Category Archives: Picture Books

All Aboard with Jeremy Rabbit

Posted on April 3, 2014 | Comments Off on All Aboard with Jeremy Rabbit

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As I’ve mentioned before, searching for the rare Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse led to The Elephant’s Airplane, one of our favorite books to date.  Since its major attraction was its illustrations, I went hunting for all the other books illustrated by Doris Smith that I could find.  All Aboard with Jeremy Rabbit seemed particularly interesting because it was both  authored and illustrated by Ms. Smith and it has turned out to be a greatly enjoyable book in its own right.  We have the United Kingdom version of this long out-of-print book; it was published in the States as The Travels of J.B. Rabbit.

In this book, landlubber Jeremy Rabbit visits his seafaring cousin Waldo Otter for a memorable vacation.  There are trips on a train, car, boat, and hot air balloon.  There are delicious feasts and daring rescues. And, perhaps best of all, there is a sequel.

Author: Doris (Susan) Smith
Illustrator: Doris (Susan) Smith

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The Elves and the Shoemaker

Posted on April 1, 2014 | Comments Off on The Elves and the Shoemaker

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There was once a good shoemaker
who became very poor.

At last he had only one piece of leather
to make one pair of shoes.

“Well,” said the shoemaker to his wife,
“I will cut the leather tonight
and make the shoes in the morning.”

The story that follows is full of craftsmanship, thoughtfulness, generosity, good fortune, and magic. I loved this book as a child (my mom bought it from someone going door-to-door pulling a wagon full of used books, if I remember correctly) and the boys really enjoy it now.

Author: Freya Littledale/The Grimm Brothers
Illustrator: Brinton Turkle

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King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub

Posted on March 24, 2014 | Comments Off on King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub

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 “Help! Help!” cried the Page when the sun came up.
“King Bidgood’s in the bathtub, and he won’t get out!
Oh, who knows what to do?”

King Bidgood is determined to stay in the bathtub. Attempts to entice him away with battling, lunching, fishing, and dancing fail spectacularly. Will anything get him to leave?

The premise of this cheerful book is very funny (although the language is sometimes a tiny bit awkward) and the elaborate pictures are beautiful. We are always stumbling across new details we missed before.

Author: Audrey Wood
Illustrator: Don Wood

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Bread and Jam for Frances

Posted on March 20, 2014 | Comments Off on Bread and Jam for Frances

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Jam on biscuits, jam on toast,
Jam is the thing that I like most.
Jam is sticky, jam is sweet,
Jam is tasty, jam’s a treat–
Raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, I’m very
FOND… OF… JAM!

This book is a treat and a hoot, with a charming main character, a supportive (yet firm) family, and lots of lovingly described food.  The useful morals (that some variety really is a good thing and you won’t know if you like something until you try it) are just the icing on the cake.

Author:  Russell Hoban
Illustrator:  Lillian Hoban

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Wings, Horns, and Claws: A Dinosaur Book of Epic Proportions

Posted on March 17, 2014 | Comments Off on Wings, Horns, and Claws: A Dinosaur Book of Epic Proportions

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This is a straightforward book with beautiful woodcut illustrations, an ever-appealing subject matter, and ever-appreciated pronunciation guidance. Our favorite dinosaur in the book is pictured above. The boys agree its tail might take out a T-rex and the oldest thinks it looks like “a very early kind of knight.”

Author: Christopher Wormel
Illustrator: Christopher Wormel

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Where the Wild Things Are

Posted on March 11, 2014 | Comments Off on Where the Wild Things Are

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That very night in Max’s room a forest grew
and grew–
and grew until his ceiling hung with vines
and the walls became the world all around

I love to read this book aloud.  It feels like music or magic (and I love to gnash my terrible teeth and roll my terrible eyes and show my terrible claws).  Unfortunately (and hopefully coincidentally), it is one of the only books that actively bothers my oldest.  But my youngest is fascinated by it, so occasionally we let the wild rumpus start.

Author: Maurice Sendak
Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

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Imogene’s Antlers

Posted on March 8, 2014 | Comments Off on Imogene’s Antlers

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On Thursday, when Imogene
woke up, she found she
had grown antlers.

Imogene reacts to her new appendages remarkably well, as does most of the rest of her household (although her mother keeps fainting dead away) and has quite a lovely Thursday.  And by Friday, things are back to normal…  Or are they?

Like Tuesday, When Dinosaurs Came with Everything (also illustrated by David Small), and George Shrinks, this book presents an unusual situation and watches with a smile as its characters respond.  It is quiet and self-contained, just like its heroine.

Author: David Small
Illustrator: David Small

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You Choose! Series

Posted on March 5, 2014 | Comments Off on You Choose! Series

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The boys love choosing and discarding and comparing, so this series of books (which also includes a more fantasy-geared one called Just Imagine) is absolutely perfect.  They ask question after question (for example: If you could go anywhere, where would you go?  Who would you like for family and friends?  What kind of home would you choose?  And what would you put in it?).  The more you look at these books, the more you realize is packed onto each page. The boys grab them often and spend tons of time with them, engrossed in thought or (even better) discussing their options together.

Author: Pippa Goodhart
Illustrator: Nick Sharratt

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Cinderella

Posted on March 3, 2014 | Comments Off on Cinderella

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This is the version of Cinderella I remember from my own childhood; I never forgot the golden dress and was thrilled to find this copy. My youngest loves fairy tales and we enjoy reading them together. This retelling hits all of the notes you would expect (pumpkin, fairy godmother, transformation) while leaving out the gory bits (we’re going to be waiting a number of years before reading the Grimm Brothers’ version). Most importantly, this book is so beautiful he doesn’t miss Disney’s talking mice.

Author: Eveyln Andreas/The Grimm Brothers/Charles Perrault
Illustrator: Ruth Ives

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Five Little Monkeys Storybook Treasury

Posted on February 27, 2014 | Comments Off on Five Little Monkeys Storybook Treasury

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We love four out of five of the stories in this book, with their charming pictures and constant refrains:  Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”), Five Little Monkeys with Nothing to Do (“There’s nothing do!”  “Oh yes there is,” says Mama), Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake (“Sh-h-h!  Don’t wake up Mama!”), and Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car (“I KNOW!” says one little monkey.  “I KNOW!”).  I don’t like Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree as much as the rest, but the boys like it fine.  As an added bonus, this treasury comes with drawing tips for making your own monkeys and lots of stickers.

If you want to give a really popular birthday present, pair this book with the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Game.  The game itself isn’t really that exciting.  But it doesn’t need to be; it includes a big plastic “bed” with a spring mechanism inside and lots of monkeys to put on top.  Push a button on the bed and every so often the spring releases and monkeys go flying.

Author:  Eileen Christelow
Illustrator:  Eileen Christelow

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