PPBF: Lola Shapes the Sky

Author: Wendy Greenley
Illustrator: Paolo Domeniconi
Publisher: Creative Editions, 2019
Age: 4-8
Themes: weather, clouds, acceptance
Opening: see photo below.

Summary: (from the publishers) A cloud with a mind of her own and a gift for making awe-inspiring shapes encourages her friends to go beyond their practical functions and expand their imaginative horizons.

I like this book because: Bias Reveal: this is the debut picture book of my longtime critique-partner Wendy Greenley! BUT, bias aside, it‘s a lovely book of self-acceptance and creativity, and was very well received by my adorable storytime gang at the bookstore! It‘s also brimming with absolutely beautiful illustrations! The kids were mesmerized!

Resources/activities: start a kid’s chapter of The Cloud Appreciation Society – find out more HERE; learn how clouds make rain and other weather;  make umbrellas on popsicle sticks – see photos below

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.

PPBF: This Beautiful Day

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

PPBF: Polo and the Dragon

Sorry I didn’t have this post ready bright and early, but I took the opportunity to help a friend today knowing you’d all be patient!

The winner of a signed copy of BAGEL IN LOVE is Gabi Snyder! I’ll be trying to contact you, Gabi, but if you see this first, send me your postal address via email (on my About Me page).

Author/Illustrator: Régis Faller
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2003
Age: 3-6
Themes: weather, animals, friendship.

Opening: see photo below

Summary: (from my library catalog) In this wordless picture book, Polo the dog becomes trapped in the ice and snow while out sailing one day, but a friendly dragon helps him escape..

Why I like this book: It’s so cute! I like the sweet simplicity of the renderings, the color palette, and format. It’s a little huggable, and I’d like more people to know about this series. Just last month my friend and critique partner, Ann Kelley introduced me to this Polo book on her blog HERE. Unfortunately I could not get hold of a different title, so I am posting about the same one, but here’s a LINK to find more in the series.

Resources/Activities: Imagine you’re stuck with the same problem as Polo: what would you do to solve it? Go to the author’s page for coloring sheets: HERE. Also, be sure to check out Ann’s suggestions HERE.

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