Books To Read » picture book

I Don’t Want a Cool Cat By Emma Dodd

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:49:14 +0000

The lovely rhyming text and delightful illustrations have sent us off to the library to get some of her other books including I don’t want a posh dog

Auckland Libraries link here

How Much is A Million? By Steven Kellogg

admin — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:55:32 +0000

I’m having trouble with trillions, a word which is increasingly appearing in the news after the credit crunch. A billion dollars seems hard to understand! A billion seconds ago it was 1959! Watch this to begin to grasp how big these numbers are. The NZ government ( at the time of this post) is borrowing $200 million a week, that is the amount of money to build one hospital, every week.

The world economy is a heavy topic but this book isn’t heavy: It is great fun! It teaches children what a million is, and I think does in a very clever, creative way.

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it Fishpond.

Just How Long Can a Long String Be?! By Keith Baker

admin — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:00:21 +0000

I was delighted to find a new book and author we have not read before that we really liked.
Keith Baker has written and illustrated thirteen picture books, this is the first that we have read. We are planning to explore his other books.
“Just how long can a long string?!” be is the question an ant asks a bird. Then we are taken on journey through the many uses for a piece of string: to tug a balloon, wrap a box, hang a picture…The answer is, it all depends on what it is being used for.

On suggestion from a reviewer on Amazon is to read this with Ezra Jack Keats’s Jennie’s Hat for a fine spring storytime.

Here is the link for the books at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from Fishpond

Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:29:36 +0000

Ezra Jack Keats is another author that remains on our favourite list. We have enjoyed Peter’s Chair, Whistle for Willie, Jennie’s Hat, The Little Drummer Boy and The Snowy Day.

Here is the link for the books at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from Fishpond

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale By DEMI

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:19:39 +0000

” A reward of one grain of rice doubles day by day into millions of grains of rice when selfish raja is outwitted by a clever village girl.” This beautifully illustrated book, gives an opportunity to learn a little Indian culture and artwork (perhaps take the time to locate India on your world map) and also a lovely way to understand to the power of 2: maths, geography, culture and literature all in one picture book.

link in the Auckland libraries catalogue

link in the NZ National Library catalogue

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:54:38 +0000

This lovely book to share, invites us to cuddled up together, before bedtime, to help settled down all those wiggles.

I think the reason this book has grown in popularity over the years is it invites a parent and child to find things in the child’s room to which they can say goodnight. A lovely way for a child who is beginning to learn to speak to interact with a book. When they get a little older and becomes goodnight ceiling, goodnight floor you know they are trying to stretch out that bedtime

Interesting Vocabulary
mush – porridge made with cornmeal
Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the book at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it, it is also available as a board book.

Where the Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:23:46 +0000

I think all children know what it is to be a wild thing! But like the child in the book they decide that they really do want to come home. A delightful picture to read and perhaps discuss conflict between child and parent in a time of peace. We love to roar the terrible roars, gnash our teeth and roll our eyes together, as we read about where the wild things are.

Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from the Book Depository

Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from the Book Depository

Never Take a Shark to the Dentist By Judi Barrett

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:18:30 +0000

Judi has a delightful sense of humour that appeals to adults and children. This means I am happy to read her books aloud many, many times. We have enjoyed this book by Judi Barrett as well as Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People and I’m too small, you’re too big

Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from the Book Depository

Here is the link for the books at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from Fishpond

Since I wrote this review, a movie adapted from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs has been released. We haven’t seen it yet. Hopefully it will spark a greater interest in Judi Barrett’s picture books.

Giant Jam Sandwich, The story and pictures by John Vernon Lord with verses by Janet Burroway.

admin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:54:39 +0000

The Giant Jam Sandwich is also available as a board book.
This is one of our all time favourite books and so it my first post:-)

The verse is delightful, the illustrations a sweet treat. The Giant Jam Sandwich is a great read for parents and children and that is why is works so well. I enjoy reading it aloud. Read Alouds should be enjoyable for parents and children, especially if it is book that is going to read aloud again and again. I have not tired of this book yet and I’m reading it to my eighth child.

Can you spot the 3 villagers in the pictures pursuing the wasps with nets through the book?

Interesting Vocabulary

Pate: The human head, especially the top of the head

Some Useful Links:

Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries catalogue

Click on the image to buy it from Fishpond.

You can get a great preview at Google Books