Picture Book – Page 8 – Sneak Peek Books

‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving, students go on a field trip to a “miniature farm.” Farmer Mac Nuggett shows the kids his “eight tiny turkeys.” The kids play and hug the turkeys “and they gobbled and giggled / As friends sometimes do.” One of the children finds an ax, and Farmer Nuggett explains that the turkeys will be “chopped up and roasted / For Thanksgiving feast.” When the children hear this, they begin to cry. When the teacher and Farmer Nuggett go to fetch some water, the kids hide the turkeys under their shirts. When the kids and the turkeys are safely home, “They feasted on veggies / with jelly and toast, / And everyone was thankful / (The turkeys were most!).

Using a similar format as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Pilkey tells an odd tale about the day before Thanksgiving. While the full page illustrations use cartoonish illustrations, the end of the poem takes on a grim tone. When Farmer Nuggett shows the kids his ax, he has a creepy smile on his face. Both the kids and the turkeys are clearly distressed by the thought of the turkeys becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of being humorous, younger readers may find the story distressing.

Unfortunately, ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving does not have any of the charm as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The author also adds in bits of other fairytales, which breaks up the story’s flow. Each page has 2-8 short lines; however, the rhyming is inconsistent. Even though the story has a happy ending, it doesn’t focus on being thankful for all the good in life.

The picture book is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Readers who are looking for a good holiday story should skip ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving.

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The students go to a farm and one of the kids “spotted / An ax by the door, / And she asked Farmer Nuggett / what it was for. . . The old farmer told / A grim tale of dread. . . These feather beast / Will be chopped up and roasted / For Thanksgiving feast.” To save the turkeys from being killed, the kids birdnap them.

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A Loud Winter’s Nap

Tortoise is set in his ways. He doesn’t like winter. He’s been planning his long winter nap, and now he’s ready to find a peaceful place to snuggle up. Tortoise has his pillow, his teddy bear, and his ear plugs. But what will tortoise do when the robins create a ruckus with their winter singing class?

Readers will giggle as Tortoise tries successfully to find a peaceful sleeping spot. But every time he snuggles down to sleep, a different forest animal wakes him up – from the playful squirrel who invites him to a snowball fight to the beaver who chops down the tree he’s sleeping in. Tortoise just doesn’t understand winter fun. All he knows is that “tortoises just don’t like winter!”

A Loud Winter’s Nap is a beautifully illustrated picture book that explores the joy of winter. Rabbit noisily creates an ice sculpture. Squirrel starts a snowball fight with the sleeping tortoise. Colorful illustrations add little details that will delight readers. Each animal is adorably cute and has expressive facial expressions. Readers will enjoy finding Tortoise’s teddy bear in each picture.

The text includes onomatopoeia words and repetition that will capture young readers’ attention. With four or fewer sentences per page, A Loud Winter’s Nap would be a fun story to read aloud. Readers will want to grab a blanket, a teddy bear, and curl up with this fun book. A Loud Winter’s Nap will become many children’s favorite winter book.

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Red Fox Running

Red Fox runs on and on through the snow in search of food for his family. Then, he makes the long trek back to his den where his mate and cubs are waiting. The lyrical poem focuses on a winter day and on Red Fox’s search for food. As he searches, he notices many different animals. Unlike many children’s books, Red Fox Running doesn’t shy away from the hunger that animals face in the winter. Red Fox is described as starving and desperate to find food.

The beautiful poem is accompanied by large, full-color illustrations. Although many of the illustrations show Red Fox in a winter landscape, there are other wildlife shown such as duck, geese, and a rabbit. The ending of the story shows Red Fox carrying a dead animal in his mouth. Even though Red Fox’s dinner is not recognizable, the illustration might upset some children.

Even though Red Fox Running is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Each page of the poem has 8-9 short lines. Many of the pages have no words, but they use the illustrations to bring the winter landscape and the forest animals to life instead. Even though the illustrations are stunning and the poem uses a concerned tone, younger readers who are not ready to be introduced to animals hunting for pray will want to leave Red Fox Running on the shelf.

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Red Fox finds his pray. “Dragging it behind you / Along the ground. / Your paws are raw and bleeding / Your body’s sore and spent.” Red Fox takes the food to his “mate and cubs, / Eat your fill and then / All curled up together.”

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Give Thanks to the Lord

This joyous celebration of Thanksgiving references Psalm 92. Told from the point of view of one young member of an extended family, Give Thanks to the Lord celebrates joy of all kind – from the arrival of distant relatives to a cozy house already filled with merriment, to apple cider and the delicious smells of roasting turkey and baking pies. And just when your mouth is watering, sit down and join a thankful child in prayer, praising God for, “Food and fun and family, all the wonderful things I see.”

Fall comes alive in the full-page illustrations that use fall colors. Each picture focuses on a little boy who is surrounded by a large family. Most pictures also include the boy’s dog, who is also enjoying Thanksgiving day. Give Thanks to the Lord shows the joys of simple things—a cup of hot chocolate, playing in the fallen leaves, and having enough olives for each one of your fingers.

Each page has four to five rhyming sentences that focus on the joys of Thanksgiving. The story repeats the phrase, “It’s good to give thanks to the Lord!” Even though Give Thanks to the Lord is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. The story focuses on one family’s traditional Thanksgiving day and reminds the reader to give thanks to the Lord for the food, family, and fun that Thanksgiving day brings.

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Splat the Cat: The Rain Is a Pain

Splat can’t wait to try out his brand-new roller skates! When it starts to rain, Splat’s sure that his day will be ruined. He’s determined to have some skating fun, but everyone keeps scolding him. Isn’t there anything fun to do inside?

Younger readers will giggle at Splat’s newest adventure. Splat just wants to have some fun, but he keeps making a muddy mess. His mom, dad, and sister keep telling him, “Out, Splat, out!” The repetition is funny and leads to a surprise ending.

Every child will relate to Splat, who doesn’t mean to cause problems or make his family mad. Readers will love the bright-colored illustrations that show the muddy mess that Splat leaves behind. Splat’s facial expressions show Splat’s changing emotions and are at times humorous. Readers will have fun looking for the mouse that appears on almost every page.

Rain Is a Pain is intended for readers who are beginning to sound out words and sentences. Each page has 1-5 simple sentences and large illustrations. The Splat the Cat series uses realistic conflicts, fun illustrations, and a playful cat to engage readers. With nine books in the series, readers will have endless fun following Spat’s adventures.

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Hoppy Hanukkah!

Violet and Simon, two small bunnies, are excited about Hanukkah. Simon is ready to light all the candles and then blow them right out! But Mama and Papa explain how to celebrate Hanukkah by lighting one candle each night at sunset and placing the menorah in the window for all to see. Grandma and Grandpa come over too, and there are latkes, presents, and a dreidel game.

Violet and Simon’s excitement is perfectly portrayed. The two bunnies are introduced to the traditions of Hanukkah as the family talk about what makes it feel like Hanukkah. Even though the story shows Hanukkah traditions, the book does not explain their significance. The cute conclusion has the mother bunny tucking the kids into bed as she says, “My little bunnies! You know what really makes it feel like Hanukkah? You!”

Hoppy Hanukkah illustrates the cute rabbit family in brightly colored pictures. Several of the pictures use thought bubbles so readers can see what the little rabbits are thinking. The illustrations show the importance of family and the Hanukkah traditions. The story has 1-5 sentences on each page, which makes Hoppy Hanukkah a good story to read aloud. Hoppy Hanukkah would be an excellent book to introduce Jewish customs without going into the history of the traditions.

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Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

Here We Are takes the reader on a tour through the land, the sea, the sky, our bodies, and highlights our diversity. Unlike most picture books, Here We Are does not have a plot. Instead, each page focuses on one part of the earth. For example, one page has a picture of a boy that shows half his body as a skeleton with the major organs (heart, brain, etc.) listed. The words that accompany the picture read, “On our planet, there are people. One people are a person. You are a person. You have a body.”

While the text will be quickly forgotten, the pictures are amazingly beautiful and show the diversity of the earth. For example, a man is one a boat fishing in the ocean. Underneath the boat is a vast array of sea life—jellyfish, a whale, a seal, an octopus, a narwhal, and many more. People are also under the sea swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The full-page illustrations are breathtaking and will captivate readers.

While the text of Here We Are is underwhelming, the illustrations show the diverse world and capture the wonder of living on earth. Each illustration has fun detail such as three people sitting around the campfire, and one boy is eating a slice of pizza. Here We Are would be a wonderful book to read to younger children. This is also an excellent picture book for starting a conversation about diversity. With 12 words or less on each page, Here We Are teaches readers to be kind and take care of the earth.

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Too Many Carrots

Rabbit loves carrots more than anything. He has collected so many carrots that he can’t fit them in his cozy burrow anymore. Even though Rabbit has so many carrots that he has nowhere to sleep, he also can’t make himself get rid of any of his carrots. When his friends offer to help, Rabbit happily accepts. The first tortoise offers to share his shell, but Rabbit and his carrots just don’t fit. As Rabbit and his friends look for a new place to sleep, Rabbit eventually realizes that he has too many carrots.

Helpful forest animals show their hospitality as they welcome Rabbit, his friends, and his carrots. But each time, the new and bigger home creaks, cracks, and crashes. Large sound words and five or less sentences per page would make Too Many Carrots a great read-aloud book. The adorable, colorful, and detailed pictures are fun to look at. Little readers will love the detailed pictures that include band-aids on the tortoise’s nose, a little blue bird who almost gets swept away in a storm, and of course, carrots.

Too Many Carrots isn’t just a fun story; in this story, the animals show what friendship looks like and teach the importance of sharing. In the end, Rabbit learns “carrots weren’t for collecting—they were for sharing!” The animals are illustrated wearing birthday hats and eating carrots, carrot cakes, and carrot juice. Any child who has ever wanted to collect rocks, toys, or any other item will relate to Rabbit. Little readers will definitely want to add Too Many Carrots to their collection of books because unlike carrots, you can never collect too many books!

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Wonderfall

This informative picture book follows a single tree through the fall season, from the end of summer to winter’s first snowfall. Each page has blended words created to celebrate the wonder of fall. This book lets the reader see a neighborhood from the tree’s point of view.

Each page has fall-colored pictures that look like they are made out of construction paper. Readers will follow the tree and see the changing of leaves, the animals, and the events of the season. Each page starts with a blended word, such as plentifall, and then has a short poem. Each short poem uses sound words such as tat, boom, and boo to show excitement.

Even though Wonderfall Moms 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 poetry, onomatopoeias, and descriptions make the story fun to read aloud. Since there is little text on each page, the story is a quick read, making it an excellent bedtime story.

Younger readers will enjoy the cute pictures and the simple poems. The ending of the book has information about trees and animals that appear in the book. Wonderfall uses short, simple poems that will get people in the mood for the joys of fall—Halloween, throwing leaves, and watching animals.

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I Wish You More

This is a book about wishes. Every child deserves endless good wishes. Wishes for friends and hugs. Wishes for finding simple treasure by the sea shore and books that you just can’t put down. I Wish You More encourages readers to enjoy the simple moments in life.

I Wish You More is a short, sweet picture book that wishes the reader happy times. Each page begins with the phrase “I wish you more. . .” For example, “I wish you more bubbles than baths.” While most of the wishes are easily understood, some may confuse younger readers. On one page, a little girl is struggling to tie her shoe; the text says, “I wish you more can than knot.” Even though some pages have deeper meanings that younger readers may not understand, they will understand the basic concept that they are being wished something good.

What makes I Wish You More so captivating is the illustrations. The full-color illustrations are beautiful and perfect for each wish. When the author writes, “I wish you more treasure than pockets” the illustration shows a little boy at the seashore. On the sand lay beautiful seashells, but he can’t pick any more up because his hands and pockets are full. The illustrations capture each moment by using a diverse group of children. Most children will be able to find someone that looks like them among the illustrations.

Even though I Wish You More is a picture book, it has wide appeal because each wish carries a message of love. I Wish You More would make the perfect book for someone who is graduating, getting married, or having a baby. Both children and adults will love the illustrations and the message. Like The Giving Tree and Oh the Places You Will Go, I Wish You More gives the reader an encouraging message that transcends all ages.

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The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes

Nine-year-old Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her “The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes!” One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone. But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything—even the mistakes.

Most readers will relate to Beatrice, who wants to do everything perfectly and is afraid of making mistakes. When Beatrice almost makes a mistake, she begins worrying that she will mess up, and her worry makes her terribly unhappy. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes illustrates that everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes mistakes can lead to fun. However, when Beatrice finally makes a mistake, she laughs at herself, which causes others to laugh with her. Parents may want to take the opportunity to discuss when it is and isn’t appropriate to laugh when others make mistakes.

Even though The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Most pages contain 1-6 sentences and some of the sentences are complex. The full-page illustrations add humor to the story. Some of the pages have paneled pictures that resemble comics. Throughout the story, the illustrations show Beatrice’s facial expressions, which allows readers to see her varying emotions.

In a world where children are often pressured to do well, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes reminds readers that mistakes are a part of life. Beatrice’s “mistakes” are wearing mismatched socks, making a messy peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and falling when ice skating. Beatrice’s mistakes are simple and do not lead to any major problems; nevertheless, the story makes a good starting point for parents and children to have a conversation about how it feels to make a mistake.

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A Long Way from Home

It’s bedtime in the burrow, and as usual, Noah is squished and squashed by sleepy rabbits. So out into the night he goes. Outside Noah meets his friend Albatross, who flies him to the land of the North Star, where sky and snow go on forever. When Noah falls from Albatross’s back, he’s not worried.

At first Noah loves being the only rabbit as he explores the snowy world. There’s no one to squish or squash him. But when Noah snuggles up in an icy nest, he missing the cozy nest full of snuggly siblings. Noah wants to go home, but without wings how will he make it home? Will ever find Albatross?

The beautiful illustrations begin by showing Noah’s cramped bunny den. Noah is being squeezed by his favorite sister, Ella. But Noah doesn’t want to be held like a teddy bear. As the story progresses, the animals’ expressions convey emotions. Noah visits a beautiful winter wonderland filled with blues and whites. The fanciful illustrations are lovely and young readers will want to look at them again and again.

Even though A Long Way Home is a picture book, the story intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 2-6 lines of text and some of the sentences are complex. However, the easy-to-read story’s topic makes A Long Way Home a good bedtime story.

Children will relate to Noah’s story. Even though adults will find A Long Way Home predictable, younger readers will love Noah’s adventure in the snow and understand the theme. Noah learns to appreciate his family despite being squished and squashed. Parents can use Noah’s story to discuss different habitats, Noah’s personal growth, as well as the importance of appreciating what you have. A Long Way Home uses a winter landscape to create a warm story that highlights the joy of family.

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all ears, all eyes

In the moonlight, animals hoot, whirl, and sing. The night is alive with foxes, chipmunks, and bats. The beauty of the forest comes alive with sounds. “See it? Hear it? Tree fog agog, scree-scree-screeing on a log-og-og.”

The beautiful illustrations use muted colors to make the night come alive. However, some of the forest animals are hidden in the forest and are difficult to find. Younger readers may enjoy hunting for the hidden animals. Occasionally, the text will point out the animals by saying “deer here.”

The poetic language may be difficult for young readers to understand. Instead of having complete thoughts, the story jumps around. “Fox, mouse, owl, bat, this and that (was that a cat?) in our deep, dark woods. Where? There! Shhh. See it? Hear it? Whooo-whooo.”

All ears, all eyes illustrates the beauty of the natural world. Even though it is a picture book, readers will need help with the poetic language. Because the story contains so many animal sounds, the book would make an excellent story to read aloud. Despite the beautiful illustration, young readers most likely will not want to read all ears, all eyes multiple times. Without a plot or central character, the poetry may confuse readers, and the hidden animals may frustrate little readers.

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A Perfect Day

Warm sun. Cool water. A full bird feeder. What could possibly spoil a perfect afternoon in Bert’s backyard?

Lane Smith’s tale imagines how one creature’s idea of a perfect afternoon might be quite different than another’s. For a cat, the perfect day is spending time in a “flower bed where the daffodils grew.” But for a squirrel, who cannot reach the bird feeder, a perfect day is hanging out chomping on a cob of corn. The story shows how everyone’s idea of a perfect day is different, and how one bear ruins the others’ perfect day.

The beautiful, textured illustrations use muted, soft colors to draw in readers. Pictures show how Bert takes care of the wild animals without turning them into pets. Bert puts seeds in a bird feeder and gives the squirrel a cob of corn. The pictures also have a hint of humor. For example, when a bear steals a squirrel’s corn, the bear smiles wide showing his corn teeth.

The easy-to-read story uses short, repetitive sentences, which make A Perfect Day a great bedtime story. On the back cover, a picture of a bear raiding a bird feeder shows how the story was inspired by Smith’s personal experience. Depending on the reader’s location, A Perfect Day could be used to discuss why people should not feed wild animals. A Perfect Day is a perfect book to show how anyone—animal or human—can enjoy the simple things in life.

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Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship

The Moon shines brightly in the night sky. She watches the Earth and wishes someone would come visit her. As the Earth changes, the Moon wonders why the animals don’t look up at her. In order to get people to notice her, she shows off by spinning and twirling. The moon is excited when people start trying to fly. But they still have a long, long way to go. Will anyone come visit the Moon?

Moon’s First Friends begins with the time of the dinosaurs and goes through man’s first steps on the moon. The story shows mankind’s important feats, including the building of the pyramids, modes of transportation, and finally the construction of the Apollo spaceship. Through it all, the Moon watched and hoped someone would come visit her.

Little readers will empathize with the Moon, who just wants a friend. The Moon’s plight comes alive in beautiful, imaginative pictures that bring the Moon’s personality to life. The Moon’s facial expressions are adorably cute and expressive. As the Moon watches people build the first fire, the Moon looks on with wonder. The Moon patiently watches the events down on Earth and tries to get the attention of those down below. The story ends with the astronauts landing on the Moon, and the moon gives them a gift of moon rocks and dust. In return, the astronauts leave her a “handsome plaque” and a “beautiful flag.”

Hill takes an imaginative look at the first Apollo moon landing, gives factual information that will fascinate readers and inspires them to want to learn more. The end of the book includes nonfiction information about the mission to travel to the moon, moon cycles, and other information about the Apollo mission. Readers can also scan a QR code and listen to Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon.

Moon’s First Friends will appeal to any child. The brightly colored illustration beautifully shows the Earth’s history and shows how the Moon and man become friends. Little readers who are interested in space will also enjoy Mousetronaut Goes to Mars by Mark Kelly and Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed.

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Sloth at the Zoom

One day, a sloth accidentally gets delivered to the Zoom! She was supposed to be dropped off at the Zzzzzoo, a much more laid-back, slow-paced place. She had been looking forward to long, languorous naps while the sun gently warmed her belly, but at the Zoom, the zebras gallop so fast they leave their stripes in puddles. The monkeys climb so fast they forget to stop at the treetops, and the parrots fly so fast their tails draw rainbows across the sky.

When the sloth tries to make friends, nobody has any time—until the sloth meets a creature who’s a little more her speed, and everyone stops to notice. Sloth and the Zoom is a picture book about slowing down to enjoy the little things and making time for what matters.

Sloth at the Zoom will appeal to any animal lover who wonders what animal thinks. Even though the sloth’s story is humorous, younger readers will relate to the sloth who wants friends. The story comes alive with bright illustrations that are yellow and green with splashes of color. The text and quote boxes highlight the sloth’s slow, slow pace.

Even though Sloth at the Zoom is a picture book, younger readers will need help with some of the difficult vocabulary, including: whinnied, adorned, contented, and philodendron. Each page has 1-4 sentences along with a full-page illustration. Because the story beautifully uses exaggeration and alliteration, Sloth at the Zoom is a great book to read aloud. If you have ever wondered how a sloth spends his day, then Sloth at the Zoom is sure to delight.

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Otis and the Puppy

Otis and his farm friends love to play hide-and-seek. Otis especially loves to be “it,” finding his friends as they hide in funny places. But one day, when the newest addition to the farm—a bounding puppy who can’t sit still—goes hiding, his attention wanders along with his legs, and soon he is lost in the forest.

Daylight fades quickly, and Otis begins to worry. He knows that his new friend is afraid of the dark and must be terrified to be all alone in the woods. Yet Otis has a secret that makes his tires tremble at the thought of searching in the dark. How can he conquer his fear to save the day?

Any child who loves hide-and-seek will love seeing the funny places Otis finds the farm animals hiding. Otis works and plays hard on the farm. The tractor loves to help plow and plant fields. Otis’s personality shines because of his expressive facial expressions. Readers will fall in love with the cute, curious puppy who loves to sleep curled up next to Otis.

When the little puppy wanders away from the farm, Otis worries about his new friends. Otis understands the puppy’s fear of the dark because Otis has the same fear. However, Otis doesn’t let his fear keep him from going into the dark woods to seek his friend. When the two friends find each other, “somehow the night sounds no longer felt so frightening to them.”

The background of each illustration is done in soft grays, which allows Otis’s and the animal’s colors to pop on the page. When night comes, the animals are just shadows, but even the silhouettes convey the animal’s feelings. As Otis goes into the dark woods, readers will have fun finding the animals in the shadows. The story has the perfect ending. Otis and the puppy reunited, and they are no longer afraid of the dark.

Even though Otis and the Puppy 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 onomatopoeias make the story fun to read aloud. Each page has 1-5 sentences; however, some of the sentences are complex. Younger readers will love seeing that tractor and puppy become friends.

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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

“If you give a cat a cupcake, he’ll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit . . .”

A little girl has a messy, mischievous cat who loves to have fun. The little girl takes the cat to the beach, to the gym, and to a merry-go-round. The little girl often has a surprised look on her face, while the adorable black cat is full of enthusiasm.

This simple story has one sentence on each page, which makes it a quick read. Each page’s illustration shows the cat and his girl. The illustrations are often humorous. For example, the cat finds a “few” things to put in his beach pail; however, the pail overflows and contains a vast amount of items—seaweed, a boot, a hat, a toy truck, a hairbrush, etc. Other illustrations are silly, such as when the cat creates a sandcastle with the girl as part of it. The easy-to-read text and fun pictures make If You Give a Cat a Cupcake a fun book for younger readers.

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake will delight younger readers and introduce the idea of cause and effect. Sprinkle some fun into your day and read If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. Just beware, the story will give you a craving for a cupcake of your own.

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Angus All Aglow

Angus loves sparkly things so much that he can hear them. To Angus, shiny objects not only look beautiful, they also crackle, buzz, and go whiz-bang-POP! His unique ability is lost when Angus wears his grandma’s beaded necklace to school, and his classmates tease him for his unusual choice. Saddened by their laughter, Angus stops hearing the sparkle.

Without sparkly things in his life, Angus is sad. Before being teased, Angus loved the diamond studs on the collar of his dog, Sherlock. After being teased, Angus pushes Sherlock away because Sherlock’s collar has sparkly diamond studs that make Angus feel bad. As the story progresses, Angus’ emotions are explained in unique ways that younger readers can understand. For example, when Angus’ classmates tease him, their “laughter was like the downpour of freezing rain.”

In order to be accepted, Angus thinks he is going to have to give up sparkly things. One of Angus’ classmates shows him acceptance, friendship, and a shared love of all things sparkly. In the end, Angus gains a new friend and a new understanding that it’s okay to be different. Instead of feeling embarrassed because he likes sparkly things, Angus’ newfound friend and confidence make him glow from the inside out.

Angus Aglow should be on everyone’s reading list not only because of the positive message but also because the text and pictures are beautifully sparkly. Angus Aglow is packed full of fun words including new vocabulary, similes, and onomatopoeias. The text is fun to read aloud, and it also has some wonderful elements such as brightly colored font and larger text for important words.

The full-page illustrations use bright colors and fun details that younger readers will want to look at again and again. Angus’s classroom is diverse, and his new friend is an African American girl, which reinforces the idea that people do not have to be exactly alike in order to be friends. Each page has 2-7 sentences per page along with illustrations that show Angus’ expressive emotions. Even though Angus Aglow is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently.

Angus Aglow will help younger readers understand the value of acceptance and friendship. The story uses figurative language that makes the story fun to read. Angus Aglow will remind readers that they should embrace the things that make them feel sparkly inside.

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Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea

A boy swims “way down deep in the deep blue sea” to find treasure. While he explores the sea, the boy sees a variety of sea creatures including a sea horse, a hermit crab, and a swordfish. This story’s cute conclusion contains a surprise that reveals the boy was using his imagination the whole time.

Vibrant sea creatures are cast against the deep blue of the sea. As the boy swims with the sea creatures, he interacts with them without touching them. Even though this picture book doesn’t have a plot, readers will enjoy the imaginative story that takes place “way down deep in the deep blue sea.” Each page has six short lines that use repetition and rhyming, making the story enjoyable to read aloud. Bright illustrations give readers the opportunity to identify ocean creatures; however, the book has few facts about the sea creatures.

Even though Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue 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. With bright pictures, simple text, and a surprise ending, Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea is a good read-aloud book. For more splashing fun, readers should jump into these ocean-themed books: Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley and The Pout-Pout Fish Adventure Series by Deborah Diesen.

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Julián is a Mermaid

Every Saturday morning, Julián and his abuela go swimming. But the day Julián spies three women on the subway, everything changes. He is entranced by their beautiful hair, their swishy, shimmering mermaid gowns, and their total confidence. Each woman has a different body type, and each woman is uniquely beautiful. When Julián sees the women, his imagination dives into the ocean where he is free to be a mermaid surrounded by colorful sea creatures. In his imagination, Julián’s hair grows long and he glides around the sea with a beautiful pink tail.

When Julián goes back to his abuela’s house, all he can think of is becoming a mermaid himself. Using a vase of flowers, a tube of lipstick, and his abuela’s curtains, Julián dresses as a mermaid. When Julián’s abuela sees him, she scowls and then leaves the room. Julián worries he will be scolded, which is conveyed through his facial expressions. When Julián’s abuela returns, she gives him a beaded necklace and takes him to the beach where he joins a parade of people dressed as mermaids and other sea creatures.

Any child who has played dress-up will relate to Julián, whose definition of beauty comes from those around him. Jessica Love’s illustrations use soft browns and greens with a pop of color. Both Julián’s real world and imaginary world are portrayed with beauty. Jessica Love often allows the pictures to speak for themselves. Because many of the pages do not have words, readers will be able to imagine themselves in the story and let their imaginations roam.

Like many children, Julián is afraid of his abuela’s reaction. However, his abuela surprises him by not only adding to his mermaid costume, but also taking him to see others who are brave enough to parade around the beach in their own costumes. The vivid costumes include sea green mermaids, large colorful fish, as well as other sea creatures. The magic of Julián’s story is its ability to show readers the importance of accepting yourself and allowing your imagination to take you to unexpected places. In the end, it will remind parents of the importance of encouraging their children to express themselves, instead of scolding them for dressing outside of society’s norms. Like Julián, we should all believe that all it takes to be a mermaid is a little imagination and a beautiful tail.

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The Old Woman and Her Pig

Based on a traditional Appalachian folktale, an old woman goes into town to buy a pig for a penny. As she walks the pig home, the pig refuses to go over a bridge. The old woman pushes and pulls, cries and cajoles, with no luck. The old woman asks a dog, a pig, and a cat to help but they all refuse. In the end, everyone crosses the bridge, the old woman makes it home by nightfall and is able to dance a jig with her little boy.

Bright and colorful cartoon-like pictures give the story a cheerful feeling. The text is told using various font sizes, which allows the author to emphasize some lines. Each page uses repetition and onomatopoeia sounds, which younger children will enjoy. The friendly animals have funny facial expressions that add humor to the story.

Despite the cheerful pictures, this silly story falls flat. Unlike most folklore, Old Woman and Her Pig has little action. Instead of leaving the reader with a moral, the story leaves the reader wondering what the point of the story was. With so many books to choose from, readers may want to skip reading Old Woman and Her Pig. If you’re looking for a humorous book featuring a pig, the Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamill would be a better choice.

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I don’t want a posh dog!

Join one little girl in her quest to find her perfect pet companion. While dogs come in every shape, color, and size, she knows there is only one dog that she will call her very own. The little girl wants a “sweet willy-nilly dog. A not-too-proud dog. A know-me-in-the-crowd dog.”

Anyone who has a dog or dreams of having a dog will love I don’t want a posh dog! Each page of the picture book has illustrations of dogs that are cute and at times funny. For example, the girl doesn’t want “a fancy, attitudey dog.” The corresponding picture shows a dog in a fashionable dog carrier wearing a matching headband with stars. The dogs have expressive facial expressions in the illustrations that help bring out each dog’s personality.

The repetitive sentences and rhyming text make I don’t want a posh dog perfect to read aloud. Each page contains 1-2 short sentences. The large illustrations are cute and contain just enough detail to make the illustrations interesting. Even though I don’t want a posh dog! 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. Whether you’re looking for a quick bedtime story or a picture book that will start a conversation about owning a pet, I don’t want a posh dog will hit the mark.

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Yo Soy Muslim: A Father’s Letter to His Daughter

Written as a letter from a father to his daughter, Yo Soy Muslim is a celebration of social harmony and multicultural identities. The vivid and elegant verse, accompanied by magical and vibrant illustrations, highlights the diversity of the Muslim community as well as indigenous identities. A literary journey of discovery and wonder, Yo Soy Muslim is sure to inspire adults and children alike.

A beautiful letter, Yo Soy Muslim encourages the daughter to celebrate her Latino heritage and her Muslim faith. The story uses poetic language and focuses on a positive message of having pride in one’s faith. Through both the text and the words, the author points out that some people “will not smile at you.” The illustration shows one woman glaring at the little girl and another woman whispering to someone. The father tells his daughter, “On that day tell them this: Yo soy Muslim. I am from Allah, angels, and a place almost as old as time. I speak Spanish, Arabic, and dreams.” Although the father clearly wants his daughter to feel pride in her heritage, children may not understand the abstract language.

The letter is beautifully illustrated with deep colors and natural scenes. However, the scenes where people look down on the child are darker and have shades of black. The color contrast represents both the negativity of people and the celebration of the child’s culture. Even though Yo Soy Muslim is a picture book, the story should be read with an adult. Although younger readers will love the beautiful pictures, they may need help understanding the message. Some lines will be confusing. For example, “There are questions we will ask when we are learning what it means to be human.”

Any child who has ever felt different will relate to Yo Soy Muslim. Even though the story focuses on a Muslim family, and there are references to God, the story is not an introduction to Islam. Instead, it’s a letter reminding a little girl to “Dance. Smile. Laugh. Pray. Say it with me: Yo Soy Muslim.”

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