Rabbit's Gift

Rabbit's Gift

Written by: George Shannon
Illustrated by: Laura Dronzek
Recommended Ages: 3-7

This is a wonderful picture book that shows the beauty of giving in a way that even the youngest of readers will appreciate. Based on an ancient folktale, which possibly originated in China, this story nestles its way into your heart leaving you with a warm feeling after you've closed the book.

The story begins with Rabbit in search of food on a cold and snowy day. He soon finds two turnips, and he rolls them home. As he nibbles away on one, his thoughts turn to his friend Donkey, and he wonders if she has enough to eat. So he pushes the turnip up the hill to Donkey's house and leaves it by the front door. As he leaves, his tracks are covered up by the falling snow. When donkey discovers the turnip, she realizes that she has enough to eat, but perhaps Goat doesn't, and she decides to bring the turnip to him. The story goes on like this, with each animal gifting the turnip to another animal friend. The turnip is eventually returned-full circle-to Rabbit, who knows exactly what to do with it. The last picture shows Rabbit, Donkey, Goat and Deer sharing the turnip.

The illustrations by Dronzek are simple and engaging. There's just enough detail so that even the youngest reader will be drawn to the page. One interesting thing she did is draw the Chinese symbol for each animal when they are first introduced.

But it's Shannon's telling of the story which is so pitch perfect. The language is refreshingly simple, making it a great read aloud. I can see that this will be one of those books that children will want to hear over and over and over again.

BookNosher Tidbit: In 2008, Rabbit's Gift was the recipient of the Washington State Book Award for Children.

Emily Gravett: Picture Book Author/Illustrator Worth Checking Out

In the four years since Emily Gravett's first book Wolves came out, she has written and illustrated eight noteworthy children's picture books. Each one of them is unique, clever and ends up sneaking up on you. I found myself finishing up one, and then turning back to page one and re-reading it right away. She is an author we will hear much from in the coming years.

Wolves
Written and Illustrated by: Emily Gravett
Recommended Ages: 4-8

This clever story stars a rabbit that goes to the West Bucks Public Burrowing Library and checks out a book about wolves. As the story unfolds, we see the rabbit-with nose in book-devouring factual information about wolves (ie. an adult wolf has 42 teeth), while at the same time being stalked by a wolf. As the book goes on, the rabbit becomes smaller and smaller, while the wolf becomes larger and more threatening. Eventually the rabbit realizes the trouble he is in, and the result is a partially eaten book and no rabbit. But never fear, on the next page the author points out that the book is a work of fiction and "no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book." She then goes on to provide an ending for "sensitive readers," that's very tongue in cheek and quite funny. If your child is quite sensitive, you might skip this book. But if your child has a good sense of humor, likes learning facts about wolves and appreciates looking at the subtle details in pictures, then this book is a good choice.

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears (Kate Greenaway Medal (Awards))

Written and Illustrated by: Emily Gravett
Recommended Ages: 4-8

This is a beautiful picture book using mixed-media images that will delight children and adults alike. At the heart of the story is a little mouse that uses a journal to illustrate his fears. Pencil in hand, the little mouse draws his reactions to phobias like Clinophobia (the fear of going to bed) and Teratophobia (fear of monsters) by drawing a bed with seven pairs of scary eyes under it. There are lots of fold outs, torn pages and flap lifts for kids to spend time on and parents to marvel at. As you go through the pages, and learn about real fears such as chronomentrophobia (fear of clocks) and the slightly made-up fear of whereamiophobia (fear of getting lost), you begin to wonder how she will end the book. Well, most perfectly, if I do say so myself. The last three pages contain the lines: "I'm afraid of nearly everything I see. But even though I'm very small...she's afraid of me." And there on the page is the little mouse looking up at a pair of giant feet standing on a chair. It's a reassuring book about facing ones' fears.


Orange Pear Apple Bear

Written and Illustrated by: Emily Gravett
Recommended Ages: 1-3

For the youngest readers, Emily Gravett introduces us to Orange Pear Apple Bear. It has just five words in it, and yet she playfully arranges them to tell a tale of a bear playing and interacting with fruit. It's visually appealing to look at, and parents can point out colors and shapes to their eager toddlers. Will not disappoint.

BookNosher Tidbits: Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears won the Kate Greenaway medal. Wolves was the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Award for Illustration. Orange Pear Apple Bear was a Quills Award finalist and on the shortlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year.

BookNosher Activities: Definitely check out Emily Gravett's website. She has activities and games that go along with her books. It's a very well-designed, interactive site.

The Lion & The Mouse: A Wordless Telling

The Lion & the Mouse

By: Jerry Pinkney
Recommended Ages: 1 and up

The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney is a wordless picture book that retells the Aesop fable of the lion and the mouse. To say that it is gloriously depicted, would be an understatement. Each page is handcrafted in watercolors and pencils, in rich brown and golden hues. Your eyes are drawn in so that you, too, feel as if you are in the wide open spaces of the African Serengeti. It's a visual masterpiece that will enchant adults and children alike.

For those who don't remember the fable, it is the story of a little mouse who escapes from the clutches of a hawk, only to find herself on the back of a large lion. The lion, in turn, grabs the mouse with his enormous paws, toys with her a bit and then lets her go. A few pages later, he finds himself ensnared in an enormous net set by poachers. The mouse sees what has happened and gnaws through the rope, enabling the lion to escape. If my memory serves me correctly, the morals of the story are that even the smallest of friends can prove to be good friends and that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Jerry Pinkney has done a masterful job recreating Aesop's fable without words. It's a beautiful retelling of the story, with many intricate details on each page. Both the lion and the mouse are depicted realistically from the lion's amber eyes to the itty bitty pink mouse feet. Both animals also have expressions on their faces which allow the reader to see their underlying emotions, without seeming cartoon-like.

A quick word about wordless picture books. When I taught family literacy classes, wordless picture books were one of my favorite books to work with. For parents for whom English wasn't their first language, it was a wonderful way for them to tell a story in their own words to their children. For parents with low literacy skills, they too could tell the story in their own words, with a fluidity that wasn't always possible with regular picture books. And finally (and perhaps most importantly) wordless picture books allow kids to tell YOU the story in their own words. Each time you revisit a book, the story gets more and more elaborate as they allow their imaginations to run loose. A story like The Lion & The Mouse, with its gorgeous pictures, invites you and your child to tell it like you see it. I don't think either of you will be disappointed.

If you are searching for a gift for a young child this holiday season, consider picking up Jerry Pinkney's The Lion & The Mouse. It's exactly the kind of book that you want a child to have in their book collection for years and years.

A Halloween Book and a Glimpse into Tasha Tudor's Life

Pumpkin Moonshine
Written and Illustrated by: Tasha Tudor
Recommended Ages: 2-6

I recently discovered a very sweet (and very old) Halloween book for young children (2 and 3 year olds). If you have a child celebrating one of their first Halloweens, then by all means check out Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor.

Pumpkin Moonshine was originally published in 1938, and was Tasha Tudor's first book. It tells the story of Sylvie Ann who wants to make a pumpkin moonshine (jack-o-lantern) for Halloween, and sets out to find the biggest pumpkin she can. The book follows Sylvie's quest as she heads up a large hill and across the cornfields. Once she sees the pumpkin, she has to roll it home because it is too large to carry. But it escapes her grasp and rolls down the hill, frightening the various farm animals and knocking Mr. Hemmelskamp to the ground. Finally it comes to a halt, and Sylvie Ann and her Grandpa carve a fierce "pumpkin moonshine" with "a big grinning mouth with horrid crooked teeth."

Pumpkin Moonshine is a small book made for tiny hands, with text on one page and detailed pictures on the other. The illustrations are very sweet and hearken back to a much simpler time. There's nothing scary about this book, and it's a gentle introduction to one of the nicer traditions of Halloween: carving jack-o-lanterns. You really can't go wrong with Pumpkin Moonshine.

If you and your child discover that you like the text and illustrations of Tasha Tudor, then please check out some of her other picture books. Here are few to consider: 1 is One, Around the Year and Corgiville Fair.

While you are at it, you might want to pick up The Private World of Tasha Tudor, a rich collection of photographs (by Richard Brown) and text (written by Ms. Tudor), that detail the world that she lived in. Tasha Tudor was born in 1919 and only just died last year. However, she always felt more comfortable in another century:

"I'm drawn to the old ways, convinced that I lived before, in the 1830's. Everything comes so easily to me from that period of that time: threading a loom, growing flax, spinning, milking a cow. Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. When I die, I'm going right back to 1830."

The book chronicles her life on her farm in Vermont. There are beautiful photographs of her garden and the animals, as well as Tasha Tudor herself. She dressed in long dresses, her hair in a kerchief, and was often barefoot. She was the antithesis to the breakneck pace we seem to live these days. I found this book strangely comforting, and it was a reminder to put on a cup of tea, pick up a book and slow things down. I had to keep reminding myself that until last year she lived with us, not back in the 1880's. The book is full of her gentle, and sometimes humorous, wisdom:

"Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is. Supposing you only saw the stars once every year. Think what you would think. The wonder of it!"

"Gardening has untold rewards. You never have to go on a diet. At age seventy-six I can still wear my wedding dress and still chin myself. I've never been depressed in my whole life and I've never had a headache. They must be awful. I attribute it to goat's milk and gardening."

"I'm perfectly content. I have no other desires than to live right here with my dogs and my goats and my birds."

"If I have a philosophy, it is one best expressed by Henry David Thoreau: 'If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.' That is my credo. It is absolutely true. It is my whole life summed up."

I think Tasha Tudor would be a fascinating person for a child in the fourth or fifth grade to research and write a report on. I highly recommend checking out The Private World of Tasha Tudor, for a brief glimpse into her intriguing and old-fashioned world.

A Visitor for Bear

A Visitor for Bear

Written by: Bonnie Becker
Illustrated by: Kady MacDonald Denton
Recommended Ages: 2-6

This is a lovely, heart-warming picture book about an unlikely friendship between a bear and a mouse. It begs to be read aloud, and in fact recently won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award for 2009. The E. B. White Read Aloud Award was established in 2004 by the Association of Booksellers for Children to honor books that are wonderful read alouds.

Anyway, A Visitor for Bear begins with a curmudgeonly bear just beginning to make his breakfast when he hears a tap, tap, tap at his door. He opens it to find a mouse, "small and gray and bright-eyed." The bear points to the sign on the door that says NO Visitors Allowed, and says "Go Away!" He then goes back to making his breakfast. But lo and behold, it's not quite so easy to get rid of the little mouse, who keeps popping up-- first in the cupboard, then the bread drawer, the refrigerator and finally the teapot.

Every time Bear finds Mouse he tells Mouse to "Vamoose," or to get "Out" or "Be Gone!" The mouse, very politely, always asks if they could just have a spot of tea, with perhaps some cheese.

Finally, because he can't seem to get rid of the mouse, Bear agrees to have a cup of tea. Mouse asks him if he could also make a fire. As they sit by the fire in silence, Bear says that the fire is nice. Mouse agrees it is "lovely." And it's here that Bear's heart softens a bit, because no one has ever called his fires lovely. He stands on his head for Mouse and tells a joke (and Mouse laugts). When Mouse announces it's time for him to go and Bear throws his body across the pathway and says "Don't Go!" Mouse reminds him that he gave his word to stay for just a cup of tea and points to the No Visitor sign. At which point Bear tears up the sign and says "That's for salesmen. Not for friends." And they go back into the house for more tea.

What makes this such a sweet story, is how Becker has created two distinctive characters with very individual mannerisms and speech. Bear is grumpy and you will have fun putting on a grouchy, deep voice. Mouse is a little more formal and quite precise in his speech. Somehow I think a high-pitched English accent would work well. The muted watercolor illustrations are very inviting, and create a warm world that children will want to visit over and over.

If you want a little more Bear and Mouse, check out A Birthday for Bear. Also, coming out in Spring 2010 is A Bedtime for Bear, a story about Bear and Mouse having their first sleepover. Stay tuned; it's sure to be a winner.

BookNosher Tidbit: In the year since A Visitor for Bear has been released, it has garnered quite a few awards, including:
Foreward Magazines Book of the Year for Picture Books
Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text
Amazon picked it as Best Picture Book for 2008
2009 Notables Book of the Association for Library Service for Children
Selected for the new Oprah Children's Book Club as a great read for 3-5 year olds

BookNosher Activity: A Visitor for Bear made me want to put a pot of tea on and call some friends over for some tea and cake. I think it's the perfect time for your child have a tea party with some favorite stuffed animals by the fire. Here's a link to an easy "pat-a-cake-scone" recipe.

Funny Farm Picture Books (Old and New)

Chicken Soup
Written by Jean Van Leeuwen
Illustrated by David Gavril
Recommended Ages 3-6

I came across a new picture book by the mother/son team of Jean Van Leeuwen and David Gavril that will appeal to the preschool crowd. Chicken Soup is a cute story that is sure to please 4 and 5 year olds, especially when read aloud.

The story begins with a rumor flying around the barnyard that Mrs. Farmer has taken out the big pot, and she's going to be making chicken soup! While all the animals are in a dither about the news, the chickens, in particular, need to try and skedaddle out of there. And skedaddle they do, except for Little Chickie, who it appears has a cold in her beak. Chaos ensues while the chickens run away from Mr. Farmer all over the farm, with Little Chickie sniffing and sneezing her way at the rear. Of course, this has a happy ending, and all their worries are for naught. For as it turns out, Mrs. Farmer is making vegetable soup for poor, sick, Little Chickie.

What makes this a fun read aloud is all the sniffing, clomping and sneezing that goes on throughout the book. Young kids will have fun helping the reader with the sound effects. The watercolor illustrations are colorful and lively. Little Chickie, in particular, has a lot of personality and is quite endearing.


Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Written by Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Recommended Ages 3-8

After reading Chicken Soup, I just had to go and find my copy of another farm favorite Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type. If you haven't already read this, then run to the nearest bookstore or library and find it. If you have, well you might want to revisit it.

The story begins when Farmer Brown's cows discover a typewriter, and begin to use it to broadcast their needs:

"Dear Farmer Brown,
The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.
Sincerely,
The Cows"

A strike begins as the farmer refuses to give in to the cows' demands, and the sound of click, clack, moo haunts him at every turn. It's a hilarious premise, made even funnier when a duck is brought in to mediate. The duck helps the farmer and the cows come to an agreement by exchanging the typewriter for the blankets, only to have a surprise twist at the end. The duck goes missing with the typewriter, and Farmer Brown gets a note demanding a diving board for the pond! This is one of those books that just seem to get better each time you read it. Be prepared to have to explain to your child what a typewriter is.

If you are looking for some other "farm animal" books, try these:
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotten
Dumpy La Rue by Elizabeth Winthrop

BookNosher Tidbits: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type won a Caldecott medal in 2000. It was also recently made into a musical, and played off-Broadway this past summer. Here's a link to a review.

BookNosher Activities: You can have some great discussions with kids about how animals communicate their needs to the people around them (whining, barking, meowing, scratching at the door). Afterwards, have them write letters from a pet to an owner. Or if they are too young to write, have them dictate a letter to you. Kids enjoy hearing their words read back to them, and love to handle the finished result.

Lucy Cousins: Maisy Books AND a Brand New Fairy Tale Book

The Maisy Books and Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales

The Maisy Books By Lucy Cousins
Recommended Ages: Babies to Preschoolers!

Lucy Cousins is best known for her Maisy picture books. Maisy is a mouse in a world inhabited by ducks, horses, and alligators for friends. These delightful books are geared for the toddler/preschool crowd and cover a range of topics, such as going to preschool, bedtime rituals, grocery shopping and going to the dentist for the first time. They are boldly illustrated in primary colors and outlined in black. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers will identify with Maisy, as she maneuvers her way through life as a small child. A definite recommendation for the 1-4 crowd.

Lucy Cousins has just come out with a new book of Fairy Tales, which is worth checking out. It has a completely different feel to it than the Maisy books, but equally compelling.


Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales
Written and Illustrated by Lucy Cousins
Recommended Ages: 4-8

In Yummy, you will find eight well-known fairy tales, told in a no-nonsense, straightforward manner. By that, I mean these are not the sugarcoated versions we've been used to hearing. In Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf eats the grandma (her legs sticking out of his open jaws is quite a vision) and Little Red Riding Hood, only to meet his end when the hunter comes by and chops his head off (the head is shown flying in the air). But LRRH and Grandma do jump out and "live happily ever after."

Perhaps you remember the story of The Little Red Hen, where the hen asks her friends (the dog, goose and cat) to help her plant some wheat. They claim to be too busy. She then asks them to help her cut the wheat, and once again they are "too busy." And so on and so on, until she has finally baked the bread and asks, "who will help me eat the bread?" They all shout out "I will." And the Little Red Hen says "no you won't." and eats it all by herself. While some more whitewashed versions of late have her sharing the bread, I think this version is actually the fairer one. They didn't help her do all the work, so why should she share the fruits of her labor?

The other stories in the collection include: The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Enormous Turnip, Henny Penny, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs and the Musicians of Bremen.

Cousins' illustrations are bold and eye catching. They also help lessen the impact of the stories a bit. The expressions on the animals' and peoples' faces (complete with rosy cheeks) can't help but add a bit of hilarity to each situation. Somehow, Cousins pulls off an unflinching look at these fairy tales, without scaring the pants off of kids. Take a look at this big, vibrant book.

BookNosher Tidbit: Much has been written about the importance of fairy tales in children's development. A fellow blogger wrote a post a while ago, which I think sums it up very nicely. Here's the link.

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.

Help Me, Mr. Mutt! A Must Read Picturebook for Dog Lovers

Help Me, Mr. Mutt! is a must read for dog lovers (and cat lovers too). It's a hilarious book that kids and adults will want to read over and over again. The full title is: Help Me, Mr. Mutt!: Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems and it's by the indomitable sister-team of Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.

Mr. Mutt is the Dear Abby to the dog world. He is there to offer his sage advice to dogs everywhere. The book is written in a letter format. Dogs write Mr. Mutt with their problem(s), and he writes back with his answer(s). There are a lot of digs at cats, and The Queen (who happens to share an office with Mr. Mutt) has the final say in her letters back to Mr. Mutt, on pink stationery.

Here's a sample:

"Dear Mr. Mutt,
I'm a barker. Hear me bark!
Doorbell. BARK!
Mailman. BARK!
Thunder. BARK!
Telephone. BARK!
My people yell, "Don't Bark!"
Then they tell me, "Do a trick! Speak! Speak!
For a treat! Doesn't speak mean bark?
What do I do? To bark or not to bark?
That is the question.
Help me, Mr. Mutt!

-Confused in Connecticut

P.S. The loudmouth cat gets to meow constantly. Why isn't THAT a problem?"

Mr. Mutt writes back in full agreement with "Confused" pointing out that it's the way we communicate. Would people tell a duck not to quack? A cow not to moo?

He continues on by explaining that it's a brain thing. The dog brain is enormous. The people brain is the size of a pea (there are illustrations to prove it). People are just confused. He then advises the letter writer to have some fun with his/her people. The next time they ask Confused in Connecticut to "Speak!" look them in the eye and let out a big Moooo. They'll be so surprised, they'll drop the bag of treats (it's all yours).

The Queen responds to Confused in Connecticut by pointing out "A meow is like music to the ears. A lullaby. A symphony."

See, it's funny! Other "problems" that the dogs write about include being put on diets of dry kibble while the cat gets moist food out of the can, being dressed up for holiday pictures (and the cat is never dressed up) and being given too many baths (and of course, no one would dare give the cat a bath).

It's witty and there's also a grain of truth to each and every one of the dog's laments. I have two much-loved dogs and both of them could have written a letter to Mr. Mutt (Edgar's would be about being put on a diet, Sierra's would be about barking). The illustrations are fun and quite realistic. You will recognize these dogs.

BookNosher Activity: Teachers (or parents) can use Help Me Mr. Mutt for a lesson on letter writing. Mr. Mutt writes proper letters which include his address, the recipient's address, date, body and signature. Have your child write a letter from a pet to a pet owner. They can be as wild and imaginative as...well..as Help Me Mr. Mutt!

A Picture Book That Deals With Death

Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola is a picture book for preschoolers that deals with death in a gentle and age appropriate way. Recommended for young children who are dealing with the death of a grandparent or other family member, it's also a good book to have on hand when children start asking questions about death.

Little Tomie goes to his grandparent's house every Sunday. There he visits his grandmother who is usually downstairs in the kitchen (Nana Downstairs), as well as his great-grandmother who is upstairs in bed (Nana Upstairs). The time he spends with Nana Upstairs is precious. They share mints and she tells him stories about the "Little People" (She's Irish).

One day, Tomie is told that Nana Upstairs has died. He asks "what's died?" His mother explains that "Died means that Nana Upstairs won't be here anymore...Except in your memory." Tomie is naturally very upset, especially when he sees the empty bed. Later on he sees a falling star in the sky, and believes it's Nana Upstairs sending him a kiss.

The pictures depict a wonderful family life for little Tomie and his two Nanas. Small details such as combing out Nana Upstairs' beautiful white hair, and Nana Downstairs twisting her own into a bun are heartwarming and lovingly drawn. Even when he hears the news of Nana Upstairs, you know that Tomie is surrounded by a loving family who will help him deal with his grief.

This was a much read book in our house when my children were young. In the course of two years, they lost both a grandmother and a grandfather, and Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs gave them much comfort. I highly recommend it.

Bubble Trouble-A Rollicking Book in Verse

I just picked up Bubble Trouble from the library because I'm a big fan of Margaret Mahy, and wanted to see her latest book. As I started to read it, I realized by the fourth page it absolutely had to be read out loud. So I sat on my couch (all by myself) and read it out loud. It is such a fun read, although I highly recommend finding a youngster to laugh along with you.

The story begins with Little Mabel blowing bubbles across the table. They bobble over to her baby brother and take him away. From there the baby in the bubble floats around the house, outside into the garden, in the neighborhood and down to the shops. All the while, the baby in the bubble is "wibble-wobbling" away. Mahy is from New Zealand, and it shows in her word choice, as well as her character's names (Sybil, Tybal, Mabel). Here's a sample page:

At the sudden cry of trouble, Mother took off at the double,
for the squealing left her reeling, made her terrified and tense,
saw the bubble for a minute, with the baby bobbing in it,
as it bibbled by the letterbox and bobbed across the fence.

As you can see, it's a bit of a tongue twister, which I imagine gets easier to read the second or third time around. My kids would have loved this book when they were younger and I think kids will want to read it over and over again. Polly Dunbar's watercolor and paper-cut illustrations are charming and whimsical (and remind me a bit of John Birmingham's illustrations).

BookNosher Tidbit: Margaret Mahy has written over 100 books. To find out more about her and for a complete listing of all of her books, visit her website.

BookNosher Activities: After reading Bubble Trouble, kids will be inspired to make their own bubbles. I discovered a website devoted to all things bubbles (bubble recipes, bubble wands). It also has many links to other bubble-related websites, including the art and science of bubbles. What a wonderful way for you and your child to spend a lazy, bubble-filled summer afternoon.

Zany Picture Books for the Youngest Readers

You may have noticed that there are less and less words in picture books. When I was a child, picture books contained upwards of 2000 to 3000 words. When my children were young it was around 1000. Now it can be anywhere less than 500, with an emphasis on less. Believe me, it is not easy to write an engrossing book under 500 words. But, there are a few authors out there who have it down. Jan Thomas is one of them, and her books are hilarious.

Take A Birthday for Cow!. Coming in at just 116 words (yes, I counted them), it has it all: well developed characters, a simple yet intriguing plot, and a surprise twist at the end.

Pig and Mouse are going to make their friend Cow a surprise birthday cake. Measuring out the typical ingredients (flour, eggs and sugar), their other friend Duck shouts out "Turnip!" They have to explain to Duck throughout the book, that turnips don't belong in cakes, or even on cakes. Without giving away the surprise ending, just know that it's Pig and Mouse's turn to be a little surprised at Cow's reaction (and Duck is pleased).

In another of her books-The Doghouse-Pig, Mouse and Duck are playing catch with a ball when it disappears into a doghouse. One by one, they go after the ball and one by one they don't return. Finally, only poor Mouse is left outside the doghouse. When Mouse tentatively asks if Duck can come out, a fierce-looking dog appears at the door and says "No! Because I am having duck for dinner." It's a great play on words, and once again, there's a bit of a twist to the ending, and all end up in a happy spot.

So why do these books work so well? First of all, the cartoon-like illustrations are bold and eye-catching. They are done completely on computers, with text types set in Eatwell Chubby and Chaloops (I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it's kind of irresistible). The animals have great expressions that manage to convey much of what is going on. Thomas chooses her words very carefully and knows how and when to use repetitive words and phrases. She seems to understand what makes kids laugh. The end result is a great story for pre-schoolers that they will want to hear over and over again.

BookNosher Tidbit: Here's a complete listing of Jan Thomas's picture books:
What Will Fat Cat Sit On?
A Birthday for Cow
The Doghouse
Rhyming Dust Bunnies
Can You Make a Scary Face (coming in August 2009)
Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny! (coming in November 2009)

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

One of the best things about writing a blog about children's books is revisiting old favorites. Today I bring you one of my family's favorite picture books: Mr. Gumpy's Outing, written and illustrated by John Burningham.

Mr. Gumpy (a very English Englishman) decides to go for a boat ride down the river. Two children ask him if they can come along. Mr. Gumpy says yes, although they mustn't squabble. When a pig asks to come along. Mr. Gumpy again says yes, although no "mucking about." More animals ask for a ride, and each one is told they can come, but they are not to misbehave. Soon he has a boatload of kids and animals, and you guessed it, they start misbehaving. The boat tips over and into the water they go. Afterwards, they all go back to Mr. Gumpy's for tea.

I remember my children being lulled by Mr. Gumpy's Outing and requesting it often. There's a gentleness to the story, with Mr. Gumpy remaining the calm center amidst the surrounding chaos. The ending scene with the animals, the children and Mr. Gumpy having tea together is both tender and cheering.

I highly recommend adding Mr. Gumpy's Outing to your list of "must reads" for your 2 to 6 year old. If you decide you want a little more Mr. Gumpy in your life (and who wouldn't?) there's a sequel: Mr. Gumpy's Motorcar
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BookNosher Tidbits: Mr. Gumpy's Outing was originally published in 1971 and won the Kate Greenaway Award, which is the United Kingdom's award for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children. It also won an ALA Notable Children's Book Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.
I recently learned from our local children's librarian that John Burningham is married to the children's book author Helen Oxenbury. Somehow that seems just right.

BookNosher Activities: This is just the type of book that kids will want to act out. Whether it's with stuffed animals or homemade puppets, Mr. Gumpy's Outing will live on in their imaginations long after you've read the book.

Monster Picture Books

If your kids like monsters (or even if they are afraid of them), here's a book that should make them laugh. Jumpy Jack & Googily by Meg Rosoff and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, has a fresh take on the whole monster thing.

Jumpy Jack is a timid snail with a big fear of monsters. He thinks they're everywhere, and turns to his best friend Googily to check out various situations. He asks Googily to check behind the door, under the table, in the pool. The thing that neither of them seems to realize is that Googily is a monster. Kids will quickly see what the joke is, and will love being in the know as they're laughing at the pair's antics.

Googily is an endearing monster with his pointed fangs, wispy eyebrows and bug eyes. He's also quite dapper in his bowler hat, yellow plaid pants and pointy red shoes, which makes him not very scary. I think one of the best messages in the book comes at the end, when Googily (the monster) admits what he's really afraid of... socks. It just goes to show that everybody has some fears, and what's scary to one person seems downright silly to another.

Here are a couple of other fun monster books to check out: Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberly and The Monster at the End of this Book (Starring Lovable, Furry, Old Grover) by Jon Stone.

BookNosher Activity: How about making monster cookies for a special treat? Here's an easy way to go about it:

1. First make some sugar cookies, cutting them into fairly large circles.
2. Then put out a plastic knife, a small cup of white frosting, a popsicle stick, a cup of M&Ms, red licorice (cut in short strips), candy corn, gum drops and food coloring.
3. Have the child choose the color to put in the frosting-this will be the monster's skin.
4. Drop a few drops of food coloring into the frosting.
5. Have the child mix the frosting and coloring up with a popsicle stick.
6. Spread the frosting onto the cookie.
7. Decorate with the rest of the ingredients; soon you'll have a scary monster to eat!

What's So Great About a Box?

Do you remember the lure of a big box as a child? Are your kids thrilled when you buy something that comes in a box bigger than they are? If so, then this book is for you.

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis, is a tribute to the age-old tradition of a child turning a box into something else, something deep within their imagination. Not a Box stars a rabbit and a box. Written in a question and answer format, an off the pages voice asks the rabbit:

"What are you doing with that box?"

Turn the page and the rabbit answers:

"It's not a box."

There on the page you see red lines drawn over the black box and the box is transformed into a pirate ship, a hot air balloon, a space ship (you get the idea).

The illustrations are spare and simple. And humorous. Somehow, Portis manages to make a stick figure bunny have lots of personality. In addition, the outside cover of the book is made to look and feel like a cardboard box, complete with a "This Side Up" on the back.

One of the beauties of this book is that it will appeal to very young children, as well as beginning readers (4, 5, and 6 year olds). Published in 2006, it's a classic in the works.

BookNosher Tidbit: Not A Box was selected as a Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book in 2007. The Theodore Seuss Geisel annual award was established in 2006 for the author and illustrator who make the most distinguished beginning reader books.

BookNosher Activities: This is easy. Get a box and watch your child soar off to places far away.