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Picture BooksSeptember 2014
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"Oliver sometimes felt his brave wasn't nearly as big as he needed it to be." ~ from Paul Schmid's Oliver and His Alligator
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New and Recently Released!
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| Quest by Aaron BeckerIn this epic, action-packed follow-up to the Caldecott Honor-winning Journey, two friends are given an urgent mission: to rescue a fantastical realm from invaders by collecting a rainbow of magic crayons. Armed with their own red and purple crayons, the girl and the boy go searching through underwater cities, ruined temples, and soaring mountains, cleverly drawing themselves out of danger at every turn. Told entirely through pictures, Quest proves that quick wits and "a boundless love of fun are worth all the words in the world" (Booklist). Readers looking for further wordless adventures with dreamy, intricate illustrations will enjoy the works of David Wiesner and Bill Thomson. |
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| Hermelin the Detective Mouse by Mini GreySeveral valuable items are missing from the houses on Offley Street, but never fear -- Hermelin, the mouse detective, is on the case! Decked out in his knapsack and binoculars, Hermelin solves the mysteries in no time, leaving typed notes for the human residents, who are all grateful...until they discover that their hero is actually a rodent. Hermelin is heartbroken by their rejection until an unexpected ally comes to his defense. Older readers will appreciate that Hermelin the Detective Mouse entertains on multiple levels: beyond following Hermelin's story, eagle-eyed kids can also gather visual clues to solve mini-mysteries hidden in the mixed-media illustrations.
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| No Nap! Yes Nap! by Margie Palatini; illustrated by Dan YaccarinoAccording to Mama, it's naptime, but Baby's got other ideas. With blankie flying and Mama in hot pursuit, Baby takes off, trying every trick in the book -- hiding, clapping, demanding a song, and then a drink -- to avoid sleep. In the end, however, their chase is so exhausting that Mama and Baby cuddle up together for a snooze. With cheerfully repetitive text that's engaging for toddlers and accessible for beginning readers, No Nap! Yes Nap! will be a surefire hit for fans of Bob Shea's Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, as well as with any children (or parents) who recognize this all-too-familiar struggle. |
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| I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra SteinOozing with self-assurance, a happily grinning bulldog declares his own independence: "Nobody owns me. I own myself." He chews his own slippers, rolls over at his own command, and fetches his own sticks. But after he lets a human scratch a hard-to-reach spot on his back, the dog allows the human to follow him home. ("I felt sorry for him.") Scribbly yet expressive illustrations depict the dog's patience with the human (who doesn't even know how to find squirrels!) and the comfortable friendship that develops between them. For an even sillier take on human-animal role reversal, check out Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown.
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| Blue on Blue by Dianne White; illustrated by Beth KrommesAs a family goes about working and playing on their seaside farm, the bright "blue on blue" of a clear sky turns to a wild and windy "gray on gray," ushering in a noisy, tumultuous storm: "Thunder! Lightning! Raging, roaring. Rain on rain on rain is pouring." Concise, lyrical language heightens the drama of the cloudburst, while the gentle curves and careful shading of the illustrations create a soothing, nostalgic warmth. If you love the luminous scratchboard art in Blue on Blue, don't miss Susan Marie Swanson's The House in the Night, which is also illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes. |
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| Picture Day Perfection by Deborah Diesen; illustrated by Dan SantatPicture day can be a stressful time for students, especially if -- like the boy in this book -- they're determined to get their picture just right. Though the boy claims to have a plan for the perfect picture, you wouldn't know it from looking at him: he's got crazy bedhead, his shirt is wrinkly (and, after a "syrup disaster," sticky), and he wears the evidence of encounters with spitballs and spilled paint. Could it be that his idea of perfection is a little unusual? Exaggerated, animation-style illustrations perfectly support the slapstick humor in this slyly surprising tale.
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| The Best Thing About Kindergarten by Jennifer Lloyd; illustrated by Qin LengChildren who are worried about making it through a whole year of kindergarten may be reassured by this picture book about a kindergarten graduation. Before the ceremony (for which they've made decorations and learned a special song), the teacher asks the students "Who can guess what is the best thing about kindergarten?" The students, who are diverse and energetic, pipe up with plenty of guesses -- the playhouse, storytime, the block corner, recess -- and each enthusiastic suggestion proves the teacher's point: that the best thing about kindergarten is the children themselves. A sweetly earnest story for kindergarteners at any time of year. |
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| Rain School by James RumfordThomas, a boy who lives in the Republic of Chad, is eager for his first day at school and full of questions for his older siblings: "Will they give us a pencil?"; "Will I learn to read like you?" But when the children arrive at the schoolyard, they find no desks or classrooms; only their teacher is there. For their first lesson, the students will build their mud-walled, thatched-roof school! After their construction work is done, the children study hard until the school year is over. When the rainy season comes, their school washes away...but "it doesn't matter. The letters have been learned and the knowledge taken away by the children." |
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| Oliver and His Alligator by Paul SchmidOn the way to his first day of school, shy Oliver stops by a swamp and recruits an alligator pal to bolster his wavering courage. At school, when the teacher asks Oliver his name, Oliver panics and whispers "munch, munch!" The teacher disappears -- and the alligator is fatter. The same process occurs each time Oliver meets something scary (like loud kids or new things to learn) until Oliver is all alone. Except…are those happy voices coming from inside the alligator? Rendered in muted pastels, Oliver's alligator is more endearing than frightening. Timid new students who relate to this fanciful tale of social anxiety may also appreciate the sequel, Oliver and His Egg. |
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| Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by Earl B. LewisAfter their teacher Ms. Albert gives a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong -- they've been relentlessly cruel to new student Maya, making fun of her shabby clothes and refusing to play with her. But has Chloe learned her lesson too late? This gorgeously illustrated, quiet, and realistically melancholy story delivers its message gently yet indelibly, bringing home the full emotional impact of having missed one's final chance to make up for hurting someone else. For another honest look at relationship dynamics between kids, check out Mary Ann Rodman's My Best Friend, also illustrated by Earl B. Lewis. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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512-218-5400, 221 E. Main Street Round Rock, Texas 78664
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