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Mrs. McBloom Clean Up Your Classroom by Kelly DiPucchio
Summary: The entire town of Up Yonder joins in to help their favorite teacher clean up her messy classroom.
My Thoughts: This is an all time favorite of mine! It is a wonderful choice for storytime as it is sure to get smiles and giggles! It is hard to imagine a classroom in the world that resembles Room Five. Mrs. McBloom's beehive hairdo, sweet smile, funny expressions, and cluttered classroom draw readers into the story by page two. The problem solving of her students bring giggles and the many artifacts found in Room Five including petrified cupcakes, a rotary telephone, and old lunch boxes bring delight to many kids and lead to some fun side discussions. Everyone can just imagine what will happen when Miss Bumblesprout moves in for her first day of teaching in Room Five!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Summary: With a supply of yarn that never runs out, Annabelle knits for everyone and everything in town until an evil archduke decides he wants the yarn for himself.
My Thoughts: This is a heartwarming story a little girl who sees a need and seeks to meet it with her talent and skills. The yarn brings soft color to the illustrations slowly, page by page, as Annabelle knits things for the her town and the people that live there. The story reminds me of Snow by Uri Shulevitz, a Caldecott Honor Award winner from 1999, in terms of how the illustrator slowly adds color to the pictures one page at a time. And Extra Yarn also reminds me of The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau in terms of the generosity displayed by Annabelle and the use of craft in the story. This is a great book to share for appreciation of the story and the art. I loved this story and I can see why it recieved the Caldecott Honor Award! Wonderful!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Down on the Farm by Merrily Kutner
Summary - The sights and sounds of noisy farmyard animals during a busy day include roosters calling, horses neighing, cows mooing, ducks quacking, and pigs oinking.
My Thoughts - I've enjoyed this book for awhile and have just recently rediscovered it. I first found it when it appeared on the Texas 2 x 2 list in 2005. I have just begun reading it to my four month old son in board book form. It is one of the few books he will look at as I read to him. The rhymes are great! And the pictures are fun too! A parent can add lots to the story or not, depending on what the little one likes. Lot of bedtime fun!
*Summary taken from publisher information.
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Summary - Illustrations and simple, rhyming text explore the many shades of the color green.
My Thoughts - Use this book to introduce new colors to children. It would be perfect for use in an art classroom and also one on one with children to help them see more details in the world around them. The pages have fun cut outs that let the reader glimpse what is coming next! I am a fan of Laura Vaccaro Seeger's beautiful painted illustrations and was able to meet her a few years ago! This newest title won't disappoint. In fact it is a winner of a 2013 Caldecott Honor Award!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Summary - The carrots that grow in Crackhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around and Jasper Rabbit cannont resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing and seeing creepy carrots wherever he goes.
My Thoughts - A really funny story about some very clever and creepy carrots that stalk Jasper Rabbit to stop him from eating them! This is a picture book that has some graphic novel feel to it. The illustrations won this title a 2013 Caldecott Honor Medal. I can't wait to read this one with my son in a few years!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
Summary - Elliot, a very proper young man, feels a kinship with the penguins at the aquarium and wants to take one home with him.
My Thoughts - This is a fun story that reminded me a bit of Mr. Popper's Penguins in that the penguin comes home with Elliot! Kids will like that Elliot's father doesn't seem to be paying attention to Magellan for quite awhile. This book recently won the illustrator a Caldecott Honor for this book. One Cool Friend is also on the ALSC Notable Book List for 2013. Lots of sly fun!
*Summary taken from CIP data.
