Picturebook: Old Bear

Beloved author Kevin Henkes has written another winning picture book. Like his award winning "Kitten's First Full Moon", "Old Bear" is drawn with thick lines and a cartoon style. The art is beautiful, with just a touch of abstract in the full colour spreads.

This is an excellent themed pick for Fall or Seasons units. Old Bear goes to sleep in the fall, and dreams about the changing seasons through the year. When he wakes up, it's spring...and it looks just like his vibrant dream! Old Bear can hardly believe he's awake. The extremely simple text and plot mean that this book is suitable for very young children: however, older kids will enjoy playing seek and find in the detailed depictions of the seasons. A lovely book, suitable for all ages.

Picturebook

Ages 1-4

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Picturebook: Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?

This rhyming picturebook has a snappy beat, and a sure-bet premise. Kangaroo can't figure out who ate all her cookie dough, so she asks each of her friends in turn:

" monkey, monkey, do you know/who ate all the cookie dough?"

"I don't know, it wasn't me! Maybe Hippo. Let's go see."

And so on, until it's clear that the culprit is hiding...right under Kangaroo's nose!

With a fun flap at the end and a refrain that really encourages participation from kids and parents, this book is a great choice for readalouds and storytimes for the younger crowd.

Picturebook

Ages 2-5

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Picturebook: Poor Puppy

This sequel to the alphabet book "Bad Kitty" is a fantastic counting book for older preschoolers. Poor Puppy really really wants to play with Kitty, but Kitty is just not interested. Instead, Poor Puppy romps with an ascending number of toys, from one airplane to twenty six zoo animals. After all that fun, Poor Puppy curls up for a nap with Kitty's toy mouse. He dreams of playing 26 different games with Kitty (from Apple bobbing in Antarctica to running Zig Zags in Zimbabwe), and when kitty wakes him up trying to steal back the mouse, Poor Puppy is ready to play again. A fun alphabet/counting book with lots of detailed illustrations.

Picturebook

Ages 2-5

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Picturebook: Llama Llama Mad at Mama

Ah, the dreaded grocery shopping trip. Every parent will recognize the warning signs early in this book: the bored whining, the pout, the missed nap...and sure enough, little llama has a massive meltdown at the Shop-o-rama when Mama llama takes too long with the shopping. Somewhat improbably, little llama stops his tantrum after a stern warning and a kind hug, and finishes the shopping trip by helping to push the cart and find the car. If only it was that easy! The best part about this book is the clever rhyme scheme, and fans of the prequel, Llama Llama Red Pajama, will definitely want to give this book a look.

Picturebook

Ages 2-4

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Picturebook: Who's Hiding?

Japanese graphic artist Satoru Onishi has created an amazingly clever picturebook in "Who's Hiding". This book is a memory puzzle, where kids see the same two page spread of cartoon animals throughout the book, but must look closely to discover "who's hiding?" or "who's angry?". This book requires children to pay close attention to each picture on the page in order to discern small differences between the animals. The art is cartoonish and colourful, and preschoolers will love this seek and find book as much as older kids love the classics like "Where's Waldo?" and "I Spy".

Picturebook

Ages 4-7

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Picturebook:Yo, Jo!

Rachel Isadora has used collage art to create a vivid book about a boy's afternoon in an urban african american neighbourhood. Two brothers wait outside their home for their grandfather to come home for dinner, and as they wait, they interact with kids, adults and animals in their neighbourhood. A warm and lively depiction of an inner city community where everyone knows eachother, and nobody is a stranger. Kids and adults alike will appreciate the sense of easy belonging that this book projects.

Picturebook

Ages 2-5

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Picturebook: Overboard!

Overboard! is author Sarah Week's adorable, rhyming tale of a baby bunny who loves to toss things. Every parent will recognize this stage, where baby chucks toys, food, diapers, and everything else over the side of the stoller/highchair/crib, just to watch it crash on the ground. The best part about this attractively illustrated book is the clever, rhyming text; a book most suited to babies, but certainly a pleasure for parents to read over and over again.

Picturebook

Ages 0-18 mos

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