bell7's 75 Picture Books

I recently got a job as a library assistant in the children's room of a public library. Between having parents ask "What's a good book for my 4-year-old?" and knowing that I'll be giving one of the Storytimes come September, I decided to brush up on my picture book knowledge. I decided to keep a separate count on a new thread instead of inserting them on my main one.

Oh, and if you have any recommendations, let me know! I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed (touchstones don't like this one - it's a link)

This is the story of the unlikely friendship struck up by Pete, a pig, and Pickles, a circus elephant who shelters in his house one night. The artwork is lovely and detailed. I enjoyed the humor conveyed in images, such as the pig-centric furniture in Pete's house, and the expressions on the animals' faces. The alliterative writing gives the story a good flow for a read aloud, and the pictures and story work together to present a really adorable, humorous tale. If I ever start collecting picture books to read to my kids someday, Pete & Pickles will be near the top of the list. 5 stars.

I have a "grandma" shelf for the day (hopefully not too soon) that I might have grandkids to read to. One of my favorite read-alouds was The Adventures of Taxi Dog. The illustrations were fabulous and the story of a taxi driver adopting a street dog and taking him with him in the cab had a wonderful message of friendship and acceptance.

Thanks, mamzel, that sounds like fun and I'll have to take a look at it.

2. A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

Camilla Cream doesn't eat lima beans - which she loves - because all her friends don't like them. She's so concerned about what other people think that she tries on a ton of outfits before she goes to school. And then she comes down with a bad case of stripes! At every suggestion, she just seems to get worse. Can anyone cure her?

This was a cute story about being yourself, even if you're afraid of being laughed at by your friends. The moral was a bit obvious for an adult, but I children will love the colorful artwork and the more and more ridiculous situation Camilla finds herself in because she's being who everyone thinks she is or wants her to be. It's a bit of a wordy story for the youngest of kids, but preschool and kindergarten-age kids will enjoy it. 4 stars.

3. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback

I'm sure you know the poem about the old lady who swallowed a fly, then a spider, then.... Well, as I said, you know the poem. This picture book uses mixed media and collage to create childlike illustrations to the song. Each page has a cut out in which you can see what is currently in the old lady's stomach. The details in each double-page spread is fabulous and include: comments from future swallowed in rhyming couplets (perhaps from alternate versions of the poem, though I'm not certain), repeating patterns used in different ways, or various species of a particular animal represented and labeled. I will definitely be keeping this in mind for the storytime crowd. 5 stars.

4. Palazzo Inverso by D.B. Johnson

Now here is a complicated little book. Taking inspiration from the artist M.C. Escher, D.B. Johnson tells a story that reads in the same endless loop that Escher became famous for drawing. The text runs along the top and bottom of the page, so that when you get to the traditional "end" of the book, you have to flip it around and continue reading. The monochromatic mixed-media illustrations have a pencil-drawing look to them, and each are created in such a way that no matter which way you look at them, they appear to be right-side up. The use of reflections, stairs, and arches, add to the effect. Even the sentences are separated by the sign for infinity - the sideways eight. This may be a complicated enough story that older children and adults may come away with a fuller appreciation for it, though even younger children will delight in turning the book upside down and reading in a big loop over and over and over again.

Not sure how to rate this one.

5. The Dinosaur Tamer by Carol Greathouse, illustrated by John Shroades

Rocky is a cowboy known for his ability as a dinosaur tamer, so when "the rip-roarin'est, snip-snortin'est reptilian that ever did stomp the earth" - T. rex - starts pestering this small Wild West town, Rocky is called in to save the day. This tall tale is the first picture book of author Carol Greathouse and illustrator John Shroades. The story is humorous, the illustrations evocative of Western movies, yet brightly colored. You might want to brush up on your pronunciation of dinosaur's Latin names before reading, but be sure share it with your cowboy and dinosaur enthusiasts.

6. Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

From small to larger, animals get out of the way of those higher up on the food chain. The illustrations are simple, but big and colorful, making this an excellent storytime choice. The text is simple, too, with short words and a lot of rhymes so early readers can participate or read along, especially with the use of the repetitive "JUMP!" on every other page. 4.5 stars.

Just for fun, there's also a YouTube video to go along with it: http://fischart.com/KidsMusic.html

7. Gumption! by Elise Broach, illustrate by Richard Egielski

Peter's Uncle Nigel takes him to Africa on an expedition to find the Zimbobo Mountain Gorilla. Whenever Peter gets discouraged or tired, Uncle Nigel tells him he just needs some gumption...but the illustrations enhance the story by showing what Peter notices and Uncle Nigel does not. All of the illustrations by Caldecott-winning artist Richard Egielski are in a rectangular area, sometimes using panels on pages with less text, but often taking up only about two thirds of the page while the rest is text on a white background. Vines around the edge and some of the illustration coming out of the rectangle add to the safari look. They are brightly colored, using ink, pens and watercolor. Some of the smaller details in illustrations may make this a tough one for a large storytime, but I would read it to a child or two who would catch on to how smart Peter is. Even though Uncle Nigel can be a little clueless, it's fun to see a relationship between a boy and adult role model portrayed in a story. 4 stars.

8. Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer, illustrated by Alex T. Smith

By day, Eliot is quiet. But by night, he is a superhero! The police, the queen, and the coast guard all call upon him for help. As an expert lion tamer, swimmer, and jet flier, he will save the day - er, night - when a giant meteor threatens earth. Whether you take this literally or as a child's daydreams, it's a cute little book with child-like illustrations. Eliot's hair and cape, for example, are scribbles, and a lot of lines and other simple patterns fill in mountain rocks and city windows in the mixed media illustrations. This is probably a little too young for my 5-8-year-old storytime crowd, but it's one I would recommend for younger children. 3 stars.

Edited for clarity.

Mary, if you haven't already, you may want to check out Jim Trelease's The Read Aloud Handbook, which recommends books to read to children of all ages.

Thanks, Stasia, I'll check it out. :)

Oh how I love this thread. What wonderful books and recommendations

Thanks, Linda! Glad you stopped by. If you have any recommendations for favorite picture books, be sure to shout 'em out. So far I have asked the library pages for recommendations and blindly grabbed from the shelves!

Some of my favorite picture book authors are Kevin Henkes, Steven Kellogg, and Mo Willems. Some newer titles I'd recommend are The Curious Garden, Otis, All the World, and Library Lion. I'll also throw in a recommendation for Officer Buckle and Gloria, one of my very favorites (though it's been around for a while so you may already know of it).

This is a great idea for a challenge -- good luck!

>16 foggidawn: I'll have fun reading through some of your recommendations. Thanks, foggidawn!

Just a note about the next bunch - You may notice I'll be reading some books with common themes - I'm starting to prepare my storytime planning, and have decided "back to school" and "pirates" will be the first two weeks...so when you see me reading a bunch of pirate-y things, now you know why. :) Not sure when I'll start, but hopefully by the end of this week I'll have a few completed.

Elise Broach has also written a lovely story called When Dinosaurs Came With Everything - we had it out of the library and then I found it for £1 on a bargain bookstall.

>18 elkiedee: That looks really cute! I'll make a note of it. "Dinosaurs" is one of the themes I want to do for storytime one of these days.

So much for pirates and school reads. I did breeze through them, but I did it at work so all I really did was browse through to find what I wanted for storytime, and didn't really put enough thoughts together for reviews. But I Love My Pirate Papa and If You Take a Mouse to School stand out as really cute ones.

9. Chowder and
10. The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder by Peter Brown

"Chowder has always been different," proclaims the first book about Chowder, the bulldog who pretty much thinks he's human. He doesn't fit in with the other dogs in the neighborhood, but when a Critter Corral is added to the local supermarket, he sees an opportunity to make some friends.

The illustrations are acrylic and pencil on board, with simple lines and bold colors. They are humorous, though, and you need to pay attention to how they continue the story - just what are those things Chowder does that make him "different"?

The second book is equally hilarious. This time, the lovably quirky dog decides to enter Fabu Pooch Boot Camp. He feels a little out of the loop among all these fabulous pooches, until he discovers his own unique talent.

Edited to correct spelling.

11. The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out (Big Time) by Troy Cummings

The eensy weensy spider climbed up the water spout - but this time, when she gets washed out, she refused to ever climb again! Her friend the ladybug encourages her to start small and face her fears. This story about overcoming fear is hopeful and humorous and playful. The layout sometimes plays with conventions, such as the double-page spread using only speech bubbles for text on the page. The details of the illustrations, in particular, the dotted line showing the spider's increasingly high climbing make this story more appropriate for sharing with one or two listeners rather than a larger Storytime setting.

12. Night Lights by Susan Gal

This nearly wordless story shows one girl's evening, from arriving home to going to bed, all in the soft glow of various lights. The illustrations are charcoal on paper and digital collage, with dark backgrounds and the use of light and shadows making the girl, her mother, and dog the focal points of every page. I would read this to toddlers or preschoolers, taking time to point out what's going on in each picture and asking questions, particularly since the words are minimal and non-narrative.

13. Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't) by Barbara Bottner, illustrated by Michael Emberley

A first-grader can't understand her librarian's enthusiasm for reading until she discovers a book that she enjoys.

Given the age of the protagonist, this is exactly right for my Storytime age group (K-3). The watercolor illustrations (actually, it's more complicated than that, but the end result looks like watercolor) include humorous details and convey Missy's reluctance to pay attention to her librarian's enthusiastic Storytime. I loved the details of the librarian's costumes, which avid readers will recognize from well-loved children's classics, and her hairstyles. I also enjoyed what gets Missy to read - a book about a subject that would leave some folks scratching their heads, but which her librarian seems to be embracing by finding her more stories in the end.

14. Stars Above Us by Geoffrey Norman, illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Amanda is afraid of the dark, but her father brings her outside and shows her the fireflies and stars to calm her fears. Before he leaves for military service, he decorates her room with stars and tells her to think of him when she sees the North Star.

As a fairly gentle read - no details of military service, where her father went, or how long he was gone are told in the story - this is a fairly young book, perhaps good for preschool to second grade. While I thought having the two themes of fear of the dark and a parent going away could have been blended better, the watercolor illustrations are absolutely lovely, and a young child going through either of these issues would appreciate the reassurance the story gives.

15. Wag! by Patrick McDonnell

What makes Earl's tail wag? This simple tale has a repetitiveness that young children will enjoy, varying between a list of when Earl's tail wags to the cat, Mooch, trying to remember what it is. Any parent or teacher who has seen a child's hand shoot up to answer a question only to answer, "I forget" will laugh at Mooch's responses throughout. Recommended for ages 3-6.

I have a four year old son, and I love this thread. You are saving my local librarian from the endless "What should I read my four year old?" question you mention in your first post. So far I've added the Berkeley Breathed, The Dinosaur Tamer and Stars Above Us to Jack's wishlist for his October birthday.

For what it is worth, besides Dinosaur encyclopedias, in our house we LOVE Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka. Silly deliciousness.

Hi Mary, I'm glowing green with jealousy! Your job sounds wonderful and enriching. The little ones and their parents must be very happy to have a librarian who is involved and bringing new ideas to your workplace. I wish I would have chosen a career such as yours.

>26 nancyewhite: Nancy, well, it is a tough question and one I figured I'd better be prepared to answer! :) Thanks for the recommendation, I've made a note of Cowboy and Octopus. The only Jon Scieszka book I've read is The Stinky Cheeseman, which is unfortunately too long for Storytime purposes but was a great favorite with a couple of elementary-school-age kids I babysat for.

>27 Carmenere: Lynda, it is great fun! And I get a good balance, too, working part-time in the children's room and part-time in adult reference at another library. Basically, this makes everything I read on my personal time potential "professional development." (How's that for justifying my free time use?)

16. Chester and
17. Chester's Back by Melanie Watt

Instead of straightforward storytelling, these picture books have the author and Chester fighting over what the story should be, with Chester the cat rendering his comments and changes in red marker. You get a real sense of character in the two voices, which are different in color, font, and tone. The illustrations are done in watercolor and pencil and add a lot to the humor. Even the jacket flap is entertaining as a part of the story in its own right.

18. An Apple Pie for Dinner retold by Susan VanHecke, illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee

I came across this when looking for apple-themed books for storytime. Though it's more about trade, and it's a retelling of an old tale, I may use it anyways because of the illustrations. They look like claymation, with bits of fabric and clay and amazing detail. The note in the back from the illustrator explains further: "I created the artwork from lots of things, including fabric scraps sewn into clothing, embroidery, baked polymer clay, pipe cleaners, pieces of wood, and interesting things rescued from the trash and bought at rummage sales." The details are amazing. The story is a common one of barter, needing one item and going to one person after another trading until the old woman finally gets what she needs - apples. Though I haven't heard this version before, it reminded me a lot of the Fox Story that I had to learn in ASL class years ago. I'll be keeping it in the back of my mind for Storytime, but it could appeal to younger kids too.

19. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Because every four- and five-year-old who walked into the library and saw the poster for the upcoming 3rd Knuffle Bunny story pretty much went gaga over it and wanted to know if they could get the book now, I figured this was pretty much obligatory reading.

Little Trixie is just a toddler and doesn't speak yet. Her father brings her to the laundromat, and when Trixie misplaces Knuffle Bunny, the walk back to the house is miserable, to say the least. I loved how a humorous, true-to-life situation was conveyed in so few words. Trixie tries so hard to communicate what's wrong and can't, while her father doesn't really know what to do and tries his best to get her home while she wails. The illustrations are a mix of photographs and drawings. The backgrounds - buildings, sidewalks, trees, etc. - are sepia-toned, leaving the colorful, drawn people and animals (living and stuffed) the focal points of each image. If you know a toddler, share this one with them.

Oh...and it was a Caldecott Honor book in 2005.

20. Math Curse written by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

I picked this book up because 1. it's the go-to book whenever someone asks about math and 2. it's by Jon Scieszka, who wrote the hilarious The Stinky Cheese Man and other fairly stupid tales and I'd been meaning to read more by him.

In this tale, our protagonist, drawn in a gender-neutral fashion, learns from the math teacher that just about anything could be a math problem. Cursed in this fashion, the child goes through the day seeing math everywhere - subtraction, division, fractions and more, in getting ready for school, dividing up lunch, and just about every aspect of the day. This could be purely a teaching tool, but the humor in some of the non-math questions and the collage-like illustrations filled with numbers, graphs, and expressive faces keep the story fun. One could spend some time on each math problem presented, or skip them to enjoy the story for face value. For the curious, the answers to each problem are on the back of the book. The level of math makes this most appropriate for elementary age kids.

So now I have determined that 1. I need to read even more books by Jon Scieszka and 2. this is a great go-to book when teachers come in looking for a book that teaches math.

Edited to add illustrator information

21. Cowboy and Octopus written by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

Recommended by nancyewhite (above). Thanks!

In a bizarre way, this book reminds me of Frog and Toad (from Frog and Toad All Year et al.) turned on their heads. Every couple of pages starts a new "story," but it sort of starts and stalls in a similar way to some of the stories in The Stinky Cheese Man. It's funny, though, in a really goofy way that many preschoolers would enjoy. The illustrations are mixed media and make a collage effect similar to Math Curse.

22. Snow! Snow! Snow! written and illustrated by Lee Harper

After snow falls, a group of dogs go sledding. The watercolor illustrations, infused with white and blue, really add to the text, with a sense of how big the hill is and what it feels like to swoop through the air on a sled. The text is short and basic, making this appropriate for younger children who will probably ask "Again! Again!" just like the dogs who want to go back up the hill for more sledding.

Mary, be sure and check out Scieszka's Time Warp Trio series too. The first book is The Knights of the Kitchen Table.

Thanks, Stasia. I'll definitely make a note of it.

#36: I hope you enjoy it when you get to it. I thought it was great fun, especially for younger readers.

I pretty much haven't updated this since Storytime started, but I've still been reading picture books. I'll post some updates sometime over the long weekend, maybe.

Love that qualifier 'maybe', Mary!

>39 alcottacre: Keeps me honest, and operates on the same principle as New Year's Resolutions: I don't make them 'cause I won't keep them. :)

23. Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley

A boy and a girl have a school project to tell a story, but they can't agree on how it should go. The girl has a story about a princess, the boy about a cool motorcycle dude, and somehow, they make it come together in a funny tale. Three illustrators work together to give a different look to the two children, the girl telling the story, and the boy telling the story. I assume each of them drew or painted one of those three, as the illustrations give a different feel to each part, the cartoon-like children being the "real" part, and each of the painted stories suiting the narrative visually. This would make a fun read-aloud if I have a unit on stories, storytelling, or fairy tales.

First storytime - School

24. If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
A cute story about what a mouse would do at school, though the actions mimic what would happen to a child at school, too, such as drawing, reading, having lunch, etc. Great read for kindergarteners who don't want the more dry "when you go to school" type story.

25. Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School? by Barney Saltzberg
Probably the intended age for this book is a little younger than my older Stretchers group (I have 5-8-year-olds), but the words are in large font and tend to be one or two syllables. I introduced it with the note that the really long word was "Cornelius." The mother pig keeps asking Cornelius getting-ready questions like "Did you eat breakfast?" or "Did you put your clothes on?" While Cornelius' answers are technically true, the illustrations convey more information like the ridiculous food that Cornelius ate and what he put his clothes on, which helped this book not be too young because it meant the better readers could get more out of the story.

26. I Hate School by Jeanne Willis
OK, this one was maybe a little subversive, but it sure made the boys pay attention when they'd about had it at the end of the hour! A little girl complains about how awful school is, but when it comes time to leave, she doesn't want to. I had to pause from time to time when I saw some of the kids were taking the events far too literally (descriptions of punishments, for example), and asked, "Do you think that really happened?" or dressed it up with a goofy voice so they read more humor into it. I'd recommend that parents read it first just to make sure a more sensitive child wouldn't be horrified. It's really funny, but some children wouldn't "get" the humor (I probably wouldn't have when I was young!).

Second storytime - Pirates

I started out asking the kids if they knew what September 19th was. They guessed my birthday. Oh well, I gave them something fun when I said "Talk Like a Pirate Day" - I wonder if any of them will remember next year?

27. I Love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck
A boy talks about all the things he does with his father the pirate, ending on a sweet note when his father puts him to bed telling his son that he is the greatest treasure he's ever had.

28. Captain and Matey Set Sail by Daniel Laurence
Do you know it was really hard to find an Easy Reader on pirates? We only read the first of four stories about how Captain and Matey bought a parrot and discovered his name.

29. Pirates, Ho! by Sarah L. Thomson
The rhythm of the narrative made this a great read-aloud with rhyming and an ending refrain on almost every page of "We are pirates, pirates, ho!" A bunch of ne'er-do-wells tell of their adventures, but freak themselves out by telling ghost stories at night.

Yes, I have a pattern of ending on the funny ones...

Third storytime - Autumn

I planned a particular set of stories in advance, and had to backtrack when the books I'd planned on were checked out already. (Oops!) It worked out well, though, because I'd been reading some shorter stories not realizing how quickly the stories and crafts were going, and I was able to substitute some books that I'd earlier rejected as too long.

30. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
A young fox gets worried when his favorite tree starts losing its leaves. For younger kids, it might be a nice way of reassuring them about the changing seasons. My older kids may have been able to appreciate it in a different way since they knew what was going on, that it was natural for the leaves to change and fall.

31. Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall
We read this one together, and it worked out well for that. The sentences were short and the story covered things kids love to do in the fall without feeling too simple for the older kids. The illustrations were big and bold and full of reds, oranges, and yellows. I was also rather encouraged by this choice since one of the kids asked me for it when the storytime was over and took it home!

32. The Scarecrow's Hat by Ken Brown
Chicken wants the scarecrow's hat, and the scarecrow wants a walking stick, so the chicken goes to various people to trade for things. A variation on a very common storytelling advice, of course. Repetitive and fun read aloud that one of the kids told me they read at school.

Penultimate storytime (yes, I just wanted to say that instead of second-to-last) - Apples

Another one with last-minute changes that worked out well.

An Apple Pie for Dinner by Susan VanHecke
Fortunately I'd read this one already (here's the review, in message 30 above). I read two barter books in a row, but oh well. It added some continuity, right? :)

33. The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
I just really liked her books for reading together. The illustrations are big and bold and very autumn-themed, the words and sentences are short but the story has enough information not to feel like it's talking down to the older kids reading it. (At least, that was my hope, and I didn't get any complaining!)

34. Apple Cider Making Days by Ann Purmell
A family works together in the apple orchards to pick apples, separate them, and make apple cider. The story tells step-by-step how cider is made, and includes lists of cider facts at the end. I chose this one because it had some flexibility in how quickly or slowly I wanted to read it. I had enough time at the end to point out the different types of apples when they're separated and to read each fact about cider. This could definitely work with a wide age range, and doesn't talk down to kids at all (I was a little surprised by the level of vocabulary!).

35. Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems

In the sequel to Knuffle Bunny, Trixie is now old enough to talk and is going off to school. She brings Knuffle Bunny along with her, and what does she find? Another girl appears to have the same bunny! The horror! As humorous and true-to-life as the first book.

It reminded me of the story my mom tells when I was in kindergarten and always came home to complain about this one particular girl, but when my mom went to a parent-teacher conference, my teacher said, "Oh no, they're good friends!"

36. The Last Train by Gordon Titcomb

Based on a song by the author, the story has absolutely lovely, evocative, painted illustrations! The narrative flows in just such a way that makes me want to use it in storytime regardless of the fact that the library where I work in the children's room doesn't have the book.

I think I'm just a sucker for rhyming stories with brilliant illustrations...

37. Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett Krosoczka

When Farmer Joe leaves, his farm animals go on tour with their rock van and their new hit song. I read this to kindergarteners and first graders yesterday, and I daresay much of the humor went over their heads, but it sure was fun to read! They have Goat, who sounds a little like a 60s rocker, and Pig (whom Sheep is always trying to keep in line) living the high life. And, of course, the hit song: a variant of "the wheels on the bus," each verse spread over a few gigs and ending climactically with a "Peace out, Colorado!" Yeah, definitely over the kids' heads but just plain fun.

#40: My New Year's Resolution is the same every year: I resolve not to make any resolutions.

My boys really loved (actually the 3 year old still does) the Toot and Puddle books, Zin, Zin, Zin a Violin And The Musicians of Bremen the Niroot Puttapipat version among others. And of course they loved all the Maurice Sendak and Shel silverstein books as well.

>49 alcottacre: LOL, I like that resolution. :)

>50 yolana: I haven't read any of those yet, yolana, I'll put them on the list. Thanks!

Mary - Thanks for so many good recommendations! I've put a ton of them on our library list. My 6 yr old will love these.

By the way, we just read Knuffle Bunny Free. I loved it even more than the first two!

>52 porch_reader: You're welcome, I hope you both enjoy them! Oooh...good to hear about Knuffle Bunny Free! There have been holds on it, so I was letting the kids read it first but it's definitely one I want to get to soon. :)

*smooch*

*smooch* back. I'm surprised you're on my picture book thread of all places. Here's where I'm talking about big-girl books. :)

Oh my, what a bit of catchup I have to do! Well, here goes:

38. An Undone Fairy Tale by Ian Lendler

Once upon a time there was a princess who was trapped at the top of the tower....you think you know where this story is going, don't you? Think again - because this fairy tale is a work-in-progress, and you're reading too fast. This reminded me a lot of The Monster at the End of this Book, and it got a good response from my Storytime bunch. I would ask them if they thought I should stop reading, and was a little surprised when one or two responded, "Yes!"

39. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

I read this for the first time awhile back, and reread it for my storytime on fairy tales. This is the story of the 3 little pigs - as told by the wolf. He was framed, you see, as all he was trying to do was borrow some sugar. Is it really his fault he had a head cold that made him sneeze? Read the story (and the illustrations!) to see if you buy his story.

40. Jingle the Brass by Patricia Newman

An older man uses train lingo to show a young boy around the yard. This book is chock full of factual information and a glossary that those kids interested in the subject would eat up.

Here was my batch for the Thanksgiving-themed Storytime:

41. The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli
Abigail's family has a perfect Thanksgiving while our young protagonist - who tells us the story - decidedly does not. But this humorous compare and contrast ends without criticism but with a celebration of the differences families can have in celebrating the holiday. A couple of turkeys - one looking very perfectly turkey-like and the other a colored hand with feathers - add commentary to the story.

42. Why We Have Thanksgiving by Margaret Hillert
My originally plan was to read a chapter of Thanksgiving Beast Feast, but the group of kids I had this Storytime were not strong readers, so I switched it. I was surprised at how very basic this story was about the Pilgrims and the American Indians showing them how to survive in the New World. There are very short sentences and lots of repetition good for early readers, but it's a poor explanation of the origins of the holiday and really needs an adult to add the meat of the story.

43. The Most Thankful Thing by Lisa McCourt
When a young girl sees her mom sitting still, she asks what she's doing. "Thinking about all the things I'm thankful for," her mom responds. The girl proceeds to look through her mother's scrapbook, trying to guess what her mother is most thankful for. Not strictly Thanksgiving, but a really sweet story to share with kids. I loved how the pages of the scrapbook are part of the illustrations, showing all the past experiences of the mother.

I usually read a funny story last, but this time I had a particular craft in mind that was partly based on the illustrations of The Perfect Thanksgiving. I had an Ellison die cut of a turkey and had the kids trace their hands to make a second turkey, using both to create a card illustrated with the things they are thankful for. This was a little more free-form than what I usually do, but it was a ton of fun to see what the kids did, and the little differences that they incorporated in their cards.

Theme: Dogs

44. The Adventures of Taxi Dog by Debra and Sal Barracca
Recommended by mamzel in #3 above - thank you!

A dog who drives in a taxi tells his story in rhyme. He was adopted by a taxi driver and has adventures taking various people around the city - including an opera singer and clowns. The illustrations are bright with strong lines, generally bordered separate from the words which are on a blue background.

45. Go, Dog, Go by P.D. Eastman was my ER choice. We all read it aloud, and it was rather longer than I expected. I liked that it used mainly simple words that a lot of the kids knew, used repetition, and was fun rather than a utilitarian story.

46. No Dogs Here by Kathryn Hewitt
Dogs aren't allowed in so many places... A few of them wonder why, and come up with a brilliant answer: it must be the clothes! When their owners leave, three dogs dress up and go out to those places they haven't been allowed, at least until they get caught!

47. The Fiddler of the Northern Lights by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Henry and his family live in the north. His grandfather tells stories about rabbits that dance at the full moon and a fiddler whose playing brings out the Northern Lights. Henry's brother and sister and mother say it's just a story, but is it? One night a visitor shows up at his home, along with his fiddle. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and even though it's a long story it kept the attention of my Storytime kids throughout.

48. Twelve Days of Winter by Deborah Lee Rose

You know the twelve days of Christmas...well, here are the twelve days of winter, with things that "my teacher" gave to me. The illustrations add to the humor. I read it fast because we were running out of time, but if you go slower, you can take the time to look for all the various things that the teacher is giving the students in the double-page spreads.

Alright, that's it for my Storytime reads this session! I skipped the books that I had already reviewed and used in my themes (trains, winter).

49. Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming

This is an oh-so-adorable story about all different animals going to bed, ending with "my baby." Short, repetitive sentences and lovely pained illustrations make this a great bedtime story for baby and toddlers.

50. The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket

In much the same narrative voice of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Daniel Handler presents a different sort of Christmas story. This is the story of a lump of coal who wants a miracle. What he gets is...well, if not a miracle, a happy ending. I thought it was hilarious, but I doubt that many really young kids would get the humor. A good one to give to bright readers in kindergarten and early elementary school.

51. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

This is one of my new favorite books. No, really. I love this book. I needed a book for a Lego program, and I try to find a story that has something to do with building, something that I can tie in to a challenge that I give the kids to take (or not) when they build their creations. This is based on the true story of Philippe Petit who sneaked some cables up the Twin Towers in New York and danced across the wire one summer day. The illustrations are stunning, sometimes even dizzying when they present Petit's point of view from atop the towers. Though very few of the kids took me up on the challenge to build a tower, the story itself got a great response, including a few kids covering their eyes and peeking over their hands.

Oops, forgot one.

52. Punk Farm by Jarrett Krosoczka

In a similar vein to Punk Farm on Tour (though I'm pretty sure this one came first), the barnyard gets rowdy when the farmer's away. This time, when he goes to bed the animals practice their hit song, "Old MacDonald." A fun read-aloud - I had the kids sing along with me, though it was a little hard because instead of animal sounds you have the sounds of the instruments each animal plays.

53. Otto: The Autobiography of a Teddy Bear by Tomi Ungerer

This picture book came with a starred review, but I had a hard time with it. It's a look at World War 2 through the eyes of a teddy bear, belonging to a small boy whose family is taken away to the concentration camps. The professional reviewer found it an excellent way to introduce the Holocaust to younger children, but I thought the rather dark subject matter and the illustrations too unflinching from violence to be appropriate for younger children. The translation makes for stilted narrative at times, the watercolor illustrations soften some aspects of the story, and seeing it through the bear's eyes allow for a happy, albeit unlikely, ending.

54. Principal Fred Won't Go to Bed by Carolyn Crimi

In a funny spin on the age-old difficulty of getting children to sleep without that special cuddly something, Principal Fred terrorizes his family by not going to bed until they can find his teddy bear. The sentences are short, rhyming couplets that add to the humor.

55. Sisters by David McPhail

This may be an old (c. 1984) picture book, but it hasn't lost its charm. This is the story about two sisters, showing how they are different ("One sister was crazy about frogs...the other wasn't.") and alike ("And a pile of leaves was never safe with those sisters around.). The delightful pen-and-ink illustrations extend the story further showing, for example, more details than the simple sentence structure gives in its compare/contrast. The smaller size of the book makes it perfect for sharing with your favorite duo rather than a large group.

56. The Boys by Jeff Newman

This nearly-wordless picture book has only days of the week written out. The rest of the story is told in the gouache and ink illustrations. Newman uses bright swaths of color to set the scene - quick boxes for city buildings and swirls of green for trees - while leaving detail for the characters in the story. A young boy wants to play baseball, but can't bring himself to join in. So he sits with a bunch of old timers until they coax him out of his shell. This story put a smile on my face.

57. The Elevator Man by Stanley Trachtenberg, illustrated by Paul Cox

Nathan lives on the fifth floor with his parents, and he's good friends with the Elevator Man, who opens the gate for them and cranks the elevator up and down the floors. Then, the elevator is closed for maintenance. What will become of the Elevator Man? The illustrations appear to be watercolor and are rather busy, which is quite evocative of the city but a little too much for me. One spread I really enjoyed showed the cutaway of the hotel, where you could see all five floors of people waiting for the elevator. This was a cute story, and a bit of a nice sentimental look on the past while still showing that change can be OK.

58. Here Comes the Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Red Nose Studio

Based on a true story, Here Comes the Garbage Barge! recounts how several people of Islip on Long Island had outgrown their landfills and decided to ship the garbage away on a barge. The only problem? No one wanted it! This picture book, with its wonderful mixed media illustrations and clay people, gets its point across humorously.

The author admittedly simplified some things, as per his note in the beginning, so now I kind of want to look for more information...

59. Here Comes the Bride by Beatrice Manini, illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone

A very silly story about a woman who made wedding dresses for everyone. She has so many ideas for what she could make for her own wedding dress that when it is finally her turn to be married, she goes a little overboard...

This is a translation of Una sposa buffa, buffissima, bellissima. The illustrations are fun and whimsical, often looking like sewing patterns, with red outlines and cut lines marked throughout. I think a lot of kids would laugh at the ridiculousness of it while picking up on the message that it's who you are that counts.

60. Pemba Sherpa by Olga Cossi, illustrated by Gary Bernard

Sherpas are known for guiding climbers up Mt. Everest. Once upon a time, no one thought girls could be sherpas. This is the story of one young girl who, at age seven, wanted to be a sherpa. Her older brother, who is telling this story as an old man, didn't think she could, until he gets in a scrape himself and sees her courage and strength. The words of the story are on every other page. Rather than being integrated with the illustrations, the opposite page has a framed watercolor illustration in muted, earthy tones of brown, green and orange. The page with the words has another illustration, a detail of the opposing page, ever-so-lightly showing behind the words.

61. Stand Straight, Ella Kate by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

Another story on the theme of standing proud and being yourself, this one is the fictionalized biography of Ella Kate Ewing, a woman with gigantism who stood over 8 feet tall and wore a size 24 shoe. Though shy and embarrassed when her height was made fun of as a child, she eventually worked for a circus and became financially independent in a time when it was very unusual for a woman to do so. I thought the author's note added a good historical touch without being over the head of children, and loved the notes in the front and back end papers, especially the actual size examples of Ella's shoe and glove.

Well, I may not quite have hit 75 for the year, but I'm really happy with all the picture book reading I've managed to incorporate for the second half of 2010. I expect I'll continue reading them but probably use my main thread to comment on them. Here's my first 2011 thread - hope to see you there!