What Fun!

I had the pleasure of going to the bookstore yesterday just to browse but quite a few I could not resist. Some are fun, some are serious, most are for those wonderful emerging readers with a couple intended for teachers who love books too!

I think this one is my favourite.... "This Plus That - Life's Little Equations" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is simply a treasure. Simple, clever and for all ages. Listen...

"1 & 1 = us"

"yes & no = maybe"

and this....
"laughter and keeping secrets and sharing = best friend"

or "good days and bad days = real life"

Do you see the possibilities? I love it!

Fortunately..... I Read this Book

"Fortunately, Unfortunately" by Michael Foreman in another wonderful book to inspire thinking and writing. For every fortunate there is an unfortunate. Let me show you...As Milo is heading off to his grandmother's house

"Fortunately it was a lovely day and Milo liked going to Granny's house because she always had cakes for tea. Unfortunately a dark cloud appeared and it soon began to rain... Fortunately he had Granny's umbrella... Unfortunately he didn't look where he was going....." and so on....

Marianna, you would love this!

The Loud Book!

"The Loud Book!" by Deborah Underwood is perfect for thinking and writing about all the different kinds of loud....

...for example there is the "alarm clock loud " (just five more minutes) but also the "dropping your lunch tray loud", (is everybody staring at you?) the "Home Run loud" (cheers!) and the "snoring sister loud" (shhhh).

Can you think of some louds in your life? I can.... my husband is very loud - he talks loud and laughs even louder and he doesn't even know it.

I simply must get "The Quiet Book".

In the Garden

Do you know "In the Snow" by Peggy Collins? One of my favourite snow books for young readers and listeners.

I was delighted to see "In the Garden" on my last trip to the bookstore. The delightful humour of this story shines through as our young hero plants a truck and a bus.... and some seeds too, waters and waters and waters his seeds, ( can you spell puddle?) and finally enjoys lots of tasty treats that he squishes and squirts.

Very bright and colourful and I think I will put out a garden display soon with this book at the centre!

You Are What You Read

Do you ever get caught up so much in a book that it changes you or opens up the doors of your imagination? That is the power of reading.

In this book "Lola Loves Reading" by Anna McQuinn, Lola is the impressionable young child who goes with her dad to the Library for a week's full of books. After reading the first story about a princess the very next day Lola is a princess with a fancy dress and a sparkly crown. And when she reads about an amazing journey, the very next day she whisks her friends off to Paris and Lagos.

And so on and so on till another trip to the Library and another wonderful story about a wild and wicked monster. Who do you think Lola will be the very next day? Let me give you a hint.... his name is Max.

The Scarcrow's Hat

It takes a very smart chicken to get "The Scarecrow's Hat" by Ken Brown, for her very own nest.

In this story, which reminds me of one of my old favourites, "Hugh Can Do" by Jennifer Armstrong, a chicken compliments Scarecrow on his hat. Yes, but what Scarecrow would really like is a walking stick to lean on. Chicken knows where to find one.... Badger has a walking stick but what he really wants is a ribbon. Chicken knows where to find one.... Do you see the pattern?

There is a whole chain reaction of animals trading what they don't want to get what they do want. And the best part? Chicken is not trading his hat for anything!

Three Bears....... of the Pacific Northwest

There are three bears in this story "Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest" by Marcia and Richard Vaughan but not like in Goldilocks. In this story one bear is black, one is brown and one is blue. Blue? Yes, blue!

It is the beginning of the story, which is set in the Cascade Mountains all the way down to the Pacific Ocean, when a little blue teddy bear bounces and falls out of the window in a traveling RV. This is a disaster as his little boy is asleep and has no idea. Black Bear, just about to cross the road to his favourite berry patch, is willing to help Blue Bear find the RV and home. On their way they wander through a paradise called The Pacific Northwest where all the flora and fauna, that is the plants and animals, become an amusing and educational part of the adventure.

Another book where the pictures are just delightful!

Three by the Sea

First of all the illustrations of "Three by the Sea" by Mini Grey are absolutely wonderful. Look at those faces of these 3 friends.... Cat, Dog and Mouse. How can you not love this book?

The 3 are happily ensconced in a hut by the sea each with his own special contributions to the household. The dog tended to the garden..... of bones, the cat took care of the housework.... but usually slept instead and the mouse who cooked.... did you say cheese????

Until one night when a stranger arrived announcing they were the winners of a visit from.... the Winds of Change. Our stranger began to stir up trouble... mentioning the garden of bones was odd - no veggies, pointing out the cat was sleeping a lot and simply asking if they had cheese fondue every single night? Well of course this got our friends upset with each other but sometimes it takes a crisis to make you really think about what you can do to make things better .... even perfect.

Amazing ....

If you are looking for some outstanding picture books here are the covers of some that I absolutely love!