passionately sharing, discussing and admiring children's picture books
Just heard about a fun book coming out from Enchanted Lion Books. I’m aching to get my hands on a copy and see its book + jacket cover combo in person. I applaud when people use book jackets for good use rather than just duplicating book and cover. Sounds like a sweet plot and the illustrations have me intrigued. Check out the trailer for The Jacket by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova.
I get ecstatic this time of year – especially in September – due to birthdays, the first day of fall, and the slow appearance of pumpkins, squash, apples and all the produce around fall harvest. I love going to a farmers’ market any time of year, but I get an extra bit of joy going when the air is cooling off and the leaves are starting to color. To celebrate the arrival of autumn and all its flavors, it is time for another Let’s Read Three post about going to the farmers’ market!
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I am in desperate need to declare book review bankruptcy. I have so many books that I am aching to share, and yet life with two little ones in a new city refuses to calm down enough for me to do much more than tread water. That’s when I need a good laugh and thankfully books like this one get me every time. Allow me to introduce you to one of my surprise-favorite books from last year. A story about a chameleon and underwear. That’s right. This book does not shy from some not-so-subtle potty humor and I guarantee you’ll love it. This was one of my grand finale books at my final storytime back in Tennessee and I can honestly say that this book just knocks your socks off with hilarity. Even the older siblings who were hanging around in the next aisle because they were “too old for storytime” eventually were sitting in the back glued to the story with a silly grin on their face. Take a humor break from whatever has you racing and relax in the pages of Brief Thief by Michaël Escoffier and Kris Di Giacomo, 2013.
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It’s time for another quick picture book trio! Today’s grouping is in appreciation of all things aeronautical. It seems that nearly every child goes through an airplane phase and the plethora of plane picture books seems to support my observation. In honor of that, I’ve put together three of my favorite airplane picture books that work well together and are a mixture of old and new as well as short and long. So let’s read three books about airplanes!
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Sometimes I receive or discover a book and I fall immediately head over heels in love with it. Other times I hate it right off the bat. And occasionally the book sticks in my head and grows on me over time. Today’s book doesn’t fit any of those scenarios. This book is sneaky and stole its way into a review by route of my daughter. An imported equine story has captured the affection of our toddler and thus I find myself examining it, and pondering over it, and vainly trying to deduce what it is that my child is so obsessed about. It’s not that there is anything wrong with this book and perhaps I am just missing the grandness somehow, but upon first read I found myself somewhat ambivalent to it. I like Albertine’s work and the storyline is quirky to match, well-paced and quite European in tone and style. I rather enjoy reading it, but it didn’t really jump out to me. It does thrill me though that my daughter is developing a taste of her own in literature. I gladly encourage her endearment in lovely books even if it decides not to woo me. So without further ado, take a peek at a humorous tale about a horse and his jockey, the terribly disastrous turn of their career, and the silly solution. This is Jumping Jack by Germano Zullo, illustrated by Albertine, 2014.
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Someday I will get back to blogging on a more regular basis. There are so many books I’m constantly thinking about and aching to share, but they must come slowly right now as keeping two small humans alive is a momentous task, especially in a new city. Settling into the new place has brought this book to mind many times and it has delighted my toddler immensely. We’ve had boxes galore arrive and live amongst us for days, many being quite large. This book has done much to fuel the imagination. Join me in delighting at the seemingly endless creativity in one small girl as she dreams up one adventure after another using nothing but a large, cardboard box. Here is Christina Katerina & the Box by Patricia Lee Gauch, illustrated by Doris Burn, 1971.
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Three Books a Night 