Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Books for December that have nothing to do with Christmas



How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth by Michelle Robinson, illustration by Kate Hindley
A little girl and a large mammoth demonstrate with words and pictures how to wash a wooly mammoth. This is totally silly and totally hilarious! Original artwork combines with outrageous scenarios to make a book that any child would love, especially those who enjoy a great giggle!
 
The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara
By the author of Ghosts in the House, The Midnight Library features the same simple line drawings with a limited color palette and a simple story. In this story, a young girl is a librarian at a library only open at night, especially for animals who love to read. Some absurd examples are the wolf who cries over a sad story, a slow-reading turtle who is delighted to find out that he can borrow a book so he doesn’t have to stop reading, and the band of squirrels who are looking for good music. A story without much content, but sure to delight the inner-librarian in all of us!
 
My Yiddish Vacation by Ione Skye, illustrated by Scott Menchin
Ruth and Sammy go to their grandparents’ house in Florida for vacation and while there, they learn and use several Yiddish words and phrases. Menchin’s cartoony drawings show great expressions that match the mood of the words. Although the Yiddish content may not be for everyone, the story is told in a way  that most kids will relate to, from the trip to visit grandparents to the sibling relationships, a great story to use when teaching about the variety of families we all are a part of.
 
Oh So Brave Dragon by David Kirk
David Kirk comes through again! An awesome book about a brave, or not so brave, dragon. When the little dragon roars, he cannot believe that his own roar is as loud as it is. He goes through the forest collecting little creatures and asking if they heard the fearsome roar. Large words, colorful pictures, expressive dragon faces all lead to the conclusion: Stick together and all is well!
 
Sleep Tight, Anna Banana by Dominique Roques, Illustrated by Alexis Dormal
Anna Banana stays awake late reading, and keeping all her stuffed animals awake. But, when she finally turns out the light, they have jumping contests on her bed and race around the bedroom, keeping her awake. Finally, they all call a truce and everybody says good night. Hooray for sleepy time. A wonderful good night book for those who want one more thing to do before bedtime.
 
This book just ate my dog by Richard Byrne
A postmodern approach to dogwalking. As Bella walks her dog across the page, the dog disappears. Then Ben disappears as well as the dog rescue team. For anyone who has ever wondered what goes on between the pages of a book, this is the book for you. Only the reader can help make the dog and his posse reappear. Read it and shake!
 
Star Child by Claire A. Nivola
A small flame of a star far away from earth sees the earth divided into water and land and longs to visit. His elders caution him because life on earth is so very different from life on the star. “Here it is still an peaceful, but there the colors, sensations, and sounds will wash over you constantly,” they tell him. In spite of the cautions, the flame chooses to become a child and experience the earth in all its motion, change, confusion and beauty. Nivola’s illustrations are bright and varied. This book would be great for those children who have a wonderful imagination to think like a star child and imagine what it would be like to be transported to earth as a human baby.

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