Picture Book: There Once Was a Camel

This simple picturebook has some of the most beautiful illustrations I've seen in years. Part Aesop's fable, part nonsense rhyme, the simple text tells the story of three animal friends. Their gentle silliness is illustrated with vibrant, soft watercolours in jewel bright tones.

The style evokes the heat and richness of a middle eastern desert night; beautiful enamel and brocade backgrounds make a reader want to reach out and touch the silk tents and soft clouds. Readers will want to spend hours gazing dreamily at these pages, pondering the wisdom of the author, famous Canadian poet P.K. Page. Highly recommended as a bedtime or quiet time read.

Picture Book/Poetry

Ages 3-7

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Picture Book: Octopus Socktopus

This hilarious lift-the-flap book is filled to the brim with everyone's favourite ocean animal. Clever flaps and moveable parts illustrate all different kinds of octopuses. (Octopi?)

From Socktopus to Goldilocktopus to Toffee Choctopus, each hilarious image shows an octopus in disguise. This kind of silly punning is wonderful for supporting kids' language learning. Even better, it's just plain fun!

Nick Sharratt's cartoonish pictures will appeal to all ages of kids, but the more complex puns (Punk Rocktopus?) will be lost on the younger ones. Have a good laugh with your kindergarten kids; they'll love it.

Picture Book
Ages 3-6

Picture Book: Come Rhyme With Me

Hans Wilhelm has created an alphabet book with huge literacy punch. On every page, the rhyming text leads kids to a flap that covers the final word in the sentence. Kids will use the picture and rhyme clues to guess the final word, and then confirm their guess by lifting the flap.

What a fantastic way to support phonological awareness! Parents can help kids read through the sentence, and can prompt with beginning sounds for some of the more difficult rhymes. Most four and five year olds will be very ready to guess the endings, but children younger than this will need prompting.

The bright, cartoony images give lots of information to assist kids as they read the text, and everyone will laugh when Gorilla picks his _ _ _. With humour, great visuals, and lots of literacy impact, this book is a winner!

Picture Book

Ages 3-6

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Picture Book: Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Waking Up?

The soft watercolour pastels of this picturebook provide a lovely counterpoint to the repetetive, rhyming text. Kitty cat is slow to wake up, and there are so many distractions as she gets ready in the morning! A tiny mouse adds interest, as readers will watch eagerly to see when Kitty will notice her little shadow.

Perfect for reading aloud, the story will be familiar to any young child who likes to dawdle on their way out the door. The rhyme and cumulative repetition will grab attention; I recommend this book for storytimes and readalouds.

Picture Book

Ages 2-4

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Picture Book: The Foggy, Foggy Forest

This superb picturebook is a fantastic excursion into an enchanted forest. Each spread depicts a fantasy scene, such as elves or fairies, in black and white silhouette; turn over the page, and you'll see the scene in full colour.

The very simple text invites children to guess at what lies behind the silhouette. Kids will love flipping through the tranlucent pages. The candy coloured pictures are drawn in Nick Sharratt's trademark cartoon style, and they pose a nice contrast to the pervasive greys and blacks.

This is a charming book, and it's fantasy focus is rare in books for young children. The question and visual answer format is very engaging, and kids and parents alike will enjoy this quick read.

Picture Book

Ages 3-5

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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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Picturebook: Follow the Line Through the House

This award winning book is a graphic masterpiece. A single black line creates most of the shapes through the whole house, and kids are invited to start on the first page, and follow the line as it bends and angles through the kitchen, basement, bedrooms, bath and more. The sharp illustrations are reminiscent of 50's art, and kids will be challenged to trace the line's tangled path through the rooms. A very engaging and unique book, probably best for 4 year olds and up, and definitely a good choice for building eye sequencing and fine motor skills.

Picturebook

4-8 years

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Alphabet Book: Bad Kitty

Bad Kitty used to be a good kitty. That is, until her owner ran out of cat food, and all there was left to eat was Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, Dill, Eggplants, Fennel, Garlic, Horseradish...well, you get the idea. Not the first choices for a finicky cat. So Bad Kitty decided to be bad, and she Ate my homework, Bit grandma, Clawed the curtains...again, i'm sure you see where this is going! Bad kitty wreaks havoc all the way through the alphabet, but has an ABC change of heart when her owner brings home some lovely alphabet treats from the grocery store. A very appealing introduction to the alphabet! Sequel Poor Puppy is coming soon...

Alphabet Book
Preschool-Kindergarten
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Poetry: Rumble in the Jungle

Another poetry book to build rhyming skills, but this time Giles Andreae has created an oversized menagerie to enchant kids who love animals. The silly rhymes are very short, but they are perfectly suited to reading aloud in groups or one on one. If you like this one, make sure you check out the companion book, Commotion in the Ocean!

Preschool

Poetry

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Poetry: Ook the Book

As well as providing 24 pages of silly fun, this nonsense book builds phonemic awareness skills by emphasizing the rhyming parts of words. Preschoolers and kindergarten kids will howl with laughter when you read the silly rhymes, and anyone who likes Dr. Seuss is sure to enjoy this slim volume. Here's an excerpt:

I am ook,

Ook the book.

Do you see me

In my nook?

Will you stop and take a look?

You will see, I'm one good book!

Poetry

Preschool-Kindergarten

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Picturebook: The Bunnies Are Not in Their Beds

Three little bunnies are not sleepy at all, in this clearly illustrated picturebook from Marisabina Russo. Bright paper collage illustrations are offset by lots of white space, and kids will sigh with recognition as the bunnies find many things to do in their bedrooms after they are supposed to be sleeping. The night ends with mom and dad asleep in their beds, and three tired out little bunnies piled on the couch!

Picturebook

Preschool-Kindergarten

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Board Book: Skippyjon Jones Up and Down

This book is a great introduction to opposites, as Skippyjon zooms back and forth, up and down, over and under, and in and out. Based on the wildly popular picturebook series for preschoolers, this short version for babies and toddlers is brightly illustrated and sure to please.

Board Book

Ages 6 mos to 3

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Picture Book: City Signs

Zoran Milich's simple book of signs is a great I spy book for kids when they travel around town. Many ordinary street signs are left out of this book, but signs like "rail crossing" "taxi" and "construction" are sure to be familiar. Clear, attractive photographs allow kids to easily identify the sign with its object.

Picture Book

Ages 2-4

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Picture Book: The Growing Story

First published in 1947, this classic story has been beautifully reillustrated by Helen Oxenbury. A boy, and his puppy, and some chicks are all very little. In the spring, the boy notices that the flowers and the grass are all growing: "Will I grow too?" he asks his mother. "Of course!" she replies. The story progresses through the seasons, and by fall the little boy despairs of every growing bigger. He is only convinced when he puts on last winter's warm clothes, and lo! They're too small! The real joy of this book is in the lovely, delicate watercolour illustrations. It took me twice as long as it should have to read this sweet story, because sometimes I just stared at the pictures for a few minutes!

Picture Book

Ages 3-6

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