Little Good Wolf by Janet Stevens & Susan Stevens Crummel

 His parents are embarassed by Little Good Wolf's kind, respectful behavior. What can they do to thwart his continual good choices? They send him to Big Bad School. Will he be transformed into a big, bad wolf, or will he transform his mentors? The ending will cause discussion and inferences!

Being familiar with the tale of the three little pigs before reading this book would enhance the experience.

I like Tops & Bottoms better, but this one will entertain and delight readers too.

-Borrowed from the library.

Sunrise Summer by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr**

 What a fascinating picture book!! A young girl relates her first summer being part of the fishing crew in Alaska. The illustrations are descriptive and humorous. 

The author and his wife, the illustrator, take their family to her famiy's property in a remote area in Alaska to fish for salmon each summer. I was surprised to learn at the end it was based on the author/illustrators' family. Ms. Behr offers more details about salmon fishing in the last four pages.

I was delighted the entire time I read this book!

**Highly, highly recommend this unique book. 

-Borrowed from the library.

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker*

 Science fiction is one of my least favorite genres. I, therefore, was a bit resistant to reading this picture book featuring a robot who cares for animals.

After a world flood, NOA, a robot, feeds and oversees zoo animals. Humans are gone. The rains continue. More disasters occur. Is he alone in this watery world?

Many allusions to biblical Noah are scattered throughout the narrative.

A wordless book that promotes discussion and inferring.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Most Boring Book Ever by Brandon Sanderson illustrated by Kazu Kibuishi

 When I saw Brandon Sanderson had written a picture book, I had to check it out since he is my oldest son's favorite author. 

The words are certainly not very exciting or amazing, BUT, it is intentional (alas, the title!). The illustrations contradict the words. The author and illustrator had to work closely together to create this fun and clever book. 

-Borrowed from the libray.

Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor*

 Based off of Aseop's "The Dog and His Reflection"

Simon discovers a bone and is quite pleased with it. As he walks by the pond, he spies another dog with a bone. This bone appears better.  The rest of the story shares how Simon interacts with the other dog. It concludes sweetly. My favorite illustration is the last one-because of what the reader will infer. I also love how the reader must orient/hold the book to read it.

*Highly recommend. I hope Mr. Tabor continues to write & illustrated clever picture books!

-Borrowed from the library.

The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker

 This wordless book depicts the different centuries a tree and river endure human "progress". I love the ending! I like Mr. Becker's Journey trilogy better.

-Borrowed from the library.

Lions at Night by Jessica M. Boehman*

 The lions that guard the New York Public Library by day come alive at night to explore the city. In this wordless book, Ms. Boehman displays their adventure in engaging illustrations. Allusions abound. I especially enjoyed the author's note where she explains the lions' history.

*Highly recommend.

Borrowed via inter-lib. loan. 

Forever Home-A Dog and Boy Love Story by Henry Cole

 A sweet, wordless picture book that reveals the determination of a boy to prove to his dads that he is responsible enough to own a dog. Mr. Cole based it off of a young boy he heard about who really wanted a dog. Once again I love how Mr. Cole illustrates the entire story in pen with only one vital object in color. 

Warning: The boy's parents are two dads.

-Borrowed from the library.

Charlie & Mouse series by Laurel Snyder illustrated by Emily Hughes*

 Award-winner-Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner

Charlie and Mouse are energetic, imaginative brothers who will bring smiles to transitional readers. Illustrations are on most pages. Repeated phrases and words will give new readers confidence in reading chapter books.

As of now there are five books in the series. In August 2022 a sixth book will be published, Charlie & Mouse Are Magic. The illustrator used to live in Hawaii. The illustrations depict that Charlie and Mouse live in an area like Hawaii. 

*Highly recommend.

Consider: In book #1, Charlie and Mouse visit their neighbors. One house they visit belongs to Mr. Erik and Mr. Michael. These neighbors are not mentioned in the books #2-5. 

Bare Tree and Little Wind by Mitali Perkins illustrated by Khoa Le

 Little Wind relates his interactions with the palm trees around Jerusalem. As he whirls about, Tall Tree shares with him about the Real King. Little Wind is surprised how humble and quiet this Real King is. Then this Quiet Man dies on the cross and rises again. When the Romans burn Jerusalem, Little Wind mourns the loss of the city. Will hope prevail? 

Christ and his redemption are backgrounds yet the foundation to this story. Intially I thought it was too fantastical and not centered on Christ enough. When I reread it, however, I realized it beautifully displays Christ's redemption and hope. 

Book sellers recommend for ages 3-7. However, I think older kids are the ones who will appreciate and understand the deeper themes.

I love the end pages.  Vivid, apt word choice

The mixture of fanastical and realistic illustrations did not sit well with me. How do the children discern fact from fantasy? On the other hand, when I take into consideration that the narrator is the wind, the elements of fantasy do fit. Read and discern for yourself! 

-Borrowed from the library.

Little Fox in the Forest by Stephanie Graegin

 A sweet wordless book 

A girl loses her favorite stuffed animal, a fox, when a real fox snatches it.  The girl and her friend follow the fox into the woodland to discover a wondrous world.  A satisfying compromise is established.

The endpages are vital to look at and to discuss!

-Borrowed from the library.

The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans*

 What a stunning book!  

A mother wakes up her two children for a night walk.  The family of four (the father goes too) leaves their house in the middle of the night to walk through the village, through the woods, to the open country to see a spectacular view.  

Award-winner in France-Prix Landerneau.

Ms. Dorleans utilizes imagery and although the writing is sparse, each word is powerful and well-selected.  The art is incredible.  The way she inserts light into the darkness is breath-taking and reveals she has studied her subject and is a very talented artist.  The illustrations certainly add more to the story.  Even the endpages are part of the story.

As I was reading it, it reminded me how I felt when I read Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.  These two books would be a perfect pair to read together and compare.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Strategies: asking questions, inferring

One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole*

-Wordless picture book

Readers witness how a tree is cut down and changed into a brown paper bag.  The paper bag is then used by a boy for a myriad of tasks.  As the boy matures, he still utilizes the bag.  The bag spans generations.

I loved this story about a family (and a  brown paper bag)! The only color throughout the book is anything related to the brown paper bag.

Based on actual events.

Strategies: inferring, predicting

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

That Neighbor Kid by Daniel Miyares

 A girl moves in and discovers a great friend in her neighbor, a boy trying to build a treehouse.

A wordless book.

-Borrowed from the library.

Snowman's Story by Will Hillenbrand

 When my boys were toddlers and preschoolers, I read all of Mr. Hillenbrand's books I could find because I loved the adorable illustrations and sweet plots.  This wordless book depicts a snowman's beginnings, a secretive rabbit, and an exciting pursuit.  Parents and children who love books and reading will smile and sigh contently at the story's conclusion.

Strategies: narrating, inferring, asking questions, predicting

-Borrowed from the library.

Fly! by Mark Teague*

 A baby bird refuses to fly and offers solutions to his mother that would help him avoid flying.

Humorous and sweet!

A wordless picture book

Strategies: connections, inferring

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

A Long Road on a Short Day by Gary D. Schmidt & Elizabeth Stickney illustrated by Eugene Yelchin*

 Mr. Schmidt wrote this story with his late wife, Anne Schmidt (Elizabeth Stickney is her pen name).  

Mama wants a milk cow to help feed the baby.  Papa and Samuel venture into the blustery winter day to trade objects until they can fulfill her wishes.  Beginning with a Barlow knife and ending with a milk cow (plus something for Samuel), they meet a variety of interesting people who own intriguing objects/creatures.  

Short chapters and full page illustrations make this a perfect book for readers trying to build stamina.   It would also be a great book to read aloud to toddlers/preschoolers who are building listening-stamina.  

Strategies: inferring, asking questions

Recommendation: This book is brimming with secondary characters.  It would be helpful if the parent/teacher would make a list of each secondary character and what they gave for the trade/what they received for the trade.   

*Highly recommend.  A wholesome, sweet book.

Update: I reread this book as my thirteen-year-old read it for RAR family book club. Even he, an advanced reader and a teenager, found it delightful. 

-Borrowed from the library.

On the Horizon by Lois Lowry illustrated by Kenard Pak*

 After watching her father's old home movies from her childhood, Ms. Lowry realized that as she played on the beach in Hawaii,  the ship sailing on the horizon was the Arizona, which was bombed during Pearl Harbor.  This realization prompted her to write this book.

Through verse form, she shares the tragic events of Pearl Harbor and of Hiroshima and then pieces of her life when she lived in Tokyo.  

Simple but powerful.  

Strategies: inferences, asking questions

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell illustrated by Ted Rand*

 May desparately wants to visit her grandmother, but her parents do not have the money to buy a train ticket.  Then her parents devise a clever plan. . .they will mail her as a domestic parcel!  She is weighed, is classified as a baby chick, and is stamped (fifty-three cents!).  A family member who works on the postal car watches over her and delivers her to her grandmother!

Excellent word choice.  Illustrations will take the reader to 1914 and give her view into what homes, stores, trains and mail cars looked like in that time period.  

Author's Note is interesting about the back matter.

Strategy: inferring

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Money Tree by Sarah Stewart illustrated by David Small

 Husband-wife team!

I own and love two of this team's books- The Gardener and The Library.

This book was Ms. Stewart's first book.  To be honest, I was not overly impressed with the story.  Children may miss the author's message and will need to utilize inferencing skills.  The vagueness will stimulate discussion, though!

One winter Miss McGillicuddy notices a strange shape growing in her yard.  Over the next few months it grows into tree.  The tree is extraordinary.  Its leaves are actually paper money.  Greedy people flood her yard and stuff  their sacks.  Growing tired of  humanity's relentless greed, Miss McGillicuddy and the neighbor boys cut it down.  

I absolutely loved the illustrations.  I would buy the book just for the illustrations.  Mr. Small adds exquiste details that are pure fun and ones that also extend the story.  I would love to live in Miss McGillicuddy's home and on her property!

Strategies: asking questions, inferring