Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs

We picked up this book randomly at the library, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems.  You may know a few of his books. I've read the pigeon series in my classes (Don't let the pigeon drive the Bus, for example).  I have some of those as well, and if you type the authors name into the search engine at the library I'm sure you will find a few books.
 This little book is not only fun for kids (because its about dinosaurs and Goldilocks) but fun for adults as well.  There are a ton of small jokes that will probably go over 4 and 5 year olds' heads, but are humorous for the adult reading it.  Its great for both of you! These dinos eat chocolate pudding instead of oatmeal, and place everything in their house in such a way that would help any type of small person that might "accidentally" stumble in their house.  This is also not a mom, dad, and baby dinosaur like you would expect; its Mom, Dad, and a random Norwegian.   Also there are two morals at the end of the story for those of you who like books to teach you something :)  So those of you looking for a fun new twist on an old story, dive in!

Book 4 + Dr. Suess

Since we added his first wife, we'd better add the classic Dr. Seuss himself.  Dr. Seuss has a magical way with words.  He has a lot of words that aren't really words at all, but the sound of the words together on the page is almost musical.  It is an excellent way to teach rhythm and sounds of the English language.  The picture I posted is my four year old's current favorite, If I ran the Zoo.  He loves the sound of the words, and loves the pictures of all the funny looking animals. He wants to know what each animal that is drawn is called.  Go to your library, look up Dr. Seuss and take whatever is left on the shelf. I'm sure you will enjoy it.  Some titles we own, or have been favorites we have read from the library, are:
The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
Dr. Seuss's ABC 
Dr. Suess's Sleep Book
Great Day for Up
Green Eggs and Ham
I am NOT Going to Get Up Today
I had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew
Oh, The Places You'll Go!
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
The Butter Battle Book
The Sneetches
The Foot Book
I wish I had Duck Feet
Wacky Wednesday

There are so so many more. I'm sure you remember 2 or 3 as a child, but go pick one up for your child, or to relive one of your favorites! There are so many to choose from!
 

Why I built the Boogle House

This is an older book by Helen Palmer, who was the former wife of Dr. Suess. She wrote only a few children's books, and has real life photos in them.  These books were written in the early 60's I believe, so you may have a hard time getting  your hands on one.  I first became aquainted with this book when I taught preschool, a co-teacher of mine read it to the children. It is such a fun idea.  A little boy has a ton of different pets, and something keeps happening to them.  He builds a small house for the first pet, and as the pets get bigger and bigger he adds on to the little house.  Soon it is big enough for a boogle.  After we read this book we had  fun activity where the children were provided with cardboard, tape, glue, paint, and other items to make their own houses for whatever pet they would choose to have if they had a pet.  It was fun watching them build their own creations, and was an excellent way to connect with the book.  Since this book is older, the pictures are black and white, but my four year old does not mind, he loves the book!

Book 3 "My Lucky Day"

 













I'm not sure who enjoys this book more, the children or I.  This book entitled My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza.  This is a cute book about a fox who wants to eat a smart little pig.  The pig is extremly likeable.  It is such a fun book when you really put in the "sighs" and "yells".  I think fluction in your voice excites the young reader.  This book is cleverly written.  In fact, I find myself thinking, "way to go pig, I don't know if I would have thought of that!"  It is fun to see the process of how the pig escapes, and how the last picture leads you to realize this has happened/will happen more than once.  So if you are in for a fun filled, clever book, check it out!

Book 2 "Where's my Teddy?"

 









This week will be two of my favorite books.  I will do one post about each since last week I was a slacker.  A book I became acquainted with in preschool was a book called Where's my Teddy? by Jez Alborough.

This is a fun book where a bear and a boy lose their teddy bears in the forest. They run into each other for a great surprise!  It is super fun to read with kids, especially when you do different voices. I like doing a big booming voice for the bear, and a little bitty high pitched voice for the little boy.

 The pictures in the book are mostly of forest, a very small boy, and a very big bear. They are  mostly watercolor with some crayon and some pencil.  My favorite illustration is the last page of the story (especially the eyes). 

This is a fun one, so if you haven't read it, pick it up :) The author also has other stories about the bear as well.

The book suggests to use this as a way to discuss sizes.  Try lining the stuff animals up in your house, big to small.

Welcome...

This is a welcome to my (hopefully) weekly blog about different children's books.  I love picture books, and would like to share some of my favorites for you and your little ones to enjoy at home.  I currently have 262 children's books. (This is not counting the inside of some where there are multiple books in one big book).  Is it enough? No, never enough. Children's books are my weakness.  I can never have too many.  The book that started me on my own journey of loving to read with my kids was The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.  This is not the one I would have supected.  I did not ever read this book growing up because I did not have a love of animals, nor was I interested in reading books with animals as the main characters.  However, I recieved this book from a baby shower.  I was bored one day and decided to sit him forward, open the book and begin reading. He was only a few months old, and could barely hold his head up.  I was amazed as he stared at the pictures as I read the book.  For those of you who have read this book, there are smaller colored pictures in the middle  and lots of white space around.  This helps you focus on the picture.  It worked for my 3 month old.  I read the entire book, and he stared at the entire book.  This is no short book for a 3 monther.  I was amazed. I developed a love for reading to him, and he developed a love for books; not only books but language.  He was talking before he could walk, and language became his greatest skill. 
This week the :"review" is an introductory story to my love of reading picture books more than about  the book, but if you have not shared this classic with your children, maybe it's time.