Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard

The star of Grumpy Bird returns, and this time he has something to be grumpy about, but instead, he is upset. VERY upset. Bird is playing with his friend and accidently gets hit in the head with the ball. He cries and cries and cries and absolutely nothing his friends do make him feel better. The forest friends at a loss begin to cry to and this shocks Bird out of his fit. The friends begin to play once more, and what happens?!?! Bird gets bonk on the head again. The bright and bold illustrations are perfect for the toddler set. Just about every child knows what it is like to get injured and feel so bad you can't stop crying. Although in my opinion, there is nothing as good as a parental hug, this book may just be the trick to make them feel better.

Preparing for the new baby

Baby, Baby Blah Blah Blah by Jonathan Shipton

When a child learns that a new brother or sister will soon be invading his/her family, fears begin to build up inside. More often than not, a child is not able to put words to those fears or explain how they are feeling, and this is when a book like Baby, Baby Blah Blah Blah would come in handy.

Emily is a list maker, and when she is told that her mother is pregnant, the fears begin to grow bigger than her mom's belly. She's had enough and goes to her room to create a list of good baby things as well as bad baby things. Sharing this list with her parents opens up a dialogue and allows the parents to calm her fears... until the surprise twist at the end!

Emily's sidekick hamster provides chuckles throughout. And the illustrations by Francesca Chessa enliven the pages with childlike exuberance depicting the highs and lows of Emily's mixed emotions.

Pair this with How to be a baby, by me the big sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Both have female main characters, but are good at expressing the concerns of older children anticipating the arrivial of a baby sibling. I'm still looking for good "new baby" books with male main characters!!!

Cute kitty!

Posy by Linda Newbery
It seems to me that I have been reviewing an awful lot of cat books lately, so I am a bit hesitant including one more, but I simply HAVE to mention Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner. This book was actually suggested to me by one of my preschool storytime kids! The adorable illustrations enliven the clever text that is just begging to be read aloud. Next time you are in the library or at a bookstore, be sure to check out Posy!

Space, the final frontier!

In honor of the release of Star Trek XI, I thought I would post a few reviews of spacey books for kids. Yes, there are "science fiction" books for wee ones :) Enjoy!

Sheep Blast Off! by Nancy E. Shaw
Michigan author Nancy Shaw has been writing 'the sheep books' since 1986 when "Sheep in a Jeep" debuted. Book seven in the series takes the sheep into outerspace. A spaceship lands nearby and the loveably goofy sheep end up blasting off. This latest book is a fun romp with Shaw's hillarious illustrations that hold a story of their own. The sheep books are written so that they are easy for beginning readers, making use of a large font, rhyming text and simple words. Check them all out!

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
Children love Eric Carle's bold illustrations, and this book is no exception. Not only does the story begin to explain the changes in the moon to the very young, but it is also a touching story of a father who will go so far as to climb a ladder to get the moon for his daughter. A tender story to share with your young child.


Joey and Jet in Space by James Yang
This is one of my "new" favorite books, and it's actually a few years old! Joey and Jet are playing in space when Jet finds a bone and disappears. Joey travels around looking for Jet, asking robots and spaceships and even checking around plants. It is a visually appealing story told in short words and phrases. Great for the toddler/preschool crowd!

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
How do you catch a star? Jeffer's little boy tries everything from jumping to attempting to lasso the star. Nothing works and the boy becomes very sad and walks near the beach where he sees a reflection of a star in the water. Of course he can't grab that one either, but he does find a starfish nearby and is last seen reading a book to it. This book reminded me of others (i.e. Papa, please get the moon for me; Kitten's first full moon ) but it still felt like it's own story. My only problem is that the boy took the starfish away from the sea!!! There had to be some other "star" he could find?!?

Mars Needs Moms! by Berkeley Breathed
Berkeley Breathed, who brought us Opus and Bloom County, has created a yet another wonderful book for young readers. The mother and child disagree, like most mothers & children will do; the boy is sent to bed without supper and his mom feels horrible about it. Milo falls fast asleep and is awakened by Martians stealing mothers! Soon, Milo learns that mother's really are special and the book illustrates the lengths of unconditional love. ***Warning, there is a part in the story where the child thinks his mother may die and this can be distressing for young readers/listeners!!! She is fine, but still - worry can lead to panic!

For your free spirits

Willow by Denise Brennan-Nelson

I'm afraid this book is going to get missed, and I so wish that it wouldn't. Denise Brennan-Nelson is a Michigan children's author who needs attention! Brennan-Nelson posses a unique skill: the ability to teach adults as well as children with the words she writes and stories she tells. Willow is no exception.


There art books like Patrick McDonnell's Art, Antoinette Portis' Not a Stick and The Dot by Peter Reynold's that help nurture a child's creativity, but there are few that awaken lost creativity in adults. Willow is a free spirit with a mind of her own and lots of creativity to spare. Unfortunately her art teacher is a curmudgeon who attemps to stifle Willows flare. Willow, oddly enough, does not bend, and Miss Hawthorn's exterior melts enough to allow a spark of life to glow.


Excellent for K-3rd grade. Older children, or those reading on their own, might be interested in Clementine by Sara Pennypacker or Lois Lowry's Gooney Bird Greene.