Picture Books
January 2023

Summertime Reading Challenge - Win prizes!
Kids and Teens - ages 0 to 18 - tell us about your summer reads in three words and be in to win! Enter online or pick up an entry from from your local library.
Summertime Reading Challenge is on from Thursday 1 December 2022 to Tuesday 31 January 2023.
 
Recent Releases
I Am Cat!
by Peter Bently

A day in the life of a cat - told from the cat's point of view!
Hippos go berserk!
by Sandra Boynton

"One hippo, all alone, calls two hippos on the phone. Exuberant hippopotamus guests show up in ever-increasing numbers, until an all-night party is inevitable"
The very hungry caterpillar eats snacks: An opposites book.
by Eric Carle

"In this introduction to the concept of opposites, The Very Hungry Caterpillar craves such snacks as sweet grapes and salty peanuts."
Blurp's book of manners
by Cindy Derby

What it's about: When prim, bespectacled etiquette teacher Ms. Picklepop spills a can of paint, she's horrified to see the mess come to life as ill-mannered Blurp, a well-meaning, color-burping agent of chaos.

Read it for: uproarious, kid-pleasing yuckiness, plus some stealthy lessons on real manners, including the one that Ms. Picklepop eventually learns: how to be considerate of others.
How do I feel?
by Lynley Dodd

Lift the flaps and learn about feelings with the help of rascally Hairy Maclary and all his rollicking friends!
The sour grape
by Jory John

"Holding a bunch of grudges, Sour Grape finds the tables turned when a friend holds a grudge against him, making him realize how unfair grudges can be and how much sweeter life can be with a little compassion and gratitude.
How to send a hug
by Hayley Rocco; illustrated by John Rocco

Long-distance love: Longing to hug her Grandma Gertie despite living miles apart, ponytailed kid Artie draws up a handmade "hug" and walks readers through the steps of sending it through the mail.

Why kids might like it: Whether they love learning how stuff works, are intrigued by snail mail, or have far-off loved ones of their own, kids will find plenty of appeal in this sweet and colorful collaboration from Hayley and John Rocco.
Retro Reads
Over the shop
by JonArno Lawson; illustrated by Qin Leng

What it's about: An optimistic child convinces her curmudgeonly grandparent to rent the fixer-upper apartment above their general store, kicking off a chain reaction of community-building.

How it's told: exclusively through expressive ink-and-watercolor illustrations depicting myriad visual cues -- fresh paint, window planters, rainbow flags, cooperation in the store, new neighbourly friendships (human and feline) -- of positive change.
Hello, rain!
by Kyo Maclear; illustrated by Chris Turnham

What it's about: The most exhilarating playtime can happen when "the sky is an adventure." At the tell-tale "plink, plunk, plonk" of raindrops, a girl and her dog don their raincoats and dash into the deluge.

Why kids might like it: Rhythmic text packed with onomatopoeia vividly evokes the sensory joys of a rainy day, from puddle-jumping to paper boat racing to enthralled observation.  
Shy Willow
by Cat Min

Starring: timid, noise-sensitive rabbit Willow, content to stay in her cozy mailbox home...until a letter with a heartfelt request prompts her to venture outside.

Art alert: Suffused with mottled rainbow colors, the luminous illustrations create a dreamy, whimsical atmosphere perfect for gentle Willow's story.

Try this next: Mike Curato's Where Is Bina Bear?, another empathetic, fanciful look at the balance of community and anxiety for the crowd-averse.
The Capybaras
by Alfredo Soderguit; translated by Elisa Amado

What it's about: When the capybaras arrive on the farm, fleeing hunting season, the chickens are hostile about the change in their "safe, agreeable" home. But as the youngest among the two species become friends, the chickens learn to appreciate their neighbors and envision a shared future.

Who it's for: younger children, who can enjoy the adorable, stylized illustrations and animal friendships, as well as older kids who may grasp the allegory of welcoming refugees and creating community solidarity.
The Midnight Fair
by Gideon Sterer; illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

What it is: a wordless adventure in which raccoons, deer, badgers, foxes, and other woodland creatures enjoy a nocturnal frolic among the rides, games, and snacks of an empty nighttime carnival.

Read it for: exuberantly playful artwork that kids will want to pore over, as well as the uncanny fun of watching animals doing human activities.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
Christchurch City Libraries
Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
PO Box 73045 Christchurch 8154
+64-3-941-7923
christchurchcitylibraries.com