Woolbur is a fun, charming book about a young sheep who likes to do everything in his own way. If your little one prefers running with the dogs to standing still with the herd, you may see your child’s free spirit reflected in Woolbur’s own. This is a great story for helping kids to see that being who you are, even if it’s very different from everybody else, is part of what makes life – and the world around us – a delightful place to be.… Continue reading
review
Something From Nothing, by Phoebe Gilman
Something From Nothing is a book that we’ve read over and over and over again. In fact, we love it so much, that when we loaned it to our friends and they accidentally left it on an airplane, I had to go out and find another copy so we’d still have one to read (Thankfully they had a copy at our favorite used book store!).… Continue reading
Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes, by Eric Litwin
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes is a very simple, but wonderfully put together book. In this book, we meet Pete the Cat, a hip blue cat who loves his shoes. The illustrations reveal Pete to be a hipster-esque cat, who walks through life to the tune of his own internal groove.
As Pete takes a walk outside, he steps in all sorts of things: strawberries, blueberries, mud, and water.… Continue reading
Zen Shorts, by Jon J Muth
Muth’s Zen Shorts is one of our favorite picture books. His accessible retelling of famous Zen stories packaged in a visually delightful format make this book a great way to encourage mindfulness in children and adults.
My boys were initially drawn in by the gorgeous illustrations. Muth’s beautifully rendered watercolors are full of color and light, and wonderfully express the humor and serenity of the points he’s trying to convey.… Continue reading
Omnibeasts, by Douglas Florian
My boys and I love silly rhymes, so I was excited when I stumbled upon this wonderful book of whimsical poems and illustrations. Florian filled Omnibeasts full of delightful short poems that seamlessly combine fun, wit, and fact.
In one of our favorites, Florian writes [in successively smaller font], “The itty-bitty, pretty tetra / Is small, minute, petite, et cetra.” In another, he describes the praying mantis: “Upon a twig / I sit and pray / For something big / To wend my way; / A caterpillar, / Moth, / Or bee — / I swallow them / Religiously.”… Continue reading