Category: Perfect Picture Book Fridays

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Day The Crayons Came Home

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There must be some kind of magic in the air because we’ve arrived at Friday again and according to my calculations it’s still LAST Friday!

In addition, it has somehow become October!  Who is in charge around here???!!!

This, of course, is a good thing.  October is full of fresh apples (and apple crisp, apple pie, apple cake, apple cider donuts, etc…), beautiful foliage, lovely days and cool nights, Columbus Day (which, if we’re honest, is just an excuse for a day off from school and if you’re lucky, work because I’m quite sure Columbus didn’t actually “discover America” on the second Monday in October :)), the Sheep & Wool Festival (if you happen to live in New York’s Hudson Valley), pumpkin carving (which means… you got it… pumpkin pie! :)), miniature candy that doesn’t have any calories because it’s tiny (seriously, if you can eat it in one bite it doesn’t count!), and the Halloweensie Contest!!! (info coming soon!) among other awesomeness.  (And apparently I’m hungry because looking at that list I see a prevalence of dessert items :))  Here’s to an awesome October for all!

Today’s Perfect Picture Book is also awesome (although not necessarily for dessert :))  I hope you like it!

Title: The Day The Crayons Came Home
Written By: Drew Daywalt
Illustrated By: Oliver Jeffers
Philomel Books, August 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 5-8

Themes/Topics: concepts (colors), emotions, humor

Opening: “One day, Duncan and his crayons were happily coloring together when a strange stack of postcards arrived for him in the mail…“

Brief Synopsis: Duncan, dedicated colorer that he is, has managed to misplace a number of his crayons, so they write him postcards hoping to return home.

Links To Resources: Optics For Kids (explorations on what makes color); Color Games (see the first two listed – the rest are for other skills); lots of things to color!

Why I Like This Book: Sometimes the first book in a series is good, and the second disappoints.  Not so with this one 🙂  Full of humor, it is as creative, fun and entertaining as its predecessor, The Day The Crayons Quit (reviewed HERE)  Those crayons might have quit in the past, but they still want to live with Duncan!  (Well, except for Pea Green Crayon knows that NO ONE likes pea green, so he’s got a new life plan :).)  Maroon Crayon got left in the couch and sat on by Dad.  Yellow and Orange Crayons had an unfortunate accident that left neither of them wanting to be the color of the sun any more.  Neon Red Crayon is determined to make it home but has a very questionable grasp of geography 🙂  Even one of Duncan’s younger brother’s toddler crayons gets in on the action!  You won’t want to miss the postcards from the left-behind crayons, or Duncan’s usual inspired solution to making them all feel at home!  (And you’ll enjoy seeing where some of the postcards are from… places like “Greetings From Under The Couch” or “Hello From The Rug” :))

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you and see what wonderful books you’ve chosen for us this week!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – How The Sun Got To Coco’s House

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Hey there, picture book peeps!  Happy Friday! 🙂

I have such a lovely book to share with you today!  And guess what?  As promised, it doesn’t rhyme 🙂  I have noticed something else, though, which is that all three of the books I’ve chosen so far this Perfect Picture Book season have been authored and illustrated by the same person.  Interesting… don’t you think?  Given that all three are new titles, I wonder if this is a reflection of the state of the publishing industry… and if I should learn to draw! (Yeah, okay, stop laughing!) 🙂

Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy this one!

Title: How The Sun Got To Coco’s House
Written & Illustrated By: Bob Graham
Candlewick, September 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-6

Themes/Topics: nature, writing (personification), language (poetic)

Opening: “It had to start somewhere.  While Coco slept far away, the sun crept up slowly behind a hill, paused for a moment, and seemed to think twice…
before it plunged down the other side and skidded giddily across the water.“

Brief Synopsis: The sun comes up and takes a poetic journey across the world to Coco’s house.

Links To Resources: Warmth Of The Sun discussion and activity; Shadow Play classroom activity; measuring solar activity; info about the sun with 17 related links; sun coloring pages; Happy Sunshine Cookie recipe; Renewable Solar (with many thanks to Jilanne for the link!)

Why I Like This Book:  How can you not love a book that contains phrases like “skidded giddily across the water”?  The whole story is a gentle, lovely, poetic description of how the sun comes up, travels across the world touching everything in its path with light and warmth, and finally arrives at Coco’s house to spend the day.  It’s a very quiet book, but one that can be enjoyed for the beauty of the language, the deceptive simplicity of the art (wait until you see the pinks and golds), and the feeling of comfort bestowed by the fact that, come what may, the sun rises each morning and makes a new day.

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!  I can’t wait to see what treasures await us this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – Llama Llama Gram And Grandpa

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

I seriously don’t know how the week flies by so fast!  How is it Friday again already?  I’m still doing Tuesday’s work, so we need to back up the truck a bit!  Or I need a personal assistant… any volunteers?  🙂

I’ve got another great book to share with you today, and I promise it’s just a coincidence that like last week’s it’s in rhyme – I’m not going to post rhyming books every single week… probably… maybe… 🙂 But this one is too good not to share.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Title: Llama Llama Gram And Grandpa
Written & Illustrated By: Anna Dewdney
Viking Books For Young Readers, September 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-5

Themes/Topics: grandparents, common childhood experiences (first sleepover, transitional object), bedtime, language fun (rhyme)

Opening: “Llama Llama, big big day!
It’s a first – a special stay!
Pack up clothes and pj’s tight – 
Llama’s going overnight.“

Brief Synopsis: Llama Llama is spending his first night away from home with Gram and Grandpa.  There are lots of fun things to do – a tractor to climb on, a garden to explore, grass to mow, Grandpa’s workshop to try out, and Gram’s food to sample – but what happens at bedtime when Llama’s special Fuzzy is nowhere to be found?

Links To Resources: Llama Llama Matching Game, Coloring Book, and more fun stuff; Curriculum Connections Guide for Llama Llama books, free downloadables and printables for teachers including desk plate, poster, and activities.

Why I Like This Book: If you’ve spent much time at all around this blog, you’ll know I love Llama Llama 🙂  This new addition to the collection is no exception.  The story, written in engaging, fun-to-read-aloud rhyme, perfectly captures the emotion of a child’s first time spending the night away from home.  The illustrations are warm and comforting.  Observant children will enjoy seeing (before Llama Llama does!) what happened to his Fuzzy 🙂  And of course, there is that trademark sweet “aww” moment that makes all Llama Llama books so special.  A great choice for preschoolers who are about to spend a night away, or for any child who enjoys the warmth and security of Llama Llama’s world 🙂

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!  I can’t wait to see everyone’s choices!  Look out library, here I come! 🙂

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – Old King Cole

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Happy Friday, Everyone, and welcome back to Perfect Picture Books!

Golly, it’s fun to get back in the groove, isn’t it?  I know some ambitious bloggers kept up with Perfect Picture Book Friday through July and August, but for those of us who have been lazing away our summer on hiatus, what better time then the start of the new school year to explore all the fabulous, fun titles coming out?!

I love sharing every Perfect Picture Book I find, but I especially love it when someone who is a favorite author and good friend has a new book out.  Today’s title is an absolute delight and I hope you’ll all enjoy it… and then rush out and get a copy for yourself and copies for all the littles in your life! 🙂

Title: Old King Cole
Written & Illustrated By: Iza Trapani
Charlesbridge, August 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 2-5

Themes/Topics: Nursery Rhymes, Language Fun (poetry)

Opening: “Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.

“Welcome all to the King Cole ball.”
Said the king to the guests within.
“We’ll romp and we’ll dance in the royal hall.
Let the tunes and the fun begin!“

Brief Synopsis: Old King Cole stays up so late preparing for his annual ball that when the festivities begin he can’t stay awake!  Numerous familiar nursery rhyme characters try to come to his rescue, but only the Queen of Hearts can save the day!

Links To Resources: music and lyrics are included on the final page of the book for sing-along fun; take time to explore the illustrations and see how many nursery rhyme characters you can find; Old King Cole craft; make a paper crown; easy recipe for fruit tart (get the mini graham cracker crusts for smaller tarts :))

Why I Like This Book:  As you all know, I am a die-hard Iza Trapani fan, so it is no surprise that I love this latest addition to her stellar collection.  The story is amusing and fun with enough suspense to keep youngest readers wondering whether Old King Cole will EVER wake up.  The rhythmic rhyme is fun to read (and sing!) aloud.  The illustrations are bright and delightful with plenty of details to keep pre-readers interested, including the ruckus caused by the rooster, Old Mother Hubbard’s dog investigating the treat table, and the goats who take advantage of every opportunity to kick up their heels 🙂  Kids (and grown-ups) will enjoy searching for and finding so many familiar nursery rhyme characters!  You won’t want to miss this one!!!

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!  I can’t wait to see what everyone has to share this week after so long out of the loop!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday SPECIAL EDITION! – There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight!

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Hi Everyone!

I know.

I said Perfect Picture Book Friday was on hiatus until September.

And it is.

Mostly.

It’s just that I had to interrupt the hiatus today to shout a fabulous new book from the rooftops and make sure you all knew about it in time to preorder!

It’s not every day that someone you know – someone whose writing you’ve watched blossom and grow – releases a debut picture book, so when that happens it is truly cause for celebration!  In this case, that someone is a talented writer and poet, an entertaining blogger, always willing to jump in and help with any hair-brained schemes I happen to be cooking up :), and an all around fun person who I’m privileged to call a friend. . . the lovely and delightful Penny Klostermann!!!

Sit back and get ready to enjoy her splendiferous, tons-of-fun debut picture book: There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight!

Title: There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight
Written By: Penny Klostermann
Illustrated By: Ben Mantle
Random House, August 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: retelling of classic tale, humor, greed

Opening: “There was an old dragon who swallowed a knight.  I don’t know why he swallowed the knight.  It’s not polite!”

Brief Synopsis: For some unknown reason (maybe he was hungry?! :)) a dragon swallows a knight… but apparently that doesn’t quite do the trick, because after the knight he proceeds to swallow half the kingdom!  Eventually, though, the dragon has had ENOUGH!

Links To Resources: activity guides on Penny’s website; make up your own “There Was An Old ____ Who Swallowed A _____” story!

Why I Like This Book:  Is there anything NOT to like??? 🙂  This is a wacky, fun, rollicking story that takes advantage of the familiar format of There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly while making the whole concept completely new and fresh.  The dragon is delightfully grumpy when he hollers, “I’ve had enough of this swallowing stuff!”, and I dare any kid not to laugh when the dragon burps everything back out.  Well… almost everything 🙂  (You’ll have to read the story to find out how it ends :))  The art is absolutely perfect!  Bright, engaging, and full of humorous details that are just right for the story – an author/illustrator match made in heaven.  There is so much to like in this book that it’s hard to pick favorite things, but I am especially partial to the steed who, once he enters the story, goes clippity clippity clippity clop! on every page – so much fun to read 🙂  Race out and pre-order your copy today, and/or make sure your local library plans to carry it!!!

Penny Parker Klostermann is the author of There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight. She loves all kinds of books, but especially loves very silly picture books that make her laugh. She has been known to hug her favorite picture books and seriously hopes that someday her books will gain huggable status too. Penny lives in Abilene, TX. Find out more about Penny on her website-https://www.pennyklostermann.com.

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!! 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – What About Moose?

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Well, dearies, here we are again, about to wade into summer!

And you know what that means.

It means Perfect Picture Books will go on hiatus until September.

I know.  It’s sad.  But luckily we have a big list of books to tide us over (if I ever finish updating it, it will be REALLY big!)  And a little break is good for us.  It means we’ll come back refreshed and filled with renewed enthusiasm 🙂

For the last PPBF before summer hiatus, I have a fantastically fun book to share!  You will probably all want to rush out and read it immediately 🙂

Title: What About Moose?
Written By: Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez
Illustrated By: Keika Yamaguchi
Atheneum Books For Young Readers, June 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: teamwork, behavior (bossiness), language fun (rhyme), forgiveness

Opening: “Fox met her friends with her toolbox in hand.
‘Time to start building!  Now here’s what I’ve planned.’
She divvied up jobs and then Moose trotted in.
‘I’m HERE!’ he announced.  ‘Let construction begin!’“

Brief Synopsis: The forest animals are working together to build a tree house… all except Moose who is so busy being in charge that he fails to perceive exactly what’s happening.  When he finds himself in a tight situation, his kind-hearted friends help him out in spite of his previous bossiness.

Links To Resources: Team Building Games; design your own treehouse – draw the kind of treehouse you’d love to have, including amenities :); moose coloring pages; recipes for lemonade (to drink while you’re building or playing in your treehouse :))

Why I Like This Book: As you’ve probably all gathered by now (due to the fact that I’m always adding her books to Perfect Picture Books list :)) I am a die-hard Corey Rosen Schwartz fan.  Her books are always clever and fun with fabulous rhyme that is a pleasure to read aloud.  This new addition is no exception.  Moose is delightful in his bossiness, hollering commands through a megaphone, oblivious to the predicament he’s getting himself into.  His friends are forgiving, willing to help him out even though he’s been a pain in the backside.  The illustrations are appealing and engaging.  The story is light-hearted and fun while still getting the message across that it’s best to work together – one all ages will enjoy!

Here’s the trailer:


For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

I know we will all be reading picture books throughout the summer, but with so many wonderful outdoor things to do (and the kids all home from school :)), our time for writing posts, reading reviews, and visiting one another’s blogs will be limited.  And summer is all about spending time with our families.  So go forth and enjoy – we’ll be here when you get back to start up PPBF again on Friday September 11!

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a wonderful summer, everyone, and those of you who only visit for PPBF, we’ll see you in September!  Everyone else, we’ll still be here with Would You Read It Wednesdays, the pitch picks, and Straight From The Editor, the upcoming Children’s Illustration Contest to be followed by some other high jinx for writers, and maybe a few surprises… depending on whether I manage to get things done 🙂  I’ve got at least three new things I’m hoping to share soon 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  And I hope to see some of you in New Jersey! 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – My Side Of The Car

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Happy 2nd-to-last Perfect Picture Book Friday before the summer hiatus, everyone!

Princess Blue Kitty and I have been spending A LOT of quality time together.

(You all remember Princess Blue, right?)
Sorry she has her back to you.  She’s a little camera shy 🙂

Seriously.

I can’t seem to get out of the car.

Every time I think, “Okay, maybe this week I’ll do a little less driving,” I turn out to be wrong!

Today, Princess Blue and I are heading north, and in honor of yet another 5+hours-in-the-car day (at least the third this week) I have chosen a book I love that has a car on the cover, in the title, and as the setting for the story… even though it’s not specifically Princess Blue Kitty… and actually not even blue 🙂

Ready?  Fasten your seat belts because here we go! 🙂

My Side Of The Car
Written By: Kate Feiffer
Illustrated By: Jules Feiffer
Candlewick, April 2011, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8

Themes/Topics: patience, imagination, father-daughter love, optimism

Opening:  “My dad and I are going to the zoo.  We’ve tried to go to the zoo before.  But we never get there.  Something always happens.”

Brief Synopsis:  Sadie and her dad are going to the zoo.  Their plans have been thwarted three previous times, but this time they’re really going.  Except… on the way… it starts to rain.  They can’t go to the zoo in the rain.  But Sadie’s not about to let the fact that her dad sees rain deter her.  “I look out my window, and the sun is shining on my side of the car. People are putting on their sunglasses and heading to zoos all over the world on my side of the car.” While her dad sees nothing but rain, Sadie sees people mowing their laws and eating ice cream.  Is it raining or not?  Will Sadie and her dad get to the zoo this time or will they have to wait for another day?

Links To Resources:  Fun Zoo-Related Activities, Zoo Lessons And Activities, a page in the back of the book tells the true story of what happened (which is always fun :))

Why I Like This Book:  Anyone who has lived with kids knows that their perception of reality is not necessarily the same as yours… especially when they really want something! 🙂  What’s wonderful about this book is both Sadie’s determined optimism and her father’s patience and his loving understanding of how she needs to cope with her disappointment.  This book is also delightful because it’s written and illustrated by a father-daughter team about an incident that actually happened.  I’m not going to tell you whether they get to the zoo or not, though.  You’ll have to go read the book 🙂

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a super-fantastic weekend, everyone!!!  And feel free to share in the comments how much quality time you’ll be spending with YOUR cars 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – Baby Bear Discovers The World

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday!

It’s May on Blueberry Hill, and you know what that means:

Baby goslings.

Baby foxes.

Baby snakes.

Baby rabbits.

Baby groundhogs.

And given the black bears wandering around, I’m betting there are some baby bears even though I haven’t seen any… which is probably just as well because where there’s a baby bear there’s a protective mama bear not too far away! 🙂

In the spirit of baby animals, I have chosen this very delightful book for today.  I dare you and your young reading companions not to love the pictures 🙂

Title: Baby Bear Discovers The World
Written By: Marion Dane Bauer
Photography By: Stan Tekiela
Adventure Publications Inc, 2006, Factual Fiction with great photos

Suitable For Ages: 3 and up

Themes/Topics: wild animals, growing up, independence, nature

Opening: One fine spring morning Baby Bear said to his mama, “Mama, I’m a big bear now.  It’s time for me to go out and discover the world.  Then he kissed his mama so she would know he meant business.”

Brief Synopsis: From the jacket: “Follow Baby Bear’s excursion into the big world as he tries to prove his independence, wandering closer and closer to places he doesn’t belong.  Using twin cubs and the assistance of a handler, Stan [the photographer] succeeded in getting all the photos for this book from the cubs’ natural reactions to their surroundings.  His ability to capture everything from their inquisitive faces to actually tumbling from a log is delightfully documented.”

Links To Resources:  Everything you need is right here!  The back of the book has a section on bear facts – characteristics, activity, diet, cubs, and hibernation.  It also has a section on how the book was photographed, and another section of “outtakes and bloopers” photos – SO CUTE! 🙂  You can also go for a walk and look for signs of animals – paw prints, nests, etc.  City or country, you’re likely to discover some fun things, just like Baby Bear 🙂

Why I Like This Book:  I just absolutely adore wildlife photography.  This book combines a fun story about learning independence with exquisite photography of lots of animals besides the bears along with the surrounding flora.  It’s fun just to look at the pictures 🙂  The outtakes and bloopers photos are also tons of fun and make the experience of the book even better.  Wait until you see the picture of Baby Bear licking a mouse 🙂

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Oh, and just a quick heads up: June 12 (two weeks from now) will be our last PPBF before summer hiatus… just so you know for planning purposes.

Now then, I am off at an all day school visit, so I will see you all later or over the weekend, but stay tuned for a special post on Monday… it’s about time we had some high jinx and shenanigans around here! 🙂

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – A Special Occasion

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Today is a special day, so I’m going to depart slightly from my usual Perfect Picture Book post and tell you a (very condensed :)) story.

Once upon a time, I had a house full of babies – diaper-clad, chubby-limbed, crawling, walking, running, climbing, lap-snuggling, bedtime-reading, dressing-up, imagining, adventuring, singing, dancing, laughing, mile-a-minute children – 5 amazing kids who filled our home with energy, love, and joy.

And they did what kids will do if you are blessed.

In what feels like a heart beat, they grew up.

This weekend, we will celebrate not one, but two graduations.

While they mark wonderful new beginnings – excitement, adventure, opportunity – they also mark the end of an era, and it’s making me a wee bit nostalgic.

So I want to share a special Perfect Picture Book Collection – a round-up of the family favorites that made up so many happy hours of reading at nap time and bedtime, on rainy afternoons or long car drives, with parents, grandparents, and older siblings, from babyhood until the move up to chapter books – a little glimpse of those golden childhood years which seem to have flown by far too quickly.

(Many have been reviewed for Perfect Picture Books and link to their reviews on the blogs of the wonderful PPBF bloggers who shared them.  And a few I realized, had been reviewed at one time, but the links are no longer active – so they could be done again :))

Goodnight Moon

Dear Zoo

Each Peach Pear Plum

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The Cat In The Hat

The Cat In The Hat Comes Back

Green Eggs And Ham

Go, Dog, Go! (was reviewed but link is no longer active)

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Make Way For Ducklings (was reviewed but link is no longer active)

Blueberries For Sal (was reviewed but link is no longer active)

Harry The Dirty Dog

Bedtime For Frances (whole series)

Madeline (whole series) (has been reviewed twice but don’t have links on hand)

Curious George

All The Places To Love

The Camel Who Took A Walk

Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel

George And Martha (whole series)

The Story Of Ferdinand

Flap Your Wings

Contrary Bear

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon (has been reviewed but don’t have link on hand)

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse

Julius The Baby Of The World

Mowing

Cowgirl Rosie And Her Five Baby Bison

The Giant Jam Sandwich

The King, The Mice, And The Cheese

The Best Nest

The House On East 88th Street (whole series)

Mole Music

Of course there were many others, but those are some of the tried-and-true, beloved by all the kids regardless of age, stage, or gender, that were read over and over so often that I used to be able to recite many of them by heart.  If you’re looking for a list of best books to give as a baby gift, or just want a field-tested group of favorites, I highly recommend all of the above 🙂

Today’s picture-book-aged kids likely have a different set of favorites, but I’m curious: how many of these are on your list of family favorites?

This weekend’s graduations are scheduled for the same day… same time… different states, which means neither child will have her whole family in attendance, and none of us will be able to attend both milestone moments (which, as you can imagine, is causing a great deal of heart wrenching.)  It also means that in order to attend at least part of each child’s momentous occasion, there will be a lot of traveling, so please forgive me if I fail miserably to visit your blogs and read your choices this weekend.  I will try to catch up next week!

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend, and enjoy whatever events you may have planned, or just happy time with your families!

Happy beginning of summer 🙂

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – Sheep Go To Sleep

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My goodness what a busy week it has been!  I feel like I keep saying that! 🙂

I already know next week is going to be WAY busier so. . . donations of chocolate will be gratefully accepted 🙂  (A girl needs fuel!)

(Phyllis says groundhogs also need fuel and she will accept donations of strawberries.)

(And Woolliam (aka Baab) says sheep… oh, never mind, he’s asleep.)

As you all know, I am very fond of books about sheep :), and I have the most marvelous new one to share with you today!  It’s as perfect as only a Perfect Picture Book can be! 🙂

Title: Sheep Go To Sleep
Written By: Nancy Shaw
Illustrated By: Margot Apple
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, May, 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-8

Themes/Topics: bedtime, counting, animals, language fun (rhyme)

Opening: “Winking fireflies light the way,
as sheep stroll home to hit the hay.
Five sheep settle in their shed,
using straw to make the bed.“

Brief Synopsis: It’s time for bed, but the sheep are having a little trouble settling down.  Fortunately a trusty collie knows just what to do to get them all happy and cozy for the night.

Links To Resources: talk about what things you need to go to sleep – are there some things everyone likes to have at bedtime and other things that are more individual?; Sheep Crafts & Activities; 30 Cute Lamb & Sheep Crafts for Kids & Adults; Marshmallow Sheep Recipes

Why I Like This Book: Delightful rhyme, a sweet, fun story, and adorable art – what’s not to love? 🙂  Just like a lot of children I know, the sheep hear some scary noises and feel a little too worried to fall asleep.  Their friend the collie is as wise and understanding as any parent.  He gives one a hug, one a drink, one a blanket until at last everyone is tucked in safe and cozy, sound asleep.  And in the morning, when the sheep wake up, where do you think the collie has gone?  (I’m not telling. You’ll have to read to find out :))  A lovely, comforting story (which incorporates some counting along the way for an added bonus :)) that is a perfect addition to any bedtime bookshelf.

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Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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