Author-Illustrator: Anthony Browne
Author-Illustrator: Hanne Bartholin
Publisher: Candlewick, 2015
Age: 3-7
Themes: drawing, shapes, imagination
Opening: see spread above.
Summary: (from my library catalog) Frida and Bear love to draw. When Bear runs out of ideas, Frida suggests they play the shape game.
I picked this book because: School has started in my district and one of the things I often felt got left behind was prioritizing creativity (I could go on for hours on this subject!), so I chose this book to help foster it, esp at the beginning of the year when some young people are feeling anxious – and for those that are not yet ready for a school environment this is a great activity that can be done anywhere!
Resources/activities: read then play the shape game! Watch this TED talk from Sir Ken Robinson:
For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
Author: Kenji Oikawa
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 
julie rowan-zoch 