Spring is in the Air!

Spring is in the air!  Some of my perennials are starting to bloom and so are new spring books!  Here's a list of some titles I've recently read that will prove to be wonderful reading experiences with your child as you celebrate the new season.

The Night Gardener by Terry Fan
Everyone on Grimloch Lane enjoys the trees and shrubs clipped into animal masterpieces after dark by the Night Gardener, but William, a lonely boy, spots the artist, follows him, and helps with his special work.  This is just a tremendous imaginative piece of artwork within the pages of a book.  Every bit of detail is given to ever single leaf on each tree...which absolutely amazes me!  Each turn of the page reveals a new topiary surprise!

No, No Gnome! by Ashlyn Anstee
Gnome cannot wait to help his friends harvest the school garden! But his eagerness and excitement get him into trouble, leaving them all saying 'No, no, Gnome!".  Who knew that Garden Gnomes actually did some work?  It may not be the best work, but I think he learns his lesson.

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes
Animals and children alike watch as the world transforms from the dark and dead of winter to a full and blooming spring.  Just look at those darling spring kittens!  Henkes really has a way with drawing the sweetest of creatures.  That's why I love his illustrations so much.

Peep and Egg: I'm Not Hatching by Laura Gehl
Peep can't wait for Egg to hatch. They will have so much fun together! But Egg isn't quite ready...yet.  With simple illustrations and a message teaching the lesson that it's OK to let go of old ways and try new things, it makes for a perfect book for toddlers.

Mo Willems News

Kids here at the Tigard Public Library absolutely LOVE Mo Willems and all his works, especially Elephant and Piggie, Knuffle Bunny, and Pigeon.  Mo is up to big plans this year, which includes the release of the 25th and final Elephant and Piggie book, The Thank You Book (insert the tears here).  BUT the two BFF's will be returning in a new series called Elephant & Piggie Like Reading where they retire from all their fun and shenanigans to live a life full of reading.  This new spin-off will start with a collaboration between Mo and Dan Santat, called The Cookie Fiasco, and another, We Are Growing! with author-illustrator Laurie Keller.  (Sorry folks, but these two titles won't be available until Fall 2016...but in the meantime, keep checking the online catalog.) 

PLUS an exciting NEW book that will be out this fall called Nanette's Baguette.  This stand-alone title about a frog and his solo trip to the bakery will be released in October 2016.  This book will be illustrated using cut paper, a style much different than Mo's previous works.

AND, if you and your family has plans to visit New York this year, swing by the New York Historical Society Museum & Library for "The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems".  This exhibit, running March 18-September 25, 2016 will offer opportunities for kids and parents to learn how to sketch different characters from Mo's books, plus they'll have the opportunity for a fun museum visit experience. 

For more details on Mo's whereabouts this year, see the March 10, 2016 article in Publisher's Weekly.

Bad Words

*@?#%!

While teaching children vocabulary is very important to their literacy development, there may be some words that you as a parent don't want your child to know.  Are you having a tough time teaching your little ones the importance of using proper words?  Ones that are useful and positive rather than those that are inappropriate and demeaning?  Well, I've got the perfect book for you!  Little Bird's Bad Word by Jacob Grant is a perfect example where a young bird learns a new word...which isn't exactly a very good one either.  He loves this new word so much that he shares it with everyone he meets.  But those who hear the word think it is hurtful and mean.  Little Bird doesn't realize that what he is saying and doing has any impact on those around him.  In the end, he learns a very valuable lesson, while adding a little bit of humor to the plot along the way.

Elephant and Piggie's New Book

Gerald and Piggie star in their latest book, I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems.  Here we find Gerald desperately wanting to take a nap.  He's tired AND cranky.  Just as he tries to lay down and take a nap, Piggie comes along asking Gerald what he's doing.  Gerald explains how tired and cranky he is and that a nap will make him feel so much better.  Piggie thinks it sounds like a good idea.  So Piggie snuggles up to take nap with Gerald.  But Gerald can't nap because Piggie SNORES!  Then the excruciating circumstances start for poor Gerald.  I can't tell you any more because that will give the story away, so you'll need to get your hand on a copy and read it yourself...it's just that good of a book!  I foresee this book growing in popularity and notoriety in the children's literary world.  I see that there's already over 30 holds on the book in the online catalog, so place your holds on the book now before the list gets even longer!  And please, take time for a peaceful nap too!  You deserve it!

Markets and Mazes

With the Tigard Area Farmer's Market and the Bull Mountain Farmer's Market both open for the season, now is the perfect time celebrate local markets and to teach your little ones about how food gets there. 

In Market Maze by Roxie Munro, follow the maze of trucks as they take a road trip starting from the coast and head inland stopping off at different places such as apple orchards, dairy farms, chicken coops, vegetable farms, and the bakery as they pick up goods and deliver them to the farmer's market.  Each stop along the way gives simple to understand information about the location where food is produced, giving an illustrated aerial-like view of the farm site. Then read a list of items for your child to locate in each of the 2-page spreads.  Kids will be delighted and have tons of fun finding objects such as tree houses, deer, roosters, picnic tables, and other items as they make their way to the market. 

All of the illustrations throughout the book show mazes of trucks on roadways and offer I Spy-like exercises that provide perfect opportunities for learning that food is produced on different types of farms.  This book makes a great way to celebrate our local farmers!

Calling All Elephant and Piggie Fans!

We all know Mo Willems is an absolute genius for creating the Elephant and Piggie books, many of which that have won notoriety and awards for beginning readers.  No other books for beginners can stand even close to the books, as Mo knows how to write for this crowd and keep them interested in reading.  For years I've been trying to wrap my fingers around books that would come close in comparison to satisfy early readers who crave more books like Elephant and Piggie.  After all this time, I have FINALLY found the book!  Let me introduce you to Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea!  Bob has published a number of picture books over the years, which have appealing characters and humorous plot lines.  Now BFF's Ballet  Cat and Sparkles the Horse present to readers their humor and wide range of emotions in dialogue shown in speech bubbles that is quick-witted and fast-paced.  They are sure to satisfy Elephant and Piggie fans and will leave them wanting more.  Three cheers for Ballet Cat and Sparkles!!! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!

Harmonica Tunes Play On in "Echo"

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan begins in the Black Forest, where Otto Messenger meets three mysterious sisters where he gets a book from them that contains an unfinished tale.  He then finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.  Decades later, the harmonica travels through three children in three different time periods as it unties its lifelong fate. 

First the harmonica travels to 1933 Germany.  Here a young Friedrich Schmidt is constantly bullied at school because of his facial birthmark and his obsession with conducting music that only he can hear in his own head.  So he leaves school to join his father who works at a factory constructing harmonicas. 

Then in 1935, the harmonica meets up with Michael and his younger brother who have both found themselves living in an orphanage during the Great Depression in Pennsylvania.  They both get adopted by a woman who they both fear she is not impressed with them and will return them back where they came from.  Yet, Mike has his sights on joining Albert Hoxie's Philadelphia Harmonica Band.

On it's third stop, the harmonica travels to California in 1942 where Ivy Maria Lopez's father relocates her family to a farm to act as a caretaker while its Japanese owners are relocated to an internment camp during World War II, requiring her to leave her music program behind.  While Ivy's school situation and moving frustrates her, she finds solace in playing her harmonica.   It is up to Ivy to uphold her beloved harmonica's final destiny. 

While each of the three protagonists struggle to keep their families intact, they are all tied together by the music of the same harmonica.  So don't let the length of this 585 paged book alarm you.  It is carefully written and researched, as it pulls readers in, giving them a glimpse of American history, music theory, and music history.  The book also includes a introduction on how to play a harmonica.  It's a perfect read for any reader in fifth grade on up with a love of books and wishes to spend a lazy day emerged in literature.  This book really pulled me in...and I lost a lot of sleep over it too! 

Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions

Runt Higgins might not be the kind of guy that you would typically think might serve an Evil Overlord or even be a Junior Henchman, but he is in training. He’s actually kind of a nice guy, but don’t worry. He won’t be when Critchlore’s done with him, at least that’s the plan. He takes classes like Using Care Around Explosives and Hand-to-Paw Battle. Oh, and did I forget to mention he’s a werewolf? Of course, there is the fact that he has only changed once in his entire life, but he’s just waiting for the next time he gets into a life-threatening situation for his inner werewolf to take over. And with the series of disasters that hit the school, it’s only a matter of time.

Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions, by Sheila Grau was my favorite children's fantasy book I've read in years. Highly recommended for Grade 3 and up.

Meet Leroy Ninker

Do you have a Mercy Watson fan in your family?  If so, meet the latest character from Deckawoo Drive, Leroy Ninker in Leroy Ninker Saddles Up: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume One by Kate DiCamillo.  Leroy is a small little man who works at the local drive-in theater. He dreams of being a cowboy.  He's got the hat, boots, and lasso.  The only thing that's missing is a horse to make his cowboy life a reality.  Then he meets Maybelline, an old horse with only four teeth, who hates to be alone and wants nothing more than to be sweetly spoken to.  When Maybelline gets adopted, her former owner gives Leroy three very important rules he must live by to make Maybelline happy.  It's not until Leroy forgets rule number three that crisis strikes! 

This transitional chapter book is the perfect leap for readers to make once they've finished the Mercy Watson books, because it's just a step up in reading difficulty giving readers a slight challenge in their reading skills, while still including a large text size, with plenty of white space and black and white illustrations in a nicely sized package.  Plus, there's still  familiar characters from the Mercy Watson books readers will recognize, which adds to all the fun!!

One Gorilla

Anthony Browne, who creates a lot of picture books with monkeys and gorillas in them has a brand-new book out called, One Gorilla: A Counting Book.  Inside you'll find large numerical numbers and font sizes to match the expressive color palette of one gorilla, two orangutans, three chimpanzees, four mandrills, five baboons, and more primates, all the way up to the number 10, as each creature takes on their own unique personality.  Youngsters will love the large scale illustrations along with a self illustrated portrait of the illustrator himself.  The book concludes with a large portrait of many people representing a wide variety of ages and ethnicities, just as there are primates.  What can be better than animals in a counting book?

I Spy on the Farm

I've just come across a great brand-new picture book.  It's called I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs.  With a circled cutout in the middle of the book, readers get a glimpse of an animal eye along with written clues to guess what animal is being described.  Then when you turn the page, see what animal it is.  This book provides lots of interactive oportunities for parent and child, such as making animal noises, practicing colors, learning to regognize animals, plus guessing games too.  It's a perfect book for toddlers!!