Children and animals seem to have a connection – they head straight for each other at every opportunity. Today I’m reading two picture books that contain animals.
“Kittens, Kittens, Kittens” by Susan Meyers, illustrated by David Walker shows us many different kinds of kittens, from orange ones to gray ones, little and big, fluffy and not fluffy. Some are slender, sleek and shiny, and the newborns are as soft as silk. They bounce, pounce and mew – they’re everywhere! They chase toys, take naps, drink their milk, and go on trips. They love to snuggle and even climb trees. They learn to chase mice and rats, and most of all, they love to love. A simple book with cute illustrations, it was published in 2007 by Harry N. Abrams, and you can also purchase the companion book, “Puppies, Puppies, Puppies.”
We go from domesticated pets to animals on the wild side with our other selection, which is “Down by the Cool of the Pool” by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. Frog is having a simply fabulous day. He’s down by the pool in the cool of the day, leaping into the pond and loving life. Calling out gleefully, he asks, “Can you dance like me?”
Duck comes along to respond to his call. She can’t dance, but she can flap! So the frog danced and the duck flapped together, there by the pool.
Pig wants to join in, but Pig can only wiggle. So together, they flap, dance, and wiggle, until Sheep comes along and joins in with stamping. Now, they’re stamping, wiggling, dancing and flapping, all together, by the pool.
Then comes Cat with a bound and Dog, frisking, the goat comes with a skip and hop – and Frog loves it. “Don’t stop!”
All the other animals add their own unique flavor to the get-together, all of them different but working as a team. This book shows that you don’t have to be just like everyone else – you can be yourself and have a wonderful time. The vibrant colors in the illustrations will pull you right in and put you in the mood for a beach party. This book was published in 2001 by Orchard Books.
Related Blogs:
Monkey Business — Children’s Picture Books about Monkeys
The Day My Runny Nose Ran Away