Humor

February 10 – National Poop Day

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About the Holiday

Who knew poop could inspire such a thoughtful and health-conscious holiday? But it has! Initiated in 2016 by the Madison Children’s Museum in Wisconsin to celebrate and educate the public on digestion and excretion, the day has become a fun, educational way to encourage people to be more aware of their digestive health and hygiene as well as that of their pets. By normalizing conversations about poop, the holiday aims to improve overall health practices and increase understanding of how our bodies work. The topic is no less fascinating in the world of wildlife, as today’s book shows.

Thank you to Sara Levine and Millbrook Press for sharing a copy of Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It with me!

Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It 

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Florence Weiser

 

So, you wake up starving for a delicious meal. You’ve been dreaming of pancakes, maybe, or a plate of eggs and bacon. But when you get to the table, there’s a bowl of poop waiting for you?! What’s going on?! While you might sulk (and probably hold your nose), there are plenty of creatures who’d be thinking “Bring it on!” Who are these critters? They’re animals that practice coprophagy, and they do it “for a number of surprisingly good reasons,” as Sara Levine reveals.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

For some animals eating poop is just part of being a Number 1 (or maybe Number 2 is better in this case) parent. Butterflies, cats, and dogs as well as robins and other birds all have specific reasons for dining on doo-doo, from making eggs strong to protecting their babies from predators to keeping “a nest clean and tidy.” 

While these animals eat poop for external or aesthetic reasons, others engage in coprophagy to keep their digestive system working well. Still others, because of the length or shape of their digestive tract, require that food travels through their body twice to extract all of the nutrients. If you have a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or other small rodent as a pet, you know that their poop looks like little round balls or small pellets. As Levine tells readers, “this is the poop that has been through their digestive tract a second time. These animals’ first poop comes out soft, sticky, and full of nutrients. It’s called a cecotrope (SEE-ca-trope).” They then “gobble it up at night when it comes out. That’s why you don’t see it” in the cage.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Since there are so many creatures who do eat poop, why don’t humans? Levine has included a whole list of reasons for why we don’t—and don’t need to. She also provides back matter that includes “The Scoop on Poop”—an explanation of what poop and pee are, how they’re created in the body, and how they’re eliminated. Kids will also have fun becoming “poop detectives” with the help of the illustrated poop identification guide for common pets and wildlife and also by playing a synonym game.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Sara Levine is exceptional at presenting fascinating nature science topics in humorous and accessible ways for young audiences, and her latest book is no exception, Leaning into the “Ewww!” factor, Levine dishes up short, take-away reasons certain animals, birds, and insects practice coprophagy followed up with longer passages that explain the science and/or behavior behind them in easy-to-understand language sprinkled with humor that will keep readers riveted to this already high-interest subject.

Florence Weiser’s colorful illustrations perfectly bridge the humorous and the scientific nature of Levine’s text. Readers’ skeptical view of this “gross” habit is amusingly juxtaposed with creatures’ excited anticipation of a delicious meal through the characters’ facial expressions while the anatomical reasons for or against coprophagy are clearly depicted in images of human and various animals’ digestive systems.

Anatomy and nature science education at its best, Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It will keep kids enthralled as each page turn brings on a new round of giggles and avid learning. The book would enhance any home STEM collection and is a must for classroom, school, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 5 – 10

Millbrook Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1728457963

About the Author

Sara Levine is an author, educator, and veterinarian. Her science books for children include the Animal by Animal series, Germs Up Close, and A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use. Her books have received a number of awards including AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Utah Beehive Book Award, Cook Prize finalist, Monarch Award master list, and Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year. Visit her at saralevine.com and on Instagram at saralevinebooks.

About the Illustrator

Florence Weiser is a French illustrator currently based in beautiful, rainy Belgium. While growing up in Luxembourg, she always knew she wanted to draw and draw. She lives and works surrounded by nature, from which she gathers most of her inspiration. Visit her at florenceweiser.com and on Instagram at florence_weiser_illustration

You can find Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

January 31 – It’s National Mentoring Month

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About the Holiday

Learning—and the success that comes with it—can be easier and more fun when it’s shared with a mentor. Teachers, instructors, coaches, crafters, family members, and other adults like passing on their knowledge to younger generations, and while kids gain valuable skills, they also benefit from the bonds that form between them and their mentor. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor check out the resources at mentoring.org. National Mentoring Month is also a terrific time to thank a mentor in your life and tell them what a difference they made. 

Thanks to Tundra Books for sharing a copy of Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs

Written by Paulette Bourgeoise | Illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths 

Professor Marie Curious Goose—”renowned and distinguished scientist”—is on a mission to correct the science in her great-aunt Mother Goose’s stories. This time, she’s tackling The Three Little Pigs. The story starts off in the familiar way: “Once upon a time, there were three little pigs.” The first pig liked to eat and play. The second little pig liked to laze in the mud. And the third little pig worked hard and sweated every day. One day their mother sends them off into the world with the admonition to “‘Save your own bacon!'” Sounds about right, right?

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

But wait! Before you move on in the story, Professor Goose reveals that even these brief profiles are full of erroneous myths! To clear things up, the professor imparts zoologist-approved information, including such facts as pigs don’t gorge themselves, they lay in mud to lower “their body temperature on hot days,” and, because pigs have few sweat glands, they always stay fresh and dry. 

Finally on their own, the siblings get down to the business of living their best lives. The first little pig builds himself a house of straw then goes off to play basketball. Here, Professor Goose takes a moment to imaprt a lesson on the states of Matter and what Matter is made of. By now the wolf has caught up with the first little pig, who rebuffs him with the familiar “‘Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.'” Despite this the wolf does his huffing and puffing—you know the drill—and the pig runs off to his sister’s house. But waaaiit . . .. The prof takes exception to a few tidbits here, too, such as the chinny-chin-chin line and the house destruction method.

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Soon, while the wolf is menacing the second little pig, Professor Goose works herself into a lather over the “lone wolf” attack and the story’s depiction of wolves in general. To calm herself down, she instructs readers in details about structures and construction. 

Undeterred, the wolf high tails it to the third little pig’s house of bricks, where she and her siblings are cozily ensconced. The wolf huffs and puffs, can’t blow the brick house down, and the pigs are triumphant. But is this where the story ends? No! The prof explains how many fairy tales—just like this one—use a pattern of three and that patterns are found in everything, including nature, music, and math. Finally, Professor Goose concludes with her own version of what became of these three pig siblings—and the story even turns out well for the wolf!

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Paulette Bourgeouis’s clever take on the familiar tale of The Three Little Pigs will have kids captivated and laughing from beginning to end as Professor Goose points out foibles in the story and connects the setting, the wolf’s powerful breath, the pigs’ houses, the pigs themselves, and the story’s structure to a wide range of scientific principles. Through Professor Goose’s Fact Checks, kids learn surprising and educational facts about zoology, matter, weather, architecture, patterns, and even coding. 

Alex G. Griffith’s engaging illustrations make for a fun and funny learning experience that will have kids in stitches and their eyes glued to every page. Griffith’s tiny details, facial expressions, and slap-stick humor give a fresh, comic-style look to this well-known story and enhance the science-based facts this fractured fairytale is built on for today’s kids.

A unique retelling of a favorite classic that takes superb advantage of all a fractured fairy tale can offer, Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs is sure to be asked for again and again…and again. The STEM-related connections make this book a terrific and educational introduction to a variety of units for science educators.

Ages 3 – 8 and up

Tundra Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-0735267329

About the Author

Paulette Bourgeouis is best known for creating Franklin the Turtle, the character who appears in the bestselling picture books illustrated by Brenda Clark. The series has been translated into thirty-eight languages and adapted into an animated television series, merchandise, and feature-length films. She is also the author of award-winning books for children including Oma’s Quilt, which was developed as a short film by the National Film Board of Canada, and more than two dozen non-fiction science books. She is a member of the Order of Canada, received an honorary doctorate degree from Western University, an award of merit from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and most recently graduated with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Paulette frequently teaches and she has been the writer-in-residence at UBC, Whistler, BC, and Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland.

About the Illustrator

Alex G. Griffiths is a children’s book illustrator originally from London, UK. The majority of his work is done by hand, using a combination of pen and ink line work and brush textures in a messy way to create an unusual illustration style. He now lives in Canada with his wife and two children. Visit him at alexgfriffiths.com.

National Mentoring Month Activity

CPB - Playhouse craft

Cardboard Playhouse

Kids love pretending with their toys and playhouses. With this craft you and your child can make a playhouse with recycled items and lots of imagination. While you and your child make the house, talk about the building process and ask questions that get them thinking about how various parts of a house work. Once the house is finished, kids can make up their own stories with it—or create their own fractured tale of The Three Little Pigs! 

Supplies

  1. Cardboard box

     2. Recycled items, such as:

  • Bottle caps for door knobs,
  • Small boxes for a chimney
  • Use the cardboard cut from the windows to make shutters
  • Scraps of cloth for curtains

    3. Craft paint

    4. Markers

    5. Glue

You can purchase Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

December 13 – Lost and Found Day

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About the Holiday

Don’t you hate when you lose something? You know . . . you just had it and now it’s nowhere to be seen. Where do eventually find it? The last place you look, of course! But what if you never find it? Perhaps someone else found it and turned it in to a lost and found department. Oh, it’s all very disconcerting. Don’t give up hope! Today’s holiday was established just to give people an opportunity to really stop what they’re doing and look for that long-lost object. Did you know that Napoleon Bonaparte was the mastermind behind the idea of a Lost and Found? In 1805 he opened the world’s first Lost and Found Office in Paris and encouraged people to bring in items they found in the street. From there the idea spread! So if you’ve lost something, take a bit of time today to find it!

Thank you to Ann Schwartz Books for sharing a copy of Lost with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Lost

By Bob Staake

 

Opening the cover of the nearly wordless Lost, you encounter a sea of white, gray-tone, and blue-tone triangles that dazzle the eyes until they are drawn to a small red curlicue near the bottom right corner, and you wonder . . .. The title page drops you into the middle of a neighborhood, where the mystery isn’t solved, but only seems to grow as four people, sporting puzzled frowns are on the move.

Eager to know what’s up? Turn the page yet again and you’re inside a little girl’s house, where something is definitely amiss. Kitty hasn’t eaten her food. She’s not playing with her yarn or toy mouse, either, so the girl goes in search. Paneled pages show her peeking around a wall, calling up the staircase, checking room to room. But then . . . Eureka! . . . the back door is open. When the girl runs out to the backyard, though, Kitty isn’t there either. 

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Copyright Bob Staake, 2024. Courtesy of Anne Schwartz Books.

With a stack of homemade LOST posters in hand, she begins papering the neighborhood and handing out copies to passersby. One of these is the mail carrier, who hasn’t seen Kitty but has, in fact, lost his own pet. He pulls a picture his green bird from his wallet and demonstrates how he flew from its cage and out the window. 

In the park, she meets an elderly woman who has lost her dog. She takes a picture from her purse, explaining how it scampered under the gate and was gone. The woman still has a tear in her eye when the two wave goodbye. At the Village Market, a businessman notices one of the girl’s LOST posters and extracts from his wallet a picture of his pet giraffe that simply stepped over the wall around his house one day and disappeared. After commiserating, they smile as they bid each other goodbye. Hungry now, the girl returns to the park for a hotdog and happily carries it to the bench where she had met the woman earlier.

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Copyright Bob Staake, 2024. Courtesy of Anne Schwartz Books.

She’s just about to take a glorious bite when she spies her own lost kitty poster and sinks into sadness. But what’s this? The delicious aroma has attracted the attention of a little blue nose, and from behind a wall appears the woman’s lost dog! The girl begins luring it home with her hotdog when she spots a familiar shadow on the sidewalk. She looks up expecting to find Kitty, but finds the bird, instead. Keeping the bird in tow with a bit of bun, she takes her finds home to make found posters and spread the good news.

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Copyright Bob Staake, 2024. Courtesy of Anne Schwartz Books.

Back out in the neighborhood, a passing boy lets slip his balloon, redirecting the girl’s gaze upward toward a tall tree from where the girl hears a sound. She, the bird, and the dog race into the yard to find Kitty atop the tree. But how to get her down? There’s one lost pet who would know just how to do it—and this delightful story doesn’t disappoint. Just in the knick of time, the giraffe steps over the fence, offers his nose to climb on and bows his long neck to the girl’s outstretched arms.

Meanwhile, the found posters have alerted the mail carrier and the elderly woman, and they take off running toward the girl. The businessman, sad not to see a found poster for his giraffe, at last sees his pet towering into the sky and joins the parade and the joyous reunions full of hugs that follow.

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Copyright Bob Staake, 2024. Courtesy of Anne Schwartz Books.

Clever and charming from beginning to end, Bob Staake’s Lost is a treasure trove of visual humor, emotion, and surprises. So much ingenious storytelling is infused into every panel for readers of all ages to discover, and Staake’s use of facial expressions and gestures makes it easy for readers to follow the action. The hiding places of the pets turn out to be sweet reminders that our loved ones are never far away.

Lost would appeal to both those who love picture books and fans of graphic novels. The book invites multiple readings and makes a terrific canvas for inventing backstories for all of the characters and pets in this enchanting town. If you’re looking for a gift for a child or even an adult who loves comics, cartoon, and whimsical tales, you’ll find Lost to be the perfect present. Lost is also a must for public and school libraries.

Ages 3 – 7

Anne Schwartz Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-0593707029

About the Author-Illustrator

Bob Staake is the prolific illustrator and creator of many books for children, including Bluebird, My Pet Book, The Red Lemon (a New York Times Best Illustrated Book), and The Donut Chef (a Children’s Choice Book Award finalist). He illustrated Jonah Winter’s Welcome to Bobville which Booklist praised as “embracing differences” in a starred review. His most recent book, The Path, was called “extremely inspiring” by School Library Journal in a starred review. Bob’s highly acclaimed commercial illustrations have appeared in the New Yorker, Time, the Washington Post, and The New York Times. He lives in Massachusetts. Visit Bob at bobstaake.com.

Lost and Found Day Activity

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Find the Lost Pets Puzzle

 

The kids in this puzzle have lost their pets. Unscramble the paths and help them reunite!

Find the Lost Pets Puzzle

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You can purchase Lost at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

December 4 – International Cheetah Day

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About the Holiday

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal in the world and also Africa’s most endangered big cat. With fewer than 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild, these beautiful and important animals are in a race with survival. Today’s holiday was established to raise awareness to the peril cheetahs and their ecosystem are in and to urge people to come to their aid. To learn more about cheetahs and how we can help them, and to find educational information and activities to download, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s International Cheetah Day website.

Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites 

By Bette Westera and Mies van Hout | Translated by David Colmer

 

The world is full of animals (and people) of all sorts. Some are slow, like a tortoise—who, begging to differ, says, “I just like to take my time” while others are fast, like a cheetah—who with a “whish-whoosh! is “outta here.” There are those who identify with the “Tidy” pig, who loves to “. . . scrub and scrub / until I’m clean./ And put a fresh curl in my tail,” and those who aren’t so persnickety—like the “Messy” warthog: “Wash and comb my hair more often? / What for? Once a year is plenty. / These tangles suit me fine.”

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Image copyright Mies van Hout, 2024, text copyright Bette Westera, 2024, translation copyright David Colmer, 2024. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

In sixteen two-page spreads, Bette Westera and Mies van Hout introduce thirty-two animals who are opposites—or antonyms, for the grammatically minded—and do admirable jobs of advocating for themselves through short, free-form poems that proudly promote the traits that make them . . . well . . . them. Take the “Fancy” turkey and the “Everyday” chicken.

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Image copyright Mies van Hout, 2024, text copyright Bette Westera, 2024, translation copyright David Colmer, 2024. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

The turkey and the chicken face off across the pages with the Turkey going first as it recalls in part “a quick look in the mirror: / very chic, this red collar / over those dark blue feathers. / And how do you like my tail? / The peacock pales in comparison!” The chicken, in contrast, reveals: “I don’t like frills / and frippery. / I don’t like fancy / showing off” then goes on to say “. . . just give me grayish brown / or brownish gray.”

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Image copyright Mies van Hout, 2024, text copyright Bette Westera, 2024, translation copyright David Colmer, 2024. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Each of Bette Westera’s poems, translated by David Colmer, delights with conversational rhythms and the humorous first-person descriptions within. Feisty attitudes meet plainspoken introspection meet playful nonchalance and energetic purpose—all divulged through snappy vocabulary and surprising turns of phrase. Kids will eagerly want to hear this charming read aloud again and again and will have fun deciding which of the animals they themselves most resemble. 

With her color-saturated and textured mixed-media illustrations, Mies van Hout presents kids and adults with a visual feast of expressive animals, each—like readers—with their own evident and endearing personality. You’ll want to linger awhile at every page to gaze into these animals’ eyes and fully appreciate their varied traits before meeting another pair of happy opposites.

An original take on learning—and valuing—the nature of opposites, Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites would be an entertaining addition for home story times as well as a terrific choice for libraries and classrooms, where the book could inspire fun writing projects.

Ages 4 – 8

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN  978-0802856357

About the Author

Bette Westera is the author of the Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book Later, When I’m Big (Eerdmans) and over fifty other books for children. She has also translated books by Dr. Seuss, Astrid Lindgren, and Julia Donaldson into the Dutch language. Bette lives in the Netherlands, where her books have received two Golden Pencil awards and six Silver Pencil honors. Visit her website at bettewestera.nl.

About the Illustrator

Mies van Hout is a Dutch illustrator and author whose work has been published in over twenty countries. Her books in English include Happy, From One to Ten, This Is My Daddy!, and What Cats Think (all Pajama Press). Mies lives in the Drenthe province of the Netherlands. Visit her website at miesvanhout.nl or follow her on Instagram @miesvanhout.

About the Translator

David Colmer is an Australian writer and translator of Dutch and Flemish literature. He has translated over eighty books throughout his career, including Little Fox (Levine Querido), I’ll Root for You, and A Pond Full of Ink (both Eerdmans). His translations have won several prestigious awards, such as the PEN Translation Prize and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. David lives in Amsterdam.

International Cheetah Day Activity

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Cheetah Coloring Page

Learn more about cheetahs and see them in action with this video from National Geo Wild then color your own portrait of a cheetah with this Cheetah Coloring Page from the Cheetah Conservation Fund.

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You can purchase Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

November 21 – Get Ready for Hanukkah

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About the Holiday

To get into the spin of this eight-day celebration of light and remembrance, we have a book perfect for young ones getting ready to learn a new skill and a bit more about this Jewish holiday. Little Dreidel Learns to Spin takes the stage with a rhythmic, twirling tale packed with Yiddish words and glossary in the back to learn more.

Thank you to Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Cartwheel Books for sharing a digital copy of Little Dreidel Learns to Spin with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Little Dreidel Learns to Spin

Written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington | Illustrated by Taryn Johnson

 

Little Dreidel’s clay body is all dry, so she is ready to start twirling and spinning just like her older cousins. But, when she tries, “she flails and fumble-tumbles. ‘I’m such a klutz! I stink at this’ she mopes and mumble tumbles.” Dreidel’s grandmother, her Bubbie, tries to console her, but to no avail. As the rest of the family gets ready for Hanukkah—cooking up some latkes, setting up the menorah—Little Dreidel collects herself.

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Image copyright Taryn Johnson, 2024, text copyright Rebecca Gardyn Levington, 2024. Courtesy of Cartwheel Books.

After some careful observation of her cousins’ techniques, she learns about momentum and gains some more of her own. She’s ready to try again. At first too slow, then too fast, Little Dreidel “plotzes on the ground” again and again. But when day turns to night, and Hanukkah is about to begin, a miracle occurs: “dizzy-dazed” Little Dreidel competently joins the rest of the cousin crew spinning into celebration!

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Image copyright Taryn Johnson, 2024, text copyright Rebecca Gardyn Levington, 2024. Courtesy of Cartwheel Books.

The story of Little Dreidel Learns to Spin subtly mirrors the Hanukkah story—a narrative that centers on a miracle of oil lasting to light a lamp for eight days rather than just one and success against all odds. Gardyn Levington takes a simple tale of determination and weaves in Hanukkah charm, rhymes, Yiddish vocabulary and witty puns—like when Little Dreidel spins awry and almost breaks her shin, the Hebrew letter painted on one side of the top and denoting the worst luck of the four facings.

Johnson’s illustrations add layers of humor and context to the story. For example, Little Dreidel’s face is painted on the less lucky shin side, whereas Bubbie’s face is painted on gimel— the luckiest letter of the four dreidel faces. The first page depicts Little Dreidel blow-drying his top half with a hair dryer, as the story shares that Little Dreidel’s clay has just dried. Johnson depicts emotion cleverly and adorably through the expressions and body language of the Dreidel family. The pages are lush with color, with an emphasis on Hanukkah’s classic blues and yellows.

A sweet introduction to the traditions of Hanukkah and a natural way to teach children some common Yiddish words, Little Dreidel Learns to Spin would be the perfect addition to home collections and libraries.

Ages 3 – 5

Cartwheel Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1338864625

About the Author

Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a children’s book author and poet with a penchant for penning playful picture books and poems. She lives in Summit, New Jersey. You can visit Rebecca at rebeccagardynlevington.com.

About the Illustrator

Taryn Johnson is an illustrator, animator, and designer who loves to bring a playful appreciation of nature to her work with bright colors, patterns, and a little imagination. Visit Taryn at tarynjohnson.com.

Get Ready for Hanukkah Activities

Clay Dreidel Craft from Crayola

Photo courtesy of Crayola

 Homemade Hanukkah Crafts

 

You can teach your very own homemade clay dreidel to spin or make a paper dreidel with these instructions from Crayola! 

To find more Hanukkah themed activities—from making LEGO dreidels to tissue paper stained glass decorations to a creative shamash candle holder and more—visit PJ Library’s Hanukkah activities page!

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You can purchase Little Dreidel Learns to Spin from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

September 19 – International Talk Like a Pirate Day

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About the Holiday

Ahoy mateys! Welcome to what may arrrguably be the most fun holiday of the year. You might think that this most treasured of days got its start shipboard on the bounding main, but it actually began in the walled confines of a racquetball court, where a group of guys were doing…well what a group of guys do to encourage each other—toss around pirate phrases. They decided the idea was too good to keep on the court, so they designated September 19th as Talk Like a Pirate Day. They then alerted humorist Dave Barry, who spread word of this day far and wide. Now it’s a favorite of young and old alike. So get out there and do some talkin’ ye scalliwags!

Pirate & Penguin

Written by Mike Allegra | Illustrated by Jenn Harney

When a penguin hopping down a glacier on the title page, slips and tumbles onto a passing pirate ship on the first page, the captain, a “lonely old pirate” who’s “been searching the Seven Seas for a parrot pal” delights in such serendipity that has brought him this perfect treasure. But looking a bit closer, the captain decides an improvement is in order. He pulls out his red, blue, and yellow paint buckets, and in no time the black-and-white penguin is transformed into a pretty bird.

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Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2023, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2023. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Of course, much is expected of a pirate parrot, and the captain wastes no time in directing his new companion to “set yerself on me stout shoulder . . ..” The penguin gives this the old college try by latching onto the pirate’s peg leg and climbing his way up bit by bit only to find no “stout shoulder” at the top to prevent his slow slide back to deck with hilarious results. Disappointed, the pirate moves on to teaching his pet the language of pirates, but this parrot can’t repeat one word. No “Ahoy, mateys.” No “Mizzenmast.” No “Hornswoggle.” Not even a hearty “Booty.” At long last in response to the captain’s haranguing, the newly minted “parrot” offers the only word he knows: “HOOOONK!” The captain, with lowered expectations already, acknowledges that “‘honk’ be a word, I suppose,” and moves on.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-&-penguin-sitting-on-shoulder

Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2023, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2023. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

But the penguin, while a natural seabird, is not a natural pirate. Things don’t go so well with the sail, and when the captain tosses him a cracker, the penguin greets this morsel with a disapproving “HUH-HWAAK PTOOI!” For the captain, this is beyond the pale, and he lays into the penguin with a squall-force “SNOGGERS!” and announces the charges against him for spitting out the “last crumb o’ food” onboard ship: “‘Tis mutiny! Insubordination! Subparrrrr table manners!” Oof! No wonder the penguin decides to walk the plank. Despite the captain’s change of heart, the penguin dives off the board.

Shocked, the pirate is contrite and, staring into the murky depths, begs for forgiveness. He sits, despondent, against the ship’s railing until he hears that familiar “Honk” and perks up. He grabs the penguin—now washed clean of paint—with joy, only afterward discovering that while his new crew member may not have the talents of the usual pirate pet, his fish-catching skills prove much more valuable.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-&-penguin-spitting-out-cracker

Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2023, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2023. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Mike Allegra’s story is a full treasure chest—no fool’s doubloons here. Although his captain bounces through a full cargo hold of emotions, from happy surprise to pain to frustration and anger, as his new “parrot” defies pirate traditions, in the end he always demonstrates acceptance and kindness. Allegra’s talent for humor shines throughout with hilarious dialogue that’s a joy to read aloud and will have kids and adults laughing at each page. Kids will love parroting back pirate speak like “Thar ye arrrrr,” “rotting rapscallion,” and “scurvy scallywag.” And who wouldn’t want to let loose with a hearty “Snoggers!” when things just don’t go quite right?

Jenn Harney’s pirate, scrawny, cleverly bespectacled, well-coifed with puffy ponytails front and back, and given to exaggerated movements is as silly and giggle-inducing as a great physical comedian. His mystified expression, droopy pants, skull-and-crossbones “undergarments,” and disproportionate proportions are a perfect fit for Allegra’s humorous dialogue. The stalwart little penguin is adorable whether painted in parroty colors or sporting his natural tux. Harney gives readers plenty to linger over on each page while they take this unlikely pair into their hearts. After all, no one can resist a pirate who wears a cork on his hook’s pointy tip.

In this perfect read aloud, Mike Allegra and Jenn Harney remind us that sometimes what we get—no matter how ludicrous it may seem—is just what we need, and that accepting others just the way they arrrrrr makes for rewarding friendships.

Pirate & Penguin is sure to become an often-chosen favorite that families will want to add to their home bookshelves. Public and school libraries are sure to see the book enjoy continuous circulation.

Ages 4 – 8

Page Street Kids, 2023 | ISBN 978-1645677123

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Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew

Written by Mike Allegra | Illustrated by Jenn Harney

On a day when the becalmed seas finally produce a good wind for sailing, the captain shouts out for “all hands on deck!” His trusty “ground parrot” answers the call, swinging into view on a halyard. “Ah! There be all me hands,” the captain confirms. But the fair wind soon turns into a squall, and the two find themselves running from bowsprit to poop deck as the pirate yells the orders: “Man the helm!” “Batten the hatches!” “Strike the mizzen!” “Warble a sea chanty!” But the storm proves too much for this barebones crew, and the captain decides he needs more help.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-and-penguin-2-few-crew-squall

Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2024, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2024. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Through his spyglass, the captain sees a port loaded with seamen he’s sure will want to sign up. He writes out an employment ad: “WanteD: 4 PiRatey pairs o’ StRong ArrRrrRrms,” and, noting penguin’s waggling approval, agrees that they’ll “be gettin’ a crew in two shakes of a first mate’s booty bottom.” But when they moor their boat at the pier between two imposing ships, no potential crew mates show any interest, and the captain reconsiders the condition of his ship.

Pirate and penguin get right to work making improvements. The Jolly Roger now sports a smiley face; the canon shoots pink bubbles, and a ship’s wheel swing and a disco ball hang from the yardarms. There are also balloons, colorful murals, and a slide that curves from the crow’s nest right to the briny deep. Sure enough, a crowd of eager potential mateys gather on the dock. But are they there to mark their X on the Articles of Agreement? No! They are there to laugh “HAW! HAW! HAW!” They think the ship and the pirate are “goofy,” and the parrot “extra-goofy.” But this insult is a brig too far, and the captain sends them running with a few choice words.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-and-penguin-2-few-crew-bubbles

Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2024, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2024. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

But what’s this? An octopus stowaway with just the requisite four pairs of arrrrrrrms the ship needs! Ready to set sail, the captain directs his crew to “man their stations,” only to discover through some talented tentacle typography that his new recruit is a “she/her.” Suddenly, there’s not a minute to lose as another squall is upon them. They quickly “man—and woman—” their stations and sail toward calmer seas, leaving behind the inhospitable port and pirates who can only pine for the fun that could have been.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-and-penguin-2-few-crew-octopus

Illustration copyright Jenn Harney, 2024, text copyright Mike Allegra, 2024. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew be as see-worthy a sequel as ever set sail. Mike Allegra has created another laugh-out-loud story with plenty more pirate sayings, puns, and slapstick humor while keeping the focus on fun, acceptance, and sticking up for friends. Kids will love the improvements the captain makes to his ship, and the addition of an octopus crew member lets Allegra riff with tongue-tied hilarity.

Getting to set sail on Jenn Harney’s pirate ship with the captain and penguin once more is like an exciting and comforting homecoming. Pirate and his “ground parrot” now work in sync as they try to batten the hatches in the face of another squall and while adding fun touches to the ship’s amenities. Here and there readers may spy a little foreshadowing of the welcome surprise to come. The image of the captain’s little ship moored between two mammoth ships will resonate with kids often jostled between adults and navigating the world around them. Harney’s bright colors, frothy pink bubbles, and corkscrew slide make this pirate ship far and away the merriest on the Seven Seas. 

A first-rate matey to Pirate & Penguin, Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew will be an often-requested addition to home and library bookshelves. For those looking for a gift for birthdays or the holidays, this pirate-y pairing be treasure indeed.

Ages 4 – 8

Page Street Kids, 2024 | ISBN 978-1645678625

About the Author

Mike Allegra is the author of the picture book, Sarah Gives Thanks. Under the pseudonym Roy L. Hinuss, Mike not-so secretly pens the Prince Not-So Charming chapter book series. He was the winner of the 2014 Highlights for Children Fiction Contest, a recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council for the Arts, and a nominee for a 2017 Pushcart Prize. Visit him at mikeallegra.com and on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Jenn Harney is an illustrator and toy designer whose work has been featured in Highlights for Children magazine. Jenn lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, her daughter, a dog named Steve, and a fish with nine lives. She is the author of the Hazy Bloom series, including Hazy Bloom and The Tomorrow Power and Hazy Bloom and The Pet Project. Visit her at jkharney.blogspot.com and on Instagram.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day Activity

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Sail for Pirate Treasure Maze

Join the crew of scallywags to pick up supplies on your way to finding a treasure chest full of gold in this printable maze.

Sail for Pirate Treasure Maze Puzzle | Sail for Pirate Treasure Maze Solution

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You can purchase Pirate & Penguin at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pirate-and-penguin-2-few-crew-cover

You can purchase Pirate & Penguin 2 Few Crew at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

June 12 – It’s Great Outdoors Month

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-turkey's-sandtastic-beach-day-cover

About the Holiday

Kids of all ages benefit from being outdoors whether they’re playing, helping out with home projects, gardening, or traveling. Simple pleasures and even time to be “bored” spark the imagination and creativity and can help kids learn patience and self-sufficiency. To celebrate Great Outdoors Month, plan an outing with your kids. It may turn into an adventure you never expected!

Thanks to Two Lions and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day (Turkey Trouble)

Written by Wendi Silvano | Illustrated by Lee Harper

 

It’s the Summer Children’s Festival on the boardwalk, and Farmer Jake has brought Turkey and all his friends to meet the kids. They’re all happy to be there, except . . . Turkey really wants to be on the beach to feel the soft sand and play in the waves, and he’s determined to sneak down there “‘Just for a few minutes.'” He even knows how he’ll do it—by disguising himself as a crab. When Turkey asks for help, Pig immediately pipes up, “‘I’m shore I can figure something out.”

One life preserver, two beachballs, and two shovel “claws” later, Turkey makes his way to the sand. Pig stands by as a lookout for Farmer Jake and reminds Turkey to walk sideways. Turkey is just settling into his crab-costume-turned-beach-chair and dipping his feet in the water when the lifeguard discovers the ruse and rushes to roust Turkey back to the boardwalk’s petting zoo.

Undeterred, Turkey devises a way to disguise himself as a shell, and although he makes it back to the sand for a little ‘”sea-esta,'” he soon finds himself on the boardwalk again. He’s pretty impressed by the surfers, and with Cow’s encouragement decides to infiltrate a group of surfers with a clever get-up using beach trunks and a seaweed wig for that mop-top look. He paddles out, stands up, and is riding the crest of a monster wave until . . . he isn’t.

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Image copyright Lee Harper, 2023, text copyright Wendi Silvano, 2023. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Turkey’s about to give up on his dream of enjoying the beach when Horse comes up with another way Turkey can disguise himself and do a little snorkeling—easily accomplished with the fin from the surfboard and a set of false teeth. And it works, for awhile, until a swimmer shouts “‘SHARK!'” and “everyone bolted from the water, including Turkey.” 

Farmer Jake is not happy and scoops Turkey into a fishing net, telling him “. . . you’re fin-ished! Get back to the petting zoo.” Farmer Jake keeps careful tabs on his animals now . . . until he falls asleep, and the animals see their chance to join the sandcastle-building contest. Rooster works the crane, Horse carries an array of buckets, shovels, and sifters, Cow and Pig dig even more sand, and Turkey and Sheep pack and mold. 

When Farmer Jake wakes up, he can’t find his animals behind the mounds of sand. But when “Turkey Town” is declared the winner of the contest, he’s as proud as can be. And the prize? They all cheer when the judge announces they’ve won “‘. . . a free stay at a house on your own private beach!'” And they know just how to celebrate. They invite everyone at the festival to come along too. “It was the most sandtastic beach day ever!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-turkey's-sandtastic-beach-day-crab-costume

Image copyright Lee Harper, 2023, text copyright Wendi Silvano, 2023. Courtesy of Two Lions.

What could be better that spending the summer with Turkey and his friends? Wendi Silvano’s beloved poultry pal is sure to delight fans with another adventure full of clever hijinks and lots of laughs on every page. Silvano’s nimble dialogue is not only stuffed with puns that will keep kids giggling and groaning but highlights the camaraderie among the animals and their quick-thinking creativity. Of course, friendship is the theme of all the books in the Turkey Trouble series, and here—in addition to readers—Farmer Jake, the animals, and all the visitors to the Summer Children’s Festival are the beneficiaries of Turkey’s generosity.

Spending time with Lee Harper’s farmyard friends is always a treat, and the seaside setting has inspired some of the goofiest disguises yet as well as that show-stopping winning sand castle that proves this is one talented group of animals. Harper is a master at depicting good-natured mayhem and laugh-inducing facial expressions all backed by the beautiful ocean and scenic boardwalk. Kids will spy lots of humorous shenanigans on the boardwalk and even a nod to the book’s placement in the series on the license plate for Farmer Jake’s wagon.

Whether your kids are fans of Farmer Jake, Turkey, and the crew or just discovering tight-knit group of friends, you’ll want to add Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day to your home bookshelves for sunny, laugh-out-loud story times all year round. The book is also a must addition to school and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Two Lions, 2023 | ISBN 978-1662508356

About the Author

Wendi Silvano was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has lived in Oregon, Colorado, and Peru. The author of the Turkey Trouble series, she has a BA in early childhood education and taught preschool and elementary school for eleven years. She is the mother of five children and the owner of an assortment of odd pets that are not nearly as clever as Turkey. She now writes from her home in Colorado, where she enjoys hiking, reading, and playing the piano. Visit her online at http://www.wendisilvano.com.

About the Illustrator

Lee Harper is the author-illustrator of the books Coyote, The Emperor’s Cool Clothes, and Snow! Snow! Snow! In addition to the Turkey Trouble series, Lee is also the illustrator of Looking for the Easy Life by Walter Dean Myers and the Woolbur books by Leslie Helakoski. Lee has four children, a German shepherd, two barn cats, two pigs, eleven chickens, and four sheep…but still no turkeys. Yet. He lives with his wife in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Visit him online at http://www.leeharperart.com.

National Great Outdoors Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bringing-the-outside-in-painted-pails-craft

Personalized Painted Pail

 

A trip to the beach or park isn’t complete without a pail to collect shells, seaweed, sea glass, pebbles, sticks, nuts, or other things in. But why should all the cool stuff be on the inside? With this craft you can decorate your pail to show your unique personality!

Supplies

  • Plastic or metal pail
  • Craft paint in various colors
  • Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating, for multi-surface use
  • Paint brush

Directions

  1. Paint designs on the pail
  2. When paint is dry spray with acrylic coating to set paint
  3. Let dry

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-turkey's-sandtastic-beach-day-cover

You can find Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop

Picture Book Review