Peek-a-Who?

Title: Peek-A Who?
Author: Nina Laden
Publish Date: February 1, 2000
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Pages: 10
ISBN: 0811826023

Price: $6.95

Age Range: 0-4
Classification: Board Book

Annotation: This interactive book is filled with simple, bright illustrations and a baby guesses and turns the easy to hold chunky pages to fine out the question, Peek-a-WHO? A moo, a zoo, a YOU!

Evaluation: This book is super cute and encourages exploration, surprise, and play. It's takes the "Peek-a-Boo" game to the next level. It supports parent-baby & toddler bonding. The little die-cut opening that keeps you guessing what's on the other side is a perfect baby-hand sized hole that supports both predictive literacy skills and fine motor skills.

Autor Website: http://www.ninaladen.com/

Dogabet

Title: Dogabet

Author: Dianna Bonder

Publish Date: August 15, 2008

Publisher: Walrus Books

Pages: 32

Price: $16.95

ISBN: 1552859401

Genre: Picture Books

Subjects: Alphabet Books, Picture Books

Annotation: An A to Z party of Dogs! Everybody loves dogs! If your a cat lover, you will also be a dog lover by the time you get to Z! So Dianna Bonder uses her trademark artistic style to bring about her own whimsical version of an alphabet book. Dogs and many different dog breeds, along with things that begin with that letter, hidden letters, even a hidden cat!

Evaluation: I love Dianna Bonder's illustrations and written work so much! This is inherently happy and evokes the actual feeling you get when cuddling up with a cute little pup who loves you! Talk about a great way to learn to love the alphabet! Great jumpstarter for play throughout the day. With all the dogs baby/toddler and parent can identify dogs and letters all day!

Dianna Bonder's Website: http://www.diannabonder.com/pages/about/about.php

If You Give A Cat Cupcake

Title: If You Give A Cat A Cupcake
Author: Laura Numeroff
Publish Date: September 30, 2008
Publisher: Harpercollins
Pages: 32
ISBN: 0060283246

Price: $16.99
Genre: Picture Books
Series: If You Give A...Series

Annotation: The beloved and hilarious If You Give a Mouse A Cookie series is back with it's latest cause and effect romp! But this time, if you give a cat a cupcake, he may want some sprinkles to go with it!

Evaluation: A great book to introduce early literacy skills while at the same time having a laugh! You can't go wrong with this series, and in no time, even little pre-readers will be memorizing and following the text as you read! It's read aloud in its highest interest form!

Author Website: http://lauranumeroff.com/

The Runaway Bunny Book and CD (Share a Story) [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Title: The Runaway Bunny Book and CD (Share a Story) [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]
Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Publish Date: December 26, 2006
Publisher: HarperFestival; Pap/Com edition
Pages: 34
ISBN: 0061142719

Price: $9.99
Classification: Book/Audiobook (KIT)
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: Nursery

Annotation: A little bunny plays hide and seek and mother bunny finds him every time.

Evaluation: A book that mommies can read to their babies to reassure them of there love and steadfastness. Feeling secure is a huge part of being a child, and here the illustrations and plot are profoundly well-executed much like Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon. Furthermore, literacy is encouraged in a new form with an audio component. This is a great tool for families whose parents are learning English or to read. However, almost anyone can benefit from listening to audiobooks as a shared experience. A WONDERFUL family activity that is an alternative to television!

Guess How Much I Love You

Title: Guess How Much I Love You
Author: Sam McBratney
Publish Date: 2008
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 32
ISBN: 0763641758

Price: Hardcover $16.99
Classification: Picture Book
Genre: Fiction

Annotation: During a bathtime routine, nutbrown hare and his baby bunny go back in forth about who loves who more. Daddy Nutbrown Hare shows every daddy's sentiment by coming back with more each time.

Evaluation: Something about this book is very appealing. As if the sentiment wasn't enough to make for a sweet read aloud, the illustrations are classic and modern, somehow, at the same time. This book is a reassuring delight for young one's that need their daddy's (and parents in general) soothing words of love but in a "baby play" way. In this way it's also a developmentally appropriate illustration of emotions as well as a great pre-literacy to early literacy read aloud. It also encourages conversation, predictive guessing, and physical movement while copying the Hare's Gestures.

Authors Website:

Chicken, Pig, Cow

Title: Chicken, Pig, Cow

Author: Ruth Ohi

Publish Date: August 15, 2008

Publisher: Annick Press

Pages: 32

ISBN: 1554511569

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Picture Book

Annotation: A new spin on a toy story! Chicken, cow, and pig meet the dog when their little girl is out!

Evaulation: Chicken, Pig, and Cow are toys who live is a popsicle stick barn which sadly doesn't haven't a door or a roof! The animal toys don't mind this at all-MOST OF THE TIME! But, one day when the little girl who owns them doesn't come home, instead they get a dog! without a roof his this presents a precarious situation indeed! All's well that ends well when the animals make a new friend (yup, the dog!) and even get a door on their popsicle home barn!

Kids will ABSOLUTELY love the imagination, the whimsy of ideas, and the watercolor pictures in this book! I wish I had it as a kid! Instead, I will have to bring it to my class! Not to mention it's a wonderful story about unpredictable friends and happy endings!

Website: http://www.ruthohi.com/

My First Spanish Animal Board Book

Title: My First Spanish Animal Board Book

Author: DK Publishing

Pages: 36

Price: $6.99

Publisher: DK Preschool; 1st edition

Publisher Date: July 1, 2002

ISBN: 0789485907

Classification: Word Book/Bilingual/Board Book

Annotation: A word book that shows animals with there English and Spanish names.

Evaluation: You can't go wrong with this word book. For English speaking children this may be a fun way to enrich a second language (especially for fans of Dora the Explorer). For Spanish children this gives the little ones a chance to cross over to English before school begins. (Especially in families where parents only speak English.) This book is part of a series and has three more titles in the same vain.

DK Children's Website: http://us.dk.com/static/cs/us/11/childrens/intro.html

Touch and Feel Animals Box Set

Title: Touch and Feel Animals Box Set

Author: DK

Publisher: DK Preschool

Publishing Date: 2003

Features: Box Set

ISBN: 0789488779

Pages: 36

Price: $19.99

Classification: Board Book

Genre: Preschool Touch & Feel

Annotation: Touch and feel your favorite Animal friends! Complete with photos of real life animals, this box set includes three titles of books about farm, wild animals, and baby animals board books.

Evaluation: This is children’s title that can be directly shared with children. These books are unique because they are “touch and feel” titles that have patches of textures for different animals. This is a world book that encourages little ones to feel textile differences and explore picture-language connections. This book does a lot with a little. It is also in the sturdy board book (mouth proof) format that is small enough for little hands and fun for family playtime.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See + CD

Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See + CD

Author: Bill Martin and Eric Carle

Price: $9.99

Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners; Pap/Com edition

Publisher Date: August 4, 2009

ISBN: 1427207267

Classification: Picture Book and AudioBook

Annotation: Brown Bear...what do you see? A book full of colors and rhythm and animals...see?

Evaluation: Enthusiastically colored pictures side by side with children's favorite animals make this story about looking and learning colors also a calming pulse of rhythm that will soothe as well as entertain. Sure to be a favorite. And with the CD to listen too, children will be able to get lost in the colors!

Author Website: http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html

The Subway Mouse

Title: The Subway Mouse

Author: Barbara Reid

Publish Date: May 2005

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Pages: 40pp

IBSN: 0439728274

Classification: Picture Books

Annotation: Nib & Lola search for a the end of the tunnels under the subway and find the world outside a very different & dangerous place.

Evaluation: Under a busy subway lives a cute little mouse named Nib who lives with his mouse family. Stories are told amongst the mice about the "tunnel's end" which he absolutely loves. Though the stories say it's dangerous, he romanticizes the idea of the Tunnel's end and like "pack rat" he collects and arranges it within his tunnel home. After having it ruined by some cousin mice, nib goes off in search of the REAL Tunnel's End. While on his adventure he pairs up with Lola, a girl mouse who makes it out of the tunnel with him where they are both shocked by a world that is even MORE dangerous then they could have anticipated-but equally exciting and beautiful. AND...Oh wow! The plasticine art here takes my breath away. Personally, I haven't scene anything quite like this before (to be honest I hadn't even heard of plasticine art before this book), but it's truly amazing. The story is cute but the art definitely takes the center stage here. I was so excited by it that I thought I would share her youtube page where she shows how she actually does this art. It's especially interesting how she creates perspective by starting in the back and working forward!

Barbara Reid on Youtube (Including videos of how she creates the illustrations for her Plasticine Art)!! http://www.youtube.com/user/BarbaraReidAuthor

Richard Scarry's Cars And Trucks And Things That Go (Giant Little Golden Book)

Title: Cars And Trucks And Things That Go

(Giant Little Golden Book)

Author: Richard Scarry

Pages: 69

Price: $14.99

Publisher: Golden Books

Publisher Date: June 1, 1998

ISBN: 0307157857

Classification: Picture Books

Annotation: A little pig family looks at every imaginable form of transportation on their way to a family outing.

Evaluation: This book is so iconic in some grown ups today that it begs the question: why? One grown up I know said he read the book almost daily and held onto it as the only survivor of his childhood library until he was well in his twenties. Now he is a pilot in a "thing that goes" - coincidence? For starters, this book (much like many books these day) is much like a picture dictionary. But it's drawn in the Richard Scarry way, (like a fantasy world we are visiting), and it has a bunch of little stry bonuses like the little hidden pictures and the piggy's story that ties it all together. Lastly, like dinosaurs or princess, cars ad trucks are often a source of inspiration to young children! It's giant form make it toddler and child friendly. This book will no doubt be one that your toddler grows into and rereads through the years! A classic in its own right!

Poky Little Puppy

Title: The Poky Little Puppy

Author: Janette Sebring Lowrey

Price: $11.95

Pages: 24

Publisher: Golden Books

Publisher Date: October 22, 1999

ISBN: 0307160262

Classification: Picture Books

Annotation: "Where in the world is the Pokey Little Puppy?" This little puppy, who is always a little late, finally finds his way home one night to find he's missed out on something sweet.

Evaluation: This is vintage Golden Books at their best, here in the Poky Little Puppy. Mommies and daddies who have a draw to the vintage will appreciate this one, and the children will be enchanted by the relatable pokiness of this sweet pup. My only critique would be (if your a dog owner and you read this to your children) make sure and tell your children not to feed real dogs chocolate custard (or of any kind). Doggies can't eat chocolate! But it sure is adorable in this little Golden Book! And we'll eat up this little story over and over again! Maybe it's time to rediscover Golden Books!

Golden Books on the Web: http://www.randomhouse.com/golden/index.php

Good Morning Maisy - DVD

Title: Good Morning Maisy

• Price: $14.98
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
• Number of discs: 1
• • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
    
    
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: February 10, 2004
• Run Time: 153 minutes
• ASIN: B0000WN0OG

Annotation: Explore ABCs, Colors, Shapes, and other comcepts with Maisy and her best friends in this collection of some of Maisy's TV shows, put together here, on this DVD.

Evaluation: There's something about Mary. Scratch that. Maisy. There's something about Maisy! We love her and her friends. Her simple shapes and colors in illustrations come to life here in this concept rich collection. A great collection for a great price! Shows included on DVD:

- Count with Maisy
- Maisy’s ABC
- Maisy’s Colors and Shapes
- Maisy’s Farm

Maisy's Fun Club Webpage: http://www.maisyfunclub.com/

Maisy Goes to the Library: A Maisy First Experience Book

• Title: Maisy Goes to the Library
• A Maisy First Experience Book
• Author: Lucy Cousins
• Price: $6.99
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763643718

Annotation: Maisy goes to the library and experiences all the things the library has to offer! From Story hour to xerox copies to a quite place to read, join Maisy in this first experience book!

Evaluation: This is also one of my favorite titles, especially of Maisy's collection. The way Maisy is illustrated so simply and in mostly primary and bright colors, really appeals to the early development of babies and toddlers. Furthermore, her "first experience" collection (which this book is a part of) is always wonderful things that help parents introduce complex places that often have wonderful programs for children (like the museum and the library). It helps make these places less scary and more fun and definitely dispels the mystery!!

Maisy Website: http://www.maisyfunclub.com/

Never Take A Shark Th The Dentist (and other things not to do)

• Title: Never Take A Shark To The Dentist
• (and other things not to do)
• Author: Judi Barrett
• Price: $16.99
• Hardcover: 34 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416907246

Classification: Picture Books

Annotation: A Humorous guidebook for the curious kiddy who may want to hold hands with a lobster or drag a shark to the dentist? Can you guess why?

Evaluation: This book is authored by the same authoress who wrote the hugely famous title, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." With the same side splitting humor parents can use this book in many ways to support early literacy and developmentally appropriate activities with their children. Children will never be bored when taking a picture walk (pre-reading) and trying to guess why you should do things (just by looking at the amazing pictures)! If you are looking for fun and humor in your picture books, look no further!

Author Webpage:

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Judi-Barrett/1103891

The Napping House

Title: The Napping House

Author: Audrey Wood

Price: $25.95

Pages:

• • 32 pages

• • Publisher: Harcourt Big Books; 1 edition
  • Publishing Date: May 15, 1991
  • ISBN-10: 0152567119

Classification: Picture Book

Annotation: In this napping house, EVERYONE is napping...in one big pile! But what happens when one character wakes up? THEY ALL WAKE each other up!

Evaluation: There is so much to do with this simply amazing sleep-time tale, I don't know where to begin. First of all, as everyone falls asleep its raining and dark. As the story goes forward, and everyone wakes up in the hysterical domino effect, it ends on a sunny, rainbow day! Developmentally appropriate angles abound within these pages that can be taken advantage of here. A parent or librarian can do picture walks, talk about colors, predict, and of course, this is a great naptime and bedtime story! Definitely not to be missed!

Author Website: http://www.audreywood.com/