Humorous Picture Books

February 27 – It’s National Laugh-Friendly Month

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About the Holiday

National Laugh-Friendly Month began in 2008 as a way to focus on friendly, positive humor that lifts your spirit and brings smiles. Humor is a universal language that helps people connect, understand each other, and improve our daily life. To celebrate this month and all year round share friendly jokes, watch funny movies and comedy shows , and read hilarious stories like today’s featured book!

Thanks to Orchard Books/Scholastic for sharing a digital copy of Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends with me!

Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends

Written by Ame Dyckman | Illustrated by Tim Miller

 

Even before kids get into the story, from somewhere over the mountains, an egg bounces boing-boing-boing from banana treetop to banana treetop and lands on a boulder where another egg is just cracking open. Out of the newcomer egg pops a duck, fully coifed with a pink bow, and a decisive “I’m HERE!” The other egg shakes a bit before a crocodile pops out. “And YOU’RE here!” Duckie exclaims. It’s all coming together for Duckie that the two are “here TOGETHER!”

Brushing off remnant eggshells, the crocodile is ready to say goodbye, but Duckie pulls him back, calls him Snaps, and imagines all the fun they’re going to have being friends. Snaps’ dad, however, has a bold truth to deliver, one that dissolves Duckie into a puddle of tears. Snaps can’t believe crocodiles eat duckies. Duckie can’t believe she is a duckie. “Nobody told me!” she says. But Snaps’ dad lists off a menu: Fried duckie, duckie smoothy, duckie pie. Fortunately, Snaps’ dad isn’t ready to eat just then.

Illustration © 2025 Tim Miller, text © 2025 Ame Dyckman. Courtesy of Orchard Books/Scholastic.

Unfortunately, Duckie has to put a big NO on all her imagined fun, and she flounces off only to be caught up by Snaps, who declares he doesn’t want to eat her and never will. In fact, when his dad returns with all the supplies for a duckie roast, Snaps lets him and a couple of innocent bystanders know that “nobody is eating Duckie!”

At last, Duckie and Snaps CAN be friends. “We ARE friends!” Snaps assures her. But what is that growl? Snaps is hungry! And suddenly little-yellow-TASTY Duckie sounds pretty enticing. Just then Duckie has an idea, but will Snaps accept her appealing alternative to Duckie Pie?

Illustration © 2025 Tim Miller, text © 2025 Ame Dyckman. Courtesy of Orchard Books/Scholastic.

Loaded with laugh-out-loud dialogue and turn-the-tables antics, Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends will have kids giggling and in suspense with every page turn. Ame Dyckman’s natural talent for humor and acceptance infuses her story with sweetness and gentle lessons in getting along with others and sticking up for friends. Her dialogue-driven storytelling dishes up a perfect read aloud that adults and kids will have a blast sharing as well as a rewarding experience for beginning and independent readers.

Tim Miller’s goofy cartoon illustrations are equal parts droll and action-packed. His minimalist backgrounds paired with slapstick-type zaniness amplifies the humor, and strategically placed details may allow alert readers to be in on the final, funny resolution.

Featuring good-natured hijinks and embraceable characters, Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends is a vivacious early reader book with plenty of read-again appeal and is a top choice for family, school, and library story times.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1338837872

About the Author

Ame Dyckman is an award-winning author of many bestselling picture books, including Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends, illustrated by Tim Miller; Don’t Blow Your Top!, illustrated by Abhi Alwar; Wolfie the Bunny, illustrated by Zachariah OHora; and the Misunderstood Shark series, illustrated by Scott Magoon. Ame lives in beautiful central New Jersey with her husband and daughter. For book news and fun, follow Ame on Twitter: @AmeDyckman.

About the Illustrator

Tim Miller is the author-illustrator of Moo Moo in a Tutu, What’s Cooking, Moo Moo?, and Izzy Paints. He is also the illustrator of The Chronicles of Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan, and other books including the middle-grade series Hamstersaurus Rex by Tom O’Donnell. Tim lives in New Jersey with his wife and three rescue cats. Visit Tim at timmillerillustration.com.

National Laugh Friendly Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-silly-balloons

Silly Balloons

You can have lots of silly fun with balloons! Try some of these ideas—they’re sure to make you laugh!

Goofy Faces

Blow up a balloon and draw a funny face on it. Rub the balloon on your shirt or a blanket and stick it to the wall, your shirt, or even your mom or dad!

Crazy Hair

Rub a blown-up balloon on your shirt or a blanket (fleece works well) then hold it near your hair and watch it go a little crazy!

Bend Water

This bit of balloon magic will amaze you! Rub a blown-up balloon on a blanket (fleece works well). Turn on a faucet to a thin stream of water. Hold the balloon near the stream of water and watch it bend toward the balloon. 

Volleyballoon

This is a fun game for two or more people played like volleyball—but with balloons! All you need is a balloon and a line on the floor. Players form teams and bat the balloon back and forth over the line, keeping it in the air.as long as possible. A team wins a point when the opposing team can’t return the balloon.

You can purchase Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

February 25 – Get Ready for Passover

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About the Holiday

Passover is the Jewish spring festival that celebrates the Jews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. The holiday begins on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month Nisan, which is the first ecclesiastical month and occurs in March or April. Passover is observed for seven days in Israel and for eight days for Jewish people living outside of Israel. The holiday begins with a seder meal, at which family and friends gather to remember their history, eat symbolic dishes, and celebrate the joy of freedom. This year Passover is celebrated from April 12 – 20.

Thank you to Kar-Ben Publishing for sharing a digital copy of Zayde Babysits before Passover with me.

Zayde Babysits before Passover

Written by Jane Sutton | Illustrated by Kate Chappell

 

While Ruthie’s mommy and daddy go to Bubbe’s house to prepare for Passover, Zayde is staying with Ruthie at her house. It’s the first time Zayde has ever babysat Ruthie, but he doesn’t have to devise fun activities, or think up places to take her because there’s a long list of tasks to be accomplished stuck to the refrigerator.

First on the list is to make a few Passover decorations for Zayde and Bubbe’s house. Ruthie’s mommy has suggested finger painting. “Oy!” exclaims Zayde, as the paint escapes the paper onto the tablecloth and Ruthie’s shirt, and even the cat, who joins the fun with some paw painting. The next chores on the list take Ruthie and Zayde into town—to the grocery store for parsley and to the playground “so Ruthie can use up energy” and sit still at the seder later that night. But who’s riding in the cart and who’s slipping down the slide?

Illustration © 2025 Kate Chappell, text © 2025 Jane Sutton. Courtesy of Kar-Ben Publishing.

Back home, Zayde’s been instructed to use up more of Ruthie’s energy, but here, too, who’s doing what is topsy-turvy. Even sweeping up any missed breadcrumbs in the kitchen finds Ruthie pulling Zayde out from under the cupboard. And when Mommy said they should eat a big lunch because dinner will be late, did she really mean that mountain of food? 

Following nap time and bath time, Ruthie and Zayde leave to meet up with the rest of the family. With Zayde leading the seder, it comes off without a hitch. “Ruthie asks the Four Questions. She sings ‘Dayenu’ and hums along with the other songs.” Bubbe’s matzah ball soup is yummy, and Ruthie even “finds the afikomen. Yay!” After everyone leaves, Ruthie tells Zayde she had fun that day and asks if he’ll babysit again. Of course Zayde’s answer is “‘I can’t wait!'”

Illustration © 2025 Kate Chappell, text © 2025 Jane Sutton. Courtesy of Kar-Ben Publishing.

Jane Sutton’s endearing, family Passover story is riotous fun as first-time babysitter Zayde goes all in while fulfilling his pre-Passover seder chores. Kids will enjoy chiming in with Zayde’s exclamations of “Oy!” as things go amiss and will love learning Passover traditions as they spend time with Ruthie and Zayde around town and at home. The burgeoning relationship between Zayde and Ruthie warms the heart.

Kate Chappell’s charming illustrations, juxtaposed with Sutton’s straightforward storytelling, bring to life Zayde and Ruthie’s playful antics and will have kids giggling from page to page. Images of the family’s Passover celebration are uplifting and tender.

A madcap and joyful story for families to share at Passover and whenever grandparents and grandkids get together, Zayde Babysits before Passover would make a wonderful gift and addition to home bookshelves as well as a delightful choice for school and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 9

Kar-Ben Publishing, 2025 | ISBN 979-8765619889

A Chat with Jane Sutton

Jane Sutton is an award-winning author of picture books, including Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile, Paulie’s Passover Predicament, and Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster as well as novels for children. She grew up on Long Island and attended Brandeis University. Jane lives with her husband in the Boston area, as do their grown children and families. She is grateful to get lots of chances to babysit her grandchildren and hopes she makes fewer mistakes than Ruthie’s Zayde. You can visit Jane at jane-sutton.com.

I’m so excited to be chatting with you again about a new book, Jane! The last time we did an interview, it was for What’s Up with this Chicken? and you were a new grandmother to Caleb. So much has happened in the years since! You and your husband are grandparents to four grandchildren now who all live close to you. Has becoming a grandmother influenced the way you write or the subjects you write about?

Come to think of it, my last 2 books have been about a grandparent and a grandchild. And my next book was inspired by a grandchild. I guess it’s natural that I would write about my favorite subject, my grandchildren!

Kate Chappell’s illustrations are so whimsical and really highlight the humor in the story. Kate lives in London. Did you have much interaction with her during the publishing process? Do you have a favorite spread? Which one and what do you like best about it?

I agree. Her whimsical illustrations do just what you said! We didn’t interact directly. My suggestions for art went through the publisher. My favorite spread is also the cover, with Zayde sitting in the shopping cart as Ruthie pushes. It’s so silly and funny, and I love the details Kate includes. It’s my grandchildren’s favorite too!

The images on your blog from your family vacations and other fun times you have together are so infused with love and joy and really make me smile. They made me wonder—does it appear that any of your grandkids have inherited your sense of humor? If so can you share a story?

They’re all funny and witty in their individual ways. One joke that the oldest three grandchildren and I share started on a week-long family vacation. Each morning, we’d greet each other with big smiles while saying, “Not you again!”

How did you get started writing for children? When did you know that this is what you wanted to pursue?

In college I had an assignment in a sociology class to do something we’d always wanted to do and keep a journal about our experience as we did it. I chose to write a series of children’s stories and found that I enjoyed the writing immensely.

Not only do you write picture books, but you’ve written three middle-grade novels and a young-adult novel. You’ve recently revised and published a new edition of your popular middle grade novel, Me and the Weirdos, after it was turned into a musical by two high school seniors in Utah. I understand you attended the premiere of the play. Tell me more about this book and the experience of seeing it transformed into a musical.

In Me and the Weirdos, Cindy Krinkle feels like the only normal person in her family. She kind of has a point. Some examples: Her father rides a bike with an umbrella on it as he sings opera loudly and off-key. Her mother gargles with orange juice, and her sister has a pet sea urchin. Cindy’s plans to “un-weird” the rest of her family all backfire in amusing ways, and she eventually comes to appreciate them the way they are. Attending the musical was amazing. The lovely students who created it were so talented. They wrote the script and lyrics, composed the music, and directed the play with a middle school cast. The show was both entertaining and true to the book’s humor and message that it’s OK to be different.

It’s clear that you love sharing your love of writing and your books with kids through programs at schools and libraries. Can you give us a peek at what one of your presentations is like? Do you have an anecdote from any program that you’d like to share?

I share my writing process, including more or fewer details depending on the age group. I emphasize the importance of revision, something I strongly believe in and which makes teachers nod and smile. And lest writing seem like too much work, I make sure I express my joy in writing.

I believe young readers have another book to look forward to in 2026! Would you like to give them a little glimpse of what’s to come?

It will be my first board book, one I hope that will make people of all ages smile.

Thanks so much, Jane for this wonderful chat! It’s been terrific catching up! I wish you all the best with Zayde Babysits before Passover and can’t wait to see your board book. I’m sure it will bring a smile!

You can purchase Zayde Babysits before Passover 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.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lost-giraffe-lost

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.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lost-kitty-found

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

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-find-my-pet-maze

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

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lost-cover

You can purchase Lost at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-dreidel-learns-to-spin-ready-for-party

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!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-dreidel-learns-to-spin-cover

You can purchase Little Dreidel Learns to Spin from 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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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.

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

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

May 23 – It’s National Family Month

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About the Holiday

Observed during the five weeks between Mothers Day and Fathers Day, National Family Month was established by KidsPeace, a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping children and families since 1882. Leading into the school vacation season, the holiday encourages families to spend more time working, playing, talking, and just hanging out together. Today’s book highlights that exciting time when a family grows by welcoming a new baby—with a look through a new sibling’s eyes. 

Thanks to WaterBrook and Kathleen Long Bostrom for sharing a copy of Since the Baby Came with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Since the Baby Came: A Sibling’s Learning-to-Love Story in 16 Poems

Written by Kathleen Long Bostrom | Illustrated by Janet Samuel

In this insightful, honest, funny, and heartwarming story, a little girl learns that she’s going to be a big sister during a breakfast of blueberry pancakes. To her left is her mama, who surprises her with the announcement, “‘We are having a baby!'” To her right is her daddy with the gift of a “Best Big Sister” T-shirt in hand. She seems dubious as she lets the syrup flow over her stack and onto the table because, she thinks, “Nobody asked me.”

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Image copyright Janet Samuel, 2023, text copyright Kathleen Long Bostrom, 2023. Courtesy of WaterBrook.

In “Mama Is Having a Baby” the girl tries to navigate all the changes that are happening—from her mother’s lap growing smaller to all of her toys being pushed aside for the baby’s crib and necessities to how long it’s taking for the baby to come. She asks God to tell her what happened and to help her to wait. At last her baby brother does arrive, and in “He’s Here! He’s Here!” the little girl expresses her excitement at all the things they can now do together and is sure “We’ll be best friends, the two of us, / and never ever fight or fuss. / He’ll love me more than anyone! / To have him home will be such fun!”

But the reality is different than she imagined, and her emotions begin to ride a rollercoaster from attention-seeking in “Look at Me!” to feelings of neglect and frustration in “When Will This Baby Go Away?” to the horrors of diaper changes in “Diaper Volcano” to dismay about his “bad habits” in “Suppertime.” But then she prays to God. In “Dear God” she says, “Hi, dear God! Remember me? / I need a friend today. / When my thoughts are tangled up, / it helps a lot to pray.” She goes on to explain her mixed feelings about how her life has changed, her brother’s crying, her decreased room space, and how busy her mama is. But she also talks about how she likes to snuggle and sing a lullaby to the baby: “Something happens then dear God. / My heart fills to the brim! / It makes me feel so very glad / to sing my song to him.” She realizes that “with our little baby here, / I’ll never be alone!”

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Image copyright Janet Samuel, 2023, text copyright Kathleen Long Bostrom, 2023. Courtesy of WaterBrook.

With her change of heart, she looks on her brother with new eyes and heart as he sleeps, wondering what he dreams about; is excited when he smiles at her; and discovers in “Maybe” that his “wiggles and giggles” are as “cute as can be” and that “he is amazing.” Now, she decides that her brother can stay with them and that maybe she’d even be open to having “another new brother—perhaps two or three!”

As Christmas comes, the baby has learned to sit up, and the little girl is showing him the story of the baby Jesus, who “was a baby too. / Just like me and just like you.” Splashing in the bathtub together, all of the little girl’s reservations are gone and she can unequivocally state all the reasons why she loves her baby brother. Soon her brother is standing, and in “Me Too!” he reaches out to touch his sister’s finger, sharing a special bond and ability to communicate. The story ends with “Surprise (Part 2)” in which the girl learns that an earlier wish will be fulfilled while her now toddler brother appears dubious.

An explanation of the fifteen types of poetry used in the book follows the story.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-since-the-baby-came-i-love-my-baby-brother

Image copyright Janet Samuel, 2023, text copyright Kathleen Long Bostrom, 2023. Courtesy of WaterBrook.

With an empathetic and witty child’s-eye (and -heart) view of the upheaval, worries, acceptance, and joys of welcoming a new baby into the family, Kathleen Long Bostrom creates a tender story for parents to share with their child or children while waiting for the baby to come and through the stages and changes that come next. Bostrom’s use of realistic, child-centric language and dialogue makes the situations and feelings expressed in each poem immediately recognizable for kids and adults alike, allowing them to easily discuss these events and emotions together. Bostrom’s use of fifteen different types of poetry introduces young readers to the engaging variety and playfulness of this literary form.

Janet Samuel’s vibrant and animated illustrations clearly show the changing family dynamics as the household prepares for the baby and welcomes him home. Images of home, meals, a crowd of family and friends gathered around the baby, a diaper change, and even the idyllic view the little girl has of what life will be like when her baby brother comes home are lovingly and humorously portrayed while depicting real emotions and a touch of familiar chaos. Over the course of the poems, these scenes segue into a calmer routine as the baby begins to sleep, smile, and play; the house becomes orderly once again, and the little girl discovers she loves her brother.

In Since the Baby Came, the trajectory of Kathleen Long Bostrom’s poems and Janet Samuel’s illustrations work beautifully in tandem to create a moving portrait of a family growing in size and love. The book is one that families can dip into during each stage, from pregnancy to homecoming and through a baby’s first year of development, to help new siblings understand the many changes that come, to navigate their feelings, and to welcome their brother or sister into their heart. Since the Baby Came would make a much-appreciated gift and is highly recommended for home, church and school library, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

WaterBrook, 2023 | ISBN 978-0593577684

About the Author

Kathleen Long Bostrom is an award-winning author of over fifty books for children. Her books are published in over twenty languages. She is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who now writes full time. As a middle child, Kathy was both the new baby and the older sister who later became a mother of three herself. She knows whereof she rhymes! Visit her at kathleenlongbostrom.com.

About the Illustrator

Janet Samuel is an illustrator who lives in a small town in Wales with her daughter, Alice, and scruffy terrier, Tilly. Janet has illustrated books for many publishers, including Macmillan, Usbourne, Little Tiger Press, Scholastic, and Lion Hudson. She is happiest with a pencil or paintbrush in hand. You can connect with Janet on Instagram.

National Family Month Activity

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Since the Baby Came Parents Resource Guide

You can download this helpful resource guide from Kathleen Long Bostrom’s website. It gives parents age-appropriate tips on preparing a child for a new sibling as well as fun and colorful worksheets adults can share with their child to involve them in choosing a name for the baby; drawing a portrait and album pictures of the family, including the new baby; a “Wheel of Emotions” that provides kids with the vocabulary to describe their feelings; questions adults can ask their older child to begin a discussion; and a fun puzzle.

Videos to Share

You’ll also find two videos of a mom and little girl enjoying two of the poems from the book.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-since-the-baby-came-cover

You can find Since the Baby Came at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from 

Bookshop

Picture Book Review