10 More Books for storytime sharing (2015)
butterfly park
By Elly MacKay
Designed by Frances J. Soo Ping Chow Running Press Kids, an imprint of Running Press Book Publishers, Perseus Book Group From: Canada Setting: urban, town not specified When a little girl moves to a new town, she's delighted to find a place labelled "Butterfly Park" next door. Yet it's only a bare, empty lot. Determined to make the land live up to its name, she makes efforts to encourage butterflies to come, planting flowers and soon her friends and neighbors are helping her to create a real butterfly park. MacKay's glowing cut paper illustrations are a highlight. Include in a storytime for older preschoolers or early elementary age children on butterflies, nature, the environment, or a more general theme of change, making the world a better place! |
hana hashimoto, sixth violin
Written by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Qin Leng Kids Can Press, 2014 From: author is from British Columbia, Canada Illustrator was born in Shanghai, China and lives in Toronto Setting: unspecified town in Canada (?) *Including here because of visit to Japan and the distinctive Japanese elements included. Hana heard her grandfather play the violin the past summer during a visit to Japan and is determined to learn to play. Though she has only had three lessons, she boldly signs up for the talent show. She practices all the time. Her older brothers laugh at her, but when she bravely goes on stage and plays some of the neat sounds she has learned to make (a cow lowing, squeaking mice, croaking frogs) they ask her to play for them too. I love the cultural details Hana remembers from her visit to Japan: shoji screen doors, sweet-smelling tatami mats, and resting her head on a cool buckwheat pillow as her grandfather, Ojiichan, plays a "lullaby so soothing that sleep would fall over her like a blanket." He could also pluck the violin to mimic the sound of raindrops on the oil-paper umbrella. (these details are also beautifully conveyed by the illustrations) |
How will we get to the beach?
By Brigitte Luciani
Illustrated by Eve Tharlet Translated by Rosemary Lanning North-South Books, 2000. From: Switzerland (Originally published in Switzerland as Wer fährt mit ans Meer?) Setting: countryside near beach A fun guessing game story for an ocean-themed or counting storytime. Roxanne is going to the beach, and everything she wants to take can be counted on one hand. But when the car won't start, she must find another way. Each mode she tries won't allow one thing to go, and it's different each time. The ball won't fit on the bicycle, the turtle isn't allowed on the bus, etc. Each time children will try to guess which of the four items is missing. Great for encouraging interaction in storytime, and since it is limited to five items, also doable by young children. |
i am so strong
Written and illustrated by Mario Ramos
Gecko Press, 2012.
From: France
(author born in Brussels, Belgium)
Setting: unspecified fairy tale forest
The wolf asks everyone he encounters in the forest who is the strongest. Not surprisingly, all the animals, from a rabbit to Little Red Riding Hood to the Three Little Pigs agree that he, the wolf, is indeed the strongest. Handsomest. Mightiest. Terror of the Forest. He becomes more and more puffed up by their compliments . . . until he gets to a "little toad of some sort" who says his mother is the strongest. And the kindest. The wolf is amazed and angered . . . and then humbled as a huge dragon enters the picture . . . though she's way too big to fit on the page.
Perfect for a slightly fractured fairy tale storytime!
Gecko Press, 2012.
From: France
(author born in Brussels, Belgium)
Setting: unspecified fairy tale forest
The wolf asks everyone he encounters in the forest who is the strongest. Not surprisingly, all the animals, from a rabbit to Little Red Riding Hood to the Three Little Pigs agree that he, the wolf, is indeed the strongest. Handsomest. Mightiest. Terror of the Forest. He becomes more and more puffed up by their compliments . . . until he gets to a "little toad of some sort" who says his mother is the strongest. And the kindest. The wolf is amazed and angered . . . and then humbled as a huge dragon enters the picture . . . though she's way too big to fit on the page.
Perfect for a slightly fractured fairy tale storytime!
A Lion in paris
Written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna
Translated by Rae Walter in association with First Edition Translations LTD, Tate 2014 From: France (Originally published in France in 2006.) Setting: Paris, France Beautifully done! A very large book that you read on its side. It's a sweet, droll (very French) story of a lion who is bored with his grasslands so leaves for Paris -- "he set off to find a job, love, and a future." Wonderful images of Paris and how the lion eventually feels at home there. |
Mr. king's castle
Written and illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Kids Can Press, 2013.
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Setting: unspecified
A pleasing little book for toddler and preschooler storytimes. Mr. King (a cat) wants to build himself a BIG castle on his BIG hill -- and so he does, without a thought to his surroundings or his animal friends. Fortunately, he realizes his mistake and is able to set things right. The appealing animal characters are drawn with appropriately quizzical expressions -- Old Jim Elk wonders where the flowers have gone, and Skit and Skat the squirrels can't find their "secret stash of nuts?!" After Mr. King sets things right, his understanding friends also help him to make an appropriately sized castle of his own.
Kids Can Press, 2013.
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Setting: unspecified
A pleasing little book for toddler and preschooler storytimes. Mr. King (a cat) wants to build himself a BIG castle on his BIG hill -- and so he does, without a thought to his surroundings or his animal friends. Fortunately, he realizes his mistake and is able to set things right. The appealing animal characters are drawn with appropriately quizzical expressions -- Old Jim Elk wonders where the flowers have gone, and Skit and Skat the squirrels can't find their "secret stash of nuts?!" After Mr. King sets things right, his understanding friends also help him to make an appropriately sized castle of his own.
Polar Bear's underwear
By tupera tupera
(Tatsuya Kameyama & Atsuko Nakagawa) Chronicle Books, 2015 English translation copyright Chronicle Books (no name given) From: Japan (Originally published in 2012 as Shirokuma no pants by Bronze Publishing, Inc.) Setting: unspecified Polar Bear can't find his underwear! Fortunately, his friend mouse has offered to help with this unusual dilemma. In this guessing game book, a cutout of the facing page reveals a pair of underwear. Is the striped underwear Polar Bear's? No, it's zebra's of course! What about the tiny flowered pair? No, that's butterfly's. And so it goes . . . until Polar Bear remembers something crucial in the end. Be prepared for gales of giggles if you share this one! |
Pom and Pim
by Lena and Olof Landström
Husband and wife collaborators Olof (illustrator) and Lena Landström (author) live in Stockholm, Sweden. (Olof was born in Finland). Translated by Julia Marshall Edited by Penelope Todd Gecko Press, 2014 From: Sweden (Originally published in 2012 as Pom och Pim) A classic tale of good luck/bad luck: Pom finds money (good luck!) and buys an ice cream (which he shares with Pim of course); but he eats too much and gets a tummy ache (bad luck). The brief text and expressive illustrations make this a good choice for toddler and preschool storytimes. |
Up & down
By Britta Teckentrup
Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick, 2014 From: Germany (Originally published in 2013) Setting: not specified (Anarctica?) Penguin is searching for his friend. His journey takes him up and down, exploring opposites in a new ways in his search. The innovative use of flaps in this concept book will delight young readers. Bold colors and the striking design will also appeal to young children and the large size makes it a well suited (unlike many flap books) for storytime sharing. |
What Are You Doing?
By Elisa Amado
Illustrated by Manuel Monroy
Groundwood Books, 2011.
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(author originally from Guatemala).
Illustrator lives in Mexico City.
Setting:Central America.
Chepito is not keen on going to school. Before it is time to leave, he runs outside, asking everyone he encounters why they are reading. Answers vary from "to see who won the game" to reading a manual to fix a car to choosing a new hairstyle to reading hieroglyphs on Mayan ruins. When Chepito returns from school, the first thing he does is to sit down to read a book, and offers to read to his little sister. I love that when his mothers asks if he learned to read on the first day of school, his answer is no, "but I can tell by the pictures."
Illustrated by Manuel Monroy
Groundwood Books, 2011.
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(author originally from Guatemala).
Illustrator lives in Mexico City.
Setting:Central America.
Chepito is not keen on going to school. Before it is time to leave, he runs outside, asking everyone he encounters why they are reading. Answers vary from "to see who won the game" to reading a manual to fix a car to choosing a new hairstyle to reading hieroglyphs on Mayan ruins. When Chepito returns from school, the first thing he does is to sit down to read a book, and offers to read to his little sister. I love that when his mothers asks if he learned to read on the first day of school, his answer is no, "but I can tell by the pictures."