Penguins are so cute.
One Cool Friend
Tony Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
ISBN: 9780803734135
Reviewed here.
It's a little long, and I think the conceit goes waaaay over the heads of the little ones, but it's funny and cute and the pictures are inviting. It's like a short illustrated Mr Popper's Penguins, with a funny twist at the end with the dad.
Polar Opposites
Erik Brooks
ISBN: 9780761456858
Reviewed here.
Still adorable. I love how the story manages to deal with opposites, science facts, friendship, and the process of prepping/packing for a trip, without being long or cumbersome. Just an amazing accomplishment.
If You Were a Penguin
Wendell and Florence Minor
ISBN: 9780061130977
Variety of penguins in soft-edged surroundings, very like the Karma Wilson "Bear" series.
Hey, a new penguin book! Well, not new, exactly, but new to me! This one is straighforward and sweet, although to me, the ending felt more like a transition than an end. Lots of drawings of various types of penguins in action, with short snappy captions as to what they're doing (that presumably one would want to do if they were also a penguin). Adorable, easy to read, and low-stress for a final story with a wiggly and noisy group.
Showing posts with label One Cool Friend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label One Cool Friend. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Summer Reading Program 2014. Week 3: Animals
Had an ENORMOUS group this morning for our Family Storytime - lots of toddlers, lots of babies, lots of relatives visiting from out of town. Excellent group tho, and the stories flowed so well!
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Peter Brown
ISBN: 9780316200639
Stylized stiff animals and buildings inhabit a faux-victorian world until Mr Tiger loosens up.
Mister Tiger is prim and proper, just like all of his neighbors, in a starched jacket, tophat, and excellent manners. Until he just gets sick of it, and starts going WILD - walking on all fours, roaring, even going for a skinny-dip in the town square fountain. His neighbors and friends are scandalized, and suggest that if Mister Tiger wishes to behave wildly, he should do so in the wilderness - which he does, until he gets lonely and heads back home. Once there he discovers that his wild behaviors have loosened up his neighbors too, and everyone is now just a little bit wild.
Polar Opposites
Erik Brook
ISBN: 9780761456858
Soft-edged pictures carry the background story of two friends packing for a trip to the tropics, while the text busies itself with defining opposites.
I love this story. Lots of science and lots of solid information packed into a showboat of a story of two good friends who live on opposite poles. Alex the polar bear and Zina the penguin are opposites in so many ways, and the story lists a great number of them, while the artwork begins with their homes and shows them cleaning, packing, and traveling to the tropics for a vacation together.
The Wide-Mouthed Frog (pop-up version)
Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert
ISBN: 9780803718753
A variety of pop-up animals highlight the story of a boastful wide-mouth frog who goes around comparing dinners with everyone.
I love this book so hard, and with a group this big, it was perfect for a SUPER QUICK, super fun ending story. It's VERY VERY short, but the pop-ups are fun and the kids get a kick out of the ending, especially when the storyteller gets into it and makes funny faces and voices (which I was happy to do today).
For the afternoon, with the older kids, I switched it up with a few longer books that I rarely get the chance to read, even though they are excellent storybooks.
We started again with Mister Tiger (he's one of the featured Summer Reading titles, which is why he gets to go twice) and then moved on to One Cool Friend and then a new one for the blog:
Two Bad Ants
Chris Van Allsburg
ISBN: 9780395486689
Stylized line drawings chronicle the story of two ants who shirk their duties and face a perilous world.
Van Allsburg is a freaking genius, and one of the true sorrows of my professional life is that I work with kids too young to really get his stories, so I can't read them at work as often as I would like. Something about his approach and his slightly-slanted viewpoint makes me think of Neil Gaiman or Lemony Snicket, or even Saki. Just delightful, and just a smidge perverse in a lovely subversive way.
Next week we're celebrating our nation's birthday by NOT having any programs, and then after that we're on to dinosaurs!
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Peter Brown
ISBN: 9780316200639
Stylized stiff animals and buildings inhabit a faux-victorian world until Mr Tiger loosens up.
Mister Tiger is prim and proper, just like all of his neighbors, in a starched jacket, tophat, and excellent manners. Until he just gets sick of it, and starts going WILD - walking on all fours, roaring, even going for a skinny-dip in the town square fountain. His neighbors and friends are scandalized, and suggest that if Mister Tiger wishes to behave wildly, he should do so in the wilderness - which he does, until he gets lonely and heads back home. Once there he discovers that his wild behaviors have loosened up his neighbors too, and everyone is now just a little bit wild.
Polar Opposites
Erik Brook
ISBN: 9780761456858
Soft-edged pictures carry the background story of two friends packing for a trip to the tropics, while the text busies itself with defining opposites.
I love this story. Lots of science and lots of solid information packed into a showboat of a story of two good friends who live on opposite poles. Alex the polar bear and Zina the penguin are opposites in so many ways, and the story lists a great number of them, while the artwork begins with their homes and shows them cleaning, packing, and traveling to the tropics for a vacation together.
The Wide-Mouthed Frog (pop-up version)
Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert
ISBN: 9780803718753
A variety of pop-up animals highlight the story of a boastful wide-mouth frog who goes around comparing dinners with everyone.
I love this book so hard, and with a group this big, it was perfect for a SUPER QUICK, super fun ending story. It's VERY VERY short, but the pop-ups are fun and the kids get a kick out of the ending, especially when the storyteller gets into it and makes funny faces and voices (which I was happy to do today).
For the afternoon, with the older kids, I switched it up with a few longer books that I rarely get the chance to read, even though they are excellent storybooks.
We started again with Mister Tiger (he's one of the featured Summer Reading titles, which is why he gets to go twice) and then moved on to One Cool Friend and then a new one for the blog:
Two Bad Ants
Chris Van Allsburg
ISBN: 9780395486689
Stylized line drawings chronicle the story of two ants who shirk their duties and face a perilous world.
Van Allsburg is a freaking genius, and one of the true sorrows of my professional life is that I work with kids too young to really get his stories, so I can't read them at work as often as I would like. Something about his approach and his slightly-slanted viewpoint makes me think of Neil Gaiman or Lemony Snicket, or even Saki. Just delightful, and just a smidge perverse in a lovely subversive way.
Next week we're celebrating our nation's birthday by NOT having any programs, and then after that we're on to dinosaurs!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Tuesday Storytime: Funny Friends
Nothing's better than a good friend; someone with whom you can share your hopes and fears (and sometimes your living spaces). Here's a trio of stories showcasing various excellent friendships.
Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy
David Soman and Jacky Davis, illustrated by David Soman
ISBN: 9780803733398
Ladybug Girl is ready for adventure at her favorite playground, but once there, she runs into a spot of difficulty when her friend Sam doesn't want to play her way (and she's not that interested in playing the things he likes either). What's a superhero to do? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! I love the Ladybug Girl books because the 'problems' she faces are so simple and human, and she goes through a realistic process of frustration, mistakes, and finally solving the problem on her own. Really positive messages, but the stories manage to not be too preachy or moralistic along the way.
Good Luck Bear
Greg Foley
ISBN: 9780670062584
I haven't seen the earlier books in this set (Thank You Bear and Don't Worry Bear) but I'll have to look them up, because this one is cute as the dickens. My storytime kids are tiny, with equally small attention spans, so I try to have at least one "quick" book in each storytime, to let them feel successful at paying attention to a whole entire book. This is a perfect fit, thematically, story-wise, pictures, and length. I love it. Bear is looking for a lucky 4-leaf clover, and a whole parade of "friends" amble by offering criticism, cut-downs, or interference, until Mouse shows what true friendship means.
One Cool Friend
Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
(Caldecott Honor book)
ISBN: 9780803734135
Elliot is delighted when his father takes him to the Natural Museum, and even more-so when dad says that Elliot can have a penguin! The set-up is cute and at least on the first read-through, even a shock for adults, but re-reads will show slightly out-of-frame hints and sneaky double-meaning comments throughout. Really love that it's a father and son, and that the household is obviously quite devoted to scientific pursuits. The cameo of the library lady (who was helpful and accepting) is a nice bonus.
Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy
David Soman and Jacky Davis, illustrated by David Soman
ISBN: 9780803733398
Ladybug Girl is ready for adventure at her favorite playground, but once there, she runs into a spot of difficulty when her friend Sam doesn't want to play her way (and she's not that interested in playing the things he likes either). What's a superhero to do? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! I love the Ladybug Girl books because the 'problems' she faces are so simple and human, and she goes through a realistic process of frustration, mistakes, and finally solving the problem on her own. Really positive messages, but the stories manage to not be too preachy or moralistic along the way.
Good Luck Bear
Greg Foley
ISBN: 9780670062584
I haven't seen the earlier books in this set (Thank You Bear and Don't Worry Bear) but I'll have to look them up, because this one is cute as the dickens. My storytime kids are tiny, with equally small attention spans, so I try to have at least one "quick" book in each storytime, to let them feel successful at paying attention to a whole entire book. This is a perfect fit, thematically, story-wise, pictures, and length. I love it. Bear is looking for a lucky 4-leaf clover, and a whole parade of "friends" amble by offering criticism, cut-downs, or interference, until Mouse shows what true friendship means.
One Cool Friend
Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
(Caldecott Honor book)
ISBN: 9780803734135
Elliot is delighted when his father takes him to the Natural Museum, and even more-so when dad says that Elliot can have a penguin! The set-up is cute and at least on the first read-through, even a shock for adults, but re-reads will show slightly out-of-frame hints and sneaky double-meaning comments throughout. Really love that it's a father and son, and that the household is obviously quite devoted to scientific pursuits. The cameo of the library lady (who was helpful and accepting) is a nice bonus.
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