Waukegan Public Library - picture book

Have You Heard About... Bailey

Fran J — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 06:01:00 +0000

… the rewards and challenges of elementary school? Harry Bliss’s Bailey takes us through a normal day for one student, who just happens to be a dog. Bailey may be the only dog in a school full of humans, but he has the same problems as everyone else. Will he miss the bus? What if he gets stuck on the slide? Being a dog adds a few problems, too – most students don’t eat their own homework or get in trouble for painting with their tails in art class. However, Bailey also has fun at school. He loves math and is a great dancer.

This is a sweet book with low-key humor. It would be particularly good for children who are nervous about starting school or a new grade. Bailey goes through a normal day, with some good times and some problems. The teachers and other students have a nice mix of reactions to Bailey and his sometimes odd ways of dealing with everyday activities.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... the picture books of Steven Kellogg

Fran J — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:41:16 +0000

… some great picture books that stand the test of time? This is a two for one review…my favorite picture books of Steven Kellogg!

My sister and I used to read The Mysterious Tadpole and Much Bigger than Martin over and over and over again when we were little girls. Now my sister has been reading them to my daughter. (Aren’t they cute?)

The illustrations are very creative, the stories are a lot of fun, and Mr. Kellogg represents librarians very well. You don’t have to be a librarian to appreciate that Ms Severs in The Mysterious Tadpole is referred to as a friend. When Louis meets her on the street and fills her in on what’s been going on with his tadpole from Loch Ness, she devises a brilliant solution and helps to facilitate a happy ending. Total librarian, right?

In Much Bigger than Martin, Mr. Kellogg aptly describes the growing pains a little brother goes through along with all of the creative ideas he comes up with to grow “much bigger.” These are the kinds of books that parents can appreciate right along with their kids. I don’t think it has to be a childhood favorite! Enjoy!!!

Reviewed by Heidi (staff)

Have You Heard About... Chopsticks

Fran J — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:29:33 +0000

… the best friends who do everything together? In Amy Crouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon’s Chopsticks, the title characters are best friends. They do everything together – swim in the sink, balance with peas, even practice their martial arts moves against the asparagus! One day, one of them gets hurt. The uninjured one is reluctant to go out on his own, but he learns to try new things. When the hurt chopstick is all better, they have lots of new activities to try together.

This cute picture book would be a great choice for best friends who are forced to spend some time apart. It’s filled with characters from the kitchen and medicine chest. A combination of text and visual puns keep things lighthearted (when injured, “Chopstick was quickly whisked away,” by a whisk with a red cross painted on its handle), and the story’s moral is obvious without being forced.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Piggies in the Kitchen

Fran J — Tue, 29 May 2012 06:29:30 +0000

… Mama Pig’s surprise? In Piggies in the Kitchen by Michelle Meadows, you will see what can happen in the kitchen when Mama Pig leaves for the day. Her darling little piggies decide to make her a birthday cake, but they make a big mess instead.

When Papa Pig comes home, he helps them so they won’t get hurt when using the oven. Mrs. Cow, Mrs. Sheep and Mrs. Mouse are also in this wonderfully illustrated story. Will Mama Pig be surprised or will she be mad at the mess in her kitchen?

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Library Lily

Fran J — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:15:37 +0000

… The little girl who loved to read? When Lily learns to read, her mom takes her to the library to get her very own library card. Lily loves to read. Thin books, fat book, new books, old books, touchy-feely-furry- type books, any type of book you can imagine is a great adventure. Lily likes to read so much that she is called Library Lily.

Gillian Shields does a terrific job in describing how Lily forgets to do much of anything else. When Lily goes to the park, instead of playing, she has her nose buried in a book. When her mom tells her to go and have some fun, Lily walks around and reads all of the different signs. All of a sudden another little girl, named Milly, comes along. Milly hates to read. Milly would rather be playing. In becoming friends, these two forge a friendship where they learn to have great adventures together outside, exploring and then reading about all the exciting adventures in books. In fact, they learn that it’s a great big world outside to explore, and you can always find the most perfect book at the library to go with what you find outside and more!

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Press Here

Fran J — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:34:27 +0000

… the great interactive picture book? Apparently, I really missed the boat on Herve Tullet’s Press Here. It was one of the rare picture books to make it onto the New York Times Bestseller List, there has been a ton of positive press about it, we have two copies in the library, yet I had never read it. A friend recommended it, so I got a copy and brought it home to Marie, my almost-2-year-old.

She had a blast! This book is not a beautiful story. It doesn’t have scenic illustrations, but it is the most interactive book she and I have read together, including her pop-up books. The first page has a yellow dot on a blank what page and simply says, “Press here and turn the page.” Once you press the yellow dot and turn the page, you see that your participation has caused the dot to multiply! Gently rubbing this other dot will cause the dot to change color. Tapping on a different dot will create rows of new dots in the same color. Shake the book to mix the dots around. Clap to make the dots grow in size. It’s so simple, it’s brilliant!

Marie and I were laughing and laughing! When it comes time to shake the book (my favorite part), Marie shakes more of herself than anything else. Adorable! Don’t miss the fun. Enjoy!!!

Reviewed by Heidi (staff)

Have You Heard About... One Cool Friend

Fran J — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:31:19 +0000

… the dapper little boy and his best friend? One Cool Friend, by Toni Buzzeo and David Small, tells the story of a very proper boy who makes an unusual friend during a trip to the aquarium. When he asks his father if he can bring home a penguin, the distracted man assumes he means a stuffed penguin and approves. Father continues to be oblivious as Elliot and his new friend Magellan skate and share a snack, but even he realizes what’s happening when he finds a live penguin in the bathtub. Fortunately, Elliot’s father is very understanding since he has a friend of his own.

This is a lovely story about finding the perfect friend. Elliot is a shy, formal boy. Even his stuffed animals are shown in shades of grey. Elliot seems to unwind only around his penguin, Magellan. In contrast, his father is enthusiastic and colorful, if a bit clueless about his son. Still, the two humans are obviously fond of one another, and both love their unusual friends very much.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... I Will Not Read this Book

Fran J — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 07:28:42 +0000

… the little boy who would find any reason he could not to read a book? In I Will Not Read this Book by Cece Meng, a little boy will do anything he can think of to avoid reading a book. He has to clean under his bed and feed his fish. He will not read this book even if you hang him upside down, by one toe, while you tickle his feet, in a rainstorm. He will not read this book even if you hang him upside down, by one toe, while you tickle his feet, in a rainstorm and a fire breathing dragon blows smoke in his face.

But what happens if he is suddenly dropped? Will he change his mind? You will have to read this delightfully illustrated book to find out!

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Chicken Cheeks

Fran J — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:37:06 +0000

…the beginning of the ends? Michael Ian Black and Kevin Hawkes’ Chicken Cheeks takes a straight-forward look at the backside of a variety of animals. As the animals stack themselves into a tower, children will learn their names and socially-acceptable terms for their hind ends. From “duck tail” through “polar bear derriere” and “toucan can” to “duck-billed platypus gluteus maximus,” the pile of critters (and bottoms) grows to an exciting conclusion.

This book is a favorite with both adults and children in my family. The animals are depicted in a colorful, slightly-cartoony style with wonderfully expressive faces and bodies. The text is limited to the names of animals and hind ends, but the pictures do a perfect job of telling the short story. After the first read, watch for the ants on each page!

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... The Feel Good Book

Fran J — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:50:16 +0000

…the many things that make people smile? You can celebrate them with Todd Parr’s The Feel Good Book. Brushing your hair with a lion feels good…so true. Watching your grandparents dance feels good…yes, yes it does! Strawberry toothpaste? I don’t know about that one…

I love Todd Parr’s books. I fell in love with them working in the Children’s Department. Now that I have a baby of my own, I am thrilled that she loves them, too! Marie (my precocious 1 ½ year old) loves the brightly colored drawings that Parr uses to illustrate his books. The Feel Good Book is always close at hand. It’s a little worse for wear…chewed up corners, torn pages, missing dust jacket. That’s a sign of a well loved book. Marie never tires of reading this book as well as Parr’s other titles we have in our home library. (Underwear Do’s and Don’ts is my favorite.) I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes to smile, share a book with a friend and talk about everything in their lives that feels good.

From the back of the book: “The Feel Good Book inspires kids (and adults!) to celebrate the many things that make us smile every day.” This description really nails it. After we read it, we have fun writing an addendum. “Marie, what feels good? Kissing Jilli-Dog feels good. Running around naked after a bath feels good. Eating oatmeal with your fingers feels good. Singing the cowboy song before you go to bed feels good. Splashing in puddles feels good. Loving on Mommy and Daddy feels good.”

What makes you feel good?

Reviewed by Heidi (staff)