The Purple Kangaroo by Michael Ian Black

"The monkey narrator in this humorous picture book guarantees that he can READ YOUR MIND. What begins as a simple request to imagine the most spectacular thing in history turns into the story of a roller-skating, bubble-blowing purple kangaroo searching for his dear friend Ernesto on the moon. So by the time you finish this book, there's no chance you will be thinking of anything BUT the purple kangaroo."
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This is one of my absolute favorite picture books now. I laughed the entire time I read this book and I had to check it out to read to my cousins. . . even though they were 17 and 31 at the time.
When reading this book to others,  I like to hide the pictures and make them actually imagine what is happening. With a younger audience, I do show the pictures to keep them engaged.


With Love from LibraryLand,
Amber

The Sheep Go on Strike by Jean-Francois Dumont

" 'Why are we always the ones who get sheared? Why don't they make cat-hair sweaters, duck down socks, or donkey-hair britches?'  'Let's refuse to be sheared! Everyone who agrees, raise your hoof!' They all raised their hooves, down to the last sheep. And that's how the strike began.'

The sheep are tired of losing their wool, so they decide to go on strike. The dogs, however, are determined to keep the sheep in line. When the other animals on the farm choose sides, things soon turn into a furry, feathery scuffle. But eventually all the animals sit down together and manage to find a creative solution in this hilarious book about the importance of compromise." (Book jacket)

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This book is an interesting way to introduce the inequality in this world. While I am sure this book was in the works way before the most recent bouts of protesting and violence we have been experiencing here in the U.S., there are themes in this small picture book that I am finding to be a mirror of what we are seeing now. I think that Dumont's book is a great teaching tool to talk to your kids about the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, and a well timed resource to talk about the violence we are seeing from the protests in Ferguson, Missouri and other places in this nation.

I don't think this book would work well in a story time group setting, but it will work for a one on one reading time.

Meditate with Me: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Journey by Mariam Gates

"Meditation does a body good. The regular practice of mindfulness improves health and happiness, and can even help very young children-- to settle their busy minds and understand their emotions. In this gentle and endearing step-by-step introduction, kids learn how to focus their breath, on the sensations in their body, and on the sounds around them. It's an ideal first experience of mindfulness that can be shared at home or in the classroom. Calm is just one breath away."
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While I probably wouldn't use this book in a storytime, I do think it has a lot of value. This particular book would be a great book to use at bedtime to help your little one relax. Mindfulness seems to be one of the latest "trends" right now and this is a great way to introduce it to small children. While I wouldn't use this in storytime,  I would be open to finding a way to do a mindfulness program with children and use this book as a way to get the kids to slow down.

Wordless Book Wednesday: The Carpenter by Bruna Barros

This special book shares its story without a single word. Bruna Barros’ beautiful, creative illustrations will capture children’s imaginations, showing readers that even the simplest, most common objects can start a wonderful adventure. This book also offers opportunities to foster discussions and spontaneous story telling.

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I will be the first to admit I am not a fan of wordless books. I understand their value, but it's not my cup of tea. That being said, I like the premise of this book. A little boy is glued to his electronic device, much like kids today are, but something catches his attention and he starts to play and explore his father's carpenter tools.  I think kids will have a blast telling the story the little boy invents and the stories they will come up with will be entertaining.

I do have to mention that I am not a fan of how the people are drawn. The color of the boy and his father reminds me of the blackface used years ago. I understand the author is from Brazil and blackface may not be an issue in that country, but here in the USA, it leads to reminders of how divided our country still is.

Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood

 "'Once upon a planetoid, amid her tools and sprockets, a girl named Cinderella dreamed of fancy rockets.'
With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball-- but when the prince's ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue!"

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I absolutely LOVE this book. I love how Cinderella is not the typical Cinderella, just cleaning a house with only dreams of going to a ball. This Cinderella is the kind of girl who can take care of herself and has dreams to be a mechanic for big spaceships. The Cinderella in this story reminds me a bit of my older sister-- a woman who can fix things and works in an auto repair shop, happily.


I really love how this particular version of Cinderella ended and will probably give this book to some little girls that I know.


With Love from Library Land,
Amber

Bob, Not Bob (To be Read as Though you have the worst cold ever) by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick

" Little Louie has the worst cold ever. All he wants is his mom, but every time he calls for her, slobbery Bob the dog comes running instead." (book jacket)

Little Louie has a terrible cold that is affecting his ears and has stuffed up his nose. As he tries to get his mom's attention, his dog, Bob, thinks Louie is calling him. Little Louie gets frustrated because no one can properly understand him and his dog is confused because he thinks Louie wants him. As Louie gets worse (like we all do when sick) he is even difficult to understand until his mom in her frustration crawls into bed with him. . . just what Louie wanted.
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I love that the full title of this book is "To be read as though you have the worst cold ever: Bob, Not Bob!"  Little Louie was the right amount of pathetic during his illness and you could feel his frustrations in the illustrations by Matthew Cordell

Escargot by Daska Slater

"Bonjour! I am Escargot. I want only two things:
 1. To be your favorite animal
 2. to get to the delicious salad at the end of this book. Are you ready? On your mark. . . get set . . .GO!" (book jacket)

Escargot the snail tries to make you love him throughout the entire book. He spends the book telling you all the good things about snails and how they are actually faster than cheetahs (not really), he does not leave slimy trails behind him (it's a shimmery trail of . . . shimmery stuff) and how fierce he can be to a carrot. This book is adorable and I love how Escargot includes some French words in his dialog.

While snails are still NOT my favorite animal, Escargot is almost cute enough to change my mind.

With Love from Library Land,
Amber

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

"I hope you're wearing your BATTLE PANTS! You've played the game. Now read the legend of the three great warriors who started it all. . . ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!"

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Rock is a warrior from the Kingdom of the Back Yard and he is sad because no one can beat him in battle so he journeys to the nearby kingdom of Forest Over by the Tire Swing to find someone to beat him, he destroys the competition and then travels to the Tower of Grandma's Favorite Apricot Tree to challenge another being. . . and wins again.

While all that is going on, Paper is in the Empire of Mom's Office trying to find someone who could beat him. He travels through Desk Mountain and Pit of Office Trash Bin defeating all of his foes. Paper sadly continues his journey to find someone who can defeat him.

Finally, we meet Scissors, in the kitchen. She searches far and wide from the tiny village of Junk Drawer to the frigid wastes of Refrigerator/Freezer and cannot find anyone who can defeat her.

One day all three meet up in the great cavern of Two-Car Garage and battle each other. . .


Ya'll, I tried. I tried so hard to like this book. I love the game Rock, Paper, Scissors so I had great hopes of this book being amazing. It's not. The story takes too much time developing a backstory that the true action of the book takes place in the last 12 and is really only 3-4 pages of actual Rock, Paper, Scissors. Oh, also the only girl in the book lives in the kitchen? (I know, I'm reading to much into this, but still.)

I will say Adam Rex did an amazing job illustrating the text of the book. His pictures are what makes the book worth reading.


With Love from Library Land,
Amber

*****UPDATE:
I read this book to one of my coworkers today (April 20, 2018) and reading it OUT LOUD makes it so much better! *****

Almost Everybody Farts by Marty Kelley

"Grandmas fart. Teachers fart. Terrifying creatures fart. But. . . is there someone who DOESN'T fart?"

Almost Everybody Farts by Marty Kelley is a hilarious story about a bodily function we all do but no one likes to admit-- farting. Every person and animal farts, well, almost everyone. There are so many different types of people and even mythical creatures that fart, but one person who insists she does not fart.

I LOVE this adorable book. The illustrations add so much to the cadence of the rhyme. My favorite page has to be the one with a farting unicorn. "Ninja farts are SBDs" is probably the funniest line in the entire book.

Welcome: A Mo Willems Guide for New Arrivals

" Thank you for joining us. We are so glad you are here. I want to read this book to YOU. Will you be with me in my arms. . . WHILE WE READ THIS BOOK TOGETHER." (book jacket)

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This book has everything going for it. First of all, it's by Mo Willems, who is one of the most loved picture book authors ever. Second it's an adorable book to use as you bond with your baby. I love how this book opens and closes with a mirror for baby to look through. I love how throughout the book, Mo Willems uses the phrase "While we read this book together," demonstrating how important adults reading to little ones can be. My favorite part of the book is repeated, "This is YOU. You are HERE. You are LOVED. . . while we read this book together."



Someone who is pregnant or just had a baby will be receiving this book from me. I LOVE IT.


With love from Library Land,

Amber

Worldless Book Wednesday: Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

"Things are not always what they appear to be in this mesmerizing tale of a bee and a bird's epic journey. Brilliantly hued illustrations that look good enough to eat and a simple but surprising story will entrance young readers. . . and everyone else.

Bee & Bird  is a visual tour de force by the distinguished author, illustrator, and graphic designer Craig Frazier, creator of the acclaimed Hank Finds Inspiration  and other distinctive books for children." (book jacket)

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I actually thought the illustrations were adorable. I found myself trying to guess what bee and bird where on the entire time, and there were a couple times that I was very surprised. I think kids will have a fun time making up a story for Bee and Bird's adventure and it will be highly entertaining.


With Love from Libraryland,
Amber