A Plethora of Picture Books!

When I worked in publishing, Fall was our big season . . . when we would pull out the big guns. Big guns like these:


Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog by Joy Behar
This tale of a mixed-breed dog encountering purebred snobbery at the local dog run comes to us from Behar, a comedian and co-host of The View. Which explains the sheer hilarity of the title. It's so funny and fun to say that my co-worker emailed me after entering the order so we could giggle about it.



The Tattletale by Lynn Downey
This tale of sibling squabbles and one mother's creative solution for tattling is sure to be a hit with all the multi-child families in your community. But, even more exciting is the fact that this was illustrated by Pamela Paparone. The illustrator of another of my storytime favorites, The Little School Bus, Paparone has a way of drawing pigs that I just love.



Bad Boys Get Cookie by Margie Palatini
An impish combination (yes . . . I just referred to something as "impish") of both The Gingerbread Man and Hansel and Gretel, this book follows two bad wolves as they follow a runaway cookie. The Kirkus review, which refers to an "annoying looking" "demon cookie" makes this sound like a smart, spirited romp. ("impish" and "spirited romp" in one paragraph? I'm on a roll!)



Stardragon by Andrew Breakspeare
May I quote from Ingram's ipage? "Magnificent dragons and starry magic await in this sparkly embossed volume." Oh ho ho! You know what a sucker I am for such things! That's what I'm talking about!



Heave Ho! by Heinz Janisch
Containing only twelve sentences, this is a story of teamwork and of animals who want to get into the refrigerator. What really got to me was the fact that the Kirkus review referred to the artwork as "cheeky." I love that word and all that it implies, and if I ever have children, I hope that they are given access to cheeky books. Oh yes . . . that is my dream!




When I Grow Up, I will Win the Nobel Prize by Isabel Pin
Another book with cheeky artwork! I'm in seventh heaven with this book that talks about dreams and how to live up to them. Add to that the fact that it can make a whole generation of toddlers familiar with a prestigious (albeit intimidatingly erudite) prize, and I'm almost ready to do a little dance of joy. A cheeky little dance of joy . . .


The Biggest Parade by Elizabeth Winthrop
I have a friend who would go to any parade, no matter how small or obscure it might be. I'm sure she would like this book about a bassett hound whose owner wants him to march in a parade, but who would rather just watch. The description of what happened to the hound the last time he participated in such a thing brings a smile to my face, and I'm convinced that this will appeal to the over-enthusastic geek in all of us. And, it's said to be a great read-aloud.

I'm still chugging my way through my PW announcement issue, and I've come across these fabulous things that I know your patrons (and you) will love.


Spot 7: School by Mokoto Fujimoto
This book is perfect for all those kids who wear out your I Spy titles and still clamor for more. Children search pairs of photos for seven differences, as well as the answer to a four-line riddle. Coming soon . . . Spot 7:Christmas!




Library Lion byMichelle Knudsen
When a lion wanders into the local library, he's told he can stay as long as he agrees to follow the rules. He does a good job, until the day that his librarian friend is injured in a fall and he roars for help. Will this transgression keep him from the hallowed halls he's grown to love? The reviewers are saying that this book makes a good read-aloud, and we all know that we (vain?) librarians love any story that involves our place of employment.


Princess Primer: The Fairy Godmother's Guide to Being a Princess by Stephanie True Peters
I suppose I could tell you that this book contains advice from a fairy godmother on everything from which tiara to wear to how to choose a prince. I could tell you that it would be perfect for all your patrons who loved things like Fairyopolis and Imagine You're a Fairy. But do I really need to say anything besides pink and princess?


365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental
Ooh la la! Only the French could create a story so absurd that I can't wait to read it. A family of four is puzzled when a penguin is mailed to them on New Year's Day, but as the year progresses and the penguins keep coming, they run into many problems. I just can't get over the penguins on the cover--so deadpan . . . so existential . . . so French!


Giggle Computer Funtime for Baby: Shapes
Since I've never had a baby of my own (upon which to try out library materials), I don't know if this CD-ROM will be in demand. However, since all babies and toddlers seem to want to bang on every computer keyboard that they see, I'm thinking it's a brilliant idea. Because, you see, the CD-ROM encourages babies to hit the computer keys to play music, make things move onscreen, and elicit weird baby-friendly noises. So you can entertain baby and make her comfortable with computers all at the same time. I'm fascinated!




Time Out, Buzzy by Harriet Ziefert
Buzzy is angry! Look how angry he is! Oh, this angry little donkey amuses me! His mother gives him a time out in his room, where he gives a time out to his toys, books, and clothes. How does one give a time out to one's clothes? Is there an angry naked donkey in my future? I hope so!!!!

An embarrassment of riches

It's that time of year again . . . time for the Publishers Weekly Fall children's announcement issue, and time for me to work double-extra-hard to get all the great new books ordered. There are so many things to look forward to, I almost don't know where to start.

Zuzu by Linda Michelin Johnson
The cover has a different title than the B&T listing, and the illustrations look a bit funky, but I'm still intrigued by this book. Why? Because when Zuzu's new neighbor doesn't return her smile, she "makes him a series of gifts that she thinks he needs." I like to think of a little girl rationalizing someone else's crankiness, figuring out what they need, and then giving it to them. It kills me!


I'm Dirty by Kate McMullan
I Stink, also by McMullan, was one of my favorite books to read for storytime. I would use my "Sunday Sunday Sunday" monster-truck-rally voice and read about puppy poo and ugly underpants, and the kids would laugh and laugh. Now we have I'm Dirty, which features a backhoe cleaning up a junkyard. Heavy machinery, potentially funny lists of garbage, and the promise of things getting dirty? Why, it's enough to make me long for a group of small kids to read to!


One More Sheep by Mij Kelly
There's someone at the door, but nobody knows if it's a stray sheep or something more menacing. The only way to find out is for Sam to count all the sheep, but that makes him so sleepy! The illustrations won me over, with the worried, stocking-capped sheep so fat and funny. They are sort of like Gary Larsen drawing Russell the Sheep.


Big Bad Wolf and Me by Delphine Perret
The Big Bad Wolf is so wimpy that he's mistaken for a dog, so our young protagonist takes him home in order to teach him to be tough again. The lanky, scribbly wolf juxtaposed with the nonplussed young boy strike me as very funny, and the reviews are good. I think this one will be a hit!


Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah
I know that celebrity books aren't always good, and the plot of this self-esteem-boosting offering doesn't seem particularly complex. But who doesn't love Queen Latifah??!?! She's feisty, down-to-earth, and very talented--and that's enough for me to give Queen of the Scene a chance.



Featherless Chicken by Chih-Yuan Chen
Another self-esteem booster, this one about a featherless chicken who wants to fit in. Again, it's the cover art that hooked me on this one. Just the sight of the chicken springing out of his shell--his eyes rolling and an egg-yolk sun shining on him--makes me want to read this.

Sometimes I forget things . . .

I suddenly realized that I'd promised to share more of my ALA finds but never did. Maybe the New Orleans heat is still affecting my brain. At any rate, here are more titles to anticipate.


I Will Hold You 'Til You Sleep by Linda Zuckerman
At first glance, this may seem like just another "parents have unconditional love for their children" sort of book, and you may be tempted to skip it. But the text is sweet without being treacly, and has a more universal quality than is usually found in this type of book. And the gorgeous illustrations by Jon J. Muth (whose Zen Shorts was a 2006 Caldecott Honor book) are so layered and rich, it's almost like you fall into them. Michelle and I were lucky enough to see some of the original watercolors from the book, and then to meet Muth. He very graciously humored us when we told him how beautiful and mesmerizing we found the super-saturated patches of "spilly blue" that ran throughout. We love him!



Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
I had already ordered plenty of copies of this debut teen novel by the time that ALA rolled around, but that didn't make me any less excited about it when I heard Vrettos read. After all, it's about divorce and anorexia and all those other things that teens like to read about. I'm not sure that I was prepared, though, for the immediacy and urgency of the writing. It has a certain truth to it, and I am hooked.




Here There Be Dragons by James A. Owen
I have not yet had a chance to read this book, but a friend borrowed a copy and enjoyed it quite a bit. It is the story of three young men who come into possession of an atlas of fantastical places that shouldn't exist, and then travel to these places as part of their epic quest. This is fantasy as written by a hard-core nerd--and I intend this statement to be a very high compliment. But perhaps even more compelling than the twisty plot are Owen's highly intricate illustrations, which fairly leap off the page.


The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson
This is a fastidiously researched and gorgeously written story of slavery and rebellion during the Revolutionary War. Octavian, one of the most compelling characters that I've encountered lately, is a slave whose owners seem to treat him well, but who use him for their "scientific" experiments. I fear that this book--which is the first of two volumes--will have a hard time finding an audience, which would be a shame, as it truly is remarkable. Recommend it to teens who need to read historical fiction.