friday's five

Late evening edition, apparently. What a busy Friday it was today, and I completely forgot earlier to pull together this week's picture book love-fest. Can't let a week go by without some literary celebration, right? Here are a few library books that we picked up this week and have been enjoying during our daily story times.

1. What's in the Egg, Little Pip? by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman -- New siblings are never easy, and for this little penguin, all the fuss being made on the new egg's behalf is getting kind of tiring. Wilson opts for non-rhyming text in this book, and it's more complex in story line and vocabulary than her "Bear" books (like Bear Wants More). Of course, the happy ending is just what any parent wants to share with a child who's about to be a big brother or sister!

2. Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett -- Oh, how I adore Gravett's books. Just look at the cover-- all that ennui coming from the chameleon! This is a lovely, quiet book that's still full of emotion. Loneliness is such a strong emotion, and Gravett portrays it so very well in very few words and simple sketches. One two-page spread in particular struck me as so clever and surprising. Any time I see Gravett's name on a new library book, I grab it immediately!

3. The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer -- Despite its appearance, I think this picture book would go over better with older children- kindergarten, first grade perhaps. My own younger children did enjoy it and giggled along with the funny story line, but I don't think they quite "got" the humor. An older child would better understand the ridiculousness and I don't think I'd feel as compelled to give the "you still shouldn't tell a lie" parental line, either.

4. The Loopy Coop Hens by Janet Morgan Stoeke -- This standard-sized picture book reads more like an "easy reader" book, which makes it perfect for a newly independent reader, and still features full-page illustrations in Stoeke's cartoonish style. I'm pretty sure the silly hens, Midge, Pip and Dot, would get along really well with Stoeke's other well known hen, Minerva Louise! Funny short vignettes appear together in this book, and the chickens are as lovable as Minerva Louise, too.

5. Pirates Don't Take Baths by John Segal -- Never, ever does this little piggy want to take a bath. And becoming a pirate is just the way to avoid doing it, but soon his mommy reminds him of a reason he probably wouldn't be that great of a pirate. (Pirates don't get seasick, but he apparently does.) If not a pirate, then how about a cowboy? Astronaut? Knight? The list goes on and on, but we mommies know how it's going to end. Silly book, with what I thought was an abrupt ending that didn't quite match the pace of the rest of the book, but the kids laughed and enjoyed it.


Better late than never,