Class Two at the Zoo by Julia Jarman, illustrated by Lynee Chapman.

Sometimes books need to be shared simply because they are wonderful fun, and that is the case with this book.  If you are looking for something deep, meaningful, or cultural, keep on going.  But if instead you want a book to complete a storytime full of wiggly kids or just something great to put smiles on small faces, this is the book for you.

Class Two went to the zoo on a field trip.  They see all sorts of the things at the zoo, described in a rollicking rhyming style.  But they also DON’T see what the anaconda is up to.  The snake slowly creeps up behind the children and then starts eating them!  One by one.  It isn’t until little Molly notices what’s going on that everyone is saved and they all emerge wonderfully goopy from the snakes mouth.

The text of the book is rhyming and fun.  The pacing is delicious with a slow build up and then a frenzy of kid-munching in the middle.  The art adds so much to the book as the snake eats the children in different ways and you can see child-shaped bulges in the snake as he moves to the next child. 

I guarantee giggles, groans and gasps when you share this with children.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.  A wonderful choice for preschool story times as the closer.

When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger with Susan Katz, illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden. 

Books in which Native American traditions are accurately portrayed are very few, especially in picture book format.  To have a traditional Native American side-by-side with a contemporary one is nearly unheard of.  In this picture book, you will see the traditional way of life alongside the contemporary one.  There is a constant tie between the two, but each is unique and lovely in its own way.  The book moves through the year from month to month, starting with the When the Shadfish Return Moon and circling to a finish with the same month again.  The book ends with additional information on the Lenni Lenape people, meaning that this is not meant to be a more general Native American story, but distinct to a people.  This alone makes it worthy of attention, because so many Native titles are left meaninglessly generic where these specific traditions and people bring life and accuracy to the story.

The text of the book is clear and has a great rhythm even though it is prose.  There is a consistent tie to nature and wildlife in each month that makes the passing of the months fascinating.  The illustrations are the real bridges between the modern and the historical.  The same setting is used for both periods and they share the same space, making the point of the text all the more clear for readers.

Highly recommended, this book is perfect to use when discussing calendars with children.  I would hate to see it relegated to only being pulled out during a unit on Native Americans around Thanksgiving.  Instead, the glory of white shadbush blossoms on the cover should be used as an excuse to pull it out in the spring and share it.