Monday, August 2, 2010

Monday Children's Picks of the Week


It was a very busy start to the week and I almost didn't think I'd get a chance to post my "picks" of the week from the books my daughter and I have been reading. But here we are.

I have an interesting mix this week and most of the books have been out for sometime, still I thought they were worth mentioning.

Up first, What's in the Meadow? by Anne Hunter. My daughter, now three years old, is curious about everything. I've discovered some early-readers/children's books at my library that cover everything from the stars in the sky to the bugs in the meadow or the fish in the sea and everything in between. The latest edition is What's in the Meadow? Published in 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. The book is small, about the height and length of a pen and with 26 pages, half with beautiful illustrations and the other half with a small amount of text explaining what you see in the picture. I'm hoping to find more by this author as I just love her illustrations.

Another fun one is also an older story. Published in 1984 by Newfield Publications, Inc., Moongame by Frank Asch is a cute story about Little Bear, his friend Little Bird and the game hide-and-seek. Little Bird teaches Little Bear how to play the game and later that night Little Bear plays with the full moon. Since my daughter loves stories about animals, playing hide-and-seek, and is fascinated with the moon this was pretty much a hit from page one.


"I am your parent; you are my child. I am your quiet place; you are my wild..." You Are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano is one of the sweetest books I've read in a while. It tells the story of the average day of a parent bear and their little cub. The illustrations are adorable and the rhyme is sweet and yet true. Although published in 2001 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers I only just discovered this book while browsing the children's section of our local B&N. I'm hoping to find more by this author. I just love this story.


Last and a little bizarre is Crazy Like a Fox: A Simile Story by Loreen Leedy. This book has some silly pictures and that's pretty much what my daughter enjoys. The theme of using similes to tell a story is very clever, which is why I added it to this week's list. It is a little over my daughter's head, probably better aimed at a child of 5 or 6, but still I love any opportunity to stretch her mind and teach her something new. Crazy Like a Fox was published in 2008 by Holiday House, but I only learned of it because it was a new purchase by my local library.

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