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Picture Books November 2016
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| Old Dog Baby Baby by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Chris RaschkaWhen the old family dog and the new baby meet for the first time, you might expect skittishness, or even a turf war for rights to the kitchen floor. But not with this winsome duo – sprightly rhymes describe their shared wiggles, sniffs, and licks, all of which culminate in a sleepy, slobbery nap underneath the kitchen table.
If you're looking for more books about new babies, try We Just Had a Baby by Stephen Krensky. |
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| We Found a Hat by Jon KlassenTwo turtles find a hat that looks good on both of them, but, with fairness in mind, they decide to leave it be, until night falls and one of the turtles changes its mind.
From the comically oversized hat to the turtles' shifty eyes, this quirky story will please fans of Courage by Bernard Waber. |
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| Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Christian RobinsonSnowflakes? Many snowflakes. Winter is coming. So begins this ever-so-simple story. As the snow starts to fall, the excited penguins pull out scarves, mittens, heavy socks, and boots, and Mama helps them bundle up. But when it's time to go out, one timid penguin decides to stay home.
As cozy as soft jammies after a snowy day, this story is bound to be a crowd-pleaser for fans of Clifford's First Snow Day by Norman Bridwell. |
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| Before Morning by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Beth KrommesThere are planes to fly and buses to catch, but a child uses the power of words, in the form of an invocation, to persuade fate to bring her family a snow day -- a day slow and unhurried enough to spend at home together.
Readers who love this hushed, wintry tone might also like Komako Sakai's The Snow Day or Jane Yolen's classic Owl Moon. |
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| Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat; illustrated by Leslie StaubSWhen Saya's mother is sent to jail as an illegal immigrant, she sends her daughter a cassette tape with a song and a bedtime story, which inspires Saya to write a story of her own--one that just might bring her mother home.
Folksy, color-drenched illustrations bring brightness to this moving, resonant tale of family separation, which will appeal to fans of Erandi's Braids by Antonio Hernandez Madrigal. |
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| Here I Am by Patti Kim; illustrated by Sonia SanchezNewly arrived from their faraway homeland, a boy and his family enter into the lights, noise, and traffic of a busy American city in this dazzling wordless picture book. The language is unfamiliar. Food, habits, games, and gestures are puzzling. They boy clings tightly to his special keepsake from home and wonders how he will find his way.
No words are needed in this title that will appeal to fans of Houses Floating Home by Einar Turkowski. |
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| My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald; illustrated by Freya BlackwoodCartwheel has arrived in a new country, and feels the loss of all she's ever known. She creates a safe place for herself under an "old blanket" made out of memories and thoughts of home. But when she meets a new friend, the relationship helps her take her first steps into a new culture, and Cartwheel begins to weave a "new blanket," one of friendship and a renewed sense of belonging.
Powerful use of contrasting colors makes Cartwheel's internal culture clash visible and easily recognizable to anyone who's ever felt homesick. For fans of The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle. |
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| I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'BrienThree children from other countries (Somalia, Guatemala, and Korea) struggle to adjust to their new home and school in the United States.
Readers can take heart right along with the characters as each one finds their way to a sense of belonging. If you like this title, you should also check out Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. |
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| Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale by Duncan TonatiuhWhen Papa Rabbit does not return home as expected from many seasons of working in the great carrot and lettuce fields of El Norte, his son Pancho sets out on a dangerous trek to find him, guided by a coyote.
For a quieter, more realistically-illustrated story about a loving migrant family, check out Jairo Buitrago's Two White Rabbits. |
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