Staff Book Reviews by Genre: Picture Books

Hungry Bunny
Rueda, Claudia
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Play along as you read this book. Bunny is hungry. He’s so hungry that you can hear his tummy growl. He’s hoping for a treat and you can help. Help him along on his adventure as see if he’s able to have a treat to fix his hunger problem.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Dirt+Water=Mud
Hannigan, Katherine
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

What happens when you combine two things like dirt and water? What about
girl + dog? Join this girl and her dog as they have a great time using their
imaginations. What will happen next?

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Look
Woodcock, Fiona
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Ooh! While this book is about the trip a brother and sister make to the zoo, it’s also about words with the letter pair OO. It’s cool. It encourages you to look at balloons, kangaroos, and more, just look!

Reviewer's Name: Carol
The Rough Patch
Lies, Brian
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Evan and his dog did everything together. They shared many adventures and created a beautiful garden, but when the dog passes away Evan is devastated. The Rough Patch, by author/illustrator Brian Lies, would be a wonderful place to begin a discussion about death and grief with young children. Children and adults will identify with Evan and how he works through his sorrow. This beautifully written and illustrated picture book for ages 3 - 10 is a 2018 Caldecott Honor winner.

Reviewer's Name: Barbara
Hello Lighthouse
Blackall, Sophie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

From the cutaway of the inside of a lighthouse to the rescue of shipwrecked sailors, Hello Lighthouse, a beautifully designed book by Sophie Blackall, is sure to fascinate children and the adults who read to them! Intriguing illustrations and information illuminate the daily life of lighthouses and their keepers. Hello Lighthouse is the 2019 Caldecott Medal winner. It is just right for repetitive readings for children ages 4 - 10.

Reviewer's Name: Barbara
The Patchwork Bike
Clarke, Maxine
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Mom is fed up with her rambunctious kids but somehow she silently supports their active play as they build a bike out of junk and proceed to ride it up and down, all around and even through the house. Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke and Van Than Rudd is a vivacious celebration of childhood play. The illustrations are created with paint on a cardboard box and the texture and motion they create is the perfect complement to the sparse but active text. Take a look at the end papers to see how a stroke of paint can create vibrant motion. This is a fun read for kids 3 – 7.

Reviewer's Name: Barbara
Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon
Slade, Suzanne
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

In the book, Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon, Suzanne Slade and Thomas Gonzalez have created a gorgeous non-fiction book about Project Apollo and all the people who made the moon landing possible. Lush illustrations combine with informative free verse in this book for children age 10 - 14. There are photos, a selected bibliography, and website list in the back of the book.

Reviewer's Name: Barbara
Over on the Farm
Berkes, Marianne
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Over on the Farm can be sung to the traditional tune “Over in the
Meadow.” Through it, children can learn language, counting, and movement.
The activities at the end of the book help children interact with the farm
in a variety of ways. Information provided teaches about the various animals
mentioned.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
My Little Gifts: A Book of Sharing
Witek, Jo
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

There are so many different ways to give. This interactive book - with flaps
to open on each page - explores many of them. It also talks about sharing,
sibling rivalry, and collaboration. Learn about the importance of giving and
receiving gifts from the heart!

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Tomorrow I'll Be Brave
Hische, Jessica
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

This beautifully hand-lettered book encourages kids to be adventurous,
strong, smart, curious, creative, confident, and brave. It also persuades
them to keep trying and not to worry if they haven’t been able to
accomplish all of those things today. They can realize that they don’t
have to be all of those things, but they can try their best.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
The Water Hole
Base, Graeme
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Animals come to drink at the water hole and find it drying up. This
beautifully illustrated book is partially counting book, but it’s also a
puzzle and a story. Learn about Earth’s continents, the variety of animals
living on each continent, and the impact water has on them.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Loretta's Gift
Miller, Pat
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Aunt Esme & Uncle Jax are expecting a baby and the whole family is helping
celebrate. Loretta searches for a gift to give, but hasn’t found one by
the time he was born. Even as he grows and his birthday approaches, she
can’t find the perfect gift. Will she ever find the gift or will she
realize that the best gift doesn’t necessarily come in a package. A great
book for those anticipating the arrival of a new baby whether it be cousin,
sibling, or friend.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
My Farm Friends
Minor, Wendell
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Learn facts about favorite farm animals in this rhyming book. Learn about
why pigs roll in the mud, the amount of water that cows drink, how horses
sleep, and more. Extra farm facts are provided at the end of the book.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned
Ernst, Lisa Campbell
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Dad has cleaned the van. It’s all sparkly and shiny. This cumulative,
rhyming story chronicles what happens next. It’s a fun narrative that many
children and their parents can relate to.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
There's a Dragon in Your Book
Fletcher, Tom
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

If you’re a fan of interactive books, you should check this one out. It
starts with an egg which hatches into a dragon. That baby dragon sneezes and
sets the book on fire. Use your imagination (and follow the instructions) to
help save the day!

Reviewer's Name: Carol
I Spy on the Farm
Gibbs, Edward
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

This book is a great introduction to the game of I Spy. Follow the clues to
guess which farm animal is visible through the eyehole. The animal’s sound
is given as a clue. You can then take the book to the next level by playing
the game wherever you are.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Meeow and the Big Box
Braun, Sebastien
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Meeow likes making things. See what he can do with a box and his imagination. Be inspired to make things of you own.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
I Am a Cat
Bernstein, Galia
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Lion, Cheetah, Puma, Panther, and Tiger say that Simon isn’t a cat. After all, cats have certain characteristics. Can he convince them that he’s really a cat? Read along to find out.

Reviewer's Name: Carol
Have You Seen Elephant?
Barrow, David
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

You can play hide-and-seek with elephant, but beware, he’s very good. This beautifully illustratrated, interactive book has children looking for elephant in a variety of places. Will you be able to find him?

Reviewer's Name: Carol
What If?
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Three separate scenarios are show to illustrate what happens when a boy kicks a beach ball into the ocean. This story, told mostly through the pictures, examines the possibilities and encourages imagination and language.

Reviewer's Name: Carol