My Bed: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World by Rebecca Bond

Travel around the world and see how other kids sleep. 

Thoughts: A lovely book that uses an everyday object and occurrence (bed and sleep) to explore other cultures. This will be a great diverse addition to my bedtime storytime theme. The illustrations are fabulous. I can't believe all the detail that went into them. I enjoyed Mavor's note at the end about how she created the illustrations with fabric, beads, wire, yarn, and embroidery. I love the animals that appear throughout the book. 

Themes: Bedtime, Sleep, Around the World 

(Illustrated by Salley Mavor. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.)

A Is for Another Rabbit by Hannah Batsel

Owl is trying to make an alphabet book, but all the rabbits keep interrupting and messing up the letters. 

Thoughts: Too funny! Owl's outrage and the rabbits' nonchalance are the perfect recipe for a hilarious book. The illustrations are colorful. I love that Owl gets speech bubbles and the rabbits get the actual text in the book. This book would pair well with Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and More Bears! by Ken Nesbitt. 

Themes: Alphabet, Rabbits, Owls, Elementary

(Carolrhoda Books, 2020.)

Princesses versus Dinosaurs by Linda Bailey

In the beginning it was a princess book. That is until the dinosaurs showed up. One big tiff escalated until dragons and rubber ducks are involved. Will they ever reach an agreement? 

Thoughts: The perspective in the book especially the size of the rubber duck compared to the princesses and dinosaurs gave me a clue. I think that what you can't see in the illustrations is the children playing with the toys. The book makes perfect sense after I realized that, but I may just be making too much out of it. The book is hilarious and I love the escalation in the argument. The illustrations are colorful and I like the speech bubbles. My favorite illustrations are the last few once the enemies become allies. 

Themes: Princesses, Dragons, Toys, Play

(Illustrated by Joy Ang. Tundra, 2020.)

You Don't Want a Dragon! by Ame Dyckman

You think a dragon would make a great pet. You're wrong. And here's why. 

Thoughts: Ame Dyckman's follow-up to You Don't Want a Unicorn! is just as funny. I love the ending. It was so unexpected. I won't ruin it for you. I can hear kids laughing out loud when they read this book. The voice of the narrator is just so droll. The illustrations are bright and colorful. My favorite is when the dragon gets ginormous. I look forward to pairing this with other dragon books and other unusual pet books. There have been several books about dragons as pets as well. I like to use dragons as a storytime theme in January around Appreciate a Dragon Day which is January 16. 

Themes: Unusual Pets, Dragons, Elementary

(Illustrated by Liz Climo. Little, Brown and Company, 2020.)

Eek! A Noisy Journey from A to Z by Julie Larios

This mouse is going on an alphabetical adventure filled with sounds and noise. Do you want to come along? 

Thoughts: I always think I've seen every kind of alphabet book there is. But then a new one comes along and surprises me. I love the simplicity of the text, the movement in the illustrations, and the adventure as it unfolds one letter at a time. I can't wait to use Eek! A Noisy Journey from A to Z in storytime. Kids love to be noisy and this book gives them the perfect chance. I think I'll use it as a call and repeat and have the kids repeat the sounds. 

Themes: Alphabet, Noise 

The publisher has an activity kit to go along with the book. It's filled with storytime ideas and activity sheets. 

Here are my reviews of some other alphabet books: 

• Bear Is Awake! An Alphabet Story by Hannah E. Harrison
• Roar Like a Dandelion by Ruth Krauss
• Llamas with Lemonade: An Unusual Animal ABC by Ariana Koultourides

(Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Peachtree, 2020.) 

Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O'Leary

Maud shares her name with her grandmother who she sometimes gets to spend weekends with. This story is an ode to the relationship between a granddaughter and a grandmother. 

Thoughts: This book is so sweet! It almost made me cry because when I read it, I started remembering all the times I spent weekends with my granny. The relationship depicted in Maud and Grand-Maud should be what all grandmothers aspire to have with their grandchildren. I have many grandparents and great-grandparents who bring kids to my library events. Grandparents are so special and sadly they can't be with you forever. The illustrations are soft colored and detailed. I especially like the expressions on Maud's and Grand-Maud's faces throughout the story. 

Themes: Grandparents

(Illustrated by Kenard Pak. Random House, 2020.)

Beatrix Potter, Scientist by Lindsay H. Metcalf

This picture book biography of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter explores her interest in the natural world and science. Long before she decided to create books for children, she was an amateur scientist. 

Thoughts: I love that this book focuses on yet another aspect of Beatrix Potter besides her writing for children. I didn't discover her interest in nature until I read Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear which is a great biography for teens and adults. I like that Beatrix Potter, Scientist makes that part of her life accessible for the youngest readers. Wu's illustrations are bright and colorful. My favorite is her rendition of the famous letter that started Beatrix on her adventure as an author and illustrator. 

Themes: Biography, Scientists, Authors & Illustrators, Artists, Elementary

If you find yourself more interested in Beatrix Potter after reading this book, you might check out my Beatrix Potter Reading Project that I undertook in 2010 and 2011.

More Books About Beatrix Potter for Kids: 

• Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit by Linda Elovitz Marshall 
• Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends by David Stabler 
• Writers and Their Pets by Kathleen Krull 
• Beatrix Potter and Her Paint Box by David McPhail 
• Beatrix Potter And The Unfortunate Tale Of A Borrowed Guinea Pig by Deborah Hopkinson 
• The Tale of Beatrix Potter adapted by Sara Schonfeld 
• Beatrix Potter by Jeanette Winter 
• The Ultimate Peter Rabbit: A Visual Guide to the World of Beatrix Potter edited by Camilla Hallinan

(Illustrated by Junyi Wu. Albert Whitman and Company, 2020.)

The Barnabus Project by The Fan Brothers

Barnabus lives in a secret lab beneath a pet store. He's a failed project so he'll never get to leave the shelf his bell jar sits on. The threat of bring recycled forces Barnabus to take action to change his situation. 

Thoughts: Such a lovely story! I love all the unusual pets in the story. I think an animal that's half mouse and half elephant is right up there with a pygmy puff created by the Weasley Twins. The Barnabus Project is longer than the average picture book, but as you're reading you don't even notice because you're so drawn in to the story. I like that Barnabus doesn't just think of himself when he decides to take action. Thinking of others is such an admirable quality in a friend. The illustrations are soft colored and detailed. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite illustration. I will say I'd like to own all the failed pets! 

Themes: Pets, Being Different, Friendship

(Tundra, 2020.)

What Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

An informative and fun introduction to what you might do if you worked at a zoo. 

Thoughts: I'm a big fan of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Their latest book does not disappoint. It's filled with interesting facts and amazing illustrations. The variety of animals included is nice. The additional information at the end of the book extend the book's interest beyond the reading. Here's what you'll find at the end of the book: 

• What does a zookeeper do? 
• Zoo pros and cons 
• A zoo timeline 
• Some of the world's top zoos 
• Additional facts about all the animals in the book 

As always, Steve Jenkins' cut- and torn-paper collage illustrations are fantastic. Such detail! The use of white space around them really makes them stand out. My favorite illustrations are the hippo getting its teeth brushed and the elephant seal getting weighed. 

Themes: Zoo, Jobs, Elementary 

Other Books I've reviewed by Steve Jenkins and/or Robin Page

• Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look The Way They Do 
• Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World 
• My First Day 
• Time to Eat 
• Time for a Bath 
• Time to Sleep

(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.) 

The Best Worst Poet Ever by Lauren Stohler

Cat and Pug are both poets, but they approach creation differently. Will they ever be friends? Who is the best poet?

Thoughts: Hilarious! I don't normally do voices when I read, but I think these two characters deserve distinct voices when you read The Best Worst Poet Ever aloud. I can't wait to share this with first and second graders in April for National Poetry Month. I hear the kids now laughing at the insults Cat and Pug hurl at each other. It also goes well with an event I did years ago, It's Raining Cats and Dogs Poetry Break Storytime. I love the illustrations. Cat and Pug have very different personalities and those are expressed well in the illustrations. My favorite illustrations are when they decide to write together (Cat with a ream of paper and Pug with a typewriter on his head) and the cover illustration. 

Themes: Poetry, Dogs, Cats, Elementary 

(Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2020.)

If You Want a Friend in Washington: Wacky, Wild & Wonderful Presidential Pets by Erin McGill

This book explores the many presidential pets: dogs, cats, horses, farm animals, bigger animals, birds, and small critters.

Thoughts: What a fun book! The facts and illustrations are great. I learned more about presidential pets than I knew before. I was very interested to discover that President Coolidge was gifted a pygmy hippo. I love the illustrations (cut paper, ink, gouache, marker, and colored pencil). They are fun and appealing. I also like the photos on the end pages. The note at the end provides even more information about the presidents and their pets. I look forward to adding this to my pets storytime as well as sharing with elementary school students. 

If you want to know more about the presidents and/or their pets, you should checkout Who Named Their Pony Macaroni?: Poems about White House Pets by Marilyn Singer, Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents by David Stabler, and Rutherford B., Who Was He?: Poems about Our Presidents by Marilyn Singer

*Link is to the blurb I wrote for Cybils. 

Themes: Pets, Elementary

(Schwartz & Wade Books, 2020.)

How to Find a Bird by Jennifer Ward

There are more ways to find a bird than you would think. Yes, you can look up. But you can also look straight ahead, down, or very low. Birds are everywhere if you just know how and where to look.

Thoughts: An introduction to birding for the youngest readers. How to Find a Bird will also make a nice addition to my birds storytime. I love all the different species that are featured. Some I've never heard of. The illustrations are colorful and detailed especially the birds. My favorites are the title page, the starlings on a wire, and the extinct birds. The additional facts at the end of the book are great. I'm looking forward to checking out the recommended app, Merlin Bird ID. 

Themes: Birds

Other great bird books: 

Bring on the Birds by Susan Stockdale

Plume by Isabelle Simler 

Beautiful Birds by Jean Roussen

Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart

Telephone by Mac Barnett

I Hatched! by Jill Esbaum

Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward

Today at the Bluebird Cafe: A Branchful of Birds by Deborah Ruddell

The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems by Michael J. Rosen

(Illustrated by Diana Sudyka. Beach Lane Books, 2020.)