Picture Book Favorites #2

Here are a few more picture books that have been favorites with my children:

Peace at Last
Author: Jill Murphy
Illustrator: Jill Murphy
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 3-7 years

Poor Mr. Bear; he is so tired, but he can’t get to sleep. He tries sleeping in the living room, the kitchen, even the car. Everywhere he goes, there are noises that keep him awake. He finally returns to his bedroom and finds peace at last. Or does he?

The simplicity of this story appeals to younger children. However, this book would also be an appropriate choice when teaching older elementary students about onomatopoeia.

You may also enjoy another of Ms. Murphy's picture books. In All in One Piece, Mr. and Mrs. Large are trying to get out of the house to go to a dinner dance party. Their children, however, keep causing mischief. Can they make it out of the door all in one piece?

Library Lil
Author: Suzanne Williams
Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-9 years

As a child, Lil loved to read, so it was no surprise to anyone when she grew up and became a librarian. Unfortunately, in the town of Chesterville, people prefer to watch television. Eventually, Lil is able to win them over. However, when Bust-‘em-up Bill rolls into town with his book-hating motorcycle gang, she really has her work cut out for her.

This tall tale, about an unlikely hero, can’t help but be entertaining. Combine that with Steven Kellogg’s whimsical illustrations, and you’re in for a real treat.

The Happy Lion
Author: Louise Fatio
Illustrator: Roger Duvoisin
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-9 years

There was once a lion that lived in a small zoo in a French town. He was a happy lion and always had plenty of visitors. One day, the door of his house is left open, and the lion decides to pay some calls on his friends from the village. To his surprise, everyone reacts so strangely to his greetings that he soon wishes he could go home again. His closest friend, François, finally comes to his rescue.

This is a sweet story, amusingly told from the perspective of the lion. When I first read it to my daughter, we were both laughing out loud. I hope you enjoy it too.

Picture Book Favorites #1

Even if you are not very familiar with children's picture books, most everyone has heard of favorites like Dr. De Soto, Blueberries For Sal, and Make Way For Ducklings. I am not, therefore, going to spend time reviewing these classics. This post includes a brief review of several picture books that have been some of my kids' favorites that may be unfamiliar to you. Hope you can find a new title that interests you. Happy reading!

Nine For California
Author: Sonia Levitin
Illustrator: Cat Bowman Smith
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 3-9 years

It is twenty-one days by stagecoach from Missouri to Californ-y. No one in their right mind would take five young’uns so far! Despite the neighbor ladies’ warnings, Mama is determined to take her family to join Papa who is working in the California gold fields. When the fellow passengers see who will be crowding into the coach with them, they are dismayed. However, perhaps Mama and her children can prove them all wrong.

This delightful story, told from the perspective of the oldest daughter, will leave children wishing that they could ride across the country in a stagecoach. Parents will come away feeling relieved that they never had to!

The Rattlebang Picnic
Author: Margaret Mahy
Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-9 years

Mr. and Mrs. McTavish can’t afford to buy a good car and have a large family, so they decide to compromise and have only seven children and make do with an old rattlebang. This adventurous family loves to have picnics at unlikely places like Shark Park, Mount Fogg, and Tornado Valley. When, at a critical moment, their rattlebang loses one of its wheels, it’s a good thing they have so many children who can quickly come up with a creative solution!

This entertaining story, with hilarious pictures by Steven Kellogg, makes for a very fun read-aloud.

Jillian Jiggs
Author: Phoebe Gilman
Illustrator: Phoebe Gilman
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 3-7 years

Jillian Jiggs is a wonderfully imaginative young girl. The only problem is that her creative play leaves behind quite a mess. One day her exasperated mother tells her to clean up her room. Jillian promises to do it. Her friends promise to help. But will she ever be able to pull herself away from her play long enough to get it done?

The rhyming and cadence of this book make it a fun read-aloud. The pictures, also, are quite entertaining. Parents and children alike can relate to this classic battle of wills. If you enjoy this book, you may like to try reading other stories in the Jillian Jiggs collection found in A Treasury of Jillian Jiggs.

Gems From the Past #2

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Author: Richard and Florence Atwater
Illustrator: Robert Lawson
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 6-10 years

Mr. Popper is a house painter of humble means who leads a quiet life with his wife and two children. That is, until the famous Admiral Drake sends him a surprise package from the Antarctic – a penguin! Mr. Popper is very excited to have a penguin for a pet and quickly dubs him Captain Cook. However, the Popper family soon discovers that keeping a penguin is not going to be so easy. What do penguins eat? Where should the penguin sleep? How will they keep the penguin cool enough? And most of all, how are they ever going to afford it? Then, when their penguin family unexpectedly grows, the Poppers have a real dilemma. Fortunately, Mr. Popper soon discovers a way for the penguins to earn their own keep.

Another Newberry Honor winner, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was published in 1938. Mr. Atwater had nearly completed the story when he fell seriously ill, so his wife finished it for him. It is a wholesome and humorous tale that shows a family taking full responsibility for the care of their pets. Although the pacing may be a bit slow for the modern reader, there is no doubt that this book has earned its status as a children’s classic and is well worth the read.

Gems From the Past #1: Rediscovering Classic Children's Books

I have decided to begin my reviews with a series on all-but-forgotten young children's classics. By this, I mean the kind of book that is met with responses like, "That's a classic? I've never heard of it before." or "Does anybody read that anymore?" I hope that by reintroducing these titles, it will enable our children to discover some gems from the past.

My Father's Dragon
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett
Illustrator: Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Age Level: 5-8 years

First published in 1948, this creative adventure story was awarded the Newberry Honor the following year. The hero of the story is a young boy named Elmer Elevator who sets off to rescue a baby dragon from the fearsome animals on Wild Island. Equipped with ingenuity and the necessary supplies (including chewing gum and hair ribbons?!), Elmer is prepared to face whatever obstacles he may encounter.

My Father's Dragon is a simple yet well-written story interesting enough for both children and adults. It is an entertaining book to read aloud. Older readers will soon identify the author’s pattern of building the suspense and then resolving each conflict with humor. Children will be eager to discover how Elmer is going to use items such as lollipops and magnifying glasses to escape the various animals he encounters on the island.

If you enjoy hearing about Elmer’s adventures, you may also want to read the other books in this trilogy: Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland . The three books were published together in one volume entitled Three Tales of My Father's Dragon.

Coming soon: Review of Mr. Popper's Penguins