It’s Friday! It’s Friday!
And that means two fantastic things!
- Perfect Picture Books! What could be better than a whole list of terrific books just in time for the weekend? (Especially today because it’s raining and a perfect time to curl up with a good book!)
- I get to go fetch our youngest home from college for the summer 🙂 ❤
There’s nothing like getting one of your children home to make you think of when they were babies… and there’s nothing like May showers bringing June flowers to make you think spring… and there’s nothing like babies and spring to make you think of things hatching…
So you can see how I came up with this book for today 🙂
I LOVE this book! If you haven’t read it, please go out and rectify that as soon as you can – it’s SO cute 🙂
Title: I Hatched!
Written By: Jill Esbaum
Illustrated By: Jen Corace
Dial Books For Young Readers, January 2014, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 2-4 (according to publisher) – I think kids a little older would still like it.
Themes/Topics: being yourself, wonder, learning new things
Opening: “A patch of light!
One final peck.
I give a shove and s-t-r-e-t-c-h my neck.
Then – CRACK!”
Brief Synopsis: A baby killdeer chick comes out of his egg and sees himself and the world around him for the first time. Goofy and sweet and filled with awe, his energy and enthusiasm are delightful to behold.
Links To Resources: HERE are lots of activities related to hatching chicks without having to actually hatch them at home or in the classroom! HERE are a whole bunch of chick crafts (not killdeers but still cute :)) Talk about what baby chicks can do when they’re born? How does that compare with baby cats and dogs? How about with baby horses? And how about with baby humans?
Why I Like This Book: So full of energy and delight I think it’s impossible not to like this book! The newly hatched chick’s boundless joy at seeing the brand new world around him is so contagious. As he learns about himself, he’s so pleased with everything: how fast he can run! how handsome his stripe is! And I don’t think there’s a child who won’t chuckle over the page where he says, “I stop because… look out below!/Something’s falling from my… oh./Here’s a shocker. Please don’t stare,/but take a peek… I’m ORANGE down there!” 🙂 Everyone should have as much confidence and self-esteem as this little guy. And the end of the story has a lovely surprise for him 🙂
I hope you like it as much as I do 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see your favorite picks for this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Happy Friday indeed!
Ah, a stack of picture books to read through. Now that sounds like a fabulous way to spend a rainy weekend. Enjoy the time with your youngest child. They grow so quickly – it frightens me sometimes.
The book looks adorable! I especially love the opening 🙂 This one is definitely on my “must buy” list. I was not aware of it until now. Looks like I need to hatch a plan to go picture book shopping real soon. So cute. Thanks for sharing!
Fun book! Happy Friday! I hope you have a nice time with your kid! 😀
Hatched looks too cute! I am going to check it out.
Hatched looks super adorable! Happy Friday, Susanna!
What a delightful choice for curious little children! It sounds like a joyful read — one that will put a smile on your face. Love the cover! My great grandson would like this book.
Hatching sounds marvelous! Retrieval of youngest from university sounds terrific, too – hopefully said child has packed, cleaned & otherwise is ready for summer. I have many memories of child retrieval…
Open House was last night and my wall are covered with “hatching eggs” the kindergartners made…I will have to track down this title sooner rather than later. Thanks for the recommendation!
Truly delightful book, thanks for sharing it!
Wishing you happy trails on your retrieval journey, and sending you thoughts for sunshine.
This book looks adorable, Susanna. I hope you have a wonderful summer with your youngest!
I’m looking forward to reading this book by Jill Esbaum. I hadn’t heard about it until now in your post. Today’s PPBF has so many great books that I’ll need to bring my red flyer wagon to the library! I hope you have a wonderful summer vacation. I remember the joy of coming home from college. Great food, a family vacation, and lots of hugs!
The sweetness squeezes through from this delightful sounding book! Thanks.
Enjoy your summer
Oh, I must find this since my kindergarten class is hatching chicks!
How wonderful! Enjoy your summer together.
I love Jill’s books but this is one of my personal favs. He’s got SO much zest and personality. The ending is very sweet too. And it rhymes so perfectly that you just bibbity bobbity bip right through at his perky, bubbly pace!
I Hatched! is a treasure – great pick for the season. It’s been a Colorado-blue-sky day and I ‘accidentally’ spent all of it in the garden. And since I was too silly to remember gloves my hands look like they need pruning themselves! Ha! Have a wonderful weekend, Susanna!
I met Jill Esbaum at the Wild Midwest SCBWI conference last month…what a fabulous lady!!!!! She’s actually going to be one of my featured authors for Will Write for Cookies in August! And this looks like a fabulous book!
Safe travels this weekend, Susanna…I know exactly what you mean about having the ‘kids’ close. 😉
Don’t know that I will get a PPBF post up this weekend…will give it my best shot. 😉
Killdeers are cute anyway–but I’ve never had a peek “down there!” Travel safe. 🙂
Love you choice this week! I’m kindof wondering what it would feel like to be a chick, all alone in my albumin world until I grow to big and start cracking up. 😀