Tag Archives: Animals

The Frog Princess

Posted on June 17, 2014 | Comments Off on The Frog Princess

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While the story of the Frog Princess is not as well known as that of the Frog Prince, it is a classic tale and my youngest has taken to this version like, well, a frog to water. A queen realizes her three rather foolish sons need “sensible wives,” so she has each shoot off an arrow, telling them they will find their bride where their arrow lands. Two of the princes find brides suited to their interests (food and clothing), but the youngest (a dreamer) finds only “a little green frog.” When the queen declares the son with the cleverest bride will become king after her, does the youngest stand a chance? (Of course he does.)

Author: Emma Chichester Clark
Illustrator: Laura Cecil

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The Pigeon series

Posted on June 14, 2014 | Comments Off on The Pigeon series

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Mo Willems is (still) brilliant and, oh, do we love his Pigeon, an opinionated, stubborn, ball of feathers and raging desire. In these books, the Pigeon wants, finds, begs, pleads, screams, coaxes, dreams, refuses, and (occasionally) moves on.

The boys love him (to the point where my youngest is thrilled whenever he sees a real pigeon) and this series is highly recommended.

Author: Mo Willems
Illustrator: Mo Willems

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Curious George and the Puppies

Posted on June 8, 2014 | Comments Off on Curious George and the Puppies

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I don’t think the original Curious George books have aged well. They strike me as sad, dark, and scary; they weren’t my favorites when I was a kid and I haven’t read them to the boys. But this book (although written by a ghost writer and drawn by a committee) has a really sweet story and stands well alone. George’s curiosity doesn’t lead to him being kidnapped, endangered, and/or jailed; instead it frees a mother dog to find her lost puppy. The lap sized board book version is perfect for toddlers and young preschoolers.

Author: Unknown ghostwriter
Illustrator: Vipach Interactive in the style of Margret & H.A. Rey

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Peter and the Wolf

Posted on June 4, 2014 | Comments Off on Peter and the Wolf

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We enjoy looking at the beautiful pictures in this book and listening to its accompanying (fully orchestrated and narrated) CD. The wolf is delightfully scary, the (slightly edited) ending is happy, and hearing how instruments can create characters is fun (and educational). This is a perfect choice for when you are tired or have a sore throat.

Author: Janet Schulman from the work of Sergei Prokofiev
Illustrator: Peter Malone

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Duck! Rabbit!

Posted on May 31, 2014 | Comments Off on Duck! Rabbit!

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Which is it? While the boys are firmly on Team Rabbit, they really enjoy the debate. If you’re looking for a quick and cheerful bedtime book, this is perfect.

Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld
Illustrator: Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld


 

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Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse!

Posted on May 28, 2014 | Comments Off on Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse!

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As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been looking for this book for a long, long time. I’m very happy to have found it. Doris Susan Smith has an amazing eye and her illustrations are beautiful, thoughtful, and clever (click on the picture of the frog’s “pad” above to see what I mean–it will get bigger).

My oldest likes the cat’s Japanese-style house and the frog’s pad best. My youngest likes the otter’s hunting and fishing lodge and the frog’s pad. My husband likes the owl’s observatory and fox’s den. My favorites are the worm’s hollowed-out pear and the frog’s pad (although all of us have several runners up for favorites). None of us like the pig’s mansion much (too formal!).

The words are nothing more than an excuse for the wonderful pictures, but we all like the book very much (although Ms. Smith’s Jeremy Rabbit books and The Elephant’s Airplane retain their places among the boys’ very top favorites).

Author: George Mendoza
Illustrator: Doris Susan Smith


 

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Little Fox Goes to the End of the World

Posted on May 23, 2014 | Comments Off on Little Fox Goes to the End of the World

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This is a tale of wild, imagined adventures; practicing leaving home behind; and of family. (It reminds me a lot of Where the Wild Things Are.) The boys like how Little Fox’s imagined journey to the End of the World unfolds–the creative perils and solutions are a huge part of the fun (and the pictures–get the version of the book with these out-of-print pictures, if possible).

Author: Ann Tompert
Illustrator: John Wallner


 

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Boynton Albums

Posted on May 18, 2014 | Comments Off on Boynton Albums

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Once you get hooked on Sandra Boynton books, a great surprise awaits. Boynton moonlights as a lyricist, and has gotten her work recorded in albums by some really unexpected artists. These books all come with illustrations, lyrics, sheet music, and…the real draw… CDs that have become some of our very favorites. Philadelphia Chickens is done in a musical-revue style. Dog Train‘s style is rock and roll. Blue Moo follows a 1950s-jukebox style. Below are some of our favorite artists and songs from each album.

–Philadelphia Chickens: The Bacon Brothers (title track), John Stey (Fifteen Animals), and Adam Bryant (Pajama Time).
–Dog Train: Blues Traveler (title track), Billy J. Kramer (Cow Planet), The Bacon Brothers and Mickey Hart (Pots and Pans), and The Phenomenauts (Don’t Give Me that Broccoli).
–Blue Moo: Brian Wilson (Speed Turtle), Christopher Kale Jones (Singing in the Shower), Davy Jones (Your Personal Penguin), and The Uninvited Loud Precision Band (The Uninvited Parade).

Author: Sandra Boynton
Illustrator: Sandra Boynton


 

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The Color Kittens

Posted on May 17, 2014 | Comments Off on The Color Kittens

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Once there were two color kittens with
green eyes, Brush and Hush. They liked to
mix and make colors by splashing one color
into another. They had buckets and buckets
and buckets and buckets of color to splash
around with. Out of these colors they would
make all the colors in the world.

I loved to look at these pictures when I was small and this story is great to read aloud. The boys don’t mind it, but they don’t reach for it either. Perhaps it is too dreamlike for now.

Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrators: Alice and Martin Provensen


 

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Blueberry Girl

Posted on May 15, 2014 | Comments Off on Blueberry Girl

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Ladies
of
light
and
ladies
of
darkness
and
ladies
of
never-
you-
mind,
This is a prayer for a blueberry girl.

First, may
you
ladies
be kind.

Lovely. And utterly girl-centric. (I may need a niece.)

Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Charles Vess


 

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