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: Look!

Author/Illustrator: Fiona Woodcock
Publisher: Greenwillow , 2018
Age: 3-7
Themes: double-letter words, spelling, concept books
Opening: Food.

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) A brother and sister spend an exciting day at the zoo where they find balloons, baboons, kangaroos, and more. Told entirely through illustrations and single words containing a double “O”.

I like this book because: It’s beautifully and cleverly illustrated, with just enough texture and detail to keep you looking at each detail on each page, and yet the concept is soo simple! Just LOOK!

Resources/Activities: Play a Guess My Rule game I learned from watching Zoom as a kid, which can be expanded upon – HERE; What other words do you know that have double letters?

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

PPBF: My Family Tree and Me

Author/Illustrator: Dušan Petričić
Publisher: Kids Can Press , 2015
Age: 5+
Themes: family, genealogy, concept books
Opening: A long, long, time ago there lived my great-great-grandfather and mygreat-great-grandmother.

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) Come explore a boy’s family tree one side at a time, starting from the front of his photo album and then starting from the back–and see how they come together in the middle!

I like this book because: of the nifty idea to have the two (family) sides come together in the middle! AND it’s sooooo beautifully rendered! You might remember Petričić’s illustrations for another wonderful book: The Man With The Violin, written by Kathy Stinson – watch the trailer/interview below.

Resources/Activities: Research your family tree by asking relatives for help; ask relatives for favorite stories about family members.

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

PPFB: Karen’s Opposites

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One of my favorites in celebration of Alice Provensen, who passed away at age 99 just weeks ago, on April 23, 2018. 

Author/Illustrator: Alice and Martin Provensen
Publisher: Golden Press, 1963
Age: 2-5
Opening: (see spread below)
Summary: concept book of opposites.

Themes: opposites, siblings, children

I like this book because: It is a PERFECT concept book. Yup. Think I’m exaggerating? Go find a copy and we can talk.

Resources: Look for other opposites in your home, classroom. Read more about the Provensen. According to Alice, “we were a true collaboration. Martin and I really were one artist.” Read the NYT obituary here.

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

PPBF: Circle, Triangle, Elephant

Author: Kenji Oikawa
Illustrator: Mayuko Takeuchi
Publisher: Phaidon, 2017; orig.: Bunkeido Co., 2008
Age: 1-4
Themes: shapes, surprises, concept books
Opening: (see image below)

Summary: (from my library catalog) Circle, triangle … elephant!? A big book of shapes, with a bit of silliness mixed in.

Why I like this book: I love how simple this book for the very young is, yet how much gentle humor is incorporated. I have been reading a lot more board books since I started doing storytime in the bookstore where I work, and get very excited when I find a simple book with more to it. Could be my favorite so far this year!

Resources/Activities: create a shape-game and have kids can shout out the shape or object you hold up, in groups of three, repeating in ever faster succession. I bet there will be lots of laughs too!

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

And a little good news via scbwi this morning!!! I posted the image a few weeks ago HERE

PPBF: Strong As a Bear

Author/Illustrator: Katrin Stangl
Publisher: Enchanted Lion, 2016 (Originally published in Germany in 2013 as Stark wie ein Bär.)
Age: 2-6
Themes: metaphors, concept books
Opening: *see first spread image below the endpaper image.
Summary: (from my library catalog) A series of children show how they are free as a bird, quick as a hare, mischievous as a monkey, quiet as a mouse, and strong as a bear.

Why I like this book: I actually liked this so much more at the second look – as with too many things, we move too fast and don’t savour the journey, but kids are still smart about that and I believe they will see straight off that this is an invitation to role play, to thinking out of the box, and the robust use of color and composition grabs a tight hold!

Resources/Activities: discuss the analogies made and make a new list and act them out; use in an art class to discuss how to use a limited color palette to extend powerful messages and imagery.

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

PPBF: Eerie Dearies

Author/Illustrator: Rebecca Chaperon
Publisher: Simply Read Books, 2014
Age: 9-14
Themes: academic absence, alphabet, concept book
Opening: A is for astral projection.
Summary: (from Amazon) Eerie Dearies is an unusual book that offers a carefully crafted & alphabetized selection of twenty-six beautifully illustrated excuses for being awol from school. Faded and well-used book covers serve as compelling backgrounds to each of these delicately rendered acrylic paintings, creating an atmosphere akin to an old and dusty collection of darkly humorous myths..

Why I like this book: Reminds me so much of Edward Gorey’s sense of humor. Not for the little ones, but I thought since the postings on Susanna Hill’s blog are on summer hiatus I could slip this one in for the older kids.

Resources/Activities: Make your own list of ‘excuses’ and illustrate them, with pencil, ink collage, etc.; read Edward Gorey’s The Gashlycrumb Tinies – watch the read-aloud video HERE

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

 

PPBF: 3 Counting Books

Author/Illustrator: Sergio Ruzzier
Publisher: Clarion, 2015
Summary: review from Kirkus – HERE

Author/Illustrator: Tomi Ungerer
Publisher: Phaidon, 2014 (first published in Gernman, Diogenes, 1973)
Summary: review from Kirkus – HERE

Author/Illustrator: R.O. Blechman
Publisher: Creative Editions, 2013
Summary: review from Kirkus – HERE

Why I like these books: I found these three in short succession, so I thought I’d share them together. Each has deceptively simple yet engaging artwork and at the same time is completely unique in content – key to a great concept book! And my personal preference – they’re all humorous! I’ve linked each for further information via their Kirkus review (above).

Resources/Activities: Read them together – or with other counting books; create your own, with drawings or photos of items from the classroom or home;

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