| Perfect by Max AmatoStarring: an uptight eraser dedicated to keeping this book clean and pristine, and an impudent pencil determined to make a mark.
Why kids might like it: Mixed-media illustrations keep the tone light and playful as the characters’ conflict evolves into a creative partnership.
Try this next: Anna Kang’s Eraser, another tale of (eventual) teamwork between an anthropomorphic eraser and pencil. |
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Penguin flies home by Lita JudgeA companion to Flight School finds Penguin returning home to the South Pole, eager to impart his knowledge about the wonders of the sky, only to discover that his friends do not share his enthusiasm for flying.
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| What is given from the heart by Patricia C. McKissack; illustrated by April HarrisonWhat it’s about: “What is given from the heart reaches the heart,” James Otis’s Mama reminds him after he wonders how his poor and struggling family can possibly help out a neighbouring family in need.
Who it’s for: families and caregivers in search of a heartfelt, homespun story about compassion in action.
Look for: the wealth of colour, texture, and detail shown in the collage illustrations. |
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How do you take a bath?
by Kate McMullan
A whimsical rhyming picture book reveals the way familiar animals, from elephants and pigs to monkeys and hippos, take baths, and how human children do not take baths by sinking in mud, thrashing about in dust or licking themselves clean.
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| There are no bears in this bakery by Julia Sarcone-RoachWhat it’s about: Muffin the cat keeps a careful watch over his home, the Little Bear Bakery. That’s why he’s the first to investigate the strange noises in the bakery -- could there be an uninvited ursine visitor?
Is it for you? Adults will be amused by Muffin’s faux-noir narration, while kids will relish the messy mayhem of bears in a bakery.
Kids might also like: The Bear Ate Your Sandwich, another comical mystery from author/illustrator Julia Sarcone-Roach. |
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| Crab cake: Turning the tide together by Andrea TsurumiWhat it’s about: Octopus, Scallop, Lionfish, Lobster, and all the other undersea creatures are baffled by Crab’s devotion to baking beautifully decorated pastries…until a boat dumps garbage into their home and Crab’s creations provide a much-needed rallying point for the clean-up effort.
Read it for: serious messages about environmentalism and empathy folded into a frothy confection of colourful art and whimsy. |
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| Who wants a hug? by Jeff MackWhat’s it’s about: Who doesn’t love a great big bear hug? Skunk, that’s who! All of the other forest animals eagerly accept Bear’s affection while grumpy, grouchy Skunk tries everything in his briefcase of “Super Stinky Tricks” to stop Bear’s relentlessly cheery hug-fest.
Read it for: read-aloud ready dialogue, a smelly yet sympathetic anti-hero, oodles of cartoony charm, and a twist ending.
Kids might also like: Scott Campbell’s Hug Machine, starring another exuberant hugger. |
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Hugless Douglas and the big sleep by David MellingHugless Douglas is very excited about Rabbit's sleepover, but he collects so many friends along the way that soon it's a big squash in Rabbit's small burrow! How will they ever get to sleep?
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Hug this book!
by Barney Saltzberg
Hug This Book! is an energetic, heartfelt and humorous ode to book love, written by Barney Saltzberg. Whimsical illustrations by Fred Benaglia accompany the rhyming celebration of the printed book, and the attachment many of us all feel to our favourites. The imaginative humour is balanced by earnest devotion, traits to which the young audience will relate. Hug This Book! is a timely anthem in support of the printed book.
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| Slug needs a hug by Jeanne Willis; illustrated by Tony RossStarring: Sluggy, who longs for a hug from his mum and wonders: “Is she never snuggly because I am so ugly?”
What happens: Sluggy asks several other animals how he can look more huggable, but when he follows their advice, the results are delightfully ridiculous.
Why kids might like it: goofy, giggle-inducing rhymes and a reassuring conclusion. |
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Hedgehugs: Autumn hide-and-squeak by Steve WilsonHedgehog best friends Horace and Hattie share games of hide-and-seek, watch the trees change during the autumn and search for the first star of the night to appear, until one day they hear a squeak and wonder if they are about to welcome a new friend.
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
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