The Farm That Mac Built by Tammi Sauer

Animal Theater proudly presents "The Farm That Mac Built." Did you know that Old MacDonald had monkeys, kangaroos, elephants, and penguins on his farm? 

Thoughts: Too funny! This reminds me so much of Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham. I can heard the kids laughing now as the animals that clearly aren't farm animals appear on the stage. The illustrations are bright and colorful. The Farm That Mac Built will be a great addition to my farm storytime. 

Themes: Farm Animals 

(Illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic. Clarion Books, 2020.)

The Chicken Who Couldn't by Jan Thomas

A chicken with low self esteem and a cage that falls out of the farmer's truck equals one wild adventure. 

Thoughts: As with all of Jan Thomas's books, The Chicken Who Couldn't is hilarious! I love sharing her books in storytime. I like getting to put all the emotions of her characters in my voice. I like how this book progresses with Chicken not believing in himself to the change at the end. The illustrations are colorful, engaging, and make good use of speech bubbles. I like that Thomas adds emphasis to some of the words. Very helpful to those reading aloud. 

Themes: Chickens, Farm Animals

Other Books by Jan Thomas that I've Reviewed: 

• Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy
• There's a Pest in the Garden!
• What Is Chasing Duck?
• Is That Wise Pig?

(Beach Lane Books, 2020.)

The Tiny Baker by Hayley Barrett

A tiny bee owns a tearoom. She bakes sweet treats for her insect guests with the help of her ladybug staff. When the ladybug swarm, what's a tiny baker to do? 

Thoughts: Such a sweet story! I love all the details in both the text and the illustrations. The rhyming couplets add a lovely cadence to the story. I look forward to sharing The Tiny Baker with my storytime kids. I would love to have a tea party themed storytime. Alison Jay's illustrations are some of my favorites. I love the pastel colors and the effect of the crackle varnish. Here are a few books that I think would pair well with The Tiny Baker: Brimsby's Hats by Andrew Prahin, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman, Tea Rex by Molly Idle, Chimpanzees for Tea! by Jo Empson, Alice in Wonderland: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party by Joe Rhatigan and Charles Nurnberg, Tea with Oliver by Mika Song, The Little Bitty Bakery by Leslie Muir, There's a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Burach, and Tea Party Today: Poems to Sip and Savor by Eileen Spinelli. 

Themes: Bugs/Insects, Tea, Sweets, Eating Out 

(Illustrated by Alison Jay. Barefoot Books, 2020.)

Find Fergus by Mike Boldt

Finding Fergus is too easy. Can you give him some tips on hiding? 

Thoughts: What a fun book! I feel the need to create a hide-and-seek storytime. The illustrations are colorful and Fergus is adorable. I love "Fergus's List of Other Things to Find on the Huge Fold-Out Page" at the end of the book. I know kids will enjoy looking for the fourteen things. 

Find Fergus would pair well  with Hide & Seek by Il Sung Na, Everybunny Count! by Ellie Sandall, and Peek-a-Boo Bunny by Holly Surplice and The Elephants' Guide to Hide-and-Seek by Kjersten Hayes for a hide-and-seek storytime. For a bear storytime, pair Find Fergus with More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt, No Bears by Meg McKinlay, The Bear Who Wasn't There by LeUyen Pham, and Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris.  

Themes: Hide-and-Seek, Bears

(Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2020.)

Goodnight, Anne by Kallie George

It's time for bed, but before Anne can go to sleep she has to say goodnight to everyone and everything she loves. 

Thoughts: A lovely tribute to Anne Shirley and L. M. Montgomery. I think this book paired with Kallie's other Anne picture book, If I Couldn't Be Anne, would be a great way to introduce the youngest children to Anne as a character. I look forward to adding this book to my bedtime storytime rotation. The illustrations are soft colored and detailed. I love the texture the mediums Godbout used give the illustrations. It's impossible to chose a favorite. 

Themes: Bedtime

(Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout. Tundra, 2018.) 

Cozy by Jan Brett

All alone on the tundra, Cozy the musk ox feels it will be a very lonely winter. But when a variety of other arctic animals use his thick winter coat as shelter, he finds winter is better with friends. 

Thoughts: Cozy is beautifully illustrated with an engaging albeit lengthy story. It reminds me of Jan's earlier books The Hat, The Mitten, and The Umbrella. I love seeing all the arctic animals come to life in Jan's illustrations. My favorite illustration is when Cozy gets spring fever. I love seeing all the other animals nestled in his fur. I look forward to sharing this book during the winter. 

Themes: Winter, Winter Animals, Friendship

(G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2020.) 

Louis by Tom Lichtenheld

Louis is a stuffed bear who has had enough. He's leaving. Well, he will right after...

Thoughts: Too funny! I think this book will inspire many children to consider what their favorite stuffed animals or toys might be thinking. Louis' grouchy attitude is on point. Simple text paired with colorful boldly outline illustrations make this a perfect books to share during storytime. I don't have a favorite illustration per se, but I love Louis' expressions in each illustrations. I think this book would pair well with Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman and In the Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House by Laurie Purdie Salas. 

Themes: Stuffed Animals, Toys 

(Illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.)