Tuesday Storytime: Family is Cozy

These three books highlight the kindness of families and friends and the feelings of belonging and comfort you can find with others.

Bunny in the Middle
Anika A. Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise
This is a sweet story about the unique trials of the middle child, presented in a relentlessly chipper tone as opportunities to be BOTH the younger (being cared for and helped) AND the older (being the helper or the teacher) child in a family or group.

Rabbit Listened
Cory Doerrfeld
Such a sweet perfect book. When a terrible accident befalls their block city, other stuffed animals and friends stop by to commiserate, sympathize, or offer advice. But the rabbit is the only one who gets it right, and just sits and listens as the child pours out their sadness. At the end, all the commiseration and sympathy and advice are helpful also - just that there needed to be that time of acknowledgement and space to feel the feelings first. Very psychologically accurate and sweetly presented.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
Jamie A. Swenson, illustrated by David Walker
On a dark and thundery night, all of the stuffed animals and pets jump one by one in this "10-in-the-bed" variant until the blankets are stuffed to the edges and the bed finally gives out. A few abandon ship, and the rest snuggle down in the now somewhat crooked bed, finally able to sleep for the night.

Tuesday Storytime: Elephants on Parade

There are so many good picture books featuring elephants. It's really just astounding. Here are three of my perennial favorites:

Elmer
David McKee
Elmer is a patchwork-colored elephant - the only one in his herd. He always feels just a little bit out of place, so he plays the prankster and joker and always cracks the other elephants up, but when he thinks that they ONLY like him for his jokes, he sets off to try to become normal elephant color to fit in better. When he realizes that he's liked for himself, and that his patchworks mean that he is individual in a way the other elephant's can't be, he becomes a bit more accepting of his differences.

Tweak Tweak
Eve Bunting, illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier
A cute "growing up" story by Eve Bunting gets even more adorable with soft-edged and fluffy illustrations by Ruzzier. A mama elephant takes her baby out on a walk and they talk about what they see, and what's possible for baby elephants to do, or not to do as the case may be. Very cute, and a fun way to introduce the idea that not everything is right for everybody, and that families and people may be different and have different abilities.

Small Elephant's Bathtime
Tatyana Feeney
Sweet short story about Small Elephant, who really doesn't like bathtime, but when DAD starts having all the fun in the bath, now we can't have that, can we? It's a cute twist on the "wait til your FATHER comes home" trope (which is hopefully becoming more of a thing of the past) and an adorable family with good problem-solving skills.