PPBF: The Holes In Your Nose

Author/Illustrator: Genichiro Yagyu
Publisher: Kane Miller, 1994 (orig. publ. by  Fukuinshan  Schoten, Han no Ana no hanashi)
Age: 3-8
Themes: noses, human body, circles
Opening: The holes in my nose are bigger than hers.

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) Discusses the various shapes of nostril in humans and animals, their use in breathing and the sense of smell, nosebleeds, the effect of colds, the anatomy of the inside of the nose, and related subjects.

I like this book because: of that cover!!! On sale at the library (used book sale) and I had to have it! Lucky me! Beautifully illustrated in an extremely simple and oh-so-clever manner – AND informative! Can hardly wait to share it with my storytime gang!

Resources/Activities: read this other book I found, which must be part of a series: The Gas We Pass, by Shinto Cho (image below), and any other simple books about bodily functions; create a self-portrait body-map by tracing a child on a large piece of newsprint or cardboard and fill in the rest.

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE

PPBF: The Town of Turtle

Author: Michelle Cuevas
Illustrator: Catia Chien
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018
Age: 3-7
Themes: loneliness, home, community
Opening: Turtle lived in a part of the world as empty as a bird’s nest in December.

Summary: (from my library catalog) Lonely Turtle’s only friend is his shadow until he decides to build a deck, then a garden, then houses and other buildings until, while he naps, new friends arrive.

I like this book because: when I think of the things that compel me to pick up a book usually one element suffices (Easy to please? Not really). This one offered three on the cover alone: the intriguing title, the name of an illustrator I already admire, and the cover design and rendering itself. And I was not disappointed by anything I found inside. A beautifully, poetically, and perfectly told story (that opening line!), artwork that makes me wish Catia Chien could render my dreams, and the whole of it is what makes this so stellar. And believe it or not, I have not even included the most mesmerizing spreads!

Resources/Activities: design your own dream home including anything you want; discuss the importance of community and friendships in your neighborhood; think about neighbors who you have not yet met, who might need some help, or a new friend; have a neighborhood tea party!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.

PPBF: Seven Bad Cats

Author/Illustrator: Moe Bonneau
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2018
Age: 3-7
Themes: cats, boats, counting books
Opening: Today I put on my boots and my coat, and seven bad cats jumped into my boat.

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) From one bad cat that eats from fish traps to seven that flip over the boat, a young girl tells, in rhyme, of an adventure at sea.

I like this book because: It’s delightful – best suited word I could find! Great read-aloud-ability despite near rhymes, a fun concept for a concept book, and cats! There is even an element of don’t-judge-a-book-by-it’s-cover added in for extra spice – isn’t that nice?

Resources/Activities: read a collection of counting books (like One Gorilla, a personal favorite ; use the books to look for and count items on one page that recur on others; identify the color scheme throughout the book.

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE

PPBF: Our Car

Author: J.M. Brum
Illustrator: Jan Bajtlik
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2018
Age: 2-6
Themes: cars, toys, imagination
Opening: Our car is as red as a fire engine.

Summary: (from my library catalog) A child describes the family car, which is as red as a fire engine, and is driven by his father through wind, snow, and all seasons.

I like this book because: It’s so simple (yeah, you know me!), fun, elegant and a great aid in teaching small bodies with big minds about reading pictures! I brought this book to my regular coffee date with ‘old’ folks (me and my friends!) and everyone picked it up to look at of their own accord, laughed, smiled, and said, “So cute!” Perfect holiday gift for a young friend. And yes, Virginia, even grown-ups enjoy great picture books!

Resources/Activities: draw with oil pastels on dark paper for a night-time ‘ride’; recreate the car images with chalk on sidewalks; act out the story with toy cars; make a map on a large piece of paper where your toy cars can roam; create your own toy car out of a cardboard box and ‘race’ your friends!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.