Author: Richard Jackson
Illustrator: Suzy Lee
Publisher: Atheneum, 2017
Age: 3-7
Themes: internal rhyme, rain, play
Opening: This beautiful day…has everyone dancing and spinning and swinging around, has all of us stamping and stomping our feet on the ground.
Summary: (from my library catalog) Undaunted by the rainy weather, three children take their happiness outside and seem to chase the clouds away as they jump, skip, and dance together.
I like this book because: Especially living in an arid climate, in the semi-desert steppe of northern Colorado, I LOVE RAINY DAYS! I didn’t love them so much when I lived in a moist and often cloudy semi-valley (I just made that up!) in northern Germany! I love the multi-media use of pencil, acrylic, and digital in these energetic illustrations and lyrical, rhyming, read-aloud-timing text.
Resources/Activities: come up with four fun things you can do on a rainy day – one for each season, and get whatever materials you need for your plans and put them in a box…for a rainy day! Decorate that Rainy Day Box now, or save that activity for…you guessed it!
For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE. And right now she is hosting The 3rd Annual Valentiney Writing Contest – HERE
Author: Jorge Luján
Summary: (from my library catalog)When a little girl moves her 
I like this book because: I just spoke with a friend about how we need to keep in mind the ripple effect of our own choices on the rest of the world. This is the perfect compliment to that conversation in a world saturated with bad news, and hopefully an inspiration and reminder to send positive ripples out to affect others in a positive way.
Resources/Activities: Do something for nothing! Get inspired by 
Author/Illustrator: Marie Hall Ets
Opening: I had a new horn and a paper hat and I went for a walk in the forest.
Summary: (from my library catalog) The animals join a young boy as he walks through the forest blowing his new horn.
Why I like this book: I love old gems, and especially ones that are so still absolutely perfect for reading to toddlers. It really is not that easy to find titles that can bridge the gap in ages (0-4) of the attendees to my storytime sessions in the bookstore where I work. I might be able to make a book work, but when I don’t have to subtract or embellish, beyond my own dramatic interpretation (!), well, that’s a sign of picture book genius! And I am not the only one who noticed, it is a Caldecott Honor Book too!
Resources/Activities: stage an “In the Forest” parade; play the games mentioned in the book: London Bridge is Falling Down, Drop-the-Handkerchief, and Hide-and-Seek; have a picnic, just like the book!
For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
Author: Peter Bently
Summary: (from my library catalog) Although it sometimes seems that parents are just there to boss their children around, they are also good for many other things, from mending toys, kneecaps, and clothing to telling bedtime stories.
I like this book because: it’s a silky-smooth read aloud that will amuse the parents or caretakers as much as children. The illustrations are light and playful, yet Ogilvie has managed to pack so much emotion and tenderness into each and every face and posture!
Resources/Activities: make Valentine cards of appreciation for your parents or caretakers, especially if any of the text should ring true to you!
For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
julie rowan-zoch 