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Picture Books
November 2014
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"The use of language is not confined to its being the medium through which we communicate our ideas to one another…not being merely its vehicle, but giving it wings for flight." ~ Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869), British lexicographer
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Find out more about Christmas and explore our seasonal stuff: Especially for the kids: Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from Christchurch City Libraries to you and yours.
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New and Recently Released!
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Sam and Dave Dig a Hole
by
Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen
Following the success of their bestselling picture book Extra Yarn, author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen have teamed up again to create another charmingly understated story. Sam and Dave are determined to keep digging their hole until they find "something spectacular." Unfortunately for the dogged duo, only readers can see the illustrations that reveal the treasures buried just outside of Sam and Dave's reach. Once they're tired and thoroughly grungy, the boys stop for a rest, but their dog keeps digging -- resulting in an intriguing, open-ended conclusion that may prompt children to demand an immediate re-read.
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Square eyes (NZ)
by Craig Smith, illustrations by Scott Tulloch
Square Eyes the panda likes to watch television and not play outside or do any exercise so his friends sing him a song to get him moving.
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Have you seen a monster? (NZ)
by Raymond McGrath
Elliot and Emma-Jane Rose are good at finding things. One day they find Barnaby, a huge, hairy, red, butterfly-chasing monster and luckily, they know how to help him.
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Dr Grundy's undies (NZ)
by Dawn McMillan
Doctor Grundy lost his undies. His best ones, supersized! When a strong wind blows past Dr Grundy's clothesline, off go his undies. They land on a pirate ship, are blown on to Scotland, get a mend in China - but will they ever find their way back home?
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How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel
by Wendy Meddour
With the wind in his hair, and blowing his hooter, Along came the prince on the back of a scooter. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, please let down your hair!" Called the prince from down on the bottom stair. But Rapunzel just sat As still as a wall; She didn't think much of the prince at all. But when at last a letter is delivered, it contains news that has Rapunzel on her feet again. She has a new job at the library! And suddenly her life is busy, sparkling, exciting and stimulating. For despite her long hair and her ravishing looks, she loved nothing better than reading good books!
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A library book for Bear
by
Bonny Becker
Reluctantly accompanying Mouse to the library, Bear, who believes that he already has all of the books he will ever need, challenges Mouse with his picky tastes in what becomes a giggle-inducing search for the perfect book.
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Doughnuts for a Dragon by Adam GuillainGeorge, a young explorer, longs to be a dragon-searching hero from long, long ago. So he climbs in his time machine with only a scooter, some cakes and tasty doughnuts to aid him in his quest. When he arrives in long, long ago he spies a dragon straight away! Or does he...?
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Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
by
Greg Neri
An uplifting portrait of the legendary country music star is told through lyrical free verse that conveys information about his impoverished childhood, and the extraordinary talent that enabled his career and rise to success on the world stage. By the award-winning author of Ghetto Cowboy.
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Stanley the builder
by William Bee
A new series in padded hardcover format! Meet Stanley and his friends, an adorable cast of characters who live in a busy world! Each lovable story is filled with information about how things work, occupations, machines, shapes, colours and fun! In Stanley the Builder, Stanley is building a house. Will he make it just right?
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The Princess in Black
by
Shannon Hale and Dean Hale; illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Fans of princesses and superheroes can indulge both obsessions in one place with this clever beginning chapter book. Polite, pink-clad Princess Magnolia harbors a secret: when the monster alarm goes off, she transforms into the Princess in Black, a superhero who -- along with her trusty steed Blacky, aka Frimplepants the unicorn -- protects the kingdom from Monster Land. Battling monsters, however, is easy compared to the difficulty of hiding her alter ego from nosy Duchess Wigtower. Energetic, animation-style illustrations add even more verve to this action-packed series debut, making it just right for newly independent readers.
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Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads
by Bob Shea; illustrated by Lane Smith
Mayhem rules in the frontier town of Drywater Gulch, where the lawless Toad Brothers are out to "steal your gold, kiss your cattle, and insult your chili." Yet when Sheriff Ryan comes riding into town (slowly, on a tortoise), he blames all of the Toads' troublemaking on…dinosaurs? With a supremely silly scenario and plenty of over-the-top cowboy slang that just begs to be read aloud,
Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads
is "a crowd-pleasin' knee-slapper that'll have 'em rolling in the aisles, yessirree" (Kirkus Reviews). For another tortoise-riding Wild West adventure, check out Anne Isaacs'
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.
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Sebastian and the Balloon
by Philip C. Stead
Weary of his boring neighbourhood, young Sebastian fashions a hot-air balloon out of scraps and sets off to "see something new for a change." As his voyage progresses, he meets (and shares his pickle sandwiches with) a motley group of friends, including a bear, a stork, and three elderly knitters. When they arrive at a broken-down roller coaster, Sebastian and his new companions use their creativity to repair the coaster and ride it until it's time to fly home. Similar to Aaron Becker's
Journey,
Sebastian and the Balloon
is a whimsical, vibrantly illustrated celebration of curiosity and exploration.
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A visit to Dr. Duck
by
Rosemary Wells
Felix isn't feeling well, but when his mother suggests a visit to the doctor, he worries about what will happen at the doctor's office
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You Are What You Eat and Other Mealtime Hazards
by Serge Bloch
In this playful and encouraging book, a picky eater has absurdly literal visions of common expressions about food. Devoted to his macaroni-only diet, the boy ignores his mum's claim that it "drives her bananas" to see him "eat like a bird," and he remains unconvinced by the arguments of his "couch potato" dad or his sister who "eats like a horse." Each expression is illustrated by colourful photos and lively black-and-white drawings, right up until the ending, when the offer of a tofu dog finally entices the boy not to "chicken out," but to try something new.
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Spider sandwiches
by
Claire Freedman
Monster Max will feast on anything crawly, creepy, hairy and sticky, but his favorite snack is squirmy spider sandwiches.
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Pete won't eat
by
Emily Arnold McCully
Pete the pig does not want to eat his slop, but cannot go out to play with his brother and sisters until he does
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Letter lunch
by
Elisa Gutiérrez
Hoping for a tasty alphabet lunch, a hungry brother and sister forage for yummy letters in their back yard, at the local market and through the woods before cooking up a feast of vowel-seasoned consonants to share with friends, in a wordless comic-style story by the award-winning creator of Picturescape.
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Eat Like a Bear
by April Pulley Sayre; illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Doesn't a snack of live ants sound delicious after a long nap? It does if you're a grizzly bear. Using rhythmic, descriptive language that's just right for a read-aloud, this engrossing picture book follows a single bear from spring to winter as she scratches, chomps, claws, and crunches all sorts of tasty plants and prey. The final pages offer additional facts for inquisitive readers, and the eye-catching torn-paper illustrations are a delight (especially the fuzzy-looking bears). Fans of this author/illustrator duo may also enjoy their previous book,
Vulture View
.
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Swamp chomp
by
Lola M. Schaefer
In the rippling waters of a swamp, mosquitoes fly and hum, dragonflies swoop and drone, and other creatures live their interwoven lives. Includes facts about swamps and food chains
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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