Firefighters in the Dark

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

Nicoletta Ceccoli on Amazon

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas

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

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee

A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen 2003

Mr. Magee and his dog Dee are ecstatic about hitting the road and encountering the adventures that await them in the mountains. Little do they know that a famished bear and a gawking raccoon will visit their campsite. The chain of events that take place will have them heading home in a dash.

“And on the way home Magee said to Dee, “That trip wasn’t quite like I thought it would be.” So when they got home, with the sky turning red, they decided to camp in the backyard instead.”

The artwork by Van Dusen deftly showcases the joys of camping, whether in the wilderness or at home. The images of the Maine landscape are crisp, and endearing.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Chris Van Dusen on Amazon

Bubble Trouble

Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Polly Dunbar 2009

Bubble blowing by little Mabel makes for a dramatic day. Her baby brother gets swallowed up by a bubble and floats away. He seems to be having a delightful ride, but the townspeople make a hilarious fuss as they decide how to save him. Each group of people that Baby "bibble-bobbles" over is astonished, and joins the chase. Canon Dapple has the best suggestion as to how to catch Baby.

“Now, let Mabel stand on Abel, who could stand in turn on Tybal, who could stand on Greville Gribble, who could stand upon the wall, while the people from the shop’ll stand to catch them if they topple, then perhaps they’ll reach the bubble, saving Baby from a fall.”

If you thought that was fun to read, just wait to read the rest. I have not had this much fun reading a picture book in a long time. My child giggled as I forged my way through the tongue twisters, and a repeat performance was requested.

Dunbar’s exuberant illustrations keep up with the text, capturing the giddiness of the chase.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Margaret Mahy on Amazon

Polly Dunbar on Amazon

Roller Coaster

Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee 2006

A common scene at an amusement park sets up this story. The line of people is long, and pulsing with anticipation. As they draw nearer to the daunting roller coaster, some opt out. But a brave little girl and her Dad stand their ground and go on an adventure they will never forget, and might possibly repeat.

The emotion that oozes out of each person in Frazee’s artwork is astounding. You will want to laugh when the big burly men get scared on the roller coaster, and bite your nails in trepidation for those who are obviously petrified. The humor and suspense depicted here are unforgettable.

Appropriate for ages 3-6

Marla Frazee on Amazon

Stanley at Sea

Stanley at Sea by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin 2008

Wandering in search for food seems to be the only option for Stanley when his owners don’t share their picnic. As he drools and trots along he is joined by three of his hungry friends. Their sniffers take them on a journey for nourishment, until they board a boat that begins to float away from the dock. They are completely surrounded by water.

“The only thing they knew was-they were moving! Houses and bushes and trees raced past. The dogs were so shocked, they forgot to be hungry.”

They continue to ride the waves out to sea. They assume that since they are Outside, they will eventually come to a fence. Will they find more food at the End of Outside, and will they ever be united with their owners?

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Linda Bailey on Amazon

Bill Slavin on Amazon

Emma's Turtle

Emma’s Turtle by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Marsha Winborn 2007

Emma reads to her turtle about adventures in other parts of the world, and this makes his backyard pen feel very small and plain. He decides to dig his way out and explore the world. He encounters an elephant’s leg (a tree stump), a kangaroo (a frog), and even a tiger (the neighbors cat). He is feeling a little apprehensive as he plods along, and wonders how long it will take him to get back to the United States. Luckily a concerned Emma finds him and returns him to his pen for a snack.

Even though Emma’s turtle never leaves the yard, he is unperturbed and thankful for the adventure he did have. This story reminds me that it is wonderful to have a home to come back to, and people that miss you when you are away.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Eve Bunting on Amazon

SuperHero ABC

Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod 2008

Combining the popularity of superheroes with an alphabet book makes for an effective learning tool. The superheroes powers are introduced one letter at a time. There is the female Firefly who “fights felons in the forest”, and has “fat feet". The Odor Officer appears when “offensive odors” fill the air. The alliterations for each word add even more humor.

The cartoon illustrations by McLeod look very much like a comic book in an oversize format. The bold colors, and word balloons attest to the action that prevails throughout the book.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Duck Tents

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata 2009

Five ducks explore outdoor adventures while having a campout in their backyard. The daytime activities of fishing and hiking merge into marshmallow roasting under the starlight.

“Five ducks sigh, full of marshmallow goo. Five little ducks hear a whoo-whoo-whooooo. Ducks all dive for their tents in a row, zip up tight, and lie down low.”

The delicious thrill of being scared helps these campers to discover where they feel the most safe.

Appropriate for ages 3-8

Lynne Berry on Amazon

Hiroe Nakata on Amazon

Stick

Stick by Steve Breen 2007

Stick the frog has a taste for adventure, and he wants to explore on his own. While attempting to devour lunch one day, his long tongue gets stuck on a dragonfly. He gets lifted off of his lily pad, and sets out for the ride of his life. He avoids near death, lands on many kinds of animals, and surprises passersby in the jazzy city of New Orleans. During his wild ride, he looks slightly dazed, but strangely amused. When he lands on the marina and sees the sun beginning to set, he realizes that he misses home more than he thought he would. A feathered friend gladly returns him home to his mom. But the long journey has made this young frog hungry, which causes Stick to ingest another interesting snack.

Breen’s artwork is a mixture of close-ups, larger action shots, and aerial views. The fun suspense and silliness is rendered in beautiful details. The swamps of New Orleans are wonderfully displayed, and a map of Stick’s journey is on the endpapers.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Class Two at the Zoo

Class Two at the Zoo by Julia Jarman, illustrations by Lynne Chapman 2007

Joining class two at the zoo will make for some crazy adventures. The children are having a pleasant time, but unbeknownst to them, a hungry anaconda is slithering along behind. He slowly and silently gulps down the students until Molly finds a sure proof way to save her whole class. Illustrations by Chapman accurately depict the distraction that a day at the zoo can bring. The slimy post-rescue state of each child, and the humor injected on every page, will make this a reading do over.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Julia Jarman on Amazon

Lynne Chapman on Amazon

Where's Wallace?

Where's Wallace? by Hilary Knight 1964

Wallace, the orangutan, has always longed to see the world. He is one of the most popular animals in the zoo, yet he feels unsatisfied. One day Mr. Frumbee, the zookeeper, accidently leaves Wallace's cage door open (or is it really an accident?). He grabs his piggy bank and makes a dash for it.

Follow Wallace, and the ever frantic Mr. Frumbee, through a department store, the museum, a baseball game and the beach (to name a few). It's tough to find Wallace, and six other recurring characters in the intricate panoramas, but this is what makes the books so enjoyable.

Knight's outstanding illustrations are full of hilarious detail, and make reading this story a delightful challenge. If Knight's artwork seems familiar, he is also the illustrator of the Eloise books.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Hilary Knight on Amazon

Frog Goes to Dinner

Frog Goes to Dinner by Mercer Mayer 1974

This story follows on the heels of Mayer's wonderfully popular title A Boy, A Dog, and a Frog. A young boy is accompanied to dinner (unbeknownst to him) by his trouble-making pet frog. The expression of the frog, and the dismayed diners, as he makes his presence known at the restaurant, is hilarious. The completely wordless format invites a child's imagination to hop, skip, and jump.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Mercer Mayer on Amazon

Agent A to Agent Z

Agent A to Agent Z by Andy Rash 2004

Agent A is on a mission to find the evil spy. To discover the one who is out of line in this alphabet rhyme. Each letter of the alphabet has a secret agent to accompany it.

"Every spy who is official

uses words with his initial.

But one spy is out of line.

I need to know his name by nine."

The comedic details by Rash come at a fast pace, and he appoints each agent a ridiculous disguise. With the mystery neatly solved, Agent A saves the day, and enjoys a pleasant evening at the Agent Dance.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Polo: The Runaway Book

Polo: The Runaway Book (The Adventures of Polo) by Regis Faller 2007

The journey that Polo takes is fueled by his imagination after reading a book given to him. A small green alien snatches the book, and Polo is in hot pursuit. A series of amazing events ensues as Polo travels through a cotton candy cloud, a stormy ocean, and a mysterious jungle island. At each turn, he meets new friends, but he never lingers, because he must retrieve his book.

The nearly wordless story, and the bright illustrations have huge appeal to young children. The comic book type format reiterates the importance of following a story line from left to right, and top to bottom.

This is a great reminder of how reading can expand our imagination, and as Polo learns, it's important to share that joy with others.

Appropriate for ages 4-12

Space Boy

Space Boy by Leo Landry 2007

The world around Nicholas is too noisy, and so he decides to leave the earth behind, and take a trip. After exchanging his pajamas for a space suit, and packing a healthy snack, he boards the rocket conveniently parked in his backyard.

The distant moon and it's quiet craters become the ideal setting for a picnic. Although the moon is peaceful, Nicholas starts to feel lonely. He returns to a silent house, and nonchalantly tells his parents goodnight.

Landry's illustrations are simple and spare. This is a great bedtime read that will induce dreams about outer space, and stretch your child's imagination.

Appropriate for ages 4-8

Leo Landry on Amazon

Where Is the Cake?

Where Is the Cake? by The Tjong-Khing 2007

A suspenseful story told completely without words. A pleasant day is spoiled when Mr. and Mrs. Dog's cake is stolen. They take off in hot pursuit. A huge cast of characters is wordlessly introduced, and the challenge to find them on each page begins. The illustrations provide an abundance of lead-ins at every turn, making the storyline change constantly. The clues presented will have kids turning pages back and forth to figure out who has the cake.

The maze like illustrations of Tjong-Khing are riveting, and will cause this book to be picked up over and over, even after the cake grabbing culprit is revealed.

Appropriate for ages 4-8