Picture Books At The Library 231

Here are a few recent titles I’ve read. What new picture books have you read? Please share in the comments section.

53398726. sx318 — MOTHER GOOSE TO THE RESCUE!: When the Queen of Hearts’ castle goes up in flames, Mother Goose and her band of nursery rhyme firefighters jump to the rescue. *Rhyme*

54061664. sx318 — TREEMENDOUS: Follow along as a tiny acorn grows up to be a tall and mighty oak tree.

53138239 — MEESHA MAKES FRIENDS: Meesha struggles to make friends, so she creates her own out of found materials.

54221429 — ELEPHANTS DO NOT BELONG IN TREES: When an elephant takes up roost in a tree, he upsets the other animals, until a bulldozer comes along, and the elephant saves their home.

51746929. sx318 — A FAMILY FOR FARU: Tetenya looks for a family of rhinos to take in an orphan named Faru, but he must protect the young rhino from poachers first.

55348976. sx318 — MY MONSTERPIECE: When a child’s attempts at making a scary monster fail, they begin to imagine that monsters don’t have to be scary after all.

55923680. sx318 — HOORAY, IT’S GARBAGE DAY!: Neighborhood children look forward to garbage day and have fun making their own garbage truck. *Rhyme*

Book Cover — SAM’S FIRST WORD: Baby Sam is ready to say her first word, but the adults in her life keep missing the moment, until she does something they can’t ignore.

Picture Books At The Library 230

52623739. sx318 — THE TALE OF THE MANDARIN DUCK: A special duck brings the people of the city back together after they put their phones away.

54061768. sx318 — AVOCADO ASKS: Avocado hunts for the truth, in each aisle of the supermarket, about whether he’s a fruit or a vegetable.

53426653. sx318 — SLOTH WASN’T SLEEPY: Mama Sloth knows some special secrets to help her worried little daughter calm down and drift off to sleep.

54222484. sx318 — RISSY NO KISSIES: Rissy’s friends and family wonder if she’s sick, confused, or rude because she’s a lovebird who doesn’t like kisses. *Rhyme*

53479912. sx318 — RECTANGLE TIME: Told from the cat’s point of view as it spends time with the boy and watches as the boy gets bigger, the rectangle gets smaller, and it’s (the cat’s) assistance is no longer needed.

55871805. sx318 — TEARS: Explores the reasons why people cry and conveys the idea that when we let our tears flow, we are stronger.

54303961. sx318 — OUT OF NOWHERE: A beetle courageously sets out in search of his best friend, a caterpillar who arrived out of nowhere and vanished without warning.

54075341. sx318 — RAINDROPS TO RAINBOW: On a rainy day, a girl discovers that color can be found all around us, no matter the weather. *Rhyme/Concept*

52515996. sx318 — THE LOST PACKAGE: Follow one package’s journey from lost to found, and from coast to coast.

54816781 — BEDTIME BALLET: When the sun sets, a little girl jumps, slides, and pirouettes her way to bed. *Rhyme*

Poetry Month Book Review: An Emotional Menagerie: Feelings from A to Z

Title: An Emotional Menagerie: Feelings from A to Z

Illustrator: Rachael Saunders

Publisher/Year: The School of Life/2021

I admit it, I don’t post about poetry very often here on the Frog. But, April is Poetry Month, and what better way to celebrate than by sharing a children’s picture book filled with fun poems? And lovely illustrations, featuring adorable animals?

But An Emotional Menagerie: Feelings from A to Z by The School of Life, with amazing art by Rachael Saunders, is more than a fun read. It features 26 emotions from anger to melancholy to zeal, each one encompassing a two-page spread with a new animal and setting. The goal of the book is to help children develop emotional literacy. Some of the featured emotions are more straight forward, such as boredom, fear, or happiness. And some are more complex, such as embarrassment, insecurity, or vulnerability.

Sample from L is for Loneliness:

If Loneliness was an animal,

It would glide throughout the deep:

No ears to hear its lonely song,

No company to keep.

Children experience many different emotions, and some have difficulty expressing them properly or even articulating what they’re feeling, leaving them with another feeling–confusion. An Emotional Menagerie aims to help children understand and deal with their feelings and emotions in a healthy way.

Though the rhyme isn’t perfect in every stanza, children will still likely be engaged listeners as an adult reads them each poem. And they will definitely enjoy viewing the charming animal pictures while they listen.

My favorite spread: T is for Tranquility