Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep: A Yarn About Wool by Teri Sloat, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott 2000
Follow Farmer Brown and his shivering sheep through the complete process of turning wool into yarn. The sheep are perturbed by the loss of their wool, and even a little embarrassed. They trail after Farmer Brown to see what will become of their lovely white wool. In the end, they are wearing their wool again, in a more fashionable and colorful way.
Appropriate for ages 3-6
Food Fight! By Carol Diggory Shields, illustrated by Doreen Gay-Kassel 2002
This story reveals the antics of the inhabitants of our refrigerators when the lights go out. The play on words are absolutely hilarious so you won’t mind reading it over and over, which is the request you will get from your child. The evening in the kitchen starts out jovial enough, but then takes a turn for the worse when the tuna fish have the nerve to tell the garlic “You stink!” The dramatic expression on each food or container really begins to take shape, and the puns come at a fast pace.
“The rice got steamed and popped the corn, “Chill out, you guys,” The ice cubes warned. But the punch kept punching, and the cream got whipped, the chips threw the crackers in the guacamole dip.”
The clay artwork by Kassel adds to the humor of the text perfectly. After reading this story you may be opening you refrigerator at lightning speed in the morning to see if any food is scurrying back to it’s place.
Appropriate for ages 4-8
Firefighters in the Dark by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli 2006
Hearing the fire truck sirens at night causes a young girl to imagine the adventures of the firefighters. She imagines their rescue of fifteen little princesses in a huge castle, a girl in Mexico whose mouth is on fire, and a boy who bounces into the starlit sky. In between these daring feats she recalls the day-to-day activities of the firefighters as they wait for a call back at the fire station.
My child was enamored with the illustrations by Ceccoli. They are saturated with wonderful colors, and the almost angelic expression on the faces of the firefighters is serene.
Appropriate for ages 4-8
Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Timothy Bush 2002
This unique holiday story warms the heart. A small and seemingly unimportant cricket escapes the wet night outside by squeezing under the door of a cozy house. He encounters a young boy and his Dad decorating their home for Christmas. He hops quickly into the inner branches of the Christmas tree and listens. He begins to sing, and his song is mistaken for the song of the angel perched on a nearby branch. He becomes frantic as a human hand pokes through the branches, but then his panic is calmed when the Dad asks, “Did you know that angels sing in the song of birds, and frogs and people and crickets?”
Though Cricket is small, he is not insignificant, and this causes his song to be filled with a trembling joy.
Appropriate for ages 4-8
Don’t Grown-Ups Ever Have Fun? By Jamie Harper 2003
The young girl who narrates this story is flabbergasted by the choices her parents make on a day-to-day basis. Why would they want to sleep in when there is so much to do? Why don’t they want to have fun while they clean? She thinks that her Mom and Dad should be more like she and her siblings. This exuberant story reminds us that being a parent can be exhausting, but that being childlike can reenergize us. The dynamics of family are illustrated in a humorous, and rambunctious way.
Appropriate for ages 4-8
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Scott Magoon 2009
If you think a jealous spoon that needs a self-esteem boost can’t teach your child a thing or two, think again. Rosenthal uses an expressive cast of utensils to teach us that our insecurities about ourselves are sometimes a delusion. The Spoon in this story realizes that he is pretty useful after all, and better appreciates the unique abilities that he possesses.
Appropriate for ages 3-5
A Pirate’s Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates, illustrated by Sebastia Serra 2008
This is a familiar story transformed by the pirates that occupy it. The legend of Sir Peggedy is told in swashbuckling style. The book itself is a treasure; from a sled filled with sea-worthy gifts pulled by seahorses, to the toothless grins on the grimy faces of the pirates. The illustrations by Serra are wonderfully detailed, and throb with adventure.
Appropriate for ages 4-8
Each Living Thing by Joanne Ryder, illustrated by Ashley Wolff 2000
The spare text in this story follows different children across pages brimming with the wonders of nature. The appreciation and joy that the natural world can evoke is on each beautifully illustrated page. Different environments and seasons are explored as Ryder reminds us of the delicacy, and power, of our surroundings.
“Be wary of bears who linger in the dusk, of owls hooting, hunting in the night, of bats who flitter, whirling overhead, and cougars pausing, prowling out of sight. Be aware of them. Take care of them.”
Appropriate for ages 4-8
