As an Oak Tree Grows

AS AN OAK TREE GROWS by G. Brian Karas. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2014.

An oak tree grows from
A tiny seedling , provides
Shade and more to all.

Talk to the animals

DING DONG! GORILLA by Michelle Robison with illustrations by Leonie Lord. Peachtree, 2013.

A young boy explains to his parents that all of the destruction in the house is due to a gorilla who rang the front door bell. And the gorilla is also why the ordered pizza is missing.

LION VS. RABBIT by Alex Latimer. Peachtree, 2013.

The lion cannot be bested by any of the animals of the jungle. And then, the rabbit arrives and challenges Lion to contests that the Lion loses over and over again. How can one tiny rabbit best the lion?

PANDA-MONIIUM AT THE PEEK ZOO by Kevin Waldron. Templar Books, 2013.

Fold outs are just part of the fun as readers follow the zookeeper Mr. Peek and his son Jimmy as they prepare for an important event. Some carelessness lets animals loose as evident in the illustration above.

ABOUT PENGUINS: A GUIDE FOR CHILDREN by Cathryn Sill with illustrations by John Sill. Penguin, 2013.

Each double page spread presents a simply text along with illustrations of different species of penguins in different habitats.

Animals fact and fiction

SQUIRRELS ON SKIS by J. Hamilton Ray with illustrations by Pascal Lemaitre. Random House 2013.

THUMPY FEET by Betsy Lewin. Holiday House, 2013.

OFF WE GO: A BEAR AND MOLE STORY by Will Hillebrand. Holiday House, 2013.

TURKEY TOT by George Shannon with illustrations by Jennifer Mann. Holiday House 2013.

BEST FOOT FORWARD: EXPLORING FEET, SLIPPERS, AND CLAWS by Ingo Arndt. Holiday House 2013.


BEAVERS by Gail Gibbons. Holiday House 2013.

Fins, flippers, claws, toes, teeth, tails: all these books present animals in action. Pairing the fiction (Lewin, Hillebrand, Ray, Shannon) with the nonfiction (Arndt, Gibbons) during story time or bedtime reading shows kids that books can inform or entertain and sometimes accomplish BOTH tasks.

Fly Guy returns

FLY GUY PRESETNS SHARKS by Tedd Arnold. Scholastic, 2013.

Nonfiction, fiction
Blend seamlessly with Fly Guy
At aquarium.