Penguin Random House

March 21 – Celebrate Spring

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About the Holiday

Yesterday we celebrated the spring equinox, which means that spring is officially here! With the coming of longer and warmer days, we’re looking forward to the return of vibrant color on trees and in gardens, birds, bees, and butterflies flitting here and there, all the fun activities the outdoors provides, and, of course, the books that bring cheer and meaning to the season. 

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House for sharing a digital copy of this book with me!

Little Bunny, Spring Is Here!

By Deborah Marcero

 

Little Bunny and Field Mouse are walking through the woods. Little Bunny doesn’t see much evidence of spring, yet, and wonders when it will come. Looking at a tiny green shoot, Field Mouse has some good news. “I think spring is coming, Little Bunny,” she says. Little Bunny is excited and wants to go off to find it.

Text and Illustration © 2025 by Deborah Marcero. Courtesy of G.P. Putnam’s Books for Young Readers.

They meet up with Duck, who’s still wearing a winter hat but offers to join the search—leaving someone else behind in the tall grass at the edge of the pond. In a cave they find Black Bear awake and ready to explore. A short walk in the rain brings them to the welcome shelter of Chipmunk’s hollow log. Soon, the rain stops, the clouds disperse, and the sun rises high in the sky. The five friends scan the surrounding hillside, where pale green leaves appear on tree branches, turning darker along with the grass that carpets the meadow.

The rain has also brought bubbling water to the river, and glowing rainbows to the sky. In a blink “Flowers bloomed” and “Bees zoomed! Birds sang.” In fact, “Spring SPRANG!” Little Bunny celebrated. “Spring is here, everyone! And so it was.”

Text and Illustration © 2025 by Deborah Marcero. Courtesy of G.P. Putnam’s Books for Young Readers.

Adorable in every way, Little Bunny, Spring Is Here! will delight little ones with its cute characters, sweet friendships, and magical landscape that blooms in time-bending quickness. Deborah Marcero’s engaging storytelling ushers in spring with repeated phrases that youngest readers will love joining in on. After the rain brings a transformation, Marcero invites little ones to welcome spring’s beauty with lively, two-word rhyming verses. Little Bunny’s final announcement of spring’s arrival is one we all can cheer.

Marcero’s bright and charming illustrations provide surprises on every page as the group of endearing friends goes searching for spring. Wise little readers will have fun recognizing and pointing out the signs of spring, such as tadpoles in the pond, those “April showers,” and blossoms galore before Little Rabbit and the rest of the gang discover them. And don’t forget to look for hearts among the leaves and flowers. Adults and kids will also share a giggle as the little tadpoles line up in the pond for their turn to use Black Bear’s snout as a diving board as, in a bound, each instantly transforms into a frog.

A lovely, multilayered board book, Little Bunny, Spring Is Here! is a perfect read aloud as well as a terrific take-along choice for spring and summer outings to invite kids to find signs of the changing seasons. The book is highly recommended for home, preschool, and library collections.

Ages Birth – 3

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593698969

Deborah Marcero is the author and illustrator of the picture book bestsellers In a Jar, which was called “stunning” in a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and “beguiling” by the Wall Street Journal, and Out of a Jar, which was an Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Year and was called “simultaneously simple and profound” in a starred review from School Library Journal. She also wrote and illustrated the picture book My Heart Is a Compass and the Haylee and Comet emerging reader series. Learn more at deborahmarcero.com and follow her on Instagram. 

Celebrate Spring Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sweet-bunny-candy-jar

Bunny Candy or Organizer Jar

 

A little bit of candy makes Easter or any spring day sweeter! With this Sweet Bunny Candy Jar, you can give a child, a friend, or even yourself a special treat that will make you hoppy!

Supplies

  • Printable Hat Rim and Bunny Ears Template
  • Baby food jar (I used a Beech-Nut Naturals jar)
  • White fleece, 8 ½ inches by 11 inches
  • 1 piece of colored foam 
  • Small piece of pink foam or felt for nose
  • Googly eyes (I used oval)
  • Medium pom-pom
  • Multi-surface paint, purple (for the hat)
  • Fabric glue (I used Fabric-Tac)
  • Black ultra-fine or fine tip permanent marker
  • Large nail or ice pick
  • Hammer
  • Scissors

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Directions

  1. Remove label from baby food jar
  2. Clean and dry jar and lid
  3. Trace the hat rim template onto the purple foam
  4. Cut out the rim of the hat and remove the center
  5. Trace the ears template onto the white fleece and cut out

To Make the Body and Face

  1. Cut a 2-inch wide by 7-inch long strip of white fleece
  2. Glue the strip of fleece to the jar under the lip and leaving about ½ inch of glass showing at the bottom
  3. Glue on the googly eyes
  4. Cut a little nose from the pink foam and glue to the face
  5. Make the mouth with the permanent marker on a little piece of fleece, cut out and glue under the nose

To Make the Hat

  1. Paint the lid with the purple paint. Let dry.
  2. (Adult Needed) With the nail or ice pick and hammer, make a hole on either side of the lid to insert the ears. You can make the hole a little bigger with a phillips head screwdriver
  3. Flip the lid over and hammer the edges of the hole flat
  4. Trace the hat rim template onto the purple foam and cut out

To Insert the Ears

  1. Pinch the end of one ear together and push it through one hole in the lid.
  2. Pull it through the hole a bit to form the ear
  3. Repeat with the other ear

Finish the Bunny

  1. Add the foam rim to the lid
  2. Glue the pom-pom to the back of the jar for the tail
  3. Add M&Ms, jelly beans, or other small candy

You can purchase Little Bunny, Spring Is Here! from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

March 4 – It’s National Reading Month

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About the Holiday

National Reading Month was designed to  encourage children and adults to read every day and celebrates the joys and benefits that reading together can bring. Reading with your child can be fun and frivolous, but it can also offer ways for children to share their feelings about serious or poignant topics and begin discussions that can lead to understanding or healing.  As the month progresses, look for books to share for all the aspects of your life. 

I’d like to thank Kokila Books/Penguin Random House for sharing a digital copy of Our Lake with me to review. 

Our Lake

By Angie Kang

 

A young boy follows his older brother up a “long and steep” hill to the tip of a boulder overlooking a glistening lake, where their father, now gone, used to take them swimming. He mimics his brother, who has taken on the mantel of responsibility, in their old traditions—taking off his shirt, stretching. But while his brother approaches the lip of the rock, he hangs back, watching him “press his arms tight to his head and slip neatly into the lake.” The water ripples, and then his brother shoots upward, “triumphant.”

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

His brother calls for him to jump, but his nerves overtake him and he closes his eyes. “On the insides of my eyelids,” he says, “I see Father.” He recalls their routine, the way his father soared before splashing down, and the sound of his laugh as he beckoned his sons to follow.

“When I open my eyes, he joy is still there, humming in my limbs,” the boy says. He hears his brother call to him again and shakes off his fear. As he nears the water, he sees his father meet him, arms outstretched. His brother cheers as he splashes in. They embrace, both feeling the presence of the father they miss.

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

Angie Kang’s lyrical storytelling soars on the openhearted voice of her young narrator and the caring guidance of his big brother. The boys’ uplifting memories of their father and their joyful embrace of returning to one of their favorite places are moving and comforting, and ultimately inspire reassurance that the spirit of loved ones lives on within the heart. 

Kang’s gloriously rich gouache, crayon, and colored pencil illustrations illuminate the close relationship between the brothers and, individually, with their father, as exemplified by a red hat the older brother is wearing as the story begins. Later, readers learn—in a symbolic image—that this hat belonged to the boys’ father. Each boy’s facial expressions and stances also carry the story forward. Kang’s saturated paintings also offer metaphorical undertones that resonate with the truth of life’s sometimes difficult climbs as well as the wonders of shaking off fear and diving into it headfirst.

A beautiful and poignant story to help any child affected by grief or loss to find peace and joy again, Our Lake is highly recommended for families and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593698235

About the Author/Illustrator

Angie Kang is a Chinese American writer and illustrator living in LA. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Narrative, The Believer, and elsewhere, and has been generously supported by MacDowell and other organizations. Angie graduated from the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA in Literary Arts from Brown University. She enjoys painting places she remembers and places she would like to go. Learn more about Angie’s writing and art at AngieKang.net and @anqiekanq on Instagram.

You can purchase Our Lake 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.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lost-signs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ages 3 – 7

Anne Schwartz Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-0593707029

About the Author-Illustrator

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

Lost and Found Day Activity

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Find the Lost Pets Puzzle

 

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

Find the Lost Pets Puzzle

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

You can purchase Lost at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 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!”

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

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.

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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

December 30 – It’s National Cat Lover’s Month

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About the Holiday

If you share your home with a cat, then you know how these furry friends can change your life. Whether you love them for their playful antics, for their companionship, or even for their independent spirit, your life just wouldn’t be the same without their daily presence. Cat Lovers Month is the perfect time to celebrate your cat or kitten with some extra attention and care. If you’re considering adopting a cat, now would be a great time to contact your local animal shelter or rescue group to give a cat a forever home.

The Catawampus Cat

Written by Jason Carter Eaton | Illustrated by Gus Gordon

 

On a regular Tuesday morning, the catawampus cat came into town “slightly askew.” Everyone was busy, so no one saw him until Mr. Grouse, the grocer, noticed his unusual walk and “tried to straighten him out.” His wife Lydia, who for twenty years had been chilly to her husband, asked what was wrong with the cat, and they both tilted their heads to study him. There, under the vegetable stand, they saw Lydia’s wedding ring lost twenty years before, and suddenly Mr. Grouse noticed that Lydia looked just as she did when they first met. “They kissed and on walked the catawampus cat, still askew…”

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Image copyright Gus Gordon, 2017, text copyright Jason Carter Eaton, 2017. Courtesy of Crown Books for Young People.

The bored barber, “Bob Long, who was giving a woman a long bob,” saw the catawampus cat from his window and was so startled he snipped, and clipped the woman’s bangs at an angle. She loved it, and the catawampus cat continued on. He passed Tom who was painting the Mayor’s house in the usual way until he tilted his head to get a better look and scribbled a diagonal stripe down the front of the house. “‘Brilliant!’ Exclaimed Mayor Meyer. ‘A work of art!’”

The town daredevil made a world record after spotting the cat. The town librarian had a life-changing revelation after seeing the cat. And little Bushy Brows Billiam, suddenly understood his lesson better by looking at things a bit differently.

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Image copyright Gus Gordon, 2017, text copyright Jason Carter Eaton, 2017. Courtesy of Crown Books for Young People.

All through town, people began tilting their head and even walking at a slant. Architects began building homes, apartments, and stores that leaned, and car makers designed “off-kilter” vehicles. The effect on the town and the people was amazing. They found favorite possessions they thought lost forever, “and rediscovered old friends they thought they’d never know again.” The first Tuesday of the year was designated “Catawampus Cat Day.” Confetti was flung at an angle, a band played off-key, and the crowd was entirely catawampus.

“‘Well? What do you think of it?’” Mayer Meyer excitedly asked the catawampus cat. “‘We’re all different now, just like you.’” The catawampus cat gazed at him thoughtfully, then stretched, “straightened himself out…and walked out of town, once again uniquely catawampus.”

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Image copyright Gus Gordon, 2017, text copyright Jason Carter Eaton, 2017. Courtesy of Crown Books for Young People.

In his delightfully inventive story, Jason Carter Eaton rejoices in all those people (and cats) who walk their own way through life. He encourages young readers to embrace their uniqueness, telling them it’s a good thing to view the world with a different perspective. Even as the catawampus cat inspires the townspeople, Eaton strikes a humorous cautionary note about the nature of fads. He also happily reminds readers that the truly innovative will always find a way to be different.

Gus Gordon’s adorably confident cat sets off his chain reaction of “uniqueness” in detailed mixed-media illustrations that provide lots of opportunities for kids to discover new (and old—sometimes even antique) perspectives as they watch the catawampus cat walk through this diverse town in his own particular way. Surprising and funny details drawn in along the way will also have readers lingering and giggling over each page. Cat lovers will recognize some endearing cat-titudes in the catawampus cat that make feline friends so loveable. The endpapers provide a map of the catawampus cat’s route through this very lucky town.

Smile- and laugh-inducing from cover to cover, The Catawampus Cat would be a favorite and often-asked-for choice for home and classroom libraries.

Ages 4 – 8

Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017 | ISBN 978-0553509717

To learn more about Gus Gordon, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Cat Lover’s Month Activity

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A Little Ball of Kitten Love

 

This sweet little kitten is easy to make and can keep you company on your desk or shelf! Since every kitten is different, you can make yours to look just the way you want. Here’s how I made mine:

Supplies

  • Wooden ball with a flat bottom, available in craft stores and in different sizes
  • Craft paint in any color kitten you’d like (I used red and yellow and mixed it to make a mottled orange)
  • Craft paint in pink or white for the inner ear
  • Scrap of fleece for the ears. Fleece is easily shaped to the rounded ball and when painted is stiff enough to stand up on its own.
  • Thin, colored wire in several colors for the tail (string or twine, wrapped wire, fleece, stiff paper, and other materials could also be used)
  • Paint brush
  • Permanent marker for making the face
  • Hot glue gun or strong glue

Directions

  1. Paint the wooden ball and let dry
  2. Paint the scrap of fleece to match the wooden ball, let dry
  3. Cut out small triangular shapes for the ears. Round the bottom of the ears slightly so they fit the shape of the ball
  4. If making a tail from several colors of thin wire, twist them together, leaving one end untwisted
  5. With the glue gun or strong glue attach the ears to the top of the head
  6. With the glue gun attach the tail to the back of the wooden ball in the center near the base
  7. With the marker, draw eyes, nose, and mouth for the face and semicircles near the bottom for the paws

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You can find The Catawampus Cat at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

December 11 – International Mountain Day

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About the Holiday

This United Nations-sponsored holiday aims to raise awareness of the crucial importance of mountains to the livelihood and even survival of the world’s population. Covering nearly one-fourth of the earth’s land mass, mountain areas are home to almost one billion people, and over half of the human population relies on mountains for clean energy, food, and water, including 60 to 80 percent of the world’s freshwater supply. Today, mountains are under threat from land degradation, over exploitation, natural disasters, and climate change. This year’s International Mountain Day theme is Mountains Matter, and scientists, activists, and others involved in protecting these unique ecosystems will be advocating for recognition and protection on social media and directly to politicians who can enact change. To celebrate, learn more about the importance of mountains and consider getting involved locally or with national organizations.

A Chip Off the Old Block

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Daniel Miyares

 

Rocky had an impressive family. There was Aunt Etna, Uncle Gibraltar, and his Great-Grandma Half Dome. His cousins were pretty well-known too. In fact, “tons of his relatives were rock stars.” Rocky loved hearing his parents’ stories about his family. Rocky wanted to be important too, but his parents thought he was too little. He may have been “just a chip off the old block” like his dad said, “but inside, Rocky was a boulder!”

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Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Rocky made a plan, and in the morning he hopped on a pickup truck headed for Arizona to join his cousin The Wave. As soon as he got there, though, a gust of wind blew him away. He landed hard and “noticed that a piece of him had broken off.” Undeterred, he caught a flight with an eagle out to Wyoming and another cousin, The Tower. Rocky was almost settled in when a rainstorm washed him over the side.

At the bottom of the long slide down, Rocky hitched a ride on a car bound for Texas. There, he thought he could watch over the sauropod tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park. But it didn’t take long for an armadillo to dig him out and send him back on the road again. this time he was determined to go to South Dakota. When he arrived, tinier than when he’d begun his trip, he decided that he’d make a terrific souvenir of his cousin Rushmore.

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Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Just then he heard the news. The park was closing because a crack had been discovered in Abraham Lincoln’s nose. “Rocky was crushed.” His dreams of being important would never come true now. But looking up at his cousin, he realized that maybe he could help. A passing lizard gave him a ride to the top, and Rocky jumped. He tumbled down, down and right into the crack in Lincoln’s nose. “He was a perfect fit! I did it! I did something important! I saved Abraham Lincoln!” Rocky exaulted, excited and proud.

Down below, visitors and park employees cheered. Reporters relayed the news, and photographers took pictures. The park was saved, and it was “all thanks to Rocky, the little pebble that wouldn’t be taken for granite.”

A guide to igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, illustrated descriptions of some of the world’s most majestic rock formations, and an Author’s Note about Mount Rushmore follow the story.

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Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

There’s so much to love about Jody Jensen Shaffer’s A Chip Off the Old Block! Part adventure, part educational travelogue, and completely inspirational—with lots of funny wordplay to boot—Shaffer’s story will charm kids. Little Rocky is a sweetie of a go-getter who has big dreams and sets out to achieve them. He overcomes obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments and adjusts to changes with optimism while never losing heart and building up his self-confidence. Kids will cheer when Rocky finally finds the place where he can make the most monumental difference.

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Daniel Miyares’ gorgeous illustrations depict the splendor of Rocky’s magnificent cousins and the landscape they dominate while cleverly tracing his journey from state to state, carried along by a truck and a car, in a backpack, and with the help of some animal friends. Rocky is full of personality and childlike expressions that will endear him to readers. Miyares’ full-color, full-bleed pages will get kids excited to learn more about geology and each rock formation, and will no doubt inspire some vacation wish lists.

A Chip Off the Old Block is a smart and witty book that will excite a child’s imagination. It would be a terrific addition to home bookshelves and should be included in classroom libraries to accompany STEM, STEAM, and English Language Arts lessons and well as fun story times.

Ages 5 – 8

Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House, 2018 | ISBN 978-0399173882

Discover more about Jody Jensen Shaffer and her books and find teachers’ resources and activities on her website.

To learn more about Daniel Miyares, his books and his art, visit his website.

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You can find A Chip Off the Old Block at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Penguin Random House

International Mountain Day Activity

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Marvelous Mountains! Word Search

 

If you love mountains, you’ll want to find the names of the nineteen mountains in this printable word search puzzle – no climbing necessary!

Marvelous Mountains! Word Search Puzzle | Marvelous Mountains! Word Search Solution

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You can find A Chip Off the Old Block at these booksellers

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

 

 

Picture Book Review

May 13 – National Frog Jumping Day

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About the Holiday

Once upon a time there was a writer named Samuel Clemens who published his first short story titled Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog. He later published the story under the title The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, which even later became The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The title of this story wasn’t the only name change in Clemen’s life. He is best known as Mark Twain, one of the best known and most read American authors. The story of this fabled jumping frog and the California Calaveras County’s actual annual Frog Jumping Contest, begun in 1849, are the origins of today’s holiday. The present day frog-jumping record was set by Rosie the Ribeter, who in 1986 jumped 21 feet, 5 ¾ inches.

There’s Nothing to Do!

Written by Dev Petty | Illustrated by Mike Boldt

 

So… Frog has accepted that he’s a frog, and he knows it’s okay to get bigger, but now he can’t think of anything worth doing. His dad finds it hard to believe there’s nothing to do. He suggests swimming, but Frog says it’s “too wet”; playing, but none of the toys surrounding Frog inspire him, and even joining Pig in doing crafts, but Frog is so bored he has to rest up against Pig’s popsicle-stick Eiffel Tower.

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Image copyright Mike Boldt, 2017, text copyright Dev Petty, 2017. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

What’s left? Cleaning his room. This choice gets Frog hopping to see if his “friends have any better ideas.” Rabbit’s idea of a good time alternates between jumping and staring. Cat shows Frog how to lick between his toes, and Owl advises napping all day. Perhaps  Pig can come up with the perfect activity after all. Pig is happy to unfurl his “Fantastic List,” and he and Frog take a look.

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Image copyright Mike Boldt, 2017, text copyright Dev Petty, 2017. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Frog’s not too keen on most of the to-dos and lies flat on his back in disgruntlement. Just then another frog comes by wondering what’s the matter. Frog complains that the whole day is almost over and he hasn’t done anything. Well, the frog says, when there’s nothing to do, do nothing. “Sometimes the best ideas come when you stop looking for them.” Then this amphibious guru shows Frog how to sit still, empty his mind, and wait.

Suddenly, the world glows with beauty and promise. Frog has never seen life in just this way. Later, when Dad asks Frog what he did all day, Frog is enthusiastic about the Nothing he did. In fact, he wants to do it all over again tomorrow. So what if there’s school the next day—Frog has a long To-Do List of his own now. What’s on it? Nothing!

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Image copyright Mike Boldt, 2017, text copyright Dev Petty, 2017. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Dev Petty’s Frog is any child’s sure (web)-footed guide to the big issues of growing up. This time he’s looking for help in overcoming his boredom, but he learns that what’s good for the goose (or the Pig, Rabbit, Cat, and Owl) isn’t necessarily good for the gander. When he discovers that inner voice that leads him to his own kind of fun, Frog finds that his lily pad is loaded with possibilities. As in I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big, Frog’s impish questions and opinions will have kids giggling and hoppy to come to the same realizations about life as Frog does.

Mike Boldt’s Frog is sly and endearing as he jumps from friend to friend and activity to activity in search of the perfect day. Kids will love laughing at Rabbit’s goofy stare, ewwing along with Frog at Cat’s bathing ritual, and cheer Pig’s enthusiasm and do-anything attitude. Frog’s glowing revelation lets readers discover their own vistas, and Dad’s proud and satisfied look at the end shows kids that dreaming up their own fun leads to a day well-spent.

There’s Nothing to Do! is a terrific addition to the series, and it’s witty banter will make it an often-asked-for read on any child’s bookshelf. A ribeting choice for home and classroom libraries.

Ages 3 – 7

Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2017 | ISBN 978-0399558030

Discover more about Dev Petty and her books and find fun activities on her website

To learn more about Mike Boldt, his books, and his art, visit his website.

Got nothing to do? Hop on over and watch this There’s Nothing to Do! book trailer!

National Frog Jumping Day Activity

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Frog Dot-to-Dot Activity Sheet

 

Can you hop from number to number and help the frog appear in this printable Frog Dot-to-Dot Activity Sheet? Then give him a lily pad or other place to live and color it all in!

Picture Book Review