Picture Books At The Library 153

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

A group of children say goodbye to a beloved pet turtle who has died.

Olive needs some time away from her little brother Will.

Celebrates the milestones and accomplishments of childhood from first birthday to graduation. Sweet!

Get ready for some wild dancing and find out what really happens at the zoo after dark. Fun!

Fox and Chick are good friends who don’t always get along. Cute!

When Albert the bear’s favorite tree won’t stop crying, Albert tries everything he can think of to cheer it up.

Four chickens flee the coop, roam the world, and return home just in time to roost.

A celebration of friendship that focuses on what makes a person special.

A little girl and her brother imagine all the things that will grow if they plant the sand they brought home from the beach. Darling story and pictures!

Chaos spreads around the world as Petronilla transfers color to everything she touches. Interesting art!

Picture Books At The Library 152

Thief Jack enlists the help of a duck to break into a safe.

Vincent the cat lives on a cargo ship, but he has never had a real home.

A page turns every time you blink, bringing you closer to the end of the book–and bedtime.

The perfect gift of all is the world itself in its natural beauty through every season.

When a dragon catches a cold, setting off fires with its sneezes, a wizard comes to the rescue with a magic potion.

Rupert the rhino becomes flustered when Levi the tickbird lands on him one day and won’t go away. Great art!

People use their teeth to bite all sorts of things, but not other people. Fun!

A Lemur In The Library: Part Six (Conclusion)

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Six
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

After the failed attempt to trap the lemur, the librarian, along with the page, still clutching his net, followed the clever creature to the public computers.
The lemur was already crouched in front of a monitor, tapping on the keyboard. It chirped excitedly every time a new image appeared on the screen.
The frazzled library staff watched for a moment, trying to decide what to do.
The clanging of the front door sent the lemur sprinting off again, this time, in the direction of the children’s room.
“Hello? We’re from animal control. Is anyone here?”
“It’s heading toward the back!” the librarian yelled.
“We never warned the folks at story hour!” said the page, as he and the librarian hurried after the lemur.
The two animal control officers joined them in the chase.
The lemur, realizing it was being pursued, cut through the teen area like a tornado.
It bumped a Carl Hiaasen display, sending copies of Scat, Chomp, and Flush raining down on an unsuspecting tutor and his student, engrossed in a lesson.
Then it made a beeline for the children’s room.
By the time the librarian, page, and animal control officers caught up, the lemur was sitting on the shoulder of a young woman from the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, who was speaking to a group of kids.
The kids laughed and squealed as the lemur stole the zookeeper’s glasses and put them on.
The librarian, out of breath, managed to say, “Is it your lemur?”
“Yes,” she answered. “This is Donny. He wasn’t any trouble was he?”
The librarian and the page looked at one another.
“No trouble at all,” said the librarian, as she collapsed into a beanbag chair.
THE END

I hope you enjoyed this small tale!

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Click here for Part Two

Click here for Part Three

Click here for Part Four

Click here for Part Five

Interview Alert: Children’s Librarians Jenny and Emily

Children’s Librarians (from left to right) Emily and Jennifer

Two of the busiest staff members at the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville are the children’s librarians, Jenny Burke and Emily Wormuth. They’re gearing up for the craziest time of the year, summer, when the Library draws in hundreds of kids for the Summer Reading Program. Right now, Jenny and Emily are in the midst of visiting local schools, telling the kids all about the myriad of events and activities the Library has lined up–all summer long–from the end of June until the end of August. School visits are also a great time to introduce the kids to some of the cool things the Library has to offer everyday.

Of course, Jenny and Emily are busy the rest of the year too, presenting daily story times, special themed events, and lots of opportunities for kids to engage in reading, learning, crafting, dancing, and having fun. They also help patrons find just the right books.

Aside from all of that, they make purchasing decisions, choosing books and media that they believe will be good additions to the Library’s children’s collection. Picture books make up a large portion of the items that they order. Lucky for us, Jenny and Emily found some time to answer a few questions about picture books!

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Q. How do you decide whether or not to purchase a particular picture book for the library’s collection? What criteria do you use?

Jenny: I follow my library’s collection development policy in choosing books to purchase for the Children’s Collection. I want to ensure our collection meets the needs of our community, is well rounded, and appeals to a variety of people. I focus on books I know will be popular with kids, whether it’s because of a subject area, popular author or series.

Q. How important are reviews, such as those found in Kirkus Reviews or School Library Journal, in making a purchasing decision?

Jenny: Pretty important. I’d say the majority of my book selections come from reviews in Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. Like most public libraries, I have a set budget for the year that I need to adhere to, so I want to focus monies on books that are well-reviewed or that I know our patrons will want. But, the review journals are just a guiding point. I will purchase books that kids ask for, or I know are popular series.

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Q. How do you use picture books in story-time settings? And for different age groups?

Jenny: No matter how old they are, kids love being read aloud to! At the library, I do story time for ages 0-5 and one for preschoolers ages 3-5. For these ages, I choose picture books with a rhyming quality, or sing-along books – they love those! Basically, you want less text and engaging illustrations, so you can talk about what is going on in the story. For older age groups, I still use that model, but will pick picture books that may be longer. You can’t lose with a funny story, I’ve found!

Emily: The best picture books for story time are the ones with big, beautiful pictures and an easy-to-follow story. Our story times are organized by age, so we choose books that are appropriate for that particular age. I present the Babies and Books story time, so I’m looking for books with fewer words, bolder pictures and repetitive language. I love it when the kids can read the book along with me.

Q. How do you choose your story-time themes? Do you always have a theme?

Jenny: Themes are a guiding point for me. I pick them based upon the season, what I’ve done in the past that’s successful, or sometimes I’ll find books and base a theme upon the book. I don’t always have a theme, but when I do, it helps me plan my songs, rhymes, and crafts. That being said, I don’t let the theme dictate what I’m doing in story time. Sometimes I find books that I just want to read aloud and I go with it!

Emily: I find it easier to put a story time together if I’m working with a theme. I can then choose books, music and activities that follow that theme. I think it’s easier for the children to actively participate if there’s a theme. “What animal are we going to sing about today?” “Elephants!” shout the toddlers. After doing this for a few years, Jenny and I both have a pretty good idea of what books and materials we have to support a theme, so that helps when we’re choosing themes. It’s best not to get too complicated; animal, trucks and seasonal themes all work well. For example, we always do an Apple Picking story time in the fall because that’s an activity many kids are doing.

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Q. Is there anything you’d like to see more of in picture books published today-either fiction or nonfiction (e.g. subject matter, characters, settings, themes, concepts, etc.)?

Jenny: With the We Need Diverse Books campaign, I’ve seen some great books – both fiction and nonfiction – that have been published in the past couple of years. Keep ‘em coming! We need their stories, now more than ever.

Emily: I love books about girls doing things we (traditionally, unfairly) associate with boys. Bring on the books about women truck drivers and construction workers. And kids love books about misbehaving children, but they’re often too often boys.

Thank you, Jenny and Emily, for taking time out of your busy schedules to talk picture books! Hooray for children’s librarians and all that they do for kids in our communities!

GroupTogether

Picture Books At The Library 151

Mama and little Toad help their friends who are stranded on the road.

Caroline is distracted all day at school because her parents are bringing home someone very special for her to meet.

As Max and Marla set out for the perfect picnic, they learn that getting along isn’t always easy, but best friends can’t stay mad for long. Nice art!

The bears are enjoying a picnic until a feisty wind swoops their kites away and the little bears too. Adorable addition to this series!

Big Brown Bear’s cave just doesn’t feel like home, so he fills it with stuff–all sorts of stuff.

Izzy gets frustrated when her inventions fail to work, but when she finds an injured crow, she knows just what to do to help.

Hot Dog is chilling out on his comfy bread with some corn and a couple of fries when disaster strikes. Cute!

A Lemur In The Library: Part Five

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Five
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

“Let’s hope it likes bananas,” said the librarian, as she retrieved the one she was saving for lunch.
She broke it into a half dozen pieces.
“Ready?” she asked the page.
He nodded.
They placed five chunks of the banana in a trail leading from the periodical section, where the lemur was lounging on a bed of shredded magazines and newspapers, to the storage closet.
The librarian tossed the sixth into the middle of the closet.
Then she and the page hid inside a nearby meeting room and waited.
Within minutes, the lemur detected the sweet aroma of ripe banana.
It scrambled down from the magazine rack, bits of torn paper flying everywhere, and followed the scent to the first chunk, which it swallowed in one bite.
It didn’t take long for the lemur to find and devour all five pieces.
Then it stood in front of the open closet, nose twitching.
“Almost there,” whispered the librarian.
The page gripped the net tightly.
Suddenly, the lemur took off toward the captivating glow of the public computers, all of which had been hastily abandoned midsession by library patrons.
“It’s smart,” said the page.
“Too smart,” said the librarian.
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Click here for Part Two

Click here for Part Three

Click here for Part Four

Picture Books At The Library 150

Dogs engage in all sorts of fun activities at the dog park.

A boy is determined to catch the ball even if it takes a bit of imagination.

An older brother encourages his younger brother to take a leap of faith.

A young mouse ventures out on his own to find the most wonderful words.

Stanley the spider likes to collect things, but he soon finds out that nothing lasts forever.

Quincy wants to blend in at chameleon school, but his daydreams always make him stand out.

Greedy Greenbackboy’s got an idea for a game; he wants Snowboy to help him cut down all the trees in the forest.

A fox is caught burglarizing a house by the owners, the three bears. Fantastic illustrations!

Follow a group of friends as they go sailing, explore an island, and return home to tell their tale. Cute art!

Animals love playing sports. Clever concept book!

When two of Moose’s letters come loose, he vanishes, but his best friend Cow has a plan. Fun!

A toad is bumped, bounced, and blown along a bustling road. Fun read aloud!

Children’s Book Academy Courses

Are you an aspiring children’s book author or illustrator? Are you searching for classes that will help get you started or elevate you to the next level? Then check out the fabulous lineup of classes offered by Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy. Mira’s got classes on picture books, chapter books, middle grade, self publishing, creating author websites, and much more–all online. And many of her classes are packed full of practical lessons, webinars, video tutorials, and help from industry professionals, not to mention bonuses and submission opportunities.

Coming up in August is The Craft & Business of Illustrating Children’s Picture Books. This class is perfect for illustrators or author/illustrators who are searching for an interactive e-course that teaches tons about illustrating children’s books, getting illustration work, building a platform, and selling your work. CLICK HERE for more information.

Take a look! As a Children’s Book Academy graduate myself, I can almost guarantee, you won’t be disappointed. (P.S. Mira is a super sweet lady, too, who truly cares about her students and their success. 🙂 )

@Mira Reisberg

#CBICB18

@ChildrensBookAc

A Lemur In The Library: Part Four

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Four
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

The librarian slowly opened the office door and stuck her head out.
The lemur was nowhere in sight.
“What’s taking animal control so long?” she said, as she cautiously stepped out into the library.
She heard a strange shuffling coming from the periodical section, and tiptoed toward the sound.
She froze when she spotted the lemur on top of the magazine rack.
It was stretched out on its back tearing the latest issue of National Geographic to shreds.
“I have an idea,” whispered the page, coming up behind the librarian. “Let’s set a trap.”
“What kind of trap?” answered the librarian.
The page motioned for the librarian to follow him back to the office.
“We can use this,” he said, as he held up a large butterfly net, a prop left behind after a recent children’s nature event.
“How?” asked the librarian, a bit doubtful.
“We lure the lemur into the storage closet with some food. Then while it’s cornered, we snare it with the net and put it in a box.”
“It might work,” said the librarian. “You’re in charge of the net.”
“I am?” asked the page.
“It was your idea.”
The page turned pale.
“Don’t worry,” said the librarian, “I’ll help.”
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Click here for Part Two

Click here for Part Three

Picture Books At The Library 149

When an old fountain in their neighborhood is restored, three siblings decide it’s the perfect place to send their goldfish on vacation.

Rescue worries that he’s not up to the task of being a service dog, but then he meets Jessica and it’s a perfect match.

Ruby struggles at ninja school and becomes homesick.

A family prepares for a day at the food truck festival, while at the same time, the food truck crews get ready for the event.

A celebration of the similarities and differences in the unique animals that share our world.

A little boy in the sleeping car of a train counts train cars instead of sheep to go to sleep. Lovely illustrations!

When the star-making rabbit who lives on the moon decides to visit earth, no one is left to make stars. Beautiful art!

A young girl tries to persuade her father that he is the one who should sleep in a little bed while she shares the big bed with Mommy. Funny!

A Lemur In The Library: Part Three

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Three
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

The librarian picked up the vase of orchids at exactly the same time the lemur realized the ficus was not the delicious snack he expected.
It discarded the branch it was holding and sprung down from the synthetic tree in one fluid motion.
Despite the lemur’s nimbleness, the force rocked the six-foot plant and it toppled over, narrowly missing the window.
The crash startled the librarian, causing the vase to slip from her hands and shatter on the marblesque floor.
The unfazed primate turned its gleaming amber eyes toward the librarian and the page.
“It’s coming closer!” said the page, scooping up the nearest item, the Blu-ray version of Tropic Thunder, and pitching it at the lemur before fleeing to the safety of the office.
The librarian joined the page and shut the door behind them.
Meanwhile, the lemur ignored the unenticing feature film that had, seconds earlier, flown past its head and made a dash for the orchids that were heaped on the floor.
It carefully picked through the broken glass and helped itself to every last blossom.
“We should do something,” said the librarian. “There may still be patrons in the library.”
“Isn’t there a story hour going on in the children’s room?” said the page.
“Oh no!”
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Click here for Part Two

Picture Books At The Library 148

Wendell imagines what it would be like to have a walrus as a pet.

When a little boy gets a dinosaur costume for his birthday, it opens up a prehistoric world of imagination.

A little elephant gets separated from his mother during a storm and must try to outrun a tiger. Beautiful art!

Two siblings build jetpacks and fly off for an adventure that includes visiting Nana and outer space.

A family sees many amazing sights at the park, from bugs and frogs to skaters and fishermen.

After the loss of her grandmother, Mina finds solace in stories told by family and friends.

God made light to cut through the darkness and bring vision and hope to all. That same light grows inside every child. Sweet!

As a girl sits alone in her new house, she can hear kids playing outside, but she’s not brave enough to join them. Super imaginative!

A story about a big bunny gets out of control.

Two kids have fun with their grandfather as he tries to remember the old rhyme about sugar and spice and everything nice. Fun!

A young girl experiences her first funeral and all of the rituals that go along with it.

A little girl learns that it’s okay to make mistakes. Cute and colorful!

A Lemur In The Library: Part Two

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Two
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

“This is animal control,” said the voice on the other end of the line.
“We have a lemur in the library!” said the librarian. “It’s disturbing our patrons and destroying property. Can you send someone right away?”
“A lemur? I’m not sure we have the right equipment for that, but we’ll swing by.”
“Thanks, and please hurry!”
Meanwhile, the lemur spied a potted plant. Abandoning the half-eaten paperback, it jumped down from the table and sashayed across the floor on all fours, its tail held high behind it.
It stopped at the Noteworthy Nonfiction display to sniff the cover of Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmsted. Then it poked at a copy of Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin before resuming its course.
The librarian returned from the office just in time to see the lemur scurry up the ficus tree.
It managed to free a branch from the trunk and began chewing on a leaf.
“It doesn’t know it’s artificial,” said the page who’d been observing the animal.
“Let’s move the flowers off the reference desk,” said the librarian, “before—”
“It’s too late,” interrupted the page. “It’s looking this way!”
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Picture Books At The Library 147

A boy misses his bus and watches other very unusual buses go by until he decides to ride one. Fun!

Scoop the Ice Cream Truck is getting old and fancy new ice cream trucks are moving into the neighborhood. Love the art!

Nothing will stop Henry from flying, except maybe gravity.

A dog is called Lazybones because he doesn’t like to go for walks.

To Phoebe, it seems like everything fun is happening tomorrow, and she doesn’t like to wait.

Sixteen poems celebrate the ages and stages of being a robin. Cute!

A playful cat follows a courageous fish to the moon and then to the ocean. (wordless)

A Lemur In The Library: Part One

A small tale for your enjoyment!

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part One
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

“Where did it come from?” asked the librarian.
“Madagascar, I think,” answered the page.
“I meant, how did it get here?”
The page shrugged.
The lemur climbed up the fiction stacks, pulling books off the shelf as it went.
It tore off the corner of James Patterson’s Zoo with its sharp, pointed teeth, but finding it too tough, dropped it to the floor with a thud.
It leaped from the top of the stack to the next one.
It paused just a moment to fluff its long, ringed tail with its tiny front claws before reaching down to grab a tasty looking romance novel, Debbie Macomber’s Here Comes Trouble.
It devoured half of the paperback before it jumped onto a table occupied by three hapless patrons.
One screamed and another knocked over a chair in his haste to make for the door.
The lemur hopped across the table on its hind legs, flicked its tail, and chattered loudly.
“What’s that smell?” asked the page.
“I’d better call animal control,” said the librarian, as she turned and rushed back to the office.
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Picture Books At The Library 146

Russell and his dad build a tree fort in their new backyard.

While shopping with her two dads, Harriet, who is wearing her penguin costume, gets carried away by a waddle of penguins.

When a girl spills grape juice all over her new dress, a classmate wants to make her feel better by being kind. Sweet!

Ruby and Violet Mutch have always collected things in pairs, but when their house will no longer hold everything, Ruby decides to move out.

Blue Monster loves new things, but things don’t stay new forever, and soon Blue Monster wants something newer. Will he ever be satisfied?

A girl becomes pen pals with a Komodo dragon who tells her all about himself and dangers to his species.

Sakura moves to America with her parents and misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees back in Japan.

When Grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her–everyone knows tigers live in jungles, not gardens.

A boy and his cat have a magical adventure on the night of the blue moon. Love all the blue!

In a city filled with people and wonders, Adelaide feels lonely. Gorgeous art!

While reading a book, a child is carried beyond the repetitive sameness of an urban skyscape into an untamed natural landscape. Wonderfully whimsical!

Random Pic Of Cuteness: Writing Prompt #3

Just for fun, I’m sharing–at random–cute photos to inspire your picture book writing. Perhaps a picture will spark an idea for a character, setting, or even an entire story. Have fun!

lamb

*All photos are available in the public domain or were taken by me, and are free to use and share.

Picture Books At The Library 145

Since the author is asleep, the illustrator decides to take over writing the story, but she may need some help.

Neighbors and community workers alike work together when Big Tree, their favorite local landmark, is downed during a lightning storm.

When something sad happens to Taylor, all the animals think they know how to help.

Bob doesn’t like the chaos of New York City, so he decides to build a tree house in the cool, green calm of Central Park.

After visiting the aquarium, Oliver decides to be an otter and tries to copy otter behavior at meals, while playing, and at bath time.

A young girl joyfully creates art from everyday objects.

Murray Bear is afraid to visit the waterfall, so with the help of his big sister, he makes a worry box and puts his worries inside.

A little girl imagines all the things she can be and defies the negative voice inside that says she can’t succeed.

Follow a boy through a day filled with the noisy joy of imaginative play. Fun!

A girl is determined to express herself–no matter what. Lovely lyrical ode to creativity!

Raccoon doesn’t want to be alone on a stormy night, but his neighbors each tell him they have no room to spare. Nice art!

My View Book Review: Microbes by Amy Gallagher

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Title: Microbes

Author/Illustrator: Amy Gallagher

Publisher/Year: ThunderStone Books/2017

Back Cover Blurb: Microbes are incredibly tiny organisms; they are so small that millions of them can fit on the head of a pin! These cells, though invisible to the naked eye, are vital to the human race and ecosystem.

Microbes is a nonfiction picture book that introduces kids to six types of microbes: bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, archaea, and protozoa. Each microbe is discussed in its own chapter. Information and facts are presented in a simple, straight-forward manner. Colorful microbial characters accompany the text and liven up the pages. A Terminology section in the back offers expanded definitions of scientific terms featured in the book.

Microbes is, effectively, a mini Microbiology lesson for older kids–ages 8-12–and even curious adults who’d like to learn more about the microscopic creatures that share our world. The book certainly takes a heavy subject and makes is accessible to kids and to those of us who may be completely clueless, like me.

Did you know that microbes exist everywhere, even in our own bodies?

Did you know that bacteria can survive in a variety of habitats, even the arctic?

Did you know that some algae can be found on the hair of sloths and polar bears?

Did you know that protozoa hunt and gather other microbes as food?

Those are just a few of the interesting facts I learned.

I have to admit, microbes are a fascinating topic. If you have a child at home who loves science, this book is for them. Or maybe this book is for you, if you want to find out why algae is green, why yeast makes dough rise, or why white blood cells are important. If none of that interests you, then pick the book up for the illustrations. Who knew microbes could look so cute?

Picture Books At The Library 144

When Morgan has bad dreams and is afraid to go to sleep at night, Nana brings him a plush lion to help him be brave.

While Mr. Noah is building the ark, Mrs. Noah is busy making a very special coat.

Marlo the dog sets off on an adventure among the dinosaurs.

When Mae’s family moves to the city, she misses her garden.

A celebration of the special bond between best friends.

Because Neither is different from the rabbits and birds in the land of This and That, it sets out to find a place where everyone is welcome. Love the message! Love the colors!

After a bumpy start, the pig family’s picnic turns out just right. Super cute!

Determined to be more than just a pebble, Rocky sets off to help his famous relatives. A clever book about rocks!

A girl is disappointed when she receives a chicken as a birthday gift, until she realizes the chicken is planning a big surprise. Fun!

Random Pic Of Cuteness: Writing Prompt #2

Just for fun, I’m sharing–at random–cute photos to inspire your picture book writing. Perhaps a picture will spark an idea for a character, setting, or even an entire story. Have fun!

This one is in honor of Arbor Day!

squirrel in tree

*All photos are available in the public domain or were taken by me, and are free to use and share.

Picture Books At The Library 143

A young girl explores the woods behind her house in search of elusive fairies.

An energetic girl’s activities mimic those of animals, as she stretches like a cat, hangs like a bat, hops like a hare, and etc.

Four rabbit siblings use their unique talents to devise a way to cross the stream and make friends with the squirrels who just moved there.

Peep must find a way to convince Egg to use the potty.

Blip is always plugged into her computer–until one day a blackout forces her to play outdoors. I like the contrast between the black and white of “indoors” and the colorfulness of “outdoors”!

The Lago family’s new couch lands in Llama’s field, and just as he’s begun to love it, the family returns. Hilarious! Just look at that cover!

Sapphire the dragon tries to make friends with the other animals, but they don’t want her around. Nice art!

When her father leaves her at her grandmother’s house, a girl feels abandoned and lonely until she meets some animal friends. Sweet in both text and pictures!

Marigold doesn’t like that her new little sister Daisy is getting so much attention. Funny!

Picture Books At The Library 142

A Busy Creature chomps and chews his way from A-Z. Funny!

When Tough Tug sails to Alaska for the first time, he finds out what being a tug really means. Cute!

When five elephants discover a new fruit at the top of a very tall tree, the race is on to see who can claim it first. Clever!

Five little beavers are hard at work until, one by one, their friends whisk them away to play. Fun!

A duckling enjoys a rainy day with his animal friends.

A young girl ponders the colors of her world. Lovely and lyrical!

Bernie heads out to make a duck delivery, but one of the ducks eats the directions, and now he can’t find his customer. Hilarious with a twist ending!

New Feature: Random Pics of Cuteness: Writing Prompts

Just for fun, I’ll be sharing–at random–cute photos to inspire your picture book writing. Perhaps a picture will spark an idea for a character, setting, or even an entire story. Have fun!

StaticIssues

*All photos are available in the public domain or were taken by me, and are free to use and share.

Picture Books At The Library 141

A little girl tries several ways to get rid of the hiccups.

Brothers Charlie and Mouse enjoy a special visit from Grumpy.

With her shadow’s encouragement, a young dancer psychs herself up for an audition.

Harbet cannot keep up with the latest hat trends–as soon as he gets a new hat, it’s already old. Love Emily Gravett’s books! Especially love the unexpected ending in this one!

A boy and his toy dragon search for the most comfortable bed during a dreamy nighttime adventure.

Little Choo wants to be just like his father Papa Pufferbelly, but pulling a line of freight cars up a steep mountain might be a little too much for the small engine.