Keep A Look Out For These Upcoming Picture Books!

Get excited for some of these upcoming picture books, you definitely do not want to miss them!

FROG AND FLY 
By: Jeff Mack

It is a common fact that Frogs eat flies and this book is a reminder of just how much. The simple and bright illustrations along with the thought and talking bubbles make this a thoroughly enjoyable read-aloud and a wonderful easy-reader for beginners. The book is broken down into six short interactions between Frog and Fly and though Frog seems to take the win the end is sure to make you smile when you see how Fly gets the last laugh. Frog’s expressions truly bring this story to life and is the perfect tie in to a unit about frogs, amphibians or the food chain. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser for all children.

READY RABBIT GETS READY

By: Brenna Maloney

Anyone who has ever encountered a morning with a toddler can relate to this book. As a parent or caregiver who needs to get out of the house to get anywhere on time is sure to run into the problem of the toddler having more important things to do and Ready Rabbit is no different. Ready Rabbit is well aware that he needs to get up and get ready for the day but he really needs to build space ships and ride his motorcycle because that is much more important than eating breakfast or brushing his teeth. Young children will immediately connect with Ready Rabbit and find they have similar morning routines and the same adventurous interests. What is most appealing about Ready Rabbit is the illustrations on every page. Rabbit himself is a sock puppet and the pictures of the toys around his house are toys children all own including Legos, dinosaurs, animals and more. Rabbit’s imagination is sure to spark creativity to all is sure to be fans, so be prepared for the newest excuses of why your own toddler is not ready for school on time!

LITTLE BABY BUTTERCUP

By: Linda Ashman

If a toddler could write up a summary of a typical day in her life, this book would be the result. Ashman does not miss a beat highlighting daily toddler routine. Starting with morning breakfast she moves on to playing before heading outdoors in rain or shine. Ashman highlights the most popular parts of the playground and the way toddlers love to “help” with chores. Ashman reminds adults that despite a little mess from time to time, a parent truly loves every minute spent with their little one no matter what. Byun’s illustrations are bright and lively and go hand in hand with the text. This book is the perfect read aloud to share with your little one, especially if they are old enough to verbally express the shared similarities between the book and their own everyday routine. I personally cannot wait to share this book with my own children!

BY MOUSE AND FROG

By: Deborah Freedman

Mouse is trying to write a story and his friend Frog has better ideas of what should be happening in Mouse’s tale. A lesson in collaboration and friendship, By Mouse and Frog is the perfect read-aloud for any preschool class. The most entertaining part of the story is when Frog gets carried away and starts quoting other famous children’s books. Children will love spotting lines from the Pigeon series by Mo Willems, Goodnight Moon, Chicken Little, Are You My Mother and more! The pictures compliment the dialogue perfectly making this sure to be an instant favorite that parents will not mind reading over and over.

Picture Books To Get Kids To Explore Writing...

With new core curriculum standards changing what children are learning in the classroom, it is important to make sure every boring element has something fun and exciting to look forward to. I am sure no kid thinks reading a paragraph and writing a response to it is any fun, but maybe if a class reads a book about writing, it may prompt a different sentiment towards a response assignment. Here are three great examples of books that can go far beyond a read-aloud and would make for excellent follow up writing assignments.

The Day the Crayons Quit - Drew Daywalt

Duncan wants to color but unfortunately his crayons have other plans for him. They believe they have some “issues” that must be resolved before Duncan can be free to outline and draw. Readers of all ages are going to fall in love with this book and insist it be read over and over again. The “complaints” of each crayon actually seem justified and anyone who has ever used a crayon will understand where it is coming from whether you are five or fifty-five. Oliver Jeffers does an amazing job illustrating this picture book and truly brings these crayons to life. If you have not already invested in a copy of this book, now is the time. It should be a staple when teaching the colors in preschool and early elementary school classes, as it lends itself to going far beyond the book to color, create and really use one’s imagination. You can even get ideas of how to utilize this book in a class setting from the Penguin Educator’s Guide: http://www.penguin.com/static/images/yr/pdf/CrayonsGuide.pdf. #SavetheCrayons !

Ten Thank You Letters - Daniel Kirk

Dear Mr. Kirk,

Thank you for reminding us all about the power and beauty of the thank-you note. There is no greater feeling than appreciation and no better way to show it than through words expressed on a piece of paper. What a wonderful way to weave together proper etiquette and writing lessons into one fun package at school, a library or at home.

Love,

Francie

Pig is an adorable character who is trying to write a thank-you note to his Grandmother for a gift he received but is continuously interrupted by his friend Rabbit who is inspired to write a few thank-you notes of his own. Rabbit’s letters are hilarious, specifically who he is writing to and why he is thanking them. However, Pig’s letter really sends the message home on how to write the perfect thank-you note. What an amazing book to open the door for each reader to write a thank-you note of their own!

The Book With No Pictures - BJ Novak

Have you heard of BJ Novak? He is famous from the hit television show The Office. Therefore, there is no person more fitting to write a children’s book than a comedic writer with really famous friends like Mindy Kaling. In all seriousness, this is a really fun book to read to an audience of young children. The concept is simple, there are no pictures in this book and it is simply made up of words, (if you can call them all “words”). BJ Novak creates the perfect opportunity for a child to laugh out loud while hearing a book be read to them. Even though there are no illustrations, the funny words and phrases are written in different colored texts and different fonts so the book does not even look like something that could be remotely boring with just text. The end-papers are decorated with his silly new vocabulary words that are guaranteed to take on a world of their own. Everyone will want to read this book over and over again. This book is a great tie in to an assignment of writing your own book, as it truly demonstrates that anything you put down on paper can be a “story”. BONK.

Happy Reading and even happier writing!