Monthly Feature by Carol ElbertCarol Elbert is a freelance reviewer, retired after 25 years as Youth Services Coordinator at the Ames Public Library in Ames, Iowa. She has been involved with Raising Readers since 2000.
Polly’s Pink Pajamas by Vivian French, illustrated by Sue Heap. Candlewick, 2010.
Suggested for ages 4-8
Polly LOVES her pink pajamas. She wears them all the time, day and night. But when she’s invited to Fred’s party, she asks her friends to lend party clothes. When she looks in a mirror at herself in borrowed clothes over the pink pajamas, she bursts into tears. What to do? Whether or not your child likes to dress up, you’ll be glad for the story’s satisfying outcome.
The Bicklebys’ Birdbath by Andrea Perry, illustrated by Roberta Angaramo. Atheneum, 2010.
Suggested for ages 3-7
Why did the mailman fall into the birdbath? Well, he was being chased by a goose who was scared by a moose… One thing leads to another is this comic cumulative tale of chaos involving a bee, a lawn mower, a flock of crows and more. This rhythmic read-aloud of silly fun follows the pattern of “The House That Jack Built.” Cheerful acrylic paintings show the action and the happy resolution.
Bears! Bears! Bears! by Bob Barner. Chronicle Books, 2010.
Suggested for ages 2-6
Did you know that a newborn panda is the size of a stick of butter? Simple rhyming text and textured paper collage illustrations introduce bears from around the world in this appealing nonfiction book for young children. “Grizzly bears fish with giant claws. Sloth bears hug mama with furry paws.” At the end you’ll find facts about baby bears and a world map showing where the bears live.
Poetrees by Douglas Florian. Beach Lane, 2010.
Suggested for ages 5-12
Douglas Florian is a master of wonderful wordplay. Here his poems describe trees of various kinds, illustrated with imaginative paintings and collage on brown paper. Don’t miss the “Glossatree” of additional facts at the end. Take a nature walk with your child to explore the beauty of leaves and bark and tree shapes, and then have fun reading these fascinating word pictures.
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