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This month’s books are perfect for cuddling up and reading with a young child. And they teach. You’ll find stories about friendship, accepting yourself and others, about the joy of achievement. There is a special nod to dads, such as in “Because Your Daddy Loves You,” when a little girl spends the day with her father at the beach. With Father’s Day coming this month, the books are an added plus. And what better gift for a child to give a father than a book to read together? Turn the page, hug; turn the page, hug again [For all ages] Kidogo By Anik McGrory (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, hardcover, 32 pages, $15.95) Kidogo (the word means “little” in Kiswahili) is a baby elephant, and he’s convinced that he’s the smallest thing in the world. His elders are constantly tending to him, yet he wants to do things for himself. He ventures out to find something smaller than himself. All he finds are giraffes, hippos and lions. Soon he finds a huge anthill, and its residents are smaller than he is. He realizes there is a place for everyone of every size in the world, even a little elephant like him. Anik McGrory was inspired to write this lovely tale during a trip to Africa. Her watercolors perfectly capture the grandeur of the landscape and the personalities of the animals. Little Quack’s New Friend Written by Lauren Thompson; illustrated by Derek Anderson (Simon & Schuster, hardcover, 32 pages, $14.95) Five sibling ducks wait by the pond one day when a little frog jumps out and asks who wants to play. Four of the ducklings find reasons not to play with the bouncy amphibian. He’s too green, too tiny, he can’t quack, and he’s a frog! But Little Quack doesn’t go along with them. He just wants to play and have fun, so off they go. The frog and the duckling bounce around the pond, squish in the mud, splash in the water. They have such a good time that, one by one, the other little ducklings join in. And soon everyone is playing together happily. Lauren Thompson continues her Little Quack series with a nice entry about friendship and acceptance, and Derek Anderson’s acrylic pictures are marvelously childlike and appealing. My Daddy Is a Giant Written by Carl Norac; illustrated by Ingrid Godon (Clarion Books, hardcover, 32 pages, $16) Fathers become giants before their children. Carl Norac tells how, in one little boy’s vivid imagination, he has to climb a ladder to cuddle his daddy, and when the clouds are tired, they come to rest and sleep on his dad’s shoulders. But the true measure of a father is the love he shows his child. Ingrid Godon’s lovely pictures, done in paint and pastels, prove that there’s no better place for a child than in his dad’s loving embrace. Because Your Daddy Loves You Written by Andrew Clements; illustrated by R.W. Alley (Clarion Books, hardcover, 32 pages, $16) Andrew Clements is a successful children’s author; most of his books, such as “Frindle” and “The Janitor’s Boy,” are for juvenile readers. With this tender book, he has created a lovely valentine to fathers for little ones to read. A little girl spends the day with her father at the beach, and the usual succession of good things happen, along with the mishaps – the ball lost in the ocean, the lost shoe, the drippy ice cream cone. But does the father scold the child? No, he acts with constant love and patience. Clements’ text is paired with colorful, clever acrylic pictures by R.W. Alley. Up! Written by Kristine O’Connell George; illustrated by Hiroe Nakata (Clarion Books, hardcover, 32 pages, $15) A little girl with bouncing pigtails loves everything about her daddy, but mostly she loves it when they go to the park together. There are dozens of opportunities there for fun – a chance to climb, jump, swing, be lifted up. Kristine O’Connell George’s simple poetry captures the joy of having fun with someone you love, while Hiroe Nakata’s acrylic pictures are bright and bouncy. Five Little Chicks By Nancy Tafuri (Simon & Schuster, hardcover, 26 pages, $14.95) Nancy Tafuri is the highly successful illustrator of more than 30 children’s books. She has another fine book, this time about a mother hen and her little chicks. As the babies are hatched from their eggs and start exploring, they wonder what they are going to eat. A wiggly worm? A fuzzy butterfly? But mother shows them how to scratch for their food in the corn patch, and then how to snuggle up in the nest to sleep. The Starlight Baby Written by Gillian Shields; illustrated by Elizabeth Harbour (Simon & Schuster, hardcover, 32 pages, $15.95) There was a baby who had no mother. The baby called to all the elements in the world – the stars, the moon, the wind, the water, the wolf – and asked, “Will you be my mother?” But soon the baby’s cries reach the ears of a woman without a child. She says, yes, she will be his mother. And she follows the stars and moon and wind, water and wolf to find her baby. This lovely story is illustrated with pastel watercolors, which create a dreamy, fairy-tale mood. Little Rabbit Runaway By Harry Horse (Peachtree Publishers, hardcover, 32 pages, $15.95) Little Rabbit has had enough. One day when he was especially naughty, his parents scolded him. He told them he was running away to live by himself. As he sets off on his adventure, he meets Molly Mouse, who is also running away from home. They decide to build a little house and live together. However, Molly Mouse turns out to be quite the bossy one, telling Little Rabbit where to sit, what to eat, and to stop slouching. Is running away from home really better than staying and working out your problems? |
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