Art Museum Opposites by Katy Frieland and Maria K. Shoemaker

A simple concept book with a major twist, Art Museum Opposites uses art, photography, objects, and sculpture to teach basic opposites such as Up and Down, Hard and Soft, Day and Night, Rainy and Sunny, Empty and Full and so on.  Each double page spread features a pair of words with opposite meanings, but the [...]

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Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein, illus. by Ed Young

One of the most ambitious and thoughtful children’s picture books I’ve ever read is Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein with art by Ed Young. It’s a deceptively simple story presented in a complex and dynamic manner that would appeal to older children and adults alike. Wabi Sabi is the tale of a cat living in [...]

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The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle

Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I like going through the stacks in the Youth Services department to discover books I missed out on reading when I was growing up. A recent discovery was The Mixed-Up Chameleon by author and illustrator Eric Carle, the charming tale of a chameleon whose existence is transformed the day it [...]

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This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt, illus. by R. G. Roth

If you are looking for a fun way to introduce your little one to jazz, look no further.  The children’s song “This Old Man” gets a jazzy makeover in Karen Ehrhardt’s This Jazz Man. Ehrhardt pays tribute to some jazz greats like Charlie “Bird” Parker, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, and Thomas “Fats” Waller. The author [...]

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My Heart is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall

What really caught my eye about this book was the use of vivid colors and the simple illustrations. When doing a story time, I am always looking for books that are visually appealing, with illustrations that can be easily viewed by a large group. I first thought that this would be perfect for Valentine’s Day [...]

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The Baker’s Dozen: A Counting Book by Dan Andreasen

The title page shows an idyllic small-town bakery in the moonlight.  The first double spread shows a rotund, smiling baker creating one perfect éclair.  The illustration includes a smiley-faced wall clock striking five o’clock in the morning. The second shows two German chocolate cakes.  Our baker works his way from one to twelve with a [...]

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Dear Deer: A Book of Homophones by Gene Barretta

Who would have thought that homophones could be so much fun?  We start with a letter to Dear Deer from Aunt Ant who now lives at the zoo.  Aunt Ant describes her new neighbors such as the Moose who loves mousse and the whale who wails. This delightful play on words continues with a toad [...]

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A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni

Everyone wants to feel like they belong.  Lionni tells us that while pigs are pink and elephants are gray, the chameleon changes color depending upon what it is near.  This is a problem for one chameleon in particular.  He wants, as the title suggests, a color of his own.  He decides to stay on one [...]

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