May 1 – It’s Children’s Book Week

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-short-stories-for-little-monsters-coverAbout the Holiday

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Running from May 1 – 7 under the theme of One World, Many Stories, this year’s Children’s Book Week offers events nationwide at libraries, bookstores, schools, and other venues. Kids and young readers are also invited to vote in the Children’s and Teen’s Choice Book Awards. To find plenty of downloadable activities, bookmarks, and other fun stuff as well as to discover events in your area, visit Every Child a Reader!

Short Stories for Little Monsters

By Marie-Louise Gay

 

Open the cover of Short Stories for Little Monsters and you immediately enter the mind of a child with all of its imagination, dreams, fears, questions, and quirky philosophies. Nineteen two-page stories told in comics-style panels populated with rakish kids, pointy-nosed snails, talking trees, and lots and lots of color will have readers giggling from beginning to end.

The first story—When I Close My Eyes—gives a glimpse of the antics to come as a little girl walking with her older brother asks him to “guess what I see when I close my eyes?” Her brother just wants to move on faster and tells her she can’t see anything with her eyes shut. Finally given the “Ok! Ok! Sigh,” the little girl closes her eyes and with a wide grin reveals a bear thinking about a fish, pink polka dot and plaid elephants, kites, eyes, balloons, a stopwatch tree, and flowers to swing from. Her brother’s reaction? “That’s impossible.” Perhaps he’s just too old….

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Copyright Marie-Louise Gay, 2017. Courtesy of Groundwood Books

In The Incredible Invisible Boy, a pillowcase encased boy joins a soccer game in progress, moving from position to position while exclaiming “I have superpowers!…I can become invisible!” But the other kids never take notice as they pass the ball over his head, scramble to kick it first, move the ball up field, and finally run off the page, leaving the covered figure to sigh, “The incredible invisible boy strikes again.”

Kids aren’t the only ones who have weird dreams. In Snail Nightmares, thee little shelled guys suffer night terrors too. One dreams of slithering too fast to stop at the end of the panel without hitting its head, another conjurs the embarrassments of losing its pants, and the third has its tail stretched waaaay out by a tricky bird.

Nobody Nose catches a girl tightrope waking on the clothesline, only to be told by a passing boy, “You’re going to fall. You’ll break your nose into a thousand pieces.” He wanders off but not before he instills a deep doubt in her mind: “I wonder what you’ll look like without a nose…or with a new nose?” She then imagines herself gazing in the mirror at her noseless face and trying on a series of fake noses, including a carrot, a pig snout, and an elephant trunk. She finally resorts to covering her head with a cardboard box. The little boy peeks around the last panel to say he likes the carrot nose the best because it goes with her shoes. And indeed it does.

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Copyright Marie-Louise Gay, 2017. Courtesy of Groundwood Books

Remember when you could find dangerous adventure anywhere? The two girls in Monster! run shrieking from “a monster from outer space” who drools “poisonous slime,” sports “enormous fangs…and sharp pointy horns,” and is set on devouring the girls alive. As the two cower in safety behind a thick tree trunk, the object of this horror slides by with a sly nod to “snail power.”

Other stories introduce lowly worms that “rule the world,” a zombie mom who can see through walls and ceilings, the “secret life of snails,” mispronounced words, artistic renderings, and faces ungainly stuck in place during a bad wind.  And as these stories wind down, readers will want to follow the bunny down its rabbit hole to uncover not only The Secret Life of Rabbits, but another world of whimsy, eccentricities, and fantasy that enhances life no matter how old you are.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-short-stories-for-little-monsters-zombie-mom

Copyright Marie-Louise Gay, 2017. Courtesy of Groundwood Books

Both kids and adults will love Marie-Louise Gay’s funny tribute to childhood. Her vivid pencil-and-watercolor drawings perfectly expose the moments of a day that bring joy, triumph, and, yes, maybe even a touch of consternation to life. Short Stories for Little Monsters would make a delightful gift and a book that would be opened again and again for home libraries.

Ages 5 – 8

Groundwood Books, 2017 | ISBN 978-1554988969

Discover more about Marie-Louise Gay, her books, her art, and her TV show as well as printable materials on her website!

Children’s Book Week Activitycelebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-book-bag-craft

Books to Love, Books to Read Book Bag

 

This is the perfect week to fill up a bag with books you’d like to read! Here’s an easy craft for making your own unique bag!

Supplies

  • Printable Templates: Books to Read Template | Books to Love Template
  • Small cloth bag, available from craft or sewing stores—Recyclable Idea: I used the bag that sheet sets now come in
  • Cloth trim or strong ribbon, available from craft or sewing stores—Recyclable Idea: I used the cloth handles from shopping bags provided from some clothing stores
  • Scraps of different colored and patterned cloth. Or use quilting squares, available at craft and sewing stores
  • Pen or pencil for tracing letters onto cloth
  • Scissors
  • Small sharp scissors (or cuticle scissors) for cutting out the center of the letters
  • Fabric glue
  • Thread (optional)
  • Needle (optional)

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-books-bag-craft

Directions

  1. Print the sayings and cut out the letters
  2. Trace letters onto different kinds of cloth
  3. Cut out cloth letters
  4. Iron cloth bag if necessary
  5. Attach words “Books to Read” to one side of bag with fabric glue
  6. Attach words “Books to Love” to other side of bag with fabric glue
  7. Cut cloth trim or ribbon to desired length to create handles
  8. Glue (or sew) handles onto the inside edge of bag

Picture Book Review

April 30 – National Honesty Day

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About the Holiday

National Honesty Day encourages honesty and straightforward communication in politics, relationships, consumer relations and historical education. Some may find it interesting, appropriate, or (fill in your own adjective) that the holiday was established in 1990 by former press secretary of Maryland M. Hirsh Goldberg while writing a book about the frauds, scams, schemes and other such nonsense that have “changed the course of history and affect our daily lives.” To honor the day, it is suggested that people ask the hard questions—and also offer what can sometimes be the hard truth. Only then can we clear the air and build better relationships. As the wolf in today’s book discovers, honesty really is the best policy.

Tell the Truth, B. B. Wolf

Written by Judy Sierra | Illustrated by J. Otto Seibold

 

The Villain Villa Senior Center is getting a makeover. The Big Bad Wolf and his equally evil friends are doing the repairs. Suddenly, the air hums with the tune “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.” “‘Quiet!’” the wolf shouts, “‘I have to answer my phone.’” It turns out that Miss Wonderly at the library wants B. B. to come in and tell the story of how he met the Three Little Pigs. He’s excited to take part, but one thing worries him: He wasn’t a hero in the story.

Rumpelstiltskin tells B. B. Wolf to spin the story; the crocodile advises a happy ending. B. B. Wolf changes into his best clothing and, vowing to try these suggestions, hurries over to the library. Ensconced in a cozy chair, B. B. begins with a song: “Hard luck always follows me, and Trouble is my middle name.” But this ploy doesn’t fly with one little attendee (a pig with the number 1 on his hat) who reminds B. B. that his middle name is B-A-D.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-tell-the-truth-b.b.-wolf

Image copyright J. Otto Seibold, text copyright Judy Sierra. Courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com

Undeterred, B. B. Wolf launches into his story after amending his song to include that he is always blamed for any crime that occurs. It seems that one day B. B. Wolf was out innocently picking dandelions. While blowing on the puff to make a wish, he inadvertently blew down the straw house of a little piggie. The poor wolf was on the run as the piggie chased him. This version of events brings an oinkburst from the back of the room: “‘Tell the truth, B. B. Wolf!’”

As he ran, B. B. Wolf continues, he suddenly smelled smoke and dashed over to help. He found a little piggie playing with matches next to a pile of sticks that were on fire! He only blew on the sticks to put out the fire. From his place on a shelf Pinocchio thinks he sees the wolf’s snout growing bigger. Charged by this second piggie, B. B. Wolf says, he kept running until he collapsed at the door of a little brick house. Tired and thirsty the wolf begged to be let in. But the mean porker merely said, “‘Climb up on the roof and slide down my chinny-chin-chimney.’”

That ridiculous fib causes an uproar in the children’s section. “‘No one is falling for your story,’ cracked Humpty Dumpty.” And the Gingerbread Boy added, “‘It’s a cooked-up, half-baked tale.’” “Tell the truth, B. B. Wolf,” orders Pig 3. Deflated, B. B. Wolf lets out “a dismal huff and a small, sad puff.” He admits that he hasn’t told the truth because the truth is so embarrassing. But “‘what’s important is that I’ve changed. Really I have,’” he says. The three pigs demand that he apologize, and B. B. stutters over the words. Try as he might, B. B. cannot say it. But he can sing it!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-tell-the-truth-b.b.-wolf

Image copyright J. Otto Seibold, text copyright Judy Sierra. Courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com

Down on his knees, he sings a heartfelt and perfectly rhyming apology. The Three Little Pigs take pity on their former enemy and give him a second chance. “‘But your middle name is still Bad,’” the third pig reminds him. Taking advantage of where he is, B. B. grabs a dictionary from the shelf and flips through the B words. He finds many to his liking, and before he leaves the library with an armful of books, he’s changed his name and even added two Bs! “‘From this day forward, I am the one and only Big Bodacious Benevolent Bookish Wolf,’” B. B. B. B. Wolf announces on his way out the door.

The wolf was even better than his word. Once home he straightaway began designing a big, beautiful house for his new friends, and when it came time to build it, all the villains helped. The Three Little Pigs were so thrilled with their “piggyback mansion” that they composed a song to thank B. B. B. B. Wolf: “The wolf was mean and vicious. / He thought piggies were delicious. / Then he lied and told a story / that was wrong and he was sorry. / Now he’s changed. He’s not pretending. / That’s a very happy ending!”

Judy Sierra writes a hilarious and enchanting story of personal reinvention which reveals that while people may not be able to escape their past, they can make up for it. Through fast-paced, clever dialogue and characters with a compelling stake in the action, Sierra’s howler of a story will have kids wondering what excuse the wolf will devise next. The circular plot line ties up the beginning and ending neatly and is a satisfying resolution to this favorite fairy tale in fractured form.

J. Otto Seibold has drawn the Big Bad Wolf as he has never been seen before. Sporting a kitschy plaid suit and green top hat, B. B. Wolf grows more and more disheveled as his falsehoods fall flat. The wolf’s tall tales are vividly illustrated to comic effect, bridging the wolf’s attempt to refurbish his reputation and the absurdity of his invention. Kids will love to point out the many storybook characters that populate the pages and will giggle throughout at the wolf’s misadventures.

Ages 3 – 8

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010 | ISBN 978-0375856204

Learn more about Judy Sierra and her books and meet a very literary pup on her website!

National Honesty Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pig-dot-to-dot

Dot-to-Dot Coloring Pages

 

After the Big Bad Wolf admitted the truth, he and the Three Little Pigs made up! Here are two printable dot-to-dot coloring pages that bring them together for fun!

Picture Book Review

April 29 – National Go Birding Day

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About the Holiday

With all the bird activity going on right now as these little creatures build nests, lay eggs, and take care of new families, it’s a perfect time to go bird watching. The weather promises to be warm, and with a little stealth, a good sense of observation, and perhaps some binoculars, you should be able to spot quite a few lovely species. As the subject of today’s book found, if your home—or your hat—is inviting, feathered friends will come! So head out to a park, forest, beach—or even your backyard—and enjoy the beauty of the birds in your area.

Mr. Brown’s Fantastic Hat

By Ayano Imaí

 

Mr. Brown lived alone and, if you asked him, he’d tell you he liked it that way. He “had no friends and he didn’t want any.” If you were privy to his secret thoughts, however, you’d learn that Mr. Brown was actually very lonely. Mr. Brown liked to take long walks, and when he went out, he always wore his “smart,” distinctive hat. “One day while Mr. Brown was sleeping, a woodpecker flew down and started tapping a hole in his hat, thinking, ‘What a wonderful nest this hat would make!’”

When Mr. Brown woke up he was shocked to discover that a bird had moved into his hat. Someone living this close to him was not what Mr. Brown had in mind at all. Then to Mr. Brown’s dismay the “woodpecker soon told all his friends about the wonderful new home and invited them all to join him.” Soon Mr. Brown’s hat was full of holes—and birds! You might think a regular hat would not have enough room for so many residents—but Mr. Brown’s hat was no ordinary one. As more and more birds moved in, his hat grew taller and taller!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-birds-live-in-hat

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, courtesy of minedition, 2014

As the days went on Mr. Brown discovered that he was beginning to enjoy the birds’ singing and their company. Now Mr. Brown had renewed purpose in his daily walks: “He loved to show off his hat. Everywhere he went it was full of the music of singing birds.” People on the street took notice and wanted to emulate Mr. Brown. All over town people began wearing tall hats, “but the birds preferred to stay with Mr. Brown no matter how hard people tried to persuade them.”

One day as autumn settled in, Mr. Brown noticed that all the birds had flown away. He was sad and didn’t understand where they had gone or why they had left him. He wondered if he would see them again. The idea of a quiet life no longer held the appeal it once did, and Mr. Brown missed his friends. He tried to convince himself that he didn’t care that the birds had left, but he continued to fill the feeders and watch out for them every day.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-looking-out-to-sea

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, courtesy of minedition, 2014

Even though it was time for Mr. Brown to take a long winter’s nap, he tried to stay awake, worried that there would be no one to care for the birds if they returned. But nature took its course, and Mr. Brown fell into a deep sleep. One morning after a particularly vivid dream in which Mr. Brown could hear the birds singing, he woke to a tapping sound. He went to the door and peered out.

Spring had come and with it Mr. Brown’s hat had grown roots and sprouted branches and leaves. The old holes were filled with their previous tenants. The sight filled Mr. Brown with joy, and he finally could admit to himself that sharing his life with friends “was better than being alone.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-hat-grows-into-tree

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, courtesy of minedition, 2014

Ayano Imaí’s gloriously beautiful book plumbs the nature of solitude and loneliness as well as the value of friendship with an honesty that is at once heartrending and uplifting. For so many quiet, introspective people—children and adults alike—navigating the world of small talk, casual relationships, and making friends is similar to traveling uncharted territory, where the language and mores are foreign. It can become easier to tell oneself that it doesn’t matter, when in reality it matters a great deal. Many times happiness comes when one finds their niche or, in some surprising way, a niche finds them.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-browns-fantastic-hat-sleeping-on-branch

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, courtesy of midedition, 2014

Imaí tells the story of Mr. Brown and his fantastical hat in straightforward narration, but more profound meaning is revealed in her illustrations. Mr. Brown, it is discovered, is a brown bear who has taken on the aspects of humans. He walks upright, carries an umbrella and bag, owns a home, and wears a hat. His fur is even the same color as the townspeople’s clothing. But while he may be among people, he is not of them. His home has a grass floor which sprouts mushrooms and weeds; another weed pokes out from the bristles of his brush; a tree branch juts from a wall; and mushrooms share space with the laundry on the drying line.

Mr. Brown comes from nature and belongs with nature, so it is no surprise that the birds flock to him and prefer him to humans, who in an ironic twist long to be like Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown’s hat is also symbolic of one’s heart, in that as a person embraces friends, their ability to accept and love others continues to grow.

I especially like the ending of Mr. Brown’s Fantastic Hat, in which Mr. Brown stays true to himself. He does not suddenly discover his “wild” side and become someone that he is not. He is able to remain a quiet, introspective bear while also embracing his friends, his love for them, and his place in the world. He finds inner happiness and loved ones to share it with.

Ages 3 – 8 (and up)

minedition, 2014 | ISBN 978-9888240845

National Go Birding Day Activitycelebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-browns-fantastic-hat-lets-go-birding-bird-species-word-search

Let’s Go Birding! Word Search Puzzle

 

You don’t need a pair of binoculars to find the twenty kinds of birds in this printable Let’s Go Birding! Word Search Puzzle. Here’s the Solution!

Picture Book Review

April 28 – It’s the Week of the Young Child

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About the Holiday

The Week of the Young Child is an annual initiative hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children to celebrate learning, young children, their families, and their teachers. Daily themes focus on ways that children learn. This year those included Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and today—Family Friday, in which people are encouraged to share their family stories. Today’s book also takes a look at a common childhood topic through which kids learn about themselves and others.

I Want to Grow

By Ged Adamson

One day while Herb and Muriel were strolling through the neighborhood, Herb noticed something a little different. Every day this disturbing trend continued. The fact was impossible to ignore—“Muriel was getting taller. And Herb didn’t like it.” He didn’t mind that she could now see over the fence or reach things on high shelves, it was just that…well… “he wasn’t getting any taller himself.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-i-want-to-grow-muriel-growing

Copyright Ged Adamson, 2017. Courtesy of Boyds Mills Press

So Herb looked around for a way to rectify the situation. The flowers in Muriel’s garden were reaching for the sky. Perhaps planting himself in the ground would make him grow. But no matter how much Muriel watered him, nothing happened. He shook off the dirt and went to find Muriel. She was in the kitchen working with clay. Herb watched her roll a small piece of clay into a looong piece. That looked promising, so Herb asked for Muriel’s help. “She rolled him back and forth until her arms ached. But he didn’t get any longer. Just dizzy and a little queasy.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-i-want-to-grow-garden

Copyright Ged Adamson, 2017. Courtesy of Boyds Mills Press

Maybe if he just willed himself to grow, he would, Herb thought. He stressed and strained until he was red in the face, but he remained as short as ever. Muriel knew Herb was having a hard time, so she made him a special treat of tea and doughnuts. When he approached, Muriel immediately recognized a difference. Herb was tall top and bottom. Both Herb and Muriel loved the new look—the high wedge shoes and top hat looked amazing! But standing and walking proved to be perilous.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-i-want-to-grow-shoes

Copyright Ged Adamson, 2017. Courtesy of Boyds Mills Press

Herb went to bed feeling a little dejected. In the morning, though, Herb had a pleasant surprise. When he went to wake up Muriel, she noticed something right away. Herb had grown! He was so excited that he “jumped and cheered.” Suddenly, Muriel realized that she had grown too. Herb could see that something was on her mind and asked. It’s “nothing, Herb. Nothing at all,” she said. “Let’s celebrate your new tallness!” And that is just what they did. After that Herb didn’t “worry about catching up with Muriel because he was growing!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-i-want-to-grow-cheering

Copyright Ged Adamson, 2017. Courtesy of Boyds Mills Press

Ged Adamson’s wit and whimsy go a long way in assuaging childhood doubts and worries in his funny book. The issue of growth is a common one as siblings, friends, and classmates often compare themselves and watch as those around them grow taller or they themselves begin to outpace the rest. The uncertainty of being different can be troubling and set up unnecessary anxiety.

Adamson’s I Want to Grow offers kids reassurance that nature will take its course while also making them laugh at Herb’s attempts to speed the process. Muriel’s empathy and kindness toward Herb is another wonderful life lesson for readers navigating the quirks and changes of childhood. Adamson’s distinctive illustrations combine vibrant colors, sketched-in details, and sweet, round-eyed characters to enchant kids and boost both the humor and sweetness factor of this heartening story.

I Want to Grow is a great book to share with kids who may be feeling unsure about their height—or any such issue.

Ages 4 – 8

Boyds Mills Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-1629795850

Check out more about Ged Adamson, his books, and his art on his website!

Week of the Young Child Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picure-book-review-window-terrarium-1

Window Pane Terrarium

With this easy craft for spring and summer that combines creativity, recycled materials, a little science, and an opportunity to watch your efforts grow, you can turn a window pane into a little garden.

Supplies

  • Small, light recycled plastic containers with no lip – small cups or colorful tops from shaving cream or other such cans
  • Googly eyes, foam, paint or other materials to decorate the container
  • Soil
  • Seeds or small plants (small succulents, air plants, spider plants, and grass work well)
  • Adhesive Velcro mounting strips in an appropriate weight category
  • Spoon

Directions

  1. Clean and dry containers
  2. Decorate containers with eyes and foam to make faces, or in any way you wish
  3. Fill container with soil
  4. Add seeds or plants
  5. Attach Velcro strips to back of container
  6. Attach firmly to window pane

Alternately: line up containers on a window sill for a colorful indoor garden

Picture Book Review

April 27 – National Tell a Story Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established to celebrate the art of storytelling. Highlighting the tradition of oral storytelling, the day encourages families to get together and have fun remembering and sharing family tales. Reading together is another wonderful way to discover your own stories and those of others around the world.

A Symphony of Cowbells

Written by Heather Preusser | Illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen

 

With the dawning of spring, Gimmelwald came alive with the “Da-ding, da-ding. Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle. Clang-clong-clank, clang-clong-clank” of bells as the cows were led to the sweet, green grass in the high meadows. The cows’ milk would become “scrumptious cheese…sold by the wedge, wheel, and wagonload.” As Petra walked with her family’s herd, she led her favorite cow, Elfi, who “wore the most booming brass bell of all.”

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Image copyright Eileen Ryan Ewen, text copyright Heather Preusser. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

But one day Elfi’s bell was missing. Petra’s father told her they had a schedule to keep and that Elfi would have to go without her bell, but Elfi wouldn’t hear of it. She stomped her hoof and stood her ground. No amount of pushing, pulling or prodding could move Elfi from her spot. Petra ran and retrieved a tiny tin bell to hang around Elfi’s neck, but Elfi only “sniffed and snorted at the embarrassing tinkling. Tittle-tattle-tink, tittle-tattle, tink.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-symphony-of-cowbells-stubborn-elfi

Image copyright Eileen Ryan Ewen, text copyright Heather Preusser. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Without Elfi to lead them, Petra’s other cows lay down in the meadow and refused to move as well. “‘No milk? No cheese? What’ll we do?’ Petra gulped.” She begged Elfi to get up, but Elfi simply gazed at Petra with “eyes wide as milk saucers.” Petra knew she had to find Elfi’s bell. She searched the house, looked in the barn, and combed the field, but didn’t find the bell. The sun went down, and “the stubborn cows remained rooted among the bellflowers.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-symphony-of-cowbells-tiny-bell

Image copyright Eileen Ryan Ewen, text copyright Heather Preusser. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

In the morning, Petra spied a crow with something shiny in its beak. She ran after it and discovered the bird’s huge nest high on a cliff. She was much too small to reach it, so she called her father, her mother, and a couple of neighbors. They piled on top of one another, and as Petra teetered on her mother’s shoulders, she reached into the nest and pulled out…Mr. Schmid’s pocket watch, Miss Baumann’s reading glasses, Farmer Felber’s wrench, Mother’s bracelet, Father’s keys, and…Elfi’s brass bell!

Petra skipped all the way to where Elfi and the other cows were keeping their protest, the brass bell announcing “Brrring-BONG, brrring-BONG. Brrring-BONG, brrring-BONG” all the way. When Elfi saw her bell, she danced with joy. Petra placed the bell over Elfi’s head and kissed her velvety nose. The other cows took notice. “On cue, they stood and moseyed up the mountainside….The symphony of cowbells was harmonious again—and LOUD. It was springtime in Gimmelwald after all.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-symphony-of-cowbells-clanging-bells

Image copyright Eileen Ryan Ewen, text copyright Heather Preusser. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Heather Preusser’s enchanting Swiss tale of tenderhearted but stubborn Elfi will delight readers with its musical mystery and gentle humor. Kids will love hearing and reading along with the melodic verses of jingling cowbells sprinkled throughout the text. Preusser’s lyrical phrasing is as fresh as the mountain air and will transport children to the beautiful Swiss countryside.

A Symphony of Cowbells is a perfect example of text and illustrations working together to present the story and add layered details that elevate the reading experience. Eileen Ryan Ewen’s gorgeously detailed and charming paintings take readers to the heart of Gimmelwald, with its glorious mountain backdrop, quaint village architecture, and cozy homes decorated with Alpen cuckoo clocks, dainty curtains, and window boxes overflowing with flowers.

Along the way Ewen frames a consecutive story along the bottom of most pages. Through these panels, eagle-eyed readers will notice a curious happenstance occurring in Gimmelwald which just may explain a few things…. It’s not until the end, however, that kids discover the answer to the story’s mystery.

A Symphony of Cowbells is a captivating and humorous look at country life with a little science sprinkled in. Readers may be enticed to do a little more research into the animal behaviors that influenced the story. The book would make a lovely addition to any child’s home library.

Ages 5 – 8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-1585369683

To learn more about Heather Preusser and her book as well as see a video about the real Gimmelwald, visit her website!

Discover more about Eileen Ryan Ewen and view a portfolio of her illustration work on her website!

National Tell a Story Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bell-bookmark-a-symphony-of-cowbells

Ring a Bell for Reading Bookmark

 

It’s easy to make a stylish bookmark that can ring out your love of reading while marking your page!

Supplies

  • 3 shoelaces or ribbon of different designs
  • Small “sleigh” bells or other bellscelebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bell-bookmark-a-symphony-of-cowbells

Directions

  1. Hold three shoelaces together and knot them together at the top
  2. Braid the shoelaces together as long as you want your bookmark to be
  3. At the end, string three or more bells onto the ends of the shoelaces and knot the shoelaces together to hold the braid closed.
  4. Alternately, you can knot the braid at the end and tie a group of bells to the end.
  5. The end with the bells becomes the top of the bookmark.

Picture Book Review

April 26 – It’s Humor Month

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About the Holiday

As we near the end of April and wind down National Humor Month, let’s take one more opportunity to laugh at the ridiculous and the silly and to find joy in every day. Not only does laughter bring people closer together, it’s therapeutic both for body and soul.

Quit Calling Me a Monster!

Written by Jory John | Illustrated by Bob Shea

 

A purple, hairy guy with long stick legs and arms and long bent toes and fingers rides his bike along the street, catching a butterfly on his finger and carefully transporting a basket full of flowers and bread. But all the kids on the school bus see as he passes is the purple, the legs, the arms, the fingers, and the toes – a monste. And all the guy sees is the wide eyes and fearful expressions of the kids in the windows.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-quit-calling-me-a-monster-interior-art-bus      Image copyright Bob Shea, text copyright Jory John. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers

So he stands his ground, craggy hands on hips and says, “Quit calling me a monster! Just…stop it, right this minute!” He’s serious! In fact he throws a bit of a fit, rolling on the ground and spouting, “It really hurts my feelings. I’m no monster!” Just because he may have a few monster-ish qualities like horns and fangs and wild eyes and crazy hair. And yes, he knows he has “a huge toothy smile that glows in the dark.” And, yeah, ok, so he’s not exactly a wallflower and can “roar, holler, scream, whoop, and cackle,” and likes to hide where his discovery will frighten someone most…he still says, “It really bothers me when you call me a monster without even thinking about it.”

Kids are always yelling, “‘Mommy, save me from that monster!” when he’s just trying to shop or complaining that there’s a monster under the bed when he’s just trying to sleep. Can he help it that his claws reach upward or that he growls when he dreams? Does he ever call kids names? Does he ever taunt someone as a “meat snack?” No! And that’s because he’s “a monster with excellent manners!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-quit-calling-me-a-monster-floyd-shopping-escalator

Image copyright Bob Shea, text copyright Jory John. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

Umm…Well, I mean…he doesn’t “mean monster, exactly….” Oh, all right, if you’re going to get persnickety about it, he does have all those monster-ish traits and his parents are monsters, but he really doesn’t “like being called a monster one little bit.” If you want to call him, you can use his name, which is a very respectable Floyd Peterson. Now that that is settled, our purple friend is going to bed…in your closet. So if you hear him snoring in the middle of the night, you can rest assured that there is no monster in your closet, it’s just Floyd Peterson.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-quit-calling-me-a-monster-floyd-shopping

Image copyright Bob Shea, text copyright Jory John. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

Jory John gives hilarious voice to the frustrations of being labeled as someone or something you’re not while also affirming that it’s okay to be who you really are. Snap judgements based on preconceived notions or stereotypes limits a person’s world view and the friends they can make. And what’s wrong with being a “monster” or “Floyd Peterson” or (insert word here) anyway? Kids and adults will laugh as Floyd lists page after page of his monster-ish qualities while also denying that he is, indeed, a monster. The ending is sweet and kid-like and puts to bed fear of the unknown.

Bob Shea’s monster, aka Floyd Peterson, is a frighteningly endearing character that kids will whole-heartedly embrace. Floyd’s coarse purple hair, scrawny legs and arms, and big grin along with his range of personas, from alarming to loveable, will make kids giggle. The bright solid backgrounds put the focus on Floyd and all of his roaring, flailing, and leaping—just as Floyd (and all little monsters) sometimes want and need.

Ages 3 – 7

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0385389907

Jory John has a whole gallery of books for you to discover on his website!

Discover Bob Shea‘s “Books for Really Smart Kids” on  his website!

Quit what you’re doing and watch this Quit Calling me a Monster! book trailer!

National Humor Month Activity 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-merry-monsters-coloring-page

Merry Monsters Coloring Page 

 

These two cute monsters want to play, but first they need a little color! Get out your crayons, markers, or pencils and fix them up! Here’s your printable Merry Monsters Coloring Page! Now, it’s your turn – if you were a monster, what would you look like? Draw yourself as a Magnificent Monster!

Picture Book Review

April 25 – National DNA Day

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-I-grow-up

About the Holiday

National DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix of DNA in 1953 that have led to advanced research in the medical, science, and other fields. As part of the observance, students in grades 9 through 12 can compete in an essay contest for monetary prizes and grants.

When I Grow Up

By Anita Bijsterbosch

 

In Anita Bijsterbosch’s adorable and eye-catching animal kingdom book, little ones will identify with their counterparts in the wild who are also just starting out on their journey through life. Opening to the first page, children enter the jungle, where a lion cub romps among the foliage. He looks directly at the reader as he tells them, “Now I’m just a little lion and I can only growl softly. But someday….” This lead-in to the future invites kids to turn the half-cut page and discover the cub all grown up and able to “roar so loudly that all the animals can hear me!”

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When I Grow Up is available in Dutch and English versions. Copyright Anita Bijsterbosch, courtesy of anitabijsterbosch.nl

Next, children visit the bayou, where a young crocodile can now only wade through puddles. On the next page, though he’s big enough to “jump into the deep water to swim with my friends!” Little Toucan is just learning how to fly. With a monkey, a lemur, and a bird looking on, he tells readers a secret: “I pretend to fly when I jump. But someday…I’ll be a big toucan and I’ll spread my winds. Then I’ll fly high in the sky!”

In the savanna, a baby giraffe lifts her head toward the treetops. She says, “Now I’m just a little giraffe and I can barely touch the leaves with my nose.” When she gets older, however, young readers can see that meals and snacks of tasty leaves will be within easy reach.

Curled around a thin branch, a little snake dreams of the day when he will be long enough to wrap around the whole tree—many times. Turning to the last page, Little Elephant happily splashes in the water and sprinkles her friends, but someday she knows that she will be big enough to use her trunk “to spray everything and everyone!”

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When I Grow Up is available in Dutch and English versions. Copyright Anita Bijsterbosch, courtesy of anitabijsterbosch.nl

Toddlers and older youngsters beginning to learn about the vast world around them will delight in this early science book that combines the sturdiness of a board book and the sensory-stimulating interactivity of a lift-the-flap book. Anita Bijsterbosch’s vibrant illustrations engage little ones’ visual senses with bold images of the animals as well as smaller pictures of birds, insects, and flowers for them to discover. A tiny red bird with rakish green head feathers seems to be friends with all of the animals, and readers will love pointing him out on every page.

Little ones will recognize the animal traits spotlighted through Bijsterbosch’s straightforward and easy-to-understand language and will be reassured that they too will soon grow big enough and old enough to do what the “big kids” do.

With sweet illustrations and opportunities for multiple types of learning, When I Grow Up would make a great baby shower or new baby gift as well as a nice addition to a toddler’s growing home library.

Ages 2 – 5

Clavis Publishing, 2017 | ISBN 978-1605373348

You’ll find more books and artwork by Anita Bijsterbosch on her website!

National DNA Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-elephants-coloring-page

Mom and Baby Elephant Coloring Page

 

This mommy elephant and her baby are out for a walk. Give their world a little color with your crayons or pencils and this printable Mom and Baby Elephant Coloring Page!

Picture Book Review