Come Out, Muskrats – Jim Arnosky

This fun children’s picture book is a little bit older than the ones I usually review, published in 1989 which by book standards is pretty ancient. But the rich woodsy colors and nature feel drew me in and well, a good book is a good book, regardless of its age. Plus, it’s also a Reading Rainbow book, and we all know what that means. (That it’s really good.) Our setting is a quiet cove with a red barn nearby, the waters green and still, the rushes nestled up to the banks. It’s late afternoon and the ducks are relaxing and … Continue reading →

Danny’s Duck – June Crebbin

Danny’s Duck by June Crebbin is one of the sweetest stories for children. Every time I read it I think that we should all wish for such a perceptive and kind teacher for our young children. Clara Vulliamy’s watercolor illustrations are a perfect background for this gentle story and show a group of cute and ethnically diverse preschoolers at play. At the start of the book a duck flies over a neighborhood looking for a “good woody place”. She flies down to a pile of brushwood at the edge of a playground. Inside the preschool, the children are busy with … Continue reading →

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear – Don and Audrey Wood

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear was one of our favorite children’s picture books. Husband and wife team Don and Audrey Wood wrote this fun story, and it is illustrated by Don Wood. It’s sold over a million copies! The book opens with a tiny door in the roots of a tree. Coming out of the door are a tiny ladder and a little mouse. The narrator of the story asks the mouse what he’s doing. When the mouse leans his ladder against a strawberry plant that towers over him we figure out that … Continue reading →

The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again – Dan Bernstein

Have you ever wished you could go back in time and fix something that happened in your past? In the children’s picture book “The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again,” that very thing takes place. It all begins with a bad hare day. The hare feels mocked and belittled as the other animals laugh at his failure to defeat the tortoise. He did come in second, but in a race between two people, that’s really not saying much, now, is it? All the rabbits made it their business to tease the hare whenever they see him. In fact, Stu Rabbit … Continue reading →

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Television Dog – David Adler

Finding books that bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books is sometimes a challenge. My own children loved the Cam Jansen books. They are short mysteries that have a black and white drawing every few pages. The books are fast reads and make great bridge books for children as they move from picture books to longer stories. It’s also nice to get children interested in a series. Cam Jansen’s real name is Jennifer Jansen. She earned the nickname “Camera” when people found out about her amazing photograph memory. “Camera” got shorted to “Cam”. She even says “click” when … Continue reading →

Treasure Hunt – Allan Ahlberg

“Treasure Hunt” is a simple, gentle story that illustrates the immeasurable worth a child has in the eyes of her parents. Tillie loves to go on treasure hunts, and her family plays a treasure hunt game every day. When it’s time for breakfast, her mother hides her breakfast banana, and Tilly loves to look all over the kitchen for it. She looks, and looks, and then she eats it all up. After breakfast, her daddy takes her stuffed bunny into the yard, and she hunts all over for it. She looks, and looks, and when she finds it, she gives … Continue reading →

Melissa Parkington’s Beautiful, Beautiful Hair – Pat Brisson

“Melissa Parkington’s Beautiful, Beautiful Hair” is a children’s picture book that goes beyond just a cute story. This one made me sniffle. Melissa has long, dark, shiny hair, and everywhere she goes, people compliment her on it. “Stunning!” they tell her. “Your hair is incredible!” Every night, when her dad tucked her into bed, he said, “Good night, Melissa of the Beautiful, Beautiful Hair.” She liked the praise, but after a while, she began to wish that people would notice her for something that she did, rather than something that grew out of her head. She made a list of … Continue reading →

Night Cat – Margaret Beames

“Night Cat” is the story of Oliver, a cat who’s had a nice day playing out in the garden and decides he wants to spend all night outside instead of going to bed. When his owner, Mrs. Bundy, calls him to come in, he hides in the grass, and she closes the door. He’s free to explore all night long! Moths bumped up against the window and Oliver chased them down, having a bite. When Mrs. Bundy turned out the light, the garden went dark except for the glow of the moon. He followed a slimy trail and discovered a … Continue reading →

Ashley’s Unforgettable Summer – Grace Reddick

Ashley has a special pet – a cute little chimpanzee named Tina. Tina is a lot of fun to play with, but she sure makes big messes, too! As our story begins, Ashley and her friend Rylee are chasing Tina through the house, trying to catch her before she gets into anything. But they’re too late – Tina has gotten into the fridge and is squirting ketchup all over the floor. She got Tina on a special trip she took to Africa with her family. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Africa when they went there—she’d had her heart … Continue reading →

Fran’s Friend – Lisa Bruce

“Fran’s Friend” by Lisa Bruce is a darling children’s picture book with illustrations that are so cute, they’ll grab your eye right away. Fred is Fran’s little dog. On this particular day, he wants Fran to come and play with him, but she’s got other things on her mind. She’s decided to pull out her crayons and draw instead. Fred offers to help, and she sends him off to find some paper. He brings back the newspaper, but that’s not what she wants. She finds a piece for herself, and cuts out big pretty white snowflakes. Fred wants to help, … Continue reading →