School Parade

Danbi is thrilled to start her new school in America. But a bit nervous too, for when she walks into the classroom, everyone goes quiet. Everyone stares. Danbi wants to join in the dances and the games, but she doesn’t know the rules and just can’t get anything right. Luckily, she isn’t one to give up. With a spark of imagination, she makes up a new game and leads her classmates on a parade to remember!

Throughout Danbi’s school day, Danbi feels sad because “no one played with [her].” During lunch, Danbi tries to teach a girl how to use chopsticks. This doesn’t work, but it gives Danbi an idea and soon the classroom is full of noise—Ting! Ding! Ti-Ding! Boom Boom Boom Tap Tap Tap! Even though the class gets “a little wild,” the teacher doesn’t discipline the students; instead, she allows Danbi to lead everyone outside so they can continue their musical play.

Unlike most picture books, Danbi Leads the School Parade starts on the back of the front cover and continues all the way through to the back cover. Danbi’s story begins with her hugging her grandmother goodbye and traveling far away on an airplane. All readers will be able to relate to Danbi who is excited, but nervous to start school. Danbi’s feelings are described in ways that young children will understand. For example, on the first day of school in America, Danbi’s heartbeat goes “Boom. Boom.”

Each illustration is full of bright colors and movement. Each child is adorably cute and the classroom shows a diverse group of students. Young readers will enjoy exploring every picture and finding the small details that make each illustration fun. Danbi and her classmates’ emotions are clearly portrayed through the illustrations. Each page has 1 to 4 short sentences full of fun onomatopoeias that make the story fun to read aloud. Even though the picture book has a simple plot, readers will be enthralled with Danbi’s story.

Danbi Leads the School Parade won an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book. Anna Kim immigrated to American when she was young, and she used her experience to create a heartwarming story about friendship. Danbi Leads the School Parade shows that friendships can bloom even if you are from different cultures and speak different languages. In addition, Danbi Leads the School Parade encourages acceptance, kindness, and trying new things. Parents who want to encourage these traits should add All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold to their children’s reading list as well.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Deductive Detective

Someone stole a cake from the cake contest—who could it be? Twelve animal bakers are potential suspects, but Detective Duck uses his deductive reasoning skills to “quack” the case. For instance, the thief left hairs behind, so the thief wasn’t a bird. Follow along as he subtracts each suspect one at a time to reveal who the culprit was.

The Deductive Detective uses humor to introduce simple subtraction, deductive reasoning, and animal facts. Even though the story is packed full of facts, the puns and plays on words will keep readers entertained. Each time Detective Duck eliminates a culprit, a pun is used. For example, when Detective Duck discovers that Cow couldn’t have stolen the cake, Duck says, “So Cow is free to moooo-ve along home.” Detective Duck explains his logic in a kid-friendly way that is easy to understand. Another positive aspect is that each page shows the math that Detective Duck uses during the investigation. When Detective Duck has eliminated all but one suspect, the thief’s confession will make readers giggle.

Readers will enjoy following Detective Duck as he walks through the crime scene. The brightly colored illustrations and adorable animal suspects will immediately grab readers’ attention. When Detective Duck eliminates a suspect, the suspect becomes the focal point of the illustrations. Up to 5 sentences appear on a page; the words are on a solid background that makes the text easy to read.

Even though The Deductive Detective is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The Deductive Detective is part of Aborale Publishing, and is intended to be a “fun-to-read story and a launch pad for discussions and learning.” The story includes a 2-page “For Creative Minds” section in the back of the book and a 27-page cross-curricular “Teaching Activity Guide” online.

The Deductive Detective uses a fun story to show readers how to use logic in solving a mystery. Young readers will giggle as they learn important skills such as math and comparing and contrasting animals. Parents may also want to check out Wallace and Grace by Heather Alexander, which also teaches problem-solving skills.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Word Collector

Some people collect stamps. Some people collect coins. Some people collect art. And Jerome? He collects words. Jerome discovers the magic of words all around him—short and sweet words, two-syllable treats, and multi-syllable words that sound like little songs. Words that connect, transform, and empower.

As Jerome collects words, he writes them on strips of yellow paper and organizes them in a way that makes sense to him. One surprising aspect of the story is that Jerome “slipped and his words went flying!” This accident allows Jerome to find new connections between words. The words allow Jerome to write poems and songs. Jerome also uses words to give encouragement and to tell someone that he is sorry. Another positive aspect of the story is that Jerome acknowledges that he doesn’t know the meaning of all the words. He doesn’t know what “aromatic, vociferous, and effervescent” mean, but they are still good words to add to his collection.

The Word Collector is a must-read because it shows the importance of words. “The more words he [Jerome] knew the more clearly he could share with the world what he was thinking, feeling, and dreaming.” In the end, Jerome shares his word collection with others, and “he saw children in the valley below scurrying about collecting words from the breeze. Jerome had no words to describe how happy that made him.”

Jerome’s story comes to life in simple full-page illustrations that focus on Jerome and his words. Most pages have one sentence in addition to a list of words. Readers will need help pronouncing some words like kaleidoscope, guacamole, and torrential. Most of the book’s appeal comes from the fact that The Word Collector teaches vocabulary as well as positive life lessons.

As Jerome collects words, he realizes that “some of his simplest words were his most powerful.” The Word Collector is a sweet story that highlights the power of a person’s words. At one point, Jerome shows how simple words such as “I’m sorry” or “thank you” can have a tremendous impact. Whether you’re looking for a story to use as a teaching tool or just want a quick bedtime story, The Word Collector would make an excellent addition to your book collection.

Sexual Content