Book Nook


	Here are our favorite books!

Home

Going Places

Coloring Pages

Video Vault

Cool Stuff

Travel Time

Book Nook

e-friends

Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle

The gentle rhyming and gorgeous, tissue-paper collage illustrations in this classic picture book make it a dog-eared favorite on many children's bookshelves. On each page, we meet a new animal who nudges us onward to discover which creature will show up next: "Blue Horse, Blue Horse, What do you see? I see a green frog looking at me." This pattern is repeated over and over, until the pre-reader can chime in with the reader, easily predicting the next rhyme. One thing readers might not predict, however, is just what kinds of funny characters will make an appearance at the denouement! Children on the verge of reading learn best with plenty of identifiable images and rhythmic repetition. Eric Carle's good-humored style and colorful, bold illustrations have earned him a prominent place in the children's book hall of fame.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one

apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good NIght? by Jane Yolen

"How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light? Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about? Does a dinosaur stomp his feet on the floor and shout: 'I want to hear one book more!'? DOES A DINOSAUR ROAR?" Most certainly not. Dinosaurs give their mommies and daddies big hugs and kisses, tuck their tales in, and whisper "Good night!" Every sleepy little dinosaur will recognize the tricks of the trade in these bedtime shenanigans. The chuckle factor is sky-high here, with giant, full-page pictures of cleverly identified Tyrannosaurus rexes, triceratopses, and Pteranodons. A variety of human mothers and fathers trying to put their

dinosaur children to bed will bring the point home that thestory may have something to do with human kid behavior as well. This good-natured nighttime book is sure to be a winner (even though it might inspire a few noisy dinosaur antics), especially as it's written by Jane Yolen, prolific Caldecott Medalist author of Owl Moon.

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

Gerald the giraffe doesn't really have delusions of grandeur. He just wants to dance. But his knees are crooked and his legs are thin, and all the other animals mock him when he approaches the dance floor at the annual Jungle Dance. "Hey, look at clumsy Gerald," they sneer. "Oh, Gerald, you're so weird." Poor Gerald slinks away as the chimps cha-cha, rhinos rock 'n' roll, and warthogs waltz. But an encouraging word from an unlikely source shows this glum giraffe that those who are different "just need a different song," and soon he is prancing and sashaying and boogying to moon music (with a cricket accompanist). In the vein of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Gerald's fickle "friends" quickly decide he's

worthy of their attention again. With this rhyming, poignant (in a cartoonish way) tale, Giles Andreae, author of Rumble in the Jungle, and numerous other picture books, shows insecure young readers that everyone can be wonderful, even those that march to the beat of a different cricket. The rhymes are somewhat awkward, but the bold, bright watercolors by Guy Parker-Rees will invite readers to kick up their heels and find their own internal harmony.

The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

For a little one who is reluctant to go to bed, sometimes a silly book is just the ticket. And when it comes to silly books, Sandra Boynton is the undisputed queen. In The Going to Bed Book, an ark full of animals watches the sun go down and then prepares for bed. They take a bath ("in one big tub"), find pajamas, brush their teeth, do exercises up on deck (imagine an elephant jumping rope, a moose lifting weights, and a pig doing handstands), and finally say good night. The moon is high. The sea is deep. They rock and rock and rock to sleep. Boynton's inimitable animal characters have graced the pages of

scads of picture books over the years. She has an extraordinary knack for knowing what appeals to small children: simple rhymes, goofy animals in goofy settings, and sweet, comforting stories. This book, along with her many other board-book titles (Moo, Baa, La La La!, But Not the Hippopotamus, and others) will surely remain a favorite.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

In the great green room / There was a telephone / And a red balloon / And a picture of-- / The cow jumping over the moon." Maybe you and your favorite baby have heard this soothing, rhythmic beginning to Margaret Wise Brown and illustrator Clement Hurd's classic Goodnight Moon once or a thousand times. But has your child ever heard it while sporting Goodnight Moon bunny slippers? This compact, clear-plastic tote carries the sturdy board-book edition of Goodnight Moon and one pair of baby-sized slippers,

ready to take along for bedtime, naptime, or storytime. These 4-inch-long slippers, equipped with rubber-dotted soles, are made of a thin, soft, blue-and-white-striped fabric with felt-like bands of orange cloth around the elasticized ankles. Best of all perhaps is the sweet bunny head on the top of each slipper, and the white bunny tails on the heels.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

All children want reassurance that their parents' love runs wide and deep. In Guess How Much I Love You, a young rabbit named Little Nutbrown Hare thinks he's found a way to measure the boundaries of love. In a heartwarming twist on the "I-can-do-anything-you-can-do-better" theme, Little Nutbrown Hare goes through a series of declarations regarding the breadth of his love for Big Nutbrown Hare. But even when his feelings stretch as long as his arms, or as high as his hops, Little Nutbrown Hare is fondly one-upped by the elder rabbit's more expansive love. Anita Jeram's illustrations are bound to elicit an "aw" from even

the sternest of readers; these loving rabbits are expressive, endearing, and never cloying. In turn, Sam McBratney tells a simple bedtime story of sweet familial love with humor, insight, and a delightful surprise at the end. Children and parents will love snuggling up for this one--a treat to be read again and again, just before the lights are turned out.

Jamberry by Bruce Deg

4font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Hat and boot in hand, a boy and a bear set off on a delicious and raucous romp through Berryland. They frolic in strawberry fields forever, rumble and ramble in blackberry brambles, and topple their canoeberry with blueberries. Silly rhymes and a musical beat practically beg to be read aloud, preferably accompanied by dancing. New readers will giggle as they follow the fruit-frenzied pals on their berry adventures. Jamberry builds quickly in intensity and complexity, starting with "One berry, Two berry, Pick me a blueberry," and working up to "Raspberry, Jazzberry, Razzmatazzberry, Berryband, Merryband, Jamming in Berryland." Children will love

discovering the subtle touches in Bruce Degen's illustrations: a frog climbing out of a hat, crackers and butter instead of lily pads, and a sign by the raspberry skating rink imploring skaters not to pick the jelly rolls planted nearby. Every character seems giddy with well-fed joy in this veritable jamboree of flavorful fun. Jamberry is a book best enjoyed on a gloomy day with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss

Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do! In this "Book of Wonderful Noises," Mr. Brown struts his stuff, as he imitates everything from popping corks to horse feet ("pop pop pop pop" and "klopp klopp klopp," respectively) while inviting everyone to join him in the fun. Young readers who are still learning their sounds and letters will get a wacky workout as they follow along with the very serious-looking, squinty-eyed Mr. Brown. Whether it's eggs frying in a pan or a hippo chewing gum, the skillful Mr. Brown just keeps topping himself, with a "sizzle sizzle" or a "grum grum grum." "Mr. Brown is so smart he can even do this: he can even make a noise like a goldfish kiss!... pip!" As usual, the words and pictures of Dr. Seuss make reading (and making all sorts of funny noises) impossible to resist. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? will stay fresh through many a giggling reading.

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Since its publication in 1942, The Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. Generations of sleepy children and grateful parents have loved the classics of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, including Goodnight Moon. The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away: "'If you run away,' said his mother, 'I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'" And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. No matter how many forms the little bunny takes--a fish in a stream, a crocus in

a hidden garden, a rock on a mountain--his steadfast, adoring, protective mother finds a way of retrieving him. The soothing rhythm of the bunny banter--along with the surreal, dream-like pictures--never fail to infuse young readers with a complete sense of security and peace. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom's love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination. This Sendak classic is more fun than you've ever had in a wolf suit, and it manages to reaffirm the notion that there's no place like home.