October 2018

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Written and illustrated by Bill Peet
“I wish there was something more exciting to do. I’d like to have some fun for a change.”

Cyrus, an enormous sea serpent, is feeling bored and discontented. Can’t most children relate to this feeling? Then he is taunted by a shark for his mild personality and is challenged to give way to his destructive side. Aren’t we often faced with others who take advantage of our feelings to encourage negative behavior? At first Cyrus succumbs to this shaming; however, once he sees the people who will be impacted by this disastrous choice, he has a change of heart. Cyrus uses his power to help the powerless.

Readers can’t help but sympathize with Cyrus and wonder what choices he will make. In a culture that praises and elevates the powerful, this simple children’s book demonstrates the responsibility of the powerful to protect the weak. Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent is one of many Bill Peet books that have great illustrations with humorous and relatable stories that appeal to virtuous choices.

Bill Peet (1915-2002) is one of my favorite children’s authors. He is the author-illustrator of 34 children’s books all of which are still in print. Additionally, he was also an illustrator for Disney for 27 years, working on several of their classic animated movies. Each book bears his signature-style of colored-pencil illustrations. His books feature animals as main characters who often face overwhelming circumstances in which they have a choice to make. Some of our other favorite Bill Peet books are Kermit the Hermit, The Wump World, The Caboose who Got Loose, and The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock.

Remember, when you enter Amazon through this link and make a purchase, a portion of the sales will be donated to Book Drive for Kids. Thank you for your support.

Franklin is Lost
By Paulette Bourgeois
Illustrated by  Brenda Clark

“Franklin could slide down a river bank. He could count forwards and backwards. He could zip zippers and button buttons. He could walk to Bear’s house all by himself. But Franklin was not allowed to go into the woods alone.”

It’s not often that a book and televised series can consistently deliver relevant stories that engage children. Franklin the Turtle series is an exception. In over twenty picture books, Franklin encounters situations that most young children experience – going to school, riding a bike, getting a pet, and various friendship conflicts. The beautiful illustrations draw children into Franklin’s world.

In Franklin is Lost, he gets caught up in playing Hide and Seek with his friends and ventures into the woods alone, which is against his family rules. It turns out that his parents had this rule for a good reason, Franklin gets lost! The story continues demonstrating how breaking this simple rule impacts Franklin, his parents, and his friends.

Franklin is Lost shows natural consequences for behavior as well as unconditional love and forgiveness. Through Franklin’s experiences, children see that making mistakes or experiencing doubt or fear is a normal part of growing up. Franklin models how to ask forgiveness and learn from difficult situations. The Franklin series, both picture books and animated televised programs, are appealing in every way!

The Umbrella
Written & illustrated by Jan Brett
“Hey, little Carlos, where are you going with that umbrella?”

The Umbrella is a story about Carlos’ walk into the cloud forest of Costa Rica with his umbrella made from banana tree leaves. He is in search of the beautiful animals who live in this tropical rainforest – the toucan, jaguar, kinkajou, tapir, and the quetzal, one of the world’s most beautiful birds. He doesn’t readily see animal near the ground so he decides to go for a climb. Perhaps, he should have stayed on the ground!

The Umbrella transports us to the Costa Rican Rain Forest. In the beautiful illustrations, our eyes behold the magnificent colors of both plant and animal life. With the story itself, we “hear” the animals talk and the occasional use of a Spanish word introduces young children to this Latin American language and culture.  

Jan Brett has over forty-one million books in print. She is one of my favorite author-illustrators because her illustrations are exquisite and a feast for the eyes. Additionally, she places small border pictures which give clues to what will happen when the page turns. These hints spark a child’s imagination and interaction with the book. Often her stories are humorous and demonstrate the struggles of human interactions with animals, who have a mind and nature of their own. While many of Jan Brett’s books focus on European fairy tales or stories in far away snowy lands, The Umbrella was her first book set in Central America.  Visit the Jan Brett website to find fun games and printables related to her books.

Remember, when you enter Amazon through this link and make a purchase, a portion of the sales will be donated to Book Drive for Kids. Thank you for your support.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift
Written by Jeff Brumbeau
Illustrated by Gail de Marcken

“Some said there was magic in her fingers. Some whispered that her needles and cloth were gifts of the bewitched. And still others said the quilts really fell to earth from the shoulders of passing angels.”

The Quiltmaker’s Gift is a modern day fable extolling the virtue of generosity and demonstrating how a greedy heart can be transformed. The quiltmaker only sews her beautiful quilts for the poor and needy. When a greedy king demands one of these exquisite quilts, a showdown ensues. Watch how a commitment to purpose transforms a kingdom.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift is both a delight to the eyes and ears! The beautiful illustrations feature various quilt patterns, outdoor scenes, as well as expressive characters. In addition to reading this book, readers could play “I Spy” throughout because of number of beautiful objects used to communicate the story. The illustrations only enhance the written words, which utilize strong describing words like “swoop”, “pierce”, and “muttered”. Children will find themselves amazed at the extravagance of the king and the determination of the quiltmaker.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift is one of my favorite picture books because it has the perfect trifecta: an engaging story,  beautiful illustrations, and an underlying character lesson communicated in a non-preachy way. Enjoy the same beautiful illustrations and writing in the prequel, The Quiltmaker’s Journey.  

Remember, when you enter Amazon through this link and make a purchase, a portion of the sales will be donated to Book Drive for Kids. Thank you for your support.