Pig The Pug--Deported! Pig the Tourist by Aaron Blabey

Pig the Pug has proved to be a pain in the patootie plenty of times!

But his putative owners and his co-pet, the timid and long-suffering dachshund Trevor, somehow put up with his pranks.

PIG WAS A PUG AND I'M SORRY TO SAY,

WHEN HE WENT ON VACATION, HE'D CAUSE GREAT DISMAY.

Sweet little Trevor is happy to travel cheerfuly in his little carrier without a whimper, probably because Pig can't pick on him there.

But Pig the Pug skips the leash to outdo himself in mayhem on several continents, leaving a swath of devastation in his wake, be it Brazil's Carnivale, the Great Pyramid and Sphinx, or the Tower of Pisa, now leaning more than ever.

He chases Queen Liz's Corgis right out of the palace, leaving the Monarch both shaken AND stirred, ALAS!

In the Amazon, Pig scoffs at the signage--"PIRANHAS! BEWARE!

So he dives into the river and gets bitten You-Know-Where!

And, dear readers, his bottom bandaged, truth to tell . . .

PIG THE PUG DOES NOT TRAVEL WELL!

In the awesome Aussie author-illustrator Aaren Blabey's tale of the terrible tourist, Pig the Pug, his Pig the Tourist (Pig the Pug) (Scholastic Press, 2019), this canine miscreant provides sight gags and rollicking rhymes to get the giggles from his many preschool and primary fans, who welcome each new entry in this New York Time's best-selling series. Blabey's latest in his Pig the Pug series is Pig the Monster (Pig the Pug)

Have It Your Way! See the Cat: Three Stories About A Dog by David Rochelle

Back in the age of poor Dick and Jane and Alice and Jerry, if the author of their primer readers wanted them to "see Spot" or "see Jip," they had no choice. And the illustrators of their first reader series cooperated with the authors. If they wanted readers to see Spot or Jip, well, by George, there he was on the facing page. Now in these days of bossy metafiction characters, they think they run the show!

CHAPTER ONE: SEE THE CAT!

I AM NOT A CAT. I AM A DOG!

No matter how determined the author of this "see and say" primer is at describing the putative cat, the actual character maintains that he is a dog. However, although the book's narrator maintains that he is a blue cat in a green dress with the silly name of Baby Cakes, riding on the back of a pink unicorn, he maintains his dogdom.

I AM MAX, A DOG!

Surprisingly, a pink unicorn with a blue cat gallops across the putative page. Now Max's face is red with embarrassment. It gets worse.

CHAPTER II: SEE THE SNAKE!

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Max leaps up from his trusty rug, only to find a snake underneath, a very mad snake at that! Two can play at this metaphysical plotting. Max re-edits the text to read ...

"THE MAD SNAKE IS NOT GOING TO BITE THE DOG!"

Close call! At least that's the end of Chapter II. WHEW!

CHAPTER III: SEE THE DOG!

Having established his true species, Max is happy to stretch out on his rug and rest when the narrator announces . . .

"SEE THE DOG RUN AND JUMP AND . . . FLY! OR A HIPPO WILL SIT ON HIM!"

No can do. SHEESH! Max has had it with this illogical and abhorrent authorhood! He's leaving this book now! And if he does. . .

NOBODY WILL READ IT!

Aha! That hits the publisher where it hurts--the pocketbook! Stop the presses!

Author David Rochelle's clever spoof of the introductory "Dick and Jane" readers from the 1940s, See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog (Candlewick Press, 2020, 2021), abetted by illustrator Mike Wohnoutka, (winner of the American Library Association's prestigious Theodor Seuss Giesel Award for beginning reader books) zestfully carries off this parody of those hoary first grade primers. While achieving their original goal to provide stories with controlled vocabulary and with drawings reminiscent of Dr. Seuss'; Beginner Books, Rochelle and Wohnoutka support the text for the beginning reader just as their predecessors intended to do.

Writes Kirkus Reviews,"Sardonic cartoon drawings and the play on words cleverly elevate the repetitive, Dick-and-Jane pattern to include humor and suspense. Children, who are frequently subject to the control of others, will delight in seeing Max mirror their emotions and turn the tables. Kids will cheer for the affronted Max in this well-crafted early reader with surprising outcomes."

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Compare and Contrast! Black and White by Debora Vogrig

WHITE WAKES UP...

... And as dawn lightens the sky, the brightening White slips insides the sleeping silhouetted buildings, seeking her friend Black, hiding, as he often is, under the bed. White pushes under the bed, and finds her friend.

"HEY! STOP PUSHING! YOU'RE SQUASHING ME! BLACK GRUMBLES."

White has got places to go and things to do in the morning, but Black decides to trail along, turning into a dark octopus, gleefully squirting dark ink onto the spotless white!

Next he organizes the black ink to make the black spots of a speedy Dalmation running into a forest of birchbark tree trunks. White and Black are on a roll now, and together they make a white polar bear with black nose and a flock of two-toned penguins at the opposite pole.

Moving fast, White and Black form a racing herd of Zebras and a black panther in the rain forest and they go down to the sea flying the black and white Jolly Roger flag of a pirate.

And then it is Black's turn to creep into the landscape, creating those elongated evening shadows. The spiral of darkness begins to take charge.

But the two friends still have just enough light for a game with black and white chess pieces, a sing-along with the black and white keys of the piano, one more story on the black-and-white of the printed page--and just enough light from the crescent moon and a million points of light in the black sky.

It takes TWO, in Debora Vogrig's latest, Black and White (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021).

Picture book gurus always advise choosing books for youngsters with vibrant colors, but, au contraire, this tour-de-force of picture book possibilities offers a bold sample of what can be done with black and white in the hands of an able author and an illustrious illustrator.

Working solely (but dually) with all-black and all-white pages, illustrator Pia Valentinis uses the contrasting markings of black-and-white animals to make each one easily recognizable in an eye-catching, brain-stimulating reverse-the field technique that illustrates the importance of differences, no matter how very diverse they can be.

Opposites attract, it seems, in this clever story of light and dark White and Black, working together to make their own world. "The story unfolds in short spare sentences that match the illustrations, both text and artwork presenting just enough for readers to fill in the details with their imaginations," says

Where Do They Go?: Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

OVER THE SNOW I GLIDE.

INTO THE WOODS.

As a boy and his dad ski into the winter woods, the boy's eye catches a flash of color as a red squirrel suddenly zips from sight.

"WHERE DID HE GO?"

"UNDER THE SNOW," DAD SAYS.

Dad tells the boy that many animals keep food stores under the snow, like the red squirrel, who can forage for the scent of nuts and berries he has stored in the space between the slightly melted snow and the cold ground below. And he's not the only creature to make use of that cold locker. Rabbits and hares also visit their secret safe under the snow-- and voles, deer mice, shrews, and ground squirrels have their own larders of nuts and fruit with rinds. Some sleep most of the time in semi-hibernation. They snooze in underground nests and tunnels, where they can wake to eat from time to time from their goodies or sleep long days to conserve their internal fat stores.

As the boy glides up the hills and down, he also sees the wakeful predators, watching for any sign of an animal above the snow. Foxes and owls pounce powerfully if their sharp ears detect a sound from below the snow.

Dad shows him where the sharp hooves of deer leave their tracks behind in the snow.

UNDER THE SNOW THE FAT BULLFROGS SLEEP, DREAMING OF WHEN THEY HAD TAILS.

And down below the snow, beavers in their dens dine on carefully selected supplies of pinecones and bark in their warm dining rooms with a view of the water.

In what seems like a cold and deserted landscape as father and son ski through, forest animals are living in places hidden and unseen, finding food in the frozen stillness of winter, in Kate Messner's Over and Under the Snow.

There is much to learn from the careful ways of animals in winter in this primary lesson on animal behavior and survival in Messner's pleasantly plotted book. Artist Christopher Silas Neal's craftily rendered illustrations display the double levels of life in the winter woodlands, useful for meeting the requirements of the animal science curriculum for the primary grades.

"Beautifully rendered," writes Horn Book Magazine in a starred review.

Teatime Catastrophe: Phoebe Dupree Is Coming to Tea!> by Linda Ashman

PHOEBE'S AS PERFECT AS PERFECT CAN BE!

She's certainly one of the cool kids! It's quite the coup to travel in her company, and our girl hopes that everything will be a perfect as Phoebe. She even bathes her dog Louie, and prompts him to be on his best behavior. He's instructed to offer one paw to shake, and he's NOT to dig holes or jump in the pool!

NO SHEDDING! NO DROOL!

Phoebe's so clever and stylish, with plenty of smarts. She rates fine china, eclairs, and fruit tarts!

The table is set with pink tablecloth and matching flowers. It's ready ahead of time, by hours and hours. At last, says the clock, it is almost three. And right on time, Ding Dong, it's Phoebe Dupree! She greets Louie gently when first she comes in, with an appropriate little chuck of his chin. The teapot is fetched, and tea poured without a drip...

But the triple-tiered tea tray starts to slip...!

IT WOBBLES, I STUMBLE...THEN I TRIP...!

The eclairs fly through the air, Phoebe jostles a chair, and the table totters, with a tumble and a tip!

It's a teatime catastrophe, a hostess' disaster!

And then, to make things worse, Louie runs in from a dip in the pool. His shakes distribute equal amounts of pool water and... drool.

The party is a washout; is this teatime done?

"OH," SAYS PHOEBE, "THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN!"

And Phoebe IS perfect, displaying grace under pressure, as our would-be hostess with the mostest discovers, in Linda Ashman's delightful Phoebe Dupree Is Coming to Tea! (Candlewick Press, 2021). Consoled with some slightly smooshed eclairs and cookie shards, and with the lively, comic illustrations of Alea Marley documenting the calamity, a good time is had by all in an absolutely memorable tea party.

"Funny, subtly empowering, and sweet," is the verdict of Kirkus Reviews.

Special Delivery! The Lost Package by Richard Ho

LIKE OTHER PACKAGES, THIS ONE BEGAN WITH AN EMPTY BOX.

A child places a carefully chosen gift inside, secures the flaps with great care and lots of tape, and addresses it with a personal message, and with a dog on leash, a boy and his mom set off down the sidewalk to the big post office, where the box is weighed and stamped and begins its travels

It moves through the wondrous process of the conveyor belt where magical devices measures sort, and route it to to the airport. But on the way, the delivery truck hits a pothole, the door flies open, and, unnoticed by the truck's driver, the box bounces out and into the puddle alongside the curb, where a curious dog is walking with a boy and his mother.

The dog pulls on his leash to give the package an investigative sniff, while the boy and his mother read the address on the label.

THE BOX WAS TATTERED BUT ITS DESTINATION WAS CLEAR.

The boy and his mom exchange surprised looks as they realize that they and the box are making the trip to the same place. The package takes its place in their moving truck with boxes of their belongings. All day they drive down the long, wet, rainy roads taking them to their new home.

And when they arrive, their first stop is at the very address on the lost-and-found box, where another surprised boy and his amazed mother open the door to find them on their doorstep.

NOT ALL PACKAGES TRAVEL THE SAME ROAD.

SOME GET LOST. SOME GET FOUND.

But this one is delivered, not by Santa, but by a really kind boy and mom, in this sweet story of a gift, lost, found, and delivered by hand by perhaps new friends, in Richard Ho's The Lost Package (Roaring Brook Press, 2021), lovingly illustrated by Jessica Lanan's rain-burnished artwork.

Says Publishers Weekly in a their starred review, "The richness of the tale lies in subtly textured watercolor illustrations by Lanan (The Fisherman and the Whale), which poignantly portray a broad range of settings, from gritty urban streets shimmering with rain to snow-swept terrains to a desolate gas station."

This Is The Way We Go To Sleep: Good Night, Good Night, by Sandra Boynton

THE SUN HAS SET NOT LONG AGO.

A boat, not unlike an ark, loaded with a variety of animals, from bunnies to bear, puppy to elephant, sails by in the setting sun.

NOW EVERYBODY GOES BELOW.

The sun is gone, but there are still duties to be done.

The animals take a bath, dry off, and hang their towels neatly on the wall. Rhino leads the way with pajamas for all.

WITH SOME ON TOP AND SOME BENEATH

THEY BRUSH AND BRUSH AND BRUSH THEIR TEETH.

It's up a deck to huff and puff with lifts, sit-ups, rope jumping, and toe touching.

And down again to go to bed, some at the foot, some at the head.

It's "Good night, off with the light!"

THE SEA IS DEEP--

And so is their sleep!

In her 1982 revision of this longer version of The Going-To-Bed Book, Sandra Boynton's just-published Good Night, Good Night: The original longer version of The Going to Bed Book (Little Simon, 2021 ed.), the routines and rituals of bedtime provide the plot, as author-illustrator Boynton's charming and humorous illustrations feature double-page spreads with her jolly and idiosyncratic crew preparing to go gently into that good night. As always, Sandra Boynton's distinctive soothing and sweet bedtime books are in a class by themselves.

Wonderworldly! It Fell From the Sky by The Fan Brothers

IT FELL FROM THE SKY ON A THURSDAY.

It is a shiny, translucent, perfectly round thingie, with sinuous ribbons of soft color inside. Ladybug was the eyewitness. She said it bounced three times. Inchworm declines it bounced only two times, and after, all he was the counting expert. Frog shot out his long tongue and gave it a taste. It wasn't good. Adjusting his monocle, Grasshopper opined studiously....

"IT IS NOT OF EARTHLY ORIGIN!"

But just in case it was an earthly chrysalis, Luna Moth stood guard all night. But it didn't hatch. At sunrise Spider arrives and announces that the marvel is HIS. He claimed it fell right into his web.

NOBODY REMEMBERED THE WEB BEING THERE BEFORE, BUT IN FAIRNESS, NOBODY REMEMBERED IT NOT BEING THERE, EITHER.

No one dared question Spider as he begin to spin out grandeous plans to exhibit his treasure to the world. He named it WonderVille.

And with much construction assistance from the ants, WonderVille became a miraculous Mecca for multitudes of sightseers who came from far and wide. They grumbled when Spider raised the admission charge all too often, but they still came. He became fabulously rich, but the visitors from near and far kept coming and coming to see the celestial Wonder of the World, until...

They stopped coming.

WHERE HAD EVERYONE GONE?

THAT WAS BEFORE THE UNEXPECTED DISASTER!

Something with five nimble appendages reached down and snatched the wonder back up toward the sky.

Sic transit gloria!

Spider was ignored and the garden's inhabitants went back to their plebian lives, until. . .

. . . One night, inspired by the stars, Spider climbed high up to the dandelion's flower and started to spin again... . a giant web from tree to tree that was bound to capture more wonders from above...

And, as Hamlet said to Horatio, "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy," and as a wondrous assortment of otherworldly objects--pushpins and spools, legos and bottle caps--continued to fall from the skies, ripe for exhibit by an imaginative entrepreneur, Spider was back in business with his new and improved web of wonders, in The Fan Brothers' latest, It Fell from the Sky (Simon and Schuster, 2021).

In this wondrously illustrated modern fable of . . . what? The errors of exploitation and greed, the promise of seeing wonders in the flotsam and jetsam of the world? Whatever the moral of the tale might be, in this latest eye-catching work of art, tiny insects in their miniature natural world are depicted joyfully in the Fan Brother's latest picture book.

Says School Library Journal, "A whimsical story of what happens when an everyday item is suddenly seen through new eyes."

For more of the fantastic and fantastical artistry of the Fan Brothers, see their acclaimed https://booksforkidsblog.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Night+Gardener here.

Red is Red is Red. It's a color--a color associated with Christmas, Valentine's Day, the brightest crayon in the box.

But for a little lost fox searching for his mother, there are many reds in his long journey.

Dark red is the deepening color of his coat in the darkening forest in the approach of twilight. It is a lighter red in the light of the sunrise on his coat. Red is the color of rising fear as he wanders through the woods looking for home, the bright red reflectors of the railroad crossing warning in the headlights of a green truck, the old red of gone-wild roses on a fence around a house where a boy stops his ballgame to stare at him. It's the color of wet soil turning into red mud in the rain, and the danger of rusty nails in a wooden fence.

It's the color of blood on his hurt foot, and of the autumn leaves and the tempting fallen apples on the other side of a chain link fence, and it is the sad color of an old brick wall in his way. It is the tempting red of a piece of meat inside a catch cage, and the red of rage and anxiety when he is captured.

But it is also the warm feeling of trust, as a girl sets him free, and the warmth of his mother's happy love as she finds him at last.

Red is the color of many emotions, in Caldecott author-illustrator Laura Vaccaro Seeger's latest picture book, Red (Holiday House, 2021), the third of her series of stories of evocative colors blended with a family's history, Blue and Green.

Deep and moving, this trilogy is filled with expressionistic acrylic paintings done on a lovely textured surface that opens up the emotional involvement of young readers. With a simple easy-to-read text filled with feeling, the Wall Street Journal's reviewer says, "Laura Vaccaro Seeger has wrought meaning and serendipity from the permutations of a single hue". As an affecting series of family life and a delicately realized introduction to the symbolism of color, this one should not be missed.

Laura Vaccaro Seeger is also a Caldecott Medal winner for her illustrations in Green and First the Egg (Caldecott Honor Book and Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book (Awards)). (See reviews here).

WOOF! MEOW MEOW! Biscuit Wants to Play by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Biscuit and his girl are visiting a friend. Biscuit has to explore everything he sees wherever he goes, and when he peers inside a basket, there is a surprise inside.

WHAT'S IN THAT BASKET?

It's Daisy the cat. And not just Daisy!

"MEOW, MEOW!"

It's Daisy's two kittens and they want to play with Biscuit. Biscuit finds a stick, but the kittens don't want to play with a stick. They want to chase the dry leaves tumbling all over the grass. With a pounce the kitties catch leaves, so Biscuit catches one, too.

But now the kittens are chasing a butterfly just above their heads Wait! Now what are those kittens doing? Climbing a tree? Up they go!

THE KITTENS ARE STUCK IN THE TREE!

Biscuit can't climb trees, but he can jump and bark!

His girl and her friend come to get the kittens down. But the kittens still want to play. Biscuit lets them chase his tail, but that doesn't keep them busy for long.

THERE THEY GO AGAIN!

Playing kitten-sitter can keep a puppy busy, as Biscuit learns in Alyssa Capucilli's account of Biscuit's first encounter with kittens, Biscuit Wants to Play (My First I Can Read) (Harper). Biscuit's adventures make great first encounters with easy readers for young pet lovers just meeting the world of reading.

Winning! Houndsley and Catina by James Howe

CATINA WANTED TO BE A WRITER.

Attired in her classy leaf-print caftan and with her cup of ginger tea, Catina seated herself at her writing desk to write a chapter of her book.

One day her friend Houndsley politely asked how her book was going. Catina reported that it was called Life Through the Eyes of A Cat and that it going splendidly, had seventy-three chapters so far, and would no doubt win her lots of prizes.

But when Houndsley asked politely if he could read it, he saw that it was full of wrong spellings crossed out and the first chapter, on mice, concluded with "I am bored writing abut mice. Who cares?"

Houndsley could not think of anything good to say about about her work, but he was honest.

"I AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS," SAID HOUNDSLEY.

"I AM SPEECHLESS!"

"THANK YOU, HOUNDSLEY!" SAID CATINA.

"NOW I KNOW I WILL BE A FAMOUS AUTHOR!"

Every Saturday Houndsley made dinner for Catina and his friend Bert. They were not an easy pair to cook for. Bert only liked worms and seeds. And despite her cathood, Catina was a vegetarian.

But one Saturday night Bert praised his worms and broccoli aux poppy seeds. To please Catina, the worms were made of tofu, and she raved over the novel dish. Bert urged Houndsley to compete in the upcoming Cooking Contest, and Catina insisted that it was his duty to share his skills with the world. And, besides, the contest was going to be on TV!

The two persuaded Houndsley to enter the cookoff, and he prepared to show off his friends' favorite recipe, Three Bean Soup with Rice.

Houndsley arrived cheerfully for the contest, but it seems that nothing went the way it should.

First, a big can of tomatoes fell on his foot. Then the rice wouldn't get done. And in all the fiddling with the heat under his pot, Bert forgot to put any of the three kinds of beans in the pot. His three bean chili was a No Bean Bust!

"I THINK I BROKE A TOOTH ON THE RICE!" SAID ONE JUDGE.

"I DON'T TASTE ANY BEANS!" SAID ANOTHER JUDGE.

And all three judges laughed when the third judge suggested it should be called "No-Bean Soup!"

But an invitation from his best buddies to watch the fireflies come out consoles Houndsley, in revered children's author James Howe's gentle story about life's little failures, Houndsley and Catina: (Candlewick Sparks) (Candlewick Press, 2021).

Howe's tale of three friends, written for early chapter book readers, drolly stresses the wisdom that not everyone can win first prize and it's possible to do something just for the pleasure it brings to you and/or your friends. Mary-Louise Gay's pencil and watercolor illustrations are lively and expressive, interacting with and amplifying the text wonderfully. Howe's tales are a wonderful addition to the canon of beginning-to-read books, especially when two best friends help each other.

James Howe is the noted author of his perennial best-seller series, Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery and sequels, Bunnicula in a Box: Bunnicula; Howliday Inn; The Celery Stalks at Midnight; Nighty-Nightmare; Return to Howliday Inn; Bunnicula Strikes Again; Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow (Bunnicula and Friends) and his hit middle school series, The Misfits (Turtleback School and Library Binding Edition).

Love Story! Theo's Princess by Ellen DeLange

As frogs go, Theo is a prince among amphibians. He even has a impressive name:

THEODORE CORNELIUS BAFFELUS, III.

But for some reason, Theo aspired to be a real prince of the fairy tale sort. As a tadpole, he loved the story of the Princess and the Frog, and he fervently wished that a princess would come along to kiss him and turn him into a real Prince.

But princesses seemed to be in short supply in his hometown. There was one, in the town castle's tower, but her guards rudely chased him away. No matter where he searched, no princess presented herself. So Theo decided to advertise. He created a goodly supply of lovely posters, offering a freebie kiss to all comers!

WANTED:Princess

But at the advertised time, Theo found himself waiting, with no princesses puckering up.

"ARE THERE NO MORE PRINCESSES?"

"OR DO THEY ONLY EXIST IN FAIRY TALES?"

But to his surprise, Theo soon saw a bevy of princesses approaching, and they lined up under a suitable tree. One was pretty in frills and lace trimmed pantaloons, one was pretty in pink, but with loud checkered stockings, and the third was a tad piggish, but wearing the requisite crown.

THE PRINCESSES WERE GIGGLING.

THEY HAD NEVER KISSED A FROG BEFORE.

One by one, they puckered up and placed a modest kiss on Theo's cheek. But time after time, when he took peek in his mirror, he saw no prince, just his same froggy face. Where were those promised powers of princesses?

"WAIT!" A SMALL VOICE CALLED.

AND BEFORE HE KNEW IT, A BEAUTIFUL FROG GAVE HIM A BIG KISS!

It was a lovely kiss. However, Theo did not turn into a prince. But. . .

HE FELT LIKE ONE!

And of course, love has a magic of its own, in Ellen DeLange's sweet story of true love, Theo's Princess (Clavis Press, 2021). Illustrated in charming pale pastels and great good humor by artist Monty Lee, this new fractured fairy tale is bound to please youngsters who sometimes like their fairy tales (and love stories) served up with a wink and a giggle.

For primary readers, who prefer their Valentine's Day stories on the spoofy side, share this one with Jon Scieszka's classic fractured fairy tale, The Frog Prince, Continued.

One morning Mama Monkey lays down a mandate!

"DO NOT GO DOWN TO THE MANGO TREE!!"<

Mama knows: "There Be Tigers!"

And she doesn't want her little ones to be tiger teatime hors d'oeuvres! It's like the old cautionary tale about not putting beans in noses. Now all the little monkeys can think of is the mango tree!

They agree!

"IT'S A PITY! I LOVE MANGOES!"

One little monkey thinks MAYBE it would be all right to just look at the mangoes.

"THAT'D BE OK, RIGHT?"

Quietly they slip through the treetops to the mango tree. There are no tigers in sight!

And there are lots of ripe mangoes on the ground below the tree. And--Oh, happy day!--there is one juicy mango still on the tree, within reach right from their limb!

"MAYBE WE COULD JUST GET THAT LITTLE ONE. OK? RIGHT?"

And that mango is s-o-o-o delicious. But there are still all those ripe and sweet mangoes all around the tree. And there are no tigers to be seen!

"MAYBE. . .?"

The mangoes are so delicious and all is well as the little monkeys chow down. . . until--

"TIGERS!"

"RUN! JUMP! CLIMB!"

And no sooner do the little monkeys return to their limb, trying to look innocent, than Mom returns, looking frightened, thankful to see her three little ones are safe where she left them. She reports that down there, there were tigers everywhere . . . . The three little monkeys hurry to agree that they are lucky to be safe up high in their tree, just as Mama ordered.

"WE CAN'T GO ANYWHERE," MOM SAYS SADLY. "NOT EVEN TO THE BANANAS. . . ."

The three little monkeys give each other sly looks....

"THERE ARE BANANAS. . .? Hmmm. . . ."

Mischievous little monkeys are tempted by both the sweet fruits and the thrill of transgressing (just a little) Mama's well-meant warnings, in author-illustrator Chris Haughton's story of sneaky monkey misdoings and near misses, Maybe... (Candlewick, 2021).

In an witty, all-too-human story of temptation by a forbidden fruit, Haughton's clever illustrations, especially the eyes of his animal characters, whimsically tell the tale of what they are really thinking, especially the sly eyes of the three would-be malefactors, while showing that, as usual, Mama is RIGHT!

Says Kirkus Reviews, "The book's suspense is built with careful pacing and the repetition of particular words. . . An impish adventure."

Share this just-published story with Eileen Christelow's beloved series, beginning with Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (A Five Little Monkeys Story) (Read my reviews here) https://booksforkidsblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Five+little+Monkeys+by+Eileen+Christelow.)

The Take-0ff! See Otto by David Milgrim

SEE OTTO GO!

Otto is the cutest litte robot you ever saw. He's brave, too, as he waves goodbye to Mom and Pop Robot and enters his spaceship heading for an earth landing.

Right on the plan, Otto steers his little rocket expertly past rocky asteroids, small planets, orbiting satellites, and assorted space junk, until he spots a likely looking planet which looks a lot like Earth. So far its A-OK!

But Otto hasn't had much training in what to do next, and he finds himself out of gas and ... falling, falling, falling, into a crash landing (BOINK!) on his head in some jungle, to the surprise of the bemused monkey population--not to mention a rather hostile hippopotamus who finds him dazed and confused, a stranger in a strange land!

Otto knows what to do when confronted by strange life forms. He gives them his biggest smile. But the natives are not friendly. The hippopotamus is faster than he looks, and he also knows what to do with that horn on his nose.

RUN, OTTO, RUN!

But Otto is not fast enough, and the hippo sends him flying, not into space, but into a tree with two surprised monkeys.

LAUGH, EVERYONE!

It's back to the old drawing board for Otto, or, in this case, back to the old typewriter for author David Milgrim, in his Ready-to-Read book, See Otto (READY-TO-READ PRE-LEVEL 1) (Simon Spotlight Ready to Read).

As the main character in a winner of the American Library Association's Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, this beginner book, with its charming little astronaut has all the right stuff--limited vocabulary, repetition, and funny, irresistible characters for the t novice reader. Keep smiling, Otto. You've got what it takes for lift-off for rookie readers! And there are many more Otto titles waiting for early readers!

No Map Needed! Hidden Treasure by Ellie MacKay

I'M FEELING LUCKY. HOW ABOUT YOU?

DO YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR TREASURE, TOO?

Her shorts over her bathing suit, a young girl sets forth with Dad and her shaggy dog for the beach. As they make their way down toward the beach, a row of seagulls, like a group of soldiers at attention, review their passing from a rooftop.

EACH TIME I COME, THERE'S SOMETHING NEW.

Carefully the girl chooses her new treasures from the flotsam and jetsam along the waterline and from under the pier. She leaves some behind, knowing that they will be easy to re-find.

THE WATER'S COLD, BUT HERE I GO.

I SPOT A GLIMMER DOWN BELOW.

Leaving a moth's cocoon to hatch later, she lays out her ocean finds on the sands and tries to decide what to keep for a while--a softly gray gull feather, a sea-polished rock, a perfect pink shell with the sound of the sea. Which ones will it be?

Every find has its own tale to tell, and some belong in their place by the sea.

I'LL ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THEY WILL BE.

Hidden treasures are revealed in Ellie Mackay's Hidden Treasure (Running Press Kids, 2021) in her elegantly misty and lovely paintings and simple but telling poetry of a time to be treasured in memory.

Not all things can go home from a beach walk, but beautiful memories can remain as bright and shiny as a freshly washed-up shell, and the real treasure here is the experience itself.

Says the New York Times reviewer, "The medium perfectly fits the message in this one-of-a-kind book about a girl’s search for wave-washed treasures."

A hopeful young dad welcomes two toddlers over for a playdate, with predictable results.

At first, the tots begin cheerily with a game of hide and seek. Things are going well as Dad searches for the three hiding together under a blanket. 

First there's the problem of the host sharing his toys with his guests. He captures them all on his blanket, but finally relents and lets each of them have one of his balls, and Dad steps in to get them taking turns going down the slide, 1, 2, 3.

There are giggles and smiles all around as the three walk UP and DOWN over the little bridge and then form a line to walk UNDER it, 1, 2, 3, with Dad playing traffic light.

STOP! STOP! STOP! GO!

There's time for a very messy snack and an individual wash up of hands and faces.They take turns "cleaning up" the kitchen, and the two moms return to claim their little ones after their very first play day with what we can hope will be long-time friends, in Kimberly Gee's Mine, Mine, Mine, Yours! (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2021). A toddler book which reinforces social skills and the concept of opposites, (beginning with the title), author-illustrator Kimberly Gee's tots and one very busy dad make for quite a story of a first friends-over-to-play-party. Illustrator Kimberly Gee's believable little ones have a charming naivete' all their own, and the story ends with everyone happy.

Share this one with Gee's companion concept book, Up, Up, Up, Down!

Bear Hunt! Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

WOOF! WOOF! "WHAT DO YOU SEE, BISCUIT?"

Biscuit keeps woofing and looking up. Does he see a bird? A butterfly?

No! It's a tiny Teddy Bear on the fence post. Biscuit and the girl look around. Puddles the terrier is getting a brushing. But it's not his Teddy. And Shaggy Sam is chewing his stick. Surely it's not his bear either.

"SOMEONE LOST A TEDDY BEAR! WHO?"

Woof! Biscuit sees that there are a big truck in the driveway and a lot of big boxes sitting around on the neighbors' lawn. And then Biscuit hears and then spies a toddler in a stroller crying! That's a CLUE!

WOOF! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

"IS THIS YOUR TEDDY BEAR, LITTLE BOY?"

Case closed! The mystery of the missing Teddy is solved, in Alyssa Satin Capucilli's Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear (My First I Can Read) (HarperCollins), in another My First I-Can-Read book for rookie readers.

Charmingly illustrated by artist Pat Schorie, this one is a great starter for youngsters just beginning to read for themselves, and though it is a far cry from Sherlock Holmes, this one has all the right stuff--illustrations that foreshadow the text as they attract and delight the eye and repetitive language that makes it easy for young readers to turn the pages and see what happens next.

Timely Restyling: Unraveled by Leanne Hatch

COLE'S BABY BLANKET HAD BEEN LOVINGLY MADE BY MAMA WHILE SHE DREAMED OF HIS ARRIVAL.

And right away Cole loves his soft knitted blankie. It snuggles him when he is a tiny newborn, and makes him giggle when his mom uses it to play peek-a-boo with him.

When he can sit up, it makes a soft play-place for him and his toys on the floor. When he is older, it is a tent for him and his cat to hide out under kitchen chairs. And when he is bigger, it make a perfect superhero cape. But then, one day... Cole notices something sad. His beloved blankie is growing smaller.

IT WAS COMING UNRAVELED.

Soon it is just a wad of snarled-up yarn.

HE TRIED TO USE IT IN ALL THE SAME WAYS.

But it is no good for keeping him warm at night or making a hide-out tent, a superhero cape, or anything. Even his cat, who might be suspected for the unraveling, seems sad. At last Cole has to admit the truth.

IT WAS TIME TO LET GO.

But Mom knows what to do with yarn, and while Cole sleeps, she starts knitting once more.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and in that spirit, Cole soon has a a handsome handknit new sweater, soft and warm, in Leanne Hatch's Unraveled (Holiday House, 2021).

Hatch's heartwarming story of loss and love and life is made even more kid-pleasing by her charming illustrations, including that big-eyed cat with the knowing expressions on his whiskered face. This first book for author-illustrator Hatch is a wise lesson on loving and letting go and making something out of nothing!

What Makes A Family: A House by Kevin Henkes

It all begins with...

A HOUSE.

This one seems simple--but geometically it is more complex than it seems. It's square, with an rectangle for a door and chimney, a circular window and doorknob, and a trapezoidical roof with with overlapping oval tiles. Its door and chimney are a dusty blue, its round window is a pale blue, and the grass is green. There are parallel lines vertically in its shape AND horizontally in its siding and roof.

It's more complex than we might think.

And Kevin Henkes' latest book for the youngest, is not exactly simplistic. It begins as a "concept" book, helping preschoolers practice their shapes and colors, and the celebrated author-illustrator moves seamlessly on to counting. But when an iconic sun and birds appear, concepts of time appear in "morning" and while two birds rest of the roof, young readers are asked to count the number of birds in flight. A similar page for the house at night identifies and counts the moon and stars.

HOW MANY STARS ARE THERE?

The House in rain is pictured with countable clouds and puddles, stressing comparison words like "biggest" and "smallest." The House in snow is next with new snowflakes appearing among raindrops until the house is heavy with snowfall.

The scene is set when Director Henkes calls ACTION!, and a family of five old fashioned Playskool-like people appears with dog and cat following behind.

COMING... HOME.

It takes something really special to make the HOUSE a HOME in Caldecott and Newbery Award-winning author-illustrator, Kevin Henkes' latest, A House (Greenwillow Books, 2021, as Henkes melds the concrete shapes and numbers of the preschool curriculum with the feelings that bring a house alive to be a family home, with flowers up front, a dog in the yard, familiar faces at the window. and yes, a cat on the roof.

Simple but endearing in the way of beloved author-illustrator, Tomie de Paola, this book should become a classic for preschoolers, and a lovely beginning reader for the lower grades.

Booklist remarks that this one does double duty, as it... "invites readers to actively participate in the story, presenting questions about colors and shapes, which quickly become more complex considerations about the locations of objects, visual action elements, time of day, and size comparisons. . . . What started as a fun, interactive visual exercise ends up with a gentle message about family and what truly makes a house a home.”

Do It Your Way! Zuri Ray Tries Ballet by Tami Charles

 

ZURI RAY LOVED TRYING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY THINGS.

With Jessie, her BFFD (Best Friend from Diapers), she has taken on snorkeling, science experiments, ghost-hunting, and being detectives. They always take turns choosing what to do next. This time it's Jessie's turn and she chooses a week at Ballet Camp. She takes to the tutu, the pirouette, and the jete' right away.

But ballet is a bust for Zuri. The tight chignon hurts her head, the tutu is scratchy, and her slippered feet slide on the floor, and she finds herself, not en pointe, but en derriere!

It's an embarrassment for Zuri, who fancies herself a soccer star. When she arrives at home, she declares . . .

"I QUIT! IT'S TOO HARD FOR ME!"

But big sister Remi reminds Zuri what her family always says.

"WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE RAYS GET TOUGHER!"

Zuri realizes that she can't let her family down. But the next day finds her still doing a pas de deux with the floor even more. She tells the teacher that she just can't move like the other little would-be ballerinas.

And her teacher tells her something that gives her a new way to look at the chasse' and plie'!

"DANCING IS ALL ABOUT IMAGINATION."

And when Zuri shows up for class the next day in her soccer uniform, she performs the high kicks her way, in Tami Charles' Zuri Ray Tries Ballet (Quill/HarperCollins, 2021).

It's different strokes for different folks, in a sweet story of friendship honored while being true to self. Author Tami Charles shows adventurous little friends who are willing to remain open about trying out new things while seeking their own "thing." Illustrator Sharon Sordo handles this difficult transition for the two Best Friends Forever as they navigate their first major disagreement with warmth, understanding, and humor, and pictures the importance of support from a loving family.

Says School Library Journal, "Young elementary-age readers will adore the vividly animated characters and feel encouraged by Zuri Ray and her example of finding compassion for herself and practicing honesty in friendship. A wonderful addition to any collection."

What Can Two Do? One, Two, Grandma Loves You! by Shelley Becker

ONE, TWO, GRANDMA LOVES YOU!

Grandma and her little granddaughter love to be together. They love to do the same things--draw pictures of each other, shop in toy stores, go fishing, and make pancakes, paint pictures, and paint their nails the same colors!

But the visit must end sometime, and when the girl goes back home, Grandma is so alone.

What can they do?

They yak on the phone for hours. They mark their calendars and cross off the days until they can get together again! They mail each other paintings and drawings of things they like to do together, and post the pictures everywhere. And they can't wait to see each other again!

"NINE, TEN, PLAN AGAIN!"

They count the days and think of ways to have fun the next time they are together, and Grandmother and Granddaughter count the ways they can be together, in Shelly Becker's latest, One, Two, Grandma Loves You (Abrams Appleseed, 2021). Author Becker delivers the rhymes and artist Dan Yaccarino provides the comic drawings of the good times, in this easy-to-read, easy-to-love book.

Says School Library Journal's starred review,, "Why does it ever have to end? The details in the illustrations will have children poring over the pages, where the clues to good times past and present add up to a generous look at the special bonds of an extended family."

YAR! YERG Sammy the Seasick Pirate by Janelle Spirnger-Willms

SAMMY WANTED NOTHING MORE IN THE WORLD THAN TO BE A PIRATE CAPTAIN WHEN HE GREW UP.

Sammy made a list of the skills he would need and his pirate Papa agreed to teach him all of them. Papa's lessons are no crip course. To master the undeniable need to swim, Papa tosses him off the ship and into the sea. Sammy rises to the occasion and to the surface and splashes to shore!

Swimming--CHECK!

Sammy substitutes archery for swordplay and splits all of Papa's apples right down the center. Mama is mad about the mess, giving Sammy a chance to check swabbing decks off his list. In jig time he finds buried golden coins and passes the buried-treasure test by sinking them secretly into the sand again. Sammy passes his treasure map test.

It's time for the final seafarers' exam: sailing the ship, from hoisting sail, map-reading, and steering from the helm.

EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL. UNTIL...

A wild and windy storm blew up.

HIS STOMACH WENT SWISH! THEN SLOSH!

THEN ... BLEEAHH!

Papa Pirate tried all the remedies for seasickness in his list, all followed by a sickening. |. . .

"BLEEAHH!"

It seems that Sammy's hopes of a swashbuckling life's work are sunk. Is there no way he can be a successful corsair without sailing the (BLEEAHH!) bounding seas?

But where there's a will, there is a way to find treasure without setting foot on shipboard, in Janelle Springer-Willms' newest, Sammy the Seasick Pirate (Reycraft Books, 2021).

Aye, Me Hearties, there's gold in them there sands and loot to be harvested from shipwrecks if a bright lad is willing to work on shore, in Springer-Wilms' clever new look at a dryland desperado. An afterword to Springer-Willms' story reveals that there was indeed a famous Barbadoes pirate, Sam Hall Lord, who made a fortune from looting beached privateer shipwrecks.

Illustrated boldly with plenty of action on each page by artist Damien Jones, this entertaining new picture book manages to salvage its queasy protagonist from a life of piracy, with an alternate career as an on-shore entrepreneur. Yo Ho Ho and a pocketful of gold!

Good Sledding! A Sled for Gabo by Emma Otheguy

It's snowing!

Gabo wipes off the window and sees boys and girls from his new school pulling sleds up the hill and then coasting down, screaming. It looks like fun.

But Gabo has a shortfall in the snow gear department!

GABO DIDN'T HAVE A SLED.

He doesn't have warm wool socks, just cotton ones. He doesn't have snow boots, just sneakers. And his baby pom-pom hat is way too small this year.

"VAMOS A RESOLVER!" SAYS MAMI.

Mami solves the problems one at a time: Four pairs of socks are just as cozy as wool. Plastic bags over his sneakers keep the snow out as well as boots, and Mami's snow hat fits him perfectly when she rolls the brim up. Gabo is all set, except for the sled, that is.

Outside He meets his neighbor Mr. Ramos. He doesn't have a sled, but he invites Gabo in to meet his granddaughter. But Gabo is too shy.

Then Gabo meets his aunt and uncle. His aunt has something for him. She says it's a sled, but it looks like a plastic cafeteria tray to Gabo. He doesn't know what to say or do, until Mr. Ramos' granddaughter, Isa, and her big dog come running toward him.

"CAN I HAVE A TURN ON YOUR SLED?" ISA ASKED.

"I DON'T HAVE A SLED," GABO SAID SADLY."

"OF COURSE YOU DO!" SAID ISA.

She sits down on the tray and coasts to the bottom of the hill, shrieking all the way.

And then, so does Gabo, whooping all the way down, in Emma Otheguy's A Sled for Gabo (Atheneum Books, 2021). It's Gabo's first snow day, sliding downhill with his schoolmates and having his new friend over for dulce de leche as the sun slides down behind the snowy hill.

Ana Ramirez Gonzalez's bright and cheery illustrations and the author's sunny can-do approach look at all the possibilities to tell the story of a happy snowy day and promises many more such days with new friends and new places. Says School Library Journal, "Otheguy's unhurried, lyrical approach to the story's central problems are of a piece with the message that life is constantly presenting opportunities for happiness, if you know how to look for them."

Dressing Down! Something's Wrong by Jory John

Bear wakes when the alarm clock rings and begins his morning routine. Bath? Check! Water plants? Check! Breakfast? Check! Comb fur? Check! Try on gift from Grandma? Check!

"HMMM! WHY DO I STILL FEEL LIKE I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING?"

"SOMETHING IS OFF!"

Actually it's what he has on! Everyone he meets along the way acts flustered and fidgety when they see him. They fumble for words and give him THE LOOK, but no one says anything!

But when he walks away, we find out why. Deer mutters to himself:

"WHY IS THAT BEAR WEARING UNDERWEAR?"

Deer stands frozen in the creek asking himself the same question. So does Raccoon, who falls flat out of his tree, and Fox, who is fairly flummoxed at the very sight of Bear. Finally Bear, befuddled, has to find out what it is about him that is causing their uneasiness.

"SOMETHING IS WRONG!"

"I NEED A TRUSTED FRIEND WHO WILL BE HONEST WITH ME!"

And Bear knows that that friend is Anders the Hare, who asks the unspoken question on everyone's mind.

"COULD IT BE THAT YOU LEFT THE HOUSE WEARING UNDERWEAR?"

"GULP!"

Bear looks down and sees that he's still wearing Grandma's gift, a pair of too brief whities, too "tighty" and already beginning to split down the backside. He's absolutely mortified, until good friend Anders takes a page from Tom Sawyer whitewashing his fence, to convince the others that they need a certain undergarment to join the in-group, in the New York Times' best-selling kids' humorist Jory John's latest comic tale, Something's Wrong!: A Bear, a Hare, and Some Underwear (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2021).

Author Jory John's attire advisory is ably assisted by the clever cartoon illustrations of Erin Kraan, whose final spread pictures all the forest animals, now nattily attired in their stylish whitie tighties. This newest picture book comedy imparts a bit of social wisdom and is guaranteed to deliver gallons of giggles for any group of early graders!

Quips Kirkus Reviews, "This underwear affair is wise, witty, and just brief enough.”

WHEN WE VISIT ABUELO, I HELP HIM SELL FRUTAS.

WE SING THE NAMES OF EACH FRUIT AS WE CHANT WITH A RHYTHM.

Down the street with her grandfather pushing a cart filled with many varieties, they sing the song of their sweet juicy wares....

"MANGO, LIMON, COCO, MELON..."

Pineapples, bananas, oranges, grapefruits and limes crowd the cart at first, but from their balconies, people let down their baskets with money for their choices and pull them up for waiting children to grab. Along the street the other vendors sing their wares, from eggs to dustpans, tamales to brooms....

BEST OF ALL IS LA DULCERA, WHO CROONS SO SWEETLY IN PRAISE OF HER CHOCOLATES AND OTHER CANDIES.

Narrated by a little girl who only can visit her grandparents annually during the New Year's holiday, she describes how, between times, she lovingly keeps in touch by letter that fly between her home in the north and Cuba.

WE CAN SING RHYMES BACK AND FORTH, VERSES ON PAPER, A HUG MADE OF WORDS.

When I was in fifth grade, our vocal music songbook had a section titled "Songs of Our Land," and several were the musical calls of street vendors. The only one I can remember was, according to the caption, a Charleston, South Carolina song, "Barcolingo, Watermelon," which featured four rhythmic claps, and advertised "water-mel-lions, col' as ice, ber-ry nice...."  And that summer, believe it or not, a man carrying a tray of little baskets of strawberries came walking down my street, singing "Straw... straw... straw BEE-RIES!'" I thought, "That's a real street vendor call!" My worlds were colliding!

But although most American children won't hear  street vendors musically calling their wares, they have the new story book by the award-winning author Margarita Engle and artist Sara Palacios, A Song of Frutas (Atheneum Books, 2021), with sellers singing the delights of sweet summery fruits for sale for people who let down baskets and pull them up with fresh-picked delights.

Author Engle's cheery "Spanglish" songs of holiday food are universal and Sara Palacio's bright and tropically sunny illustrations offer youngsters a wider view of holiday events with a touch of sadness for the separation of families. 

Says Horn Book Magazine, "Engle’s text is rich in sensory details . . . Palacios’s digital illustrations are characterized by soft lines and warm colors that augment the positive mood throughout. . . Fond reminiscences and a nuanced cultural depiction make for another warm ode to Engle’s beloved isla."

T'was the Night... : Five Little Monkeys Looking for Santa by Eileen Christelow

On the night before Christmas, what do little ones want? Eggnog? A kiss under the mistletoe? Fruitcake? An early bedtime?

We wish!

No, since the celebrated Clement Clarke Moore penned his classic, we know that parents want their children all snug, asleep in their beds. But for little Santa fans, Christmas Eve brings the worst insomnia a youngster can experience! And how are those five little monkeys, famous for jumping on their bed, sleeping on this Christmas Eve?

YOU GUESSED IT!

CREEPING PAST MAMA SLEEPING,

SNEAKING DOWN EACH STAIR. . .

Santa's not putting presents around the Christmas tree, but-- what's that noise in the kitchen? Clickety Clack! Is Santa raiding their fridge for a snack? No, it's Grandpa, having a cookie and cocoa, with a time-honored warning.

"SANTA WON'T COME WHILE YOU'RE AWAKE!"

"GO BACK T0 BED, FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"

But the five little monkeys are still worried. Does Santa know their address? And what's that noise in the bathroom? Santa?

It's Mom in her bathrobe. She repeats Grandpa's advice and shoos them back to bed. But it's not long before they hear a bump on the roof. Is it Santa making a very bad landing?

Quick as a flash, they're out the front door in their jammies, looking up on the roof. The noise is still there, so they find a long ladder and scale it double quick. But there's not a sign of Old St. Nick!

SUDDENLY, WITH A BIG GUST OF WIND AND A CREAKING SOUND...

. . .the monkeys see their ladder blown down to the ground! OOPS! Now how do THEY get down?

Shivering, they brainstorm the only way. If Santa can do it, SO CAN THEY! It's down the grimy chimney for the tired little monkeys.

And sooty and chilly, they now want to sleep. They crash on the couch, all piled in a heap.

And when Santa finally comes down the chimney with care, he finds them all snoozing, totally unaware.

So Santa fills each stocking, grinning from ear to ear.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE MONKEYS! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!"

On Christmas Eve what do Santa newbies do? It's an old plot, but for little ones it's all brand-new. As bells jingle and snowflakes glisten, they lie in their beds sleepless, with nothing to do but listen!

Eileen Christelow, the author of so many hilarious books about the Five Little Monkeys, has a good reason for a new one for this season, Five Little Monkeys Looking for Santa (A Five Little Monkeys Story) (Clarion Books, 2021). For youngsters who've yet to meet Christelow's mischievous five, this seasonal story is a great introduction to these famous characters.

The One Good Question! A Kid Is A Kid Is a Kid by Sara O'Leary

"BEING THE NEW KID IS HARD."

"I CAN THINK OF BETTER QUESTIONS THAN WHETHER I'M A BOY OR A GIRL."

Inquiring minds want to know, and some kids are not shy about asking. Like...

"WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?"

"HERE!"

Some of their questions have obvious answers. "Why do I keep my nose in a book?" "I like to read! DUH!" "Why do I wear the same shirt all the time?" Obviously because it's fantastic! "Are you two identical twins?" "Ah, do we look exactly alike?"

Other questions are too nosy. "Why is your sister different?"

"EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT."

But there is one question that almost ANY KID wants to hear!

"WANT TO PLAY?"

It's natural for kids to ask questions. But some questions need a bit of an, uh, filter, in Sara O'Leary 's latest, A Kid Is a Kid Is a Kid (Groundwood Books, 2021).

Learning the social skills of asking the right questions in the right way is the subject of this new picture book, illustrated with great good humor by artist Qin Leng, Author O'Leary skillfully points out some questions that are better not asked at certain times. Some are hurtful, some are rude, some are critical, and some others just don't need to be asked at first meeting. This book has good possibilities for shared reading, with one child reading one question and another reading the reply and a discussion of how each question in the story might make them feel, and what might be a kinder way to phrase it.

Says Booklist, "Illustrated in fine-lined drawings and watercolors, the funky and droll children (no adults here) sport wild styles, active postures, and creative antics to make their point."

Share this one with its companion book, Sara O'Leary's A Family Is a Family Is a Family.

Bedtime Story: Time for Bed, Old House by Janet Costa Bates

ISAAC LOVED THE NEW PAJAMAS HE GOT FOR HIS FIRST SLEEPOVER AT GRANDPOP'S HOUSE.

He loved playing blocks and board games on the floor with Grandpop. But he wasn't sure he loved the idea of spending the night at Grandpop's house.

"I'M NOT SLEEPY,"HE SAID.

So Grandpop suggests that he help put the old house to bed. They have to be very quiet and walk softly. They turn off the light switches and lamps as they go, when Isaac hears a weird sniffing sound. But it's only Grandpop's old shaggy dog, Snuffles, ready to go to bed, too.

"SQUEAK! SQUEAK!"

"WHAT'S THAT?"

It is a scary noise, but Grandpop has Isaac look outside a window to see the old swings in the yard, blowing in the wind. Then it's time to pull down the shades.

"LOOKS LIKE THE HOUSE IS CLOSING ITS EYES TO SLEEP," SAID GRANDPOP.

The two make their way upstairs to Mom's old bedroom. Grandpop hands Isaac a book to read for a bedtime story. Isaac protests that he can't read yet.

"YOU CAN READ THE PICTURES!" SUGGESTS GRANDPOP.

Snuffles settles down, and Isaac climbs in his grandfather's lap and begins to read the pictures on each page. And when he finishes the book, Isaac finds that he's read his Grandpop to sleep. He covers his grandfather with the throw. He pulls down the window shade in Mom's old room. He reads the pictures in another book to himself, turns off the lamp, and pats Snuffles on his head. The old house is asleep, and soon Sniffles and Isaac are, too. No one is awake to hear the snores of all three of them.

It's bedtime and all is well, in Janet Costa Bates' brand-new bedtime book, Time for Bed, Old House (Candlewick Press, 2021).

In this easy-going account of a childhood milestone, it is the child himself who, after some clever priming by Grandpop, takes charge of his own first sleepaway night. Noted artist AG Ford's warm and homey illustrations make the best of this endearing story of grandparent and child. Says School Library Journal, "The rituals of bedtime, as encompassing and timeless as the bonds between generations, elevate a simple tale and make it an essential purchase for every collection."

What Do We Want? WE WANT SNOW: A Wintry Chant by Jamie A. Swenson

"WE WANT SNOW--UP TO OUR ANKLES...,

"SHINS..., KNEES..., AND CHINS!"

The kids are ready; they want the whole nine yards of the snow season.

But so far the winter sky watch has been a bust. Their snow watch is a fluke, for heaven's sake! But, Wait!

"A FLAKE!"

And do the kids get their wish!

They pile on their sleds, dachshunds and all, slipping and sliding down the hill. They make snow forts and have a snowball fight. This is the way to do winter right! Snowmen grow fat and tall with woolly mittens and puffy coats for all. Ice skates and skiis are sure to please. Kids and dogs, and grownups, too, play outside until their noses turn blue.

And then, they have a different thought.

"WE WANT COCOA--PIPING HOT!"

"WITH MARSHMALLOWS--WE WANT A LOT!"

But ... as the wintry days continue and the weather remains windy, dark, and cold... the kids' desire for snow days begins to grow old.

"WHOA! BRRRRRRR! TOO MUCH SNOW!"

"SNOW IN OUR HAIR AND UNDERWEAR...."

And snow keeps coming everywhere.

It seems that there can be ... TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING!

"HOW ABOUT AN EARLY SPRING?"

Jamie A. Swenson's just-in-time chiming, rhyming, loving salute to snowtime, We Want Snow: A Wintry Chant (Sleeping Bear Press, 2021) is a joy to read for kids who can't wait for the white stuff to fall.

Swenson's clever rhyming storytelling, matched to the jolly illustrations of Emilie Boon, make this one an irresistible read-aloud story and a charming performance script for Christmas parties and parent programs, with the winsome warning that it's perhaps good that snowy days and nights, despite their lively delights and charming good cheer, don't last all year!

Poet Percy Shelley's longing got it about right! "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

We can only hope so!!