What We Found At The Library, #6

Lauren's Favorite: Sleepyhead by Karma Wilson & John Segal (Illustrator)

When I chose this book from the library, I did so because the author is one of our recent favorites. Karma Wilson does wonderful work with which my kids are always pleased: The Sweet Briar series and the Bear series to name a couple. And Sleepyhead didn't disappoint. This sweet story is about a baby bear who wants one more book, one more hug, one more everything before giving in to bedtime. I was happy with its younger tone, making it perfect for Lauren. The pictures are simple and dreamy, the words are rhyming and smooth. “One more story said just right, one more gaze upon the night. Just one more, says sleepyhead. I promise then I’ll go to bed.” Perfect for a nighttime read, as long as you don’t mind your child intoning the same requests when you tell her it’s finally time for bed. Luckily, Lauren was more interested in pointing to cute illustrations than acting out the book, but we weren't so lucky where Mia was concerned.




Mia's Favorite: Claire and the Unicorn: Happy Ever After by BG Hennessy & Susan Mitchell (Illustrator)

In this thoughtful book, a little girl asks her father at the end of a bedtime story, “What made them happy ever after?” She then falls asleep dreaming about the question, and is guided through a dreamland full of fairies, princesses, and wishing wells by her very own unicorn. This story is so full of everything magical that it was sure to be a hit with my imaginative daughter. The artwork is so beautiful, with thoughtful attention to details which catch the reader’s eye and compete with the beautiful words for attention. And those words are quite attention-worthy themselves. As the reader, I appreciated the story because it was well written, making it an enjoyable experience for all of us. I think this is a wonderful book for any dramatic little girl – or fairy-tale loving mama.






Mama's Favorite: Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator & Allison Jay (Illustrator)

This gorgeous book journeys through the year paying special attention to the specific noises one might hear along the way. Birds chirp, rabbits munch, and ducklings quack during the spring months; Geese honk, leaves swish, and acorns plop during the autumn months. It's full of both educational and whimsical ideas -- the perfect mix for what I wish books to be. Both girls enjoyed the sounds and pictures offered within the pages of this beautiful book, and I never got tired of reading it to them. The pages aren’t too wordy to hold Lauren back, but at the same time, they’re interesting enough to hold Mia’s attention too. As usual, what truly drew me in was the artwork. I suppose I judge a book by its illustrations more often than not. The pages are gorgeously illustrated with the look of a crackled, antique painting. This artist also worked on another of my favorites: I Took the Moon for a Walk – I knew I liked her work. Listen, Listen has made its way into my Children's Literature hall of fame, and I can't wait to find more work by this illustrator and publisher.




Daddy's Favorite: The Big Trip by Valeri Gorbachev


In this story, Pig has decided to take a trip; the only decision left to make is how to go. By bike? Train? Horse? Each vehicle suggestion brings a new round of protests from Goat, Pig’s downer of a friend. He could crash! Get stranded on an island! Be lost forever! Poor Pig gets so overwhelmed with all the ways his trip could go awry just based upon his mode of transportation, that he gives up altogether. He decides travel is too dangerous, and can’t be trusted after all. In a sweet surprise ending, Goat convinces him that any trip would be wonderful – as long as friends were making it together. This book was a close second for Mia’s favorite; she repeatedly asked to read it, and it never failed to entertain her. Trains, Planes, and Automobiles will apparently please the girls too.






Now for the fun part. Tell me: what have YOU found at the library? (And let's just keep our fingers crossed that this works right...)