You Stole My NameToo, written and illustrated by Dennis McGregor, was published by Blue Star Press in 2024. This beautiful over-sized picture book, called a “children’s coffee-table-art book”, follows You Stole My Name, which was chosen as a Kirkus Best Indie Picture Books in 2023. The “You Stole My Name” series continues with a third book titled You Stole My Name Tools, which is due out in 2025.
Whereas the first book compares shared animal-to-animal names (e.g. bull and bullfrog) and the third book compares animal-to-tool names (e.g. monkey and monkey wrench), You Stole My Name Too introduces shared animal-to-plant names, such as the tiger and tiger lily depicted in the striking cover image above.
This book is overflowing with gorgeous hand-painted artwork, done in gouache, by Dennis McGregor, who is also a talented designer, songwriter, and musician. Children will delight in the colorful, realistic plants and animals depicted on each two-page spread. They’ll meet a friendly ostrich with an ostrich fern, an aromatic skunk with skunk cabbage, a bright-eyed wolf with wolf lichen, and several more charming animal/plant pairs.
Along with each animal/plant pair, young readers will find Dennis McGregor’s four-line, rhyming poems entertaining and fun, and the text may even induce a bit of laughter from kids and adults alikeas each animal questions why their corresponding plant was named after them.Additionally, many of the poems include a touch of educational detail, and, of course, those unfamiliar with some of the plants, especially what they look like, will learn something new too.
Here’s my favorite verse, titled “KiwiFruit” (I’m sure you can guess the animal/plant pair):
I guess you think you look like me?
Sorry, but I disagree.
Yes we’re brown, round, and cute,
but I’m a bird and you’re a fruit!
(The covers of the first and third books in the “You Stole My Name” series)
Just like a picture book about plants and animals is perfect to feature here on Frog on a Blog, all three of these lovely books would make perfect gifts for animal, plant, and art lovers (and tool lovers? 🙂 ) of all ages!
Native to Asia, the Tiger Lily flower gets its name from its bright orange coloring and dark spots that some say resemble a tiger. In Chinese culture, the Tiger Lily is a symbol of good fortune.
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a board book here on Frog on a Blog. But board books are essentially picture books, just in a different format. They’re for the littlest book aficionados, infants to about three years old. Thanks to their extra-sturdy covers, board books hold up well in the hands and mouths of these future readers.
Today, I’m pleased to share, on a rainy Wednesday here at home, Hello, Rain! by Katherine Pryor, with illustrations by Rose Soini. Hello, Rain! was published by Schiffer Kids in 2024. It’s the second in the “Hello,” series, following Hello, Garden!, by the same author and illustrator, which received the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Benjamin Franklin Gold Awardin 2022 for its age category.
Both books feature the same diverse family. And, as you can see from the covers, the kids are the stars. In Hello, Rain!, readers follow the family as they set off to play in the rain. The children enjoy splashing in puddles and drawing in mud until a thunderstorm drives them all back to the safety and comfort of homewhere a family story time, followed by a bubble-filled bath, proves to be the perfect way to end the day.
The rhyming, rhythmic text adeptly uses short sentences and simple noun/verb pairs to create mood and movement throughout the story. The colorful illustrations, which I believe are watercolor, depict sweet kids and lots of outdoor scenes, including birds, squirrels, trees, and plants. Parents will have fun pointing out a sleeping mouse, baby robins, and curious worms. What I like most about this book is just the pure joy the kids express while playing outside in nature.
Hello, Rain! is a great choice for the little book and nature lovers in your life!
On average, American Robins lay 3-4 eggs in a clutch but only 1 egg per day. They also typically lay more than 1 clutch of eggs throughout the nesting season.
Title: Moon Choo-Choo: A Tale of Imagination and Sibling Adventure
Author: Mona Voelkel
Illustrator: Nancy Kincade
Publisher: Arigna Press
Release Date: May 30, 2024 (National Creativity Day)
Format: Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook
Summary: Everybody, time to play. What should we pretend today?
Destination: The Moon
Engine, Engine, Number 3
Shooting through the galaxy.
If our train gets lost in space,
Stars will help us find our place.
Where will imagination take you?
Take a rollicking ride with Moon Choo-Choo and three siblings as they blast off on a journey of imagination. What will they play today? Will they be engineers? Astronauts? Their imagination powers up Moon Choo-Choo. They journey into space, have a lunar lunch, and, despite being low on fuel and threatened by asteroids, make it back home safely.
Moon Choo-Choo, a 200-word rhyming picture book for ages 3-6, is a joyful celebration of sibling bonds and imaginative play.
*Join Mona and Nancy for their 30 minute “First Read and Review Zoom Party” on May 30, 2024, at 7PM EST: https://forms.gle/ygMC9MntfzNVCnd69
Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.
Of Note: Rhyming text, interactive illustrated overlays, and color photographs
I love trees of all shapes and sizes, so it’s my pleasure to share today, just in time for Earth Day and Arbor Day, which are both this week, two children’s picture books that take our relationship with trees to the next level. Before I tell you more about these books, let me back up just a bit. I mentioned that I love trees, but so do kids! There’s an interesting fascination that kids have with trees. Maybe it’s because trees are so big and kids are small. Or maybe it’s because trees come in many shapes and sizes and even colors. Trees are fun to climb and play in or play under. And trees often hold surprises, like birds and nests, squirrels and nuts, and pinecones and flowers. Let’s not forget the trees that change color in fall, like maples and oaks, and provide piles of crunchy leaves to jump in.
Yes, kids love trees, and that’s a good thing because trees are so very important in many ways. They remove carbon dioxide from the air we breathe, filter water, slow flooding, provide shade, support wildlife, and supply food and even medicines. My hope is that kids will take their love for and fascination with trees into adulthood and always appreciate them and find ways to protect them and our environment. In the meantime, picture books, like the ones I’m sharing today, will help kids love trees even more.
Hello, Treesis a lyrical story that follows a little girl through the seasons from spring to winter and back around to spring again. The kind, unnamed girl clearly cares about trees and has many questions that show her concern for their wellbeing. She wonders if they have souls. She compares their trunks and roots and branches to bodies, legs, and arms. And she asks if they feel pain or cold. The text is simple yet thought provoking, and it also evokes emotions, such as happiness and sadness. The illustrations are charming and full of life. As the seasons change, we see leaves just beginning to sprout in spring, branches overflowing with green leaves in summer, fall-colored leaves in autumn (as in the picture below), and bare trees surrounded by snow in winter. Along the way, we meet an abundance of insects, birds, and squirrels. On a couple of spreads, the girl shares names of trees she knows, like pine and willow, and some with strange sounding names, like wisteria and rainbow eucalyptus. Overall, this is a lovely book to share with the tree lovers in your family.
Back cover blurb: This is a book about trees. Do trees have souls? Why do they have such wrinkly skin? Do they smile? And how do they feel about birds’ nests in their branches? Let’s find out.
Tree Spiritsis a fun, interactive picture book that also asks questions and introduces emotions and features cute animals, but in a very different way from the first book. Simple, rhyming text and color photos of various trees on each spread encourage kids to use their imaginations as they ask themselves what they see when they look at each tree. Here’s how it works: A tree is pictured on one page, then you turn the page and see the same tree with an illustrated overlay depicting an animal. About 10 different animals are included, such as an alligator, a rabbit (see the cover image above), an octopus, and a horse. Here’s the text that goes with the first tree image below: “Oh my, what have we here? I see five columns standing quite near.” Then, after the child turns the page, they see the next image (second image below), which has an illustrated overlay, and we read: “Could it be a young elephant deep in a funk, crying big tears as they run down his trunk? Little elephant is feeling quite sad.” This book is for tree enthusiasts of all ages, especially those who love to stretch their imaginations, and it’s also a good first introduction for kids to different feelings, including more complicated ones, like eagerness, shyness, and alertness.
It’s worth noting that the reader may not always see the same image in the shape of the tree that the author or illustrator saw (I know I didn’t), and that’s part of the fun!For example, where they saw an alligator, I saw a dinosaur!
Out of the 25 known species of chipmunks (small, striped members of the squirrel family), 24 species are found only in North America.
Topic/Theme: Easter, the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christian holiday
Of Note: Meaningful, rhyming text and vivid illustrations
Favorite Line(s):And soon the ground began to shake. The skies grew dark, a huge earthquake! The guardians were terrified! “This was the son of God!” they cried.
Title: Bear Finds Eggs
Author: Karma Wilson
Illustrator: Jane Chapman
Publisher/Year: Margaret K. McElderry Books/2024
Topic/Theme: Friendship, eggs, helping others
Of Note: Sweet, rhyming text, vivid illustrations, and cute animals
Favorite Line(s):Bear leaves a present in the straw and the sticks. “Some sweet, dried berries for the soon-to-be chicks.”
It may be St. Patrick’s Day today, but did you know that Easter is just two weeks away? Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian faith because it celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead. Interestingly, the date of Easter changes each year because it’s based on the lunar calendar. It generally falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox (first day of spring). That’s why Easter can occur anywhere between March 22 and April 25.
Many people, including non-Christians, celebrate Easter around the world. I grew up Catholic, and I have fond memories of attending a special Easter mass at church(usually sporting a new outfit), having a delicious dinner at home, and dying eggs in lots of fun, bright colors. We also enjoyed Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies and eggs, jelly beans, and various other candies. Mom hid our baskets somewhere in the house, and we had a lot of fun finding them.
Some people include other things besides candy in their kids’ Easter baskets, such as toys and books. Including books about Easter is a no-brainer, and I’ve got two lovely–and very different–Easter-themed children’s picture books to share with you today.
Journey with Jesus: an Easter Storyis a good first introduction to the origins of the Christian celebration ofEaster. Detailed illustrations and rhyming text will capture a young reader’s attention as they follow the path of Jesus from the day He enters the city of Jerusalem upon a humble donkey to the night He was betrayed to His heartbreaking crucifixion to His joyous Resurrection from the dead. This Bible-based story is moving and, at times, sad and, perhaps, a little heavy, as it depicts scenes of betrayal and injustice, as well as Jesus’s death upon the cross, but the ending brings joy and hope. When sharing Journey with Jesus: an Easter Story with children, be prepared to reassure them and possibly answer questions. Pairing this book with others about Jesus is recommended so that kids can learn more about His life and who He is.
Summary from the back cover: Walk with Jesus through the special days of Holy Week. From the joy of Palm Sunday to the love and mystery of the Last Supper, from the sorrow of the Garden of Gethsemane to the triumph of the empty Garden Tomb, young readers are invited to journey with Jesus all the way to Easter and experience His great love for each one of us.
Bear Finds Eggsis the latest book in Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman’s popular The Bear Books series. This super sweet, brightly illustrated (in acrylic paint) story follows all of the familiar and adorable animal friends on a mission to find Mama Meadowlark’s four lost eggs. As they discover each one, they decide to paint them so that they’ll be easier to spot if they ever go missing again. Told in fun-to-read rhyme, Bear Finds Eggs isn’t overtly Easter-themed, but, instead, the holiday is alluded to via the painted eggs, the egg hunt, the way the word Eggs is colorfully depicted on the cover, and the fact that it’s Hare who brings a basket to put the eggs into. This simple friendship story is actually perfect for spring because it’s brimming with cute, baby birds–robins, ducklings, and, of course, meadowlarks–who all hatch from pretty eggs discovered by Bear and his pals.
Summary from the jacket flap: In the forest, near the glen, on a wild, wooded trail, Bear and his friends spot eggs! Bear is leaving little presents for the soon-to-hatch chicks when he hears the call. Mama Meadowlark has lost her eggs! How will she find them all?
A hinny is the result of a cross between a female donkey and a male horse, while a mule is the result of a cross between a male donkey and a female horse.
Favorite Line from the Book:There was a huge forest of grasses and trees that blew in the cool of a blustery breeze.
If you’re searching for an action-packed picture book that features animals, nature, educational back matter, and rollicking rhyming text, you’ve found it! Author Jody Jensen Shaffer’s book Creep, Leap, Crunch: A Food Chain Story, has all of that and more. The story, told in a cumulative fashion akin to There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, introduces and “connects” a food chain in a deciduous forest in a satisfying way. Not only that, but the lyrical text is so much fun to read aloud.
I must admit, being an animal lover, I was a tad concerned about how the story was going to turn out. After all, it follows six hungry animals from sunrise to sunset as they swoop in on their prey. But I’m ecstatic to report that, after several daring escapes, the ending is delightful and happy.
Illustrator Christopher Silas Neal’s depictions of landscapes, vegetation, and animals, including various insects, such as a cricket, as well as a deer mouse, a red milk snake, a red-tailed hawk, a red fox, and a black bear, are charming and detailed, and were rendered in slightly muted tones, using mixed media. Be sure to look under the book jacket for a surprise case cover (also known as an undie!).
Back matter features a short glossary and interesting information about each specific animal in the book. For example, black bears can be black, gray, cinnamon, or white. And red milk snakes can grow up to two feet long.
Overall, Creep, Leap, Crunch: A Food Chain Story is a great first introduction to food chains for kids. The very youngest readers may find some of the images a smidge scary, though not enough to deter a parent and child from enjoying the book together.
A female red fox, known as a vixen, can have between 2 and 12 pups per litter.
Topic/Theme: family, grandparent/grandchild relationships, nature appreciation, love
Of Note: Gorgeous, dreamy illustrations
Title: Same Love, Different Hug
Author: Sarah Hovorka
Illustrator: Abbey Bryant
Publisher/Year: Clarion Books/2023
Topic/Theme: family, friendship, personal space/boundaries, love
Of Note: Fun, bouncy rhymes
Both of these lovely picture books are gentle and poetic but in different ways.And both would make excellent gifts, perfect to share with little readers.
Like Sofollows a grandmother and grandchild as they spend time together indoors and out throughout the seasons. They pick berries, cook, walk through the forest, build a snowman, and gaze at the stars together. The text is lyrical and simple: I kiss you like so. You kiss me like so. I hug you like so. You hug me like so. We got love…like so. The vivid illustrations are absolutely spectacular and the real star of the book.
Summary from the jacket flap: A tribute to the powerful bond of love shared by families, especially between grands and grandchildren, Like So shines with a love as natural and connected as the world around us.
Same Love, Different Hugfollows a child who loves to hug but wonders what other people like and sets off to discover the answer from their family and friends. The digitally created illustrations are cheery and energetic and feature a cast of diverse kids and adults. Readers will delight in the text, which features internal and end rhymes, and flows at a nice pace: On these days, Daddy likes a sag, droop, need-a-group hug.
Summary from the jacket flap: Same Love, Different Hug is a gentle picture book that looks at how different people connect and navigate boundaries, modeling social-emotional skills for the youngest among us.
Please welcome multi-published children’s book author Marcia Berneger to Frog on a Blog. Marcia and I were in a critique group together once upon a time. I’m thrilled that she has a new picture book coming out this month, and I get to share it with you all right here!
As a retired elementary school teacher and now a grandmother, Marcia’s no stranger to the seemingly unending supply of energy that kids have, and her book Busy Feet captures the essence of that energy so perfectly through the activities of children’s (and a few animals’) feet, following them from home to playground to beach and back home again.
Along with Marcia’s rollicking rhyme and bold illustrations by Susanna Chapman that kids are sure to love, Busy Feet incorporates a surprise element–opposites–giving this super-fun story an extra layer of “teaching without teaching.” Marcia stopped by to share more about this engaging book.
People always ask, “Wow! Where’d you come up with that idea?” I’d love to answer that Busy Feet leapt into my head when we first found out my daughter-in-law was pregnant. Or even when Ori was born. However, truth be told, the text for Busy Feet predates Ori’s birth by five years. The very first Busy Feet manuscript was penned in July 2015. The original text for this book is almost identical to the final copy. One or two simple word substitutions and one additional verse are the only changes. But, what a difference the illustrations make. Susanna Chapman splashed bright, vivid colors onto every page. My favorite page? The very last one. The kids, and the dog, are settling down for the night and the boy is pulling the chain to shut the light—with his foot! Inspired!
So where did the idea for Busy Feet come from? I taught at the elementary level for thirty-four years. My last twenty were first and second grade. I also taught in a preschool. But, again, if I’m being truthful, I retired from public school in 2013, and didn’t start teaching the preschoolers until 2020. I did read a lot of picture books to my students throughout the years. That reading, and teaching basic concepts to young children, influenced all of my writing, helping me understand what children love about books and how best to write them.
Many of my picture book ideas are generated during what is now called Storystorm. This is Tara Lazar’s challenge to writers to think up 30 different picture book ideas during the month of January. I participated back in 2014 when it was held in November and was called Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoldMo). The idea for Busy Feet came from that list. It was a title in a list of 34 random story ideas. When I reviewed the list and saw the title, a verse just popped into my head.
Feet wake up
Time to play.
Happy feet,
Out all day.
You’ll probably notice this is a simple rhyming verse. No learning here whatsoever. But, being the teacher that I am (or was), I couldn’t let it go at that. Could I make up verses that rhymed perfectly, that had, say…antonyms?
And there you have it—a learning book without a boring lesson. I made a long list of opposites that could be included in the book. Then I checked my rhyming dictionary to make a list of words that rhymed and would go with my opposites. (There are a tremendous number of words that rhyme! It was a very long list.) THEN, I listed all the adjectives that could describe feet and yet another list of different activities kids’ feet might do. Once I’d done all this research and list-making, putting together the verses was actually pretty easy. The final product: a simple rhyming book of fun kid activities that happens to incorporate opposites. Teaching, without teaching!
And the best part… Ori just turned two, the perfect age for Busy Feet. I was so excited when I first read it to him! It’s designed to be interactive, so his feet swung up and down, his toes wiggled, we ran fast, then slow… so much fun!!
Busy Feet scurries into the world on February 14, 2023. Here’s a new verse to herald in its book birthday:
Busy feet
want to play.
Just in time
For Valentine’s Day!
Giveaway!
Marcia is generously giving away a signed copy of Busy Feet to one lucky person who comments on this blog post. Leave a comment by February 13th. I’ll choose a winner at random and connect them with Marcia. Winner must have a US mailing address.Good luck!
Marcia Berneger is an educator, speaker, and writer. She’s the author of three children’s books: a time travel chapter book, A Dreidel in Time: A New Twist on an Old Tale (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2019), and two picture books, Buster: The Little Garbage Truck (Sleeping Bear Press, 2015) and Busy Feet (Starry Forest Books, 2023).
A retired elementary school teacher of over 30 years, Marcia has developed many strategies for working with children of all ages and is passionate about writing stories that help children navigate their world. She’s available to share her expertise through live or virtual presentations.
In addition, as a Jewish author, Marcia is dedicated to highlighting the importance of diversity in publishing and children seeing themselves in the pages of the books they read. She often speaks about this topic and others for kidlit publications and organizations such as the Children’s Book Academy, the California School Library Association, the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and GilaGreenWrites.com.
Marcia lives in San Diego, California, with her husband. You can learn more about Marcia and her books at www.marciaberneger.com or by following her on Twitter @marciaberneger or Facebook at #marciaberneger.
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?
ButAn Emotional Menagerie: Feelings from A to Zby 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
During these extra-trying days, I can’t think of a better time to share a book about emotions with our kids.
That Day in September and other Rhymes for the Times (Front and Back Covers)
I am happy to welcome author Liz Lime to Frog on a Blog. In her book That Day in September and other Rhymes for the Times (Words In The Works, LLC, 2014), each of Liz’s poems highlights a social issue or a significant historical event, or perhaps a more personal concern. Liz hopes her book will appeal to children and adults. She says, “I feel rhymes are a fun way to teach children history lessons. When children are old enough they can ask their parents questions about the rhymes and illustrations, but until that time, they can just enjoy sharing special time with their parents as they read together.” (That Day In September)
One unique feature of the book is that it showcases 16 illustrators. In the article below, Liz speaks about her decision to use more than one illustrator and the meticulous process of matching each illustrator to a rhyme. Her enthusiasm for picture book art and artists, shines brightly through her words.
20 Rhymes and 16 Illustrators!
By Liz Lime
At the time I was thinking about illustrators for That Day in September, Rhymes for the Times, I went to Portfolio Solutions, LLC, and there were all these brilliantly talented picture book artists. It was suggested to me by a professional in the children’s book publishing field that perhaps the illustrations should be rendered by the same artist for a more consistent look. A consistent look throughout the book was exactly what I didn’t want! I wanted a surprise on every page, and each thought-provoking illustration accomplished that goal for me. My only regret is that I didn’t have enough rhymes to suit every artist in the agency!
The process of matching artist to rhyme did take a while, I must say. The artists’ own schedules played a large role in the final decision as previously contracted work had to be taken into consideration before they could commit to my book. There were many other artists that would have contributed beautiful works to the rhymes, but some of them just weren’t available for any number of reasons when I began the art-style-to-rhyme selection process. Since they are all freelance artists, their schedules change on a daily basis.
Lynne Avril, for example is the illustrator of Harper Collins’ GreenWillow imprint’s hugely successful young Amelia Bedelia books, among many others, so Lynne was always booked up. I had faith though, and sure enough when Lynne got a tiny break in her schedule, she took on LittleGirls. I couldn’t imagine any other than Lynne’s delightful characters for that particular rhyme, and I don’t think I’ll get much argument about that.
Not all the rhymes were that easy to match to an illustrator’s style, That Day in September was without doubt the toughest one for me. The subject matter is so sensitive and affected every American so deeply that I just had to get it right. For me, there was no room for error. The characters had to be relatable, but I felt that children should be able to distance themselves if they felt the need to do so. Winifred Barnum Newman’s elf-like creatures from her bestselling book Gumwrappers and Goggles, were perfect! Winifred is a much-published illustrator of children’s books with a string of titles attached to her name so I knew she had the experience to carry it off. There’s poignancy to Wini’s work that delicately tells the rhyme’s story, and that’s a quality that only her vast experience as an artist, sculptor and children’s book illustrator could have translated so well for our young readers.
Ten in a Chair was a much easier match up as I had long been a fan of Cary Pillo’s illustrated monkeys. The expressions on the monkeys’ faces are just hilarious. Cary has captured the right blend of motion, emotion, action and reaction – this illustration always makes me smile, and again, this is where an illustrator’s experience comes to the fore. Cary is a professional, seasoned artist with countless books to her credit; her work can also be seen in children’s magazines as well as textbooks. It’s amazing to me that with ten monkeys to illustrate, Cary was able to capture a different expression on each face; brilliant and funny!
As you can see, I have a wild appreciation for illustrators and could go on about every single one of the artists in my book. But my editor said 600 words was enough for now!
Kids love stories about pirates. Kids also love to laugh. What’s funnier than a pirate who gets seasick? Wouldn’t your child want to read a story like that? That is exactly what children’s author Fran Sivers and illustrator Leilani Coughlan have created in their book Pelican Bill.
But they need our help. They’ve begun a KickStarter campaign in order to raise the necessary funds they need to bring Pelican Bill and his pirate crew to life in a children’s picture book.
Please go to their KickStarter page, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1163027881/pelican-bill-a-sickeningly-good-yarn, watch the short video clip, read about the project (you can even read the entire rollicking, rhyming, jolly good story), and consider supporting their campaign. If you cannot help financially, at least spread the word about this really great cause. I’m sure Fran and Leilani will appreciate any assistance you can give.
Love it! That was my first thought after reading Friendly Day, a colorful, rhyming picture book that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I really like books that are happy and make me smile. Friendly Day is all about friendliness…and kindness. I’ve discovered that kindness is a theme I often incorporate into my own writing. I believe children can never read enough books about treating others with kindness, respect, and, of course, friendliness. Still, as all the experts say, you don’t want to preach in a picture book, you want to teach kids in a way that doesn’t feel like teaching, but rather entertains. And Friendly Day does just that with its joyous, frolicking rhyme that rolls off the tongue, and bold, bright, super-fun illustrations of animals interacting with one another. I’ve just got to share the wonderful opening verse:
When Cat caught Mouse, outside his house,
courageous Mouse cried, “Hey!
Put down that plate and see the date.
It’s Friendly Day today
-a day for sharing, a day for caring,
when everyone is nice,
when Frog reads Snail a fairy tale
and cats do NOT eat mice.”
This book makes me wish there really was a Friendly Day!
But maybe every day can be Friendly Day…that’s even better. 🙂
A Wish To Be A Christmas Tree is a gorgeously illustrated holiday picture book told in flawless rhyme. It is sweet, magical, and heartwarming. The story is about a sad evergreen tree that has watched year after year as the trees around him are chosen to be Christmas trees. He knows it’s too late for him because he has grown too big and tall. He is heartbroken because being a Christmas tree has always been his dream. In order to cheer him, the woodland creatures find a way to show him just how much he is appreciated. This book is just beautiful in so many ways. First, look at the wonderful cover image above. From the sparkling snow, to the glowing background, to the character in the tree’s face, this picture makes you want to open the book to see more. Even the title is in the shape of a tree. And if you open the book, you won’t be disappointed. My favorite illustration depicts songbirds perched in the tree’s branches. The picture accompanies wonderful text such as this: “The first morning sun brought a wondrous sight, as icicles glimmered and captured the light. Colorful birds perched all over the pine, as beautiful as bulbs and just as fine.” Love it! Besides being visually stunning and a joy to read, the story conveys a message of friendship and caring. A Wish To Be A Christmas Tree is a must read!
In a recent post, I admitted that I am not a poet. I may have one or two rhyming stories in my stable, but the majority of my stories are written in prose, not verse. The author of today’s featured review, E. S. Redmond, is a poet, and an exceptional one at that. The Unruly Queen (2012, Candlewick Press) is a delightful read-aloud with humorous watercolor illustrations to match.E. S. Redmond has managed to use and to rhyme words in her story that most people would not even think of. Here’s one passage from the story: “No one was spared from the havoc she wreaked. She had fifty-two nannies in fifty-two weeks. Each one of them left feeling frazzled and freaked, with permanent headaches and hair with white streaks.” From that passage I believe you can discern what the story is about. If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be clever.
I’ve decided to post a silly poem I wrote many years ago about a greedy young boy. I think this was my feeble attempt at being Seussical. (Hey, I never said I was a poet.) Still, I hope you enjoy it.
Lauri Fortino's Frog On A (B)Log 