Piggies

Audrey Wood (2004), 32 pages

Illustrated by Don Wood

Audience: toddlers, pre-K

Format: picture book

Looking for a fun counting, bedtime, or storytime book? Well, look no further – this very clever book by husband and wife, Audrey and Don Wood covers all those bases and more.

Read along as little fingers i.e. “piggies” scramble across the pages making bedtime countdown quite a bit of fun!

From one to 10, these little piggies run, jump, and dance across the pages making children squeal with delight. Although the premise is fairly simple, the story reveals a very clever ending and the accompanied images are so bold, bright, and pure - they make the story a blast to share and read, lending itself well as a storytime book. Each page is visually interesting yet strikingly simple, so children even in the back of the circle will easily follow along. I’ve used this book several times, and it’s always a bit hit. The kids love the silliness of the piggies as they balance, cheer, and create havoc among ten little fingers and toes. In addition, this book not only teaches counting, numbers, but opposites as well … as the authors illustrate hot, sweaty palms beside cold mitten-clad hands, or clean hands freshly soaped in a flurry of bath-time bubbles as opposed to dirty, mud splattered palms. One fun activity is to read the book and have the kids hold up their “piggies” matching the gestures in the book when counting (1-10), hiding piggies (closed fists), giving piggie kisses (folding fingers together), etc. – which teaches kids dexterity and important motor skills.

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: The Game of Finger Worms by Hervé Tullet, Peekaboo Bedtime by Rachel Isadora, or Piggy Pie Po by Audrey Wood

Other books by this author: Alphabet Adventure, Alphabet Mystery, Ten Little Fish, Piggy Pie Po, The Napping House, Heckedy Peg, and Scaredy Cats

DwellStudio Board Books

DwellStudio (2009), 8 pages

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: board book

Stylish, modern, and educational … designer DwellStudio has created great starter books for babies and toddlers. Simplified, minimal, outlined objects and animals such as a bear, house, whale, etc. (inspired by their design product line) are perfect subject matter for infants and young children. The glossy black and white images are not only appealing to young audiences; they are especially effective for babies whose vision is still developing in the first few months. However, the black and white images are sparingly paired with bright pops of color to add interest and whimsy; for instance the whale depicted in black and white pops with a turquoise splash of water. Published as board books, this series is both sturdy and durable-perfect for babies and toddlers. Although on the small size (7x7) they are just the right size for lap reading. However, since the images are bright and graphic they may translate well for baby storytime … if concerned about size enlarge the pictures, create felt board cutouts, and display them for everyone to see. Introducing babies to books is important; while being read to, they make connections to words and sounds making reading out loud not only a sensory experience, but also instrumental to early literacy.

In addition, the Dwell Studio has developed baby books devoted to learning colors, textures, and more. For instance, What Colors? was produced as an accordion-style (see bottom image) book which folds out to illustrate a rainbow of color. This unusual format would be great for baby storytimes since the “pages” are unfolded to reveal a large, colorful panel. Have parents create their own accordion-style book with folded construction paper and stamp or outline images. Dwell Studio’s most tactile books for children are their Touch & Feel series; using different textures and patterns not only help engage children – they are a great sensory experience, another way to make reading fun!

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: White on Black by Tana Hoban or Charley Harper’s 123s or ABC Books, Sara Anderson’s Vegetables or Fruit

Other books by this company: Eat, Go, Count, Touch & Feel Zoo, Touch & Feel Town, Goodnight Owl, and Good Morning Toucan

My First Chinese New Year

Karen Katz (2004), 32 pages

Audience: toddlers, pre-K

Format: picture book

Let's celebrate Chinese New Year 2012! A lunar holiday, this is typically celebrated anywhere from late January to early February and lasts 15 days. This year happens to be the Year of the Dragon – symbolizing a very lucky year!

Read along as one little girl joins her whole family for several fun-filled days in celebrating the lunar New Year. Katz's describes the traditional preparations (such as getting a new haircut and a new red dress, to hanging decorations, and cleaning the house) and customs (giving lucky red envelopes with money and honoring ancestors are also mentioned). Grandparents, Aunts, cousins, sit down together to enjoy a New Years feast including special foods such as a “precious sticky rice puddings” – yum, yum! And at the end, the family goes out to see a Chinese New Year’s parade where lions and dragons dance for all to see exclaiming “Gung Hay Fat Choy, Happy New Year”.

Author and illustrator Karen Katz is known for her bright, cheerful pictures; this style works well here – with bright reds and yellows a festive tone is set right from the beginning. Her narrative is simple but informative making this a great introductory book. Chinese New Year will be coming up soon, so be prepared and have this little book on hand – it’s a great read for preschoolers who are learning about this event for the first time.

Take time to integrate a few surprise props into your story-time by bringing some red envelopes for kids to pass around (one of my teacher’s had some for me to use and they were a big hit!) or make some fun craft projects like paper lanterns or dragons for the kids to play with.

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: Red is a Dragon by Roseanne Thong, Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin or This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong

Other books by this author: The Color of Us, Counting Kisses, Daddy Hugs, Excuse Me! A Book of Manners, Mommy Hugs, My First Kwanzaa, My First Ramadan, and Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale

All the Colors of the Earth

Sheila Hamanaka (1994), 32 pages

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

Children come in all the colors of the earth – such as roaring browns, whispering golds, tinkling pinks just to name a few!

Inspired by her own children’s multi-ethnic heritage, Hamanaka has created a lasting and beautiful view of diversity. Descriptive and expressive, Hamanaka does double duty as both author and illustrator showcasing she can captivate equally a young audience’s eyes and ears … making this book a delightful story-time read! Her sweeping, painterly illustrations filled with warm sun-kissed yellows, rich browns, and crisp blues energize the story; the author’s language and images work in unison to share a life affirming quality.

The narrative is inclusive all of different of skin tones “cinnamon, walnut, and wheat” to “amber and ivory” and hair types too from bouncy curls to flowing locks. While celebrating individuality, Hamanaka reveals there is sameness; noting that while all children are different they are similar – the common denominator being love.

This book truly honors all children of color and is a great story-time read especially during January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches – children can be proud of their differences and appreciate their unique attributes; a gentle and very approachable book on race/ethnicity for preschoolers.

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: Whoever You Are by Mem Fox, The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler, Shades of People by Shelley Rotner or A Rainbow of Friends by P. K. Hallinan

Other books by this author: Bebop-a-do-walk, I Look Like a Girl, Grandparents Song, Peace Crane, and Screen of Frogs: An Old Tale

The Wide-Mouthed Frog

Keith Faulkner (19965), 16 pages

Illustrated by Jonathan Lambert

Audience: toddlers, pre-K

Format: picture book

Follow along as a curious wide-mouthed frog asks what others eat while he enjoys his meal of choice -flies. Crunchy seeds, juicy berries, and slugs may suit others … but what do you suppose big green alligators eat? Well, they eat wide-mouthed frogs of course! Gulp, can do you guess what happens next?

This age-old tale is a child’s favorite and this particular edition has been produced as a pop-up book –making it a perfect choice for story-time! Children love both the hilarious narrative and the striking illustrations. What I like most is that this book features dynamic three-dimensional characters (the pop-outs are viewed vertically making the book easy to hold and ideal for sharing in a group … genius). Illustrator Jonathon Lambert has created a feast for the eyes, the colors are vibrant and the images sit against a nice amount of white space – so they are easy to see and work especially well with larger story-time groups. The final fold out makes quite an impression – making this book seem almost more like a performance.

Faulkner and Lambert team up again with a number of other publications including The Giraffe Who Cock-a-doodle-doo’d. Try this title too - you should have lots of fun reading and laughing out loud or pair The Wide-Mouthed Frog with a simple fingerplay and felt board of “Five Speckled Frogs”

Five green and speckled frogs sat on a hollow log,

Eating some most delicious bugs ... yum, yum! (rub belly)

One frog jumped in the pool where it was nice and cool,

Then there were four green and speckled frogs.

Continue with four, three, two, and one green and speckled frogs.

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: The Giraffe Who Cock-a-doodle-doo’d by Keith Kaulkner, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Hungry Monsters: A Pop-Up Book of Colors or I’m going to Eat You, A Spooky Pop-up Book by Matt Mitter

Other books by this author: Big Bugs, The long-nosed pig: A pop-up book, Where’s my Quack? A book of animal sounds, The Puzzled Penguin, The Monster Who Loved Books, The Big Yawn, and Tap! Tap! Tap!

Other books by this illustrator: Dotty the Ladybug Plays Hide-and-seek, Snuffle and the Egg, Hoppy the Cricket Jumps High and Low, and Phewee!

Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau

Jennifer Berne (2008), 32 pages

Illustrated by Eric Puybaret

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

From the onset, readers will be captivated not only by the author’s poetic words but by the illustrations which seem to seep off the page onto your hands and into your lap. Text sways and waves as though rippled in the water … “Bubbles rising through the silence of the sea, silvery beads of breath from a man deep, deep down in a strange and shimmering ocean land of swaying plants and fantastic creatures, a manfish swimming, diving into the unknown, exploring underwater worlds no one has ever seen and no one could ever have imagined.” So begins the amazing life story of Jacques Cousteau who was an inventor, diving pioneer, naval officer, moviemaker, author, photographer, and advocate for marine life and ecology.

This story begins when Jacques is a boy – he discovered a love of water at an early age as he swam and played at the ocean’s edge. By nature, he was very curious and inquisitive; he wondered about the world around him; “He wondered why ships floated. Why he floated. And why rocks sank.” Fascinated by the sea, boats, and with building things, along with an appetite for mechanics, he read blueprints, invented, experimented, and built models. As a child, Cousteau was also interested in film and how movies were made; buying a camera he filmed himself and his family constantly. As Cousteau interests grew so did his desire to explore, he dreamed to one day “swim through the sea as free as a fish … to become a manfish.”

Cousteau’s love of the ocean, innovative spirit, and ability to photograph and film oceanic creatures took him on many wonderful adventures. Berne’s book takes the readers on a tour of some of these highlights from his naval service to boating expeditions where he filmed and photographer rarely seen marine life. “They discovered plants that you could feed you. Plants that could poison you. Plants that looked like fish … and fish that looked like plants.” Important inventions are mentioned too, including the aqua-lung, a device, which allowed divers to breath underwater and dive deeper for longer periods of time.

As Cousteau further explored the ocean he shared his findings with the world, releasing many films, writing books, and documenting his discoveries. His research was groundbreaking. But, as the years passed, he began to notice that marine life suffering from pollution and chemicals; precious marine life was dying. Cousteau’s next objective was to protect the ocean and its inhabitants. He made more movies to warn people of the dangers of pollution and asked people to save the oceans in hopes that future generations could experience them in all their glory.

Using carefully chosen text and simple sentences, the author takes a complex biography such as Jacques Cousteau and underwater discovery and makes it both relatable and interesting for a young audience. Berne’s words are appropriate and descriptive without being over-done ... in effect, speaking directly to young listeners. Fellow Frenchman, Puybaret’s illustrations are truly beautiful and almost echo the ocean … some are dark and ominous while others are bright and lively.

Find time to share this book with your little one and teach them to love the ocean as much as Cousteau did! This book would work well for story-times that discuss French, science, or the ocean. For a story-time companion try singing a round of “Frère Jacques” or “Baby Beluga” depending on your theme.

Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines.
Ding Dang Dong. Ding Dang Dong.

Or

Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above, and the sea below,
And a little white whale on the go.

Baby beluga, baby Beluga, is the water warm?
Is your mama home with you, so happy.

Way down yonder where the dolphins play,
Where they dive and splash all day,
The waves roll in and the waves roll out,
See the water squirting out of your spout.

Baby beluga, baby Beluga, sing your little song,
Sing for all your friends, we like to hear you.

When it's dark, you're home and fed,
Curl up snug in your water bed.

Moon is shining and the stars are out,
Good night, little whale, goodnight.

Baby beluga, baby Beluga, with tomorrow's sun,
Another day's begun, you'll soon be waking.

Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below,
And a little white whale on the go.
You're just a little white whale on the go.

-by Raffi and Debi Pike

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins, The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino, or Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck

Other books by this author: Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie

Other books by this illustrator: Puff, the Magic Dragon, Over the Rainbow, Cache-Luna, When You Wish Upon a Star, The Nutcracker, and The Night Before Christmas

A Walk in London

Salvatore Rubbino (2011), 40 pages

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

Planning a trip abroad? Feeling nostalgic about your British roots? Moving across the Atlantic?

The latter is my inspiration today … as earlier this month my cousins and their three year old made the big move from San Francisco to Windsor. Whatever the case may be, this book is a wonderful taste of London, one of the world’s most visited cities!

Join author/illustrator Rubbino as he celebrates London, and takes readers on a delightful walking tour of this great city; included are its finest buildings, landmarks, and cultural history. Brimming with interesting trivia facts and a whimsical narrative … a mother and child tour St. James’s Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, among others. Along the way, readers experience the city’s temporal wet weather, acrobatic and musical street performers, and vast Thames River! Learn about London’s Whispering Gallery inside St. Paul’s Cathedral or visit Britain’s oldest bank, the Bank of England. Make sure to get tickets to see a real castle, the Tower of London in the middle of the city and don’t forget to stopover at the Jewel House where the Royal Crown Jewels sparkle for all to see. Both children and parents will enjoy this story and relish the author’s attention to detail, informative facts, and thrill of city exploration.

A great read for those traveling abroad or interested in discovering new cities. Get inspired and go on an excursion of your own … a walking tour of your favorite city ... whether close or far … kids will love learning about new surroundings!

Reviewed by: Katharine Conn, MLIS

If you liked this book, you may like: This is London by Miroslav Sasek, Katie in London by James Mayhew, City Walks with Kids: London: 50 Adventures on Foot by Emily Laurence Baker

Other books by this author: A Walk in New York