This variant on Jack and the Beanstalk is a pleasure to see and read. Although we found it after Jack and the Fire Dragon, it is the first tale in the series. My youngest loves it even more than Fire Dragon; my oldest loves them both “to infinity.”
Author: Gail E. Haley
Illustrator: Gail E. Haley
Comments Off on Jack and the Bean Tree
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, fairy tale, farm, food, Gail E. Haley, Jack and the Bean Tree, Jack and the Fire Dragon, out of print, series, USA
Old Fire Dragaman is about the wickedest
and biggest giant that ever roamed these hills. Some
people believe he dug right up from the center of the
earth bringing fire and brimstone with him. Nothin’
or nobody could stop him, and no one would live in
the places where he hung out. He was famous for
takin’ people’s money and daughters.
Now wouldn’t ye know Jack–that reckless
feller–would run across him?
This book is full of gorgeous pictures, magic, swords, and dragons. Unsurprisingly, it is a huge hit. (Don’t worry about the dialect. It rolls off the tongue quite well, regardless of whether you’ve spent much time in the American South.)
Author: Gail E. Haley
Illustrator: Gail E. Haley
Comments Off on Jack and the Fire Dragon
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, fairy tale, farm, Gail E. Haley, Jack and the Fire Dragon, out of print, series, USA
This clever book doesn’t need much of an introduction. Like The Wild Swans (by the same author, translator, and illustrator), it is a great translation of a classic story with beautiful illustrations.
Author: Naomi Lewis/Hans Christian Andersen
Illustrator: Angela Barrett
Comments Off on The Emperor’s New Clothes
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Angela Barrett, fairy tale, Hans Christian Andersen, Naomi Lewis, out of print, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Wild Swans, translated
We all enjoy this book about manners. I appreciate the socialization it offers. The boys appreciate… the farting otter. (Hey, at least he says excuse me–in five languages!)
Author: Laurie Keller
Illustrator: Laurie Keller
Comments Off on Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners, Laurie Keller, Manners
Things are not looking good for the owner and employees of the aptly-named Sea-Breeze Hotel:
“It’s too windy to fish and swim,” moaned the children.
“It’s far too breezy for beachcombing,” the parents
complained.
“It’s even too blustery to sit on the balcony,” the
grandparents grumbled.
And they all packed their bags and went away.
But then an employee’s grandson makes a kite to cheer up the hotel owner. Once the other employees see what fun she is having with it, they make kites too. And once people begin to notice the kites circling and soaring overhead, they all want to visit the kite-flying hotel and “[n]ot one person complained about the wind.”
Author: Marcia Vaughan
Illustrator: Patricia Mullins
Comments Off on The Sea-Breeze Hotel
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged beach, Marcia Vaghan, out of print, Patricia Mullins, The Sea-Breeze Hotel, toys
This collection of short stories and poems is one of my very favorite books. I loved it when I was a kid and now I love reading one or two of the stories to the boys each night before bed during the lead up to Christmas. The stories are absolutely charming and the pictures are beautiful and I wish this version (from 1969) wasn’t out of print (the version currently in print cut out a few of my favorite stories–I have no idea why). Don’t let the missing stories stop you from picking up a copy of the new edition, if you don’t have one already. This book is contains so much holiday joy; it really shouldn’t be missed.
Author: Kathryn Jackson
Illustrator: Richard Scarry
Comments Off on The Animals’ Merry Christmas
Posted in Chapter Books
Tagged Animals, bedtime, Christmas, food, I read this as a kid, out of print, Richard Scarry, The Animals' Merry Christmas, toys
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas tree is a touch too big for his space. So the top is lopped off and given to his upstairs maid. But it is a touch too big for her space, so the top is lopped off and discovered by the gardener. But it is a touch too big for his space, so… Well, you get the idea. One big tree brings a lot of happiness to a lot of people (and animals too).
Author: Robert Barry
Illustrator: Robert Barry
Comments Off on Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, Christmas, Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, Robert Barry
Leaving cookies (chocolate chip!) and milk for Santa, plus carrots for his reindeer, is an old and happy tradition. Little did we know who else might be hitching a ride on the sleigh…
Suffice it to say that wombats still love carrots (and we still love wombats). So, this year, we will include some extra carrots on the plate.
Author: Jackie French
Illustrator: Bruce Whatley
Comments Off on Christmas Wombat
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, Australia, Bruce Whatley, Christmas, Christmas Wombat, Diary of a Wombat, food, Jackie French, series, tradition
Each double-page spread in this intriguing book highlights one of the twelve sets of gifts listed in the title song. The twist is that each of these (gorgeous!) spreads has all of the previous gifts lurking within it (so, for example, a partridge in a pear tree and two turtledoves are hidden somewhere in the spread highlighting the three French hens). Some of the previous gifts are easy to find, some of them we still haven’t found yet. But it is a true pleasure to try.
Author: unknown
Illustrator: Laurel Long
Comments Off on The Twelve Days of Christmas
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, Christmas, Laurel Long, songs, The Twelve Days of Christmas
Over the last thirty years, Dutch author Toon Tellegen has written over 300 stories about a group of anthropomorphized animals. This book is contains nine of these stories that all, in one way or another, relate to parties. The stories are whimsical, delicate, and quiet. The characters glory in lists, details, and internal discourses. The book itself is beautifully and thoughtfully produced (down to a bright ribbon bookmark). It is charming, bittersweet, and perfect for bedtime.
Author: Toon Tellegen
Illustrator: Jessica Ahlberg
Comments Off on The Squirrel’s Birthday and Other Parties
Posted in Chapter Books
Tagged Animals, bedtime, birthday, food, Jessica Ahlberg, series, The Squirrel's Birthday and Other Parties, Toon Tellegen, translated