Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet by Sanae Ishida (2017)

Image source: Amazon.com

Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet by Sanae Ishida (2017) #ownvoices

by Anna HK

Little Kunoichi the Ninja Girl stars in her own book, and has the most amazing pet EVER (a stupendously, spectacularly super-duper ninja bunny!). Little Kunoichi's best friend, Chibi Samurai envies the special relationship they have, and decides to find a friend of his own. He travels all over trying out amazing pets real and imaginary, but none of them are the right fit. Just as he is about to give up, he realizes that the perfect pet has been with him all along--a stag beetle! This is a delightful little book, with lots of fun personality to read aloud in storytime. There are a couple of spreads that may need a little extra explanation, but the end of the story is clear and satisfying. I love this one!

Themes/Topics: pets, ninjas, Japan, mythical creatures, insects 

Sample text from three spreads: 

He starts at the tippy top of the island and greets a kindly monk. "Pet?"
"Check out back."
Lo and behold, Chibi finds a dazzling animal, and he can't wait to introduce his new pet. "Fantastic!"

"WOW!" [say his friends]
"So fierce! So strong! Meet Showstopper the giant salamander!"


CHOMP
"Too strong!"
"Oh no, the leash!"

We Love You, Rosie! by Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Linda Davick

image source: Indiebound

We Love You, Rosie! by Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Linda Davick (2017)

by Mary K

Opposites like up and down, day and night, and good and bad are introduced in a series of vignettes about Rosie the dog. Each mini story is ended with the phrase "we love you," demonstrating that no matter what she does, or where she is, Rosie is always loved by the two round-headed children who accompany her. This book would be fine in a toddler storytime, as the illustrations are in bright flat colors and certain words and phrases are repeated multiple times. As there are six stand-alone vignettes, storytime presenters could choose to share two, three, or all six depending on the attention span of the group. Because of the repetition and simple word choice, however, this book might also work as an early reader.

Themes/topics: dogs, pets, opposites, love

Sample text from three spreads:

Hello, Rosie. Do you want to go DOWN? Okay. DOWN go the front feet! DOWN go the back feet! DOWN goes the tail! Rosie is going DOWN!

But Rosie likes UP better. UP is better. UP is much better. 

Rosie, you are UP. And we love you. 

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newsom Edwards

image source Amazon.com

 

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newsom Edwards

by AHK

Another pet book! If you want to do an inclusive theme, pets is your best bet for the most options. This one is terribly sweet. There's not really a plot, just a sweet portrayal of what it's like to have a new friend--the twist at the end is that it's the puppy narrating and the girl is the new friend. For each line of text, both puppy and child mirror each other actions and emotions. Readers assume the girl is speaking until the end. Although it's slight, it's successful and would work perfectly for toddler storytime. I would even use this with babies after shortening it a tad.

Themes/Topics: pets, friendship

Sample text from three spreads: 

At first, [my new friend] was sort of scared. But she got used to me. 

My friend likes to play outside. 

She messes up the house and sleeps on the furniture. 

Will You Help Doug Find His Dog? by Jane Caston and Carmen Saldaña

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Will You Help Doug Find His Dog? by Jane Caston illustrated by Carmen Saldaña (2017)

By AHK

Ever since Press Here delighted storytime librarians and attendees everywhere, there have been many books that try to capture that magic. This one is a great addition to the interactive genre. Poor Doug has lost his dog, but we, the readers, are going to help him find his dog. Doug tells us his dog is scruffy, and we call all the scruffy dogs. Doug's dog has spots, so we can pat all the dogs who have spots. Next we're looking for the small dogs--let's give them each a tickle. Eventually we narrow things down and Doug and Dog are reunited. A joy for dog lovers, this is an excellent choice for storytime. It can be easily adapted to work with a group and the illustrations provide lots of opportunities for discussion and differentiation. Top notch!

Themes/topics: dogs, pets, interactive, kisses

Sample text from two spreads: 

Hey, will you help Doug find his dog?  
You will? Great!
I wonder what Doug's dog looks like. Let's ask Doug. 
 What does your dog look like? 
"My dog is scruffy."

So, Doug's dog is a scruffy dog. 
Call, "Here, Scruff!" to all the scruffy dogs. 

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari pictures by Patrice Barton

image credit Amazon.com

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari pictures by Patrice Barton (2017)

Zara's dog, Moose, loves "Hello," Hello means all the good things in life. Moose hates "Goodbye," goodbye means all the bad things in life. So when Zara starts school, Moose just can't accept goodbye and being without Zara, even for a little while. Much the little lamb of nursery rhyme fame, Moose follows Zara to school, and each time it takes more and more people to get Moose home, and stronger (and sadder) measures are put in place to KEEP Moose home. Although Zara is in a wheelchair, Moose is not a service dog. But Moose loves being read to, and gives Zara an idea--she has Moose certified as a therapy dog so Moose can come to school with her. A perfect tie-in for any Reading Dog program at the library, discussions about service and therapy animals and a delightful read-aloud in it's own right. Say hello to this one.

Themes/topics: dogs, pets, first day of school, therapy dogs, service animals

Sample text from one spread. Moose has already escaped twice. 

Goodbye was being tied up in the backyard. 
Moose chewed through the rope. It was time to say, "Hello!"
"Hello, Moose!" cried Zara. 
Hello was having a book and someone to read it to you. 
"Dogs aren't allowed in the library," said Ms. Chen. 
"Moose will be quiet," said Zara. "She likes it when I read to her."
Zara read. 
Kids listened. 
Moose's tail swept circles on the rug. 

Caring for Your Lion by Tammi Sauer illustrated by Troy Cummings

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Caring for Your Lion by Tammi Sauer illustrated by Troy Cummings (2017)

by AHK

When you've ordered a new pet kitten and a lion is delivered instead, surely some adjustments need to be made. Never fear, your new lion comes with some handy-dandy IKEA-inspired do-it-yourself instructions. In fourteen easy steps, learn to appreciate your ferocious new pet. This is a title where the illustrations add a great amount of subtext--sometimes adding to the text and other times subverting the text. Fortunately, it can be read to a group without needing a lot of interpretation, making it a good option for storytimes and class visits.

Themes/topics: Lions, pets, making do, funny, school visits

Sample text from two spreads: 

Step 10: At bath time, fill the tub with equal parts water and lion.  Then add a smidge of bubble bath. Be sure to have your camera ready for some adorable photos [illos. show boy and lion cooperating on getting the bath ready, then both in the bath with bubbles]

Step 11:  Post-bath, your lion is half his normal size. Do. Not. Panic. Simply grab a blow dryer and get busy. (Expect a teensy big of shedding). [illos. show lion going from small and bedgraggled to a huge "Fwoof!" of mane with fur shedding everywhere].

Bob, NOT Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick illustrated by Matthew Cordell

image source: Amazon.com

By Mary K.

Bob, Not Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick illustrated by Matthew Cordell (2017)

The cover and title page instruct those reading this sweet, silly tale out loud to read it “as though you have the worst cold ever” and therein lies the joke. When Louie catches a cold, all he really wants is his Mom. But how to you let Mom know you need her when your nose is all stuffed up and saying her name sounds like “Bob?” Oh, and it just so happens their pet dog’s name is...you guessed it! Bob. Through several days of illness Louie gets more and more frustrated as he calls for him mom and instead of the snuggle he wants his dog comes running. This leaves everyone confused until, finally, his Mom just decides to lay down with Louie (and Bob). There are a few smaller vignettes in the illustrations that may make the book a bit more difficult to share with large groups, but smaller storytime crowds, especially older preschoolers and young elementary school students who’ve experienced feeling just like Louie, will enjoy this relatable tale. While the reader will really need to ham it up and make the effort to sound stuffy, the payoff in laughter and engaged listeners will be well worth it.

Themes/topics: family, illness, mothers, dogs, pets

Sample text from two spreads:

"The next day, Little Louie was even sicker. His lips chapped and his eyes gunked. As for his nose, you can’t even imagine. So he just lay there getting hot and sweaty, which sounded like “Hotten Smetty.” “Who’s Hotten Smetty?” asked his sister. “No. Not SMETTY, SMEDDY! And HODD!” Tessa didn’t know who Smeddy was. Hodd either.

Mom would understand. “BOB!” called Little Louie. His dog, Bob, came running. And slobbering. “NO! BOB! NOT BOB!” Tessa looked at him like he was cuckoo. So did Bob"

Rosie and Crayon

Rosie & Crayon by Deborah Marcero (2017)

Rosie and her pup Crayon are best friends. The short, poetic text tells readers how Crayon fills Rosie's world with color and happiness, and each spread beautifully highlights a different color. Of course, pets don't last forever, and Rosie is plunged into a sad gray world. One day a neighbor shows her a missing pet poster--he's lost his cat Inky. Rosie half-heartedly searches for the missing cat, and when she finds it she allows herself to remember Crayon and feel happy alongside her sadness. Instead of breaking, she finds her heart has grown. A grief/losing a pet story that isn't too intense for storytime fills a valuable gap, and this one fits the bill nicely.

Themes/Topics: pets, grief, loss of a pet, colors, friendship, dogs, cats

Sample text from three spreads:

Until one day, after a long and colorful life, Crayon was gone. 

The sky filled with clouds that pinched out the sun. 

Black became suitable. White worked like an eraser. And gray could mask almost anything. Rosie's heart zipped itself up, and the world became a cold, colorless place.  

 

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle and Cale Atkinson

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle and Cale Atkinson (2016)

This is a fun confection of a storytime book. Our glum bespectacled protagonist is unhappy with her mundane pet hamster, and dreams of more exotic pets. She explains why each mythical creature would make a great choice but then remembers a flaw and moves on to her next choice. As the book goes on, each new creature seems less and less desirable, until she concludes that a hamster makes a pretty good pet after all. The final reveal shows the girl with her nose in a book and the hamster grinning out at readers with batwings and antlers. The verse flows well, pets are an ever-popular theme, and the main character is cute as a button--this one is a no-brainer to add to storytime.

Themes/topics: pets, contentment, wishing, mythical animals, unicorns

Sample text from two spreads:
"If I had a unicorn, 
I'd braid her silky mane. 
I'd make her silver horseshoes 
That tinkled in the rain. 

We'd prance through fields of posies
And nibble nectarines. 
I'd shine her horn with candy corn
To get a starry sheen. 

Unicorns are pretty, 
but they're also very shy. 

On second thought, 
I'd like to give a 
hippogriff 
a try."

 

July Round Up: New Racially Diverse Picture Books for Storytime

 

[You can find a full list of all titles at the bottom of this post]

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

Desperate for a pet, a young child tries to win a goldfish at the fair. But instead of a goldfish the prize is Nuncio--a whale! This is a slightly surreal take on the "inconvenient pet becomes useful and beloved" storyline, but one that could certainly work in preschool storytime or early elementary classrooms.

 Themes/Topics: Friendship, Pets, Circus, Whales, Love

Here's a sample of the text. This is the most text that appears on any page:
"We fill our enormous swimming pool with salt water until it's just right for Nuncio. I've always wanted something I could take care of.  Something that loves me back. Maybe that was a lot to ask of a goldfish. But a whale! A whale seems capable of almost anything!"

Puddle by Hyewon Yum

Puddle by Hyewon Yum

A rainy day creates a disgruntled child determined not to be appeased by any activity mom suggests. When her suggestion to spend time drawing is rejected, she cheerfully announces that she'll just draw by herself. Of course, the child becomes intrigued and they draw themselves into a rainy day scene, creating a narrative as they draw. Mom gets upset when the child "splashes" in the puddle they drew by scribbling, and mom looks quite concerned when they go outside and a giant puddle appears ahead. Happily, though unsurprisingly, she throws caution to the wind and they jump and splash together.
Part of the book is told through dialogue, with the mother's words in red and the child's in black, so larger groups might get lost unless you're comfortable reading with voices, but it should definitely be part of your collection anyway. Yum's skilled and delightful illustrations are wonderful as always.

Themes/Topics: Rain, Drawing, Imagination, Mothers, Dogs, Weather

Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza

Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza

This one is a welcome addition to the color theory shelf. In a riot of color, wordplay, and imagination, a young child wrangles a paintbrush mixing colors and bringing different animals to life until things get a little out of control with a "Grayish--Brownish Mud monster," but ultimately the mud monster just wants to get in on the action too, and paints portraits of all the other animals.

Text sample--full of opportunities for wordplay and movement, here's the first spread:
"Splish Splash Sploosh! I painted an elephant BLUE 
with a splash of RED and YELLOW and a dash of WHITE, too.

Swoosh Swash Swish! She mixed BLUE and YELLOW 
BLUE and YELLOW made GREEN!
Like a GREEN frog fellow.  

Themes/Topics: Color, Art, Imagination

Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo

Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo

An empty playground is the perfect setting for Maggie to make "Salad Pie" (a cleaner version of mud pie), but then Herbert shows up and--even worse--he wants to help. Maggie bossily rejects his attempts to help until she accidentally slips down the slide, dropping the salad into the air. Herbert saves the day by catching both her and the pie, and their friendship is solidified as they make plans to make "Sandwich Stew" tomorrow.

This one includes lots of places to add a little singing refrain, and isn't too wordy, making it a good storytime selection:
"Into the oven," said Maggie, and she closed the imaginary oven door with panache. Gently, ever so gently, Maggie danced her jig. Softly, ever so softly, she sang, "Salad Pie, oh Salad Pie! Soon you'll be ready, Salad Pie!

Themes/Topics: Friendship, Imagination, Playgrounds, Food

How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz

How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz

Anna and her best friend, Crocodile, decide to find gold even though it will be dangerous and difficult.

Several very wordy pages are followed by several wordless pages, which means this one is a better fit for very dialogic storytime groups who have practice reading and interpreting the pictures in a story.

One spread reads:
"Gold is always hidden. We need a map with an X where the gold is," said Crocodile. 
"That's easy, said Anna. "Draw a map of the whole world, to be sure." 
"It doesn't have an X," Said Crocodile when the map was finished. 
Anna drew one on. 
"The gold is in France!" said Anna. "How do we get to France?" 
"Hm," said Crocodile. "I don't know that bit."

Themes/Topics: Treasure, Ships/Sailing, Crocodiles, Pirates (not specifically, but it definitely works), Imagination, Bravery, Friendship, Travel

Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock

Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock

A day in the lives of two girls who love ballet are compared and contrasted. Emma, a young white girl, and Julia, an older black teen, both wake up early, both eat breakfast and both get dressed for a ballet lesson. But while Emma is excited to go the the city and watch a ballet later that night, Julia is in the performance. Most children reading this book will be able to relate to Emma as a beginning dancer, and will share her admiration and be inspired by Julia, who is an advanced dancer participating in live performances on stage.

Here's a sample of the text--the parallel stories and repetition make it a good fit for storytime:
"Some of Emma's friends take tap lessons. Some of Julia's friends take tap too. Some of Emma's friends take jazz lessons. Some of Julia's friends take jazz too. Some of Emma's friends dream of dancing on Broadway. Some of Julia's friends are dancing on Broadway. But Emma and Julia love ballet."

Themes/Topics: Dance, Ballet, Careers/Jobs people do, Practice

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Puddle by Hyewon Yum
Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza
Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo
How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz
Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock