Teatime Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth

Do you like tea? Let's travel around the world explore tea traditions from different countries and cultures. 

Thoughts: I was excited about Teatime Around the World for two reasons. First, I love tea and second, I'm always looking for books that explore multiple countries or cultures at the same time. The text of the book is simple enough to share with kids during storytime. The added information also makes this a great books to share with older kids. The illustrations are colorful and I think accurately portray the cultures they depict. For tea-tastic storytime, pair with any of the following: Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman, Tea Rex by Molly Idle, Tea with Oliver by Mika Song, Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, Alice in Wonderland: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party by Joe Rhatigan, Hattie Hippo by Christine Loomis, Brimsby's Hats by Andrew Prahin, The Tiny Baker by Hayley Barrett, and Tea Party Today: Poems to Sip and Savor by Irene Spinelli. 

Download a Companion Guide for Teachers and Parents here. 

Themes: Tea, Around the World, Food

(Illustrated by Chelsea O'Byrne. Greystone Books, 2020.)

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson

I'm sure you've heard the story. Young girl wandering in the woods. Visits the bears' house while they're out. Completely wrecks said house. Well, this story is a little bit different. Wee bear wandering in the woods looking for something to read. Visits the humans' house while they're out. Completely wrecks said house. Can this story have a happy ending? 

Thoughts: Too fun! This is my idea of a perfect book--a fairy tale that is ultimately all about books. The story is engaging and just familiar enough for readers to wonder what will happen next. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. My favorites are the bookshelves and the humans and bears reading together. For a Goldilocks storytime pair with Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems. Looking for Goldilocks poetry? Try any of these: 

• Goldilocks page from Sleep Tight Snow White: 15 Bewitching Bedtime Rhymes by Jen Arena
• “Bears in the News” from Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer
• “Three Bears, Five Voices” and "Goldilocks Leaves a Letter Stuck in the Door” from Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Themes: Goldilocks, Bears, Fairy Tales, Fractured Fairy Tales 

(Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. RP Books, 2021.)

Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf by Sam Wedelich

Chicken Little is not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. Or is he? 

Thoughts: What a fun version of Chicken Little! The digital illustrations are colorful and detailed. I love the speech bubbles and the hand lettering. I didn't know there was another Chicken Little book by Sam Wedelich (Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale) so I need to add it to my list to buy. Pair with The Sky is Falling! by Mark Teague and Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley. 

Themes: Chicken Little, Farm Animals, Chickens, Fractured Fairy Tales 

(Scholastic Press, 2021.)

Ten Animals in Antarctica: A Counting Book by Moira Court

Count from one to ten and travel to Antarctica explore the animals you'll find there

Thoughts: Such a simple concept that is visually stunning. Court's printmaking and collage illustrations are fabulous. The contrast of colors is amazing and there's so much to see on each page. Though classified as a juvenile nonfiction book, the simplicity of the text makes Ten Animals in Antarctica a perfect book for storytime. The additional information at the end of the book about Antarctica and the animals is great. I have very inquisitive storytime kids who will want to know more. 

Themes: Polar Animals, South Pole/Antarctica, The Poles 

(Charlesbridge, 2021.)

I'm a Hare, So There! by Julie Rowan-Zoch

After being mistaken for a rabbit, Hare goes into a whole spiel about how he's a hare and how different they are from rabbits. 

Thoughts: Hilarious! This book will be so fun to share in storytime. I love the speech bubbles and the animals with their bold black outlines. The Similar But Not the Same section adds another element to the book as does the find these creatures page. I think this book will pair well with Be Quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins, Fear the Bunny by Richard T. Morris, and What About Worms!? also by Ryan T. Higgins. 

Pair with any of the following for a desert themed storytime: Over on a Desert: Somewhere in the World by Marianne Berkes, The 3 Little Dassies by Jan Brett, and Mañana Iguana by Ann Whitford Paul. 

Download activity sheets here. 

Themes: Hares/Rabbits, Desert Animals 

(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.)

I've Got a Tail! Terrific Tails of the Animal World by Julie Murphy

Book #3 of the I've Got series by Julie Murphy and Hannah Tolson 

I've Got a Tail! is about twelve different animals and how they use their tails. 

Thoughts: Another hit from Murphy and Tolson! I love short, informative nonfiction books with bright. colorful illustrations. They are great for storytime. The animals included in the book are all wild animals you might see at a zoo or aquarium. I love that the ending asks readers to think about what their pets' tails can do. The map showing where the features animals live is great addition to the book. My favorite animals in the book are Anna's Hummingbird, Common Ringtail Possum, and Arctic Fox. My favorite illustrations are the Spinner Dolphin, Giraffe, and Spider-Tailed Horned Viper. 

Pair with What's This Tail Saying? by Carolyn Combs, Who Has This Tail? by Laura Hulbert, Heads and Tails by John Canty, and Tails by Matthew Van Fleet for an tail themed storytime. 

Pair with any of the following for an animal body parts storytime: This Is My Eye: A New York Story by Neela Vaswani, any of the I Spy books by Edward Gibbs (with My Little Eye, Under the Sea, Pets, on the Farm, in the Sky), The Eye Book by Theo LeSieg, Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert, and Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World by Steve Jenkins, The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss, Who Has These Feet? by Laura Hulbert, I've Got Feet! Fantastical Feet of the Animal World and I've Got Eyes! Exceptional Eyes of the Animal World both by Julie Murphy, Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins, Butts are Everywhere by Jonathan Stutzman, Animals Brag about Their Bottoms by Maki Saito, and Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black

Themes: Tails, Animal Body Parts, Animals 

(Illustrated by Hannah Tolson. Amicus Ink, 2020)

I've Got Eyes! Exceptional Eyes of the Animal World by Julie Murphy

A sequel to I've Got Feet! Fantastical Feet of the Animal World, this book is all about thirteen different animals and how they use their eyes. 

Thoughts: Great nonfiction for the youngest readers! I like the mixture of common and less common animals in the book. After reading the book, I had definitely learned something. My favorite animals in the book are the camel, four-eyed fish, goat. The illustrations are colorful and appealing. My favorite illustrations are the tarsier, chameleon, and camel. 

Pair with This Is My Eye: A New York Story by Neela Vaswani, any of the I Spy books by Edward Gibbs (with My Little Eye, Under the Sea, Pets, on the Farm, in the Sky), The Eye Book by Theo LeSieg, Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert, and Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World by Steve Jenkins for an eye themed storytime. 

Pair with any of the following for an animal body parts storytime: What's This Tail Saying? by Carolyn Combs, Who Has This Tail? and Who Has These Feet? by Laura Hulbert, I've Got Feet! Fantastical Feet of the Animal World and I've Got a Tail! Terrific Tails of the Animal World both by Julie Murphy, Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins, Butts are Everywhere by Jonathan Stutzman, Animals Brag about Their Bottoms by Maki Saito, and Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black

Themes: Animals, Eyes, Animal Body Parts 

 (Illustrated by Hannah Tolson. Amicus Ink, 2018.)

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano

This poetry collection takes us through the seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter). The poems take the form of journal entries. 

Thoughts: I can't believe it's taken me so long to review this collection. I loved it from the first time I read it. The journal entry poems are inspired. The poetry is brief but evocative and uses powerful imagery. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. My favorite poems are March 20, May 6, July 10, September 25, October 4, January 30, and February 15. I look forward to sharing a few of these poems during any of my seasonal storytimes. I think When Green Becomes Tomatoes would also be a great way to start a seasonal poetry writing project with students. 

Other Collections of Seasonal Poetry: 

• Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko
• Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth
• Changes: A Child’s First Poetry Collection by Charlotte Zolotow
• The Year Comes Round: Haiku Through the Seasons by Sid Farrar
• Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas
• Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka
• Julie Andrews’ Treasury for All Seasons: Poems and Songs to Celebrate the Year
• Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies
• Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman

(Illustrated by Julie Morstad. Roaring Brook Press, 2016.)

Hard-Boiled Bugs for Breakfast and Other Tasty Poems by Jack Prelutsky

Jack Preltusky's first new collection since 2013 does not disappoint. It's packed with more than 100 humorous poems that are exactly what readers have come to expect from Jack Prelutsky. 

Thoughts: Quintessential Jack Prelutsky! I look forward to sharing these poems with first and second graders when I'm able to visit classrooms again. I used to ask students to pick a number, but so many of them would pick the same numbers. I now put all the page numbers in a basket and have kids draw one out. My favorite poems are "A Giant Easter Bunny," "My Lizard," "My Elephant," "The Leaves Are Drifting," "The Kangarooster," "The Stir-Frying Pandas," "The Skigulls," "My Cow," "Fantelopes," "A Groundhog Speaks," "My Cows Have Stopped Mooing," and "We Are the Oceans." Ruth Chan's black and white illustrations perfectly capture the spirit of the poems. 

Other Books by Jack Prelutsky That I've Reviewed: 

• Camille Saint-Saens's The Carnival of the Animals with New Verses 
• If Not for the Cat 
• I've Lost My Hippopotamus 
• My Dog May Be a Genius 

(Illustated by Ruth Chan. Greenwillow Books, 2021.)

Book's Big Adventure by Adam Lehrhaupt

From the book's point of view, readers get a look at the lifespan of a book. 

Thoughts: As a librarian, I love the idea behind this book. What does happen to a book after it's discarded from the library? I found Book's Big Adventure to be accurate. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. I especially like how Book changes throughout the story. I have the seed of an idea to start a Flat Stanley type photo program with books and their adventures. I think it would work well for summer. The author's note and suggestions of places to donate books extend the story. I look forward to using this book in storytime. Pair with any of the titles listed below for a storytime focused on books, reading, and libraries. 

More Picture Books about Books, Reading, or Libraries

• Otto the Book Bear by Kate Cleminson
• Read to Tiger by S. J. Fore
• Read It, Don't Eat It! by Ian Schoenherr
• I Can Read with My Eyes Shut by Dr. Seuss 
• Hooray for Books by Brian Won 
• Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates 
• Red Knit Cap Girl and the Reading Tree by Naoko Stoop 
• The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara

Themes: Books, Libraries, Reading 

(Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Simon and Schuster, 2021.)