Nurture a love for reading this fall with these 12 new picture books:
“My Rhinoceros,” by Jon Agee, Scholastic, $16.95 (ages 3-7)
Most children dream of owning a pet, but when one little boy buys a huge rhinoceros he’s disappointed trying to play fetch. “Maybe he was a clunker.”
Surprise! Rhinoceros has some unusual talents, which result in his becoming pet of the year. Crisp text and understated pictures make this a winner for reading over and over.
“My Dog, My Cat,” by Ashlee Fletcher, Tanglewood, $13.95 (ages 3-8)
Ashlee Fletcher’s debut picture book matches simple back-and-forth text (“My dog likes to play fetch. My cat likes to chase yarn”) with unsophisticated drawings and graphic designs just right for early listeners and beginning readers. Predictable language with obvious comparisons will encourage early writers to create their own text.
“I Am Small,” by Emma Dodd, Scholastic/Cartwheel, $8.99 (up to age 4)
This is written from the vantage point of a baby penguin, “The world is big and I am small.” The winter seems long, stars stretch far and some things are “big, long and deep.” With warmth the small one admits “the biggest thing to you is me.” Foil-embossed touches complement the muted illustrations. A sleep-tight book!
“Chuckling Duckling and Baby Animal Friends,” by Aaron Zenz, Walker, $15.99 (preschool)
Many baby animals have their own grown-up names like kit and goat, calf and hippopotamus and squab and pigeon. Colored pencil drawings of 54 animals are matched with simple text for preschool page-turners. Plan on reading this one many times!
“Little Chicken’s Big Day,” by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis, Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books, $14.99 (preschool)
Little Chicken gets diverted from his mother’s commands (“buckle up!” “follow me!”) and finds himself lost. Mother’s clucking is a welcome sound. Big pictures in eye-popping color with lots of white space and few words are a magic combination for a first reader and a “let’s act it out” sequence.
“If You Give A Dog A Donut,” by Laura Numeroff, illustrations Felicia Bond, HarperCollins, $16.99 (ages 3-7)
True to form, Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond spin a cyclic animal story which their fans will immediately recognize. A dog wants a donut and juice (then seconds!) which ultimately leads to outdoor sports, then more activity and, of course, back to donuts. The predictability of text and pictures makes this a spirited read.
“Purple Toes” and “Purple Kisses,” by Blair Hahn, illustrations by Tate Nation, My Purple Toes, $15.95 (ages 3 and up)
The background of the “Purple Series” is as fun as the books themselves. Blair Hahn accepted the invitation to join his daughter for her pedicure. Seeing her bright pink nails he asked, “What about me?” His bluff was called. Dad had his toenails painted purple.
Both books (and promises of more to follow in the series) provide a simple one-line text per page with exaggerated illustrations most appropriate for impatient readers who want to count, point and compare sizes of toes and kisses.
“Wild Rose’s Weaving,” by Ginger Churchill and Nicole Wong, Tanglewood, $15.95 (ages 4-7)
Grandma is ready to teach Wild Rose to weave but is told, “Not now! Now I’m playing!” With the weaving finished and the rug removed from the loom, Wild Rose decides she wants to weave, too, and finds her own magic in the loom.
Grandma’s patience and love provide a great moral to this tender picture book.
“I Am Tama, Lucky Cat: A Japanese Legend,” by Wendy Henrichs and Yoshiko Jaeggi, Peachtree, $16.95 (ages 5-9)
Ceramic cats with one outstretched paw are known to bring good luck and prosperity to their owners. Wendy Henrichs’ story relates one traditional version of this belief when a stray cat befriends a rich samurai and saves a temple from poverty. Lovely watercolor illustrations accompany a legend which will find a place on a list of classics.
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” by Jerry Pinkney, Little Brown, $16.99 (all ages)
Using the traditional nursery rhyme as a focus, Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney (“The Lion and the Mouse”) portrays a chipmunk’s travel into nature exploring “how I wonder what you are.” The exquisite pencil and watercolor drawings tell the full story but will probably need interpretation for the youngest listeners. However, readers of all ages will appreciate the lovely “stars” as they appear in dandelion fluff, fireflies and reflections on the river in this sumptuous picture book.
“Tom Thumb: Grimm’s Tales,” retold and illustrated by Eric Carle, Orchard, $17.99 (ages 5-8)
Tales from the Brothers Grimm are retold and illustrated with Eric Carle’s familiar painted tissue-paper collages. Two most familiar tales, “Tom Thumb” and “The Fisherman and His Wife” are followed by two less-known tales, “Hans in Luck” and “The Seven Swabians.” The lengthy text of each story provides treasures for reading-aloud times.
“Mouse and Lion,” by Rand Burkert, illustrated Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Scholastic/di Capua, $17.99 (all ages)
Rand Burkert, first-time author (son of the illustrator) notes that the mouse is really the hero of this fable and therefore has top billing on the title. In this version, mouse stumbles over the sleeping lion, “I took you for a mountain … honestly!” He promises lifelong servitude for his release. Later he repays the debt by freeing Lion from a trapper’s net. While the familiar narrative is crisp and fresh, Nancy Burkert’s illustrations make this a masterpiece. The drawings of authentic flora from the African savannah are gracefully shown in muted tones that reflect movement and emotion. The intricate pencil tracings (fur and feathers) are almost tangible. Both author and artist include personal notes regarding their research and renderings. This one will become a family favorite and contender for future awards.
Email: marilousorensen@ymail.com