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Picture Books
January 2014
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"I sing a little mud song, a puddle song, a muddle song, a no-shoes,
toes-ooze, slip-slap-and-thud song."
~ from Amy Gibson's Split! Splat!
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New and Recently Released!
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| City Cat by Kate Banks; illustrated by Lauren CastilloA family of humans and a crafty black cat go on parallel journeys through Europe in this sweet, low-key travelogue. While the human tourists politely take in the sights, the more adventurous City Cat romps through ancient ruins in Rome, bathes in the fountains of Paris, and fearlessly explores the bridges, buildings, and rooftops of other great European cities. Younger readers will delight in finding the cat in the soft-edged, invitingly detailed illustrations of each city, while older kids can use the flags, map, and further information at the end of the book to decipher the cat's route. |
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| Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty; illustrated by Bryan CollierFor one little boy, the day doesn't begin until his father knocks on the door and the boy leaps into his arms. Yet one morning, "the knock never comes." Through the changing hues of the expressive collage art, readers can see the boy's sadness at his father's continued absence…until a letter arrives from the father, reminding the boy that even though they're apart, "as long as you become your best, the best of me still lives in you." While the author's note explains that the boy's father is away in prison, this poignant yet comforting book will speak to children who are separated from a parent for all sorts of reasons. |
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| Fraidyzoo by Thyra HederIt's the perfect day for the zoo, but Little T is afraid…she just can't remember why. Luckily, her parents and big sister are smart, determined, and not ashamed to be silly! Using props from around the house, they act out an A-Z series of animals to see which one scares Little T. The illustrations (like the costumes they depict) have a whimsical, handmade feel, and readers will dissolve into giggles as T's dad dons a tutu and several pink Post-Its for his flamingo impression, or T's sister crafts a jellyfish out of bubble wrap, streamers, and an umbrella. For more imaginative play, check out Antoinette Portis' Not a Box. |
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| Old Mikamba Had a Farm by Rachel IsadoraYou already know Old McDonald's version of this familiar song, but you might need to brush up on the sounds made by the animals on Old Mikamba's game farm. Rendered in lively textures and bold colors, African animals such as giraffes, baboons, ostriches, hippos, and springboks are introduced, each one contributing an exciting new sound for readers to echo. With a wildebeest's "honk honk" here and a dassie's "trill trill" there, Old Mikamba Had a Farm will keep kids "e-i-e-i-o"-ing until the cows -- or, in this case, zebras -- come home. |
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| Fossil by Bill ThomsonTold exclusively through dramatic, lifelike illustrations, this wordless story is sure to spark curiosity from aspiring archaeologists as well as those looking for a good adventure yarn. While walking with his dog, a boy finds a cool-looking rock containing the fossil imprint of a fern -- and is shocked to see the fern spring to life! Eager for more discoveries, the boy cracks open another rock, freeing a buzzing dragonfly. But what will happen when he finds a fossilized dinosaur footprint? To find out, pick up this this "exceptionally creative" (School Library Journal) follow-up to Bill Thomson's earlier book, Chalk. |
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| Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming; illustrated by G. Brian KarasNew gardener Mr. McGreely discovers that he's not the only one who dreams of eating tasty vegetables -- a trio of hungry bunnies also has big plans for his crop! One night, under the cover of darkness, the bunnies raid his garden with a "Tippy-tippy-tippy, Pat!" and nibble away at the growing vegetables ("Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!"). Of course, Mr. McGreely refuses to surrender the run of his garden to pesky "twitch-whiskers," so a nightly battle ensues (the bunnies win every time) until Mr. McGreely finally realizes that compromise might not be so bad -- in fact, it might even result in some fellow veggie-loving friends. |
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| Split! Splat! by Amy Gibson; illustrated by Steve BjörkmanAs a little girl rushes outside to play with her friends in the soft spring rain, she sings "a little rain song, a simple song, a plain song." When the childrens' play gets wilder and the boots and raincoats come off, the girl's song becomes more exuberant: "splish, sploosh, squash, squoosh, oochy sploochy woochy woosh!" The muddy fun continues until the sun peeks out, and the girl heads home to splash some more -- this time in a bubble bath. Children who appreciate the cheerful colors and joyful enthusiasm of this rainy romp may also enjoy Rain! by Linda Ashman. |
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| Squeak! Rumble! Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! A Sonic Adventure by Wynton Marsalis; illustrated by Paul RogersWith lots of onomatopoeia and crisp, boldly outlined retro illustrations in a palette of teal, gold, and orange, this noisily upbeat book explores the way that ordinary sounds -- a belly rumbling, a squeaking door -- can be mimicked by or transformed into music. Famed musician Wynton Marsalis and illustrator Paul Rogers, the same duo that created Jazz A-B-Z, pack this book with infectious rhythm and rhyme that will open kids' ears to the sounds around them. For a similar sonic exploration, check out Gary Golio's vibrantly illustrated Jimi: Sounds like a Rainbow. |
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| Boom! Big, Big Thunder & One Small Dog by Mary Lyn Ray; illustrated by Steven SalernoRosie is an exceptionally brave little dog. She's not scared of fierce animals, or loud sirens, or even the dreaded bathtub. Only one thing gets to Rosie: "When a storm began to rumble, this small dog who was usually a brave dog wasn't." Thank goodness Rosie's boy is there to coax her out from under the rug and snuggle with her until the end of the storm. Artwork with a 1950s vibe adds a vintage charm to this cozy tale about friendship conquering fear. For another pint-sized pup braving a scary situation, try Daisy Gets Lost by Chris Raschka. |
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| Smash! Crash! by Jon Scieszka; illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long, and David GordonJack Truck and Dump Truck Dan -- anthropomorphic vehicles similar to those in Pixar's animated movie Cars -- are best friends, and they LOVE to smash and crash. In this action-packed 1st entry in the Trucktown series, Jack and Dan "help" their friend Cement Mixer Melvin do his job faster (and messier), stack barrels with Monster Truck Max, and build a pirate fort for trucks Gabby and Kat. All the while, something big is stalking them...but it turns out to be Wrecking Crane Rosie, who just wants Jack and Dan to help her by doing what they do best. This noisy, boisterous read-aloud is "heads and taillights above legions of other truck titles" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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