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Title: The Whale in My Swimming Pool Written and illustrated by: Joyce Wan Published by: Farrer, Strauss, Giroux, 2015 Themes/Topics: swimming (paddling) pool, whale, boy Suitable for ages: 3-5 Opening: Race you to the pool! Whoa…         … Continue reading →

Title: Snoozefest Written by: Samantha Berger Illustrated by: Kristinya Litten Published by: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 Themes/Topics: Sloths, sleep, festivals Suitable for ages: 3-7 Opening: In the center of Snoozeville, dwells the wee one,                   … Continue reading →

Title: CIRCLE SQUARE MOOSE Written by: Kelly Bingham Illustrated by: Paul O. Zelinsky Published by: Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2014 Themes/Topics: shapes, moose, zebra, friendship Suitable for ages: 3-7 Opening: Shapes are all around us. We see them every day. Have you ever looked … Continue reading →

Title: Penny & Jelly: The School Show Written by: Maria Gianferrari Illustrated by: Thyra Heder Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015 Themes/Topics: school show, talent, being a good friend Suitable for ages: 3-6 Opening: The Peabody Elementary Talent Show was an annual tradition.     … Continue reading →

Title: Good Morning to ME! Written and illustrated by: Lita Judge Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015 Themes/Topics: exuberance, indoor voices, pets, parrots Suitable for ages: 3-6 Opening: Early one morning in a little cottage, Beatrix was wide AWAKE. She knew it was … Continue reading →

Title: Yard Sale Written by: Eve Bunting Illustrated by: Lauren Castillo Published by: Candlewick Press, 2015 Themes/Topics: Downsizing, yard sales, change, moving Suitable for ages: 4-7 Opening: ALMOST EVERYTHING WE OWN is spread out in our front yard. It is all for sale. We are … Continue reading →

Title: Orion and the Dark Written and illustrated by: Emma Yarlett Published by: Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick Press, 2014 Themes/Topics: fear of the dark, fears, the dark Suitable for ages: 4-7 Hardcover, 40 pages Opening: My name is Orion,     … Continue reading →

Title: A Rock Can Be Written by: Laura Purdie Salas Illustrated by: Violeta Dabija Published by: Millbrook Press, 2015 Themes/Topics: rocks, nonfiction, poetry, rhyme Suitable for ages: 5-8 Opening: A rock is a rock.                       … Continue reading →

Title: family begins with a… Wish Written and illustrated by: Matthew Cordell Published by: Disney Hyperion, 2015 Themes/Topics: parents, elephants, waiting a long time for a baby Suitable for ages: 4-7 Opening: At first there is us. There is only us. But even before … Continue reading →

Title: Wolfie The Bunny Written by: Ame Dyckman Illustrated by: Zachariah OHora Published by: Hatchette Book Group Inc, 2015 Themes/Topics: wolves, bunnies, sibling rivalry Suitable for ages: 4-8 Opening: The bunny family came home to find a                 … Continue reading →

Title: Rufus Goes to Sea Written by: Kim T. Griswell Illustrated by: Valeri Gorbachev Published by: Sterling Children’s books, April, 2015 Themes/Topics: pirates, pigs, adventure, reading & writing, stereotypes Suitable for ages: 4-8 Sequel to Rufus Goes to School Opening: Rufus Leroy William III … Continue reading →

Title: Won Ton and Chopstick – A Cat and Dog tale Told in Haiku Written by: Lee Wardlaw Illustrated by: Eugene Yelchin Published by: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2015 Themes/Topics: cats, dogs, haiku, pets, friends Suitable for ages: 7-11 Hardcover, 40 pages Opening: It’s … Continue reading →

This is my last picture book in the series of books I wanted to suggest as part of your Earth Day celebrations next Wednesday. Title: The Last Polar Bear Written by: Jean Craighead George Illustrated by: Wendell Minor Published by: Harper, 2009 Themes/Topics: polar bears, … Continue reading →

Title: Life in the Ocean, The Story of Oceanographer SYLVIA EARLE Written by and illustrated by: Claire A. Nivola Published in Canada by: D&M Publishers, Inc., 2012 Themes/Topics: women marine biologists, biography, women explorers, the ocean Suitable for ages: 7-11 Opening: Seen from … Continue reading →

Title: Why Are The Ice Caps Melting? The Dangers of Global Warming Written by: Anne Rockwell Illustrated by: Paul Meisel Published by: Harper Collins, 2006 Themes/Topics: Global warming, the greenhouse effect, science, conservation Suitable for ages: 7-11 Let’s Read And Find Out Science, Stage … Continue reading →

Title: No, No, Kitten Written by: Shelley Moore Thomas Illustrated by: Lori Nichols Published by: Boyds Mills Press, 2015 Themes/Topics: kittens, mischief, imagination Suitable for ages: 3-7 Opening: Kitten wants a basket. Kitten wants a pillow. Kitten wants a blanket. Kitten wants… Synopsis: Kitten … Continue reading →

Title: GUYKU A Year of Haiku for Boys Written by: Bob Raczeka Illustrated by: Peter Reynolds Published by: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, New York, 2010 Themes/Topics: seasons, poetry, haiku, nature Suitable for ages: 4-8 Opening: The wind and I play         … Continue reading →

Title: A Penguin Named Patience, A Hurricane Katrina Rescue Story Written by: Suzanne Lewis Illustrated by: Lisa Anchin Published by: Sleeping Bear Press, 2015 Themes/Topics: Hurricane Katrina, penguins, rescuing, patience Suitable for ages: 3-7 Opening: Patience knew something was terribly wrong. It was dark and steamy … Continue reading →

Title: A Boy And A Jaguar Written by: Alan Rabinowitz Illustrated by: Catia Chien Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 Themes/Topics: jaguars, conservation, stuttering, big cats Suitable for ages: 3-7 Awards: Schneider Family Book Award for Children (2015) Autobiographical Opening: I’m standing in … Continue reading →

Title: I Know a Bear Written and illustrated by: Mariana Ruiz Johnson Published by: Schwarz & Wade Books, 2014 (originally published in France as J’ai un Ours by Editions Gallimard Jeunesse, Paris, 2011) Themes/Topics: zoo animals, bears, listening Suitable for ages: 3-7 Opening: I know a bear … Continue reading →

Title: The Iridescence of Birds – A Book About Henri Matisse Written by: Patricia MacLachlan Illustrated by: Hadley Hooper Published by: A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Book Press, 2014 Themes/Topics: Henri Matisse, painters, the influence of childhood, France Suitable for ages: 5-11 40 pages, … Continue reading →

Don’t you just love the serendipitous discovery that one of your favorite picture books of the previous year that you already have scheduled for this Friday’s Perfect Picture Books just happens to have won a well deserved Caldecott Honor Award … Continue reading →

Title: this ORQ (he cave boy.) Written by: David Elliott Illustrated by: Lori Nichols Published by: Boyds Mills Press, 2014 Themes/Topics: pets, cave boys, cave moms, wooly mammoths Suitable for ages: preschoolers Opening:  This Orq. He live in cave. He carry club. He cave boy. … Continue reading →

I want to dedicate this post to the author Kelly DiPucchio’s own sweet little pooch, Whimsy, who passed away a couple of weeks ago. Run in peace, Whimsy DiPucchio, 2000-2015. I am sure you were the inspiration for many stories and … Continue reading →

Title: red sled Written and illustrated by: Lita Judge Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011 Themes/Topics: sledding, animals, onomatopoeia Suitable for ages: 3-5 Fiction, 32 pages Opening: Scrinch, scrunch, scrinch, scrunch, scrinch, scrunch Synopsis: Almost wordless book of the nighttime animal … Continue reading →