Story Time
Armadilly Chili
Yee haw! This Texas-style takeoff on "The Little Red Hen" bubbles with southwestern flavor. Miss Billie Armadilly is hankerin' for a pot of hot armadilly chili but her friends--tarantula Tex, bluebird Mackie, and horned Taffy the toad--have excuses for not helping her gather a boxful of beetles, pick a peck of peppers, and chop prickly pear cactus. "No workin' with Billie, no sharin' the chili," is Miss Billie's retort when the smell of the bubbling chili brings her friends to her door, but the chili tastes flat until her buddies return bringing sacks of apologies and goodies; friends, it seems were the missing ingredient. Ketteman flavors the tale and message with plenty of pizzazz. Terry uses hot, intensely saturated, southwestern colors to spice the comedy, and embellishes each critter's characteristics with clever details, such as Tex's bolo tie. A surefire hit for the lap-sit crowd. ~Booklist, amazon.com
I Love to Sneeze
A good sneeze can be a relief-but it can also cause quite a ruckus! Zebras lose their stripes, cows go flying over the moon, and leaves get blown back onto the trees! Read-aloud audiences and beginning readers alike will laugh out loud as total chaos ensues in this wacky romp! ~amazon.com
All you Need for a Snowman
While this deceptively simple book starring children building a snowman is ultimately about community-how human beings, no matter how small, can help each other create something bigger than themselves-youngsters will find the lilting language and action-filled illustrations to be just plain fun. Schertle's (How Now, Brown Cow?) text deftly describes what goes into making a snowman: "Billions of snowflakes/ piled in a mound,/ pat them/ and pack them/ and roll them/ around/ into one big ball." Her refrain-"That's all you need for a snowman. Except..."-encourages readers to turn the page for each new component. The watercolors, meanwhile, feature children in padded winter jackets who work together. As in childhood, the snowman looms larger than life. As they roll that "one big ball," for example, the children appear to be hugging the edge of a snow-white planet. They place saucer-size bottle caps on the snowman's face-"Surprise!/ Snowman's eyes!"-and add a broom taller than a house. The completed snowman is so huge that the book needs to be turned sideways to view it. Lavallee's illustrations, in the style of her work in Mama, Do You Love Me?, emphasize the children's profiles, shadowing one half of each face as if each character possessed both light and dark skin. A wintertime treat. ~Publishers Weekly, amazon.com
I Know a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow
Here's the newest twist on the familiar tale of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. There was a cold lady who swallowed some snow. I don't know why she swallowed some snow. Perhaps you know. This time, the old lady is swallowing everything from snow to a pipe, some coal, a hat, and more! With rollicking, rhyming text and funny illustrations, this lively version will appeal to young readers with every turn of the page. And this time, there's a surprise at the end no reader will be able to guess! ~amazon.com
The Mitten
Baba, Nicki's grandmother, knits pure white mittens for him, even though she is afraid that he will lose them in the snow. Sure enough, the first time Nicki is out, he drops one and some animals promptly move into its snug wool interior. First comes a mole, then a rabbit, a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, a fox, a bear and, finally, a mouse. That mouse tickles the bear's nose and he sneezes, dislodging all of the animals at once. Nicki finds his mitten, and takes it home, but Baba is left to wonder about how it became so enormously stretched out. Brett's magnificent paintings feature her usual array of folk details, and this time, intricate knitting tracks, ornate embroidery, the crusty, peeling texture of the birch bark borders and the exquisite patterns found in Baba's homey rooms. Readers will sit back, suspend belief and welcome this tall tale from the Ukrainian tradition. ~Publisher’s Weekly, amazon.com
Substitute Groundhog
This whimsical story is sure to please. Groundhog comes down with the flu just before his big day, so he has to hold auditions for substitute weather tellers. As the local animals show up, he is forced to get more and more specific in his requirements–for instance, Bear is able to fit into Groundhog's hole, but he snoozes instead of checking his shadow. The animal that finally fills the bill is a surprising choice that will give readers a chuckle. Ember's warm illustrations alternate between single-page drawings, spreads, and spot art, making the book as cozy as Groundhog's home. The pictures add much life to the various animals as well as to the humor of the search. In the end, Groundhog is forced to think about what makes him perfect for the job, and his wise appointment of a substitute results in an unlikely friend. ~School Library Journal, amazon.com
Buffalo Wings
The animals of Nuthatcher Farm are gathering to watch the big football game on TV and Rooster knows the perfect game time snack: buffalo wings! But when he misreads the recipe, Rooster heads west in search of REAL buffalo wings. After finding many wing-less buffalo, Rooster decides to bring home new friends and new recipes instead. This delicious road trip is a read-aloud favorite. ~amazon.com
Three Little Kittens
Young children all know the Mother Goose rhyme of the kittens who have lost their mittens, but they've never seen it illustrated with so much energy, beauty, and flair. Preschoolers will delight in these cuddly kittens as they frolic outside in the falling leaves, get their whiskers sticky while eating a just-baked apple pie, and do the washing-up under Mama Cat's watchful gaze. ~Barnesandnoble.com
