Some More Zany Jan Thomas books

Rhyming Dust Bunnies and Can You Make A Scary Face by Jan Thomas
Recommended Ages 2-6

At the beginning of the summer, I wrote about a couple of Jan Thomas's picture books for young children. What I found so refreshing about them was their humor (stated in very few words) and their colorful, cartoon-like pictures. At the time, I placed a hold on another of her books- Rhyming Dust Bunnies-, which finally came in today. Plus, I discovered that she has a brand new book-Can You Make a Scary Face? Both were worth the wait.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies is about, well, four dust bunnies that love to rhyme. Well, at least three of them do. Bob, the more observant dust bunny, is always on the lookout for danger. So while Ed, Ned and Ted rhyme bug with rug, hug and mug, Bob shouts out "Look Out."
"No Bob, look out doesn't rhyme with rug," shout the other dust bunnies.
Anyway, the story progresses and, as you probably guessed, comes complete with a broom, and ...a vacuum cleaner. Thomas has a great gift for story telling, and preschoolers will want to hear this over and over.

With Can You Make A Scary Face, Thomas sticks with the same brightly colored illustrations and silly humor, but now offers a more interactive book. This book begs to be read aloud, preferably to a gaggle of kids.

It starts off with a ladybug shouting to the reader "Hey, you! Yes, I'm talking to you! Stand up!"
Turn the page and the ladybug says: "No, I changed my mind...sit down!"
And so it goes. The commands come faster and faster and soon the ladybug is ordering the kids to wiggle their noses, laugh, dance the chicken dance and blow tiny, tickly bugs out of their mouths. It's contagious and sure to be a hit in every preschool classroom.

I guess you can see that I'm a big fan of Jan Thomas. I think she understands kids and writes her books for them. They are paced just right for preschoolers, and her humor is spot on. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.