Library visit! Beginning of April

The Bear Who Shared
By Catherine Rayner
ISBN: 978-0-9037-3576-7

The last ripe fruit is ready to fall from the tree.
A pear, a raccoon, and a mouse all wait.
The fruit smells of honey and sunny days. It will be delicious to eat.
But who will get it when it falls?
A lovely simplicity of language and gorgeous artwork make this story of one of life's first lessons perfect for the youngest listeners.
{On a trip to the grocery store, King Peter spied a mango and insisted we buy this plorringe. Then we shared it and he LOVED it! I love how he applies what he reads to real life.}

My Mother Goose
By David McPhail
ISBN: 978-1-59643-526-1
Boys and girls come out to Play.
Sing, dance, and romp through David McPhail's collection of beloved Mother Goose rhymes. From silly favorites like Pease Porridge Hot and This Little Piggy Went to Market, to sweet bedtime verses like Star Light, Star Bright and Hush, Little Baby, this volume includes all the classic poems and rhymes that babies and toddlers need.
With a lovable cast of characters, this collection also teaches first words for subjects like clothing and transportation and introduces early concepts like shapes, colors, and counting. Trust celebrated children's book illustrator David McPhail to use energy, humor, and whimsical charm to bring to life favorite Mother Goose rhymes from your childhood, and share the gift of these classic poems with the child in your life.

Oh, the Colors/De Colores
By Ashley Wolff

Sing along in English and Spanish!

Abiyoyo
By Pete Seeger
Illustrated by Michael Hayes
ISBN: 0-689-84693-2

Once there was a little boy who played the ukelele. Wherever he'd go he'd play, Clink, clunk, clonk. His father was a magician. Wherever he'd go, he'd make things disappear, Zoop! Zoop! Soon the townspeople grew tired of the boy's noise and the father's tricks, and banished them both to the edge of town.
There they lived, until one day the terrible giant Abiyoyo appears. He was as tall as a tree, and it was said that he could eat people up. Everyone was terrified, except the boy and his father, and they came up with a plan to save the town….
Pete Seeger's storysong, made up for his own children, finds its perfect match in Michael Hays' masterful paintings. As a special bonus, this edition includes a CD of Pete performing two different versions of "Abiyoyo." You'll love to follow and sing along as you listen to Pete tell this richly vivid and exciting story.

The Inside Tree
By Linda Smith
Illustrated by David Parkins
ISBN: 978-0-06-028241-7

Mr. Potter lives all alone in his little house. And outside is a little yard with just enough room for one little tree. In face, it's such a fine tree that good-hearted Mr. Potter feels bad that it stands there all alone in the yard while he stays warm by the fire inside the house. It doesn't seem right that the tree is never invited in. And so he decides to do just that. But what will happen when the tree grows and grows and GROWS---and his little house stays exactly the same size?

Caps for Sale - A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business
By Esphyr Slobodkina
ISBN: 0-201-09147-x

"Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!" calls out the peddler as he walks carefully up and down the streets, balancing a huge pile of caps on top of his head.

But when the peddler goes out into the country, he unwisely takes a nap leaning against a tree, with the caps still balanced on his head. While he is asleep a band of mischievous monkeys steals every one of his caps, except for his own checked cap. When he wakes up, his efforts to get his caps back again make this a classic story in the great folktale tradition.
Caps for Sale has everything for young children---plot, drama, suspense, humor, warmth, and simplicity. Children ask to hear it over and over again. They retell it; they draw it; they act it out.
This is a good easy-to-read book for early readers because of it is comic and the interest level is high. There is lots of repetition in the pattern of its telling, the type is large with few lines to a page, and the pictures help to carry the reader along.
{The boys like this one so much I decided to purchase it for them!}

When I Wore My Sailor Suit
By Uri Shulevitz
ISBN: 978-0-374-34749-9

A boy sets out on the high seas, hides from a pirate, finds a treasure map, is frightened by a strange man, and then overcomes his fear so he can sail again. This excellent adventure about the power of the imagination will be enjoyed by the readers and sailors…but maybe not by pirates.

Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow
Retold By Robert D. San Souci
Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
ISBN: 978-0-439-62538-8

There once was a great archer named Robin Hood, who lived in Sherwood Forest with his Merry Men. They were known as a group of heroes who helped all in need.
In Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow, Robin Hood and his loyal band create a plan to outsmart the Sheriff of Nottingham by attending an archery contest in disguise. In the end, it is Robin Hood and his friends who have the last laugh.
Kids of all ages will cheer for this classic tale based on the traditional story of Robin Hood.
{Peter loves this}

We Were Tired of Living in a House
By Lisel Moak Skorpen
Illustrated by Joe Cepeda
ISBN: 0-399-23016-5

We were tired of living in a house. So we packed a bag with sweaters and socks, with mittens and earmuffs. And we moved to a tree.

So begins this playful story of three children who decide they are tired of living in a house. They try a tree, a pond, a cave, and the seashore, but in each place something unusual happens to make them move on to the next place---and finally back home.
Joe Cepeda has embellished Liesel Moak Skorpen's whimsicle text with his flair for humorous detail in illustrations that tell a story of their own.
Where would you live if you were tired of living in a house?
{Both boys love this book}

Moon Rabbit
By Natalie Russell
ISBN: 978-670-01170-4

Little Rabbit likes living in the city. She has her own place to stay and her favorite cafe, and so many things to see and do.
But at night, when everything is quiet and Little Rabbit is all alone, she looks up at the oon and begins to wonder….
Could there be someone out there? Another little rabbit just like her?

How I Learned Geography
By Uri Shulevitz
ISBN: 978-0-374-33499-4

When war devastated the land, buildings crumbled to dust. Everything we had was lost.

Having traveled a long way from their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange new country. The boy has no toys and no books, and worst of all, food is scarce. But then instead of bread his father brings home a map and hangs it on the wall. Suddenly, without ever leaving the room, the boy is transported to exotic places.
In this story, based on his childhood memories of World War II, Uri Shulevitz tells how a map and his imagination took him far away from his hunger and misery.

The River
By Brigitte Sidjanski
Illustrated by Bernadette Watts
ISBN: 978-0-698-40077-1

A river takes a long and winding path on its way to the ocean. It begins as a humble trickle high in the mountains, and flows through many landscapes as it grows bigger. Here we witness this journey from the point of view of five little pinecones, who ride the current to find new homes. Along the way, they encounter a woodsy stream, a rushing waterfall, a marshy fork and a big-city delta.
One by one, they choose to stop and stay in a particular place, leaving the others to continue the journey. But what will happen when there is only one lone pinecone left to drift out to sea? Perfect for introducing young children to ecology and geography, this book brings an original point of view to a little-studied subject.

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing - Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play
By Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
ISBN: 978-0-547-12493-3

School is done. It's a sunny day.Goodbye, TV.Let's go out and play!

Come celebrate your favorite outdoor games, from catch to Double Dutch to Monkey in the Middle. Joyous poems and vibrant art capture the energy of imaginative play, and will make you want to hurry outside and join in the fun!

A Remainder of One
By Elinor J Pinczes
Illustrated by Bonnie Mackain
ISBN: 0-395-69455-8

Poor Joe! He wants to march in the parade, but every time the lines are uneven, he must stand aside. What's a poor bug to do? Joe is determined. He studies the problem, rearranging the twenty-five bugs in his squadron from two lines to three lines to four lines, until inspiration and fortitude result in five lines of five---Joe fits in at last.
From the author and artist who together created One Hundred Hungry Ants comes A Remainder of One, a painless introduction to the concept of remainders. It's sure to please kids, parents, and teachers alike as an innovative and enjoyable approach to the sometimes daunting principles of mathematics.
{This is Edmund's favorite}

Katy Did It!
By Lorianne Siomades
ISBN: 978-1-59078-602-4

Like any katydid, Katy loves to hop through the garden. Her hopping lands Katy into trouble, however, when she scatters a bee's pollen and ruins a spider's web. To make matters worse, her little brother, Lou, follows behind her shouting, "Katy did it! Katy did it!" It seems that Katy can do nothing right. Then she meets some ants, who have troubles of their own. Will a hopping katydid save the day?

All Things Bright and Beautiful
By Ashley Bryan
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8939-4

All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,All things wise and wonderful:The Lord God made them all.

Armed only with gloriously hued colored paper and his mother's embroidery scissors, renowned artist Ashley Bryan captures the mightiest whales and the most delicate blossoms, pearls of grapes and grins of children in this homage to Cecil F. Alexander's beloved hymn, which is performed by choirs around the world.

Little Tug
By Stephen Savage
ISBN: 978-1-59643-648-0

Little Tug may not be very tall or very fast, but when the big ships in the harbor need help, they know they can count on him to be there with a push, a pull, and a ride to safety. But what happens when Little Tug gets tired?

The Boy in the Garden
By Allen Say
ISBN: 978-0-547-21410-8

There was a story that Mama read to Jiro:

Once, in old Japan, a found wood-cutter lived alone in a little cottage. One winter day he found a crane struggling in a snare and set it free.

When Jiro looks out the window into Mr. Ozu's garden, he sees a crane and remembers that story.
Much like the crane, the legend comes to life---and, suddenly, Jiro finds himself in a world woven between dream and reality. Which is which?
{This book reminded me of the story Twilight Crane - that I as a child used to listen to with my parents from a cassette tape: Brenda Wong Aoki - Tales of the Pacific Rim: Dreams & Illusion. I still have the tape and played the story for the boys after reading this book!}

Gingerbread Friends
By Jan Brett
ISBN: 978-0-399-25161-0

"I'm the Gingerbread Baby, Happy as can be,Until Mattie goes out,Then it's lonely here for me."

Confident and cocky, the Gingerbread Baby sets out to find a friend just his size, but instead he has an adventure he'll never forget.
He happens upon a bakery where all is not as it seems. The sugar cookie girl and the other sweet treats stare straight ahead, not saying a word, as he dances and prances in front of them.
Not only does the Gingerbread Baby not find a friend, but he is chased by a hungry mama mouse and a long line of creatures---a cat, a dog, a fox---as he races home.
But thanks to the boy Mattie, a fantastic surprise awaits the discouraged Gingerbread Baby---one so perfect that it almost bursts out of the book in this delicious sequel to Gingerbread Baby.

Lost in the Woods - A Photographic Fantasy
By Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick
ISBN: 0-9671748-8-0

Is this newborn fawn Lost in the Woods?
It wasn't just the sun pushing back the long, cold winter nights. Nor was it the spring flowers breaking through the melting snow. Oh no… A new life was born in the woods. He slept alone in the tall grass. Was he lost? The animals of the forest want to know.
Children of all ages will enjoy this enchanted tale by wildlife photographers Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick, authors of New York Times' best-seller Stranger in the Woods.

Compost Stew - An A to Z Recipe for the Earth
By Mary McKenna Siddals
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff
ISBN: 978-1-58246-316-2

Apple coresBanananas, bruisedCoffee grounds with filters, usedJust add to the pot and let it all rotinto Compost Stew!

From eggshells to wiggly worms, this delightful recipe in bouncy verse features items---soe familiar and some not so---that are fit for the home compost bin and will nourish Mother Earth. Vibrant collage illustrations use recycled and found materials to further a timely message. And to keep young environmental chefs fully informed about composting do's and don'ts, there's a note in the back about what's not fit for the bin.

The House that George Built
By Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Rebecca Bond
ISBN: 978-1-58089-262-9

George Washington was busy. In fact, he was the busiest guy in the land, and not just because he was the first president of the United States. He was also busy building a special home for future presidents--a house that would be a symbol of this great new nation.
So George searched for the lot, a grand, scenic spot…chose the design, that would stand for all tie…and got to work! This is the story of the President's House that George built.

When Cats Dream
By Dav Pilkey
ISBN: 0-531-08597-x

The title pretty much says it all - a picture book about where cats go when they dream.

Look Both Ways - A Cautionary Tale
By Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander
Illustrated by Teri Weidner
ISBN: 1-58234-963-1

Filbert the squirrel loves to play soccer with his friends, but when his mother asks him to run an errand for her, he dashes right off. Filbert is always careful to avoid the neighborhood cat, but-skip-leap! hip-hop!-he has so much fun running up telephone poles and bouncing through the leaves, he forgets to look both ways when he gets to the street. That is, until a close encounter makes him think twice!

With bouncing rhymes and cheery illustrations, this is the perfect picture book for any child in need of a little reminder to look both ways.

My Mother Goose
By David McPhail
ISBN: 978-1-59643-526-1

Boys and girls come out to play
Sing, dance, and romp through David McPhail's collection of beloved Mother Goose rhymes. From silly favorites like "Pease Porridge Hot" and "This Little Piggy," to sweet bedtime verses like "Star Light, Star Bright" and "Hush, Little Baby," this volume includes all the classic poems and rhymes that babies and toddlers need.
With a lovable cast of characters, this collection also teaches first words for subjects like clothing and transportation and introduces early concepts like shapes, colors, and counting. Trust celebrated children's book illustrator David McPhail to use energy, humor, and whimsical charm to bring to life favorite Mother Goose rhymes from your childhood, and share the gift of these classic poems with the child in your life.

Let's Count to 100!
By Masayuki Sebe
ISBN: 978-1-55453-661-0

A riot of brightly colored cartoon characters and action-packed scenes, Let's Count to 100! explores that magical milestone number, 100!
Keen-eyed readers will be quick to spot the links -- some sensible, some silly, all surprising! -- connecting one detail-filled scene to another. Busy mice lead to capering cats, cats lead to burrowing moles, moles lead to grazing sheep, sheep lead to snacking birds, birds lead to streaming fish, and on and on. Count them all! The featured characters and objects are organized in easy to manage groups of ten in every image making the number 100 more accessible for young children. And attention grabbing search and find elements throughout add another level of play!

White is for Blueberry
By George Shannon
Illustrated by Laura Dronzek
ISBN: 0-06-029276-8

Is a blueberry blue?
Is a crow black?
Is fire yellow?
Is snow white?
If you think you know, then think--and look--again!

The Longest Season
By Cal Ripken, Jr.
Illustrated by Ron Mazellan
ISBN: 978-0-399-24492-6

A win on opening day would have been nice. But even with a 12-0 loss to start the 1988 season, Cal Ripken, Jr. had plenty of reasons to love being a Baltimore Oriole. He was playing alongside his brother, Bill, and his father, Cal Sr., was managing the team. They'd win the next one.
Only, the Orioles didn't win their next game, or the next. Soon what was supposed to be a dream season for Cal slid into a string of losses no one saw coming. By the time the Orioles had lost their fourteenth straight game, people were talking about the season as if it were already over. But Cal and his team never gave up, and as the streak continued, the only thing that puzzled the fans more than what kept the O's losing was what kept them going.
With brilliant, expressive color paintings from Ron Mazellan, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Cal Ripken, Jr. shares his personal ups and downs of this tumultuous season, and reflects on the rewards of persistence and hard work, regardless of what's on the scoreboard.

Chicken Soup with Rice
By Maurice Sendak
ISBN: 978-0-06-025535-0

Each month is gay, each season is nice, when eating chicken soup with rice.

Eat Like a Bear
By April Pulley Sayre
Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9039-0

Can you eat like a bear, all year long?
Be a grizzly bear, waking up in spring. What is there to eat in April? In May? Sniff, listen, and look. Paw, claw, and pull. Catch fish, munch berries, and nibble seed-filled pinecones.
But be sure to fill up for the long winter ahead….

S is for Smithsonian - America's Museum Alphabet
By Marie and Roland Smith
Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
ISBN: 978-1-58536-314-8

From those glittering ruby slippers Dorothy wore down the Yellow Brick Road to the stunning architecture of the Castle, the history of the Hope Diamond, and the National Zoo, the Smithsonian Institution is introduced, explored, and appreciated through the pages of this alphabetical book. Author Roland Smith and his wife, Marie, present an introductory journey through America's museum from A to Z.
Beginning readers will enjoy simple rhymes while older children discover facts about each topic letter in the sidebar expository.

My Colors Mis Colores
By Rebecca Emberley
ISBN: 0-316-23347-1

The colors in english and spanish.

A Little Princess Story - I Want to Do It Myself!
By Tony Ross
ISBN: 978-0-7613-7412-1

The Little Princess is going camping. Everyone offers to help, but she doesn't want any help. "I want to do it myself!" she insists. So she sets off all on her own to find the perfect camp site. When she finds the right spot, she discovers she's forgotten a few important things. Maybe she needs a little help after all…

Pierre in Love
By Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Petra Mathers
ISBN: 978-0-439-51740-9

Pierre is an ordinary fisherman. Catherine is an elegant ballet teacher. And Pierre is secretly in love with her.
Pierre in Love is a charming story about finding the courage to tell someone special how you feel.

Platypus and the Birthday Party
By Chris Riddell
ISBN: 0-15-204753-0

Celebrate a very special day with Platypus!
Platypus wants to give Bruce, his favorite stuffed animal, the best birthday party ever. He's got everything they need: silly hats, colorful decorations, and festive games. But when his friend Echinda comes over to help out, Platypus discovers he has a lot to learn about birthday parties---except, of course, how to have fun!

Hedgie Blasts Off!
By Jan Brett
ISBN: 0-399-24621-5

WOW! Has Hedgie's chance to fly into Outer Space finally come? Will the little hedgehog be able to save Big Sparkler on the tiny planet of Mikkop?
Along with an endearing and unlikely hero, Jan Brett has created a lively cast of characters---dog scientists running Star Lab, bird reporters covering the mission, and hilarious alien tourists rocketing around in Outer Space.
Stars and planets in the dramatic blues and purples of space, the strange flowers on Mikkop, and Big Sparkler provide intriguing landscape for a story that is both funny and wise.
Jan Brett fans will be right there cheering Hedgie on as he zooms off to realize his dreams.
Look for the dramatic fold-up page of Big Sparkler!

Goldilocks and the THREE BEARS
By Jan Brett
ISBN: 0-399-22033-x

"Somebody has been at my porridge!" said the great, huge bear.
"Somebody has been at my porridge!" said the middle-sized bear.
"Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!" said the little, small, wee bear.

Everybody loves the story of the curious little girl named Goldilocks, who made herself quiet at home in the house of the three bears.
Jan Brett's faithful retelling and exquisitely wrought illustrations, lavish in all their details and charming surprises, bring new life to this all-time favorite nursery tale.
Children will take great delight in the story and marvel at this enchanting world created by a very special artist.

Firefighters in the Dark
By Dashka Slater
Illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli
ISBN: 978-0-618-55459-1

At night, a girl hears the sirens from the fire station near her house.
Even though it is dark outside, she knows where they are going:

to a castle,
to a garden,
all the way to Pluto…

Dashka Slater and Nicoletta Ceccoli have crafted a dreamy ode to firefighters everywhere and the big, brave, spectacular feats they accomplish every day, and every night--all the world over.