The Children's Hour - Children's Book Reviews - Preschool

CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEWS
PRESCHOOL
NOTABLE BOOKS 2005

Preschool

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THE RUNAWAY BUNNY
written by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd, (HarperCollins Children's Books. $16.99, ISBN 0-06-077582-3), 48p, Ages 0-3.
First published in 1942, this classic is now available in a larger format. A small bunny pretends to run away in a hide-and-seek game with his mother. Whether he becomes a fish, a mountain climber, a sailboat, or a tightrope walker, mother reassuringly tells him that she will always find him.

A SPLENDID FRIEND, INDEED
written and illus. by Suzanne Bloom, (Boyds Mills Press, $16.00, ISBN 1-59078-286-0), 32p, Ages 2-5.
Polar Bear wants to be left alone, but Goose tries to convince him that they are friends. Only when Polar Bear listens to a special note written by Goose, does he realize what a splendid friend he has. The illustrations are delightful.

MOUSE WENT OUT TO GET A SNACK
written by Lyn Rossiter McFarland, illus. by Jim McFarland, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $16.00, ISBN 0-374-37672-7), 32p, Ages 3-6.
A resourceful mouse sets out to find a snack in this adventuresome counting book. He creeps down the hall and up the table leg, always mindful of the cat, and finds a feast. In an effort to slip past the cat with his smorgasbord, the food flips up, lands on the cat, and the only thing left is a piece of cheese, which bounces safely into the mouse hole.

EAT YOUR PEAS, IVY LOUISE!
written/illus. by Leo Landry, (Houghton Mifflin Co., $12.00, ISBN 0-618-44886-1), 32p, Ages 2-6.
Ivy Louise's parents encourage her to eat her peas, unaware that the peas are performing circus acts on her tray. The Ringmaster Pea orders the acrobats, clowns and the rest of the circus onto Ivy's spoon, and she propels them out the window into the garden.

WHERE DID THAT BABY COME FROM?
written/illus. by Debi Gliori, (Harcourt Children's Books, $16.00, ISBN 0-15-205373-5), 32p, Ages 3-7.
The new baby does nothing but leak, eat, cry, and sleep at odd hours. A young sibling ponders the origins of the new arrival. Perhaps the bargain store, the zoo, outer space, the ocean, or maybe cooked in the oven like a gingerbread cookie.

TOO MANY FROGS!
written by Sandy Asher, illus. by Keith Graves, (Philomel Books, $15.99, ISBN 0-399-23978-2), 32p, Ages 3+.
Rabbit has a simple, comfortable life, with a nightly routine of reading a story. Night after night Froggie and family disturb his routine as they settle in for a snack and a story, without being invited. Rabbit tells them to leave, but soon realizes something is missing.

THE BIRTHDAY FISH
written/illus by Dan Yaccarino, (Henry Holt, $16.95, ISBN 0-8050-7493-7), 40p, Ages 3-6.
Upset that her birthday present is a goldfish instead of a pony, Cynthia tries to pour it down the drain. Is she surprised when the fish pleads for its life and promises to grant her a wish for its freedom. On the way to the lake to set him free, there are many mishaps, and Cynthia realizes that Marigold indeed is a special pet.

RUSSELL THE SHEEP
written/illus. by Rob Scotton, (HarperCollins, $15.99, ISBN 0-06-059848-4), 40p, Ages 3-7.
Russell has a busy day in Frogsbottom Field, but when night falls, he cannot seem to fall asleep. So he tries counting things - his feet, the stars (six hundred million billion and ten), but nothing works until he discovers that counting sheep works. The illustrations are clever.

LITTLE PEA
written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. by Jen Corace, (Chronicle Books, $12.95, ISBN 0-8118-4658-X), 36p, Ages 3+.
In this comical twist on the universal food problem faced by parents, Little Pea loves vegetables but hates candy. Each night he struggles with the main course of candy, but his parents insist that he clean his plate in order to have the spinach dessert.

PIGGY AND DAD GO FISHING
written by David Martin, illus. by Frank Remkiewicz, (Candlewick Press, $14.99, ISBN 0-7636-2506-X), 32p, Ages 3-7.
Dad takes Piggy fishing for the first time, but the smiling worm and sad fish change Piggy's thinking about the sport. Dad saves the day by re-inventing the sport. Those fish sure like donuts.

A WAS ONCE AN APPLE PIE
written by Edward Lear, adapted/illus. by Suse MacDonald, (Orchard Books, $12.99, ISBN 0-439-66056-4), 32p, Ages 3-6.
This delightful rhyming alphabet book, originally written in 1871, is perfect for reading aloud. Beginning with A on one page and B on the other, a large bear leans across the pages to smell A's Apple Pie. Children will enjoy "A was once an apple pie, /pidy, widy, tidy pidy /nice insidy, apple pie!"

EMMA IN CHARGE
written/illus. by David McPhail, (Dutton Children's Books, $12.99, ISBN 0-525-47411-0), 24p, Ages 3+.
Being in charge is hard work, as Emma discovers when she takes her favorite dolls through a busy day. There's breakfast, school, recess, music, a doctor visit, and even a class trip. Thank goodness for naptime.

ABC ANIMALS: A BEDTIME STORY
written by Darice Bailer, illus. by Judith Moffatt, (Simon & Schuster, $10.95, ISBN 0-689-86729-8), 52p, Ages 3-6.
A sweet alphabet book where each page is cut in the shape of the alphabet letter with a baby animal on each side that represents the letter.

OVER UNDER
written by Marthe Jocelyn, illus. by Tom Slaughter, (Tundra Books, $15.95, ISBN 0-88776-708-7), 24p, Ages 2-5.
A great concept book for young children that explores opposites, size, shape, and color. The oversized and spare text is also beneficial to beginning readers.

IF YOU WERE MY BABY: A WILDLIFE LULLABY
written by Fran Hodgkins, illus. by Laura Bryant, (Dawn Publications, $16.95 HC, ISBN 1-58469- 074-7, $8.95 Paper, ISBN 1-58469-075-5), 32p, Ages 2-7.
At bedtime, a parent explains how various animals love and care for their young. Baby squirrels have secret nests, baby otters are rocked in the waves, and baby ducks are taught the wonders of water. This is a good connection for children to the world of nature around them.

THIS ROCKET
written/illus. by Paul Collicutt, (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, $16.00, ISBN 0-374-37484-8), 32p, Ages 3-6.
An impressive display of rockets and spacecraft are presented for young enthusiasts. From small rockets at a Fourth of July celebration to the space shuttle Columbia, information is given in simple text with endpapers that identify specific models and detail the Apollo space mission.

HUG
written/illus. by Jez Alborough, (Candlewick Press, $9.99 Board, ISBN 0-7636-2893-X), 32p, Ages 1-3.
Young children will enjoy his large lap-size board book about a small chimp and his search for a hug. As his pleas to the animals increase, the elephants lead him to his heart's desire - Mom.

MONSTER TRUCKS!
written/illus. by Mark Todd, (Houghton Mifflin Co, $8.95 Board, ISBN 0-618-18208-X), 26p, Ages 1-4.
For preschoolers who love trucks, this board books is perfect. From the milk truck called Senor Moo, to the snowplow named Mr. Salty and the fire truck, Big Red, this board books is perfect for reading aloud.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
written by Jonathan Emmett, illus. by Vanessa Cabban, (Candlewick Press, $15.99, ISBN 0-7636-2554-X), 32p, Ages 3-6.
Mole thinks his burrow is too small, dark, and dull. He sets out to find somewhere big, bright, and beautiful, and his friends Hedgehog, Squirrel, and Rabbit try to help, but finding a new home is not as easy as it seems.

MARY ENGELBREIT'S MOTHER GOOSE: ONE HUNDRED BEST-LOVED VERSES
illus. by Mary Engelbreit, (HarperCollins, $19.99, ISBN 0-06-008171-6), 128p, Ages 3+.
This famous artist has chosen one hundred of her favorite nursery rhymes to illustrate in her whimsical and beautiful technique. An introduction by children's literature specialist Leonard S. Marcus describes the important role of nursery rhymes. This is a must for every child's collection.

SLEEP TIGHT, LITTLE BEAR
written by Martin Waddell, illus. by Barbara Frith, (Candlewick Press, $15.9, ISBN 0-7636-2439-X), 32p, Ages 3-6.
Little Bear discovers a cave that is just his size. With Big Bear's permission he prepares to spend the night, but as the dark sets in, Little Bears realizes that Big Bear might be lonely, and he heads home. A Charming story of adventure and love.

CARL'S SLEEPY AFTERNOON
written/illus. by Alexandra Day, (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, $12.95, ISBN 0-374-31088-2), 40p, Ages 3+.
Mostly told through pictures, Alexandra Day has created another delightful story. Left at home while the family shops in town, Carl wanders around town, visiting the bakery, making a delivery for the pharmacist, helping the veterinarian, and ends up a hero rescuing a litter of puppies from a fire.

GOODNIGHT MOON
written by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd, (HarperCollins, $16.99, ISBN 0-06-077585-8), 32p, Ages 1-4.
A classic bedtime book for years, it has now been reissued in a larger format for another generation. A small rabbit settles down for the night, saying good night to all the things and creatures in his room.

THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD
written by Watty Piper, Illus. by Loren Long, (Philomel Books, 17.99, ISBN 0-399-24467-0), 48p, Ages 4+.
Newly re-illustrated, this wonderful classic tells the story of a happy Little Blue Engine who agrees to pull a stranded train full of toys over the mountain. Despite her size, she chugs up the mountain with, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

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