Early Literacy Picture Books

November 2 – It’s Picture Book Month

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About the Holiday

Today’s picture books are amazing! Offering inspiration, characters that really speak to kids, moments to laugh out loud or reflect, glimpses into history, revelations in science, and much of the best art currently being produced, picture books defy their slim appearance with content that can change young lives. Reading a wide variety of books to children from birth on up is one of the most rewarding activities you can do. Make choosing the books to read a family affair! Kids love picking out their own books and sharing cozy and fun story times with you!

I’d like to thank Hippo Park and Astra Publishing House along with Deborah Sloan for sharing a copy of A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree

Written by Daniel Bernstrom | Illustrated by Brandon James Scott

 

A bear in his den and a bee in his hive are waking up on a sunny morning. The bee is a “busy bee, a honey bee,” darting back and forth from a flower to the honey tree. The bear is “a hungry bear, a honey bear,” and he knows just where to find some breakfast. The bear’s rummaging through the branches does not go unnoticed by the bee, so the hungry bear becomes “a sneaky busy honey bear.” And when his paw breaks into the golden hive, the “fretful bee” becomes “a very angry fuzzy bee.”

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Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

The bear and bee face off, but what is that new rumbling sound? He should know bees never live alone, and soon the bear is on the run from “a million fuzzy buzzing bees.” The swarming bees search everywhere, but they cannot find the “hiding bear.” As the sun goes down, the bees return to their hive, while “a hungry grumbly honey bear” waits out the night in his den, already planning tomorrow morning’s breakfast run.

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Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

Like a twirling, whirling dance that starts with one measured step…and then another…and another until it bursts into a freewheeling, rollicking reel, Daniel Bernstrom’s story is an exhilarating romp. Suspense mounts page by page with wonderfully rhythmic rhymes that flow unencumbered by punctuation that would slow or stop the brilliantly escalating action. With just thirty-five words, Bernstrom has also created a story that pre-readers can chime in on as adults point to the bee, bear, tree, and other illustrations while beginning readers will find that the rhyming clues, repetition, alliteration, and sight words that carry the story give them confidence in their growing skills.

Brandon James Scott’s dynamic illustrations fling kids into the action as a happy bee makes its winding way from honey tree to flower to flower and back while a bear – tongue out, eyes glued to the prize – scrambles into the tree’s canopy to raid the hive. Who to root for will bring on plenty of giggles as the bee’s and the bear’s expressive faces tell kids all they need to know about these two rivals. The beehive glows like the gold it is to each of these characters, and the swarm is a densely packed storm cloud of protection. As the disappointed bear trudges back to his den, kids’ allegiance may shift, but his next-morning covert operations reveal he really hasn’t learned his lesson. Young readers will love ferreting out the bear among the tree branches and tall grasses and will laugh out loud as he tries to hurry away through a deep wildflower field.

A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree will be all the buzz for home story times both for adults – who will have a rollicking good time reading aloud – and kids – who will want to hear it again and again. The book will be a hit for classroom reading and would make a terrific addition to public library preschool programs. A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a must for any children’s book collection.

Ages 3 – 7

Hippo Park, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662640087

Want a laugh? Hippo Park has you covered with this cover animation!

About the Author

Daniel Bernstrom is a poet and the author of 6 picture books, including One Day in teh Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree and Big Papa and the Time Machine, a Minnesota Book Award winner. Daniel lives in Worthington, Minnesota, with his wife and 5 adorable children. You can learn more about him and his books at danielbernstrom.com.

About the Illustrator

By day Brandon is a Creative Director working in animation and by night he illustrates picture books. For over a decade Brandon has worked on a range of hit animated entertainment including his own creation, the award-winning series, Justin Time. He loves to make art that brings adventure, levity, heart, and curiosity for the fantastic and whimsical world around us and in our dreams. A born and raised Canadian, he currently lives with his family in Toronto. You can view a gallery of Brandon’s artwork, animation, books, and more on his website.

Picture Book Month Activity

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A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

 

Hippo Park has designed a fantastic 4-page activity booklet that kids will have fun with while learning about letter sounds, adjectives, and nouns with a little drawing creativity thrown in. You can download it from the Hippo Park website and here:

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

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You can find A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

August 17 – National Black Cat Appreciation Day

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About the Holiday

If you want a pet who’s always surprising, loves to play, and will make you laugh, you can’t go wrong with a cat. Frisky kittens and even older, more loafing cats display such varied personalities that each day brings new fun adventures. Today, we celebrate one particular type of cat—the black cat. While black cats are just as loving and cute as tabbies or their tiger-striped friends, they are much less likely to be adopted from shelters or find forever families due to the superstitions that surround them. If you are considering adding a kitten or cat to your family, think about adopting that cute black kitten that is sure to steal your heart.

Bloomsbury Books sent me a copy of Big Box Little Box to check out. All opinions are my own. 

Big Box Little Box

Written by Caryl Hart | Illustrated by Edward Underwood

 

In a house full of boxes, there lives one very happy cat! Do you see her peeking around the “Big box?” The orange and pink striped one that’s tied neatly in red string? Maybe she wonders what is in the “little box” nearby. Wow! Look at all those boxes to hide among on the next page! There’s a “huge box,” a “tiny box, a “thin box” and a “fat box.” The kitty has even found a box to sit on. Oh, no! Now it’s a “flat box.”

The cat has found six more boxes in every color to explore. She’s even found a red one that’s just perfect to nap in. No? Oh well. Two hands pick her up and place her into her own box—a comfy “snore box.” The cat wakes up to more boxes decorated with fancy designs and even some to play dress-up in. Four little boxes for four tiny paws and a pink box perfect to be a “hat box.” But walking? Whoa! “Slippy box. Slidey box” leads to a “Run away and hidey box.”

Here’s a box with a suspicious hole in the corner. Kitty peers inside and “mouse squeaks.” The chase is on: “scurry, pounce, chase, bounce!” Cat and mouse play and sleep, happily becoming “new friends.”

If you’ve ever seen a cat explore any box they find, you’ll know how purr-fectly spot-on Caryl Hart’s Big Box Little Box is! Little ones will be charmed by the cute kitty and the jaunty rhymes that introduce kids to sizes, colors, positions, and even friendship all through (mostly) two-word phrases. Young readers will eagerly read along as they follow the curious cat from page to page and box to box. Humorous asides, including when the kitten is moved from “my box” to “your box” and she and the mouse first spy each other, will delight kids.

Edward Underwood illustrates Hart’s highly entertaining book with verve and humor and gives the cat the kind of playful personality that makes them such endearing companions. The cat’s expressive green eyes peek from and around boxes; she wears boxes as hats, shoes, and hiding places; and, of course, she flops inside a chosen few for several catnaps. The game of cat and mouse is full of action and cheery fun. Bold colors and a dynamic design will keep children riveted to the pages as they have fun learning these early childhood concepts—as well as a bit about cats!

A joy to read aloud, Big Box Little Box would be a sweet and enchanting addition to home and classroom bookshelves. The minimal text offers many opportunities to discuss a wide range of early math and literacy concepts, and the book lends itself easily to learning extensions from drawing to stacking and filling to building. The book would make a fun gift for babies and teachers.

Ages 2 – 6

Bloomsbury Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-1681197869

Discover more about Caryl Hart and her books on her website.

National Black Cat Day Activity

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Match the Kittens Puzzle

 

All of these kittens have twins, but they’ve gotten separated while playing. Can you find the matching pairs in this puzzle? Click the link for a printable puzzle!

Match the Kittens Puzzle

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You can find Big Box Little Box at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

December 4 – National Sock Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday celebrates togetherness—the togetherness of matched socks that always seem to find each other even after being tumbled around in the washer, separated in the drier, stuffed into different shoes, and tossed onto the floor. Mismatched socks are fun, but having a pair of matching socks goes a long way toward looking neat and put together. To  honor today’s holiday, you might want to spend a little time organizing your sock drawer or doing a little laundry. As winter approaches, your tootsies will thank you for having warming socks ready to go!

Red Socks

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

 

It’s laundry day and the clothes are all dried and soft and ready to wear. “‘Here is your blue shirt, with the goldfish on it,’” Mama says, pulling the top out of the basket and bending down to eye level to show it to her baby. Next, Mama describes the “yellow and white striped pants” she puts on her child. “‘Let’s see what else is in the laundry basket,’” she says.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Mama pulls a tiny red sock from the basket, but—“UH-OH!—where is the other red sock?’” Now it’s the baby’s turn to help. With a look down, the toddler shows Mama where the sock is. “‘You found the other red sock. Yay!’” she says, giving words to the baby’s action. She continues explaining while pointing to the sock poking out of the baby’s pocket: “‘It was hiding in your pants pocket!” Once the laundry is folded, Mama tells her child exactly what they will do next while she playfully slips the other red sock on the baby’s wiggling feet. “‘Let’s put that other sock on your foot. Then we can go play outside.’” As the baby flies in the swing outside, the red socks are brilliant dots against the blue sky.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ellen Mayer’s simple and charming story of a particular moment in a mother and child’s day will immediately appeal to even the youngest reader. Familiar words coupled with clear, vivid illustrations will engage toddlers who are pre-talking and just learning language and concept development. The mother’s use of complete sentences as well as step-by-step descriptions of the activities the child sees and is involved in demonstrates how adults can converse with their babies and young children to encourage strong language and literacy skills. Free of gender-specific pronouns, Red Socks is a universal story.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s illustrations show a mother and child interacting on a typical day while they complete common chores and go outside to play. The mother and child portray a range of emotions and gestures, giving further depth to the understanding of the ideas and conversation presented. Kids will giggle at the adorable puppy who causes a bit of mischief on each page.

Ages Birth – 5

Star Bright Books, 2015 | ISBN 978-1595727060

To learn more about Ellen Mayer and her Small Talk Books® (including other titles: Cake Day and Rosa’s Very Big Job) as well as to find activities to accompany each book, visit her website!

Discover more about Ying-Hwa Hu and view a portfolio of her illustration work on her website!

About Small Talk Books®

Ellen Mayer’s Small Talk Books® feature young children and adults conversing (or adults speaking to children who are not talking yet) while they have fun, do chores, shop, and bake together. Their conversations demonstrate the kind of excitement and close relationships that encourage learning and language advancement. Each Small Talk Book® includes an accompanying note from Dr. Betty Bardige, an expert on young children’s language and literacy development and the author of Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children’s Language Development. The introduction discusses how children connect actions, words, and meaning as adults speak to them while doing particular jobs or actions.

Other titles in the Small Talk Books® series include Cake Day and Rosa’s Very Big Job. Each book makes a wonderful gift for baby showers, new parents, or anyone with young children in the family. They would be a welcome addition to any young child’s bookshelf as well as libraries and preschool classrooms.

National Sock Day Activity

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Sock Tumble Matching Game

 

These socks were separated in the laundry. Can you find the matching pairs in this printable Sock Tumble Matching Game.

 

Picture Book Review