Sometimes, you’ve just got to press publish on the post you’ve been building over the course of a month – even if you haven’t got time to edit it. So, please forgive any roughness – and enjoy this peek into our month of reading.
Asterisks represent books I recommend (3 stars or above).
Written by Dori Chaconas
- Don’t Slam the Door, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Don’t slam the door, because if you do…it’ll wake the cat, who’ll set off a string of far-reaching implications. (Of course, someone slams the door!) - Mousie Love illustrated by Josee Masse
A mouse falls desperately in love and keeps asking his love to marry him (only to interrupt her answer with something else he thinks he should do to be worthy of her. I thought this was terribly fun, but it was really over the kids’ heads. - *On a Wintry Morning illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson
A sweet little daddy/child song that goes through a winter’s days activities. I sang the book to the tune of “Polly put the kettle on” and it worked quite nicely. - *Virginnie’s Hat illustrated by Holly Meade
When Virginnie’s hat flies off into the swamp she just about encounters all sorts of scary animals. This is a fun look at perceived dangers versus real ones.
Written by Authors Last Name CHAL-CHAP
- Mr. Frog Went A-Courting, written and illustrated by Gary Chalk
Based on an old song (that I am unfamiliar with), the story of Mr. Frog is full of all the ridiculous twists and turns often found in folktales. Careful observation of the illustrations reveals a “hidden story”. - Pick a Pup, written by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Jed Henry
How will Sam know which pup to pick? (Spoiler alert: Maybe it’s the pup who’ll pick him.) - Mario Chalmers’ ABCs of Basketball by Mario Chalmers and Almarie Chalmers, illustrated by Emmanuel Everett
Part informational, part motivational – I just can’t get into the “believe in yourself and you can do anything” stuff (some kids, however hard they believe and even how hard they practice, will never play in the NBA.) - The Library Book by Tom Chapin and Michael Mark, illustrated by Chuck Groenink
This was the lyrics to a song, rather a fun one, but one whose tune I don’t know. I tried singing it unsuccessfully. Perhaps if I could have seen the endpapers and tried picking it out on the piano… (Or, you know, I could have looked on Spotify – why didn’t I think of that until after I was returning it? -
This was the lyrics to a song, rather a fun one, but one whose tune I don’t know. I tried singing it unsuccessfully. Perhaps if I could have seen the endpapers and tried picking it out on the piano… (Or, you know, I could have looked on Spotify – why didn’t I think of that until after I was returning it? - Me Too, Grandma written and illustrated by Jane Chapman
A “jealous of the new baby” book except that little owl is jealous of how her baby cousin is taking Grandma’s attention. Cute illustrations, not my favorite genre.
Written and illustrated by Jared Chapman
- Pirate, Viking, And Scientist
A scientist is friends with a pirate and a viking – but when both come to his birthday party he discovers they’re NOT friends with each other. Time to experiment to see if he can get them to be friends with each other. Not bad. - T.Rex Time Machine
Ugly juvenile illustrations. Hard to read out loud. Not a fan.
Written by Authors Last Name CHAR-CHE?
- The Selfish Crocodile, written by Faustin Charles and illustrated by Michael Terry
The crocodile is selfish until he finds himself in terrible pain and someone helps him. Then it’s all sunshine and roses. A little too convenient an ending, I thought. - *Alphaboat written and illustrated by Michael Chesworth
A rather silly, but very fun romp off to C, packed full of word play using the names of the letters of the alphabet. A sample: “f we go here, what will v z? Atop this hill – a lonely tree where blue J’s flutter up to rest upon their X, safe in the nest.”
Written and illustrated by Remy Charlip
- Fortunately
Very strange things keep happening to Ned, but fortunately… something stranger happens to save him from whatever disaster seemed so certain. This sounds like the sort of story an imaginative three year old might tell (rambling plot, no sense whatsoever, random strangeness everywhere…) I can’t like it. - Little Old Big Beard and Big Young Little Beard
The eponymous characters are cowboys and best friends and lovers of beans. But then they lose their cow. This is an almost plotless book. - *A Perfect Day
A simple book about what a perfect day might be – spending time together. - *Sleepytime Rhyme
A mama sings how she loves everything about her baby. The rhyme can be a bit awkward in places, but it’s nice overall.
Books out of order
- *Maisy Learns to Swim by Lucy Cousins
Simple description of beginner swimming lessons (which don’t involve any actual swimming). These “Maisy First Experiences Books” are a very nice way to introduce kids to common childhood experiences that might seem a little scary if they don’t know what to expect.
Books about Construction
- *Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney
Does this sound familiar? Yes, yes. I’ve only read it to Louis fifteen thousand times by now. Although really, if you have to read a book fifteen thousand times, this is a good choice. - *Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Of course we read this again (and again and again). And then I returned it (because I have SO many other books to read.)