(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Time to Make Art
by Jeff Mack (author and illustrator)
Brief summary: A girl wants to know how to make art and asks artists from different decades about their mediums while becoming more inspired to create her own.
Comments: There is a back section with brief biographical sketches of the artists featured in the story.
What a great book for art teachers to share with students!
Rating:3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Pepper and Me
by Beatrice Alemagna (Author)
Brief summary: A young girl falls on a cobblestone and ends up getting a bloody knee. Her father gives her first aid, telling her she will have a beautiful scab.
It is NOT beautiful.
She asks her mother when it will go away. The woman answers, “In a few days.”
But it does not.
Thinking it will never leave, she calls it “Pepper”.
Days pass until one day, the scab falls off.
What will she do with it? ??
Comments: This would make a hilarious read-aloud that all kids could relate to and share stories about their scabs.
The illustrations used are gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
When You Have to Wait
by Melanie Conklin (Author), Leah Hong (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A little girl learns that sometimes we must wait even when we want the time to be now. We sometimes have to wait in line, wait for a loved one to return home, and wait to grow enough to ride a bicycle.
Comments: This gentle book explains that we sometimes have no control over making something happen faster. I’d share this at the beginning of the school year and when the class needed a little reminder about patience.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Buffalo Fluffalo
by Bess Kalb (Author), Erin Kraan (Illustrator)
Brief summary: There was a big fluffy buffalo puffed up, acting tough. A goat, prairie dog, and crow try to make friends with him, but he pushes them away with excuses.
A big storm with heavy rain changes his appearance, but his three friends do not care, causing the other creatures to love him too.
Comments: I’ve known some Buffalo Fluffalo students who could have been helped with the bibliotherapeutic lesson of this book’s story.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Holi (Happy Holidays!)
by Betsy Rathburn (Author)
Brief summary: Young readers will learn about colorful Holi, a Hindu spring holiday that is celebrated on the full moon.
Comments: This nonfiction picture book has large fonts for primary readers to easily read. Bolded words are found in the glossary. Other back sections are Holi Facts, To Learn More, and an Index.
I would pair this nonfiction book with a fictional picture book about Holi for a spring holiday unit.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
My Block Looks Like
by Janelle Harper (Author), Frank Morrison (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl shares how she enjoys the music, spray paint art, and other things of her home block in the Bronx.
Comments: The rhythmic words and action-filled illustrations follow the girl in the yellow hoodie, as she walks through her neighborhood, proudly sharing everything.
You may need to practice this reading aloud before sharing it with a class to get the rhythm of the words.
I think it would be an interesting series to see other communities done in this style.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Garmann’s Summer
by Stian Hole (Author), Don Bartlett (Translator)
Brief summary: Garmann’s three elderly aunts come to visit just as the summer is about to end and school begins. The boy talks to his aunts and parents about what scares them. What scares Garmann?
Comments: This book is a translation from Norway, initially published in 2006.
I like this book’s candid humor about what scares us, death, and new beginnings.
The illustrations are collages of mixed media.
My students enjoyed these Garmann books and would read them together.
*I was sent a complimentary copy to give an honest review.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Love Grows
by Ruth Spiro (Author), Lucy Ruth Cummins (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl’s auntie sends her a plant per month with a tag of information about the plant. By the end of the year, the girl has a plant garden.
Comments: The front and back-pasted end pages outline the twelve plants with the Latin name, origins, and light preference.
This story is done in rhyme. The illustrations are gouache, colored pencil, and crayon.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Don’t Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog
by Dev Petty (Author), Mike Boldt (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Chip, the dog, warns young readers not to trust cats and advises us who and what can be trusted.
Comments: The humorous illustrations go well with the freehand lettering to make the dog’s narrative authentic.
We do not find out why Chip the Dog has a cone around his neck, but the cat is probably involved. That would be a good question to discuss with students.
This is a nice persuasive writing example and will be enjoyed as a funny read-aloud.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Animal Snuggles: Affection in the Animal Kingdom
by Aimee Reid (Author), Sebastien Braun (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers are shown how various animals display affection towards their babies.
Comments: There are large double-paged illustrations with the parent and baby.
There’s a back section of the animals and more specific details of how they snuggle with their young, the name of a baby, and their home.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Fungi Grow
by Maria Gianferrari (Author), Diana Sudyka (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers will learn how fungi grow above, on, and under the ground. Mushrooms can be edible, poisonous, or medicinal. There are mushroom details of how they multiply and what animals eat them. The underground fungi network helps the forest.
Comments: The gouache watercolors are detailed with two-paged spreads or small vignettes that move the nonfiction story along as we read the large print prose and the smaller informative text for more details.
This would be an excellent addition to the mushroom section in any children’s library collection.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
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My Bollywood Dream
by Avani Dwivedi (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl goes to the theater in Mumbai with her parents and brother. As they go through the city traffic, the girl imagines several of the nearby people as characters in a Bollywood movie.
Her family and other people in the theater enjoy the happy ending and music of the movie before heading home.
Comments: I love watching Bollywood movies because of the bright and beautiful colors and happy dancing style. This book captured all of that with vivid illustrations.
There is an author’s note in the back where Avani Dwivedi shares her childhood in Mumbai, listening to old Bollywood films and music.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Ordinary Days: The Seeds, Sound, and City That Grew Prince Rogers Nelson
by Angela Joy (Author), Jacqueline Alcántara (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Prince Rogers Nelson was named after his father’s jazz band, The Prince Rogers Trio. He had parents who constantly argued resulting in his father leaving when Prince was age 7.
Prince lived in poverty, sleeping on couches in various homes, not having his own place. He excelled at playing basketball as well as playing the piano, guitar, and other instruments.
While still in high school, he created a cover band named Grand Central that played at parties, nightclubs, and the Battle of the Bands. Prince got his first recording contract at the age of 18.
This rhyming and rhythmic picture book did not give details of Prince’s life as an adult, the success of his music, or how he died.
Comments: The author’s note details Prince’s life, including a family playlist. The illustrations really capture Prince’s personality with a hue of purple throughout.
I recall being in the Music Conservatory when Prince came out in the 1980s. His music played in the dorms and in the stores. People went to his movies to see him perform. I recall watching Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon. That was when we had Walkmans, and I remember having the soundtrack to Purple Rain and listening to it all the time. People liked his Minneapolis sound a lot.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
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Pass the Baby
by Susanna Reich (Author), Raúl Colón (Illustrator)
Brief summary: The baby is passed around a large family gathering at the dining room table, where Grandpa, Grandma, and other family members visit with the baby.
The meal has ended, and it’s time for the baby to go to bed. Will she go to sleep or stay awake?
Comments: This rhyming picture book captures the excitement and love of a newborn baby in a family.
The humorous illustrations display the facial emotions and chaotic mess of a large gathering.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
The Taekwonderoos: Rescue at Rattling Ridge Picture Book Recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
The Taekwonderoos: Rescue at Rattling Ridge
by Michael Panzner (Author), Lora Look (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Three gray Australian kangaroos were practicing taekwondo kicks in the desert when they heard a joey trapped on a cliff in the distance. They come together and cross the dangerous terrain to rescue the baby kangaroo.
Once they got to the top of the cliff, they had to figure out how to get back down using their skills and teamwork.
Comments: This picture book is illustrated with bright and bold colors of the desert.
The kangaroos did have on taekwondo uniforms–white shirts with black sashes.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
Children’s Picture Book Recommendations–Week of December 17, 2023, are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Brief summary: Kingsley, a dog, decides to own a human. He goes into the city looking and intermingling with several people but does not find a good fit. He saw a little girl walking on the street and followed her home. Will she be his human?
Comments: This picture book is hilariously written from the viewpoint of a dog.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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If the Rivers Run Free
by Andrea Debbink (Author), Nicole Wong (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A boy and girl play on the street, unaware that a river is flowing underneath them.
Young readers learn 1)how humankind can settle along a river, 2)how a river can be routed underground to change the flow when the city grows, and 3)what the pros and cons are of moving a river.
Comments: This is an exciting book that helps explain how people built around rivers, moved them underground, and how some engineers and naturalists are now freeing them to above ground, having learned that this can prevent flooding and bring back a valuable habitat.
More details and explanations are given in the back section called The Wonder of Rivers.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
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The Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles
by Jake Gyllenhaal (Author), Greta Caruso (Author), Dan Santat (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Uncle Mo babysits his nephew, Leo, who claims he is the worst uncle. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Great-Aunt Gloria and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle magically appear in the middle of the street. They teach Uncle Mo about the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles, where Mo learns about how to be a good uncle before the two are popped back into the car to continue home.
Comments: This picture book is full of laugh-aloud humorous situations with matching illustrations.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Do You Remember?
by Sydney Smith (Author)
Brief summary: A mother and son exchange memories of when the father was still with them. They have moved to a new home in the city where everything is new. They decide that they will begin to make new memories together.
Comments: This book could be shared as a read-aloud between two people. The mother’s voice is in red ink; the boy’s is in blue.
We are not told where the father is or what happened to him. This could be a discussion point with students.
The soft and calm illustrations match the mood of lying in bed and reminiscing.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Kozo the Sparrow
by Allen Say (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young Allen Say trades all of his treasures to save a sparrow hatchling from the hands of bullies. He takes it home and nurses it to adulthood, bonding with his bird, Kozo(Little Boy).
Allen takes the bird to school to share with his classmates. Will the bullies capture the sparrow again?
Comments: This is the true story of Allen Say and the bird he raised and loved while living in Japan as a child at age eight.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Evergreen
by Matthew Cordell (Author)
Brief summary: Evergreen, an anxious squirrel, lives in Buckthorn Forrest with her mother who has asked her to take soup to a sick Granny Oak who lives on the other side of the forest. Although frightened, Evergreen leaves the tree and heads towards Granny Oak’s, encountering several forest animals along the way.
Comments: This picture book is divided into a new chapter for each animal Evergreen meets. The illustrations are done with a 005 Micron Pen and painted with watercolors.
Students will be in suspense with each forest animal encounter wondering if the squirrel will be eaten.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗 1/2
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
Children’s Picture Book Recommendations–Week of December 3, 2023 are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
by Laurie Wallmark (Author), Adelina Lirius (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Rivka, a Jewish girl who lived in the Lower East Side of New York City during the flu pandemic of 1918, thought she was going to school but had to delay her first day for several months. Rivka’s father was sick with influenza and had to stay in bed. Her mother had to go to work. Rivka cared for her father and tended to her little sister, Miriam.
The young girl trades working for various stores in the area in exchange for the storeowners’ teaching her how to write and read. She eventually gets to go to school with the help of her community.
Comments: Historical fiction picture books like these should be read to children to help them better understand how lucky they are to go to school and have opportunities so many did not have in earlier times or even today.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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The Emerald Forest
by Catherine Ward (Author), Karin Littlewood (Author)
Brief summary: Orangutan lives with her children on a rainforest island called Sumatra in Indonesia until a deforesting machine comes and rips out the tree she is in. She and her family are relocated to Bukit Tigapuluh National Park(Thirty Hills).
Comments: I was tearing up when I read this heartfelt picture book; beautifully illustrated. It would be a good story to share with students with an endangered species, environment, or deforestation unit of study.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
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Brief summary: Gray Fox walks in the fall woods during a full moon, seeing her reflection in the river before returning to the den.
Comments: The cover of this book is designed beautifully with raised imprints and specks of silver. Although the title is in cursive, the text inside is in block letters.
The gray illustrations were created by the author and his daughter.
This is a short and gentle book, excellent for bedtime.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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A Letter for Bob
by Kim Rogers (Author), Jonathan Nelson (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Katie, a young girl, writes a letter to their car, Bob, as they have traded him in for a bigger one to match their growing family. She thanks Bob and shares the family’s wonderful(and not-so-wonderful) memories in the car, such as attending the Wichita Annual Dance, the Indian Hills Powwow, their vacations, sports events, and everyday occurrences.
Comments: The story was a mixture of humorous and sentimental memories.
Everyone can relate to this picture book’s story as cars(and other family-owned objects) can seem like family members.
The back sections include Author’s Note, Glossary, and Current Tribal Locations.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Wintergarden
by Janet Fox (Author), Jasu Hu (Illustrator)
Brief summary: In the winter, a girl helps her mother grow a garden on the window sill in little pots. The child cares for and tends the plants, harvesting some for their Thanksgiving meal.
When the weather warms up, she looks forward to picking out seeds to grow more plants.
Comments: Directions for how to grow your own wintergarden are at the back of the book.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
Christmas and Other Winter Holiday Children’s Book Recommendations–2023 are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Our Italian Christmas Eve
by Danielle Sedita (Author), Francesco Sedita (Author), Luciano Lozano (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Danielle and Francesco tell how their family celebrates the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve at their Aunt Babe’s, where there is a house full of relatives and food. The two realize they must make cheesecake to have enough desserts for the feast.
Comments: What an incredible celebratory story with detailed and humorous illustrations
I was getting hungry reading this book, wanting to taste all these yummy Italian foods.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Otto The Ornament
by Troy Cummings (Author)
Brief summary: Christmas ornament, Otto believes he is too shiny and unique to be in the middle of the tree and looks for one where he can be on the top. Will he realize where he perfectly fits in?
Comments: I knew I would like this book when I saw that the C.I.P. is shaped like a Christmas tree.
Troy Cummings visited our school district and did a superb job! His patience with our students and presentations were top-notch.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
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Hanukkah Upside Down
by Elissa Brent Weissman (Author), Omer Hoffmann (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Noah lives in New York, where it is winter, while his cousin Nora lives in New Zealand, where it is summer. They challenge one another to see who can have the best eight days of Hanukkah.
Comments: Young readers will have Hanukkah vocabulary and learn how people far away from one another can celebrate the same holiday in their own unique traditions.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!
by Mo Willems (Author)
Brief summary: As soon as Santa leaves, Pigeon wants to drive the sleigh, trying to persuade us how it would be a great idea.
Comments: This is done in the humorous pigeon series style of trying to get the reader to agree with the pigeon’s idea.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
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Snowmen’s Twelve Nights of Christmas
by Caralyn Buehner (Author), Mark Buehner (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A dog chases different creatures up a pine tree for twelve nights before Christmas in this Twelve Days Of Christmas Carol parody.
Comments: This cumulative story has bright and happy illustrations that any little one would love to have read to them several times.
This husband and wife duo has other Snowmen-themed books such as Snowmen at Night, Snowmen at Play, and Snowmen at Christmas.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
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The Twelve Hours of Christmas
by Jenn Bailey (Author), Bea Jackson (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This Twelve Days of Christmas Carol parody is about a large family gathering twelve hours before Christmas.
Comments: This is a lovely picture book of a family with a nana and grandpa, cousins, aunties, and uncles visiting to celebrate the holiday together.
I was looking forward to each hour to see what would happen next.
The illustrations convey the happiness and love of the family. Be sure to spot the hidden kitten throughout the picture book.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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La Noche Before Three Kings Day
by Sheila Colón-Bagley (Author), Alejandro Mesa (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A family celebrates Three Kings Day by decorating shoeboxes, having a large family meal, and dancing to music. The extended family goes home, and the children go to bed. The little girl peeks out of her window at midnight and sees the three kings with camels fill their boxes left by the door with gifts, candy, and coins.
Comments: This book is sprinkled with Spanish words, so I was thankful for the pronunciation box and glossary. The illustrations are festive and bright. The author does explain in the back of the book how she celebrates Three Kings Day on January 6th.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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A Creature Was Stirring
by Heather S. Pierczynski (Author), Skylar Hogan (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A mouse debunks the T’was the Night Before Christmas poem’s line of “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse” by being too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve and full of endless energy.
Comments: This book contains onomatopoeias throughout the mouse’s wide-awake activities. The illustrations are warm and inviting.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
by Mac Barnett (Author), Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Hilariously inventive ideas of how Santa Claus goes down the chimney are explored in this picture book.
Comments: Hilariously inventive ideas of how Santa Claus goes down the chimney are explored in this picture book.
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen have come up with another creative book together that children will love reading. They are in sync with how children think.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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The Christmassy Cactus
by Beth Ferry (Author), A. N. Kang (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Tiny Cactus was loved by a little girl every day. The child shared all the beautiful Christmas decorations but soon forgot about Tiny Cactus. The plant truly wanted to belong and celebrate with the family but couldn’t figure out how until something magical happened Christmas morning.
Comments: Such a darling and precious story. I’ll never look at a Christmas Cactus the same way again.
This book is illustrated with Christmas colors and a pink hue throughout.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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10 Things I Love About Christmas
by Danielle McLean (Author), Mark Chambers (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young boy shares everything he loves about Christmas, from opening his advent calendar each day, decorating the Christmas Tree, to many events and traditions he shares with his family.
Comments: This would be a good read-aloud and discussion afterward about what they like about Christmas.
The illustrations are detailed. I found myself stopping and looking at them before continuing with the countdown.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Out Cold-A Little Bruce Book (Mother Bruce Series)
by Ryan T. Higgins (Author)
Brief summary: Winter has come to Soggy Hollow. Poor Bruce has a cold and is stuck inside with his mice friends, Nibbs, Thistle, and Rupert. After playing outside, the mice thought it would be nice to bring the snow activities inside for Bruce to enjoy. I wonder if Bruce will enjoy them…
Comments: What can I say? I love the humor of grumpy Bruce. He reminds me so much of myself.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2
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I’m Going to Build a Snowman
by Jashar Awan (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A little boy wakes to see that it has snowed. After eating his breakfast and putting on all of his snow gear, he is determined to build the BEST SNOWMAN EVER.
Comments: The story explores how one’s expectations may not be realistic but still can be enjoyable in a positive mindset.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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The Snow Man: A True Story
by Jonah Winter (Author), Jeanette Winter (Illustrator)
Brief summary: billy barr (he prefers all small letters) lives ALONE in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, eight miles from the nearest town. He first moved there as a college student in 1972 for the summer. He lived in an abandoned shack with dirt floors and no electricity or running water. He began to take meticulous notes of all of the wildlife and weather of the mountains.
He stayed for fifty-one years and is still there.
The scientists at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory used his notes and observations, all written in notebooks, to chart how the mountains’ climate was changing. He still takes notes but enters them into a computer.
Comments: There is an Author’s Note in the back explaining billy barr in more detail.
I had so many questions while reading this biography. Why is he a hermit? What made him go there? Why did he stay so long? Would I want to live like that? What would that be like? Can I get my library up there? And could I bring all of my cats?
This biography picture book could spark some interesting classroom discussions.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Below is a short film made about Billy Barr in 2016 called The Snow Guardian by Day’s Edge Productions.
by Kelsey E. Gross (Author), Renata Liwska (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Owl calls down from the top of a pine tree to the creatures of the forest asking who can help brighten the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Each forest animal contributes something to the pine tree as it shines with the full moon upon it.
Comments: This is a gentle and quiet book that could be read as a bedtime story.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
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Just SNOW Already!
by Howard McWilliam (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A boy excitedly waits for the snow expected that evening in his neighborhood. He dreams of all the wonderful things he will do in the snow. He keeps checking out the window, not noticing all of the stupendous things taking place on his street, believing that nothing is happening because there is no snow yet.
He begins to wonder what it would mean if it never snowed again.
Comments: The details in these illustrations are action-packed and hilarious. I love the boy’s giant head and all of his facial expressions. This would be a fantastic read-aloud for kids, especially the day before the first snowfall of the year.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
On a Flake-Flying Day: Watching Winter’s Wonders
by Buffy Silverman (Author)
Brief summary: When winter arrives, nature changes in many ways to prepare for snow.
Comments: There are large and brilliant Nature photos in this narrative nonfiction picture book.
The back section includes the question: What can you see on a white winter’s day? and then in-depth answers correlating to the pages before, Further Reading, and Glossary.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
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