Can you believe there are only 38 days until Christmas?
I love Christmas so much and this year it’s even more fun because I have a blog where I can share books that would be perfect for….GIFTS!
I might be biased, but books are the best gifts 🙂
If you want to give your child the world, give them a book.
Is that an exaggeration? I think not.
I will be sharing lots of books leading into the gift-giving season and some books in particular that make good gifts (collector’s editions, activity books, etc.)
And today I have three new picture books to share with you. They are all fun but two of them are simply outstanding!
Happy Reading!
Also An Octopus (2016, Candlewick Press, Picture Book)
Every story starts with the same thing….nothing. But a story about nothing isn’t very interesting. A story can be about anything and what happens next is up to you!
In, Also An Octopus, written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Benji Davies, an Octopus plays a ukulele and attempts to build a rocket ship, but that is not really what this story is about. This story is about writing and creating tales of your own. Breaking down the mechanics of writing a story through the adventure of an octopus, is a fantastically fun way to spark imagination and creativity in children (and adults). While this is a great book to share with children who may struggle with creating stories, this is also an instructive text for older children, teens, and even adults who might overthink the writing process. This whimsical book reminds us that stories can be about anything if you follow some basic guidelines, and that every story starts from something we all have…nothing.
Highly recommended for children of all ages and others who enjoy writing.
5 stars to start your next story
We Found A Hat (2016, Candlewick Press, Picture Book)
When two turtles find a hat they must try it on. The hat looks good on both of them, but there is only one hat. What is a turtle to do?
We Found A Hat, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen, is the third in his trilogy of picture books about animals with hats. Having not read the others, it can only be assumed they are as fantastic and funny as this book. With sparse text and expressive illustrations, We Found A Hat tells a surprisingly powerful story of friendship and sharing. Funny and clever, this book is everything a reader wants from a picture book, and made this reviewer laugh out loud. While the comedic value may be too subtle for very young readers, older readers and adults will enjoy this tale of two turtles.
Highly recommended for children and adults of all ages.
5 stars to put on your hat…or to share with all your friends.
The Bear Who Wasn’t There (2016, Roaring Brook Press, Picture Book)
Bear is missing! He’s supposed to be in this book, but no one has seen him. Will he ever show up? All the animals join in to help search for Bear.
The Bear Who Wasn’t There, written and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a playful text about a character who is missing from the book. This book is supposed to be about a bear, but he is nowhere to be found. With a cynical duck narrator, the book proceeds to scour a new location with each page turn, as duck searches for bear but finds every other animal instead. This format of storytelling has been done before, but it is still fun and children will love the style. With comedic illustrations and lots of dialogue bubbles, children will enjoy reading through this book on their own, and it is sure to get lots of giggles.
Recommended for children ages 5 to 8.
4 stars to whoever finds the bear.
Thank you to Candlewick Press and Roaring Brook Press for copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.
Three Show Saturday 